Don't have a traditional dining room table? You'll be happy to know that there are still a number of other ways to have your friends over for dinner. Here are a few smart tips for hosting a dinner party even without a dining room.

• Think buffet-style. Avoid the sit-down feel right from the beginning by serving your food buffet style. This not only embraces the lack of a traditional dining room, it even makes it more fun.
• Plan the menu accordingly. Since you don't have a large table, you'll want to avoid a really formal meal. This isn't the time for prime rib and multiple sides; rather, it's the perfect opportunity for a taco bar, a heaping bowl of pasta or dress-them-yourself burgers.
• Embrace your outdoor space. If your rental comes equipped with its own private outdoor space (or even a shared outdoor area), it's the perfect opportunity to take your meal al fresco. Bring along a tablecloth, a few candles for ambiance and some recyclable plates that don't require much clean-up.
• Take it to the floor. Toss some comfortable throw pillows around your living room and instruct your friends to gather around the coffee table.
• Turn it into a theme night. If you're worried about the informal feel of eating on your couch with guests, turn your dinner party into a cozy theme. Pop in a movie for a laid-back movie night, or grab some board games for a dinner-party-turned-game-night.

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr Freya.Spargo

Looking to get into shape? Consider signing up for fitness sessions with Norton Fitness, a personal training company serving Houston, Texas. The personal trainers at Norton Fitness undergo rigorous screening and training before they meet with clients. Each trainer must not only be nationally certified, but also insured, highly educated in the field, and personable. Having met these initial requirements, trainers are still required to pass another Norton exam that encompasses all the fundamentals of personal training, from diet and weight lifting to rehabbing bodies and medicinal approaches to fitness. And they must re-take the test every six months in order to stay on as a trainer, thus proving they haven't fallen behind as the various fields continue to advance.

Needless to say, Norton Fitness's trainers are more than equipped to propel any client toward their fitness and health goals. After an initial assessment, trainers create a one-of-a-kind workout plan designed specifically for the individual. They always take into account existing health conditions and other potential roadblocks, so clients only partake in safe exercises. With continuing education from nutritionists, doctors, a chiropractor, and even a psychologist, the trainers always come up with fresh ways to make fitness fun.

Norton Fitness
Houston, TX 77008
(832) 779-1902
www.nortonfitness.com
www.yelp.com/biz/norton-fitness-houston-2

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/timtak

One of five YogaOne Studios throughout Houston, YogaOne Studios Midtown was established in 2008 to offer a range of yoga classes in a welcoming, inclusive atmosphere. In fact, the YogaOne mission is "to co-create a positive space, filled with positive people, that is positively life changing through the practice and path of yoga."

Here, new and experienced yogis practice their positions within two modern studio spaces, each of which reflects the company's eco-friendly ethos through sustainably sourced bamboo flooring, no-VOC paints, and a BYORWB (Bring Your Own Reusable Water Bottle) policy. Instruction is offered in flow-based styles of yoga and hot yoga, the latter of which is bolstered by a custom heating system.

A single drop-in class at YogaOne Midtown will cost you $18, while class packages offer quantity discounts. Regulars recommend taking advantage of the $30 for 30 days pass, an introductory offer that entitles new yogis to test out an unlimited number of classes over a one-month trial period. For more info, check out the YogaOne Studios class schedule.

YogaOne Studios
3030 Travis Street
Houston, TX, 77006
(713) 522-0876
www.yogaonehouston.com
www.yelp.com/biz/yogaone-studios-houston-3

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr/Tom Godber