Do you recognize all the SB family and staff in this Luau picture? Find Brooke Anthony, Patty Meuchel, Darko Spoljaric, and Scott Nagle!
You know that you’ve grown up when the parties that you throw - and attend - no longer feature the cheapest beer available, moving all of your furniture and breakables into another room, and loud music with not enough words and too much bass. Parties now involve a little more decorum and usually have the word “dinner” somewhere in the title. You're even more grown up when you realize that you don’t miss the frat keg parties of college days and prefer the quieter, more sophisticated get-togethers where people rely more on conversation and less on loud music.
However, sometimes conversation doesn’t always come naturally, or even easily, at such get-togethers. Why should it? Conversation wasn’t necessary in the parties of old, and when it was needed it was to explain the rules of the drinking game that you were playing. I know, I know…I’ve been there. But I’m here in all of my wisdom to offer a few hints to help the party flow like… well… like something that flows really well.
Tip #1: Drink Wine – the more interesting, the better. Bring a rare varietal or an interesting blend. Bring something with a funky label (i.e. Sokol Blosser’s Meditrina or Evolution). If you’re really brave, bring some Strawberry Hills Boones or Mad Dog and act like you’re serious, like you really love it. (Maybe some of you readers do really love it – who knows.) This is bound to help conversation get going.
Tip #2: Play games – I like the more unorganized games, myself. Team up into two teams and play trivial pursuit without the game board. Just take turns asking the questions and have the teams shout out the answers. Heck, make up your own questions. Make it a theme like growing up in the 80’s. Question: Who were the original 5 members of New Edition? Answer: Bell, Biv, Devoe, Johnny Gill, and Bobby Brown. Question: What Planet did Alf come from? Answer: Melmac. Question: What was the name of the exchange student in 16 Candles? Answer: Long Duck Dong.
Tip #3: Bring out the pictures – nothing brings out conversation like ridiculing someone else’s past mistakes. Have your guests bring pictures of themselves at various times of their lives. Start with baby pictures and try to guess who is who. Move on to pictures of high school and make fun of everyone’s hair and clothing choices (Don’t be afraid, I, too, had permed hair and really big bangs).
If all else fails, just relax and have fun. Drink more wine if you have to. And always have a movie ready to put in the DVD player, just in case.
