Don't Be Tardy for the Party

Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean the festivities have to stop! Cocktail parties are the perfect way to have some fun with your friends without breaking the bank after all of that holiday spending. We're all about hosting a January get-together in order to bypass the mid-winter blues, and have created a list of helpful tips to help you host your own.

1. Prepare an assortment of tasty hors d'oeuvres:

Make a small selection hors d’oeuvres that you know your guests will like. Not sure what to make? Epicurious.com has a huge selection to choose from to match everyone’s individual tastes and preferences. Here are a few recipes we love:

Caviar Blinis

French Fries with Three Dips

Quiche in Prosciutto Cups

Crostini with Beef Tartare & White Truffle Oil

2. Pick a few signature cocktails:

Pick a few signature cocktails made with different spirits for your party. We really like the expansive list at cocktailtimes.com. In addition to signature cocktails, be sure to have beer or other cocktail alternatives for those who would prefer something non-alcoholic.

3. Play up the season when decorating:

Your party doesn’t need to have a theme. A simple color scheme will work just fine. Decorate your home with tea candles, white floral arrangements or glittered branches to create a “winter wonderland” effect.

4. Make a playlist ahead of time that creates a social atmosphere:

The 5s team compiled some of our favorite artists, along with suggestions from Bon Appetit & Apartment Therapy for your go-to cocktail party playlist. Crossing many genres and eras, this eclectic list ensures your ranking as the domestic goddess.

FRANK SINATRA
FEIST
TALKING HEADS (staff favorite: "This Must Be the Place")
MGMT
MICHAEL JACKSON (Thriller is a sure-shot dance party starter)
AMY WINEHOUSE
JONI MITCHELL
THE BEATLES
THIEVERY CORPORATION
MC SOLAAR (French hip-hop artist, songs featured on Sex & the City)

Our Home Away from Home

We're in the midst of remodeling here at 5s, and have spent the last few months scouring magazines, books and blogs in search of inspiration for creating a chic office space. Let's face it- most of us are workaholics and if we had to wager, we'd put our money on the fact that most people we know spend as much... if not more time in their office than they do at home.

For us, it was really important to decorate our office/gallery space with items and furniture that reflected our personality, but also maintained a sense of professionalism. Your space should foster creativity, not stifle it with boring surroundings!

Luckily, we're very fortunate to have some amazing architectural aspects to work with: Exposed whitewashed brick, concrete floors and high ceilings. BUT- renovating on a budget is always tricky...no matter how great your existing surroundings are, so it's important to get creative.

Our tricks: Double-duty furniture like a hutch that can be used for storage, floor-to-ceiling curtains that add a stylish element while also separating space and most importantly... flowers. No matter how dreary a space is, a floral arrangement will always kick it up a notch. It's a small investment that really packs a punch.

Check out a few of our favorite office spaces courtesy of DecorPad:

As for us? We're not quite there yet, but getting closer every day :) Check back soon for pics of the final result!