The Grill Master

There are very few things more iconically American than Dad grilling in the backyard. For the dad who loves to barbecue, our grilling tools make great Fathers Day gifts. From grill tongs to jalapeno grill roasters to barbecue tool sets, you’ll find excellent gift ideas for your Grill Master dad. Our top Father’s Day gift for the Grill Master is our Dad Branding Iron Gift Boxed Set! The gift that literally has “Dad” written all over it, this barbecue branding iron will allow your father to “steak” his claim when grilling.

The Outdoorsman

Camping, fishing, hiking, and hunting are the activities you will find the outdoorsman father doing on the weekend. He treks away from the beaten path to interact with nature. The outdoorsman dad needs a Father’s Day gift to take with him into the wilderness. Give your outdoorsman dad our Stanley Classic Insulated Thermos, the dad gift that is just as rugged and durable as he is. Perfect for the man-on-the-go, this best Father’s Day gift idea ensures he’ll have a hot cup of coffee or warm soup in even the most inhospitable of environments.

The Corporate Maverick

Does your father call the shots from a corner office? Does he run with the bulls or hibernate with the bears of Wall Street? If so, we have a great selection of Father’s Day gifts for your dad, the corporate maverick. This type of dad spends long hours at the office and regularly goes to important business meetings. Instead of getting him the impersonal tie this year, our top dad gift is an often overlooked but very necessary men’s fashion accessory, the cufflink. Our Sophistico Monogrammed Cufflinks are the perfect Father’s day gift for the corporate maverick dad. With the included engraving, your father is sure to be the sharpest dressed maverick in his next business meeting.

The Golfer

Golf gifts: a Father’s Day tradition like no other. For the father who likes to hit the links, golf accessories are always a huge hit. This year, bring a little bit of the golf course home and make things personal with our Father’s Day gifts 2013 top pick, our Nineteenth Hole Personalized Golf Wooden Sign. Customize this sign with your father’s name, and this is sure to be a gift he’ll  never “Fore!”-get.

The Handyman

Otherwise known as Mr. Fix-It, the Handyman father works on cars, home, toys, bikes, and anything else that might break around the house. For the Handyman dad, what good would a tie do as a Father’s Day gift? The Handyman takes pride in fixing things in his family, so for Father’s Day this year, get him a Dad gift that is sure to keep things working around the house – our Test and Stack Battery Rack. Perfect for making sure only working batteries are on hand and organized, the Handyman dad is sure to love this Father’s Day gift.

Need More Father’s Day Gift Ideas?

Don’t fret! Every dad is unique, and it is possible that your father does not fit into one of the Dad-egories above. There is one gift that every dad is sure to love – a photo of his children! Make sure to give Dad this photo in one of our favorite Dad gifts, a Personalized Silver Picture Frame. With personalization included, this picture frame, combined with the photo, is sure to bring a smile to Dad’s face whenever he sees it.

Parts of a Wine Glass

This type of glass is used for tasting and drinking wine. It is made up of only three parts, but these crucial parts of a wine glass affect the overall taste of your fine wine.

Bowl – The upper section of a wine glass. This is the most important component of a wine glass. The bowl shape varies on each wine glass allowing an enhancement on how the flavor and aromas of the wine are received. We will cover more on the importance of wine glass shapes further in this guide.

Stem – The midsection of a wine glass allowing you to handle your wine glass. Wine is to be served at a certain temperature to provide it’s most optimal taste. Holding the wine glass by the bowl would alter the temperature of wine at a consistent enough rate that it would ruin the flavor due to the body heat from your hand. The stem also keeps messy fingerprints from getting on the bowl of the glass for the visual appeal and inspection of the wine.

Base – Supports the wine glass when standing upright, the most obvious part.

