Yasith Weerasuriya – Things to Beware of When Organizing a Dinner Party

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A good friend of mine Yasith Weerasuriya was one of the first people to have ever told me about celiac disease, what it is and how many people suffered from it. This conversation came up because I was organizing a dinner party and one of the potential guests actually had celiac disease. This of course forced me to change the menu somewhat and it is another one of those key considerations to make when you are organizing a dinner party. There are lots of little details which we have to consider about our guests of course, and these are the key factors to keep in mind.

Food Preferences

Naturally the food which they are going to eat is the most important aspect here, and this is why you need to know as much about your guests as you possibly can. For example it may be that they have illness like celiacs, or perhaps they have peanut allergies or an allergy to seafood. The most important thing when finding out about people’s dietary requirements is that you are not preparing anything with will cause them an issue medically. Of course you also want to prepare food which people are actually going to enjoy, but the medical side is the most important. To ensure you have food that people like, the best course of action is to offer up a couple of options.

Friends and Enemies

When it comes to seating people close to each other this is something else we have to think about, especially if they already know each other. I have in fact made the mistake before of inviting people to a dinner party and sitting them next two each other, because I knew that they used to work together. What I failed to realize however is that whilst they did used to work together, they left things on very bad terms indeed. This of course meant that there was a certain mood at dinner which no host wants to have, and I have made sure to always do a little research on people before I set out the seating plan.

Your Time

Another mistake which I have made before is preparing a meal which required far too much attention from me in the kitchen. Whilst the food went down very well indeed, the problem was that I couldn’t really host very well at all because I was in the kitchen the whole time. This is something that I have certainly learned from and I now make sure that I prepare as much as I can ahead of time, and also that I make dishes which can are cooked very quickly indeed. The balance between hosting and preparing food is a tough one to make, but it is possible if you plan well and if you make the right choices.

These are some very important watch outs if you want to have the perfect dinner party, without any hitches.

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A First-Time Parent’s Guide to Planning a Kid’s First Birthday Party

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As first-time parents, we tend to celebrate all our child’s achievements, from their first word to their first steps, so it’s only expected that their first birthday is given the importance it deserves.

If you have experienced planning a birthday party before, this should be no different, but if you haven’t, there’s no need to worry. This article is here to help. We’ve created a timetable to make the whole process easier for you.

3 to 2 months before the party

  • Set a date. The birthday party doesn’t necessarily have to be on the date itself, especially if it lands on a weekday. Most parties are held on weekends to accommodate parents and other guests who have school or work.
  • Decide on a theme. While this isn’t required, it may help guide you to decorate the venue and make the whole party seem more cohesive. If your child expresses a preference for certain cartoon characters or colours, you can pick them to be the central theme of the party.
  • Decide on the guest list. Early on, you must decide how many people you’ll invite, as it could limit which venues can accommodate you. 
  • Book a venue. If you’ll be holding the party in a restaurant, resort, or other such locations, it’s a good idea to call in early to ensure you get your desired date. Popular locations tend to be fully booked months ahead, so it’s prudent to start planning early. 
  • Invite the guests. Once you have the venue secured, you should contact the guests as soon as possible to confirm their attendance. Include the time start and end time, venue, and other pertinent details.

2 to 1 month before the party

  • Shop for party favours. Party favours are a great way to thank guests for coming. A candy bag would be a budget-friendly choice for a mostly-kid guest list.
  • Order the cake. Before contacting the bakery, decide what you want the cake to look like. Send them photos of what you want the cake to look like instead of describing your vision through text.
  • Think of games or activities. Some venues have a party host included in the package. If not, you’ll have to think up ways to entertain the guests. You can hire a clown or a magician or plan a scavenger hunt.

4 to 2 weeks before the party

  • Shop for gifts. A birthday party requires a birthday gift, and your child deserves the best. Get them a trendy toy like a Playmobil Ambulance or a big doll house.
  • Ensure everything is finalised. Talk to the venue staff and the cake shop so you’re sure everything is ready.

There’s plenty that must be considered when planning a children’s birthday party, but by breaking down the larger tasks into smaller, more manageable tasks, you won’t get overwhelmed and you can plan things out more smoothly. Ask for help if you need it, and stay organised so you don’t lose track of any important tasks.

