All Things For All Parties

T.G.I.F. MELON COOLERS

Image and Recipe by Land O Lakes 

Two of my most favorite summer foods are ice cream and cantaloupe which is why I absolutely LOVE, LOVE this week's drink...A Cantaloupe Cooler!  I think it's more like a dessert than a drink...All I can say is YUM, YUM! 

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup LAND O LAKES® Fat Free Half & Half
• 1/2 small (2 cups) cantaloupe, cut into 2-inch chunks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups vanilla ice cream
• Mint sprigs, if desired
• Melon wedges, if desired

Directions:

Combine fat free half & half, cantaloupe and vanilla in 5-cup blender container. Cover; blend at medium speed until well blended (30 seconds to 1 minute).

Scrape down sides of container; add ice cream. Cover; blend at medium speed until smooth (10 to 15 seconds).

Pour into individual glasses. Garnish with mint sprigs and melon wedges, if desired. Serve immediately.

TIP: This melon cooler can be eaten slightly frozen as a milk shake or thawed as an ice cream drink.

Bella, Bella...Clairebella!

  
 
 
 Photo by Clairbella
 
If you are like me, I am always looking for unique hostess gifts and baby presents and I cannot tell you how excited I was to find Clairbella.  If you don't know by now who Clairbella is than I am sure after today you will fall in love with her and her products the way I did when I first saw them.  

Clairebella's personalized products have been a huge success and have quickly grown to encompass several product categories including kids products, gifts, stationery, table top and office. The Clairebella personalized product collection has become a top-selling gift line.

Clairebella originally began as a boutique line of upscale baby products. Founder, Kathy Denness, began selling handpainted children’s furniture while living in Sydney, Australia. When she came back to the US, she launched a line of children’s blankets, bibs, and moses baskets. Named after her daughter, Claire, the company quickly grew and is now a celebrity favorite.

 

Where Am I Sitting?

 
Photo by 1WeddingSource.com

Your Aunt thinks your Mom's Best Friend is nothing but a pretentious social climber and refuses to sit anywhere near "that woman" and your friend Shannon finds it highly insulting to be sat at the "singles" table just because she's "single."  It never ceases to amaze me at how petty people can get when it comes to seating at the reception...What to do? Well, with a little diplomacy and common sense, you can create a seating plan that will make "almost" everyone happy.

T.G.I.F. THE SAZERAC

 
Photo by Southern Living

Lordy, Lordy...my friend  Ryan is turning 40 so we are off to New Orleans today to celebrate this momentous occasion.  So in honor of him and New Orleans I thought we would contribute today's post to famous New Orleans cocktails.

Is it any surprise that America's first cocktail, the Sazerac, was created in the Big Easy, the city that loves to party?

B.Y.O.B. Wedding

 Photo by Once Wed

I get that times have changed when it comes to traditional wedding etiquette and I must admit I have pretty much heard it all when it comes to wedding questions but this one takes the cake...literally. 

I received an email from a guest to an upcoming wedding and this is what she said, "The bride & groom are asking for guests to bring food & drink to their reception. This seems highly inappropriate. Do you know of anyone else who has ever such a thing?"

Well, I say...Wowza!  This seems more like a potluck than a wedding. I truly don't know very many people that wouldn't be confused by this one; especially since this is a gift giving event. Unless this is a family only, informal wedding, guests should definitely be treated as guests and at the very least served a meal and entertained.  If you cannot afford a wedding there are a lot of other wonderful ideas that are much less expensive; like a brunch or dessert reception.  Weddings can be expensive I understand that but you should never make your guests feel like they are the ones imposing on you. 

What are your thoughts on this one?  Please share!

 

 

Outdoor Summer Lighting

 
One of my favorite things about Summer is having dinner outside in the evenings...there is something magical about a warm, Summer night; so whether you're planning an outdoor dinner party, wedding reception, or intimate Summer party, don't forget to decorate your ceiling...in this case the your sky view or the great outdoors. Decorating or magnifying the night's canopy can help add to the festive feel of the event, while creating a "ceiling" in the outdoor space can define the space. Above are some fun ideas for encouraging your guests to look up at your event.  Whether it be simple, candles, paper lanterns, outdoor lamps or even chandeliers - I am sure you can think of many more creative ideas to give ambience to your evening space.  Have fun and get creative.  Please don't hesitate to share your ideas with us and our readers. 

 

Entertaining with a Tent

 

While the weather's still warm, you made throw one last party or fete at the beach/in your garden/the backyard of your Hamptons summer hideaway. Offer a shade option for your guests and also rain protection in the event of a summer storm. If your friends are like mine...they have high expectations and that's why this is the perfect little sumpin' sumpin' to turn it up a notch.

So have a blast and definitely don't stress. Have a martini & toss up a fab tent from Raj Tents and bam!...insta-atmosphere.  Such a fab-u-lous idea!!!

 

Wedding Cake on a Budget

Photo by the Knot.com 

Who doesn't love cake?!?!  I absolutely LOVE good wedding cake but boy oh boy can wedding cakes run up your budget.  Wedding cakes tend to run between $1.50/slice to $10.00/slice (What?!?!  $10..I know shocking) and sometimes can actually be even more; the higher the pricing the more elaborate, multi-tiered, fondant-swathed extravanganzas you see in so many bridal magazine.  So to help you save a few dollars here are a few tips from the wedding cake pros...

T.G.I.F. THAI BASIL SANGRIA

 
Ok I am not going to lie...this one is going to take some work but I think it's well worth it!  Ordinarily, when you think of Sangria you think of it as being red which comes from its traditional red wine base but in this stripped-down version it gets its rich golden hue—and zingy flavors—from white wine, fresh-squeezed orange juice and a kick of brandy. Wowza!!! 

How to Throw a Crab Feast or Clambake in Your Backyard

 
 
 
Photography by Brian Phillips

I grew up on the West Coast but my father (from the East) loved seafood and every summer he would host a Clambake right in our backyard.  So, this year I decided to continue his tradition and host a Crab Feast/Clambake right here at home. 

It's super fun and very easy.  Start with your bar; I like a self-serve bar so people can refill when they are ready. Leave a fresh batch of drinks on ice with plenty of outdoor glasses and cloth napkins for cleaning spills. Don't forget about the lemons, limes and tabasco for guests to add their own finishing touches.

Definitely decorate tables with simple florals; like hydrangeas and toss them into beach pales. Stagger them down the table in a sweetly imperfect pattern.