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The Ultimate Bar: Cocktail Napkins

partysugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:30:19 -0700

When I was a camarera (bartender in Spanish) at En Boga (in Cordoba Spain) we had the cutest little cocktail napkins with the En Boga (in vogue) logo. When a new customer approached the bar, a clean napkin had to be placed in front of them before asking, que te pongo (what can I get you)? Often overlooked, the cocktail napkin adds a polished touch to the presentation, especially when handing off your drink to a guest. Oh and did I mention they are 100% practical and actually serve the function of acting as a coaster, a plate, or a finger cleaner? Without cocktail napkins, your bar is incomplete. Cocktail napkins come in almost every color and pattern, so you can find the one that best suits your needs as a hostess. For summer - and margaritas! - I love these brightly striped cocktail napkins. A pack of 20 is the reasonable price of just $4.75, so buy two packs.

For a few more styles read more

Cocktail napkins can be monogrammed with a quote, birthday message, or image. These engraved napkins would be ideal for an over the top bachelorette party. Maids of honor factor it into your budget (these will totally make the party more memorable) - 100 napkins for $28.95.

Add a touch of elegance to your bar with these modern black and white floral vine cocktail napkins. The vibrant print pairs perfectly with a Classic Martini or vodka tonic. These are 25 cents cheaper than the striped ones and total at $4.50 for a pack of 20.

A Rustic Wedding on the Russian River

YumSugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:50:26 -0700

After helping my friend create 60 pom-poms, I was delighted to see the napkin rings make their debut on her big day. The unique wedding was held at Patianna Organic Vineyard with the highlight being a fabulous picnic reception down by the river. The groom's brother, chef Taylor Quimby, orchestrated the entire menu including a variety of appetizers, a family-style dinner, and an extensive dessert bar. Between my pictures and the photographer, Tom, we captured a spectacular and incredibly scrumptious meal! Check out all of my favorites.

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Style For Style: Gum Gum, Go Away

FabSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 13:00:08 -0800

After the following experience, I vow to never toss out my gum on the floor again. I was ordering a drink at a nice bar recently when I felt my shoe sticking to the ground. Shoot, I stepped on gum. How did that happen? No time to dwell, I had to get the gum off, pronto. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, I wasn't wearing this swoon-worthy Proenza Schouler Elastic Wrap Sandal ($595), but I was wearing a newly purchased shoe I love.

To see how I took care of the situation, read more.

First I grabbed a napkin from the bar and used it to remove as much of the gum as possible. I didn't throw out the napkin just yet.
I then asked the bartender for an ice cube and used it to rub the surface of the remaining gum until it was fully wet.
Finally, I used the gum from inside the napkin to blot the stuck gum with it. Voila.

If you happen to have a jar of peanut butter on hand, you can also use this technique:

Grab a butter knife and a jar of peanut butter, preferably without nuts.
Spread a thick coat of peanut butter all over the area with gum. Allow it to sit for five minutes.
Take a scrub brush and scrub the peanut butter/gum until it's almost gone.
Wash what is left on your shoe in the sink.

What Would You Do?

partysugar — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 07:50:56 -0800

We've all been in crazy situations, and I want to know how you handle entertaining fiascoes and bad restaurant behavior. I'll present a situation and you tell me what you would do. Here's today's scenario:

You've heard positive things about a neighborhood pizzeria; upon arrival, the small place is crowded with no empty seats. You approach the waitress/hostess and inquire about a table. She replies in a slow, stoned voice, "Maybe I can find you a table soon. Actually, I don't really know how long the wait is." She doesn't take your name and you feel invisible. Fifteen minutes pass and she randomly offers you and your friend a table to share with another couple. You oblige, even though it's sitting with strangers - you're hungry!

You order salad and pizza. When the salad arrives, it's overflowing and hard to eat. It's clearly being served in a plate that is too small for it. As you eat, more and more lettuce falls off the plate onto the dirty-looking table. You try and motion the waitress - multiple times - but she ignores you. What do you do?

To find out what I did - it happened to me! - read more.

Instead of making a scene with a waitress who obviously had no desire to wait on me, I walked to the bar and stocked up on napkins. Next I placed a ring of napkins around my plate, so when lettuce did fall off, I could still eat it. Needless to say, I did not leave an extremely generous tip.

How would you handle the situation? What do you think of my reaction? Did I overreact?

