Hosting a Dinner Party
For fun, loud family times crowded shoulder-to-shoulder around a table, nothing beats a birthday party, and a back-yard barbeque with steaks sizzling nearby has little competition for sheer down-home relaxation value. When you want to have a huge get-together for whatever occasion, setting out tables full of food smorgasbord-style and inviting guests to stand (or play musical chairs with seating) while they mix and mingle really works.
But when you really want to impress your guests and create a truly elegant, intimate atmosphere, you simply have to host a dinner party. This requires a well thought out dinner party planning. It’s the equivalent of eating out at a high-end restaurant—the kind you couldn’t even afford to go to—and paying the tab for your dinner guests as well! The genius of a dinner party is that not only does it allow you to dine sumptuously in the privacy of your home, but it lets you showcase your house and draw friends into your inner circle—all for a fraction of the cost of dining out at a posh restaurant.
As in a world-class restaurant, setting the proper mood and atmosphere is vital. First, your table should be large enough to comfortably seat the number of guests you plan to invite. Normally, this would only be a few couples anyway. A linen table cloth and matching cloth napkins are musts, as is a centerpiece that includes candles. Fine silverware and porcelain plates are essential. To create a quiet, intimate atmosphere, the lighting should be subdued and candles should be burning softly. All of this has an almost magical effect, even upon men. Typical male conversation about brake pads and the latest NFL scores invariably gives way under the relentlessly romantic setting. This is especially true if guests are dressed up for the occasion.
One could be forgiven for thinking that they were dining at a ristorante above the canals of Venice! You don’t need to own silverware or a linen tablecloth or even cloth napkins to host a dinner party. These are mere accessories and can be rented. What’s important is that the setting be picture-perfect, the aperitifs be tasty and well-displayed, the wine be a notch above the normal, and the meal and desert be something you are truly proud to serve to guests. And then, of course, after the meal the guests will want to relax in a living room with an aromatic coffee or a soothing tea. Even there, it is best to maintain subdued lighting. Don’t break the spell! The evening is still young.
A dinner party is an ideal occasion to showcase your home. But more than that, it is a way of introducing friends to each other and inviting people into your lives. If you wish to stimulate romantic, intelligent conversation and enjoy the prestige of eating out at only a fraction of the cost, you’re definitely going to want to host a dinner party sometime soon.
