Get the Oscars Red-Carpet Jewelry Looks for Less
By Katrina Caspelich
Last night, stars flooded the Kodak Theatre in Los Angeles for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards, hosted by Anne Hathaway and James Franco. Despite the night’s highs and lows, including Natalie Portman’s first Oscar win and Melissa Leo’s flopped speech, we were more interested in one thing: the fashion! From bursts of color, embellishments, and fitted silhouettes to tulle, nude tones, whites, and metallics, the Oscar dresses seen on the red carpet made our Oscar dress predictions look less like predictions and more like inside info!
Hits included Mila Kunis’s Elie Saab lilac dress, Michelle Williams in her winter white Chanel number, and Jennifer Hudson’s jaw-dropping tangerine Versace dress. However, our Oscar for favorite dress(es) went to Anne Hathaway, who stole the night with her red strapless Valentino head-turner, her Oscar de la Renta sequined dress, and her purple sapphire Giorgio Armani Privé custom satin gown. Some of our misses included Amy Adams in a sequin L’Wren Scott cap-sleeve gown, Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana, and Nicole Kidman in her Dior dress. Reese Witherspoon topped our worst-dressed list with her Giorgio Armani Privé gown, channeling Barbie and Julia Roberts’ Valentino dress circa 2001.
As much as we loved checking out the glamorous gowns, we couldn’t help but check out the bling as well. From statement earrings rocked by Gwyneth Paltrow and Halle Berry, to sparkly cuffs worn by Jennifer Hudson and Mila Kunis, the starlets did not disappoint with their red-carpet jewels this year. After all, how could anyone be disappointed with diamonds, pearls, and semiprecious stones?
With so many glamorous dresses and such sparkly jewelry, it’s easy to get jealous. Spare yourself the emerald-green envy and get your favorite starlet’s jewelry looks at an affordable price. Although you may need to wait for ABS by Allen Schwartz to recreate your favorite Oscar gowns for less, you can get those sparkly Oscar jewels at a fraction of their price right now. At FantasyJewelryBox.com, shop for all of your favorite Oscar jewelry looks on one website. We did!
Oscar Jewelry Looks for Less
• Anne Hathaway: Necklace and Earrings Set (item n0261), $49.95
• Annette Bening: Earrings (item e7783), $59.95
• Camila Alves: Earrings (item e0251), $28.95
• Gwyneth Paltrow: Earrings (item e1369), $47.95
• Halle Berry: Earrings (item e0123), $39.95
• Helen Mirren: Earrings (e1122), $24.95
• Jennifer Hudson: Earrings (e1365), $24.95; Bracelet (item b0114), $23.95
• Maria Menounos: Earrings (item e0045), $22.95
• Michelle Williams: Earrings (item e0121), $21.95
• Mila Kunis: Earrings (item e1123), $39.95; Bracelet (item b0211), $117.95
• Nicole Kidman: Necklace and Earrings Set (item n0222), $43.95
• Reese Witherspoon: Earrings (item e0156), $72.95; Bracelet (item b0052), $117.95; Bracelet (item b4303), $48.95
• Sharon Stone: Ring (item r0063), $88.95
To get 20% off all orders (excluding clearance items), use promo code PDoscar20. Valid through March 7.
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Red-Carpet Beauty: Get Glam for the Academy Awards
Internationally acclaimed celebrity makeup artist and product formulator, Sue Devitt, breaks down the hottest red-carpet beauty trends of 2011 and shares her secrets on how to look red-carpet chic, including the perfect makeup products from her own beauty line.
Red-Carpet Beauty Trend: Rich Berry Pout
Stars who want to forgo the ever-popular but always hot makeup trends, such as a nude lip or even the trendy pink pout, have been trying the bright lip in a variety of berry shades. If you want an ultra-glamorous and red-carpet-worthy look, use a glossy, deep hue like a rich berry lip stain paired with minimal eye makeup. For a retro look, a top beauty trend in 2011, try a matte take on the berry lip. Or if you want a more balanced makeup look, opt for a slightly lighter shade of berry on the lips so you can still add a bit of smokiness to the eyes. Lips aren’t the only area many celebrities have added brightness. Varying shades of jewel tones will grace many famous lids on the 2011 Academy Awards red carpet as well.
