This post is sponsored by Glad. Glad asked me to put together a One-Bag Party, which means all of the waste only goes in one bag. I love this concept. Visit Facebook.com/Glad for more details!
We moved in almost a year ago but a lot of our friends hadn’t seen our apartment yet so last Saturday we decided to host a giant housewarming party. If you remember we live in a 500 square foot apartment so I wasn’t sure about entertaining all those people until we decided on an open house style party. We told guests to stop by for a visit any time between 11am and 6pm. I was still a little bit nervous to throw a party for everyone we know in such a small space but we have an excellent backyard and a really fun stoop so I figured we could always overflow into the outdoor spaces. Honestly, I think it might be one of my favorite parties I’ve ever thrown. It had a very relaxed vibe. I liked that people didn’t feel like they had to stay very long and that people stopped by on their way from one weekend activity to the next. We also had guests that stayed for a few hours and guests that stopped in more than once. It was great because we actually got a chance to have good talks with almost everyone that came through. When I’m planning a party I like to focus on a couple things that make the party feel special and keep the rest of it simple, for the housewarming I decided on Florals and Food.
For the Florals: Since it was a housewarming party I wanted to keep the house pretty close to its original state so people could see our apartment but I decided to put up a garland on the front door to welcome people in. I ordered a eucalyptus garland from the Flower Mart and picked up some peonies, tulips, and wax flowers that I added myself. It wasn’t cheap, it cost a little over $100 but considering it made such a big impact it was a good tradeoff. It only took about an hour to make and hang and I was really happy with the results. I hired Julie Manwaring to make a “come on in” sign that we attached with wire. (Watch for a DIY post coming soon.)
For the Food: I asked my friend Andrea Pimental to cater the food. She is a genius and is so great to work with. I told Andrea I wanted most of the food prepared before the party so I could just bring out a few new dishes every hour. I bought a bunch of small pots and bowls for $1-2 (mostly from CB2 and Crate & Barrel) and handed them over to Andrea to work her magic. The food was amazing. It was so fun to bring out new fun things to eat through out the party. For breakfast we had yogurt parfaits, scones, baklava, avocado and grapefruit salad. Then in the afternoon we got out strawberry tarts, shrimp skewers, panzanella salad and few other things I’m forgetting now. You should’ve heard the oohs and ahhs when I brought out the tray of Butterscotch Pots de Creme. The last few hours we mostly sat on the stoop and ate homemade popsicles and watched the people walk by on our busy street. (Andrea posted the whole menu with recipes here.)
For the One Bag Party: I chose elements that were reusable recyclable and compostable to reduce on waste. San Francisco has an excellent compost program so a the cups and the paper napkins were compostable. The little pots and bowls were reusable but came in cardboard boxes that we recycled. In the end our one bag of trash consisted of the bamboo plates and utensils and some of the food packaging. Not bad for a 50 person party! Glad wants to challenge everyone to have a one-bag party. And they asked me to select some items that a reader could win at home.
(Giveaway is now CLOSED. Congratulations to our winner, Cindy #913!) There are two ways to enter to win all the item pictured below. Winner will be chosen on Monday April 29th!
1. Leave a Comment Below describing what kind of One Bag party you would host and if you want to enter twice then
2. Enter on Instagram (you must have an Instagram account to enter this way) see details on the @ohhappyday instagram account.
Photography by Paul Ferney + a few iphone photos
Florals by Jordan Ferney, assisted by Irene Yu
Food by Andrea Pimental
Jenn
April 25, 2013
My One Bag Party would be for my 40th coming up in September! I plan to have a fabulous outdoor party in our quaint little backyard. I love all the fabulous items you used at your party…thanks for the chance to win! Fingers crossed! 🙂
chanelle
April 25, 2013
i am graduating from graduate school and I just had a baby ( he is 6 weeks old) so I would love to have a party to celebrate all the great things happening in my family!
Marti driver
April 25, 2013
My daughter’s first communion is in a few weeks….these pretties would make it feel so festive!
Jana @ 365 Hand Lettering Project
April 25, 2013
A welcome summer party with lots of yummy treats like bacon wrapped dates with blue cheese!
