A Summer Garden Party (Part One) 
Summer is here, and I feel like entertaining every day!
To me, garden parties are the symbol of summer, when you enjoy the colors of your garden plants and flowers, the warmth of the sun, and fresh foods.
Here are some fun ideas for a garden party at your house.
SET THE MOOD
A successful party depends on the people you invite (gather close friends on a summer night and fun is guaranteed!) but also on the details. Always try to incorporate a “wow” factor to let your guests remember what a great celebration it was. It doesn’t have to be something over the top just to impress your crowd. It could be a signature cocktail (you can find a summer recipe below), or a theme, or unique entertainment. The most important thing is that this “wow” factor reflects your personality and pleases your guests. Don’t have a beach themed party if ski slopes are your only favorite destination, don’t offer a vodka-based drink if your guests are beer and wine lovers.
Don’t forget to consider lighting: it creates the atmosphere and keeps the party area safe from unexpected injuries (so often, guests venture around house gardens and they end up falling or hurting themselves if the grounds are too dark). Make sure that all pathways are lighted enough during the nighttime, and hire a lighting company to accent specific areas (bar, food, dance floor, etc.) if necessary. If you hire a DJ, he might be able to provide and install lighting as well.
FLOWERS
Since your garden provides the ideal setting, cut fresh flowers and arrange them in different vases and containers that you collected from trips around the world: each one has a story and tells about you. Strategically placed in key locations (entry, bar, food area, dining tables, restrooms, close to a piece of art) these centerpieces will create a superb atmosphere.
FOOD SERVICE
Whether you are hiring a professional catering company or you are showing off your extraordinary cooking abilities, try to incorporate the flowers and greenery of your garden into the trays that are passed with hors d’oeuvres and serving platters: a single dahlia or hydrangea or a rosemary sprig will enhance any dish.
DESSERT
How many times did you have to wait for your ice cream to soften before scooping it? Try this. Cover a cookie sheet with plastic wrap and begin scooping. Remember to rinse the scoop in cold water as you go for perfectly round and smooth servings. Place cookie sheet in freezer and keep until you are ready to serve the ice cream scoops into colorful bowls. Decorate with chocolate chips or a blueberry sauce (read about a delicious recipe below) if you’re serving vanilla ice cream, or fresh mint leaves if you’re serving a fruit sorbet. Chocolate ice cream? Shave milk chocolate for a double-pleasure experience!
Blueberry Sauce
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 pint blueberries
¼ cup sugar
Melt unsalted butter in a saucepan set over medium heat, then add blueberries and sugar. Cook, stirring, until blueberries release juices (about 2 minutes). Cool and spoon warm sauce over ice cream. Garnish with more blueberries, if you want.
Makes 1 ½ cups
Stay tuned for the second part of this article out next week...
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Editor's note:
Sabrina Cadini, of La Dolce Idea at La Jolla, has gracously agreed to provide tips, advice and information about event and wedding planning. Ah-Ha! will post these at 3 p.m. Thursday each week, allowing you to plan and enjoy for the weekend, and beyond.
Sabrina began her career in event and wedding planning in Italy, where she was born.
She had the opportunity to meet amazing designers while modeling and working as a TV announcer. "They could turn a bare studio into an incredible, and colorful, setting for a TV show, or photo shoot, with different materials, lighting, decor, and fabrics," she says.
At that time, Sabrina started helping friends with their parties, then social and corporate clients, creating the perfect setting for their events.
After moving to the United States, Sabrina volunteered on several boards and coordinated some fundraising events. She began managing events on a larger scale for medical conventions across North America as a tour operator and meeting planner.
Weddings and special events were her greatest passion. By fusing creativity, Italian style, and fashion into impeccably planned occasions, La Dolce Idea created singular and personal celebrations for many clients.
Sabrina was designated as a Professional Bridal Consultant by the Association of Bridal Consultants (ABC), the oldest, and largest, training organization for wedding professional in the world. She is co-director of ABC, San Diego Region.
Sabrina has a collection of ideas, news, information, pictures, and trends from the event and wedding world at her blog, Something Dolce at http://ladolceidea.wordpress.com/
And, of course, La Dolce Idea's website at http://www.ladolceidea.us/site/#/home/
Follow her on Twitter http://twitter.com/ladolceidea and Facebook http://www.facebook.com/LaDolceIdea
Ah-Ha! is honored by Sabrina's gracious contributions to our community's ongoing conversation.
