Posts Tagged ‘Parties’

With the welcomed advent of warmer temperatures, many individuals migrate to the outdoors. Often this migration involves the opportunity to work on the yard and garden, enjoy barbecued fare and enjoy family and friends in the outdoors.

This summer, why don’t you treat yourself and your guests to an outdoor home bar to add to the frolic and let the good times roll.

The outside bar is basically a refreshment stand providing alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages to become the center of any social event. Some important points to consider in one’s outdoor bar are the style and type of bar that would best fit your situation.

Think through the process of investing in an outdoor home bar before you actually undertake the purchase. You need to have answers to questions like where will the bar be situated, what it’s size should be, will it have a roof or not, should it be mobile so it can be repositioned or moved inside in lousy weather or at night, does it need to have electricity or water and so on. Another thought must be the cabinetry in the outdoor home bar that should probably have the ability to be secured from tiny hands so nothing gets broken or imbibed by the wee ones.

Once these questions have been answered, then the individual has a good idea of what they are looking for in a bar. Then next step would be deciding on the style.

As with any product there are a number of styles of outdoor home bars. For example, a simple straight styled bar, a horseshoe style bar, an L shaped bar, etc. In addition, a popular outdoor home bar is known as a Tiki Bar. This style of bar is a standard bar, but is in the style of a tropical hut. Specifically, that means the roof is the form of palms and generally the front of the bar looks like wood from a wooden hut.

Other considerations in the purchase of an outdoor home bar is how it will be used and where should it be located. These can mean decisions like what type of glassware and other bar accessories would be safest for the guests to use. This would probably lead to glassware and bar ware being made totally of plastic, so there is no possibility of people stepping barefoot on broken martini glasses.

Also, it is of a practical concern and a good safety measure to make sure that the guest’s well being is maintained. Therefore, rules should be posted that encourage the guests to drink responsibly and not indulge in any unsafe behavior. This precaution is important because alcohol has a tendency to impair judgment and this coupled with outdoor activities may lead to some safety concerns and possible injuries.

Safety rules can be posted and worded in a way so guests don’t feel like little kids but the message is clear and so is the intent. For example, a sign could be posted near the bar declaring “We don’t serve horses, so do not indulge in horseplay,” or “Don’t drink and run, sing or swim.” These kinds of signs can be purchased ready-made in some outdoor retail stores or online and should be put wherever everyone can see them.

For more information on how to build a home bar or to get your free home bar plans check out Bar Plans Online.

For the individual or family who is ready to finally move ahead on their dream of putting a bar within their home, it is important to know that there are a number of options available. One of those three specific options would include the building of their own uniquely designed and built home bar that would fit quite nicely into that special place designated within the home. Another option would be to purchase a used bar and install it as it is or do any necessary renovations. One other option that the individual can explore is the purchasing of a new bar that has all of the desired features and is service ready to be installed.

Therefore, whatever choice is decided upon, it is critical to reflect on a number of processes and considerations that will reduce frustration and yield a wonderful entertaining unit and value added dimension to the home.

The first thing for you to do is to have a plan. Where in your home will the bar be? You will need drawings to scale with drawings of the desired shape of the bar. Bars typically can be designed as a standard, straight sided bar, a home bar in an L shape, a horseshoe shaped bar or a rectangular style. Do you want the bar to permanently reside in its designated spot in your home, or do you prefer a more portable arrangement that can be moved from room to room?

The shape and style of the bar will also be determined by where in the room it is to be located. If the bar is to be placed in the middle of the room, you would want a rectangular style so that it can be exposed with attractive viewing from all angles, including the back side. If it is going to be put in a corner, or anywhere in the room where it will be against a wall, you don?t have to worry about it looking good from all angles and the simple, straight sided bar will do nicely.

Also, when considering the investment of a home bar it is important to decide before hand whether there will be full cabinetry in back of the bar or whether the storage cabinets will be underneath the bar.

Other considerations to think through prior to installing a bar include whether the home bar will utilize electricity which would be necessary for refrigeration, lighting, etc and whether the bar will be a dry or a wet home bar. The difference between the two is whether there will be water provided through plumbing and a sink fixture.

