Holiday party tips and tricks
LOS ANGELES - Throwing a holiday get-together -- whether a dinner or a cocktail party -- doesn't have to be stressful or break the bank. Shannon Jones from Andrei’s Conscious Cuisine & Cocktails in Irvine joined Good Day LA to share some tips to make sure any party is a success.. Andrei’s throws hundreds of events every year and know how to be sure that all details are taken care of — with their advice, you can host a wonderful holiday gathering without breaking a sweat.
• Pick a Theme - it’s easy to go overboard, so keep it simple and come up with an appropriate theme for the party; once you have a theme, you have something that sets the tone and ties every element together, starting with an invitation that you send out, which can signify how formal the event is, etc.
• Choose Your Decor – Instead of going overboard with extravagant florals, keep it simple: andles; go green - use natural elements or things like cookie jars or vases that you might find in storage or pick up at a second hand store.
• Party Fare - skip the sit down meal — go for heavy hors d’oeuvres: beautiful display of easy-to-eat, memorable bites, from starters, to desserts. We eat with our eyes first, so make sure the food looks great, but again, keep it simple and include items that fit many lifestyle choices. You don’t want to overwhelm everyone (and yourself) by presenting too many options! And remember, you don’t have to cook, get a few key dishes from your favorite restaurant. We’re lucky to have an amazing chef at our disposal at Andrei’s!
• Cocktails and Mocktails - this is an opportunity to create a signature cocktail or mocktail to cut down on expenses. Giving folks 1-2 options is key, along with coming up with a cute name!
• Sweets/Dessert - this is an opportunity to wow; the holidays are about desserts and nobody is worrying about their diets; let’s wait until January to stress about calories.
• Take-Away Gift - this wraps up your theme and, let’s face it, who doesn’t like a gift to take home with them? It can be simple — like a cookie cutter, or something else to tie the event together and remind your guests of your affair after it’s over!
• Don’t forget to document your event; take notes, pictures, video… so that you can replicate it in the future!
Visit Andrei's Restaurant's website for more information.