Golden Globe Inspired Cocktails

I'm not a big time award show watcher. What I do enjoy is the red carpet entry- hours of beautiful hair, makeup, and dazzling gowns. Well, a girl can dream!

Whatever your reason for watching Sunday night's Golden Globes, why not do it with some yummy snacks and a tastey beverage in your hand. Stoli’s mixologist, Charlotte Voisey has come up with award-worthy cocktail recipes based on this year’s “Best Motion Picture” nominees.

Black Swan

4 parts Stoli® Blueberi™

2 parts cucumber-infused gin

1 part fresh-squeezed lemon juice

Blueberries (muddled)

1/2 part simple syrup or agave nectar
4 mint sprigs

Muddle blueberries and mint in a mixing cup

Add ice to fill and add remaining ingredients and shake vigorously

Pour contents into a Collins glass

The Fighter

2 parts Stoli® 80

3 dashes of bitters

1 part lime juice

3 parts ginger beer

Build in an ice-filled highball glass and stir

Garnish with lime and a mint sprig

Inception

1 ½ oz Stoli Vanil

1 ½ oz coconut cream
1 oz passion fruit juice
Squeeze fresh lime

Combine ingredients and blend or shake

Serve in a martini glass

Garnish with a small flower


The King's Speech Gimlet

3 parts Stoli® 80

2 parts lime juice

1 part simple syrup

Shake and pour into an ice-filled rocks glass

Garnish with several limes

The Social Network

2 parts Stoli® Gala Applik™

1 part fresh lemon juice

1 part simple syrup

Shake with ice

Strain into a chilled martini glass

Garnish with a lemon wedge

Inauguration Party Ideas

With over 4 million people predicted to descend upon DC in celebration of the Inauguration, it's no surprise that many locals are forgoing the mall for at home viewing parties. So, I've scoured the internet in search of products to make your Inauguration soiree just as memorable as any official gala.

Invites: Customizable backstage pass invites from Party 411 are unique and professional looking. They can be laminated and put on lanyards for guests to wear to the event. Evite has also created a variety of Inauguration theme templates , like the one to the left created by Steve Lu, and with their online RSVPs managing your responses has never been easier.

SWAG: There is no shortage of Obama related products. Depending on your budget, gift bags could include t-shirts, wrist bands, hats, or just about any patriotic item you can get your hands on. During the election I found these fantastic photo cookies from TastyPrints.com. They come in a boxed set or individually wrapped in clear bags. These would be great take away items or a tasty addition to your buffet.

What official political function would be complete without patriotic buttons? These from the PoliticalShop.com are excellent ways to mark the occasion and will become keepsakes for your guests. Even the Presidential Inaugural Committee (PIC) has joined the merchandise bandwagon by opening up their own online store at InauguralCollectibles.com. The site boasts a variety of art, jewelry, clothing, and other collectibles.

Décor and Activities:

White House Theme-Transform your party space into the White House lawn by creating a White House backdrop like this one from Atlantic Special Events. Recreate by using a cardboard or fabric base. Stencil on columns and windows and decorate with light weight bunting. Another simple idea would be to rent a projector and cast an image of the White House onto the wall. Tie in the theme to other areas with White House cutouts from Paper Toys or this pop up version from Popular Kinetics.

Reuse your 4th of July Decor- Whip out those stars and stripes from last year's picnic. You can't go wrong with red, white, and blue.

Photo Ops- Create your own photo op with this life size (6ft1) Obama cutout from Amazon.com. With a digital camera, photo printer, and customizable event photo folders from Style Studio, guests can to take home their event images as a special memento.

Party Patrol- What official Inaugural event would be complete without the proper security? Follow these simple Secret Service Costume instructions and recruit a few good men to create your own well dressed agents.

Trivia- Test your guest's knowledge of the Presidency, the Inauguration, and the new first family.

Menu: Serve up a menu reflecting Obama's diverse background. Try Chicago style pizza, an Hawaiian salad, a traditional Kenyan dish of samosas, or whip up a big batch of Chili, a reported favorite of the incoming President. Since the swearing in ceremony begins at 11:30am, either a lunch or brunch menu would be appropriate.

For more event planning tips and inspiration, visit me on Examiner.com.

Guru

Self-serve holiday bars

No one wants to be stuck serving up drinks at their own party. So, if you are unable to hire a bartender, here are some ideas on how guests can feel free to serve themselves.

Tray Bars

If you don’t have tons of space for one large bar, why not put together several smaller bars on trays throughout the room. Feature a different specialty drink on each with all the necessary ingredients and instructions, or keep it simple with just a few bottles of wine on ice. Have glasses located in a central location and then guests can tour the room trying the different drink options.

Pre-Mixed Cocktails and Specialty Drinks

So simple it’s a hostesses dream. Many companies are coming out with cocktails that are ready to chill and serve. Smirnoff has a line of pre-mixed cocktails that include cosmos and mojitos. They’ve gotten mixed reviews online. You might want to try them for yourself before serving them up for your guests. Include touches like mint leaves and fresh fruit.

You can also mix up some old standbys ahead of time. Many vodka drinks get better as the flavors are allowed to sit for hours or even days. Heat fresh cranberries with sugar until it turns into syrup and then mix with vodka for a classic and seasonal favorite. Let it sit for a few hours, strain, and serve from a decorative pitcher along side fresh cranberries lightly coated with sugar. Sangria is another drink that gets even tastier with time and, with winterized variations, it’s not just for summer anymore.

For more ideas like these and for video instructions on how to make a delicious holiday sangria using apples and dried cranberries, CLICK HERE!!!

