Here we go again.
My phone is ringing already asking for my suggestions for holiday parties for families and businesses. As we work our way through the holiday season, I will try to give you some interesting and unique ways and places to entertain your guests.
Let’s start out with the “Biggest Little Holiday Party” in Newport Beach at the Sutton Place Hotel. This is a brand new event, and I think it’s a grand idea. The AAA Four Diamond hotel is inviting all small and not-so small-businesses to party together in the Deauville Ballroom, on Thursday, Dec. 14.
Here’s how it works: The hotel will provide the festive decorations, tempting hors d’oeuvres and its renowned Christmas buffet, as well as a chance to win fabulous prizes. In addition, the musical entertainment will be provided by Gerald Ishibashi and The Stonebridge Band (you already know, don’t you, that this is one of my favorite musical groups?). The twist is that you only reserve tables of 10 for however many guests you’ll have.
It’s a great way for small businesses to handle their big entertaining needs. You get all the amenities of a grand party, which small groups can never manage on their own.
The cost is $79 per person, or $790 per table of 10, plus tax and gratuity. The “party” is scheduled from 5:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. To complete this festive evening, just take the elevator home with a special holiday room rate of $99 plus tax, based on double occupancy. Call the Sutton Place Catering Department at (949) 476-2001, Ext. 4200, for more information or for reservations.
Thanksgiving at The Ritz
Rather than cooking, you might want to celebrate Thanksgiving at the glamorous Ritz Restaurant and Garden in Newport Beach. For $37.50 for adults and $15 for children younger than 12, a three-course meal is offered, which includes a selection of appetizers, entrees and desserts.
The six appetizer choices are: wild mushroom cappuccino, Maine lobster bisque with Nantucket Bay scallops, roasted butternut squash soup with sweet white corn and an assortment of salads.
For the entr & #233;es, of course, there’s roasted “Diestel Ranch” turkey with all the traditional trimmings (they say “traditional” and I say impressive, as in brioche pecan dressing and toasted almond string beans, along with mashed potatoes, candied yams, cranberry relish and giblet gravy).
Additional entr & #233;es from which to choose: broiled sirloin of Colorado lamb with rosemary jus, prime rib chops of smoked pork with lingonberries and peppered grenadines of filet mignon with sauce Diane. And, naturally, a casserole of their signature creamed corn will be served family-style at every table.
Dessert choices are pumpkin pie, gingered raspberry cr & #269;me br & #369;l & #233;e, warm apple and pear strudel with rum-raisin Haagen Dazs ice cream and the famous Ritz profiteroles with hot Belgian chocolate sauce.
The Ritz is at 880 Newport Center Drive, Newport Beach. For reservations, call (949) 720-1800.
Morton’s Offers Certificates
Morton’s in South Coast Plaza Village is one of our favorite restaurants, not to mention that we like sitting at the bar for our martini because barkeep “Irish” keeps us entertained, as well.
There are a couple of things worth relating concerning the holidays. I have given a few people one of the signature pewter pig lamps that decorate each table. They are adorable little reclining creatures and our friends relish them. So, you might want to make that purchase for a unique holiday gift.
Then, there’s the certificate purchase. What’s good about this is that if you purchase $500 worth of certificates, you receive an additional $100 gift certificate at no charge. That can cut down on holiday spending. They are nicely packaged for gift giving.
Morton’s is at 1661 W. Sunflower Ave., Santa Ana. Phone (714) 444-4834 for further information. Do yourself a big favor and make a reservation for dinner while you’re at it.
Giddy for Gelson’s
Hooray! Irvine has a new Gelson’s Market. Now I don’t have to go to Newport Beach to get all the fine produce and meats and the gourmet selections that line the shelves. If you happen to be on the San Diego (405) Freeway and near the Jeffrey/University exit, take a few minutes and stroll through this beauty in the new Oak Brook Shopping Center, two blocks from the freeway at the corner of Alton. It’s spacious, with lots of wood accents and even slate floors. Hardly the stereotypical supermarket.
The selection of freshly cooked items to take home makes things even easier. The take-out display case is loaded with salads, meat entrees and even whole pieces of fried cod in the English manner (as in fish and chips). There are rice, pasta and potato dishes and several vegetable dishes as well. Walk across the store and get individual desserts or whole cream-filled cakes,mostly of the sophisticated European genre,and you’ve got a complete meal ready to serve.
I’ll admit, I’m not usually traipsing through stores before 9 a.m., but for the early morning commuters and joggers, they’ll give you a free donut with the purchase of any coffee at the Coffee and Pastry Bar any morning between 6 a.m. and 9 a.m.
