Outdoor Entertaining on Shine

10 ways to light up the night

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If you're hosting guests or hanging out in your backyard late into the night, you're going to need some illumination. Whether you craft your backyard lighting or buy it, you want to keep your lighting pretty, as well as durable. I've found some lighting choices that provide great ways to add some illumination to your Summer outdoor dining or entertaining experience.

User post: Gourmet grilling recipes for the 4th of July

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On the 4th of July, a day of barbequing is a must but what hits the grill doesn’t have to be quite so expected. PointClickHome.com has found inventive entrees, side dishes and desserts—complete with an upscale take on the classic burger—to turn conventional grilling into a gastronomical affair. Whether you’re new to the open flame or you’re a seasoned pro, these recipes from America’s culinary elite will make your holiday sizzle.

Summer Solstice Party

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by Yelena Jenkins of Celebrations.com Celebrate the longest day of the year by hosting a stylish Summer Solstice Party this June. The

Speak For Yourself: Do you do patriotic party decorations?

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Trust me, I am all for theme parties (and if costumes are involved, even better). But part of what I like about a theme party is choosing the theme; at Fourth of July parties, it is decided before you send the first invitation. So then the question becomes, do you go all-out stars-and-stripes-and-Uncle-Sam-hats, or just use some combination of red, white or blue party supplies to set the mood. Or do you skip the patriotic thing altogether and just focus on the food? I scanned the Independence Day-themed items on Plumparty.com and found plenty of options for all of the above.
So now, the informal poll: Which of these items would guests most likely find on your Fourth of July table:

The literal and cheap: set of three stars and stripes snack bowls for $4. You won't be using these again (and they wouldn't hold up even if you wanted to).

Serving Dish: the outdoor bar is open

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I went to a fun party hosted by some friends on Saturday where we all wound up on their picturesque roofdeck, snacking on a delicious cheese and antipasti spread and drinking wine. How perfect! If our terrace wasn't a crawl-through (literally you crawl through a window to get onto our terrace!), I'd love to add some bigger furniture pieces that would make it easier to stay camped outside all evening. I never would have thought to look at Ace Hardware for outdoor furniture but it turns out this hardware retailer stocks some cool things on their site. And this is about the most affordable outdoor bar set that I've seen! (The wood bar comes with the two stools shown for $120.)

For now, I'm thinking of smaller ways we can make our summer parties a little more special. I love how a bold tablecloth can make over a dining area with a splash of color and pattern.

Memorial Day=training day for summer parties

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The last Monday of May provides many things—an opportunity to think nice thoughts about all the veterans who've fought for our country, a day off work (hallelujah!), and the motivation to clean up those barbecue tongs and hone our summer entertaining skills for the season to come. Think of it as training day for the next 3 months' weekends: nail your strategy this time, and you're golden.

Picnic prep: here comes the sun

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Is it jumping the gun to go ahead and buy everything you need for an awesome picnic kit just in case the weather suddenly turns warm one Saturday afternoon? You don’t want to be stuck in the line at the store when good sunshine hours are slipping you by (or stuck with the discounted Easter plates because all the other picnic gear is sold out). Keep reading for all the pieces you need to make three distinct picnic kits, and be ready to hit the grass at a moment's notice. So to speak.