The reliable and easy guide to planning any event - from dinner parties at home to weddings, birthdays and banquets.
This is the essential guide to planning any event on budget and with all details considered. In today's challenging economy, people are rediscovering the fun and frugality of hosting parties and throwing their own celebrations, and The Entertaining Encyclopedia is the only do-it-yourself guide they will need. Every phase of entertaining is covered, from how to write and create your own invitations to deciding on a theme and planning and serving the food -- even advice on getting rid of guests who have overstayed their welcome!
The author guides the reader in easy-to-follow steps and covers every detail and decision in sections she calls "essential elements":
Essential element 1: Theme
Essential element 2: Location
Essential element 3: Your guests
Essential element 4: Food and beverages
Essential element 5: Entertainment.
Also included are 200 recipes and 25 comprehensive menus, allowing readers to plan and host any gathering, from a picnic-boxed lunch to a Chinese banquet to an Oscar-night party. These recipes are foolproof, straightforward and loaded with insider tips and ideas, whether entertaining on a budget or planning a large event.
The Entertaining Encyclopedia... is a fun resource for anyone who loves to throw a party. (Canada.com )
About the Author
Denise Vivaldo is a professional event planner who has catered more than 10,000 parties and has cooked for such guests as George H.W. Bush, Prince Charles, Cher and Arnold Schwarzenegger. She is the author four books and lives in Los Angeles, California.
A seasoned food professional- with over 25 years of experience, Denise Vivaldo has catered more than 10,000 parties and has cooked for such guests as George H.W. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Prince Charles, Bette Midler, Suzanne Somers, Merv Griffin, Cher, Aaron Spelling, Sly Stallone, Arnold Schwarzenegger, and Maria Shriver. She began her culinary training at the Ritz Escoffier and La Varenne in Paris, and then graduated Chef de Cuisine from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco. Denise spent numerous years as a professor at UCLA's Culinary Program and at her Alma Mater, The California Culinary Academy.
In 1988, Denise founded Food Fanatics, a catering, recipe-development, and food-styling firm based in Los Angeles, California. Since that time, she has catered for such events as the Academy Awards Governor's Ball, Sunset Magazine's Taste of Sunset, and Hollywood wrap parties. She has also styled food for countless local and nationally syndicated television shows such as The Ellen DeGeneres Show, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, NapaStyle with Michael Chiarello, and Inside Dish with Rachael Ray.
Denise is the author of How to Start a Home-Based Catering Business, which has sold more than 150,000 copies and is in its 5th edition, and How to Start a Home-Based Personal Chef Business. She is also the author of Do It For Less! Parties, Do It For Less! Weddings, and The Entertaining Encyclopedia. The Food Stylist's Handbook, a book based on her decades of wide-ranging food styling Experience, was published in September of 2010, and Perfect Table Settings: Easy and Elegant Ideas for Hundreds of Napkin Folds and Table Arrangements, will be published shortly thereafter. In addition to books, Denise is a contributing blogger for the Huffington Post as well as her own blog, FoodFanaticsUnwashed.com.
Denise is passionate about passing on what she has learned. She founded the Culinary Entrepreneurship Program and she teaches catering and food styling seminars and workshops across the country and internationally.
Denise has been a featured guest on a variety of television networks and shows including Good Day L.A., ABC Morning News, the Japanese Drama Channel, The Food Network, Home & Garden Network, TV Guide Channel, SoapNet, Lifetime TV, and TV Land.
As a consultant, Denise assists companies to better their products. Clients include Hamilton Beach, QVC, Hunt-Wesson/ConAgra, Euro Direct, Hy-vee, Capital Brands, and Future Kitchen Technologies. Denise has helped many people with their cookbooks, including: Mariel's Healthy Kitchen by Mariel Hemmingway; The Date Night Cookbook by Meredith Phillips; Somersize Fast and Easy Cookbook, Somersize Desserts, Somersize Chocolate, and Eat, Cheat and Melt the Fat Away, by Suzanne Somers; The Food Mover Cookbook and Steam Away the Pounds! by Richard Simmons; The Calorie Countdown Cookbook by Juan-Carlos Cruz; Eat, Taste, Heal by Dr. Tom Yarema; The 3-Hour Diet Cookbook by Jorge Cruise; Skinny Bitch: Ultimate Everyday Cookbook by Kim Barnouin; and Hey, Mom! I'm Hungry! by Susan Powter.
This review is from: The Entertaining Encyclopedia: Essential Tips for Hosting the Perfect Party (Paperback)
This is a great book. An entertaining book as well as a cookbook. Fun recipes that are easy to follow and that make me want to cook them, with all kinds of serving and decor ideas. Especially entertaining(!) are Denise Vivaldo's personal catering stories. They put my parties into perspective: it's no big thing, it's just a party. If I were to boil the advice down to one sentence I'd say it's "Do everything you can ahead of time to prepare...then relax and have fun!"
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This review is from: The Entertaining Encyclopedia: Essential Tips for Hosting the Perfect Party (Paperback)
As someone who truly loves to host parties and get-togethers with girlfriends, this book is an invaluable resourse. The idea of a party is fun, but the planning process can be daunting. Now it is simple, with Denise Vivaldo's Entertaining Encylopedia. Vivaldo's hilarious anecdotes and charming, themed gatherings make you smile as you read. This book has everything you need to plan a seamless gathering from start to finish, all while actually enjoying the party you are hosting! Imagine that...
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This review is from: The Entertaining Encyclopedia: Essential Tips for Hosting the Perfect Party (Paperback)
Disclosure: Denise Vivaldo is a friend of mine. However, it's this book that is the reason why I'm writing this. The Entertaining Encyclopedia is packed with more information than you'll ever need, and when I read it the first time I realized it was Denise's years of food experience coming to life in the pages.
This book could easily be 4 editions, spread out over multiple series because it truly is that astonishing. The tips, ideas, menus are so thorough and tested that it really does become a very important resource for those of us who entertain.
I'm seriously not just whistin' dixie. This book is amazing.
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