Fun Parties 101

Here are 9 tips for hosting a party both you and your guests will enjoy.

What's the secret to pulling off a fabulous soiree? There's more to being a gracious host than providing the food and drinks. "It's important that you be a guest at your own party," says entertaining expert Jennifer O'Neil, who, along with her equally fun-loving sister, Kitty, enjoys hosting all types of parties from casual get-togethers to themed events. The sisters say if you're relaxed and enjoying yourself, your guests will follow suit.

Here are more of their tips for making sure your event is the hottest ticket in town:

Rule #1: Be Prepared

* Set the guest list early. Send out invites at least three to four weeks in advance. Give longer notice for more formal affairs and more popular dates like New Year’s Eve.

* Don't leave the details to the last minute. Create your "to do" list at least a week in advance including the menu, drinks and quantities, decorations, and party events. Menu tip: Don’t choose foods that need to be heated right before serving or else you’ll be in the kitchen all night.

* Tidy up. The day of the party, get the public areas of the house tidied up and don't forget that the bathroom will need to be well stocked with fresh hand towels and the like. If you're putting a bedroom to use a coat closet, make sure it's presentable. Keep the lights off and doors closed to the rest of the house to signal to your guests they are off limits.

* Make a party-night cheat sheet. Keep a party night checklist on an index card in your pocket. That way you can know at a glance when it’s time to bring out the warm appetizers.

Rule #2: Keep It Simple

* Forgo the formal dinner. "Appetizer parties are definitely the easiest — even easier than a potluck because you don’t have to coordinate anything," Jennifer says. Shop for delicious pre-made appetizers at fancy grocery stores or even warehouse stores like Costco and Sam's Club.

* Let guests help themselves. A dinner party is more fun to throw and attend when it’s buffet style. People can cater to their own tastes and eat on their own time. Plus you can mingle and mix it up. Just be sure to label the foods — people like to know what they’re eating. To keep bartending simple, pick a drink of the night, set the fixings out on the bar along with the recipe/directions, and let the guests play bartender.

Rule #3: Get Guests Talking

* Pick a theme. For a party that mixes different groups of friends, use name tags, but make them fun, suggests Kitty. "For our Mob Scene poker party, we give everyone their Mafia name like Zoey Baloney a.k.a. 'The Claw.' "

* Give guests an assignment. One sure-fire way to get people mingling is to give them assignments, like having one person check on everybody’s drink or having someone hand-pass hors d’oeuvres. People may be shy and your task will give them an excuse to talk to strangers. Another way to keep the party going is to get the guests involved in the dinner preparations: "Our friend Margaret hosts a Make Your Own Dinner Party — she picks a cuisine for the evening, like Greek food, and everyone brings their own recipes and fixings to cook dinner together."

* Host an event. Keep the evening moving with party "milestones," like an informal icebreaker or a party event. For example, the sisters host an annual Tacky Trim-A-Tree Party that culminates in a tacky ornament contest complete with voting and awards.

Source : http://www.hgtv.com

Take a Family Picnic

There are few better ways to enjoy the nice weather than to pack a basket of food and head out to a pleasant shady spot, and picnics on green lawns and sandy beaches are some of the true highlights of summer. To make this season's outings special for your family, try putting some new and inventive twists on all your favorite classic picnic recipes and ideas.
Californian Janice Morrow spent six years learning from talented chefs at various culinary schools across the US. Today she runs the White Apron School of Culinary Design for children, and has taught creative and healthy cooking to over 500 students, ranging in age from 4 to 16. She also teaches adults by request. Here Morrow offers some fun ideas for your next family picnic:

Try a colorful presentation.
A nice presentation always adds to the fun of a picnic. One great idea is to take little plastic containers and line them with different colors of lettuce. Try putting red lettuce on one side, green lettuce on the other side and then a big helping of pasta salad, or another favorite cold dish, in the middle.

Have fun with shapes.
Let your child have some fun by choosing his or her favorite cookie cutters and forming their sandwiches into shapes.

Make place setting kits.
Another idea is to individually wrap up plates with napkins, forks, knives, and spoons. Get the kids involved by letting them make creative nametags for each of your family members or friends, and use these to tie up the bundles of plates and utensils.

Choose healthy snacks.
Instead of filling your picnic basket with sweets for the end of that special afternoon, try something a little bit different, like homemade granola bars. The kids will love the flavor and you'll love the fact that it's a healthy, nutritious dessert.

