spike it

When it comes to ice cream floats, two options come to mind: root beer or Coke. I never thought there was more to the float world.

Then, one quiet day, the folks of Tastings in New York told me about an entirely new float. These floats were a giant hit at their summer parties. They involved alcohol. Also fruit. The visionary creation? Prosecco floats!

Bon Appetit introduced Tastings to the light-alcoholic-fizziness-meets-strawberry-sorbato combo. And the drink is, I’ve decided, the perfect hot-day refresher. It's also such a pretty addition to a bridal or baby shower. And while Bon App’s homemade sorbato (sorbet-meets-gelato) sounds delicious and not-that-hard-to-make, my approach is especially low-tech.

Spiked Floats

Place 1-2 scoops of store-bought sorbet of your choice—Haagen-Dazs’ strawberry, raspberry and peach are all great. Fill glass with Prosecco or other sparkling wine; 7 Up also works for a teetotaler version. Add 3 or so raspberries or other pretty fruit. Serve.

And be forewarned: This opens up an entire world of spiked floats. After this, I was an unstoppable-spiked-float force. I created what I call a Southern Spritzer by adding the leftover peach sorbet to 7 Up and bourbon and am officially smitten with this drink. I’m now contemplating my next spiked float move….

party by numbers: engagement party

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Reader Holly wrote in to get ideas and suggestions for an engagement party she's throwing for her sister and brother-in-law-to-be. We thought a Party by Numbers post would be the perfect way to get her started.

Invitation: Pick one of the invitations in our Wedding / Engagement category. If you want to make it more personalized, you can change the main image to one of the couple. Just choose any invitation with a background or color scheme that you like, then click the "Upload New Main Image" button.

Here are some important details to keep in mind:

• Mention your relationship to the bride- and groom-to-be in the invitation. Traditionally, the parents of the bride throw the engagement party, but nowadays, anything goes.
• Etiquette suggests that only wedding guests should be invited to the engagement party. There are exceptions to this rule (like if the wedding will be family only or in a far-off locale), but it's a pretty good rule to stick to in almost all cases. Make sure to get a guest list directly from the couple and/or their parents.
• Giving gifts at engagement parties is strictly optional. Don't include where the couple is registered in the invitation — let guests who want to bring a gift ask you directly.

Food and Drink: Since toasts to the couple are the main event at an engagement party, you'll want to have plenty of bubbly on hand. This can mean champagne, but if you want to save a little, cava, prosecco or any sparkling wine will do.

Stick with serving finger foods instead of a full meal. It'll promote mingling between the families and among the guests.

Special Touches: Keep the couple of honor in mind for the party décor. Adding lots of photos to tabletops is always a good bet for sprucing things up. Also incorporate things that are specific to the couple. For example, I went to an engagement party where the couple had gotten engaged in Hawaii, so the hosts pulled in subtle tropical elements — hibiscus flower arrangements and background music from The Beach Boys and the Blue Hawaii soundtrack — without going overboard on a theme.

Want even more rules of engagement? Check out our engagement party guide.

party by numbers: clothing swaps

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Trading clothes with friends or family isn't a new phenomenon, but the trend is booming in popularity, thanks to our sinking economy and growing interest in all things green and reusable.

Not sure how to host a clothing swap? We've got you covered.

1. Choose an Evite invitation with fashion flavor, like the one above. In your message to guests, set the ground rules. Everybody brings new and gently used clothing, jewelry, bags and belts in wearable condition — no rips, stains or odors. Also, ask your guests to reply with the types of items they're bringing and what they're hoping to pick up. Finding out that someone is craving a silver miniskirt might remind another guest that they just happen to have one way back in their own closet.

2. Create your guest list. Either invite 8-10 friends for a small, informal get-together, or make it a larger group and charge a small admission fee, which can go to renting clothing racks and extra chairs or to buying food and drink. 

3. Get your place swap-ready. Set up tables and mark each one for the clothing items that should go on it, so guests can set out their wares and, later, easily find the items they're most interested in. Turn another room into a changing area by propping up a full-length mirror and making sure there's ample lighting.

