The School of Entertaining is now in session

My friend who recently bought a house is all excited to start entertaining.  Something she felt she couldn't really do in her small apartment.  I for one am excited too. Someone else to throw the parties so I can sit back and enjoy.  I LOVE throwing parties, but lets face it, sometimes a party girl just wants to enjoy someone else's party.

School is now in session. Let the lessons begin.

LESSON #1  Just because you have an apartment and not a house doesn't mean you can't entertain.  I'm all about the mini party.  So all you apartment dwellers, throw a party. It doesn't have to be big. Your guests will have just as much fun.

Now my friend is a newbie to entertaining and will make rookie mistakes.  We all do, don't let any party diva tell you she doesn't make mistakes.  That's like an actress/model with a 10 for a body telling you she never works out.

My friend had been bragging for a month about how amazing her home-made pizza is. She sent out an email to me and another friend and the date was set.  I bet you're thinking the email invite is lesson #2. Nope. For an impromptu mini party, there were 4 of us including her husband and herself,  an email is just fine.

My friend set the time for 1:00 p.m. and said we'd have pizza and watch a movie.  Both of us arrived at 1:00 p.m. -ish but we didn't eat until 3:00 p.m.  My stomach was objecting.

LESSON#2 When you set a time for a party where you'll be cooking food for your guests you want to have it ready within 30 minutes to an an hour of your guests arrival.  Both of us were expecting to eat sooner.  The reason for the delay was my friend was giving a house tour. I had seen the house already. Problem was, it was the long side tracked version of the tour.

The pizza WAS delicious. She used Trader Joe's pizza dough, herb and something I think. We got to choose our ingredients.

This was really good pizza. After we ate pizza and salad we watched the movie. During the movie my friend decided to make cupcakes because it sounded good.

LESSON #3  Don't make cupcakes with an electric mixer while your friends are trying to watch a movie you invited them over to watch.  Neither of us could hear the movie while the mixer was going.
The other guest had to leave before the cupcakes were done because of the late start.  I stayed.

My friend has been trying to perfect this chocolate cupcake recipe from The Joy of Cooking  .  She's been tweaking it trying to make it richer and more chocolatey. Sadly, this batch was on the dry side.

Are you gasping that I would write all this about my friend. Aren't I worried she'll see this, you're thinking. Not at all. I already told my friend all of this.  She asked for advice and appreciates it because she knows without feedback, how else will she be able to perfect her entertaining. Plus all my friends know I'm known for my bluntness and not to ask me my opinion if they can't take it :)

Woo Hoo!! Wednesday

Shopping in the mall on Labor Day weekend I swung into Pottery Barn to grab a catalog.  I love flipping through those glossy pages and day dreaming about all the items I want.  I always circle everything I'm going to buy  dream about.  

Halloween is in the latest catalog and oooohh does Pottery Barn have some items on my lottery list.

These large and medium votive pumpkins look great gathered in bunches at the front door.  Naturally I would want 3 of the medium ones, $14.50 x's 3 = $43.50 and 3 large ones at $29.50 x's 3 = $88.50. So lets see that would be a total of ...only $132.00

These owl lanterns were in the catalog hanging on either side of the door way. They looked very fall and Halloweeny.  I'd want 3 to hang outside where our lanterns from Pottery Barn already hang. Three would run me $177

So my grand total would only be...$309.00 My lottery self could swing that easy.

(I do not get paid or receive free product from Pottery Barn. I just LOVE their Halloween/Fall items. Although IF Pottery Barn wanted me to brag up their products for a little something in return I would be more than happy)

Related: Woo Hoo! Wednesday. Halloween Entertaining. 

Fizzying up garage sales

Happy Labor Day weekend for all of you that have it off.  Did you hit the sales? Grill everyday? or just spend all 3 days vegging?  What ever you did I hope you enjoyed it.

I hit a few sales, spruced up the yard and vegged :) One thing I saw a lot of was garage sale signs. It was a sunny weekend to have them. I recently helped a friend with her garage sale.  Hers was HUGE. She's moving to Montana and wanted to sell anything she didn't really need.  Well of course we had to fizzy it up a little.  So I made cupcakes! For us and any of our friends who stopped by and maybe for her dog who  tried to help herself to one when we turned our backs :)

I made 2 different kinds.

I had to make the crab cupcakes because when one is moving from one state to another, one can get a little crabby :)

Recipe found here


The other cupcakes I made were Pink Lemonade because it's summer and summer is lemonade. Look at all those great items for sale.

Recipe found here

May your Labor Day be full of Leisure :)

Related: Woo Hoo! Wednesday, Off to Montana