INSPIRED BY WIMBLEDON: A SUMMER LAWN PARTY WITH STRAWBERRIES AND CREAM, PIMM'S CUPS COCKTAILS

All of the Wimbledon buzz has inspired me to plan a Lawn Party.... British style! If you can't make it to center court like my buddy Ricky Cooper did (thanks for the photo) or share the Royal box seats with the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge... well, you can plan a quick and easy Wimbledon-inspired lawn party in your own backyard!

Center court at Wimbledon

William and Kate photo from Wimbledon.com

Some of the traditions of Wimbledon have been in place for 100+ years! Wimbledon is played on grass, so even if you don't have access to a tennis court, if you have a patch of grass, you can host this great summer get-together complete with badminton, croquet, lawn darts, or simply make up your own lawn games. If your town has a public tennis court, reserve it and invite your girlfriends for an evening of tennis, Pimm's Cups and fun.

THE INVITATION

Since a strict all-white dress code is in place for players at Wimbledon, it's always fun to stick to an all-white theme for the party. Ask guests to wear white attire and mention that lawn games will be involved so the ladies don't turn up in high heels. I like to start the party late in the afternoon or early evening, after the temperatures have dropped. A 6pm start time will give you several hours of daylight for games during the summer. White linen paper or card stock is just right for your party invite. A casual, handwritten note (very old school) is perfectly acceptable for this casual gathering.

THE MENU

Afternoon Tea, probably the most quintessential English tradition, is said to have been introduced to England by Anna, the seventh Duchess of Bedford in 1840. Tea typically consists of tea along with scones, buns, pastries, cakes, and accompaniments of butter and jam.

Lawn Party menu includes British afternoon tea favorites

There are a couple of traditions at Wimbledon that are a must for your party menu. One is Strawberries and Cream. Featuring fresh English strawberries from Kent served with Double Cream. It isn't always easy to find English cream in the USA. You can substitute by using a good quality vanilla ice cream, let it melt in the refrigerator until it is pourable but of course, keep it chilled. Pour some of the melted ice cream in the bottom of each dish and fill the bowl with sweetened strawberries and pour a bit more cream over the top. Another option is to whip up some fresh cream and add some orange flavor to it. This is simple and delicious- the perfect compliment to the berries. Another alternative is a flavored whipped cream. I love this orange-strawberry combination.

FRESH STRAWBERRIES WITH ORANGE WHIPPED CREAM

2 pounds of fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

1 pint heavy whipping cream

1/2 cup Confectioners sugar

1/4 cup Grand Marnier (or orange flavored liqueur)

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cup orange juice

1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

For the strawberries: Wash and pat dry. Remove the stems. Slice. Add the sugar and combine gently then sit aside. Do this 1 hour before serving or the berries will break down.

For the cream: Add the whipping cream to a large bowl and whip with electric mixer for a moment at high speed. Turn it off and add the sugar. Whip on  low to incorporate the sugar. (otherwise it will dust you with white powder) Once you have it incorporated, add the other ingredients and whip on high just until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Chill until serving time. To serve: layer the berries, juice, and cream in a chilled serving dish or pretty glass. Garnish with mint or fresh basil leaves.

Another staple at Wimbledon or at any other British event is a Pimm's Cup. Pimm's is to Wimbledon what the Mint Julep is to the Kentucky Derby. Pimm's is a gin based liquor and it's so refreshing on a summer day. 

PIMM'S CUP COCKTAIL

1 ½ ounces Pimm's #1

4 ounces lemon-lime soda (7-Up or Sprite)

1 ounce club soda

Wedge of lemon

Cucumber spears

Optional: shot of premium vodka and fresh mint leaves

I like to mix these in a pitcher and serve over ice in a tall glass. They're unique to Americans and so refreshing but watch out! They go down easy and will sneak up on you.

BRITISH SHANDY

Another traditional British beverage is the Shandy. A Shandy is half lager and half lemon-lime soda. I was a skeptic when my friend Nick made me my first Shandy almost 20 years ago but they've become my summer staple. Many of craft beer companies have their own versions of the shandy bottled and on store shelves.

One pint cold lager beer

One can chilled lemon-lime soda

Chilled tall glasses

Slowly pour half of the beer into the chilled glasses. Top with soda. Serve.

THE ENTERTAINMENT

This party starts with the lawn games so if you don't have access to a tennis court, set up a badminton net instead. Since croquet is also played at Wimbledon, you can also set up a croquet course in the backyard or at the park. Other fun lawn games include horseshoes, bocce ball. or lawn bowling. The game I came to know in Chicago as "baggo" or cornhole is also fun for a lawn party. I always find lots of lawn games at Target during the summer. Set up your game course in whatever green space you have.