Beauty Products for a Winning Berry Pout
• Matte Look Berry Lip Trend: Balanced Matte Lipstick in New York, $20
• Lighter Berry Shade Lip Trend: Balanced Sheer Lipstick in Hollywood, $20
• Berry Lip Stain Trend: Mini Lip Gloss in Muscat, $18
• Jewel Tones on Eyes Trend: Hydrating Marine Minerals Destination Eye Palette in Kilimanjaro, $37.50
Red-Carpet Beauty Trend: Understated Stunner
Keeping your makeup look understated and refined is always a glamorous option. Sure to be seen on the Oscars red carpet this year, subtle elegance transitions into everyday inspiration. To add a little edge to your polished look, I like a hint of shimmer on the apples of the cheeks. After applying your usual powder blush, take your fingertip and just dab a bit on—you’ll instantly look refreshed and glowing. To achieve the classic nude lip—always a favorite at red carpet events—buff in a nude shade of lip liner, then layer on a sheer or neutral gloss to the middle of your bottom lip for texture. The great thing about this red-carpet look is that your eyes can either be really soft and bare, or you can go to the other extreme and pair the pale lips with a sexy, smokey eye. Just remember that for both looks, you should highlight under the brow bone for extra intensity.
Makeup Products for the Understated Stunner Trend
• Sheer Gloss: Lip Enhancing Gloss in Golden Triangle, $22
• Nude Liner: Lip Intensifier Pencil in Kirakira, $22
• Highlighter: Eye Illuminator Pencil in Epernay, $22
Get the Celebrity Red-Carpet Makeup Look: Smokey Eyes
It’s all about eyes on the red carpet. Whether it’s a pop of color or a bold, smokey statement, intensifying your eyes is a sure way to stand out and look gorgeous.
How to Get the Red-Carpet Smokey Eye:
1. Blend foundation all over face, eyelids, jaw line and downward toward the neck. Lightly dust loose or pressed powder for full coverage. Try 70% Triple Seaweed Gel Foundation, $38.
2. Take a charcoal eye shadow and begin to create a smokey eye using an eye base brush, starting at the lash line and continuing upward toward the eye socket. Try Silky Matte Eye Shadow in Black Hill Range, $18.
3. To define this season’s more dramatic shape, take a dense, black, velvety eye pencil to the lash line and draw outwards toward the temple and end in a very pointed tip. Blend well. Try Eye Intensifier Pencil in Pointe-Noire, $22.
4. Draw over this shape and deepen with the pencil.
5. Add layers and layers of mascara, then rim the inside of the eyelid, top and bottom. Try Lash Intensifier Treatment & Lengthening Mascara, $49.
6. Cheeks should be healthy and hydrated. Use a cheek gel versus a powder blush, blend well and layer. Try Gel-to-Powder Blush, $20.
7. Keep lips muted as the focus is the eye. A touch of gloss on the bottom lip adds a sultry feel—choose a champagne or light rose shade. Try Lip Enhancing Gloss in Telina, $22.
Related Links
• How to Get Sexy & Romantic Makeup Looks: Smoky Eye, Red Lips, Rosy Cheeks
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Sue Devitt, Beauty Contributing Editor |
Behind the Scenes: Styling Celebrities for the Academy Awards &
My Predictions for Hot Red-Carpet Looks
Douglas Hannant Photos: Jemal Countess from Wire Image
Celebrity Stylist’s Dream: Creating a Red-Carpet Look for the Academy Awards
I’ve been a huge fan of the Oscars’ Red Carpet since I was a teenager. Now, 17 years later, I’m fortunate to dress actresses and presenters for a variety of award shows, including the Academy Awards, the most prestigious of them all. I’ve created awards-show red-carpet looks for celebs like Uma Thurman, Marisa Tomei, Sienna Miller, Tyra Banks, Claudia Schiffer, Kristin Chenoweth, and Michelle Monaghan. What’s it like getting a celebrity ready for the
Academy Awards?
In a Celebrity’s Hotel Room: Pulling the Oscar Fashion Together
Oscar day is so exciting. I spend hours sitting in celebrities’ hotel rooms with the dress, the jewelry, the Spanx, the shoes, and the bag neatly laid out . . . anxiously waiting for them to slip into their red-carpet gown. After all, it takes 4 hours of hair and makeup to create the red-carpet look. The most anticipated item of the night, the Oscar dress, is the final step in the process. Everyone in the room holds their breath as the actress steps into it.
