Rules for entertaining

This is a very long blog about entertaining. If you just replace the 'host' with 'innkeeper' I think you might be standing and cheering at some of the 'rules'. (Like the 'don't be early' one and the one on food restrictions.) There are 10 separate rules.
http://www.slate.com/blogs/entertaining/2013/09/03/rules_for_entertaining_slate_s_guide_to_being_a_great_host_and_gracious.html

when I clicked on the link it said the page I was looking for has moved.

The commentary stinks. Gets my dander up.
I don't think I know anyone who entertains (other than some innmates). NADA, ZILCH. I feel like a complete schlep now. When WE entertain as innkeepers people think we are trying to show off. If it has happened to me it has happened to you. "We can just eat in the kitchen" is said, uh no we have a big dining table so we can all sit together. There is NOTHING jonesy about it, we want to use our blinkin' dining table for a change, to actually sit there, vs serve others there every day.
"We'll just order a pizza..." was my favorite catch phrase when we lived in the Pac NorthWET. If you DID entertain, were invited over to something a little more formal, then you had COSTCO everything, down to the dessert. Those "Costco Ladies" who hand out the little samples are the downfall of America...

"Community of Food Restricted Peoples (CFRP)"
I'd love to be a silent observer in the kitchen when the CFRP entertain for each other!

Joey Bloggs said:

The commentary stinks. Gets my dander up.
I don't think I know anyone who entertains (other than some innmates). NADA, ZILCH. I feel like a complete schlep now. When WE entertain as innkeepers people think we are trying to show off. If it has happened to me it has happened to you. "We can just eat in the kitchen" is said, uh no we have a big dining table so we can all sit together. There is NOTHING jonesy about it, we want to use our blinkin' dining table for a change, to actually sit there, vs serve others there every day.
"We'll just order a pizza..." was my favorite catch phrase when we lived in the Pac NorthWET. If you DID entertain, were invited over to something a little more formal, then you had COSTCO everything, down to the dessert. Those "Costco Ladies" who hand out the little samples are the downfall of America...

.

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I don't think I know anyone who entertains
Right after we moved here, I was informed no one goes visiting here. No dinners ar each others houses, no card parties, no visiting. Thre are church picnics, organization picnics in the summer, spaghetti dinner fundraisers during the "season" (aka school year), church dinners, but that is it. dh used to be upset that "no one has ever invited us to dinner". I keep telling him they do not do that here.
We used to have a New Years Eve Party (food put out at 6 PM, kids come home and eat before going partying, and several friends would come over to eat, talk, fall asleep in the chairs, wake up and talk some more.... real exciting type party) and would have a food fest for St Patrick's Day - when we were in Illinois & DH had friends to come over and I had family nearby (cousins & sister).
We now have some old friends who live in PA who come for Easter Dinner, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Arrive around 10, expect to eat at Noon or 1 at teh latest, and are gone by 3. It IS a lost art.
My parents generation (and we did as early marrieds (1st time) = broke) go to each others homes for coffee & conversation, play cards or games (we made homemade ice cream) and sometimes even fixed dinner. That was before (and in an area where it was not common) most women worked, before computers, iPads, iPods, xBox, no cell phones, there were still drive-in movies and drive-in restaurants with carhops.
Maybe that is why I became an innkeeper - I miss entertaining.

Innkeep said:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/entertaining/2013/09/03/rules_for_entertaining_slate_s_guide_to_being_a_great_host_and_gracious.html.

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Thanks. It must have truncated on this side when I clicked 'copy'!

Joey Bloggs said:

The commentary stinks. Gets my dander up.
I don't think I know anyone who entertains (other than some innmates). NADA, ZILCH. I feel like a complete schlep now. When WE entertain as innkeepers people think we are trying to show off. If it has happened to me it has happened to you. "We can just eat in the kitchen" is said, uh no we have a big dining table so we can all sit together. There is NOTHING jonesy about it, we want to use our blinkin' dining table for a change, to actually sit there, vs serve others there every day.
"We'll just order a pizza..." was my favorite catch phrase when we lived in the Pac NorthWET. If you DID entertain, were invited over to something a little more formal, then you had COSTCO everything, down to the dessert. Those "Costco Ladies" who hand out the little samples are the downfall of America...

.

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Nor do I. But, I really would like to give credit to the 20-something's who are bringing it back.
Ever watch those home shows where everyone needs big space for entertaining? Ever notice what they really say is, 'Thanksgiving dinner'? All that entertaining space will go unused for 364 days.
My Nana threw a lot of parties. Ceilidhs really. Lots of music and food and drinks.
We only had parties for events.
I used to do the party thing but then I gave up when everyone had little kids and no one wanted to get together.