As for the actual furniture style of your home bar, the possibilities are practically endless. You can have a bar that incorporates rails for guests to rest their feet at the base. You might also consider padding the bar in places where you and your guests can rest their arms comfortably. This is also a good time to consider seating options. You could go for a standard stool of metal or wood, or go upscale and select leather top swivel chairs or stools.

Lastly, if you are having someone else design, build and install your bar, you must know the dimensions of it. The standard height of bar stools is 30?. If your bar designer has some other dimensions in mind for the bar height, you may have to use custom-designed stools or search for adjustable height stools to accommodate its non-standard height.

For more information on home bar building or to get your free home bar plans check out Bar Plans Online.

Whenever one purchases a product, there will undoubtedly be additional products to purchase to get the most out of the original item. Consider the purchase of a new flat screen television. To go along with that purchase to enhance the quality of viewing it, one will also need to buy cables, video devices, cable provider and so forth.

The purchasing off a home bar is no different. Therefore, to complete the joy of a home bar there are certain accessories that need to be purchased to insure a good experience for not only the host or hostess but the guests as well that utilize the home bar.

The reason you bought your home bar in the first place is undoubtedly because you understand what it can do for the of the socially interactive aspect of your get-togethers with friends and family. This happens when you can easily offer them alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, both plain and exotic. The first thing one must do in accessorizing the home bar, then, is to make sure that the bar is always fully stocked with the traditional spirits. These spirits will include whiskey, rum, vodka, scotch, tequila, gin and brandy.

Also, it is important to have certain mixers on hand to ensure that the basic drinks are available for the guests. Some of those mixers could include a cola product, juices (tomato, orange, cranberry, pineapple, etc.), ginger ale, 7-Up, tonic water, etc.

Now you need the tools to prepare the drinks. You need a blender, cocktail shaker, napkins and swizzle sticks.

Next comes the glassware to serve the drinks in style. This would be a variety including red and white wine glasses, beer steins and pilsner glasses, highball glasses, martini glasses, shot glasses and perhaps brandy snifters and mugs for those hot toddies in winter.

No bar should be without a cocktail recipe book, allowing anyone to step up to the bar and make that perfect cocktail. The recipe book should be in alphabetical order, indexed, clearly state the ingredients for each drink as well as the steps to make it and a picture of what the finished product should look like.

Other miscellaneous items that should be included by the owner of the home bar as part of a complete home bar set up would include bottle openers, coasters, pourers to place on top of the bottle of alcohol and straws. Also, another popular drink that has come into its own recently is the margarita. Therefore, the home bar unit should be accessorized with a margarita glass rimmer and of course utilizing margarita salt.

It is important that you have a plentiful supply of ice for your drinks. Most people will want their drinks to be icy cold, particularly in the summer, but year-round as well. You will also need a place to properly store garnishes like olives, cocktail onions, limes, lemons cherries, and so on. A mini freezer/refrigerator would be a great asset to have either in your bar or within easy access.

For info on how to build a bar check out the basement bar pictures at BPO.

The liquor ? this is your primary concern in hosting an event held at your own home. Many exert so much effort in determining the location, the set up, and the quick make shifts of the bar when having a party. How about having your very own bar at home?

This could be the end of all hassles that are included in setting it up every time you have an event. There are many people that would go for this option instead of hassling with the alternative. There has to be a specific style that you have in mind before making this venture a reality.

There are many options that you have to consider and remember at the same time. However, in the end, the main decision that you would have to make is the type of spirits you are going to have in your bar. If it is a party you are hosting, you will have to cater to many different tastes and needs.

If it is a cocktail party you want, remember that it is always better to have a set menu ready that you can always rely on. Fruits and spirits that complement each other must be abundant in your bar. Even the smallest mistake could ruin a well planned evening.

The bar should always be clean and fully stocked with supplies. The guests should always be off-limits from the bar; this will ensure that the event will run gently. The bar is important to the event; people who are not trained in managing bars may destroy what you tried to work on for so long.

If you want to run a cheaper bar, you should know that some of the most common cocktails have some of the same ingredients; this would make it easy for you to run and maintain you bar, especially if you are new to it. The moment that you do have a solid base as to what it is that you serve in your bar the shopping may begin.

