Entertaining Guests

I absolutely adore entertaining people, whether its a small gathering or a large party. You see, it's not about the party its self, it's more about having the opportunity to see my friends. 

One of the upsides of entertaining, is being able to supply my friends with food, and plenty of it! 

So Justin and I are having people over on Tuesday for Cup Day drinks and nibbles. We don't follow horse racing (I personally find it rather horrendous and barbaric, but each to their own), it's just a really good excuse to do something. Plus, here in Australia we have a public holiday for it :)

Anyway, I digress, apologies. I originally wanted this post to be an instructional post of sorts, like, 'I want to entertain some friends, but I have no idea where to start', so I suppose I should probably get on with it!

Okay, so you want to have some friends over on the weekend, but where do you start?

Well, the first question you need to ask yourself is: How much effort do I want to put in? Only a little because I am really struggling budget & time wise, or a lot of effort, because I have all the time and money in the world? Pick your position between the two, and there you have it.

Once you have worked that out, everything else comes pretty easily. Just make sure you know how many people are coming, and if there is a reason to have people over. For example, for us, we're loosely basing it on cup day, so we're doing slightly fancier food than normal. Instead of pizza, we're having gourmet mini hot dogs, instead of coca-cola, we're having soda stream. You get the picture.

Make sure you always over cater, instead of under cater, there is nothing worse than being in the middle of a great party, and having to leave to go get food because the starving masses are started to get restless. That being said, if you aren't going to provide food (and don't panic, not everyone does), try to plan your event around the normal meal times. Don't ask people to come over at lunch time, and expect them to be okay when you don't provide them lunch...

Do any of your guests have kids? Yes, well make sure you plan for them too. It will make a big difference to the parents, when they realise you have catered for their precious little one. Because really, who wants a screaming child ruining your day, because you only have caviar and salmon, when all they want is a hot dog?

Chips for the kids, French Twists for the adults

Pretty much the only other thing you need to know about food, is people's dietary requirements. We have a couple of vegetarian friends, and we like to make sure there is a decent selection for them to choose from. Like Missy Higgins said "we have taste buds too" (https://www.facebook.com/missyhiggins October 17th, or http://www.smh.com.au/travel/travel-news/missy-higgins-rants-against-qantas-inflight-meals-20131018-2vrag.html). So we include a few different dips and chips, as well as a 'main snack' so to speak. Something that isn't chips and dips, but isn't a roast dinner. Our favourite is arancini balls, which Justin is a pro at making. Please check if any of your other guests have any food allergies, because there is (almost) nothing worse than sending a guest to hospital, because you fed them satay shrimp and they're allergic to peanuts and seafood. Talk about awkward...

We also try to give people a choice of foods, so we include something snacky & salty, like chips, (think of it as the entree of snacks), then something filling, like the aranchi balls (the main course), then something sweet, like home made run balls (dessert).

Biscuits/cookies make a great sweet snack for both kids & adults

Now, onto actual entertainment. We all like to think that our company is the best entertainment, but don't kid yourself, you're not as interesting as you think you are. So, have a back up plan! Pick some 'sick tunes' for the day, to play in the background, this will help with the atmosphere and stop those awkward silences from taking over. Try to make a playlist, so you can know that your music will take care of it's self, and you're not going to have 'Smack My Bitch Up" suddenly start playing. If you have iTunes, use Genius, you just pick a song, and it will make a 20ish song playlist for you, based on your selected song. Pretty handy!

Next, decide if you're going to have some sort of visual entertainment (remember, we already have audio). You could have a movie playing, a tv show, a special event (Melbourne Cup Day). Pretty much anything your heart desires! Just try to make sure it's relevant to what you're doing on the day. 

So, we've covered food, audio and vision entertainment, now onto drinks! Though I suppose I should have covered that after food, but oh well!

Drinks can be a tricky and expensive venture for anyone. You need to decide if you are going to provide alcohol, or just 'soft' drinks. After you've decided that, it makes it a lot easier! Plus a lot safer for you and your guests. Generally, unless it's a birthday/Halloween/new years party, we don't have any alcohol, and if we do, we advise our guests they will need to provide it themselves. 

Soft drinks sound a little boring I know, but you can always spice them up! A mocktail is a great way to add a little non-alcoholic splash to a party, you can garnish them with slices of fresh fruit, or those cute little paper umbrellas. I've put the links to my favourite 3 mocktails. By the way, limeade is just lemonade but it's make with limes instead of lemons. We made limeade with our soda stream, but you might be able to find it in your local shops.

We're almost done! Last but not least, is decorations! I do love a well decorated event. But sometimes doing it at home on a budget, can seem like an impossible dream. Don't despair, not all is lost! You just need to make smart decisions. Firstly, do you want to go all out, and make this the party of the year, or is this just a small gathering that you want to host every month/year etc? Working out this, will help you decide how you want to decorate. For example, if you're hosting a big end of year party, then yes, hiring the jumping castle is a brilliant idea. If you're hosting a simple afternoon tea, then try investing in some nice candles, cloth napkins and napkin rings. Why not invest in some new wine glasses, and each afternoon (say one weekend a month) a different person brings wine for everyone to try? 

