CasaSugar

Monopoly Goes Round with 75th Anniversary Edition

CasaSugar — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 12:00:21 -0800

To celebrate the game's 75th anniversary, this Fall Hasbro will unveil a circular Monopoly board, "Monopoly: Revolution Edition." The game, which will sell for $35, will feature an electronic pod and pin credit cards to keep track of players' finances digitally - and prevent cheating! Hasbro has also adjusted monetary amounts to account for 75 years of inflation, so when you pass Go, you'll earn $2 million, instead of $200. It'll also feature sound effects relevant to events in the game, like a jail door closing and even Elton John songs.

I definitely think the round board shape will be a step forward for entertaining purposes, but I'm curious to see how the electronic console affects the "house rules" (snake-eyes, free parking cash, etc.) we've all come to know and love. I wonder if Monopoly considered adding these to the game. I'd love to try my hand at this new edition, but considering that after 75 years Monopoly is still one of the most popular board games, I don't really think it needs any adjustments!

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Are You Hosting a New Year's Eve Party?

CasaSugar — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 08:30:08 -0800

By the time New Year's Eve rolls around, I'm usually burnt out from hosting holiday dinners and parties, and tend to either spend the night out on the town or cozy up at home for the evening. What about you?

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Casa Quickie: Pouf + Tray = Instant Entertaining Space

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:00:51 -0800

If you're throwing a holiday party this season, you'll want to make sure that all of your furniture is doing double duty. If you want to create ambiance in a room, try setting a tray on a pouf and arranging pretty votive candles upon it. Then, turn down the lights and let the party get started!

Or, simply use the tray/pouf combination as an extra serving area for appetizers or glasses of holiday eggnog. How would you use this for entertaining at your next party?

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Open House: How Do You Handle Extra Guests in Your Home?

CasaSugar — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 05:30:41 -0800

For my family's Thanksgiving, we always rent a couple dining tables and a dozen chairs, move our everyday dining table to the garage, and use our formal dining table as a buffet. When the party's over, my family members crash on every spare bed, couch, or inflatable mattress in the house.

What about you? How do you handle having a lot of guests in your home for dinner or for the weekend? What rearrangements do you make? Any tips for the rest of us? Tell me by commenting below!

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Are You Hosting This Thanksgiving?

CasaSugar — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 06:15:47 -0800

Hosting Thanksgiving dinner is a huge undertaking, and you have my utmost admiration if you're the hostess this year! From getting your house in order to preparing the big meal and hosting houseguests, it's a weekend of fun, reward, and some exhaustion.

Registry Roundup: A Splendid Table

CasaSugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 15:00:55 -0700

If you've chosen the right kitchen registry thanks to YumSugar's tips, you're well on your way to having a beautifully dressed dining room for future dinner parties. But don't stop there - you must be sure to register for beautiful table linens, candlesticks, candles, and other essentials to have your table looking its best. If you're not sure where to even start when it comes to registering for your wedding, take a look at my downloadable registry PDF. Check out all of the Sugar network’s wedding coverage here.

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David Tutera's New Year's Eve Entertaining Tips

CasaSugar — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 05:30:32 -0800

When it comes to advice on throwing your New Year's Eve party this week, look no further than party planner David Tutera, who’s planned star-studded events for the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Matthew McConaughey, and Star Jones, to name a few. He's given me a few tips on ringing in the New Year with your cohorts in style.

Create a sexy centerpiece. Tutera recommends using "every glass you own - martini glasses, wine glasses and champagne stems martini glasses, wine glasses and champagne stems - and place them down the center of your table filled with water." Then, he says to "add drops of pink food coloring in varying amounts so that there are different shades in each glass," and float votives in each glass for a colorful, sparkling centerpiece.

To hear a few more of his tips, read more.

Start the year by giving back. Tutera suggests asking guests to "Bring Their Own Donation," such as old blankets for animal shelters and money for saving the rainforest, instead of drinks or dishes.
Ring in the New Year right. Great minds think alike; like Yours Truly, Tutera suggests making your own confetti from scraps of colorful paper around your home. But, in his twist, you should, "add in inexpensive sequins or even small pieces of coordinating fabric and package them in small bags or cones for guests to throw when the ball drops." He also suggests tying "a small bag of hand-made confetti to each champagne glass that you pass out."
A low-cost party game. Tutera suggests creating a resolution board "from a framed mirror to a fabric covered piece of foam core," and placing it at your front door, inviting guests to share their resolutions. I say: save your resolution board and check in with your guests in three months and see how well they've followed through!

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How-To: Be the Hostess With the Eco Mostess

CasaSugar — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:00:38 -0700

Want to learn how to make your Summer soirees a little more eco friendly? Elizabeth Rogers, the best-selling author of The Green Book, recently gave me some tips for throwing parties that won't negatively impact the planet. So many times when we're busy organizing a backyard bash or a big dinner party, we forget the impact that all of our disposable cups and plastic party favors can have on the environment. But not to fear! Just because you're keeping the earth in mind doesn't mean that your party has to be any less fun. In fact, it can be even more so - and these tips are even budget friendly! Elizabeth recommends that, "While preparing for your party, stop by a local swap meet or thrift store for fun vintage items you can reuse all summer long."

