And I’m talking about homemade dinner, no take-away. It seems like nobody of my generation (32) wants to make the effort anymore.
I love to cook for a group, but - apart from two of my friends- the rest would rather meet up at a restaurant.
Hello and thank you for being a DL contributor. We are changing the login scheme for contributors for simpler login and to better support using multiple devices. Please click here to update your account with a username and password.
Hello. Some features on this site require registration. Please click here to register for free.
Hello and thank you for registering. Please complete the process by verifying your email address. If you can't find the email you can resend it here.
Hello. Some features on this site require a subscription. Please click here to get full access and no ads for $1.99 or less per month.
And I’m talking about homemade dinner, no take-away. It seems like nobody of my generation (32) wants to make the effort anymore.
I love to cook for a group, but - apart from two of my friends- the rest would rather meet up at a restaurant.
by Anonymous | reply 103 | December 20, 2019 4:20 PM |
All of the time and I love hosting. I am not much older than you, OP (36).
by Anonymous | reply 1 | December 5, 2019 12:37 AM |
Your experience matches mine OP. Most people want to meet for dinner out places.
I've gone to dinner parties, but they are rare events.
by Anonymous | reply 2 | December 5, 2019 12:41 AM |
I’m 27, my husband is 32 and our friends are the same. They always want to go out.
by Anonymous | reply 3 | December 5, 2019 12:43 AM |
Who know where your hands have been? It’s safer to eat in a restaurant.
by Anonymous | reply 4 | December 5, 2019 12:47 AM |
Uh Kelly, you don't want to know what happens behind the scenes in restaurant kitchens.
by Anonymous | reply 5 | December 5, 2019 12:48 AM |
I have always entertained a lot - and done it well. Too well as it turns out - the invitations are rarely reciprocated - some friends have confessed they are intimidated.
by Anonymous | reply 6 | December 5, 2019 12:56 AM |
Yes, OP, I started doing that again and it’s fantastic. I was becoming more reclusive than I really want to be and I had to break out. I’m no chef, but my great aunt used to say “if you can read, you can cook.”
So yes, I find a recipe and invite four to six friends over. Sometimes the recipe is great and sometimes it tanks spectacularly. We have an agreement that if the food is too awful, we’ll spring for take-out. That’s happened just once so far in three months. The point is, I’m so happy to have broken out from my solitude for these dinners. It’s isn’t easy since I am an introvert by nature, but the payout is huge for me in many respects.
by Anonymous | reply 7 | December 5, 2019 12:58 AM |
I prefer restaurants. I don’t cook and often don’t enjoy going to folks’ Houses and eating cooking I dislike. I am not good at feigning I like food I don’t.
by Anonymous | reply 8 | December 5, 2019 12:59 AM |
R7 here apologizing fot editing errors.
by Anonymous | reply 9 | December 5, 2019 1:01 AM |
Not personally, but I have friends my age who do this, they are both straight married couples and get off on the whole retro dinner party thing.
by Anonymous | reply 10 | December 5, 2019 1:01 AM |
Ha! I suck. Wanna try my handrolled sushi?
by Anonymous | reply 11 | December 5, 2019 1:02 AM |
Yes, all the time. I am making dinner for friends this Sunday.
by Anonymous | reply 12 | December 5, 2019 1:04 AM |
R8 has r7 disease.
by Anonymous | reply 13 | December 5, 2019 1:05 AM |
And OP, you should realize that many DLEGs are big into cooking for others, fighting about how to drain pasta in front of guests and the correct recipe for potato salad. They will frequently share elaborate holiday menus too.
by Anonymous | reply 14 | December 5, 2019 1:06 AM |
I love a good restaurant but even more I love being invited for a home cooked meal with friends, it’s relaxing.
by Anonymous | reply 15 | December 5, 2019 1:08 AM |
32 and always go out. I'm not confident enough in my cooking abilities to inflict them on anyone who's not in my family.
by Anonymous | reply 16 | December 5, 2019 1:08 AM |
R16, you should embrace the power of Infliction. Lean into it. Embrace it. Own the horror and never apologize. Wield it like a scythe and make your guests beg for release and better hopes for next time.
