http://www.recfoodcooking.com

Thanks go to gloria p for 'inspiring' this survey. Something she
mentioned in another thread gave me the idea...

BTW, she had absolutely nothing to do with writing it up, so you can't
blame her for any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, stupid
questions etc. That you can take up with me; but please remember you
won't be getting any extra TFH's for doing so. <veg>

Oh, and for anybody who wants to know:
MCINL = My Choice Is Not Listed
TFH = Tin Foil Hat
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

On Apr 9, 6:14*am, ChattyCathy > wrote:

> TFH = Tin Foil Hat

I got my first! Wooooot!

--Lin

Lin wrote:

> On Apr 9, 6:14Â*am, ChattyCathy > wrote:
>
>> TFH = Tin Foil Hat
>
> I got my first! Wooooot!
>
> --Lin

Obviously the Early Bird gets the TFH.

Decided which one you want yet? ;-)
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy
"Sorry Dear, dinner is late, had to reboot the stove." -mrr

ChattyCathy wrote on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:14:52 +0200:

> Thanks go to gloria p for 'inspiring' this survey. Something
> she mentioned in another thread gave me the idea...

> BTW, she had absolutely nothing to do with writing it up, so
> you can't blame her for any spelling mistakes, grammatical
> errors, stupid questions etc. That you can take up with me;
> but please remember you won't be getting any extra TFH's for
> doing so. <veg>

> Oh, and for anybody who wants to know:
> MCINL = My Choice Is Not Listed
> TFH = Tin Foil Hat

A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
flowers is traditional and I go along with that.
--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton wrote:

>
> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
> minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
> I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
> invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
> necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
> they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
> flowers is traditional and I go along with that.


Maybe it is a family trait. My parents were always on time, and my
brothers and I tend to be on time. OTOH, my father in law was always
prompt, but I think my wife and her siblings rebelled and tend to run late.

If I am booking a meal for people I invite them to come in time to have
a drink or two before dinner. I don't mind if they come a little late,
but I don't want a roast ruined because someone arrives too late.


There are two people who I refuse to invite anymore. One is a friend of
my wife. She lives about a mile and a half from us. One time we called
and extended a last minute invitation for dinner. It was 4 pm and we
invited her for drinks at 5, dinner at 6. At 6:30 she still wasn't
here. instead of heading over here, she headed to a crafts show in a
town 15 miles way..... that closed at 5. Another time, she was hanging
around here and we were doing a roast and invited her to stay for
supper. She had to go home and feed her cat. This is the same cat that
she would leave home alone for days at a time. She didn't come back for
hours. She could have driven home, fed the cat and been back in 10 minutes.

The worst was my late BiL's girlfriend. We had invited her for
Thanksgiving dinnner along with my parents and my wife's aunt and uncle.
Usual deal, drinks at 5 dinner at 6. My mother and my wife's uncle
were both diabetic and needed to eat at regular hours. We held things up
when she didn't show by 6. Everything was pretty well ready but I held
things for a bit. As 6:30 We started dishing up and I started carving
the roast. She phoned and said that she wasn't feeling well and could
someone please come and pick her up.


Sorry, but it was more than a half hour drive to her place, and there
is no way I was going to leave my guests for over an hour to go and pick
her up. If she wanted that, she should have called a few hours earlier.
I politely told her that we would have to have her over another time,
but there is no way I am inviting her again.

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:50:27 +0000, James Silverton wrote:

> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
> minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
> I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
> invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
> necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
> they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
> flowers is traditional and I go along with that.

I like to get to dinner parties I'm invited to on time, I feel it's just
good mannered to do so.

Not that it happens much around here - haven't been to one in years. We
usually get invited to much more casual affairs. But if I got 'all dressed
up' and arrived at the appointed time - only to discover my hosts were
still in the shower and was rudely told that "Oh, yeah. You guys are
always on time." like *I* was at fault, I would not be impressed.

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

ChattyCathy wrote on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:09:54 +0200:

>> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to
>> arrive a few minutes after the stated times and also expect
>> guests to do the same. I've practically never brought small
>> gifts or flowers even on a first invitation but I almost
>> always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't necessarily
>> expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there
>> tho' they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe
>> where bringing flowers is traditional and I go along with
>> that.

> I like to get to dinner parties I'm invited to on time, I feel
> it's just good mannered to do so.

