Lonsdale Events Blog

Buying vs Renting for the Olympics?

noreply@blogger.com (Team Lonsdale) — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 23:04:00 +0000

Ahhh...the age old question, should I buy or rent? This question is on the minds of many who are facing short term needs for various 2010 Olympic opportunities.

There are times that buying makes sense & others that renting makes more sense. We would like to share some things we have learned over the years that might help you make the right decision for your situation.

Things to consider when buying:

can you source stock to buy at reasonable costs in time for your needs
are you able to get the right, long term items you are looking for or are you having to settle for items that only meet you basic needs for the short term
can you source containers & miscellaneous transport accessories needed for your items at reasonable rates
can you get your items in time for your needs, promised supplier delivery dates of stock can run late when demand is high...even for us, especially now
if you intend to sell your items after Olympics; are you being realistic in your post use resale values. There will be a tremendous glut of everything 'event' related for many years, similar to the Expo days. Currently, we end up selling our surplus stock at auction for 10-15 cent on our wholesale dollar. Craiglist is often more work than its worth.
do you have storage space for these items; are you counting on the expense of possible long term storage.
how do you plan on cleaning, servicing & maintaining your items. if you are outsourcing any of these functions, make sure your supplier will be able to handle the extra Olympic demands. Some of their priorities will be on their larger customers first
will you have the staff to process, clean & service your items. Is it the best use of their time?
for tax purposes, can you expense your purchase or will you have to amortize it over several years? Renting is a operating expense; not an asset addition, which may require amortization over several years.
is the rental rate cheaper than the purchase price
will you be able to make sure your inventory is managed effectively to prevent loss, theft & damage
do you have room to securely store items with ease when not in use?
what will you do with your items when your peak use is complete?
will you require any special delivery needs to move items around, if you do, how will it be done?

These are some of the most common considerations we come across, hope its helpful in your decision making process

10 reasons to start planing that XMAS party now

noreply@blogger.com (Team Lonsdale) — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 20:32:00 +0000

Here are some great reasons to not let that Christmas Party Planning go to late.

If you're in charge of planning your company's Christmas Party, then you might think that it's too soon to be thinking about Christmas. However, you'll soon realise that it's never too soon to be thinking about the end of year Christmas Party.

1. By booking well in advance you are much more likely to get the date you want, and not end up having your festivities on a Tuesday evening in January.

2. The popular venues are likely to be booked well in advance, so if there's somewhere you want to go, you'll need to book well in advance to avoid disappointment. If you're hoping for a swanky night club you don't want to have to compromise.

3. Perhaps you've seen a menu you want, but are not sure that you'll be able to have it on your chosen night. By booking in advance, the venue is much more likely to be able to accommodate your requirements.

4. Some party venues offer entertainment. Book early so that you get the entertainment package you want, and aren't left with somebody from accounts telling jokes!

5. Booking in advance is likely to mean that you get a good price for your party. You might get a reduced rate, or even some extras thrown in too!

6. If you plan ahead, there will be plenty of time for people to make plans. These plans can range from other offices or departments around the country travelling to the party venue, or staff in your office organising babysitters.

7. Because it is booked in advance, the Corporate Christmas Party will definitely be something to look forward to. People will be choosing and buying their outfits well in advance.

8. You might need to organise and book transport and accommodation if required. By knowing when your Christmas Party is, you might be able to get specials rates from hotels and taxi companies, even though it's for the festive period.

9. There are lots of things to organise for a really good Christmas Party, and the more time you have the better it will be. Why not see if the venue has a party planner to help you, and make sure you're Christmas Party is remembered for all the right reasons!

10. Being organised well before Christmas will put you in the festive mood!
Now you know why you need to organise your Christmas Party in advance, what's stopping you from doing it today?

Rental Tables Make For Poor Skateboards

noreply@blogger.com (Team Lonsdale) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 03:02:00 +0000

Although it may have seemed like a good idea at the time, in retrospect I think the Customer who rented these tables may now be convinced otherwise. It's now been tested quite thoroughly (seeing how there were...2) that our rental tables make for poor skateboards ramps.

We thought this quick story would be a good reminder to always make sure you don't overload the weight capacity of folding tables. Folding tables are built to withstand a few hundred pounds...but you know, with the weight dispersed evenly...not all in the center, or all to one side. We highly discourage the following uses: table dancing, large insane ice sculptures, extreme mountain bike planks, various wrestling uses, landing pad from a drunken tumble, large truck tire planks(too protect a lawn), a bed, or anything to do with flames that may come into direct contact with the wood. (please note: If you do require a table for one of these uses, we would be be happy to refer you to one of our local competitors:-)

BTW... if anyone has a video of the 2 unfortunate tables demise, we would love to see it:-)

Catering Trends; Whats in & Whats Out

noreply@blogger.com (Team Lonsdale) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 16:08:00 +0000

Menu Trends Adapt to Tough Economy

May 1, 2009 12:00 PM, By Christine Landr; Special Events Magazine

Want to know which catering trends are a flash in the pan and which continue to cook? Find out here.

