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Party Foul: Not Greeting Your Guests

partysugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:30:42 -0700

At female-centric events like baby showers or bachelorette parties, it's easy for cliques to form and cattiness to flourish. Recently, my sister attended a bridal shower where the majority of guests went to the same high school. However some girls, despite knowing my sister, were cold and unfriendly. To make matters worse, the hostess did not say one word to her! While I understand that everyone present may not get along, it's totally unacceptable for the hostess to ignore her guests. It's up to the hostess to ensure that gossip and grudges don't ruin the party. This means that she must put aside any hard feelings and greet everyone equally.

Have you ever been to a party where the hostess made you feel unwelcome? Please share your stories below!

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Party Foul: Mandatory Coat Check

YumSugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 13:00:04 -0700

A few weeks ago, I found myself with a large party at a Manhattan restaurant. As soon as we sat down, our hostess pointed us to the mandatory coat check. The restaurant and bar was by no means formal, and we weren't out at a club with a dance floor, so in this case, I really didn't see the point of it being requirement. Add to that the dilemma of tipping at a coat check. But the worst part of it all? It was the dead of Winter, and the restaurant was bone-chillingly cold, so all of us were shivering at the table.

As I sat there covered in goose bumps, I worried whether I would catch a cold, and wondered how this could be legal. After all, it's no different from built-in tips!

Have you ever been forced to give up your coat and tip on a mandatory coat check? Do share your thoughts and stories below.

Let's Dish: What's the Worst Party Foul You've Witnessed?

partysugar — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 09:00:58 -0800

Recently I attended a dinner party that started at 7:00. The hostess was having a culinary student cook the meal for me and 11 other guests. However, he was totally unprepared and I ended up helping in the kitchen the entire night. He chose a complicated menu that wasn't ready until 11:30! While I've been a witness to every type of party foul from one sided introductions to a lack of utensils, this was by far the worst! Having to wait three and a half hours till dinner is totally unacceptable.

Now that I got that off my chest, I invite you to do the same, readers. I'm sure you've seen plenty of bad behavior and ill etiquette, so do tell: what's the worst dinner party foul you've observed?

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Party Foul: Saying One Thing, Serving Another

partysugar — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 10:15:25 -0800

Recently I attended the opening reception for a new bar in San Francisco. Like most bars these days, the establishment had a list of tantalizing specialty cocktails. According to the menu, the cocktail I ordered, a Bloodhound, was a mixture of Hanger One vodka, Campari, and grapefruit juice. However, when I watched the bartender mix the drink, he made it with Smirnoff! Listing out specific ingredients and making a dish with different components is not okay. Can you imagine the repercussions if a restaurant did this and served an item that caused an allergic reaction? When hosting a party of any sort, be sure to give guests exactly what is described on the menu.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Where you asked for one thing and got something totally different? Please share your stories below!

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Party Foul: Assuming the Kids Can Come

partysugar — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:15:16 -0800

Recently, I hosted an event where I wrote "Significant Others Welcome" on the invitation. You can imagine my annoyance and frustration when some people showed up with husbands and children. The party was a happy hour, an occasion that children do not normally take part in.

When you receive an invitation, it's important to read the fine print. One should never assume that a significant other or child is invited unless specified. The names listed on the outside of the envelope are the invited guests. If it says Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the Smith children are not invited. However, if addressed to The Smith Family, then the kids are welcome to attend.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Share your stories with us below!

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Party Foul: One-Sided Introduction

partysugar — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 11:15:40 -0800

Last Friday night I found myself at an annual ornament-exchange holiday party. The event is in its ninth year, but this was my first time attending. Before we began to open ornaments, white elephant-style, the hostess felt the need to introduce "the newcomers" (myself and another girl). What she failed to do was introduce anyone else!

I was acquainted with a handful of guests but would have liked to have known everyone's name. The hostess's attempt to make us feel like a part of the group backfired: I felt awkward, uncomfortable, and like an outsider.

When hosting a party, remember that introductions are a formal presentation of one person to another in which each is told the other's name.

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Please share your introduction horror stories with us below!

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Party Foul: Coming Empty Handed

partysugar — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 16:15:58 -0700

Recently I attended a friend's destination bachelorette party. I was having a lovely time until one of the organizers asked everyone to get their present. I looked around panic stricken and wondered how I didn't know about this special surprise. Apparently, a group of the girls decided to get flashy presents - lingerie, boas, sunglasses - for the bride to wear on our big night out. I loved the idea, but wondered why we weren't all included?

Giving out details to select guests or informing only a group of guests that gifts are expected is not cool. Not only does it make the hostess look bad - why have a party if you're not going to include everyone in the fun? - but it's rude and will leave guests feeling uncomfortable and out of place.

Has anyone been in a similar situation? Please share your bachelorette horror stories below!

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Party Foul: No Serving Spoons

partysugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:43:56 -0700

Recently I went to a wine tasting where there was a huge platter of lamb with no serving spoon. The lamb - which had a succulent red wine sauce - was sliced into small bite-sized pieces and served warm in a caterer's pan. Like not having enough eating utensils, not having the proper serving tools at a party is not okay. Some guests made do with toothpicks or paper plates, but it was a messy struggle to taste the lamb.
If you are going to host a party with a large quantity of food, be sure to have all of the equipment necessary to serve the food appropriately. This is especially important if guests had to purchase a ticket to the event.

Are you familiar with this experience? Have you ever been unable to eat something due to a lack of servingware?

Party Foul: Understaffed Bar

partysugar — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:13:31 -0700

A few Fridays ago, I attended the opening of a new club. The party was great; there was no line to get in, our names were actually on the list, it wasn't overcrowded, and the music was perfect! What put me in a bad mood very quickly was the wait to get a drink. The bar was completely understaffed. I stood at the front of the bar trying to get the bartender's attention for a half an hour! I know it's hard to make a lot of drinks super quickly - I was a bartender once - but the owner should know how many bartenders are needed based on the amount of people invited.

This is something to consider when hosting any party - a wedding, a birthday, or a shower - with a staffed bar. If you don't want guests (or bartenders) getting cranky because they had to wait forever for a cocktail, be sure your bar is staffed appropriately.

So what's the longest you've ever had to wait to get a drink? Have you ever left a party or bar because it took too long to get served?

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Party Foul: Not Enough Room to Move

partysugar — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:18:31 -0700

When hosting any sort of an event, it is crucial to find the correct balance between too much open space and not enough room. If there is too much room, the party looks like an empty dance floor at a bad prom. If there is no room, it can be stifling and uncomfortable.

During the public tasting at the Artisan Cheese Festival, I found myself crammed between several people all desperate to taste cheese. The booths were too close together and there was no flow of traffic because the place was over packed. Needless to say, it was not fun. I wondered why the event planners had not spaced out the booths better or taken into consideration that it was a beautiful day that would bring a bigger crowd to the event.

Although this was a large event, the same goes for private parties in the home. If you have a small studio, don't invite over fifty friends. Allow room for guests to mingle without having to press up against a new acquaintance.

How about you? Have you ever been to an over-crowded party? How did you deal with not having enough room?

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