With all the changes occurring within the Henry Street House itself, a friend suggested a “re-heating.” Like a housewarming, but round two. I cannot get over the cleverness…

Despite living in Baltimore for a year and a half, I hadn’t yet hosted a lot of my friends in my new home in my new city, so I decided to make it an occasion. I set the date and blasted invites. And what better theme for a home re-heating than Maryland!? The state, not the school… (I made sure to tell that to the guy blowing up my balloons at Ace Hardware Federal Hill).

Food, drinks, and decor were all centered around this great state. My sister (and main hostess) created beautiful flower arrangements for the fireplace. We decorated with red, white, black, and yellow everything. I wish I had more photos, but that’s what happens when you’re having too much fun. 

The Ocean City Orange Crush was a huge hit. We may have refilled it more than once…

My guests were also too generous with the amount of champagne I was gifted, and we may have popped a bottle or four of those. 

A Maryland-themed party is not complete without Old Bay, so the main entree was Chesapeake Bay barbecue pulled chicken with macaroni and cheese and corn bread. 

Maryland-made Utz crab chips were a hit, as were buffalo chicken and pizza dips, veggies, and endless more dishes brought by friends.

We finished off the night with Domino sugar-made birthday cake for Nora and Kerry. Honestly, I have no idea what brand of sugar Wegman’s used for the cake but just know that the Domino sugar refinery is down the street from my house.

I have no shame in bragging about how many people came out, because my friendships are the one aspect of my life that is not in dumpster-fire condition. My friends are so fun and so supportive, and I’m grateful for that every day. My sister and childhood best friend and neighbor came from Bucks County. My friends from high school came from Maryland and Pennsylvania. My college friends came from Philadelphia and Connecticut. My beloved friend from my first job came from Philly too. Co-workers and new friends came from across The City and The County (that’s a Baltimore thing). Friends that couldn’t make it sent their love from states away.  

We ate, drank, and re-warmed the house well into the night. Then we hit the bars in Federal Hill, and it was all a little hazy from there.

After sending off guests the next morning, I got down to cleaning and re-organizing. My sister and a friend gave me the perfect house re-heating gifts: white sage. After cleaning, I spent time saging the house, clearing out any energy that was in the way of the gratitude and love I feel for the Henry Street House, for it’s past, present, and future residents, and for every single person who has walked through the door. Prayers and good vibes for the health and happiness of us all.

One final, special shout-out to my sister. I had to have her there for moral support and her sassy sense of humor. Although I invited Madeline for her presence and not this reason, she turned out to be the MVP of hostessing, as always. She decorated, prepared, cooked, mixed drinks, and cleaned up, to name a few activities.

It was seriously one of the more fun days I’ve had in a while, and it’s all thanks to my sister and friends for making it so great. So great, in fact, that it had to go down in the ‘At Home on Henry Street’ archives and be memorialized forever (or as long as this blog on the internet exists).