Can you help this man make a sperm ‘Vasectomy ring’?

Nowadays businesses have the capabilities to make all sorts of weird and wonderful products, and believe it or not, the demand is there for some seriously quirky things.

Just last week we received an email from a man who is desperate to make a ring from his sperm, ahead of a vasectomy he’s having at the end of November. But for you go ‘ew’, it’s part of a prank Christmas present he has planned for his wife, as well as being a ‘keepsake of his manhood’.

We did some research, and you can get jewellery made out of lots of organic materials, like human ashes, umbilical cords and breast milk. However, this guy has been unable to find a jeweller who can help him – even when he’s willing to pay £1,500. So, we’ve agreed to make a public appeal on his behalf, if you are a skilled jeweller who can work with a material like semen, then read his below request and get in touch!

‘Hi Bark

To cut to the chase I’m looking for a jeweller who can put my sperm into a ring which I’m going to give my wife for Christmas and spotted you had jewellery makers on site.

I know this is super weird, but I’m due to get a vasectomy at the end of November, and I wanted to do something funny with the last few living sperm I’ve got, kind of like a keepsake of my manhood. The plan is to give the ring to my wife on Christmas day, wait for her to tell me it’s beautiful, let her wear it for a couple of hours, and then tell her what it’s actually made of…

So you don’t think I’m a complete nutter, my wife and I have been together for more than 20 years now, have five kids (hence the vasectomy haha!) and since day one we’ve been pulling pranks on each other with quirky presents – this will hopefully be the best one yet though.

Now I posted the ad a few weeks ago and I haven’t had any responses, I can’t say I’m surprised, but I wanted to send you this email to see if you had any jewellers on your books who could help?

I know this type of jewellery can be quite expensive (I saw some breastmilk ones online), so I’ve set aside around £1500 for the ring, I’m not really looking to spend any more than that.

I want to get someone lined up pretty soon, because if this isn’t going to work out I’ll need to plan something else. Please let me know if you can help, I’ve been looking for a month already and need to get it sorted ASAP!

Look forward to hearing back from you.

If you have the skills to help this guy, please fill out the below form:

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If you have a more traditional request, you can find custom jewellers near you by clicking here.

Kai Feller, co-founder of Bark.com said,

“This is definitely one of the weirdest requests we’ve received in a while, but as always we’re happy to help our customers find a professional who can facilitate their needs, no matter how obscure! Some might disapprove, but if people are having rings made out of breast milk and human ashes, why can’t sperm be made into one as well? We urge anyone with the skills to create this type of ring to get in touch with us.”

Top most requested Halloween makeup looks of 2019

Halloween is traditionally an American holiday, however across the pond, the trend to celebrate the spooky holiday is on the rise, and the costumes and looks people create are becoming more and more elaborate.

We wanted to find out what the latest trends are for Halloween makeup looks, so surveyed more than 2,000 of our makeup artists on what customers are asking for in 2019.

A key insight we took away from our research is that popular culture is a major influence on Halloween trends, in fact long gone are the days where people want to dress as a zombie or witch. Now it’s common to dress as your favourite TV show character.

We asked our makeup artists to tell us what the most popular Halloween makeup looks are for 2019, and the list, although not surprising, shows Hollywood’s strong influence on customer buying habits.

Check out the top 10 Halloween makeup trends of 2019:

1.The Joker (Joaquin Phoenix)

The Joker’s first standalone film tells the story of how Arthur Fleck becomes Batman’s most iconic nemesis, and has become the world’s highest grossing rated R film since its release in early October this year. The popularity of the film has led to many donning the red and yellow suit and traditional clown face paint this Halloween.