> Not that it happens much around here - haven't been to one in
> years. We usually get invited to much more casual affairs. But
> if I got 'all dressed up' and arrived at the appointed time -
> only to discover my hosts were still in the shower and was
> rudely told that "Oh, yeah. You guys are always on time." like
> *I* was at fault, I would not be impressed.

It's something that is not just personal liking but local custom. There
are places where the hosts would be embarrassed if you arrived right on
time and others where punctuality is hoped for.

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton wrote:

> It's something that is not just personal liking but local custom. There
> are places where the hosts would be embarrassed if you arrived right on
> time and others where punctuality is hoped for.



Then there are the cases of people being known to be prompt and those
who are known to be tardy. I used to be able to set my watch by my
father's timing. If I invited them for 5 pm Dad would pull in the
driveway at 5 pm. OTOH, there are people like my late (in more ways than
one) brother in law. When my MiL wanted to served dinner at 6 she would
tell him dinner was 5. He would still be late, and dinner would have to
be held.

I had a friend who extremely anal about time, and didn't like his
stepson and family being late. He would tell them what time dinner was
and then serve it at that time if they were there or not. If they came
late, they didn't get fed.

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 11:18:53 -0400, Dave Smith wrote:

> James Silverton wrote:
>
>> It's something that is not just personal liking but local custom. There
>> are places where the hosts would be embarrassed if you arrived right on
>> time and others where punctuality is hoped for.
>
> Then there are the cases of people being known to be prompt and those
> who are known to be tardy. I used to be able to set my watch by my
> father's timing. If I invited them for 5 pm Dad would pull in the
> driveway at 5 pm. OTOH, there are people like my late (in more ways than
> one) brother in law. When my MiL wanted to served dinner at 6 she would
> tell him dinner was 5. He would still be late, and dinner would have to
> be held.
>
> I had a friend who extremely anal about time, and didn't like his
> stepson and family being late. He would tell them what time dinner was
> and then serve it at that time if they were there or not. If they came
> late, they didn't get fed.

that seems sensible to me, assuming the invitation time was a little
earlier (for drinks, to allow for traffic, etc.). let the devil take the
hindmost.

your pal,
blake

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:13:01 +0000, James Silverton wrote:

> It's something that is not just personal liking but local custom. There
> are places where the hosts would be embarrassed if you arrived right on
> time and others where punctuality is hoped for.

Of course you are quite correct, and I do understand that there are
certain countries/regions where it is 'fashionable to be late' - but where
I live is not one of them. But how late does one have to be to remain
'fashionable' and yet not overdo it and offend the hosts anyway? Is there
some sort of limit? ;-)


--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

"ChattyCathy" wrote
> James Silverton wrote:

>> It's something that is not just personal liking but local custom. There
>> are places where the hosts would be embarrassed if you arrived right on
>> time and others where punctuality is hoped for.
>
> Of course you are quite correct, and I do understand that there are
> certain countries/regions where it is 'fashionable to be late' - but where
> I live is not one of them. But how late does one have to be to remain
> 'fashionable' and yet not overdo it and offend the hosts anyway? Is there
> some sort of limit? ;-)

Depends on the affair. If it's a big fancy dinner party at a local
restraunt, be on time or a slight bit early. Call if going to be more than
15 mins late.

If it's a backyard BBQ at my house, folks call if going to be more than 30
mins late but the big ones last 4-6 hours so it's not a big issue unless the
person was bringing something critical (like all the sodas etc).

With our little neighborhood stuff, if we say 'dinner at 5' we mean we plan
to serve at just about then. Folks start showing up 45-30 mins before 5 and
expect me to be in the kitchen. They just gather about the table and chat
and have hot tea or coffee til it's time to eat. If someone calls running
late, depending on the meal type and if it can wait, we will or we just
rewarm theirs when they get there if needed (grin).

"James Silverton" > wrote in message
...
> ChattyCathy wrote on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:09:54 +0200:
>
>>> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to
>>> arrive a few minutes after the stated times and also expect
>>> guests to do the same. I've practically never brought small
>>> gifts or flowers even on a first invitation but I almost
>>> always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't necessarily
>>> expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there
>>> tho' they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe
>>> where bringing flowers is traditional and I go along with
>>> that.
>
>> I like to get to dinner parties I'm invited to on time, I feel
>> it's just good mannered to do so.
>
>> Not that it happens much around here - haven't been to one in
>> years. We usually get invited to much more casual affairs. But
>> if I got 'all dressed up' and arrived at the appointed time -
>> only to discover my hosts were still in the shower and was
>> rudely told that "Oh, yeah. You guys are always on time." like
>> *I* was at fault, I would not be impressed.
>
> It's something that is not just personal liking but local custom. There
> are places where the hosts would be embarrassed if you arrived right on
> time and others where punctuality is hoped for.
>
There are also places where it's rude to refuse an invititation. A
colleague was in Thailand (I think - anyway in that area) and a senior govt
official invited him to a party at his house. He also heard the official
ask a lot of colleagues who all accepted. On the night, very few turned up
but the official had expected that and planned accordingly.

"ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
...
> On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:50:27 +0000, James Silverton wrote:
>
>> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
>> minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
>> I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
>> invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
>> necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
>> they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
>> flowers is traditional and I go along with that.
>
> I like to get to dinner parties I'm invited to on time, I feel it's just
> good mannered to do so.
>
> Not that it happens much around here - haven't been to one in years. We
> usually get invited to much more casual affairs. But if I got 'all dressed
> up' and arrived at the appointed time - only to discover my hosts were
> still in the shower and was rudely told that "Oh, yeah. You guys are
> always on time." like *I* was at fault, I would not be impressed.


They were both in the shower, so who let you in, the dog? Depending, I
might pour a couple 2nis and join her.

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:35:35 +0000, brooklyn1 wrote:

>
> They were both in the shower, so who let you in, the dog?

Of course. Lassie still has living descendants, ya know.

> Depending, I
> might pour a couple 2nis and join her.

<laugh> Why am I not surprised?

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:35:35 GMT, brooklyn1 wrote:

> "ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
> ...
>> On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:50:27 +0000, James Silverton wrote:
>>
>>> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
>>> minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
>>> I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
>>> invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
>>> necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
>>> they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
>>> flowers is traditional and I go along with that.
>>
>> I like to get to dinner parties I'm invited to on time, I feel it's just
>> good mannered to do so.
>>
>> Not that it happens much around here - haven't been to one in years. We
>> usually get invited to much more casual affairs. But if I got 'all dressed
>> up' and arrived at the appointed time - only to discover my hosts were
>> still in the shower and was rudely told that "Oh, yeah. You guys are
>> always on time." like *I* was at fault, I would not be impressed.
>
> They were both in the shower, so who let you in, the dog? Depending, I
> might pour a couple 2nis and join her.

why not? it would be the first live, naked female you've seen in quite a
while. except for strip clubs, of course.

blake

In article >,
ChattyCathy > wrote:

> On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 13:50:27 +0000, James Silverton wrote:
>
> > A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
> > minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
> > I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
> > invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
> > necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
> > they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
> > flowers is traditional and I go along with that.
>
> I like to get to dinner parties I'm invited to on time, I feel it's just
> good mannered to do so.
>
> Not that it happens much around here - haven't been to one in years. We
> usually get invited to much more casual affairs. But if I got 'all dressed
> up' and arrived at the appointed time - only to discover my hosts were
> still in the shower and was rudely told that "Oh, yeah. You guys are
> always on time." like *I* was at fault, I would not be impressed.

Last time I had dinner guests, I asked them to come early while I was
still preparing dinner so we could just socialize. I'd not seen them in
a little over a year, plus they were bringing those greens to prep and
steam.

It worked out quite well and we all had a good time. :-)

And the food was served hot off the stove.

If I ever have multiple guests, I may consider doing that type of thing
again, but make sure I had some appetizers ready for noshing as well.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

In article >,
"James Silverton" > wrote:

> ChattyCathy wrote on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:14:52 +0200:
>
> > Thanks go to gloria p for 'inspiring' this survey. Something
> > she mentioned in another thread gave me the idea...
>
> > BTW, she had absolutely nothing to do with writing it up, so
> > you can't blame her for any spelling mistakes, grammatical
> > errors, stupid questions etc. That you can take up with me;
> > but please remember you won't be getting any extra TFH's for
> > doing so. <veg>
>
> > Oh, and for anybody who wants to know:
> > MCINL = My Choice Is Not Listed
> > TFH = Tin Foil Hat
>
> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
> minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
> I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
> invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
> necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
> they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
> flowers is traditional and I go along with that.

