When I’m 64!

When I’m 64 Themed Birthday Party: What better theme for someone turning 64 then the Beatles classic song? Decor ideas and menu ideas with a bistro feel.

Last night we got together with “some random person off the street” -who doesn’t want everyone to know she’s 64 😉 It seemed an obvious theme considering her age, to go with the Beatles fun song “When I’m 64!”

The Song

Listen to the song “When I’m 64” here -it’s the perfect theme to the night.

The Party Decor

I decided to use a table runner of brown craft paper, and that set the tone for the rest of the table and food. I used cute little mini paper bags to hold everyone’s knife, fork and napkin, and made a little silver pompom, and tied them to the end of skewers with twine for fun.

The bags were stamped with the number 64.

I saw these fun number balloons at new years, and tucked them away in my mind for the future. I thought they’d be great for the party. Unfortunately when I went to pick them up, they told me they had to order them in 🙁 so no number balloons for me, but if you were doing something similar they’d be great. They were also the inspiration for bringing silver into the table.

At each place setting, I printed the song lyrics out for everyone, with the menu on the back.

The Menu

I liked how the kraft paper created a bistro feel, and it inspired my menu for the night.

Birthday Celebration Menu

-Dinner-
French Dip Roast Beef
Sandwiches
Fresh Cut Fries
Homemade Onion Rings
Grandma’s Coleslaw

-Dessert-
Coconut Cupcakes
Vanilla Cupcake

French Dip Roast Beef Sandwiches

The French Dip Roast Beef sandwiches were a new recipe, and boy were they a hit. Like everyone oohing and aahing and over eating kind of a hit. I found the recipe over at Our Best Bites.

They were really easy. Like roast, beef stock and a couple envelopes of onion soup mix in the slow cooker all day, kind of easy. You should try this recipe, it will improve the quality of your life.

I sautéd some onions and mushrooms to go on the sandwiches, along with a little Swiss cheese. The dip is in the ramekins.

I also made home made onion rings -find my recipe and instructions here. These are also so, so good.

Homemade French Fries

And, while the deep fryer was out, I decided to make fresh cut fries.

I used the double fry method, and they were crispy and delicious. The first frying is at 325 and is only about 3 min. They come out like this, not browned yet.

Then you turn the fryer up to 375 and finish them, frying until golden brown. They were delish.

Along with all the yummy fried up food, I also did a sweetish coleslaw, my Grandma’s recipe. It was perfect to balance everything out.

Dessert

After dinner we had dessert, made from scratch cupcakes. They were so yummy.

The birthday girl’s favourite is The Barefoot Countessa’s Coconut Cupcakes. If you like coconut, you will love this recipe.

I don’t really like coconut. 🙁

One day, while making these for the coconut lovers, I had a lick of the batter before adding in the coconut. I was thinking this is the best cupcake batter I ever tasted. And then the light bulb, what if I leave out the coconut.

The Barefoot Countessa’s Coconut Cupcakes (without coconut) are the best Vanilla cupcakes I ever had!

What I usually do is make half vanilla and half coconut. Just before adding the coconut, scoop out half the batter and fill about 15 cupcake tins. Half the original coconut and add to the rest of the batter to make the rest coconut.

I use the cream cheese frosting on the recipe for the coconut cupcakes, but only make a quarter of the original recipe, and I find it’s the perfect amount.

For the vanilla ones, I make a simple butter cream.

To co-ordinate the cupcakes with the rest of the party decor, I put the cupcakes in the same little paper bags that I used for the cutlery, just cut down a little. I made a fun little pic with a toothpick and some more twine and silver ribbon.

I also used 64 sparkle candles.

We all had a great time, and the “random person of the street” seemed to enjoy herself as well! I guess it’s for sure then, we will still need you and we definitely will still feed you, when you’re 64!

With a When I’m 64 Themed Birthday, life is really a party!

You might also our Beer/Rootbeer Tasting Birthday Party here.

Also check out our Make Your Own Pasta Bar party here.