by Anonymous | reply 17 | December 5, 2019 1:19 AM |
Well, I'm rather old, and I did when I was younger, but not anymore. Put together a bunch of young gay guys, and they all (back in the 80s) appreciated a home-cooked meal. Simple stuff like cheeseburgers, corn on the cob, and ice cream for desert. I'm a decent cook, and I don't mind accommodating various tastes: some people didn't want onions or lettuce on their cheeseburgers, for example, but that's not difficult to navigate. The last time I had friends over for dinner, I made a Greek-based buffet: Greek salad, avgolemono soup, stuffed grape leaves (purchased), moussaka and ratatouille. So they could portion things out themselves, and only eat what they liked. My friend's wife prepared a plate of Greek salad, but put it aside, saying that feta cheese tasted like urine. "Who thinks eggplant is a substitute for meat". That kind of thing. I didn't comment at the time, but it really stung. So I'm actually a rather friendly gay guy who likes to cook, and enjoys eating with my friends. But now, I let them pick the restaurants. I'm there to catch up with them, anyway. (BTW, I'm borderline anorexic now, and working on how to fix that).
by Anonymous | reply 18 | December 5, 2019 1:22 AM |
I have three sets of friends who love to entertain. Unfortunately, they all seem to live in the most inconvenient locations. They are in the city, in newly built condos in really sketchy neighborhoods. I’m uneasy about parking after dark and annoyed to have to pay for an expensive cab/Uber to and from dinner. I suppose they bought/rented in a location where they could afford enough space to have people over. I truly appreciate the effort, but would rather meet at a more convenient location.
by Anonymous | reply 19 | December 5, 2019 1:27 AM |
Yes, OP, I like having people in. I have my own apartment NYC, G. Village, and do easy-to-eat one-dish casseroles and meaty stews -- Hah, look elsewhere up there, I use rice too! -- and a Mrs. Smith's pie with ice cream seals the deal. I ask friends to come to dinner and even those who travel in packs and eat out all the time come and enjoy the evenings. At school several of the guys in the house knew their way around a kithen, little was made of it, but we weren't allowed to mess in the kitchen. I always wanted my own place and cook like a real human being, nothing out of take-out boxes. Funny thing, I've invited some o the hottest guys in town, but boy, you never know about people. Some have no idea of food, or don't eat this or that, have never had certain vegetables or meat. Running around gay Chelsea you really never know somebody until you eat with them. Friends in to dinner is a long-standing traition of social order. I plan to do it for a long time.
by Anonymous | reply 20 | December 5, 2019 1:28 AM |
R15, yep. It's relaxing to spend an evening with friends, eating and drinking wine at your own leisure, catching up. I like eating out too, but trust me, those servers want you outta that table after an hour -- at least in American big cities.
by Anonymous | reply 21 | December 5, 2019 1:28 AM |
R18, that Greek buffet was a nice idea and your friend's wife is a bitch. You sound like a sweetheart and I hope you're taking good care of yourself.
by Anonymous | reply 22 | December 5, 2019 1:33 AM |
I've been cooking for friends more often at home in the last few years. It's definitely not always something fancy, but there's a lot you can prepare ahead of time. I just found a Chicken Marbella recipe that can be done in a crockpot. I like the more leisurely aspect of things this way, and I think it's really a lot more fun if you don't stress out over things having to be perfect. That being said, I think a lot of people are scared to make the effort, finding restaurants easier.
by Anonymous | reply 23 | December 5, 2019 1:36 AM |
R17 I like that attitude. Your dinners must be something to behold.
by Anonymous | reply 24 | December 5, 2019 1:45 AM |
I want to cook tuna casserole for everyone.
by Anonymous | reply 25 | December 5, 2019 1:46 AM |
I invite people over for dinner all the time - at least a couple times a month. Sure, I have friends who would rather meet at a restaurant, which is fine with me. If I'm asked what they can bring I suggest wine, a dessert, or an after dinner drink. But nothing that will be part of the main meal, like a salad. You then end up having someone in the kitchen with you as you're finishing up dinner. One time a guest brought dessert but said it had to cook and wanted me to take the main dish out of the oven so she could put her dish in. I kid you not! I find cooking for others relaxing and a great way to spend time with friends.
by Anonymous | reply 26 | December 5, 2019 1:47 AM |
R25 I adore tuna noodle casserole. This being an anonymous board, I would suspect that most people here love tuna casserole, secretly, yet wouldn’t fess up. Cowards.
