Summer: Months for Musing & Sushi Making

A whirlwind of joy, a journey home and juggling new clients and fantastic visitors have been the composition of my July. Although, I have missed my readers and fellow bloggers during my month of vacation, I have so much to share from my month of musing that I don't know where to begin! It seems only appropriate for this OCDite to begin at the beginning and tell my summer stories in chronological order, right? So, here is a tale of entertaining my friends before my July journey began.

Readers, I hope you enjoyed my last entry on the "joy of cooking" and maybe even tried my easy tequila chicken recipe, but I know for some, that the thought of cooking only stirs up fear rather than delicious food. So this post is for those of you who love to throw a party, but don't want to do the cooking yourself. This OCDite has discovered a way to satisfy and impress your guests without having to lift a finger in the kitchen!

Tip: Hire a private chef (much more reasonably priced than you might think). Chef Andi Therrien, a personal chef and sushi making master, uses her skills to engage guests in preparing the food, so you don't have to!


Chef Andi Therrien and I showing off my roll

 Now for most, this concept of no cooking makes for super simple planning and gratifying results as a happy host. However, as you've been reading my thoughts for the past few months, you readers may have already guessed that nothing is simple - although, always fabulous - on this OCDite's turf. I just can't plan anything without striving to perfect the details. So, in the timeline below, I will show you the process of how I accomplish the perfect party.

OCDite Party Timeline

•  Pre-party shopping: I like to shop around for the best deals, and more importantly, the most perfect items. After this particular party, I am now a member at Marakai Market, an Asian-inspired grocery and marketplace in Costa Mesa. Although, Mitsua (one of my favorite and first experiences with Asian markets) has a beautiful selection of food, Marakai stocks its shelves with the other items you might need: Japanese-style bamboo flip flops (a polite and fun way to tell my guests to take their shoes off), printed fans for placeholders and Japanese paper doll bookmarks which I used for name tags.

The perfect party accessories can make a memorable statement

• Party Set-up: As I finish my make-up, I run through my mental list: 1) light the candles, 2) sweep one last time, 3) finish attaching name tags to the placeholders, and 4) arrange the table and decorations to suit a photo shoot for the cover of Real Simple magazine, because you never know . . .
• Pre-party Meditation: I use the time while I'm blow-drying my hair to breathe myself out of OCDite crazy time and into relaxed hostess with the mostess.
• Party Time: Personally greet every guest, and make them feel comfortable (open a bottle of wine, and everyone is happy). Then, and only then, indulge in the experience with your guests, but try not to show your freak-out when someone spills soy sauce on your Peroba wood table.



Beautifully prepared, delicious food is the heart of any party



• Post-party Cleanup & Calm: By the time I go to bed, it's 3 am, but the dishes are clean, the kitchen is sparkling, the floors are now free of fish roe, and the table linens are washed, dried, and folded neatly back in the linen closet from whence they came. Before sleep, relish in the success of your party, engrain in your mind the smiles and discoveries and even the spills which are now also a memory of the night. And then, pass out.

If you're interested in hosting your own sushi-party, I can't say enough about the memorable experience we had with Chef Andi Therrien. Email her at: chef.andit@gmail.com for your next party.



Fun and festive - a themed party is something everyone will enjoy.

 Happy Hosting!