Alice's Super Parties

You might recall a previous post in which I explained the origin of the name "Daisy Mae's Market." Daisy Mae was the grandmother of partners Barry and Jeff Cooper. She lived in the hills of Kentucky and could cook up quite a meal with whatever she might have around the house. I never met Daisy Mae, but I imagine her as a typical Little-House-on-the-Prairie-kind of grandmother.

I, on the other hand, had Alice. She was my mother's mother, but preferred to be called "Alice" because she never felt old enough to be called "Grandmother." Alice was as different from a Little-House-on-the-Prairie-kind of grandmother as she could be. She managed the office of the family automobile business her whole life, served on the Church Council and practically ran the church, and owned season tickets for St. Louis Blues hockey even though her husband chose never to join her for a game. She enjoyed shopping, dining out, and attending the theater, but most of all, she enjoyed entertaining. 

Alice, and her husband Sherman, had a modest yet state-of-the-art home. As one of their 6 grandchildren, I always felt privileged to go to Alice's for holidays and special events. Not only did she serve delicious meals, but there were usually "Kiddie Cocktails" and orange peanut candy...things we didn't get at home. But the most special thing about Alice's house was that she owned a color television! Very few homes had a color television in the 60's, but there we were watching Bonanza in living color.

I'm sure we watched the first Super Bowl in 1967--in color--at Alice's house. And I'm sure all of the grandchildren had their little fingers in the dips and cheeses. There was nothing like a party at Alice's. How she would have loved to see the way the Super Bowl has evolved! It's so much more than a game now...It's the 60" HDTV's, the commercials, the parties, the extravaganza...Alice would have loved it.   

So this year, when I get ready to watch the Super Bowl, I may just have a "Kiddie Cocktail" and lift my glass to Alice who taught me every party can be super if you just relax and have fun.