Credit: @laneychantal

2. The Joker (Heath Ledger)

Makeup artists have noticed a major spike in demand for the Joker look since Heath Ledger played the character in 2008. The trademark clown makeup has taken on different forms over the years, however the experts state that the ‘grungy’ look depicted by Ledger is the most popular. It can be achieved by smearing red lipstick outside of the mouth into points at the upper cheekbone, and dabbing a wet cloth over a white painted face to make it look worn. A quick spray of green hair paint on untamed hair is all that’s needed to finish the look.

credit: @daniels_lim

3. Harley Quinn

Harley Quinn was first introduced to a mainstream audience in 2016, with Margot Robbie playing the Joker’s sidekick in the blockbuster film, Suicide Squad. The character’s signature pigtails, pale face and red and blue eye makeup has become a hit with women over the last few years, and although Margot’s ‘Harley Quinn’ depiction was unpolished, makeup artists state that customers want a more glamorous look, with perfectly applied eyeshadow and heart face stencils.

Credit: @estellehagen

4. The Terminator

Arnold schwarzenegger is back in the sixth installment of the Terminator franchise, which was released last week. Halloween party goers can execute a convincing Terminator look by painting patches of silver on the face, as if the skin has come away to expose metal underneath. The look is hard to do because of the amount of detail involved, some professional makeup artists will even use prosthetics to make the facial wounds even more realistic.

Credit: @maisonofbeauty

5. Pennywise

Stephen King’s best-selling novel returned to the silver screen this year for IT Chapter Two, and makeup artists have noticed it’s resulted in a spike in demand for Pennywise’s traditional clown look this year. For those who want a more convincing Pennywise costume, makeup artists can apply a prosthetic forehead and ginger wig, as well as the signature red and white makeup and orange contact lenses.

Credit: @iamcalida

6. Queen Elsa

Frozen 2 is going to be in cinemas at the end of November, and since the first film came out in 2013, Queen Elsa’s pristine ‘ice princess’ look has been a popular choice for Halloween. Makeup artists state that most customers want a more embellished look, with gems on the face and hand painted snowflakes.

Credit: @hairbylowriann

7. Mexican sugar skull

Mexican sugar skulls have been a staple Halloween look for the last couple of years, and is a more creative and decorative take on the classic skull and crossbones costume. Makeup artists often paint customers faces with bright colours, gems and intricate detail, finishing off the look with flowers in the hair. Our makeup artists state that a mexican sugar skull look can take up to two hours to create.

Credit: @romanapavanelimua

8. Corpse bride

Tim Burton’s 2005 animated film ‘Corpse Bride’ has influenced many to don the creepy blue aesthetic of Emily. Makeup artists can recreate the look by painting large cartoon-like eyes over the customer’s eyes, contouring the face to thin the nose and sharpen the cheekbones, and using blue body paint and hair spray to make a client look like one of the ‘undead’.

Credit: @asya_zhussip

9. Pumpkin – Jack-o’-lantern

A favourite for Halloween fans, our makeup artists say that customers love the striking look of a Jack-o’-Lantern face, which requires minimal body costume, but still embodies a traditional Halloween symbol.

Credit: @tatidemasi_

10. Jessica Rabbit

Jessica Rabbit from the classic 1988 film ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit’ is one of the more popular sultry looks for Halloween. The cartoon character is famously known for her big red lips and seductively large eyes. These are the main goals when recreating this look, which makeup artists can achieve by creating a high rise brow, often by completely painting over the client’s natural brows after applying pritt stick, and enlarging the eyelid.

Credit: @helenehemera

If you’re after a makeup artist, whether it be for Halloween or not, we can help you find the perfect one here.

Kai Feller, co-founder of Bark.com, said,

“We always keep an eye on our service categories to spot key trends and patterns, it seems that people are really having fun with Halloween nowadays, and enlisting professional help to ensure their costume is the best. The challenging looks our makeup artists create is seriously impressive, it’s almost a shame that people have to wipe it off!

“It’s interesting to see how much pop culture has influenced Halloween, and how this has had a very positive impact on the British makeup industry. I have no doubt that Instagram and Facebook will be full of some amazing Joker and Pennywise looks this year!’

Stranger Spins – Celebrate the new Stranger Things Season with a Chopper spin class!

We are proud to present to you Stranger Spins, the world’s first Chopper spin class to celebrate our return to Hawkins, Indiana.

The sessions will run on Friday the 26th July from 10am to 3pm in London. To make the class as immersive as possible, the room will be decorated like Joyce Byer’s living room, complete with the iconic Christmas lights!