Joey Bloggs said:

The commentary stinks. Gets my dander up.
I don't think I know anyone who entertains (other than some innmates). NADA, ZILCH. I feel like a complete schlep now. When WE entertain as innkeepers people think we are trying to show off. If it has happened to me it has happened to you. "We can just eat in the kitchen" is said, uh no we have a big dining table so we can all sit together. There is NOTHING jonesy about it, we want to use our blinkin' dining table for a change, to actually sit there, vs serve others there every day.
"We'll just order a pizza..." was my favorite catch phrase when we lived in the Pac NorthWET. If you DID entertain, were invited over to something a little more formal, then you had COSTCO everything, down to the dessert. Those "Costco Ladies" who hand out the little samples are the downfall of America...

.

Click to expand...

Joey Bloggs said:

The commentary stinks. Gets my dander up.
I don't think I know anyone who entertains (other than some innmates). NADA, ZILCH. I feel like a complete schlep now. When WE entertain as innkeepers people think we are trying to show off. If it has happened to me it has happened to you. "We can just eat in the kitchen" is said, uh no we have a big dining table so we can all sit together. There is NOTHING jonesy about it, we want to use our blinkin' dining table for a change, to actually sit there, vs serve others there every day.
"We'll just order a pizza..." was my favorite catch phrase when we lived in the Pac NorthWET. If you DID entertain, were invited over to something a little more formal, then you had COSTCO everything, down to the dessert. Those "Costco Ladies" who hand out the little samples are the downfall of America...

Click to expand...

Ha ha, my experience as well. Funny. All it takes sometimes to have a great time with friends is a Kaffee Klatsch. If you don't know what that is, it is an afternoon with friends, with several freshly baked goodies like cakes and tortes (yes, we bake every Saturday for company in Germany because you never know who might knock on the door wanting to spend the afternoon) coffee and tea are served in beautiful china and cordials go along with that in gorgeous crystal glasses.
Several times I have invited couples to "Coffee" in the afternoon and just got blank stares. But they came, they thought it was a colossal waste of energy for me to do all that baking and who's going to wash the dishes? Couldn't I have used chinet? LOL, ughhh

The link was broken when I clicked it, but used search on the Slate site, and found rules for entertaining. Had to agree with the "don't show up early and 'help'". I too, plan ahead and time carefully . Drives DH nuts. he says people don't mind waiting for a course. perhaps not if they're friends, but if they're paying guests, they do have restaurant expectations, and presentation and timing are keys to a good experience. you will be rated on the food, but those other expectations have to be met, even though the guests may not even have those expectations in the front of their brains.

My parents were the best hosts and I hardly remember a night when someone extra was not at our dinner table. The food was simple but tasty. The guests came for the camaraderie and good conversation. Very few of our friends entertain at home so we make a point of hosting dinner parties here on a regular basis. We do it because we love to entertain and cook but it would be great to be invited to someone else's house once in a while.

We used to give dinner parties and holiday parties all the time. We haven't in years.
This past Saturday, after months of packing and moving and organizing and unpacking....we had another couple over for grilled steaks and corn. Simple stuff. It was delightful and I will make it a point to do it lots of times over the winter.
We had a full house of guests, but enjoyed our grill and personal guests in our own area. We loved it. (Also prooved to ourselves that those who promised us we would never have privacy or a personal life again, were somewhat incorrect.)

Country Girl said:

My parents were the best hosts and I hardly remember a night when someone extra was not at our dinner table. The food was simple but tasty. The guests came for the camaraderie and good conversation. Very few of our friends entertain at home so we make a point of hosting dinner parties here on a regular basis. We do it because we love to entertain and cook but it would be great to be invited to someone else's house once in a while..

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CHEERS to you COUNTRY GIRL!

TheBeachHouse said:

We used to give dinner parties and holiday parties all the time. We haven't in years.
This past Saturday, after months of packing and moving and organizing and unpacking....we had another couple over for grilled steaks and corn. Simple stuff. It was delightful and I will make it a point to do it lots of times over the winter.
We had a full house of guests, but enjoyed our grill and personal guests in our own area. We loved it. (Also prooved to ourselves that those who promised us we would never have privacy or a personal life again, were somewhat incorrect.).

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Good for you...keep that promise...you will have some stories to share one day I am sure. My promise to myself was that after a full house on weekends,and after doing all the cleaning I was pooped! Monday was ALWAYS our day off. And we stuck to it for 6 years.

