Entertaining

Have extroverted friends? Inform them you intend to have a talent show for your next party. Create the illusion of a stage by hanging a suspension rod between a door frame and hang curtains, a shower curtain, or even a sheet as a “stage curtain.” Rent a karaoke machine for those wishing to express themselves through song, but anything goes from telling a knock knock joke to dance or even wearing costumes.

For game night keep it casual. Don’t get hung up on the meal when the evening should be focused on the friends and the games. Whether it be sit down, buffet or get it from the kitchen and sit on the living room floor think about these ideas to serve: Chili and cornbread, mini dishes of mac and cheese, individual chicken pot pies, hearty panini sandwiches that you toast in your George Forman grill or likewise. Or order in pizza and salad or Chinese takeout—plenty of dishes and fortune cookies.

Once the menu has been decided, print a menu to be displayed on the table or have a small printed menu folded within the napkin on each guest’s plate. Or display in a frame lit from the back.

Next time after attending a great dinner party, receiving a thoughtful gift, and of course any meeting with prospective clients or employers write a personal note on paper NOT an email and pop it in the mail. It makes both a stronger and kinder impact than an email.

I’m a big fan of vintage shopping and antiquing and had been making plans to shop the famed Rose Bowl in Pasadena for months when lo and behold my hair stylist friend extraordinaire, Theodore Leaf (www.theodoreleaf.com) and I learned that Eddie Ross (www.eddieross.com) was coming to town to lead a group through the masses of flea market finds. We were both fans of Eddie’s work on Bravo’s Top Design and I’m always a fan of a preppy guy. So we signed up for the “walk along.” There were about 15 of us and with coffee in hand and my tote bag empty and ready to fill with negotiated bargains we headed off into the rows of booths and tables filled with silverware, glassware, fabrics, knick-knacks and furniture. Eddie would stop at a variety of outdoor booths and give the lo down on how to re-do furniture to update it, give advice on how to determine the worth of an object and what’s good stuff from the “trash.” Let’s be honest it shouldn’t all be someone’s trash is another’s treasure, some of it is just junk. Theodore, his boyfriend Matt and I had so much fun—how could we not? A warm, sunny day, Eddie and his main man Jaithan to escort us through the finds of The Rose Bowl plus he gave us some nifty ideas on hostess gifts and table settings. It was a relaxed atmosphere and we met many other gals and guys to socialize with along the way.

Eddie suggested and Theodore literally translated into a hostess gift a small jar of olives with the antique fork and personalized ribbon for me the next time he came to dinner. I added my version of a spoon with a colorful ribbon and lavendar honey.

Anything can work just by taking antique silverware and pair with cheese, olives, jam, or chocolate sauce and tie with a ribbon and small note.

I took his suggestions and created my own small, but charming gifts for my next dinner outings at friends’ homes.

Besides, silverware and vintage cloth napkins I also bargained for this camel saddle (walked away only paying $25) that with new leather became a cool footrest in my living room.

Choose a celebrity chef to base the meal and theme of the night. Make up a menu by choosing recipes from his/her cookbook or find their recipes online at sites like www.foodnetwork.com. Call his/her restaurant and ask for a suggestion from the chef or even a quote to add to the menu that you will display on the table. Or pull fun facts from his/her cookbooks.

Rather than buying a full set of teacups at once, get them one at a time choosing a common theme (in my case I chose all white). They will have different shapes and patterns, which is fun and will keep a tea party from looking too formal. Thanks to my friend Tricia for the tip. I love a little whimsy.

Use table place-setting cards at your party, but rather than writing names, write “the comedian”, “the politician”, “the philosopher” and so on. Let your Friends try to figure out for themselves who “they” are ( it is also fun to see who they think each other is, too).-Tricia