Planning a summer party can be intimidating for a beginner. You have so many things to look into that it can seem like a never-ending stream of concern, issues and worries. Yes, this is true even when the party is a relatively small one.

Fortunately, you have the following summer party decorating checklist to get you through the planning stage. With this checklist on your side, you can organize a successful party with less hassle, less cost and less worry.

Table Settings
The tables are important components of a summer party for the simple reason that the guests have to eat on a comfortable platform. We suggest looking at the following aspects to make for great table settings:

• Crisp table cloths or table runners in summery colors
• Paper or cloth napkins to coordinate with the table cloths
• Dinnerware, which can either be casual or formal depending on the theme
• Flatware from forks and spoons to steak knives and butter knives, if necessary
• Glassware including glasses, mugs and cups as well as water pitchers
• Barware like assorted cocktail glasses, coasters and mixers are also necessary, if you intend to offer alcoholic drinks
• Salt and pepper shakers

And of course, don’t forget the chairs either. Your guests will appreciate comfortable chairs to rest on after the dancing and singing of the party.

Decorations
A summer party decorating checklist will be incomplete if it does not include the decorations for the venue. Said décor will depend on the theme of the party, which can range from just a few summer plants to elaborate lights setup.

• Place candles and lanterns in strategic places like the tables and the trees to provide light as well as act as insect repellants (citronella)
• Set the ambience of the venue with the right music, which can either be provided by a live band or with a DJ using a CD machine
• Scatter inflatable toys on the pool if you are planning a pool party. Add in a few palm plants, mini-torches and even seashells to add a tropical feel

Your choice of decorations should complement the theme of the party. There is no need to go over the top of your budget is tight.

Food
The star of any party is almost always the food since there is no sense in inviting guests without offering sustenance. After all, even you will become hungry with the activities, games and hobnobbing.

We suggest looking at the theme of the party and the tailoring the menu on it. Thus, if your summer party is the tea party kind, then teas, sconces and pastries are the order of the day. If it is a beach or pool party, go for finger foods, soda and lemonade. If it is a barbecue party, meat and beer are on top of the menu.

There are other things that should be on your summer party decorating checklist, of course, like favors. But if you already have these three important things on the list, then you should be alright.

Of all the seasons of the year, it is summer that presents the most possibilities for throwing great parties. You have the warm sun on your back, the brilliant colors to dazzle your eyes and the sounds of nature coming alive in a vibrant way. Add in the lazy days, cool breezes and great company and you have every reason to celebrate the season with a party.

The trick is in knowing how to host a summer party for less cost, less effort and less time. Well, this should be easy enough with the following three ways.

Sun, Sand and Sea
Summer is equated with the sun, sand and sea. Thus, it is logical that the beach is the best way to hold a party in summer without the hassle of thinking about elaborate decorations, complex cuisines and formal ambience. Just bring finger foods, barbecues and cool drinks to the nearest beach - coupled with your bikinis and sunscreens, of course - and off you and your guests on a lazy day of sunbathing, swimming and just lazing around.

But of course, if the beach is far away or it is too polluted with oil slicks, then the pool is the best alternative. Your decorations can include inflatable floats on the pool, colored lanterns on the trees and a few palm plants. Your menu can be as simple as the one on the beach, with many of your guests probably going potluck. Think mango and tomato salsa with nachos and chips, hotdog and marshmallows on a stick, iced tea and lemonade and even a homemade cake, all of which require less expenditure.

Fly Me to the Moon
An imaginative way to host a summer party for less is to take advantage of the clear black sky during the season. The full moon with its diamond stars are the perfect backdrop to a night out with family and friends while enjoying the food brought in picnic baskets.

Again, you can ask everybody to bring potluck food for sharing with everybody although you can always prepare the majority of the menu. Your food choices can include sandwiches, fried chicken and apple pie with lemonade on the side. All of these food items are comfort food in many ways - just the right thing to enjoy under the starry skies.

You need not even worry about the venue. Go to the local park and hold your summer party there for free.

Garden of Eden
If you want to host a summer party for less, your garden is probably the best place to do so. You already have the decorations in the form of the plants and flowers. You already have the natural ambience. You already have the venue for free.

