I have long been a connoisseur of uncommon evenings and exceptional conversation. Drinking in the type of discussion that sparks playful banter, has a bit of shock value and carries the night along with an effortless beauty. There is an undeniable charm to these types of dinner parties – The evenings where time seems to slow down and laughter perfumes the air with an intoxicating allure. A night that feels so effortless it could almost be scripted, a masterclass in the balancing act of playful questions, conversation starters and topics that spark a swirl of passionate dialogue. These are the nights that I fall madly in love with. The nights that I long to forever live within. This is the art (and power) of sensational conversation. 

I have always been enamored with formal dining. The art of it all. The etiquette. The opulence – There is something so beautiful about a perfectly set table. Silver polished to a mirrorlike finish, wine and water glasses glittering under the candlelight and intricate patterns of artisan china spaced out with persicion… It feels like something out of an old romance novel or period film. Something forgotten and antiquated. Something worth sitting down for. We simply do not see formal dining much in modern society, and yet, this is one of my happiest places. A place where I feel as though my imagination and heart comes alive, a space where the possibilities are endless. A setting perfectly designed to illuminate my love for the theatre of dining. 

A diner party under the sea. A celestial inspiration where seashells whisper a fantastic story and the tablecloth shimmers like the light dancing through crystal blue waters. A dinner party designed to make us feel like sirens, draped in iridescent silk dresses, fingers wrapped around delicate stems of impossibly chic shell wine glasses that hum the song of the ocean with every sip – this is a tantalizing scene, calling us to the sea. With piles of pearls spilling out from the pink hollow of a murex shell and sealife slowly encrusting the silver candelabras, it feels as though we have been transported to the bottom of the ocean. A vision inspired by the idea of  an elegant ballroom of a shipwreck where a sunken table stands still against the hands of time, the nature of the sea quietly taking over, transforming the elegant setting from one originally enjoyed by humans into something otherworldly. Something worthy of the deep blue sea.

For a night, it is possible to be somewhere else entirely. Someone else if you so wish. With a clandestine air to the evening and intrigue burning under the candlelight, the magic of the night takes over and who you were before stepping into the salon is forgotten, if only for a moment. And sometimes if you are really honest with yourself, it is behind the mask that we can finally be who we truly want to be. 

I am so very desperate for authentic connection. Evenings where phones are set aside and completely forgotten. Nights where the conversation is so captivating, discovering it is past midnight feels absolutely impossible. I crave seating arrangements that inspire the very best banter, menus that nourish the soul and laughter that echoes in my dreams for years to come. I want my dinner parties to feel like living memories, shaping the way that we immerse ourselves into these livable experiences constructed and curated out of visions and feelings that I hope to forever hold on to. A flash of authenticity in a world that feels more and more contrived and generated rather than lived. To build evenings that feel like a deep breath, a step into a new world entirely has always been the goal, but, now, more than ever, I feel as though I must dive deeper. I simply have to design worlds in which we can escape. Fully immerse. A place where dreams can live on forever and one’s imagination is set free.

There is a certain type of romance that is so perfectly synonymous with wintertime. The way that the sunrise dances across a foggy morning, the slumbering garden kissed with frost and glittering under the ice blue light. How dusk brings with it a hazy mist, blanketing the evenings as we drift from violet to azure and finally into a rich navy scene. These are the nights that are built for crackling fires and dinner parties boasting decadent menus and moments that illuminate one’s soul and warms from within. A time for gathering and feasting and relishing in the slower, more intentional moments that winter seems to demand. I have fallen in love with the beauty of the season time and time again. Being swept off my feet by cozy nights that follow rosy cheeked adventures, where a mug of hot cocoa piled high with whipped cream is the only way to properly defrost and crackling fires seem to suspend time with each pop and snap of the flames – Pockets of magic that are designed to melt the chill away, inviting moments of reflection, love and togetherness. 

I love a blustery autumnal day. One that leaves you craving a hot cup of perfectly spiced apple cider, a good book and crackling fire. Those are the types of evenings that I melt into with ease, happily hibernating in a dimly lit sweater cocoon – All snug within an intentional, richly toned aesthetic life until the first thaw of spring. This is the feeling that I want to emulate for my dinner parties this time of year. The sense that, as a guest, you are wrapped up in a blanket of cozy comfort foods and stunning seasonal tablescapes, warming the wind kissed nights with bits of conversation and dishes that nourish and ignite your heart and soul. Simply put, I want my life to have an internal glow this time of year. Like a fire that pops and crackles to life with every thoughtful recipe and little moment that I create for myself and loved ones. This, to me, is the enchantment of autumn, the comforts and charms of this magnificent season. 

It is that time of year again. A time when we settle into moody, dusk blanketed evenings and nights that are richly painted with tones of amber, chocolate and chilly blues. A time when indoor comforts become a haven and food is not simply about sustenance, but rather a stage for merry moments of connection and enrichment meant to be shared. For me, this is what Thanksgiving and festive feasting is all about – Reaching into the darker, seemingly hollow nights and pulling from the shadows, something full of warmth, decadence and comfort. 

