Party Talk

7 things you need to do to throw a perfect luau

     

1. Send the Perfect Invitation

Let your guest know to dress luau-creative on the invite.  Whether you go store bought or create your own handmade luau invitation, make it extra special by including a lei inside. That will your guests talking long before the party!

 

2. Make a grand entrance

You want to make your house easy to spot and build anticipation for the luau fun that will shortly ensue. Accomplish both of these things by lining your front walkway or drive with tiki torches. This will guarantee a dramatic start to the festivities.

 

3. Set the tone with great music

Consider hiring a steel drum band. Not only will it set a great atmosphere, but your guest will love watching the performers! If a band is just not in the budget, there are some great Hawaiian music compilations on CD that you can play, try the Hawian Sunrise Cd, or the Aloha Party Cd.

 

4. Serve authentic food

It’s not hard to find great Hawaiian recipes, try Allrecipes.com for some tasty and easy to prepare dishes. Or hire a company to do a pig roast! 

And don’t forget the drinks, Mai Tai’s anyone?

The Original Trader Vic Formula from 1944

2 oz of 17-year old J. Wray & Nephew Rum over shaved ice
Add juice from one fresh lime
1/2 oz French Garnier Orgeat Syrup
1/2 oz Holland DeKuyper Orange Curacao
1/4 oz Trader Vic's Rock Candy Syrup
Shake vigorously.
Add a sprig of fresh mint
Enjoy!

 

5. Decorate, decorate, decorate!

There are some really unique luau products out there. Try a few (or all) of these great decorations to set the scene for your tropical luau paradise:

     Luau Scene Setters – these are great for decorating large spaces

     Beach balls – have plenty of these all over the party

     4' Inflatable Tiki Pole – let me repeat, 4' inflatable tiki pole, what’s not to like?

     Raffia Table Skirt – this is a luau staple, use one on every table

6. Keep your guests moving with activities

Party411.com has several great ideas for luau games, but one activity your luau has to have is the limbo! Just play some Hawaiian music, set up the limbo stick, (you can use a bamboo pole available at a hardware store), and see how low your guests can go!

7. Send your guests home with a fun party favor

Tropical parasols and neon folding fans make great practical favors when you are throwing a warm weather party. If you want something more personalized, hand out luau candy bars from Party411’s Creations for You!

 

For more Luau party planning ideas, visit the complete Luau Planning Guide!

Gear up for Graduation Parties!

 

Many families are getting ready to see their children graduate this summer. This means lots of graduation parties! If you are throwing a graduation party this summer and haven’t started yet, don’t panic! Here are a few steps to get you started…

1. Set the Budget  Like any big party, this is an essential first step. I've graduated three, and half the time I think I shouldn't throw a party and just put the money in an envelope, and half the time I lean towards throwing the biggest graduation bash ever. The best choice is probably somewhere in-between. Bring family and friends together to celebrate this great accomplishment but keep it informal enough so that it's fun and relatively inexpensive.

2. Where will the party be held? There are 3 basic choices. Your final choice will depend on your budget, how much time you have, and how many people are attending.

· You can rent a hall. If you are having lots of people, this works very well.

· You can make restaurant reservations. Perfect for smaller events.

· You can host the party at your house. The most common option. This can also be the least expensive option while still giving you great opportunities to make it special.

3. Who is doing the cooking? A big decision is whether you want to prepare the food yourself or have the event catered. If you have lots of help, cooking can save you money and let you prepare the graduate's favorite meals. But cooking for a big crowd can be scary, time-consuming, and, let's face it, not a whole lot of fun. Catering can be the solution. It can also be expensive. More and more we are seeing a combination of the two. For example, my Mom's family is tremendous at making pizza and cookies. And if I didn't let my aunts bring food they would be very upset. So, pizza and desert is covered. I make a fruit salad and a garden salad. We order chicken and pasta from the caterer and we have great food for an open house, the cost is good, and my aunts are happy!

4. Should I hire entertainment? We've seen lots of graduation parties with DJs and even bands. Really, it depends on where the party is at, how many people will be there, and can they entertain themselves. With an open house or at a restaurant, this is probably not necessary. At a hall, this could be a way to go.

I hope this helps to get you started. You can see the full Graduation Planning Checklist for more planning ideas. You can even print out a pdf version of the checklist to keep with you when planning, which will make things easier.  Or look through the Graduation Party Planning Guide for more inspiring ideas!

Good luck!

Restaurant and Bar Owners' St. Patrick's Day Guide!

It doesn't take much to get Saint Patrick's Day revelers in the mood—and the more they are in the "mood," the more they will eat and drink. There are a few areas where it is crucial that you put in some effort; promoting your St Pat’s Day event, decorating, and decorating your guests.

You might think it's expensive to promote, decorate your establishment, and decorate your guests, but it really isn't.