Now, all you need to do is to take out the tables, cover them with your favorite tablecloths and set it with your summery cutlery. Your menu can be anything that your kitchen can cook up - just dress up your everyday recipes with special touches and you can become the new chef on the block. Your favors can be seed packets of your favorite summer blooms.

You can host a summer party for less money, less effort and less time. Use your imagination, use your available resources and use your family and friends’ generosity by asking for assistance even if it means going potluck.

Miss Manners will the first person to rebuke these individuals about their lack of good manners as guests to a party from the first get-go. These gifts are tokens of appreciation by the guest to the host for the latter’s graciousness in inviting the former to the special occasion. After all, the host can always choose to snub any prospective guest.

And since the host and hostess gift is a token of appreciation, its monetary value is secondary to the sincere thoughts behind it. Of course, it will be a nice gesture when you choose the gift with a practical value or a sentimental significance or both. Just don’t settle for the cheapest one on the shelf either since you also want to be proud of your host and hostess gifts.

The following are a few good ideas about excellent gifts for the host and hostess, no matter the theme, reason and venue of the party:

• A bottle of wine with good vintage is always welcome. We suggest giving wine that you may also like to drink with your own meals.
• A homemade or gourmet treat will be appreciated, too. Just make sure that it can be saved for later use as the menu may have been set. Think wrapped gourmet food, chocolate treats and pastries.
• A bouquet of flowers or a small potted plant may also be given to the host. These gifts can brighten up the atmosphere well after the party has ended.
• Other gifts like candles, stationery and even knickknacks are also suitable gifts. The trick is in knowing your host’s preferences but it should be easy if and when you are a member of the family or a friend.

After deciding on the host and hostess gifts, the next decision to make is when to give them. You have two choices - send it ahead before your arrival to the party or give it upon your arrival to the party. Your choice will depend on factors like longevity of the gift, distance between your home and the venue, and the element of surprise.

When giving the gift to the host, you should also remember certain good manners. For one thing, you should not expect your host to parade the gift in front of other guests and to even say something positive about it. Your host will greet you at the door, receive your gift and then move on to other party responsibilities.

For another thing, you must not expect your host to actually use the wine, serve the food and display the flowers. Your gift is just that - a gift that the recipient can choose to open and use when and where desired.

On a final note, host and hostess gifts are your thank-you gifts for the invitation. As such, don’t expect to receive a thank-you note from your host. Instead, you should give a thank-you note after the party.

With the high divorce rate in the country, celebrating your 25th wedding anniversary is most definitely an achievement in and of itself. In the 25 years since your wedding day, you may have focused on the kids’ welfare, career concerns and bills payments. In the process, your marriage may have lost its spark - familiarity does breed contempt, after all.

Well, your silver wedding anniversary is the perfect occasion to reignite your romantic passions, rediscover each other in a new light and renew your wonder for the world at large. What better way to do so that to travel? Yes, indeed, traveling to exotic places and even just spending a night away from the usual corners of your bedroom can be the start of another 25 years of wedded bliss.

Revisit Your First Honeymoon

You may never be able to recapture the magic, enchantment and excitement of your first honeymoon for the simple reason that you and your spouse have changed in the 25 years since it happened. Still, nobody said that you cannot recreate it on your 25th wedding anniversary and make new memories to add to the old ones. You can retrace your steps by booking the same room in the same hotel, participating in the same activities and generally just being carefree honeymooners.

Go on a Second Honeymoon

Now, if revisiting your first honeymoon is not exactly your cup of tea for whatever reasons, you can always indulge in a second honeymoon. This time, you can go on your dream honeymoon that your budget during the first time around was not able to provide. Dig into your nest egg, if you have to, since a silver wedding anniversary comes but once in a lifetime and rarely in a sea of divorces.

You can go on a cruise, a tropical vacation, and even an adventure trip to recapture your youth. It’s your honeymoon, after all, and just as long as nobody is getting hurt, go for it.