What to Do When Your A-Lister Decides Against Her Oscar Dress?
It is a nerve-racking day for everyone involved. What happens, and yes it does happen, when a celebrity decides not to wear the dress designed for her to wear on Oscar night? Panic happens! The jewelry, the shoes, the bag—they all have to be changed. As a stylist, you always need to be prepared with multiple selections for your celebrity client.
My Favorite Moment: Nominated Actress Exits Hotel—Happy
Once the actress is happily dressed, I can breathe a sigh of relief. Now, I put the lipstick and compact in her bag and exit the hotel room holding the train of her Oscar dress in my hands—making sure it doesn’t touch the floor. I love this moment!
Knowing My Oscar Fashion Really Is Picture Perfect
It really is a high when you see one of your clients step out of a limousine to begin her walk down the red carpet full of paparazzi. You know this photo will be seen around the world.
While Celebrities Walk the Red Carpet, I Catch the Red-Eye
Often, I stay in the car and go directly to LAX to take the red-eye back to NYC. I want to be there in the morning for my 2 kids. As soon as I land, I log on to my computer and get the 411 on all the actresses’ ensembles. It still excites me after all these years.
And the Academy Award for Best-Dressed Actress on the Red Carpet Goes To . . .
This is the night that transforms nominees and presenters into Hollywood starlets. Who will stand out on February 27th? No one can definitively predict what celebrities will wear on the red carpet—but I can try!
Predictions for the Oscar-Winning Red-Carpet Looks You’ll See at the
Academy Awards
1. Red-Carpet Trend: Plunging Necklines
Designers: Armani Privé, Ralph Lauren (pictured above)
Celebrity: Expect to see host Anne Hathaway in sexy, yet sophisticated, jaw-dropping looks by Armani, one of her perennial favorites.
2. Red-Carpet Trend: Bold Color
We might see some pops of color, especially red. Perhaps on some of the more mature nominees.
Designers: Donna Karan, Naeem Khan, Venexiana (pictured above)
Celebrities: Melissa Leo is going to be wearing Marc Bouwer. . . something glamorous. I could also see Annette Bening or Helena Bonham Carter in red.
3. Red-Carpet Trend: Muted Palette
A sense of nostalgia is sure to prevail on Oscar night with the recessionista spirit of the 1930s and ’40s aptly lending itself to the styles of today. Expect a natural waistline and muted tones.
Designers: Michael Kors, Gucci, Valentino, Rodarte, Donna Karan, Douglas Hannant
(pictured above)
Celebrities: Presenters and former Academy Award winners like Sandra Bullock are sure to favor looks that hark back to a bygone era, in subdued but stylish frocks. Scarlett Johansson, who will also be presenting, tends to embrace the neutrals in a retro silhouette.
4. Red-Carpet Trend: Belle of the Ball
Designers: Monique Lhuillier, Marchesa, Christian Dior, Reem Acra, Elie Saab, Douglas Hannant (pictured above)
Celebrities: Stars like Natalie Portman and Amy Adams will favor the feminine frills, even if they transform their innocent confections with a bit of edge.
5. Red-Carpet Trend: Winter White
Designers: Prada, L’Wren Scott, Yves Saint Laurent, Georges Chakra (pictured above)
Celebrity: Nicole Kidman—the minimalist queen is sure to favor this simple and sleek aesthetic.
6. Red-Carpet Trend: Metallic Details
Designers: Marchesa, Chanel, Carolina Herrera, Armani Privé, Jason Wu, Zuhair Murad (pictured above)
Celebrity: All that glitters is perfect for Oscar gold. Jennifer Lawrence may have preferred color in the past, but come Oscar night, look out for elegance and ease with a bit of sparkle.
7. Red-Carpet Trend: Old Hollywood Glamour
Designers: Ralph Lauren, Oscar de la Renta, Zac Posen, Valentino, Badgley Mischka
(pictured above)
Celebrity: Michelle Williams—Old Hollywood Glamour is perfect for the girl with curves and sex appeal. Expect layers of tulle, lace, sequins, and embroidered details.
