Have a Spring Fling

At first, winter was so charming. The office parties, the eggnog, the twinkling lights -- what's not to love? But then you ate too much, gained five pounds. Spent too much, went into debt. And one February morning you awoke to a sniffly nose, gray skies and 17 frigid degrees.

Seriously? There's a reason (or two) that we don't live in Minnesota.

Never fear; spring is almost here. And there's no better way to put your winter doldrums on notice than turning your home into an indoor oasis for a big spring bash. Here's how to do it up right.

The timing: Spring arrives in our area this year at 12:48 a.m. on March 20, according to the National Weather Service. To truly thumb your nose at winter, hold your party before then. But if that's too soon, aim for late March, when the calendar says "spring" but the temperatures are still low enough to warrant a party pick-me-up.

The decor: Help your guests put on blinders to the outside world with a cheery, springlike atmosphere inside. Keep it simple and seasonal, says Philippa Tarrant of D.C.-based Philippa Tarrant Custom Floral Design.

"I don't think you could do anything happier than a big bunch of yellow daffodils or yellow tulips," says Tarrant, who suggests focusing on a single color for visual impact. "Summer is much more loose and abundant, but spring is very minimal."

Tarrant also suggests lining up simple glasses or egg cups down the center of your table and dropping a stem or two into each. Decorate the rest of the room with more pops of yellow, along with pussy willow branches and forsythia branches. They're emblematic of spring, but Tarrant says you can find them now at local florists and in some grocery stores. For affordable and recyclable centerpieces and place cards, check out Blumebox.com. They ship flat and pop into place to hold flowers and water, and they come in an assortment of springy colors.

The menu: Winter is all about heavy stews and dark meats, the comfort stuff that really sticks to your ribs. But spring is a time for lighter, simpler fare, says Kerry Nieh, chef and owner of Bethesda-based catering company Delicious Fine Foods.

"Asparagus is a classic for spring, and I would also tie in something like green onion and lots of herbs," Nieh says. "And anything that has a bright flavor, like citrus."

Brave the brisk air and fire up the grill; Nieh suggests grilling fish as a main dish. Lemon-seasoned vegetable skewers could pair nicely.

Cornell Coulon, local chef and owner of Au Dela catering services -- and the Au Dela retail store in McLean, set to open in April -- says simple seasonings will let the freshness of your fare shine through.

"Sea salt, olive oil, maybe some fresh ground pepper," Coulon says. "If you're going to use herbs, maybe some parsley and some fresh lemon thyme would be nice."