I think first you need to decide what level you are starting at. If you are starting at level 1, Death House should be included. If starting at level 3, I would just leave it out. Death House directly ties into the story and mentions Strahd multiple times...

The book gives two options :

The PC's are asked to get the Vistani to vacate the local city.

The PC's are given a message to travel to Barovia.

I elected to start the game off with some wolves, so I ran it mostly as written. I had my PC's start off in WaterDeep (they dont really care about setting so I just chose that city, you can use anywhere) as guests of the local noble.The group I'm running through loves combat so I streamline roleplay into little chunks. I had them start as dinner guests with the noble, celebrating their successful campaign against some wolves terrorrizing the outskirts of the town. After a brief back and forth discussion the noble asked their leader to recount the last battle against the wolves.....cue flashback "Everyone roll initiative".

At the end of battle (the last wolf transforms into hybrid form and says something ominous before escaping), we return to the present and the noble asks one last favor of them, get the pesky Vistani to leave town. The Vistani of course, give them the call to adventure and they accept (alternatively, you can just have the fog show up as they head back to town).

As for the Tarokka card reading, the book has Madam Eva read the fortune to them at Tser Pool.... so have them go to Tser Pool. Now whether or not you let them draw randomly or you predetermine the cards is up to you (I pre-chose the cards, stacked the deck in order, and then had the players each turn a card over for me).