Types of Wine Glasses

Red Wine Glasses

Red wine glasses have a shape that can be easily noticed because of it’s wide bowl and shorter stem. The wide bowl shape in these types of wine glasses is essential for swirling, more wine is exposed to the air when swirled which allows essential aromas and flavors to be released. Red wines benefit from more oxygen due to the higher tannin level in it. Red wine glass shapes have been studied and proven that the wide mouth allows you to receive the flavors on certain sensors of the tongue for a better enjoyment of the wine.* This type of wine glass has a shorter stem so if the wine is served too cold the glass can be held at the bowl to get the best temperature of enjoyment. Red wines can be served at approximately 55 to 63 degrees.

White Wine Glasses

White wine glasses come in a shape typically slimmer than the red wine glass. The bowl is much thinner and the stem is usually taller on the white wine glass shape. White wine glasses can come in various shapes due to the different types of white wines. These types of wine glasses are made to enhance the flavors of a specific white wine. The full bodied white wines come in a slightly larger bowl with a purpose similar to the red wine glass shape. It’s taller stem is to maintain the look and optimal temperature of the wine. White wines are served at a temperature around 43 to 50 degrees so maintaining that temperature is crucial when tasting wine.

Champagne Flutes (Sparkling Wine Glass)

The other types of white wine glasses can vary, but a popular white wine glass type is the champagne flute. Another name for this glass would be the sparkling wine glass. These glasses are thinner and taller than the average wine glass. The stem is long like the typical white wine glass shape. The taller and slimmer bowl of the glass is to enhance the carbonation of the Champagne. The longer stems allow it to be held without altering the temperature of the wine. It also prevents fingerprints from disturbing the amazing view of the bubbly at it’s best. Champagne is usually served chilled at about 46-43 degrees.

Selecting different types of wine glasses can get very expensive quickly. For those soon to be wine connoisseurs, do some research on the specific types of wine glasses for particular kinds of wine. Every wine glass shape has its benefits in the enjoyment of tasting wine. Other types of wine glasses that are growing popular are the stemless wine glasses.  Wine experts wouldn’t approve of these modern wine glasses because the traditional stems aren’t there to keep your fingerprints off of the glass. Most stemless wine glasses have double walls for that extra bit of insulation that keeps your wine at the most optimal serving temperature. To put it simply every wine drinker has their preference. Find out what kind of wine glass is your preference and make that wine tasting a pleasurable experience.

 *Find more about types of wine glasses at http://www.pinot-noir-wines.com/winestemware/

5. Never Have I Ever

Never Have I Ever combines drinking with sometimes embarrassing admissions, which of course means that this drinking game makes the list! Players take turns making “Never have I ever…” statements, and players who have done those activities drink. Learning new and occasionally disgusting facts about your friends and fellow-party goers makes Never Have I Ever one of the top 5 best drinking games ever; however, the game does tend to slow down as players try to come up with “never have I ever…” statements, which can slow down the buzz factor.

Fun for Players: B-
Fun for Onlookers: B+
Buzz Factor: B-
Final Grade: B

4. Asshole

Asshole is one of the most complex card drinking games (for full instructions on Asshole and other drinking games, please visit the link at the end of this report card), so it can entertain and frustrate for hours. A 52 card deck of playing cards is dealt out to the players. In the initial round, the goal is to be the first player to discard all of their cards. The first player to get rid of all of their cards is the President in the next round, and the last player to get rid of all of their cards is the Asshole. The President assigns rules and has special privileges over other players, and the Asshole…well, let’s just say you don’t want that title. The complexity of this drinking game requires players pay relatively close attention, and the humor or cruelty of the acting President creates some hilarious moments for players and onlookers alike. And as there is always the goal of becoming the acting President in the next round, Asshole can last a long time, which gives it a strong buzz factor.

Fun for Players: B+ (F for whoever the current asshole is)
Fun for Onlookers: B-
Buzz Factor: A
Final Grade: B+

3. Quarters

Quarters has secured its place in drinking game history due to its simplicity and fast pace. Try to bounce a quarter into a shot glass and assign drinks. Miss your shot, and you take a drink. Quarters is surprisingly addicting, as getting just the right touch on bouncing the quarter into the shot glass takes some practice, and other party-goers are inevitably drawn to the sound of the quarter as it bounces and (hopefully) rattles into the shot glass.Oh, and it  will get you buzzed fairly quickly, as the act of bouncing a quarter into a shot glass does require some skill and luck.