Each spin class will run for one hour, led by one of our qualified spin instructors, AKA Chief Jim Hopper, as soon as he’s finished with his morning ‘coffee and contemplation’. Stranger Spins has the capacity for 9 participants per session and will work on a first-come-first-serve basis, so make sure you register your interest now to ensure you don’t miss out!

Should you stay or should you go now? Fill in your details below.

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Expect to be put through your paces to hit tracks from the show, like Scorpion’s Rock You Like a Hurricane and Duran Duran’s Girls on Film. We encourage everyone attending to dress up as their favourite Stranger Things character or in retro 80s fitness gear, but of course that’s completely up to you.

This class is free – all you need to bring with you is a towel and water. When numbers are confirmed we will email you with the location address, however if you don’t hear from us, assume you didn’t make the entry list. Don’t worry though, if demand is high we plan to run a few more classes!

Kai Feller, co-founder of Bark.com said,

“Stranger Things is one of Netflix’s most successful shows, with millions of fans across the world tuning in to the nostalgic sci-fi drama. We wanted to inject some of that TV magic into an activity that could otherwise be unappealing to some. Our ultimate goal is to help people get a good workout whilst having some serious 80’s inspired fun.

“We expect demand to be high, so I encourage any Stranger Things fans to register their interest now, this world exclusive class is going to be strangely enjoyable!”

It’s now up to 70% cheaper to respond to selected Barks!

We’re cutting prices by up to 70% for pros in 25 of our most promising categories, from acupuncture to vehicle window tinting and more.

Why? Because if you’re a skilled professional in the UK, we believe you should be able to quickly grow your business online with Bark, no matter what industry you work in.

Although we get loads of Barks in these categories, competition for them is relatively low – making them some of the most potentially lucrative services we cater for.

They’re ideal if you’ve thought about registering with us before but weren’t sure it was right for your business, or if you offer similar services already and think it might be worth branching out to attract new customers.

So – whatever services your small business provides – make sure you take a look at this breakdown of most heavily discounted categories today:

Category	Discount	New Price
Acupuncture & Acupressure	50%	3 credits
Business Card Printing	66%	2 credits
Dog Walking	50%	1 credit
Kitchen Tiling	70%	3 credits
Massage Therapy	50%	1 credit
Masseurs	50%	1 credit
Pet Care	50%	1 credit
Pet Sitting	50%	1 credit
Picture Framing	50%	2 credits
Portrait Photographers	50%	5 credits
TV & AV Repair	50%	1 credit
TV Installation & Mounting	66%	1 credit
Upholstery & Furniture Cleaning	50%	1 credit
Vehicle Window Tinting	66%	1 credit

Credits are £1+VAT – so if your company provides vehicle window tinting, for example, you’ll now be saving £2+VAT every time you contact a new customer through Bark.

This change should make using Bark more cost-effective, so you can generate even more business using our service.

As you can see, TV installation, vehicle window tinting and business card printing are now 67% cheaper – and it’s a full 70% less to respond to new kitchen tiling Barks.

But that’s not all, because we’ve also reduced the number of credits you need to respond to Barks by at least a third in another 11 categories:

Category	Discount	New Price
Artificial Turf Installation & Repair	40%	3 credits
Balloon Artistry	33%	2 credits
Bathroom Tilers	40%	3 credits
Bouncy Castle Hire	33%	2 credits
Carpet Repair or Replacement	33%	2 credits
Martial Arts Classes	33%	2 credits
Pet Photography	40%	6 credits
Video Editing	40%	6 credits
Vintage Car Hire	40%	3 credits
Wedding Car Hire	40%	3 credits
Wedding Stylist	40%	3 credits

We review our prices regularly, and are always looking to strike the best possible balance for everyone who uses our site.

So, as our most popular categories continue to grow and generate more revenue, we’ll often look to pass those savings onto you in the form of price reductions like these.

Better yet, if you’re new to Bark, we’ll even give you enough free credits to contact your first customer on us when you register on our site.