Last time I went to a dinner party, I was the ONLY one to bring a "host
gift". I brought a nice bottle of wine wrapped in a bandana. (The party
was hosted by our Animal Husbandry Professor back when I was in college,
it was an end of semester party) and he wore the bandanna around his
neck the rest of the night and thanked me. ;-)

I was amused and gratified.

Of course, this was the same party where I was introduced to calf
fries... <g>

My parents taught me to always bring a "host gift".

YMMV as always.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

James Silverton wrote:
>

>
> A punctilious bunch, I see. My personal preference is to arrive a few
> minutes after the stated times and also expect guests to do the same.
> I've practically never brought small gifts or flowers even on a first
> invitation but I almost always bring a bottle of decent wine. I don't
> necessarily expect the hosts to open and serve it then and there tho'
> they usually do so. However, there are places in Europe where bringing
> flowers is traditional and I go along with that.
> --
>
> James Silverton


My usual group of suspects/invites in London perpetually arrived
'fashionably' late, which drove me bonkers initially. However, a simple
change in telling them when to arrive fixed that. Usually wanted to sit
down to dinner around 8 PM, so told them to arrive by 7:30. Worked a
treat...they'd show up a little before 8 and dinner was on time

Mostly we bring a bottle of decent wine as well, but also chocolates or
flowers depending on to whose house we were going. If asked to bring
food (often asked to bring fresh-baked bread), did that instead.

"ChattyCathy" > wrote in message
...
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com
>
> Thanks go to gloria p for 'inspiring' this survey. Something she
> mentioned in another thread gave me the idea...
>
> BTW, she had absolutely nothing to do with writing it up, so you can't
> blame her for any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, stupid
> questions etc. That you can take up with me; but please remember you
> won't be getting any extra TFH's for doing so. <veg>
>
> Oh, and for anybody who wants to know:
> MCINL = My Choice Is Not Listed
> TFH = Tin Foil Hat
> --
> Cheers
> Chatty Cathy

Q You arrive right on time, only to find that your host(s) is/are in the
shower or not even that far along yet Do you feel?


A. I would feel they are operating on Mexico City timing. Minimum
"fashionably late" so as to make an entrance.

:-)

Dimitri

ChattyCathy wrote:
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com
>
> Thanks go to gloria p for 'inspiring' this survey. Something she
> mentioned in another thread gave me the idea...

Maybe I'm wrong, but to me, dinner party means be punctual.
Some people really mean it, dinner is at 8. Whatever. You
walk in, dinner is ready. Who knows, maybe even the food
will be ready early an they are anxious to get it on the table.
Whatever, I would be on time for a dinner party, not that they
are big with my friends.

A party, that's a different matter. I would arrive around the
time given, not kill myself trying to be on time to the minute.
Not an hour late, though, either.

nancy

"Nancy Young" > wrote in message
...
> ChattyCathy wrote:
>> http://www.recfoodcooking.com
>>
>> Thanks go to gloria p for 'inspiring' this survey. Something she
>> mentioned in another thread gave me the idea...
>
> Maybe I'm wrong, but to me, dinner party means be punctual.
> Some people really mean it, dinner is at 8. Whatever. You walk in,
> dinner is ready. Who knows, maybe even the food
> will be ready early an they are anxious to get it on the table.
> Whatever, I would be on time for a dinner party, not that they
> are big with my friends.
> A party, that's a different matter. I would arrive around the
> time given, not kill myself trying to be on time to the minute.
> Not an hour late, though, either.
>
>
I've not ever been invited to a dinner party that I wasn't informed there
would be an hour or so for mingling and cocktails before being seated for
dinner. I know I would never give invitations specifing arrive at 7 PM to
fress.

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:43:07 +0000, brooklyn1 wrote:

>
> I've not ever been invited to a dinner party that I wasn't informed there
> would be an hour or so for mingling and cocktails before being seated for
> dinner. I know I would never give invitations specifing arrive at 7 PM to
> fress.

'fress'. Had to google that. I'd guess that Dave's Big Niece
wouldn't have to look it up, though... hehe

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

ChattyCathy wrote on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:59:42 +0200:

>> I've not ever been invited to a dinner party that I wasn't
>> informed there would be an hour or so for mingling and
>> cocktails before being seated for dinner. I know I would
>> never give invitations specifing arrive at 7 PM to fress.

> 'fress'. Had to google that. I'd guess that Dave's Big Niece
> wouldn't have to look it up, though... hehe

Have you ever seen the invitations that say something like "7:30 for 8"
to indicate the mingling and that you won't eat before 8?

