Before getting ready to throw a party, there are some things you should prepare for. Yes, this will take more than one phone call if you really want to have a decent party. After all, it shouldn’t be just a normal night out with pals. There are just three core elements that matter: good people, good food and good attitude. The other stuff is just a small part of the big picture. But it sure doesn’t hurt to make everything perfect, does it?
5 party themes
1 BOLLYWOOD PARTY
Where
Spare some time to find a good place that suits the theme.
The Face
29 Sukhumvit Soi 38, 02-713-6048. Open daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6:30pm-11pm.
Indian delicacies in a Thai teak house with very strong cocktails.
Indus
71 Sukhumvit Soi 26, 02-258-4900. Open daily 11am-midnight. www.indusbangkok.com.
Indain cuisine with a dark bar and a garden in the back.
Gazebo
3/F, 44 Chakrabongse Rd., 02-629-0705. Open daily 8pm-late.
Not really Indian, but Moroccan style is just as dramatic. Thai food though.
Music
Bhangra beats, a Buddha Bar compilation, break beat or d’n’b from Hospital will make sure your belly and hips are on fire.
Eat
Calamari Rings with Curry Mayo
Buy instant calamari from the frozen food section in your supermarket and follow directions on the package for thawing and preparing. Then mix curry powder, lime juice and mayonnaise well for the dipping sauce.
Drink
Mango and Peach Margarita
Mango 1/2
Peeled peaches 3
Tequila 1 ½ oz
Cointreau 1 oz
Sour mix 2 oz
Blend mango and sliced peach together, add tequila, cointreau and sour mix with ice, blend for few seconds and pour into a cocktail glass.
2 POOL PARTY
Everyone loves a pool party; it’s a chance to show off your abs or see other people’s tight rumps. And if you happen to have your very own pool or one in your building, throw a party where you can invite some hot “friends” and get a chance to check out his abs or her cheeks.
Where
It’s easy if you have a swimming pool in your backyard, but if not, try some of these places:
Amapola
72/1 Sukhumvit Soi 51, 02-258-7077. Open daily 6pm-midnight.
Located in the deep end of the soi. Totally private.
Bay Ta Ra
100 Jakraphong Rd., Soi Rambutri, Phranakorn, 02-281-2899, 08-6323-5403. Open daily 6pm-1am
Tucked into a secret sub-soi of Rambutri with a nice vivid blue swimming pool.
Music
It should be beat lounge or jazz, as it will be in an open area. Try Dimitri from Paris' Sacrebleu .
Eat
Choose finger foods in one- or two-bite sizes such as crudités, spring rolls, and shrimp cocktail. Or try...
Toast with smoked salmon and chive cream cheese
Toast bread, then spread with blended chives and cream cheese (Boursin makes chive cheese that is already blended). Top with smoked salmon that you can buy from the supermarket.
Drink
Emerald Stow
White rum 1 oz
Midori ½ oz
Apricot brandy ¼ oz
Lime juice ¼ oz
Passionfruit juice 1 oz
Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass garnished with a slice of starfruit.
3 TEA PARTY
Many people (including you) have to hop from one party to another during this time of the year. So if you hold it in the afternoon, you can go to other parties at night. A tea party is normally held during the afternoon between 2-5pm and dates back to the 1830s in England, when a duchess at that time wanted some light afternoon tea with her friends.
Where
Al Majlis
Pradu Spa Club, 83/8, Ekkami Soi 12, 02-392-2345. Open Mon-Sat 4:30pm-12:30am.
This Moroccan tea room tucked into Pradu Spa deep in Ekkamai Soi 12 also has a small yard, cakes and a nice selection of wine to choose from.
Agalico
20 Sukhumvit 51, 02-662-5857. Open Fri-Sun 10am-6pm.
This British-like garden in the middle of the city offers several tea selections and mouth-watering scones.
Chaho
4/F Central World Plaza, Ratchadamri Rd., 02-613-1458. Open daily 10am-9pm.
As it’s located in a department store, you won’t have to worry about parking space. The shop offers a variety of green tea drinks and also has infused its green tea essence into almost all its food.
Food
It should be a light meal. Stick to tradition with tea sandwiches and sweets (cookies, cupcakes and pastries). Serve your food on elegant porcelain plates. The menu should include savory snacks and sweets such as sandwiches, scones and fruit tartlets served with hot tea.
