Pad Parties: The Guide to Ultra-Entertaining [Hardcover]

Matt Maranian (Author), Robert Field (Illustrator), Jack Gould (Photographer), Jack Gould (Author), Robert Field (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2003

The highly anticipated follow-up to Pad, the definitive guide to extreme domestic dcor, Pad Parties is the irreverent manual that will make any party an over-the-top entertainment sensation. Filled with deceptively simple and funky recipes for drinks, exotic garnishes, and appetizers, Pad Parties also includes ideas for enhancing the partyscape with music, ambient oddities, and creative homemade projects. Readers will learn how to transform a forlorn thrift store painting into an arty liquor larder and infuse their soirees with a gentle touch of surreal perversity by screening classroom safety films and Liberace variety shows. Concocted late in the night by a team on the leading edge of party style, the secrets to a happening scene are all here. With full-color photographs and illustrations, this is the perfect party guide for people with the distinctive and demanding sense of style that says, "That hideous vase would make a great swag lamp."

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Beneath the wacky, kitschy veneer of designer, vintage-clothes hawker and style writer Maranian's latest book (he also authored Pad, a book about funky interior design), lies the heart of a conscientious host and dutiful party planner. Among his hints for the aspiring reveler, which include napkins printed with erotic personal ads and a stash box made out of a book, is a four-day prep schedule for the week leading up to the event, including such un-outrageous tasks as guest confirmation, grocery shopping and house cleaning. Other suggestions for swinging, fun-loving times include ambient video programming (running classic television commercials, Liberace videos and sexploitation or blaxploitation flicks in the "Optic Hors d'Oeuvres Tray"); an array of party foods, from Black Olive and Herb Turkey Balls to Crab Cups with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce; and, of course, drinks: party punches like the Pink Chihuahua ("use a good quality tequila and your guests will swear that you laced this punch with PCP") and Circus Freak ("more fun than a contortionist"). Overall, the events Maranian seems to favor are laddish affairs, with vintage decorations, gimmicky food and libations, and a guest list of Betty Page lookalikes. With good-natured prodding and a connoisseur's touch, this glitzy, self-consciously hip little book should push the Hawaiian-shirt-and-goatee crowd to new levels of socializing.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc.

About the Author

Matt Maranian a freelance writer and former actor now living in Vermont, where he and his wife operate perhaps the hippest vintage clothing store in Brattleboro. He is the coauthor of the Los Angeles Times bestseller, L.A. Bizzaro.

Robert Field is a fine artist and illustrator who lives in Putney, Vermont.

Jack Gould a Los Angeles--based photographer whose work appears regularly in the New Times Los Angeles.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: Chronicle Books; Presumed 1st as edition not stated edition (July 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811837858
• ISBN-13: 978-0811837859
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #775,853 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disapointing, January 31, 2004

By 

W. Davidson (Melbourne, Australia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Pad Parties: The Guide to Ultra-Entertaining (Hardcover)

I loved Pad, I mean LOVED Pad - the crazy interiors, the cool design projects you could do yourself, and on the most basic level the ideas and inspiration on every page. So naturally I was thrilled to find a sequel - but sadly this follow up is pretty disapointing.

For starters it's more cookbook than an interior design book, and although there is inspiration to be found many of the projects are not things you are likely to try and do yourself. I very much miss the aspect of seeing into other people's homes (that was such a wonderful feature of Pad). But most of all I was quite annoyed about a Fish lamp project which is this cruel construction that involves a glass bowl, a candle and some live gold fish as a hanging lamp. Potentially boiled gold fish trapped in a tiny swimming space seems to me as very unpleasant and cruel, it's quite disturbing to think someone might make this.

Should you buy it? It's up to you but you could do better than Pad Parties.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Fun & useful, but not as compelling as PAD, July 25, 2003

By 

Dee Dee Remote (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pad Parties: The Guide to Ultra-Entertaining (Hardcover)

This well-designed guide to the PAD retro/sleazo, classy/trashy entertaining aesthetic is loaded with tips, recipes, projects, lovely photos, and Maranian's distinctive wit, but it lacks the component of voyeurism that made the first PAD so special. My favorite sections in the first book, the pages I keep going back to, are the PAD Profiles of fabulously creative people in their weird and wonderful homes. Regardless of whether I truly dug their style or not, it was an inspiring kick to read (and see) about their lives and how they achieved their decorating effects, and it was another kick to later recognize their names mentioned in the context of their beyond-PAD professions. It would have been great to see photos of PAD Parties in progress, and to have PAD hosts give descriptions of parties they've thrown. Of course, it may have been difficult to achieve such photos without having them appear to be staged for the purpose of the book--but at least it would have allowed us more glimpses into super-cool homes and lives.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Your Life is Waiting., August 16, 2003

By 

Dexter (DFW, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Pad Parties: The Guide to Ultra-Entertaining (Hardcover)

Are you looking to give your social gatherings a little bit more funk? Wouldn't you like cultivate a reputation as an interesting, unique, and gracious host? Let PAD Parties be your guide!

Seriously, since I got this book, I've had to wrangle it out of people's hands. Anyone who visits takes an instant fancy to it. But the truth is, it's best to keep this little guidebook all to yourself. No need to give away your party secrets!

I looked for this book after reading PAD, and it's the perfect follow-up. This volume includes plenty of unexpected additions -- the recipes rock, and you won't find them anywhere else. The craft ideas are on par with Maranian's most inspiring from PAD, and as before, the pictures are mesmerizing and the writing can't be beat. And after all, god, who wouldn't want a light-up punch bowl? (Aside from that, I was pretty amazed at what can be done with a candle & a couple of goldfish. It's actually much less torturous than it sounds: you'd just have to see the Goldfish Globule Candlelight Lantern to know what it's all about.)

PAD guides its reader through decoration; PAD Parties shows the reader what to do once the place is decorated. It's different from PAD in that it assumes you've already established your residence, so the book begins immediately with party preparations. It's a comprehensive guide, instructing its reader on everything from food to gift ideas to tending bar to manners (and these are still much more important than one might think!). PAD Parties is an inspirational guide for the experienced host and the novice alike -- there's something here for everyone.

If you liked the charm and sophistication of PAD, it's all here. This is the grown-up edition of PAD part one. Use these ideas, and your party can't go wrong. Your life is just waiting to begin!