Hey guys! Did you know us Allens are the Kings and Queens of grilling and backyard parties, respectively? I’m sure you had no idea. Anyways, I know it’s kinda cliche for dudes to be super into grilling and babes to be super into entertaining and throwing parties, and at our house we usually kind of pride ourselves on going against the gender role flow. But Jeff and I fall right into those stereotypes of grill master extraordinaire and hostess with the most-est, and we are damn good at it.
I gave Jeff a Weber grill for his first father’s day present seven years ago. He had always been curious about grilling and it seemed like a really good ‘dad’ gift, so I thought, what the hell? He took to it right away! Jeff would be the first to tell you that he’s not super proficient in the kitchen overall, but grilling looked good on him from the start. It was something I knew nothing about, so I couldn’t boss him about it (I do do that sometimes. I’m a jerk, I know). He could learn on his own, and at his own pace. Which he did, very quickly and awesomely. He is for sure one of the best, if not thee best, grill master out of all of our friends. He loves it, he’s proud of it, and it makes him happy.
I on the other hand, love a good party. Always have, always will. Things have changed a lot from the day of keg stands and party cups, but the general idea is still the same — relax and enjoy being with each other. Nowadays with everyone being all old and kidded-up, the key is to create cool vibes for both demographic sets: the kiddos and the oldos. Parents can’t enjoy themselves if the kids are squabbling and bickering (as they do), so I always try to have a few small new activities set up for the little people. I know the adults don’t need much, especially if the kids are happy, but I try and make it a little extra special — a tub full of beer on ice, some party lights, conversation seating and easy but fun serving pieces.
Zones are crucial to parties. You have to let your guests feel like they have multiple and distinctly different regions in which to hang. For us, it is especially important for us to have spaces that are kid friendly now that my friends and I have created all these small people. Think about what you want your backyard or outdoor space to do for you, how do you want it to operate? If you have a small patio space, you might want to invest in some nice lounge furniture instead of a dining table. If you have kids, make sure you have tons of yard games on hand and spaces dedicated for them to play them in. If you just want to chill and read a book (kind of a Party Foul to be honest, but we’ll allow it), set up a hammock and make it cozy with comfy pillows. Ace put together a list of really useful tips on creating outdoor spaces that are even more in depth, highly recco if you’re in need of some solid advice.
For us, the main Zone in our back yard tends to be the patio table and grill region. The dudes hang together and shoot the bull while tending to the grill, the girls hang at the table and sip some champagne (like the housewives do), and the kids run around the backyard. The hammock has turned into a swing set of sorts, and the kids love to climb all over it when they get together. Let’s not forget the fire pit area, which everyone tends to gather at after we scarf a delish meal. Lots of times we follow it up with s’mores for the kiddos, and very funny jokes for the grown ups. We keep two Adirondack style chairs out by the fire pit, but I have a large stash of folding lawn chairs that I can pull out at a moments notice.
For this B(log)BQ, I set out lots of fun toys (aka distractions) for the kids. I find that the dollar section at big box stores can offer up a lot of good, fun, cheap toys, and I tend to stock up. I was able to score a few badminton sets, sunglasses and bubbles – kids eat this stuff up. All were a hit, and the kids played for hours. It was a hot sunny day, one of the first this season, and I made sure to shade sunny areas with umbrellas. Umbrellas are also something I have a cache of. End of seasons sales offer good deals for umbrellas and stands, and they make a great backdrop for social party zones. Color palette is crucial, even when you’re just in the backyard. I try and get pillows, napkins and even bouncy balls to tie into a specific color story. This year the backyard is sporting bright magenta, orange, and turquoise colors paired with lots of metallic copper pieces. When in doubt, I go white – always have a neutral you can depend on!
