How to Host the Perfect Micro-Gathering
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Guests can expect to be greeted with a seltzer and smile when they step foot in Jordan’s place. “We’ll open the wine, while I’m putting the last touches on everything,” she quips. Both long benches as well as different chairs make up the seating arrangement for a mini gathering at her New York abode.
Ideal micro gathering group number: “Eight to 12.”
Favorite time of year to host: “In New York, it was May to October, but in L.A. it’s year-round!”
Favorite way to share meals: “I love a yard gathering, and I have been blessed with private outdoor space both in my old NYC apartment of 10 years, as well as where I live now in L.A. I’ve also been known to throw a fun hotel penthouse party.”
Go-to seating arrangement when you have a limited floor plan: “I think the focus is on the food, drink, and company, and I can usually be found sitting on the floor or in the grass in most of my own gatherings (barefoot the whole time of course).”
Go-to meal for a micro-gathering: “A simple caesar and an amazing pasta dish.”
“I really commit to a theme,” jokes Marta Mae, the “influencer of influencers” as she’s known to her loyal followers (us included). Her way of distracting from lack of space just so happens to also be a great excuse to buy strawberry-themed table accessories. “In New York, any time I hosted, I’d turn the picnic table into a giant charcuterie board of a theme.” One of her more notorious gatherings featured a Strawberry Moon theme that included “a table full of cottagecore treats adorned with cherubs and gorgeous candles.”
Theme aside, Marta likes to make sure her guests feel extra at home by never skimping on her assortment of blankets, floor pillows, and yes, even robes. “Less is more in terms of decorations and unnecessary table fillers. Focus on what matters—comfort, yummy things, conversation.” Moreover, she adds, “every Marta gathering always has some kind of weed component whether it’s a tray of joints to pass or a little edible bar. Mushrooms too!” Count us in.
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Sophia Kardonski, chef, art curator, collector, and entrepreneur
Ideal micro gathering group number: “8 to 10.”
Favorite time of year to host: “December or January in Miami, outside, under the stars!”
Favorite way to share meals: “Over great wine, music, a potluck, everyone brings their favorite recipe or drink.”
Go-to seating arrangement when you have a limited floor plan: “I bring out the benches from outside, mix and match chairs, and, if needed, use the coffee table with big pillows on the floor.”
Go-to meal for a micro-gathering: “Moussaka, with a beautiful bright salad on the side.”
Timing is everything when it comes to mini gatherings for Sophia. “I like to leave a good amount of time between dinner and dessert to digest,” says the host, plus, she adds, this gives people plenty of time to “enjoy, play board games, give each other card readings for fun, read through art books, and dance salsa.” Energy, also, plays a crucial role. “It’s all about stopping and paying loving attention to how we engage with the ceremony of cooking and eating,” she says, “I take the opportunity of hosting these gatherings to quiet the outside noise about food trends and diets, and tune into the energy of our food and make it work for us and nourish us to its maximum potential. People always comment saying how, when they leave, they never feel bloated or tired.”
As for optimizing space, Sophia recommends trying to make everyone feel the most at home as possible. Her rule: no shoes. “I have a basket next to the door with socks so that everyone can feel extra cozy.” When stepping into Sophia’s home, warm lighting coupled with curated music is always to be expected. Her pro tip: know the music your guests like in advance. “That way, when they arrive and they hear the song they like, it makes them settle in and feel more at home.”
Known for setting up some of the absolute best makeshift tablescapes, Sophia recommends skipping out on oversized accessories and sticking with what’s already on the table. “Instead of crowding the table with clunky salt and pepper shakers, I love to make little piles of the flake salt next to the plate or in the middle of the table.”
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