When You Live...It Rocks!

At Get Togetha we simply aren't into rules. Rules are made to be broken and repaired, and sometimes all together ditched. This is 2007 people; and even though our lives are hectic and our schedules are overbooked; connecting with friends and loved ones is pertinent. Not to sound fatalistic, but before you know it this thing called life is finite. Kaput. Done. And if you're too busy, the questions that you should be asking yourself are: Am I living? Does my life feel on purpose? How can I turn my calendars around to accommodate living. Real living?

Entertaining ideas and guru's run the gamut, but to remake them with your own personal sense of style; don't follow them to the letter. Inject yourself and your personality into everything that you do and that includes entertaining. The most steadfast rule that Get Togetha suggests that you stick to: Keep it simple and enjoyable for everyone.

Suggestions:

1. Make sure your kitchen and bathroom are presentable and that there's a space for your friends to chill out. i.e Seating area, floor pillows.
2. Get rid of all clutter. Fix it. Donate it. Burn it.
3. Serve simple food. Stay away from the rack of lamb unless you are a five star chef.
4. Have neutral candles ready and available.
5. Have at least one signature drink in your repertoire.
6. Yes you can use plastic! Clear plastic utensils are high on style and always chic.
7. Have serving trays, platters, and bowls.
8. Make your guests take off their shoes. It makes your guests feel totally relaxed and connected.
9. Keep fresh flowers in your home as a way of life.
10. Music always sets the mood and should always serve as background music. There's nothing life the quiet of nothingness to ruin a get togetha.

The Match Trick

Having friends over with food and drink means that at some point the digestive system will start doing its duty. It's the elephant in the room; the fact that we as humans do the number two dance on the potty. Five thousand years of evolution and technology and we still can't get around to admitting that our ish doesn't smell like the waste that it is.

Skip the environmentally damaging aerosol sprays. Lysol makes me feel like I'm in the hospital cleaning closet and those fruity and flowery sprays will have your bathroom smelling like fruit, flowers and ish. One of the most effective ways to instantaneously eliminate odor is to have books of matches in your bathroom at all times. The striking of one or two kills odor better than any air freshener I've seen on the market. Best of all it's cost effective and better for the enviroment.

So when having a get togetha; have them ready and available so your guest don't have a "someone will smell my ish" panic attack or want to leave early to "handle their business" at home.

Sangria Celebration

Sangria is sexy wine punch. And throwing a Sangria Party is an easy way to casually entertain. Not only is this Spanish wine punch made in batches, but it can be made the day before your party and left to chill overnight. Sangria has its roots in Spain and Portugal and gets its name from the Spanish sangre, or blood, for its deep red color. The basic ingredients are red wine, fruit, and spirits. For warmer weather, nothing is more refreshing than white wine sangria.

Sangria is easy to make and is an instantaneous crowd hit; even for people who aren't into wine. It also complements a wide variety of foods and can become your signature drink. There are a thousand variations to this drink so you simply can't go wrong.

Check out the following website for variations: Wine Intro

Get Fun.

Your Duty

There's nothing worse than asking folks to carve out their precious time to attend your politely boring party. The secret to great entertaining is in the conversation. A party needs something to put people at ease. That ease is conversation and its the perfect way to keep your crowd feeling like they haven't wasted a Friday or Saturday evening coming to your shin dig.

A Get Togetha, we get the conversation started; so much so that you'll want to have a get togetha's more often. Get Togetha is an extension of our modern, casual and informal lifestyles. It's where you become the master impromptu conversationalist and the decision maker of simple and fuss free entertaining. So the next time you think about throwing some elaborate, high-stress party, give Get Togetha entertaining a try instead. It's time for you to be you, surrounded by people you like, not worried about who's going to pay the check or order the wine.

GT

Overnight Guests

I love having company. So when I throw a get togetha I sometimes don't mind having overnight guests. A great idea to top off last night's event is to serve breakfast. It can be a pre-made breakfast casserole that you can pop in the oven, or as easy as Aunt Jemima French Toast, fruit salad and turkey bacon served with either coffee or herbal tea. Voila!

You will have friends for life if you can extend that part of yourself to your closest peoples. There will be some folks you will straight have to throw out...there's always overextenders, over-do-its, and take advantage of's...

GT