Chic treats from Wolfgang Puck Catering

2009 has been a doozy. With everything from pirates to the economy grabbing headlines, fancy food isn't on the public's radar as it once was. So where does that leave those trendy, sometimes-pricey food movements, such as molecular gastronomy and eco-friendly fare?

In fact, some trends will evolve; some will emerge; and others will flourish. Caterers weigh in on what to expect.

ECO-FRIENDLY FOOD

Eco-friendly food is here to stay, most chefs say. Not that there won't be challenges. Matt Bencivenga, executive chef of Wolfgang Puck Catering in Los Angeles, notes organic suppliers often can't provide product for larger parties with less than a month's notice, but “sticking with things that are cage-free and humanely treated is a different story.” He adds, “They seem to have the supply of these things at a good level to handle high volume.”

Price points too are tricky, with “green” products often running higher than standard foodstuffs. Bencivenga notes a bag of regular red onions costs about $15, while a bag of organic ones can be more than $60. Similarly, regular chicken is $2.59 a pound, while eco-friendly Smart Chicken runs $12 a pound. In general, expect food from sustainable sources to cost 30 percent more, says Richard Mooney, president and CEO of Los Angeles-based Kensington Caterers.

Despite the potential for expense with eco-friendly menus, Cuisine Unlimited Catering & Special Events in Salt Lake City hasn't seen requests for green catering fall. “In fact, we have seen a substantial increase,” president Maxine Turner says. It's become a standard for many of the company's regular customers, including the Salt Lake City Visitors Bureau, the Sundance Institute and the University of Utah. Recently, Cuisine Unlimited had a hit with a locally sourced “100-mile” menu that included beef tenderloin from nearby Harris Ranch as well as an apple and cranberry tart made with Utah fruit.

Indeed, “eco-friendly” doesn't have to mean “more expensive.” Mooney notes that the local movement has encouraged the public to eat foods when they're in season, which means they will cost less. And Duvall Catering & Event Design in Charleston, S.C., takes that a step further. The company now grows its own herbs, garnishes and edible flowers. “This saves us at least a thousand dollars a year — plus they are fresher, hold up longer and taste better than buying from our produce supplier,” chef Charlie Giordana says.

MOLECULAR GASTRONOMY

Molecular gastronomy — where food meets science to flashy effect — is known for being all the things that are out of vogue these days: showy, expensive and high-maintenance. According to Randall Sabado, chef de cuisine of Chicago's Food for Thought, “The cost of the equipment and training required to produce molecular gastronomy puts it outside the budget of most catering clients.” On the other hand, while Keith A. Lord of Festivities Catering & Special Events in San Diego agrees that “the equipment and setup can be expensive,” he adds, “the raw ingredients and items such as liquid nitrogen and CO² cartridges are not.” In fact, chefs are split on molecular gastronomy's fate, but most agree that we shouldn't expect it to disappear like freeze-dried tomato dust in the wind.

Instead, expect to see molecular gastronomy as an addition rather than the main focus of a dish. As Bencivenga puts it: “These are bells and whistles that should be sprinkled throughout a menu to keep it sexy and current.” In fact, Festivities has a whole arsenal of molecular gastronomy-inspired garnishes, including foams, faux caviars and dusts. The team even turns red bell peppers into “leathers” to add to a tomato salad and makes a fizzy version of honey — similar to the novelty candy Pop Rocks — to complement a yuzu and star anise soup served in a small, hollowed-out, watermelon square. Lord, for his part, says the molecular gastronomy movement is here to stay, just not in its current form. “We expect to be using it in our everyday application five years from now, but practically — not so much as a flashy idea,” he notes.

COMFORT FOOD

Comfort food is comforting for a reason. As Mooney explains, “Not only are comfort foods often simpler and less expensive than their more elegant counterparts — think starch and fried! — they offer us gratification on a whole other level.” Hearty fare that calls home to mind tends to be very recession-friendly, and 2009 will likely prove that rule.

