My friends Dan and Sarah and I are very serious about our food. We went on a whirlwind adventure in Spain in 2013 that was filled with the best Spanish eats. We love discovering new restaurants in Austin. We all have some cooking and baking talents. When Dan got a sous vide earlier this year, it kicked off an unofficial potluck dinner party series between us and our significant others. We’re taking turns hosting and providing the main dish. First, Dan made some delicious sous vide steaks and then, Sarah made an incredible Mediterranean spread. Boyfriend and I got to thinking about what we would do and a seafood boil was the indisputable winner.

Thankfully, cooler weather made this dinner party perfect for the backyard, especially since the boiling part could get messy. We kept the event set-up simple since we wanted to focus our efforts on the star of the show: the food! We lit citronella candles to keep insects away and strung some outdoor lights and a homemade pennant banner.

We used a folding table, created nautical doodles on butcher paper, and covered it with a plastic tablecloth. This table covering simplified the clean-up at the end of the dinner because all we needed to do was roll it up and toss it out. We had cracking utensils, paper towels, wet wipes, shell bowls and trash cans ready.

Ah yes, the food! The spicy boil included seven clusters of crab, two pounds of shrimp and sides of potatoes, sausage, and mushrooms. We grubbed down family style around the table. The drink cooler was full of white wine and beer. For dessert, Sarah made refreshing pink lemonade bars. I ordered these cute crab bibs because no one wants crab and shrimp guts on them!

Simple evenings like this, focused on great friends and food and less about how picture-perfect everything looks, are my favorite. I love themed events with beautiful decor, but at the end of the night, when we’re sitting together, full from fantastic food and laughing from the stories we’re telling, it’s the people and the memories we are creating that truly matters. I hope your adventurous living involves nights like these!

One of my goals this year is to throw 12 celebrations. This is #12 of 12, but I’m not finished yet! These are big and small parties for any occasion with the goal of planning and executing something fun. See all the celebrations here.

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Photo by Rasy Ran Photography

In my experience and observation of attending and hosting events, I’ve learned a few dos and don’ts for hosts and guests that I’ll share. In other words, I’m sharing all my headaches so you don’t have to experience them! Be a spectacular host or guest by practicing ideal party etiquette. These are general guidelines, so they can and must be adjusted with different celebrations – from a large, formal wedding to an small, intimate baby shower. First up, let’s talk about how to be the hostess with the mostess.

Hosts – your goal of the celebration is to make sure the party goes smoothly and guests enjoy themselves.

Before the event: This is when planning matters MOST. When you get this step right, the rest will be a breeze!

Give clear details to guests.
In your invitation or conversations, make sure your guests know essential details such as what to wear, what the event is for, what they should bring, what will happen at the event and if they have a plus one. This helps set the expectations, prevent any last-minute questions, and prevent any awkwardness when guests arrive.

Prepare the menu at least a week in advance.
This will give you time to review how much time it will take to prepare the dishes and to buy your groceries one or two days ahead of the party. Extra time for groceries will give you time to run back to the store for forgotten ingredients or re-think your menu. Dishes that can be prepared, frozen and heated up before the party are easiest. If you want less stress, limit yourself to two homemade dishes and outsource the rest. Pick recipes you are familiar with or are not that challenging. Be sure to note how much time is needed to defrost and heat up! Consider the next point in preparing your menu.

Give yourself more time than you think you need to prepare.
Check and double check the schedule and timing of cooking your dishes, defrosting, arrival of rentals, and getting yourself presentable. Believe me, you don’t want to be running around frazzled trying to finish up when your guests start to arrive. Don’t forget to factor in cleaning up your kitchen after preparing dishes. After deciding your timeline, add 30 extra minutes for safety! Have a comfortable outfit picked out in advance.

Prepare as much as possible days in advance.
Prepare and freeze dishes. Don’t leave the bulk of cleaning for the day of the event. Craft decorations during the week and start decorating the day before. Think about the timing of the meal if you’re serving multiple courses.

Ready glasses and drink pitchers.
Instead of having to make every drink, make a large batch of the drink and set them out in pitchers or a punch bowl. In addition, have bottles of wine (one bottle of wine is roughly five servings), a selection of beers and some non-alcoholic drinks (water and sparkling juice are great) available. Put out glasses on the counter so guests don’t feel awkward searching through your kitchen.

Walk through your house/venue and do a once-over.
Start at your door and walk through your place, looking for things out of place and things you forgot to do. Is everything clean and welcoming? Don’t forget to check your bathroom.

Prepare the ambiance.
Light candles to freshen up your place but be cautious of how the smells might mix with cooking food. If the food is the main attraction, consider unscented candles. Create a playlist to match the mood. How do your decorations look?

Appoint a right-hand person.
Depending on the size of the party, things could get a little hectic as the party starts. Your right-hand helper can help you prepare before the party and assist with all the little things that come up during the party, such as refilling chip bowls or drink pitchers.

During the event: Relax and go with the flow!

Help guests feel welcome
As they enter, show them where to put their jackets or purses and get them a drink. Introduce guests to each other. Encourage guests to dig into food.

Stay calm.
Don’t let little snags derail you. How you act and react will drive the mood of the party. Spills, running out of food, late comers, etc. – they may happen but there’s always a solution. There’s no need to fret and worry yourself. Your right-hand person could be helpful at keeping you calm.

After the event: Celebrate a great event and de-brief!

Clean up.
I’ve found it more relaxing to get the cleaning done right away.

Thank your guests.
Send thank you notes or emails.

What stress-free tips would you recommend for party hosts?

The post Stress-Free Party Etiquette/Tips for Hosts appeared first on Fearless Captivations.

My little from Big Brothers Big Sisters and I hang out a couple times a month, but I’ve found the hang-outs/outings that are most memorable are usually the ones when we make a meal together at my place. We went back to one of our first hang-outs and had a tasty taco night.

We helped each other prepare all the ingredients, including green and orange bell peppers, cilantro, natural ground beef, pico de gallo, and cheese. I cooked the ground beef while she cut up the bell peppers.

Ta-da! The finished product.

Similar to the pizza party I wrote about, this would be a great idea for a larger group. Friends could each bring an ingredient and the ingredient list could include more options of protein, vegetables and sauces. If there are more ingredients, I would recommend getting smaller tortillas to try more combinations.

One of my goals this year is to throw 12 celebrations. This is #1 of 12. These are big and small parties for any occasion with the goal of planning and executing something fun. See all the celebrations here.

How do you throw a taco night? Any regular Taco Tuesday participants out there?

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