Message-ID: <749707.1075861095436.JavaMail.evans@thyme> Date: Tue, 26 Feb 2002 14:45:37 -0800 (PST) From: domestications@domestications.com To: scorman@enron.com Subject: Party Time Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ANSI_X3.4-1968 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable X-From: Domestications X-To: Shelley Corman X-cc: X-bcc: X-Folder: \Shelley_Corman_Mar2002\Corman, Shelley\Inbox\Archives X-Origin: Corman-S X-FileName: scorman (Non-Privileged).pst =09 =09 =09 =09 Spring's just around the corner - time to throw off our coats, sh= ed our scarves and gloves, and let that happy feeling take over. Something = truly does come over us, giving us a renewed vigor that puts us in a festiv= e mood.=09 =09=20 At this time of year it doesn't take much for some of us to think it's part= y time! Some of us prefer to be guests, while others prefer to entertain. W= e label ourselves partygoers or -givers!=20 Recognize yourself? Are you the one who always gives the parties, or the on= e who loves receiving invitations? If you're the latter, by the time you fe= el the need to host your own soir?e the former is already having another on= e! You'll never catch up-these people live to entertain, so enjoy them whil= e you can! I have a friend who is a consummate party giver. We were recently invited t= o a formal affair at her home on the banks of the Hudson River. She had painstakingly prepared for her annual gala but fell ill just before= the guests were to arrive. She was so ill she went upstairs fully dressed,= never to return, without having greeted a single guest! The party had been in the planning for months. The sprawling home was fully= decorated. The sit-down dinner for 28 guests was elaborate. Three incredib= le appetizers, fabulous assorted salads, rack of lamb, and individual choco= late mousse cakes were to be served. We all inquired about our hostess's health, but a guest who happened to be = a doctor checked on her and concluded that, though it was nothing serious, = she was too ill to come down. Our hostess, however, asked that her door be = kept ajar so she could hear the laughter from below as she orchestrated the= party from her bed! =09=20 An additional 10% off on a beautiful selection of romantic framed prints by= Gustav Klimt . FREE SHIPPING on fram= ed art! See our=20 entire Klimt Collection =09=20 The elegant dinner went off without a hitch and we enjoyed game after game = of charades with the music playing and the champagne flowing until 4:00 a.m= .!=20 Elaborate planning is one of the ingredients that make parties and entertai= ning exciting, but the most casual and impromptu events have remained neare= st to my heart. I was about eight years old and lived in a white clapboard house with a pre= tty green lawn at 1030 Douglas Avenue. One spring day, my best friends and = I were sitting on the lawn with some cookies when we spotted Buzzy Gerard, = who lived catty-corner to me. Buzzy was setting up his lemonade stand. It was his sprin= gtime thing. It wouldn't matter much, and I certainly wouldn't be rememberi= ng this now, except for the fact that Buzzy and I were great competitors. W= hat began with entertaining my friends that afternoon turned into enterpris= e. Now, as we all know, summer is the traditional season for a lemonade stand,= and of course it did begin as a summer idea until Buzzy moved his set-up d= ate from June to May, forcing me in turn to put my little red wagon out in = April! Buzzy was quite polished, organized, and more than a little vocal when he s= aw someone coming. Frankly, the only thing that extended the life of my bus= iness was my mother's idea to include oatmeal cookies with my watered-down = lemonade as Buzzy adamantly stuck to his "lemonade-only" policy. However, this vicious competitor's established reputation and aggressive ap= proach eventually led to me caving in. I didn't mind that he proved victori= ous. I decided it was much more fun sitting on the front lawn with the girl= s, giggling, entertaining ourselves with cookies, lemonade and a front-row = seat as Buzzy trapped every car, bicycle and occasional pedestrian who ente= red his "victim zone." Whether your entertaining is formal with kings, or relaxed with the kids on= your street (I imagine it's really somewhere in between), the first step i= s to send out the invitations. Sending the invitations first will make you = realize the show must go on! Keeping your entertaining simple, light and casual is a great way to start.= People will be more inclined to return the invitation when they're not so = intimidated. Here are a few easy-to-implement party ideas to get you started: Pick a theme - This will make your selection of invitations, d?cor, and men= u much easier. Engage your guests - Specify a dress code that complements your theme (like= Chinese New Year!). This will energize your guests before they even arrive= . Keep it simple - Select food that you can make ahead so you won't be spendi= ng the whole party in the kitchen. Go for ambiance - Candles are inexpensive accessories with an atmosp= here that goes a long way. Back them or underscore them with mirror= s to reflect the romantic lighting. Enjoy yourself - Remember to make time to enjoy the party and your guests. = You can host a party without feeling like a caterer. Why not write me about the easiest party you've ever hosted? Send your stor= ies and questions to me at tips@domestications.com and I may feature/answer them in a future newsletter. Julee's Tips Tip #1. Short on glasses for a multi-course dinner? Bring out the long-stem= med glasses a second time. Fill them with sorbet mixed with fruit and toppe= d with a decadent chocolate sauce! From champagne to dessert, they truly ar= e multi-purpose! Tip #2. Spread your hardware around while creating new looks! Use antique d= resser-drawer pulls for the bathroom vanity. Go shopping without reading th= e "standard uses" labels! Ignorance can be bliss. Questions I love to cook and entertain in our apartment but am not very good at decor= ating a pretty table. Help! Have fun with this one. Plan a fun theme based on your meal, cowboy chuck w= agon, Mexican. When you invite your friends, assign each the task of bringi= ng one thing with which to decorate the table (i.e., tablecloth , placemats , chopsti= cks, florals, confetti, bricks piled up). They will have a good time seeing= the end result and the decorating onus is off you! I'm having a small luncheon to celebrate my daughter's return from culinary= school in France. I want it to be pretty, not too rustic, and yet fitting.= Any ideas? Why not go with a champagne theme? Use placemats with elegant gold threads = running throughout, and top them with pretty layered plates . For the centerpiece, how about bunches of "gold" grapes o= verflowing from a cake plate? Think sparkles and bubbles with each step and= ingredient. Hang gold tassels from each chair back and wrap each napkin with miniature gold r= opes. We have a baby on the way but will be moving just a few short months after = his or her birth. I want to decorate the nursery so the baby feels at home,= but don't want to go overboard since the d?cor will only be temporary. Wha= t do you recommend? You can invest in linens and window coverings because you can take them with you? and they g= o a long way in creating a "look" for the room. Wall art, too, can add a lo= t of color to a room without painting the walls, especially if you select m= atting for the framed art in a great accent color. The baby will have lots of toys s= o why not put them to good use? Hang a high shelf around the perimeter of the room, about 12 inches from the ceiling, and= display all the little stuffed animals, toys, and blocks until junior is o= ld enough to play with them. Many large hardware stores sell contact wallpa= per border that can be hung and removed with ease. This is also a great ide= a for dorm rooms! Best wishes as your family grows! May you all have a party to attend this spring. If not, throw one of your o= wn! As Always, Julee and the Do= mestications Team =09 **********************************************************************= ***** THANKS FOR REQUESTING THE DOMESTICATIONS NEWSLETTER Tell us what you think... You can e-mail CustServ@Domestications.com to share your thoughts on this newsletter.= =20 To subscribe with a different e-mail address, visit our sign-up page . 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