Occasions

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Occasions (eBook) Pub. Date: 3/30/2004 Publisher: Simon & Schuster
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Occasions Pub. Date: 3/30/2004 Publisher: Simon & Schuster

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More About This Book

Overview
Editorial Reviews
Product Details
Table of Contents

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Overview

Every occasion calls out for something extra, whether it's flowers you set on the table, foods to honor a special gathering, or the selection of music. For both hostess and guest, consideration of those around you is among the most important qualities for any enjoyable occasion. A smile and sense of humor are also essential, and before the canapés and night lighting a good hostess is ultimately defined by a welcoming and gracious demeanor.

In Occasions, designer Kate Spade invites you into her world of easy, festive entertaining, where the emphasis is not on "the perfect meal" but on having "the perfect time." It's a world where laughter and conversation at dinner parties are encouraged and where spilled red wine on the couch is no reason to stop the music. As Kate says, "Making your guests feel at home is truly an art and it's one worth cultivating."

Any occasion begins with preparation, and at the outset Kate describes such basic components as lighting (votive candles are a must); table linens, flatware, and glassware; flowers (trimmed short and tightly massed); even bedding for overnight or weekend guests. Party shopping lists, hors d'oeuvres and cocktail favorites, and dinner party menus are all included. An "Alphabet of Special Events," from baby showers to tailgate picnics, is both anecdotal and useful for would-be hostesses everywhere.

Whether you entertain a lot or a little, and whether your style is casual or formal, Occasions, with more than 230 charming watercolor illustrations, is a handy and fresh approach to the subject, a book to be treasured today and over the years. Above all, at any gathering "hospitality makes for infectious fun."

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

Fashion designer Spade has become a sort of style icon of the new millennium. First it was her ubiquitous handbags, then it was shoes, next came stationery and now she's telling us how to pen a thank-you note, what to pack for a beach bonfire and why a summer rainstorm calls for capri pants and flip-flops. This trio of "small books" is targeted squarely at the put-together woman (or the woman who wishes she were put-together). Each book mixes chatty but straight-ahead prose with cute line drawings. Spade's presence is evident throughout, between her personal anecdotes (in Occasions, she lets on, "One of my favorite things to do is shop flea markets, wherever I am") and the charming sketches of women sporting sparkly but demure shoes. While united in theme i.e., the modern woman embracing tradition, grace and old-fashioned beauty the books each have their own niche. Style mainly addresses what-to-wear issues and reads like an abridged version of the recently published style guides from Lucky and InStyle magazines. Occasions focuses on entertaining from cocktail parties to holiday dinners. And Manners covers such subjects as artful conversation and re-gifting. Style is probably the strongest of the three, as it's the subject on which Spade has the greatest authority. But Occasions and Manners are solid, too, if not exactly groundbreaking (they brim with grandmotherly advice, with a bit of Letitia Baldrige's modern etiquette thrown in). Taken together, the books should please hostesses and would-be Marthas of all ages. (Apr.) Forecast: This collection should take off, thanks to Spade's name, planned author appearances at her retail stores, a direct mail campaign to the company's 100,000-plus name mailing list, TV radio and print publicity and a tie-in to the launch of Spade's new "at home" collection. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780743250658
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication date: 3/30/2004
Pages: 112
Sales rank: 222,910
Product dimensions: 6.34 (w) x 8.22 (h) x 0.61 (d)

	Have You Ever Wondered ...?	4
	Introduction	10
Section 1	The Mise-en-Scene	13
	Decorating the Room
	Shopping for Antiques
	Flowers
	Lighting
	Linens
	The Well-Stocked Cupboard
	Party Shopping Lists
	Music
	Seating
	When the Out-of-Doors Beckons
	Invitations
	Dressing the Part
	The Good Hostess
	The Good Guest
	Surprises and Disasters
Section 2	Tried 'n True Party Standards	59
	Cocktail Parties
	Pre-Party Preparations
	Mixed Drinks
	Shake, Stir, Pour, and Serve
	The Perfect Martini
	Champagne and Cognac
	Wine is Divine
	Beer is a Beverage Too
	Hors d'Oeuvres
	A la Carte, A Table, and Catering
	Dinner Parties
	Dinner Party Checklist
	Special Dinner Parties
	The Art of the Toast
	Dinner Party Trivia
	Weekend Parties
	For the Ideal Guest Room
	Weekend Activities in the Country
Section 3	An Alphabet of Special Events	91
	Anniversary Gifts
	The After-Party Party
	Barbecues
	Birthdays
	Brunches (and Lunches)
	Farewell Dinners
	Holidays
	New Home
	Pienies
	Showers
	Tailgate
	Tea
	Theme Parties
	The Un-Occasion
	Weddings
	Thank You	108
	Select Bibliography	110

Customer Reviews

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royaltygirl

Posted January 12, 2011

A must read for kate spade fans!

I love this book! I own it in hardcover and nookbook. The illustrations are lovely on the nookcolor!
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Anonymous

Posted August 29, 2005

A delightful little book...

I thought this book had some great suggestions -- not all of them are for me (like ironing sheets), but I thought the ideas were very fun. I enjoy Kate Spade's classic, timeless elegance from her handbags to her books. At any rate, the book is beautiful and gives a myraid of ideas for entertaining.
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Anonymous

Posted June 11, 2004

Lovely advice... if you live on the Upper Westside and have a second home in the country, no kids and an unlimited bank account......

For the remaining 99.9% of us who like to entertain and who don't have their own florist, chef, maid, and bellman - it contains a lot of meaningless and impertinent suggestions. 'For the guest room... freshly ironed white sheets....cloth napkins over paper any day of the week...whenever I'm having a party, I explain to a caterer that I think the food should be filling....' $20.00 retail is entirely too much even if you do find her advice humorous...
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Anonymous

Posted February 17, 2011

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