110 | September 2019
SWEET
COMPANY
“There’s something
about inviting
people to my
parents’ home that
feels full circle,
sharing time with the
people who inspired
my real love for
bringing family and
friends together,”
says Julia, here with
her dad, Doug.DesignSponge. “Because we live in a rural area
without many restaurants, I cook at home every day,”
Julia says. “That makes it really easy to text friends
and say, ‘Hey, I bought too much chicken. Do you want
to come over?’”
Julia believes food doesn’t have to be complicated
to be good. She serves simple dishes that are delicious
hot or at room temperature, eliminating the stress
of last-minute cooking. “I don’t want to be stuck in
the kitchen wondering if everyone is talking out there.” She also makes sure to
prepare a meal that everyone will enjoy. So when inviting someone to her home
for the first time, she asks about food restrictions. “I don’t want anyone to feel on
the outside of my table, and that translates to what we’re eating.”
It’s about more than delicious food, though. “What’s most important to me is
the quality of our time together,” she says. “You want people to leave your
home thinking, That was such a great night!” To that end, she loves bringing
together friends from different circles whom she predicts will hit it off then
encouraging them to get to know one another and hash out solutions to the
dilemmas of the day. “I love that meaningful conversations start around my
table, and my goal is to make sure they don’t end there.”A
GRACIOUS
HOST
Julia’s top tips:
SET THE TONE
“Think of yourself as
the cruise director,”
Julia says. ”I always
make a toast at
dinner to express how
happy I am that
each person is there.”
CONNECT YOUR
GUESTS
To help break the
ice, Julia encourages
guests to bring
an object, a book,
or a song that is
meaningful to them.
A RELAXED MIX
As a youngster, Julia
remembers her
dad intentionally
setting the table with
mismatched plates
and napkins.
She finds the
eclectic look relaxes
her as a host,
so she follows his
lead, using her
grandmother’s
plates and a mix of
gifted handmade
textiles.
LET THE TABLE
TALK
No topic is off-limits.
“People say to
avoid politics at the
dinner table, but
I think, What better
place? One of
the highest purposes
that a meal can
serve is to create a
space that feels
safe to talk about
potentially
uncomfortable
things.” nBUYING INFORMATION: BHG.com/Resources