Sociable! A Twist on the ‘Ole House Party (May 2010)
By Melsha Shea
Everyone loves a good house party! Think about some of the best parties you’ve been to. What made them so memorable? Good friends, good conversation, good food and several sociables of course! How can you take a good house party and turn it into a great one?
Good Friends: Co-host a party with a friend. You’ve just expanded your guest list and added an interesting mix of old and new friends to change up your usual inner circle. Co-hosting also reduces your costs and you’ve got a partner for party prep and clean up. It’s a win-win.
Good Conversation: Get your guests mingling with a theme party or party games. It doesn’t have to be Halloween or Christmas to throw a theme party. Check out the Rubix Cube party. Everyone wears clothing and accessories of different rubix cube colors, and over the course of the party, swop clothing and accessories with others so at the end of the night you’re wearing just one color. You’ll be chatting with everyone at the party in no time!
Good Food: No one likes to be stuck working in the kitchen when there’s a party goin’ on. Choose appetizers that can be made ahead of time so there is no fuss when guests arrive. Below is a simple sweet recipe that will make you look like a domestic goddess in ten minutes!
Several Sociables!: Even the classic BYOB can have Fab Factor. Serve up a Signature Drink creatively named to match the party style. Have a bar area set up with lemon, lime, ice, straws and rimmed glasses. Use Jell-O as a cost effective glass rimmer with lots of colors and flavors to choose from. If you don’t have enough room in your fridge for everyone’s BYOB be sure to have some coolers with ice ready to go so the drinks are cold all night. Cheers!
Top 5 Party Atmosphere Boosters on a Budget
1. Candles. They set a mood. Have them everywhere, even in the bathroom.
2. Have a fun welcome sign at your entrance. I like chalkboards.
3. Umbrella drinks shout P.A.R.T.Y. Have some on hand.
4. Never underestimate the power of the streamer. It never gets old.
5. Mix up the party music! Everyone bring their Ipod for the docking station.
So the next time you want to ROCK your house party remember the details. It’s the little things that leave that lasting impression and have your guests cheering SOCIABLE!
Chocolate Cocaine
(because you can’t eat just one)
1 Bag of Nestle Chocolate Chips
1 Bag of Nestle Reese Chips
1 Lg Bag of Ruffles Chips
Mix the chocolate chips & Reese chips in a microwavable bowl. Heat for one minute the stir. Repeat until chips are well melted together. Add crushed potato chips (if you like lots of crunch add more chips and if you like less use less. I typically use about half of the bag). Spoon into mini muffin cups. Let harden.
Revel in all the compliments you’ll get from this fabulous little treat. Enjoy!
By Melsha Shea Everyone loves a good house party! Think about some of the best parties you’ve been to. What made them so memorable? Good friends, good conversation, good food and several sociables of course! How can you take a good house party and turn it into a great one? Good Friends: Co-host a party [...]
Now Entering the Twitterverse (May 2010)
By Meredith Morrison
“Just entered the Twitterverse. Be kind and play nice.”
And so the journey begins. I’m on Twitter. I’m Tweeting. I’m the newest member of a social community that boasts a population of 12 million…and growing.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve got a pretty good idea of what Twitter is or you’ve seen the links asking you to ‘Join us on Twitter!’ with that cute little blue bird. Either way, Twitter is quickly becoming mainstream and it’s gaining momentum amongst Islanders.
So why should you join Twitter? I could rhyme off a list of really great reasons why, but what’s the fun in that? No, no…let’s make things interesting.
I’m going to give you the tools to get started and then it’s up to you. Your challenge, should you choose to accept, is to create your very own Twitter account and tell us – in 140 characters or less – what you like about the Twitterverse.
I know this might sound like work, but trust me, I wouldn’t get you to do this if I didn’t think you’d have fun in the process.
So let’s get started, shall we? Here we go:
Step 1: Log on to www.twitter.com. On the right hand side of the screen, you’ll see a box that says ‘New to Twitter?’ Click the yellow ‘Join Today’ button.
Step 2: Fill out the required information. You’ll be asked to create a username – try to keep it simple and relevant. And don’t forget to check off the ‘Let others find me by email address’ box. This will help your friends find you in the Twitterverse.
Step 3: Find sources that interest you. Into sports? Click on the ‘Sports’ link and you’ll find a full list of sports related sources from around the world. The same goes for all topics on the list.
Step 4: Find your friends. Select an email service provider, fill out your email address and password, and Twitter will find your friends who already have accounts.
