Customer Reviews

Party Central: A Month-by-Month Guide to Entertaining on the Cheap : Festive and Frugal Ideas for Every Occasion

5 star:		(0)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Cool party ideas, for young people living on the cheap. A lot of retro themes. This book is a feast for the eyes, because the photograhy is really well-done.

The menus were biased towards carbs, which I guess is to be expected.

I'm not sure if I would have the flair and panache to pull off some of these party ideas...

September features a "Back-to-School" wedding theme in a rented cafeteria. The 100 guests line up to get cheese pizza and tater tots on a tray. Instead of a guest book, a 3-ring binder. Instead of flowers, blown-up balloons. Instead of a wedding cake, they rented a cotton candy machine for $60. Instead of champagne, juice boxes.

...I wonder what the guests wish they had brought instead of presents! But the point is, is that when you look like an Abercrombie model: anything goes.

My favorite month was November, which featured a Thanksgiving that reminded me of the ones we used to have in the Peace Corps. It was a group effort: the guys grilled small hens and made kettle chips, while the girls whipped up lighter and less-fussy variations on old thanksgiving favorites. The "pumpkin fool" looked especially interesting: a no-crust, no-bake pumpkin *thing*.

This last Thanksgiving, I made Thanksgiving Omelets, with thanksgiving-themed ingredients folded in. I'm telling you this just in case you're looking for even more fun and cheap Thanksgiving ideas.

After reading this book several times in the bookstore, I finally decided that I had to have it, if only to laugh along with the young and beautiful people at their zany, crazy, money-saving soirees.

Party Central
Month to month guide to entertaining on the cheap.

You can't tell a book by its title. I was expecting more than this book offers. It is filled with booze party ideas for what appears to be collage age and beyond.

They make a valiant effort to show a plan for a party for each month and usually show the register tape to show how cheaply the party was to put on.

They claim to exist to help you find the perfect party theme for any occasion, and give strategies for stocking a bar without going broke.

Their themes were: January: `Round Midnight, February: the Lonely Hearts Club Brunch, March: One Starry Night, April: Pot Luck, Por Favor, May: Horsing Around, June: Miami Heat, July, Red, White and New, August: High Camp, September: A Touch of Class, October: Having a Scream, November: A Movable Feast, December: Come On In, Y'all.

Throughout the book there is many photographs- page 34 has a girl on the floor by the toilet, and there is a column on Hangover Helpers. Page 35 has a littered floor with candy and Bayer, Alka-Seltzer and Jack Daniels and Bacardi. Page 172 shows six bottles of wine to help you with choosing the right wine.

A small redeeming feature of this book is that there are a few good recipes.