PREPARING THE ULTIMATE HOUSE PARTY

posted by Elshane on Jun 17 2014, under Home Decor/Entertaining

Hosting is a natural instinct for me, since I have always relished pleasing other people over myself. I love watching friends eat, drink, enjoy their surrounding, and leave a party with an incredible story-- especially when it's on my home turf.

It was only natural, therefore, when Absolut launched their newest gem named Elyx, a premium luxury vodka distilled from pure copper, that a genuine partnership between Elyx and Elshane's World formed. A tequila fan I always was, until I tasted an Absolut Elyx martini and unapologetically switched teams and chose to {fight for the right to party}. 

I hosted an intimate, raging, California cool house party at a friend's bachelor pad/ art gallery/ over-the-top barn/ open-air mansion in Venice, CA-- a perfect setting for my guests to experience what copper-distilled madness could taste like. A venue like this, mixed with a well-curated guest list, and shaken up with a sensory overload of tastes both to the mouth and to the touch delivered the perfect house party environment. Best part? You can re-create this memorable event for your friends, too.

Follow along for how to master the perfect house party...

Let's Start with a Drink...

With the help of the masterful Absolut Elyx marketing team, we created pre-set specialty cocktails for guests to choose from. This eliminates cost and stress from the host. If you pre-set a variety of cocktail options for your guests, the decision making is more concise, as is your grocery list.

Have a big budget? Hire a bartender to fix the drinks.

Have a small budget? Pre-mix the cocktails and self-serve in a variety of drink dispensers, like this one from West Elm.

Invite your guests to understand key ingredients in your cocktails by providing a pretty printed menu at the bar describing their options.

Hostess Hint: Google interesting drinks and "borrow" recipes from online. Try them first to make sure they are fabulous-approved! Garnish goes a long way in making a drink look and feel extra flirty. Mint and citrus slices are a bar cart's best friend.

On the Menu...

Absolut Elyx is made with love-- literally. Its authentic handmade craftsmanship called for food that matched its precision. Skilled sushi chefs and BBQ-grillers plated tiny bite-sized tastes of heaven to pair back to the fine Elyx cocktails.

We selected food options that could stay cold or at room temperature, spreading out each cuisine between the spacious venue to keep the flow of people energetic from room to room.

Hostess Hint: If a friend asks what she can bring, don't be shy to tell her what you really need. Sliced strawberries, chips and dip, a cheese plate, bags of ice... I always keep a list of items I need for a party that I can dish out to guests who offer at all times. Ain't no shame in a hostess game!

Finesse the Flow...

Play mind{less} games with your guests. How? Keep dynamic set-ups at each corner of your space. For this party, we opted for a few checkerboards by the couches. We had a DIY copper jewelry station by the pool. We had a DJ booth by the front of the house. We had a grilling station at the back of the house.

Spreading out activities keeps guests engaged and motivated to party.

Hosting Hint: Other favorite activities I use at my parties: a sign-in board, deck of cards, Jenga, a "one man show" (Craiglist can really provide some quality affordable pay-by-the-hour entertainment: belly dancers, guitar solo artists, burlesque dancers), masquerade masks, a Polaroid camera.

Who What Wear...

I chose a flirty printed mini dress to give my hostess self a little sexy sass. Plus, I stayed light on my feet with my stacked Alexander Wang go-to booties, as any true hostess would know to choose comfort over style for a long night of floating and schmoozing from room to room!

I usually opt for a more dramatic entrance as the host of a party, like a long sheer maxi dress or a wild headpiece. I was just feeling particularly young and free this vibrant evening :)

Hostess Hint: It's your party and you can wear what you want to! That diamond necklace sitting in your bank safe? That over-the-top vintage dress you bought for no particular reason? Yeah, it's time...

 

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HI! IT'S ELSHANE FROM LOS ANGELES, CA
(BY WAY OF NEW YORK CITY)

I STARTED MY BLOG IN 2010 AS A WAY TO ARCHIVE ALL OF THE ONE-OF-A-KIND RUNWAY PIECES THAT I OWNED FROM WORKING AS THE IN-HOUSE STYLIST FOR DIANE VON FURSTENBERG IN NYC.

THEN, IT ALL HAPPENED SO FAST... BIO

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