#dinner party tips

[johnnymarkssh]

Hosting your first dinner party? Keep these tips in mind

Finally, it is the time of the year when you are shifting to your new home. It is an achievement and a milestone that you unquestionably need to celebrate. The best way to do so is by hosting a dinner party for your close family and friends. It not only shows off your new house but is a perfect way to unwind as buying a new house and moving is a task in itself.

To help you out, here are a few tips to ensure that your dinner party is a breeze and calming event. So, start sipping on your pod's flavor coffee and note down these tips for a night to remember.

1. Confirm guests and know their dietary restrictions

Unless you are throwing a spontaneous get-to-together, you must send invites at least a week before. Confirm the number of people coming 2-3 days before arranging for proper dishes to serve so many people.

Next, ask each guest about their dietary restrictions. It will help you serve them food which doesn’t make them sick.

2. Advance preparation is essential

Advance preparation doesn’t only mean food, it means preparing the house and yourself for the dinner party.

Food: prepare a menu and a list of ingredients for the same. Give yourself time to get the grocery and prepare a few things ahead of time. If you are preparing a lavish menu, do not leave everything for the big day.

Also, give yourself some grace and order a few things from restaurants, like dessert or appetizers.

House: Since the house is new, there are bound to be few specks of dust and things sticking out. Clean it thoroughly or hire someone to do the job. start making a list of items that you would need for setting the table and the living room. The majority of the party will happen in these areas only.

Lastly, prepare yourself for the big day. Be excited, and do not let negative thoughts linger.

3. Drinks, drinks, and drinks

No dinner party is complete without drinks, and wine is your best friend when it comes to hosting the perfect dinner party. It is cheaper than other drinks and is usually something which everyone likes.

If you have the budget, go for a few more liquors. Otherwise, wine is perfect. Also, keep in mind, family or friends don’t or cannot drink. Have a few mocktail options ready for them.

4. Create a relaxing ambiance

The dinner table and the living area need to be relaxing for the party. Set them up before the guests arrive. Just a few changes or additions can help with this. For instance, adding fresh flowers and candles to your table will give an incredible feeling.

Similarly, adding fairy lights or dampening the hall light and having music will set the perfect tone.

5. Keep it clean

Do not expect guests to stay back and clean. Take the lead by ensuring that the kitchen counter is clean. Don’t let any food preparation last. Also, if you have a dishwasher, keep it empty and load the dishes as they pile up. It will be one less thing for you to do.

With these tips, the party will be a success with enough time for you to unwind with a cup of warm pods coffee.

[aliciagodseyomaha]

Alicia Godsey Omaha | 7 Easy Party Ideas For Kids

Alicia Godsey Omaha – It seems, these days, some parents have a way of getting carried away when it comes to planning a special party for their child. Sometimes, however, simpler is better, especially when it comes to saving a little money and lots of precious time. Furthermore, most children are happy just being with their friends, enjoying birthday cake, and – of course – opening presents!

Alicia Godsey Omaha – A number of ideas can be easily executed with just a little effort and not a lot of money. Consider these simple party ideas next time you’re planning a birthday party for your child.

1. Jungle/Safari Party/Alicia Godsey Omaha – Easily held in the backyard or at a nearby park, a Jungle Party is ideal for children who love animals. Decorations might consist of your child’s favorite stuffed animals or even the inflatable kind. Balloons in jungle colors – like shades of green, brown, and tan – and palm fronds or other greenery also make great decorations. Games might include Pin the Tail on the Tiger (elephant, giraffe, etc.), a safari/scavenger hunt, and even the Barrel of Monkeys game. Craft projects can include making animal masks or a simple lesson on drawing a favorite jungle animal. Food can be simple as well, like animal crackers, trail mix, peanut butter sandwiches, and “jungle” juice.

2. Circus Party / Alicia Godsey Omaha– What kid doesn’t love the circus? Also best when held outside but suitable to a large recreation room or finished basement as well, a circus party is colorful, fun, and ideal for a girl or a boy. As with the safari party, decorations are simple and can include balloons, streamers, animal or circus posters, stuffed animals, paper clown faces and hats, and other similar items. Games might include jumping rope, ring toss, pin the nose on the clown, and learning to juggle. And kids can put on their own clown make-up or have a friend or adult help! Serve circus or carnival type food like hot dogs, popcorn, peanuts, and soft drinks, all inexpensive to buy and easy to prepare.