Source : http://www.fineliving.com

Seven Tips for Successful Family Picnics

by Lynn Fredericks, author of Cooking Time is Family Time

School's out and the kids have more free time and no homework to boot. Why not steer their creative energies into spontaneous family picnics? The destination is secondary to the enjoyment of an informal meal, outdoors, with opportunities for family sports activities (soccer, baseball, simple game of catch) or playtime with the family pet! The backyard or a neighborhood park is fine -- it's not necessary to plan a long-distance trip.

1. First, announce that you're going to have a picnic-style dinner and you want their help and suggestions.
2. Let them choose from the following list of responsibilities:
Menu
Assembling ingredients and preparing the food
Beverages
Blanket(s)
Baskets, bags, shopping cart for transporting the meal
Plastic or paper plates, cups, cutlery, etc.
Extracurricular activities: sports equipment, dog toys, titles for charades
3. Don't give each child more than two jobs.
4. Decide on a time when all duties must be completed.
5. If you're a working mom, plan the picnic a day ahead, giving extra time for shopping and preparing food. There's no need to do everything from scratch -- a combination of prepared salads and some homemade sandwiches is very easy. Bean salads are especially good for picnics as their flavor improves with time and they can sit out at room temperature
6. Make sure one or more kids are involved in the actual food preparation and encourage them to be a little adventurous, taking advantage of some seasonal produce that they may not be familiar with, e.g. watercress or arugula for the salad, fava beans in the pasta salad, tofu in the egg salad, etc.
7. Keep your cool -- remind everyone that the idea is to have fun!

source : http://parenting.ivillage.com

Company Picnic Ideas and Planning Tips

It's an opportunity for employees to mingle and "let down their hair."

A well organized company picnic with planned activities can help integrate
employees with each other. This is particularly important if the company has
undergone recent reorganization. As such it functions as a "team bonding"
mechanism.

A company picnic can be held for an entire firm of thousands or for a single
department of 30.

In my role of party entertainer (and prior to that corporate employee), I have
attended countless such events.
Here are some observations, tips, and ideas I picked up along the way.

General Considerations
Like any other type of event, you need to decide what you want your picnic to be
like and how much you want to spend.
As with any event, it is important to keep the needs and tastes of your attendees
paramount.
Allow yourself sufficient time to book your venue if the picnic is offsite. Demand for
some venues is at a premium during peak periods. It is not uncommon to make
reservations several months or more in advance of a given date.
You'll need to plan food and beverages, and activities and entertainment and, in
some cases, transportation to the picnic site.
Allow enough time so you can give your employees sufficient advance notice to
include the picnic into their plans. This is especially important if you'll be inviting
family members or if it is held on a weekend.
Company picnics and company picnic ideas can range from the very simple to a
pull-out-all-stops extravaganza. My observation is that people have a good time at
both.
Do you want to have a theme? A theme is fun! Plus it makes it easier to organize
food and activities.

WHEN do you want to hold you company's picnic?
In the Philadelphia area, companies hold their picnics beginning in June
through early October.
Considerations such as your company's workflow, availability of a desired venue,
etc., will help you determine the date. Employees are less apt to be away on vacation
in June or September, but they will really enjoy the chance to kick back in July or
August.
There are pros and cons to weekday picnics versus weekend picnics.
Company picnics held during a workday will ensure a greater attendance for
employees when they would normally be in the office. And, they don't cut into
precious personal time.
But spouses and children are generally more available for a weekend date.

WHOM do you want to invite?
Staff only? Members of the employee's immediate family? What about significant
others, friends? Decide where to draw the line.
Family picnics are a great way for employees to meet co-workers’ families. It
humanizes co-workers by allowing them to relax their at-work personas.
On the other hand, single or divorced employees can feel like the odd wheel at a
very family oriented event. That can be overcome by planning activities suitable for
people of all ages.
Activities that require participants to form groups can help integrate the attendees.
And it keeps your guests occupied.

