Adult Entertainment.

Byline: --LINDSY VAN GELDER

The sexiest party falls somewhere between Henry Miller's orgies and Edith Wharton's finger bowls. Here are the elements:

DENSITY: "I cram everyone in," says Los Angeles florist Eric Buterbaugh, who is known for his parties. The goal is for people's bodies to rub up against each other a little bit, so invite freely.

GUEST LIST: "There is one key ingredient--sexy people," says Miles Redd, a New York City interior decorator and frequent host. Deborah Williamson, of the Williamson Calvert party-planning firm, always tries to "throw downtown scene-sters into uptown crowds," and vice versa.

AMBIENCE: "Kill the overheads," says Williamson. Candles are better mood lighting, says Buterbaugh, a self-professed "candle whore." Set out flowers--Buterbaugh's favorites are black calla lilies.

FOOD: "You don't want anything that's going to get stuck between the teeth, like black sesame seeds," Williamson says. "And avoid anything that causes bad breath, like smoked salmon, raw onion, garlic, or pungent cheese." At dinner, she suggests steak, shrimp, or ...