Eco-Chic (and Cheap) Entertaining

Who says you can’t be stylish and sustainable all at the same time? With Earth Month just around the corner, we decided it was about time for another one of our green parties to show everyone just how well you can live and play while being kind to the planet.

On Wednesday, March 25th, Notes on a Party hosted our third installment of “A Night of Eco-Chic Entertaining,” at the hip New York venue Twelve 21, in celebration of our good friend, Josh Dorfman, and his new book, The Lazy Environmentalist on a Budget [1].

In the true spirit of being lazy and on a budget, we featured some of the best products and services in the green marketplace that were easy, eco-friendly as well as cost-conscious.

Besides some of our favorite eco-vendors including pingg [2](online invitation and event management) and Audiostiles [3](iPod styling), here are some of the best Eco-Chic Entertaining shortcuts from the party…

Use Everyday Items for your Tabletop

Sustainable designer Danielle Venokur of dvGreen [4]was inspired by Josh’s book [1]about being budget conscious so she designed a table using the books themselves as her tablecloth and Preserve Products including cutting boards for placemats and lidded sandwich containers as centerpieces. She purchased a few locally grown plants and herbs and included reusable LED lights for a big visual impact with a small carbon footprint!

Create a Market Table

Instead of tiny passed hors d’oeuvres that require a lot of staff (and leave you a little on the hungry side), try setting up a market table at your next party. The boys from Silkstone Events [5] prepared a lavish buffet for us of simple yet hearty (and organic) food including cumin roasted carrots, lemon thyme scones and classic Yorkshire Puddings with roast beef & horseradish. They used meat and poultry from Ayrshire Farms, which is certified organic and humanely produced. To top it off, they used plates by VerTerra [6], made from pressed, fallen palm leaves, which are affordable, compostable and biodegradable!

Buy Local and Organic Beer and Wine

Imported beers and wines can be expensive so why not lessen your carbon imprint by supporting American brands. Bonterra Wines  [7]has award-winning wines made in Mendocino country that use organically grown grapes, which they claim are good for the Earth and great for taste. After tasting their Chardonnay and Cabernet, we’d tend to agree. Peak Organic has 4 original brews that are made from barley and hops that are grown without pesticides or chemicals. We’ll toast to that!

Play Bartender at Home

Going out for drinks can quickly become a pricey night on the town when you order specialty cocktails. For our Eco-Chic party, Square One Organic Spirits  [8]created 3 incredible cocktails recipes – The Horizon, Basil Gimlet and Cherry Tart - using Stirrings Organic Cocktail Mixers [9]for just a fraction of the cost! Show off to your guests by replicating one of these delicious concoctions.

Cherry Tart [10]

In a rocks glass filled with fresh ice, add Square One Organic Vodka, Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice and Stirrings Organic Sour Cherry Mixer [11].  Mix well with a spoon and garnish with a stemless, pitted cherry or a grapefruit twist.

PHOTO CREDIT: Ron Holtz Photography

A seasoned event planner, Celia Chen is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Notes on a Party, an online magazine about entertaining that celebrates Events from the Inside Out™.  For a behind-the-scenes look at VIP events and more tips on party planning, visit http://www.notesonaparty.com [12].