Gardens and flowers make a great backdrop for outdoor parties, but you don’t have to have a green thumb to throw a killer party. Add some hanging baskets to your outdoor space, and keep the lawn maintained and mowed. I’m one of those crazy people that mow once ever 4-5 days. We have an electric mower for our small backyard, it takes ten minutes and it keeps the backyard looking sharp. When I have extra time I use my edger to make it look real good. Its one of those extra touches that goes a long way. We always have the party lights up, they are a permanent installation in our backyard. They’re the perfect amount of ambiance. We recently upgraded to some real deal cafe style lights. The other globe lights could be a little overpowering at times, and I didn’t want to have a plane accidentally mistake the yard for a landing strip. These new lights are spaced a bit further apart and give off a warm glow, they’re not as bright as the globes and it looks pro-fesh.
So when Ace Hardware asked me if I could share with you guys how we throw a BBQ while at the same time showing off this Weber Genesis Grill, and all of it’s cool features, I was like “oh heck yes we can”.
We love our backyard, and as all good Minnesotans do, we want to soak up every last moment of summer outdoor time. That means outdoor cooking. I’m gonna throw it out there and say that we host some sort of backyard hang sesh at least twice a month in the summer, and it almost always involves grilling. Having a gas grill or even a hybrid propane-start charcoal grill makes for easy grilling. We keep a stash of dogs and brats on hand, but we venture into all sorts of different grill territory. With our CSA in the summer we grill lots of veggies and fixings for tacos. On Friday nights we grill chops and ‘taters. And in the late summers we’ll try our hand at deep frying french fries (from our garden) while hamburgers grill on the grateand buns toast on the upper warming rack.
Can we talk about this grill for a sec? Jeff is a charcoal purist, and was a bit timid about trying a gas grill. It didn’t take long for him to be wooed by this baby. To make him feel a bit more at home I picked up some hickory chips so that he could add the smokey flavor we all love to the foodz he was grilling. It worked well, and it made the backyard smell pretty damn good. The chef de cusine grilled for us his own secret dry rub wings, corn, beer soaked brats and ‘dawgz for the kiddos. You guys, the side burner! This is one thing I’m really sold on is the side burner, Jeff boiled the brats, in beer, outside! There is so much possibility for this, like corn on the cobs or deep fried french fries, or even steamed veggies. I love it. Also, there is tons of room on this grill. It would be hard to believe you’d have to make meals in batches (which is a problem we would run into all the time on our charcoal grill). I don’t think our old Weber Performer charcoal grill will be going anywhere soon, but now we totally understand all the benefits this Genesis adds to our BBQ game.
So, is your backyard barbeque ready? Ace wants to help you get it ready by offering free assembly and delivery on ALL the hottest names in grills $399 and up, starting this Wednesday, May 25th and ending on Monday, May 30th! Also, those cool people over at Ace are giving me a $350 Ace gift card to give to one of you lucky readers to help you get from grill-less to good-to-grill! To enter, leave a comment below letting me know what your favorite style of Weber grill is, and follow me on Instagram. Contest ends June 4th at midnight.
Thanks a biznillion, Ace!
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I love the flavor of a gas grill, but like the convenience of a gas grill. I follow you on Instagram!
I love your posts, especially when you are excited about the topic. I could definitely put an ACE gift card to good use! I like the Weber Spirit SP-330 Propane Gas Grill.
I really like the Weber gas grills! (Following on IG)
I know this is crazy but I prefer charcoal. I just love the smell and don’t mind waiting. We too are Minnesotan’s and live for backyard weather. Per your inspiration years ago we started hanging cafe lights in the backyard (we take ours down every winter though) and every spring we have a kick-off party, hanging the lights, having friends over, firing up the grill and bringing out the fire-pit. It’s nights like that make me remember why I live in Minnesota! Cheers!
I am partial to the electric grills like the Webber Q 1400 because my only yard space is shared with neighbors and it would be so easy to pack up and put away after use.
We’ve been using the same Original Kettle Charcoal Weber grill we got for our wedding 10 years ago. I don’t know anything about grills to have a favorite, but it works just fine and has held up for a long time. An upgrade would be awesome and turn our backyard into a party yard. I’ve been thinking of getting my husband a grill for father’s day once we’re not spending all of our money sending to kids to daycare. Like you, this is probably one of very few areas where we follow gender roles. I’ve been following you on instagram since I saw the Apartment Therapy post this spring!
