Create My Event - Event & Party Ideas Blog

A Modern Luau

When you hear of a "Hawaiian Luau Party" images of fruit punch, hula skirts and colorful plastic flower lei's probably come to mind. However, a traditional Hawaiian luau couldn't be further from the truth. Culturally luau's are a large part of Hawaiian culture and entertaining is an essential part of life. Even if you aren't in the tropics, throwing a modern luau today doesn’t have to mean kitschy. Here are my tips for creating a more authentic, and infinetly more modern, Hawaiian Luau.

DECOR:
For the table décor, focus on clean, organic lines with a lot of natural elements and just a few tropical ones. Keep the floral print to one aspect of the table, we chose to highlight a colorful floral tablecloth and balance that out by using many wood elements and limiting the use of color. Instead of floral centerpieces, we chose to use two large Monstera leafs in a simple wood bowl. Other beautiful floral options include orchids, birds of paradise and red ginger flowers. Clear votives with white candles were placed on wooden trays and set along the table.

For the place settings; simple, off-white ceramic plates were placed on top of a woven grass charger. Sleek modern silverware and stemless wine glasses complete our place setting. Little wood salt and pepper cellars with matching spoons hold the Hawaiian red sea salt and organic pepper. We placed a real leaf on top of each plate and wrapped them around the menus to give the entire setting a splash of natural color. For our guest favors a tin of authentic red Hawaiian sea salt was placed at each setting.

MENU:
Pacific Rim inspired cuisine is not only an accurate, but upscale menu choice for your party. Start with a refreshing Edamame Mint Salad followed by Cedar-Planked Teriyaki Salmon and Pork and Pineapple Kebabs. For dessert, try a Banana Vanilla Haupia Pudding.

Thanks for having us guest post today Create Your Event! See more at Modern Living Hawaii.

the Rad Mad Hatter Tea Party- birthday party for my 4 year old daughter!

my little sweet baby girl is turning 4 {actually, i'm quite convinced she is 15, but that's another story}. i have never made a big deal for her birthday parties as i felt she was too young to really remember them. but, this year, she will remember this party. and, since i am completely head over heals in love with my scoots {have no clue where the nickname came from, but it stuck!}, this party has to be great.

she loves tea and she loves to throw tea parties. yesterday, we had 12 tea parties in 2 hours. we both had a great time, and my daughter was the perfect hostess. always refilling my tea cup and "brewing" fresh teas {water} for me to try.

so, when she asked me for a tea party birthday, i thought, of course! but wait, all of her friends are boys. hmmm.

i was working on another event for a client who loves bright colors, and i stumbled upon this cake.

this cake {if you made this cake, please let me know. i found a picture online with no credit. it's amazing!} sparked the inspiration for the "Rad Mad Hatter Tea Party" the perfect compromise. it's still a tea party, but it's not completely girly. i mean, who hasn't read/seen Alice in Wonderland? {if you haven't read the Lewis Carroll books, you simply must stop whatever you're doing and read them immediately!}

i googled "Alice in Wonderland Party" and you wouldn't believe what I found!!! instructions, ideas, menus, recipes, games, crafts, and so much more!!!!!

the birlliant Meghann at Urbanity Studios is creating a custom design for our invitation. Meghann is another guest blogger here. If you haven't checked out her site, do so immediately! her stuff is simply amazing and lovely!

we will be using as many elements from the story/movie as possible. everything will be topsy-turvy, bright, colorful, delirious, and as the nature of children's parties, a bit chaotic. i can't wait!!!

as i get further into the planning and design phases of this party, i will be posting more information.

now, i just have to decide if i want to hire a petting zoo, a bounce house, a face painter, or all three! {ok- probably not all three}

as always, i love your ideas and suggestions!

thanks!
allison@occasions&style

Tapas - Andalusia Style

A surprising find of a Spanish Tinto wine at my gourmet market has inspired a happy hour featuring the tapas of Andalusia.

Spain's Andalusia region is most known for flamenco, the music and dance form performed by the Gypsies. There, the summers are hot and the chorizo is spicy. In Seville's cafes and bars, you can order the popular Tinto de Verano, which translates to "red wine of summer". Tinto is an authentic alternative to Sangria. It is a simple mixture of red wine and lemon flavored soda or lemonade made with seltzer, served over ice. From Tinto, it is very easy to develop an Andalusian celebration with Spanish food and atmosphere.

