Cafe Style Menus

Assessable Entry Five

Café Style Menu

I love food, I really do. Which is why I am surprised I’m not at least 20kg heavier than I actually am. This is probably why the following appealed to me…

Below you will find a whole range of some café menus that I found when trolling the Internet this morning for breakfast ideas. I think café style food is fantastic and fun and can be used in a laid-back event with clients who want class with a sense of relaxed Sunday morning Brunch vibe to the affair.

My favorite cafe in Sydney, however is Jet Cafe in Q.V.B. Unfortunately I could not find a copy of their menu to download and include in this post.. however here is the link to their website, PLEASE go a have a look. Try to tell me your mouth does not water just from reading it, I DARE YOU!

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I suppose this kind of catered event would be unpractical for more than a few reasons, the most important one being the range of items on the menu would make the catering company want to kill the event planner. 

Having a menu as extensive as most Cafes have would not be practical for a large-scale event at all, not even worth considering! However, for a small scale, with a maximum number of guests being 20 or so… keeping the menu items to a minimum it would be do able.

However I would suggest that not many catering companies would be willing to comply with such a request without a large additional fee being added to their price.

For these reasons I would maybe save this style of catering for an event with very few guests with a very large budget.

But if you think about it... wouldn’t it be a neat little event to have a menu designed for your party, with a range of foods on there that you yourself have approved?

I personally would love to host an event like this… however impractical it might be.

Baby Shower

Assessable Entry Four

Occasion: Baby Shower

Baby showers and Welcome Home Baby/Welcome to the World Baby are a great reason to get friends and family together with a reason to celebrate. They give everyone (friends and family) a chance to dote upon the new (or almost due) addition to the family and

There are so many different themes that you can twist and incorporate into this occasion to suit everyone. Some ideas include;

·      Children’s story books

o   Alice in Wonderland Theme

o   The Little Mermaid

o   Swan Princess

o   etc.

·      Colour Scheme Theme

o   All in white

o   Pastels and pale colours

o   Neutrals

o   The typical blue for boys, pink for girls and yellow for the unknown

·      Café style brunch

o   Keeping it lo-key

o   A little rustic

o   Simplicity

·      Lil’ anything

o   Ducks

o   Dogs & Cats

o   Safari animals

The baby shower emporium is filled with great ideas and items that help you bring this event from an everyday gathering to a memorable event you can tell your kids about and reminisce over at their 21^st birthday.

http://www.thebabyshoweremporium.com.au/ 

Martha Stewart’s website also offers some great left-of-center theme ideas for your next baby shower. Some of her ideas have been listed above, although the website is an encyclopedia of ideas for a baby shower, include themes, food, activities and what shower necessities you should also have. 

http://www.marthastewart.com/

PerfectBabyShower.com almost makes event manager obsolete for these kinds of events! It has a section called How to Host a Baby Shower which is filled with answers to the important questions that planners are always asked, e.g. should you invite other children, should there being a theme, when to throw the party, who to invite (etiquette) and what food should be served?

http://www.perfectbabyshower.com.au/

Lets remember that this kind of event is really more about the parents, friends and family of the new arrival – not necessarily focused on what the baby would or would not like. Which means that although the decorations will be focusing on the baby, the food & drink, activities and music will be centered on what the parents have chosen to suit the occasion.

This means that as an event coordinator you will be dealing with essentially 2 clients with different tastes and requirements that will have to harmonize successfully on the day of the event.

This kind of event may seem like a simple one to start with but I feel that individuals who can handle the hormones of a pregnant woman and the stress organizing an event at the same time should only take on an event such as a Baby Shower.

Masquerade Balls

Assessable Entry Three

Theme: Masquerade Balls

We all grew up playing pretend. Pretending to be a princess, pirate, teacher or grizzly bear we all loved games where we could be anything we wanted to be. That idea of youthful play and innocence is a theme that is exemplified through masquerade.

Masquerade parties have been an exciting and descendant part of history, feeding on the idea of secrecy and hidden identity. It seams appropriate that the idea is often revisited in all hierarchies of society as a way of expressing ones desire to be someone else, even just for a night.

With their origins in Venice in the 15th century and growing popularity in Europe during the 17th century, masquerade's popularity has not stunted throughout history, but flourished. Although once upon a time masquerade meant elaborate costumes and gilded masks, nowadays we rarely see such displays of decadence. More often than not the idea of a classic masquerade is there, but not the dedication to pull it off.

