LAST MINUTE MEDITERRANEAN SUMMER LUNCH FOR FRIENDS: Cooking from a Garden in Italy

Thank you for watching. Appreciate everyone’s thoughts. Keep in mind these friends reciprocate and host all the time. As someone wrote below, it’s a cultural thing. Not every Italian is like this but many in Mediterranean (and Asian and Middle Eastern) cultures are. My Greek grandmother would often say a good Greek should always have something homemade ready to offer, even if guests show up completely unannounced. But I understand your comments come out of concern for my health. I’m fine, don’t worry. 😘😘😘

Boundaries are important. Especially since you had just been sick and are 4 months pregnant with a toddler! If I were your friend, I wouldn't dream of doing that to you. I would show up with a basket of goodies for you and leave the kids at home. I know how a pool in hot weather can be a magnet for drop in friends. Boundaries my dear are a healthy part of self-care. Hugs.

Kylie, I am Italian and I live in Italy and I can tell you that none of my friends would do something like this! Preparing lunch for TEN (10!!!) additional people with two hours notice??? Hell, no! Those friends acted really rude in my opinion

I live in the U.S. and I would never call someone up and invite myself and family over for lunch or dinner with a two hour window. I would never invite myself over to someone else's house for any meal. I would invite "them" over to my house and wait to be invited to theirs. But I know cultures are different in every country. You handled this with grace and patience. I have no idea how you did everything you did in two hours!! You're so kind and truly generous. :)

My biggest pet peeve is when guests with kids don't supervise them and allow them to rampage through your home. It feels an invasion of your personal space unless they stay in designated play area/hangout spot.

this video feels designed to highlight not so much the italian way of casual imposition, but rather some of the understandable frustrations you felt toward your husband in this situation. you have a beautiful life and your work ethic is staggering. i hope you're having the conversations you need to have not so much with your friends, but with guido. you can say no and there are a couple moments in this where i wish you would've. communication is so important and sometimes, you just need to draw the line. you might need to be really overt about your boundaries if you are ever in a situation like this again. it sounded like the hinting was falling on deaf ears in this case. wish you and your family well always.

I started getting a panic attack watching your preparations for your visitors, that was way way too much stress for you, just getting over an illness and being pregnant not to mention you also have Gianfranco to take care of. At one time in my life I did entertain like this putting so much stress on myself to serve the perfect meal, in my perfect house looking perfect but not anymore!!! Take care of yourself, Kylie, you are important too!!!

i used to be just like you Kylie, always thinking how can i offer the most delightful experience to others, accepting people at dinner on a very short notice, welcoming their kids even when destroying things around house, cooking the best meals even when i was tired, trying to please my husband when he freaked out on dinners and how much food we serve or not, etc. This was until 10 years ago when my body started to crash, entering burnout, not once, but three times, and then an autoimmune disease. Giving so much to others and being such a kind loving soul can deeply exhaust a woman's body. Through the recovery process (which is still going on despite my lifestyle changes) i learned that self care, very strong boundaries, pleasing myself first and doing only what my body can really handle without being in a rush and depleted, is a must. I hope from the bottom of my heart that you will take much better care of yourself Kylie, you deserve it so much. Let things just be, let others pressure go, let them deal with their own worries, dont take their burdens on your shoulders, you are already doing so much. Its time for you to receive more and replenish. If i were to receive people now on a short notice, i would ponder twice on saying yes. Am i rested enough? Do i have some food that is easy to put on table, like a cheese platter, fruits and wine? Are their kids behaving? if not, i would kindly ask people to not bring their kids or kindly refuse welcoming them because my sanity is worth it. Would i be in a rush? if yes, the answer would be NO. In the end, people who would be offended by m healthy boundaries would not really be my friends. Take care Kylie.

OMG,love Guido but he was being annoying to keep asking u to change the menu and add additional dishes!!! You were SUPER PATIENT😃.This is wayyyyy too much work for a last minute lunch even though u already had the delicious ingredients!!So colorful.

Ha, they invited themselves to your house for lunch with two hours' notice. You are a good woman, Kylie. I would have been asking what they were bringing for lunch.