J
Jenna
April 25, 2013
A tablecloth & lights are on my list, so I’d love to win this contest. We’re trying to jazz up our backyard so we can convince all of our friends to leave Manhattan finally & move to Brooklyn!
Adeline
April 25, 2013
Your housewarming party looked amazing! Thanks for sharing 🙂
I would host a classic Hollywood movie night, and have all my Cary-Grant/Katharine-Hepburn-loving friends over to watch “The Philadelphia Story”!
Erin
April 25, 2013
What a beautiful party! Seriously gorgeous! The food! The decorations!
I’d love to host a bridal shower. A new sister-in-law is joining the family this fall.
Shari
April 25, 2013
I’d host a baby shower for my BFF who has 3 sons and is finally having a girl!! TIME TO CELEBRATE GIRLY STYLE! 🙂
Kiri
April 25, 2013
I think I just want to have a beginning of summer bbq dinner party- can’t wait to eat summer’s bounty.
Monica
April 25, 2013
A “Taco Fiesta” outdoor party, with little stations that create mini tacos—you know like they have in Mexico (Tijuana)—you walk down a street and there are tons of vendors, you stop and have a taste—I think that would be fun to do something based on that concept outdoors in your backyard-set up like ‘street gourmet’
Lisa DV
April 25, 2013
My daughters birthday is in June. I’d love to have a birthday party with little to no waste to show my tween daughter and friends how it’s done!
Joanne
April 25, 2013
I’d do a one bag baby birthday party– an outdoor potluck in our yard! No gifts or favors, just food and fun.
Richelle B
April 25, 2013
Wow I love this idea! I will probably have a welcome summer open house party.
Kristi G
April 25, 2013
My husband takes boards for medical school in a month. I’d love to throw a celebration picnic in our backyard to celebrate the weekend after his test. I’ll keep it simple- wine, bread, cheese, fruit and use dishes I already own.
Sunny M.
April 25, 2013
My birthday is next weekend and I’m having a one bag tea party! I just need to scout out some vintage tea cups and hankies from the melrose trading post!
Nicole
April 25, 2013
Our friends love when we host game night, but we haven’t hosted one in a long time. I’d love to do one with a casual summer theme.
Rachel E
April 25, 2013
I want to have a 1 bag patio party. Summer weather is almost here and I want to make the most of it.
ashley
April 25, 2013
im hosting a going away party and were trying to do it “one bag” one way i do it is too use mason jars instead of plastic cups(i’ve used them for several occassions this year). if i were to host another party it would be for my parents 50 wedding anniversary in August!
Tanny S.
April 25, 2013
I’d love to have a brunch party! Yummy foods maybe some finger foods to cut down on waste. But definitely a mimosa bar!
Danielle
April 25, 2013
We moved into our new house last fall and haven’t had time to throw a housewarming party – I think a spring or early summer one would be perfect! Er, maybe late summer since I somehow forgot we’re renovating our kitchen (doh!).
Beautiful party, btw! The food and flowers look fantastic!
Elizabeth
April 25, 2013
I am smitten with your housewarming party!!! We are currently on week one of our 3 week kitchen remodel so this summer we would like to invite friends and family over for a summer serenade gathering. We are using dishes we bought from Ikea from our pop up dinner http://lovesrobots.blogspot.com/2012/08/pop-up-dinner-party.html so we would be up for the one bag challenge. I would love to borrow your amazing eucalyptus garland idea.
Lisa Lewis
April 25, 2013
A ‘happy it’s finally warm outside, so lets lay in the grass till the stars come out’ party 🙂
erin
April 25, 2013
I love your party! So relaxed, just perfect. I think I would throw a fondue party. Because who *doesn’t* like fondue?
Rachael
April 25, 2013
My Hazel’s fifth birthday is coming up. I would love to win her an extra special party!!!
Torrey
April 25, 2013
We don’t have a particular event to celebrate; no upcoming birthdays or anniversaries. But, I would love to have just a fun “I love my family” party with family members and friends who are family to me.
