Have a Block Party! Step 4 Decide on Food. A party isn't a party without food and any other activities are just gravy. See Sample Menu and Recipes.

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1 Have a Block Party! Throwing a block party is a terrific way to meet your neighbors, build a sense of neighborhood, and just plain have fun! The City of San Leandro encourages neighbors to throw block parties and has put together this packet to make planning Block Parties easier. This packet includes: Special Conditions Menus and Recipes Fun & Games Party Invitations Step 1 Have a Planning Party. Invite a few neighbors over to plan the party. Think of the planning process itself as an opportunity to have fun and make some lasting friendships. Try to involve neighbors you don't know well who may know other neighbors you don't know well. Don't stress over planning the perfect party sometimes the most casual events are the most fun. Step 2 Choose a Location. You may be able to close off the street in front of your block if you want to hold activities right in the street. If you want to close a street, you will need to get a free Application for a Block Party Permit, which is included in this packet. If you want to hold the party in yards and don't want to close a street, the City doesn't require permits or insurance. Remember that closing the street does have the advantage of making your party feel like a true block party rather than a private event. Step 3 Choose a Date. Try to pick a date 4-6 weeks in advance to allow plenty of time for planning, notifying neighbors and obtaining a Street Closure Permit if needed. Step 4 Decide on Food. A party isn't a party without food and any other activities are just gravy. See Sample Menu and Recipes. Step 5 Decide on Activities. To spice up your party, you may want to include some games and activities. Some block parties come at the end of a block cleanup, a block garage sale, or a day of tree planting; others have a theme such as Fourth of July or celebrating some real (or made up) neighborhood anniversary. See Fun and Games for ideas. Step 6 Deliver Invitations. Deliver invitations at least a month before the party to allow people to plan and as a courtesy to neighbors with special needs (e.g. daytime sleepers, expecting deliveries) who may need to communicate with you. Invitations are most effective if they are personally delivered. You may want to put reminders under people's doormats about a week before the party. For an invitation you may want to use one of our included samples. 1

2 Step 7 Set Up. If you will be closing a street, you need to call Public Works two days prior to the party so that they can deliver barricades. Step 8 Observe Neighborhood Courtesies. Remember to make your block party a positive experience for all of your neighbors, even if they choose not to attend. Make it easy for neighbors to get out of their driveways and through the street. Keep noise levels low after 10:00 p.m. Step 9 Have Fun! 2

3 Cutting the Red Tape The City of San Leandro defines a block party as an event, which uses a portion of the public street for the purpose of celebrating a special event or holiday. Block parties must be conducted as required by the special conditions for proper barricade placement and maintenance of emergency and other vehicular access. We know that the last thing you want to worry about when planning a party is government red tape, so we've made the process as painless as possible. 1. The intent of Block Party Permits are required to better enable the City of San Leandro to provide for the safety of the participants, to protect property, and to coordinate the provision of municipal services. Information requested in this application will assist in determining necessary City assistance and requirements or conditions. 2. Please complete the attached form and return it to: City of San Leandro, Police Department, Administrative Services Division, 835 East 14 th Street, San Leandro, CA at least twenty (20) days (if City streets or other public grounds are to be used); or thirty (30) days (if State highways-davis Street/East 14 th Street/Doolittle Drive-are to be used) prior to the date of the event. If you are confused or need further information, please contact the police department at If further information is needed, the Police Department will contact the person named in question #1. 4. The application must be COMPLETE and SIGNED by the applicant. 5. If another individual or organization has filed an earlier application for a parade, assembly, block party, or special event to be held at the same time and/or place, the later applicant may be asked to apply for an alternate time and/or place. 6. Fees: A required payment needs sent in with the application. The fee is designed to partially recover the costs incurred in processing permit applications. 7. The Block Parties are exempt from needing insurance. 8. The City of San Leandro Manager will approve or deny the application, and written notice will be mailed at least eight (30) days before the proposed Special Event date. The applicant has the right to appeal the denial of a permit to the City Council, if a written notice of appeal is filled with the City Clerk within two (2) days after receipt of the notice of denial. 3

4 Special Conditions 1. Applicant will be required to leave a 12-foot wide path on one side of the street clear at all times during the street blockage. This is necessary to provide an emergency fire lane in the event of an emergency. 2. Applicant is to contact the Public Works Service Center at at lease one week prior to the activity, to make arrangements for barricades, which will be put up by the applicant on that day of the activity. If you do not call then barricades will not be provided. The Service Center will pick them up the following day following the activity. 3. The applicant must contact the San Leandro Fire Department at or for specific arrangements relating to the 12-foot path. 4

