I don't like sitting at a table that's too large, where everyone is too far apart. That's a party killer.
People have more fun if they don't eat so much they have to be taken home in an ambulance.
I like almonds as a snack - keeps your energy up but doesn't fill you up.
You don't have to do everything from scratch. Nobody wants to make puff pastry!
Food is not about impressing people. It's about making them feel comfortable.
The dirty little secret is that I grew up in a household where there were no carbohydrates allowed, ever. No cookies, no bread, no potatoes, no rice. My mother was very extreme in terms of what she served. Since I left home more than 40 years ago, I've been making it right for myself.