Entertaining

The First Friendsgiving

Oh my GOD that was a fun Thanksgiving. Technically a “friendsgiving,” I suppose, although Pinterest has made me so tired of that word that I cringe even writing it. We couldn’t go to Ohio or New York for a variety of reasons, so a few of our East Coast-transplant friends decided to drive up for LA for a full weekend of celebrating. (They only stayed through Friday, but then the whole group of us ended up driving back down to Southern California to celebrate Thanksgiving Take 2 with my parents, who were stopping through on their way back to New York, so we kept the party going. Right now I’m sitting at the kitchen table in my dad’s apartment in Pasadena while my kids eat Einstein’s bagels on the couch. It’s nice.)

The thing about this particular group of friends – Kendrick, myself, Paige, Francesca, and Francesca’s brother Mookie – is that we’ve all known each other for so long that there is virtually nothing that any of us could do that would come as a shock to the others. We’ve seen each other through some of our very hardest (and wildest) years, so I could probably wander through the house naked wearing a frog on my head, and no one would think that was especially out of character (it wouldn’t be, except I’d much prefer, say, a kitten to a frog if we’re talking animals being worn on one’s head).

So, for example, when Francesca decided that we needed to have a 1970s Keith Richards-esque dress code for the day (mostly because she had just bought sparkly silver bellbottoms and wanted an excuse to wear them)? We were all on board that boat in about two seconds flat. Full-on dance party to Bohemian Rhapsody? You better believe it. And when, for no apparent reason at all, I decided that doing the limbo sounded like a good idea and came out holding the long stick that has inexplicably been sitting in the corner of our garage ever since we moved in, just waiting for a perfect Limbo Moment?

Everybody limboed. Like, without breaking stride.

I love these people. Talk about your found family.

Jordan Reid in Zara faux fur sweater and vintage dress

This is what I came up with for my thematic attire: my grandmother’s one-shoulder sarongish thing and a large woodland creature wrapped around my upper body. (What you don’t see are the hot pink fluffy slippers that went on shortly afterwards because my feet were cold; I think they gave the whole look just that extra dose of crazy it needed.

Three women wearing vintage inspired outfits by a pool

Ooh that pool was cold.

Jordan Reid and friends by her pool at home in San Jose

I have no idea what’s happening here.

Thanksgiving holiday centerpiece with pink and neon colors

Wow, is this ever not a Thanksgiving-ish tablescape. Don’t care; the more neon yellow and pink the better.

Jordan Reid and daughter in '70s inspired clothing

Goldie’s outfit was truly inspired, I think.

Jordan Reid in purple dress and Zara faux fur sweater

Oh, just casually posing by the pool. In a gown and a Wookie coat.

Girls by the pool in 1970s inspired outfits

These girls are my everything.

Playing limbo at home during a party

Remember when I said a limbo party just kind of happened? Proof.

Jordan Reid and Kendrick Strauch in a photo taken by their son

This photo makes me happy. What makes me even happier is that Indy took it.

Friendsgiving in California

And now, allow me to present to you the very best group photo that I could find of the 10,000 that we took with a timer while actually seated around the dinner table. We’re missing two people, Paige looks like she’s thinking about eating Indy, and I look like I just saw Arnold Schwarzenegger wander through our dining room. Apparently this is the best we could do.

It’s a pretty good summation of the whole experience: ridiculous, messy, and a hell of a lot of fun.

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