This is a great summer evening party theme... try it for a rehearsal dinner or engagement party, a girls night out or guys night out party, a neighborhood party, family get-together, or anyone's birthday party. You can make it kid friendly or invite the adults only, but no matter who attends, my Summer Lawn Party is perfect for any occasion. Just make sure I'm on the guest list... xox

WEDDINGS: PLANNING A PERSONALIZED BRIDAL SHOWER

It’s wedding season! Many of us have friends getting married right now and we’re faced with the impossible task of planning a fun, unique, and appropriate shower to celebrate the occasion. What kind of party you ultimately decide to throw for your bride-to-be should depend on her personality, your budget, and what type of gifts the couple really wants or needs.

Gather the girls to host a bridal shower completely customized to your bride-to-be!

Since our friends already had what they needed to set up their home, we decided to host a Honeymoon Travel Shower for them with food and decorations evocative of the Mexican beach honeymoon they were in the process of planning. A beach theme, Mexican cuisine, and margaritas made for a perfect pre-wedding fiesta.  

Aqua blue and sea green along with coral and shells inspire this Mexican Riviera theme for our bride's honeymoon shower.

If your friends are into cooking, a “Top Chef” style kitchen shower could be fun. Ask each guest to bring a favorite dish with the recipe and a utensil necessary to complete the dish. Every bride (and groom) loves a lingerie shower so how about hosting a “Sex in the City” themed party complete with Cosmopolitans and plenty of girl talk? With the popularity of couples’ showers, consider a tool and gadget shower. The guys won’t complain when they can test drive the latest gadget innovations. If the couple is renovating their home, a do-it-yourself (DIY) shower for their home or patio could help them prepare for future entertaining. Guests come armed with everything necessary to paint a room or make-over the outdoor space. You do the work, they reap the benefits!

No matter what kind of shower you host for the happy couple, here’s a guide to help you plan.        

Setting the Scene

Decorations and music are two essential elements in setting the tone for any event. You don’t have to go over the top with your decorations, but do put some thought into them. Many hostesses will stop by the party supply store and pick up uninspired decorations which can be expensive. A better idea? Use items you have or can borrow and add a few key decorative objects like we did for this party. Start by selecting a color scheme. For a chic seaside tone, I used aqua and soft blue as my color palette. Adding shells to a row of candles on a hammered silver tray anchored the beach theme. Two brightly colored glass fish seemed to swim over variegated blue sea glass in a round vase filled with water, making a whimsical yet elegant centerpiece. Travel posters, luggage tags, and suitcases with travel stickers borrowed from a travel agent completed the décor. Throw on a compilation CD of “margarita” music and you’ve set the mood for a perfect party. If you prefer a traditional Mexican color palette, there are hundreds of fiesta supplies readily available.

This couple likes to dive so we wanted to create a water element that was affordable. We filled glass fish bowls with sea glass in party colors and found glass fish to replicate the ocean.

Planning the Menu

Creating the menu for a party is often the most difficult task—especially when you’re inexperienced in the kitchen or don’t have a lot of parties under your belt. Nothing creates a party mood like good food and a refreshing cold beverage. Since we were working with a Mexican beach theme, this menu was easy to create---there are tons of easy Mexican recipes or good Mexican take-out if you’re not up to cooking. I decided on sure-fire party favorites like fresh guacamole, warm tortilla chips, and a variety of salsas as starters. Easy fiery grilled shrimp skewers over rice with store bought pineapple mango salsa looked festive presented on a Mariposa shell platter. Build your bar around a selection of margaritas. Add salt, limes, mint iced tea, and sparkling water and you’re all set. A large frozen margarita maker comes in handy for a big crowd. Serve drinks in any pretty glassware that coordinates with your décor or a margarita pitcher and glass set.

Games and Entertainment

I admit it. I am not a big fan of shower games. (Is hate too strong a word?) While a wedding tradition, they can be soooo boring! Smart hostesses incorporate creative activities into their party plans instead of stale games. The wedding gown game---using toilet paper, tissue paper, newspaper or paper towels to design a wedding dress is always fun and it gives guests a chance to mingle and chat. Another fun activity is to create a memory album. Guests bring copies of their favorite photos of the bride or couple and make a scrapbook or photo album together. You can even have a printed and bound copy sent to the bride using an online service. Have guests send images via email or scan them into your computer at the party.

Don’t stress out trying to come up with the perfect shower plan—just stick to the recipe for any good party. Good food, plenty of drinks, a good cake, a fun theme, and good mix of people make any party successful. The fact that presents are involved is icing on the party cake!

Photos by Arden Ward, Arden Photography

PARTY THEME: HOST HAPPY HOUR AT HOME

You got the new client, or are in the middle of a brutal project, or maybe you and your gang just need to blow off steam at the end of a long week. Instead of hitting the local bar for after-work cocktails, get the gang together at your place with this easy happy hour that’s not only fun but a lot more affordable than a night on the town!

