Holidays are well and truly over and work is in full swing with a very exciting 2013 looming ahead of us.  If you're anything like me and easing back into the new year with doing some planning, it will help you to know that Functions & Events is here to take the stress out of organising all those off site meetings, workshops and seminars you need to get booked in.  With 17 venues in Auckland and one in Christchurch, Functions & Events has plenty of options to ensure your year is well planned out.  Contact us today to see how we can help you info@functionsandevents.co.nz or call us on 09 573 0078.

We we’re finally getting over our Christmas food coma only to discover that we had more food in the office to enjoy as we worked between the holidays.  So as we munch on a slice of chocolate cake thanks to The Flying Moa we thought we’d let you know some of the best places to check out for New Years Eve 2012.

The Zookeeper’s Son in Royal Oak is celebrating its second New Years and this year are bringing back retro!  Wear your coolest retro outfit and receive a complementary glass of bubbles, house wine or tap beer to help you toast the end of a great year.  They’ll have a DJ playing all the best disco hits and best of all there is no cover charge!  Check out the event on Facebook.

For those that like something slightly low key but a bit special Moreton’s has something special planned for you this year.  Join them for a delicious two course meal for two including a bottle of sparkling wine priced at only $120.  Call them today on 09 575 9969 to make a booking.  They’ve also got live music from 9pm-midnight.  Check out their Facebook event here.

Degree is definitely the place to be in the Viaduct if you are keen to continue partying till the sun comes up!  Resident DJs David James and Steve D are joined by special guest DJ Russell H, to bring you a not to be forgotten night.  Resident VJ Simon has an innovative countdown to bring in the New Year.  Entry is free before 9pm.  Book a table for dinner by calling 09 377 1200.  Check out the Facebook event for more information.

Or perhaps you are staying over the bridge on the North Shore?  It’s become the favourite local for many people in Takapuna and The Elephant Wrestler isn’t planning to let anyone down this New Years.  Join Resident DJ, Russell H, as he takes you through to the countdown.  They’ll also have double loyalty points 8pm-10pm, so make sure you head to your favourite larger than life local this New Yaers.  Reserve your table now by calling 09 489 8030 or email events@elephantwrestler.co.nz  For more information check out the Facebook event.

Glenfield’s newest local, The Postman's Leg, is making a splash this New Years with their own party including DJ Mark H.  Join them as they toast in a new year and christen the bar with its first New Years.  They have plenty of drink specials including $5 bubbles and $2 off pints of Tui when you swipe your loyalty card.  Check out the Facebook event here.

Partying on the peninsula this year?  Head to Whangaparaoa’s newest bar JAC’s Trading Co. and join them as Take Note take the stage from 9pm.  Tickets are $5 or $10 on the door.  Check out the Facebook event here.

Or perhaps you are down in the South Island?  Head to The Running Bull in Christchurch as they hold their last party for the year.  There are plenty of Drink specials including $10 Vodka and Red Bull and $5 Sol or if you are feeling hungry grab a Traditional pizza for only $12.  Resident DJs Frofessor and Vladikul have some special treats lined up so make sure you check out the Facebook event here.

We've had cocktails and jam jars and now there is an exciting new drink available from today in selected bars; Blocktails.

Made from The IceBar Co. ice blocks for adults and matched with the perfect spirit to create a melt in your mouth style of drink. Blocktails come in three delicious flavours; Paihia Peach Punch, Muriwai Mojito and Mahia Mule.

“The IceBar Co. ice blocks – Lemon, Lime & Bitters; Classic Brewed Ginger Beer; and the new Summer Peach Ice Tea – really lend themselves to being added to drinks.  And as the flavours are designed for adult palates, we thought why not make cocktails with them,” Danny McNamee, bar manager at Ginger Minx in Auckland, says. 

Danny’s created the Paihia Peach Punch, a twist on the ‘Gin Derby’, a simple yet classic cocktail. “By pairing the flavour hit from the delicious Summer Peach Ice Tea with the unmistakable fragrant botanicals of Beefeater® Gin, lime and mint we came up with the Paihia Peach Punch.

“It’s inspired by a recent trip to the Bay of Islands. The Paihia Peach Punch combines the almost flowery bite from the Beefeater® Gin complementing the subtle peach tea flavour of the latest IceBar Co. ice block,” says Danny.

“It’s the perfect drink for a summer’s day sitting back watching the world go by.  Time to hide the ice blocks from the kids; this one is for the adults!”