Cheese will be at the forefront of this movement. Look especially for fancy mac 'n cheese dishes with blue cheese, wild mushrooms, pancetta or black truffles, Mooney says. Another comforting favorite is an upscale version of a grilled cheese sandwich; for example, Kensington Caterers makes a manchego cheese and Iberian ham panini with a shot of heirloom tomato gazpacho. Another star: “Baked ‘fried’ chicken on a bed of root vegetable ‘coleslaw’ served in an unusual bowl is a lovely and inexpensive twist to a classic,” Mooney offers.

Comfort food can easily be cute food as well. “Small sizes give the impression that something is fancy,” says Food for Thought executive chef Chris Opper. Think mini burgers, milkshake shooters and cheesecake parfaits. Berghoff Catering & Restaurant Group in Chicago combines comfort and cute with a crowd-pleasing mac 'n cheese in a small Parmesan cup.

MICRO-MEALS

In the up-and-coming department, look for the micro-meal. Mooney describes the concept as “a small plate that has the components of a larger dinner plate but is significantly scaled back in portion size.” Or, put another way: “larger than an hors d'oeuvre but smaller than a full course,” Opper says. Micro-meals typically come with a 2-ounce portion of protein rather than 8 ounces and often appear at grazing parties, either butler-passed or at stations. They are great for cocktail receptions, Opper notes, because guests aren't “stuck holding a plate or trying to find a place to sit down and eat.” For his part, Lord likes to alternate between rounds of cold and hot micro-meals to keep costs down.

Some caterers find these pint-sized portions are an excellent way to offer extravagance on a budget. Food for Thought once presented seven downsized courses to 400 people. Three courses — a salad, soup and entree — can also go micro and still be satisfying. Recently, Festivities served a Peruvian ceviche, a saffron mussel soup with mussel beignets, and glazed short ribs with roasted Serrano chile-apple puree to raves.

THE SIMPLE APPROACH

With money tight, it's no surprise that simpler foods are back in style. “The trend is for chefs to edit and delete, treating the main ingredient with a high degree of respect,” says Patrick Cuccaro, general manager of Affairs to Remember Caterers in Atlanta.

It's hard to get much simpler than blanching vegetables. Chicago's Blue Plate does this for its popular first course or vegetarian entree gargouillou, which is an artful display of the season's bounty, says creative manager Sarah Finlayson. Each vegetable is blanched separately in its own water to preserve its flavor and is not “covered or hidden in sauces,” she notes. An arrangement might include fava beans, asparagus and Thumbelina carrots, for example. For additional flavor, chefs can blanch vegetables in different stocks or use varied salts, flavored oils or vegetable reductions.

And with simpler dishes now in vogue, expect more complicated fare to dip in popularity. Less likely to appear on the menu, according to Cuccaro, is an “Alaskan halibut with an herbed panko crust and shallot mashed potatoes topped with French fried onion slivers sprinkled with fennel pollen.” It's too fussy to fly in this economic climate. Mooney concurs: “Mercifully, gone is the trend towards needing 28 ingredients to make up one dish, which seemed de rigeur 10 or 15 years ago.”

Miracle Fruit; Tested & Approved!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Team Lonsdale) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:29:00 +0000

One certain, North Shore party rental company owner who recently celebrated his 40th birthday with a great bash tested out the new party fruit craze from the UK & New York...Miracle Fruit! http://ad.vu/p97a It was an interesting experience, let me share it w/u...

Firstly getting info about the product and making sure it was credible & safe. I found the info about the all-natural Miracle Fruit http://adjix.com/esty off Twitter (u can follow us @LonsdaleEvents) Everything seemed on the up & up so i then had it shipped in from the UK express. It actually came pretty quick, within a few days. It consisted of red crushed condensed Miracle Fruit. I sampled a portion when it came in. I was initially disappointed and thought i had been burned as it was not working...but it eventually kicked in and it was a surprise as i forgot i took it. I was enjoying a beer & thought something was wrong w/it. I asked my wife if she had put sugar in my beer...duh! Then it came back to me, the miracle fruit finally kicked in! From there, i tried lemon juice...tasted like lemonade, hamburger...sweet hamburger..etc, etc, lasted for about an hour. It was pretty exhilarating to try a bunch of different foods and see the spin it had.

Setting the Miracle Fruit buffet for the party: Our caterer for this event was The Butler Did It Catering http://adjix.com/esun, and they made a Miracle Fruit buffet using various sour food items. We put each portion of Miracle Fruit into a shooter glass, and put some info cards about the product on the table so people could read about it themselves. The bait was set, all we needed were the guests to dive it at the party!

The Party: Guests arrived, but no bites initially. We did not push them, but the Miracle Fruit buffet was front & center. Eventually, a few curious & adventurous guests stepped up & started trying it out...(after a few drinks of course). Next thing we knew, all 40 portions were gone and those people were walking around pleasantly shocked. It was first come first serve, they were limited in supply as they were nearly $8/shot. It really created some great fun at the party, and left people with some good post party stories.

