Bar carts: Cosmopolitan or Raymond

Good host etiquette calls for a few essentials. Send invitations a minimum of two weeks in advance and then, at said fete, captivate guests with tasty bites to nosh on and always, always maintain a well-stocked bar. And as we approach the last of the gatherings of the holiday season, a classic, catchall bar cart can assist with one of those good-host gestures.

Not only do bar carts evoke a sweet dose of throwback glamour, they are uniformly practical for organizing and displaying everything from bottles to barware, lemon wedges, jars of plump olives and cocktail napkins. Carts also provide guests a destination for easy self-service (read: bottomless glass).

Wow your guests with the buffed and stately Cosmopolitan Bar Cart from Williams-Sonoma Home. The shiny nickel-plated piece has classic lines that make it a seamless fit for a number of decor styles. The cart has tempered mirrored-glass shelves, aluminum and steel legs and rubber casters. It measures 33 inches long, 17 inches wide and 32 inches high for $1,450.

Or be a gracious host with the Raymond Bar Cart from Plantation Design. Its wide nickel and mirror shelves gleam from the bottom casters to the top shelf. It's 28 inches high, 37 inches wide and 22 inches deep. Nickel or gold leaf is priced at $825.

More or less, either of these sophisticated carts will elevate cocktail service at your next soiree.

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This article appeared on page K - 5 of the San Francisco Chronicle