Girls’ Night In!

By Jennifer Matthews

	Send out the invites – we have five great themes for your girls’ night in! Spa night Slumber party Book Club Wine tasting Swap meet

I don’t know about you, but the older I get, the more important girls’ nights become. I’m sure it has a lot to do with how rarely my girlfriends and I get together now that our university dorms have been replaced with spouses, houses, kids, careers and urban sprawl. As vital as it is to health and well-being, time with the girls is often relegated to the bottom of the to-do list.

While it's true that a night out on the town is a great way to blow off some steam, a girls’ night in is often the best way to relax and catch up. Read on for a few suggestions for girls’ night (GN) themes, but don’t be limited by this list – just about any excuse for a night in with the girls works!

GN #1: Spa Night

The plan: Get together for a little R&R – spa style. Put together a spa basket with all the tools necessary for some serious pampering: manicure and pedicure kits (the more polish colors the better), face masks, clear pore strips, aromatherapy candles, massage creams. Have each guest bring her favorite spa product to share with the group. Consider hiring an esthetician to provide manicures/pedicures for the group (start by contacting a local beauty school – many esthetics students will happily provide this service in your home). Or go all out and buy a paraffin wax bath (great for softening hands, elbows and feet) – they’re available at Wal-Mart for around $80. Be sure to have lots of washcloths and old towels on hand for those

who want to do hair color or highlights.

The food: Tapas. Check out FoodTV's Web site for a few yummy tapas recipes -- or how about artichoke-cheddar dip or chicken skewers with sesame dipping sauce? Just stay away from any messy finger foods -- you don't want to ruin those fresh manicures!

The drinks: Mix up a few pitchers of French martinis for the ultimate in luxury. 

GN #2: Slumber Party

The plan: Lounge in your PJs, eat comfort food, take in a new or classic chick flick (see sidebar for suggestions), and gab until dawn. Each guest arrives with (or in) her comfiest jammies and a sleeping bag.

The food: Take-out pizza (and lots of it), popcorn and assorted munchies. For dessert, create a sundae bar, with several flavors of ice cream, sauces, nuts, M&Ms, sprinkles, marshmallow topping, whipped cream, cherries… you get the idea. Surprise the girls later with a sleepover cake.

The drinks: Fun blender drinks. Try frozen pineapple daiquiris, melon margaritas and pina coladas – if you can get your hands on two or three blenders, all the better. Remember to have lots of ice!

GN #3: Book Club

The plan: Start a book club – it’s a great way to ensure a monthly (or whatever frequency you wish) get-together with friends. At the first meeting, each person should come prepared with two book suggestions, and you should discuss as a group the parameters of the club: What types of books will be read and how they will be selected, when and where meetings will be hosted, and whether or not membership will be limited to a certain number of people.

The food: Cheese and chocolate fondues with meats, vegetables and fruits for dipping

The drinks: Wine, coffee and assorted liqueurs. In warmer months, whip up a batch of frozen frappuccinos -- who says you have to meet at a coffee house?

GN #4: Wine Tasting

The plan: Host a tasting night for wine, beer (see our beer-tasting party article for how-tos), even chocolate. If you want to make it a regular event, taste products from a particular region or style each time. Provide some background info for guests in advance by sending them the links to thatstheSPIRIT.com’s “All About Wine” or “All About Beer” sections.

The food: Crackers and cheese to complement the food or drink being tasted. If serving a meal, either serve it before the tasting begins, or serve a different wine or beer to complement each course.

The drinks: Hmmmm….

GN #5: Swap Meet

The plan: Each guest cleans out her closet and brings two or three outfits that she no longer wants/fits into. Set up a dressing area (using a curtain or screen) with a full length mirror or two) in your biggest room, with lots of seating available. All guests have the opportunity to try on any outfits they wish, and each goes home with two or three new ensembles. Decide in advance how you will handle clothing wars: If two or more women are interested in the same outfit, you can take the objective route of drawing straws, or have each woman model the outfit for the group, and let the group vote on who it suits best.

The food: In keeping with the swapping spirit, make it a potluck, and ask each guest to bring copies of the recipe (or the name of the store and the price!) for the dish she’s providing.

The drinks: Save yourself the hassle of mixing drinks when you should be trying on clothes – whip up a big bowl of punch (try Bubbly Punch, Celebrity Punch, St. Cecilia Society Punch, or Sunny Sangria Punch for the non-drinkers) and set it up close to the action.