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Good evening...6:30 P.M., reservation for four?
Right this way, we have your seating area prepared and waiting.
OK, OK, so a hot tub is not a fancy restaurant, but if you treat it like one, just imagine the exciting possibilities. Thinking of your new hot tub as a trendy restaurant creates a whole new outlook. By penciling in tub time for the loved ones in your life, you can come up with some unusual ways to set the scene for romance (yours and his), for ambiance (to impress your relatives) or for just plain FUN (festivities for your favorite friends).
Becoming a gracious and spa-cial hostess is easier than you think. The formula is straight-forward: focus on a group of people that you would like to spend time with, specify a spa day, afternoon or evening, then select a time slot. Phone, e-mail or mail an invitation (whichever is your preferred commu-nication) and request a reply. Of course, you will limit the number of guests per soak to what your hot tub can accommodate, and you will have to be precise about whether or not your hot-tubbing patrons should bring a change of clothes and plan to spend some after-spa time visiting. And yes, you can state it clearly: Spa Time, 7 to 9 P.M., Plan to hang around afterwards (or not). For a child's social gathering, don't think twice about putting this in writing: Spa Time, 3 to 5 P.M., Snacks served during this time. Don't give your guests a chance to misinterpret‹or to overstay their welcome.
Including an entertaining theme (holiday, birthday, new spa christening, etc.) for these pre-planned interludes will produce an unforgettable soaking experience.
To prepare for such an evening, stock up on aromatherapy enhance-ments, some novelties, such as rubber duckies or floating fish, and extra towels, flip-flops and plastic bags for wet suits.
Food doesn't have to be elaborate, either. For instance, just as you already know that dim lights, candles and chocolate-covered strawberries set the scene for romance, enchiladas, salsa, chips and Mexican hats spell fiesta. If you are in the mood for elegance, try serving champagne and caviar. For a Gals Only afternoon delight, flavored smoothies and cut-up fruit fit the bill. Kids love pizza, and switching to the bite-size version isn't nearly as messy.
Once you have mastered time management and plan to keep both the theme and menu simple, it is time to group your reservations.
Following are 10 unique sugges-tions to get you started, but, feel free to personalize and add your own. For example, if you are a member of a book club, you may want to have your book buddies become your spa buddies and slip into one of your time slots. Yoga devotees might be invited to practice at your place, then discard their mats and massage their stretched muscles against the revitalizing jets.
Family Friend Night. Invite an entire family that your family has befriended for an evening of soaking fun. This could include a family of neighbors, a church group or a family that you have met through your involvement with your kids' sports activities. Focus: family fun. Menu suggestion: Pizza, fondue-dipping desserts.
Couples' Night. This would be for couples only, no kids allowed. Focus: relaxing adult evening, good old-fashioned conversation. Menu sugges-tion: hors d'oeuvres, mini-éclairs, creampuffs and fancy fruit dips.
Kids' Night (Day or Afternoon). Spa time for kids only, adults on hand to supervise, but they are not allowed in the spa. (The invitation could mention this.) Kids in the spa-owning family could alternate, each taking turns inviting several friends. If there are just two siblings, each could invite one or two friends at the same time.
Take this idea a step further by designating gender-specific spa time: Boys Only, Girls Only, or set aside a slot for your child's brownie troop or soccer team. Focus: amusement for the kids and their friends, who get to pretend they are grown-ups. Include games, like Ring the Rubber Duckie or Go Fish, to keep the aquatic mood afloat. Menu suggestion: mini hot dogs, sandwich wraps, popcicles and ice cream bars.
Finish-That-Project Night. This is the time to stop procrasti-nating and get it done. It's spa time reserved to assemble the troops. Ready, set, go! Finish that scouting badge, baby shower favor-making or cabinet-staining task. The perfect lure? Time in the hot tub, of course. Focus: labor intensive work, albeit satisfying and successful. Menu suggestion: hefty sandwiches, ribs, wings and gooey desserts‹lots of carbs to keep the energy level going.
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Cousins Club. A hot tub night like this could get really interesting by extending the invitation, not only to your first cousins (on one evening) but also to your second cousins and/or third cousins as well. The juicy twist? Mix up the batch of cousins! Your mom (and grandmom) will love the idea of mingling generations, and you are guaranteed to dig out some skeletons in the closet of your family history. Gossip reigns at a gathering like this. Focus: to satisfy a family obligation. Menu suggestion: ask these guests to bring snacks; you take the night off.
Officemates' Date. This spa time will be for those coworkers whom you want to get to know better and not for the ones you don't. (No, you really do not have to invite everyone!) After all, you will have to don a swimsuit and you don't want to feel uncomfortable. Focus: chitchat and camaraderie should fill the air (think water cooler à la spa). Menu suggestion: keep it uncomplicated; ask for a vote (sushi, Chinese, tofu) and then dial T-A-K-E-O-U-T!
Grandparents' Gala. Their event, not yours. Grandparents get a chance to invite their best buddies, bridge group or bowling team to spend a memorable evening simply socializing. Focus: allowing these seniors the privilege of experiencing hot tubbing at its best‹without having to travel to a fancy resort. Menu suggestion: early bird specials can include salad and hot pasta entrées or turkey wraps and coleslaw. Again, keep it simple, but do have it prepared and waiting for them when they arrive. Then disappear and let them enjoy their privacy.
Your Friends/His Friends. This is your chance to mingle with your girlfriends and to include the spouses/girlfriends/mates of your husband's friends that you DO like. Hubby gets to have a turn, too, so invite as few or as many gals as you like. Focus: sharing secrets, venting, experimenting with group therapy. Menu sugges-tion: cater it (your favorite cuisine); don't lift a finger.
Neighborhood Block Party. For those neighbors with whom you have a relationship, or for those who are simply acquaintances that you would like to get to know bet-ter, such as the new neighbor two doors down. This can be a good time to compare homes, decorating ideas, problems with the plumbing. Focus: enforcing the Good Neighbor Policy. Menu suggestion: potluck, everyone brings something. (Not to worry, neighbors are used to this type of invitation.)
Extended Family. This time is reserved for your in-laws and extended family members. Focus: keeping the peace. Menu suggestion: seasonal food planned around a holiday works well for this group. Fourth of July burgers, birthday cake and ice cream or New Year's Day brunch. Easy, and it kills two birds with one soak.
Finally, when folks become accustomed to your spa time scheduling, make a reservation or two of your own. Then reach for the restaurant sign that is quite familiar to all of us: Sorry, We're Closed, remembering that there is no time like spa time, especially when it is yours alone! | 