Fun for Players: A-
Fun for Onlookers: B
Buzz Factor: A
Final Grade: A-

2. Circle of Death or Waterfalls or Ring of Fire

This drinking game goes by many names, but for simplicity, we will call it Circle of Death. Players sit in a circle and draw cards that are spread out in the middle of the circle of players thus the name, Circle of Death. Each card has a corresponding rule that the players must follow. For example, when a 9 of any suit is drawn, it is a “Nine, Nine, Bust-a-Rhyme,” where the player who drew the card says a word or phase, and players take turns around the circle rhyming with the selected word or phase. The rhyming continues until a player cannot continue the rhyme, at which point that player drinks. Circle of Death is fun as players are constantly making up and abiding by the various, hilarious rule and drinking. Outside observers will also get some laughs from the antics coming from the circle.

Fun for Players: A+
Fun for Onlookers: B
Buzz Factor: A
Final Grade: A-

1. Beer Pong

Portable Beer Pong Table

In Beer Pong, opposing teams (generally of two) stand at opposite ends of a beer pong table with nine cups set up in a triangle in front of them. Each team tries to bounce ping pong balls into the opposing teams cups filled with beer, forcing the opposing team to drink. Beer pong is fast-paced, strikes up the spirit of competition at almost any party, and a crowd of onlookers can almost always be found gathered around a beer pong table. For this reason, beer pong is considered by many to be the best drinking game of all-time, earning it our highest grade.

Fun for Players: A+
Fun for Onlookers: A
Buzz Factor: A
Final Grade: A

Further Study for the Best Drinking Games

As with any game, it is always best to study up on the rules, strategies, and intricacies of a drinking game before playing it. For rules and strategies on our best drinking games of all time, Howcast.com has a great series on playing drinking games. For a drinking game that has more complex rules, such as Asshole and Circle of Death, Drinksmixer.com has a great set of more detailed instructions for these games.

In an effort to save time and money, I had been getting my hair cut at a large, well-known, one-size-fits-all haircutting franchise. The waits were agonizingly long with screaming children and the smell of women’s perms; the florescent lights, stained waiting room furniture, and top 40 radio station playing in the background strained my eyes, back, and nerves; and the turnover of hairstylists was high, so I never knew with whom I would be having a twenty-minute, awkward, chit-chatty conversation. It was a miserable experience

I had finally had enough of subjecting myself to this unnecessary torture, and through some research, found a local barbershop called The Clubhouse. As soon as I walked in the door of this barbershop, I felt at home. The waiting area had leather couches and sports magazines. The sound of screaming children and the smell of perms were absent, and in their place, the sight and sound of a college football game on the big screen television and the familiar smell of shaving cream. The dark, solid-wood walls were covered with golf memorabilia, and busy behind the chair, the barber worked away clipping hair.

As you you may have guessed, I now go exclusively to The Clubhouse for haircuts, and the one-size-fits-all hair franchise is a distant memory. As it turns out, the barber was the proprietor of the shop. Walking into his establishment was a much more comfortable experience, and it dawned on me that the barber had essentially turned his business into a mancave. Everything in the shop was carefully picked to ensure every man who entered felt welcome and knew exactly who the man of the cave was.

The one-size-fits-all hair franchise and The Clubhouse both cut hair, but my experience between the two was drastically different. The golf memorabilia and sports on television and the rest of well-thought-out details are how the barber welcomes his guests as they walk in the door. The same thing can be accomplished at home, but it does require careful planning or else it may just become another one-size-fits-all room. To avoid the heresy of the one-size-fits-all room, commit yourself to the follow the 10 Com-MAN-dments of the man cave.

