With Memorial Day on the horizon and shorts-wearing weather hitting a forecast near you, it’s time to think about that loveliest of summer traditions: the garden party.
Here, a few new ways to make yours unique:
Decor Paper lanterns are always welcome, but this year we’re going for more original touches like wine-bottle tiki torches ($60) or high-design piñatas ($140 to $150). We’re particularly loving Horne’s new outdoor Pin Tables ($130), which stick into the ground for instant (and movable) surface space.
Food No need for heavy, labor-intensive dishes. Go for fresh, scoopable fare like radish salad, crab toasts and strawberry-rhubarb-mint-cobbler for dessert. As for drinks, in addition to iced tea and lemonade, try Lillet’s new Rosé aperitif wine ($19), which is made from a blend of red and white Bordeaux grapes and crisp fruit liqueur. Serve it on the rocks or with a slice of citrus.
Extra-Special Accents Then there are the unexpected touches like a mason jar drink dispenser ($69) or modernist paper plates ($13 for 12) that make a party extra memorable. Our summer must-have: wooden ice-cream spoons ($50 for 100) customized for the event.
