conversations.from: human
conversations.value: What could be a title for a book about Hotel, Conrad with the genre: Biographies & Memoirs, Professionals & Academics?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: A title for this book could be 'Be My Guest'
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know a description for a book titled Be My Guest about York, Rena, Sloan-Kettering's with the genre: Crafts, Hobbies & Home, Home Improvement & Design?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Rena the author has thrown some of the most lavish and unforgettable costume parties of the past decade - including Sloan-Kettering's Valentine's Day Ball, New York City Ballet's Dance with the Dancers Gala, and events for the Boys' Club of New York, Saks Fifth Avenue, The Public Theater and Bruno Magli. As Voyeur, Chronicler, and Party-Goer herself, Jessica Craig-Martin, who shoots for The New York Times and Harper's Bazaar, among other publications, chronicles the new social scene and is, herself, part of the society she tracks, she has an eye for young scene-setters and what makes them tick.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know a description for a book titled Be My Guest about Guest, Fay with the genre: Cookbooks, Food & Wine, Entertaining & Holidays?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Be My Guest by the author is another exquisite gourmet dining guide and cook book from one of my favorite entertaining chefs. She has loved preparing for guests since her teen years and has impeccable taste as well as years of experience, which she shares with her readers in a beautiful keepsake book, so pretty you'll want to display it on your coffee table instead of in your cookbook shelf. With an opening guide to easy entertaining and beautiful place settings, Fay has divided the book into sections for various types of entertaining, from brunches to patio suppers. Each recipe page has an opposing, full, color photo page depicting the most exquisite way to serve the dish or set the table for the event. Her table decors are both inspiring and not too difficult to copy. Her recipes are well explained and easy to follow. They use grams for measurement, for international publication, but the conversion chart is in the back of the book. For all cooks and entertainers, this book is a wonderful find!
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know a plot for a book about Hotel, Conrad?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Be My Guest (short story): Kipling "Kip" Morgan takes his on-off girlfriend Anjelica McTavish back to his apartment after despondently sitting through the funeral of his friend and mentor, the biochemist George Liebert.\nHowever they find that the place, which is attached to the pro shop at the golf course where Kip works, has been worked over by George\'s daughter Nancy.\nShe has always been "difficult", but after Kip consoled her at the funeral she decided they were in love.\nShe has redecorated the apartment and the pro shop storeroom on the theme of love, with whatever materials were handy, including paint.\nThey evict Nancy, but Anjelica leaves too, with her usual remark that Kip should be doing more with his talents.\nHe started studying law, then switched to science, where he did well until a mysterious psychosomatic affliction stopped him cold.\nHe dropped out and held a series of outdoor jobs, ending up as a golf pro at a local course.\nNext morning Kip gets a shock when he drinks his breakfast prune juice.\nHe is violently sick, and realizes that Nancy has spiked the juice with a vitamin that her father isolated from pigs.\nThe compound seems harmless to most animals, although it causes monkeys to go insane and literally bite themselves to death.\nKip is even more shocked when he begins hearing voices from within his body.\nHe discovers that he can see four small ghostly, malevolent-looking humanoid creatures sitting on his shoulders.\nHe is able to talk to them, and discovers that they are the spirits of dead people inhabiting his body.\nOnce they realize that he is aware of them, he is put into "quarantine".\nNobody he meets will look at him or acknowledge his existence.\nThe same thing happens to Anjelica and Nancy.\nThe three of them take over an empty suite at a hotel and steal to supply their needs.\nAnjelica, who works for a politician, relishes the opportunity to spy on rivals.\nNancy is as unbalanced as ever except for her new-found attachment to Kip.\nKip, for his part, cannot stand the voices of his spirits.\nRealizing that they were responsible for driving him away from science and towards an outdoor life, he tries to drive them out by doing things they find repugnant, such as studying science.\nFighting the torture they inflict on him, he succeeds.\nFor a while he is free.\nHe begins to believe that all the different phases of his life had something to do with the spirits that inhabited him, starting with a set he must have inherited when his uncle, a lawyer, died suddenly at his home.\nHowever his relief is short-lived.\nHis four outdoor-loving spirits are replaced with seven who are a lot nastier.\nThe three outcasts go on a rampage through their world.\nAnjelica steals and spies to her heart\'s content.\nKip drives out his new tenants, only to get even worse ones.\nHe becomes a barfly under their influence.\nHe wanders through the seedy parts of town, until he overhears a message passed through one of the local storefront mediums.\nIt tells him that "One drink is half a drink, two drinks is a drink too much, and three drinks is no drink at all".\nThis inspires him to attempt suicide by drinking more of Nancy\'s sample of the mystery vitamin.\nUnfortunately, once the vomiting stops he finds he is in worse shape.\nNot only can he see and hear his own spirits, he can see and hear everyone else\'s.\nNancy has a set consisting of two rabid prudes and two sluts, explaining her erratic behavior.\nFinally Kip works out that the system must be run by old spirits who, naturally, would have the best and most desirable hosts, the kind of people who seem to lead charmed lives and enjoy infinite privilege.\nBreaking into the home of one of these, he finds the occupying spirits, and threatens to dose the host with the vitamin unless he gets a better deal, not just for him but for everyone who is inhabited by spirits that are bad for them.\nHe eventually gets his way.\nThe spirits have a measure of revenge because after the quarantine is lifted the three of them are arrested.\nMost of the charges are dropped, although Kip and Anjelica both lose their jobs.\nAnjelica, who had always seemed ambitious, is even more so without the restraint of the spirits.\nShe packs and leaves for pastures new, much to Kip\'s dismay.\nHowever Nancy, with more compatible tenants, suddenly seems much more interesting to him.\nKip also realizes that the message he overheard from the medium was meant for him, and it came from George Liebert.\nThe final part "Three drinks is no drink at all" gives him an idea.\nHe drinks the vitamin for the third time, and the voices stop.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know the first five paragraphs for this book?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Be My Guest
  I have grouped the ideas and recipes into themes, but these are by no means prescriptive – shuffle them as you like to suit your personal style. I hope you will be inspired to have people over more often.
