Foxy Festivities
With Elycia Rubin and Rita Mauceri, Entertaining and Style Experts
Who doesn't appreciate a memorable get-together with friends and family? Throwing a good party is the ultimate way to let loose and get creative. But let's face it -- sometimes we barely have time to pay the bills and do the laundry, much less whip up an exotic cocktail menu or a four-course dinner for twelve...which is why many a seasoned hostess has found herself feeling exhausted rather than entertained.
It's time to put the art back in party! We love everything about entertaining, and after years of experimenting (and picking up a few tricks from two of the savviest party girls around, our moms), we've found ways to make a great bash sassy, simple, and stress-free. Entertaining doesn't have to be complicated -- you can easily wow your guests by whipping up unique centerpieces, serving mini-martinis in shot glasses, assembling an amazing soundtrack, creating grown-up goody bags, or serving dinner Eastern-style on the floor with comfy cushions, candlelight, and colorful linens. What sets a foxy festivity apart from a plain old party is the little things -- personalized touches and playful accents that express your own sense of style.
Now, aside from the fact that we love a good party, here's a little more about us. As authors and lifestyle experts, we have over 20 years' combined experience in lifestyle and entertaining. At networks such as E! Entertainment Television, HGTV, Style, TLC, and Discovery, we've produced many specials and series on everything from food and fashion to home design and celebrity living.
As television personalities, we've shared our lifestyle tips on such shows as The Today Show, The View, Good Morning America, Beauty and the Geek, Soap Talk, E!, and Style. Our ideas and advice have also been featured in such popular publications as People, USA Today, Glamour, Vogue, InStyle, Chicago Tribune, Cosmopolitan, Marie Claire, Fitness, New York Daily News, and New York Post.
In 2005, we published the style guide Frumpy to Foxy in 15 Minutes Flat (Fair Winds Press). Written for all those women who spend countless hours primping and getting coiffed every day, the book reveals how to look stylish in no time. Instead of wasting what few precious free moments you have wrestling with your blow dryer or painstakingly painting on eyeliner, we share how anyone can pull it all together and get "foxified" with just a few easy tricks. Women across the country responded with such enthusiasm that we launched a Web site, FrumpyToFoxy.com, to offer more inspiration on living stylishly without stressing your schedule or your pocketbook.
This same foxy philosophy applies to entertaining. Just because you're short on time and budget doesn't mean you can't throw together a sophisticated soiree. Splurging on two dozen long-stemmed roses to accent your table is pricey and not all that interesting.but raiding your kitchen for colorful spices to layer in a glass vase and top off with a few leaves or flowers is so much more fun and eye-catching (and takes about two minutes)!
Foxy Festivities is all about creating the perfect party quickly and inexpensively. We promise -- you don't have to be a craft diva or master chef. Get tips on how to be the ultimate hostess (from what to wear to witty cocktail banter), plus suggestions for themes and decorating, celebrity party trends to transform your next bash into a red-carpet affair, sources for stylish party goods, ideas for signature cocktails, and so much more.
So prepare to get inspired and turn your next gathering into something fun, something fabulous -- and something super foxy!
A bit more about Rita.
No party is complete without red wine -- especially a hearty zin -- and a healthy dose of dark chocolate. Life's too short to bother with spritzers and fat-free desserts! When it comes to entertaining, I'm partial to lazy Sunday brunches, fondue dinners, and super sneaky surprise parties.
Professionally, I've produced and written about everything from male models and babies to million-dollar motor homes and 101 Things to Do Before You Die. On my list of things to do: Spend as much time as possible partying with my favorite people in the world.
A bit more about Elycia.
One thing I can't resist is gummy candy -- Coke Bottles, Swedish Fish, and Sour Watermelons are my favorites. You'll find me snacking on them when I'm writing fashion, beauty, entertaining, and celebrity stories for magazines and web sites such as People, LA Confidential, FashionWireDaily.com and Glam.com.
I'm also really passionate about lifestyle programming (and love that you can find amusing and inspiring shows all over TV today). As one of the original founders of the Style Network and the former Fashion Director for E!, it's just in my genes!