Hi Kyile, I'm Italian and it's not the Italian culture to invite themselves fir lunch (13 people 🤯) 2 hours before lunch. In our culture we call them "Sfacciati o Faccia tosta" It's in the culture to be less planners and invite ourselves for a visit but normally for a coffee or a drink in the late afternoon. We would have said "I'm sorry my dear but it's too short notice for a lunch, what about a late afternoon coffe or drink, we can arrange lunch for another day!!" I think they took advantage of you, knowing your extreme kindness and generosity, probably they didn't want to cook. You need to learn to know better the people surrounding you. 2nd point. Italy gets very hot in the summer, a typical hot summer lunch is not cooking much but preparing cold dishes like: Cold pasta (you cook only the pasta and mix with pomodorini, mozzarelline, pesto etc etc) there are several recipes,. Cold starters like prosciutto e malone, o caprese, or a big mix salad (you are a queen of mix salads? You did far too much Hope you read this. And Guido need to learn also. Next time be more Italian and set boundaries, just say 2 hours is too short notice, but you're welcome to a late afternoon coffee or drinks. Much love Kylie xx❤

I have an Italian husband too - who loves people over for meals. Just tell him No…not ALSO making pasta/gazpacho . Love the way he couldn’t finish his zucchini on grill so expects you to bake it! Kylie, you are pregnant too - and during a heat wave. You gotta create some boundaries/rules. Really, when you give in and accommodate, there is no real appreciation…it’s just them seeing their version of guilt tripping and mildly bullying the wife as their right.

Way too much work for a pregnant lady with a toddler. I used to be like you when I was younger. Wanting to be the perfect host and please my husband, but now that I am older I've realized, the more I do or am capable of, the more everyone expects. No one gave me an award for doing sooooo much and I was definitely taken advantage of and made my husband look good. Now, I don't do anything. I spend my time on myself rather than pleasing others. Kylie wake up - doing all of this does not define you or give you value. You are more than this !

Incredibly impressed by your hosting skills under the circumstances! Next week surprise your guests with 1 hour notice for lunch and see how they feel! ;)

I'm in the US and for that many people at least 2 days notice unless they like peanut butter.

Hi Kylie! Italian here, living in Germany with lots of Italian friends. It’s not a common thing here to invite yourself over a friend’s place pretending lunch or dinner. Friends usually call and ask if you want to hang out at their place or at ours and if so what everyone of us will prepare. So that all of us contribute to a nice meal. Regarding the kid’s behavior there’s a huuuuuge difference in parenting. There are the ones you mentioned where the kids stray around the house with no boundaries at all and there are the ones that are well behaved and educated. It’s difficult to manage that situation especially since I don’t allow my girls to act and behave that way. I really must admit that in that case we really limit the times we’re together with these people, making sure to meet them outside. Not even restaurants because even there I feel sorry for the people around us and the working staff. May sound a little harsh but that’s just how I feel. Anyways I love the way you move in your kitchen and get everything ready. I really hope your husband appreciates all your precious work. Love from Germany!

As an American who lived in Italy for almost two years, I can tell you that most people would not invite themselves to anyone's house for dinner without an invitation. But since these are good friends who invite you frequently and you felt an obligation, I can understand why you agreed to the dinner. But again, you are expecting a baby and I think your friends were a bit inconsiderate to ask this of you. I will also say that Italians are polite and gracious and want to always display "bella figura" so I get it. And from my own experience, I think once you reach a certain age, those 3 course meals will get tiring to prepare and your desire to cook will lesson - especially if, as a mother and wife, you have been the cook for 25 to 30 years. So, yes, enjoy those dinners as long as you can in the company of great friends. Things change as we age. You are a wonderful and energetic woman Kylie, but even I who always entertained this way would say, it was a bit too much. You pushed yourself too hard. Take care! We all love your videos❤

What? Your company comes last minute for dinner, expects you to cook for them last minute while they are letting their children run around your home unchaperoned trashing your things??? I had someone do that to me once. I never let them visit again. Rude and insane! What will those children grow up to be? You are pregnant, have a toddler, and Guido keeps showing up demanding you add yet another dish. What kind of craziness is this? You can't say enough is enough, because you are in Italy?

I just wanted to take a minute and say many many blessings for a safe pregnancy and congratulations on a new life to spoil!!! Your a wonderful mommy.

I can accept that inviting yourself to someone's home at the last minute is acceptable in the Italian culture. Where I draw the line is looking after everyone else's kids. Expecting lunch is one thing...expecting built-in babysitting services is quite different. I would politely let all of the parents know where the kids are allowed to play (e.g. around the pool and open yard) and that they are responsible for ensuring they keep to those areas. I don't think that is too much to expect. One can be too accommodating. Loved the video...that gazpacho looked amazing!