Related Links
• Go Sweet or Go Home! The Other Oscar Party
• Wines & Best Movie Nominees: Pairings for the Academy Awards
• From Mad Men to Gossip Girl to Glee: TV-Inspired Fashion
Jill Swid, Celebrity Stylist
Sought-After Celebrity Stylist & Fashion Trendsetter
Jill Swid is one of the most sought-after celebrity and fashion stylists working in the entertainment industry today, with a client roster that boasts the biggest names in Hollywood, music, advertising, fashion, and media. She appears on television as a style and beauty expert, and has been featured in top-rated programs on NBC, ABC, VH1, and the E! Network. In 2005, Entertainment Weekly’s annual “Must Have” issue ranked her number 9 on a list of more than 100 Hollywood stars and leading trendsetters for her powerful influence on American style.
Personal Stylist Clients? From Tyra Banks to Real Women
Her personal clients include Uma Thurman, Kate Winslet, Tyra Banks, Brooke Shields, Claudia Schiffer, and Michelle Monaghan. She’s also styled a wildly diverse mix of international icons—including Angelina Jolie, Hugh Grant, Tom Hanks, Gwen Stefani, Kurt Cobain, Paris Hilton, and Public Enemy—for dozens of publications. And, she is a personal stylist for “real” women and men.
Setting Fashion Trends as a Magazine Fashion Director & Contributor
At Talk, Spin, Mirabella, and Radar magazines, Swid served as the fashion director, and she’s brought her fashion and beauty expertise to styling photo shoots, covering trends, and performing makeovers on the pages of Harper’s Bazaar, Condé Nast Traveler, People, Good Housekeeping, and O: The Oprah Magazine.
Fashion Consulting Crossover into Music & Advertising
In the worlds of advertising, music, and fashion, her work is well-known. Swid has directed looks for designer Michael Kors and styled music videos, album covers, and artists for Columbia Records. Her work has appeared in dozens of TV and print ads, including campaigns for Victoria’s Secret, Levis, Macy’s, and Colgate. Legendary music video director Paul Hunter tapped Swid for the “Got Milk” television campaign, and Hanes called upon her for TV ads in which Swid performed a dramatic makeover on Marisa Tomei.
Fashion Stylist Jill Swid Takes a Turn in Front of the Camera
On television, Swid has appeared as a fashion, style, and beauty expert on Oprah, NBC’s Today Show, E!’s Live Oscar Countdown, The View, Extra, VH1, HSN, and the BBC’s Fashion Avenue With Jodie Kidd. In 2002, she starred as herself on the ABC reality series The Family, in which she dispensed fashion, beauty, and style advice, and performed makeovers on the show’s contestants.
It All Started in High School Working for Donna Karan
Swid began her career in fashion before she even received her high school diploma, working for fashion legend Donna Karan. She currently resides in downtown Manhattan with her husband and 2 children, Jack and Julia. To contact Jill Swid about her styling services, email swidjh@yahoo.com.
The Other Oscar Party: How to Throw a Winner
Trying to Find a Unique Oscar Party Idea
Thinking about the Academy Awards and the Oscar party I might have around watching the awards show, I couldn’t come up with one original idea that you couldn’t just google. I mean, gold Oscar statue cookies, red carpet leading to front door, goodie bags of crap, reproduce Wolfgang’s menu—whatev. But also bore, snore, chore . . .
Watching the Oscars: Who Wore What—and Who Makes Too Much
So, here’s my take on the only Oscar party worth throwing this year. It’s the Academy Awards, THE Oscars. Yes, it’s “the biggie,” but honestly, after a month of nominations and awards to superstars, actors, singers, wannabes we watch and obsess about, I’m sort of over it. We like to separate the gorg from the overstyled, underdressed, overexposed, and those who are just tremendously overpaid. Let’s call me OSCAR (the) GROUCH this year.
Go Sweet or Go Home: Dessert-Themed Oscar Party
Let’s flip this party on its head and honor each of our inner grouches for this Oscar party. Since I only ever really watch the Academy Awards preshow and just try to watch the awards, I’m always with my girlfriends, and we start drinking Champagne when the way-early stars show up. Being true to my “eat dessert first” self, I’m going to do an all-dessert-inspired party. If my guests can’t find sustenance in booze and sugar, hey, go to someone else’s house.
Oscar Party Food? Desserts to Match the Best Picture Nominees
• Black Swan: Easy! Black-and-white cookies.
• The Fighter: Boston cream pie.
• Inception: Chocolate dream dessert, or cookies and milk?
• The Kids Are All Right: Gotta go with cupcakes.