1. Make It About You

This is your space, and you need to claim it. After all, you do not want just anyone walking into the cave without knowing who the man is! You can accomplish this in a number of ways.  You can decorate the walls with framed golf scorecards from courses you’ve played. You could have personalized man cave signs made. You could even pull in your favorite chair that no one else would ever dream of sitting in (think Martin Crane’s chair on “Frasier”). You might even paint the walls in your favorite team’s colors. The point is that whoever walks into the room should have a sense of who you are and what you like.

2.  Do Not Disturb Hours

The point of having a man cave is to give you a space where you can unwind. You work hard, and you deserve a quiet moment to watch sports, drink a beer, or play a video games. Make sure there are clear boundaries on when others may or may not disturb you in the cave.

3. Stock Your Home Bar

You will inevitably have friends over to share in (and to show off) your space. Part of being a good host is to have an appropriately stocked home bar, and ultimate man caves have a reasonable selection of alcohol available for friends and guests. And while most guests generally abide by the BYOB rule, a good host is prepared for the friend who shows up empty handed.

4. Provide Plenty of Snacks

Have you ever been a guest at someone’s house and thought, “I’m really glad they didn’t serve some delicious snacks. What great hosts!”? Probably not. If you have guests over, and they will be there longer than an hour, you need to serve some form of manly food – typically wings or nachos or pizza. For some man cave ideas for food, check out these great recipes from realsimple.com

5. Tune the Big Screen to Football on Sunday (and Saturday and Monday)

Football is the new American pastime (sorry, baseball!), and while tuning the big screen to any sport is generally a good idea, having your friends over for football on Sunday (or Saturday or Monday) is a sacred tradition of the man cave. There may be other televised sports, but they will drive friends away from your space to find a better place to watch football.

6. Don’t Skimp on HD

Remember comMANdment #4? Well, if you skimp on HD with your cable or dish provider, the sports on your big screen will be lacking. No one likes a fuzzy picture or motion blur. If you have a big screen in your mancave, you should have HD technology, so use it!

7. Silence is Golden (During the Game)

We’ve all been to a Superbowl party where someone talks throughout the entire game. That someone could be the know-it-all, the wannabe play-by-play analyst, or even the ex-athlete. In any case, someone talking throughout the entire game can ruin the ultimate mancave experience for everyone. As the man of the cave, it is your duty to make sure there are some talking guidelines set for watching the big game. Your other guests will thank you.

8. Play Great Music

When you’re sitting around the man cave bar and there is not a game on, it is good idea to have some great music playing in the background. While musical tastes vary, there are some definite no-nos for your playlist. Compiled by Ranker.com, the bands on the worst bands of all time list  should never, ever make it into the song rotation.

9. Seating Now Available

As you invite your friends over for the big game or any celebration, it is critical that you have enough seating in your room. The ultimate man cave is all about comfort, so it is unacceptable for your guests to sit on the floor or on the arm of a couch. If you have a home bar in the cave, make sure you have plenty of bar stools. If you have the space for it, a couch or two are ideal. Folding chairs are acceptable for a large gathering, and bean bags are fine in a pinch.

10. Invite Your Neighbors

So your man cave is all set up. There is plenty to drink and eat, and there is a great game on that all of your friends are there to watch. Since you have the place to hang out, there will be times that there are a number of cars parked on the street or the noise from the cave is loud. Make sure to invite your neighbors to the celebration. Not only is it the neighborly thing to do, it may prevent problems in the future, such as complaints about the parking or the noise.

Conclusion.

Remember that this space is about comfort and celebrations, so put some time and effort into planning your man cave decor. Your guests will appreciate it, and by following the ten comMANdments of man caves, you will be well on your way to hosting great gatherings and avoiding the one-size-fits-all room.

Do Your Research

To have an enviable home bar, research is key. Planning ahead will eliminate headaches later on, except the ones caused by over indulging the night before.