5 Sample Menu If you want to have a good party, you've got to have good food! Here are three ways to organize your food: 1. Pot Luck Every household is assigned to bring one dish. It can be an appetizer, salad, main dish, side dish, dessert or beverage. When organizing a "pot luck," keep a master list of food assignments. You will also need to keep track of the number of neighbors attending the party and the varieties of food dishes. Pot luck meals offer the greatest variety of dishes. 2. Community Menu Like a "dinner club", you may want to plan a menu and assign each household a specific food dish or beverage. It's a good idea to share the menu and recipes with your neighbors in advance. This method of organizing food works really well when planning a theme party. 3. Cater It Take up a collection and cater your party. Once you know how many neighbors to expect and how much you want to spend per person, all you have to do is place your order. The professionals do the rest. BEST BLOCK PARTY SAMPLE MENU Appetizers: Guacamole and chips Seven layer bean dip* Salads: Black eyed cabbage salad* Pasta salad supreme* Smashed potato salad* Tossed green salad Main Dishes: BBQ Chicken* Hamburgers Hot dogs Side Dishes: Corn on the cobb Grilled vegetables* Cowboy baked beans Garlic bread Desserts: BBQ'd Apple crisp a la mode* Chocolate chip cookie bars Watermelon 5

6 Block Party Kit: Recipes SEVEN LAYER BEAN DIP 1 can refried beans 8 oz. container guacamole 8 oz. container sour cream 1/2 C. chopped black olives Assemble layers in order given in bowl. Serve with chips. BLACK EYED CABBAGE SALAD (good for a large group) Combine: 1 head cabbage shredded or chopped (or 1/2 head each green and purple cabbage) 1 pkg. (1/2 C) slivered almonds, sautéed in butter (optional to sauté) 1/2 jar (1/8 C) poppy seeds Toss above ingredients together in large salad bowl. When ready to serve, toss salad with dressing and 1/2 large container of Chow Mein Noodles Dressing: 1/2-Cup salad oil 6 Tbsp. rice vinegar 4 Tbsp. sugar 1 tsp. salt & pepper Combine ingredients in jar and shake to mix well. (Do NOT dress salad until ready to serve). Here are "extras" to add more crunch and texture: sliced green onions, diced green peppers, chopped celery, and sliced water chestnuts. Substitutions: 6

7 For dressing: 8 oz. Bernstein's Lite Fantastic Oriental dressing For chow mein noodles: crushed Top Ramen noodles (seasoning packet omitted) CATT'S PASTA SALAD SUPREME 1 lb. Spiral pasta (multi-color red, green and white is pretty) 1/2 lb. Smoked ham or several strips of cooked bacon Small block of sharp cheddar cheese Small handful of parsley. 1 cup of mayonnaise Boil pasta and drain; let cool. Chop up ham or crumble bacon. Chop up cheese into 1/4inch squares. Chop up parsley. Mix cooled pasta with mayonnaise (if needed add additional mayonnaise until all pasta is coated). Add all other ingredients and mixed thoroughly until all are coated. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. Serves 8. SMASHED POTATO SALAD 3 lbs. Idaho russet potatoes (Do not peel or slice potatoes) Salt 3 large eggs, hard cooked 1/2 cup mayonnaise 2 Tbsp. spicy brown mustard 1 Tbsp. sugar 1 Tbsp. cider vinegar 1/2 tsp. black pepper 1/2 tsp. paprika 1/3 cup finely chopped sweet pickles 1/3 cup minced whole scallions 1/3 cup finely chopped fresh parsley, plus sprigs for garnish 2 Tbsp. (or more) chopped canned roasted red bell pepper Place potatoes in large pot with enough cold water to cover generously and a large pinch of salt. Bring to boil, then lower heat slightly to prevent boiling over, and partially cover. Cook until tender (35-40 min. for medium potatoes or min. for large ones). Drain and let cool to room temperature. 7

8 Peel and finely chop eggs in large bowl. Mash slightly with fork. Stir in mayonnaise, mustard, sugar, vinegar, pepper, paprika, sweet pickles, scallions, chopped parsley, bell pepper, and 2 tsps. salt. Cover and chill until needed. Peel potatoes, cut into chunks and put in large bowl. Smash with fork or potato masher to a texture somewhere between mashed and chunky. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and stir until evenly blended. Cover and chill overnight. Serves BBQ'D APPLE CRISP A LA MODE 5-6 medium baking apples 3/4 cup brown sugar 3/4 cup quick cooking rolled oats 1/2 cup flour 1/2 cup margarine 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg Ice Cream Peel apples. Slice and arrange in a greased 9 x 9-foil pan. Mix brown sugar, oatmeal, flour and margarine together until crumbly. Spread over apples. Place pan in center of cooking grill, cover and vent. (Coals should be pushed to outside of grill so food cooks indirectly and doesn't burn). Cook minutes. Serve warm with ice cream. BBQ SAUCE (simple, fattening and delicious) 1 cup ketchup 1 cup sugar 1 cup butter 1/2 cup mustard Worcestershire and Tabasco to taste. Stir together all ingredients over medium heat until blended. Use on anything you can BBQ. BBQ SAUCE 1/4 cup vinegar 1/2 cup water 2 Tbsp. sugar 1/4 tsp. pepper 8

