Tips For Your Super Bowl Party

Image From Pixabay

Will you be throwing a Super Bowl party this year? The big game is a little over a week away. Even if your team is not in the game, it is still fun to watch the commercials, eat tons of food and party with friends. The Carolina Panthers will take on the Denver Broncos Sunday, February 7th. Send out your invites now, so you can celebrate the 50th Super Bowl. What makes the perfect Super Bowl party? We have some ideas.

Appetizers:

Guacamole and Chips:

A classic appetizer for any event, guacamole and chips are the perfect starter for your party. Head to Trader Joes near The Louis to get your hands on all the necessary ingredients. This recipe is super easy. Take all of the ingredients listed on the RealSimple recipe, then stir them in a bowl. Once the mixture is done, you have you guacamole. Choose your favorite chip and serve it to all of your friends and family. 

Main Dish:

We love themes, and the Super Bowl is the perfect opportunity to really theme out. We recommend picking one team and serving a traditional dish from that area of the United States. 

DENVER

Did you know that the Cheeseburger was trademarked in Denver? The trademark for the name cheeseburger is listed with Humpty Dumpty Drive-In in Denver, Colorado in 1935.  We recommend making mini-cheeseburgers for your main Super Bowl dish if you are rooting for Denver.

CAROLINA

If your are rooting for Carolina, we recommend a classic BBQ recipe. Everyone goes south for BBQ ribs and wings. Ribs are not hard to make. We have found a great Sweet Carolina Rib recipe for your crock pot. This will allow you to start the food in the morning, and it will be ready by kickoff. 

Drinks:

Drinks are pretty easy for the Super Bowl, most people want to grab a cold one from the fridge. Take this up a notch with different beers from the Super Bowl Area. San Francisco has some great beers that you can order or get at your local store. We recommend checking our Anchor Brewing. They have a great selection, and it will add to the Super Bowl theme. 

These are just a few ideas to make your Super Bowl party one that everyone will remember. What are you adding to your Super Bowl party?

U Street Funk

U Street is known for Ben’s Chili Bowl, eclectic cultural spots and fun shopping. But on May 2, it will be known for one thing and one thing only - funk! After receiving approval from the city on April 3, the Funk Parade will officially return! The day long festival is parts parade, street fair and music festival.

The day includes a fair from noon- 5 PM followed by the parade from 5-7 PM and culminates with the music festival from 7-10 PM! The parade route will run from Howard Theatre to Lincoln Theater and will shut down the U Street corridor for the day. Last year, the first year of the event, drew 25,000 visitors to U Street. While local officials were very supportive of a second year, a response from the city took longer to receive. From WAMU:

(Mayor) Bowser spokesman Michael Czin told Bandwidth in January that Funk Parade was on the mayor’s radar, but it needed to work its way through the “normal process” of approving street closures. “We are a pro-funk administration,” Czin said.

The Funk Parade was started by Justin Rood and Chris Naoum, who share a mutual love for community, music and U Street. If you are interested in volunteer opportunities with the parade, fill out this form. If you would like to contribute to the parade, you can donate to their Indiegogo campaign.

The Louis at 14 apartment homes are just a 4-minute walk away from the Lincoln Theatre. Our rooftop offers an excellent bird’s-eye view of the parade route! Invite your friends over to enjoy the parade then head downstairs to enjoy the live music on the street!

Will you be joining in on the U Street Funk Parade? Hope to see you there! It’s going to be an exciting day to be on U Street!

Best DC Spots to Watch the Oscars

After all the buzz about who would be nominated and who was snubbed, Sunday evening the answer to all your burning Academy Awards questions will be answered. The 87th Annual Academy Awards will air Sunday night on ABC, and features host Neil Patrick Harris. If you want to get glamorous and go out for the big night, here's where The Washington Post recommends viewing the show in DC:

Commissary
1443 P St. NW. 202-299-0018. www.commissarydc.com. Free admission.
Commissary's viewing party is a good time that doesn't take itself too seriously, featuring a wall-size projection screen, multiple televisions and a somewhat cheesy menu of snacks and cocktails inspired by Oscar nominees. Fill out your predictions while sipping a bourbon-based "Bullseye" (a nod to "American Sniper") and snacking on a "magic bean and beef stew" ("Into the Woods"). Arrive between 4 and 8 p.m. for the Red Carpet Happy Hour, with one free Oscar cocktail per person and free popcorn. For your own Meryl Streep moment, reserve one of 25 "premium" tickets for $49, which includes a seat in front of the projector screen, three food items and two cocktails.

Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House
950 I St. NW. 202-289-0201. www.delfriscos.com. Free admission.
The private dining room at Del Frisco's CityCenter steak house will become a screening room on Oscar night, with the ceremony showing on a 65-inch TV with surround sound. Best Picture-inspired cocktails include the Birdman, with Wild Turkey and blackberries. Interestingly, Del Frisco also offers a tarragon-infused mocktail, the Imitation Game, for just $2.95.

Glamour, Glitter and Gold
Town Danceboutique, 2009 Eighth St. NW. 202-682-2245.www.thedccenter.org. $15 in advance, $20 at the door.
Well-known drag performers Lena Lett and Ba'Naka Deveraux are among the performers at Town's 10th annual Glamour, Glitter and Gold, a fundraiser for the D.C. Center, which provides services to the local LGBT community. Pose for photos on the red carpet, dance to DJs and test your movie trivia to win theater tickets and other prizes. Admission includes popcorn and a cash bar; optional VIP tickets ($100 a pair) include food and drinks.