Think back to the “research” you did at your favorite pub.  What did you like about it?  Why did it feel like home?  What kept you coming back?  What were your favorite drinks? Knowing what you like will help you plan your bar. The style of your bar area is an extension of your personality. Do you want replicate your favorite Irish Pub in your basement? Pick colors and decor that match your style. It’s much easier to paint at this stage of the game! Maybe you are going with a Man Cave theme in the garage? You might want to add wheels when building a bar for this space. Bars can be heavy so try to do as much decorating as you can before it is installed.

Now, a fun homework project.  This weekend, grab a bite to eat, then go visit a restaurant bar where they charge way too much for a steak.  These places usually have a decent cocktail menu. Take the seat right in front of where the bartender makes his drinks.  Stay focused, you are gathering intel for your in home bar! Order a drink off the menu and pay cash with a nice tip, not a beer or vodka tonic, but something special.  Watch closely how the bartender makes the drink, what bar tools are used?  While you are enjoying the drink, watch what items he uses over and over, where does he keep them?  If you see something new, like an intriguing drink or some strange tool, ask questions.  Don’t worry, the bartender likes you because you already tipped well.  Learn as much as you can without doing so much “research” you forget it in the morning!

Use this research to optimize your space so that it fits your personality and has easy access storage for the bar tools you will be gathering. A well planned bar is a much better alternative to frantically looking through drawers and cupboards for a bottle opener!

Gather the Essential Bar Tools

Now that you’ve got your space, it’s time to pick up the essential tools for your in home bar. 

The Recipe Book: Not only is a guide like this needed for the cocktail recipes, it is an invaluable conversation starter. Imagine your friends picking drinks off this “menu” as you become a bartender. The possibilities are endless.

The Cocktail Shaker: There are opportunities here to show your personality. Go classic with a stainless steel shaker that twists to reveal recipes or go wild with  zebra stripes. Or maybe start a collection so you can make more than one drink at a time! You might also try a Bartending Set that has the shaker plus other tools of the trade.

A Cutting Board and Knife: It may sound simple, but where are you going to slice up your citrus and the makings for the best Bloody Mary? Surely not your bar top!

Bottle Opener & Corkscrew: The opener is another item that is easily overlooked in home bars until you can’t open the bottle! You can go high tech with an electric wine opener or simple and elegant with an engravable combination corkscrew and bottle opener. A wall mounted beer bottle opener is a great choice, no matter how rowdy it gets, you can always find the opener!

Armed with these essentials, you can serve almost any drink! To get started, you can grab some glasses and utensils from the kitchen, a towel for spills and something to hold ice.  You are ready to invite some friends over, have them bring a bottle! You’ve put so much time and effort in making a great place for them to hang out, why should you foot the bill? If they balk at the idea, let them know that a good bottle of liquor is cheaper than a night out, and more than they can probably drink in a night. Get each friend to bring a different kind of liquor, and keep track of what they are bringing, so you can learn a few drinks you can make with each one.

Stock the Mixers and Garnishes

A well stocked home bar has the mixers needed for a variety of mixed drinks. Look up recipes for the cocktails you plan to serve and grab the mixers and garnishes needed.

Water: Grab some bottled water or filter your tap water to add to Scotch or Bourbon. Aficionados say it opens up the flavor.

Cola: This mixer is great for rum and whisky drinks. Don’t put this in a shaker! Instead, use a spoon or some swizzle sticks to mix your drink.

Tonic and/or Club Soda:  Used mostly for gin and vodka drinks, but can add a touch of greatness to a Margarita as well.  Don’t put this in a shaker either, stir it in later.

Sweet and Sour Mix:  From margaritas, whiskey sours, to the classic tom collins, many mixed drinks call for sweet and sour in their recipes. As you grow as a bartender, consider making your own!

To Make Enough Sweet & Sour Mix for a Pitcher of Margaritas (8 glasses) :

You Need:
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Water
5 Lemons
8 Limes

Directions:

Stir – Sugar and Water in Sauce Pan over medium heat until dissolved. Allow to cool. (Congratulations, you’ve just made Simple Syrup!)

Combine – Simple Syrup and the juice from the lemons and limes.

