Tags: quarter quell

The 25th Annual Hunger Games

Posted by Gretchen on Posted in Blogging, Food Tagged , , , , ,

This past Saturday, the citizens of Panem gathered for a celebration.

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The 25th Annual Hungers Games–my very own Quarter Quell–took place. Needless to say, it was glorious.

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But I figure, why tell you when I can show you?

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May the odds be ever in your favor… to get through the smorgasbord of photos you are about to be subjected to.

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Let the Games begin!

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First up: SUSTENANCE!

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Choose your weapon.

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Georgetown Cupcake!

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Cherry blossom district cupcakes and red velvet mockingjays.

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Lamb stew with dried plums (my own recipe!) and Caesar (Flickerman) salad. Get it? GET IT?!

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Fruit cornucopias and crostini with goat cheese & apples.

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Peeta Pita chips & hummus.

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Next up: LIBATIONS! (Sidebar: My cousin Nicky–Reaping Katniss–hand-drew the mockingjay pins on those shot glasses. Amazing, right?)

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Nightlock punch. Drink at your own risk.

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So. Many. Jello shots. From left to right, those are mosaic jello shots, strawberry champagne, and cupcake jello shots. Yep, you read that correctly. CUPCAKE jello shots. Let’s take a closer look:

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Aaaand one more time:

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So. Effie-ing. Good.

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And finally, the most important part: THE GUESTS! (Or, at least as many photos of the guests as I could take before I got too, ehm, libation…ed. Heh.)

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Katniss Everdeen, the Girl on Fire. 😉

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Reaping Katniss and Seneca Crane(‘s beard).

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TRACKER JACKERS!!

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District 2’s Tribute vs. The Capitol.

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Citizens of the Capitol came out to PLAY.

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(Another sidebar: I would absolutely sacrifice my dignity and become a citizen of the Capitol if it meant I got to wear lashes like Megan’s everyday.)

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Katnisses of the world unite!

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Even the pets of Panem came out to say hi.

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And I could not have done a thing without these two beautiful ladies by my side: Aileen & Ai Rei.

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The Ai’s have it! (That’s never gonna get old, by the way. Nope. Not a chance.)

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Thanks for all the birthday love, super fun times, and, of course, birthday wine, friends! Happy Hunger Games INDEED. <3 <3 <3

My Quarter Quell

Posted by Gretchen on Posted in Blogging Tagged , , ,

Today, I am 25 years old.

Two-five.

A quarter of a century.

Whoa.

Does this mean I’m a grown up yet? 😉

I’ve been sifting through some of the dozens and dozens of old family photos my brother has posted on Flickr, and happened upon a few that are particularly apropos to today’s date. Y’know, the day of my birth and all. So while there will likely be lots of ridonkulous photos and good timery to show you after my Hunger Games-themed party on Saturday (get it? My Quarter Quell birthday? Hunger Games? Eh? Ehhh?), for now, I think I’ll take a stroll down memory lane–a journey through birthdays past. Care to join me?


1996 – My 8th birthday


2000 – My 12th birthday


2001 – My 13th birthday


2006 – My 18th birthday (first in college!)


2009 – My 21st birthday (legal drinking age booyah!)


2010 – The big double-2 (and my last birthday at 246+ lbs)

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2011 – My 23rd (down maybe 40 pounds at this point?)


And of course, last year – My Potterlicious 24th!

Regardless of how far I may have come, how much weight I may have gained or lost throughout the years, and what the state of my health has been at various times throughout my life, one thing had remained the same: I frakkin’ love my birthday. But even more than that, I love that now I get to share this slice of my life with all of you! Thanks for being with me through the past 2 birthdays–here’s looking ahead to the next 25, eh?