Lido Shores: Spring Potluck Perfection

Monday, March 11, 2013

Spring Potluck Perfection

Watching the Perfect Sunset at the Perfect Potluck on 1127 Westway Drive

Was it the perfect temperature? The perfect time of year? We're the stars in perfect alignment? A perfect mix of appetizers and deserts? The perfect host and hostess, perhaps? Or most likely, a perfect mix of the above, combined with, well, the perfect setting. Anyway you want to describe it, Sunday night's Lido Shores Spring Potluck was the most anticipated and well attended in recent memory.

Ken & Carrie Cox host 2013 Spring Potluck

LSPOA members Ken and Carrie Cox opened their arms with gracious hospitality to their magnificent home on Westway, to, by our unofficial count, more than 80 neighbors and house guests, with a few drop-ins to boot. That's nearly 20 more people than attended our Annual Dinner and Meeting in January. For the first hour or so, guests sipped on the appreciably upgraded wine and beer selection, thanks to our resident "sommelier" Bob Essner, while touring the home and perfectly manicured grounds.

Ken then put the word out that dinner was served, prompting a steady stream of plates laden with neighborhood specialties to flow from the kitchen and out onto the terrace, with a terrific view overlooking the Gulf. Some of the more memorable potluck dishes were Donna Boscia's grilled meatloaf, Lois Fishman's broccoli Slaw, Pat Davis' fried chicken, Bob Thill's hickory smoked pork tenderloin and Bob Garvin's cassoulet. Jan Blivas' chicken curry salad was also a hit, although under intense interrogation admitted it's from Morton's. (It's the only dish she ever takes to Potluck gatherings, so, she says, it's Hers!) It just wouldn't be a desert spread without Dick Hagen's now famous lemon bars. And thanks to Terry Nugent and Bernie Melanson for bringing an array of petits fours from C'est La Vie.

Sue Lifeso, Bob & Anne Essner, Carol Bowen pose on the veranda.

This perfect party couldn't be pulled off without the careful marshaling and guidance from our Social Chair extraordinaire Anne Essner. Anne reports that Carrie and Ken exclaimed, "We can't believe it—we figured we would have so much to do...and it all just happened." As Anne replied, "That's our goal. Buzz in and buzz out so that our hosts can relax and enjoy their own party."

A Lido Shores shout out to Jean and Kent Williams, who stood in to captain the set-up and take down of the tables and chairs; Marg and Dan Mills, Terry Nugent and Bernie Melanson, Carol Fuoco and Bob Essner for set-up, and to everyone for cleanup, Andrew Vac and Kevin Berkebile among others who rolled tables out to the street. Carol Williams is who we thank for her lovely centerpieces; and Kathy Edstrom, for getting an updated set of name tags made so that everyone was "official." Let's not forget Carrie and Ken's many nieces, nephews and "significant others," who not only offered to be "house sitters" during the tour so that our members could be free to enjoy the party, but who helped from set-up to take-down – whatever needed to be done.

Howard Rooks, Tom Mawn, Diane Desenberg, Anne & Bob Essner, Alan & Linda Stewart

An extra special THANK YOU to our gracious hosts Carrie and Ken for their generosity in opening their home, with virtually no corner off-limits. As for that perfect sunset... a perfect ending to the, well, here it comes, the Perfect Potluck.

~BT & AE