party

• Skip tablecloths, or if you must have them invest in enough tablecloth weights to keep the wind from carrying everything away.
• Set out at least one more cart or table than you think you'll need, because there's never too many places for guests to mingle, for drinks and glasses to accumulate, or for whatever else.
• Control bugs and define a perimeter with incense or citronella tiki lamps.

• Don't sweat the small stuff. Plan and prepare the little details till your heart's content (they can really make a party) but if something goes wrong or doesn't turn out just right don't panic. If you stay relaxed and happy your guests will be that much more comfortable (and a few imperfections can be endearing).
• Know your guests If you're serving food find out ahead of time if there are any special guest requirements (vegetarian diet, allergies, etc). Also make sure the music is appropriate for everyone, and plan ahead for special guest groups like the elderly (plenty of seating) and children (places to play). You don't want to be scrambling for extra chairs as the guests arrive.

New Year's Eve parties are often some of the biggest events of the year, so it's no surprise to hear that the ultra-rich go all out for them. A Russian billionaire wanted to ensure that his party had top-of-the-line entertainment and paid singer George Michael £1.5 million (approx $3 million) to perform a set. "George was back home in Britain by morning," a representative said, and with the honor of being the highest paid entertainer in Russian history. The runner-up for the title is Christina Aguilera, was paid £1 million ($2 million) "for performing three songs at a Russian wedding" in 2005.

To support the VH1's Save the Music Foundation and the Rock And Roll Forever Foundation, the Hard Rock Cafe is hosting an auction with several Sopranos-themed items. The biggest thing up for auction is an exclusive VIP New Year's Eve bash at the Hard Rock with may of the Sopranos cast members. At the moment, the bidding is at $100,000 for that package, but other auction items include a signed Gibson Firebird guitar from Steven Van Zandt, a saxophone signed by Clarence Clemons (both of Bruce Springsteen's E-Street Band) t and a VIP NASCAR package that includes a chance to meet several race drivers.

I suppose that the purpose of an inflatable bar is so that you don't have to commit a lot of room to storing a more solid piece of furniture year-round when you really only need something to use every few months. Bubble Miami makes inflatable bars, buffets and coffee tables in a number of different sizes, shapes and colors. They can hold a substantial amount of weight, certainly enough for the bottles, glasses and any hors d'oeuvres that you might put on them, and are quite sturdy, too. The company both sells and rents the units, but you'll have to call for pricing information and to find the one that will best suit your needs.

[via cribcandy]

Even though these are really a custom piece and there is no pricing information, we absolutely love these Scrabble Benches from designer Stephen Reed. They are located in the employee break room at the London branch of Bloomberg financial services. The screen-printed pillows have all the classic scrabble letters, so employees can spell out messages or leave notes. It seems like it would be a lot of fun to have these at home, where you could leave little notes for your spouse in the morning or get everyone involved in a game at a party.

[via boingboing]

This Melrose Bar is a neat little bar that is perfect for parties, whether indoors or out, since it is mounted on wheels and can easily be transported anywhere you need it to go. It is cylindrical and made from metal, with cutouts to reveal shelves for glasses, wines, liquors and any accessories you might want. The top of the bar is mirrored, but the two lower shelves are made of wood veneer, and the bottom even has built-in holders for bottles, which not only keeps things organized during a party, but means that you can use the bar for storage when it's not actively in use. Price: $998.