Party Idea: A Create-Your-Own Cocktail Bar

Last night (Friday) was a wonderful, glorious girls' night. I never had girlfriends until recently and I don't understand how I survived for so long without them. (Some thoughts on that here.) We're all pretty creative ladies so thinking of fun ideas kept me awake at night. What are we supposed to do, drink some Black Russians, pop in a rom com, play cards and call it a night? No. Our hands must create. Glancing over at my overflowing liquor cabinet, my mind devised this plan: a create-your-own cocktail bar. BOOM.

It seems like such a simple idea but it is one that is open to endless possibilities of ending so poorly. Not enough booze, not enough possible combinations, too much booze,  not enough blackberries... For my first little make-your-own bar night, I think it went pretty well. Here's what I learned:

The most important thing to remember is variety, variety, variety. Some are whiskey girls. Some are vodka girls. Some like gin. Others enjoy champagne. Find your staples but don't make it boring. Find a good balance of liquors and liqueurs. Variety doesn't stop at the hard beverages though! Include many different choices for mixers. Tonic water and pineapple juice are staples but why not branch out a little more? Pomegranate juice and Blood Orange San Pellegrino were big hits. Fresh fruit and herbs are also a must-have. They're good for muddling as well as garnishing. The more unexpected, the better. We loved having lychees and starfruit on hand.

Sharing is to be encouraged. The name of the game is to try as many combinations as you can without getting too... tipsy. This is why we share. It's fun tasting concoctions that you never would have thought of conjuring up.

Never underestimate the power of having extra ice handy. I didn't think this through and ended up running back and forth from the fridge in the kitchen to the dining room table many times. It's not a far trek but it's also not conducive to party-time conversation. Yelling into the other room over the buzz and clatter of falling ice cubes falling into a glass vase is not a good look for anyone. Have plenty for the glasses as well as the shaker.


I'll definitely be doing this again. It was so much. Just remember to drink responsibly and if you have to, hide the car keys. 

Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!

xo,
e.m.