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Virtual Holiday Party Ideas

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The holiday season is upon us, and this year it is unlike any other we have ever experienced. The COVID-19 pandemic has completely altered the way we live our lives, drastically altering the way we experience the holidays. The CDC and other experts have advised not to travel to friends and family this year, leaving holiday events in a precarious situation. Thankfully, there are always virtual events, something that can connect family members from across the country. As a result, you can connect with your family through virtual means, regardless of whether they just closed on one of the Pittsburgh houses for sale or live in Seattle real estate. Unfortunately, coming up with a good virtual holiday party idea can be quite the hassle. So what should you look towards for inspiration? Here are some great virtual party ideas that you can use this holiday season.

Gift Exchange

One of the most important parts of the holiday season is the gift exchange. We all have memories of waking up early on Christmas morning, seeing what kinds of presents we received. While adult gift exchanges aren’t quite as magical, they do hold a lot of significance. Unfortunately, the pandemic makes gift exchanges quite different this year, but they still can be pulled off. Simply mail your gifts out ahead of time or order them to the recipient’s location. 

You can then open your gifts while on a video call with all your loved ones, giving you a chance to see their reactions live. While it may not be the same as opening gifts together in person, it still allows you to have a semblance of normalcy in these trying times. 

Cookie Decorating

An extremely cute way to celebrate the holidays this year is with virtual cookie decorating. Making Christmas cookies has been a long-standing tradition during the holiday season. While making and decorating cookies in a virtual environment is certainly a change of pace, you can still pull the tradition off. Have each household bake their own batch of cookies, decorating them how they see fit. You can even have a friendly competition if you want and see who can come up with the best -decorated cookies. Virtual cookie decorating is a great way to hold on to a classic holiday tradition and can allow you to connect with your family members, even with a great amount of distance. 

Paint and Sip

One of the more adult options for a holiday virtual event is a paint and sip. Paint and sips are extremely simple to pull off, but they always seem to be a blast. All you need to do is have a painting to emulate and casually sip while everyone paints. A paint and sip is a great way for everyone to catch up and communicate, and you don’t even need to be artistic to pull it off. Just like with decorating cookies, you could even turn this into a friendly competition to see who can create the best painting. If you want a unique and fun way to connect with your loved ones this holiday season, then this could be a very solid option.

Party Games

Another great way to celebrate the holidays virtually this season is with party games. We all have family games that we love to play with our loved ones around the holiday season, and although they might not translate to a virtual environment, there are some alternatives. You could set up a game of virtual Jeopardy or even Family Feud. In addition, classic family games like charades are still an option as well. Playing games and making memories with loved ones is an important part of the holiday tradition, so why not try to pull it off in a virtual environment.

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Reasons to Hire a Limousine Bus

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Hiring a Limousine Bus is something that you might want to do when travelling or partying with a larger group of friends. There are many reasons why you want to hire a Limousine Bus, such as a hen or stag party, a birthday celebration, prom night or basically just any excuse to want to get together with your friends. 

When you want to do something a little bit different to make your evening extra special then there is no better way to do this than to enjoy an evening in the Limousine Bus. You will be able to decorate the bus for whatever occasion it is that you wish to celebrate, adding banners, balloons or any other items that will add to creating an amazing party atmosphere. As soon as your group of friends’ step foot on the Limousine Bus they will be ready to feel the party vibes.

 Using the Limousine Bus will mean that you will get to party in luxury, enjoy the music playing with plenty of space for every member of the party. You will be able to arrange for pick up and drop off points for each of your guests or collectively if you wish to be picked up from the same address. You just provide the details and you can be sure that your driver will do the rest and will leave your night hassle free so that you too can get fully involved in the party. Your driver will be very familiar with the roads and routes to any destination so you will arrive safely with a well planned out journey. When organizing a night out or celebration you can guarantee that one of your friends will always turn up late but by hiring a Limousine Bus there are no excuses to be late because the driver will be at your desired destination with plenty of time to spare and your whole group of friends will be together on the bus partying the night away.

Hiring a Limousine Bus for your party evening will always be made a night to remember, so much so that once you have experienced it you will probably want to organize more events just to have a reason to hire the Limousine Bus again. It is a great way of celebrating in style but sitting back and letting someone else do the work. All you would have to do is arrange the decorations and leave the rest to the driver. You may want to arrange a playlist for the party as the limousine bus comes with surround sound and flashing lights. A playlist with all your favorite songs, bringing back memories of your youth or growing up with your friends, all the songs that make you want to dance the night away. You would want to make the most of your experience by using the facilities that come with the Limousine Bus, it is an experience you will not forget in a hurry. 

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