Champagne isn’t the only refreshment that can be cooled in shiny silver buckets. La Tete au Cube has created a cooler that doubles as a self-serve station for party guests that prefer brewsky over bubbly.  Made of highly reflective metal, the “So Cool” Cooler conveniently features 17 bottle openers that, from a far, look like an abstract design around the top.

Sold at Charles and Marie for $129, the beer bucket is a Lazy Hostess pick for an entertaining item that has both high style and high function.  Definitely a step up from the galvanized bins you find at backyard BBQ’s, this cooler is good looking enough to grace any cocktail reception.

PHOTO CREDIT:  La Tete au Cube

A grown-up version of our beloved Cracker Jack, Maggie May has given a simple caramel corn recipe a kick in the pants.  Jack Crackin’ Bacon Caramel Corn is crunchy popcorn made with buttery brown sugar flavored with a splash of Jack Daniels whiskey and flecks of applewood bacon, chunks of Spanish peanut and a sprinkling of black pepper.

Another savory twist to a Southern classic, The Bacon Pecan Praline is made with crispy applewood bacon and toasted pecans.  Each piece is individually hand-dipped in grade A amber maple syrup then dry cured for 24 hours.

The bacon sweets, which come packaged in cellophane bags tied with a ribbon and hand stamped tag, can be purchased via Maggie May’s Etsy shop.   The Bacon Pecan Pralines ($7.50) comes with six large pieces of candy while The Jack Crackin’ Bacon Caramel Corn ($7.50) comes filled with 5 oz of popcorn.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Maggie May Bacon Sweets

Manly men with a penchant for little desserts now have a bakery to call their own.  Butch Bakery offers a selection of cupcakes that are geared towards the “masculine aesthetic,” including 12 unique (if not unusual) flavors such as Beer Run (chocolate beer cake with beer infused buttercream and crushed pretzels), Driller (maple cake with crumbled bacon and milk chocolate ganache) and Side Car (brandy soaked lemon cake with orange and white chocolate ganache).

Each cupcake is topped with a decorative chocolate disk in your choice of six (manly) patterns including Woodland Camo, Houndstooth or Plaid.

The booze-infused cupcakes can be ordered in convenient samplers: Short Round ($16 for 4 flavors); Full Round ($24 for 6 flavors) or Butch Box ($48 for all 12 flavors).  For those wanting a non-alcoholic cupcake, try the Dry Round ($24 for 6 flavors).

Delivery available for Manhattan, Queens and Brooklyn.

PHOTO CREDIT:  Courtesy of Butch Bakery

Part of their new catering offering, the Hill Country Barbecue Trailer is a custom-made “Billy Bob Rig,” with a professional and mobile barbecue pit that serves up both food and entertainment with multiple smokers, grills and a light and sound system.

Hill Country has several event packages designed to give guests an authentic experience of the Lone Star State. Whether it’s a party for 50 or 500, guests can enjoy the restaurant’s legendary brisket, pork and beef ribs cooked and carved right in their backyard or drive-way.

The catering group can arrange decor rentals like hand made farm tables with gingham table clothes and butcher block serving counters, supply trained staff as well as book a live rock, country, or blues band (through renowned agent, Jack Grace) for any kind of event. It’s an original and fun idea for a corporate company retreat or even a laid-back rehearsal dinner.

To hire Hill Country Catering or book the Barbecue Trailer for your next event, contact Lanier Brooks at 212-255-4544 ext 13 or email lanier@hillcountryny.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Hill Country

Related Post: Honky Tonk BBQ

With their great assortment of prime beef steaks, smoked Canadian bacon and chicken pot pies, everything at Allen Brothers seems tailor made for the boys. To get some ideas for Father’s Day, we reached out to pro golfer (and PGA Champion), Jeff Sluman, who is a both a foodie and a Dad as well as a celebrity spokesperson for the family owned steak company.

You’ve always been a fan of Allen Brothers. What are your top picks ?
All of the prime meats are great, I like the dry aged cuts the best. You can put together just about any combination and have Allen Brothers send it to you. They have all sorts of delivery options. Other items that are amazing are the bacon and the skirt steaks. For dessert, Great Grandma’s Chocolate Cake (a decadent 6 layer chocolate cake with fudge icing) is a must.

Do you entertain with Allen Brothers?
I have had a lot of my fellow PGA Tour players stay at the house or come over for dinners. We always serve Allen Brothers steaks and the guys walk away asking how to get meat like that. It’s just that good!

