EPiC hosted a little impromptu small gathering in Montauk over the 4th July, and here are some of the results of our party-planning and crafting! Even though Independence Day has passed, there’s still plenty of time left this summer to plan a casual grill out with friends or just make a pitcher of sangria to keep on hand as a post- beach or work refreshment. Our new motto: #alwaysbecrafting
Menu:
We planned out our menu a few days in advance so that our trip to the grocery store wouldn’t have us in a frenzy. Nonetheless, our experience at the IGA in Montauk was exactly how one might imagine the grocery store right before armageddon: people screaming at each other, the checkout line circling the store, and old people getting trampled. We somehow managed to get out okay with all of our supplies (and helping a few of our elders out along the way)!
Hamburgers & Hot Dogs with all the fixins (we let let the guys take care of the grilling)
White Sangria (recipe below)*
Red & White Jello Shots (college throw back hit!)*
Watermelon Granitas (Used this recipe but added vodka! Image of our version is below.)*
*these food & bevies stay fresh for 2-3 days or longer, so great for storing in the fridge (freezer for the granitas) during a beach trip!
Decor:
We are all about reusable party decor items such as:
Paper lanterns - instant mood setters; we keep these in storage and bring them out for special occasions!
Bandanas - great for napkins, late night head accessories, or sand bag covers (see below).
Plastic paint palette - adds an element of creativity when used as a party tray! We had this lying around.
Mason jars with handles - these are great, inexpensive investments as they make every drink look delicious.
Red/White & Blue/White Paper straws - these are not reusable, but are an easy, fun way to dress up any drink and aren’t too pricey.
American flags - always need these for the 4th! You can reuse them every year.
White Sangria recipe (mades approx. 2 pitchers):
4 cups of white cranberry juice
1.5 liters of pinot grigio
2 cups of triple sec
2 cups of club soda
juice from 1 lemon & 1 lime
Fresh blueberries & strawberries
Mix all together and chill in the fridge!
Beach/lawn games:
The bean bag toss game we ordered online didn’t make it in time. So, what did we do? We made our own version out of sand, plastic bags our new EPiC koozies came in (photo below), colored tape (our favorite tool), red bananas, and plastic buckets.
DIY Sand bag toss
1. Scoop sand into plastic bag (ziplocks work great too)
2. Fold over plastic bag sides to make it square, and seal up with colored painter’s tape (masking tape works too).
3. Fold bandana into a triangle and place sand bag in the middle.
4 Fold the widest point of the triangle over and under sand bag, and fold the base of the triangle over the bag.
5. Wrap the remaining sides over (like a ribbon on a present) and tie in a bow.
6. If you only have one color bandana, use painters tape to make a stripe to distinguish teams. We made 3 bags per team.
7. Use 2 buckets or dig 2 holes in the sand as your targets and let the games begin!
Montauk beach life:
To see more of our 4th of July & other summer soirée inspirations, check out our new board on Pinterest by clicking here.