Geek Gifts: Couples Gifts

 

You don’t know what to get your fellow geek couple for the holidays? Or your significant other as a joint gift. Here are some ideas to fuel the geeky passion for your geek couple.

Galaxy Bedding: warp the whole galaxy around your favorite couple from Anlye.

Chemistry Cocktail Set: what stirs up the romance more than chemistry and booze, get yours from Amazon.

Fine Art: have your couple proudly present their fandom on their walls, the Geek Art Store has a variety of unique art.

Friendship Necklaces: Keep the couple together even when they are apart. You can find a variety of friendship necklaces on Etsy like this Pacific Rim necklace.

Couples Action Figures: Who doesn’t want to be their own action figure, at My Face on a Figure you can slap your couples faces on their own figure.

Hope this help for probably next year gift buying. Busy this weekend, catch up with you little bots Monday.

See you on the other side

Party Wednesday: Hobbit Feast

            This time of year, many of us indulge in feasts and bounty of the year.  For some we look forward to eating our selves out of our pants.  Hobbits are the same way, but year round.  With the latest Hobbit movie out what better time to celebrate Tolkien’s epic novels that feature one of your favorite mythical creatures.

Décor

            I originally wanted to set the party in the Shire but with it being winter it would be very uncomfortable for the guests to stand out in the cold.  So we will take it indoors, while we can’t completely redesign the interior of your home into a hobbit hole.  Instead you think you are stepping into a hobbit home but instead stepping into a little journey to get to your table at the Prancing Pony.  I would highly encourage your guests to dress up as there favorite characters.

           

            Front Door

  

http://mandyandshomik.blogspot.com/2011/10/one-party-to-rule-them-all.html

            Once threw, create an entryway using dead wood and “spider webs” to symbolize Mirkwood.  

  

http://sonyanimri.blogspot.com/2010/11/halloween-haunted-house.html

            Once threw the woods your guests will enter the Prancing Pony.  In most inns and taverns there are barrels of wine ling about.  If you can’t get barrels, then stacking wooden boxes on top of each other will work.  On top of your barrels or boxes place candles and some wild flowers.

  

http://rivernorthlove.blogspot.com/2013/06/vintage-rustic-rehearsal-dinner.html

            Low lighting is key if you can only use candles to light up the entire room.  If you cant use a dimmer to turn the lights low.   Have a large chandelier made out of antler to enhance that rustic feel.

 

http://www.wdwmagic.com/dining/gastons-tavern/gallery/12oct2012-gaston's-tavern-soft-opening/17222.htm

            For a few more decorations, add Tavern signs from other taverns or liquor brands from Middle Earth.  You can also add some animal heads to give it that cozy feel.

  

http://www.wdwmagic.com/dining/gastons-tavern/gallery/12oct2012-gaston's-tavern-soft-opening/17221.htm

            Your food will be served family style, no need to do a center piece your food is the star.  What you will need is a large wooden table big enough to hold both your food and guests.

  

http://www.farmhouseurban.com/food/page/3/

As for the flatware and utensils here are some examples on what you could use.

  

http://cathiefilian.blogspot.com/2012/01/weddings-rustic-bridal-brunch-wood.html

  

http://www.flickr.com/photos/skeffto/5856196025/

  

http://srinteriors.wordpress.com/tag/west-elm/

  

http://www.townandcountryshuffle.com/2013/03/in-the-market-for-rustic-silverware/.html

  

http://tikkido.com/node/848

  

http://www.sfgate.com/homeandgarden/article/Give-guests-a-personalized-place-at-the-table-2634020.php

           

           

Food

Pork Pie

  

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/pork-pies.html

Roasted Chicken

  

http://www.steamykitchen.com/126-szechuan-peppercorn-roasted-chicken.html

Cheese Plate

  

http://blog.pennlive.com/life/2011/11/tips_on_building_a_better_chee.html

Mushroom Soup

  

http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/4756/cream-of-wild-mushroom-soup

Eleven Lembas Bread Recipe

  

http://everything-is-poetry.blogspot.com/2012/06/lembas-bread.html

Seed Cake

  

http://simplythisandthat.blogspot.com/2012/06/glazed-lemon-poppy-seed-cake.html

Drink

Sparkling Cider

  

http://bakingdom.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-sparkling-spiced-apple-cider-cocktail.html

Smaug’s Breath

  

http://www.thedrunkenmoogle.com/

Mulled Wine

  

http://www.thegoodwineguru.com/mulled-wine/

            And here is your Hobbit Feast.  Hope you and your guest will fill up on this part to hold you over until the next movie comes out.  Like always I would love to hear from you if you have any suggestions on what I should do for the next Party Wednesday; or have pics you would like to share just send them my way.  See you Friday for some ranting or whatever. 

See you on the other side

Party Wednesday: Last Minute Halloween Party

            So you waited until the last possible second to throw a Halloween party.  You have less than a day to throw something together to make this a decent party.  I have included quick decorating, food, and costume ideas for you to do in a few hours.  But let’s face the facts, you are just going to sit around and watch scary films, drink beer, and hand out candy to trick-or-treaters.

Décor

                        We have to keep this quick so run down to the store (target, Wal-Mart, some place) and buy up all the spider webbing/cobwebs you can find.  Also buy cheese cloth, black table cloth, black construction paper, black paint, and a lot of pumpkins.

