Remember my friends Angela and Gordon? They are the super organized couple who put on incredible theme parties for 8 of their lucky friends (remember Titanic 100th Anniversary and The Truman Capote Black and White Ball?). Well, they did it again and a few weeks ago we were invited to their James Bond 60th Anniversary Party. We had a lot of fun with this theme. First I had to figure out who to be (yes, we were all encouraged to come in full costume!) So I googled it and found this really cool quiz. Now I already had an idea who I wanted to be, but the quiz absolutely nailed it and YES I would be Paris Carver that night! Paris was the wife of the evil Media Mogul in Tomorrow Never Dies. But she had also been Mr. Bond’s lover (but then who hadn’t?). JT decided to be Francisco Scaramanga from the Man with the Golden Gun and he did a great job in fashioning a rather authentic looking golden gun. It was a dinner party hosted by M and Mr. James Bond and thank you Donald “Red” Grant for the fabulous photography and Q for keeping the hors d’œuvres constantly coming. It was a very tasty evening.
The Menu:
(stew modified version of a John Cordeaux/Royal York recip /puddings – Good Housekeeping circa 1980s)
The Cast:
Our generous hosts M and Mr. James Bond (complete with English accent)
- The table was beautifully set and we each had a “Classified Dossier” in front of our seats.
Donald “Red” Grant and Q (who had a few tricks up his sleeve!)
It’s all in the details. Yes, those are bullets in the vase.
Dr. Julius No & Honey Ryder
(they bought their costumes in Hong Kong on a recent trip to celebrate a benchmark birthday).
Ernst Stavro Blofeld & Jinx.
Ernst was sufficiently creepy with his bunny (remember it was originally a creepy cat)
Auric Goldfinger and Pussy Galore
Francisco Scaramanga and Paris Carver
(Apparently Paris always had a champagne glass in hand, which I was perfectly happy to do!)
To give you an example of how much detail my friend M went into this is my Classified Bio, for your eyes only!
PARIS CARVER
Terri Hatcher Eva Taylor
Location: Hamburg, Germany.
Characteristics: Sophisticated, cosmopolitan, unhappy, pining for Bond.
Hobbies/Interests: James Bond. Sipping her husband’s (British media baron Elliot Carver) champagne. Prior to that drank straight shots of tequila. Lying to her husband about her relationship with Bond.
Associations: No known associations.
Scars/Notable Features: Possible scarring on hand from slapping Bond for abandoning her years earlier. Often carrying champagne flute.
Relationship with MI6: Described as “too close for comfort” by Bond. After spending a passionate evening together, Carver led Bond to her husband’s secret lab.
Status: Presumed assassinated by hitman Dr. Kaufman after her husband learned of her betrayal. Most recently spotted sipping champagne in Toronto, New York, Chicago, and Paris.
- We were all quite taken back with the amount of detail in each of our dossiers.
There were detailed character descriptions in each folder.
We took a couple of photos at home before we left.
Can you believe it, I picked up my dress from Value Village and made a few alterations. Damn thing left sparkles all over the house!
Thanks again to M and Mr. James Bond for making such a memorable evening.
Kitcheninspirations 
[…] earthy beef. My friend Angela (of Titanic Anniversary, Truman Capote’s Black and White, James Bond 60th Anniversary dinner parties) served up this Beef and Guinness Stew for the Bond party and I knew it would be the […]
LikeLike
Looks like yet another amazing party! Love the theme!
LikeLike
Thanks Amber, it was loads of fun. My friend is already planning another one.
LikeLike
Great fun and cudos to all of you getting into character. You surely did your host and hostess proud, they deserve this, after all the trouble they went through. But one thing boggles me: where was this paarty? Hamburg/Germany or somewhere in Canada???
LikeLike
Hi! We’re in Toronto, Canada. Yes it certainly does make the event when everyone participates. Thank you for your comment, and welcome to my blog.
LikeLike
How fun are your friends Eva!!! You look so in character too! In fact, all the guests do. Incredible…..I have never seen or heard a James Bond styled party. If I were to be a character……I don’t know if I could fit in anywhere, lol! Though I would love to be that heiress who blows up her own tunnels and fools Bond – from that poorly directed Pierce Brosnan movie (forgot the name). The menu fits right in too.
LikeLike
Hi Minnie, my friend is a real genius at figuring out the right theme for this group, everyone loves them, and I’m sure you’d fit right in, it’s a real friendly crowd!
The menu was lovely, I can imagine Mr. Bond dining like that most of the time!