Bloody Mary Mix:  This is another mixer that you can buy or make on your own ahead of time. Be careful how spicy you make your mix, more heat can be added on a per drink basis. 

Juices:  Orange and Cranberry are versatile drink additives, so make sure these are constantly in stock!

Garnishes: Check your recipes, but always keep limes and olives on hand. Consider adding lemons, oranges and cocktail onions. Fresh citrus can be squeezed to substitute  sweet and sour mix if you add a little sugar or simple syrup to your drink!

You’ve done your research,  built out your space, got your essential bar tools, and stocked up on the mixers. Congratulations you’ve set up a home bar!

The Location:

After getting the OK from the misses have your friends post up inside your one of a kind Man Cave or Bar and it will certainly set the tone for the rest of your evening. Nothing screams out awesomeness like a decked out room in honor of dudes, so be sure and customize your area with all things manly. Pub signs are one of my favorite ways to fill up empty space on a bar room or man cave wall. Whether you want to go the traditional neon sign route, old school tin vintage, or even a custom made personalized wall hanging, adding small accents throughout the man cave or bar will also enhance the tournament mood; if you need more lighting in your space, add a set of decorative string lights. Looking for a place to set that cold one? Getting drink coasters that fit your style and taste will also add a nice touch to your party, besides the only rings you want to see are the one’s given to the athletes not those left on your table.

The Party Food:

Bring some of your friends’ courtside favorites into the mix; after all epic basketball marathons like those held in March need to be celebrated with food that will leave your comrades full enough to take on any grueling night of tournament play. While the student athletes are giving their all in hopes of reaching championship glory, bust out the Chips, Salsa, Pretzels, and cheese spreads. Classic hot dogs and nachos are also sure fire ways to satisfy even the manliest of appetites, but if you’re looking for something a bit more adventurous, use a pepper corer and jalapeno rack to spice things up with some stuffed jalapenos . For more ideas on making stuffed jalapenos, going straight to an authority on the matter is always the best route : Steve Raichlen 

The Fun:

Now that you’ve got your location set, your food ready, and friends invited, all that’s left for you to do is enjoy night after night of college hoops glory. If you want to add some fun to the night, come up with some College Basketball themed drinking games. How about anytime the opposing team hits a 3-pointer you have to take a shot? How about anytime a Center rejects a player someone has to chug a beer? Is there a rare four point play opportunity? If so, how about a boilermaker for everyone? The possibilities for coming up with a drinking game on the fly are endless when your friends and college b-ball are on tap.

#1 If you throw your clubs, I won’t golf with you.

No body likes a crying baby, and no golfer likes a childish partner. If you hit one into the water or shank a ball and then lose it, guess what? All that bad mojo you’re spewing around spreads to everyone else you’re playing with. Yes, the game is difficult, but it’s SO difficult, that sucking at it is OK. Most golfers are out there to enjoy the company and the weather, and try to play as good as they can. Keep acting childish at the course, and people will avoid playing with you.

#2 Home Course Advantage

I recommend having a favorite course that you not only play a lot, but you get to know the staff as well. There are a couple key advantages to getting to know the staff of your favorite course. As for myself, I have a very small group of friends that actually play golf. Sometimes it’s hard for me to even get one of them to go play on any given weekend. For this reason, I golf alone quite a bit. You probably know that you can’t get a tee time for a single golfer, so when you “walk-on” you usually join another small group of golfers. When you get to know your staff, I’ve noticed that they will avoid pairing me with people they don’t like, assuming I won’t like them either! That’s awesome, because since my friends my be busy and I still want to golf, I don’t want to get paired with someone like in tip #1, so my staff gives me the hookup on avoiding those people.

 #3 Bring your own booze

Golf Club Kooler Caddie

You can’t count on the drink cart to be there, and beer at the course is about as expensive as concerts or sporting events. For example at my home course, it’s $2 for a 12 oz can of beer, but if you buy a 12 pack, it’s $26. So what’t the extra $2 for, the cardboard? The same 12 pack will cost you about $15 if you buy it before you get there. Some courses won’t let you bring your own? Not a problem, get on of our hidden golf club drink dispensers and no one will ever know. It’s one of our many awesome golf gifts and a must have golf accessory for incognito boozin’ at the clubs that are sticklers about people bringing their own alcohol.

