LilSugar

Couples Cocktail Party: Food and Beverages

LilSugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:00:22 -0700

Like any other fete, there should be ample food at a couples cocktail party and of course, a signature drink to wash the nibbles down.

Ask the bartender to concoct a beverage that reflects both the baby and the parents-to-be. If the nursery is in shades of pink and the father-to-be is a fan of Stoli, perhaps a renamed vodka cran fits the bill. Or if the soon-to-be mama used to sip on champagne and orange juice, go for a "mom"osa. And, of course make sure there's a delicious mocktail version for the expectant guest of honor.

For more edible ideas, read more.

Set up a table of prepared eats so guests can serve themselves and you can enjoy the soirée, too. Italian food is always a nice option since Caprese salad on skewers, spicy meatballs, focaccia squares, stuffed mushrooms, and cozzi are all crowd pleasers.

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Couples Cocktail Party: Decor

babysugar — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:00:00 -0700

I love couples showers because they give men, especially the papa–to–be, a chance to bask in the pregnancy spotlight.

And generally, the showers are like any other festive affair - just with an additional purpose - celebrating an impending arrival.

To see how to make a couples shower cute to boot, read more.

If you're hosting a couples shower at your residence, it is easy to dress up your home for the occasion.

Enlist parents of the mom and pop–to–be and ask them to send you baby pictures of the expectant pair. Make copies of the adorable photos and place them around the entertaining rooms for friends to enjoy during cocktails.

And speaking of drinks, instead of using bowls, fill up some baby bottles with candy or peanuts and place them next to the festive napkins at the bar.

As with most parties, you'll probably have food to balance out the alcohol. Instead of bringing in flowers for a centerpiece, buy a pregnant wire form and tie a pretty ribbon around her empire waist.

An odd way to celebrate new life, the tradition is to smoke a cigar upon the birth of a baby. Keep things clean and healthy by offering up pink and blue bubble gum cigars to your guests. I'd be willing to bet they'd be more popular than the authentic ones anyway.

Couples Cocktail Party: Invitations

babysugar — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Move over carriages and baby bottles, we're throwing a baby shower for guys and gals to attend this week. Many friends of first-time parents are often still single and sometimes weirded out by the fact that their buddy is about to have a babe. Starting with the invitation, set the tone for this celebration with a twist.

To see what party invitations I recommend, read more.

Choose something that appeals to both sexes, but that still screams baby. These concert tickets make great invites combining the perfect amount of playfulness and all the necessary details.

On the invitation be sure to include where baby is registered – especially for those, ahem, clueless bachelors. And if you're hosting the event at a restaurant or bar, include an ending time so the mama-to-be won't be obligated to party all night!

Wedding Trend Alert: Couples Showers

partysugar — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:00:38 -0700

If bridal showers just aren't your style, consider hosting a couples shower. Coed, or "Jack and Jill" showers - in which the groom invites his male friends and family - are becoming more and more common. Think of a couples shower more like an engagement party. Host the party on the weekend and choose a menu that will please both men and women. For more tips on hosting a couples shower, read more.

At a bridal shower, alcohol may not play an important role, but at a couples shower be sure to offer guests cocktails.
Plan the party around a theme, event, or activity. If you or your fiancé are foodies host a cooking class, wine tasting, or mixologist bar shower. Attending a sporting event or hosting a tournament is fun for adventurous, athletic couples.
The present opening ceremony is optional. If you prefer, open them later in privacy. However, be sure to send thoughtful, prompt thank you notes.
Remember a shower is a chance for everyone to get to know each other before the wedding, so encourage mingling.
Finally, it's your party so do what you want. If a Mexican themed fiesta with a mariachi is what you love, go for it!

Have you ever attended a couples shower? Or hosted one? Share your tips below.

To check out more wedding trends, go to IDoSugar.

