Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

The Price to Throw a Party

When I turned 30 years back, I had a 60s theme party. Since I was born in 1969, I thought that would be cool (I'm writing about a 60s party in a few weeks for the Crasher column...I wore the same crazy shirt, which I was surprised still fit me).

I spend close to a thousand bucks on the party. I bought a lot of booze, even though I'm not really a drinker.

I had a collection of old rock posters, but needed to buy a few things like lava lamps and beads, to really create the right vibe.

I made a few mix CDs, so you would hear a variety of 60s songs. And...I wanted the most pyschedlic. I didn't want to just have Sgt. Pepper or Disraeli Gears playing. I wanted you to hear In-A-Gadda Da-Vida, followed by Incents and Peppermints.

I rented Easy Rider and The Graduate, so they would be playing on different TVs.

And, since I don't cook, a lot of food was purchased.

I remember thinking it's crazy that people spend so much to throw parties.

I thought about that today when I attended a party in Kearny Mesa. A doctor put it on, and he had the food catered. Lots of booze and non-alcoholic drinks. And the best part...he didn't charge people.

I went to a party at a plastic surgeons place in Encinitas last year. He was charging $15 a person.

He could clearly afford to throw a party without charging people. And...if you can't, don't have the party. Or throw a small one.

It's the same with weddings. I read in Dear Abby a few months back, about a "pot luck" wedding. Now, I would have no problem going to one. But...not sure if I would feel like bringing a wedding present I spent $100 on, if I'm also bringing potato salad.

I remember as a kid, my parents got invitations to parties that said "BYOB". I thought, that's perfect. Telling someone to bring their own bottle, because some might not drink. Or they might not the selection you have. And, it keeps the costs slightly in check.

But, I've seen other parties that ask you to bring your own drinks, and they ask you to bring a side dish as well. I wonder what it is the host of the party is providing, other than the house to have the get-together.

A day will come, when you'll be asked to bring over the booze, a main dish, and someone will be asked to bring lighter fluid. Another person will be asked to bring a grill. Others will be asked to bring utensils.

Maybe you'll even be asked to put up a canopy in the backyard, too.

And that's another thing. The host shouldn't ask people to do a lot of extra things. Believe me, you'll have a lot of nice folks offering to help you clean up. Or to make a run to the store if you are low on ice. Don't start assigning tasks.

If you do that, it's tacky. And ya know what? People will be talking about it behind your back. Trust me. I've heard 'em.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Trump names local supporter new Border Czar

Another Brick (Suit) in the Wall
Next Article

Pie pleasure at Queenstown Public House

A taste of New Zealand brings back happy memories

When I turned 30 years back, I had a 60s theme party. Since I was born in 1969, I thought that would be cool (I'm writing about a 60s party in a few weeks for the Crasher column...I wore the same crazy shirt, which I was surprised still fit me).

I spend close to a thousand bucks on the party. I bought a lot of booze, even though I'm not really a drinker.

I had a collection of old rock posters, but needed to buy a few things like lava lamps and beads, to really create the right vibe.

I made a few mix CDs, so you would hear a variety of 60s songs. And...I wanted the most pyschedlic. I didn't want to just have Sgt. Pepper or Disraeli Gears playing. I wanted you to hear In-A-Gadda Da-Vida, followed by Incents and Peppermints.

I rented Easy Rider and The Graduate, so they would be playing on different TVs.

And, since I don't cook, a lot of food was purchased.

I remember thinking it's crazy that people spend so much to throw parties.

I thought about that today when I attended a party in Kearny Mesa. A doctor put it on, and he had the food catered. Lots of booze and non-alcoholic drinks. And the best part...he didn't charge people.

I went to a party at a plastic surgeons place in Encinitas last year. He was charging $15 a person.

He could clearly afford to throw a party without charging people. And...if you can't, don't have the party. Or throw a small one.

It's the same with weddings. I read in Dear Abby a few months back, about a "pot luck" wedding. Now, I would have no problem going to one. But...not sure if I would feel like bringing a wedding present I spent $100 on, if I'm also bringing potato salad.

I remember as a kid, my parents got invitations to parties that said "BYOB". I thought, that's perfect. Telling someone to bring their own bottle, because some might not drink. Or they might not the selection you have. And, it keeps the costs slightly in check.

But, I've seen other parties that ask you to bring your own drinks, and they ask you to bring a side dish as well. I wonder what it is the host of the party is providing, other than the house to have the get-together.

A day will come, when you'll be asked to bring over the booze, a main dish, and someone will be asked to bring lighter fluid. Another person will be asked to bring a grill. Others will be asked to bring utensils.

Maybe you'll even be asked to put up a canopy in the backyard, too.

And that's another thing. The host shouldn't ask people to do a lot of extra things. Believe me, you'll have a lot of nice folks offering to help you clean up. Or to make a run to the store if you are low on ice. Don't start assigning tasks.

If you do that, it's tacky. And ya know what? People will be talking about it behind your back. Trust me. I've heard 'em.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Previous article

40 is the New...

Next Article

Cruisin' Grand

Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

This Week’s Reader This Week’s Reader