More Tips for Avoiding Fashion Mayhem

• What if some people bring expensive things and others don't? Decide with your guests if you want to assign values to each item rather than swapping on a one-to-one ratio. To assign a value, consider factors like whether the item is new or worn and whether it was above a certain dollar amount, then use color-coded stickers (or a numbering system) to give it a value. That way, a purple-stickered item can equal 2 red items or 3 blue items.
• What if some of my friends are too grabby? Start the party by letting your guests browse around and try things on without "calling" any items as their own. You can also set limits for how many items each person can take, either by letting people take only as many items as they bring or creating rounds in which everybody can only take a set number of items.
• What if more than one person wants the same thing? Use a tie-breaker, like a coin toss, or create a rule where the item goes to the person who has the fewest items.
• Does everybody have to be the same size? Good friends come in all shapes and sizes, and all should feel welcome to swap it up together. If you're concerned some people will feel left out, focus your swap on shoes, purses and other accessories.
• What if there are items left over? Donate any extras to charity.

comfort me with cuteness

When the economy plummets, comfort food’s popularity soars. After all, a night on the town may seem too expensive, but a box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese does not.

Also popular during times of economic strife? The more budget-savvy approach to socializing:  entertaining at home.

And if you take these two trends and roll them into one, you get a pretty appealing option — a party with only cost-conscious comfort foods. Go even easier on the budget by calling it a potluck. For added interest, you can follow corporate America’s lead and downsize your comfort foods to create mini versions that will have guests proclaiming their cuteness before devouring them whole.

Here are some teeny-tiny, totally cute options:

• Buy some phyllo cups and fill them with macaroni and cheese. To make your mac extra-special without getting too labor-intensive, get a boxed variety (I like white cheddar) and add stuff.  You’re in charge, so throw in what you like: blanched broccoli or asparagus, prosciutto, breadcrumbs, chives, more cheese or whatever.
• Here’s a mini must-have: mini pigs in a blanket and its vegetarian cousin: mini soy-based pigs in a blanket.
• Tip: Muffin tins are amazing. Make a meatloaf and instead of using your bread pan, use the muffin tin for mini meatloaves. Or, even easier: Heat up some mini meatballs.
• Baby carrots are essentially downsized regular carrots, no? Put those out with some ranch dip. And go a little novel by offering those crazy-tiny champagne grapes. It’s probably pushing it on the comfort food front, but they’re so bizarrely small and fascinating, we must have them!
• Are quiches comfort food? Let’s pretend they are, and add mini quiches to the menu too.
• Shooter glassware is your friend for pint-size portions. Note: Shooters are larger than shots — think of the shooter as the toddler equivalent to the baby shot-glass size. Use shooters for small, individual servings, such as Jell-O.  A round of milkshake shooters would also be super-cute — get vanilla ice cream and add ingredients to create different rounds of flavors: chocolate syrup, strawberries, or peanut butter and banana. (Is this anyone else's childhood favorite or just mine?)  For extra nostalgia, add whipped cream and a cherry.
• Cupcakes — and the even smaller mini-cupcakes, above in strawberry-lemon-Funfetti flavor — are always, always a hit. Seriously. Get some.

party by numbers: american idol finale

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After months of musical montages and theme weeks, it's all come down to Adam or Kris. Wherever your allegiance lies (even if you still miss Allison!), you'll want to get your friends together to celebrate with American Idol finale parties on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Invitation: We've got lots of music-themed invitations to choose from. Or pick any invitation and upload an image of your favorite finalist. You can also add a poll to your invitation to find out who your guests will be rooting for beforehand — you may want to adjust your seating depending on whether you want to encourage or avoid smack talk.