Promoting the Event

 You can hand out fliers with all of the details, or if you want something different (since everyone will be handing out fliers) hand out green tickets.  Put them in mailers, menus and have them out on the bar.   You can choose your own wording and let your patrons know they can expect an amazing time at your celebration.  St. Patrick’s Day candy bar wrappers are also a great promotional tool. Think about giving these out to your best customers before the big day.  Or if you make a habit of giving deserts to guests having a birthday, think about using these to lower costs and promote your St. Patrick’s Day party.

Party Supplies and Decorations

At the door, I would have a Lucky Leprechaun with a speech bubble welcoming all.  Of course, we can customize him so that he's wearing a t-shirt with your restaurant/bar name on the front (reuse him every year…why not?).  Or, have an employee dress in a Leprechaun costume and hand out green leis or shamrock beads.

For big empty walls, or a great photo op for your revelers, scene setter kits are a fabulous, (and inexpensive).  There’s a St. Pat’s scene setter, a Leprechaun scene, and a clover scene setter.

See a complete selection of St Patrick’s Day Decorations.

Decorate Your Guests (The Important Part!)

If I've said it once, I've said it 1,000 times…decorating your guests (in your case, "patrons") is as important as decorating the room!

If you want your restaurant/bar to be the only stop for St. Patrick's Day next year, then do it up right this year. Besides the green leis at the door, make sure you make plenty of fun stuff available for anyone and everyone to become the leprechaun they always dreamed they'd be.

• Green carnations for the ladies
• Personalized St. Patrick's Day cameras
• Shamrock Beads
• Blinking Shamrock Beads
• Green Glow Jewelry

And don’t forget to decorate your waiters, waitresses, bartenders and other staff.  Shamrock vests are inexpensive as are green derbies and beer glasses.

Just remember…when marketing your business, you need to spend money to make money. Do some or all of the above, and I promise you a big return on your investment.

If you want to see more great ideas for St. Patrick’s Day, check out the Restaurant/Bar Owners Planning Guide.

Valentine's Day Ideas for Guys

Valentine’s Day puts lots of pressure on guys. We are expected to be romantic, caring, and totally focused on making this a special day. Oh, and the day we plan has to match the expectations of our girl friend. Not an easy task for your average dude but here are some suggestions that should make your celebration successful (or at least keep you out of the dog house).

You can wait until February 14th and then at the last minute suggest going out to dinner but why not create some anticipation for the event? (Look guys you’re stuck doing this you might a well embrace it.) Send your date an invitation for the evening. A hand written note (on nice stationery, not the back of an envelope) or even an electronic invitation can work.  It depends a lot on the expectations of your friend. Don’t make it a bigger deal than she does but do make it a deal.

Send your flowers early. Flowers are common on Valentine’s Day but on the actual day they not only are expected but they are usually much more expensive. Why not send flowers a week early and say “You’re my valentine every day”. Surprise flowers earn you way more points than expected flowers and it might even save you a couple of bucks.

What to do about candy? Well, if the lady has a strong preference I would go with that. If not, why not personalize the gift and give her chocolate with your pictures on it? You can go with a chocolate CD, a chocolate lollipop, or my favorite the chocolate heart box.

Well we’ve got flowers and candy out of the way. That leaves dinner. You can go to your favorite restaurant. Or go to that expensive restaurant you’ve been dying to try. Be aware that this is a busy night in a restaurant which means reservations or waiting in line.

Make home the desert stop. Have dinner out but have a special dessert waiting at home. She’ll think you’re a sly devil (and maybe you are) but most people like a break between dinner and dessert and would prefer eating it in the comfort of their homes rather than in a loud dining room.

Ok, that’s enough. You’ve made her happy, and isn’t that your job? Good work, Romeo!

Games to play while watching the BIG GAME!

For me, watching the commercials during the Super Bowl is my favorite sport of the day.  And like me, not everyone at your Super Bowl party will be 100% focused on the game.  So what can you plan to entertain those die-hard fans, as well as those just along for the ride? 

There are plenty of party games that will be enjoyed by both sides of the fan spectrum; a betting pool, trivia, a round of "TV is the enemy" for stress relief, or a game of betting squares.

Check out Super Bowl Games and Activities for these and even more great ideas!

And share your own tried and true ideas for game day activities by commenting at Super Bowl Party Chat!

In Defense of the Fruitcake

What do you do when you are bestowed with a fruitcake this holiday season?

The majority of Americans feel that fruitcake is best used as:

· a doorstop,

· as a gift for someone else

· or as land fill (the opinion of the majority)

However, we at Party411 are coming to the defense of fruitcake due to its rich history. 

We're not so keen on actually eating a fruitcake. However, a Christmas without fruitcake is like a presidential election without a president--unfulfilling.  Don’t worry The Party Girl has some ideas!

When your well-meaning friends send you a fruitcake, try these ideas to show them off (and you never have to swallow a bite).

