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My fiance loves to cook and has an amazing cookbook collection. We typically start there. We look through cookbooks and decide what the theme of the menu will be, and then shape everything else around the main dishes! If it's a special occasion like a friend's birthday, we'll be sure to take inspiration from their favorite dishes as well.
"If it's a friend's birthday, we'll be sure to take inspiration from their favorite dishes as well."
I bought a giant roll of kraft paper from Amazon and love to use it in place of a tablecloth with crayons in little vintage cups on the table. It's a really fun ice breaker for people to sit around the table with drinks and start drawing or playing tic-tac-toe.
"I love to use a giant roll of kraft paper in place of a tablecloth. Add crayons in little vintage cups on the table."
Candles! Pick a fun color to complement the menu, or even just a few little white votive candles do the trick.
The little things you don't see coming: The funny story you're somehow just hearing for the first time from a friend you've known for years, the wine cork that was too close to the candle so it burned and somehow everyone ended up putting a charcoal mustache on their face, the song that comes on in the background that suddenly turns the night into a dance party.
"...The song that comes on in the background that suddenly turns the night into a dance party."
You are by far your toughest critic when it comes to hosting—everyone else is so excited to have something special to attend, they aren't going to care or notice that you had to pull up an extra chair that doesn't match the rest!
"They aren't going to care or notice that you had to pull up an extra chair that doesn't match the rest."
There are so many, but a fan favorite is homemade flatbread. It's such a great addition to the menu and they happen to be really quick and easy to make. I originally found them in a Bon Appetit recipe, but now I make them on their own all the time.
We have a record player that we love to bring out for dinner parties. People will walk over and pick out a record to throw on which is always a fun activity while dinner is in the works.
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So I'm a little embarrassed to admit my favorite partytrick... it's unconventional and occasionally messy, but always ends with pee-in-your-pants laughter. It's a trick I learned at summer camp when I was younger. You put a little bit of whipped cream on your wrist and hit your palm with the other hand. The whipped cream launches into the air and you're supposed to catch it in your mouth. Everyone ends up getting really competitive with it (and whipped cream typically ends up all over the floor, so avoid the carpet).
"It's unconventional and occasionally messy, but always ends with pee-in-your-pants laughter."
Emily is the founder of I Have This Friend, a curated online directory that makes it easier and more affordable for consumers to discover and book lifestyle services offered by emerging creative talent across food, style, art, interior design, travel, and more (think: Goop x TaskRabbit). When she's not off on a new adventure traveling or in NYC with her co-founder and best friend Ingrid, she's home in Santa Monica hosting with friends.
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There's something timeless about a Slim Aarons photograph: the crisp linens, the cocktails held just-so, the oversized sunglasses hiding secrets behind every lens. It’s aspirational without trying too hard. And it’s this exact effortless elegance that makes the Slim Aarons aesthetic the ultimate inspiration for your next summer gathering.
Starting a run club is an excellent way to foster community, promote fitness, and create meaningful connections with fellow running enthusiasts. Whether you're an experienced marathoner or just beginning your running journey, hosting a run club can transform your solo activity into a social experience that motivates everyone involved.
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Let’s fix your mimosa bar—and make it a little less “Live Laugh Love” and a little more “How is this actually delicious?”
Expert tips, exclusive content, and the 411 on the latest parties.