Activities: Watching the show, discussing song choice and rolling your eyes at [insert least favorite judge's name here]'s comments are going to be the main event. However, Idol's trademark phrases and commercial clips would make for an interesting drinking game or round of bingo. Here are some surefire instances to get you started:

• A judge proclaims, "You made it your own"
• An audience sign that includes a clever pun
• A mention of iTunes
• A fight between Paula and Simon
• Adam's tongue makes an appearance
• Kris plays an instrument

Food and Drinks: You can't go wrong with your basic eat-in-front-of-the-TV snacks. If you want to go theme-y, you can bring in Idol's star logo with a plate of starfruit or some star-shaped sugar cookies. To go along with the show's shamelessly plugs, you'll want to have plenty of Coca-Cola on hand. And bonus points for finding those red Coca-Cola cups!

pomp it up

Graduation is just around the corner. You've got your memory boards ready, plenty of school-themed decorations and the obligatory copy of Oh, the Places You'll Go! If you're looking for a few more things to cap off your graduation party, allow us to show you some decorations and accoutrements that we're loving.

• For unique, handmade goods, try Etsy. A simple search led us to pages and pages of graduation party decorations. We found an elegant Congrats Graduate banner as well as a customizable bucket that's perfect for filling with ice and stocking drinks.
• Make a sweet impression on guests with wooden ice cream spoons that you can get embossed with a graduation message. Keep the message general and you can use these babies all summer long!
• If it's favors you're after, check out the Evite Party Store. We'll point you in the right direction to find the perfect little something to send home with your party guests.

Need more ideas to celebrate your graduate? Our graduation party guide is here to help!

cheese it up

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A cheese plate is a welcome addition to any party. But creating one can be intimidating if you don't know your way around the wheels. Here are answers to the basic cheese questions:

• What kinds should I get? There's no right or wrong cheese — you can buy a brie or a cheddar and call it a day. Or, you could choose a variety of cheeses, based on one of these attributes:
  • texture: soft, semi-firm and firm
  • milk: sheep, goat and cow
  • country/region: Spanish, French, Italian and US cheeses are among the easiest to find
• Okay...but what should I get? For soft cheeses, brie (cow's milk) is always popular. Wow brie fans by upgrading to a triple-cream cheese like the French Saint-Andre (cow) or adding a bite with cambozola (cow), a combination of French triple-cream cheese and the sharper Italian blue cheese gorzonzola. Another option: a goat cheese like the California crowdpleaser Humboldt Fog, a runny, creamy cheese bisected by a line of edible ash. You have lots of great choices for semi-hard cheeses: nutty Spanish manchego (sheep), sweet French cantal (cow), mild Dutch edam (cow) and sweet-salty Swiss gruyere (cow) are all winners. Hard cheese options include the salty Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano (cow), sharp aged Italian asiago (cow) or earthy UK aged cheddar (cow).
• Where should I buy them? You'll get the best selection from a cheese shop, but you can also find great cheeses in a higher-end supermarket or store like Trader Joe's. Do not be afraid to ask the cheesemonger (yes, that's what they're called) for help choosing. They'll not only steer you toward cheeses you'll like in the price ranges you want, they'll give free samples to help you make your selections.
• How daring should I get? Know your audience. If your guests are not stinky-cheese people, you probably won't convert them. Either skip the stiltons altogether, or serve one "scary" cheese alongside some "safe" cheeses. And give the scary one its own knife.
• How much should I buy? The general rule is about 3 to 6 ounces per person, depending on how much other food you're serving. 
• What temperature should I serve them at? Cheese should be served at room temperature to get the full flavor. An average-size soft cheese should warm up from the fridge in as little as a half hour, but a larger piece and/or a harder cheese could take as much as 2 hours.
• How do I plate them? Put the part of the cheese people will be cutting into facing the edge of your plate. If you like, cut a few pieces of each cheese. That will prevent guests from being too intimidated or polite to take the first piece, and it will show them how the cheese should be cut.
• What kind of knife should I put out? Setting out the wrong kind of cheese knife could cause injury — or just embarrassment if pieces go flying. Harder cheeses need a sharper knife. Knives specifically made for harder cheeses often have a forked tip (to pick up pieces) or a serrated edge. A cheese plane is preferred for some firmer cheeses, like aged cheeses. Knives for softer cheeses look more like butter knives, with rounded edges, and double as cheese spreaders. Do you need to have special knives just to serve cheese? Nope. Just make sure the knife you choose can safely cut through the cheese.
• Bread or crackers? Whichever you like. Or both. If you're serving a variety of cheeses, a selection of crackers and thinly sliced crusty bread complements them nicely. One cheese? One type of cracker or bread is fine.
• What should I serve alongside? Sweet and savory accompaniments, like grapes, apple and pear slices, dried fruit, quince paste, nuts, cornichons, sliced meats and olives.
• Where do I store leftovers? In your mouth. Or, if you have more willpower, wrap leftovers in clean parchment paper, wax paper or plastic wrap and pop into your fridge's crisper.