Recommendation: ***** If your looking for an adventurous spin at your party, try them out. I thought they were great fun!

(side note: we have located a easier supply for them, althought the one we mentioned was great)

signed...the 40 year old!

The Lowdown on Rental Chairs

noreply@blogger.com (Team Lonsdale) — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 17:29:00 +0000

Lets talk rental chairs! we want to address some of the most common questions and concerns

1) Chair Prices: Why some chairs are $1.07 & others are $10.95?

Chivari Ballroom Chair: $10.95
Chivari Bar Stool: $8.75
Wood Folding Chair: $3.88
Banquet Chair: $2.99
Banquet Folding Chair: $2.45
Plastic Patio Chair: $2.65
Vinyl Folding Chair: $1.07

Chair pricing factors can be a bit confusing so lets clear it up. Chair pricing is based on the following factors:

How much space they take to warehouse & transport them
Our cost to purchase them
Is there a cushion
The amount of cleaning & maintenance they require to keep them in good condition for each rental
How durable they are and how much of a lifespan we can get out of them(and still maintain good quality levels)
What aftermarket resale value they have (after their rental lifespan is fulfilled)
(interesting note; chair comfort is not a deciding price factor)

2) Which chairs are best for inside my home?

We do a considerable amount of home parties, and this is a common question & challenge. Lets start by addressing the one of the biggest challenges; protecting your delicate floor surface so it does not get scratched by the chair feet. This is often overlooked detail, and is usually addressed 5 minuted before the party starts! (or too late after the party, when your faced with scratched floors) Be proactive, and address this ahead of time.

Possible Solutions:

Find a carpet / area rug to lay over the area the chairs will; be used in
Rent chairs with rubber feet(vinyl folding, banquet folding, banquet chairs: NOTE: even these chairs with rubber feet can scratch very delicate hardwood)
Before bringing chairs into your home, make sure all chairs have proper rubber feet and none have fallen off in transportation(this is rare, but it can happen)
Buy & apply felt floor protector 'stickies' to bottom of feet. (we do not put these on any of our rental chairs because our chairs end up in many different areas. Although we try & keep certain chairs for indoor use only, they do sometimes end up getting outside. When this happens dirt gets in the felt & it actually ends up being like an abrasive pad and really becomes a scratching mechanism)
If concerned about a delicate floor, come by the store to look at the various feet of the chair so you can make the best decision.

3) Do you set up & re-stack our delivered chairs rentals?

Typically no, but this service can be arranged at an additional labor cost of $45/hr per man. (Min. 1 hr charge) Arrangements for this service must be made well in advanced.

4) I'm picking them up, how much room will they take up?

This one is hard to give specifics on, but the thing to remember is folding chairs take the least amount of space. Stacking chairs take the most.

5) Which is the most comfortable chair to sit on?

This is mostly personal preference, but we surveyed our sales team as they have sat their fair share on many of our chairs and this is the overall order of comfort they listed.
(1 being most comfortable)

1. Folding banquet chair
2. Wood folding chair
3. Banquet stacking chair
4. Chivari stacking chair
5. Patio chair
6. Vinyl folding chair

How we help you to stretch your event budget

noreply@blogger.com (Team Lonsdale) — Thu, 04 Jun 2009 00:59:00 +0000

Planning an event or party can leave you faced with lots of decisions; there are so many options that can enhance your guests experiences. The challenge is usually not finding ones you want, (i.e....a DJ, event lighting, extra food, more alcohol, a band, patio heaters, extra catering services, specialty drinks, decor, lounge furniture, a new dress, next day cleaning service or over coarse extra funds for any by-law infractions that could arise if the party goes too well...)...its squeezing in as many as your budget allows.

Lonsdale Events is dedicated to helping our customers get more of the above into thier budgets with our everyday lower rates on our linens, tables, chairs, glassware, china, flatware, BBQ's & other miscellaneous items.

For over a decade we have been accomplishing countless unique & creative solutions to many of the inefficiencies experienced with operating a party rental company. Our notable accomplishments include areas in processing & packaging technology, high level quality control systems, customer satisfaction training, inventory management systems, information systems, international supplier relationships, GPS truck routing, a company wide performance bonus program & most recently our (working) carbon footprint reduction plan.

It is through these accomplishments and many others that we have been able to reduce our overhead costs without sacrificing high level customer satisfaction & very good product quality. In turn, our customers enjoy great savings & more value for their $$

We're dedicated to helping you squeeze more out of your event budget :-)