A Root Beer Float Bar (for pirates)

This month we had a root beer float bar housewarming party. I didn’t take any pictures during the party. I didn’t even take a picture of the table’s final setup. But nbd, I’m writing about it anyway.

Decoration: Since it’s October, and everyone is obsessed with black and white Halloween parties right now, we went with a pirate theme. We spent a few dollars on vintage parrot prints, but other than that, Chris happens to be the proud owner of a crapton of pirate booty: a giant pirate flag, pirate serving trays, pirate hats, pirate keys, a pirate nutcracker, an eye patch, and a pirate apron that says, “Captain Cook: surrender your buns.” Obviously. The guy loves pirate stuff. And I love him.

Food:

• For the root beer, we had a dozen different kinds of bottled root beers and a little keg of our favorite root beer (Virgil’s). I found the majority of brands at BevMo, but I also picked up a handful of brands at Whole Foods and Cost Plus World Market. 
• Our vanilla ice cream was Three Twins Ice Cream and Double Rainbow; both are Bay Area treasures. 
• Also: in the living room we had a stash of goldfish crackers for a salty (and piratey) contrast. 

Bonus: Here’s the public service announcement. Party rental stores are awesome. I definitely thought party rentals were limited to weddings, or corporate events, or the fabulously wealthy. But we rented fifty beer steins for a piddly twenty bucks, and they made putting your float together a little more special.

britt