            When you get home, string up the spider cobwebs all around your house, place the table cloth on the table (duh) and down the middle of the table make a runner out of the cheese cloth.  If you have extra cheese cloth you can hang them around your house as well.

 

http://www.marthastewart.com/853609/decrepit-dwelling?czone=holiday%2Fhalloween-center%2Fhalloween-center-decor&gallery=275513&slide=853609&center=276965

            With the pumpkins if you don’t have time to carve them out you can always paint faces on them or paint them entirely black.  It is also good to have pumpkins ranging in different sizes so you can stack them on top of each other for a center piece.

            Have a lamp shade, well with that construction paper you can cut out and tape on bats, cats, what ever scares you on to your lamp shade.

            Now you yourself need to be in costume, but what do you wear?  Well if you have an expansive closet and some imagination you can figure something out.  If not then here are some easy quick examples that will help you for 2013:

The Bum

Sexy Ghost

Miley Cyrus

Zombie

Food

            Pizza Mummies

http://spoonful.com/recipes/pizza-mummies

Spider Dip

http://blog.eventup.com/halloween-appetizers/

Erie Empanadas

http://www.divinedinnerparty.com/halloween-party-appetizers.html

Crispy Candy Corn

http://www.marthastewart.com/933581/crisp-candy-corn-treats?czone=holiday%2Fhalloween-center%2Fhalloween-center-pumpkins&gallery=923430&slide=933581&center=276965

Drink

Pumpkin Ale

Hard Cider

Pumpkin Pie Spice Punch

http://www.hgtv.com/entertaining/pumpkin-spice-halloween-punch-recipe/index.html

            This is just for the last minute blog… I mean last minute Halloween party.  Chances are you and your buddies are going to sit around and drink so why not look like you put some effort into your house for them.  Like always I would love to hear from you if you have any suggestions on what I should do for the next Party Wednesday; or have pics you would like to share just send them my way.  See you Friday for some ranting or whatever. 

See you on the other side

Party Wednesday: 50’s Halloween Party

             I just want to bring back some good old family Halloween.  Back to when times were simpler and the decorations were cheesy.  Let’s step back in time, grab your poodle skirts and sweater vests and swing back in time.

Décor

                        I just wanted to keep it simple and feel like you have walked threw your parents or grandparents house.  Halloween back in this period wasn’t as big as it is today.  People were more likely to dress up than to go all out on decorating, but it is important to decorate for this theme. 

            Using paper cut outs of black cats, pumpkins, and witches.  I would tape them all around the room you are hosting in, you can never have enough.  You can also make a daisy chain of paper pumpkins or bats along the walls as well.

  

http://gliha.blogs.com/materialarchive/2009/10/vintage-halloween-decorations.html

How can you go wrong with carved pumpkins?  I say buy a lot since your décor is very minimal and place them outside, on a window sill, floor, table, you name it there is a carved pumpkin.

  

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/holiday---celebration-recipes/halloween-recipes/how-to-carve-a-pumpkin

Next step is a game section.  You can do pin the tail on the cat (really fun when you are drunk), some ring toss, or you can do a bobbing for apples.  Just be sure to have some towels lying around incase your guests get a little to wet.

  

http://streetscenevintage.blogspot.com/2012/10/the-best-kind-of-halloween-costume.html

For your table you can either do a simple black or orange table cloth or you can go a little bit chees…err….festive with a pumpkin or more themed table cloth.  For your centerpiece pile on those carved pumpkins or add more paper craft black cats or skulls. 

  

http://www.topdreamer.com/20-ideas-halloween-table-decoration/

Flatware use Halloween themed paper plates, cups, and black plastic utensils.

 

http://www.vintagehalloween.com/vintagebeistle.html

Top off the evening with some vintage Halloween music.  I found a site that has a YouTube links to various 1950’s Halloween songs: http://my50syear.blogspot.com/2011/10/14-october-1957-halloween-songs.html#/

And how can we forget about the appropriate costumes to wear to our 1950’s Halloween party:

For the girls:

  

http://midcenturyliving.blogspot.com/2010/10/halloween-costumes-1950-1969.html

For Boys:

Food

            Mummy Wraps

  

http://www.tastebook.com/recipes/2383540-Pigs-in-a-blanket-Halloween-mummy-wrap-

Dead Man (Rumaki)

http://www.thenakedkitchen.com/holiday-rumaki/

Black Cat Cheese Ball

  

http://www.hungryhappenings.com/2011/10/i-created-this-recipe-last-halloween.html

Candy Apples

  

http://www.justataste.com/2011/10/candy-apples/

Big Bowl of candy from the 50’s

Drink

Apple Pie Martini

  

http://celebrationsathomeblog.com/2010/11/autumn-cocktails.html

Tom Collins

  

http://www.delish.com/recipefinder/tom-collins-drink-recipe

Sinner (Gin and Sin)

http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/view_cocktail.php?id=126

Big Mac Daddy

http://www.in-the-spirit.co.uk/cocktails/view_cocktail.php?id=31

            With this party you should return to your youth or your parent’s youth of joy and whimsy with out the entire scary adult world to hinder you.  I just want to take a moment and say THIS IS MY 100 POST HERE!  I have been posting since January and it has been an interesting experience thus far.  Thank you readers or bots that come to my page regularly.  You all have helped me get up to a little over 1300 views as of now; lets see if we can break 1800 before the end of the year.

See you on the other side