How to Plan a Bachelorette Party
FOOD AND WINE
While California's Sonoma and Napa valleys are prime territory for a wine weekend, you can also sip and swirl your way through parts of Texas, northern Michigan, and other places you'd never expect. Browse wineries in all 50 states at catchwine.com, and check localwineevents.com for special events and festivals.
Hire a driver to take you to wine tastings—it's safer, and you get the benefit of the party atmosphere that comes with sharing a shuttle. When planning tastings, research prices (most wineries charge for tastings), hours, and whether reservations are needed.
Another approach to food and wine is to pick a meaningful place—like your college town if several of you went to school together—and eat and drink your way through your old haunts. If you're a diehard foodie, choose a major restaurant capital and start making reservations from your wish list. Opentable.com simplifies the reservation process and earns you redeemable points for future meals.
Prix fixe or tasting menus are often a good value, can extend a dinner over a few decadent hours, and make it easy to divide up the bill. If you're planning such an elaborate dinner, go for lighter fare like tapas or small plates at lunch.
After dinner, head for a late-night spot with a particular specialty like craft cocktails, the kind made with fresh-squeezed juices and liquors infused with herbs or fruit. San Francisco's Bourbon & Branch, New York City's Pegu Club, and Chicago's Butterfly Social Club, which uses organic ingredients, keep cocktail culture swinging. Ethel's Chocolate Lounges, which are located in Illinois and Nevada; South Bend Chocolate Company with locations in Michigan, Indiana, and Ohio; and New York City's ChikaLicious are examples of the recent desserts-only trend.
All this indulgence may leave you yearning for some daytime exercise; a culinary walking tour of an ethnic neighborhood or a visit to a farmers market will do the trick—and yield edible souvenirs to take home. Other activities might include a break for afternoon tea or a cooking class.
In Chicago, Steve McDonagh and Dan Smith of the Hearty Boys, who host a show on the Food Network, will teach you the secrets of cooking like a TV chef and record the session so that you leave with a DVD of the experience.
Something Extra Visit a paint-your-own pottery studio like Color Me Mine where you can decorate a platter or a few serving dishes for the bride. It will give her a way to remember the bachelorette weekend when serving meals in her new home.
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