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YumSugar Gift Guide: Bonkers for Brewski

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 06:27:19 -0800

If you've got a brewski buddy or homebrewer on your holiday list, give them a gift that will allow them to revel in their love for beer. If they're not yet making their own brew, get them a Mr. Beer Micro-Brewery Kit. If they're already a master brewer, get them a beer tasting kit. It comes with 13 different kind of hops for them to discover and identify. If your beer lover is still in the early stages of their beer love, get them a set of engaging pint glasses.

For more great gift ideas, scroll through the options below.

HopHead Tee ($9.99)	Famous Beer Pint Glasses (Set of 4, $11.96)
Brewmaster Board Game ($19.90)	Beer Tasting Kit ($49)
Mr. Beer Micro-Brewery Beer Making Kit ($49.95)	Monogrammed Beer Mugs (Set of 4, $59)

YumSugar Gift Guide: The Grillmaster

YumSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 11:30:45 -0800

For the friend who lives for the backyard grill, there's no shortage of ideas. Indulge him in gadgets that do the grunt work, like this electric vacuum marinator, or give him the chance to sample new flavors with applewood planks and citrus rosemary skewers. He can finish his signature dish with a monogrammed flourish. And when that grilled steak is ready to eat, your gifts will keep on giving.

Want more gift ideas? Browse the selection below or check out all the gift guides on HolidaySugar.

Electric Vacuum Marinator - $199.95	Weber's Real Grilling® Cookbook - $24.95
Applewood Grilling Planks - $14.95	Grill Brush and Pumice Stone - $6.99
Steak Motif Apron - $24.99	Flavor-Spiked Skewers - $29.00
Bar-B Digital Thermometer Fork® - $9.99	Monogrammed Steak Brand & Carving Board - $69.95

Valentine's Day Gift Guide: Ideas for the Little Chefs

YumSugar — Mon, 12 Feb 2007 10:58:46 -0800

Today I thought it would be fun to find some Valentine's Gifts for the little ones in your life. Introduce children into the kitchen early and you'll have a foodie for life!

To start things off I found this cute Cupcake Kit from Sassafras. The kit comes with everything you need to make cupcakes including a paper hat, sprinkles, frosting, cupcake mix, rhyming recipe instructions and more. It's a fun package for only $14.00 and the best part is, once your little ones are done making their gift, you get to eat it!

Every chef needs an apron, and this includes the little ones. Made from durable cotton, this personalized apron is embroidered with two hearts and your sous chef's name (up to 9 characters) or monogram. Available for $25.

Two more great Valentine inspired foodie gift ideas for kids, so read more

Who says cute dishes are for adults only? This precious pewter baby dish and spoon set is handcrafted and adorned with lavender hearts. It will make a beautiful gift for any new parents or parents to be, and would make a great heirloom to pass down through the years. Available for $58 (matching baby cup for $38).

This cute monogrammed bib is the perfect way for the little ones to celebrate Valentine's day. I must say, sometimes I'm jealous of the bib. I'm such a klutz, I can't even begin to count the number of shirts I've stained. If I wouldn't look so goofy, I'd probably get one these Valentine's bib for myself. Available on sale for $7.99.

Come Party With Me: My Birthday Party - The Look

partysugar — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 10:01:18 -0700

Just because I'm hosting my party at Wish Bar, doesn't mean I won't have any fabulous decorations. When hosting a party at a restaurant, bar, or venue that already has its own decor, ask the owners what extras you can bring in to enhance and change the atmosphere. In most cases they will be flexible and allow you to use the tablecloths, candles, vases, etc. of your choice.

Shades of purples, golds, and yellows are the colors of my 26th birthday party, so I'll incorporate these into the already existing look of the lounge bar. Gold silk rose petals will be strewn around the dance floor and on the coffee tables. Burgundy satin fabric will carpet the walkway in front of the bar and cover the aforementioned coffee tables inside. The snacks will be served in small scalloped gold bowls.

The centerpieces will be large wine glass shaped vases filled with shiny rhinestones and purple bouquets. Hundreds of small candles will be placed in yellow glass votives to create an attractive, glowing light. Yellow ribbon will line banquets and the bar. Instead of the usual, everyday napkins, I'll supply the bar with monogramed purple napkins that have my name and date on them. Got another great idea on how I should decorate the bar for my party??? Please share it with me!

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Gifts For The Foodie Dads

YumSugar — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 10:01:18 -0700

If your dad is the king of the kitchen, then undoubtedly you've got some great foodie gifts lined up for him for Father's Day. If not, then you're in luck, because we've come up with some great ideas for you. First there's this fun King Dad platter that your dad can proudly display his cooked wares on. Next up is See Dad Cook, a book for the dad who needs a little more help in the kitchen, as well as a laser/probe thermometer so he'll never burn anything again. There's also the ultimate pig decadence combo for the pops that loves bacon, a reversible manly apron and classic monogrammed beer mugs. To check out the selections, use the scroll bar below.

Gifts For the Dad Who Loves To Grill

YumSugar — Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:58:31 -0700

In case you didn't realize it, Father's Day is this weekend, and if you haven't gotten your gifts all planned out, I've got some great ideas for you. Today we're starting things off with gift ideas for the dad that loves to grill. If the guy you call pops has a king of the grill apron, he'll need some of these great gifts to go along with it. For starters, check out this motorized grill brush. With rotating bristles, your dad will have his grill sparkling in no time! For a few other great gifts, including a monogrammed teak-handle grill set and fresh Niman Ranch steaks. Check out the rest of the items below!

