Perfect Holiday Party: Frank Sinatra Centennial
RETRO COCKTAIL PARTY
On the Vine Catering, Livermore
Frank Sinatra’s 100th birthday would have been Dec.12 — and a Sinatra centennial makes the perfect excuse for a swanky holiday party. So pull out those martini glasses, fill up the cocktail shaker and don your most stylish cocktail attire.
For this shindig, only snail mail invitations — featuring Sinatra album covers — will do. Encourage dressing to the nines: skinny ties, fedora hats, chic cocktail shifts and lots of bling. And deck out your party venue in a manner befitting Ol’ Blue Eyes.
Recreating a midcentury Palm Springs vibe is a snap with help from your local vintage or flea market, says Dave Victor, who owns Livermore’s On the Vine Catering. He found perfect serving pieces and decorative accents — Sinatra albums, shrimp-cocktail glasses, crystal barware and a silver clam dish — at Pleasanton’s Olde Towne Antiques Mall.
“Tell the staff you’re having a retro-themed party,” Victor says. “They’ll be excited to help pull your soiree together.”
On a tight budget? “Raid mom or grandma’s closet,” Victor suggests. He scored silver reindeer and glass candle holders (perfect for skinny silver tapers) at his mom’s house.