Later,
Guru

Inspired Holiday Party Themes

Holiday party season is in full swing and, for those of you not in the running to be the next Martha Stewart, there are plenty of online resources eager to help you celebrate the holiday in style. Celebrations.com, your one stop shop for entertaining how tos, is all decked out for the holidays! They’re offering up a myriad of suggestions on how to add a little sparkle to your next event. I was particularly drawn to their article Christmas Party on A Budget. Perfect for a time where creativity and inspiration seem to far outweigh expendable income.

Here are some simple, budget conscious Holiday Party tips of my own:

Invites: For casual events, email invitations are just fine. I know some planners shutter at the thought, but sites like Evite and Sendomatic are offering up a variety of new designs and some even allow you to upload your own images. These sites can often save you time by taking advantage of RSVP services and reminder settings. For the Photoshop savvy, create your own email invite by adding text to an image and inserting it into the body of the email or as an attachment. If you’re planning on hand delivering invitations, why not insert a simple printed flat invite into a fillable ornament or miniature gift box along with a few pieces of chocolate.

Try these prefilled Wonka Christmas Ornaments. They're only $19.20 for a set of 24 at CandyWarehouse.com.

(image from candywarehouse.com)


Food and Drink: Keep it simple! I recommend leaving the main dishes to a caterer or local restaurant. Just display on trays or platters to match your décor! If you pick it up instead of having it delivered, it should come out to just about the same as buying groceries to make your own and in the end it saves you tons time. If your mom has a fabulous soup recipe or friends love your veggie lasagna, stick to what you know! Serve up your favorites even if they aren’t the cliché holiday spread. How much ham can people eat anyway?

Party Favors: Try to keep gifts inline with your theme or your décor. They needn’t be expensive. Check out sites like OrientalTrading.com where many of their cute little mementos come by the dozen. For a custom gift, personalize ornaments with a permanent marker.

Fun and affordable gift ideas from OrientalTrading.com
Dominoes In Snowflake Case ($5.99 per dozen)
Plush Long Arm Reindeer (Only $7.50 per dozen)
Holiday Magnetic Travel Games ($9.99 per dozen)
Snowman Snowflake Ornaments ($7.99 per dozen) with a spot for adding names or a personalized holiday greeting. (pictured to the left)

Décor: Have fun with it! Don’t limit yourself to typical holiday colors. Experiment with color schemes like purple and silver or bright fuchsia. I stumbled upon some ultra chic serving trays and other decorations by Paperchase at Borders Book Store. They had the greatest little reindeer figurines available in a bright fuchsia as well as a sparkly black. Save money by focusing on putting together a dramatic table setting, bar, or buffet. A few eye catching pieces will have a better impact than covering your entire house in holly. Never underestimate the effect of fresh flowers. Stop by your grocery store flower department for deals. They often get flowers from the same farms as major florists without the heavy price tag.

(images from Paperchase's website: cut out pink stag and
glass bonbon dishes)

Christmas Crafts

I love the holidays!!!
GURU

Unique Lighting Ideas From A+RStore.com

I have some more phenomenal products to share with you from aplusrstore.com, a really unique little website featuring delicate metal pieces, functional art, and eye catching lighting. Let this place be the inspiration for your next home improvement project, event decor, or gift idea. A+R is not cheap by any means, but sometimes you have to pay for that one of a kind piece that's going to make a real statement. Even if you can't afford A+R's selection, their interesting point of view can certainly serve as a foundation for your next creative undertaking.

Here are a few of my picks from A+R's lighting department and some suggestions on making each look your own on a budget:

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought this candle holder would be a creepy little conversation starter. You could even make your own affordable version out of severed baby doll heads by inserting a small candle holder inside. I'd use the hairless variety and keep an eye out to make sure you don't have a flaming head on your hands!
Qubus Design's Little Joseph Candle Holder

Authentics' All-Wax Julia Candle

These brightly colored candles are all wax- tip to base! These would work well as a part of a table setting or adorning a mantle. Don't worry, each candle contains a metal plate which extinguishes the flame when it gets too low. The colors are so bold! I love it. Get a similar look by matching bright colored candle holders with tapered candles or spray painting the bases to match.

Tord Boontje & Artecnica's Icarus Light

Check holiday party lighting off your list with this elegant and spectacular design. Constructed from multiple layers of extruded polyester cut to resemble a bird’s wing, Icarus casts an unforgettable silhouette. Flawless! Another fun piece that can be recreated on the cheap by using some large feathers or angel wings from a crafts store.

Looking for something a little more traditional for your holiday party? Try this....

Tord Boontje & Artecnica's Garland Light

Can't you almost hear the choir singing? Imagine this handing over your beautifully decorated holiday table. The garland is pliable and comes flat for you to bend and shape as you'd like. Available in silver, brass, black chrome, and winter white to match any decor! Try this at home with some store brought garland ( they come in large rolls at the craft store) and basic white Christmas lights.

Suck UK & Tobias Wong's The Sunjar

This weather proof jar is literally charged by the sun! Its hidden nicad battery continually absorbs sunlight to charge three LED's and automatically begins to glow in darkness. I can totally see this lining the walkway to your front door on Halloween or speckled throughout an evening garden party. This is certainly a simple one to make or your own if you have the time. Just slide some led lights into frosted jars. You could even used colored lids, stencil on shapes, or use a variety of different jars to work in other elements of your decor.

Muuto & Louise Campbell's The More The Merrier Rubber Candelabra

This bendable candelabra is simple and classic but with a touch of fun and fresh modernism. The candle holders are made of soft, molded rubber and you can reconfigure the candles in shape you like. On a budget? Simulate some of the visual interest of this piece by joining individual candle holders together with wired ribbons.

Check out the site for yourself: http://www.aplusrstore.com/