Girls’ night: Tips to take you from primp to party

(BPT) - Girls’ night out is a rite of passage, a time to celebrate friendships and embrace life. Preparing for a big night on the town is often as much fun as the actual outing.

Creating the perfect environment for primping is an essential piece of the plan – whether hitting the hottest club or checking out the trendiest new restaurant, a girl knows she has to look good and be in the right mood. Celebrity lifestyle expert Jamie Krell, known for bringing lifestyle and fashion expertise to national television programs, has some bold yet simple suggestions to give girls’ night a makeover that won’t soon be forgotten.

“I often find that getting ready for a big night out can be just as much fun, if not more so, than the night out itself,” says Krell. “Atmosphere is everything.”

* Start by setting the table: Place succulents in Chinese takeout boxes down the center of the table and use tea lights to create an easy yet innovative tablescape.

* Make a playlist: “Apps like Songza are a great resource for finding the perfect playlist,” says Krell. “You can incorporate the season, style of party and mood into your search, so it’s personalized, plus it saves you some time since you don’t have to manually make it.” Pick something that will pump everyone up, especially if the plan is to dance the night away.

* Drinks: It’s important to hydrate before a big night out – especially if you want to feel just as good the next morning.

“One of my favorite new trends when getting ready with my girlfriends is TeaGaming instead of pre-gaming – where you hydrate while getting ready for a big night out,” says Krell. “Good Earth Tea has some wondrous fusions that are perfect to get my taste buds excited.”

These bold, unique fusions are made from all natural ingredients without the added sugar and calories of juice or energy drinks. Exciting flavors and whimsical names like Tropical Rush and Matcha Maker make for a playful potion the girls can sip and savor. Krell suggests serving delicious green tea mocktails to kickstart the party.

Matcha Maker Shaker

Ingredients:

1 bag Good Earth Matcha Maker tea

6 ounces hot water

1 teaspoon shredded or chopped fresh ginger

1/2 lime cut into two wedges

Steep Matcha Maker tea bag in 6 ounces of hot water for 3 minutes then cool in refrigerator 10 to 15 minutes. Muddle ginger and juice of one lime wedge. Add cooled tea and stir. Shake with ice then pour into your favorite glass. Garnish with remaining lime wedge.

Serve mocktails in a clear pitcher with mint leaves and lemon slices with mismatched glasses to reflect everyone’s different personalities. It will be fun to see who picks the champagne flute, mason jar or martini glass.

* Menu: If dinner isn’t in the plans for the night, it’s a good idea to have something while getting ready. Krell prefers to serve sushi, and adds that seafood is actually a fabulous pairing for the green tea in your mocktails.

“Easy-to-make cucumber sushi rolls can be made up ahead of time and the rest can be bought at a favorite local sushi spot,” she says.

For the cucumber rolls, simply cut thin slices of cucumber lengthwise, spread them with cream cheese, add a layer of smoked salmon and roll them up. Serve with chopsticks in mason jars and use something unexpected as a platter, like an old 45 record (washed clean, of course) or a chessboard.

* Dress coding: The look is the fundamental element of any girls’ night. Take a cue from your favorite TV show to create a theme that everyone follows. Deep red lipstick a la Mad Men, retro-chic dresses from Girls or elaborate braided hair do’s inspired by Game of Thrones are all fitting options.

“Between everyone’s busy schedules, it can be hard to find time to hang out with girlfriends, but it’s important to make it a priority to find time,” says Krell. “It’s good for a girl’s soul and sanity, plus it’s just flat-out fun, to plan an adventure – make it one everyone will remember and let it serve as inspiration to plan many more.”