From the sparkling beverages to the twinkling lights, New Year’s Eve parties are some of the most festive (and fun!) of the whole year. Here are a few new ways to help you plan a New Year’s party that your guests will talk about all year long. (Please remember to celebrate responsibly!)

1. Send out formal invitations. Even if you’re planning a laid-back gathering, sending out snail mail invitations will make things feel much more festive—and avoid confusion about important party details. Include an RSVP if you want to get a head count.
2. Choose classic decor. Traditional New Year’s Eve decor never gets old, so decorate in shades of black and gold, scatter a few fun party hats and noisemakers around, and be sure that everyone gets his or her own champagne flute.
3. Keep the food and drink flowing. Prepare more than enough finger foods, fancy hors d’oeuvres and festive desserts, make sure to choose things that everyone will enjoy. Whether you provide the drinks or make your party BYOB, be sure to let guests know in advance.
4. Make a playlist. One of the most foolproof ways to get people dancing and having a good time is by creating a loud, lively playlist of great music. Then, simply push “play” on your iPod and have a blast!

Throw the Easiest New Year’s Eve Party Ever [Real Simple]
How To… Bring in The New Year [She Knows]
20 Last Minute New Year’s Eve Party Ideas [Ryan Seacrest]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/John Morgan

Austin’s a pretty relaxed town, all things considered, so many of its eateries keep a pretty casual vibe. One place that locals love to hang out is Red’s Porch, a fun and funky Southern restaurant that draws a big crowd. Located around the back of the building, the space is airy and open, with patios on both sides of the restaurant that fill up quickly on nice days.

Start out with a glass of sangria or a margarita. When you move on to food, don’t miss the chicken-fried steak; it’s moist, tender, juicy and served with copious amounts of delectable gravy. Other fine menu options include the bacon wrapped shrimp and jalapeno skewers with remoulade sauce and dirty rice, as well as the poboy sandwiches (get the crawfish!).

Red's Porch
3508 S. Lamar Boulevard
Austin, TX 78704
(512) 440-7337
www.redsporch.com
www.yelp.com/biz/reds-porch-austin

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/Simon Doggett

Even if you’re dedicated to your workout routine and have seen major strides, you can hit a point where your old exercises just don’t seem to work anymore. If this sounds familiar, you may have hit what's called a “fitness plateau.” Get out of the rut and back on track by mixing up your routine with these simple steps.

1. Stay well-rounded. A good workout program incorporates both cardiovascular activities and strength training. If you’ve shed pounds by running every day, you’ll need to start lifting weights, doing yoga, or trying some other type of strength exercise in order to get out of the rut. Likewise, you’ll need to add a cardio exercise in order to see more results from weightlifting.
2. Forget about the scale. Even if you haven’t lost weight in a few weeks, that doesn’t mean that your body isn’t changing. You could still see results in your cardiovascular health, strength, and other areas.
3. Take a break. It may seem like working out every single day will yield better results, but you could actually be overworking yourself and diminishing your results. Your muscles need days off in order to grow, so plan a day of rest in between continual days of exercise.

Overcoming a Fitness Plateau [American Heart Association]
Fitness 2.0: How to Overcome Exercise and Diet Plateaus With Minimal Effort [Lifehacker]
How to Overcome a Workout Rut [U.S. News]

CC-BY-2.0/Flickr/markheybo