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How to throw your own Oscar party
| Wednesday, Mar 1 2006 10:30 PM
Last Updated: Thursday, Mar 2 2006 8:34 AM
Californian staff writer
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The stars aren't the only ones who party on Oscar night.
Roger Mathey, the general manager of the Spotlight Theatre in downtown Bakersfield has thrown an Oscar party for his friends and co-workers the past four or five years.
"I used to do them when I lived in L.A., too," Mathey said. "I work in the entertainment industry. The Oscars are a big deal."
He organizes a pool and tracks the results on a poster board -- just as if this were the Super Bowl. He also puts together a quiz. Prize winners may take home a DVD player or a boxed set of movies, while the booby prize is always a copy of "Roadhouse." A tiebreaker is decided by who correctly guesses how long the awards ceremony will last.
For Mathey, a party makes watching the awards ceremony more fun.
"The Oscars can truly have its downtime," he said. "Who cares about best sound editing? Unless you're in the pool, then you care who wins best sound editing."
The Academy Awards are just a few days away -- they air at 5 p.m. Sunday on ABC, but it's not too late to take a cue from Mathey and organize a fun Oscar party.
Denise Dinyon, an entertaining expert with Lenox china in Lawrenceville, N.J., said the first thing you need to decide is what mood you're going after. Do you want to throw a casual get-together or a more formal affair? The evening's decorations, invitations and food will follow, Dinyon said.
Whether your guests are wearing sandals or high heels, you can make them feel as if they are at the Oscars by following these tips from Dinyon:
Casual Oscar Party
* Send out invitations in the form of a DVD of a bad B-movie you can get at a dime store. Replace the DVD cover with the invitations.
Have your guests arrive a couple of hours before the Academy Awards start. While you wait, watch the movie stars arrive.
* Roll out the red carpet -- literally. Put out a basket filled with boas, ties and tiaras that your guests can don when they arrive.
* Take pictures of your guests as they walk down the red carpet, just like the paparazzi would. Put out disposable cameras so your guests can take candid photos throughout the evening.
A couple of days after the party, assemble a newsletter that looks like a trashy tabloid. Include photos from the party and mail the tabloid to your guests.
* Serve food that you normally get at a movie theater concession stand. Make hot dogs and put out plenty of toppings. For more upscale hot dogs, grill sausage or kielbasa. Offer your guests lots of movie treats, including, of course, popcorn. Flavor the popcorn with cheese, chili powder and curry and lots of butter. Put out bowls of Raisinettes, licorice and other candy.
* Instead of slurpees, serve your adult guests frozen margaritas, daiquiries or grown-up ice cream sodas consisting of vanilla-flavored vodka, cola and a scoop of good-quality ice cream. Provide nonalcoholic versions of these drinks for the designated drivers at your party.
* What's a party without games? When you send out your invitations, include a mock Oscar ballot. Here are some ballot questions we came up with: Which of the party's guests is most likely to marry Britney Spears? Who's most likely to punch a tabloid photographer? Who's most likely to cry in front of Barbara Walters? Who's most likely to appear on the cover of "Vanity Fair" pregnant and almost naked?
You can find lots of information online for an Oscar trivia quiz.
Game prizes can include a basket of DVD's and tickets to the movies.
Elegant Oscar Party
* It's not too late to organize a more formal party if that's what appeals to you. Classy electronic invites are available online.
* Encourage your guests to dress up, with black tie optional.
* Lay a red carpet. Place mini floorlights alongside the carpet. Hang a side that reads "VIP" entrance by the front door.
* Take pictures of your guests arriving and mingling. After the party, mail your guests pictures of themselves in gold envelopes that read "The winner goes to ..."
* Set a formal dining table with your good china and a gold tablecloth.
* Plan a formal menu of smoked salmon or pork tenderloin. Serve it with grilled asparagus and small bowls of risotta.
* Serve champagne and martinis.
* For dessert, consider cheesecake. Serve it to your guests when they're watching the Oscars.
* Give your guests goody bags when they leave for the evening. Fill gold-colored bags with notecards, a small box of chocolates, a small bottle of champagne and aromatherapy. Line the bags with crisp tissue paper and throw in some star-shaped confetti.
* When you send out your invitations, include a traditional Oscar ballot. Present the grand prize winner with a set of champagne flutes, a bottle of champagne and a box of chocolate.