Manchego cheese, Chorizo sausage and Serrano ham are easily found at gourmet or specialty markets. A Tempranillo red can be substituted for the Carro Tinto 2006 I discovered. Other regional specialties are available online at La Tienda. Here you can order the flavorful Bonita del Norte, an olive oil packed, line caught and hand packed tuna. Piquillo peppers can be stuffed with the tuna or crabmeat from your grocer. You might also serve them with just a drizzle of quality Spanish Olive Oil, for they are the sweetest roasted red peppers you will ever eat. Either way, garnish the peppers with stemmed Caperberries, Olives and Capers. Try the Vichy Catalan sparkling and mineral waters, which are ubiquitous in Andalusia's cafes. La Tienda has 71 appetizer and tapas recipes. My favorites for a happy hour include Avocado and Prawn Cocktail, Sizzled Shrimp, and Rioja Potatoes. They are easy to prepare but never fail to wow my guests. The tinto recipe below can be made for a self service bar by pouring the bottle of wine into a pitcher, adding a cup or so of sparkling lemonade or a can of Limonata and lemon slices.

TINTO de VERANO

Bottle of Tinto or Tempranillo wine
San Pellegrino Limonata, Sparkling lemonade or Lemon flavored soda
Lemon slices

1. Fill a tall, skinny glass with ice.
2. Add the red wine up to 2/3 full.
3. Top the wine with the Limonata
4. Garnish with a lemon slice.

At an Andalusian Tapas happy hour, Flamenco music is a must. If you are unfamiliar with this genre, Narada's Tabu and Obsession  compilations are a good place to start. Jesse Cook is one of the best contemporary flamenco guitarists and has just released Frontiers. If you are fortunate to live in a community that has a Flamenco presence, hire a local guitarist.

Think of the Flamencas costumes when determining your decor. Incorporate the ruffles and lace of the gypsy dancer. Polka dots in vibrant contrasting colors, such as those designed by Sally Russell, are a fresh Sevillanos touch versus typical fiesta stripes. Forgo cut stemmed flowers for potted blooming plants, similar to those displayed in Cordovan courtyards in May. Fans are great to have on hand so guests can cool themselves on the patio or to take with them as party favors.

With a little online shopping, a trip to your nearby gourmet market and a few hours of preparation, you can elevate the growing trend of tapas to a savory Andalusian experience for you and your guests.

Resources:

Carro Tinto 2006  www.madwine.com
Brody Cooler   www.cb2.com
Polka Dot Linens  www.sallyrussellstudio.com
White Paper Fans www.whiteaisle.com
Tapas: The Little Dishes Of Spain by Penelope Casas www.amazon.com
Tabu, Mondo Flamenco by Various Artists, Obsession - New Flamenco Romance by Various Artists and The Ultimate Jesse Cook by Jesse Cook www.narada.com

Herbalicious Spring Party

We had an exceptionally mild winter here on Long Island and almost all my herbs, with the exception of basil, survived. That gave me an idea for my next bash. How about a herb-themed party?

I will decorate the table with small pots of different herbs: marjoram, oregano, thyme and sage, and tuck a few springs of lavender into the napkin rings.

Make name tags from brown paper and twine or buy these Garden Delight Gift Tags from etsy to tie around pretty jars of herbs that the guests can take home later as a memento of the evening.

Serve

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Salsa Verde
Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic; finely chopped
2 cups parsley, finely chopped
1 tablespoon basil, thyme, sage, oregano
4 tablespoons oil
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper

Blend herbs and garlic in a food processor or blender until they form paste. Add the oil, a little at a time, and mix well. Add the lemon juice, and season with sugar, salt and pepper to taste.

and Lavender-Honey Ice Cream

with Mint Juleps or Mojitos to drink:

Mojito
Ingredients:
2 parts white rum
1 part fresh lime juice
10 mint leaves
4 teaspoons sugar or 2 tablespoons simple syrup
Club soda
Spring of mint

Muddle mint and sugar in highball glass, add everything else except club soda. Fill glass with crushed ice, add club soda. Garnish with sprig of mint.

The house should smell wonderful, too.

fall into orange.

Orange has always been a tough color for me. I love the vibrant shades and contrast the color brings when paired with the right shades and tones. But when I think of orange and brown together, I immediately revert to the days of Halloween; pumpkins and scarecrows and candy corn [oh my!].

So is it possible to pair brown and orange together without making the palette so... Hallow?

