The Party Planner or Meals on a Budget

The Party Planner

Author: David Tutera

David Tutera is a highly regarded event designer whose clients have included Elton John, Barbara Walters, Star Jones, and Susan Lucci. He is also the host of a new one-hour, twice-daily program on the Discovery Channel, Party Planner with David Tutera, that debuts in January 2005. On the show, Tutera lends his expertise to people looking to throw an unforgettable party on an everyday budget. Tutera brings a fresh, original twist to holiday parties while retaining time-honored traditions. He demonstrates novel and affordable—yet utterly sophisticated—approaches to special occasions, holiday and cocktail parties, and dinner parties. In this heavily illustrated book of the same name, each chapter covers a different party that will also be aired on the show. Tutera emphasizes addressing all five senses—the taste, the look, the sound, the scent, and the touch—of every event. Also included are "Tutera Tips" for invitations, entertainment, decor, menu ideas, table settings, and floral arrangements. David Tutera is already a noted name, but THE PARTY PLANNER will bring his reputation and signature approach in entertaining to a broad new audience.

Author Biography: David Tutera has been a contributing entertaining expert on The View and The Tony Danza Show and he has been featured on The Oprah Winfrey Show, the Today show, CNN, E!, and the Style Network. His work has also been featured in such publications as the New York Times, People, In Touch, The Wall Street Journal, and Cosmopolitan. His previous books are A Passion for Parties and America Entertains. He lives in New York City.

Publishers Weekly

Tutera has honed his party-throwing skills with books on the subject and with his new Discovery Channel show The Party Planner with David Tutera. This book, based on the show and loaded with photos of Tutera smiling as he decorates a cupcake or toasts a marshmallow, covers cocktail parties, dinner parties, holiday entertaining and special occasions, showing two examples of each that Tutera has thrown for his clients. In every case study, Tutera concentrates on engaging each of the senses, with thematic decor, scent (from flowers and candles to aromas from the kitchen), tabletop displays, food and music. For example, for a party to celebrate a couple's new boat, Tutera planned a cocktail party on a dock, with striped beach towel blankets (he includes instructions for making them), mini-burgers on the grill, salty fries, bite-size lobster rolls, summery drinks and a playlist loaded with Beach Boys tunes. Each of the book's sections offers tips, though some are quite vague (e.g., Tutera suggests garnishing a Snowy Cosmopolitan with a snowflake-shaped apple slice but gives no instructions for doing so). And the author's role as party planner to the stars (clients include Jennifer Lopez, Elton John and Star Jones) may account for the extravagant tabletop decorations, which may not appeal to everyone (or their budget). Still, the book can provide inspiration for parties at any level. 210 color photos. Agent, Frederica Friedman. (May) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal

Leafing through this companion to the Discovery Channel's Party Planner with David Tutera, readers soon realize that the author likes to entice the eyes: the 175 photographs of his vibrantly colored table settings, cocktails, and room decorations are spectacular. That is not to say, however, that Tutera doesn't have a command of the other senses-for each of the ten theme parties described here, he has planned the look, the scent, the touch, the taste, and the sound. Unlike other theme party books, e.g., Christopher Lowell, the Hassle-Free Host and David Rosengarten Entertains: Fabulous Parties for Food Lovers, Tutera's includes only a few of the recipes for the parties described. It is a catalog of events that he has orchestrated rather than a complete do-it-yourself guide; readers must (and can) glean great ideas from the photos, descriptions, and the list of "Tutera's Tips" at the end of each chapter. While this book will be popular with Tutera's fans, readers who do not watch his program may be disappointed not to find all the recipes pictured and described. An optional purchase.-Ann Weber, Bellarmine Coll. Prep. Lib., San Jose, CA Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.

Book about: Girls Night or Mediterranean Light

Meals on a Budget: High-Flavor, Low-Cost Meals Your Family Will Love

Author: Linda Larsen

With the cost of milk and other food staples on the rise, it's important to save wherever you can. This thrifty cookbook offers 300 delicious recipes that are short on cost but long on taste, including:

• Big Batch Guacamole for pesos on the dollar
• Curried Chicken Pot Pie that elevates your leftovers to new heights
• Sicilian Meatballs made from pantry items you already own
• Spicy Thai Peanut Noodles that are cheaper than take-out
• Beer Cheese Soup made with beer from last night's party
• Peach Foster Crepes for only 56 cents per serving

Also included are tips for food shopping on a budget and how not to get stuck in grocery store price traps. With The Everything Meals on a Budget Cookbook, you'll feel like you're dining at a gourmet restaurant-at a price you can afford!