Do you love tuna casserole secretly, DL? Do you?
by Anonymous | reply 27 | December 5, 2019 1:53 AM |
Yes, I love tuna noodle casserole. My Mom didn't discover it until I was older, but it became a huge favorite in my family.
by Anonymous | reply 28 | December 5, 2019 1:55 AM |
I don't. I'm not a great cook in the first place, I live in a small apartment with a 40 year old stove, and nobody eats carbs or sugar anymore. NO-BO-DY. That's the real reason people want to go to restaurants - so they won't ruin their diets.
Nowadays at the rare dinner party I guarantee we would have dry pork tenderloin with some "sauce" that's an ill-advised mix of pantry ingredients. A dear friend does have potlucks for the various holidays which is nice because most everything people bring is amazing.
by Anonymous | reply 29 | December 5, 2019 2:00 AM |
Fessin’. Fessin’ up.
by Anonymous | reply 30 | December 5, 2019 2:01 AM |
No, never been the type to invite friends over in groups or host dinner, etc.
by Anonymous | reply 31 | December 5, 2019 2:02 AM |
Good thread, OP.
I am a closet Tuna Noodle Casserole fan, and both me and my best friend have been making this, reluctantly, since you were born.
You HAVE to add breadcrumbs across the top, OP. You must add them and you must toast them.
“Add the Breadcrumbs and they will come.”
God, only us Eldergays will get that reference.
by Anonymous | reply 32 | December 5, 2019 2:23 AM |
[quote] It seems like nobody of my generation (32) wants to make the effort anymore.
I wonder if any of this has to do with younger people not having a big enough space to host many people?
by Anonymous | reply 33 | December 5, 2019 2:30 AM |
The best parties are a wild mixture. Take some corporation presidents, add a few lovely young actresses, a bearded painter, a professional jockey, your visiting friends from Brussels, a politician, a hairdresser, and a professor of physics, toss them all together, and try to get them to stop talking long enough to eat! It’s especially important to have all age groups. I’ve never noticed any generation gap. [italic]Of course[/italic] I wouldn’t want to have hippies come crawling in with unwashed feet, but all the younger people I know are bright and attractive and have something to say. They also dress like human beings. They love to listen, too. They make wonderful guests.
Another important party secret is I [italic]always[/italic] add a splash of vodka to [italic]everything.[/italic] Nobody ever knows and everyone ends up having a [italic]wonderful[/italic] time!
by Anonymous | reply 34 | December 5, 2019 2:53 AM |
[quote] My friend's wife prepared a plate of Greek salad, but put it aside, saying that feta cheese tasted like urine. "Who thinks eggplant is a substitute for meat".
R18, I love feta cheese. Eggplant is "meaty" to me. Confess that ratatouille is not my favorite use of eggplant. I had / have an eating disorder that I worked really hard to overcome. I still very much enjoy food and my weight is under control. Good luck, R18.
by Anonymous | reply 35 | December 5, 2019 2:59 AM |
[quote] You then end up having someone in the kitchen with you as you're finishing up dinner.