#4 Save money by golfing smart

If you golf often and you not only want to shave a few strokes off of your game, but a few dollars as well, there are lots of ways to do just that by shopping around. Before you start googling golf discount sites, check the actual golf course website for specials. Here in Oklahoma City we have some really nice city golf courses that are around $40 per round of golf. However, if you know you’re going to be golfing all season, you can buy 10 rounds for the price of 8. Now I’m sure specials like this will vary greatly depending on where you play, but my point is to check places other than the big name golf discount sites. And don’t be afraid to ask the staff at the course. There very well could be a special running and they just haven’t updated their website.

#5 When you’re having a bad round, put the pencil down

It’s inevitable. You’re gonna have a bad round every once in a while. When I have a bad round, I try two things. First, I keep telling myself  ”Ok I had a bad start. There’s always the back nine.” I’m not the best golfer in the world, so I like to think of a round as I played good on the front or back instead of I just played ok overall. If I continue to have a bad round, I stop keeping score and enjoy the weather and good friends. If I keep looking down at a terrible scorecard, it just makes it worse. So I put the pencil down and remind myself that I’m not a good enough golfer to be mad about a bad shot or a bad score.

~Set a girls night in theme

When it comes to setting a theme for your fabulous gifts night in, the sky is the limit! Is this a pajama party? A pink-themed party? A tea party? No matter what you decide, you can find fun party decor for any style. The good thing about a theme is that it helps you plan out what the rest of the party will look like so you can match the decor, the food, and the entertainment.

Girls night in ideas: pretty in pink, the Oscars, chick flick night, pampering party (manicures & pedicures), pajama party

Find other fun ideas on our “Throw a Themed Party” pinterest board.

~Plan the menu

One of the things that makes a fantastic girls’ night is the food. So whatever your theme, make sure you serve up some goodies to your guests.

Tropical Vanilla Pudding Shots

No-Bake Nutella Cheesecakes

Yogurt-Covered Strawberries

Find more delicious ideas on our “Party Food” Pinterest board.

~Stock the bar

When you invite the girls over, make sure you have some wine and the makings for a few girly cocktails. And don’t forget that when it comes to accessories, what you don’t have will hurt you, so make sure you stock your home bar with a few must-have essentials and decorative accessories to get your guests talking and the party rockin’.

{ Wine Bottle Holder }

A wine bottle holder like this High Heel Wine Bottle Holder turns your plain Jane bottle of wine into a sassy conversation piece. Find a wide selection of wine bottle holders here.

{ Wine Bottle Stopper }

Perfect for a Pretty In Pink party, you can find delightful bottle stoppers to fit any theme. And at a price of under $10, you can even give one away as a door prize or party drawing!

{ Giant Margarita Glass }

There’s nothing quite as fun as an oversized piece of barware. Check out this giant margarita glass, which holds a quarter of a gallon! That’s 33 ounces of fruity deliciousness.

{ Cocktail Shaker }

To mix up those girly drinks, you’re going to need a shaker! A cocktail shaker like this zebra-striped design will fit a black-and-white theme. Many more cocktail shaker ideas for all types of girls night in parties can be found here.

When it comes to stocking the bar, it’s probably also a good idea to have a few non-alcoholic drinks as well. You can still serve them in a cocktail glass for fun! Find recipes for delicious non-alcoholic girls’ night in drinks here.

For more fabulously fun ideas for girls’ night in:

The Ultimate Guide to Your Next Girls’ Night In

Women’s Day Magazine Girls’ Night In Menu

Food Network Girls’ Night Menu

5 Ideas for Hosting a Girls’ Night in

Girls’ Night Cocktail Recipes

1: Become a Statistician

You don’t need to major in calculus or glue yourself to ESPN for the next two weeks to impress your friends with some fun Super Bowl stats. They will come for the game and leave talking about your wealth of Super Bowl knowledge.