3. Doll Tea Party / Alicia Godsey Omaha – This one, of course, is most suited to young ladies. A doll tea party generally includes a formal sit-down lunch with food suitable for kid’s taste buds. Set up the dining room table or smaller table with fancy paper plates, fresh flowers, and enough room for the girls and their dolls (have the guests bring doll chairs or “sassy seats” if they have them). Serve small tea sandwiches like white bread with peanut butter or strawberry jelly, cheese and crackers, fruit kabobs, and small desserts. Some little girls might like tea but many don’t. Instead, serve apple or some other kind of fruit juice. Encourage guests to wear their best party dresses and hats. For activities, make paper dolls, decorate photo frames (have smocks to protect their dresses), or decorate cookies that can be enjoyed later for dessert.

4. Superhero Party / Alicia Godsey Omaha- Little boys (and some little girls) love superheroes and organizing a party around their favorite(s) needn’t be too difficult. Start by choosing the hero or heroes and designing a color palette around him. For example, if Spiderman is the hero of choice, make sure all the decorations – like balloons and streamers – are blue and red. Batman? Go with yellow and black. For more decorations, choose iconic items that are peculiar to the character. For example, make skyscrapers out of construction paper for Superman and webs of yarn for Spidey. It’s usually not too hard to find inexpensive superhero plates and cups as well. Food might include “power juice”, “energy bars” (not the real ones!), “vitamins” for super strength (Skittles or M&Ms), and super-sized cupcakes or a superhero cake. Purchase some inexpensive t-shirts at the craft store along with some fabric markers and make shirts with the hero’s insignia on front and do some face painting as well (webs, bats, etc).

5. Spa Party / Alicia Godsey Omaha– This one is popular with late elementary and middle school girls and expense can be kept to a minimum if you plan accordingly. This can be an overnighter or just a few hours long. Decorations needn’t be over the top and can be any color. Tea lights are appropriate and soft music should be playing in the background. On the invitation, guests should be asked to bring a comfortable robe and slippers for the “spa”. It’s best to organize this party in stations so no one is waiting too long for their spa service, and if you can enlist the help of some older girls or adults to man each station, it would be helpful. Ideas for stations include facials/masks, mani- or pedicures, and make-up application. Party favors might include a product from each station as well as other beauty products like a loofah or body lotion. Serve mostly healthy snacks like smoothies and cheese and crackers or veggies and dip but do have some junk food on hand for a little indulgence. If there’s extra time, watch a PG-rated chick flick!

6. Casino Party / Alicia Godsey Omaha – Casino parties aren’t just for adults. Kids love them, too! Organize your basement or other large space into various game “booths” where kids can make the rounds again and again, playing card games (simple poker or blackjack), spinning the roulette wheel (you can make one out of cardboard or buy a cheap one at a toy store), or taking part in other simple games of chance. Decide on a pre-determined amount of chips for each win and let the kids spend their chips on prizes at the end of the party. Decorations can include playing cards, giant dice, balloons, streamers, and fancy casino signs. You can serve snacks and “drinks” (maybe Shirley Temples) at each game table or set up a buffet for all-night snacking. After everyone is done playing, enjoy some dancing and save time for cake and presents!

7. Beach Party / Alicia Godsey Omaha- Whether you live near the water or hundreds of miles from the coast, you can still provide a fun beach atmosphere for your child’s party with a little ingenuity. Obviously, this party is best held outside, where kids can spread out on their towels on a make-believe beach, enjoy a game of Frisbee or beach volleyball, and frolic with their friends in a small pool or other water feature like a water slide (the inexpensive kind you buy at the toy store). Decorate in ocean colors of blue and green and include sea shells and other beach-related items as part of the décor. Kids can go “fishing” for prizes, make sand art, and color their own surf boards (you can buy cardboard ones online or at a party store). Serve fruit smoothies and light beach fare like burgers and hot dogs. Send your guests home with small sand buckets full of beach- or water-related items. More Best Tips Alicia Godsey Omaha

[aliciagodseyomaha]

Alicia godsey omaha | Traditional American Wedding Menu

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Alicia godsey omaha | First Birthday Party Tips For Parents

