SHOP BRUNCH BASICS AND HOST BRUNCH LIKE A PRO!

Oh brunch! I'm so immersed in the DC brunch culture by now. This city is all about having brunch, and bottomless mimosas. It's fantastic!

Sometimes it's nicer to make it happen at home, though. Close friends, comfy sofas and endless hours of fun. My dearest friend Carlos was in town this past weekend, and I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate than having a Winter Sunday Brunch. Would you offer brunch during the winter?

It's overwhelming sometimes to think about organizing an early-in-the-day-event. This time I invited guests at noon, and I was not planning on missing my 8 hours of sleep - I get grumpy if I don't sleep properly. Does that happen to you too?

Anyways, the secret of being ready on time is to do as many things as possible in advance. If you can do it the night before, even better! This is what you will need:

SHOP BRUNCH BASICS

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Set the table.

I always try to take care of this first, because it's the prettiest part! So, here's the process:

STEP 1 - Place all trays and platters where you want them to be; and

STEP 2 - Write down what will go on each of them - I use little pieces of papers. If I do this the night before, I can take all the time I need to arrange them as I like it, and have more time in the morning to finish preparations.

I took some pictures of the table with and without food to show you how this works. It definitely speeds up the process.

STEP 3 - You can also leave fruits and vegetables washed and ready to display. If you are planning on cooking that same day (only if you HAVE to) think about easy things - I would go for 20 minutes max per dish.

STEP 4 - Add several types of bread, cheese and spreads. It doesn't have to be difficult, marmalade and peanut butter are great options!

STEP 5 - And veggies! Get some healthy deliciousness going on :) Skewers are my way to go. Easy to make and can be paired with different sauces.

And relax! Don't forget to have fun. Grab a drink, take a seat, enjoy the event.

If a friend offers to help with preparations, say yes! If someone wants to bring a dish, say yes too! This will make your party even more special and take some weight off your shoulders. (Thanks Drew for the delicious egg thingies! and everyone for the bubbles. Yum!)

So, do you have any easy recipes for brunch? I really had fun organizing this one, and I'm planning on doing it more often. Please share your ideas, tips or questions. Would love to hear from you! xo.