Got any other great Father's Day bbq gifts? Tell us about them!

Off To Market Recap: Beer Bucket

partysugar — Fri, 08 Jun 2007 04:38:10 -0700

Although my dad finds it totally ridiculous that I can no longer put beer in a regular old cooler, I think it's practically an embarrassment that I don't have a chic little beer bucket yet ( I mean I'm PartySugar!). So, the time has come for me to buy one and I recently asked for your help. I told you I was looking for a versatile bucket (one party it may hold beer and the next party it may hold mini champagne) that is durable (it should last all summer holding the weight of ice and bottles), and fabulous (no corny designs or beer logos). I was delighted to discover that you guys found some really cool buckets.

From the classic monogrammed silver bucket, to the bucket inside a mosaic tiled table - I love and want them all. My favorite by far had to be the wine glass shaped acrylic bucket that mellie_608 bookmarked. It's totally glamorous and will look cool with bottles of wine or beers. Thanks to those who participated! To take a look at all that was found, scroll through the images below.

To learn how to bookmark cool stuff read geeksugar's easy to understand explanation.

The Ultimate Bar: Cocktail Napkins

partysugar — Thu, 17 May 2007 14:30:19 -0700

When I was a camarera (bartender in Spanish) at En Boga (in Cordoba Spain) we had the cutest little cocktail napkins with the En Boga (in vogue) logo. When a new customer approached the bar, a clean napkin had to be placed in front of them before asking, que te pongo (what can I get you)? Often overlooked, the cocktail napkin adds a polished touch to the presentation, especially when handing off your drink to a guest. Oh and did I mention they are 100% practical and actually serve the function of acting as a coaster, a plate, or a finger cleaner? Without cocktail napkins, your bar is incomplete. Cocktail napkins come in almost every color and pattern, so you can find the one that best suits your needs as a hostess. For summer - and margaritas! - I love these brightly striped cocktail napkins. A pack of 20 is the reasonable price of just $4.75, so buy two packs.

For a few more styles read more

Cocktail napkins can be monogrammed with a quote, birthday message, or image. These engraved napkins would be ideal for an over the top bachelorette party. Maids of honor factor it into your budget (these will totally make the party more memorable) - 100 napkins for $28.95.

Add a touch of elegance to your bar with these modern black and white floral vine cocktail napkins. The vibrant print pairs perfectly with a Classic Martini or vodka tonic. These are 25 cents cheaper than the striped ones and total at $4.50 for a pack of 20.

The Wedding Program

partysugar — Tue, 24 Apr 2007 11:13:32 -0700

Although a guide to your ceremony is not a must for your wedding, programs have become increasingly popular as of late. Like many other parts of the wedding stationery, you have full creative liability here. Generally the program should be in the same style and form as the invite, save the date card, directions, and any other part of the stationery trousseau. The program should start by listing the bride and groom's names as a title of sorts. Underneath include the wedding information: the location, date and time.

Next list the order of the service (circling, sharing of Kiddush cups, rings and vows, etc), the names of the wedding party (the best man, maid of honor, bridesmaid, etc) and the names of the parents and grandparents.
If you are having musicians at the ceremony it's customary to list them as well. Brief bios of the wedding party, vows, readings, a favorite love poem, songs, explanations of traditions, a monogram, your new address, directions to the reception, and a thank you or remembrance are all additions to the program. I recommend to avoid cheese, leave out any photos.

After you have decided the text of your program decide what form the program will take. A small one page booklet is the most traditional but anything goes. Small booklets tied with pretty ribbons, pull out accordions, flat postcards, long bookmarks, flip books, popsicle stick fans, and fan booklets are all wonderful artistic options. Speak with your stationer well in advance to figure out the design of the program and be sure to proof read the invite several times and check the spelling of names with everyone mentioned. To cut back on costs have the stationer print only the cover to your program and create a document on your computer to fill the rest of the pages. Decide whether each person will be handed a program or simply one for each couple and family.

I personally love the mini booklet idea because it can easily fit into a purse and the bows are so pretty. What about you? How was your wedding program designed?

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Off To Market Recap: Cocktail Shaker

partysugar — Fri, 23 Mar 2007 00:01:19 -0700

Andrew, my man about town artist friend from Cal, has begun to host sophisticated cocktail parties at his studio apartment in New York City. He lost the cocktail shaker that he stole from me years ago, so I thought it would be a great belated Christmas gift if I sent him a new cocktail shaker. I asked you to help me find a really cool cocktail shaker that is functional, modern, sleek, and artistic. You saved the shakers in the Yum Market with the keyword tag, Cocktail Shaker. The following shakers are ideal gifts for Andrew:

Chiringuito's are beach bars that pop up along the Spanish coasts during summer (I one day hope to open one!) and when I saw that this cocktail shaker was named the chiringuito shaker I knew Andrew had to have it. We've spent many days together enjoying the Spanish sun and sand, so when he uses this shaker he can be reminded of our beloved Costa Ballena. Both chlyn and rubialala spotted this shaker.

Two more = read more

Cupcake17 (and chellebaby) discovered this beautiful twisted cocktail shaker. It's made with special metal that mixes up super cool cocktails.

Andrew's nickname is AMO, which is actually his initials. This monogrammed cocktail shaker (discovered by rubialala) is elegant. I love the idea of personalizing it with his initials, that way no one can ever try to steal it.

Thanks for your help girls! Don't know what the Yum Market is all about? Read geeksugar's informative how-to.