Step 5: Search for anyone. Here’s where you can find us G! Just enter ‘Tweet_G’ in the Search box. We’d love for you to follow us!
And that’s it. You are done, my friend.
You can personalize your Twitter account by clicking on ‘Settings’ located on the top right hand side. Add a picture, change your background, let people know who you are – make your account all about you.
So welcome to Twitter! That wasn’t so bad, was it? And now that you’re one of our G! peeps, we want you to be in the know. We’ll be looking for your tweets on upcoming story ideas, places to eat, events we need to be at, and more.
Go forth and explore the Twitterverse and tweet us what you think. And remember – be kind and play nice.
By Meredith Morrison “Just entered the Twitterverse. Be kind and play nice.” And so the journey begins. I’m on Twitter. I’m Tweeting. I’m the newest member of a social community that boasts a population of 12 million…and growing. Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve got a pretty good idea of what Twitter is [...]
Island Briefly – Premier Robert Ghiz (May 2010)
Island Briefly
Meredith Morrison lets loose her inner imp to dish up a ‘G! Style’ look at what Island movers and shakers are up to.
Premier Robert Ghiz
Robert Ghiz is a man on the run.
Literally – he’s running out the door on his way to the legislature and after that, he’s running to a conference. The man’s busier than Maid Marian’s on a Sunday morning, but it comes with the territory.
He is, after all, the Premier.
And because he is the Island’s ‘Top Dawg,’ it’s easy to forget that he’s just a regular guy with a family and a life outside of politics. Especially when you’re doing an interview from the comfort of a wingback chair in his office that is equivalent to the size of my apartment. But I digress…I just wanted to get to know the man behind the headlines.
So I asked the Premier about really important stuff, like date night with Kate, what’s on his Ipod and what he does when he’s not, you know, premiering. I don’t want to shock you, but…he’s just like us.
Photo credit: Heather Taweel
The first issue of G! is dedicated to ‘Eatin’ & Drinkin’ – where are your favorite places to dine out on PEI?
Sirenella’s – my wife and I like Italian food quite a bit. If we’re going out for a family meal, we’ll go to Papa Joes. Merchantman (Pub), Pilot House or Sims are good too.
Sometimes, we slip up to 42nd Street Lounge for a drink – it’s quiet up there.
When you’re not running the Island, what do you do to relax?
Well, now that I have a new daughter, I like to spend time playing with her. I love to golf whenever I get the opportunity. I try to get caught up on sports on TV. And if I get the chance, I may read a book.
Complete this sentence: The best thing about being an Islander is: ___Summertime___.
What does date night consist of for you and Kate?
I‘ll give you three ‘date night’ scenarios. We might go out for dinner, probably at Sirenella’s or somewhere like that. The odd time we might slip out to the Old Dublin Pub if there’s a band on. As Premier, I can’t be there too late…we’re usually out of there by 10 or 10:30. But we like to listen to music. For a second date night, we might slip out somewhere quick for dinner, and then go to the movies. The third option would be eating at home, renting a movie or watching one of our favorite TV shows, then probably slipping out for Dairy Queen and coming home. Of course, now with the baby, everything has to be coordinated around her schedule.
List three things not publicly known about yourself that you are willing to share with us.
1. I played in a band growing up, played the clarinet
2. I was in figure skating
3. I enjoy spy novels – I’ve pretty much read all the John Grisham and Dan Brown novels. When I have time to kill, I like to escape and get into those kinds of books.
What’s currently on your Ipod?
I haven’t looked at my Ipod in awhile because I only listen to it when I run outside. I hate to say it, but it’s mostly all dance music to keep me going. But if I’m listening to anything these days, it’s Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum. I’m getting ready for the big concert!
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Be nice to everyone. You never know when someone will be in a position to help you or you may be working with someone someday. Never burn any bridges. You never know what may happen later on in life.
How do you and Kate balance the demands of a busy work schedule and raising a family?
It’s a learning curve, that’s for sure. It’s tough. It’s a constant juggle right now with everything. We still enjoy life, and having our little girl is fantastic! I get up with her in the morning and I love it.
There’s a Facebook group supporting the nomination of William Shatner as the next Governor General of Canada. Would you ‘Back the Shat?’
(Laughs) Well, if William Shatner becomes the Governor General of Canada, I’ll respect the decision.
Island Briefly Meredith Morrison lets loose her inner imp to dish up a ‘G! Style’ look at what Island movers and shakers are up to. Premier Robert Ghiz Robert Ghiz is a man on the run. Literally – he’s running out the door on his way to the legislature and after that, he’s running to [...]
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