How to make friends & get good gossip
Oct 22, 2025•19 min
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Episode description
Do you want to know the secret to making deeper friendships? Throw a dinner party.
You'll feel less lonely, take care of people you love, and find out what's really going on in your community. Dinner parties are sort of a lost art, and our notions of what makes a worthy dinner party are being warped by social media. We're here with tips on how to throw one without feeling self-conscious.
Brittany is joined by two dinner party experts: architecture & design journalist Carly Olson and chef & writer Garrett Schlichte. They discuss the pitfalls and pleasures of modern dinner parties, including how to host one without breaking the bank.
(0:00) Why dinner parties are the perfect way to connect
(2:01) Dinner parties of the past vs. now
(4:57) How modern home design prioritizes individualism
(8:32) Why social media discourages community building
(14:00) Advice for throwing a good dinner party
(16:58) How to let go of your anxiety of having people in your home
(19:51) Ban the phones at home!
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
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You'll feel less lonely, take care of people you love, and find out what's really going on in your community. Dinner parties are sort of a lost art, and our notions of what makes a worthy dinner party are being warped by social media. We're here with tips on how to throw one without feeling self-conscious.
Brittany is joined by two dinner party experts: architecture & design journalist Carly Olson and chef & writer Garrett Schlichte. They discuss the pitfalls and pleasures of modern dinner parties, including how to host one without breaking the bank.
(0:00) Why dinner parties are the perfect way to connect
(2:01) Dinner parties of the past vs. now
(4:57) How modern home design prioritizes individualism
(8:32) Why social media discourages community building
(14:00) Advice for throwing a good dinner party
(16:58) How to let go of your anxiety of having people in your home
(19:51) Ban the phones at home!
Follow Brittany Luse on Instagram: @bmluse
For handpicked podcast recommendations every week, subscribe to NPR’s Pod Club newsletter at npr.org/podclub.
See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.
NPR Privacy Policy
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