 

Muriwai Mojito is a twist on the classic combining the award winning Lemon Lime & Bitters IceBar with Havana Club® Rum, mint and lime. 

And when the sun’s beating down, reach for a Mahia Mule – IceBar’s Ginger Beer ice block with Absolut® Vodka, lime, bitters and mint. Ultra cool served in a traditional mule stainless steel mug!

Blocktails are available at the following locations during the month of November for only $9.50

Auckland

• Basalt, Howick
• Celsius, Botany Junction
• The Dominion, Mt Eden
• Degree, Viaduct Harbour
• The Elephant Wrestler, Takapuna
• The Flying Moa, Mt Wellington
• Garrison Public House, Sylvia Park
• Ginger Minx, Mt Eden
• Goode Brothers, Botany Town Centre
• JAC's Trading Co., Whangaparoa
• Mama Loco, Westfield Albany
• The Merchant Bar & Kitchen, Westfield Albany
• Moreton's, St Heliers
• The Postman's Leg, Glenfield
• Villager, Remuera
• The Zookeeper's Son, Royal Oak

 

Christchurch

• The Running Bull, Riccarton

 

 Please enjoy The IceBar Co. Blocktails responsibly.

In my recent conversations with people organising corporate Christmas events, the general consensus is the majority of people want to do an activity along with their lunch or dinner.  It seems people aren't content anymore to just eat and drink, they require a team bonding activity as well.

 As such, I've come up with some great ideas for activities you can do before or after going to a Functions & Events venue for your delicious Christmas meal:

1. Paddle boarding on Takapuna beach followed by lunch or dinner at The Elephant Wrestler
2. Bowls at the local bowling club followed by lunch or dinner at your local
3. A stunt driving session at Drive Rush in North Harbour Stadium followed by a meal at The Merchant Bar & Kitchen
4. A tennis lesson or inter-company comp followed by a meal and drinks at your local
5. A pub quiz in a private function room while you enjoy your meal
6. Loads more options - just let us know what sort of things you'd like to do

We've got loads of great ideas so all you need to do is contact us and let us do all the hard organisational work for you.  Call Functions & Events today on 09 573 0078 or email info@functionsandevents.co.nz

When organising a function, it can be a bit hard to please everyone, especially when choosing wine.  People have specific likes and dislikes and won't hesitate in letting you know about them!  Choosing the right wine can be easy when you enlist the asssistance of knowledgeable staff. 

With excellent wines on our lists such as Man 'O War, Brancott Estate, Rabbit Ranch, and many more, you will be spoilt for choice, your guests will be satisfied and you will be organiser extraordinaire!  

You know how sometimes big things come along that seem really big and scary and like you are never going to be able to do it?  Well I am learning that the best thing to do in these situations is just to face the fear and get on with it!  Once the fear is faced and you work out all the logistical problems and deliver, it is a hugely satisfying feeling.  So if you've got the work Christmas party, or your birthday coming up, or a big corporate event that needs organising, don't get overwhelmed and feel swamped with how much there is to do, just face the fear and do it!  Part of facing the fear might be asking for help, so get in touch with Functions & Events and let us help 09 573 0078 or info@functionsandevents.co.nz

Every business owner and employee should have a clear idea of who their ideal client is.  That person who will provide your business with a key relationship, someone you love to work with and who speaks positively about you to everyone they meet. In identifying your key client, it's important to think about what and how much business they will give you, who they could refer you to, how enjoyable it will be working with them and how you can foster and develop that relationship.  An ideal client for Functions & Events would be the PA, EA, event organiser or meeting planner that has mulitple events to organise throughout the year, and doesn't want to waste time ringing round umpteen venues trying to find suitable spaces.  Functions & Events can help these people by providing them with multiple venue options so they get variety with their functions, and if one venue is unavailable, there will certainly be other options that are available.  If you know someone who could benefit from the services Functions & Events offers, direct them to our website www.functionsandevents.co.nz or get them to give us a call today 09 573 0078.

 

Last week the Functions & Events team headed down to the Ronald McDonald House at Grafton Mews to cook dinner for the 60 families staying there.  Our Executive Chef put together a wonderful meal which the families just loved.  We decorated the dining room with balloons for the kids and kept them entertained with Smarty Bag activity packs.  One little girl was so absorbed in her colouring in and sticker booking, that she forgot to eat dinner!