Incidentally, could some German speaker tell me what the difference is
between "essen" and "fressen"? I believe fressen in intransitive and
essen transitive but why bother with the two words?

--

James Silverton
Potomac, Maryland

Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

James Silverton wrote:

> ChattyCathy wrote on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:59:42 +0200:
>
>>> I've not ever been invited to a dinner party that I wasn't
>>> informed there would be an hour or so for mingling and
>>> cocktails before being seated for dinner. I know I would
>>> never give invitations specifing arrive at 7 PM to fress.
>
>> 'fress'. Had to google that. I'd guess that Dave's Big Niece
>> wouldn't have to look it up, though... hehe
>
> Have you ever seen the invitations that say something like "7:30 for
> 8" to indicate the mingling and that you won't eat before 8?

As a matter of fact, I have. Much more sensible than saying "8pm", IMO.
--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

On Apr 9, 12:08*pm, "James Silverton" >
wrote:
> *ChattyCathy *wrote *on Thu, 09 Apr 2009 17:59:42 +0200:
>
> >> I've not ever been invited to a dinner party that I wasn't
> >> informed there would be an hour or so for mingling and
> >> cocktails before being seated for dinner. *I know I would
> >> never give invitations specifing arrive at 7 PM to fress.
> > 'fress'. Had to google that. I'd guess that Dave's Big Niece
> > wouldn't have to look it up, though... hehe
>
> Have you ever seen the invitations that say something like "7:30 for 8"
> to indicate the mingling and that you won't eat before 8?
>
> Incidentally, could some German speaker tell me what the difference is
> between "essen" and "fressen"? I believe fressen in intransitive and
> essen transitive but why bother with the two words?
>
> --
>
> James Silverton
> Potomac, Maryland
>
> Email, with obvious alterations: not.jim.silverton.at.verizon.not

People 'essen', animals 'fressen'. There is also another verb 'to
feed animals' but it doesn't surface in this old brain right now.

I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
prep.

On Thu, 09 Apr 2009 10:26:37 -0500, Pete C. wrote:


> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
> prep.

Ah. Very nice of you to do that... but the older I get, the more I prefer
to do my own thing in my kitchen. I don't mind early arrivals chatting to
me while I'm in my kitchen, but they must please stay out of my way when
it comes to the actual prep/cooking. Only person I can share the cooking
with these days is DH. We know where everything is without having to ask,
we don't get in each other's way - and he is better at doing some things
as I am at others - so it works out just fine.

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

"Pete C." > ha scritto nel messaggio
ster.com...
>
> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
> prep.

Gee thanks, Pete. At my house that will be shaving my legs and applying
mascara and I am bad at both.

On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 17:54:15 +0200, Giusi wrote:

> "Pete C." > ha scritto nel messaggio
> ster.com...
>>
>> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
>> prep.
>
> Gee thanks, Pete. At my house that will be shaving my legs and applying
> mascara and I am bad at both.

just hope he doesn't get confused and apply mascara to your legs and shave
your eyelashes.

your pal,
blake

blake murphy wrote:

> On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 17:54:15 +0200, Giusi wrote:
>
> > "Pete C." > ha scritto nel messaggio
> > ster.com...
> >>
> >> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
> >> prep.
> >
> > Gee thanks, Pete. At my house that will be shaving my legs and applying
> > mascara and I am bad at both.
>
> just hope he doesn't get confused and apply mascara to your legs and shave
> your eyelashes.


Gals in Italy shave their legs, blake...???



--
Best
Greg

"The trouble with socialism is that you eventually run out of other
people's money."~~~~Margaret Thatcher

On Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:11:10 -0500, "Gregory Morrow"
> wrote:

>
>
>blake murphy wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 17:54:15 +0200, Giusi wrote:
>>
>> > "Pete C." > ha scritto nel messaggio
>> > ster.com...
>> >>
>> >> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
>> >> prep.
>> >
>> > Gee thanks, Pete. At my house that will be shaving my legs and applying
>> > mascara and I am bad at both.
>>
>> just hope he doesn't get confused and apply mascara to your legs and shave
>> your eyelashes.
>
>
>Gals in Italy shave their legs, blake...???

She's an American. So sue her.

--
I love cooking with wine.
Sometimes I even put it in the food.

On Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:11:10 -0500, Gregory Morrow wrote:

> blake murphy wrote:
>
>> On Thu, 9 Apr 2009 17:54:15 +0200, Giusi wrote:
>>
>>> "Pete C." > ha scritto nel messaggio
>>> ster.com...
>>>>
>>>> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
>>>> prep.
>>>
>>> Gee thanks, Pete. At my house that will be shaving my legs and applying
>>> mascara and I am bad at both.
>>
>> just hope he doesn't get confused and apply mascara to your legs and shave
>> your eyelashes.
>
> Gals in Italy shave their legs, blake...???

what did she just say?

blake

Pete C. wrote:
> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
> prep.

You are lucky to have friends who would appreciate that. I'd hate you.
When I'm hell-bent on doing up a big meal, I don't want any living thing
in my kitchen except me. (and maybe the puppy because his food and water
are there)

--
Janet Wilder
way-the-heck-south Texas
spelling doesn't count
but cooking does

In article .com>,
"Pete C." > wrote:

> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
> prep.

Good for you! :-) You sound like the perfect house guest.

I personally like to help clean up afterwards as well. Makes me feel
useful.
--
Peace! Om

Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.
It's about learning to dance in the rain.
-- Anon.

Omelet wrote:

> Good for you! :-) You sound like the perfect house guest.
>
> I personally like to help clean up afterwards as well. Makes me feel
> useful.

I'm a bit of an opposite to you ... I hate having people try to help me
or clean in my kitchen. I feel like I spend more time answering
questions on where such and such is or how do I like to do something.
Heck, I seldom ask Bob for help when I'm cooking. (Me following him
about while he's cooking and me cleaning up after him is a different story).

A guest is a guest and I feel they are there to relax and enjoy the
evening. The main living area (not to be confused with the formal living
room) is an open floor plan with a large kitchen separated from the
living with a long raised, tiled counter/bar. On the kitchen side of
that bar is my sink and more counter space. I can watch T.V., keep an
eye on the fireplace, visit with friends and family, etc. They can relax
nearby on the couch or sit at the bar and chat with me as I cook.

Because I do like to visit and not spend the whole night in the kitchen,
I tend to do one-pot meals or simple roasts. For instance, we have
friends coming in from SoCal tonight and I have the biggest pot roast
with veggies slow-cooking in the oven right now. Because their arrival
could be off by an hour or so with weather and traffic, something like
this keeps just fine till everyone is ready to eat -- and I'm not flying
around the kitchen making sure everything is hot and cooked properly.

Now, I will offer to help cook or clean when at someone else's place,
but if they say no thank-you I don't push the point.

--Lin

Lin wrote:
> Because I do like to visit and not spend the whole night in the
> kitchen, I tend to do one-pot meals or simple roasts. For instance, we
> have friends coming in from SoCal tonight and I have the biggest pot
> roast with veggies slow-cooking in the oven right now. Because their
> arrival could be off by an hour or so with weather and traffic,
> something like this keeps just fine till everyone is ready to eat --
> and I'm not flying around the kitchen making sure everything is hot
> and cooked properly.
>
> Now, I will offer to help cook or clean when at someone else's place,
> but if they say no thank-you I don't push the point.
>
> --Lin


The party is not any fun if you have to spend the night in the kitchen.
We are having a dinner party in June and we are having BBQ, potato
salad, cole slaw and beans. The BBQ is being delivered, the potato
salad and the cole slaw will be chilled in the fridge and the beans will
be kept hot until dinner is served, probably in a crock pot. I have not
decided on appetizers, but we will probably have brownies for dessert.
It is a hippie party. :-P


I am making placemats, from copies of posters from the 60's, then we are
laminating them. I have not had much time to dwell on it, because so
much has been going on.


Becca

Becca wrote:

> The party is not any fun if you have to spend the night in the kitchen.
> We are having a dinner party in June and we are having BBQ, potato
> salad, cole slaw and beans. The BBQ is being delivered, the potato
> salad and the cole slaw will be chilled in the fridge and the beans will
> be kept hot until dinner is served, probably in a crock pot. I have not
> decided on appetizers, but we will probably have brownies for dessert.
> It is a hippie party. :-P

I totally agree about spending too much time in the kitchen, thus my
doing something in the oven early on. Last night went without a hitch
and we were sipping wine and getting our relax on in no time at all.

I do love a good outdoor party! It's just now getting nice enough that
we can spend more time outside in the evening. Grilling -- be it
charcoal or gas -- is my forté. If someone offers to bring a dish I
don't turn them down. Then there's Bob, and you know he will have lots
of things ready.

