Artichoke Party #1

Theme: Baltimore You Blow, San Francisco Hello!

Location: Foosball Palace, San Francisco

Year: 1997

Art: Mary Grace McGhee

Background: When I returned from a bruising chapter in Baltimore, I wanted to reconnect with Bay Area friends and thought a party would be a good way to do it. But I needed a theme — something unexpected and provocative.

As I was searching for a party theme idea, my eyes lit upon the artichoke plates that my grandmother had given my mother after visiting and realizing how much we all loved eating artichokes.

When I returned to San Francisco, my mother had given them to me.

There were 8 of them.