Volunteer

On your 25th wedding anniversary, you may realize that blessings have come pouring into your life and it is time to give back. Well, you need not throw a party for the homeless shelter, contribute huge amounts of money to charities and donate tracts of land to the community although these are also excellent ideas. But if you want to combine travel with giving back to others, then we suggest enrolling in a volunteer vacation program.

Basically, it involves spending your vacation in a poor community - helping the women, men and children learn new skills, providing medical services and other things in your line of expertise. You may not be able to spend your silver wedding anniversary looking into each other’s eyes but you will definitely be able to see the world through the eyes of your fellowmen. In the process, you can become a better person, a better spouse and a better parent.

You can spend your 25th wedding anniversary in more meaningful ways with travel on your mind. Just choose which one takes your fancy but one thing is guaranteed - you will have a blast of a time with your spouse.

Preparing a meal get-together can be great fun with adequate, advanced planning, and a great menu. The tendency for persons to stress when planning one of these events is quite common- not realizing that there is no need to worry. Studies have shown that people, who get invited to parties, assign more importance to the positive emotions experienced when they receive a party invitation. The next important thing to them proves to be the opportunity at having fun, de-stressing, and networking.

Meal get-togethers can be best described as “a no-frill, low-budget gathering of friends, family and acquaintances”. Some examples of occasions for which meal get-togethers are suitable are: birthdays, celebrating new baby, an office promotion, or a house warming. Even when the circumstances are as remote as “when the moon is in the 7th house- and Jupiter aligns with Mars”* party-people will always find excuses to host get-togethers, or much larger parties. However as the date rolls around, many are guilty of rushing around at the last minute, because they fail to plan adequately ahead of time.

There are many ways that preparing a meal get-together can be made interesting. Why not invite your best friends or some of your closest friends over to help you organize the menu, the décor and the entertainment. Getting them involved will empower them to actually take over some of the planning duties, freeing you from some of the responsibilities.

Treat yourself to at least 1 month of TV meals. Doing this would enable you to catch some great meal ideas on The Food Network. Even the day-time talk shows on cable may sometimes include a special meal guide feature on certain days.

As you get it, spend it! Why safe your pennies for a rainy day, when you need them now? Any money that you get now should be the excuse you use to go window shopping and pick up some useful stuff. Invite your friends (aka planning committee) over at least once a week to discuss how all pet projects are progressing. This is also a great opportunity for you to hone your skills as a master party-planner or seasoned party host.

With all pet projects successfully underway, this leaves you unfettered and able to focus on the very critical menu. The dishes that are to be served should be planned at least 1-month ahead of time, giving you the time needed to ensure that the quantity of ingredients necessary would be adequate to prepare enough servings for the party guests. If ordering food from a restaurant, the same rules apply. Also, it is advisable to order enough boxes of meat dishes and sides that seemed to have been popular from the last get-together. If in doubt, it is always best to err on the side of caution, and having over budget the party menu, to ensure that all guests are adequately fed.

The week of the event is not the time to be doing all the cooking. If cooking is to be done, it would be far easier to cook and store the dishes 2-weeks in advance. Finally, a few day before the meal get-together, call all invitees to confirm that they are coming.

• Reference taken from song: “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In”, performed by: The 5th dimension (1969).

With the summer months rolling around, people might find themselves stuck with the task of planning a family reunion, or other event. Of all the details necessary to make an up-coming event successful, planning a dinner menu always proves to be the hardest “hurdle” to tackle.

Even more stressful, is when persons have hosted so many parties, they have exhausted every possible menu combination known to man. Or, at least, so they think!

Party planners who find themselves in this pickle should fear not. They may think they have tried every possible recipe and menu combination, but as many as they might have tried, there are always new menu ideas being created everyday, ready for them to try.

Take for example, a tri-cultured menu which might include dishes native to other countries. Chinese and Indian cuisine are surprisingly delicious and would give guests to the bash a chance to try something new! It may also be safe to conclude that none of the prospective guests have ever tried Ackee and Salt fish- a dish native to the island of Jamaica?

A tri-cultured menu is an innovative idea, and can be pulled off with the right balance of savory, sour, sweet and spicy dishes. Speaking of spicy: many ethnic dishes are traditionally prepared with hot and spicy pepper. If a tri-cultured menu is chosen, then the party planner should also prepare a detailed beverage menu. Milk shakes and other frozen drinks would compliment this type of food very well!