Register today to claim your FREE credits

We always make sure new pros who join our service can contact their first client on us. That way you can see first-hand how easy it can be to find new business with Bark, without needing to spend a penny.

Then, if you’d like us to continue to help you grow your business quickly online, you’ll be able to contact every subsequent customer you find through us at our new reduced rates.

Getting started couldn’t be easier – simply click the link below and open a Bark account today to claim your free Bark credits today:

Click here to start growing your business with Bark.

We’re partnering with the Association of UK Accountants to help British entrepreneurs grow their businesses

Great accountants are more than just bean counters – they’re business partners, who’ll use their wealth of experience to help your small business flourish and grow. That’s why we’re proud to announce that Bark is partnering with the Association of UK Accountants.

Unlike other accounting organisations, Association members work extensively in business before going into practice. As such, they’re focused on helping clients maximise their profits using management information, rather than simply helping with tax compliance.

Chartered Accountant, Steve Bicknell — *The Association’s Business Development Director, Steve Bicknell*

“Our clients tend to think of us more as business partners,” explains the Association’s Business Development Director, Steve Bicknell. “Because we have actual business experience we can provide real support in areas such as funding, cash flow, business strategy, performance measurement as well as advice on tax and compliance.”

He adds: “SME’s are the lifeblood of Britain. Our members are highly trained and experienced, we enjoy helping and mentoring, and our practices are focused on small businesses.”

As one of the largest accounting communities in the UK, the Association works with over 350 accounting practices nationwide.

Since it was founded in early 2014, it has established strategic partnerships with a broad network of companies, including crowdfunding platform Crowdcube, alternative finance experts Capitalise and angel investing site Angel’s Den.

According to the Association’s latest survey, 39% of its clients have an annual turnover of less than £100,000 – which goes to show it’s never too soon to find a professional accountant to help grow your business.

What’s more, the Association’s work with Angels and crowdfunders means it can develop fundable business plans and use its network of contacts to help start-ups.

“Very few businesses have a business or even a cash flow forecast,” Steve explains. “Often they are too optimistic on sales and don’t have a contingency plan. It’s really important to make sure you have enough resources to get your business started.”

*More than two thirds of Association business clients have an annual turnover below £500,000*

“Most entrepreneurs focus on sales and business development and don’t keep proper accounts,” he adds. “We have heard of shoe box accounting where at the end of the year the business owner goes to an accountant with a shoe box full of receipts. That’s no way to run a business and you can quickly lose control.”

“People turn to Bark every day to find skilled professionals to help them with everything from lawn mowing to legal representation,” says Bark cofounder Kai Feller. “We’re committed to finding the highest quality pros for our users, and this new partnership will make it even easier for us to help entrepreneurs throughout the UK find quality business accountants.”

To compare estimates from business accountants in your area – simply place a Bark using the link below and we’ll begin matching you with local pros right away.

Click here to find local business accountants today.

With ‘one-click response’ you’ll never need to pass on a promising Bark again

Speed is important when pitching for business on Bark.

Customers are highly likely to hire one of the first pros they hear from. But we know our best pros are busy, and often out working on jobs when new Barks come in.

So we decided to create a tool you can use to respond to Barks instantly, even if you’re busy with other things when you receive them. It’s called ‘one-click response’ and it lets you save a standard reply you can send when you’re short on time.

An easy way to get more business with Bark

People who place Barks on our site are generally looking to hire a pro as quickly as possible. Looking at the last 100,000 Barks placed on our site, we discovered users are twice as likely to hire pros that respond quickly over those who take longer to respond.

This stands to reason. Once you’ve taken the time to research something and make a decision about it, you’re going to be reluctant to change your mind.

So when you receive an email about a new Bark, it’s a good idea to make sure you respond quickly – and that’s where one-click response comes in. It’s a simple tool that lets you save a standard response you can send to new customers instantly, with the click of a button.

*You can set up your one-click response in your Bark pro dashboard*

You’ll find it in the new ‘one-click response’ tab in your Bark dashboard, and setting it up couldn’t be easier.

The first step is to enter your one-click response into the text box provided. The idea here is to create a generic message you could send to any of your customers. Take your time to get it right and, when you’re happy, enable your response by clicking the ‘save’ button.

