Next on the menu for our NYC Entertaining Series, we’re taking the stress out of providing a full meal, while still having a fun and relaxing evening. Time to invite the girls over for a much-needed girls night in! Clara and I (Jen) love entertaining, but in totally different ways. She can whip up an entire menu from scratch at the drop of a hat, while I prefer making one or two items and ordering the rest in or picking up items from my favorite neighborhood spots. A girls night in is the perfect opportunity to do a little bit of both. We asked the girls to either bring a bottle of champagne or some sweets, and we provided a couple homemade desserts mixed in with some classic treats. This set the stage for a fabulous evening filled with champagne toasts and endless girl talk. Big props to our photographer Johnny for putting up with us chatty girls.
A few tips and tricks:
- You never know what a guest is going to bring, so I like to have a few extra plates and bowls ready so we can re-plate any yummy goodies that may appear. You can also cut items into smaller bite size pieces and plate a variety together.
- I need you to stay with me for this trick, as I know it is going to sound crazy, but trust me on this one. Clara was just as skeptical but, after tasting it, we agreed it was a great idea. If you want a quick and easy way to get puréed fruits for a Bellini, pick up some baby food. Yes, baby food. Not the kind found in jars- go for the organic stuff! I like the Happy Baby Stage 1 pouch purées (found at Whole Foods). The pear one is literally just puréed pears and a little bit of lemon juice. You can mix the purée with the champagne in a big pitcher or directly in the glass.
- No evening is ever truly set without a great music mix. I recommend The Girls Just Want To Have Fun mix on Songza. It will have you rockin’ out all night long!
Ready to plan your own Girl’s Night In? Download our planning materials: Prep Schedule & Recipes
All photographs by John Dolan Photography.
Love these ideas! Thanks!
Girls night in are the BEST. I’ve been doing them on and off since I moved to NYC, and it’s even more fun when you are in your apartment, planning the night and showing people around your space. Love these tips!
-Alyssa
The Glossy Life
I am both skeptical and curious about the baby food idea. And it’s kind of tempting to go buy just those two things together, and make the cashier wonder.
Liz- I was SO skeptical- you know me! But it’s totally genius.
This looks so fun! I would love to have this kind of get together on a monthly basis!