Vegas, Baby
Speaking of Sin City, why not pull out the money chips, crank up the blackjack and make it worth your while? Poker night can become a way to invite new friends into your world. Just make sure you don't leave them high and dry. Pigs-in-a-blanket, a bowl of marinated olives, a cheese tray-no need to make anything. I know you can open a jar.

Drinks Extraordinaire
Get yourself a vintage cocktail guide. Try used bookstores, cruise websites or buy "Vintage Cocktails: Authentic Recipes and Illustrations from 1920-1960" by Susan Waggoner, Robert Markel. You can find a plethora of fabulous, stylin' barware at Archie McPhee, not to mention flamingo, mermaid and hula girl swizzle sticks. Dim the lights, pull out daddy's smoking jacket, and put on a little Sinatra. Call everyone Dame and Daddy-O and feel the croon.

Use these ideas to motivate your party mojo. What's the down-low? Keep it relaxed, but think through the details so that the thought shows and the energy flows. After a certain age, it's no longer considered a party to simply open a bag of chips and pop open a cold one. But always remember, the whole idea is to connect, have some fun, and enjoy the evening.