Planning to throw a bash at home to bid goodbye to 2018? Follow these tricks for it to be a smashing success
Drinks
Cheers to these
Gin seems to be a trending drink at the moment, says Santosh K ukreti, bar manager at Lower Parel watering hole Thirsty City 127. "So, I would definitely keep gin and tonic as an option if I had a New Year's eve party at home," he says, adding that you can play around with garnishes to make the drink more exciting. "For example, you can add a cucumber or citrus fruits like oranges, or even berries like strawberry, which will impart their own flavour to the G&T after a bit," he explains.
Moscow mule
He also says that keeping the season in mind, he would add mulled wine to the equation, which you can whip up by heating a wine of your choice after adding some honey and spices to it. The cocktails he suggests include Moscow mule, which is super-simple to prepare since all you have to do is mix ginger ale and a slice of lime to some vodka.
Santosh Kukreti
Or, for a cheaper option, you can make dark and stormy, where Old Monk replaces the vodka. But on the other hand, if you want to impress your guests with a fancy concoction, choose eggnog. It's a combination of spices like cardamom and cinnamon, sugar or vanilla essence, milk and, of course, eggs, with Bourbon whisky, rum or brandy adding the alcohol quotient.
Music
Play it right
Creating a suitable playlist is as important to a party as carrying an umbrella is in the Mumbai monsoon - your bash is liable to be a damp squib unless you choose the right music. And what often ends up happening is that people crowd around the music spot, asking for their own requests to be played. So how do you avoid this unfortunate situation? Romel Dias, who hosts house concerts as part of a group called Little Sounds, has a few suggestions. "What you can do is ask all the people on your guest list to message, say, two songs of their choice and then curate a playlist based on the responses.
Or, you could even create a Facebook page for the party and add all the guests in it, before asking them for suggestions for the playlist. This is also a good way to make introductions beforehand if there are some guests who don't know each other," he suggests. Dias adds that if space permits, inviting a live band to play is another musical route you can opt for. "Talk to the guests about a band of their choice, asking them to chip in. And maybe you can then negotiate the chosen act's commercial fee since it's a home gig."
A portion of fries
Food
Dishy stuff
Sharing is caring - that should be the mantra you keep in mind while organising the food. Think kebabs, fries and other such nibbles that people can pass around easily. "I'd keep a mix of spicy and non-spicy starters, some fried stuff for kids, and a big tub of punch, sangria or mulled wine that guests can help themselves to. I would also keep more starters and streamline the mains, restricting it to one or two items only," says home chef Subhasree Basu.
Subhasree Basu
She adds that you should opt for starters that don't need assembling, since that would mean that you end up spending too much time on the individual portions. "For example, making toppings for store-bought tart shells or Melba toasts makes more sense than baking individual tarts. You could even have something as simple as wafers or crudites with interesting dips, while wholesome salads and bakes get special appreciation in this season," Basu explains, before sounding a warning note about serving curries, since these carry the risk of spilling.
But if you want to get out
Some people might prefer heading out at night instead of celebrating New Year's eve indoors. They would do well to head to a gig where electronic music powerhouse Nucleya will bring the year to an end in his inimitable style.
For over five years now, the DJ has been the mainstay of India's dance music industry. He dropped an album earlier this year, called Tota Myna, which further cemented his formidable reputation.
ON: December 31, 9 pm
AT: Nesco Centre, NSE Nesco Complex, Goregaon East.
LOG ON TO: insider.in
ENTRY: Rs 2,500 to Rs 6,000
Decorations: While there's no need to go overboard with decorations, a few touches here and there can go a long way in elevating the ambience of your home. It can be as simple as putting up fairy lights or some bunting.
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