On this #WomanCrushWednesday we want to recognize our dear friend and loyal THS customer, Kara Modica. For the last 7 years she’s hosted one hell of a party aptly named Bloodies, Bitches, and Brunch. As promised, there’s a very well stocked bar, a mix of rad ladies from her many walks of life, and an impressive spread of delicious food. For the last 4 years The Hunt Shop has been invited to set up a pop up shop in her loft. We eat, drink, mingle, laugh, and try on clothing. It’s the kind of party that everyone remembers, and we all aspire to host.
As someone who loves to host, I know a great party doesn’t just happen – though the best parties feel that way. Kara manages to walk the line between preparation and spontaneity resulting in party where you never run out of forks, but also feels organic. How? Well, I’ve thought about this a lot, and here are my thoughts 🙂 To throw a great party you must do the following: planning, execution, and something extra.
Planning doesn’t mean set aside a day to pick up some food and blow up some balloons. That’s execution which I’ll talk about in a second. Planning is laying out the framework for everything. Start big (picking the date, laying out the menu, making your guest list) and work your way down to the nitty gritty (on Tuesday I’ll order cupcakes and on Thursday I’ll pick them up). It’s important to pick days and times to tackle tasks. There are always things that simply can’t be done in advance. Leave these things, and these things only, for last. As guests arrive you can be setting up the bar or chopping veggies for hummus, but please don’t be teetering on a ladder cleaning a fan. It’s awkward for everyone.
Execution is accomplishing the tasks that you planned above. If you plan well, this can be very efficient. Something will inevitably go wrong in this stage, so it’s best to just accept that now. The party will go on, and if you keep your cool, few people will know about it.
You can have a good party following the two steps above, but a great party usually has something extra. This is what I have learned from Kara. She always has a surprise for her guests and it makes all the difference. It doesn’t have to be over the top just something unexpected. Past surprises include a fashion show (after many, many bloodies), musical performances (I remember an accordion in 2015), and tarot card readings.
This year she surprised us with special guest Pam Whooo? – a fierce drag queen with lashes and legs for days. Pam graced us with a spirited performance to You Better Work B*tch by Britney complete with A+ dance moves and shake weights.
Pam also had the honor of announcing the last, and most exciting, surprise of the day that Kara is expecting! Looks like there might be one more teeny tiny bitty at the 8th annual Bloodies, Bitches, and Brunch.
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