· Centerpiece. Using a giant fruitcake that you made or bought (and no matter whether it's rectangular or round), put it center table on a bed of holly and evergreen branches with pinecones scattered as confetti. Delightful.

· Votive Candle Holder. Take the fruitcake out of its container and make holes big enough to hold votive candles. Or just shove them in-who's to know?! Isn't this a great idea?

· Guest Towel Holder. Take two fruitcakes, lay them side by side about 4" apart and insert popsicle sticks to make it a holder for your favorite guest towels. Decoupage if you feel up to it.

· Knife Rest. Cut the fruitcake into 2x1" rectangles and put one at each place as a knife rest…your guests will marvel at your creativity.

· Place Card Holder. Again, cut the fruitcake into rectangles and make a small groove in the top to hold a business card size placecard. Placecards with holly and mistletoe are easily found at your local stationery store. Coat with polyurethane so you can use year after year.

· Holiday Door Knocker. You may think this is difficult but it's not. Super glue a hinge to the bottom of the fruitcake near the top, use removable double stick tape to attach the back of the hinge to your door. Let's hope they are not from the school of hard knocks.   

· Punch Hole Ring. Take your fruitcake, freeze it in a block of ice and throw it in your punch bowl for an unusual yet attractive garnish.

· Trivet. No explanation needed.

So, don't worry if your husband's boss brings a fruitcake to your Christmas Open House this year. Just march in the kitchen and make it into something wonderful! Imagine his surprise when he sees it on display in your guest lavatory holding a Glade refill!

How do you use that fruitcake-gift-of-doom?

 

 

10 Ways to Get Thanksgiving Guests to Leave

Sure, sure, it seemed like a great idea when you invited all those wonderful folks to eat turkey and watch the football game. You know you've planned everything perfectly, too, right? The turkey will be juicy and the stuffing, well, even Aunt Rosalia will compliment you on the stuffing and she never says a nice thing about anyone!

You cleaned all day yesterday, you prepped all night last night and you cooked all day today. You pulled out the special china, tablecloth and linen napkins and inspected each. You set the table, got on your hands and knees to extricate those platters from the back of the cupboard below the sink, and to top it off, you had to dismantle the insides of a turkey and fill it back up again before you put it in the oven.

You waited on the multitudes before dinner, during dinner and after dinner. You even put on a happy face during dessert, and never said a thing when little Johnnie wiped his chocolate chip pumpkin-pie covered hands on the new curtains in the great room (just a few minutes after he gave the dog the wishbone).

So what are you worried about?

Well, if you are like 62.79% of the people who will open their homes to friends and family on this wonderful day, there is one little worry lurking in the back of your cerebellum: how the heck will you get them to leave before the clock strikes… well, add 8 hours to whatever time they arrived!

So here is the Party Girl's Top Secret Strategy Guide for your use in solving that age-old problem: the Guest Who Won't Go Home.

10. Bring out an old slide projector and two really dusty crates, the dustier the better. Begin to set up portable screen like the ones your parents watched filmstrips on in junior high school, and announce brightly: "Look what I found! Slides from our trip to Mall of America when Megan's Girl Scout troop won the cookie sale in 1984!"

9. Dim the lights and pop in a "Barney" videotape.

8. Ask which version of the Bach Mass in B Minor each remaining guest prefers: the Otto Klemperer version and the Herbert von Karajan version. Insist that you will play both of them so they can make an informed choice.

7. Using a loud whisper, ask one guest (preferably someone with a medical background, like a data entry manager at a health insurance company): "Would you terribly mind looking at Thurston's throat for me? I think he may have a tiny bit of strep…" Thurston should then start coughing.

6. Ask them to "quick, get the stains out of the tablecloth" and hand them a stain stick, some Lestoil, and a laundry brush while pointing to the basement.

5. Grab a handful of flatware in one hand and a bunch of disgusting rags in the other and say: "OK, who will help me polish the silver so we can put it away?"

4. Put on your coat and grab a bag of trash from the kitchen saying, "Who wants to help me run these bags over to the dumpster behind the supermarket so those darn skunks don't come back again?"

3. Arrange with a co-conspirator to repeatedly flush the toilet and make disgusting noises in the nearest lavatory. Rush to your guests and ask: "Does anyone happen to have syrup of ipecac with them?"

2. Take a service platter and place it on the floor for the dog. Make sure everyone notices. If people don't notice, ask one of the guests whether he's seen the puppy. Confide that the puppy is just like a member of the family when it comes to sopping up that last lick of gravy. Ask them to dislodge the wishbone from the dog's throat.

1. Bring your foot soaker/massager into the living room and plug it in. Ask them to rub your feet and hand them the rubbing alcohol.

 

Select the strategy that will best fits your particular situation, have your props carefully stored in a box in your closet, and before you know it, you'll be waving goodbye at the front steps to the last of 'em!!