Come Party With Me: Bedazzle Bonanza - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 09:15:34 -0700

At any party that involves being creative, set up several stations to create a smooth flow and promote mingling. There should be an area for Bedazzling, a place for food, and a bar with drinks. If necessary, bring in a folding table and use this as the crafting station. Cover with a plain tablecloth and Bedazzlers. Fill bowls with different colored rhinestones and studs.

On another table, serve the food on silver trays. Arrange glasses and champagne buckets near the cocktails. Don't forget paper napkins and a beautiful floral arrangement. Sprinkle turquoise drops in between the platters and on the tables.

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What Would You Do?

YumSugar — Thu, 19 Mar 2009 14:00:22 -0700

You and a friend have sidled up to the bar at a small French bistro famous for burgers. You share the burger and a bowl of mussels, which are so good, you want to enjoy them to the last bite. But before you're finished eating, the waiter starts accosting you with polite, yet passive-aggressive questions like, "May I take your plate? Are you done with that?" You're still working on the mussels, but the shell plate - and all your silverware - get cleared without asking! After a few attempts to finish your meal sans utensils, you finally throw in the napkin.

Following the aggressively rushed service, you receive your bill, and want to tip accordingly. That's when you realize that the bistro's lone server is standing over you, watching you fill in the gratuity on the bill. What would you do?

To find out what I did - yes, it happened to me at a San Francisco hot spot! - read more.

Despite the server's rushed attitude, I refused to crack under the pressure. After all, I had already finished my meal before I was ready! My friend and I waited for what seemed like an eternity before he walked away and then signed our checks, which, it goes without saying, reflected the terrible service.

What do you think about the way in which the situation was handled? How would you have reacted if it happened to you?

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Come Party With Me: Election Night - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 31 Oct 2008 09:15:04 -0700

For election night, go patriotic with the decor. Serve the food on modern, red trays. Since Liberty and I are hosting our bash at a local bar, the napkins and plates will be paper and plastic. Tie red, white, and blue balloons to the bar ends. Serve the drinks in Obama or McCain cups. Arrange a bouquet of red, white, and blue flowers. Hang a stars and stripes banner above the door, so guests know they are at the right bar. Put white candles in red glass votives and place them on the bar tables. When guests arrive, offer them a metallic star necklace.

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Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:01:18 -0700

Just because I'm hosting my party at Wish Bar, doesn't mean I won't have any fabulous decorations. When hosting a party at a restaurant, bar, or venue that already has its own decor, ask the owners what extras you can bring in to enhance and change the atmosphere. In most cases they will be flexible and allow you to use the tablecloths, candles, vases, etc. of your choice.

Shades of purples, golds, and yellows are the colors of my 26th birthday party, so I'll incorporate these into the already existing look of the lounge bar. Gold silk rose petals will be strewn around the dance floor and on the coffee tables. Burgundy satin fabric will carpet the walkway in front of the bar and cover the aforementioned coffee tables inside. The snacks will be served in small scalloped gold bowls.

The centerpieces will be large wine glass shaped vases filled with shiny rhinestones and purple bouquets. Hundreds of small candles will be placed in yellow glass votives to create an attractive, glowing light. Yellow ribbon will line banquets and the bar. Instead of the usual, everyday napkins, I'll supply the bar with monogramed purple napkins that have my name and date on them. Got another great idea on how I should decorate the bar for my party??? Please share it with me!

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Easy and Affordable Leather Napkin Rings

partysugar — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 16:11:31 -0700

The other night, while dining at Bar Bambino, I was inspired by the restaurant's simple and rustic napkin rings. The napkin was elegantly rolled into a tight scroll and closed with an angled piece of worn leather. A hole was drilled into the leather, and the thinner part was pulled through to create a decorative artistic finish.

This would be wonderful at a country cabin dinner or Western-themed party. Instead of going to the craft store to purchase leather, look in your closet for an old belt! This technique can easily be applied to other types of durable material like suede or even denim. What do you think of this idea? Couldn't it be creatively tailored to suit your own entertaining needs?

Interview with Kate Gosselin: Feeding a Family of 10

LilSugar — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 07:00:00 -0700

Parents watch TLC's Jon and Kate Plus 8 in shock and awe. Moms and dads are awed by the way the young couple, Jon and Kate, are raising two sets of multiples and shocked by the fact that all the children - Cara, Mady, Alexis, Hannah, Leah, Aaden, Collin, and Joel - eat! The twins' and sextuplets' diets don't consist of just peanut butter and jelly and buttered pasta; they entertain their pint-sized palates with everything from traditional Korean food to cracked crab and fresh vegetables.

lilsugar recently had the opportunity to ask queen of the Gosselin kitchen, Kate, a few questions about feeding her family of ten, the importance of an organic diet, and her recent partnership with the Grains Foods Foundation to promote brown bag lunches. To see her tips and what she had to say, read more.

lilsugar: Why did you decide to team up with the Grains Foods Foundation?