That can be quite annoying. That's a reason I don't like early arrivals -- you're in the middle of finishing up something and then you have to juggle paying attention to them and the tasks at hand.
by Anonymous | reply 36 | December 5, 2019 3:24 AM |
Age and location would be helpful/insightful. 50 year old NYC. Never. And dread having to go to someone’s house or apartment for dinner. It’s like being trapped or jailed. The whole joy of NYC is always being able to hop in a taxi to escape. And choosing what you want to eat, drink and do.
by Anonymous | reply 37 | December 5, 2019 4:36 AM |
Way too many dietary and allergy issues to overcome. I'm a veg, some are carnivores and need their flesh, some are heavy-duty vegans, some have nut allergies, some are lactose intolerant, some can't be at the same table with (fill in hated food here). I reached fuck 'em let 'em go to a restaurant long ago.
by Anonymous | reply 38 | December 5, 2019 4:44 AM |
I still enjoy throwing a dinner party, just for smaller groups now. I prefer a couple or two, a single or two. I find five guests are my max comfort level, now that I'm in my fifties.
by Anonymous | reply 39 | December 5, 2019 4:48 AM |
36/LA. I feel like eating out with a big group of friends is sometimes a bigger headache -- agreeing on a place, waiting to get seated, if it's a reservation everybody in the party sometimes has to be there before anybody else can get seated, somebody is running late in traffic, the whole splitting the check (ugh), etc.
by Anonymous | reply 40 | December 5, 2019 4:50 AM |
Years ago when I had a similarly inclined roommate we had people over for dinner all the time. We both had worked in restaurants/catering and while not chefs, were reliable around pots and pans and knew how to present a meal.
I must say our friends pretty much ate everything we served and for those who didn't we tried to have simple options for them. It was a lot of fun and if people insisted (they generally didn't) we would let them bring wine, or a beverage, as we liked having everything ready ourselves. We had a blast even in a modest railroad two-bedroom uptown and everyone returned every time we invited them.
by Anonymous | reply 41 | December 5, 2019 5:16 AM |
Sound fun R41
by Anonymous | reply 42 | December 5, 2019 9:52 AM |
Of course I have dinner parties.
by Anonymous | reply 43 | December 5, 2019 9:57 AM |
Too many fussy picky eaters. Easier to go to a restaurant.
by Anonymous | reply 44 | December 5, 2019 10:17 AM |
I did lots in LA. Haven’t done so as of late.
Damn shame, too, because I’m a darn good cook.
by Anonymous | reply 45 | December 5, 2019 11:20 AM |
I’m stressed when people invite me over for dinner. I’m an extremely picky eater ( no cheese, no cream sauces, no carbs, no fried food), but I don’t want to be rude. Also, I am often eager to leave within An Hour of arriving, and feel trapped at someone else’s place.
by Anonymous | reply 46 | December 5, 2019 12:12 PM |
Elder millennial here. We have people over dinner quite a lot but it's very casual and relaxing. As our dining table is small it is not a formal sit down meal. We serve drinks on the dining table and serve the food in the kitchen like a buffet so everyone can help themselves and we eat in the lounge room or out the back veranda. I cook very homey food like pork chops, grilled whole fish or roast chicken plus lots of vegetable sides so people can eat as much or little as they want. Dessert is a bakery cake or pie with ice cream and a fruit platter.
by Anonymous | reply 47 | December 5, 2019 12:26 PM |
R25 is Julie Kotter.
by Anonymous | reply 48 | December 5, 2019 12:30 PM |
No, I don't invite friends over for dinner. I live in a studio (one-room) apartment and I don't like people seeing my entire living space: bed, kitchen, bathroom, etc.
I do enjoy going to dinner at people's houses, sometimes. I tend to eat a snack before going, though. The food is not always good and some people are still cooking, etc., when you get there, even if you're not early.
by Anonymous | reply 49 | December 5, 2019 4:16 PM |
Not often, no. We invite people over for BBQs in the summer or when weather is good but we have a small kitchen and dining area. Our set up is much better suited to hosting people outside.
by Anonymous | reply 50 | December 5, 2019 4:41 PM |
Don't show off. Keep it simple and convivial. Dinner parties are for friends to have a good time without menus and waiters hovering with the check. I'm looking at you r6.
The best at home dinners I've been invited to were in Paris. One was just a large pot of bouillabaisse, good French bread. Good cheese and good wine. A salad. Good conversation. Parisians have flair.
by Anonymous | reply 51 | December 5, 2019 4:55 PM |
This thread reminds me of a college classmate of mine, who grew up with a single, European, chic, art gallery-owning mom. The mom would serve weird things to my friend for dinner, so that when she grew up and was invited out to dinner she could eat anything. Fried liver, cabbage, squid. And my friend could eat anything and did it beautifully and with grace. That's what's wrong with the world today! (And yes, I love tuna casserole.)
by Anonymous | reply 52 | December 5, 2019 5:54 PM |
[quote] And my friend could eat anything and did it beautifully and with grace.