LikeLike
Oh, what a fun party (I misspelled “fun” rather fittingly as “gun” at first)! You’re both rocking the costumes Eva and JT, and you bear a great resemblance, especially in the photo you took at home – you did a great job with the hair! I like that film… I always wonder whether Elliot Carver was a bit of a jab at Rupert Murdoch?!
I feel like I want to re-watch all the movies again, and I only just finished them all before Skyfall came out! As for which guy I’d go as? Probably Sanchez with his lizard from Licence to Kill. Couple of bricks of (fake) cocaine and I’d be all set!
LikeLike
Thank you so much Charles, I did work on my hair with a set of 30 year old hot rollers! It was fun getting into character.
I had to look Sanchez up and when I did I nearly dropped my phone, that lizard is very creepy! You would have fit right in!
Both JT and I watched our own movies but we didn’t watch them all; I do know that M’s family watch them all before seeing Sky Fall too. I’m not sure if it would have enhanced the end result. We did have the Sixtieth Anniversary exposition here in Toronto and it would have certainly made that experience a bit nicer; we were disappointed that there weren’t any cars in the exposition, the Bond movies focused so much on the technology of the cars.
LikeLike
LOL I have a smile on my face, that’s such a fun dinner party. The menu is just perfect, just as I d choose it and you look gorgeous Eva in your dress. I d love to have such a dinner party, but I don’t think so my husband will play along lolol.
LikeLike
Thanks Helene, my friend’s entire family participates and it works out so well; even her two teen sons enjoy these parties. Thank you for your lovely compliment on the dress, I was happy to have found it so reasonably priced.
LikeLike
Gorgeous dress Eva! You look so glamourous and elegant. Definitely not a straight shots of tequila kind of girl. Looks like a fun night. Those dossiers are a worry. They look like too much to remember for after a few too many champagnes 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you kindly Genie, we read them quickly but it was quite lovely to go over them the next day. It will make a beautiful memory, for sure.
LikeLike
What a fun post Eva! You look like a real Bond girl.Thanks for sharing. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you kindly Zsuzsa, it was a really fun party.
LikeLike
Always enjoyed Bond and a themed party based on films is such a great idea. Looks like a great time Eva!
LikeLike
Thanks Jed, it was particularly fun since everyone dressed up! And it didn’t hurt that the food was great too!
LikeLike
what a brilliant idea and what fun!
LikeLike
Thanks so much.
LikeLike
What fun and what detail! You and JT look fabulous, as do all the participants. It sounds like it was a hugely successful party, with great food and drink. And how wonderful that everyone participated in the costumes…essential to making the evening, I am sure. I can’t believe there weren’t any Vesper cocktails, though! Perhaps that’s what you two had in hand when you took your photos at home? 😉
LikeLike
Hi! 007 and I made a conscious decision not to serve Vesper Martinis because we knew everyone had to drive home at the end of the evening. Our guests were able to pace their wine, port, liqueur, scotch consumption, etc over the entire evening and not have that huge hit of alcohol as soon as they walked in the door. We had the ingredients for the VM on hand but not enough beds to comfortably put everyone up for the night. l-) M (Angela)
LikeLike
We figured as much M, even so, Mr. Bond got me sufficiently loaded that night, but no hangover, thank goodness! Seriously considering alcohol consumption is quite appreciated, it’s not a matter to joke about. Scaramanga had better control over his consumption as always.
LikeLike
Hi Betsy, my friend M and Mr. Bond were concerned about consumption and driving, hence the lighter booze. Scaramanga and I had a water “martini” as we had to drive about 40 minutes and we didn’t want to get loaded particularly on an empty tummy.
Thank you kindly for your lovely compliment.
LikeLike
What a fun night! You are looking fabulous Eva!
LikeLike
Thank you kindly Bam, it was a very fun night for sure.
LikeLike
Ooh I do love a good themed dinner party! And you look absolutely FABULOUS Eva!!
LikeLike
Oh my, thank you so much Lorraine!
LikeLike
Looks great fun..great menu too!
LikeLike
Thanks Keith, our hosts always put a great deal of effort into these parties, they are always so lovely.
I was just over at your blog, going to leave a few comments but that gnocchi is mouth watering!
LikeLike
Sounds like a fun party! Love your red dress –it’s stunning!
LikeLike
Thank you Anne, I was very happy to have found it, it worked out so well.
LikeLike
I’d love a house full of sparkles. You look gorgeous, Eva. And I do hope the weather was favourable. Surely by now??? I do remember your friend’s Titanic party. These friends of yours are great fun and I’d love them to extend their party invitations to a couple of Aussies. Great to see you out having a wonderful time xx
LikeLike
Thank you for your lovely compliment Charlie; the party was very entertaining. I’m sure two places could be made for a couple of fun loving Aussie’s! The weather is starting to warm up this weekend as we’re expecting 18C today. Finally!
