How to throw or attend a ‘Game of Thrones’ party in Las Vegas
Watching “Game of Thrones” by yourself is enough to make any fan feel lonelier than Arya Stark.
Thankfully, among the roughly bajillion pieces of licensed merchandise are enough items to throw the perfect “Game of Thrones” party. Granted, you won’t be able to get your hands on all of them in time for Sunday’s premiere, but the rest should arrive in plenty of time for future episodes.
While you’re waiting for the show to start, treat your guests to a round of “Game of Thrones” Monopoly ($60; store.hbo.com). Of course, if it takes anywhere near as long as regular Monopoly, you’ll need to start playing around noon.
No party would be complete without food. Dazzle your guests with creations from “The Unofficial Game of Thrones Cookbook: From Direwolf Ale to Auroch Stew — More Than 150 Recipes from Westeros and Beyond” ($22; amazon.com or whatever brick-and-mortar stores still sell books). For your seasoning needs, feel free to use the dragon egg salt and pepper shakers ($25; thinkgeek.com) — the third egg serves as a toothpick holder. Or simply bake some tasty treats using the house sigil cookie cutters ($15; thinkgeek.com), featuring the houses of Baratheon, Greyjoy, Lannister, Stark, Targaryen and Tyrell.
Your guests will need something to wash that food down, which brings us to the wines available at gameofthroneswines.com. The branded bottles contain either a 2016 Central Coast Chardonnay ($20), a 2015 Paso Robles red wine blend ($20) or a 2014 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon ($50). Not entertaining wine drinkers? Good thing there’s Brewery Ommegang’s Bend the Knee Golden Ale ($10 at Cost Plus and Lee’s Discount Liquor locations; $11 at Total Wine & More), available in three collectible 750 milliliter bottles featuring the sigils of Stark, Targaryen or Lannister.
Need a hand opening those bottles? Pick up a Hand of the King bottle opener ($15; store.hbo.com).
But what, pray tell, could you possibly serve drinks in?
If you’re a true baller, there’s the Dragonclaw Goblet ($30; thinkgeek.com), a chalice modeled after the one that Maester Cressen and Melisandre drink from in the Chamber of the Painted Table at Dragonstone.
Depending on the size of your gathering, choose the four-piece wine glass set ($61.17; store.hbo.com) or the four-piece Champagne flute set ($61.17; store.hbo.com) featuring the sigils of Stark, Lannister, Targaryen and Mormont. The four-piece stemless wine glass set ($30, thinkgeek.com) is branded with the sigils of Baratheon, Stark, Targaryen, and Lannister. And the dragon egg shot glass set ($15; store.hbo.com) represents each of Daenerys’ “children.”
Just be sure to order plenty of the house sigil coaster sets ($9; fun.com). After all, you’re not hosting a bunch of Wildings.
Viewing parties
If you’re not up for hosting your own premiere party, these venues will do the heavy lifting for you Sunday.
■Millennium Fandom Bar, 900 Las Vegas Blvd. South, Suite 140, is breaking out the Dragon’s Milk draft and the Agave Dragon cocktails for 21-and-older viewing parties at 6 and 9 p.m. Cosplay is encouraged. Admission is free.
■The Sci Fi Center, 5077 Arville St., is hosting screenings at 7, 8 and 9 p.m. Admission to the first two is free. The 9 p.m. screening costs $3 to reserve a seat for fans who don’t want to deal with the madness of the first two. For tickets to the 9 p.m. screening, see the-sci-fi-center.ticketleap.com/got-rerserve-event. Each screening will include giveaways.
■The Nerd, 450 Fremont St., second level, is screening the premiere on its new HD movie screen with lounge seating. Game of Thrones beer will be on tap and available by the bottle. Toys and other memorabilia will be given away. Doors open at 7 p.m., and the screening starts at 9 p.m. Admission is free.
Contact Christopher Lawrence at clawrence@reviewjournal.com or 702-380-4567. Follow @life_onthecouch on Twitter.