Party Fun

If I had my way, all parties and entertaining would just be about appetizers and desserts.

And cocktails.

Silly me, can’t forget the cocktails.

Let’s just start things off fun and end things sweet and not have to fuss with anything substantial in the middle and it’s all good, right?

So I guess in addition to a costume-making manifesto, I have a party-throwing manifesto, too.

So let’s share some of the fun from the parties I’ve thrown in the past month or so and I can share my super-easy secrets for how to make your guests think you’ve been slaving in the kitchen for days on end when in reality you’ve been watching episodes of The Daily Show.

Except for me, dear friends in Real Life – I’ve been slaving.

Seriously.

{I can’t even type it without laughing at myself, so I’m sure you can’t read it}.

These are just crudite cups out of simple shot glasses grouped on a serving dish.  I put salad dressing/dip in the bottom and then my sliced up vegetables upright inside.  Much more fun than just out on a platter, and easier for people to walk around with in their hand.  Also better for germaphobes!

Caprese Kabobs.  Slide a cherry tomato onto a wooden skewer and add a piece of basil folded in half and then a piece of fresh mozzarella.  Sprinkle with a small amount of Kosher salt and drizzle with a very tiny bit of Balsamic vinegar.  Easy to pick up and pop the whole thing in your mouth {remember to put out a little dish for the skewers}.

You didn’t really think I would throw a party and not use washi tape somewhere did you?  In a pinch, bamboo skewers, washi tape and a Sharpie make cheap and easy labels for your food.  Fold a piece of tape in half around your skewer, cut a tail and write what you’re serving.  Stick it in, and voila!

I have a theory that everyone thinks everything is better and fancier with sprinkles.  Take marshmallow pops.  They are ALWAYS a party favorite, and people will call you Martha Stewart when they see them {except Martha does things like make her own marshmallows from scratch.  Of course she has staff  to do things like empty the trash and do the laundry, so ya know}.

But all you have to do is place a bunch of large marshmallows standing up on a small cookie sheet and melt some chocolate.  Dip your lollipop stick into a bit of the chocolate and stick it into the lollipop to set {ideally you’d do this with white chocolate to camouflage it, but it’s not necessary}.  Once they’ve set, pick them up, dip them in chocolate {how much you want is totally up to you}, and while wet, add the sprinkles.  Be sure to do this over a bowl so you can catch all the extras to reuse them.  Place the sticks in a block of styrofoam to dry.  Depending on the humidity in your home, you may need to place them in the refrigerator for a few minutes to completely set the chocolate.  I then have a small piece of styrofoam cut inside my basket or vase that’s covered up with tissue paper or basket shreds.

Sticking with my sprinkles theory, dipped and sprinkled pretzel rods are also always a party hit.  First line a cookie sheet with wax paper to keep things from sticking.  Dip your pretzel into the chocolate, swirl it as you pull it out and gently tap it to remove excess.  Add sprinkles and set on the cookie sheet.  I put mine in the freezer for about seven minutes to set them since there’s so much more chocolate.

When you’re throwing a big party, you need to figure out the cup thing.  With real stemware, you can use all sorts of adorable tags, ribbons, etc. for people to know which cup is theirs.  However, when you need 50+ cups, most people have to default to plasticware.  So I added these cute stickers from Lilly Pulitzer.  Every year they have a different book, but all of them have a version of this particular label.

But the Party Fun thing I’ve been excited about most of late?

Flings Pop Up Trash Bins

{I know, I know, I’ve got to get a life}

In all seriousness, they come folded flat, which in a Tokyo apartment, where we don’t have room for full-sized garbage cans – let alone multiple ones at party time – is a big deal!

I just pop two up, slap a label on them, people fill them as the night goes on and at the end of the night, you pull the drawstring closed and just take it out to the trash room!

C’mon.  Even if you’re not the type of person to get excited about a trash can {and I imagine that’s 99% of you normal people out there}, you’ve got to admit, this is pretty darn cool.