If you can keep your guests engaged, interested and laughing (bonus points) your event will be a hit. Last week I attended a party hosted by Mom Central. I ate, I drank, I laughed and the night flew by. The event was a product launch and education session and it was by far one of the most entertaining events I've attended. What was the product? Something sexy? Something sleek? Something you've been dying to get your hands on? Not exactly. We came together to learn about cleaning products. The new Lysol Power and Free line of family friendly products to be exact. If you can make an evening that revolves around toilet bowl cleaner and kitchen wipes fun, in my opinion, you've won a gold medal in party planning.
The Mom Central team took a risk by hosting this event against a back drop of comedy. Monkey Toast performed improve in between casual but informative blurbs about these cleaning supplies. I actually left that night wanting to clean my house. I think somebody slipped something into my drink.
Know what Joe? Come on over and scrub my toilets any time. I'll be waiting...
Ron Tite, master of ceremonies kept the evening flowing by making us laugh. And of course, the jokes were all squeaky clean. Bah dum dum. He started the set by preying upon poor defenseless audience members who were simply trying to eat their samosas and quietly chug their pinot grigio without drawing attention to themselves. The last thing they imagined doing that night was being called up on stage to tell jokes, off-the-cuff to a crowd of their peers. "Knock-knock"... "Who's there?"...."AWKWARD!" End of joke.
FYI, when you're put on the spot and asked to tell a funny joke, chances are good that the only one you'll remember is the one popular with ten year olds. I should have told the gorilla and the chihuahua joke. Or something perhaps something in GERMan...
So to sum up, when hosting an event, think ENTERTAINMENT. If your guests are having fun, nothing else matters. The laughs and good vibes are what will stick with them and whatever you're trying to promote, sell, share, whatever, will fall upon receptive ears.
Though football tends to attract more male than female fans, Super Bowl parties draw a fairly even mix of the sexes—some come for the game, some for the social aspect and the half-time show. Either way, the food table should really be bi-gender, don’t you think?
Not that women don’t enjoy a greasy sausage in a bun or chips straight from the bag (Hello Friday night at my house), but we ladies appreciate party fare with a little pizzazz and some healthy-ish options. Veggies and dip, thai wraps, hummus with baked pita chips, and something cute like football-shaped deviled eggs.
But what about traditional football fare? It’s really not a Super Bowl party without super (big) bowls of chili.
Fitness expert Dara Duff-Bergeron suggests “Skinny Chili made with canned baked beans and beef broth to add richness with fewer calories. Dara tops hers with a scoop of plain yogurt instead of sour cream, for creaminess without the fat. This would be perfect for Super Bowl, or Any Given Sunday really…
Here’s Dara’s Skinny Chili Recipe
Yields 6 servings.
Ingredients:
1 lb ground turkey
2 cloves garlic
1 medium onion
1 bell pepper
1-2 carrots
2-3 stalks celery
1/2 zucchini
1/2 cup frozen corn kernels
2 tsp olive oil
1 can low-sodium beef broth
1 can lentils, rinsed
1 can baked beans
1 can whole tomatoes, crushed/roughly chopped
1 can tomato paste
3 tbsp chili powder
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp cayenne or more to taste
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 dried bay leaves
1/2 cup fresh parsley, minced
salt & pepper to taste
yogurt to garnish (optional)
Directions:
1. Heat oil and brown turkey in large pot over medium-high heat.
2. Add garlic, onion and spices and saute 2-3 minutes.
3. Roughly chop and add remaining vegetables (except parsley), legumes and liquids and mix well.
4. Simmer on low 1-2 hours until desired consistency is reached.
5. Add parsley before serving and garnish with a dollop of yogurt.
Happy Super Bowl everyone! Go Seahawks! (kidding)
I may be the current Party Mummy, but if something should happen to prevent me from upholding my blogging oath, I nominate my friend Shelley F. to take my place. She is a Party Mummy through and through. She cooks, she bakes, she mixes killer drinks and she can plan a fabulous event with her eyes closed and her Blackberry tied behind her back. Wait, now I’m feeling a little bit threatened and insecure. Forget I said anything. She has thick ankles.
In spite of her ankle impediment, Shell makes deeee-lish-ous martinis whenever the girls come to play. She recently divulged the recipe (along with a few other hair curlers!).
It's so yummy and so simple, it's the Girls' Nightini!
Recipe: 1 oz. vodka, 1 oz. triple sec, 1 oz. pineapple juice/nectar, 2 oz. cranberry juice Shake over ice. Garnish with a lime wheel and enjoy!
Recently as I rushed to get ready for a GNO, frantically hunting for something to wear, I spotted a dress I hadn’t worn in awhile. As I struggled to get it on, I became stuck. As I wrestled and flailed trying to get free, I inadvertently punched myself in the face. My thumbnail dug into the bridge of my nose which forced an enthusiastic f-bomb from my lips and blood from a gaping facial wound. Lesson? Plan your outfit in advance and avoid Houdini-esq outfits even if the colour does flatter your complexion. Hey, Houdini-Martini? I think that may be a new cocktail in the making...
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