Sarah Dennis, author of Toast and Tables, shows us how:

"For a warm and cozy look, pair rich orange elements and accessories with textiles
in varying shades of chocolate and espresso... A subtle range of nature infuses this scene with tranquility. Accent with elements from nature, such as pumpkins, to enhance the organic theme."

And she's so right. Judging by these pictures, I'd say orange and brown go swimmingly together. I think I've found my new favorite fall palette!

Thanks, Sarah!

Wee Itsy-Bitsy Halloween

Participating or throwing a Halloween party that include the wee ones? If you want everyone to have fun – you will need to think about your littlest members of your family. Though kids as young as 2 can enjoy dressing up, many a child gets freaked out at Halloween. Grasping what is “pretend” is a much older developmental skill. Here are a few ideas to get ready for the party, see more ideas at my blog-memorablegatherings.blogspot.com

Halloween Prep:
** Take some night-time walks in your neighborhood.
** Light a few candles the week before Halloween.
** Play games with turning lights on and off.
** Try costumes on and play in them.
** Try dressing up Fiddo in a fun costume- these always reveal the pet's face and can help kids start to understand fantasy and costumes... kids so identify with their beloved pets in powerful ways!
** Dress up a teddy bear for the holiday together, so that they can see a costume coming on and off beloved teddy.
** Read some books...non-scary books include:
- Dappled Apples, Froggy’s Halloween, Halloween Cats, Halloween Hats, It’s Pumpkin Time, Plumply, Dumply Pumpkin

Watch some non-scary holiday movies together:
- Monsters Inc., Incredibles, Pooh's Heffalump Halloween Movie, It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown, Monster Squad, House of Mouse Halloween, Veggie Tales

Throwing the party?
Learn from the experts! You can attend or borrow ideas from hosted kid-friendly Halloween activities. They are good role models about what works well. These can be found at:
** Public Libraries
** Zoos
** Nature Centers
** Botanical Gardens
** Nature Hiking areas
** Pumpkin Patches
** Farms

Other ways to get in the “spirit”? Choose for the first couple years to Trick-or-Treat only at friends and family's houses or attend Harvest Festivals at local churches, where they will know you and adjust for your wee ones.

Party image from: Carolyne Roehm

Let's Go to the Hop...

Hands down, the BEST barbeque I've ever been to was an old college friend's summer BBQ. It was a hot and stick night in August and the food choices were limited to burgers, chips and Colas. The music was too loud, the heat was unbearable.

And that's exactly how my friends had wanted it.

See, this was a 50's diner party. A chance to gather with friends and cheap food, dancing to oldies and singing WAY off key. The planning was a piece of cake, thanks to Plum Party. My friends ordered the supplies, cooked some burgers and the atmosphere was set: an instant hit.

I learned that night that the best parties create an atmosphere of memories. We all (ok some of us) remember the 50's, or at least we've seen Back to the Future. So when we walked out to a decked out backyard with jukebox music playing, we knew exactly what to expect.

There wasn't a wallflower to be found. Whether it was the sockhop or the handjive, everyone contributed to our recollection of a time that we thought had been lost forever.

The best part? The root beer floats were TO DIE FOR.

A "Progressive" Halloween

Adults often get left behind at Halloween since they have to stay at home manning the door and doling out candy for all the little trick-o-treaters in the neighborhood.  If your neighborhood has few children or if you live in the city center, or in a condominium or townhouse complex,  you might not see many costumed children.  But Halloween is not over for you!  I suggest gathering some friends that live in your neighborhood or building and have a Progressive Halloween Dinner Party.

What you need is at least 3 homes within walking distance of each other and hosts with imagination - that's all!  Each host is assigned one course of the evening's meal and each house is to host the group for that course. Of course, costumes and decorations are mandatory!  Invitations should be sent in advance and can be designed like a menu with the location of each hosts house and any activities planned. One evening I heard about included 5 locations with the first serving cocktails and appetizers, the second serving soup and salad, the third was the main course and the fourth had coffee and dessert.  The fifth location hosted games and activities and was...

A few tips to help the evening run smoothly:

- Discuss with the hosts the number of guests invited and the timing of each course.  It is important that the whole group not spend too much time at one or two houses in order to allow enough time to enjoy each location.

- People can discuss their decorations and food with each other, or you can insist all ideas be kept a secret to ensure a big surprise at each stop.

- Choose locations that are no more than a 10 minute walk away from each other and encourage walking from house to house as people may be drinking and this lessens the need for a designated driver.