• The King’s Speech: Sticky toffee pudding or shortbread cookies.
• 127 Hours: Lord, this one’s hard . . . Gorp? . . . Cliff Bars?
• The Social Network: Nerds candy, or Smart Food or Pirate’s Booty snacks (while that’s not dessert, we need something salty in the mix).
• Toy Story 3: Pez, or gummy candy in cute shapes.
• True Grit: Smores.
• Winter’s Bone: Middle America—Twinkies? Ring Dings?
Award Your Inner Oscar the Grouch
And for extra-snarky topping on your Oscar party, have discussions and award prizes for: worst outfit (or the OH MY GOD WHAT ARE THEY WEARING PRIZE), bad hair, too much makeup, bad panty lines, ugliest date, and rudest losing nominee. Who gets the award for the fakest “oh, I’m so happy for you that you beat me” smile or hug?
Make a grid with each category of horridness and vote each section, then announce who the Green Oscar goes to (and yes, we all have a bit of envy over the most beautiful women, so green is fitting).
As I always say, if you want a different answer, ask a different girl.
Related Links
• For a Fabulous Oscar Party Dessert, Easy DIY Chocolate Truffles
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Best Wines & Best Pictures: How to Host a Wine-Tasting Oscar Party
Oscar Night Wine Tour:
Pairing Up the Best Wines
My idea of a fun Oscar party? Invite 9 of your friends over and ask them to bring a wine they think represents 1 of the nominees for Best Picture. (Yep, there are 10 nominees. You get to enjoy the fun too!) You’ll have a night of wine tastings and a great theme for your Oscar party! I’ll start you off with the picks below, some a bit more pun-ny than others (hey, humor rarely wins the big gold statue).
Types of Wines for Oscar Movies:
Oscar Movie: Black Swan
Wine Pairing: Bianchi Petite Sirah, Paso Robles, California, 2007
A deep, dark wine with earthy and blackberry jam notes. It’s nearly opaque in color and bold—anything but “Petite”—just like Black Swan’s leading lady, Natalie Portman. Though petite in stature, her commanding performance shows just how robust her acting chops are. I think she’d enjoy a glass of this post-baby.
Oscar Movie: The Fighter
Wine to Taste: Red Car “The Fight” Syrah, Central Coast, California, 2007
The name alone is hard to pass up to pair with The Fighter, but get beyond the name and you’ll find it has a matching amount of bite and juiciness—Mark Wahlberg without a shirt. Juicy, indeed.
Oscar Movie: Inception
Try with Wine: Santa Julia Tardio Torrontes, Mendoza, Argentina, 2008
Visually gorgeous, mindblowing, with a “Huh? What just happened” sense to it. I could be talking about this late-harvest Torrontes or Inception. Both are stunners, and the wine is beautifully balanced with sweetness and acidity that makes it unctuous but ultimately refreshing.
Oscar Movie: The Kids Are All Right
Taste With: Naughty Boy Chardonnay, Mendocino County, California, 2009
Naughty boy himself (at least in the movie), Mark Ruffalo would readily serve Annette Bening this impressively crisp Chardonnay. The movie is all about family, as is this small, award-winning family-run winery.
Oscar Movie: The King’s Speech
Try This Wine: Re Midas Soave, Veneto, Italy, 2009
Bearing resemblance to The King’s Speech, from the crown logo to the European heritage, Re Midas Soave has everything you want from a value-priced wine. It’s made from 100% Garganega grapes, a native Italian varietal, which, like its movie pairing, is a crowd favorite.
Oscar Movie: 127 Hours
Movie Wine Pairing: Hidden Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County, California, 2006
Like the hero in this movie (and in some of our dreams), Hidden Ridge grapes spend their time hanging out at high altitudes, from 1,200 to 1,700 feet. Hidden Ridge is only accessible via 4-wheel drive or helicopter, as remote of a setting as James Franco hoped to escape. Dense, decadent, and delicious. Something you’d give your right arm for.
Oscar Movie: Toy Story 3
Wine Pairing: Roederer Estate Anderson Valley Brut Sparkling Wine NV, California
In Toy Story 3, you expect light and bubbly but you also get a healthy dose of the harsh realities of growing up. Similarly, the streams of tiny bubbles you expect abound in this sparkler, but you also experience an edge of minerality and mouth-watering lemon-lime. It’s a slam dunk for an Oscar, but sadly not in this category. Hope the bubbles help cheer up Woody.