Well…we already have a Weber Genesis (I got a floor model from our local Ace a couple years ago for my husband as a birthday gift). We love it more than life itself…like you Minnesotans, we here in Vermont live outdoors in the summer as much as possible. I barely use the stove in the summer. Were I lucky enough to win that GC, though, I’d use it at Ace for Valspar Optimus paint…the best! (And of course I’ve followed you on IG.)
The Performer Deluxe Charcoal – in copper. WoW. If it cooks as good as it looks!!!
We’re charcoal all the way & it’s nice to see some snazzy grills out there.
There’s nothing like grilling on an Original Kettle Charcoal Weber Grill. I get really nostalgic when we fire up the ole Weber as it reminds me of childhood camping with my gramps and grams!
The Weber Summit S-670 Propane Gas Grill looks like the Rolls Royce of grills! Love it
We had to sell our beloved Weber when we moved from LA to Vermont 2 years ago and have been suffering through using the dilapidated old grill the previous owners of our house left behind. I’d love to upgrade to one of the Weber Spirits!
As a Kansas City girl, I HAVE to have my barbeque come summer. If I can’t be home for it, I may as well smoke it myself in a Weber Smoker :)
The Genesis looks great, but I think the Spirit would fit our small yard better.
Definitely the Weber spirit because of all the amazing add ons you can get! We are barbeque rookies so having add ons would most certainly help!! Fingers crossed! We would love a grill!
I’d give up a kidney for a Weber Genesis in copper, that thing is dead sexy.
I would LOVE to try a charcoal grill one day, but Weber gas grill is my fav for now! (already an IG follower of yours!) :)
When did Grills become colorized, I mean hello, I never got the memo! I love,The Performer Deluxe Charcoal – in copper-Sexy it is!
The Q! We used to use it in the loft, with the skylight cranked open (admittedly sketchy!). Excited to have a house someday where we could have a more serious option (and a smoker for the hubs).
I like the gas grill spirit line with the side burner. We have a very small gas grill now, and I have always wanted to upgrade with the burner to have as a secondary cooking source in emergencies. I will look you up on Instagram!
We love our weber charcoal grill but man a gas one would be convenient…and I feel you on the summers thing living in Omaha, NE!
We have a Weber Spirit because it’s smaller, since we have a for realz small yard (unlike your massive acreage). We sold our (very old) Weber Genesis before we left Texas, it would cost more to move than to replace. Saturday the hubs is grilling up his world famous ribs for our annual Memorial Day party!!
We actually grilled more in Texas, since it was too G-D hot to even turn the stove on in the kitchen. We still grill a lot in PA, but in the cold months (pretty much all the months, this place doesn’t know heat) I’m all about heating up the kitchen via the stove.
I’ve been eyeing the Genesis grills for a few months! Sooooo nice. Our old grill is missing crucial parts (requiring a “turn on the gas, throw in a match, and cross your fingers” approach to lighting) and would so love a new one. Free assembly and delivery is key!!
I’d have a hard time deciding between the Weber Genesis in green or in grey. I love imagining the parties we could have grilling out on one of those bad boys.
The Weber Genesis e-310 gas grill looks amazing! What a beautiful grill. I am also following you on IG!
We have a charcoal grill, but I would like one of the Weber summit grills. My husband would go nuts over it!!
I follow you on instagram. I like the Weber Summit S-670 Stainless Steel LP Gas Grill.
I follow you on instagram (@alannacaprice) I Love the Genesis E-330…. perfect addition to our first real summer in our new home
I have a soft spot for the original kettle grill, which was the first grill we ever bought. Following on Instagram!
The weber genesis is pretty awesome. Would love one of those in my backyard! I love cooking and summertime cooking is always better outdoors… saves money on cooling costs.
Love the different color options for the Genesis grills! Already an IG follower. :)
I love my little mini weber charcoal grill for tailgating! I’ll need to upgrade to a big ole Genesis grill if I win the giveaway :)
Looking forward to trying out my Weber Smoker this summer, but my Weber gas grill is my favorite.
