Olympics closing-ceremony specialty drinks and socks

Spontaneity is a charism in the Kelly clan. At least that’s how we spin it. Some of our best parties and outings have been planned in a few days, hours sometimes, and they have been the most enjoyable. There’s truth to expectations feeding frustrations. With no time to whip up any expectations, there are no frustrations.

Why am I talking about this? Because while the family and I were watching Shaun White’s splendid gold-medal run in the men’s snowboard halfpipe in the Winter Olympics in South Korea, Eve here started thinking closing ceremonies party on February 25.

The idea met with some resistance from the resident couch potatoes. But once I started tossing party ideas around they got into the spirit and contributed a few of their own. Here’s what we came up with:

I’m bringing in some Korean takeout, so we can feel like we are sitting in the stands in Pyeongchang, not in easy chairs in San Diego. SD Manna BBQ on Convoy Street was recommended by a few friends, especially their bulgogi — marinated beef in barbecue sauce. ($11.99) Manna Bar lunch buffet offers to-go orders from 11:00 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. I’m also going to buy kimchi jjigae, another classic, a spicy stew with sour kimchi, pork belly, tofu, and green onions, $9.99.

Hubby Patrick is going to want a brew to wash down that tasty barbecue, so I’m thinking soju, which is a Korean rice liquor. “It tastes a little like vodka,” Patrick says, “but without the burn, because it’s much lower in alcohol.” Soju is around 20 percent while vodka is typically 40 percent. That’s still higher proof than beer or wine, which are in the 5 to 15 percent range. It’s not for chugging, especially since it ain’t cheap. BevMo is selling Tori Kai Soju, $40.97 for 750ml.

Zion Market on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard was another recommended spot for goodies. My man popped up there and came home with Korean Traditional Cookies ($3.99 for 7.05 ounces) and Korean Honey Cookies ($1.99 for 10.5 ounces).

Patrick has already created a speciality Olympic drink. “I’ve got it!” he said while I was watching figure-skating and he was thumbing his iPhone. “You know how figure-skating commentators are always saying what sounds like ‘triple sow-cow’?” I nodded.

“Well, it’s not ‘sow-cow,’ it’s ‘Salchow.’ I just looked it up. It’s a kind of jump invented by a Swede named Ulrich Salchow in 1909. So, my party cocktail — the Triple Salchow — will be a triple shot of Swedish Absolut vodka sweetened to taste with Dryck Lingon, which is a lingonberry syrup we can pick up at Ikea. We’ll garnish it with lemon rind cut in discs to represent gold medals.” (Dryck Lingon, $4.99 for 16.9 ounces at Ikea.)

For party decorations, an International String Flag Banner ($7.95 on Amazon Prime). The 42 feet of 50 different countries will help us “celebrate our world family.” (You wouldn’t credit the eye-rolling I got from the family when I used that expression.)

And on the platters of food, I have International Flag Picks. What better time than the Olympics to brush up on your knowledge of the flags of the world? ($5.81 for a 50-pack on Amazon Prime.)

Some people hate party games, some love them. Count me among the latter. So I have a memory-matching game for the gathering, matching host cities with their Olympic year. The second game in the set is an athlete word scramble. We can find out who has been watching the games or not. (Winter Olympics Host Cities Matching Game, $7.00 for the printable at Printastic Party Games on Etsy.)

I’m thinking Patrick could use some patriotic swag for the bash. MadSports Stuff USA Pride Athletic Crew Socks, red, white and blue socks, with stars and stripes and USA 2018 should do the trick. ($11.99–$14.99 a pair on Amazon.)