That is a great quality.
by Anonymous | reply 53 | December 5, 2019 6:16 PM |
R51 - I don't go over the top on anything - simple meals, good food. Last meal was cheese and crackers and roasted shrimp and cocktail sauce beforehand. Had pitchers of Manhattans and Cosmos for "house cocktails" or any other cocktail, beer or wine. Simple salad greens with goat cheese and a homemade vinaigrette, grilled rib eye steak, mashed potatoes, roasted broccoli and popovers. Chocolate cake for dessert. Simple table with white plates and cloth napkins (no tablecloth) and just tea lights - no flowers. Good dinner music in the background. I spent less than an hour prepping and was with my guests most of the time with the exception of bringing food out and grilling the steak. No cleanup until the next day (I think it's rude to spend time cleaning while people are there). People still get wigged out.
by Anonymous | reply 54 | December 6, 2019 11:02 AM |
I have mixed feelings. When I host a dinner party I don't have any fun.
by Anonymous | reply 55 | December 6, 2019 11:53 AM |
And that’s why most people don’t host. I find it stressful drudgery. Who have to be wired for that kind of stuff.
by Anonymous | reply 56 | December 6, 2019 12:13 PM |
I have a friend who loves to host and is almost asking me why I don’t host. I tell her why would I do something I despise doing. She enjoys hosting; I do not. I don’t demand others host, and don’t want others to compel me to do so.
by Anonymous | reply 57 | December 6, 2019 12:20 PM |
Nigella Lawson had some very good advice: she had attended a party where the hostess broke down in tears over all the pressure. Her advice: know your strengths, but don't be afraid to locate a reliable source for some of the dishes. Overall, I'm a good cook, but my baking isn't my strong point. I'm very lucky to live in a city with excellent bakeries. So I'll take the time to make a great entree and some side dishes, but I purchase cake or pie or something from one of the excellent local bakeries. I can't match what they offer. There's no shame in that. I guess quiche is my strong suit, and that's baking, but my quiche is wonderful, so I try to lead with that. I can purchase some really nice Danish or eclairs from a bakery, and everyone will be happy with that. Don't overtax yourself, or everyone will be miserable.
by Anonymous | reply 58 | December 6, 2019 12:50 PM |
I’m 54 and never entertain, I rarely have anyone over for anything.
To me, home is where I go to get away from the world and recharge. I’d rather cook for myself or order in. Relaxing on the couch with my pets and some wine is all the entertainment I need.
by Anonymous | reply 59 | December 6, 2019 1:36 PM |
Exactly bro
by Anonymous | reply 60 | December 6, 2019 1:46 PM |
If I had an amazing spacious home with city-lights views and outdoor terraces I’d love to entertain there. But I have a 500 square foot studio, so a fabulous restaurant where I can possible catch a stranger’s eye is more appealing.
by Anonymous | reply 61 | December 6, 2019 1:53 PM |
Bitch please. Millennials are too busy working two jobs to have time to cook your ass a meal. Food is outsourced for gatherings!
by Anonymous | reply 62 | December 6, 2019 2:00 PM |
What some of you seem to be missing is that having people over for dinner is a kind, generous, inclusive gesture. It's so much more than meeting in a restaurant. Yes, you might not get exactly what you like to eat, but that's not the point of going to someone's home for a meal. It's intimate, thoughtful and team building and creates a sense of family. In my 20's, there was an older gay couple that regularly had dinners and they included me often. They obviously had money and a nice place and knew lots of interesting people. Those dinners were some of the best "gay bonding" moments I've ever experienced. The generosity, the humor, the kindness. I'm still in contact with many of the people I met at those dinners.
