FabSugar

Fab Flash: Marc Jacobs' Arabian Nights Christmas Party

FabSugar — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 12:00:22 PST

Marc Jacobs' annual Christmas party is legendary, and last night's Arabian Nights-themed bash was no exception.

It's always a guessing game to see what ridiculousness Marc will wear next: for his past Christmas parties, he has dressed up as everything from a ketchup bottle to a pigeon. This year, he decided to take a stance against a major fashion faux-pas - still staying in Arabian Nights theme, of course - as a camel toe. Later, he shed the bulky fashion no-no for an Aladdin costume to go with boyfriend Jason Preston's Abu get-up. Love it!

To check out Marc's Aladdin costume and more craziness,

View 10 Photos ›

Source

A Modern Floral and Dragon-Inspired Chinese New Year Tablesetting

Casa Community — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:00:58 PST

Here's a post from CasaSugar Community member CourtneyOutLoud from the Lovely Little Vignettes group:

The Year of the Dragon is upon us! January 23rd marks Lunar New Year, or what many people call Chinese New Year. I initially created this table for our Christmas holiday but instantly realized that it could serve double duty for a Chinese New Year Party. The bright red and white color scheme works perfectly with the theme of the holiday: happiness, fortune and renewal.

Traditionally, windows and doors are decorated with red paper cutouts emphasizing the themes I listed above. On the Eve of Chinese New Year, supper is a feast with families. Food will include such items as pigs, ducks, chicken and sweet delicacies. The family will end the night with firecrackers. Early the next morning, children will greet their parents by wishing them a healthy and happy new year, and receive money in red paper envelopes.

I reinterpreted these themes into a more modern aesthetic. Rather than the traditional couplets used to decorate windows, I handcrafted supersized red, white and silver paper flowers to provide a textural backdrop.

The tablescape centered around a spray lacquered manzanita branch that provided a nice sense of movement and bold splash of color to the table. Clear glass balls, red dragonflies (a homage to it being The Year of the Dragon), geometric glass candlesticks, and two white wicker pagodas with red poinsettias finish off the centerpiece. I loved the idea of using poinsettias after the holiday season since we had them in the house and they went perfectly with the color scheme.

Individual place settings are comprised of Ralph Lauren plates in the Pagoda pattern, red napkins, and individualized shadow boxes lined in red sparkly craft paper. The shadow boxes are a great way to elevate the place settings and create one-of-a-kind gifts for your dinner guests. Each were personalized to the individuals attending the dinner party. To finish off the place settings, small red and white bouquets were placed in Chinese take-out containers and each plate had a red envelope containing a personal wish for each guest.

Keep reading for more photos of Courtney's gorgeous table!

A Classy Christmas Dinner Menu

YumSugar — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 04:07:09 PST

Still looking for an elegant dinner to ring in this Dec. 25? Look no further; we've put together a Christmas party plan that's stunningly simple - yet its festive flavors will leave everyone incredibly impressed. Our favorite item? The chocolate beet cake at the end of the meal. It's a delicious surprise that'll create a wonderful talking point around the dinner menu. For more Christmas fodder, keep reading.

Source: Thinkstock

Britney Spears Can't Stop Looking at Her Engagement Ring

Allie Merriam — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:59:41 PST

Britney Spears shared a personal snap on Facebook last night. She modeled the new engagement ring given to her by fiancé Jason Trawick and captioned the snap, "I can't stop looking at it!" Britney and Jason got engaged just before Christmas and headed to Las Vegas for a bash that doubled as a congratulations party and a celebration for his 40th. They spent the holidays together and ventured away from LA for a quick trip to NYC. We'll see if the next 12 months include a wedding for Brit and Jason, or even an expansion of their family! One of our favorite 2012 celebrity predictions is a baby girl for Britney, who's already the mother to her two sons, Sean Preston and Jayden James.

This Is Not Your Neighbor's Fruitcake

Anna Monette Roberts — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 15:24:27 PST

Yes, I know how terrible it can be to receive the dreaded brick of a fruitcake from your neighbor down the street. With indistinguishable fruit and boozy odor, the fruitcake has earned the reputation of being the worst confection to receive during Christmas . . . until now! This particular recipe is filled with dried fruit favorites like mango, apricots, cranberries, and cherries. Butter, rum, and sugar melt together to create a dense, moist cake with a crispy top.

But wait, there's more. In England and around Europe, fruitcake is traditionally served with a blue cheese like Stilton. The creamy, salty, and sharp flavor of blue cheese slathered on top balances perfectly with the sweet, sticky, and spicy flavors of the fruitcake. Serve them on a cutting board together at a holiday party or as an after-dinner dessert or cheese course. Are you prepared to change your mind about this dreaded holiday dessert?