Some ideas include the use of candles and carved pumpkins for spooky lighting, using hay bales as seats in the back yard, tombstones and coffins for tables, costume contests and monster movie trivia games to keep people in the mood, even loot bags decorated with Halloween characters for everyone to take home...the list is endless.

Remember, nothing is too over-the-top for Halloween!  Using fog machines, "live" scarecrows and grim reapers as escorts, bubbling punch bowls, creepy music and outlandish costumes will only liven up the night and make this Halloween dinner party unforgettable!

Photos courtesy of MarthaStewart.com

Kuler Your Party

For both the color obsessed and the color challenged, Adobe Labs has developed a web-based color wheel community called kuler. Designed to compliment the Adobe Creative Suite, it offers a public forum to cultivate and swap color schemes. The easy to use program is self-explanatory. Browse designs by Newest, Highest Rated, or Most Popular.

Click “Create” on the homepage to make your own. If you have a few colors in mind, but don’t know how to organize them, try creating a scheme according the one of the Rules provided. Analogous provides similar colors, Monochromatic will give you colors in the same family but in different hues, Triad will give you three harmonizing color families.

Complementary will provide you with opposites, while Compound will serve up opposites and similar but not-quite-opposites. Shades looks much like the paint sample strip you might pick up at the home improvement store, showcasing the same color in various tints. With any of these selected, you can change the location of flags on the color wheel, or move the spindles on the color levels below each color block to change your scheme, much like any Color Picker available in Desktop Publishing Programs and Adobe Software.
The Custom option is where you can make a truly unique scheme. If you discover something fantastic, save it MyKuler, the area designed for your own color schemes. If you’re especially fond of your scheme, and want to share it with the world, publish it, so site browsers can find your distinctive palate. I’ve used this site for several projects, and I’m always thrilled with the results.

Fortune Cookie Favors

I recently heard about the idea to use personalized fortune cookies as party favors and I thought it was a really fun way to add a personal touch to any kind of party or celebration.  After some investigation, I found there were many companies out there which will make these cookies for you and insert a personalized message.  I looked at Fancy Fortune Cookies and the prices seemed reasonable and the pictures made my sweet tooth ache!  If you were to throw a large party or use these cookies as wedding favors, I think buying bulk cookies and having them made and shipped to you would be the least time consuming choice.  I also thought it would be fun for a dinner party or smaller gathering to make my own cookies and insert original quotes or personalized predictions for each guest.  There are many recipies on-line and in chinese cookbooks you could use, but kitchen novices beware - this could be time consuming and frustrating without the proper tools and loads of patience!

The following recipie is courtesy of Rhonda Parkinson and includes many useful tips on how to make tasty, personalized fortune cookies.

Search the web for jokes, riddles or Cool Quotes that will suit your guests' personalities or sense of humor, then just make sure you give each person the fortune that was created for them!

Good Luck!

Fortune cookies can be tricky to make - it's important to make sure that the cookie batter is spread out evenly on the baking sheet. Instead of using the back of a wooden spoon to spread the batter, it's better to gently tilt the baking sheet back and forth as needed. Wearing cotton gloves makes it easier to handle and shape the hot cookies. This fortune cookie recipe makes about 10 cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 large egg whites
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 3 teaspoons water

PREPARATION:

1. Write fortunes on pieces of paper that are 3 1/2 inches long and 1/2 inch wide. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 2 9-X-13 inch baking sheets.

2. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the egg white, vanilla extract, almond extract and vegetable oil until frothy, but not stiff.

3. Sift the flour, cornstarch, salt and sugar into a separate bowl. Stir the water into the flour mixture.

4. Add the flour into the egg white mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. The batter should not be runny, but should drop easily off a wooden spoon.

5. Place level tablespoons of batter onto the cookie sheet, spacing them at least 3 inches apart. Gently tilt the baking sheet back and forth and from side to side so that each tablespoon of batter forms into a circle 4 inches in diameter.

6. Bake until the outer 1/2-inch of each cookie turns golden brown and they are easy to remove from the baking sheet with a spatula (14 - 15 minutes).

7. Working quickly, remove the cookie with a spatula and flip it over in your hand. Place a fortune in the middle of  a cookie. To form the fortune cookie shape, fold the cookie in half, then gently pull the edges downward over the rim of a glass, wooden spoon or the edge of a muffin tin. Place the finished cookie in the cup of the muffin tin so that it keeps its shape. Continue with the rest of the cookies.