THE DINNER PARTY

FORGOTTEN WHAT IT’S LIKE TO ENGAGE IN ADULT CONVERSATION, FINE FARE
(READ: ANYTHING BUT MAC AND CHEESE) AND GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN WITH YOUR
FRIENDS? YEAH, US TOO. HERE, ILANA ECK, AKA THE HIP HOSTESS, GIVES YOU HER
TIPS FOR AN EASY, AFFORDABLE AND MUCH-NEEDED NIGHT AT YOUR ROUNDTABLE.

COOKOUT OR COOK-IN: HOW TO HOST AN URBAN BBQ—EVEN IF YOU’RE IN THE ’BURBS

This month, celebrate the start of grill season. Cookouts and cook-ins are a fun and easy way to spend time with friends and family, and they make for the perfect Father’s Day or summer holiday party. Don’t have a piece of grass to call your own? Host the party indoors. A good time will be had by all, whether you’re in or you’re out, a suburbanite or living just enough for the city. In or out, just be sure to shake up the usual burger menu and red-and-white checked tablecloth decor with these hip ideas.

SETTING THE SCENE

Create a cool, relaxed vibe using these ideas.

Use Outdoor Lighting
At dusk, turn off the lights and use modern lanterns or make your own out of tin cans. Remove the label from soup cans, rinse and clean. Using a permanent marker, draw a design out of dots on the outside of the cans. Draw a pattern or the initials of the guest of honor. Fill the cans with water and freeze overnight. Remove one can from the freezer at a time and lay the can on a bag of rice to prevent it from rolling. Put the tip of a nail on one dot at a time and tap it with a hammer to perforate the can. Continue until all the holes are punched through. Empty the water out of the cans. Place tea lights or votive candles inside the cans and scatter them around for ambient lighting. Pick up some flameless electric tea lights to use instead if you’re worried about open flames around your little ones. They are available online and at stores like Bed Bath & Beyond.

Create Comfy Seating with Cushions and Throw Pillows
One of the perks of throwing an urban BBQ is that it’s a super-casual event—no need for a sit-down dinner. Create a casual seating area in your living room by tossing outdoor cushions and throw pillows on the floor. Group several together so it looks deliberate and creates more of an impact. Kids and nimble adults will love the comfy seating, leaving the couch and chairs open for those who prefer a proper seat.

Serve Buffet Style
Just as you would outdoors, set the food out buffet style so guests can serve themselves. Instead of kitschy serving pieces, use plain white or glass square platters for a more urban feel. Pick up a few sets of large grill tongs and forks to use as serving utensils.

Hip Tips

Create an urban “lawn” centerpiece using a flat of wheatgrass or regular grass and place it in the middle of your buffet.
Steady pillar candles in hurricane candleholders or clear glass vases filled with rocks or soil.

PARTY GOODS

In keeping with your casual urban BBQ theme, use disposable paper goods instead of dishes. Be sure to buy sturdy plates to hold all the juicy meats and salads. Use colored chargers underneath your disposable plates for added flair. Put out lots of extra napkins for burgers or anything else that will get topped with messy condiments.

Hip Tips

Keep bottles of beer and other drinks cool in large galvanized tubs filled with ice, or fill your sink with ice and stick bevies in there.
Cover an empty six-pack carton with wrapping paper and use it to pass condiments such as ketchup, mustard and barbecue sauce.

THE MENU

Here’s a menu that you can make on the grill or in a grill pan. Use seasonal ingredients for the best flavor. Tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, zucchini, corn and basil are all at their peak this time of year.

Urban BBQ
Black bean and corn quesadillas*
Tomato and basil bruschetta*
Cowboy steak*
Chopped cucumber, tomato and red bell pepper salad*
Chipotle mashed potatoes*
Corn on the cob*
Espresso chocolate chunk cookies*
Fruit kabobs (thread chunks of fresh fruit on bamboo skewers, drizzled with honey)

Hip Tips

Buy a monogrammed steak brander as a Father’s Day gift and use it to brand Dad’s initial on the steaks before you serve them. It’s a great way to personalize the menu and a gift that can be used over and over again.
In keeping with the monogram theme for a Father’s Day celebration, decorate homemade or store-bought cupcakes with Dad’s initials using frosting or alphabet-shaped cookies.
In addition to ice-cold beer, serve vodka-spiked lemonade and mint or peach iced tea sweetened with agave nectar instead of sugar.

*Recipes are available at www.hiphostess.wordpress.com.

THE DINNER PARTY

FORGOTTEN WHAT IT’S LIKE TO ENGAGE IN ADULT CONVERSATION, FINE FARE (READ: ANYTHING BUT MAC AND CHEESE) AND GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN WITH YOUR FRIENDS? YEAH, US TOO. HERE, ILANA ECK, AKA THE HIP HOSTESS, GIVES YOU HER TIPS FOR AN EASY, AFFORDABLE AND MUCH-NEEDED NIGHT AT YOUR ROUNDTABLE.

FORGOTTEN WHAT IT’S LIKE TO ENGAGE IN ADULT CONVERSATION, FINE FARE
(READ: ANYTHING BUT MAC AND CHEESE) AND GOOD OLD-FASHIONED FUN WITH YOUR
FRIENDS? YEAH, US TOO. HERE, ILANA ECK, AKA THE HIP HOSTESS, GIVES YOU HER
TIPS FOR AN EASY, AFFORDABLE AND MUCH-NEEDED NIGHT AT YOUR ROUNDTABLE.