How is it already 5 days into the New Year? I feel like I was in a mad sprint at the end of the year with work, holidays, and getting tons of projects done for our annual New Year’s Eve party. This was the first time hosting it out at our house, so we made New Year’s Eve an official housewarming party since many of our friends hadn’t seen our new place yet (and plus, it guilted them to drive out to the ‘burbs for the night, #realtalk). It was a totally different experience throwing this party than our past 5 years of apartment hosting. For starters, it takes a lot more time to clean and prep a whole house than it did an apartment; we also had quite a few guests sleepover so we had lots to do to fix up guest bedrooms and freshen bedding. On top of all of that, I didn’t have my party flow down — you know: the spot you always put the bar, the place you always set out the food — all of that was trial and error this time around. Oh and one more thing: we had construction going on in our kitchen and wet paint in our dining room up until about 20 hours before the party started — can you hear my panicked laugh?!
I have the delicious drink recipes from our Ladies Whiskey Party to share with you today! One of my favorite details from this day was the incorporation of the recipes into the event — I wrote the ingredients out on brown paper bags and tied them on whiskey bottles to match each drink so it was easy to identify each one. And because the idea of the party was all about sharing these whiskey drinks and making whiskey drinking a bit more approachable, we gave everyone a stack of recipe cards with the ingredients and instructions written out on them so they can recreate them at home. Now, onto those recipes!
Classic Whiskey Smash
- Half a lemon, cut into wedges
- 6 mint leaves
- .75 oz simple syrup
- 2 oz Buffalo Trace Bourbon
In a shaker, muddle lemon wedges with mint leaves and simple syrup. Add ice and bourbon, shake vigorously. Strain over crushed ice and garnish with a tall mint leaf.
The Ladies Manhattan
- 2 oz Michter’s Rye
- .75 oz Dolin sweet vermouth
- .25 oz Luxardo maraschino liqueur
- 2 dashes Regan’s orange bitters
- Cherry garnish
Stir all ingredients with ice and strain into a chilled cocktail glass, cherry garnish.
The Bee Keeper Punch
- 1.5 bottles Overholt Rye
- 16-18 oz fresh lemon juice
- 25 dashes bitters
- 2 cups honey spice simple syrup (go slowly to taste)
- 1 bottle inexpensive Prosecco
Combine first four ingredients and chill for several hours. Before serving add Prosecco. Serve over rocks with a twist of lemon. (To make simple syrup: 16 oz clover honey, 16 oz water, 1/4 cup mulling spices. Bring all ingredients to boil, turn off heat. Steep for 15-30 minutes. Strain the ingredients and cool the syrup.)
Cocktail Recipes, Ingredients, and Event Space: The Urban Grape, Photography: Brian Samuels, Vintage Glassware: Farm & Fable
I finally got around to doing a little bit of styling of my new Society Social bar cart, it’s a work in progress, but I felt like it was time to share a few snaps of what I’m working with! I propped up a vintage painting that my parents gave us as a wedding gift, and culled together a bunch of pieces I already had scattered around our apartment, like a green lacquer tray from Target, my Kate Spade coasters (that coincidentally were a gift from Roxy of Society Social!), my Mrs Lilien Cocktail Book, and lots of little drink accessories, like striped straws and flamingo cocktail stirrers (what, you don’t have those lying around your house?). I also added my new ‘shake, rattle, and roll’ cocktail shaker which I get a total kick out of! I need to hang a few more pieces on the wall above it, and I’m hunting on Etsy for some more vintage barware, but it’s getting there! I get so excited every time I turn the corner now and see it as I walk into the apartment — it makes me so happy!
I am anxiously awaiting tonight’s premier of the new season of Mad Men. As I’m counting down until it airs, I was reading an interesting article in the Boston Globe about the evolution of the cocktails throughout the 1960s and what that means for this season (say ‘so long’ to the dry Manhattans and ‘hello’ to vodka martinis). The goods news is that this means a while new era of cocktail glasses and fun drink accessories for their prop stylists to impress me with. Who’s going to be watching with me tonight?
Clockwise: Dress, lipstick, pen necklace, lighter, decanter, cocktail shaker, bar cart, glassware set
It normally takes about 3 days to fully recover from New Year’s Eve, right? I’m working on it — it’s so hard to get back into ‘reality’ mode after a long holiday! Which is why I’m a little late sharing some pictures of our annual New Year’s Eve bash. Having a few extra days off after Christmas gave me the time to craft some fun decorations and think up some tasty dishes and cocktails. It was a great way to kick off 2013, and I hope it sets the tone for many more fabulous parties to come this year (like, ahem, a pretty exciting wedding coming up in May). How did you celebrate the New Year?
I’m kicking of a new series: Handmade Holidays to share some crafty ideas for making DIY presents this year.
First up, some festive bottle stoppers! I bought plain, unfinished bottle corks in the kitchen section at Target and colored in the stopper with a silver metallic Sharpie, followed by a light brush of glue and matching silver glitter. Once they dried all you need is a drop of super glue to hold an ornament in place on top of the stopper! These took under an hour to make, and cost less than $10 to make the whole set — I think they’d look great tied to a bottle of wine for a hostess gift during the holidays!
This print pretty much sums up my personal mantra, I think it deserves a place in my kitchen. And they styling in this little scene? Spot on. I love the idea of using an old dresser as a bar — think of all the storage for linens and other party goods! Plus corralling the barware in an oversized basket keeps things neat and tidy, don’t you think?
Image via Design Scouting; print via Etsy
I’m in a Craigslist conundrum. The cabinet I use to store my cocktail ingredients is overflowing, which can be a good problem to have — but my multi-month search for a more permanent home to the beverage station has turned up dry.
Bar carts seem to be few and far between, so I’m starting to expand my horizons for an alternative solution. These two pictures have adorable bar areas set up on top of bookshelves and dressers and are serving as my inspiration. Aren’t they chic?
Images via Design*Sponge and Time Out Chicago and Decor8