Oscar Movie: The Social Network
Taste With: Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Laforet, Burgundy, France, 2009
What’s on your mind? Right now, my status is happily drinking the 2009 Joseph Drouhin Bourgogne Laforet, Burgundy, France. I’m about to go online and tell all my “Friends” I’m drinking it. Facebook me and tell me what you’re sipping as you watch this movie, the one I’m guessing brings home the golden statue.
Oscar Movie: True Grit
Wine to Taste: Parducci “True Grit” Petite Sirah, Mendocino, California
It was a shoe-in to be served at the eponymous movie’s premiere, and for good reason beyond the coincidental name. The wine, like the film, has an earthiness to it but also a welcome warmth.
Oscar Movie: Winter’s Bone
Try with Wine: Masi Costasera Amarone, Veneto, Italy, 2006
Like Amarone, this movie may be lesser known to the audience, though it’s critically acclaimed. The wine is majestic, with a long finish, and deserves to be seen more. It stays with you as long as the movie.
The best thing about this Oscar wine-tasting party, no matter which film wins the Academy Award for Best Picture . . . you win by tasting all the best wines and trying some new favorites!
Related Links
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Anu Karwa, Epicurean Contributing Editor |
Samantha Daniels: Professional Matchmaker at Samantha’s Table
Samantha Daniels, Matchmaker & Dating Expert
Samantha Daniels is one of the foremost professional matchmakers and dating experts in the country. She owns the bicoastal matchmaking service called Samantha’s Table.
From Making Cases to Making Marriages: 100+ & Counting
Samantha is Ivy League-educated and a lawyer by trade, and has an uncanny ability to know who goes well with whom. As a professional matchmaker, she has been responsible for over 100 marriages and thousands of substantial relationships. She is a frequently relied-upon dating and relationship expert, and is seen regularly on television, on the radio, and in national newspapers and magazines.
Hollywood Comes Calling—Miss Match Played by Alicia Silverstone
Samantha has been a national spokesperson for a number of consumer brands, including Crest, Oral B, and Febreze. She was also the inspiration for and a producer on the NBC/Darren Star dramedy, Miss Match, starring Alicia Silverstone. The show was based on her life story. She is the author of Matchbook: The Diary of a Modern-Day Matchmaker.
Spreading the Dating Gospel According to Samantha Daniels
Currently, Samantha writes a popular blog on the Huffington Post as well as her own very popular dating blog, Matchmaker in the Know.
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Jennifer Gilbert, President & Chief Visionary Officer, Save the Date
Jennifer Gilbert, Special-Events Planner Extraordinaire
Jennifer Gilbert is the founder and chief visionary officer of New York-based special events company Save the Date. Jennifer graduated from the University of Vermont and received a Bachelor of Science in Consumer Marketing with a minor in Business, and graduated from the MIT Birthing of Giants program.
Success Comes Quickly to Jennifer Gilbert’s Event-Planning Company, Save the Date
Only 5 years after founding her event-planning business, Jennifer was awarded “Entrepreneur of the Year” in 1998, and has consistently been on Working Woman Magazine’s Top 500 List. Jennifer is a sought-after event-planning expert, and she has been quoted in national publications about planning special events from corporate meetings to weddings, including the Wall Street Journal, Business Week, TimeOut New York, Cosmopolitan, People, InStyle, Rachael Ray, and Hamptons.
The Real Housewives of New York’s Newest Addition & Other Exciting News
Jennifer débuted last year on The Real Housewives of New York City as the event planner and newest character. This past fall, she was the keynote presenter at the BizBash New York Expo & Awards. And Jennifer just signed a book deal with Harper Collins to write her memoir, I Never Promised You a Goody Bag. She lives in New York City with her husband, daughter, and twin boys.
DIY for Super Bowl Sunday: Make This a “Super” Bowl Party
By Jennifer Gilbert, Guest Editor
Who’s All Excited About the Big Super Bowl Party This Sunday?
Quite frankly, I don’t watch football. I had to google who is playing this weekend. (All other football-phobic girls out there, it’s the Pittsburgh Steelers vs. the Green Bay Packers.) But I LOVE a good party, football-related or not. So what makes this party different from other Super Bowl parties? The game is the game, but the experience your guests have from the second they enter your home for a Super Bowl party . . . well, that can be different.
