Bringing in '03 with style

By LAURA MEYN
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
New Year's Eve is the perfect night for a party.
Optimism is in the air, and many feel renewed fondness for friends, having perhaps neglected them in the flurry of family activity that begins with Thanksgiving. Staying up until midnight is absolutely required New Year's Eve, so there will be arguably fewer party poopers wandering around than any other night of the year.
That said, entertaining on the heels of such a fast and furious holiday season can be daunting. To find out how to make it easier, The Vindicator caught up with Youngstown party planner Pat Butto, owner of The Party Place, and Ed Goist, of Michael Charles Premier Wines, to get tips on throwing a festive, fun and easy New Year's Eve party for friends.
Planning
"Be well-organized, and don't be afraid to ask for help," Butto said. She suggests asking a friend to co-host the party, or -- at the very least -- taking people up on offers to bring something to your party.
Invitations can be made by phone for informal gatherings, but written invitations are preferable. Butto recommends using inexpensive printer-compatible decorative papers (available at office supply stores) to make invitations, adding confetti or glitter for a festive feel. Butto also suggests buying cone-shaped party hats, hand-writing invitations inside them, and flattening the hats for mailing. For scheduling purposes, get the invitations out as early as possible.
A few simple changes will turn Christmas decorations into New Year's ones. The main task is taking down the tree. Luminary bags can be left in place to light the path to the house.
For inside the home, Butto suggests using a lot of black and either silver or gold to create a festive atmosphere. Glitter, she says, is a very inexpensive way to add sparkle; dust it on poinsettias, candles or ribbons. Borrow a Fourth of July tradition to give New Year's Eve a celebratory feel. "Sparklers on the deck at midnight with champagne would be wonderful," Butto said.
Food
Most people don't have the time or energy at this time of year for complicated recipes, but that doesn't mean fabulous food can't be served. The easiest way is simply to buy it. But would the professionals approve such a shortcut?
"Absolutely," said Butto. "Hit Sam's Club, your local deli, even grocery stores -- there's a Giant Eagle in Liberty that offers sushi." Remove pre-prepared foods from plastic trays and arrange it on your best platters and serving dishes, dressing it up at no extra cost.
Worried about enough seating for the guest list? Butto recommends that you don't have chairs for everyone. "You want everyone moving around," she said. "Invite more than you have room for."
To help the flow of the party, Butto suggests stationing food and beverages in different rooms. This encourages mingling. Live music or games might be used to break the ice, but a close group of friends will be plenty entertained by their own conversation.
Wine
Choosing champagne -- or sparkling wine -- is for many a careful balance of budget and taste. When deciphering labels, note that from driest to sweetest, the designations are Extra Brut, Brut, Extra Dry (Extra Sec), Sec, Demi-Sec, and Doux.
Goist recommends the following wines as good budget-conscious choices (around $10 per bottle):
UFreixenet Brut de Noir or Cordon Negro (Spain)
UMarwood Select Spumante (Italy)
USegura Viudas Aria Cava Brut (Spain)
UAny Italian Prosecco (especially "Prosecco di Conegliano")
In addition, Goist cites as among the best values (about $15) Gruet Blanc de Noir or Gruet Brut, both from New Mexico.
Other options? "Spanish sparklers are fun, interesting, and a good value," he said. "Italian spumante is nice for those who want a little sweetness."
Plan on buying one bottle per four guests if you are serving other drinks, and one bottle per two guests if sparkling wine will be what you serve throughout the party. Considering that most wine stores will give a 10 percent discount to customers who buy a case (you can usually mix bottles), it's probably a good idea to buy extra.
Finally, for perfect technique in opening a bottle of bubbly, follow Goist's expert instructions.
Get the bottle very cold before opening to reduce internal pressure, open it at a 45 degree angle with the cork facing away from people and slowly rotate the cork and bottle in opposite directions. When you feel the cork pushing itself out, apply a mild counter pressure as if to keep the cork in the bottle. "This will result in a very smooth, gentle cork removal accompanied by the slightest of popping sounds," said Goist.
Cheers!