by Anonymous | reply 63 | December 6, 2019 3:28 PM |
When I was in my 20s and 30s and lived in NYC very rarely did anyone I know have dinner parties. Cocktail parties or brunch, sure, but not a sit down dinner. Most of us had small apartments, lived with roommates and didn't have more than four table settings, minimal serving ware, etc. So much easier to go out, and that way everyone can order what they want, and no one had to foot the whole bill. I bought a house in the burbs in my 40s and often have friends come to spend the weekends with me. I have a big kitchen and dining room, and usually, we'll shop and cook quick and uncomplicated dinners together, like grilled steaks or fish. I have a few friends who really love to cook so I hand over the kitchen to them when they come to stay. I really enjoy these dinners at home, but it's very little pressure or stress on me. It wouldn't have worked when I was younger.
by Anonymous | reply 64 | December 6, 2019 3:45 PM |
Not my thing. Let’s meet At a hip restaurant
by Anonymous | reply 65 | December 6, 2019 3:48 PM |
Being able to invite people over for dinner is very privileged. You must have an appropriate home with space and nice furnishings, spend several hundred dollars on food and wine, and have the time and talent to pull off an entertaining evening. It’s actually quite a feat. I know as I’ve done it many times.
by Anonymous | reply 66 | December 6, 2019 3:54 PM |
I'm R18. I mentioned that I'd make dinner for myself and a couple of other gay guys, and we always had a great time. I had a studio apartment, but that's all any of us had. So they'd sit on the sofa, with some beer or wine, while I was cooking in the little kitchenette. Yes, you could see my bed, but I learned to make my bed every day in case anyone stopped by.. After all, we were all friends, and none of us were well-to-do. Most of the guys had spent time in my bed, at one time or another, anyway. If you've seen my dick, I ain't too worried that you're seeing my bed. I have my own house, and a dining room now, but there's no reason that not having that should hold you back. I just don't have a lot of patience with the weirdly picky eaters, who turn every meal into an ordeal. Back when I (and my friends) were all poor, we were all just happy to have a nice meal, surrounded by friends. I don't remember all these food fetishes back in the 80s.
by Anonymous | reply 67 | December 6, 2019 4:39 PM |
R67 that sounds so cozy.
Even though you were a huge slut.
by Anonymous | reply 68 | December 6, 2019 7:20 PM |
R68, Dutchie they weren't all hookups. I would let friends stay with me when they were evicted, so I slept with a lot of guys, but didn't actually hook up with all of them. I only had a twin bed ( I don't know what they have in Europe) so it was relatively intimate. I was never baring my butthole to the masses. Some of my friends would hookup with each other. Anyway, if you can have sex with someone, why couldn't you make a meal for them? I know, I don't run a Bed and Breakfast, but I'm a pretty nice gay guy, who wouldn't send anyone out on the streets without a little food and drink.
by Anonymous | reply 69 | December 6, 2019 9:55 PM |
You don't by any chance have turkey meatballs in your freezer and two towels, R69?
by Anonymous | reply 70 | December 6, 2019 10:11 PM |
I'm not a soup kitchen.
by Anonymous | reply 71 | December 6, 2019 10:16 PM |
R70, No, no turkey meatballs, and anyone who stays with me will be introduced to the linen closet. Sometimes, I don't know why . someone needs four bath towels, and I would rather not find out. I have to do this for Christmas, and will drive up to my brother's house during the day, but he'll drive us over to my cousins's house for dinner in the evening. I'll spend the whole night, sleepless and awake, as his dog knaws on me.
by Anonymous | reply 72 | December 6, 2019 10:26 PM |
I forgot to add that I have asked guests to help make dessert. Like a group project. An easy one is a chocolate soufflé because everyone can take responsibility for doing one thing. The hardest part is folding the ingredients so I help with that.