To go further than the usual tea party, get a selection of quiches, like ham and leek, spinach and chicken, and serve them with a fresh salad with balsamic dressing.
Drink
Yes, of course tea is a must, but coffee, hot chocolate and mineral water are okay too. Caffeine-free soft drinks or fruit punch should be provided for those who don’t consume caffeine.
Music
Nu jazz and jazz are recommended. Try out the Brit electro group The Cinematic Orchestra’s first album, Motion.
Drink
Barbara
Vodka 1 oz
White cream de cacao ½ oz
Cream ½ oz
Shake all ingredients well with ice and strain into a cocktail glass, sprinkle with grated chocolate.
4 GARDEN PARTY
At this time of the year, the climate is cool. For a cozy party in the late afternoon, you could put together a small picnic with your close friends at a public park.
Or, get some professional help...
Where
You prefer to have a real party in a garden with real food and beverages, but you don’t have the green space at your home. Here are some places you can rent out:
A Garden
64 Sukhunvit 51, 02-260-4992. Open Mon-Fri 10am-2pm, 6-11pm and Sat-Sun 10am-11pm.
Brit-like garden with international food.
Be-Zeen
The Town Road Plaza, Town in Town, 02-530-8276. Open daily 6pm-1am.
More for the garden at night, with chill out music.
Spring, Summer, Winter
199 Soi Promsri 2, between Sukhumvit 49 and 39,
02-392-2747. Open daily 5-11pm.
Top-notch for everything: location, food and prices.
Food
BBQ is an obvious choice for a party in the garden. Serve some grilled prawns or chicken with different varieties of salad such as baby spinach, chicken Caesar, rocket with sausage, tuna salad and potato salad. Prefer something sweet? Try berry soup with homemade ice cream.
Music
Ambient, down-tempo and deep house music are suggested. Look for a Naked Music Compilation; try Miguel Migs: Colorful You.
Eat
Mix mashed strawberries, cranberries, and blackberries with red wine and some tablespoons of sugar. Then splash it on your vanilla ice cream.
Drink
Gin Smash
Gin 1 oz
Sugar syrup ½ oz
Spring fresh mint 4 leaves
Shake for about 20 seconds and strain into a small wine glass filled with crushed ice.
5 ON THE DECK PARTY
True, you could spend B1,500 to get on board that FTV ship and get ignored by super-skinny models or super hiso people. Or throw your own party on a boat instead. Ahoy, matey!
Where
Cruise the Chao Phraya on these floating party platforms.
Apsara
At Royal City Shopping Comple peir, 02-679-1200.
Belongs to Banyan Tree Hotel with capacity of up to 64 people. B600 for sunset cruise and B2,000 for dinner. With B100K, you can have the whole boat.
Manohra Luxury Cruise
Anantara Riverside, 257 Charoennalorn Rd., 02-477-0770.
Only 40 people can be board this luxurious ship and there is no buffet. B1,990 for dinner and B750 for sunset cruise. Three theme packages start from B2,000/person.
Thai River Cruise
08-4136-1199. www.thairivercruise.com.
Boat rentals, excursions, dinner-cruises and even sea cruises.
Music
Disco and electro house are the best for your party, as you are trapped in a limited space. Get yourself the Disco Candy compilation.
Eat
Seafood skewers with citrus dressing are a recommended idea.
For the citrus dressing, mix lemon and orange juice with sugar and cook until it thickens, then mix with cream. Use this sauce on salmon, shrimp and scallop skewers.
Drink
Sex on the Beach
Vodka 1 oz
Peach schnapps 1 oz
Cranberry juice 1 ½
Pineapple juice 1 ½
Shake all ingredients well with ice and pour into a highball glass
5 things to do before you start
Venue
The easiest and cheapest place to throw a party is your home, but if you cannot throw a bash on your turf, you have to look around for one that suits your theme and will be convenient for both you and your guests.
For decorations, make sure there are enough chairs, tables, cutlery, glasses, and napkins. Cleanliness itself is also important. Petch from Gancore Club once said one of the most important elements of a party is the toilets.
If you are renting a place out like a restaurant or bar, check what the rules of the place are in terms of decoration or leave the place as is. Mind you, beauty doesn’t come cheap.