I have long been in love with autumn. A most elegant season, all dressed up in chocolaty jewel tones and perfumed with the scent of damp earth, decaying leaves and wood burning fires… It is no wonder that, once again, October has completely captivated my attention. With its effortless beauty and the forever shifting scenes of golden light and transforming foliage, I find myself melting into fall’s misty mornings and wind whistling nights. Tempted into candlelit, novel reading hibernation by steaming cups of tea and bowls of homemade soups, falling in love with longer shadows and the song of the rustling leaves that lull us into this cozy state. A period of rest, a time to recharge. It is a season of cozy charm and of chic richness. It is a time of year that simply feels like coming home.

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to be a witch. Wished that one day, my magical powers would reveal themselves and I could step into an unknown yet perfectly familiar place. That I would eventually live in a little cottage in the woods with a leather bound spell book, a roaring fire and a silky black cat, casting broomstick silhouettes over full moons and lighting candles by gently blowing on the wick – It is a whisper of a wish always in my heart. A magical dream that is forever etched onto my soul, no matter how impossible or impractical. I simply have always known that I was meant for magic.

As the September light washes over the lingering days of summer, I am reminded just how perfect each season can be. The final flush of the garden with its determined blooms and the concluding burst of produce all write the closing sentences to the chapter entitled ‘summer’, a season facing its final bow of the year. These quiet days before the arrival of autumn are full of splendor and reflection. A collection of moments to be transformed into memories, flavors begging to be preserved and safely tucked away, patiently waiting to be cherished once life has settled into the depth of our upcoming season of hibernation. September is a beautiful finale… A golden tasseled curtain call for summer.

July always feels extra nostalgic for me. Memories of the long days of summer from my childhood sometimes seem to be the most vivid. The scent of sunscreen and a slight tint of green in my hair from afternoons submerged in chlorine, the beauty of sun-ripened strawberries and homemade pies, and sprinklers in the yard and the taste of water from the tightly coiled green garden hose. I can play horseback gallops and diving board moments in my head on a loop as though watching family video tapes with an old VCR. Memories that flicker, at times, so clearly that I feel as though I could reach out and touch them.

I have an undeniable love affair with Parisian bistros. The charm, the classic menu, the pomp, the apero culture, le café au lait, the waiters who either love me or roll their eyes at me… j'adore tout! I cannot help but be pulled into this city and the vibrant energy it emits – the rich culture and the way that they just know how to live is envyable. And most of all, I adore how they eat! 

Craving an evening in Paris, I had to bring a taste of the experience to my little boîte à bijoux. A moment in a classic bistro with a few french staples that I cannot live too long without. Moules Frites, an uncomplicated green salad and bien sûr, mousse au chocolat.

I often think about the love letters that Victorian women used to write to their friends. The passions and adoration expressed for a love that is so very different from that of a romantic partner but oh so vital. Having been single for what feels like a lifetime, I have found endless affection and companionship within my female friendships. The love of which has gotten me through wildly contrasting times, chapters of utter elation and blackened pools of sorrow. I have women in my life who have seen me through countless versions of myself (some of which we should all like to forget.) Women who I have laughed with until tears stream down our faces, cheeks sore from unbridled smiles. Women who have watched me grieve and who have picked me up when I could not do so for myself. It is the power and love of these women who I owe a depth of gratitude to, the reason I have grown into this version of myself. The version I am most proud of. And to celebrate them is such an effortless venture. So it seems only right that for Valentine’s day, I turn to the true loves of my life for an evening of much needed platonic romance and absolute effervescence. 

If by some wild chance, it is not obvious by now, the golden age of Hollywood and the films made during that era are not only a huge inspiration for me, but also a large part of who I am. I became enamored with Turner Classic Movies when I was in the second grade. The characters, the stories, the fashion and the starletts… I was love struck. That year, I styled my hair like Veronica Lake, blonde strands dramatically swept over one eye, my affect as mysterious as possible. I remember the school photographer trying to get me to push my hair out of my face for my school photo. I refused. What can I say, I have always been committed to the craft. 

All this to say, and reiterate, that the tales of Hollywood, the glitz and glamour of that world, is simply deeply ingrained in me. So when I set out to create my dinner parties and evenings as a whole, I am often inspired by favorite films, costumes, characters and settings from a bygone era. 

A night fit for Mamie Fish and the legendary 400 of New York’s Gilded Age. This feast with its perfectly roasted prime rib, towers of brussels sprouts and a sparkling croquembouche, rivals the lore of Thanksgiving at the distinguished Delmonico's.

An inspired evening in the woods. Bring a bit of whimsy and wonder to your Thanksgiving feast with a table set in the forest and a scene just waiting for little woodland guests to pop by. Let your imagination take over this holiday season… Who says your traditions have to be traditional?

With a hearty chicken pot pie, velvety mashed potatoes, honeyed green beans and caramel apple tartelettes, the table is perfectly set for an autumnal comfort food feast.

Estate dell'amore! An escape to the Amalfi Coast where the ingredients are beautifully simple, the dinners last well into the night and the wine is ever-pouring.

Fourth of July vibes featuring a TomatoTini, crabdogs, gremolata fries and a half melted Baked Alaska.

A high/low affair made possible by a gilded tablescape and my favorite delivery app.

A night of made (wo)men, an amazing Italian inspired feast and too much wine. - I have never laughed so hard.

An unconventional Thanksgiving, the best way to create your own traditions and bring what you love to the table.

Commemorate the feeling of fall with unique flavor pairings and cozy pasta.

Waffles, the new hero of caviar!