Savvy Experts to inspire your next party

Part of savvy hosting is relying on the expertise of others - from recipes to decor to table settings to invitations - to create your personal entertaining style.

(respectfully) We suggest that it's really ONLY Martha that can be Martha Stewart... amazingly, all-around talented as she is, she continues to inspire us though it's perfectly clear that only a very few will ever have her range and depth of capabilities.  And we're not eligible for that club ;-)

A truly SAVVY host shouldn't get overwhelmed - or obsessed as we often become - by the need to do or create everything - from scratch - on your own - to that the degree of perfection suggested by the book, magazine, blog or Food Network celebrity that inspired us in the first place.

If the goal is to arrange a gathering of friends, family and/or colleagues, where ideas, laughter and life can be shared by guests AND the host, then it's only SAVVY to pick and choose what works best for you - be it borrowed or created, homemade or store-bought.

Bonus?  Bringing wonderful creativity of cookbooks, retailers, craftsmen, publications, bartenders, blogs, restaurants, art galleries, photos, design studios and more to your gathering is where your personal entertaining style takes shape.  For us, the availability of all this talent for us to pick and choose from is one of the great treasures and benefits of successful savvy hosting.

What better way to set a perfect stage for entertaining than to ask some of the best & brightest & most creative artisans and experts to offer their insights and perspectives about different entertaining essentials?

So we're practicing what we preach.  We've lined up some very extraordinary Guest Experts over the next weeks to inspire us all with their ideas about many of the entertaining essentials.  Take a look at what's in store...

In July-
a perspective on The Classic Martini -
Cocktails, 365 editor-in-chief, Mark Vierthaler

A little about Mark ~ Writer, photographer, roustabout, raconteur and general good guy. Husband, stepfather, son, brother. Former print journalist, former managing editor, current newspaper booze columnist and current PR guy.  Follow him on Twitter - @Cocktails_365.


ideas for summer entertaining - 
offered by The Well-Heeled Society maven,  Felicia Coley, author of How to Stylishly Fall From Grace. The motto of this savvy hostess?
Sometimes life's destiny does not include you being swept off your feet. Sometimes it's just standing in the light of your completeness... wearing fabulous shoes. 
Follow her on Twitter - @wellheeled.

coffee traditions -

who better to speak to coffee than our well-roasted friends at Morning Glory Coffee & Tea?  There is semblance of civilization that goes along with enjoying an extraordinary cup of coffee (or tea if that's your pleasure), and these folks know their bean!  Morning Glory Coffee & Tea Inc. is a full service Coffee House and Wholesale coffee roaster in the town of West Yellowstone, Montana. Their mission is to promote world heritage through education, sound and ethical businesses practices and fairly traded specialty products. 
Follow them on Twitter - @MorningGloryCof.

In August -
cultured entertaining on the town -
we asked for thoughts from the resident expert, Aunt Carrie's Speakeasy.  "Who to know and who to party with" is her mantra, and we can't wait to see what speakeasy entertaining style tips she offers!  Follow her on Twitter - @ACSpeakEasy.

adding that special sauce to the menu -
with a motto that "everything tastes better with sauce...and bacon", how can we go wrong learning about saucy secrets and delightful dips from the acclaimed hostess, Saucy Dipper? After all, she is the OFFICIAL founder of Dipstock ;-)
Follow her on Twitter - @SaucyDipper.

the art of conversation -
energizing discussion at the table is what TableTopics knows best, and we're all ears for their ideas about the art of conversation.  Known for elevating your party from ho-hum to happening, their insight on keeping the conversation flowing - and in the right direction - will be worth gold!  Follow them on Twitter - @TableTopicsInc

Don't miss our special giveaway next week (starting 7/12) of TWO sets of the TableTopics full size cubes - Gourmet AND Not-Your-Mom's Dinner Party (a guaranteed way to zest up your next gathering ;-) Stay tuned for details about how to enter and win these entertaining essentials...

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

We're incredibly excited about these talented contributors - and the ideas they'll offer to enhance our good food gatherings!

Mark your calendars - update your Google subscriptions - like us (and them) on Facebook - follow on Twitter ... whatever you do, don't miss these contemporary perspectives, sure to become classics for entertaining!