Theme
It is always easier to have a theme since the theme of a party sets the tone when it comes to finding outfits, food, drink and décor. You might need to gently guide some of your party attendees in the right direction with regards to your theme and what their attire should be.
Food and drink
As long as it’s not a sit-down dinner party, anything that can be finished in one bite, doesn’t drip, isn’t wet and is not too fussy is fair enough. Get creative with your food: Why serve a foot-long spring roll when you can order it BITE-SIZE? Another idea: Instead of serving soup in a bowl, why not put it in small glasses?
People
It’s your party, and who else will you ask to join your party but your friends? But are you sure you know your audience well enough? Each person has different tastes, so make sure you are prepared for that. Some might not eat beef, some might not drink beer and some might not like to be around girls too much.
Time
Not less than three weeks prior to the event. Printed invitations always work well with formal parties and with a vast number of attendees, but it’s costly. However, if you have less than 20 guests and it’s just a casual party, text, phone or email invitations are fine, but not e-invitations.
5 things that will make your party tick
Drinks that flow
Make sure that you have something to drink at all times; it’s even better if you have an easy “house” cocktail. Once you have more than 12 guests, it’s better to have extra hands on deck, either your friends or someone you’ve hired to be at the bar. That way, you can have time to mingle and be more relaxed.
Small smells are huge
Many people never think of making their party smell nice, but small scented candles can do a lot. Just make sure you pick the right scent—not a lime smell, for example, which will make your party smell like a toilet.
Right lighting
Make sure that the light casts a soft glow—dim your lights down or get some help from little candles. Low lighting always makes everyone more attractive.
No Shuffling
Go through your CDs, select the right tunes and burn them onto one CD. Rearrange your playlist on your iPod and inactivate the shuffle. You don’t want to make your guests experience mood juggling, right?
Enough food
If you have a dinner party and plan on continuing with drinks later, it’s a good idea to have some light snacks scattered around. It helps you and your guests stay at ease after a hearty round of “Bottoms up!” and it keeps people staying late too.
The Perfect Guest
Do RSVP. Which stands for (at least in French): “I busted my ass sending you an invite, so could you at least call/email to say if you’re coming or not.”
Do mingle. The point of going to a party is not just to get drunk, but to get drunk while you network and make new friends.
Do have a clean napkin with you at all times, especially at a cocktail party. You can then eat as much as you want—nobody will ever suspect someone holding an immaculate napkin of being a gluttonous slob.
Do take little bites. You could be introduced to someone at any moment. If there’s half a pork’s leg jammed into your mouth, you might not make a good impression.
Do hold your glass with your left hand so you can shake hands with a clean dry hand.
Do thank your host before leaving and say goodbye to other guest.
Do spend at least 30 minutes at a party even if you have another function to attend or are bored to the point of considering jumping from your host’s 32nd floor penthouse.
Don’t be later than an hour. Aim for 15 minutes after the time you were given.
Don’t spend all night talking business. Get a life—it’s a party.
Don’t make a grandiose farewell. Your leaving should not interrupt the party.
Don’t be the last to leave. Even if you’re having fun, you need to show you have a life.
Don’t get too drunk. You don’t want to be the talk of the town with something you did and don’t remember. Trust us: it sucks.
Don’t drive drunk. After two glasses, what makes you think you can steer a couple tons of metal on wheels? Please take a cab.
HOW TO: Be the life and soul of the party
Dress to kill. Wear something glamorous but tasteful.
Make a grand entrance. Call your friends in
advance to ask them to take pictures when you arrive.
Stand up straight and look people in the eye. This will convey self-confidence and draw people to you.
Flirt a little. This includes at the beginning and a lot towards the end.
Compliment as many people as you can. This makes them feel good about themselves and want to be around you more.
Mingle with everyone! Don’t get trapped in a one-on-one conversation for the entire party.
Initiate conversation. Be aware of current events and the latest movies and books so you have something to talk about.
Avoid touchy subjects. Politics, money, religion and yourself are no-nos.
Introduce people to each other. This makes you seem popular.
HOW TO: Shake off guests
You won’t have this problem if you throw a party in a bar and restaurant, because when it closes, the party has ended. But when it comes to a house party, making the guest leave is a high art. Here are some ideas of what to do when it comes time to end the fanfare.
