Stock Your Bar: Everything You Need To Know About Liquor

I'm not sure if it's because I took some mixology classes, but there's something about having a nicely-stocked bar at home that appeals to me. But with so many kinds of alcohol available and so many brands to choose from, stocking a bar can be a daunting task for many. Here are some tips to help you stock your bar at home with an adequate variety of liquor for when you have guests.

The first thing to know is that you don't need to have every kind of liquor to have a decently stocked bar. Probably the four most popular liquors are vodka, gin, light rum and tequila. Others you can get will include brandy and whiskey. Most common drinks can be made with these.

Caprese Salad Skewers

Photo credit: sinfultommaso.com

I love the Insalata Caprese, and for a recent party I had, I made a variation of that - Caprese Salad Skewers. The Insalata Caprese is a simple salad made with tomatoes, mozzarella cheese and basil, usually drizzled with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil. I first had it while on vacation in the French Riviera and for one who was not a big fan of tomatoes, I was hooked! It's great for summer because the ingredients are in season and also because it is light, simple and tasty.

The Cheap Party - 5 More Ways To Throw a Party Inexpensively

Here are some more ways to save money on throwing a party:

The Cheap Party - 25 Ways To Throw a Party Inexpensively: Part I

Throwing a party, whatever the occasion, can be pretty expensive if you let it, and many times, the little things add up pretty fast! Thankfully, there are ways to throw an elegant shindig without breaking the bank. Here are 25 of my favorite tricks of the trade:

Money Can Buy You Happiness - 40 Things I've Learnt in 40 Years

I'm quite sure you've heard tell of how money cannot buy you happiness, or health, or class, or love, or a host of other things... And in many ways that is true. Having money, in itself is not a guarantee to happiness. Happiness is not a reward for hard work or earning money; it is a consequence of a series of choices we make each and every day.

How Well Do You Know Los Angeles, CA?

Los Angeles is famous for the movie industry, celebrities, and Hollywood. But how well do you know the City of Angels?

Here's your chance to win three City Walk iPhone applications to cities of your choice, courtesy of GPSmyCity.com. Correctly answer all ten questions about Los Angeles below and e-mail them to quiz@gpsmycity.com for your chance to win!

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1. L.A was founded as a city in:
A. 1718
B. 1781
C. 1817

2. What L.A landmark appears in such movies as the Terminator and Transformers?
A. Griffith Observatory
B. Grauman's Chinese Theater
C. Hollywood Wax Museum

3. L.A was briefly part of what country?
A. Spain
B. Mexico
C. Brazil

4. What did the original Hollywood sign say?
A. Hollywood Hills
B. Hollywoodland
C. Welcome to Hollywood

5. The L.A city flower is the:
A. Douglas Iris
B. Bird of Paradise
C. Wood Rose

6. Whom does this famous quite belong to: "I love Los Angeles. I love Hollywood. They're beautiful. Everybody's plastic, but I love plastic. I want to be plastic."?
A. Marilyn Monroe
B. Andy Warhol
C. Elizabeth Taylor

7. Which one of these famous people was not born in L.A?
A. Angelina Jolie
B. Gwyneth Paltrow
C. Cameron Diaz

8. Californians are the largest US consumers of:
A. Chocolate
B. Tomatoes
C. Turkey

9. Marina del Rey  is the largest yacht harbor in:
A. California
B. America
C. The world

10. California's popular nickname, made official in 1968 is:
A. The Sunshine State
B. The Golden State
C. The Silver State

Remember to send your answers to quiz@gpsmycity.com. Good luck!

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