What do Dads want for Father’s Day?
I think great gifts for Dads would be a monthly gift package from Allen Brothers, Titleist Pro V1 golf balls, a TaylorMade Driver, and a great French Bordeaux from the year of your child’s birth. I have wine from 1998 set aside for my daughter’s wedding or other special occasions for her.

Tell us about your favorite gift?
My favorite Father’s Day gift is really anything from my 10 year old daughter. It doesn’t matter what it is – I save it and treasure it.

To place your order of Allen Brothers steaks and gourmet food, visit their web site or call 1-800-957-0111.

Jeff Sluman has been a PGA Tour Player since 1983 and won the 1988 PGA Championship. He lives in Chicago with his family.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Allen Brothers, Inc. Copyright Allen Brothers, 2008

Whether you are tucked in at home for a movie or pulling an all-nighter at the office, now you can order freshly baked (and still warm from the oven) cookies and milk right to your door.

Insomnia Cookies, which started on the campus of UPenn and spread to eleven more schools, has made their popular dorm delivery service available to downtown New York City dwellers (between Avenue A and the West Side Highway, 14th Street and Broome) from 8PM to 2:15 AM nightly.

With a selection of cookie flavors ranging from Chocolate Chip to Oatmeal Raisin to White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, there is something for everyone. We suggest you try the homemade brownies which can be ordered with your choice of toppings including chocolate mint, Snickers and M&M’s.

Place your orders on the web site or by calling 212-673-2629. Minimum order is $6.00 and the average wait time is 45 minutes.

Ordered counter-style, all smoked meats are served on butcher paper and by the pound. Savory adaptations of classic southern sides include sweet potato bourbon mash and green bean casserole with Durkee onions. Two long bars serve a variety of long neck beer, tequila and bourbon as well as Texas favorite, Big Red Soda.

Besides the hearty cuisine, Hill Country celebrates the thriving Austin music scene with an impressive schedule of live music including country, rock and blues every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights.

Superbowl Sunday on February 3rd, 2008 features a special menu and table service so that guests don’t miss a minute of the big game which starts at 6PM. Expect fun trivia, raffles and games at halftime. Call ahead for table reservations.

Hill Country, which has 250 seats in their rustic duplex, is a great venue for a boys night out or larger parties looking for casual and easy dining. For groups, a seated dinner menu served buffet or family style starts at $45/per person with an open bar of $20 per person. Buy-outs of the venue can be arranged for an extra rental charge.

For special events, contact Lanier at 212-255-4544 or visit www.hillcountryny.com.

PHOTO CREDIT: Courtesy of Hill Country and Elizabeth Lippman.

FOR THE WELL TRAVELED HOSTESS:
Rubber Coaster Set by Strada ($40)
- Two hand-cut rubber coasters with intricate bursts of swirling, Moroccan-inspired colors and designs.

FOR THE SYBARITE OF THE SENSES:
Vosges Haut-Chocolate 16 pc Exotic Truffle Collection ($39)
- This exquisite box of handmade truffles uses exotic spices and ingredients for a trip around the world through chocolate.

FOR THE ELEGANT MOTHER:
Key Ring with Photograph Frames by Smythson ($115)
- A silver key ring that holds 3 passport sized photographs in a calfskin folding frame.

FOR THE FASHIONISTA-IN-TRAINING:
Reva Ballerina Flats for Little Girls by Tory Burch ($95)
- Miniature sized leather Reva’s in a variety of pretty colors with the signature gold logo.

FOR THE COMMITTED TECHNOPHILE:
The Jawbone Headset by Aliph ($119)
- Designed by renowned Yves Behar, this is the world’s first adaptive Bluetooth headset for mobile phones with ergonomic fit and cutting edge technology.

FOR THE WHIMSICAL DESIGNER:
Parrot Sommelier Corkscrew by Alessi ($49)
- A playful, practical and pocket-sized aluminum corkscrew by a legendary Italian brand.

FOR THE DOWNTOWN HIPSTER:
Skull Ring by Alexis Bittar ($295)
- A handcrafted skull profile in shiny black onyx set in a silver-plated brass ring.

FOR THE SOPHISTICATED GENT:
Fusion Chrome Power Razor by The Art of Shaving / Gillette ($150)
- A technologically advanced razor with a micro-chip and a LED light in a handsome, handcrafted polished chrome body.