Pretend you’re sick. Mix egg whites with Sprite, then guzzle, but don’t swallow. Let it dribble from your mouth. Either your guests will leave, or they’ll take you to the hospital, but at least the party has ended.
Lower or turn off the music.
Cut off your guests. Stop serving alcohol, and replace it with water. Or vinegar
Send in granny. Ask your elderly relative to come out, check in on the party and ask for the time.
Get comfortable. Make yourself as comfortable as you would be if people weren’t there. Read a book and/or pick your nose.
Show 'em it's bedtime. Put on your PJs.
Serve khao tom. This is the traditional signal that the night has ended.
Cleaning time. Ask them to help with the mess.
Be straightforward. Just show them the door.
The Perfect Host/ess
- Be comfortable. No one wants to stay at a party where the host isn’t having a good time.
- Be alert and ready, nonetheless. You’re on a mission.
- Treat everyone like they’re special. Three simple letters, V-I-P.
- Even if you don’t know some of the guests make sure they aren’t left alone.
- Introduce everyone to each other.
- Make sure there are some single people in your guest list. Single people get wilder, mingle more and stay longer.
- They also drink more. Stock up. Run out of booze and your party is over.
- For those who overdo it (and yourself), prepare some Tylenol and Alka-Seltzer.
Where to gear up for your party
Party Supplies
Party R’ Us
30/6 Soi Pimland, Ngamvongwan Rd, Nontaburi.
01-333-7080 or e-mail: iampnoi@hotmail.com.
Decorations, costumes, games and help with themes.
Party Lover’s Paradise
17/1 Sukhumvit Soi 49, 02-662-4827 to 8, 01-629-5775, www.partyloversparadise.com.
Best suited for kids’ parties, as they also offer services such as magic shows and clowns.
Pinata
12/5B, Soi Prommitr Sukhumvit 39, Klongtoey, Bangkok, 02-259-7067, 01-611-4454 or www.pinatapartyplace.com.
Theme packages such as New Year’s, birthdays and so forth.
Music(al) Matters
Don’t dick around with your iPod and computer speakers. Hire some pros to wake up the neighborhood!
DJ Shop Lighting & Sound System
21/9 Block B, RCA, Rama 9 Rd., Soi Soonvijai, Huay Kwang, 02-203-1167, 01-689-8396.
Jazzbah Records
292/13 Siam Soi 4, Rama 1 Rd., 02-658-4627, www.jazzbah.com.
DJ Center
1857/2 Premium Bldg., 5/F, Phaholyothin Rd., next to Major Ratchayothin, 02-930-1712-3, 01-822-3609, www.dj-centre.com.
The List: Catering Services
Annie’s Party Planner
259/1 Sukhumvit Soi 49, 02-390-2257
A one-stop service with expertise in private house parties.
Bartender Co., Ltd.
46/15 Ramintra Soi 63, 02-955-2236/7. www.bartender.co.th
One-stop service from mixed drinks to bartending services.
Fanfare
01-815-9566
Cocktail party? Brunch? Dinner? Fanfare will even cater your breakfast if you so desire. Minimum of B15,000.
Flow
29 Vanissa Building, 1st Floor, Unit 1L, Soi Chidlom, 02-655-5445
The famous cocktail company will also create your own signature drinks for you.
Greyhound Catering
1575 New Phetchaburi Rd., Mukkason, 02-252-3405, 09-898-6283
Funky and tasty food. Minimum 50 people but negotiable.
Sovente
02-711-7480. www.sovente.com
Bakery items and heavenly scented coffee catering.
Tessa Catering & Tessa Homemade Cuisine
20 Soi Thonglor 23, 02-712-6844. www.tessahomemade.com
Restaurant, catering and take-away, courtesy of one super-talented lady.
A garden cafe and restaurant, Pret a Party Catering.
64 Sukhunvit 51, 02-260-4992
International food specialists in a British-style garden.
Tres Bien
916/3-4 Soi Thong Lor, Sukhumvit Rd., 02-381-4949.
This high-end party organizer handles everything from private parties to product launches.
White Café
07 Lardprao 115, 02 734 0514. www.whitecafecatering.com.
From the folks behind the famed White Café, Blue Bar and Red Bar.
