How to properly set up a bar for a party or large event - Part 1

A full service bar is one where you will be providing everything; including the staff to serve the drinks (you can always get staff from a catering company). The first goal in setting up a bar is making sure it is in the right place. Don’t cause a bottleneck at the bar by placing it too close to the buffet, entrance, exit, guest table, or restroom (unless the bar is permanent and you don’t have a choice). Don’t be afraid to place the bar at the far end of your party space. In fact, it will encourage guests to enter further into the party.

Next is figuring out how much alcohol to provide. The following guide is designed to help you do just that. Estimate by considering what kind of alcohol you are serving and who your crowd is.

Remember the PartyCharlie # 1 rule: Know your guests.

MAKING YOUR BAR WORK:

* A full service bar can get expensive, but by estimating how much alcohol you’ll need you can keep costs to a minimum.
* To find out the trendy drinks in your area contact the local clubs or trendy bars.
* Know your crowd. For instance, if it’s a younger crowd, chances are that they won’t be drinking scotch on the rocks.
* Have a bartender. Your bartender will pour the right quantities, and alcohol won’t get wasted.
* Your washing machine is a great back up for keeping your canned beverages on ice. It has it’s own draining system and is ready to go.

HOSTING A CASH BAR

* It is illegal to sell alcohol without a license even at your own house. There are temporary liquor licenses that are available for a fee. It is best to check with your local city and state ordinances.
* Use drink tickets instead of having a bartender handle cash.
* Make sure you ticket person is VERY visible has lots of change.
* Charge in dollar amounts instead of $3.50 round it to $3.00 or $4.00

BENEFITS OF HAVING A BARTENDER:

* The set up and breakdown of the bar station is taken care of.
* The bar will be maintained and drinks will be kept cold.
* Spills and broken glasses will be taken care of immediately.
* They will have knowledge of different drink recipes for your guests to enjoy.
* Confirm that your Bartender will have a kit that will have all of the tools; shakers, pour tops, wine openers, etc.
* The bartender will be constantly watching out to make sure that the guests aren’t drinking too much. You can have the bartender alert you to any over-intoxication, and then you can handle it discreetly or, if the particular guest has a ride from a designated driver, you can inform the bartender of that.

A REMINDER ABOUT HAVING A BARTENDER

* If you’re party is at home it is up to you as to whether you’ll allow a “tip jar.” If you don’t allow one, find out if the bartender will be adding on a gratuity cost to your bill. Bottom line, though, if you don’t want your guests to feel they have to fork over money tell your bartender not to put a tip cup out. As listed in my Employee manual I don’t permit it!

For the ultimate in Party Tips, read my book; “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party.” Go to: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02172.htm to purchase!

My “Five Steps for Creating the Energy for an Outrageously Successful Party,” will provide you with all the necessary ingredients to plan and host memorable events that you and your guests will rave about. Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, grand opening, holiday party or family celebration, let my 30+ years in the party planning and catering business be your guide to hosting an outrageously successful and stress-free event. Order your book today!

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Super Bowl Party Tips:

I would like to wish everyone a happy, and healthy new year! I can't believe that another year has come to a close. I hope 2010 was as good to you as it was for me. My business has grown in leaps and bounds, but I am not set to rest on my laurels. I have some wonderful new projects that I will be announcing over the next few months! 2011 looks to be another exciting year!

Speaking of excitement.... The Super Bowl is almost here!!! Here are some great ways to turn your party from ordinary, to, well...Super! Or give me a call, and enjoy the Super Bowl party of a lifetime!!!

When planning a Super Bowl party, simple is always the key, so the best way to serve your guests, is have them serve themselves from a buffet table.

Kickoff your party with everyone's favorite high fat, finger-licking foods - break out the chicken wings, pizza, hot dogs...

A great dish to serve for your Super Bowl party is Chili. You can prepare it ahead of time and your guests can serve themselves, so you don't have to miss a minute of the game!

Set up a separate table for the beverages. A keg of beer, a punch bowl filled with your favorite cocktail, and a cooler with assorted soft drinks, will keep your running around to a minimum.

Divide the TV room by team colors, and sit your guests accordingly.

Everyone loves a Super Bowl party, but not everyone loves football, so have a room set up for the non sports fan to enjoy.

If children are attending, set up a kids room, stocked with treats, video games, and a TV.
Always plan for more guests than you think will attend. It is better to have too much, than not enough.

For the ultimate in Party Tips, read my book; “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party.” Go to: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02172.htm to purchase!

My “Five Steps for Creating the Energy for an Outrageously Successful Party,” will provide you with all the necessary ingredients to plan and host memorable events that you and your guests will rave about. Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, grand opening, holiday party or family celebration, let my 30+ years in the party planning and catering business be your guide to hosting an outrageously successful and stress-free event. Order your book today!

