✨ Entertaining: Where My Party Obsession Began

How did my entertaining obsession start?

I think it began when I was a little girl visiting my grandmother in Syracuse. Whenever we arrived, her dining table was already set for dinner—sometimes days in advance, covered with a sheet to keep everything fresh.

Her tables were always beautiful: seasonally appropriate cloth napkins, china, crystal, and silver. They felt elegant, thoughtful, and special. From the very beginning, I was hooked.

📖 A Legacy of Hosting

After she passed away, my mother saved her recipe card box and a little notebook she kept. Inside was a treasure: a catalog of every dinner party she hosted or attended. The very first entry? August 27, 1936.

Each list included the date and location, guest list, centerpiece, and even the “prizes” she sent home with guests—small gifts like a compact for the ladies or a deck of cards for the gentlemen.

Reading through it, I realized entertaining wasn’t just about food or decor. It was about creating memories that lasted long after the last dish was washed.

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🍷 My First Party

For years I thought, “Someday I’ll host my own dinner party.”

That “someday” finally came in my tiny Los Angeles apartment in 1999. I invited seven friends, made appetizers, asalad, an entrée, and dessert, and everyone brought wine. We squeezed around my round kitchen table meant for four—but no one cared.

After dinner, we sat on the floor playing Catch Phrase until the wine was gone. The last guest left around 2 a.m., and I remember thinking: this is it—this is what I want to do for the rest of my life.

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🎄 From Cozy Gatherings to Holiday Spectacles

Over the years, I’ve hosted with my parents and now with my husband. Together, we’ve pulled off everything from intimate dinners to our biggest bash yet—a holiday party with 93 guests and a 17-foot Christmas tree.

And while I love those big celebrations, I’ve discovered my heart belongs to the smaller gatherings, where I can linger, laugh, and connect with every guest.

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✨ What’s Ahead in 2026

That’s exactly what I’ll be sharing with you going forward:

• 🍴 Seasonal, small-scale dinner party menus curated for gatherings up to 8 people centered around seasonal produce and fun occasions like game and movie nights.
• 💡 Entertaining tips each week—from creative invites to handling the “challenging” guest with grace.
• 🍹 Cocktails with Colleen – a weekly demo to kick off your weekend!

My goal? To help you feel confident, inspired, and excited to bring people together—whether it’s eight friends around a cramped table or a house full of holiday cheer.

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💌 Let’s Stay Connected

I’m thrilled to take this journey with you!
👉 Make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss a single menu or tip.
👉 Forward this to a friend who loves entertaining (or wants to start).
👉 Comment below and tell me: what’s your favorite hosting memory? I’d love to share some of your stories in future issues.

Until next time,
Colleen