Having determined what is to be served at the event, the planner may then consider: “do I order a mix of meats and “sides” from each restaurant, or do I try cooking these dishes myself?” Whatever the decision is in this regard, it will be a most critical decision, as the décor or layout of the venue, has not yet been planned. Not to mention preparation of fruit punch, frozen cocktails and other mixed drinks.

So now that we have worked out the perfect summer buffet for this gathering, let us review the menu line-up to be served. Here is a hypothetical list that you can “tweek” to perfection!

1. Indian dishes (source, amishaindiancuisine.com) - appetizers: Vegetable Lentil Soup, served with Garlic Nan (unleavened baked bread stuffed with garlic). Main course: Shrimp Curry, Lamb Karahi (lamb cooked in wok with herbs and spices), Bengan Aloo (eggplant sautéed in a garlic blend).
2. Chinese dishes (source, chinatowninn.net) - as part of the main course: Egg Foo Yung- Beef, Sweet and Sour Chicken, Pepper Steak.
3. Jamaican dishes (source, Jamaicans.com/cooking/)- as part of the appetizers: Salt Fish Fritters. As part of the main course: Ackee and Salt fish served with Fried Dumplings, and Boiled Yam, Boiled Dumplings and Boiled Green Bananas.
4. Side dishes- plain white rice; potato salad; creamed sweet potatoes; pumpkin pie; ripe avocado (sliced); lightly steamed beet root (sliced); pumpkin rice (Jamaican-style); fried rice (Chinese-style).
5. Desserts- strawberry cheese cake (serve cold); cake with icing (try Betty Crocker cake mix); ice-cream (offer 2 flavors).
]]> http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/party-planning-ideas-for-summer-2010/feed/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/frozen-cocktail-ideas-for-the-summer/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/frozen-cocktail-ideas-for-the-summer/#comments Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:52:05 +0000 admin http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/?p=949

Are you in a hurry? We all are. Daily agendas are usually packed with activities related to our children, office work, and of course Yoga classes- because with all of life’s stressors, we must at least make the time for health and fitness.

In an effort to keep up with busy agendas, many persons tend to grab “quick-fix”, thirst quenchers like sodas and energy booster drinks from supermarket freezers. This is done in an effort to boost energy levels. However, these cold sodas do nothing to quench the thirst, causing the individual to keep guzzling-down more and more. Sodas contain caffeine: an ingredient known to lead to health issues later in life; and of course the sweeteners introduce wait gain and diabetes.

It is not too late to change mind sets, and try a new kind of thirst quencher: a tasty frozen cocktails.

These may take more time to prepare, unlike the quick-fix options, but they are far healthier, using natural ingredients, and can be prepared at home! (Recipes for tasty frozen cocktails are available online).

A frozen cocktail can be defined as: “any drink that contains fruit, ice and other choice ingredients that can be blended to create a shake or slush”.

Frozen cocktail drinks have long been the pièce de résistance of summer days and tropical nights. Without a doubt, some of these frozen delights are available in abundance in the bars and taverns of most tropical vacation spots.

The drink has even received cinematic acclaim, with a movie being named for it, in the 1980’s. Surely, the movie’s producers believed there were enough mixes to keep the movie (and drinks) flowing. Screen actor, Tom Cruise would perhaps agree.

Earlier, it was suggested that tasty frozen cocktails can be made easily at home. By this, it is not meant that one should only blend enough for one serving. This would not be practical. Instead one could consider finding a large empty water bottle, and stretching the recipe so that there would be enough to enjoy now; the rest to be frozen for the future. As much as 3 large bottles can be done this way. A good idea would be to thaw one of these bottles in time for a planned get-together, to serve to guests. They would be delighted.

Hopefully this article has proven that even with our busy agendas, there is still merit in slowing down and taking the time to prepare this time-honored beverage of the summertime.

It may be awhile until you can book a flight to the island of Jamaica to enjoy one of these punches heralded by the movie Cocktails. So until then, enjoy the easy home recipe below.

