Trend for the ‘90s Is Parties With All the Right Moves

Parties-on-the-move are the thing for the ‘90s, says Scott Maxwell, new president of the Orange County chapter of the National Assn. of Catering Executives.

In the ‘80s, the party emphasis was on staid elegance enjoyed in a pricey ballroom setting.

Then, with the economic downturn, the social set began to balk at party price tags of more than $100 per person and caterers had to scramble to provide low-cost locales.

Now, the great parties are about guests “moving from one party area to another in a great locale” says Maxwell, director of special events for Marriott’s Catering by Design.

The Amtrak station in Santa Ana is a good example. “It’s great to have people come to a party there by train,” Maxwell says. “They board the train at a faraway spot and are whisked to the station for fun in a setting that suits the party theme.”

Another hot spot: Rancho Los Lomas, a banquet facility in Santiago Canyon. Maxwell and his Catering by Design crew will soon stage a splash there that begins with a road rally and ends with a cookout.

Guests will be invited to drive sports cars through the canyon to the main event. Since the party is for Clinique, many of its participants will be from out of town.

So, Catering by Design will take them to their destination and then hand them their car keys. “The car trip really sets a mood,” Maxwell says. “The Rancho is semi-private, very romantic. And urban-rustic.”

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Ah, urban-rustic. Another party buzzword for the ‘90s. A setting or cuisine that is urban-rustic is one that’s “cosmopolitan and a little country,” Maxwell explains. “It means we haven’t gone entirely country, but we’re headed in that direction.”

(Think of a small serving of garlic mashed potatoes presented on a fine plate and you’ll get the idea, he says.)

If you’re planning a summer bash, consider using lots of color, Maxwell advises. “Black and white are out--too formal, too structured. Magenta, purple, gold--they’re in.”

Also out: balloons (using columns, swag colorful fabrics across your ceiling or outdoor space); ice sculptures (fresh posies are preferred); no-host bars; drink tickets; celebrity look-alikes; Hollywood themes; magicians and mimes.

In: dancing between food courses; jazz; alternative beverage products such as nonalcoholic beer (and a 50-50 blend of orange and cranberry juices); optional valet parking (“people like to walk to and from their cars now,” Maxwell notes); and parties at outdoor sites, especially Pelican Hill Golf Course in Newport Beach.

“People love open air, the ability to gain a sense of the environment,” Maxwell says.

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Benefit premiere: If cows could talk, “Norman” might have had this to say about the bash preceding the local premiere of “City Slickers II” in Santa Ana last week: “ Not too slick .”

The shy Jersey--dolled up in black tie and dickey--was on hand to greet the 450 guests who paid $100 each to attend the first benefit for the Probation Community Action Assn.

The event had promise. Arriving at Roxbury South for the cocktail and dinner portion of the gala, guests were met by an upbeat Western band and twirling line dancers. Cowboys atop sleek horses roamed the street. A red carpet was rolled out. Bleachers were set up for fans. This was going to be hot! (And this was a party on the move. After dinner, guests would walk to Edwards Cinema in Hutton Centre for the flick.)

It didn’t deliver. Once inside the multilevel nightclub, guests--resplendent in the prescribed black-tie attire--got hung up in one bottleneck after another. (You can’t throw hundreds of guests into a building without any direction. Where was the food? The drink? Hidden in out-of-the-way rooms. The one obvious bar was closed.)

Movie premiere, Orange County-style? Let’s hope not. Once guests found the buffet tables, they were in for a long wait. Hundreds stood in line to watch the stuffed chicken run out, again and again. Hungry men began having conversations with their watches. Gussied-up women ached for a place to park their sequins.

Television star Lorenzo Lamas (“Renegade”) tactfully summed up the scene: “It’s different,” he said. “But the cause is wonderful. And that’s why I’m here.”

No one could fault the cause. Founded last October, the Probation Community Action Assn. aims at reducing crime by providing positive projects for youths who are on probation.

Said Michael Schumacher, chief probation officer for Orange County: “A study of 6,400 offenders revealed that 71 % are arrested once and we never see them again. Another 21% are arrested twice and that’s the end of their criminal career.

“But about 8% who are arrested become chronic offenders into adulthood. Those are the ones we want to help.”

The association plans to organize a family resource center and provide programs to help youths develop the self respect they need to pursue healthy interests.

“About 1% of the youth in Orange County cause about 55% of the crime,” said James Watson, chairman of the PCAA executive committee. “(By our efforts) we hope to make a significant difference in the (reduction of the) crime rate and, at the same time, turn some lives around.”