Some of the spirits that you do need to have is a good amount of the following: Bourbon, Brandy, Light rum, Gin, Vodka, Tequila, Spiced Rum, Dark rum, Whiskey as well as rye whiskey. Some of the essential items that you would need, should you be serving cocktails is of course, the garnish. The fact that you will be needing all of the other ingredients and mixers for all of the recipes of the cocktails that you are preparing to serve needs to be kept in mind to.

To specifically please your female guests, you must consider that the favorite of this group is the Daiquiri. It is recommended that you have varied blend of these to offer on the menu. The only disadvantage in preparing a Daiquiri is the need for a blender, it may cause disturbing noise. Hence, you must carefully consider the use of a blender for it not to ruin the flow of the party. It may be the worst thing a blender?s sound may do in your hosted event. Figure out on how you can minimize the noise emitted by the blender and still pleasing the ladies.

Once you have your bar set up and stocked you are all set. Make sure that you save the bottles of liquor that are used up so that the next day you will remember what you need to restock for the next big night. Also make sure to drink responsibly and never drink and drive.

For info on building a home bar check out the basement bar photos at BPO.

Putting up a home bar should, of course, requires one to have at least a basic knowledge on drinks for all occasions. A bar’s heart will always be the drinks it has to offer. This article will provide the basic concepts and knowledge on drinks, made easy through three simple steps.

The first step is what they call the selfish phase. The principle of self-centeredness applies in this initial stage. Letting yourself be the customer firsthand, by listing and making sure that your own favorites are stored up should make this stage handy. In simple terms, your top three cocktails should be included in here. Drinks like gin and Black Russian could be added up in your primary list. Other basic drinks to shore up gin will be coffee liquor, tonic water, sweet vermouth, vodka together with bourbon and bitters which serves as neutralizers.

Being economical itself, having your favorite drinks as primary investment will nevertheless put you in a win-win situation. Suppose no one likes your favorite, at least you can enjoy drinking all by yourself all day long. The simple idea here is making your own self the very first customer to enter the bar.

The next part is a consideration for the immediate people in your environment, more likely to include your family and of course, friends. In this phase, including their likes too will make the bar a success. Having a line of whiskey starting from single malt to premium will also be a good idea. Having a variety of a single drink will attract more kind of people.

Purchasing whiskey in blended, Irish Scottish, and Rye would at least bring three different variations of taste. Remember that you can never please everyone which is why having variations would at any rate make more chances of more people to try and take a shot.

In this stage, aside from gin and whiskey, cocktails should already be included. Things like various schnapps, green-labeled vermouths, Italian vermouth and Amaretto should be taken into consideration. Condiments like real fruit, salt, castor sugar, limes, lemons, cherries and many others could add up the excitement of people.

Following drinks and condiments would be mixers. Mixers like tonic water, cranberry juice, milk, soda water, coke products, water, pineapple juice and beer would greatly complement with whiskey, gins, and cocktails. Of course, it would not be necessary to purchase all of this at the same time because you may find it too overwhelming if you do so.

The last part and the final phase is the final set up of your bar room. Having a peaceful and clean looking bar with a good landscaping would be added points for the bar. Accumulation of more drinks, catchers, mixers, and condiments in due time will make your bar a success.

For info on bar designs check out the basement bar photos at BPO.

Over the last several years you’ve probably heard the term “Man Cave” being used more and more to describe an area of the house designated specifically for the male who lives in the house. This area could be an extra room or garage, or even the shed out back. This space is meant for the man to use as a refuge from his everyday life.

If a man is married, having an area all his own to retreat to can actually be beneficial to the marriage, according to some psychologists. This place to escape to, is filled with all the trappings of his manhood and individual taste. It’s a place he can call his very own. These caves typically contain the latest electronic gadgets, noisy toys, and perhaps even a bar.

Long ago there were, and probably still are, cultures that required a young male child to go through certain rituals to attain manhood. After spending his youngest years with the women in his life, namely his mother, he left that protective cocoon and was forced to ‘grow up’ in the man’s world. This could have been the beginning of the thought process that would result in a man needing to get away from it all for a while.

It’s not only important for men to have their refuge. Women, especially those with children and or husbands, may find having a space of her own a welcome retreat as well. Men and women both need time to themselves in an area that is comfortable to them.