I have to admit, I love a good masquerade party. Where everyone has gotten on board with the theme and made an effort to dress up and is enjoying the experience. That’s what I feel masquerades offer guests, an experience outside the norm that allows them to challenge their perceived role to society. However you mustn't misunderstand me when I say that. I am not condoning breaking the law to break out of your shell or anything so dramatic. I am merely trying to explain how the traditions around a masque allows an individual to express a side of them that they do not view as an integral part of themselves. 

Essentially releasing the Mr. Hyde inside us all. 

There are millions of websites, shops, blogs and companies that dedicate themselves to assisting in creating a successful Masquerade. They utilize a variety of different media to ensure the interpretation is as accurate (or inaccurate) as they can – depending on the clients requirements,

Masquerades can often be a daunting theme to have for any event, as there is a lot of hype around them; choosing the right kind of masquerade, will everyone dress up and get into it, etc. This theme would probably not be one I would suggest to a client with a budget and vision that would allow for extensive decorations that would submerge the guests into another world, making them believe in the masquerade.

Autumn

Assessable Entry Two

Colour Scheme: Autumn

The browns, reds, oranges and yellows of autumn always make me feel warm and I love the colour scheme for an event of some kind.

What event? I don’t know… no particular venue or theme or occasion really springs (pardon the pun) to mind when I think of these colours, but I really do just love the combination.

Below are a few different images of the colours I think of when you say autumn and a few comments to go along with them.

 What a great little treat to put you in the mood for the colder months!

I found this image when browsing Pintrest (click here to be taken to the page) earlier this year and saved it away thinking I would change my desktop background to it when autumn came around. Well that never happened but I did keep the image, knowing in the back of my mind that it would come in handy for something.

This image makes me think that a colour scheme like this could be used for a simple celebration with friends (during the autumn months) as a way to keep warm coming into winter.

Crunchy leaves, that’s what autumn is really all about right? Nothing to do with the changing seasons! It’s all about how big a pile of leaves you can collapse back into.

I find that this image reminding me of the simplicity of childhood and the imagination displayed by children!

This image inspires me to really think back to the simplest idea and work with that.

I love the colours in this chart, and the beautifully descriptive names they have been give.

Fedora, a deep brown crème darkened to perfection! The words alone make me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

Such striking colours can be used in combination with any of the regular offenders (red, brown, yellow orange) to create a wirl-wind of colour and deep magic.

Rich golds, deep reddy browns, crunchy oranges and bright yellows are only the beginning of autumn colours!

The Retro Hotel

Assessable Entry One

Venue: The Retro Hotel, Sydney

“The Retro is ideally located in the heart of Sydney's vibrant nightlife, nightclub, bar and restaurant district. The Retro combines fun, lively entertainment and fantastic service to deliver the best in hospitality and entertainment. The Retro can cater to parties of 2 - 1200 guests and can be customised to suit your specific requirements. With its restaurant, 6 bars and rooftop terrace with views. The Retro is the perfect place to party for your next office function, product launch, Xmas Party ... or birthday!”

Really cool venue, lots of space and caters to more than one style of music. The drinks are pretty average in price as well.

I think this venue would be perfect for a significant birthday.. 18^th, 21^st, 30^th etc.

I can see the top level (terrace) being sectioned off for smaller events or opened up for the larger crowds. The terrace itself is BEAUTIFUL! It has a very classy look to it that almost seems out of place in that part of the city, overlooking Sussex Street. Not a particularly good view I know, but I can tell you from first hand experience you don’t even notice the milling of people on the sidewalk or the honk of horns when your up there.

What I think works in favour for this venue is that it prides itself on catering for every taste in music, from Retro Mania to Soul Train to Dance Fever, there is something for everyone from every walk of life in the one building. If you get sick of one type of music, you don’t have to trek from one end of the city to another. All you have to do is walk up (or down) the stairs.. or take the lift if your heels are just too big.

The atmosphere again is perfect for a celebration, with the bar and floor staff getting involved with themed nights by dressing up and staying (to an extent) in character. I could not think of a more perfect place to celebrate the a special night.

I love checking out what weekly eventsthey have… its always something different and exciting!

Being in the process of planning an event their currently, I am able to provide you with further insight into what the venue has to offer!

I met with the event and functions coordinater earlier this year and she was happy to take my questions and offered me some real-world feedback and knowledge.

If you are hiring out the top level of the venue (the terrace) you are provided with;

·      Your own bar and bar tender

·      AV & SFX including i-pod connectivity, projector and microphone are all offered free of charge

·      Security at the front venue door and into the event

·      Cabs can be booked through the hotel to arrive at a particular time

·      Catering and bar tabs are available on request

·      Some decorations are provided and what they do not have they are willing to source

All in all, a great team within a great venue in a great location!