Jennifer
April 25, 2013
I would host a “farewell” party for my dear friends who are moving out of the Bay Area at the end of the summer season. It would be fun to collect all of their favorite things about the Bay area and wish them the best with an awesome party.
Sonja D
April 25, 2013
I’d plan a housewarming party!
Jocelyn
April 25, 2013
We have a great back porch with a pergola and vines over it. It hasn’t been used as much as I’d like so we would definitely host a spring get together to enjoy the warm weather before it gets too hot in TX to do much outside. All the items above would be just perfect for it.
Holly
April 25, 2013
I’d love to try the one bag challenge for my son’s 1st birthday coming up!
Rosemariee
April 25, 2013
I’d love to host a mother’s day one bag party!
Shannon Malone
April 25, 2013
My daughter’s cowgirl themed birthday party. She is so excited to turn 5 in a few weeks!
Peachy Robinson
April 25, 2013
Although it just passed- I would LOVE to do a one bag party on Earth Day-thanks for the great idea! P.S. Your “yarn-trail” post inspired a St. Patricks’s Day party at our house- Check it : losrobinsons.blogspot.com Thanks!
Claire B
April 25, 2013
My one bag party would be an outdoor soirée to welcome in the summer. We’d eat fresh food made from produce from the farmers market, and my centerpieces and decorations would be rooted herbs and flowers that I could later plant in my garden!
Holly
April 25, 2013
one bag “we’re having a baby” party!
Sam O.
April 25, 2013
In the midst of planning my 5 year olds Birthday Party.
Allison
April 25, 2013
This texas girl would like to blend the southern flair of a Kentucky derby party with a festive cinco de mayo celebration
kat
April 25, 2013
My best friend is moving home with her 3 children to heal after a very sad and messy divorce. I am in the process of planning a going away BBQ for them to celebrate the good memories they made here.
I’m trying to be very conscious of keeping the waste down, since it can get out of control between food packaging and utensils/plates/napkins – which I can’t compost here just yet. If i can get people to bring their own water bottles half my battle will be won! I’m also planning on finger foods – whole fruits and potato skins instead of salads, cookies and brownies for dessert, grilled and straight to a bun for the protein – to eliminate the need for silverware.
It looks like it was a great housewarming party. I love the idea of the open format so people can come and stay as long – or short! – as they want.
Carmen
April 25, 2013
I am planning a “come-back from the fieldwork” party. We are anthropologists working abroad.
Jes-ka
April 25, 2013
We still need to do our own housewarming party. We just built a pergola in the yard, so we want to do a bbq style party. :]
Allison
April 25, 2013
I need to throw a long over due pony tail party for my youngest little girl! That fabulous table clothe would make up for the fact that it should have happened months ago!
Christa
April 25, 2013
It would be great to have a one-bag baby shower!
Alex Y.
April 25, 2013
I am planning to host a summer surprise party for my mom’s birthday!
kate h
April 25, 2013
I would host a summer kick off in my new apartment!
Tania
April 25, 2013
Thank you thank you for posting those recipes and more details! I loved all the peeks you gave throughout the day via twitter/instagram.
My daughter is getting baptized this year and I am excited to throw her a little celebration where we’ll also be welcoming guests into our new home (first-time homeowners!). So, lots to celebrate 🙂
Diana Watters
April 25, 2013
I would love to host a traditional backyard barbeque party with everybody’s all-time favorites: bbq chicken and ribs, potato salad, and baked beans. I bought a collection of plain white plates and bowls in several sizes from a restaurant supply store, so this is a good start to my one bag party!
Maria
April 25, 2013
I’d love to throw a happy summer is here party or even a cookie open house type party in the fall with cider and hot chocolate.
Meghan
April 25, 2013
I would host a birthday picnic for my husband if I won.
Lena
April 25, 2013
A BBQ party! The weather is perfect and almost no food is wasted when you’re cooking meat, fish, or veggies on a grill.
alison haberstroh
April 25, 2013
I would host a party to raise money for our local children’s hospital, where my son has had his open-heart surgeries. We serve a delicious dinner and a lovely evening, and they donate what they wish for our cause.
Jennifer
April 25, 2013
I am having a naming ceremony for my new baby girl.