Respond instantly, with a single click

Once you’ve enabled one-click response, the rest is easy. You’ll see a new button that says ‘send one-click response’ when we next email to alert you to a potential new customer.

If you’re too busy to respond with a tailored message, click that button and we’ll send your one-click response instantly instead. That way, you can get in and register your interest before the customer picks someone else.

Then later, when you have more time, you can follow-up with a personalised response and estimate.

We hope this new feature useful will mean you never need to pass on a promising job because you’re busy with other things again.

If you have any thoughts or feedback about it, we’d love to hear from you. Send us an email at team@bark.com or leave a comment below.

Getting great reviews on your Bark Profile is now easier than ever

It’s Saturday night. You’ve invited friends over for a film and you fancy a takeaway. Someone suggests an Indian, so you type it into Google and five local restaurants pop up.

Which one do you choose?

Well, if you’re anything like us, you go for the one with the biggest number of positive reviews. If other people like it enough to write about their experiences then it must be good.

That’s why we believe getting positive reviews from your customers is one of the best ways to grow your business and attract more customers.

In this week’s Bark Bulletin, we’ll run you through how we’ve made it easier than ever for customers to leave reviews your Bark Profile – and show you how to start getting great reviews right away.

Why nothing beats a
good review

As a small business owner, we’re sure you already know what a powerful thing a good review can be.

Every company will say it’s good, even if it isn’t. But people know they can trust recommendations from their fellow customers.

In fact, one Zendesk survey found that 90% of people say positive reviews influence their buying decisions, and 86% say their decisions are influenced by negative reviews.

To see this for yourself, imagine you’ve just placed a Bark for Driving Lessons and the following two companies give you an estimate:

All other things being equal, most people will opt for the company with the five-star review.

That’s why it’s so important to ask customers to give you feedback on your Bark Profile – and today we’ll show you how.

But before we get to that, there’s one more benefit to getting more Bark reviews we haven’t mentioned yet…

You could get five
stars on Google

If you have a few reviews on your Bark Profile already, you might like to take a moment now to Google yourself and see this feature in action.

It’s one of our favourite features, as it has the potential to really set you apart from any other companies that crop up when a potential customer searches for local services in your area.

As you can see from this entry for one of our top Computer Repairs specialists, your reviews will show up in Google searches as star ratings:

We’re sure you can imagine what a difference a Google star rating could make for your business.

It could give you a real edge over your competitors and significantly improve your chances of getting hired.

So right now, we’re going to show you how to get one of your very own.

Now it’s easier than ever to
get great reviews on your
Bark Profile

We’ve been working hard behind the scenes to streamline our reviews process, and now it’s easier than ever.

In fact, you can now request a review in a matter of seconds.

You see, every Bark Pro has their own review code.

It’s a unique web address that takes people directly to the reviews section of your Bark Profile. When they arrive, a pop-up box will prompt them to leave their feedback:

So, to request a review you simply send a message containing your review link to one of your customers.

Anyone who’s used your services can leave a review on your Bark Profile, even if they didn’t find you through Bark.

But remember, recent customers are far more likely to get back to you than older ones – so it’s best to get in touch and request a review within 14 days of completing the job.

Now, your review code is usually hidden away in your Bark Dashboard under your ‘Profile’ tab.

But, to be honest, we reckon it’s a bit of a pain having to dig it out every time you want to ask someone for feedback – so we’ve created a handy tool that makes the process a whole lot easier.

If you have your customer’s email address, it will automatically send them a short message asking them to leave some feedback on your profile page.

You’ll find it in the brand new ‘Reviews’ tab on your Bark Dashboard, and it looks like this:

Better yet, it’s really simple to use…

Whenever you want to request a review from one of your customers, simply enter their email, click ‘invite’ and the reviews tool will do the rest.

That’s really all there is to it!

You can test it out right now by finding the tool in your Dashboard and typing your own email address into the box.

Let us know how you get on. And, as always, if you have any questions send us an email at team@bark.com and we’ll be happy to help.

