Whether you're throwing a dinner party, planning a birthday bash, or having family over for the holidays, these simple tips will teach you how to play host or hostess without the unnecessary stress.

• Start early. At least a few weeks ahead of time, start to think about the major details: the number of guests, the menu, and anything that you may need to rent. This will start to ease you into party planning mode and avoid any last-minute surprises.
• Prepare ahead of time. Make as much of the food ahead of time and refrigerate or freeze it so that you don’t spend the entire day in the kitchen. This way, you’ll just have to reheat and add the finishing touches.
• Create enough seating. Even if you don’t have a large dining room table to fit all of your guests, you still want to make sure that everyone has a place to sit. Borrow chairs from a neighbor or invest in floor cushions for a more casual affair.
• Set the mood. Play fun music, clear out any unnecessary furniture to create more space for socializing, and plan a few games in case of any awkward lulls in conversation. These are tried-and-true tricks that will prevent your party from hitting a slump.

Dos and Don’ts of Hosting a Dinner Party [Rue Mag]
How to Host a Dinner Party so Everyone Enjoys It [Lettuce Eat Kale]
101 Party Dos & Don'ts [House Beautiful]
Entertaining [My Home Ideas]

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr Maria Eklind

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Margaritas, Music, and Meat. That's what you can expect at The Salt Lick on the weekend. Oak trees stretch out over the stone patio, offering some shade from the glaring Texan sun while live musicians play tunes, customers suck down margaritas, and servers bring out plates full of The Salt Lick's signature barbecue fare at each week's Margaritas, Music, and Meat event.

There's really no bad time to visit this beloved Round Rock eatery, though. No matter when you do, you'll be able to indulge in its smoky food, including the wildly popular sausages. More than 200 Yelp reviewers rave about the sausages, which you can get alone on a platter with potato salad, coleslaw, and beans or combined with other barbecue fare such as brisket or pork ribs. You can also order the sausage in sandwich form. But some people wouldn't mind skipping the main course all together for The Salt Lick's classic sides: beans, coleslaw, and potato salad. You can get them by the pint, quart, or even the gallon.

The Salt Lick
3350 Palm Valley Boulevard
Round Rock, TX 78665
(512) 386-1044
www.saltlickbbq.com/pages/Round-Rock.html
www.yelp.com/biz/the-salt-lick-bbq-round-rock

CC-BY-SA-2.0/Flickr Tony Webster