Throwing a party takes more than just the bunch of pals and booze. A good party is all about pleasure and indulgence. With a bit of creativity and pre-planning – what you can get is an epic night!
Here's how to kill it.
Get the right mix
A mix of interesting people from varied fields always adds to an evening. Invite one interesting person from the creative arts – an artist, a writer or a designer. There's nothing worse than ten bankers in your living room discussing the stock market – that's a meeting room with cocktails. Connect everyone. Mingle and be the life of a party.
As a precursor – send an invite. An old-fashioned but great idea and sets the tone of the evening. And if you must send a text message, be witty. A theme or dress code is always fun and adds personality to the evening.
Get the perfect setting
Having people at home is always personal and warm. Share a part of yourself with them – your personal style. That’s why they are there. Curate your home with your favourite things – things that invite conversation and curiosity. Turn the lights down and get the candles going. Stream a set on Soundcloud by Kygo (chill tunes), move on to Calvin Harris (to dance), and party away with Eric Prydz (old school electronica).
Be the best bartender in town
What you serve is who you are. Always serve Champagne! (Are you surprised?!) It gives the evening a brilliant spin. Imagine tall elegant flutes with bubbles floating around. Sophisticated, chic and heady! You could go Brut or Rosé, Vintage or Non-vintage. Or simply do a beautiful sparkling wine like Chandon – versatile and elegant.
A perfect bar has bubbles, followed by vodka (Polish or Russian), single malt, red and white wine. Want to be fun – create a house cocktail. I am a huge fan of martinis – it’s the year of James Bond. Have them shaken. Or try the Reverse Vesper.
Be the god of grub
Cook if you can. Simple and fresh is key. People always appreciate the effort. Small plates are a new trend. If you cater, be innovative – find a new cuisine or a rare one – try tapas, Burmese, Ethiopian, or Korean. Serve good food and people will come; serve great food and people will love you. Celebrate Indian food from other states – your options range from Kashmir to Kerala. Find that secret caterer no one knows about.
Create #memories
Remember, memories are why you had the party in the first place. Take pictures and share – better yet create a #hashtag to own your evening on Insta!
MARTINIS ANYONE?
My perfect go-to-drink for a party aside from Champagne is a Martini. Here are some quick recipes for the Perfect Martini.
Belvedere Reverse Vesper
Belvedere 60ml
London Dry Gin 20ml
Martini Dry Vermouth 10ml
Lemon peel twist for garnish
Shake with lots of ice for 15 seconds and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with lemon peel twist.
Belvedere Strawberry Cosmo
Belvedere 40ml
Triple Sec Liqueur 20ml
Fresh strawberries 2-3 whole pcs
Freshly squeezed Lime juice 5ml
Sliced strawberry for garnish
Muddled, shaken and fine strained into a chilled martini glass.
Champagne Boy Gaurav Bhatia spent eight years on Madison Avenue, in New York as a (M)adman, before moving back to become part of the first generation of India’s luxury marketers