9 1 1/2 tsp. salt 1 thick lemon slice 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/4 cup margarine 1 Tbsp. prepared mustard 1 onion, sliced Simmer the above ingredients for 20 minutes. Then add: 1/2 cup catsup 1 1/2 tsp. liquid smoke 2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes. Let cool. Dip chicken pieces in sauce and marinate overnight, if possible. Cover chicken with foil and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour in 375-degree oven. Place on BBQ to brown and baste with sauce. (Use sauce from oven, not sauce that chicken was marinated in.) MARINADE 1/2 C soy sauce 1/4 C brown sugar 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil 1 tsp. ground ginger 1/2 tsp. dry mustard 2 garlic cloves, minced Mix together and marinate chicken overnight. Cook over medium-high heat on BBQ (or gas grill). GRILLED VEGETABLES Thickly slice vegetables such as zucchini, bell peppers, onion, mushroom caps, etc. Baste with olive oil and minced garlic and season with your choice of herbs and spices. Grill and serve. 9

10 GRILLING TIPS Make sure your grill is clean. Clean with a wire brush or use a big wad of crumpled up aluminum foil. Start early. Charcoal briquettes will need minutes before they are hot enough to cook over (about 75% white). A gas grill's lava rocks need about minutes to preheat. If you use lighter fluid, let it soak into the briquettes before lighting the grill. Never add more lighter fluid once the fire is burning! If a barbecue recipe calls for direct heat, it means the food is cooked directly over the heat source. Direct heat is good for cooking thinner foods such as fish, beef, lamb and pork, and vegetables. If the recipe calls for indirect heat, this means the food is cooked off to the side of the heat source. Indirect heat is better for cooking poultry, larger cuts of meat or anything that requires longer, slower cooking. The heat surrounds the food and cooks it through without burning the outside. Clean up while the grill is warm so that stuck food comes off more easily. FOOD SAFETY TIPS Poultry must be cooked thoroughly to be safe to eat. Cook poultry slowly and turn frequently. If it is convenient, poultry maybe precooked in the oven or microwaved, then finished on the grill. Grill poultry until internal temperature reaches 170 degrees for the breast, 185 degrees in the thigh. When grilling kebabs, remember - wood burns. Soak wooden skewers in water before threading on food. Don't save and reuse marinades. Discard and make a fresh batch for additional food. Also, stop basting foods with marinade at least 5 minutes before cooking time is up to insure that bacteria are destroyed. Avoid bacteria friendly temperatures. Bacteria thrive at temperatures between 40 and 140 degrees F. Thaw and marinate food in the refrigerator, not on the countertop. Perishable foods should be chilled thoroughly and served surrounded by ice or frozen gel packs to maintain food temperature at 40 degrees. 10

11 Fun and Games Meeting your neighbors, eating and having FUN are essential to any good block party. This section gives you several tips for creating that one and only block party spirit. Name tags. When neighbors arrive, have them fill out nametags. Name tags help to "break the ice" and save folks from some potentially embarrassing situations. Don't forget the kids. If you have families with children on your block, then activities are a must! Ask the bigger kids to organize the games. They are usually looking for something to do. Younger children love to be included in games with the older kids. Bubbles, balloons, chalk and balls always come in handy. Party Games - Try these games to liven up a party. We guarantee some laughs and a few memorable moments! 1. Koosh Ball Toss - Have participants stand in a circle and explain that you are going to toss the bass across to someone. All they need to do is remember who threw it to them and whom they threw it to. Remind them to toss it so it is easy to catch, but catching is not important. Go around the circle until everyone has gotten it once. You can have them say the name of the person they're throwing it to if people are still learning names. The second time around, go in the same pattern but a little more quickly. After it has gone around about one-and-a-half times, introduce a second Koosh ball, then a third. After a few times, take back each Koosh ball as it comes to you. A variation can be to allow people to move around in the circle, so that it becomes more difficult to know where the ball may be coming from and where you need to throw it. 2. Silent Line Up - Ask participants to line up according to their birth dates. They are to do this without any speaking or mouthing of words. Have them recite out loud after everyone is lined up to verify they got it correct. Variations may include lining up by middle name, favorite ice cream or state where born. 3. Block Party Balloon Relay - You will need 2 large plastic trash bags filled with inflated balloons (use different colors for each team). Divide into two teams. Pick a starting point and a turn-around point. Put a chair at the turn-around point. Have each team form a line behind the starting line. Give each team a bag of balloons. At the signal, one person from each team takes a balloon from the bag and moves as quickly as possible to the chair. The player then sits on the balloon and bursts it. Run back to the next player in line and tag them. This continues until each player on the team has done the same as the first player. The first team to finish wins! 11

12 Invitations Any way you slice it, it's gonna be fun! You're invited to a... Block Party on (YOUR) Street Saturday, August 15th 5-8 p.m. RSVP to (YOU) (YOUR #) Sample Invitation #2: Great things can happen when you meet your neighbors! Join us for a... Block Party on (YOUR) Court Sunday, September 6th 5-8 p.m. RSVP to (YOU) (YOUR #) 12