Hot Time: Summer in the City

When temperatures start to rise, there is a mass exodus out of New York City. Whether to Montauk or St. Tropez, we do whatever we can to bring the party to the beach.

But, there are always a few weekends when you just can't get away.

My advice on how to beat the heat? Gather some friends and host a summertime dinner of chilled crab claws and lobster rolls.

For starters, order Red King Crab Lollipops from Seabear, an online retailer famous for their smoked wild salmon. These big meaty claws served on ice in a glass bowl will make a grand statement as an appetizer. Two pounds of fully cooked claws ($85.99) will be shipped to you via Fed Ex Day Air Express.

Mary's Fish Camp (64 Charles Street, 646-486-2185) has arguably the best lobster roll in town and they allow take-out for parties greater than 6 if you order 24 hours in advance. If you don't live in the West Village or in Park Slope (their sister restaurant is Brooklyn Fish Camp, 162 Fifth Avenue, 718-783-3264), Dean and Deluca online is the next best option. They will ship two 12 oz tubs of lobster salad with 8 split-top rolls ($135.00) direct from their supplier for next day delivery.

For something a little sweet and decadent, serve coconut cupcakes from Crumbs Bakeshop ($2.95 each) with a glass of champagne for dessert. There are locations all over the city so if you don't have time, have one of your guests pick them up on the way.

To get the party started but to keep things cool, I like to offer guests a chilled shooter of ice cold Absolut Citron rimmed with Stirrings Lemon Drop sugar. Crate and Barrel has a great set of vodka shooters that comes with a bowl for easy presentation. During dinner, serve something light and refreshing like a spritzer made with dry white wine with a splash of club soda and a twist of lemon.

Keep tabletop décor at a minimum. All white china on crisp white linens, a few tapered white candles and bowls filled with fragrant lemons gives a fresh look. For lazy summer nights, I still love the Garden State soundtrack. It's a great mix of chill yet sultry tunes from Coldplay, Zero 7, Frou Frou and Thievery Corporation that will help transport you out of the hot, sticky city.

Ciao Bella

Memorial Day is notorious for fickle weather but this past weekend, there was no disputing the fact that summer has finally arrived.

Glorious sun and temperatures in the high 80's made for a few hot days in the city. I found refuge by visiting Ciao Bella Gelato in Nolita (285 Mott Street). Hand-made in small batches, Ciao Bella has over 100 different flavors of gelato and sorbetti including Valrhona Chocolate, Hazelnut-Biscotti, Blackberry Cabernet and their award-winning Blood Orange. Seasonal blends are a real treat. Currently, Ciao Bella is offering two limited edition flavors: Chocolate Jalapeno and Coconut Almond Chip.

Founded in NY's Little Italy in 1983, Ciao Bella began with a few traditional family recipes from Torino and has grown to become one of the leading purveyors of artisanal ice cream in the U.S. Their gelato (Italian-style ice cream) has less fat and air by volume (denser) than regular ice cream. The sorbetti is 70-80% fruit, water and ice with no colorings or artificial ingredients as well as being dairy-free, fat-free and, in some cases, cholesterol-free.


As the dog days of New York summer fast approach, those of you without Hamptons houses better think of ways to get yourself to the beach. My advice? Be the house guest that brings the best gift and you'll get a return invitation.

Ciao Bella will ship customized assortments of gelato and sorbetti packed in dry ice via Fed-Ex Priority Overnight. You can choose from the 4, 6 or 8 pint options which range from $32.95 to $49.95 (exclusive of shipping). Perfect for dinner parties and summer BBQ's, Ciao Bella is a great gift for everyone in the house to enjoy. And, as a host, it's a simple and popular dessert to prepare. I like to use a very small scoop, mix and match flavors and colors in a chilled bowl, add fresh fruit, coconut or chocolate shavings and garnish with a sprig of mint.

Not all of Ciao Bella's flavors are available by the pint. Check their retail posts in Nolita, Upper East Side (27 East 92nd Street), Brooklyn (81 Washington Street) and Grand Central for a complete offering of products.

Simple Seating

Warning: Event planners and brides-to-be reading this post may experience headache, dizziness, or shortness of breath. I am about to bring up a dreaded subject...the seating chart.

