Happy Easter!!! …and April Fools Day! Its been a minute y’all and I am so relieved that this years Fool’s Day didn’t fall on a work day. I would have walked into work skeptical that everything would be booby trapped; all thanks to the pranksters I call coworkers 😀😎 But on a more serious note, Spring is here and it’s time to get back into the swing of things.

One of my best friends and I had a pact for years where she stopped by my house on Christmas day and I at her house on Boxing day. We loved hosting!  I am no cordon bleu by any long shot but cooking for friends has been a fun hobby, something I have loved doing for ever but not as much as I would like these days. Nothing beats great company, home cooking and lots of humor… any day. The fact that we live and work in a fast paced environment where there’s a location for every meetup, we tend to loose the intimacy of being in our friends homes and getting to know them on a deeper level. For some, this might be an issue that brings anxiety but I am going to share some fun realities about cooking for friends and hosting that should set your mind at ease for the next time or the first time you have friends over at your place!!!

Fun Realities About Cooking for Friends  

• You ‘finally’ get to clean!! If you are somewhat of a perfectionist or borderline O.C.D., you can skip over this point. But for those who never ‘EVER’ get around to spring cleaning, the thought of having people at your home should at least scare you into action…at least for their sake..ha ha! There is a saying I have heard that ‘the state of your personal space or dwelling is a reflection of your mind’. So look around you😨

• You can finally see your dinner table!! For the mass majority, we are the generation that eats the most meals in front of the TV. Having guest over will finally motivate you to get that ‘library’ off the dining table for once. Lets stop deceiving ourselves that we’re reading all 25 books at the same time. They belong on the shelf with page markers so you can pick up where you left off anytime you want. 😎

• You get to perfect your hosting skills!! Don’t you just admire and look up to accomplished women or men who are seasoned at every and any thing they do? Let me give you a spoiler alert…Those skills did not pop up over night. It took practice and in many cases, a lot of failed moments. Just like a muscle that you don’t use, don’t expect to win a marathon if those legs haven’t been trained to do so. Practice makes perfect!😘

• You get to use all your cookware. Don’t you find it amusing that you find things you didn’t even know you still had when planning to have guests over as well as realizing what things you DON’T have. Sometimes looking for certain items turns into a spring cleaning moment because lets be honest, – there’s are some gadgets we will never use. So finding someone who will appreciate it is way better than just taking up real estate in your space.

•  You don’t always have to break the bank. 😕 You can host on a budget and still have a great time. Designate who brings what and you should be good.  At the end of the day, community is everything. Having a good laugh and just relaxing with people you care about and vice versa does good for the soul.

As always, I would love to hear from you, your fun stories, burn stories and everything in between – the first time or last time you had friends over. Until I come your way again, I remain

Periwinkle Starr