HOLIDAYS
HOLIDAYS
Party Girl here, your one and only source for truly fabulous fetes. Word is you don't have to live on the Upper East side to plan a graduation party that's worthy of Page 6.
Inspired by the CW's hit series, Gossip Girl, here's the inside track on orchestrating an dinner that's light on scandal and heavy on style. We know you'll love it.
xoxo,
Gossip Girl
Inspired by the CW's hit series, Gossip Girl, here's the inside track on orchestrating an dinner that's light on scandal and heavy on style. We know you'll love it.
xoxo,
Gossip Girl
Only in New York would a $50 grilled cheese be considered "the usual." Get spotted in the kitchen making your version of the Palace Hotel's notorious nosh.
*You can also use a small loaf of bread and make "bite sized" sandwiches.
*You can also use a small loaf of bread and make "bite sized" sandwiches.
Slice the sandwich into triangles and serve with a side of wild arugula salad.
Ingredients
- 8 Slices Fresh Baked White Bread
- 16 Slices Fontina Cheese
- 2 Oz Shaved Winter Truffles
- 1 Cup Wild Arugaula
- 1 Tablespoon Red Wine Vinegar
- 2 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 Whole Shallot (thinly sliced)
Steps
- Layer 2 slices of fontina cheese between 2 slices of white bread and shave a couple slices of truffles in the middle of each sandwich.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add the butter.
- When the butter melts, add the sandwiches and cook until the bread is nice and toasted. Remove and slice sandwiches.
Serves: 4
Meet the mocktail. Yes, it's virgin, but what it lacks in alcohol it makes up for in taste. Word is that like the latest "It Bag," it's a must-have apres-hours accessory for every underage social.
Mocktail Reception
- Keep in mind that any drink (from the basic cosmo to a lychee ginger martini) can be tailored to be alcohol-free, so do some research and find some fun, visual recipes that the Gossip Girl characters would drink.
- Prepare a batch of drinks in martini glasses before your guests arrive.
- Set out the batch of prepared drinks on a silver tray for each guest as they arrive.
- You can also set up a mocktail bar with cocktail shakers, jiggers, ingredients and recipes so that guests can mix up their own concoctions as the night goes on.
Spotted: from 1 Oak to the Waverly Inn and the Palace Hotel, any Upper East Sider worth her trust fund knows it's not what you eat, it's where you're seen eating it. Inspired by some of the cast's favorite spots, we've designed a Gossip Girl-worthy menu.
Check Out More Fun Graduation Party Ideas:
Graduation Party
- Mac N' Goat Cheese from the Waverly Inn
- Waldorf Salad from the Waldorf Astoria Hotel
- $50 Grilled Cheese from the Palace Hotel
- Vanilla Cupcakes from Magnolia's Bakery
The point of this party is to allow your recent graduate to get together with friends and flex her hostess muscle.
- On the night of the party, make sure to be supportive. Ask what she needs help with, but don't overdo it. Offer your suggestions but don't force her to do them.
- Be ready in the wings if she realizes that she does need help setting up the mocktails or has a fiasco in the kitchen.
- After all, she just graduated, so take this opportunity to encourage her independence.
In the gilded world of Manhattan's elite, all it takes is a text message to invite guests to a party. So make like Gossip Girl and use your thumbs. Here's what you need to do before you hit send:
- Create an event page on Celebrations.com for your graduation party with all the juicy details.
- Include pictures and quotes from your favorite GG episodes.
- Set a dress code and encourage your posse to dress up as if they were attending an Upper East Side dinner party.
- On the day before the party, send a text message "Tip" to everyone on the guest list.
Sample Texts:
- Spotted: (Your Name) inviting her BFFs to an exclusive after-graduation dinner party. xoxo Gossip Girl.
- Everyone knows you can't choose your family but you can choose your friends. Word is (Your Name) knows that better than most. AWW. Looks like the scandal will have to wait until after (Your Name's) grad-party.
- First comes the cap, then comes the gown, and now that school's over (Your Name) can officially don her crown. Or better yet, her party hat. Tonight, it's good to be the queen.
Whoever said the clothes don't make the woman has never seen Gossip Girl! In fact, the only thing we love more than the skeletons lurking in the closets of our favorite Upper East Siders are their amazing ensembles. Here's how to get their party-perfect look:
1. Blair Waldorf:The quintessential Park Avenue princess, Blair's style is feminine and sophisicated, but with an edge.
2. Serena Van der Woodsen: Serena's style is equal parts uptown glam and bohemian ease.
For more hair and makeup tips check out Stylebakery.com.
- Start with a chic cocktail dress or high-waisted pencil skirt and top it with a sheer blouse.
- Add pearls and a thick headband, like this one from JCrew.
2. Serena Van der Woodsen: Serena's style is equal parts uptown glam and bohemian ease.
- Choose a bold show-stopping dress.
- Add black tights and a great pair of black pumps or ankle boots.
- Top with a leather motercycle jacket.
For more hair and makeup tips check out Stylebakery.com.
Don't have an exclusive N.Y.C. address? Recreate the look and feel portrayed on screen for your dinner party by looking to the set for design cues.
Think bold patterns and metallic accents. For inspiration, check out InStyle Magazine's 360-Degree Tour of the Bass/Van der Woodsen apartment.
Think bold patterns and metallic accents. For inspiration, check out InStyle Magazine's 360-Degree Tour of the Bass/Van der Woodsen apartment.
- Anything goes when you're a Gossip Girl, so don't be afraid to mix and match.
- Visit a local thrift store to find vintage dinnerware. It doesn't have to coordinate. Choose funky unique pieces that have a bit of glamour to them.
- Purchase a long, narrow piece of silver or gold fabric and use it as a runner for your dining room table.
- Place votives and tea lights throughout the space.
- Make a place card for each guest with a place setting.
- Create a sparkly, reflective centerpiece with silver candlesticks, votiveholders and vases. Ask guests to bring a small framed photo of aspecial moment from high school to add to the table.
- Fill the room with gold, silver and white balloons.
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Food and Recipes
Food and Recipes