FOR THE DEDICATED ASSISTANT:
Portable Therapy for the Office by Philosophy ($30)
- A set of fresh mint scented hand cream, face mist and lip shine for an instant, energizing “pick-me-up” at work.

This gift season, we think your holiday message might be more memorable if you say it with scotch – specifically on a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue. Beginning today, you can have a personal inscription custom engraved on any 750 ml or 1.75L bottle of Blue Label for no added cost. Messages can be engraved in a variety of fonts with up to 3 lines of text (15 characters per line) and in the following languages: English, Spanish, Chinese or Korean.

An acquired taste for an advanced palette, Blue Label is for the whiskey connoisseur. Known to be the rarest and most exclusive blend of the portfolio, Blue Label has a velvety smooth, mellow taste with hints of smoke, honey, sweet spices and chocolate.

Each bottle comes with an original serial number and is sold in a silk-lined box with a certificate of authenticity. It makes a wonderful gift for the best man at your wedding, the boss who has everything and the client you need to keep on retainer.

Johnnie Walker engraving stations will be open from November 14th to January 4th in the Ground Level Atrium at the Time Warner Center (Columbus Circle and 59th Street, 212-823-6300) Hours are 10 AM to 9 PM Monday through Saturday and 11 AM to 7 PM on Sundays. Remember to bring your own unopened bottle of Blue Label (which retails for about $200) as alcohol is not sold on site.

Other locations include The Roosevelt Field Mall (630 Old Country Road, 516-742-8000) in Long Island and The Westchester Mall (125 Westchester Avenue, 914-683-8600) in White Plains.

This portable grilling set from Crate and Barrel ($42.95) will make Dad the King of the BBQ this summer. Pair it with chef Bobby Flay’s classic grilling cookbook, “Boy Meets Grill,” which features 125 simple recipes for meat, poultry and fish. Let Dad show off his grilling skills by sending USDA Prime Beef Steaks (the highest grade of beef) which are expertly cut and trimmed and beautifully marbled. Williams Sonoma can deliver New York strip steaks ($139), rib eyes ($145) or filets ($149) in time for Father’s Day if you order by noon on Monday, June 11th.

Doesn’t Dad deserve some TLC? This gift is pampering yet masculine at the same time. The Art of Shaving’s Barber Spa (373 Madison Avenue, 212-317-8436) is known for their hot shaves. The Royal Shave ($55) starts with a hot towel wrap followed by a facial massage with pre-shave oil to protect the skin and soften the beard, a straight blade shave in two directions with warm shaving cream, an after-shave mask and concludes with a chilled towel soaked in refreshing lavender. Pair it with a shaving kit ($200) that comes with starter sizes of the products as well as a pure badger brush and razor so Dad can replicate the experience at home.

As a professional event planner, you would assume that I have an extensive collection of music neatly organized into lists for every occasion but it is quite the opposite.

While I have worked with the best DJ’s in the business for all my clients, my personal music library is a bit of a mess and obviously neglected. What few mixes I have are limited to chilling out at home or kick-boxing at the gym.

Ironically, I have DJ’s Coleman Feltes and Ursula 1000 on speed dial but still no music for my Saturday night dinner party. So, like any New Yorker, I decide to order in…

Audiostiles is an amazing music styling company that creates playlists and compilations for any type of event. The founders are music aficionados who have worked in A&R at music labels and their team of programmers are made up of industry insiders who have worked as DJ’s and in radio.

Not only can they create the perfect party mix, they can give your iPod a total make-over by keeping your collection current and introducing you to new artists. The whole process is simple and easy.

1) First you fill out a questionnaire about your music needs (occasion), personal taste and how much music is needed.

2) You give them your shipping address and iTunes account info.

3) They send you a container for your iPod which you send back to them.

4) They download all the music into programmed playlists and send your freshly loaded iPod back to you in 3-5 days (not including shipping time).

Customized music is $50 per hour ($15 for actual music costs billed to your iTunes account and $35 for their styling fees)

Preprogrammed mixes are $35 per hour ($15 in music costs and $20 in fees). One of my favorites is “Guess Who is Coming To Dinner” – that features music from Zero 7, Everything But the Girl and Bebel Gilberto.

Now I have a music library with lists for every entertaining occasion from cocktail parties to 80′s night to Sunday brunch with the parents. Everything is perfectly arranged….just please stay away from my dresser.