I know what you're all thinking now, 'that's all well and good Jayde, but how do I cut costs?'.

I'm glad you asked!

The main two ways you're going to be able to cut costs:

1) Shop Around:
There is nothing worse than buyers remorse. Going all guns a blazing, and buying everything you see, then the next day, seeing all of those things on sale at various stores. It pays to shop around. I know it's pain in the ass, but if you want to be able to buy everything, you need to be money savvy. I personally love Aldi, I can buy almost everything I need, for a fraction of the cost. 
(You can read my blog about shopping smart here: http://adayinthelifeofjayde.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/beating-big-two-end-rant.html)

2) DIY:
Yes, you read right, do-it-yourself. This means, where you can, get your hands dirty and put yourself to work. When you think about it, would you rather pay $10 for a decorated mason jar, or would you rather pay $2 for the jar, 50c for the decorations, and 50c for the glue? Exactly! It's the same principle with food, if you can spend 30 minutes of your time, and spend only $5 to make dessert, wouldn't you rather do that then spend $10 on the same (less delicious) thing?

Justin making home made rum balls.

Action shot!

Alrighty folks, I think I've told you the basics on entertaining guests. So my job here is done!

Here are the links for a few of the thing's I've mentioned:
Rum Balls Recipe:
https://plus.google.com/115579508519657853131/posts/cL3VwbQhz2s

Mocktail Recipes:
https://plus.google.com/115579508519657853131/posts/hQ94BHWw9LL


Thanks for reading, and if you have any ideas or stories, please share them in the comment's section below!

Thanks, 

Jayde xx

Beating The Big Two /end rant

We walk into the supermarket, with very little thought of where things came from or how they get there. We just throw them in our basket or trolley, and keep walking. Does anyone remember when Bob Katter declared that Coles and Woolworths have 80% of the market share? Well I'm sad to say but it's (pretty much, the figure varies from 70-80%) true. Our Big Two own such a huge part of our market that they can decide how much to charge for things, with very few ramifications. Remember the $1 milk debacle? Do you know how many local dairy farmers were forced out of business? No, neither do I, and I bet most of Australia doesn't realise how bad things are for our local farmers. Our amazing fragile planet has only so much to offer. We need to try and live in a sustainable way and cause as minimal impact on the planet as we can.

When you think about it, the fresh produce sold in The Big Two, could come from anywhere, and be as old as they like. Ever bought an apple, thinking it looked delicious, fresh and shiny, only to get home, take a nice big bite, and get that horrid floury taste? Yeah I hate it too. So what do I do about it? A few things actually:

Shop Locally - 

We know that The Big Two are massive chain super markets, so why not shop at IGA or Ritchies? These are small locally owned business. Most of the time they put money back into the community as well, so it's a win win. Yes, sometimes it might be more expensive, but you're only buying what you actually need, there are no isles dedicated to tricking you into needing DVDs, or cookbooks and other useless items. 

Shop Smart - 

There are other cheaper super markets that you can visit for your weekly or fortnightly grocery shop. My favourite is Aldi. They keep costs down by supplying their own brands, and they don't skimp on the quality. I love walking through the isles and getting almost everything I need. The only things I sometimes find it hard to buy are the fresh food, but that's mainly because they're out of stock by the time I get there. 

Shop Fresh - 

There's nothing as exciting as walking into the market early in the morning, seeing all the hustle and bustle of stall holders trying to sell their wares. I absolutely adore shopping at the market for my fresh fruit and veg. I get to make a joke and get to know the market people. I always get a good deal on my bananas, because I'm not afraid to haggle the price. I know, when I'm shopping at the market, that everything is fresh and delicious. The market is a great way to connect to the local community. You'll always get what's in season, so you know it's fresh, and haven't been stored in cool storage.

Shop Organically - 

The less chemicals we use now, the smaller the ramifications later. I don't want my children or I to be immune to penicillin because we ate too many food items with pesticides! There are plenty of independent organic stores around Melbourne. I'm not saying you have to do your weekly shopping there, but try a few things out every now and then.

Shop Online - 

You can find some of the most amazing things online! From online grocers to vegan female hygiene products. Whatever your cup of tea, you'll be able to find it online. You might have to pay a little extra for postage or delivery, but just think of it as replacing your petrol costs, car maintenance, and time used to actually shop for these things. 

Don't Shop, Grow - 

Our supermarkets are stocked with items from around Australia. This stock is delivered on the back of huge trucks. If the trucks stop (be it strike, petrol shortage etc) our shelves will go empty. So why not think ahead now, and grow some of your own fresh produce. Don't panic and think you have to grow a whole garden full of every type of fruit and veg. Just try a couple of easy things to start with, like tomatoes and strawberries. When you're comfortable with growing those, try your hand at other plants, like kale, pumpkin, potato and beans? It can be something as simple as a lemon tree in the back yard! Every little step helps.

So I hope I've given you something to think about, and some ideas on getting started.

Good luck and may the force be with you!

Jayde xx