Tunes to set up on the hi-fi:
~ Frank Sinatra
~ Sammy Davis, Jr.
~ Dean Martin (any member of the Rat Pack, obviously)
~ Engelbert Humperdinck
~ Anything spacey-sounding, or Parisian
~ Spy or sci-fi tracks
Be sure to use a record player if possible (8-track would be nice) and use either the scratchiest (originals) or best (CDs) recordings you have.

What to serve:
~ Canapes
~ Anything with toothpicks stuck in them:

• Cocktail weinies (okay, that was obvious)
• Cheese
• Meatballs
• Smallish cut-up vegetables
• Unidentifiable dips
• Hi-fat, hi-calorie, hi-taste, small-portioned finger foods.

Another fun past time, while you are waiting for the bartender to make another round of martinis, is to serve a fondue. Cheese is preferable to chocolate, because fresh strawberries aren't always in season but crusty French bread is. So get everyone good and drunk, turn up the tunes, and tuck in.

Drinks:
Before we go any further, my advice is to make sure that you have a 10 gallon glass jar of olives (2 if you expect more than 5 guests). Obviously a cocktail party isn't a cocktail party if you don't have a martini, and a martini isn't a martini if there isn't an olive in it. Well, it is, but it's just not as much fun. Also, FYI - 'on the rocks' means that your drunk friend wants a drink on ice, so don't go out to the driveway for gravel. Make sure to have plenty of ice on hand... shaved, crushed, cubed... the more the merrier.
~ Martini (duh!)
~ Chocolate martini (obviously no olives involved in that one)
~ Gin and tonic
~ Singapore sling

If you aren't up to paying for a lot of booze, or are worried about a hangover... there's still a lot of groovy ways to have fun with the lounge culture. Visit the Mmmartini Lounge and send everyone you know a free Virtual Cocktail. There's never a tab to pay and you'll even find featured 'smartinis' (for those who prefer non-alcoholic drinks). Peek in even if it's just to find out what it's all about.

Join the party! You can shimmy yourself over to the Mmmartini Lounge for some nibbles, a chat, and some atmos... Or check out the swank-ass Virtual Cocktails where you can send anyone with an email address free virtual martinis. Need an email address? I can set you up with a free hepcat web email address lickety-split. You choose your own membername!

Any questions or comments? Email The Cocktail Gurl
(remove the X from beginning of email address before sending!)