Well That Was Fun

A Brooklyn Meet-Up (Or, how to host a drinks party)

Greetings friends! Last week, I assembled three snack boards in my apartment, packed up a box of stemless wine glasses, confirmed a few last-minute details, then headed down to Brooklyn’s East Fork store to host what I hope will be the first of many Dinner: A Love Story meet-ups. Why? I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: The feel-good spirit of this community saves me on a daily basis, and I wanted to take the party from my kitchen laptop out into the real world. I also wanted to meet DALS readers — of course! — but mostly I wanted readers to meet other readers, to get down to the business of connecting and gathering the way I’m always shouting about in this newsletter.

Plus, winter is so long! Especially this one, with its blizzards and bomb cyclones (a word I just learned yesterday), and it’s easy to slip into inertia mode, to not leave the house, to cancel plans because it’s just so much easier to watch The Pitt, to give in to that February funk. And I’m not exempt from this, by the way: The day before the meet-up, I thought many times, Why did I decide to do this again? And then as soon as the first guest arrived (shout-out, Margot!) I remembered…

…because it almost always feels better to do something than not do it. I loved talking to readers who fed their toddlers pork ragu and “deconstructed dinners;” and discussing Michael Imperioli’s favorite restaurants, and where to eat in New York if you’re only here for the weekend. And Allegra Goodman novels! If there was a theme of the evening, it was that no one could believe I’ve never read Isola.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the shopping! There’s a reason why I asked East Fork to collaborate with me on Project Gather: I love everything they make! Above is their new Thistle Collection. They asked me to pick a few favorites for a “Jenny Display” and I did, but I did so reluctantly because it was very hard to choose.

I went with items that fit with the “invite people over” theme. Above: Oval Platter, Potter’s Bowl Nesting Set, Etched Glassware, Watercolor Diamond Table Linens, and Bitty Bowls.

Above, top: Me with New York-based reader Jasmine; Bottom: Friends and fellow creators Joanna Goddard and Jodi Levine, who reminded me that I am wearing my scarf all wrong.

It didn’t hurt to have a few bottles of beautiful Pinot Noir at the ready. The wine was from Flowers, the revered Sonoma vineyard and winery. A glass of it, all delicate and tart, was just the thing on a winter night in that golden-lit space.

There were also a few bottles of Mother Root, the ginger-forward non-alcoholic aperitif made with ACV that we mixed with club soda and garnished with a sprig of rosemary with excellent results…

…here are my friends Craig and Adam Roberts enjoying that Mother Root mocktail. That’s my husband Andy on the right savoring his Pinot.

That Snack Board

I received a few follow-up emails from guests asking what kind of cheese and snacks I served, and the answer to that may or may not surprise you: Everything on the board was from Trader Joe’s. (Except the taralli on the left tray.) Here’s the entire line-up: Grapes, roasted cashews (50% salted), artful and craggy looking plantain crisps (not to be confused with boring old plantain chips), green olive Italian crackers, rosemary-infused Marcona almonds, candied pecans (my favorite), chunks of both 1000-day aged gouda (I had never tried this before, and WOW it was so good, those crystally-crunchies, plus half the usual price) and 6-month aged Manchego, and organic sharp cheddar slices (sliced further into irregular triangles). You can’t see here, but I lined the wooden trays with gift wrap scraps. Not bad looking, right?

What are you waiting for?

Assemble one of those snack trays, pick up a bottle of wine, organize a non-alcoholic option, then invite six people over for your own drinks party. Who will it be?

Thanks for coming, New York friends!
Jenny

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If you are a small business and would like information on sponsoring the next Dinner: A Love Story meet-up, please reach out: jenny@dinneralovestory.com with the subject “Meet-Up.”