(Ad stats found here & Super Bowl guide for geeks here & find even more fun facts here)

Who’s playing: The San Francisco 49ers and the Baltimore Ravens

Who’s singing: The National Anthem: Alicia Keys

Who’s preforming in the halftime show: Beyonce (with a reunion of Destiny’s Child)

Fun Football Fact: This year’s Super Bowl will feature head-coach brothers Jim and John Harbaugh, who are the first pair of sibling head coaches rivaling each other in the Super Bowl in NFL history.

–This year a slot of ad space with a length of approximately 30 seconds is selling for over $4 million

–During Super Bowl Sunday 2012, enough beer was purchased to buy 10 stealth bombers.

–The most shared Super Bowl ad of all time was in 2011. VW’s ad, The Force. Watch it here: The Force VW Commercial

2: Plan a Menu

The best Super Bowl parties are all about appetizers, so bring on the wings, chips, dip, and dessert! Here are two favorite appetizer recipes that are easy to make and that your guests will love.

a) Pigs in a Blanket. It’s hard to find someone who doesn’t like these delicious dogs. Get the recipe here.

b) Twisted Pretzel Bites. Recipe found here.

Find even more food ideas on our Super Bowl Food Pinterest board.

And check out HomeWetBar.com for the best kitchen, grilling, and drinking accessories.

3: Get a Game Ready

We complain about commercials for 99.9% of the year, but when the Super Bowl comes around, we take our bathroom breaks during the game and save our viewing time for the commercials. So make sure and have some fun with it by planning some group games.

a) Commercial BINGO. Generate your own BINGO cards at this website with slots for different commericals you might see from the 2013 ad list. Make sure you have a prize for the winner!

b) Quiz your friends with a Super Bowl trivia game. Test yourself with this online version and get more question ideas here.

The Super Bowl is a great way to kick off the new year with good entertainment and good friends, so start prepping now for game day!

Almost as soon as the page turns into a new year, sparklers and party hats are replaced with red hearts and chocolates for that special Hallmark holiday that comes every February 14th. An astounding $13.19 billion dollars is the average annual VDay spending, and candy is the #1 gift to give on Valentine’s Day at 47.5%, beating out the #2 gift (flowers) by 13.7%. (Source)

This Valentine’s Day, you can find something much better than your run-of-the-mill assorted candy box. Here are some fun ideas just for you that involve, what else?….chocolate! Spice up chocolate by adding liquor or making your own dessert with these creative ideas from around the web.

Chocolate-Covered Raspberry Winter Ale Floats

{get the recipe here}Make two of these–one for your sweetie and one for you–and have a fun date night at home.

Liqueur-Filled Chocolates Gift Box

It’s an assortment of 48 liquor-filled chocolates that any chocolate fan (over the age of 21) will enjoy. ($28.99 from theonlinecandyshop.com)

Liqueur-Filled Belgian Chocolates

Perfect for the chocolate lover, this 40-piece assortment of Belgian chocolate are all filled with rich liqueur. (On sale for $24 from orvis.com)

Chocolate Fondue Set

($8.99 from amazon.com) It’s a set for two! Includes one 6oz porcelain ramekin, chocolate fondue mix, and two stainless steel fondue forks. Makes a very fun date night at home or dessert for after dinner.

For the handyman: Milk Chocolate Tool Gift Set

($18.95 from wisconsinmade.com) Have this special box of chocolates shipped directly to you from Wisconsin and give your handyman a fun surprise!

And finally, if you really do have your heart set on a regular box of chocolate, spice it up and make it personal with a box of these personalized chocolates!

Personalized Chocolate Box

($24.99 from chocolatesays on Etsy)

Letters are made to order and delivered within 4-10 business days. Arrives in a white gift box.

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{P.S. To find out more than you ever needed to know about the history of chocolate, check out: thestoryofchocolate.com or hersheys.com}