We all know I love a theme so my birthday had to have some pizazz. I’ve wanted to host a weenies and martinis party for quite some time and this felt like the perfect opportunity. After all, I loveeee a good cocktail and hot dogs just scream summer so it was the perfect way to celebrate me being just a ‘tini bit older.
As far as “going all out” goes, I…didn’t. I knew a lot of friends would be traveling for the summer so I didn’t want to stress about it when I wasn’t even sure who would be dropping by. (Turns out we had a great crowd of friends and neighbors!) My parents were visiting for my birthday (and to cheer me on in my 10K) so I wanted an easy backyard hang that didn’t require directions or commuting to a bar. There were snacks, drinks, fun conversation, and just a elevator ride away. It was perfect.
I’m into retro vibes so I designed an invite that invoked vintage summer:
For the menu, I went to Trader Joe’s for boxes upon boxes of their frozen hot dog-centric treats. There were pastry pups, pickled pups, and corn dogs. I paired each with a dipping sauce (dill pickle mustard, ketchup, burger sauce) because we all love a dip. I also served the TikTok viral dirty martini chip (along with instructions) and was shocked that, yes, it really tastes like a dirty martini, aka delicious. For sweets, I had gummy hot dogs and cupcakes that I served in plastic martini glassis with a jelly lemon garnish. I also set out some hummus and veggies and fruit just to round out the spread (and to appeal to the vegetarian attendees).
All I did for decor was a banner and some on-theme plates/napkins.
The best thing I did was hire a bartender. I found The Paloma Girls through Thumbtack and they were fabulous. The price was competitive and our bartender, Miranda, was awesome. They were also a dream to work with. I told them the theme and they worked with me to craft three signature cocktails. I named them (not gonna lie, I was particularly proud of the names) and they made and mailed me a menu. For our three martinis, we served the Hot Diggity Dog (a classic gin martini), the Ninetini-Eighty Five (a c old brew martini), and the Yellow Polka Dot Bikini (a cucumber martini). I also had a full bar and non-alc options for kids and those who wanted to drink something different. It was so nice not to have to worry about the drinks. Never going back.
Peaches to Apples 