TDP Baltimore’s next dinner is on the books.
Reach out to Hannah to save your seat.
The Bay Area table is set, March 24.
Reach out to bayarea@thedinnerparty.org for more information.
The Dinner Party meet Baltimore. Baltimore, meet The Dinner Party.
Contact bayarea@thedinnerparty.org to find out more and attend.
LA Dinner - Sunday, 2/10.
Email carla@thedinnerparty.org for more details and to reserve your seat.
dinner in the district :: january 2013 edition
The Dinner Party DC sat down for its first feast of 2013 last Sunday. On the menu: mushroom bourguignon, roasted brussels sprouts, orzo and collard greens, spiced chickpeas, matching salads (a craving for candied walnuts, apples, and blue cheese was in the air, it seemed), and a key lime pie, a family favorite for one member of our company. We were joined by faces old and new, for a total of nine. We began by sharing what brought us to the table, and reflecting on where each of us happened to be at that moment; as is often the case with first-time introductions, each story sparked its own conversation thread, and we made it back around the table only as dessert was served. We talked about wanting to connect around loss, without subjecting ourselves to a future “in fetal position,” as one gal so aptly put it. We talked about self-care: about what happens when there’s no one left to care for, and no crisis that needs to be fixed. We realized that it’s not just that illness or caregiving or loss changes you: it’s that you want to be changed. “My resume is a stranger,” said one in our company: returning to her old job was, by choice, no longer an option. And we shared tips: as we talked about what to say to friends experiencing loss for the first time themselves, one woman suggested asking straight-up, “Do you want sympathy or a solution?” Just as different family members grieve and remember differently, what we’re looking for on any particular day can likewise change. Our job isn’t to offer sage advice or answer questions: 9 times out of 10, it’s simply to ask.
Dinner’s Ready in the Bay Area
Sunday, January 27 from 5-8pm
Email bayarea@thedinnerparty.org for more information.
xo,
TDP
The Dinner Party Los Angeles all came around the table last night in Lennon’s Eduardian Echo Park dining room. This Socal Winter Chill (woosies) made the barn a rather unappealing option, so we headed in doors to eat under an antique chandelier, surf board, and galactic Katy Perry poster designed by our genius friend Trent.
It was an awesome group — some of our friends from the original Dinner Party circle formed over two years ago, and some brave new faces. We shared dishes that were loved by the ones we loved - which resulted in 2/3 of dinner being bomb cookies of different varietals. Dessert for dinner, not complaining!
Our conversation took some really beautiful turns. We had all lost people close to our hearts, but in different circumstance - from cancer to suicide - at different times in their lives - from 25 to 55 - and at different times in our own lives - from 9 years ago to 4 months ago. We swapped stories about the worst ‘deer in the headlights’ looks we’ve gotten from people, how our need to reflect or grieve waxes and wanes, and how the experience of loss is a power - albeit one we’d never ask for - that means we’re closer to a certain side of life than most people our age, and that this power is something to be aware of, to honor, and to use responsibly. We got very witchy at the end, before retiring to our beds.
Big thanks to talented photographer Jonathan Shapiro who snapped photos of the night, which we’ll be sharing with you shortly!
xo,
TDP - LA
You are invited.
To celebrate those present and those absent.
Monday January 14 7:30 - 10. 1411 Calumet, Los Angeles, CA, 90026.
It’s a potluck! Please bring a dish your loved one loved and the recipe to share.
See you at dinner. <3 u. TDP
