Dan's Papers - August 17, 2007 - Mi Casa Es Su Casa

Where did the "labor" in Labor Day come from? Few people seem to know. To what has it come to refer? The toil and sweat involved in preparing for summer house guest over and leading up to the Labor Day weekend.

Lest we forget that entertaining weekend guests is supposed to be enjoyed, not dreaded with the same anxiety of a root canal, here are a few tips to easing the pain of prepping for visitors. Firstly, be realistic about how many people your house can comfortably accommodate. Find out the number and ages of any kids that will be visiting. If you have some grown-up dinners out planned, be sure to line up a babysitter in advance. Set limits about whether and where pets are allowed. Set limits on the people as well: determine in advance how long everyone will be staying so no one wears out their welcome.

When it does come time to welcome your guests, bear in mind they may be travel weary. Prepare accordingly. They didn't even give us peanuts on the plane. Have snacks and beverages ready. Our flight was six hours late. Have the guest bed made with fresh sheets for sleepy, late-arriving guests. It was so hot and sticky on the train. Stock the bathroom with everything they'll need to freshen up with a shower. This includes everything that you yourself have forgotten when you've traveled. The drug store is a great place to pick up mini/ travel-sized shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, soap, razors, shaving cream, lotion, deodorant, contact lens solution, etc. And toothbrushes. Everyone always forgets a toothbrush. Place all the toiletries in a basket in the bathroom. Be sure guests know they are free to help themselves. You can also throw in those lotion and make-up samples you been accumulating. In another basket, place plenty of guest towels. Keep spare rolls of toilet paper in a visible spot to avoid making your guests search through cabinets and under sinks. As a rule, think of everything you've ever wished was in your hotel bathroom, and stock that in your guest bathroom.

The same rule applies to the bedroom. Furnish the room with an alarm clock, extra blankets (even in summer!) for chilly guests, extra pillows, and a bench, extra chair, or luggage rack for suitcases. If guests are in for a longer stay, clear out some drawers and space in the closet, complete with spare hangers. Leave bottled water on the dresser so thirsty guests don't have to stumble downstairs in the middle of the night. And in case they still have to get up in the night, plug in a nightlight to reduce the stumbling.

With the guest room so comfy, your guests may want to sleep in. Limit breakfast to a spread of bagels, muffins, pastries, donuts, fresh fruit, single serving cereal and oatmeal packs - none of which can get cold by the time late sleepers rise. For the rest of the day's eating, stock the kitchen with plenty of snacks like pretzels, chips and dips, fresh and dried fruit, and crackers and cheese. Keep plenty of juice, soda, and bottled water in the fridge. Have both regular and decaf, coffee and tea. Overbuy on staples that go fast, like milk, orange juice, butter, and eggs. Keep kid friendly foods, like chicken fingers, pasta, and macaroni and cheese, on hand for picky eaters, large or small. Pre-bake deserts. Pre-make as many parts of as many dishes as possible to minimize the time you spend with your back to your guests and your face over the stove. Of course it doesn't hurt to already have emergency reservations at your favorite restaurant in case that experimental quiche goes horribly awry.

If your weekend includes other activities besides eating- and no blame if it doesn't- let guests know in advance so they can pack the necessary bathing suits, hiking boots, dinner jackets, what have you. Leave a print out of the weekend's weather report in the guest room. If rain is predicted, have ponchos, board games, and playing cards ready. A selection of dollar/ drugstore toys and coloring books (with WASHABLE markers) will keep kids busy. Of course, as part of your preparations, you should have burnt offerings to the gods of good beach weather.

And since this is summer, and since this is the East End, let's not forget extra sun block, armloads of beach towels, and about a gallon of mojto mix.