Want to hear Elizabeth's smart entertaining tips? Then read more.

Instead of running through dozens of plastic cups and paper plates, vintage glass-wear and dishes found at swap meets, will add a unique touch to your dinner party. Using dishes already in existence instead of buying brand new ones or disposable is 100% eco friendly. Plus they can be reused all summer long, saving you upwards of $100 in disposable paper, plastic and Styrofoam products.
Approximately 70 million bottles of water are drunk in America everyday and, because petroleum is used to manufacture these bottles, the impact on the environment is significant. For your party use vintage glass pitchers filled with filtered water. My favorite is PUR because it adds an extra level of filtration, so it has a crisp taste. Your guests will love the vintage feel, and you’ll be saving yourself the cost of buying all those plastic water bottles.
Vintage tablecloths and napkins, found on your swap meet excursion, are a more fashionable way to set your table than paper or plastic throw-away table covers. Antique lace will lend a summery elegance to your party, and after a quick spin through the washing machine it will be ready for your next soiree. Paper napkins and paper towels are two of the reasons paper waste in the US has jumped from 30 million tons to 84 million tons a year since the '60s. So, as well as being more durable, cloth napkins will prevent your party from ending in the trash.
Centerpieces are a sophisticated finishing touch, when decorating for your party. Instead of buying cut flowers that travel in gas-guzzling cooler trucks, and will be wilted and gone before the end of the week, potted plants are a beautiful alternative. Potted orchids require little care and will look stunning in your home after the party has ended. The cost of purchasing several potted plants for your table tends to be less than purchasing bouquets of cut flowers from a florist or the grocery store, plus the flowers will be ready to shine again at your next party.
Light your party with soy candles in Mason jars. You’ll save on electricity, plus soy candles don’t emit carbon or smoke as they burn and purchasing soy candles supports soy farmers. Mason jars, have been used for canning since the 1850’s and these antique glass jars can be purchased for a few dollars at local flee markets. The soft candlelight will lend a charming Midsummer Night’s Eve quality to the evening.

For more excellent tips, as well as to learn more about Elizabeth and The Green Book, check out her website.

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Room Therapy: A Bed For Our Guests

CasaSugar — Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:00:31 -0700

Hi, Casa!

I am at a loss, and I'm hoping you or other Sugar readers can help me out. I recently moved from a spacious apartment to a tiny townhouse. My husband and I decided to make the larger of the two bedrooms into a joint guest bedroom/office. The only problem is our guest bed is a queen! We are definitely tight for space in this room, and a pull-out sofa or futon seems like the ideal solution. We've started our search, but everything seems so expensive (after moving expenses, we really can't afford to go over $200 or so on an "optional" piece of furniture). What can we do? We crave our office space and I definitely cannot give up my bookshelves, but we still want friends and family to be able to visit and stay with us. Please advise!

Thanks,
Bethany21

To see my suggestion, and to leave a suggestion of your own, just read more.

Hi Bethany21,

I can totally empathize with you! Moving costs are often exorbitant, and it's so nice of you to already be turning your attention to your guests' comfort. I'm sure that you're a popular household for friends and family to visit, given your outlook on entertaining.

First of all, I'd suggest donating or selling your current guest bed. A queen bed is huge, and it likely dominates the guest room/office. Since you say that you're also attached to your bookshelves, why not set up this second bedroom primarily as an office? For years I put guests up comfortably on a pillow-top full-size aerobed in a room that was primarily an office, and I think that this might be a good option for you as well. I recently slept on one for four nights when I visited a friend, and didn't have an ache or pain anywhere upon waking, so I can wholeheartedly recommend this product. And more importantly, you can deflate, roll up, and store this bed in a closet when you're not entertaining overnight guests. That way you and your husband can optimize the space as an office when guests aren't visiting, rather than as a huge bed-dominated second bedroom/office. I also spotted a Aerobed Peremier Pillowtop Inflatable Bed on sale for $124.95 at Sierra Traders, so that's well within your budget. And if you're absolutely opposed to an Aerobed, check out this morning's Good, Better, Best post for a wrought-iron daybed that's also in your budget.

Anyone else have a suggestion?

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Primer: A Well-Equipped Guest Room

CasaSugar — Wed, 25 Jul 2007 07:00:17 -0700

Old-fashioned homemaking wisdom says that everyone should sleep in her own guest room at least once, to see how it feels and make improvements. (As the guest in many rooms over the years, I can safely say that most people do not do this.) Of course, if you live in a smallish apartment or house, you may not have a spare room, but that doesn't mean you should ignore your guests' needs, even if they're just crashing on the couch.

So I've put together a quick checklist that covers the basic essentials that any good guest room (or mere guest space) should have. To see if yours is up to par, read more

clean towels, perhaps laid out on the bed
a well-lighted mirror
a bedside table and reading lamp
a few well-chosen books and magazines
a wastebasket
paper and a nice pen
a closet with plenty of free hangers
an alarm clock
a night light, if the room is unusually dark

From there, whatever embellishments you want to add - from fresh flowers to maps of your city - are up to you. Think I'm missing a crucial accoutrement? Tell me below.

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