Being married is not the only reason why a man might want to seclude himself. Unmarried fellas need only go from room to room to be in a ‘cave’ in which he can recuperate from a difficult day. Turning up the stereo, kicking shoes off in all directions, putting feet up on the furniture and just hanging out is a man thing, not just a married man thing.

Some men have made an art of creating their cave. They can come up with ideas that are very far out on the edge of strange. Many will be comfortable with copying other men’s ideas as well.

To make your very own cave, all you need is an extra room (imagination would be helpful as well). To create something truly unique, you may want to delve deep into your psyche and uncover buried memories of ancient times, or you could spare the memories and head to the nearest hardware and electronic store and surround yourself with modern day manliness.

Even a man who has to pinch pennies to make it to the end of the month ahead of the zero balance in the checkbook can find a way to gather his thoughts and feelings in a little privacy. Maybe he could turn an extra bathroom, even, into a little piece of heavenly solitude with a bit of ingenuity. The ‘seat’ is there, now just make it comfortable

For more information on home bar building or to get your free home bar plans check out Bar Plans Online.

A bar is a perfect spot for guests to gather around and get acquainted with each other. You can build your own bar in a room where you normally entertain guests or install one in your patio for summer pool parties.

You can actually build a portable bar that can be used indoors in many rooms and push it outdoors when the weather calls for it. Bars are usually made from wood or bamboo. The bamboo particularly lends itself to a tropical island bar style. Another good idea is to build a bar as a counter in the room used for entertaining and then use it for all sorts of things like a bar, a buffet table or just an extra table.

You can store your bar glasses and alcohol in a cupboard underneath the counter so that it is out of the way until you want to use it as a bar. When you have children it is probably the best to keep these items hidden away.

Begin the project by taking measurements, extremely accurate measurements. Obviously you want it to fit in a certain space or spaces, but don’t forget to take into account the counter height so family and guests can sit comfortably on a bar stool and it is not awkward for the bartender to stand behind, mix and serve.

Items that you will need to stock in your bar are bar stools, glasses appropriate to various drinks, like whiskey glasses, red and white wine glasses, martini glasses, beer steins and glasses and glasses or mugs for hot drinks in cold weather.

Don’t forget the bar tools. You will need bottle openers, wine openers, cocktail shakers, measuring cups or shot glasses, ice bucket and tongs, bottle stoppers, straws, and stirs. A small refrigerator would also be a handy thing to have as well as a blender for margaritas and daiquiris.

Aside from the ice, you will be able to store ice cream, milk, and cream for those kinds of drinks. With most bars that you have at home, you will also want to make sure that it works with the decor of your home and that it blends into your everyday life.

A great way of doing this is to treat your bar like a second kitchen. You can have a sink to wash up in, as well as snack dishes and such in the cupboards. If your bar is located closer to outside or on your enclosed patio, then you can also keep all your outdoor cushions there along with pool accessories and barbecue items.

You need to start with a plan of how you want the bar to look, what size it should be and whether it is to be stationary or have the option of portability for use in any room and outdoors as well as indoors. With a clear vision in mind, you will find it much easier to begin the project and finish it within a reasonable amount of time. Cheers!

For more information on home bar design or to get your free bar plans check out Bar Plans Online.

Buying the appropriate liquors to fully stock your bar can be very expensive indeed. This is especially true if your taste lends itself to the premium brands. To save some money, stock only the basics. It is also certainly appropriate to buy the high end brands for those discerning individuals that appreciate them and buy less pricey liquor for those who don’t.

Liquor Basics

These are a must to have in your bar. With them, you can mix many a fine drink.

Vodka Gin Rum Whiskey Tequila

These will go fast so stock a few bottles of each in reserve.

Beyond Basic Liquors

These liquors are secondary to the basic but some people will ask for them, so it’s up to you whether to stock them or not.

Scotch Brandy Cognac Irish Whiskey Jagermeister Rumplemintz

Unless you are a connoisseur of scotch and/or cognac yourself, you won’t need to purchase the very expensive premium brands of these. Tastes vary so much among the people that prefer the high end bottles, that you will probably not buy the one that pleases them anyway. Buy what you like.

