How to entertain at home?

Last year we made a conscious decision to make new friends (mostly couples) since we were relatively new to the area. Long time ago someone had advised me that to make new friends, you have to be proactive. So if you don't get invited to parties because you don't know many people, throw one yourself and ask the few people you know to bring someone along (we essentially asked them to bring another couple along). It worked and we made approximately a dozen couples as good friends. In doing so, though, we also learned a lot of new techniques about entertaining (we do almost all of our entertaining at home since it is cheaper and there is no time for the party to end). So here are some tips on entertaining:

1. Pick the guest list carefully so that you have a good mix every time. For instance, do not invite people with very big differences in age or do not invite one or two singles to a party with a dozen couples.
2. Clearly spell out the dress code in the invitation even if there is none. That way you will not have some people show up in jeans while others are dressed formally.
3. Ask for dietary restrictions in the invitations. When guests arrive, provide a brief explanation of the dishes.
4. Specify clearly if children are welcome. What we have found is that when we let children come, we arrange for a babysitter and a kids' area with some toys and television with few cartoon films.
5. As the host, introduce everyone to the group once all the guests have arrived. And then, if you think that two people need to know each other because they might have something in common, then make the introductions.
6. Keep an eye on people who may be having a difficult time finding someone to talk to. Entertain them yourself or make introductions to others.
7. Pay attention to detail. For example, if you are serving drinks and people will have them while standing, do not offer appetizers that require a dish to eat. Use toothpicks instead for the appetizers and provide a small dish in a prominent place to throw away the toothpicks. It is just impossible to hold a dish and a drink while you are standing and then also eat.
8. Make sure that you do not serve too much alcohol to the designated driver. When guests are leaving, check once more and if you see a problem, either offer to host them for the night or arrange for alternate transport.
9. Write thank-you notes.

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