Watch my Tequila Bar Happy Hour Video and get recipes from MyRecipes.com

Set up a bar on your kitchen counter or wherever you have plenty of space. Make it self-serve with stations for frozen drinks, a rimming station, and lots of fresh fruit and juices.

 Start with the Invitation

Since this is an impromptu party, an emailed note or an E-vite will do the trick. Sending an invitation to your guests is important for several reasons. First, it allows you to define a start and end time so guests will know it’s not an all night event. If there’s a bar, some guests don’t know when to leave. Asking guests to RSVP will also let you know how many to plan for and will keep you from overspending on food.    

You don’t have to have a “themed party” but you should definitely have a party theme for every get-together. It makes menu selection and decorating easier if you have a game plan to work from. For this after-work happy hour, I like the idea of a buffet style party with plenty of variety.

You just cannot go wrong with a Mexican theme. Everyone loves a margarita and Mexican food is very easy to make or to get.

A Tex-Mex or Mexican inspired theme is always a winner. The food is not only inexpensive, but really filling! Who can resist chips and salsa? I know I always fill up on them in a restaurant. And everyone loves a margarita. A buffet with these items will allow guests to graze and talk easily, the key to a successful party. More importantly, since everything is self-serve, you can relax and enjoy the festivities.  

After a long week, you want a party that you can pull together in minutes but still looks really festive. The easiest way to do this is to select easy “make-ahead” recipes like Mexican Pizzas and take some help from the store or a favorite restaurant where you can. Frozen taquitos are really good when you add homemade salsa. Bean and Corn Salsa, fresh Salsa Verde, or Cutting Board Salsa are all easy to make recipes and add homemade flavor to any store bought dish… And you can find delicious fresh salsas at most grocery stores today if you don’t have time to make one. Set up the salsas in a station like a caterer would: Use big baskets of chips in different colors and flavors. Use another caterer’s trick: Get out your serving pieces before the party and label them with a post-it so you can plate everything quickly. You won’t be scrambling through cabinets as guests arrive looking for one more bowl or platter!       

Mix and match your serving pieces for this party, it is perfectly okay if they don't match.

At Happy Hour, the Drinks are the focus…. So keep it simple with one liquor choice and build your cocktail buffet around it.

Tequila is the key ingredient for cocktails for this party. Chill it in the freezer before party time so it is really cold. Set up your drink buffet with several options so guests can sample a variety of different drinks. A tasting station with mini tequila shots and some pre-mixed margarita recipes like this Strawberry-Banana Margarita, Frozen Mint Margaritas, and of course, a Classic Margarita will allow guests to try an old favorite or sample something new. Offer a variety of juices, rimming supplies, and garnishes so guests can get creative and make their own cocktail like this one, the Orange Beach It’s a spin on the classic Tequila Sunrise: blanco tequila, orange juice, cranberry juice, a squeeze of lime, with a little Grenadine floating on top. Garnish with a lime wedge.  

The Orange Beach cocktail is a spin on a Tequila Sunrise.

Offer guests lots of fresh fruit  and juices for their frozen margaritas. Watermelon, pineapple, and mango are always favorites. 

Set up a rimming station with both sugar and salt options.

Next, let’s work on the Decorations.

You don’t have to have decorations for this party; the buffets will pull double duty as décor. But you can add a little flair using a Mexican blanket as a tablecloth and inexpensive tin lanterns or glassware from Mexico. Use whatever you have around the house. Limes, lemons, and other fruit used in your beverage selections can also be used as decorations. Just fill a vase or a bowl with them and place it on your serving table and remember that using different textures and heights help create visual interest on a buffet. Use bright fiesta colors or use colors inspired by the Mexican Rivera like aqua blue or sea green. If you don’t have enough dishes, try the dollar store and don’t be afraid to mix and match your good stuff with cheaper items to pull it all together.     

Use your food and beverages as decorations for this party. Mix in a few bright items in fiesta shades or some paper plates and napkins in a Mexican fiesta theme and you're set.

The entertainment for this party is the conversation… but some music playing in the background adds a little ambience.

Put together a playlist of tunes that can play for the length of the party so you don’t have to change the music. Keep it low key as not to drown out the conversation. It’s always fun to have an activity planned. You can get a DVD of salsa dance steps if you want to keep with the theme and have the space. Another idea is to put a basket full of playing cards and simple board games like the tower building game Jenga where guests can help themselves to the fun.

So don’t head to the bar next Friday after work; ask your friends to come over for Happy Hour! They’ll be delighted that you went to so much trouble for them and you’ll love knowing that you didn’t!   

Photos by Arden Ward, Arden Photography