Forget about pomp and circumstance, mad cleaning frenzies, or lavishly long dinner parties with grand, extensive menus. Today’s unprecedented times throw the indoor formality of entertainment to the wind. With the social distancing practices in the era of Covid-19, person-to-person contact changed and entertaining has changed with it.
Suzanne Pollak believes human connection is the key to any social gathering. As a social strategist known for her scrumptious recipes and cooking, hospitality and design, and weekly Zoom Sips with Suzanne (http://www.charlestonacademy.com/sip-with-suzanne), this worldly Charleston resident knows all about entertaining. She is the co-founder of the Charleston Academy of Domestic Pursuits, where she leads and instructs on platforms designed to build relationships through interactions. Born in Beirut, Lebanon, Pollak was raised in Africa for eighteen years, and has harnessed her travel and entertaining experiences abroad to hone in on what makes an event rich and meaningful.
As a former resident of one of South Carolina’s historical civil war hospitals turned private residence, Suzanne intrigues me. I was eager to hear her perspectives on entertaining in the downsized environment of COVID -19, and especially the art of hosting gatherings informally outside.
When asked about her hook for creating a fabulous gathering, she explains, “For me, it’s about the connection between people who attend the gathering. I like to do odd numbers, like 3 or 5, as it encourages everyone to talk and get to know one another. For example, when the party is two couples, usually the husbands end up talking to the husbands and the wives to the wives.“
Pollak adds, “I also like for a friend to bring a new friend who has not met anyone else in the group. In this situation, people often open up and meet interesting and long- lasting friends.”
Going from formal to informal is a breeze for Pollak, who once owned 300 place settings. I pressed for more of her secrets to outdoor entertaining with pizazz. Below are some of the helpful hints I gleaned during our talk:
- Be short and sweet. Just one hour can be a lovely drop-in with cocktails and small plates
- Help your guests feel your hospitality outside; if you are hosting by a fire pit, place cozy blankets or shawls on the seats
- Fire in any form creates a sense of warmth, a phenomenom since the prehistoric times. Use it! A firepit, fire ring, etc., in the spring, when weather may not be quite so welcoming outside, will light the night
- Serve soul-warming food, such as French Onion Soup in eclectic pottery cups of a single serving size
- Have a specialty cocktail theme. For nights with a chill, an Irish coffee will do the trick
- Repurpose fun dishes to serve mini sized desserts, such as demitasse glasses
Fresh air, stimulating conversation, tasty nibbles, festive drinks, and smaller outdoor gatherings are the key to enjoying connecting with others this spring. Let’s get outside and embrace the season!