The soufflé can be served with coffee or a dessert liqueur towards the end of the evening. The first step in getting people out the door.
by Anonymous | reply 73 | December 7, 2019 12:56 AM |
R73, we are not the hired help.
by Anonymous | reply 74 | December 7, 2019 1:02 AM |
Sounds like fun, R73.
by Anonymous | reply 75 | December 7, 2019 3:05 AM |
I'll have straight friends over for dinner occasionally. When I first came out I'd have dinner parties and invited gay friends. I had this stupid and naive idea of having a group of close gay friends. I later found out that having gay men as dinner guests meant they'd be making mental notes about all aspects of the party so they could later ridicule and gossip about everything from the food to the way my home was decorated. I learned that having close gay friends was not realistic. So, nearly all my friends now are heteros. I'll fuck a gay guy, but I'll never have one as a dinner guest.
by Anonymous | reply 76 | December 7, 2019 6:47 AM |
We frequently entertain at home with big dinners. But it would almost be cheaper to take everyone out to dinner and pay for it ourselves. The work that goes into preparing the meal and the clean-up after everyone leaves is a lot of work. Regardless, we love hosting dinners: we have the space, the money, the cooking skills, and the type of friends who make it fun. Do our friends reciprocate? Nope. But that is because they don't have a big enough space, the financial ability, or don't know how to cook. Do we mind? Nope. We are fortunate and don't think in those terms.
by Anonymous | reply 77 | December 7, 2019 7:05 AM |
I bet [R76] is "str8 acting" on his Grindr profile. Obviously someone met the wrong gay people. My apartment in NYC actually had a dining space and I always had 6 for dinner at least twice a month. I loved being host and enjoyed cooking for my friends so much. I wish they were ALL still alive. If they had a bitchy remark or two, I'm sure it was all in good fun. Then again, I'm not an overly sensitive lil snowflake.
by Anonymous | reply 78 | December 7, 2019 7:49 AM |
This is a timely post. My husband and I are having our annual holiday dinner party tonight! I started it back in 2007 and back then I did all the cooking. Back in 2010 I decided I couldn’t do it alone anymore and hired helpers.(we have innumerable friends, but limit the Christmas dinner to 12 select men) Then last year I decided to hire a chef so I could actually enjoy the festivities myself. My husband’s company’s publicist had used him and was delighted, as I. He’s handsome, deals with our friendly flirting (he claims he’s straight) and our friends all salivate watching him prep the meal. He brings a small staff to assist him and serve. It’s the best $3100 I’ve spent all year! (He charges $200 per person and I tip well) Our friends say it’s the best invitation in the West Village.
by Anonymous | reply 79 | December 7, 2019 1:29 PM |
^^^ oh and I need to mention I’m much older than OP (55) and have a lot more money
by Anonymous | reply 80 | December 7, 2019 1:40 PM |
We go out.
by Anonymous | reply 81 | December 7, 2019 1:55 PM |
People are way too picky these days and aren't appreciative. Or they're on a diet or allergic to gluten or dust or air or God knows what. Everybody wants their food pic for Instagram, but nobody wants to clean up or even show up with a small gift.
by Anonymous | reply 82 | December 7, 2019 2:00 PM |
I don’t host dinners or parties. I don’t like to either because people don’t cook clean and get upset when you abstain from eating fatty or carbie foods.
by Anonymous | reply 83 | December 7, 2019 3:33 PM |
Very, very true R82
Almost none of my friends reciprocate, and that does bother me a bit.
by Anonymous | reply 84 | December 7, 2019 4:02 PM |
R84 - I don’t expect my friends to reciprocate. For one, they couldn’t afford to do it, and two, I love getting all the glory and admiration for pulling off an amazing dinner for 12.
by Anonymous | reply 85 | December 7, 2019 4:05 PM |
Op your cooking is shitty take the hint.
by Anonymous | reply 86 | December 7, 2019 4:25 PM |
Would it have killed you to have at least posted a picture or link OP? Would it? I mean would that have really been so hard? Would it? Why don’t you try to think more of others next time before you post? What's your problem? I mean really, what's your damn problem?
by Anonymous | reply 87 | December 7, 2019 4:32 PM |
About three or four times a year, I'll invite four / five friends over for dinner. I'll make salad, dinner, vegetables, dessert, wine and coffee. Guests usually bring bread or appetizers or ice cream.