Alicia godsey omaha - Many parents give a lot of attention to their baby's first birthday party. However, they sometimes forget that their child is too young to actually appreciate their efforts. Below are some tips for parents on how to maximize their child's first birthday party without breaking the bank while making sure that it's still memorable. Alicia godsey omaha - Document the Event for Years to Come If there's one thing a parent should invest in it should be the documentation of a first birthday party. Since a child will be too young to appreciate or even remember his first birthday party, it would make sense for parents to preserve the memory for their child. When the child is older, he will surely appreciate all the effort that his parents put into his first birthday party. If the parents can spare the time, they can even put together a little scrapbook for their child so that their child can go over the story of their first birthday over and over again. Alicia godsey omaha - Make Sure the Adults Enjoy the Food and Activities A first birthday party is more of an adult affair rather than a children's affair. Of course, it wouldn't hurt to have a lot of kids present during the party. However, the birthday celebrant will not be able to interact with the other children, much less appreciate magic shows and games. Thus, parents should make sure that activities and food are suited to the friends and family that they will invite to the party. Alicia godsey omaha - No Need to Splurge on Giveaways, Decor and Entertainment While a first birthday party should be special, there's no need for parents to splurge too much on giveaways, decor and entertainment as their child will be too young to appreciate them anyway, other than in pictures. A simple token of appreciation for the guests will do. The decor can be consistent with the theme and need not be extravagant at all. Lastly, parents can concentrate their budget on the quality of the food and the venue, which their adult guests and relatives will appreciate, rather than the host and entertainment. Alicia godsey omaha - Have Grandparents, Relatives and Friends Write Down their Birthday Wishes Lastly, as part of the legacy that parents may want to leave to their child, they can ask grandparents, relatives and other guests to write down their birthday wishes for the birthday celebrant. If it is part of the documentation package, they can have it recorded on video so that the birthday celebrant will be able to see and hear what their grandparents, aunts and uncles wished for him on his birthday. This sharing of good wishes will surely make the event more memorable both for the guests, the parents and the birthday celebrant. Best More Tips Alicia godsey omaha

[aliciagodseyomaha]

Alicia godsey omaha | Dinner Party Tips

Alicia godsey omaha - If you are a seasoned veteran of throwing dinner parties, having seemingly served as many people as the burger joint on the local corner, chances are you know what you're doing (or your guests are just too nice to say otherwise). For the first time thrower, or the thrower who has yet to find their favorite pitch, dinner parties might come served with a plateful of stress. They are supposed to be fun, but the act of getting everything together and making sure everyone is happy can weigh on you. That is, unless you have some help. Alicia godsey omaha - The following are our dinner party tips, tips aimed at helping you to keep your guests coming back for seconds. Alicia godsey omaha - Plan Ahead, Way Ahead: An improv dinner party is a bit of an oxymoron, it's just too hard to pull off without planning. Having said that, planning ahead is the first step in throwing a good dinner party. Not only does this involve inviting guests weeks ahead of time, and making sure they RVSP at least a week before, but it also involves making lists of everything you need (don't rely on your memory), and leaving yourself plenty of preparation time the day of the actual party. Know how long everything will take to cook, and add two hours. Alicia godsey omaha - Know your Cooking Skills: You may think of yourself as a bit of a cooking wizard: your friends love your cookies, your spouse never complains about supper, and people, namely your mother, say you are the best cook they know. Though you may be a wonderful cook, don't assume you can cook everything. A person who cooks a mean roast beef may not fare so well with seafood. Instead of challenging yourself at dinner parties, stick to what you're good at and leave the challenging for times when your twenty closest friends aren't present. Have a Theme: Pick a theme, any theme. Though there are times of the year, such as the holidays, when the theme of your dinner party is virtually handed to you on a silver platter, this isn't always the case. You may throw a dinner in August for no particular reason. Even so, picking a theme helps you not only with decorations but with food preparation. Having a Hawaiian theme, for instance, allows you to decorate with flowers and serve a pig with an apple in his mouth. A theme makes things go that much smoother. Still, be sure that you serve some un-thematic alternatives for people who might not eat certain things or for those with food allergies. "Alicia godsey omaha" Alicia godsey omaha - Have Enough Supplies: Hosting a dinner party involves more than just making sure you have enough food; you also have to have enough plates, silverware, glasses, and, of course, chairs. Before you throw your party, inventory your supplies. If you are short, or think you'll be cutting it close, either borrow or rent. Alicia godsey omaha - Relax: Dinner parties are hard work, but they are still parties nonetheless. Even if something goes wrong, it won't be the end of the world. Relax, have fun, and, if the night really starts to sour, open more bottles of wine. More Best Tips Alicia godsey omaha

[kristipetersenschoonover]

I got these at Pier 1, mostly for accompanying my Thanksgiving set. I consider these my fancy ones (they’re glass), so I don’t use these much the rest of the year unless I have friends over for a spread of hors d’oeuvres.