Our team thoroughly enjoyed themselves and it was great to be able to provide a small amount of relief for those who really need it.  Heaven knows the last thing you'd want to do at the end of a long day in hospital with your sick child, is cook dinner!  Talking to the families it was humbling to see that in the face of such stress and emotional turmoil, they still managed to stay positive, smiley and happy.  Makes you truly appreciate what is important in life.

Functions & Events and Barworks are aiming to make this a regular occurance and we're all looking forward to cooking more delicious meals for those who thoroughly deserve some spoiling!

 

Get organised for 2012 Christmas and book your Christmas function at Degree with these great Early Bird offers. 

Book and confirm your Christmas function with a deposit before the end of September to receive:

1.  Two complementary platters to greet your guests with upon arrival (for bookings with a minimum spend of $750).

2.  Complementary arrival cocktails for your group, plus a $50 Degree voucher to use on a returning visit (for bookings with a minimum spend of $2,500).

Enquire now info@functionsandevents.co.nz

Check out the Degree website here

Like the Degree facebook page

I was going to write a piece about important the little details are and then I came across this blog - says it all I think!

http://customerservice.eventmagazine.co.uk/2012/06/26/little-things-mean-a-lot-customer-service-for-the-events-industry/

 

It was all go around here last week with plenty of fun functions to keep us occupied.  We attended Chic Moa on Sunday 17 June at The Flying Moa.  The annual event saw more than 130 women get together to receive fashion tips from stylist Christina Jane, make up do's and dont's from Freckles & Blush, and Moa Clothing was there with racks and racks of beautiful, stylish clothes.  The bubbles were flowing, the food was delicious and the service was friendly and fantastic! 

You may not be aware, but as well as amazing venues, Functions & Events also does catering!  Thursday saw us assisting BNZ Partners with celebrating Matariki in style when we catered their 120 person sit down dinner.  The BNZ offices were transformed into a formal dining area, with designer lighting, a beautiful table setting and people ready to bring in the new year.  A good time was had by all with plenty of food and an outstanding performance by the Nga Puna O Waiorea kapa haka group. 

So onwards and upwards for the coming week, who knows what fun things will crop up in the coming days!

Having work social clubs and making the effort to have some fun with your colleagues, is important in creating an enjoyable and cooperative atmosphere at work.  Pub crawls, go karting, quiz nights - those are some pretty standard social club activities that get everyone involved, having fun and getting to know each other.  What about incorporating a cocktail making session and seeing people's creativity flow, enjoying a meal together with entertainment such as a stand up comedian or theatre sports for something a bit different, or create your own quiz specific to your group.

For assistance with ideas for social club get togethers, contact Functions & Events info@functionsandevents.co.nz

Life is busy.  That's pretty much a given for everyone.  And if you're not careful, time can get away on you and before you know it, it's been months since you've seen any of your friends, let alone got everyone together for a good catch up.  You don't need an occasion to get everyone together for a bit of function - just the reason that you're mates and need to hang out.  Some fun ideas for friend catch ups:

A breakfast/brunch, afternoon drinks and nibbles, a sit down dinner in a small private room, cocktail lessons and party in private room/bar, ladies lunch, long lunch - the list goes on!

For more great ideas or to lock your friends in for a Friends Function contact Functions & Events info@functionsandevents.co.nz

Winter is well and truly here with darkness descending early and a cold snap to the air.  I don't know about you, but I love a good mid-winter Christmas celebration for shaking away those winter blues and putting some cheer back into winter.  Functions & Events has some great options for mid winter celebrations, so rally the team and have some fun!  info@functionsandevents.co.nz

You want to make your function one that people will remember.  So why not organise something special for your event.  It could be something way out like a fire dancer or stilt walkers, something fun like a magician, comedian or band or something as simple as speeches and a few awards.  Your guests will appreciate the extra effort and it will give them something to remember your event for.

If you need ideas or help with organising something special, contact us on info@functionsandevents.co.nz for suggestions

Having the right venue for your function can make or break the success of your event.  Here are a few things to think about when choosing a venue:

1.  Guest numbers.  It may sound like an obvious one, but make sure the venue you choose can comfortably accommodate your guests.  If the venue is too small, uncomfortable will be the word of the day; too large and it will be difficult to create a fun and enjoyable atmosphere.

2.  Convenience.  You want your venue of choice to be easy to locate, have plenty of parking and be easy to access.  If you choose a venue that is hidden away and difficult to find, your guests will end up being stressed, late or possibly lost!