D.C. Film Institute
Malmaison, 3401 Water St. NW. 202-817-3340. www.dcfilminstitute.org. $35 in advance, $40 at the door.
The Washington Film Institute takes over Georgetown's sleek Malmaison lounge for its Red Carpet Party, with a free glass of champagne for every guest. Plan your outfit carefully: Black tie or cocktail attire is suggested, and the evening begins with a best-dressed contest judged by local salon owner Erwin Gomez and "House of Cards" costumer Randy Rose III.

D.C. Film Society
Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse, 2903 Columbia Pike, Arlington. 703-486-2345. www.dcfilmsociety.org. $20, $15 for members.
Why watch the ceremony in a bar when you can view it on an actual movie screen? The D.C. Film Society's annual "And the Winner Is . . . " party, hosted by film critics Tim Gordon and Bill Henry at the Arlington Cinema 'N' Drafthouse, features an Oscars prediction contest and a serious silent auction. Aside from movie passes and theater tickets, last year's swag included DVDs autographed by Kathleen Turner and a "Her" poster signed by director Spike Jonze.

Football Party Beer & Cheddar Dip

Image courtesy Nealey Dozier, The Kitchn

When you think of football, food also probably comes to mind. From pizza to wings to beer, the unhealthier the food, the better it tastes on game day! Whether you're hosting a party or attending someone else's on Sunday, this beer & cheddar dip (courtesy of The Kitchn) is sure to please! After all, it's the best of both football food worlds--beer and melted cheese!

Beer & Cheddar Dip

Serves 4-6

1 cup (8 ounces) evaporated milk

2 eggs

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

10 ounces extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 cup amber beer

2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bacon crumbles and green onions, for garnish (optional)

Pretzels, pretzel bread, or crudités, for serving

In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk together evaporated milk, eggs, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and half of the shredded cheese. Once the cheese sauce begins to warm, add the beer and cornstarch-water mixture (aka the slurry). Whisking frequently, gradually add the remaining cheese and cook until the sauce reaches desired thickness, about 10 - 12 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper. Keep warm over lowest heat setting, stirring frequently, until ready to serve. Garnish with bacon crumbles and green onions and serve with pretzels, pretzel bread, or crudités.

What are your favorite Super Bowl snacks and recipes?

Be an Ideal Party Guest

"Happy 2009!" by Ginny is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

From Christmas to New Year’s Eve, you’ll surely be making the rounds at parties throughout the next couple of weeks. Whether it’s a boss or colleague you’re trying to impress or your friends and family, keep these tips (courtesy of Apartment Therapy) in mind and you will be at the top of the invite list next year!

DON'T:

1. Show up right on time.

For most people it's second nature to show up at least 15 minutes late to a big gathering, but the perpetually punctual may have trouble with this. If you find yourself arriving at party within 15 minutes of the stated start time, nip around the corner for a coffee, or hang out at a bookstore for a bit, or just sit in your car. This will give your host a little breathing room and ensure that you don't walk in on them doing frantic last minute preparations.

A few exceptions to the rule: dinner parties, where it's rude to show up more than 15 minutes late. And any party where you know the hostess very well and feel comfortable offering to help out — in that case your punctuality (or even earliness) will probably be welcomed.

2. Bring something that requires a lot of prep.

If you're bringing something to the party, good on you. But don't bring something that will require a ton of prep space or kitchen time on the party end. Chances are your host has been cooking all day and counter space in the kitchen is at a premium. If you're in there chopping things and looking for bowls and knives and whatnot, things can get chaotic.

3. ''Ghost' without saying goodbye to your host.

You don't have to make a big deal of announcing your exit to every guest at the party, but you should at least find your host and let them know that you had a lovely time but unfortunately you have to leave. This will keep them from fielding questions about what happened to so-and-so all night long.

DO:

1. RSVP.

The art of the RSVP is dead, y'all. The number one gripe I hear from friends who host parties is that people don't RSVP, or they do and then don't show up, so it's almost impossible to tell who is coming to your party and how much food you need. So if you get an invite to a party, and you think you'd like to go, click 'yes'. Really, it's not that hard.

2. Offer to bring something.

Chances are good that your host will say you don't need to bring anything at all, just yourself, but offering anyway is standard party etiquette. It's also a way to help your hostess defray the cost of the party, which sometimes can run pretty high. And if you are asked to bring something, for gosh sakes, don't take it home with you at the end of the night (unless your host specifically asks you to).

3. Talk to people you don't know.

Sure, all your friends are at the party. But these are all people you'll see again — how are you gonna meet new people if you just stick with your group all the time? Go by yourself to get food or drink — this is a pretty natural time to chat up people you don't know. Talking to new people is also a HUGE favor to your hostess, who will have to worry less about guests who don't know a lot of people at the party.

4. Say thanks.

Throwing parties is lots of fun, but it's also hard work. And when you work hard at something, it's nice to have somebody else say: hey, thanks. Good job. Traditional etiquette dictates that you send a mailed thank-you note to your host: in modern times, this might seem a little over the top, but thanking your hostess when you leave (and maybe even in an email or text message the next day) will always be appreciated.