Are you embarrassed about the clutter and mayhem in your house? Does that stop you from having friends and family over? We see this all the time. It's true we help people restore order, but we also work with clients to create realistic expectations for what's important. A little mess is absolutely fine.
Scruffy Hospitality:
So what's really refreshing is reading Robin Shreeves take on the C.H.A.O.S Theory (Can't Have Anyone Over Syndrome). Shreeves , a journalist with the Mother Nature Network says your home does not need to be perfect to have someone over. She quotes another blogger over at Father Jack on Scruffy Hospitality:
"Scruffy hospitality means you’re not waiting for everything in your house to be in order before you host and serve friends in your home. Scruffy hospitality means you hunger more for good conversation and serving a simple meal of what you have, not what you don’t have. Scruffy hospitality means you’re more interested in quality conversation than the impression your home or lawn makes. If we only share meals with friends when we’re excellent, we aren’t truly sharing life together."
It's a world where the plates don't match, friends bring over pot-luck, and you have permission to have dirty dishes in the sink. There's not an obsession about a perfectly styled house that few can obtain. It's a celebration of friends and conversation. Check out Shreeves article, it's awesome.
Captain John's Summer Barbeque:
So why am I posting photos of one of my backyard parties in Los Angeles? Because it's something I really enjoy putting together. I love pulling every red, blue and white dish I have and making it all work. Can and should everyone do this? Absolutely not. Do I cook everything? No. At one party (not the one below) I served Kentucky Fried Chicken tossed with shredded basil and some herbs-- it was from an article I read somewhere on how to pull a party together without cooking (my favorite). Here are some pictures from a recent themed-barbeque I planned.
Collage above courtesy of Denise Wakeman. Photos by John Trosko.
I do think that being a good host means that you've anticipated most needs of your guests and no matter how hard I try, I always forget things, but that's okay. But the important thing is the conversation. Best part of the night? Friends in the kitchen, lending a hand, washing and drying dishes, putting things away, gossiping, dancing in my living room, laughing, planning our next party and calling the In-N-Out Cookout Trailer!
Questions or Comments?
What are your thoughts on "scruffy hospitality?" Do you enjoy putting parties together and sharing? Does everything have to match? Did your thoughts about entertaining change when you had children? Let us know here in the comment section or you can tweet us @johntrosko on Twitter. You can also check John out on Instagram (@johntrosko).
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