Feb 19, 2008 | 9:52 PM
Category:
Entertainment
It's a little late in the game to plan a major extravaganza--the
possibility of a themed costume party with invites on vintage movie
postcards mailed to arrive on the day that the nominees are announced
has long past. (Yes, I confess to having done that once for an Oscars
party I threw long ago with disastrous results--it was so far in
advance that people lost track of the date an our turnout was
mortifyingly low.) But you can still throw together a fun fete
integrating as much (or as little) fanfare as you wish.
The foodie in me must consider ingestibles first. My inclination is to
pull food from Oscar nominated movies throughout the ages, with a
special emphasis on the current slate. So, here is what to serve--or
perhaps better yet, what to offer to bring to someone else's party:
--Juno: "Bun in the oven"--serve mini hot dogs and burgers on cute little buns with assorted condiments.
--Michael Clayton: Shark Kebobs
--No Country For Old Men: baby lamb chops, baby vegetables, baby brie, baby greens. (This one is a stretch, I know).
--Bubba Gump Shrimp
--Gone With the Wind Barbecue
--Moonstruck Pasta
To Drink:
--There Will Be Blood Orange Martinis/Margaritas or Bloody Marys
(though I am not a fan of these for evening.) Or choose any red
drink: cosmos and pomegranate martinis can't lose.
--Champagne
--Wine/"Sour Grapes" for the losers??
To Wear:
--Black Tie
--"Oscar"--a gold jumpsuit--I actually have one of these for this exact
purpose; I have worn it several times and have lent it several more.
Just be sure to wear serious foundation garments....
--Costume from any of the nominated films, current or past: white
dinner jacket a la Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca; Hockey mask like
Anthony Hopkins in Silence of the Lambs; Cut
sweatshirt/leggings/legwarmers a la Flashdance (it won for best song!);
Boxing attire a la Million Dollar Baby; Togas from Gladiator; Kilts
for Braveheart.
Other Elements:
--Have a pool betting on the winners; prize can be dvd's of nominated films or a gift card to the movies.
--Buy several yards of inexpensive red fabric; roll it out on your
front walk, steps, or entrance hall for your very own "red carpet".
--Have the host, a few willing guests, or hired help wield flashing cameras as attendees arrive.
--Award prizes for the best costumes.
But mostly relax, have fun, eat, drink and be merry. And if you decide on the gold jumpsuit, don't forget the Spanx; most of the folks at the Oscars will be wearing them, that's for sure.