LikeLike
Love the photos –especially the ones of you and John. At first your dress looked black Paris….but no, you were stunning in red. Was that JT’s white suit jacket? I have to show Kevin. What fun!!!
LikeLike
Hi Barbie, thank you for the lovely compliment. The white jacket is JT’s father’s! Can you believe the serendipity that JT came across the jacket just last month when he moved his Dad into a smaller apartment in the retirement residence. And it’s a Neiman Marcus!
LikeLike
A party to celebrate James Bond’s 60th anniversary is such a great idea. What a truly nice group to be part of, Eva. Creative and fun-loving are 2 traits you want people in your social circle to have in abundance. There’s no doubt that “Mr. & Mrs. Bond” fit the criteria and we all think the same of you and JT. And the 2 of you looked smashing!
LikeLike
Thanks so much John, this was one of the most successful themed parties only because everyone participated in costume and that’s part of the fun. And since only M and Mr. Bond are ‘regular’ friends of ours it’s so nice to catch up with the other couples whom we only see at these parties.
LikeLike
You guys are just too much fun Eva! I love living vicariously through you. And hats-off to your friend M! The detail here is amazing. Not to mention you and JT look FABULOUS!
LikeLike
Thanks so much Kristy, it was a very entertaining evening. My friend and her husband do such a great job with these themed parties. I know my ordinary dinner parties take a lot of planning and execution, I can only imagine how much effort one of her parties takes.
LikeLike
I’m seeing double — Double 07 that is. I love that the libation menu is as long as the food menu. As it should be.
LikeLike
Thanks Greg, our hosts are extremely generous with their libations!
LikeLike
Looking good, Eva. Paris was a gorgeous lady and you didn’t let us down in your portrayal of her. In fact, you all looked very classy as did the table setting and your servers seemed very serious and dedicated to providing good service to the guests. Cute bunny but Blofeld really NEEDS a cat. 🙂
LikeLike
Thank you for your lovely compliment Maria. The servers did a great job, it’s so nice that these young men are so happy and willing to participate, they are really good sports.
LikeLike
Amazing party and such an appetising menu! Your friends have excellent and such inventive ideas. I think I’m too lazy to make up a theme party… But, most of all, you looked gorgeous! The last photo is extraordinary! (If I understood well Value Village is not an expensive place, but the dress looks marvellous!).
LikeLike
Hi Sissi, thank you for your very generous compliment, the party was an excellent success. Value Village is what we call a thrift store, selling mostly 2nd hand items. I picked up the dress for $15 Canadian, and only had to alter it minimally. I was lucky too because it was the first place we went.
LikeLike
What a fun party!
You look gorgeous in that red dress!
LikeLike
Thank you kindly Angie, I was rather pleased how well the dress worked out.
LikeLike
Must say, you look dashing, Eva! Wowwowwow they sure know how to throw a party! I love the little touches- the classified dossiers and the bullets esp!!! Looks like you guys had a ball.
LikeLike
Thanks Meenkashi, they certainly do throw a lovely party, it’s all in the details.
LikeLike
Paris, you look smashing! Love the sparkly VV dress – what a find! (I too would be quite happy sporting a glass of bubbly through the evening ;-)). Now do your friends look after the entire menu too or is it a potluck deal? Incredible the amount of effort, detail and thoughtfulness that goes into an evening like this… classified files and all. What a memorable event – so much fun!
LikeLike
Hi Kelly, thank you for your lovely compliment. Our hosts looked after the entire meal and it was really lovely. It does take an enormous amount of preparation and M tests and tries recipes for weeks possibly months before deciding on the menu. I can hardly wait for the next one!
LikeLike
Can you believe I am already mulling over a few ideas for the next party?
LikeLike
Yay! We can hardly wait!
LikeLike
OMG I love these people! What a wonderful party and terrific memories.
LikeLike
Thanks Maureen, we are very fortunate to have such generous friends indeed.
LikeLike
Looks good Eva! Just so no one is confused by a celebration of the 60th anniversary, we held our dinner on April 13, the 60th anniversary to the day of the publication of Fleming’s first Bond novel – Casino Royale. Back in 1953 Fleming could never have imagined that 10 years later his character would be launched in such an enduring film franchise.
LikeLike
Thanks for the clarification. It’s really hard to believe the franchise had has such endurance, I guess it’s the romantics in all of us that has its success. The party was great fun.
LikeLike