Whether you are planning a conference, meeting, wedding or dinner party, where you seat your guests can make a huge impact on their enjoyment and your peace of mind. Figuring out the right chemistry and compatibility among your guests can be an arduous process. I discovered an online service called Simple Seating that will make the whole task of seating and managing RSVP's a little easier. Here's how it works:

1) Add your event (name, description and # of guests)

2) Add your guests (either upload a CSV file or manually enter)

3) Provide info on guests (RSVP status, guest name, type of meal)

4) Put guests into groups (by company name, groom's family etc)

5) Choose your table configurations and placement (round, rectangular etc)

6) Assign seating with the easy drag-and-drop feature
(drag names and groups from guest list right over to each table)

7) Preview, edit, print or export your seating chart

RSVP's are color coded for easy reference - YES is green, MAYBE is yellow and NO is red (which shows up on your list but not on your chart). And, you can access your account from any computer with Internet access. The service is free for events up to 50 guests. Other packages allow you to seat events for up to 350 guests including Basic ($19.95) for 2 events, Plus ($49.95) for 5 events or Pro (call for quote).

Simple Seating is a great way to stay organized and connected with your clients, wedding planner or even your Type-A mother-in-law who will, no doubt, ask to see each revision to your seating chart!

It's Your Birthday - vol. 1

We're gonna party like it's your birthday. The only question is.......where?

Over the years, I have been bombarded with inquiries about every kind of event planning issue. Hands down, the number one request is about birthdays.

In New York, planning this celebration can be trickier than you think so each month I will give you a few of my top recommendations for different types of birthday bashes - complete with pricing and contact information.

Pass this along to friends, colleagues and family. Bookmark it. This is good insider scoop. (And, please feel free to leave a comment about your favorite birthday spots around the city.)

For the first installment, here are 3 great places to host a dinner party.


Dinner for 10: Barmarché (14 Spring Street, 212-219-2399)

Cozy and casual, Barmarché on Spring Street in Nolita has a great banquet style table at the back of the restaurant. It seats 10 around a big rectangle so its perfect for group conversation. Chef Linda Japngie will customize a prix fixe for your party or you can order a la carte of the regular menu. The bistro salad with pear, endive and blue cheese is amazing and they do a mean steak frites. You can bring in your own cake for a plating fee of $5 per guest but I highly recommend their desserts (and, yes I've tried them all). Owner is Chris Eddy from industry (food) which explains why everything is so damn good.

• Customized Prix Fixe or A la Carte
• Per person estimate: $50 and up (exclusive of alcohol, gratuity and tax
• Credit cards (payment with multiple cards is allowed)
  

Contact: Minh, 212-219-2399 (or minh@barmarche.com)


Dinner for 16: Indochine (430 Lafayette Street, 212-505-5111)

I've celebrated countless birthdays at this iconic French Vietnamese restaurant (including two of my own). Indochine is eternally chic and the waitstaff is gorgeous. After 20 years, they know how to cater to the fashionable and the fabulous. They have had parties and dinners for Diane von Furstenberg, Calvin Klein, Louis Vuitton and MAC Cosmetics among others.

Try the Indochine Martini made with pineapple and ginger infused vodka, fresh lime juice and triple sec. Best appetizers are the summer rolls either with king crab or chicken and shrimp. For entrees, the Spicy Chicken Breast with sweet potato crisps and the Steamed Chilean Sea Bass are loved by everyone.

• Prix Fixe Menu
• Per person: $55 (without wine) to $75 (with wine)
• + 20% gratuity + tax
• Credit cards (payment with multiple cards is allowed)
  

Contact: Reception 212-505-5111 (or via Web at indochinenyc.com)


Private dinner for 20: Palma (28 Cornelia, 212-691-2223)

Dining in the private cottage at Palma will transport you to the countryside of Italy. This quaint and charming event space, located behind the restaurant, can accommodate up to 20 guests for dinner. The Italian/Provencal menu, comprised of fresh pasta, seafood and meat, changes seasonally so check back in April for an update. The husband and wife team who own Palma also run a catering company so they understand how to throw a party. Rental of the cottage includes dedicated waitstaff, fresh flowers and other elements of décor.

• Prix Fixe Menu
• Per person: begins at $90 (exclusive of alcohol, gratuity and tax)
• Credit cards - maximum of 8
  

Contact: Terry, 212-691-2223

Service is really good at all of these restaurants but it wouldn't hurt to tell them that we sent you (wink, wink).

*all pricing and information is subject to change.