WHERE do you want to have your company picnic?
While many picnics take place under a tent in the company's parking lot, offsite
venues can make people feel more relaxed. If you're on a strict budget, one option
is a nearby state park. Many have large pavilions ideally suited for such events.
I've also been to company picnics given at the home of the firm's CEO or owner. This
kind of setting adds a homey touch to the festivities. In some instances, facilities
were set up so that the guests attend to their needs without entering the host's
private home.
An excellent option to consider is a venue that is set up especially for hosting the
company picnic. Generally these picnic parks come complete with in-house catering
and lots of games and activities for kids both big and small. Some day camps rent
out their facilities on weekends when they are otherwise not in use.

Amusement parks and river cruises are other options.

Tip: Have a Plan B in the case of rain.
Some Plan B options include:
• A tent with walls or access to an on-site building
• Event insurance
• A rain date
Keep in mind that if you opt for a rain date, your vendors and entertainers may
require additional payment to reserve the second date. That is because they have to
turn down other clients during the busy summer season to keep that time open for
you.

Food and Beverages
If you choose to have the food catered, you don't have to worry about preparation or
cleanup. Many venues such as picnic parks have in-house catering. And many
caterers specialize in handling company picnics.
The best part of picnic fare is that it is simple and satisfying. Hot dogs and
hamburgers are extremely popular at picnics. But they are not compulsory and
caterers will cater to your every whim.
Keep the menu flexible enough to accommodate those with special needs and
preferences. These days you’ll find many meat eaters and vegans, not to mention
devotees of Atkins, South Beach, and other diets. Muslims and Jews may not wish to
eat pork.
So having at least one non-pork and non-meat option is an excellent idea. If your
picnic has a theme, your menu can reflect that.
Decide whether you want to permit alcoholic beverages. If so, make sure there is a
way to ensure that anyone who drinks a bit too much makes it home safely.
Have age appropriate activities and games
Some venues such as picnic parks make it a point to supply many activities.
Nonetheless, you may want to supplement them. Entertainers such as DJs, caricature
artists, Tarot card readers, magicians, face painters, clowns are some popular
additions.
Door prizes are a cherished company picnic idea at many firms. Door prizes work
both as employee appreciation and an incentive for the employees to linger.
Examples of some prizes I've seen include certificate good for a dinner for two at a
local restaurant, gift certificate at a local department store, a day off with pay, even
a free vacation complete with round trip airline tickets.
These are some company picnic ideas and planning tips to get you started.
But the most important tip is the one I save for last.
After you've worked so hard to organize and plan your event, be sure to go and
enjoy the festivities yourself!

About the Author
Ellen M. Zucker has used her skills as a caricature artist and astrologer to entertain at company picnics for over 10 years. Her company, Faces & Fortunes, http://www.facesandfortunes.com, provides caricature artists and psychic readers to entertain at parties and special events throughout Greater Philadelphia and surrounding areas.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ellen_Zucker

Unique Summer Picnic Ideas

Summer picnic game ideas are the perfect way to keep those little hands and feet busy this summer. Rather than just packing the usual fried chicken, potato salad, blanket, and Frisbee, why not spruce up your summer picnics with these fun game ideas.

We have all kinds of fun games and activities for summer picnics-

Water Games- Like the water slide, slip and slide- or even the classic dunk tank which has been a fun picnic standby for decades.

Bounce House- For the Kids, a bounce house is a great way to get some energy out and have a good time!

Entertainers- Picnics are a great place to offer everything from clowns, to magicians, balloon artists, caricature artists and more.

Carnival Games and Rides- There is no end to the selection of carnival offerings which will spruce up your summer picnic. A simple game of ring toss with carnival prizes can do a lot. Or a ferriw wheel can offer your guests a memorable ride!

Inflatable Games - From inflatable slides, to joust games, bungee runs, and even some of the hottest, newest interactive inflatables on the market! The inflatable industry is always growing, and these games are most often found out there at summer picnics

Summer Picnic Game Ideas can make the most typical picnic into a memorable event- for more information contact our office today!

Food

No summer picnic is complete without a basket full of food. Instead of throwing in the usual picnic staples, you can turn preparing and eating picnic foods into a game. Kida love finger foods. Your local library most likely has a huge selection of cookbooks for kid-friendly meals.

These recipes can include rose petal radishes, fruit on a stick, and animal shaped macaroni salad. The ever-popular dirt and worms sundae with crumbled chocolate cookies for dirt and gummy worms for toppings is always a hit. Let the little ones help prepare the food to add to the fun. They will be willing to try new foods when they have helped shape them into miniature animals and fun designs.