Recently, a friend and I spent almost an hour on the phone talking almost exclusively about our passion for accoutrements.

What are those, you ask? Accoutrements are small bowls (usually with equally small spoons) in which to put accompaniments (mustard, jams, olives, et cetera). If you throw a sit-down or buffet dinner parties, they’re critical to your service; if you’re putting out an informal spread, they can come in handy for dips, olives, candy, or catch-alls for those pesky shrimp tails. If you don’t throw parties?

Accoutrements are useful for a bunch of different things. So, even if you don’t formally entertain, here’s why everyone—especially gentlemen living alone (I’m serious—every guy I’ve turned these on to has asked me ‘where have these been all my life?’)—needs at least one set of accoutrements. Where to find them? Pier 1 or anywhere that sells formal dining pieces.

Snacking in front of the TV/computer

Peanuts, pretzels, candies, olives, croutons, for example. Prevents you from opening up that bag of Hershey’s Kisses and eating them all.

Meals

Reflective of the more proper use, they can sit on the corner of your plate and hold the dip for your chips, the bleu cheese for your wings or the oil for your garlic bread.

Tub/Shower

If they’re not glass, you can stick an accoutrement in the corner of your tub to hold small items, such as foot scrubbers, razors, or that bobby pin you forgot to brush out of your hair.

This was my very first set. My friends Suzanne and Adam bought this set of four to accompany a cheese board, glassware, and appetizer plates. These are my go-tos for dips and TV snacks, and right now one lives in my shower and holds my LUSH shampoo bar.

Change

All the men in my life walk through the door and empty their pockets of change—usually on whatever hard surface is closest (or, worse, in the bathroom, where the pennies get wet and leave little green rings all over the vanity). An empty accoutrement in the most strategic spot solves this problem.

Workspaces

Convenient stash spots for paper clips, thumb tacks, and screws/nails.

Projects

Easy access to sprinkles for the frosted cookies, picture hangers while you’re redecorating your dining room wall, sequins for that costume you’re making.

Personal snack stations

Movie night: six people seated all over your living room: on the couch here, on the easy chair or even cross-legged on the floor there. Everyone can grab some popcorn or dip to accompany the chips and head to his own space.

These were another Christmas Tree Shop win, although I bought way too many–I ended up with 14 of them (they were like thirty cents each). I gave six to one friend, four to another, and kept four for myself. These are new, so I haven’t used these yet, but plan to really use them for summer entertaining–I plan to do a lot of outdoor dining on my deck with friends, and these will be perfect.

Small jewelry stash station

Do you take off your rings when you shower or wash the dishes? Put your rings in here so they don’t get lost. If you lay out your work outfits the night before? An accoutrement is the perfect harbor for your watch, necklace and earrings for the next day.

Cooking

If you make a mess when you cook like me, you can use these to mete out the ingredients beforehand–then they’re all right there, pre-measured and ready to go.

I got these pink plastic cheapies at Christmas Tree Shops and think I paid, seriously, no more than a buck for each one. I love their unique shape. These are my go-tos as a catch-all for shrimp tails on the buffet table or for my next day jewelry; their shape makes them roomy enough for a watch, a bracelet, and a large necklace. Their shape also works for toothpicks.

I got these pink plastic cheapies at Christmas Tree Shops and think I paid, seriously, no more than a buck for each one. I love their unique shape. These are my go-tos as a catch-all for shrimp tails on the buffet table or for my next day jewelry; their shape makes them roomy enough for a watch, a bracelet, and a large necklace. Their shape also works for toothpicks.

Who formally entertains anymore? Accoutrements and why you still need them Recently, a friend and I spent almost an hour on the phone talking almost exclusively about our passion for accoutrements.

[eclectickate]

Hostess tips - Have snacks or nibbles easily accessible to guests, you do not want hungry guests with growly stomachs.

[thesocialmag]

Cheers! How To Create The Best Ever Dinner Party

How To Prepare Your Home First of all, it’s important that your home is a welcoming, tidy space. If you tend to be a little messy, then it’s time to start decluttering your home. Consider what rooms your guests will be spending time in, and start off there. Any non-essential items should be moved and returned to their rightful homes. Tidying up might make you consider your home on a more long…

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