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A Real, Grown-up Party
If you live in a third-grade classroom, then all you need to do to make something feel festive is order a large pepperoni pie, declare the day to be "pizza party," and boom, everyone's happy. Barring that, a party costs some money. Now, I myself am a budget-conscious lady. (That's my kind, self-loving way of saying "cheap.") But even I know that milestone birthdays—yours, someone else's—require a serious commitment to celebration. From New York City publicist and PR consultant Lauren Cerand, one of Flavorpill's 50 New York Culture Makers: "The best advice I was ever given came years ago, when I told a friend I'd spent a week's pay to have calla lilies flown in from Peru for a party. 'Spend next week's check on the booze.' I did, and although I had to skip lunch and walk everywhere for a while, I've never regretted it." While this might be a little extreme for most of us, the sentiment behind it is useful to keep in mind: Every now and then, you are going to want to go big. The resulting soiree will be unforgettable. (And if you want to make sure the cost won't be a shock, Evite has a helpful detailed calculator here.)

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