  Consider combining different serving styles – plating the starter and dessert, serving the main course buffet style.
  Selecting glassware is a matter of personal taste and the the thinner glass, the better the quality. Ensure that all has a cut and polished lip.
  Good quality dinnerware with a simple design can work for any occasion. You can also mix in an antique or colourful piece to suit individual styles. White china is always a safe bet and won't upstage the food being served. Chargers or underplates are also popular and serve as a base under the first course plate; these should be removed when the main course is served.
  Good quality cutlery with a simple, timeless design works best for any occasion. Stainless-steel cutlery is a good choice for most meals, while sterling silver or silver-plated (e.g. EPNS) cutlery may be reserved for special occasions.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know five more paragraphs?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: The setting for the brunch is on the deck of a beach house with the table set in shades of white, turquoise and blue to reflect the colours of the sea and sky. The tableware is anchored with glass vases filled with broken sea shells and succulents, creating a stylish centrepiece. Sea shells have also been used to make napkin rings – bringing the natural elements of the surroundings to the table top. This menu and table setting can be recreated on a home patio, adding glass vases filled with pebbles and sprigs of beach grass to replicate the carefree mood of a brunch at the seaside. Follow the path of the sun the day before and find a spot for the table with the right mix of shade and sun. Fill decanters with fruit juice to add a splash of colour. For deliciously scented hand towels, infuse fresh herbs such as mint and slices of lemon in boiling water in a heatproof bowl and soak rolled napkins in the infusion. Once cool, wring out the napkins and arrange them on a tray and offer them to the guests.
  Fill three cylindrical vases with broken sea shells and plant succulents in the centre of each vase. Use these as an unusual centrepiece on the table.
  Place cutlery in a cylindrical vase as an alternative to setting the table. More than one vase may be used.
  There is nothing as pleasurable as being seated at a table basking in the warmth of a spring afternoon, enjoying good company. To set the mood for the spring lunch bunches of spring flowers are grouped in clear glass vases and the table is dressed with a crisp green tablecloth and special-occasion crockery, cutlery and glasses. When planning the menu make the most of the season's fresh ingredients. Open a chilled bottle of Champagne or sparkling wine to celebrate this joyful season. Bring a decorative touch to each place setting with patterned napkins and fold them in a functional way. Keep the centre arrangement low, so it won't block the lines of sight or prevent an easy flow of conversation. Clear glass vases, serving platters and dishes keep the setting simple and allow the focus to be on the brightly coloured flowers and delicious food. Plate the food in the kitchen in order to keep the table uncluttered and position the table close to the kitchen for ease in serving.
  Fill different sizes and shapes of glass vases with water. Bunch each type of flower together and place in the vases. Group them on the table as desired. Lower-positioned vases and shorter flowers can be used as a variation.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Do you know the last five paragraphs?
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Place different kinds of crockery in a basket. Drape napkins over the side of the basket; this can be used as a decorative or functional element.
  This family dinner is made special and effortless by serving familiar food in a homely environment. The secret to making midweek entertaining work is a casual style of serving as well as an uncomplicated menu. The food is served family style from platters and bowls and there is nothing formal about the occasion. There is something appealing about the look of food served on blue and white crockery. Keep the look chic but low-key by incorporating masses of white flowers in blue and white containers. Continue the theme with blue and white candles, linen napkins and crockery. Using what is available around the home and including it into the setting creates a charming scene and is evocative of long lost traditions of family meals. Guests will appreciate the understated simplicity of this comforting setting and hearty meal.
  Firmly squeeze and pull the stem of an Arum Lily from top to bottom until it softens and shapes into a circle. Place on a dinner plate.
  Position a pedestal and place a 60 × 60 × 2 cm square wooden board on top. Cover the board with blocks of soaked oasis and create a pyramid using more soaked oasis. Secure the oasis blocks with kebab sticks. Skewer assorted vegetables onto kebab sticks and arrange into the oasis until it is completely covered.
  Wrap raffia around a freshly baked bread roll and tie a bow. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mixed herbs and place onto a side plate.
conversations.from: human
conversations.value: Delete the first sentence.
conversations.from: assistant
conversations.value: Drape napkins over the side of the basket; this can be used as a decorative or functional element.
  This family dinner is made special and effortless by serving familiar food in a homely environment. The secret to making midweek entertaining work is a casual style of serving as well as an uncomplicated menu. The food is served family style from platters and bowls and there is nothing formal about the occasion. There is something appealing about the look of food served on blue and white crockery. Keep the look chic but low-key by incorporating masses of white flowers in blue and white containers. Continue the theme with blue and white candles, linen napkins and crockery. Using what is available around the home and including it into the setting creates a charming scene and is evocative of long lost traditions of family meals. Guests will appreciate the understated simplicity of this comforting setting and hearty meal.
  Firmly squeeze and pull the stem of an Arum Lily from top to bottom until it softens and shapes into a circle. Place on a dinner plate.
  Position a pedestal and place a 60 × 60 × 2 cm square wooden board on top. Cover the board with blocks of soaked oasis and create a pyramid using more soaked oasis. Secure the oasis blocks with kebab sticks. Skewer assorted vegetables onto kebab sticks and arrange into the oasis until it is completely covered.
  Wrap raffia around a freshly baked bread roll and tie a bow. Garnish with a sprig of fresh mixed herbs and place onto a side plate.