PS. Where did you get those adirondack chairs??!!
The Spirit would fit our little Baltimore alley perfectly!
I bought my husband the Weber Genesis grill (at Ace!!) last summer. We LOVE it. Ours is red, not the bright shiny red, but kind of a muted barn red. We just had a huge backyard bash last Saturday, and the grill played a crucial role, along with our smoker and propane burner-frying station. One of the best parts of the side burner on the Genesis is that you can cook things outside that would stink up your house, for example, BACON, which goes really well with burgers for meat-eating folks. I highly recommend purchasing the Weber Cast Iron griddle, which gives you a flat surface in your grill so you can grill asparagus, make smashed potatoes, and grill up other foods that you’d normally put on a roasting pan in the oven. It is super. http://www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12789602&cp=2568443.2568445.4235681.1772914
I love the Weber Genesis S-330 Propane Gas Grill. Gas grills are extra convenient in our Minnesota winter where we can dash out and turn it on and wait in the house for it to warm up. New instagram follower.
LOVE the original kettles! Grew up with a black one. That red one would be super fun though! Following on IG!
I’m a purist – still love the charcoal kettle style. Tho I do have a small tabletop weber gas – its great for small things!
I love the retro summer feel of the Classic Webber Charcoal grill. Gas is great but nothing beats that smoky flavor of charcoal!
I am a huge fan of the good ol’ fashioned Smokey Joe, but have experimented with the Weber Gas Grills a tad, as well. There is something about the taste of their charcoal grills that bring back old memories, and the portability of the Smokey Joe makes it a staple in my summer cookouts, even if it’s just a back-up grill.
We are moving & will have a much smaller patio space – the Weber Spirit looks awesome! I think we’d use a gas grill more than charcoal realistically.
My sister just got the Weber Spirit grill and I really want one too!
Also, love the friendly knowledgeable folks at ACE!!
Go Genesis! Love the quick convience of gas.
Nothing better than the taste off food straight off a charcoal grill! Love the classic Weber 26in Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill!
Loved this post, and love following along as you create gorgeous outdoor spaces. Looks like the Genesis is similar (but maybe even better?!) to our current grill. We love having the side burner.
What a fantastic backyard bash! Absolutely love the chill vibes and chalk menu. I’m coveting those backyard string lights and might pick up a couple packs for our yard this weekend. Absolutely love Weber grills! We haven’t been able to afford one yet, but definitely into the Spirit grills. Perfect size for our small outdoor patio. Would love to cook up some kebabs (a summer favorite), try grilling some corn (never tried it but it’s always a favorite at the state fair) and possible try grilling some watermelon?? That may be a fad but I’ve heard it’s delish. Thanks for sharing!
Since we already have a charcoal grill, I would have to go with the Genesis with the side burner. That sounds so good to me – then ALL cooking can be out of the kitchen. Love!
Great post! Your yard has me seriously envious — my husband and I have *a lot* of work to do this summer… Btw, we have a Weber Spirit SP-320 Gas Grill that we got as a housewarming present from my parents when we moved into our house last fall. We just finished a total kitchen renovation and thank heavens we were able to grill those four months… Weber is the best!
I prefer charcoal over gas, and I like the style and simplicity of the Kettle grills. We grill out a few times a week in the summer months, and because we are a small family, we can get by with a smaller surface area.
The Genesis series of Weber gas grills would look great on my patio. Also, I’ve been following your blog and instagram for a while now and especially enjoy your garden posts!
We are moving and need a new gas grill- anything would be great- including Genesis!
Love your gardens!
Grillz: I am all about the Spirit (S210) grill! It’s the perfect little nugget for my small back yard!
I like the look of the original kettle or the Genesis. And I so need this! I am moving from SF apartment living to a home in MN next month and need to buy outdoor everything. This would certainly help! Thanks for the chance.
We dig the smokey flavor from charcoal! Our workhorse of the Original Kettle has served us (and friends!) well. However, I’m lovin’ the Performer Deluxe 22 in copper – who knew grills come in color now?! Already following on IG!
