If you're gifting a bottle of wine, you might think the bottle itself is gift enough. But if you want an extra special presentation, I have just the thing: wine wrap papers from the newly launched Bottle Stock, a small shop based out of LA catering to design-minded wine lovers. Each sheet is cut to fit most 750ml wine bottles, and the paper designs are lovely and eye-catching!

Q: I'm getting married to my partner of 5 years in about 1 month! We are having the wedding in her parents' backyard and will be serving beer, wine, iced tea, and water, but we'd also like a cocktail. I'd like something that requires minimal effort and can be made with and without alcohol. Ideas?

Sent by Lisa

Q: My wedding is at the end of June and I am doing a "potluck" dessert table where people can bring chocolate, vanilla, strawberry or lemon desserts. I love to bake and I'm planning on making a few desserts myself ahead of time. What are some freezer-friendly desserts that I can make now, that will still be delicious in a month and a half?

All week long I've been sharing my spring dinner party on The Kitchn, a party I hosted in my one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn. I've already shared the party plan, my main course recipe, the big dinner itself, and how I arranged the flowers. Feeling inspired? Great! Still feeling anxious about throwing a shindig in your own little apartment? Not so great! That's what I'll be talking about today. 

Pisco Punch made with a traditional Peruvian Pisco is the ideal big batch drink to celebrate a warm-weather happy hour. The key ingredient in the classic recipe is gum syrup (an emulsifier using gum arabic that may be difficult to source). When made from scratch, this ingredient wouldn't exactly work for our 10-minute happy hour, but I easily fixed the problem. 

Q: I am hosting a family picnic in Wisconsin the 2nd week of June. Some kids but mostly adults. I'm living in California now and am much more of a foodie than my Midwestern family. I'd love some family-friendly and "not too foodie" ideas for a picnic. We won't have a grill, so all the dishes will need to be made ahead.

This has felt like an unusually busy spring, and I'm sitting here struggling to remember the last time my husband and I actually had ourselves a real date. We'll both be at home tonight without a thing on the calendar, so I'm thinking of surprising him with a spontaneous date night. Here's what is on the menu!

I love flowers, tulips especially. So when I decided to throw a spring dinner party earlier this month, I knew that flowers would be a major part of my decorating plan. But here's the thing: I'm not a floral designer, nor did I have a huge budget to spend on a fancy professional arrangement. So here's how I put together a few pretty arrangements for my table with only a bunch of lilacs and two bouquets of tulips.

Buttery Popcorn Ice Cream with Homemade Cracker Jack

Whether you are a kid, or just a kid at heart, sometimes there is no better way to end a summer meal then with a big bowl of rich, creamy ice cream. If you've planned ahead, nothing pleases a crowd like homemade, but if you're strapped for time, dress up store bought ice cream with an array of unusual toppings. I can guarantee you won't hear a single complaint.