See recipe and more pictures.

7 Ugly Christmas Sweaters For Tots With a Sense of Humor

Natasha Dantzig — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 06:32:56 PST

Ugly sweaters are as Christmas as eggnog, so get the kiddies in on the tacky action with a fun Christmas sweater that's so ugly it's cool. Whether you have an "Ugly Christmas Sweater Party," or just happen to be a fan of all thing kitsch, click through for a selection of kids' sweaters that make tacky sound like a compliment.

Katy Perry and Russell Brand: The Way They Were

Katie Henry — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 15:28:32 PST

Russell Brand filed for divorce from his wife, Katy Perry, earlier today. There have been rumors of trouble brewing between the pair, but earlier this month Russell revealed to Ellen DeGeneres, "I am really happily married." Since then it seems there's been a change of heart by Russell who spent Christmas in the UK with family while Katy partied in Hawaii with friends. Click through to see some of Katy and Russell's most loving moments and happier times.

YumSugar Preview: Come Party With Me - Holiday Cocktail

YumSugar — Tue, 12 Dec 2006 11:22:40 PST

The holidays are just around the corner and we're happy to announce that YumSugar.com will be here just in time. Starting this Friday, YumSugar.com will be your go to place for delicious recipes, entertaining tips and festive cocktails. See below for a sneak peek:

This week why not plan a cocktail party for you and your friends? The perfect event where ready made meets homemade, a quick, easy holiday themed get together can be thrown any night of the week. For all of the details (invite ideas, serving suggestions, decorations schemes, musical playlists, divine drinks) on how to host this party, see below.

Invites: Make simple invites by cutting out the shape of an ornament (or use this template) on metallic card stock or colored wrapping paper. Write out the super important details of your party-date, time, location, formality-on the back. Slide into an envelope and send. Too busy to send out formal invites? Decided you want to throw this party in three hours? Have no fear: write a text-invitation and send it to all of your friends.

Menu: Don't worry even if you aren't a kitchen goddess, you can still host a fabulous cocktail party by using mostly store bought items. Make one simple yet super tasty tiny bite or decadent dip and assemble the rest of your menu. Assemble a cheese platter: purchase one each of your favorite types of hard, semi soft, and soft cheese. Plate with crackers, baguette toasts, grapes, and bread sticks. Lay out slices of salami, prosciutto, and honeyed turkey on another plate. Fill bowls with mixed nuts, olives, and pretzels. For a sweet treat purchase Christmas themed cookies from your local bakery. Or fill silver bowls with red and green M&Ms, Hershey kisses, and candy canes.

For Decorations, Music and Drinks,

read more Decorations: Decorations are a no brainer! If you are anything like me your house will be merrily decorated for the Christmas holidays. With that said here's your decorating checklist: Plug in the Christmas tree lights. Check. Light some candles. Check. Make a fire in the fireplace. Check. Decorations? Done. Music: Seriously girlies this party could not get any easier because everything is already done for you. Put your most played Christmas Cds (my picks: Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, the Beach Boys, and The Carpenters) on random and hit play. Drinks: For a pro-hostess tip from the party master, don't offer an open bar. You will not enjoy your party. Instead make a big bowl of egg nog or cranberry Christmas punch. Offer beer, wine, and champagne for those who prefer something other than hard alcohol. For a nonalcoholic option serve a chilled apple cider and sparkling water flavored with orange and vanilla bean. YumSugar is coming soon. Sign up to receive an email notification as soon as we launch!

A Different Take on the Christmas Tablescape

YumSugar — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 04:11:04 PST

If you're not in the mood this year for the usual Christmas tinsel and trim, fear not: there are ways to get away from the typical yuletide tabletop scheme. Lifestyle guru and style expert Eddie Ross has the right idea; he recently shared his interpretation of a (wallet-friendly!) contemporary Christmas table with CasaSugar, offering plenty of ideas for mixing affordable new dinner and servingware with unique vintage textiles.

Ross, whose past stints include food editor at Martha Stewart Living and design director at Food Network, doesn't just have good aesthetic taste - he's got a pretty solid palate as well. Keep reading for more sweet ideas when it comes to hosting friends and family at the table this holiday season.

Savvy Links: How Simplifying Your Accounts Can Improve Your Finances

Emily Co — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:00:19 PST

How simplifying your accounts can improve your finances - Wise Bread
Declutter your home with these simple steps - HuffPost Women
What does your $100 donation buy? - Real Simple
How I lost a fortune getting out of debt - Budgets Are Sexy
College degrees to bank on - Bankrate
Frugal and fun New Year’s Eve party ideas - Money Crashers
3 things you should buy after Christmas - Bundle