Club Maia

Oct 13th, 2006 by Accidental Thinker

The velvet door rope might have been the first indication that this was no ordinary birthday party. The bouncer checking names against the VIP list before granting entry was likely the second clue. This celebration, after all, was an important affair, held in honor of the fact that Maia has reached the ripe old age of eight.

Really, who DOESN’T turn their living room into an invitation-only dance club for their daughter’s eighth birthday?

Those lucky enough to pass muster with the bouncer (dad) and bearing the appropriate cover charge (a birthday gift in fanciful wrapping) gained exclusive admittance into the newly monikered “Club Maia.” These privileged entrants were so acknowledged with a “Girls Rule” hand stamp, to distinguish them from any uninvited riffraffâ€”like three-year-old brothersâ€”who might have the audacity to sneak in. They then made their way to the first stop, the beauty station, to be decked out with stick-on body jewelry and glitter hairspray. The second stop on the dance party circuit was the photo station, for a photo op with the dimpled birthday girl herself. Each girl had her picture professionally snapped with Maia against a tasseled purple backdrop, rimmed with rope lighting. At least it looked like professional photography, with the camera mounted on a tripod and all.

The bouncer, ever alert, checked his headset throughout the afternoon for news of possible disturbances to quell. To his great disappointment, there were none. The guests respectfully honored the “staff only” signs designating backstage areas deemed off limits to them, and no celebrity catfights erupted between girls soused on strawberry-kiwi flavored Capri Sun. But there was no time to lament the limited need for ejecting troublemakers from rowdy scenes of commotion, because the bouncer had a second job. He doubled as the DJ, spinning tunes from a playlist populated exclusively by Disney Channel and American Idol artists, while the guest of honor demonstrated that her years of dance training have been fruitful as she led the choreography on the dance floor.

Meanwhile, the club manager/photographer (mom) rushed to develop the prints of the arrival fan photo shoots, because this party was about more than just Hip Hop and Hilary Duff and Clay Aiken. The guests needed to have a souvenir of the experience, so they adjourned to the neighboring art studio (the back porch) for instruction in making their own personalized magnet picture frames. But what good is a frame without a picture to put in it? As luck would have it, in addition to an art studio, this amazing multi-functional dance club also boasts an in-house darkroom. Otherwise known as the inkjet photo printer.

Following the dancing and crafts and the requisite cake and presents, the guests chose to chill in the private VIP Lounge (a.k.a. Maia’s bedroom) while awaiting their chauffeurs to transport them home. Access to the lounge was via a new beaded curtain veiling the doorway. Probably to keep out paparazzi like me.

I think the party was a hit. How will we ever top this next year?

Posted in Family, Favorites, Girly Girl |

13 Responses to “Club Maia”

on 14 Oct 2006 at 8:18 am1Herb

Wow! I think you asked the right question with, “What will we do next year?” That’s great.
on 14 Oct 2006 at 10:29 am2Fred

Fast forward to my house, where they’re suddenly all going to a Homecoming Dance.

I miss those birthday parties. It sounds like it was an affair to remember.
on 14 Oct 2006 at 1:18 pm3Mike

Happy Birthday Maia !!!! We want pictures of the camel and elephant rides in the backyard next year – OK? ;0)
on 15 Oct 2006 at 2:06 pm4LAZY Blogger

Sounds like Club Maia was hopping! So where are the Photos? As for the bouncer… I was sure he was listening to old College Football game (from somewhere) on an MP3 player! (which would have) made him REALLY look like a bouncer! Happy 8th Birthday to Maia! ~ jb///
on 16 Oct 2006 at 4:40 pm5Jolynn

That is one of the best birthday party themes I have heard of. That is amazing. I might have to steal the idea.
on 17 Oct 2006 at 3:04 pm6Miss Cellania

Get idea about the pictures! I’ve taken pictures, and them sent them with the thank you notes, but having them as a part of a craft project is neat-o. Happy Birthday, Maia!
on 17 Oct 2006 at 7:32 pm7tanlucypez

Fabulous idea! I’ve never, ever, heard of a party like this one. Absolutely the best girl-party theme I can imagine.
on 18 Oct 2006 at 9:21 am8Peach

I LOVE the way you wrote this up! Sounds like an awsome time was had by all. Now what I’m wondering is….what are you going to do for 13 and 16?
on 18 Oct 2006 at 4:48 pm9Jess

Wow, and all I got when I turned 8 was a trip to the roller rink! 🙂 Sounds like Maia had a great time.
on 19 Oct 2006 at 10:50 am10Coll

Makes me wish I was 8 years old again.. and a friend to Maia. :-). The party sounds like so much fun. Happy Birthday Maia.
on 21 Oct 2006 at 4:08 pm11mr_g

And to think, when I was a kid, the closest thing you got to a “party souvenir” was if you forgot to untuck the napkin from your lap at Farrell’s.
on 25 Oct 2006 at 10:42 am12Aunt Marisa

I guess my invitation got lost in the mail?
on 13 Oct 2007 at 10:46 pm13Accidental Thinker » Blog Archive » Movie critics agree: “Two thumbs up!”

[…] do you top a dance club birthday party, one year later? Why, you roll out the red carpet, of course. […]