Alex Peck, Colter Harper and Tony DePaolis doing what they do in the living room/office.

Now that I've signed the lease to the place in Brooklyn, it's time to start packing up things in Pittsburgh. Ill-timed but well-intentioned, I invited folks over for one last meal and party. Throwing down on the day after Christmas meant a lot of people weren't able to make it out, seeing as they have families of their own and such. What about my needs?

This post has been devised to taunt y'inz with what could have been a a celebration of friendship, a night of heartwarming cheer and merriment.

It is also to provide you with a multimedia experience that you may have and share in the comfort of your own homes.

I started early for once. 8pm. Unfortunately, most people assumed this was a one of my traditional dinner parties that get live only after midnight, and many arrived far later in the evening. I held off on immediately serving as to let anything sit out too long. My apologies to Ben, who arrived early, and Elena, who was hoping to duck out early but was tied to the event - she brought a most important blender that would only be used at the end of the night.

The musicians in the photo above were gigging down the street at the former Your Inner Vagabond, now Istanbul. Journeymen all, tonight they were part of Colonizing The Cosmos. Plating was also delayed for their sake. I've been fortunate to meet a lot of musicians in the past year all of whom could be tricked into playing with the promise of Scooby snacks. I had to save them some. 

Now, to get serious for just a moment, I think I'm the luckiest motherfucker on earth. The music is not only beautiful and good, but it's in my living room. Friends and strangers are having a good time. People are staying classy. They're having their fill of food and libations. What I've been fortunate enough to have in my apartment time and time again in the past few years is the sort of thing that I'd previously only seen in black and white photos - cats playing music and keeping it cool. Most parties I've been to were too often people sitting around a boom box getting wrecked on rotgut beer. No style points there. Heaps of style points here, if I must say myself.

Food was nothing really new, aside from the Deconstructed Turkey stack. I anticipated a larger turnout for hungrier guests, so only 5 of 7 planned plates were served. But they were some classics.

Parting Plates:

• Bread and Dipping Grease (tomato metasauce, red pepper infused olive oil, grated romano)
• Epic Deviled Eggs
• Rosemary and Mint Lamb ball with Mint Leaf and Black Raspberry
• Deconstructed Thanksgiving Stack
• Carmelized Peaches and with Honey and Balsamic Vinegar in a Vanilla and Guinness Milkshake - an indoor version of this.

The Aural Experience:

There are three tracks to listen to in that doodad.

For those needing more, here's all the music from the night.

Parting Shots:

Adam, test subject.

I wanted to get a snapshot of everybody that ventured through the gates. Considering how many people have passed through here since 2005 made me want to have some sort of record of a single night's guests. However, to show them all will take another post.