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 	  	 Spring's just around the corner - time to throw off our coats, shed 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 festive mood.	
 	 

At this time of year it doesn't take much for some of us to think it's party time! Some of us prefer to be guests, while others prefer to entertain. We label ourselves partygoers or -givers! 

Recognize yourself? Are you the one who always gives the parties, or the one who loves receiving invitations? If you're the latter, by the time you feel the need to host your own soir?e the former is already having another one! You'll never catch up-these people live to entertain, so enjoy them while you can!

I have a friend who is a consummate party giver. We were recently invited to 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 incredible appetizers, fabulous assorted salads, rack of lamb, and individual chocolate 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!  	 
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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.! 

Elaborate planning is one of the ingredients that make parties and entertaining exciting, but the most casual and impromptu events have remained nearest to my heart.

I was about eight years old and lived in a white clapboard house with a pretty 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 <http://www.domestications.com/product.asp?product=D370224zz&dept%5Fid=16200&parentname=Tabletop&featurename=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML03-macs=D2BNEWSA> stand. It was his springtime thing. It wouldn't matter much, and I certainly wouldn't be remembering this now, except for the fact that Buzzy and I were great competitors. What began with entertaining my friends that afternoon turned into enterprise.

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 date 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 saw someone coming. Frankly, the only thing that extended the life of my business 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 approach eventually led to me caving in. I didn't mind that he proved victorious. I decided it was much more fun sitting on the front lawn with the girls, giggling, entertaining ourselves with cookies, lemonade and a front-row seat as Buzzy trapped every car, bicycle and occasional pedestrian who entered 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 is 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 menu 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 spending the whole party in the kitchen.
Go for ambiance - Candles <http://www.domestications.com/product.asp?product=376200zz&dept%5Fid=13450&parentname=&featurename=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML04-macs=D2BNEWSA> are inexpensive accessories with an atmosphere that goes a long way. Back them <http://www.domestications.com/product.asp?product=349622zz&dept%5Fid=13450&parentname=&featurename=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML05-macs=D2BNEWSA> or underscore them with mirrors <http://www.domestications.com/parent2.asp?product=J372599x&dept%5Fid=16250&parentname=&featurename=&or%5Fsub%5Fparents=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML06-macs=D2BNEWSA> 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 stories and questions to me at tips@domestications.com <mailto: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-stemmed glasses a second time. Fill them with sorbet mixed with fruit and topped with a decadent chocolate sauce! From champagne to dessert, they truly are multi-purpose!

Tip #2. Spread your hardware around while creating new looks! Use antique dresser-drawer pulls for the bathroom vanity. Go shopping without reading the "standard uses" labels! Ignorance can be bliss.


Questions

I love to cook and entertain in our apartment but am not very good at decorating a pretty table. Help!
Have fun with this one. Plan a fun theme based on your meal, cowboy chuck wagon, Mexican. When you invite your friends, assign each the task of bringing one thing with which to decorate the table (i.e., tablecloth <http://www.domestications.com/dept.asp?parentname=Tabletop&dept%5Fid=16250&code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML07-macs=D2BNEWSA>, placemats <http://www.domestications.com/product.asp?product=J372584Bzz&dept%5Fid=16250&parentname=&featurename=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML08-macs=D2BNEWSA>, chopsticks, 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 <http://www.domestications.com/dept.asp?dept%5Fid=16100&code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML09-macs=D2BNEWSA>. For the centerpiece, how about bunches of "gold" grapes overflowing from a cake plate? Think sparkles and bubbles with each step and ingredient. Hang gold tassels from each chair back <http://www.domestications.com/parent2.asp?product=K349566x&dept%5Fid=16250&parentname=&featurename=&or%5Fsub%5Fparents=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML10-macs=D2BNEWSA> and wrap each napkin <http://www.domestications.com/parent2.asp?product=B11126x&dept%5Fid=8040&parentname=&featurename=&or%5Fsub%5Fparents=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML11-macs=D2BNEWSA> with miniature gold ropes.

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. What do you recommend?
You can invest in linens and window coverings <http://www.domestications.com/dept.asp?parentname=Home+D%E9cor&dept%5Fid=11100&code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML12-macs=D2BNEWSA> because you can take them with you? and they go a long way in creating a "look" for the room. Wall art, too, can add a lot of color to a room without painting the walls, especially if you select matting for the framed art <http://domestications.artselect.com/cgi-bin/frShowDepartment?13> in a great accent color. The baby will have lots of toys so why not put them to good use? Hang a high shelf <http://www.domestications.com/parent2.asp?product=H376552x&dept%5Fid=13550&parentname=&featurename=&or%5Fsub%5Fparents=code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML14-macs=D2BNEWSA> 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 old enough to play with them. Many large hardware stores sell contact wallpaper border that can be hung and removed with ease. This is also a great idea 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 own!

As Always,
Julee <http://www.domestications.com/product.asp?product=Newsletterzz&dept%5Fid=19998& code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML15-macs=D2BNEWSA> and the Domestications <http://www.domestications.com/default.asp?code=DOM-EMAIL-030602-AHTML16-macs=D2BNEWSA> Team

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