hospitality?

[anotheranon]

I've been thinking....

If I want to have people over more often, I'm going to need to be a better hostess.

I'm not talking "Good Housekeeping" cover spotless and caviar served on matching china, but something at least a step up from my current standard "gee, I have some soda and a bag of stale Oreos somewhere....wanna order takeout?" :P

So I put it to y'all: what's good to have on hand by way of munchies/drinks? When's the clutter ok for just us but out of hand for company? What does one do with the cats (obviously, clean/put in bedroom for allergic guests, but what about the rest of the time)?

Suggestions welcome - I've got I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence in transit but the library doesn't have it yet.

Comments

[flummoxicated.livejournal.com]

I've been stocking at least one decent sized hunk of good cheese, some crackers, and a bottle of Two Buck Chuck and it's gone over quite well.

[dreamtigress.livejournal.com]

Hrm... folks tell me I'm a good hostess, so here goes with some tips...

Beverages I make sure to have on hand for guests :
Brita pitcher in the fridge with ice cold water, Tiger Tea (which is decaf iced tea that I've seemed to addict my friends to.) a few different soda choices in the downstairs fridge, coffee, and a gazillion different hot teas to choose from. It helps that I have a Sleven two blocks from my place, and a grocery store four blocks away.

As for food, I am usually planning specifically for the number and quality of company. A few friends over for TV watching and snuggling equals ordering in or light munchies. Specific invites for dinner usually involve me cooking everyone a meal, and even setting the table with the fancy stuff.

When there's company coming I usually try to run the vacuum, do some minor straightening and cleaning, and do a general swipe of all counters. (I don't always get to these things, and the majority of my close friends don't care.) For a party, I clean for a whole day, moving clutter to unseen hideaways, and getting rid of piles of catalogs and such that I don't need anymore. I also tend to do a purge of the downstairs shared living areas on a monthly basis to just keep the house looking tidy.

My... I got all verbose-n-shit. ::grins:: Hope that helps.

[timcharmorbien.livejournal.com]

"What does one do with the cats (obviously, clean/put in bedroom for allergic guests, but what about the rest of the time)?"

You *clean* the cats for guests? Now that's some fancy hostessing! ;)

never post while tired...

[anotheranon.livejournal.com]

Let me clarify: clean the house so as to eliminate cat hair/dander. Cleaning the cats would likely entertain the guests right up to the point that they left us all in shreds :P

[semmie17.livejournal.com]

I'm a neat freak, so my house is always clean. (It's embarrassingly clean most of the time, with a few moments here and there of reckless abandon when I have to separate my laundry, but thats really just a moment.)

Guests: If it's an invitation sort of thing, usually tea, (as nobody I know drinks alcohol) and I make an effort to get some interesting cookies from the store. If you come over unannounced and plop down at my table, you're going to eat whatever *I* was going to eat for dinner, and that could range from fresh soup to microwaved hotdogs.