Because It's Fabulous, Darling!

'Member when I posted about these fabulous tea parties my great friend, Teresa, kept throwing??

Well, this year, circumstances changed and she and her good friend, Emily (aka Tea Party Thrower Partner),  are not going to be partners in crime any longer.  Teresa told me she had this idea to do a chocolate tasting party where those invited could bring their favorite chocolate to share and that would be handy because she was going to be throwing it herself.  I said "Hold the phone.  I'll throw it with you!!!"  And she was like "Okay!"  (Like Monica, on Friends) and we were like "Yay it will be the best party EVER!!"

I was also super excited because, wouldn't ya know it, I've been helping my mom re-organize her basement and we found china tea sets!!  I had some of my very own to bring and help decorate.  I feel so posh!

We set out to do our guest list, the menu and talk decorations.  I was getting oh so very excited for this party!

The day of I worked and slaved in the kitchen and got started early so that hopefully everything would run smoothly as possible on my first round as Teresa's new partner.  And it was going great! Until I arrived late to my own party because I thought it started at 7:30 and it started at 7:00 (it would have helped if I actually read the invitation - aren't I brilliant?)  Luckily there wasn't much else to do since we were already set up.  

The ladies arrived in all their fabulousness and we dined and laughed and talked and enjoyed a beautiful evening :)

This was our chocolate buffet table that turned out beautifully and had so many delicious treats:

This was my own contribution (in my pretty pink China bowl!) - it was so stinkin' delicious...I crave it on a daily basis now.  It's Cake Batter Chocolate Bark.  My new favorite thing I found when trying to find something uber fabulous to share with our guests: 

I made the sweet and yummy Coconut Tapioca soup.  Teresa made a taste-bud-tantalizing cold cucumber soup: 

My raw cashew fruit dip with strawberries (again on my new  but very old China!  hee hee): 

Delicious scones of Teresa's: 

Tea sandwiches and, of course, tea (herbal): 

A chocolate cake - very yummy: 

We made Iced Hot Chocolate in Milk chocolate and white chocolate: 

A couple of the chocolate quotes that decorated the tables:

My table with guests (from left to right) Bonnie, Rachel, Beth, Alaina, Jill, Merry, and Allison: 

Teresa's table: 

Teresa and I!  She made that hat for her witches party last year and it turned out completely and totally awesome.  Also perfect for a chocolate tasting party! 

Me and Allison, my hippie nature bud friend: 

Me with Beth and Alaina, coordinating fabulousness: 

and me and Jill, the sassiest, take-no-crap-from-no-one, coolest lady you'll ever meet :) 

We had Teresa's garden decorated with my chinese lanterns and lots of tea lights and once the sun went down, the place was soflty lit. I had an incredibly great time and I think my friends did too as they stayed and we talked and laughed late into the night :)  It was wonderful.  Thank you to Teresa for the honor of being her new partner in crime and thank you to my friends for a wonderful evening, indeed :)