sixteen candies

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Reader — and birthday girl! — Nikki writes, "I'm planning to have a sweet sixteen birthday party. I don't want to overdo my decorations, and I don't really know what I should decorate with other than colorful streamers and lanterns."

Very exciting, Nikki! Make this birthday extra sweet with a candy theme. It's colorful, inexpensive and easy to set up. Here's all you need:

• A candy buffet! Fill a table with bowls, platters and canisters of your favorite candies, along with scoops and tongs to pick them up. 
• Create candy garlands by stringing gummy candies with a needle and thread. Back in the day, we also used to create gummy necklaces to wear — and snack on.
• Fill vases with jelly beans, Red Hots or Skittles for bright pops of color.
• Sprinkle wrapped candies down the center of your table like a runner.
• Hang individual lollipops from the ceiling with ribbon, just above your guests' heads.
• As the party winds down, put out cellophane or sparkly silver goody bags so guests can bring home leftovers.

Read our Sweet Sixteen Party Guide for more ideas for party themes, decorations, activities and more. And have a spectacular birthday!

a baby shower for the adult in you

It’s probably strange to say I have a favorite baby shower I’ve attended, but I do. A friend with an extreme aversion to cutesiness was the guest of honor. Her friends hosted an anti-baby-shower baby shower (not to be confused with an anti-baby baby shower, which would be really inappropriate). It was game-less, charming and, perhaps much to its chagrin, supercute.

Not to say this type of baby shower is for everyone. If a mom-to-be is a traditional sort of gal, then get to searching for icebreakers. But if she’s not, my friend’s celebration might be right up her alley:

• For the Evite invitation, the hostesses made the party intentions clear by stating: “Please be warned: This will not be the typical baby shower. There will be nothing cutesy involved.” It made someone like me immediately look forward to it.
• The baby shower was dubbed a tea, but of the laid-back variety, not the china-teacups-and-scones variety. Instead, there were tea options and a teapot of hot water, much like this tea bar. For those not with child, there were even cocktails.
  
• The honoree did not open gifts at the party. There was a table for people to place their gifts, and she opened them post-party.
• The hostesses decided against structured activities, so there were no icebreakers where you taste-tested baby food or tried to identify the candy bar melted in the diaper.
• Rather than teddy bear decor or something similarly cuddly, the hostesses opted for an “anti” theme. They had napkins printed up that declared: “These napkins are not adorable”; the cake said: “This cake is not cute”; and the honey bear alongside the tea held a sign proclaiming: “This bear is not darling.”

The cumulative effect? Delightful!

spring into action

Spring is finally, finally sproinging up all around us — days are longer, flowers are blooming, birds are singing, music is blasting out of open car windows, and the lure of the grill and outdoor parties is getting ever stronger.

In other words, no, it's not just you. We're all craving a little sun and some laidback, good times after this tough winter. And what better way to kick things off than with a sunny, springy invitation design? I know exactly where you can find some. Click an image to start creating your invitation!

Light up an outdoor party....

Hip up your house party....

Brighten up any event with a sunny color and traditional style....

Batter up for baseball season....

Set a sweet tone....

Add some pop to your party....