I love the Weber Summit S-670 Propane Grill it it ridiculously gorgeous!
I love the gas grills. My mother swears by Weber as great quality and I’d love to have one for my own home. I follow on Instagram :)
Btw this grill looks awesome.
Weber Spirit SP-330 Propane Gas Grill
We have a tiny backyard on an irregular lot. It’s been a challenge to figure out how to maximize the space without feeling cramped. For my little space I like the little Weber Spirit!
Weber Genesis e-310 gas grill I love it looks like an incredible grill!
We would love the Weber Summit S-670 Propane Grill. That would make our entire summer!!
I love the Weber Genesis EP 330 and I love all of the color choices!
i’ve been meaning to get a grill for years! The weber spirit grills look perfect for my needs.
Your backyard is awesome! I need some of those vibes in mine. :)
Love to grill and use both charcoal & gas grill. My charcoal grill is a Weber and I have the large kettle grill and the Smokey Joe for small batch. I use my gas grill year around even in the winter! Its time for a new gas grill and I think I am sold on getting a Weber gas grill after seeing how you utilize yours and love it! Ace is having a Super Grill sale on Webers now for Memorial Day. I will be shopping at Ace for my new grill! Yay~ thanks for the info and the wonderful pics!! Always a pleasure to read.
We use a Weber charcoal grill and like your husband mine is purest with charcoal, but I would really love to get my hands on a Weber Genesis EP-310, to get more use out of it on the weekdays!
I’d probably have to say the Weber Spirit, given our backyard space (we already have the classic Weber charcoal kettle grill, so then we’d have both options!) Also, this makes me wish I lived closer to Minnesota so I could crash your backyard parties… :D (Following on IG as @annakristina28)
I just bought the spirit 210…Our first ventures with a Weber!
I love that menu tapped to the house! Taste-wise I prefer charcoal, ease-of-use-wise I prefer gas. And I think the E-310 is the perfect size – I’m like you, I tend to leave the grilling to the husband but I’d like to change that. Thanks for hosting the giveaway!
We already have an old school charcoal Webber, but I would love to upgrade to the model you have now! Just installed a patio in our backyard and it will step up our game (or at least feed more people at once!).
I’m all about the classic grilling style, so the Weber 22in Original Kettle Premium Charcoal Grill is the one for our house!
I’ve been using a gas grill forever, but have been thinking about going back to charcoal. Gas is great, but there’s something primal and satisfying about cooking on charcoal. The Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill is a beauty! (following IG too)
The weber q 1400 is cute and would go perfectly in our yard!
Whoa. That Genesis looks like a dream come true (and I am so jealous of that hammock!).
The Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill looks like a beaut! Already following you on insta.
Ive been lusting after the Spirit, as a much needed summer addition to my little yard!
I like the weber spirit gas grill
For years we’ve been rocking the Weber Q2200 on our terrace in NYC. We’re in the process of buying a house in the suburbs and my husband has a new grill (the Weber Genesis that you guys got, actually) at the top of his new house necessities list. Apparently the square footage expansion in this move is going to apply to both living and grill space!
My favorite style is the Weber Smokey Mountain Cooker 18.5in. I have never had a smoker, I’ve used my charcoal grill as a smoker, but it would be great to have a smoker so I can grill on my grill lol. I follow on Instagram @thehippiehut32
Oh my gosh this couldn’t have come at a better time! Last weekend we spent the gorgeous MN weather at my mother-in-laws house having a cookout. She’s got a weber performer charcoal grill, and my god does she make that baby work. I may have gotten the meat sweats from overdoing it, but it was so worth it. I’ve been having heart eyes for that grill all week, so that’s definitely the grill I’d choose!
My fav grill is Weber Spirit SP-330 Propane Gas Grill and I follow you on Instagram.
That Performance Deluxe charcoal in copper is sweeeeeeeet.
