Tag: 21st birthday party

Birthday Party Bartender, Party Bartenders, Uncategorized

21st Birthday Party in San Juan Capistrano

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Guests helping themselves to excellent food

Saturday I traveled to San Juan Capistrano in Orange County to bartend a 21st birthday party. I have done several 21st birthday parties, and usually I have to make a big variety of cocktails as new drinkers sample them for the the first time. I planned a drink menu and shopping list with the birthday girl that included at least ten different cocktails.

I made Mojitos, Moscow Mules, Kentucky Mules, Mexican Mules, Mai Tais, Cuba Libres, Dirty Martinis, Bay Breezes, Gin and Tonics, and Cadillac Margaritas. It was a group of around fifty people and it was not a problem for me to make each cocktail from scratch. Most of the 21st birthday parties I have done have included many people in that age range, but this party included several older adults. The birthday girl was from a large Italian family.

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Card game in progress

21st Birthday Party Ideas

  • Hire a bartender
  • Choose a theme
  • Create an interesting drink menu
  • Invite a wide variety of people
  • Make sure there are designated drivers

The food was provided in part by the Los Angeles based Eastside Italian Deli, and by the mother of the birthday girl. The food was really good with pasta, meatballs, sausages and I had more than one helping. I do many parties around Southern California for various ethnic groups, and I get to sample some fantastic food, and Italian food is always among my favorites.

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Shots!

I have been very busy helping people plan parties and am currently helping plan a cocktail party coming up in Hancock Park where they want me to arrange the catering and everything. I have gotten several estimates for food and the prices vary dramatically. It makes me wonder if I am not charging enough. I know there is fine line between not charging enough, and not getting many jobs. I prefer to stay busy and not price myself right out of a job. I always seem to do better than expected when I provide top notch service and show up on time. Showing up on time for me, means arriving a half hour early.

Birthday Party Bartender, Uncategorized

Palmdale 21st Birthday Party

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Summer clouds in Palmdale

I drove up to Palmdale last night to bartend a 21st Birthday party. It was actually a dual birthday party, because the host and his son had birthdays just days apart and it was a joint celebration. I have done several parties in the Palmdale/Lancaster area, and it usually a nice drive out there.

This was a party that booked the day before, so I didn’t spend a lot of time preparing and talking to the host about it. He texted me and said they would be having Mojitos, Margaritas, and another drink called a Flying Dragon. I just showed up and set up my portable bar, though we hadn’t discussed that. I always carry it with me, so if I need to use it, I can.

21st Birthday Party Ideas

  • Hire a bartender
  • Invent theme cocktails
  • Take the car keys
  • Call Uber to take people home
  • Hire a band

The Flying Dragon consists of Dragonberry Bacardi rum. That is rum infused with strawberries and dragon fruit. You pour two parts rum, one part Sprite, and one part lemonade. People described it as tasting like a popsicle. It was definitely a hit with the younger crowd. Tacos were provided by Taquizas Diana (661) 878-0936. They also rent tables, chairs, jumpers, and linens. The host also got a jumper for the kids. I remember when I was a kid, the only time we got to use a jumper was at the annual carnival, and how excited we were.

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Jumpers keep the kids busy

The weather has been very weird here this month. Talk about June Gloom. I have a back yard retirement party tonight in Woodland Hills, and the weather is not nice at all. I have a baby shower in Woodland Hills tomorrow during the day that is also going to be outdoors and the forecast calls for drizzle. I am ready for some heat after this extended gloom. Next weekend I am driving to San Diego to bartend a wedding, and hopefully this gloom will have lifted. 

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Friends celebrate 21st birthday party
Birthday Party Bartender, Uncategorized

Santa Barbara 21st Birthday Party

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Railroad tracks to Santa Barbara

Saturday, Shaken Not Stirred  traveled to beautiful Santa Barbara to bartend a 21st birthday party. This is the second 21st birthday party I have provided bartending services for and the birthday girl and guests were eager to try a variety of drinks (for the first time).  I don’t go to Santa Barbara often, but always enjoy going there, especially this time of the year when the hills are green from the recent rains. One of the most beautiful areas in California.

For this party, I spoke with the host and her mom several times, planning the drink menu and shopping list. I served Mai Tais, Moscow Mules, and Bay Breezes. There were many twenty somethings in attendance, as well as their parents, and even grand parents. It is nice to see a family throwing a 21st birthday party where all the guests can party in a responsible manner.

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Filipino food

21st Birthday Party Ideas

  • Hire a bartender
  • Plan a drink menu
  • Have non alcoholic drink options
  • Invite older family members
  • Have designated drivers

The family put on a big feast of traditional Filipino food, and host was busy restocking the whole time. Throwing a party for 50 or 60 guests is a lot of work, especially if you do the food yourself, which was the case here.  It seems that the next door neighbors were also throwing a party at the same time, so we had competing music.  Towards the end of the night, I served Kamikazes, which are always popular.

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Shots!

I am writing this blog real quick and then getting ready to go to San Francisco this afternoon, on another gig for Geranium Street USA. So far I am not booked for next weekend, but have a couple of prospects. Next month is looking busy for Shaken Not Stirred and I am booked every day from April 2 to April 9th. I just booked one wedding in May, and still have many dates available during that month, so please call me if you need a bartender. Be sure to like us on Facebook.

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More Shots!
Fundraisers, Special Event Bartenders

Oak Park Fundraiser Boutique

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The Westlake Village Junior Women’s Club held their annual fundraiser boutique at St. Maixilmilian Kolbe Church in Oak Park. Shaken Not Stirred provided bartenders and served wine to approximately 400 guests. The church has a very nice event space where dozens of vendors set up shop for the “Gingerbread Boutique” that serves as a fundraiser for the women’s group and kicks off the holiday shopping season.

We served over seven cases of wine during the four hour period. We were serving Zinfindel, Cabernet, and Chardonay. I recommended two bartenders to the host because there were over two hundred guests. As it turned out, I think I could have handled it myself because the guests filtered in over the course of the night. There was never a line of people waiting to be served. We steadily served people during the four hour period.

Stonefire Grill of Thousand Oaks provided the catering and they had some very interesting and tasty food, including a cauliflower salad that was just excellent. I have done several of these events and hope to more of them as the holiday season progresses. I love bartending events on weekdays. I have one office party scheduled on a Wednesday in Palm Springs next month. Hopefully I can book something else in that area on Tuesday or Thursday that same week. Shaken Not Stirred provides bartenders and servers for fundraisers, office parties, corporate events, and openings, among other events.

Tonight I am traveling to Woodland Hills to bartend a birthday party. I will be serving Lemon Drops, Cucumber martinis, and classic martinis. I really like a making martinis and am pretty good at it. I really like using real martini glasses as well, which I will be doing tonight. Next weekend I am bartending a 21st birthday party at a loft in downtown Los Angeles, which should be interesting. If you are planning a holiday party and have not yet booked a bartender – don’t wait. Contact me today and put down a small deposit. I will hold the date for you.

Bartender modeling wine
Bartender modeling wine

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