Nick Hewer Twitter Q&A – The Answers!

On 6th October 2015, we hosted an engaging Twitter Q&A with the highly successful businessman, Nick Hewer. Nick gave us an insight into the business world and offered advice for budding entrepreneurs on the hashtag, #AskNick.

Nick Hewer is well known as the host of Channel 4’s Countdown, and from 2005 to 2014 he appeared as Lord Sugar’s adviser on the British television series, The Apprentice. Nick has been working with Bark.com since our inception, so we were delighted to have him take over our Twitter feed, offering valuable business advice and providing career inspiration along the way. If you haven’t yet seen it, here’s Nick explaining how Bark.com works earlier this year.

Missed out on the Q&A? Don’t worry, because we have compiled Nick’s answers for you to digest below!

Question 1:

Question 2:

Question 3:

Question 4:

Question 5:

Question 6:

Question 7:

Question 8:

Question 9:

Question 10:

Question 11:

Question 12:

Question 13:

Question 14:

Question 15:

Question 16:

Question 17:

After a fantastic Q&A, Nick signed off…

Thanks to everyone who got involved in the Q&A! Was your question answered? Is there anything else you would like to #AskNick? Let us know in the comments below!

And while you’re at it, make sure you follow us on Twitter and like our Facebook page or visit our blog to keep up to date with Bark news, tips and advice!

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Tying Up Loose Ends Before Going On Your Travels

The flights are booked, the selfie stick has been bought and your blog is up and running. Going travelling, or indeed moving abroad, is one of life’s most exciting adventures. All that stands between you and wanderlust is the passport checks and baggage reclaim, right? Wrong… You can’t just up and leave without tying up the loose ends your bound to encounter in the run up to your trip. From learning the local language to arranging a new home for your pooch, here’s some words of wisdom from the wise heads at Bark for you to bare In mind before you board that flight.

Home From Home

We’ll start with the obvious, your property. A big decision needs to be made here. Do you cash in and sell your home, or do you let it out for the duration of your stay abroad? It can be very tantalising to sell your property. Prices have increased in value by around 40% since 2011. However, you’ll want a safety net in the form of shelter in the scenario that your travels turn into a holiday from hell and you want to return pronto. That leaves us with renting. First, you need to ensure your insurance and mortgage providers are happy for your property to be converted from owner-occupier to rented. It’s best to find an expert mortgage advisor to help you with this part. What’s more, you’ll need to maximise the rentability of your home and spruce it up a bit before finding a suitor. That may require a professional to come in an address that niggling plumbing problem, or a handyman to fix the small jobs. Then there’s the small issue with tax. Landlords and property owners living abroad will still have to file a tax return every year. Sound complicated? You can always ask a tax professional to lend you a helping hand.

Learn The Lingo

You may think that you’ll pick up the local language easily once you’re out there and going about your daily life, but its always best to gain a grasp of the language of the country your heading to before you arrive. Us Brits are notorious for showing up on foreign soil and expecting the locals to be fluent in English– don’t be one of them. Be it Spanish, French, Chinese or whatever language you’re looking to learn, there’ll be a professional on hand to get you speaking like a local in no time. Just to us what language you’re looking to learn and we can find the ideal language professional. Capisce?

Store Those Memories

Another major headache of moving abroad is deciding what to do with your belongings. Most airlines these days place limits on how much you can place in the hold or in the cabin. If you’re renting out your place, you wont be able to keep stuff there, and we doubt your parents will be happy holding refuge to every possession you’ve deciding against taking with you on your travels. Your best bet is putting it into storage. It’s safe and secure and saves so much hassle. What’s more, it’s reassuring to know that your cherished possessions are stored, ready to be reunited with you when you return. If you go down the storage route, you’ll need a removal professional to transport your possessions to and fro. Or, if you prefer, you can always do it yourself and hire a van to get the job done.

Dog’s Life

This advice may tug on your heartstrings, so a word of caution against proceeding if you can’t face the prospect of giving up your best friend. One of the harsh realities of moving abroad is leaving your loved ones. Giving up a pet can be especially tearful. Of course, you’ll want to ensure your pet receives the best care possible in your absence, and if you intend to return in the not too distant future. If worst comes to worst and you have to say goodbye to your pooch for good, you’ll need to find a professional pet adoption agency.