3.  Wet weather options.  If your function is being held at a fickle time of year weather wise, ensure your venue has wet weather cover or is a venue where the rain won't impact your event.  Keep in mind the average temperature and make sure there is adequate air conditioning in summer and heating in winter.  It's super hard to concentrate if you're sweating up a storm or chilled to the bone!

4.  Venue Inspection.  The majority of venues will welcome an inspection by their clients as it gives them an opportunity to showcase their site as well as meet their customers and get a thorough understanding of their needs.  By meeting venue staff, it helps you to feel more comfortable that you have chosen the right venue for your function and confident that the event will run smooothly.

5.  Venue Services.  Make sure you have a good understanding of what services the venue provides.  Do they supply food or do you need to organise an external caterer?  Are staff provided with venue hire?  Are security staff included in venue hire?  Are there any restrictions the venue has in place?  For example, some venues have decorative restrictions where you can't attach decorations to walls.  Can you play our own music or does it have to be the house music?  If you have special dietary requirements, can the venue accommodate those or are you allowed to bring your own food?

These points are a small snapshot of things to think about - when organising a function there are a multitude of things to think about!  However, if the basics are covered, the rest is easy!

 

I know it's only May, but all those super organised PA's, EA's and Event Organisers are already booking their corporate Christmas functions!  Key dates in December are already booking out at many of our venues and I thought it was a perfect time to talk about ideas for 'event extras' and how to raise your function above the norm.

Begin planning your function with a party planning checklist.  Once a venue and menus have been decided on, it's time to start thinking about decorations.  Some venues will provide a Christmas tree, basic decorations and organise all the extras for you, while at others you may be required to bring your own.  It's a fun way to start your event with a group of you decorating the tree, putting up balloons and Christmas crackers on the table; it gets everyone relaxed, enjoying themselves and in the Christmas spirit.  On the other hand, it's great to be able to just walk into a venue and know everything will be set up ready for you and you didn't have to lift a finger!

Organise arrival 'Christmas Cocktails' or an arrival glass of bubbles for each guest - a fun, welcoming way to get the evening started.

Centrepieces are a great way to distinguish your function as being special and something as simple as a small bunch of flowers in the middle of the table can really brighten up a room and make it feel extra special. 

Enlist the help of the Function Coordinator at the venue where you are holding your function.  Chances are, the venue will be able to organise many of the 'event extras' for you.

If you are interested in talking about options for your 2012 Christmas event, contact Functions & Events.co.nz on info@functionsandevents.co.nz

 

 

1.    Remove the hassle of searching for a venue - let us know your function requirements and we will find a venue to best suit you.

2.  A variety of venues to suit different occasions - Christmas parties, corporate meetings, presentations, seminars, birthday parties, engagements, anniversaries, product launches and general celebrations, we've got it all covered.

3.  Loyalty Membership - become a valued customer and earn loyalty points for every function you hold at a Functions & Events.co.nz venue.  For every dollar you spend you receive one point, with 8 points being worth $1.  Redeem your points at any time - reward your staff and clients or use your points for your next function.

4.  Relaxed venues with professional service and comfortable surroundings.  Our experienced staff pay the utmost attention to detail to ensure all your requirements are met and your guests have a truly memorable experience.

5.  Extensive selection of menus - we cater formal sit down meals, buffet meals, finger food and canapes as well as our a la carte menus.  Our chefs will work with you to create a menu that will delight and impress with any special dietary requirements catered for.

With those 5 fabulous reasons to book your next function or event at one of our venues, contact us today to arrange viewing of venues or to book your next function.  info@functionsandevents.co.nz or call 573 0078

We all know our staff are what really sells our products or services.  That's why it is important to invest time and effort to ensure they are trained properly.  Too often a waiter will have to run back to the kitchen to confirm what the daily specials are, or a customer service assistant will um and ah about the qualities or advantages of the product they are trying to sell you.  A well thought out and organised training program can change all of that and boost your sales and reputation.  Here at Functions and Events.co.nz we have an inhouse training manager who is dedicated to running training programs for front and back of house staff.  We have noticed an increase in the levels of enthusiasm of staff once they have completed one of our courses and an increase in sales.  With positive results like this we will definitely be continuing with our training!

The phrase 'team building' seems to inspire groans and eye rolling amongst most people I know, but it doesn't have to be like that!  Team building can be so fun and is really a great way to get to know your colleaugues and build better working relationships.

