Steve's 50th Bicycle Party

We were trying to downplay the traditionally dark "Over the Hill" part of a 50th party and instead emphasize the unusually vibrant "Over the Rainbow" part of a 50th party, the part that stresses the "Somewhere, over the rainbow, skies are blue, and the dreams that you dared to dream really do come true" part of life after 50. Hence, the splashes of color. Hence, the room filled with the stuff of the birthday boy's dreams: health enough to ride his bike, food enough to feed his body, friends and family enough to fill his heart.

• What People Ate

  We set up a chili bar with all of the fixings: cheese, onions, olives, jalapenos, corn, sour cream, hot dogs. Guests could choose corn bread, crackers, or Fritos for their chili. Too, we set up a potato bar with all of the fixings: butter, sour cream, chives, cheese, and of course, chili.

• What People Drank

  For the adults, there was a variety of both wine and beer, but the feature beer was "Fat Tire," for obvious reasons. :) For the children, there was bottled water and Gatorade, the drink choice of our little cyclists.

• Desserts

  The cake was tiered cake with a road bike theme; the signs along the road were "Enjoy the Ride," "Share the Road," "Life is a Cycle." At the dessert table were lots of bicycle themed treats: Old-Fashioned Tire Repair (black bubblegum), Tire Pumps (Push-Pop Cake), Road Hazards (Sixlets), Bike Spokes (Candy-filled Straws), Spare Tires (Donut Holes). Too, we had colorful road bike sugar cookies and spoke designed peanut butter cookies. And S'mores. And M&M's in our PARTY dishes. . . .

• Julia Trombley

  Party Planner and Fabulous Crocheter and Fellow Photographer

  Julie is my partner-in-crime. :)

• Judy Doyle

  Cook and Baker

  Judy did much of the cooking for the party ~ the chili and the German Chocolate cake and the peanut butter cookies, all her!

• The "Baker"y

  Cake designer

  Laura Baker of The "Baker"y made the fabulous cake.