Goodbye, Farewell

So, you’ve tidied up the home ready to let out, the taxman knows you’re heading abroad, and happy in the knowledge your pet is in safe hands. All that’s left to do is throw the biggest going away bash in history. This is your chance let out all the stress of preparing your move abroad and say goodbye to all your loved ones. You’ll need to plan this thoroughly. If you simply don’t have the time to organise your own do, you can find a professional to plan the party for you. From preparing food and drink, to finding the right venue, the team at Bark can ensure you get the perfect send off.

For more Bark.com tips and insights, why not check out our other blogs?

Hosting For The Masses: Ten Street Foods to Wow Your Guests

Summer barbecues may seem like a distant memory already, but as the colder months approach, there are still plenty of opportunities to celebrate and host coming up in the calendar. So, why not really go all out to impress your guests with your culinary prowess?

At Bark.com, we’ve seen requests for all manner of catering rise as hosts look to spice up their socials with dishes from around the world, so if you’re looking for a little inspiration, why not try one of our top ten street food picks to get the party started.

DIY tacos and burritos: A simple Mexican staple, but easy to personalise, lay out the wraps and taco shells, and provide bowls of chilli con carne, rice, cheese, salsa, guacamole and an array of vegetables. People can pick and choose as they like.
Bubble Tea: Becoming ever more common in the UK, this beverage first found popularity in the streets of Taiwan. Traditionally a cold milk tea mixed with tapioca balls, there are now a variety of flavours to choose from – milk or juice based – and fruit jellies or popping balls that can be included for a refreshing non-alcoholic alternative drink.
Popping onto the UK scene
Poutine: Straight over the Atlantic from Canada, Poutine seems like the perfect complement to a boozy evening. Chips, gravy and cheese…what more could your guests want?
Bunny Chow: This South African delicacy really gives you options. Hollow out some bread and fill it with a curry of your choice. This fun dish is great for soaking up alcohol, but maybe keep the napkins at the ready.
Dig deep for Bunny Chow
Arepa: Heading to South America, this slightly thicker flatbread dish is popular in Colombia and Venezuela and it is usually filled with a combination cheese, egg and avocado.
Jerk Chicken: Something a bit more familiar here, but a well-loved dish-if you can handle the spice! You could serve this with rice, or make it more of a casual party food by skewering it with peppers and pineapple.
It pays to be a jerk
Currywurst: This idea of curried sausage may seem odd to some, but citizens of Germany swear by it. The sausage is steamed and then fried, sliced and served with a spiced tomato sauce. Leave in a bowl or serve with chips – whatever suits your guests.

The ultimate German street food
Ceviche: This Peruvian speciality may not be ideal for all but the blend of raw fish marinated in citrus juices and seasoned with onions and chillies can be served with a variety of side dishes such as sweet potato, avocado and corn. It’s certainly among the lighter options! What’s more, go the extra mile and wow your guests by gaining a firm grasp of the local dialect.
Image courtesy of The Pescertarian and The Pig
Burek: Go to a street stall in Bosnia and you’ll be greeted by many different types of pastry goods. The main flaky favourite is made with ground beef but there are alternatives filled with egg and cheese or potato and onion. If these don’t suit you, why not explore with your own flavour combinations?
Burek: Perfectly Flaky
Banh Mi: All over Vietnam, you’ll see stalls serving baguettes, covered in mayonnaise and pâté, filled with pork or meatballs and garnished with cucumber, carrots, coriander and chillies. They’re a firm, if slightly messy, favourite among tourists, but perhaps worth cutting into smaller bite sized pieces for an easy to handle snack.

Street Foods UK Trends 2015 — Banh Mi: A tourist favourite

People will always remember the food from parties so if you can pull some of these off then it will help to make yours one to remember for a long time! Or have the dishes but save yourself the trouble and find a caterer or even a professional chef to do the hard work for you – we won’t tell if you don’t!