power of a dinner party...

Never doubt the power of a dinner party...or a deadline in general, but especially a dinner party.  Once the date is looming it seems it is time to start checking off the to-do list...  To up the bar a bit, I recommend

1. inviting people who have never been to your house before, especially those that live in nice, (a.k.a. finished houses)
2. inviting a lot of people, adults only if possible and make it formal...

You might just see miraculous things happening...like the hallway that has been down to framing and insulation for the past THREE years, suddenly being covered in wall board...hmmm, not exactly on the party to-do list, but who would stand in the way of progress?

When you live amidst the chaos of constant renovation, there never is a good time to host a party.  Waiting for a room to be finished can sometimes take years, so it is better to just do it and make the best of it.

There are some tricks, however that I strongly recommend:

#1 - candlelight makes everything nicer (and darker)

#2 - greens and centerpieces distract the eye from the eyesores



#3 - lots of alcohol...



Just imagine what could happen around here if we hosted parties more often...