Ode To The Office Party

So obviously there haven't been any blogs posted in December...bad for you, good for us because it means we've been PARTYING! Well...helping others party anyway. Flashing Lights Events wants to take this time to thank all of our December clients. It's been a great ride! Our clients are awesome, and they've all enjoyed their parties. From the small house parties to the massive company parties, we've had our smoothest December ever! This blog is our special ode to the company casino party.

Ah, the annual company party. The networking hub. The Great Escape. Line-Dancing central. Expect the unexpected. We've seen VP's swing from the chandelier and assistants dance on the bar. We've seen the new guys throwing up in the punch bowls. We've seen the office lush grab the mic. We've seen the nice lady in the corner cubicle split her pants on the dance floor. The arguments over who won the bread maker in the raffle. The shove fests over who won the most money in casino chips. The colleague wearing the "give me a raise" dress. The guy in the tuxedo T-shirt. Inappropriate conversations (hey, we're not at work!). Unforgettable announcements. Yes, company party, we've seen it all this year. We've heard it all this year. We can't wait to do it all again next year because Flashing Lights knows that you won't learn from the mistakes of the previous year.

Here are a few snaps from one of our company parties, held at Table Seven restaurant.

The Suits Were Out!

Our casino parties have been epic. Our parties have been glamorous. Our parties have been so memorable that some guests can't remember what happened. And then, some of our parties are just...like this one. Back in November, there was a 50th birthday bash for one of our clients. It was a mix between a family reunion and a player's ball. IT.WAS.A.HOOT! This was one of those rare events where the roulette table was the hottest table of the night. Everyone had a great time, especially the photographers. I love the way middle aged African Americans party. It's fun, the music is great, they dance all night and the dancing is tasteful, and they actually DRESS UP for the occasion.The ladies came out, and so the did the suits! The only guest missing was Steve Harvey himself! I'm young, and I hate to be a traitor to my generation, but COME ON people! If the invitation says dressy attire, follow directions. I love how middle aged people follow directions. Enjoy the pictures. We sure did.

40 Years, No 40 Winks Tonight!

Once upon a time, far far away on the Houston/Katy border, a lovely lady decided to throw a casino party, and it was lovely. A very memorable family in an unforgettable neighborhood. A bit of a worrywart, so we constantly put her at ease, which we didn't mind in the least. When the party began, she was all smiles and ready to let the good times roll. Craps, blackjack, roulette, red carpet, a great DJ (DJ CRAZY LEGS IS THE BEST DJ IN HOUSTON!), savory buffet, red carpet, and great friends. This is the way you celebrate your 40th birthday. Great company, great sponsors, and great drinks (ahem)...the drinks....OH, the drinking. By the end of the night, well...that IS the way you celebrate your 40th birthday. Check out some pictures of the festivities.

HOW TO THROW A SUCCESSFUL PARTY

There is an art to throwing a successful party. The day of the week, the venue, the entertainment, the music, the guests, the food...these are all key factors in how successful your party will be. Of course, when throwing a successful shindig, it doesn't hurt if you have the power to name drop, and those "names" are actually in the building.

We hosted a very successful shindig on October 22nd (perfect weather that night, which is also a key factor), and the guests poured in from all walks of life. Politicians, entertainers, athletes, business owners, and many more big-wig Houstonians. This was Dallas Jones' 30th birthday party, so attention had to be paid. Young, positive, motivated, and a sharp dresser...not to shabby. The live jazz band was a hit, and the DJ capped off the night with Houston's own familiar tunes. The h'orderves were perfection (mini chicken and waffles? genius!), the bartender was the hero, and the casino tables were hot, hot, hot all night! No stone was left unturned, all T's were cross and all I's were dotted.

My favorite guest of the night was U.S. Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee. Ms. Lee has had a special place in my heart for years. She will probably never remember me or know my name, but (sigh) she has left a footprint in my life. I first met her when I was 14 in D.C. She happened to be at the Capitol when my school was on a D.C. tour. She sat with us in one of the rooms in the building and answered all of our questions. I've seen her 3 times this month in random places, and she's always nodded my way. Whether she remembers me from each previous time we've seen each other, I'll never know, although I stand at a statuesque 6'2" (a memorable height for a woman), who knows how many 6'2" women she runs into everyday. Oh, how I wish I could dedicate this entire blog entry to my congresswoman, but alas, I've totally digressed..

Check out some of the pictures from the party, which was held at the Kenfolk Foundation Mansion in the heart of River Oaks (venue, key factor!).

The Hottest Party In Houston...I Mean Fresno

The sun fried us. We were ants under the magnifying glass. We were sizzling bacon strips. The sweat poured like wine. My clothes and skin became one. It was the most brutal set up of the season, mainly because it was an outdoor event. The 3-car garage, plus a huge tent set up in the driveway, was filled with casino tables (blackjack, roulette, craps), DJ equipment, slot machines, chocolate fountains, tables, a bar, red carpet and lighting. Not to mention the huge gymnasium-type fans. My head was spinning from attempting to balance my set up time with my stand-in-front-of-the-gymnasium-fans time. In the end, the sweat, sweat and tears was worth it, and once the party started later that night, the heat wasn’t so bad. The party was a success, the guests had a ball, and the clients were so satisfied that they requested our services for an additional hour that night. I must say, this was the HOTTEST (literally and figuratively) party in Houston, ahem, Fresno. The heat didn’t stop the show. The dancing commenced, and the drinks flowed all night. The food was impeccable and the DJ was the hero. Nothing for miles and miles but gas stations and a Jack-In-The-Box, but they sure know how to party in Fresno! Check out some pictures of the set up. The client did the decorating herself, and she did a pretty good job. Sorry, no party time pictures…can we say NSFW? Yeah, I just did. NSFW!

IT WAS PROBABLY THE PARTY OF THE CENTURY...

BUT the client was very private. He didn't allow us to take any pictures during the event out of respect for the guests privacy. He did, however, allow us to take pictures of the set-up before the event. Not the same (boo hoo!), but fine with us. Take a look! From the looks of the photos, it looks plain Jane, right? You could never tell this event took place in a plush neighborhood in a gorgeous home....I mean GORGEOUS! So, it was probably the IT party of July, but we'll never know ;-). Nevertheless, the client was satisfied and we're looking forward to more of his business.

WELCOME TO OUR CRAZY WORLD!

As you can see, we're brand new....to blogging. Yup! Brand spanking new, fresh out the oven, ready to entertain some Houstonians and Dallasites with our casino parties, poker tournaments, cocktail casino parties, baby shower casino parties, wedding reception casino parties, and basically any happening event that needs a little blackjack in it's life :-). We are FLASHING LIGHTS CASINO PARTIES AND EVENTS....OR FL EVENTS, and we party...hard. We are a casino party service in Houston, TX. We service the entire Houston area, and, as of recently, the Dallas area.

Check out our website, flashinglightshouston.com, for more information and for booking your next casino event. We are proud of what we've accomplished so far, and we want to share it with the world, starting today.

Until then, thanks for reading and cheers! from FL Events crew!