11-07-2024 HGG - Flipbook - Page 18
18 Thursday, November 7, 2024
Decorating, continued from page 8
and it’s your group.”
While there are differences between
home parties and office events, bringing in
a caterer allows organizers to play host and
enjoy the festivities.
“Social events are more family oriented. You don’t have to be as concerned
with everyone’s needs, necessarily. It’s your
party,” Pressman says.
When working a party in someone’s
home, Pressman says he is a big believer
that the home should stay that way. The
catering team tries to be as nondescript as
possible, which means he likes his team
to operate out of areas that won’t be used
during a party, such as a garage or workshop. That way, the house can still function
as a home and an entertainment space.
However, if a non-interior room is where
the catering crew sets up, Pressman says
it’s important to have heat in that area, not
only for the comfort of the crew, but also
to make sure the food doesn’t get too cold
before being served to guests.
“This frees up your house and frees up
the kitchen for bar, beverage or buffet,”
Pressman says.
Popular menu items this year include
raw bars with shrimp and oysters, and
popular pastries, such as croquembouche
and bûche de Noël. Nonalcoholic beverages and mocktails have become popular
to serve, as are seasonal flavors, such as
blood orange and cranberries.
Piette notes that she and her colleagues
can arrange an entire event, including food,
decorations and more.
“We’re your one-stop shop,” she says.
However, if you’re looking to hire a
caterer for a holiday event, Piette says it’s
important to go ahead and get things lined
up, especially if you’re still searching for a
space to host the occasion. Those clients
who are looking for venues to hold their parties are competing for these spaces due to
the demand, Piette says. Many companies
are now planning their holiday events in the
spring just to make sure they can get the
space they want, she adds.
“I’m already getting calls for 2025,”
Pressman says.
a series of classes, this is a great way for
someone to hone cooking skills, meet new
people and enjoy good food.
Is there an interest or experience in
the fiber arts, whether knitting, crocheting,
weaving or spinning? Then a class for either
the beginner or experienced practitioner
would be useful. Although there are many
places to learn these skills in the area, either
Black Sheep Yarn Shop (blacksheepyarnshop.com) or Lovely Yarns (lovelyarns.com)
would be good places to start.
If learning to throw a clay pot on the
wheel has always been their desire or if they
have done it in the past, taking up pottery
can be a useful, artistic and meditative skill.
Two places among the many in the area
where they offer lessons are ANG Pottery
(angpottery.com, photo top left) or the
Baltimore Clay Works (baltimoreclayworks.
org).
Although all these experiences range in
cost from modest to expensive, there are
still many low-cost or free ways to give your
loved ones experiences they will remember.
Look for free concerts, art gallery shows
or local sporting events. Plan a drive in the
countryside and/or a picnic in a park.
Take your skills and share with others.
Teach them a sport you love or how to knit.
Take the whole family for a day at the beach
or for a hike in the mountains. The memories you make together will last longer for a
very special gift.
Experiences, continued from page 6