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Hiring a Quality Limousine Service for Special Events By Brandan Stein

Whether it is for a wedding, charity gala or other special event, hiring a limousine company involves far more than simply finding cars to get people from one point to another. The first impression your guests will have of your event will be the experience of the ride you have arranged for them.

A quality limousine company understands that they are really the start of the event, and are responsible for setting the tone what will follow. For the start of any event to be truly memorable there has to be something more than the luxury and glamour of the vehicle. To find a quality limousine service that will add value to your event, look for a company that has been in business for many years so that they are experienced in handling the type of event you are planning.

Ask for references from customers that have used the company for similar types and sizes of events. Confirm that the company has access to a fleet large enough to handle your needs and if you are using more than a few cars, arrange for a visit to the company to inspect their vehicles in person.

Ask the company to describe the training programs they have established for their chauffeurs; the experience that you and your guests enjoy inside the vehicle will be defined by the exceptional customer service delivered by a highly trained, professional, knowledgeable, and attentive chauffeur. The safety of your guests is always a priority, so in addition to questioning training practices, and inspecting the vehicles in person, you should always ask for a copy of the company’s Certificate of Insurance to confirm adequate coverage for both vehicles and passengers in the event of accident.

Schedules and timing are critical and the company you select should be expert in understanding their customer’s requirements and at coordinating vehicles and personnel to ensure guests arrive on time. This logistical expertise is critical especially if multiple stops are involved, as in the case of a wedding – home, ceremony, photos, reception, hotel, shuttles for guests, etc. – or large events when hundreds of vehicles are coordinated.

Find a partner that delivers the combination of all of the above and you will find that they will also, in all probability, be competitively priced – they will not be cheap, but the value of the service delivered will be worth every cent.

In 1980, Ron and Jackie Stein started Exclusive Sedan Service and were joined by son Brandan in 1998. Exclusive Sedan Service is, today, co-managed by Ron and Brandan Stein, and is a model of how a modern, successful family business should be run: the Stein’s not only work well together, they work effectively and efficiently by maximizing each of their individual strengths.

Exclusive Sedan Service includes a broad range of vehicles and transportation options, a wide range of clientele, and provides exceptional ground transportation services in more than 550 destinations throughout the world.

EXCLUSIVE SEDAN SERVICE WORLDWIDE

(800)400-sedan (7332) (818) 765-7311

www.exclusivesedan.com

For the ultimate in Party Tips, read my book; “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party.” Go to: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02172.htm to purchase!

My “Five Steps for Creating the Energy for an Outrageously Successful Party,” will provide you with all the necessary ingredients to plan and host memorable events that you and your guests will rave about. Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, grand opening, holiday party or family celebration, let my 30+ years in the party planning and catering business be your guide to hosting an outrageously successful and stress-free event. Order your book today!

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How to Hire a Photographer

There are so many factors that go into planning, and executing an incredible party, wedding, or corporate event, which is why you don't want to be without a great photographer to document the affair. I can not stress how important it is to hire the right photographer! Martin Cohen, an award winning photographer, based in Santa Monica, CA, has written a wonderful piece entitled, “How to Hire a Photographer,” that I'm pleased to present in this week's blog.



"How to Hire a Photographer by Martin Cohen"

In this day and age of digital technology, there are many talented young people who pick up a nice camera and start a photography business. Some of them are quite capable, but many of them lack knowledge and professional experience.

In choosing a photographer, enthusiasm and creativity are certainly important assets to be considered. In addition, reliability and professionalism must be key factors in your decision who is the right person for the job. Asking for credentials never hurts, and personal recommendations make a big difference as well.

Always make sure that you have seen enough samples of the photographer’s work to be confident that you are working with a pro. Written contracts can be very helpful in clarifying the specifics of the job, as well as the compensation. How many hours, how many photographs, digital or film? What resolution are the final images on the disc, will prints be included, what size? How much time between the shoot and the delivery of the final product, what terms of payment?

Many professional photographers are registered with the State Board of Equalization and are required to charge sales tax, currently 9.75% in California. This can be a serious extra charge on the larger jobs – even though photography should be considered a service (and therefore free of sales tax), that is not how the State of California looks at it. A smart way around the sales tax is to upload the photographs to an FTP address and download them electronically. As long as there are no “tangible assets” like a CD, DVD or prints that change hands, legally there is no ground to charge sales tax.

Lastly, it is important to work with people that you like and trust. If possible, schedule a meeting in advance to discuss the job. Especially for weddings and other major personal events, the report that you have with the photographer is a crucial factor in the spontaneity and the liveliness of the final images.

