This is a public service announcement from Ladies and Gentlemen:
Friends don't let friends succumb to another New Years of guzzling bottles of cheap champagne (we all know how that kind of evening ends…). Take the high road (but affordable) and toast the years past and forward with an artful array of tasty mix-your-own cocktails that are guaranteed to get the next 52 weeks off to a good start.
Here are some ideas to set up the ultimate mix-your-own cocktail bar:
-Set up a bar: Have a designated area. We like to use our vintage ironing board for this purpose. It's portable and stows away, is the perfect height, and has an interesting form.
-Vessels with personality: Pick vessels with various forms and characters to mix things up!
-Typewritten tags: You know that vintage typewriter you bought just because it looks so cool…Now here's a good excuse to USE IT! Get some simple tags and type an individual mixing instruction for each drink. You will be rewarded by the praises from your guests. We guarantee it.
-Personalized cups: Pre-mark or allow guests to mark their glasses by getting rub-on letters (by Letraset or Chartpak). Not only does this assure that no mix up happens, it will also keep your guests entertained for good 10-15 minuets. THEN you can bust out your Wii or your good old karaoke machine for the real fun.
Pssst! The letters also come right off in the wash when you scrub it, so don't worry about your glasses!
-Top it off: Provide various toppings and garnishes for drinks loose and nicely arranged: Pomegranate, mint, lemons, cocoa powder, cinnamon or whatever you feel like! This will allow everyone an opportunity to customize and expereiment making their own drinks.
Here are some drink recipes to jump-start your ultimate New Year celebration party!
Irish Coffee (via Drink Mixer)
15 oz Irish whiskey or Irish Cream
10 tsp brown sugar
60 oz hot coffee
Heavy whipping cream
Cocoa powder
Make the coffee (stronger the coffee the better), add sugar and mix Irish cream or whiskey (or both!). Mix.
Whip the whipping cream. Put whipping cream and cocoa powder in separate bowls on the side.
Click here for our other drink recipes!
If Martha taught us anything, it's that it's all about presentation and involving your guests…this is no time to forget that lesson…bust out…go the extra mile. These mixes don't take long, they can be prepped in advance, and will make your bar look totally stocked and glistening! The best part is that now you don't have to spend the whole evening mixing drinks for everyone else…the guests can mix their own darn drinks!
Enjoy and we hope that this can come in handy for any celebrations! Happy New Year!
Jean&Dylan
ladiesandgentlemenhome.blogspot.com
ladiesandgentlemen.etsy.com
Editor's Note: A huge thank you to Jean and Dylan for this amazing idea! We are off to buy some new vessels!
25 comments:
Congratulations on being featured in 'realliving' magazine! I am looking forwarding to reading through your blog in more detail, however so far I am finding it full of inspirational posts. I have added you to my list of favourite blogs. Congrats and Happy New Year!
Cheers,
Helenna
Happy 2009 (I have written a post on how to survive it)
Hugs
Di
ooo even more pics! Great fun post- love it and the pics!
Great post. WHERE did that doily come from??
Cute post. I also would love to know the origin of the doily. It's fantastic.
Genius, pure genius!
Thanks everyone, I've got that same question in about the doilies, myself and hope to hear back from Jean about them soon!
Thanks for all the positive feedback. The Doily was made by this lovely women name Rose Perish, where I collaborated with her to do these series of doilies. I also have other ones like, "woot woot!" "blah blah blah" and also some slightly angry(but funny) ones...like "piss off" "yo mamma" and "wft". :P
Her hand work is amazing, and if anyone is interested, please email me. jhclee@gmail.com
LOVELY ideas for tomorrows celebration. Thanks for sharing. Its so much fun to read your blog! So inspiring.
this is so great. looks fab! love the old ironing board.
I love all of these ideas- especially the letters on glasses, and the typewritten tags. Very nice- thanks!
ideas just in time for a party tomorrow evening. we also got dried hibiscus flowers for in he champagne. oooh fancy. :)
Fantastic ideas, especially the plum wine. And congratulations on being featured in Real Living.
I will absolouteley try this tomorrow for our NYE party :)
I am going to buy myself some letters for glasses. I forgot all about those. Thanks for reminding me. Great blog!
I love this idea. How do they keep the ironing board from swaying too much?
gorgeous post! thanks so much!
We have the problem with everyone losing their drinks and forgetting which cup is theirs.. what a simple solution. Better than my multi colored rubber bands! I love it!
such a cute party-infused post! i, too, am amazed by the boo-yah doily thing!
These are the most adorable party ideas! Each one is so cute, but I especialy love the ironing board. I will be trying out all of them. Thanks so much!
http://www.makemineeclectic.wordpress.com
OK, that doily-- WANT!
Hi,
Thanks for all the comments on the doilies. This doily was made my by
mother. You can see them at
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5382085
She has made just about 2000 custom name doilies.
Thanks
Cindy
Fabulous post! And I'm totally in love with the images in it!
wow, you really are very creative. your ideas are just amazing. who would know that you can use an ironing board to serve drinks on
Oh MY...I must have a Booh-Yah! doily. HYSTERICAL!
This post, and your entire blog, is just lovely. I'll be borrowing these ideas for sure (and serving the cocktails from my Booh-Yah, or Fo Shizzle, doily. ;-)
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