The Roaring 20's of Summer Entertaining is Upon Us. Let's Party.
As many of you know I spend much of my summer on Lake Sunapee in New Hampshire. Last year, just as Covid hit, we moved into a slightly larger house (which we purchased without seeing the inside!), and we have been doing little bits of work – like ripping out yellow linoleum floors lol. The blog about that adventure is here.
Last year we spent our Summer in quarantine by the lake. We did NOT see our family and friends often, we did not go to our little yacht club for cocktails, we lived a very quiet life. And it was wonderful. Instead of lunch at the club we packed sandwiches and had family picnics on the boat. We had cooking competitions with the kids. We took socially distant walks with cousins so we could stay in touch. This year – QUARANTINE IS A THING OF THE PAST. The roaring 20’s Summer of Entertaining is before us. We have 15 people coming for 4th of July weekend – so many visitors we rented another house to sleep them all! We built a new dock (the other basically fell into the lake), and in my head I have planned a cocktail party on the lake every weekend. I just asked Mr. Jane Win for the dimensions of the dock to see if we could fit a DJ. I am planning dinner parties, big and small. The idea of celebrating life – it’s bubbling up, and I don’t think I can control myself.
SO….let’s talk entertaining. I love to throw parties and I get pretty specific on themes. Here’s a little itinerary:
4th of July Festivities
Afternoon of games and multi-generational dinner. We will have lobster, corn, tomatoes, and PIE. I will go 100% traditional with everything - red, white and blue. Cornhole. Sparklers. The one twist is that I have started buying magnum bottles of prosecco. Of course, I would rather it be a magnum of Veuve, but if we are serving a large group a big bottle of any kind is impressive, and I will have to sell more jewelry to have a Vueve only summer lol.
Sunset Cocktails on the Dock - my favorite!
Cocktails on the dock, bohemian vibes. I have a collection of Indian-print napkins and small plates, hand-painted from Turkey. I see layers of pillows and poufs on the dock, giant lanterns everywhere, and an elaborate decorative umbrella. I will serve my grandfather’s famous Champagne Punch out of giant pitchers as well as our new favorite CANN spiked cocktails. Hors d’oeuvres will be traditional: bacon-wrapped scallops, mini cucumber sandwiches, dates with blue cheese. Old school. Watching the sunset with a happy group of friends, loose and easy dressing, and loads of gold jewelry.
Mr. Jane Win's Birthday Dinner Party
A birthday dinner party for Mr. Jane Win, a long table filled with wildflowers and wild friends. A simple grilled steak, fresh summer salad and blueberry cake for dessert. Wine served in petite French glasses. Votives scattered on the table. White linens accented with the wildflowers from our local flower farm (it’s right around the corner!). Simple floral and barefoot. This dinner party evolves into games, hysterical laughing and everyone walking home well after midnight.
Carnitas and BFFs are always the answer.
Headed to my BFF Aimee’s so her husband Matthew can make us carnitas! I am SO LUCKY in that my house is footsteps away from my oldest friends’ summer house. And I am even more lucky because she married to THE BEST COOK. Meet Mathew, Los Angeles born and bred now living his best life in New Hampshire. The man can COOK. Every night he cooks for the 20+ cousins at their family compound, and at least once a summer we convince him to include us in the head count. This is not a formal affair. There is a giant (gianttttt) pot of carnitas on the stove and Matthew loading tortillas that you cover with hot sauce and carry down to the beach. No plates but lots of napkins. Kids swimming on the raft till dark, teenagers playing pong, adults around a fire. It is complete summer JOY.
A big fun mess of summer-entertaining shopping ideas are below. ENJOY. Let’s make the most out of every single second of this sunny Summer. xx Janie
