Party On...Off-Campus

A freshman’s average Harvard party consists of choking down a case of Beast with underage friends in the Wigglet. But cheap liquor in sweaty rooms leaves an aftertaste, driving many upperclassmen to more sophisticated venues. Increasingly, stores have become the answer to limited on-campus party space. The appeal? A setting less noisy than a bar, less typical than a sit-down dinner. Ladies and gentlemen, the bar has been raised—and moved to some unlikely places. FM offers up a few options for all aspiring P. Diddys.

BEAUTY & MAIN

The preening and pampering rituals of middle school slumber parties live on at Beauty & Main. The store offers makeovers and skin consultations for parties of six to eight in an elegantly simple—if heavily perfumed—setting laden with high-end makeup products. A squad of makeup artists at your disposal, complimentary wine and hors d’oeuvres and skin care freebies for everyone to take home: does it get any better?

Damage: $250 for two hours

30 Brattle St., Cambridge

(617) 868-7171

LOUIS BOSTON

The hottest party of DNC week last summer was at Louis Boston, the independent retailer internationally recognized as one of the finest—and therefore, priciest—in the world. The Creative Coalition’s invite-only VIP gala drew congressional bigwigs and Hollywood-types alike, including the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Ben Affleck, Alyssa Milano and a Baldwin brother. You too can make like the rich and famous and host a posh wine and schmoozing affair in the store’s Restaurant L, which features minimalist slate gray walls, weird-looking flowers and hip-looking people. Select from an hors d’oeuvres list that includes prawn tempura, soybean wontons and crab cakes with avocado mousse and cotton candy. Manager and sommelier Brick Loomis promises to arrange mood-setting candles and negotiable fees.

Damage: $45 per person

234 Berkeley St., Boston

617-266-4680

BRATTLE SQUARE FLORIST

The local flower shop’s abundance of roses, lilies and orchids invites customers to linger. It also makes the Brattle Square Florist a perfect party location. Once the lush and fragrant atmosphere is supplemented with drinks, hors d’oeuvres and music, even a party of 70-plus guests can feel intimate. The only downside: the narrow storefront places the bar at the back, which hampers mingling. But, as one enthusiastic partygoer at Tali Rapaport’s ’05 recent birthday bash pointed out, with servers limited to a two-way course, “if you stay in one spot, you’re guaranteed to hit each tray [of hors d’oeuvres] twice!” At night’s end, the perfect parting gifts—flowers—are conveniently at hand.

Damage: $2,000 for two hours (food and drink not included)

31 Brattle St., Cambridge

617-876-9839

BRATTLE THEATRE

Film buffs come home at last in the Brattle Theatre, which prides itself on showcasing only classics, indies and international imports. The theater will hold private screenings for parties upward of 15 guests on any day of the week. Originally a church, its past life is still evident in the spartan architecture. The turquoise fold-up seats and plush red carpets offer endearingly eccentric touches, accentuated by the theater’s dim lighting and faintly musky scent. Hosts choose from the theater’s collection of thousands of films. And, for a modest increase, friendly owner Ned Hinkle will even keep the concession bar stocked with popcorn and sodas—giving new meaning to the term “open bar.”

Damage: $500—$2000, depending on time and day

40 Brattle St., Cambridge

617-876-8021

1154 LILL STUDIO

For more structured bonding time, check out 1154 LILL Studio, which hosts “handbag parties.” The Newbury Street store closes on Tuesday evenings and late Saturday nights to entertain private parties of twelve or more. The concept has been so successful that 1154 LILL has hosted parties every week since its opening last March. The soothing lime green walls are mounted with an endless array of sample handbags named after girls—Kelly, Patricia, Tiffany et al. With John Mayer blasting overhead, guests customize handbag prototypes on handsome workbench spaces in this veritable altar to chick lit. The bags don’t come cheap—mini makeup bags start at $25 and the more popular large tote bags go for $125—but there’s no obligation to buy. (Most do.) BYO wine, cheese and cocktails to get the creative juices flowing.

No rental fee

220 Newbury St., Boston

617-247-1154

ARMANI CAFE

Think “Dorsia” and you get what Armani Café aspires to be. With its jet-set clientele, notoriously frosty service and prime location on Newbury, little wonder it’s earned a reputation as one of Boston’s see-and-be-seen hotspots du jour. The menu’s high-end, Northern Italian-inspired specialties exhibit genuine flavor and flair—albeit in small portions. The scene—uptown New York lounge with a clean Italian edge—lives up to the Café’s claim of “chic yet casual.” For as few as eight guests, the restaurant offers you the run of its private room upstairs, decked with plush white couches and lit with candles and shaded lamps. Adjoined to retailer Emporio Armani, Armani Café oozes style.

Damage: $150 per server (food and drink not included)

214 Newbury St., Boston

617-437-0909