Entertaining Made Easy: 10 Ways to Throw a Successful Party

Don't Be Afraid to Invite a Circus

Be brave with your guest list, and mix as many generations, job disciplines, neighborhoods and incomes as you can rope in. Consider the idea that as a host, you're suddenly in the business of serving people to one another. Culinary personality Nigella Lawson, of The Style Network cooking show Nigella Bites, says, "I like to have a few new friends, a few old friends and the grown-ups, if you know what I mean." Pat Towers, O's features director, who's renowned for her parties, says she always has one wild card. "When there's another aspect brought into the familiar, it gets people stimulated, puts them on their toes," she says. "And then we see the best in each other and are reminded why we like one another so much."