> I am making placemats, from copies of posters from the 60's, then we are
> laminating them. I have not had much time to dwell on it, because so
> much has been going on.

What a great idea! A party I would love to attend. Take pictures, please.

--Lin

"Hey there, groovy chicks. You're all hep in far out ways. " -- Greg
Brady, The Brady Bunch Movie

Omelet wrote:
> In article .com>,
> "Pete C." > wrote:
>
>> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
>> prep.
>
> Good for you! :-) You sound like the perfect house guest.

I would not be amused if I invited someone to a dinner party and they
showed up an hour early, unless they'd cleared it with me first.

>
> I personally like to help clean up afterwards as well. Makes me feel
> useful.

Same here, though I'm careful not to press my help on the host if they
don't want my help.

Serene
--
42 Magazine, celebrating life with meaning. Inaugural issue is here!
http://42magazine.com

"But here's a handy hint: if your fabulous theory for ending war and
all other human conflict will not survive an online argument with
humourless feminists who are not afraid to throw rape around as an
example, your theory needs work." -- Aqua, alt.polyamory

"Serene Vannoy" > wrote in message
...
> Omelet wrote:
>> In article .com>,
>> "Pete C." > wrote:
>>
>>> I typically arrive an hour or so early and help with the last minute
>>> prep.
>>
>> Good for you! :-) You sound like the perfect house guest.
>
> I would not be amused if I invited someone to a dinner party and they
> showed up an hour early, unless they'd cleared it with me first.
>
>>
>> I personally like to help clean up afterwards as well. Makes me feel
>> useful.
>
> Same here, though I'm careful not to press my help on the host if they
> don't want my help.
>
>
True... typically hosts want guests to vamoose afterwards, they don't want
hangers on because often they want to relax, get out of their hosting
attire, maybe go to bed themselves, and do the clean up the next day at
their leisure. I don't want anyone cleaning my pots and pans, I'll only
have to redo it anyway. Let's make it plain so everyone can comprehend, you
want it okay that you futz around in my kitchen for an hour, then it's gotta
be okay with you that while you're stirring my pots that it's okay that your
wife spends the next hour being stirred in my bedroom by me... fair is fair.

I don't permit anyone in my kitchen before, during, or after... they'll only
be in my way... I don't want anyone peeking into my pots or oven and I
especially don't want anyone into my fridge... my kitchen is absolutely off
limits, no one goes poking into my cupboards... need something, ask! Anyone
needs extra kitchen work they can invite me to dinner at their home. I have
plenty of entertainment space in my house, a huge living room, a big den, a
dining room, a guest terlit, a deck, a patio, and acres of grounds... there
is no reason for guests to be wandering throughout the off limits portions
of my home unless they're up to no good. Every room has a door, when the
door is closed that means KEEP OUT!

Folks who want to help in the kitchen are just nosey and pushy, they tend to
make themselves too much at home... before you know it they'll be opening
doors and wandering into every room, opening closets and dresser drawers
like they live there... these types are not guests, they don't know how to
be guests, they don't want to be guests, they somehow feel being just a
guest like everyone else is demeaning, they want to feel special, they want
to be a member of your family, they gotta be very lonely, unfulfilled, and
have suffered some horrendous emotional event... these overly familiar types
have a severe mental disorder and I never reinvite them. Actually these
types have a control issue, you let them an inch into your kitchen and
within minutes they're all the way in taking over and you're out.

On Apr 9, 9:14*am, ChattyCathy > wrote:
> http://www.recfoodcooking.com
>
> Thanks go to gloria p for 'inspiring' this survey. Something she
> mentioned in another thread gave me the idea...
>
> BTW, she had absolutely nothing to do with writing it up, so you can't
> blame her for any spelling mistakes, grammatical errors, stupid
> questions etc. That you can take up with me; but please remember you
> won't be getting any extra TFH's for doing so. <veg>
>
> Oh, and for anybody who wants to know:
> MCINL = My Choice Is Not Listed
> TFH = Tin Foil Hat
> --
> Cheers
> Chatty Cathy

About the taking of a small gift: depends. If it's an overnighter
and the hosts are putting on a major meal, like Xmas, a small gift is
a must in my book. If it's a come on over for hamburgers from the
guys I see all the time down the block, no.

The gift is something they will use soon and not have to store e.g.
wine or a nice candle.