Best Gifts for Men

When it comes to buying gifts for men, the rules are pretty simple. Unlike women, most guys like getting gifts that make their lives easier. If it means one less trip to the mall, all the better. If it entertains them, it’s a winner. While women like gifts that make them feel pampered, men like gifts that give them more time to do the things they like doing (i.e., having fun). So if you buy them a new work wardrobe, that means they can spend more time, you guessed it, having fun. Whether it’s enjoying their wine collection or playing video games.

Here’s a novel idea—why not host a party and help others who are less fortunate? Epicurious.com has created an easy way to turn any home party into a fundraiser for a good cause. America’s Second Harvest (ASH) is the country’s largest food bank and has worked with Epicurious.com to create the Wine. Dine. Donate. Program.

Part Three: The Bubbly

Whether you're throwing New Year’s Eve party or a party just because you can, a Champagne toast is always a welcome event. Don’t let the search for that perfect bubbly to fit both the occasion and your pocketbook spoil the celebration.

Part Two: The Food

The key to a successful party is to have plenty of food and [adult] beverages. So how do you keep the food hot and on a continuous rotation out of the kitchen? Jennifer Purcell, an assistant professor at The Culinary Institute of America and maître d’ instructor at St. Andrew’s Café, one of five public restaurants on the CIA’s main campus in Hyde Park, New York, suggests tapas, or bite-sized appetizers, which offer bite-sized foods with minimal time in the kitchen.

Part One: The Scene

So you’ve decided to host a cocktail party. Invitations--or eVites--are out but now is the time to start preparing. The idea is to provide a festive, yet pressure-free, environment for your guests. If you’re running around at the last minute, you’re guests will feel the frazzle too.

Looking good is one thing but if you can't hold your own with all of those urban wine snobs, not even the hottest Jimmy Choo heels will carry you. This is the first in a series of wine entries to bring you up to speed fast, so the next fundraiser, dinner party, etc. you attend you can hold your head up high.