Another great way to turn food into a game is to prepare food that correlates with a special story about your family or a beloved fairy tale. You can also include a blindfold and some interesting foods for kids to feel while blindfolded. Another fun game is to let kids feed each other while blindfolded. Since everyone is eating outside, a quick shake of the blanket is all that is required for clean up.

Educational Activities

Keeping little minds engaged in educational activities over the summer can be a real challenge. Packing a picnic full of learning games is a terrific way to stimulate learning.
Even a simple picnic game like finding pictures in clouds can be an educational experience with a little planning. While kids look for pictures in the clouds, you can provide a mini lesson on weather, clouds, and the water cycle.

Bird watching is a natural picnic event. Bring along a bird identification book and a few pairs of binoculars and create a contest to see who can identify the most species of birds. For younger children, the game can be adapted to see who can find the highest number of blue, black, or red birds.

Bug collecting is favorite picnic activity for many children. Bring along a magnifying glass and a few books about insects to create a learning environment for your little explorers.
Incorporating math into the everyday lives of your little ones takes ingenuity.

One way to include math in your summer picnic is to place a price tag on each food item in the picnic basket. Bring along some play money and let little ones purchase foods they want to eat during the picnic. Older children can play cashier and count back change for each guest at the picnic.

Unique summer picnic game ideas keep your little ones engaged and happy during the lazy days of summer. Incorporating fun and educational activities into your summer picnic makes summer outings enjoyable for every member of the family.

source : http://clownsunlimited.com

Make.up Tips for Summer!

Picnic Food Ideas for Summer Outings

Are you looking for new picnic food ideas for your summer outing? Picnic foods need to be tasty, portable, and resistant to spoiling, and finding recipes that meet these requirements is challenging.

Finger foods are always a good choice for your picnic menu, but may not provide enough variety for more mature tastes. To keep you picnic food ideas fresh and healthy, try out a few of these picnic food ideas for your next summer outing.

Picnic Food Ideas

*Try packing fresh fruits, vegetables, and whole chesses for a fresher picnic menu. You can tuck a small cutting board and a sharp knife to prepare your foods on the spot.
*Avoid packing any picnic foods that contain mayonnaise, eggs, or dairy products to avoid the risk of food poisoning. Meats and fish should also be used with caution. If you include meat on your picnic menu, be sure to keep it cool and out of the sun.
*Instead of coleslaw, try shredded broccoli with carrots and a light salad dressing.
*Mixed nuts make great alternative picnic finger foods.
*Salsa and tortilla chips are safer, and healthier, than dairy-based dips.
*A few alternatives to the traditional sliced bread sandwich are wraps, bread pouches, croissants, bagels, and crackers. You can stuff these sliced bread alternatives with your favorite veggies or sandwich ingredients.
*Summer fruits and vegetables are great picnic items. Zucchini, squash, tomatoes, watermelon, strawberries, peaches, pears, and grapes are perfect for picnic totes.
*For a lighter picnic menu, replace that traditional fried chicken with cold chicken strips tossed in Italian dressing or your favorite barbeque sauce. You can serve the chicken on bread, pita wraps, or over cold pasta.
*Picnic beverages should be refreshing if you plan to spend time in the sun. Be sure to check if alcoholic beverages are prohibited near your chosen picnic destination before packing a bottle of wine or your favorite beer. Always include bottled water for extra hydration during your outdoor activities.
*For a little added twist, include fresh lemon slices, lime wedges, and peppermint sprigs to flavor your iced tea or water.
* Picnic food ideas for a romantic picnic could include finger foods, like whole strawberries, cheese chunks, and sliced French bread. Avoid recipes that call for broccoli, beans, garlic, or onions to reduce unpleasant odors during your romantic picnic. Include your sweetheart’s favorite foods and don’t forget to pack something sweet for dessert.
*For a picnic with kids, pack individual ingredients and allow kids to prepare their own picnic creations. Sandwich ingredients, mix-your-own fruit and veggie salads, individual cold pizzas, and decorated deserts are always a hit with kids.

Creating your own picnic food ideas allows you to incorporate your favorite foods into your picnic menu. Picnic food ideas should be fun, tasty, and easy to transport without spoiling.

Be sure to pack a few plastic bags to cart home the leftovers, and pack a few extra crackers to feed the ducks, birds, and squirrels that are may invite themselves to your picnic.

source : http://clownsunlimited.com