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WORK SOME MAGIC OF YOUR OWN
Michael Dishes on How to Have People In and Keep ‘Em Happy
OKAY, SO YOU DON’T have six-figured budget, but you can still entertain small groups of friends, loved ones, and colleagues at home. Here are Michael Willms’ suggestions for a gracious dinner party for 10-14 people.
CLEAN THE PLACE UP: Such a suggestion should be common sense, but Michael assures me that he has attended many poorly planned soirees where the hosts hadn’t even thought this far. “Put all the crap away – toasters, blenders, etc.,” he advises. “Get locks that |
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work and put all the junk in a closet so no one has to see your hideous secrets.” He recommends cleaning out the fridge and using giant Ziploc bags to store food in, for maximum space, and completely cleaning out the medicine cabinet. “And clean the bathroom.”
CLEAR THE SPACE: Michael suggests moving the furniture around to accommodate clusters of guests, keeping in mind that certain areas are bound to create traffic (near the front door, the bathroom, the bar, etc.). Arranging the furniture into “groupings” with a chair or two and a surface to place drinks and snacks encourages mingling but doesn’t block the space, he says.
STOCK UP: One of the biggest faux pas a host can make is not providing enough TP, Michael says. So he suggests putting 15 rolls of toilet paper into a basket near the commode, as well as stocking the (already emptied) medicine cabinet with mints to freshen the guests’ breath. Stock the bathroom with Kleenex and disposable napkins for drying the hands as well as pump soap. Michael recommends acquiring a couple of big trash cans from Smart & Final to handle the refuse in the bathroom and near the food. Cocktail napkins, plenty of silverware, ice, and cups are other must-haves.
ANTICIPATE, ANTICIPATE, ANTICIPATE: If you have smokers, Michael advises, put out big ashtrays (he recommends filling small flower pots with sand), plenty of matches, and even a flowerpot filled with several varieties of cigarettes. If you have a yard, he says, the mantra is “grass is for tables and chairs, hard surfaces are for walking.” Set aside one of the bedrooms as a place to store quests’ belongings. If guests don’t RSVP, he says, call them yourself a couple days before.
FEEDING: “Serve simple food,” Michael says. “Gumbo, chili, Caesar salad, garlic bread, lasagna-think Sunday supper. Make three or four small lasagnas or whatever dish you serve, cook them one by one, and then put them out.” He advises serving it up either in the kitchen or in the dining table. For appetizers and snacks, he says to set out small bowls candy and crackers all over the house, or interesting containers filled to the brim with cocktail nuts, or one variety of crudités (such as a huge basket of carrot sticks with lemon-ginger dip). For dessert, Michael says to eschew the mess of whole pies and cakes in favor of brownies, lemon bars, and cookies that are set up as a decorative “centerpiece” on a coffee table before guests arrive-“You’ll save on flowers,” he notes. Keep small plates near by, along with silverware rolled up individually in cocktail napkins.
DRINKING: A self-service bar with jugs of wine that are easy to pour, beer, and sodas is ample, according to Michael. “Don’t put drinks in those tubs of ice on the floor so guests have to fish around for a drink,” he warns. Keep everything the guests need on top of the table. Coffee and tea are nice to serve with dessert.
DECORATION: “Lighting is so important,” stresses Michael. “Replace the bulbs in your house with 15 to 20-watt bulbs. It’s warmer, softer, and more intimate.” Scented candles are a nice touch in the bathroom and coat room. Flowers are nice as well. But, “don’t go in a lot of cutesy stuff,” Michael warns. A cheap, simple way of customizing the event is to get a rubber stamp (think four-leaf clover for St. Patrick’s Day, a red heart for Valentine’s) and stamp plain white napkins.
WHO’S THE HOSTESS? You are! Michael reminds you that the guests came to see you, so have at least one helper on hand to tidy up, take out the trash, and refill things so you can enjoy your own party.
Michael Willms and Entertainment Design Events can be reached at 323-874-5556, or see www.EntertainmentDesignEvents.com |
Rosebud cupcake tower at a Saddlerock Ranch wedding |
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