Entertaining Caribbean Style

My ego ideal Susan Good, aka Honey Good entertains in a style I admire but would never be able to pull off, especially not here in Grenada. She sets an elegant table with fine China, crystal, flowers, place cards for guests, the whole nine yards.

Not I. I love entertaining but have had to make allowances for living in the tropics and the fact that my guest list is usually large, not a number that can be seated at an elegant table.
Then there are the constant breezes, which would knock over flower vases, blow away napkins and other decorations.

So, I entertain with an air of informality. My China or glasses often don‘t match, the tablecloth is taped to the table to keep it from being blown off. Instead of an elegant table, we lay the hors d’oeuvres on the kitchen island. Plates, glasses cutlery, drinks, napkins, are on the dining table and food is on the counter on heated trays. It is strictly a self-service deal.
I do put up appropriate decorations but again, I have to bear in mind that it will all have to be anchored so the wind does not blow them away. 

People sit on the veranda at small tables or inside the open plan   living/dining/kitchen area as they please. We eat, we mingle, swap seats, laugh, gossip and the time flies by. To me this is the most enjoyable way to entertain.