Liqueurs and Cordials

Blue Curacao Vermouth Cointreau Midori Grand Marnier Triple Sec Kahlua Bailey’s Irish Cream Peach Tree Amaretto Puckers Chambord Frangellico Crme de Menthe Crme de Cacao Anisette

In the interest of saving money you can find most of these under the brand name of Mr. Boston for less than the well known brands of each. These are very nice to keep in your bar because they can be mixed to make so many different drinks. They last a long time because you use so little per drink and they won’t go bad on you.

Non-Alcoholic Drinks and Mixers

Grenadine Sour Mix Lime Juice Cola Diet Cola Red Bull Orange Juice Pineapple Juice Cranberry Juice Grapefruit Juice Tomato Juice Sprite or 7up Soda Tonic Ginger Ale Cream Milk.

Don’t buy the huge cans of juice, stick with the 8oz size. You will find them to last longer without spoilage. Obviously, if you are going to throw a big shindig, then buy enough for that. Milk and cream cannot be stored, so purchase them as needed and in small sizes.

Garnishes and Condiments

Cherries Olives Cocktail Onions Bitters Worcestershire Sauce Tabasco sauce Salt Pepper Sugar Lemons Limes Oranges Picks and stirs.

Most of these can be stored for long periods in either the refrigerator or on a shelf or cabinet behind the bar. The fresh fruits will have to be replenished as used.

You are now ready to call the gang in to celebrate the grand stocking of your bar. Show them your stuff, barkeep, and enjoy.

For info on building a basement bar check out the bar plans at BPO.

Making wine at home is super-easy.

Making wine at home that you would actually want to drink — is a little harder.

Microscopic foes are just lying in wait to ruin your best efforts.

But it is still easy if you follow the right steps and pay attention to the details.

What Ruins Homemade Wine Most of the Time?

Most of the time — if you have not messed up in the details or have used an inferior recipe or ingredients — it is wild air-borne yeast and bacteria.

Acetic bacteria — which is in the air all around you all of the time — can convert your delicious alcohol into acetic acid. That is what turns wine (and apple cider) into vinegar. That’s a good thing if you want vinegar. But a bad thing if you are trying to make wine.

Unfortunately, yeasts and fungi are also in the air of every home and these can turn an otherwise beautiful wine flat and sour very quickly. These living organisms are also present in the fresh fruits and the water you use to make the wine. Wild yeast can also ferment in a totally undesirable way and knock off you best efforts at taste.

So you can’t win, right?

Wrong.

There are a few easy steps you can take to successfully combat these microscopic foes. Otherwise, we would have no wine at all, right?

1. Maintain a clean working environment as free of dust as possible.

2. Sterilize all bottles, containers, corks (or other toppers) and utensils before using and keep all fermenting wines covered or sealed.

The idea here is to keep out the bad air-borne particles while letting the good bacteria do its magic. Wine makers call this a “fermentation lock.” Its whole purpose in life is to prevent the air and those airborne baddies from reaching the wine.

Check with your local wine supply shop or online for fermentation locks and instructions.

There is nothing better in the world with wine than BBQ Pork Ribs fixed on the grill. If you want to learn the proper techniques and the best recipes for grilling delicious, juicy and perfectly done pork ribs, visit http://bbqporkribs.net and learn from the experts.

During my college days I never really had a problem with being hung over in the morning. I was in the habit of only really having a beer with my meal. Well that was the case most of the time.

Mind you, if we had a race during the day, then we would always return to school afterwards and inevitably have a few beers. Sometimes we would miss out on eating anything large and have our fill with beer.

A lot of times we ended up having a party on the night of a race, and once again we would end up drinking more than we thought we had.

But Sundays there was always a training session to be completed. When this happened it was just a case of trying to avoid a hangover for these sessions.

We could normally manage to sleep until about 7.00 to 7.30 before we had to get up. Once we were ready we would go to the locker room to change into our running gear, ready for our 8.00 start to the day.

Most of the time to prevent the dreaded hangover we would drink some water or Gatorade before the run, if you were up for it you could even have a bagel to calm your stomach.

After running about 7 or 8 miles you had forgotten about the effects of the night before. It is possible you forgot earlier but you only seem to realize after 7 or 8 miles for some strange reason.

The amazing thing about this was that by the time you realized that you did not have a hangover; you were over half way home. So you could get back quickly, have a nice shower and prepare for your large breakfast.

Besides drinking, the writer also regularly shares writing regarding air conditioner units and cheap air conditioners.