In The Occasional Affair: A Practical Plan for Life's Everyday Parties, party planner Maury Ankrum shares ideas, tips, directions, menus, recipes, as well as encouragement, garnered from her years of experience in the professional entertainment industry. Written in a straightforward style with detailed instructions and photos, The Occasional Affair guides readers and helps them transform their own gatherings into truly memorable events. Featuring a season of parties, each chapter includes an overview of the partys theme, setting, mood, colors, tastes, sounds, and several unique entertainment experiences. The accompanying text describes in detail how to plan and execute the elements for each gathering and provides alternative ideas so readers can express their own personalities and style.