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Feeling Itchy? An Appliance Could Be the Culprit

BellaSugar — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 08:00:23 -0800

Itchy head? Yes, it could be dandruff, eczema, or even head lice. (Let's hope it's not that last one.) Chances are, the solution to your scalp woes could be simple. All you have to do is just turn down your water temperature - or you'll end up like itchy old me. A few weeks ago, a repairman tinkered with our water heater to make it a little more effective. He succeeded, and I was pretty pumped about being able to take scalding hot showers. However, my scalp paid the price. You see, hot water takes moisture out of the skin, stripping the hair and skin of natural oils. Couple this with frequent shampooing, possibly harsh ingredients, and dry air, and you'd be scratching your noggin, too. Here are some tips to prevent an itchy scalp:

Cut back: Obviously, the easiest solution is to turn down the heat, whether it's the temperature of your water or the setting of your blow-dryer. If you absolutely have to have warm temps while you bathe, consider either wearing a shower cap or turning the cold nob up while you wash your hair.
Add moisture: In lieu of a daily shampoo, try using a clarifying shampoo weekly instead. I'm not saying to only wash your hair once a week, but by using a clarifier, you might actually feel as if you need to shampoo less. Speaking of washing, look for mild, scalp-friendly formulations with naturally soothing ingredients like burdock root or tea tree oil.

Naked Cook Gives JJ Advice on Girls in New Skins!

PopSugarUK — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 04:00:00 -0800

Last week's episode of Skins was pretty dark, as we saw Freddie try and deal with Effy's breakdown. This week we're focusing on Freddie, and I have a couple of preview clips for you ahead of Thursday night's episode which will air at 10pm on E4! As always they contain strong language and are therefore probably NSFW, and the first clip has a lot of Jack O'Connell aka Cook naked in the shower as he tries to advise JJ about women. Enjoy!

To see JJ's attempt to ask Lara out ahead of Thursday's episode, just read more.

H&M Goes Organic With Body Care

BellaSugar — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 14:15:27 -0800

One more reason to like H&M: in just a couple of weeks, the Swedish fast-fashion chain is introducing a line of body care made with organic ingredients. Ecocert, the European certification organization, has given its green stamp of approval to the range of shower gels, body scrubs, lotions, hand creams, and lip balm. As you'd expect from H&M, it's also affordable. Body care products each cost less than $5, with only a toiletry bag reaching the $7.95 mark.

Delivered in recyclable packaging, the paraben- and phthalate-free products incorporate organic ingredients such as apple juice, sunflower seed oil, jojoba, and essential oils. And bunny lovers will be glad to know that whether during the development process or in the finished state, the products are not tested on animals. An organic-based body care line at a decent price? How Swede it is.

Headline of the Day

GiggleSugar — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 00:02:00 -0800

Nude Couple Grapple Over Dog Near Shower

Things heated up, in more ways than one, between two lovebirds while they were showering together. He wanted the dog to join them in the bathroom, she was against the idea, an argument ensued, grappling followed, a picture frame was thrown, and the woman ended up in the slammer - feeling so fresh and so clean, clean - on a $50,000 bail. Girlfriend: 0, Man's Best Friend: 1. To read more, click here.

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Chanel's Temporary Tats Now Available!

BellaSugar — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 09:00:00 -0800

Now you can officially channel your inner Chanel with the luxe brand's much anticipated Les Trompe L'Oeil Temporary Skin Art ($75 for five sheets of 55 designs). The temporary tats, which last a couple of days - or longer, depending how frequently you shower or rub against them - are applied pretty much like any other temporary tattoo, and are easily removed with a washcloth and warm water or by rubbing with a cream or lotion.

Created by Peter Philips, Chanel's global creative director, and inspired by the luxury brand's Spring 2010 ready-to-wear collection (see images from the show below), the skin transfers, featuring decorative designs like pearls, chains, sparrows, blossoms, and the famous Chanel logo, are available now for a limited time at Chanel.com and Chanel boutiques and makeup studios. Considering most of you were initially open to the idea of sporting the decorative designs, do you plan on getting inked now that they're out?

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How Many Times A Day Do You Shower?

BellaSugarUK — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 04:00:00 -0800

After spending the weekend with some friends, I found it amazing that we all had such completely different shower habits. I try and wash by body at least five times a week, however, my hair is a different story altogether. Those who are gym rats can shower up to three times a day, and those that work from home or who don't work at all, don't shower more than a couple of times a week.

Also, I couldn't help but notice a comment from Advah, a top talking reader about the ban on pyjamas at Tesco which had me wondering about shower patterns, as it seems she washes every night before bed.

Vote and/or leave a comment below to let me know many times a day (and when during the day) you shower.