Hosting

(mimosa with mint leaves and mixed berry ice cubes)

At my current stage in life, I know I'm far off from properly  hosting guests for an evening, but that doesn't mean I can't improvise from a college student standpoint or take in inspiration from events I've attended. Since I seem to be moving residences every year, I have neither a consistent amount of kitchenware to count on nor standardized dishes and silverware. Honestly, I'm getting ahead of myself since I can barely cook, but a girl can dream! One day I'll be able to grill chicken without it sticking all over the pan...

This past year in college, my roommates and I managed to host two get-togethers at our then-aparment. We kicked things off college style with a Halloween party, which we not-so-cleverly named "Monster Bash," and provided candy and punch. Costumes were mandatory (obviously), and we even gave out a Torchy's Tacos gift card for best costume of the night. It was pretty successful save the police scare, but I learned not to worry about every small detail and just made sure to float around to talk to everyone who attended since I wanted everyone to feel welcome and included. We also hosted a dinner party for Galentine's Day, and while it was nothing fancy, it was nice to just celebrate quality friendships.

I had the opportunity to attend a farewell party for a dear friend a couple of weeks ago, and there was a gourmet hot-dog station that was both eye-catching and delicious. It made me think about how the most basic foods can be made into something exciting with just a few extra touches. I hope I remember to start simple next time there's a chance to host a gathering.

(decorative display of hot dog toppings)

 (hot dog buns with rosemary sprigs and assorted relishes)