Martin Cohen was born and raised in the Netherlands, and has lived and worked in the United States for over 25 years. He handles corporate assignments as well as events and personal portraits. See his work at www.martincohenphotography.com or call him at 310-396-5587 to schedule an appointment at his studio

For the ultimate in Party Tips, read my book; “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party.” Go to: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02172.htm to purchase!

My “Five Steps for Creating the Energy for an Outrageously Successful Party,” will provide you with all the necessary ingredients to plan and host memorable events that you and your guests will rave about. Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, grand opening, holiday party or family celebration, let my 30+ years in the party planning and catering business be your guide to hosting an outrageously successful and stress-free event. Order your book today!

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Coffee – Making Sense of the Many Choices - Part 4

(Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party - Chapter 31, page, 172 & 173)

Alternative Uses for a Coffeemaker

A coffeemaker can also be used for:

Cocoa

Hot tea

Cider

Hot toddies

Cold beverages

Yes, you read that right — you can use a coffeemaker for cold beverages. Just remove the stem from the pot and place it somewhere you won’t lose it.

The inside should be cleaned well because it might still have a coffee smell or flavor that will get into your noncoffee beverage. If you’re making a beverage from scratch, congratulations! If not, pour a powdered beverage mix, water and ice into the coffee pot. You then have a beverage container with a spigot.

Make sure you put a card out that lists the contents in the coffee pot because otherwise everyone will assume it’s coffee.

Do not use beverages with any pulp or fruit pieces because this will clog the spigot.

This probably goes without saying, but if you’re using the coffeemaker to hold a cold beverage, don’t plug it in.

For the ultimate in Party Tips, read my book; “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party.” Go to: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02172.htm to purchase!

My “Five Steps for Creating the Energy for an Outrageously Successful Party,” will provide you with all the necessary ingredients to plan and host memorable events that you and your guests will rave about. Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, grand opening, holiday party or family celebration, let my 30+ years in the party planning and catering business be your guide to hosting an outrageously successful and stress-free event. Order your book today!

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Holiday Food Safety Tips:

The safest way to defrost a frozen turkey is in the refrigerator. Allow 24 hours of defrosting for every five pounds of turkey. Before buying your turkey, make plenty of room in your refrigerator. Make sure you have a plate big enough to accommodate the turkey, so the leaking juices do not contaminate other foods.

Before preparing the turkey, thoroughly clean the counter as well as all the equipment you'll be using. Clean immediately with hot soapy water anything, including sponges and hands, that come in contact with the raw turkey or juice.

Do not trust the "pop-up" thermometer that comes with the turkey. It's always best to check the temperature with a conventional meat thermometer. Cook the turkey until the temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit in the inner thigh.

The safest way to cook stuffing is on the stove or in the oven, but separate from the turkey.

Be sure to refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking the food. The turkey should be removed from the bone and used within four days.

For the ultimate in Party Tips, read my book; “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party.” Go to: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02172.htm to purchase!

My “Five Steps for Creating the Energy for an Outrageously Successful Party,” will provide you with all the necessary ingredients to plan and host memorable events that you and your guests will rave about. Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, grand opening, holiday party or family celebration, let my 30+ years in the party planning and catering business be your guide to hosting an outrageously successful and stress-free event. Order your book today!

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Coffee – Making Sense of the Many Choices - Part 3

(Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party - Chapter 31, page, 170)

How Many Cups Will You Need?

Plan on one cup of coffee per adult guest. Some people will have two, and others won’t have any at all.

Once you determine how many cups you’ll need, rent or borrow the appropriate-sized coffee-maker — either a 25-cup, 50-cup, or 100-cup maker.

Coffeemakers come with instructions, but if those instructions are lost, just look inside and follow the little notches indicating how much water you should add in order to make the number of cups you want.

Special Tip: When using more than one large coffeemaker (for instance, a 25-, 50-, or 100-cup brewer), never plug them into the same outlet while they’re brewing. Otherwise, you may overload the circuit. Once the coffee is brewed, you can then plug the coffeemakers into the same outlet. They utilize less power when the brewing process has been completed.

For the ultimate in Party Tips, read my book; “Party Planning Secrets: The Ultimate Guide To A Successful Party.” Go to: http://www.atlasbooks.com/marktplc/02172.htm to purchase!

My “Five Steps for Creating the Energy for an Outrageously Successful Party,” will provide you with all the necessary ingredients to plan and host memorable events that you and your guests will rave about. Whether you’re planning a fundraiser, grand opening, holiday party or family celebration, let my 30+ years in the party planning and catering business be your guide to hosting an outrageously successful and stress-free event. Order your book today!

Sign Up For My FREE Monthly Newsletter: http://www.charliescola.com/