by Anonymous | reply 88 | December 19, 2019 1:10 AM |
R77 and R79 provide the perfect example of why I hate dinner parties. Being forced to seem grateful to be stuck in a house with pretentious people who want to show off how generous they are by hosting and feeding you. Um....I can pay for my own food, leave when I want and not be forced to be surrounded with pretentious queens making chit chat about stupid shit - all because some queens want to be the center of attention for the night and act like it’s a 1980s society event.
by Anonymous | reply 89 | December 19, 2019 4:06 AM |
Naw. I am Not domestic
by Anonymous | reply 90 | December 19, 2019 12:26 PM |
I do host an annual “Friendsgiving.” For seven years I’ve been hosting a dinner on the night after Thanksgiving. I have a fabulous townhouse in HK and I love to decorate and entertain. I also make 10 plates of food and have them delivered to the homeless men downstairs. I believe we should share our blessings.
by Anonymous | reply 91 | December 19, 2019 4:01 PM |
Wow r89, so what is it you do to bring friends together? Plan a restaurant outing? A movie? A hike? People invite people to dinner to further the friendship, to make introductions, and hopefully foster new friendships. That you wouldn't appreciate that speaks volumes about YOU.
by Anonymous | reply 92 | December 19, 2019 5:34 PM |
eh, r92, I'm not r89 but find that most people throw dinner parties to show off. Watch The Dinner Party episode of The Office.
by Anonymous | reply 93 | December 19, 2019 5:39 PM |
I prefer cooking to going out, it's just better.
by Anonymous | reply 94 | December 19, 2019 5:48 PM |
Um, no.
by Anonymous | reply 95 | December 19, 2019 5:50 PM |
As I recall almost every woman who’s ever dragged her gay husband through an episode of HGTV House hunters is a grand entertainer. Apparently none of you get invited over to her home.
by Anonymous | reply 96 | December 19, 2019 6:00 PM |
R89: get a grip. They were describing the fact that they have more means than their friends. Acknowledging reality does not make that user "pretentious." Would you rather they demand their friends host dinner parties they can't afford? The stupidity leapt out.
OP: I do invite friends for dinner. I have a large enough space and a backyard. However, I do not cook and get it catered. People are not going to go to your house if the food isn't good, and I cannot cook nor do I want to. I don't expect anything in return from my friends.
by Anonymous | reply 97 | December 19, 2019 8:50 PM |
I’m the same age as you, OP. I’m a great cook and I love cooking for others but I only get to do it once in a blue moon. Feel free to come round anytime, hun. I’ll make whatever you fancy. And if you’re fit I’ll suck you off afterwards. x
by Anonymous | reply 98 | December 19, 2019 9:13 PM |
I like you, R97
by Anonymous | reply 99 | December 19, 2019 9:13 PM |
r89, do you hate nice restaurants, too? Because if they're nice (good décor, good lighting), well prepared, tasty food, I guess they're trying to show off and be pretentious. Maybe not you, but some people work hard to create a nice home and a nice meal to share with others. Some people like to be thoughtful and generous with their friends.
by Anonymous | reply 100 | December 19, 2019 9:33 PM |
A friend of mine has a chili dinner once a month every winter. He makes three choices of chili, spicy hot, regular and tofu. He makes cornbread and a cake. Sometimes he has it on a Sunday afternoon, sometimes a Friday or Saturday evening. It's such a simple thing and seems so predictable but it's always different and fun.
He doesn't care when we show up, if we get there at 11pm we might just warm up a bowl of chili and watch a movie with him. It's very relaxing and I look forward to it every month.
by Anonymous | reply 101 | December 19, 2019 9:59 PM |
R99: welcome at mine for dinner anytime!
by Anonymous | reply 102 | December 19, 2019 10:54 PM |
There is definitely a type who likes dinner parties. Not for me.
by Anonymous | reply 103 | December 20, 2019 4:20 PM |
Yes indeed, we too use "cookies." Take a look at our privacy/terms or if you just want to see the damn site without all this bureaucratic nonsense, click ACCEPT. Otherwise, you'll just have to find some other site for your pointless bitchery needs.
Become a contributor - post when you want with no ads!