CARROT AND BEET PUNCH (FILLS A 1 LITER WATER BOTTLE)

2.5 cups grated raw beets
3 cups grated raw carrots
7 cups of evaporated full cream milk
3-4 trays of ice cubes
6 tablespoons molasses
2.5 cups sweetened condensed milk

METHOD:
Combine all ingredients. Serve immediately. Freeze the rest.

]]> http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/frozen-cocktail-ideas-for-the-summer/feed/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/find-out-what-every-summer-party-must-have-and-have-it/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/find-out-what-every-summer-party-must-have-and-have-it/#comments Thu, 08 Jul 2010 12:22:34 +0000 admin http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/?p=937

A summer party must have is family and good friends. This is the perfect time to connect with the folks you know for an afternoon of relaxation and fun. Catch up with your brothers and sister, their kids, cousins, aunt and uncles anyone you may or may not see very often. You probably have friends you don’t see as often as you would like to as everyone seems to have busy schedules these days. Take the opportunity to invite co-workers and socialize outside of the office for an afternoon. Forget the water cooler talk and talk sports, hobbies, recent or upcoming vacations - anything other than what a dope the boss is. The collection of family and friends might require a softball game be played or a horseshoe tournament might break out. Or maybe a volleyball or badminton game might erupt. Don’t forget games for the kids. You want them to have fun and not be tugging at your hand out of sheer boredom. It is doubtful the competitive spirit will be doused, unless it rains.

A summer party must have is good food. Whether it is pot luck or host provided, have a variety of food on hand. If your grilling skills are up to par, cook up 2 or 3 of the following: burgers, hot dogs, steaks, chicken wings, ribs, corn or shrimp. Have some appetizers ready when your guests arrive. Maybe some crackers and cheese, pretzels and dip, deli meat roll ups, bite size grilled pizza, shelled peanuts or red pistachio nuts. Provide plenty of drinks to keep your guests hydrated. In tubs or coolers full of ice, chill soda, water, juice boxes, beer and wine. After your guests arrive and before you offer them appetizers point them in the direction of the drinks. Cups are optional but straws might be helpful for the kids. Don’t forget the watermelon and s’mores. It is practically the law those two items be on any summer party menu. Oh, yes. Be environmentally conscience and recycle everything you can.

A summer party must have is fun. As the host it is up to you to make sure everyone has a good time. Introduce your guest to those they don’t know. Find common ground for them to discuss if necessary. Introduce the kids to each other and encourage them to play a game or two together. When it is time to eat, the kids just might like each other enough to take their lunch and sit off by themselves and chat, leaving the adults to do the same. Introduce some games into the afternoon or evening. In addition to horseshoes and volleyball, a fun idea might be to write down on slips of paper famous lines from movies. Each guest that wants to play picks a slip and then works their movie line into the conversation. Keep track of how many lines each participant guesses. Perhaps a prize can be awarded at the end of the day for the winner.

]]> http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/find-out-what-every-summer-party-must-have-and-have-it/feed/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/become-a-student-of-wine-and-host-a-wine-tasting-at-home/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/become-a-student-of-wine-and-host-a-wine-tasting-at-home/#comments Thu, 01 Jul 2010 09:23:36 +0000 admin http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/?p=927

Whether you are a wine enthusiast or just like a good glass of wine once in a while, wine tasting with a group of friends can be a fun experience. Organizing a wine tasting event isn’t difficult. There are wine connoisseurs that will bring a wine tasting program right to your door or you can do it yourself. Unless you are a hardcore wine drinker always searching for the philosophy of the bouquet contained in a bottle of wine, you may want to host a wine tasting at home.

You may want to plan a theme for the evening such as the wines of the 1970’s from Napa Valley or the best red wine from a winery in the southwest. Or it can be an eclectic collection of wine picked just for the heck of it. Perhaps ask each participant to bring a bottle of their favorite wine. A 750 ml bottle of wine contains about 25 ounces and if your tasting quantity is 2 ounces, a bottle will accommodate about 12 people. Keep that in mind when planning your event and deciding the number of guests you want to invite.

