Entertaining **updated**

Um...
I'm a little confused. Can you help me out?

Yesterday afternoon, a co-worker invited me to a "thing" at her home.
Martini Night with the Girls, she called it.
Hors d'oeuvres, shrimp, deserts, and martinis.

I declined.

But this morning, to be polite, I asked her how it went.
She said, "Great!"
A handful of women came, she told me.
She listed for me again all the yummy food she had served.
(I think she was trying to make me sorry I hadn't attended...)

She then mentioned that a few of her friends even went home sporting new temporary tattoos. You know, those stylish, long-term temp tattoos?
This co-worker applies them professionally.

"Yeah," she said, "I told them it was included with the price of the food."

I must have blinked really loud, because she shrugged and explained, "I asked everyone to chip in five bucks for the food."

I must have blinked even louder.
Because she then repeated the menu.
Pointing out how nice the food was.

Now, I don't entertain much.
But I know a lot of you do... and do so very well.

So tell me, can you do that?
Invite people over, and then ask them to chip in for the food once they get there?

I mean, it's not like a frat party.
Or a kegger.

At least, I didn't think it was.

What do you think about the whole thing?

**UPDATE**

It was a demonstration party for the henna tattoos.
Like Tupperware or Pampered Chef.
Only, she took it one step farther and made it a "for profit" dinner party.