Super Bowl Party Décor That Scores Points with Guests
Your home’s entry can make your guests feel as if they’re stepping into Cowboys Stadium. To create the tunnel that leads to the field, tack a sheet around the ceiling and walls of a hallway. Then, instead of using a typical sports-bar look or team colors, here’s a clever spin. Recreate a football field on a large table using artificial or natural grass, or a piece of green indoor/outdoor carpet. With white tape, mark the field’s yard lines. Then, spread the bowls and platters of food on each side of the field. You can even blow up a photo of crowds or a football scene, and use that to transform your home into a Super Bowl stadium.
Other Super Bowl Sunday Decorating Ideas
• Place your grass or green carpet on your tables and bar area. Then, plant Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers team flags into the turf to complete the look.
• Create seating signs for “cheerleaders,” “players,” “press box,” “owners box,” and more. If you’re partying in several rooms, use one of them for “tailgating” and conversation.
• Get life-size posters of the teams’ MVPs, and photograph guests with their favorite player.
• Use colored plastic cups to identify fans for each team.
Go Native with Your Super Bowl Party Menu
Forget the nachos and subs. Your menu can celebrate the Super Bowl teams, while still being easy and fun. It’s time to look for cookbook recipes and make dishes that cheer “Pittsburgh” and “Green Bay.”
• Put the Pittsburgh Steelers on Your Super Bowl Menu
The Roethlis-Burger is a hamburger named after Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger—ground beef, sausage, scrambled eggs, grilled onions, and American cheese. Or try pierogi, Polish dumplings filled with potato, cheese, onion, or sauerkraut. They’re Pittsburgh favorites.
• Perfectly Cheesy Party Food for the Green Bay Packers
Packer fans are known as “cheeseheads,” so a cheese platter or cheese fondue are perfect for the Wisconsin side of your football field. Or go for small dishes of mac-and-cheese. For dessert, cheesecake or cheesecake lollipops are naturals.
Super Bowl Sunday Drink Picks
No need to do shots with your best hard liquor. Pour signature drinks for each team, and stock your bar in advance with the makings for these cocktail recipes. For Green Bay, complement the Wisconsin cheese theme of the food with a tequila-happy fruit punch—the Green Bay Punch. Pittsburgh Steelers fans can toast their team with the Golden Goblet, which is like a vodka-soaked Jim Palmer. (See recipes below.)
At Meal’s Endzone on Super Bowl Sunday, the Ref Calls Dessert
Round out your menu with gourmet treats and sweets in the team colors (gold and black for the Steelers, yellow and green for the Packers). Not up for baking cupcakes frosted in green and gold? Try your local cupcake trucks or candy store.
Super Bowl Party Games: Fun on the Field & Out of Bounds
On Super Bowl Sunday, having fun other than watching the game isn’t a penalty. Try these “sports.” Whatever Super Bowl party game you choose, your guests will feel like winners!
• Play a Super Bowl Trivia Game: Write Super Bowl XLV-related questions—the teams, the players, the states of Pennsylvania and Wisconsin—on index cards, and post them on a wall in the shape of a goal post. Or try football bingo. Use traditional bingo cards, and award prizes for cards that show the game score at the end of each quarter.
• Super Bowl Product Placement Game: For me, the best part of the Super Bowl is the commercials. Advertisers pay millions of dollars to premiere new, creative commercials during the game. During each spot, let guests compete to guess the product first. Or ask your guests to rate the commercials, and then take a vote to determine who picked the best ones.
• Super Nerf Bowl Games for Kids: For the pee-wee footballers on your guest list, keep them entertained with Nerf footballs in the team colors, a roll of craft paper to decorate with football-themed stickers and crayons, or a football-shaped piñata to break open during halftime.
 Half-Time Happy Hour All Super Bowl Long: Steelers vs. Packers Cocktail Recipes____________________ Golden Goblet 1.5 oz. SKYY Infusions Citrus Vodka 0.25 oz. triple sec 1 oz. sweetened iced tea 0.5 oz. fresh lemon juice Combine SKYY Infusions Citrus Vodka, triple sec, iced tea, lemon juice, and ice into a cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously and strain into a martini glass with a sugared rim as garnish. ____________________________ Green Bay Punch Martinis, Mojitos & More |
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Jennifer Gilbert, President & Chief Visionary Officer |
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