So if you’re thinking of playing grown-up by having a few friends over: put down that Red Plastic Cup immediately. You are not in college, this is not a fraternity house, and the majority of your friends don’t still care how quickly you can consume hops and barley through a funnel. While a well-stocked bar is always beneficial when hosting a get-together, there is no reason you can’t age as gracefully in the realm of “the party” as in life itself—it IS possible to have a houseful of friends gather around something other than the silver bullet steel of a cooling keg. Like, you know, a table.

Pantry Inventory

Most well-stocked pantries already contain the fixings for fairly decent company fare. A Caprese salad is a no-brainer. Some fresh mozzarella, a tomato, some basil leaves and a sprinkle of a decent olive oil, and you’re set. Crackers and cheese can be taken up a notch when served in a unique container—try a halved bell pepper for serving salsa and chips with flair—and everyone’s favorite standby: bread with a dipping sauce. Spice up the olive oil with dried herbs or crushed red pepper from the pantry and let your guests nibble ‘til their hearts content before your main courses are ready. There’s also one of my personal favorites: peanut butter and jelly sushi rolls—simply roll the mix in a slice of bread, chill in fridge then slice into one-inch sections.

Main Courses

Do not panic—dinner can (and probably should) be a phone call away. In the modern dinner party arena, take-out is not outside the realm of acceptability after you’ve already put forth the effort of hosting, decorating, hors d’oeuvresing and drinking. Artfully arranged on a platter from home, most guests aren’t even likely to notice the difference.

The Theme

From evites to decor, cohesiveness is key. Whether you're in the mood for a luau (read: stale and overdone), a girls night (read: tacky and limiting) or a movie night under the stars (I'm actually fairly partial to this one). Find one theme and build around it.

There are decorating ideas and menu items to match to any theme. A Luau prompts thoughts of poi and pineapple. You can lei your guests and provide grass skirts and coconuts for everyone. Movie Night can be as simple as a rented digital projector and a sheet hung from the side of the house/garage/vacant lot next door. Plastic popcorn containers and a selection of flavors are available at most discount stores or, more recently, the Target Dollar Spot (my own personal aisle of heaven). Feel like sushi? It's actually a cinch to roll your own at home once you're armed with the right tools. Most world markets and international aisles carry a selection of exotic crackers, candies and cookies. OR, if you're feeling saucy, you can even make your own fortune cookies— DIY cookies lend a bit of fun to every fortune.

The point here being you’re not limited to a sit-down dinner of mass proportions. I don’t think I even own enough chairs to host an actual proper seven-course meal at the dining room table for all my friends. The term “dinner party” can be used loosely to include any gather of people over two who have come together for food, drinks and good company. The theme just makes it that much more fun.

Dollar Store Décor

In a pinch to spruce up your space, you have one of two options: repurpose what you have or pay a visit to your local discount retailer. I mean, where else can you find both crepe paper centerpieces and plastic colored flatware?

Granted it's not so cosmopolitan, but you can often repurpose items from discount stores and even items you have lying around the house for quick and easy centerpieces. My favorite of all time was displayed by my friend Leslie [her name has not been changed]: she owns the most glorious lamb-shaped planter, which at times has been filled with faux flora, candy and even ice for chilling drinks. Be creative. That floor length mirror gathering dust in the basement that used to adorn the back of your dorm room door? Polish it up and place lengthwise on the table. Top with random assortment of candles to add light and the illusion of size and preparedness to your party.

Prep Work

Don't wait until half an hour before guests arrive to start creating and plating your dishes. Most things can be made ahead of time and frozen or refrigerated until moments before your doorbell starts ringing. Think ahead. What can you dish up a week out? A day out? The night before? No one wants to play hostess AND be stuck in the kitchen chopping veggies, pulling soufflés out of the oven, etc. instead of mingling with guests and downing cocktails. Which brings us to:

Signature Drinks

The days of kegs and BYOB are waning, people. It's time to grow up and embrace the concept of the cocktail. There are a bevy of adult drinks out there that don’t come from a can, and a well-stocked bar will ensure that everyone can make themselves their own damn drinks and keep you from playing bartender. Also, a pre-prepped, appropriately themed cocktail can serve as a quick fix. Make sure you have more than enough ingredients on hand to refill empty glasses. A copy of the ingredients and amounts slipped into a plastic sleeve and tucked under the pitcher or blender is always a good idea, so when that well-meaning guest asks if there's anything they can do to help, simply point to the nearly-empty pitcher and recipe for the drink and say "refill it!"

Music

Music can provide mood, ambience and a driving beat to dance to. Whether it's fore- or background music helps to set the mood and soften the harsh tones of the annoying friend/boyfriend/current partner someone has dragged along. Music fills the empty spaces and gives the illusion of a hot and happening gathering even when you're waiting on everyone but the random early bird to arrive. You’ll never be able to please all of the people all of the time, so when selecting music ahead of time for a gathering try to include a variety of genres. That way, when you hit shuffle, you can at least please most of the people some of the time.

Cleanup

Step 1: stack rinsed dishes in the sink. Step 2: swirl a bit of water in each wine glass to prevent stains. Step 3: make sure you toss any tray with food still on it in the fridge. Step 4: take yourself off to bed to deal with the mess tomorrow amidst half a bottle of aspirin and a Bloody Mary to wash it down with.