EmptyNest said:

TheBeachHouse said:

We used to give dinner parties and holiday parties all the time. We haven't in years.
This past Saturday, after months of packing and moving and organizing and unpacking....we had another couple over for grilled steaks and corn. Simple stuff. It was delightful and I will make it a point to do it lots of times over the winter.
We had a full house of guests, but enjoyed our grill and personal guests in our own area. We loved it. (Also prooved to ourselves that those who promised us we would never have privacy or a personal life again, were somewhat incorrect.).

Click to expand...

Good for you...keep that promise...you will have some stories to share one day I am sure. My promise to myself was that after a full house on weekends,and after doing all the cleaning I was pooped! Monday was ALWAYS our day off. And we stuck to it for 6 years.
.

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EmptyNest said:

Good for you...keep that promise...you will have some stories to share one day I am sure. My promise to myself was that after a full house on weekends,and after doing all the cleaning I was pooped! Monday was ALWAYS our day off. And we stuck to it for 6 years.

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and here we are with guests EVERY SUNDAY and breakfasts on Monday. Maybe I am one of the few who has Sundays booked so often!
I know because they always try to check-in right at the end of 400 laps! haha
Had awesome guests today, if those of you in the Indiana/Missouri/Illinois region had burning ears, we were talking about you. I love midwesterners, I really do. They are always tough shelled but genuine articles. GOT KERN?

I used to entertain in my old life. We would get together and play chamber music, have dinner & play some more. It was wonderful. Now, our friends are all very far away and in the area we live, entertaining just doesn't happen. It's more the church social, the grange, or potlucks.

Madeleine said:

Joey Bloggs said:

The commentary stinks. Gets my dander up.
I don't think I know anyone who entertains (other than some innmates). NADA, ZILCH. I feel like a complete schlep now. When WE entertain as innkeepers people think we are trying to show off. If it has happened to me it has happened to you. "We can just eat in the kitchen" is said, uh no we have a big dining table so we can all sit together. There is NOTHING jonesy about it, we want to use our blinkin' dining table for a change, to actually sit there, vs serve others there every day.
"We'll just order a pizza..." was my favorite catch phrase when we lived in the Pac NorthWET. If you DID entertain, were invited over to something a little more formal, then you had COSTCO everything, down to the dessert. Those "Costco Ladies" who hand out the little samples are the downfall of America...

.

Click to expand...

Nor do I. But, I really would like to give credit to the 20-something's who are bringing it back.
Ever watch those home shows where everyone needs big space for entertaining? Ever notice what they really say is, 'Thanksgiving dinner'? All that entertaining space will go unused for 364 days.
My Nana threw a lot of parties. Ceilidhs really. Lots of music and food and drinks.
We only had parties for events.
I used to do the party thing but then I gave up when everyone had little kids and no one wanted to get together.
.

Click to expand...

Ha! I hadn't seen that word written out in years.
Ceilidhs -- if you have trouble pronouncing it, just "sound it out"

Beachcomber said:

Madeleine said:

Joey Bloggs said:

The commentary stinks. Gets my dander up.
I don't think I know anyone who entertains (other than some innmates). NADA, ZILCH. I feel like a complete schlep now. When WE entertain as innkeepers people think we are trying to show off. If it has happened to me it has happened to you. "We can just eat in the kitchen" is said, uh no we have a big dining table so we can all sit together. There is NOTHING jonesy about it, we want to use our blinkin' dining table for a change, to actually sit there, vs serve others there every day.
"We'll just order a pizza..." was my favorite catch phrase when we lived in the Pac NorthWET. If you DID entertain, were invited over to something a little more formal, then you had COSTCO everything, down to the dessert. Those "Costco Ladies" who hand out the little samples are the downfall of America...

.

Click to expand...

Nor do I. But, I really would like to give credit to the 20-something's who are bringing it back.
Ever watch those home shows where everyone needs big space for entertaining? Ever notice what they really say is, 'Thanksgiving dinner'? All that entertaining space will go unused for 364 days.
My Nana threw a lot of parties. Ceilidhs really. Lots of music and food and drinks.
We only had parties for events.
I used to do the party thing but then I gave up when everyone had little kids and no one wanted to get together.
.

Click to expand...

Ha! I hadn't seen that word written out in years.
Ceilidhs -- if you have trouble pronouncing it, just "sound it out"

.

Click to expand...

Beachcomber said:

Ha! I hadn't seen that word written out in years.
Ceilidhs -- if you have trouble pronouncing it, just "sound it out"

Click to expand...

We spent a week in Prince Edward Island this summer and there were Ceilidhs every night all over the island.