There are plenty of companies out there providing team building activites, however you don't need to get all fancy to organise your own team building sessions.  Pubs all around Auckland run quiz nights that are really fun to get involved in and there's nothing like a bit of healthy competition to generate a good laugh and give you the chance to learn more about the people you work with. 

Cocktail making sessions is another fun activity.  Book a private room at a bar and ask the bar tenders to help you with planning.  Give your team a list of ingredients they will be able to use, get them to create their own cocktails and then make them.  A relaxed setting and a few drinks will bring everyone together for a thoroughly enjoyable time. 

If you're interested in organising team building for your team, check out www.motivaction.co.nz an Auckland based team building company with loads of experience or contact Functions and Events info@functionsandevents.co.nz

I don’t know about everybody else, but I’ve always been a bit nervous attending networking events.  It can be very difficult to walk up to a complete stranger and strike up a conversation; what if they don’t want to talk to you, or worse, what if you get stuck in a conversation you can’t get out of?  Networking is not an innate ability, but a skill that can be learned through practice. 

I realised this last week at an evening networking event at The Zookeeper’s Son in Royal Oak.  I decided this networking event was going to be different.  My plan was to march up and start talking to people then move on once our conversation was exhausted.  And you know what?  It worked!  There were around 30 – 40 local business owners and representatives at the event.  Everyone was interested in drumming up new business for themselves and learning about what’s on offer in their local community.  Many people were visiting The Zookeeper’s Son for the first time, so they discovered a great new local and I saw many of the attendees discussing new business opportunities with their new contacts.  Personally, I got to talk with a range of interesting people and generated some great leads.  I will definitely be giving networking events another go!

HOT TIP – Go into your next networking event with confidence and a positive attitude.  Be ready to promote your business and hear about others.  You may not get measureable business from your first event, but you will increase awareness.  Happy networking!

Happy New Year everybody! The teams at Functions and Events are ready for another big year and have a lot of things in the pipeline.

We are already working on packages for Auckland’s big events coming up such as pre-game hospitality packages for the Bledisloe Cup at Eden Park and the New Zealand v Ireland rugby match, we have function space in the heart of the Viaduct for the Volvo Ocean race allowing those who get in quick enough to book prime location to welcome those for the Auckland stopover not to mention we will also be at convene to showcase the many venues we have throughout Auckland and Christchurch.  It’s going to be an exciting year and with the help of our clients we hope to make it a memorable one.

Handy Tip:  Social Functions – When organizing a function, ask for input or ideas from your guests. You don’t want to be booking a venue that half your staff or colleagues despise or find it hard to organize their transportation to and from. Also, think about the smaller things, do people have enough time to get there after work, does everyone know the dress code and what time do you expect everyone to arrive? As the last thing you want is for the bulk of the food to come out when barely any of the guests have arrived.

What a fantastic year we had last year at Functions and Events!

Rugby World Cup turned out to be a great success for our venues and was great for those corporates that organized their functions from multinationals such as DHL right through overseas agents from England, France and South Africa to name a few. With events such as corporate hosting on the viaduct, pre-game hospitality only a stone’s throw away from Eden Park right down to dining in exclusive dining rooms all over Auckland for those who wanted something a bit more intimate while watching those last teeth clenching knockout matches.

With Christmas queries coming through by the dozen shortly after the final whistle there was no time for the team at Functions and Events to wind down – with all kinds of events such as cocktail parties in The Elephant Wrestlers sun kissed courtyard, social drinks and nibbles in the bustling viaduct, ladies lunch in the new Merchant Bar and Kitchen in Albany right through to intimate sit down dinners for 60 in the stunning Bridgman Room with Valley Rooftop Terrace our clients definitely found themselves spoilt for choice.

BUT IT DOESENT STOP THERE!

With 2012 bringing wonderful and exciting new things the team at Functions and Events are working hard at offering client packages for Bledisloe Cup and other Eden park Events not to mention day time corporate and business meetings in our fully equipped and exclusive function rooms if you’re planning something this year and want to have a stress free time doing it – contact us now and let us cater to your taste, needs and budget!!!

Handy tip for the New Year: When dealing with clients in today’s modern society, too many people are hiding behind their emails while trying to build relationships. Try giving your valued clients a courtesy call to see how things are and if they are happy with the service they are currently receiving– you will be surprised at the new opportunities that will arise. These may be referrals for companies and contacts that are interested in your services through to finding out further details about your client and what processes they make when making decisions which will help you find ways to further apply your goods and services to their company.