KG: These days, everyone is looking for ways to cut costs while still managing to eat healthy. With a family of 10, we’re certainly no different. We’ve been brown bagging for years and I’m working with the Grain Foods Foundation to show other families how packing lunches can be an easy and fun way to save money and eat healthy. There’s even a calculator on their website - grainpower.org - that shows how much money and calories you can save when you pack a lunch instead of eating out. It’s amazing!

lilsugar: Does or did incorporating grains into the Gosselin family diet bring down the food bill?

KG: Definitely. Grains like bread, crackers, pretzels, and granola bars have always been a part of our family diet because they are affordable, delicious and nutritious. We go through a loaf of bread at every meal so I usually buy a whole flat of bread at one time!

lilsugar: How important do you think it is to raise children on an organic diet?

KG: More than anything, I think it’s important to raise children on a healthy diet. As I’m sure you’ve seen on the show, I try to find fruits and vegetables from local farm stands but when that isn’t possible, there are always great and healthy options available at the supermarket.

lilsugar: As someone who fed a family of 10 on a budget, what tips would you offer other mothers to cut costs?

KG: Pay attention to the things that are on sale, clip coupons and, above all, avoid buying things that you don't need. Being organized and planning ahead is one of the best ways to stick to a budget. I know it’s not always easy for families to plan ahead but making sandwiches and packing lunches is a relatively simple way to save money and eat healthy. Nutrition has always been important to me personally as a woman, a nurse and especially as a mom.

lilsugar: On Jon and Kate Plus 8, your children seem to eat all of the healthy things you prepare. How have you managed to raise eight adventurous eaters?

KG: I have always prepared healthy meals without other options. I firmly believe that if they are hungry, they will eat what is in front of them. I also do not "over-snack" them. That said, if they do have a snack, it's usually something with grains (pretzels, wheat crackers, etc).

lilsugar: What are your family's favorite meals? Are there any foods your children do not like?

KG: We have a lot of favorites and I believe in exposing kids to a variety of foods from a very young age to avoid those childhood ruts (eating and wanting to eat the same four things for every meal).

lilsugar: You are often filmed packing cereal bags, lunches and picnics prior to outings on your show, do you do that for convenience or to save money?

KG: Both. Packing lunches and snacks ahead of time saves us money and help me make sure my family eats healthy no matter where we are. It ensures I’ll have something nutritious on hand when we’re away from home.

lilsugar: Do you have advice for moms on how to pack lunches that children will actually eat?

KG: Try to make their lunches fun. Include a note in their lunch bag or scribble words of inspiration on a napkin. And if you want to get really creative, use cookie cutters to transform your child’s sandwich into a work of art – or even into their initials. These little surprises are sure to bring a smile to their face.

Another thing I do is aim for variety. For instance, I’ll make them checkerboard sandwiches where I mix up the bread - using one slice of light colored bread and one slice of a darker bread, I simply cut the sandwiches into quarters and flip two of the quarters over to make a checkerboard. This is a great way to start introducing kids to whole grain bread. Kids love fun-looking food, even if it’s good for them!

lilsugar: You are extraordinarily organized. Do you have favorite products to pack food in a certain type of cereal bag, lunch box or drink container, etc.?

KG: I love cute reusable lunch bags and am a huge fan of color coding. With a family of 10, everyone having their own special color makes things much easier! Plus, it fosters a sense of ownership in the kids, which makes it less likely they’ll leave it behind or swap it with another child’s lunch!

lilsugar: You make cool, interactive snacks from edible play-dough to the pudding paint, do you have others?

KG: Those are the latest ones. Anything that is able to be eaten as well as fun (and healthy!) thrills my kids!

lilsugar: What is your family's favorite edible splurge, for example, ice cream for dinner?

KG: Well, ice cream for dinner is great but sometimes we will also have breakfast for dinner (French toast is always a big hit). Think variety with nutrition and it will keep everyone interested!

Check back on lilsugar each morning this week for some of Kate's delilicious kid-friendly sandwich recipes!