Oh I really love the Weber Genesis EP-310 Propane Gas Grill in Crimson! I love the lights you put up and the hammock is so beautiful! I follow you on instagram under landfjacobson
I love my basic charcoal one-touch silver grill that I was given by my parents when they received a new grill. On a completely different note, Ace is one of my favorite hardware stores. There is one a few blocks away from my house and they always have amazing service! I already follow you on instagram.
My favorite is the Weber Genesis EP-310 Premium Propane Gas Grill. I like the copper color, the large cooking area, and the Long lasting, easy to maintain stainless steel rod cooking grates.
I follow you on Instagram: https://instagram.com/aleach61/
I like the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill (15501001). I follow you on instagram(kellywcu)
I follow on Instagram as susitravl.
Love the Weber Performer Deluxe Charcoal Grill
My favorite Weber is the Weber Spirit S-210 Natural Gas Grill (47100001). It is very sleek looking. I also follow on Instagram (@seabattle2).
My favorite would have to be the crimson color. I love red, and this would look great on our deck! I also follow you on instagram @wildorchid985.
Thanks for the chance to win!
wildorchid985 at gmail dot com
I would love any Weber gas grill!
I would be happy with any Weber grill- especially the weber genesis grill! Thank you!
I would love the Weber Spirit SP-310 Gas Grill! I follow on insta @skyejaden
Sweet! We’d get this one: http://m.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=50759306 with the gift card! I splurged for a really nice gas grill, but a few years later I wished we would’ve gotten a charcoal grill, so much more flavor! I’m a new Instagram follower!
I like the Weber Spirit E-210 Gas Grill and I follow on Instagram.
I love the stainless steel of the Summit style like the Weber Summit S-420 Propane Gas Grill. I also love your idea about zones. We need to set up something like that in our backyard. I follow as socstar35.
Drooling over the Summit Series S-620! Following on insta! :)
I’d totally buy a larger Weber Genesis. And would do it over at the Ace on Nicollet. And I already follow on Insta. :)
Weber Genesis S-330 Natural Gas Grill is nice but the winner of the giftcard would get it down to a reasonalble price
I like the Weber Genesis E-330 Natural Gas Grill. There is so much space. I’m following on Instagram as dawnmonroe83
Thanks for the awesome giveaway! We are moving and are in the market for a grill! I love the Weber Spirit e330 propane grill!
I follow you on instagram with @MommyWithTwins7
I follow you on instagram-https://www.instagram.com/jewel5888/
My favorite grill is the Weber Spirit S-210 Gas Grill (46100001). So awesome!
My favorite grill is the Weber Spirit E-330 Propane Gas Grill (46810001). Following you on instagram as @srdmorris
Your backyard is gorgeous! Loooove your hammock and lights! Following on Insta (kaizenfashion) – and my FAV Weber grill is the Weber Genesis S-310 Propane Gas Grill (6550001) – super sleek looking and had good reviews (yay!). Thanks for hosting such a FUN + GENEROUS giveaway! – xo heather
Totally a fan of the charcoal. It would be lovely to upgrade to the performer charcoal grill!
We have a simple charcoal Weber grill in our backyard right now, but if one of those fancy Genesis grills showed up one day, my boyfriend would absolutely pass out! I’d have to revive him, of course… someone has to cook the meats! I’ll be sure to be on deck with tasty drinks…
I’ve actually been grill shopping lately! The Weber Spirit E-310 Gas Grill is looking like it’s probably our next purchase. We’re currently without a grill for the first time in years since our last one kicked the bucket, AND our yard is currently under some serious DIY construction!! These pictures have me aching for a cookout! It looks like a dream!
(Oh and I already follow you on Instagram as @Katrinamn!)
We love charcoal grills! I have my eye on the Weber Performer Charcoal Grill, which is far and away nicer than any grill we’ve ever called our own.
Cheers! (I follow you on Insta as well – ChampaignToast)
following on instagram as @pryfamily5, i like the Weber Performer Deluxe
Charcoal Grill.
hey weber, my favorite style is the one that also cooks then brings me the food! if chu haven’t make one yet, well get started on it, pal! (instagram = sweepsnregs)