Well Hello Oscar!!!!!!

February 22 is The Academy of Arts and Sciences 81st Annual Academy Awards...why not celebrate with an Oscar Party in your home...

Invite a few friends, do a gold and black theme table setting, settle in for a meal and vote for your favorite movie.

Years ago when my son Steven was being Bar Mitzvah'd we did a Hollywood nights theme party. Every table was a different movie and all the centerpieces were filled with products and toy or plush objects relating to the movie. All the kids received directors chairs with their names on them as a favor. It was a wonderful night. You can easily recreate a smaller version in your own home. Put up a few movie posters here and there, there are little Ocsar look-a-like statues that are sold in novelty shops, and the Academy even has some kits for sale. Here is a great link with the kits, crossword puzzles, menus and more that will help you create your very own Oscar evening.

You can print out ballots from the website above as well, perhaps have a contest to see who comes the closest with their predictions. Make an evening of fun out of it.

Here are this years nominees for best picture:

“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button”


“Frost/Nixon”


“Milk”


“The Reader”


“Slumdog Millionaire”

Perhaps you could tie in your menu to the movie names,
for example, do a dessert bar themed around
"Milk" and cookies,



placing a variety of cookies
with pitchers of milk as part of a dessert buffet
serve the milk in a martini glass


Make your own Oscar Cookie - buy an
Oscar Cookie Cutter


Rent a popcorn machine,



do flavored popcorns,



buy chocolate film containers for the dessert buffet...

Get tons of old fashioned movie candy and place in bowls...

Take a picture of your winning choice
and have it put on a cake,

cupcake,


or cookies...


Eleni's Bakery can do that for you


The ideas are endless if you put your mind to it...

Personally, I am casting my vote and giving an


to Clint Eastwood in Grand Torino


because as far as I'm concerned,
he didn't get his just desserts!!!!!