To host a wine tasting at home determine how many people your home can accommodate. If the weather is nice consider hosting your wine tasting out of doors. Inside or outside, make sure there is room enough for everyone to sit or stand comfortably. Have a table or counter area for the wine and the glasses separate from the guest area. That will eliminate confusion and prevent bottles of wine becoming mixed up. Determine ahead of time how many wines will be tasted. The number of bottles required will depend on the number of guests. Also determine if each guest will bring their own tasting glasses or if the host will provide them.

It will be up to the host what refreshments will be served. If the wine tasting is a onetime deal, maybe everyone can bring a little something. If hosting will rotate, the host can provide whatever they wish. Refreshments do not have to be anything extravagant. Perhaps the host will serve or the group will bring crackers and cheese, bread and cheese or a simple entre or two.

Decide how you want the wine tasting to function. Will it simply be tasting and comparing notes or will scoring be involved? It depends how serious the group is about their wine and how much time the group wants to spend on the event. The host should supply note and tabulation sheets for each participant. If the group decides to rank each wine or just jot down notes for each wine for later use, the sheets will be helpful.

The group may decide to taste each wine blindly. That is the name and type of wine isn’t revealed until after it has been tasted and discussed. Before each round the host will provide a short introduction with general information for each wine. The information may include the price, the year and they type. The group will taste the wine, make their notes and discuss the wine. After all the wine has been tasted and discussed, break the refreshments and enjoy the rest of the evening and discuss who will host a wine tasting at home next time.

]]> http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/become-a-student-of-wine-and-host-a-wine-tasting-at-home/feed/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/host-a-casual-4th-of-july-party-and-let-the-good-times-roll/ http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/host-a-casual-4th-of-july-party-and-let-the-good-times-roll/#comments Thu, 24 Jun 2010 09:32:08 +0000 admin http://www.dinnerwarecenter.com/entertaining/?p=919

A summer time celebration doesn’t have to involve a lot of work, especially if you are on vacation. Host a casual 4th of July party and let the good times roll. Keeping it simple is the word of the day. Hot dogs and hamburgers or sausages and chicken wings or some combination of the 4, along with potato salad or macaroni salad will keep the troops fortified and happy. A simple menu won’t keep anyone tied to the grill all afternoon or evening and all will enjoy the festivities.

A corn on the cob extravaganza might be a good way to host a casual 4th of July party and wrap up the evening.Build a fire in the outdoor fireplace and boil up a kettle of homegrown corn on the cob. I am sure there are a multitude of farm stands with fresh picked corn for sale. Gather the kids together to husk the corn and have it ready when the fireworks go off. Sit back and enjoy the fireworks while enjoying corn on the cob. You’ll revel in the melted butter dripping down your chin and a nib let or two gets stuck between your molars. You can’t get any more American than that.

Keep your guests hydrated with plenty of cool fluids. Fill a couple of tubs with ice and keep them filled with soda, water, beer and wine. Be sure to keep the tubs in the shade and stash a couple of extra bags of ice in the freezer.

Plan and organize games for the kids to keep them busy while the adults chat and catch up. If you are near the beach, a few hours of sand castle building and swimming will be a given. If the beach has wind, bring along a supply of kites for the kids. Some of the adults may even join in on the kite flying fun. How about a game of horseshoes? The horses probably have their summer foot wear on and the shoes are available for a pitching good time. Who knows, maybe horseshoes will become the unofficial tournament of the Fourth of July. When the kids need a break, break out the popsicles. There is nothing that says summer or the Fourth of July more than sitting in the shade and cooling off with a grape Popsicle dripping down your arm. And of course, let the kids entertain themselves for a while. Just keep an eye on them.

Don’t forget your Fourth of July decorations. Make sure the red, white and blue is flying extra proudly that day. Red, white and blue balloons tied in bunches around the yard will give that festive look and at the end of the day, let the kids release the balloons into the wild blue yonder. Or save the release for after the fireworks. Line your drive or walk with flags and allow your guests to take them home after the party is done.

If you want to host a casual 4th of July party, remember to keep it simple. If everyone pitches in to help, everyone will enjoy the festivities.

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