Sue, I can empathize with you. My first thoughts have always been to the comfort of my guests--making sure they feel welcomed and have whatever they need. But that does not extend to red wine at large gatherings. Actually, DH and I just don't drink wine, but do serve it now and then. I have and will continue to serve red wine to close friends or at a small dinner party, but no way at a larger gathering. I don't feel that it's a choice between risking costly accidents by serving it and being a bad hostess by not serving it. I'm not about to have an expensive silk rug or, like Sue,a $2,000 silk striped chair ruined because someone was careless. Years ago I asked my boss to dinner; he got tipsy and was hanging over my grand piano with a drink--yes, I was nervous and yes, he dumped it on the hammers. Just this past holiday someone stood a toddler on the seat of my ivory striped silk chair and let the child throw candied sweet potatos on my wood floors. So as much as I enjoy entertaining and accomodating my guests, and as much as I assume they will be as considerate of my home as I would be of theirs, some people just aren't. Some are very careful and accidents happen anyway. So no red wine at my house and absolutely no guilt about it--I make up for it by having any other drink their heart desires and not being a person that asks people to remove their shoes!

Maggie, I don't use a recipe so looked around on the Internet and this one was the closest to how I make it. I deveined the raw shrimp and cut them in half lengthwise so they wouldn't stick up too high. I sauteed them in the butter after the veal was done but didn't add the green onions or Worcestershire sauce. The only other change I made was using fresh asparagus, which I steamed in the microwave and then plunged into ice water the day before, then refrigerated in a covered container overnight. I only cook the veal about 2 or 3 minutes per side over medium-high heat, then remove the pan for it to cool down a bit before adding the seafood. VEAL OSCAR 1 1/2 lbs. veal cutlets, cut into serving-size pieces 1/3 c. all-purpose flour 1/8 tsp. salt 1/8 tsp. pepper 1/8 tsp. garlic powder 1/3 c. butter, melted 1 c. fresh lump crab meat 1/2 c. chopped green onions 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 2 (10 oz.) pkgs. frozen asparagus spears, cooked (optional) Bearnaise Sauce Chopped fresh parsley Flatten cutlets to 1/4 inch thickness, if necessary. Combine flour and seasonings; dredge cutlets in flour mixture. Cook veal in melted butter in a large skillet until browned on both sides. Remove meat, and keep warm, reserving drippings in skillet. Add crab meat, green onions, and Worcestershire sauce to drippings in skillet; cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture is thoroughly heated. Arrange asparagus over each piece of veal, if desired. Spoon crab meat mixture evenly over asparagus; top with Bearnaise Sauce. Sprinkle with parsley. Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Yeah, I've heard the cooking of Scandanavia is pretty good. I did some investigating two years ago when I got invited to a scandanavian pot luck! I brought blue cheese spread on rye krisp, and potato-beet salad, yum! Those nectarines sound divine. My mom used to make us grilled peaches for dessert when I was a kid, sounds similar. I could even add a sprinkle of cardamom, which I love. Or make this recipe for cardamom cookies that I have and have never tried. Grilled nectarines in a little glass dish with a cardamom cookie on the side, sounds very elegant. I was toying with making the peach-raspberry pie that I love, but that seemed too rich. I love to make it though, I throw together a bag of frozen raspberries, a bag of frozen peaches, a glop of brown sugar, a dash of cinnamon, dot with butter and then use a pre-made crust. "Homeade pie" that always gets me raves at potlucks, all in about 10 min. to prepare. Those mushrooms sound awesome Lars, thanks! It will give me a chance to use up some of the basil I froze last summer.

I'll second, third? Lisa and Sov. Six years old is too young to teach a charity lesson at birthday time IMO. Their birthdays are about silly fun with their friends. Lisa's statement in regards to gifts (optional but please be sure to bring yourself blah blah) is as far as I would go. As the mother of a small child who has too much, I use these experiences to teach the gift of giving. The joy of finding a special toy (and a matchbox might be all that is for some but it's still special to a six year old) is a lesson I don't get to give very often so I really take advantage of it (our son is 4 and not yet in school). At 8 or 9 plus it's a fun idea to discuss giving a party for charity, but only as an idea for the child...you know when they're ready for this or if they ever are :) I bitterly remember the birthday where my father taught me about charity. I opened all the gifts and then they were given to the "less fortunate" (I had no idea who those people were because we didn't learn that lesson). It was really more about control (now that I look back on it) verses a lesson in charity, but to a small child...do they really know the difference? I think we often forget the "joy of giving" and focus on the receiving too much :) So I get where you're coming from, but for a child of six...it's a party :) Let them enjoy it as a six year old should. Goody bags aren't a tradition in our area of the country. But I think the cookie and balloon sounds great. Great for table decor and enjoyable for the kids to take home. Or you could go with a matchbox given the theme of the party (those cheap ones). I don't mind cheap crap...it makes DS smile. The fact that he does not know the difference between a one dollar car and a twenty dollar one actually pleases me. And I don't mind the matchbox's anyhoo...at least they're metal :) My DS is afraid of birthday cake (or was until this year when he's braved the frosting) so I guess we're not overly birthday focused, but he has enjoyed the parties he's gone to as long as we avoid the cake. I don't remember getting any party bags...wait maybe one, but perhaps that is just our circle of friends. I don't think a lecture on how to throw a party is necessary :) Family, friends, it does not matter. Kids should have special birthdays be it with their school friends or family or both. Special does not have to mean much. We had our favorite couple over with their two kids for DS's 4th. Then we repeated a simple dinner with grandma the next week (we were moving to her state). He enjoyed both parties immensely and both were quite simple. DS would love to attend by the way....do you allow 4 year olds? I promise to limit the plastic LOL