Making Room by Gather

I’ll start here. There have been seasons where I have royally messed up on friendship. Chances are you are either nodding your head as someone who is in the same position or have unfortunately been on the other side of a friendship gone wrong. While I have been grateful for the increasing amount of relationship resources in culture, there still is so much to discover. If there’s one thing I learned is that relationships require being a constant learner. They require learning from past experiences, constant self-reflection and ultimately intentionality. Recently I reconnected with a high school friend, Rob Guinta. We were at a retreat together and somehow we stumbled upon a topic he recently taught on, ‘ 4 Ways to Fail at Friendship.’ Knowing him and his depth of study, I knew that this was a topic for the show! Cultivating meaningful relationships definitely includes time around the table, and definitely includes atmosphere, but most importantly it includes the heart of the person on the other side. Through his conversation we will walk through: What relationships need in adulthood vs. what was needed during teenage friendships The 4 ways to fail at friendships: listen to the full episode to unlock these! What to do if you find yourself saying, “wow, i’ve really failed at friendships” So many of us accept the misconception that, friendships in adulthood can’t be vibrant. Instead, I’m here to say not only can they be really rich, but they are critical to your health and life! My hope is this conversation gives you a new lens on friendships, refines you approaches them and leads to deeper connection to those around you! Follow Rob on Instagram @robguinta-------------------------------------------Visit This Episodes Sponsors Cotier Brand:Save 15% on conversation napkins at Cotier w/ code Gather15 through their website here!Reeds:Shop Ginger Ale and Reeds full drink collection at your local store or through their website here for 15% off with code GATHERGINGERSupport the show

'What should I serve guests with dietary restrictions' Over the past few months, this has without a question been our most commonly asked question! Let's be honest, it can be intimidating! After years of eating, cooking and catering gluten and dairy free myself, I have learned quite a bit along the way. Through this Date with Kayt we will talk through: -How the way we talk about and serve special diet foods can divide a table...and how to make sure that doesn't happen. -How to use the recipes you already love to serve special diet guests -Checking labels and being cautious about hidden gluten and dairy in common products -4 gluten and dairy free menu options with  flavor packed and hearty meals that everyone can eat, and everyone will enjoy! Curious about where to find certain ingredients or could you use help with an upcoming menu? Email us at Ciao@Gatherintentionalliving.com and we'll include some of the questions in the next episode! Support the show

Kids, food, and hospitality have become a trio that leaves both parents and hosts with angst and uncertainty. While we all dream of community dinners, smooth meals at guest homes, and kids that happily eat ALL of everything they are served, we know that is rarely the reality. As with parenting culture in general, people are quick to throw advice around, yet few are actually experts on helping you see change and bringing peace back to meal time! For years I have been following Jennifer, from Kids Eat in Color. She has a way of walking parents and caretakers through the battlefield of picky eaters through her own experience and research. With resources on everything from approaching new foods to managing mealtime meltdowns, she has created a well-loved, impactful platform with the goal of helping you and your child approach the table with more confidence. Through this rich conversation with you in mind, you will hear Jennifer discuss: The way she approached picky eating and new food groups with her son who was falling off the growth charts.11 expert tips for picky eaters that you can implement today!Ways she would suggest parents help their kids with meals in advance before they even get to a guest table, to help make the process smooth.Advice for a host who is preparing a meal for families with kids.How to manage mealtime meltdowns and tantrums. Recipes and fresh food ideas for parents in a recipe rut.Encouragement to the family of young kids longing for community.Jennifer shares so beautifully in this episode about her own experiences with hospitality as a mom of young children, as well as the stages of working with her own picky eaters. Coming from a place of both personal and professional experience, this episode will leave you feeling like you are understood, not alone, and have actionable techniques to start using today! Visit Kids Eat in Color’s Website Here Follow Them on instagram at @kidseatincolor------------------------------Visit This Episodes Sponsors Cotier Brand:Save 15% on conversation napkins at Cotier w/ code Gather15 through their website here!Reeds:Shop Ginger Ale and Reeds full drink collection at your local store or through their website here for 15% off with code GATHERGINGERSupport the show

Wine causes both delight and a lot of head scratching when it comes to hospitality. Without a doubt, wine is considered a significant part of hospitality and food culture around the world. We all can think of a time where we have sipped the perfect glass, and stopped to savor the perfect pairing with the meal being enjoyed with it. It isn’t always this way, however. So many of us find ourselves saying “I’ll drink what they’re having,” or heading to the store and leaving wondering if the bottle we picked up is the best option for what we are serving. How would it feel to make the shift from perplexity to the confidence of an everyday sommelier? Dana Beninati, a renowned sommelier, joins us for a conversation to demystify the world of drinking and pairing with confidence. Some of the things you can look forward to hearing her talk about are:How does one become a sommelier, and what does that certification mean? Glassware, champagne flutes, decanters - what supplies are must-haves and which ones aren’t necessary.How to buy a bottle of wine. “Is there a difference between a $3 and $100 bottle?” Also, how to read labels.The basics of pairing wine and food, and the truth about white wine with fish! Resources to turn to for continued wine education. Dana’s passion for working to bring an end to childhood food insecurity.This conversation is filled with joie de vivre! We are sure that this will leave you with an extra pip in your step as you prepare your menu for your next event. While becoming a sommelier is an admirable goal, my ultimate hope is that you leave our conversation with Dana feeling more equipped to be confident and properly serve wine than when you started. Cheers to becoming an everyday sommelier! Follow Dana on Instagram at @dinewithdanaSupport the show

Cozy: We seek it and we crave it. If we’re honest with ourselves we feel that a certain level of cozy is only achievable by a select few. We can all think of a home we’ve been in, or one we’ve dreamed over through our social screen, that feels nothing shy of inviting. Each detail intentionally placed, each color complimenting the next, all woven together in a way that says, “You’re welcome here.” If I've learned one thing about design, it’s that one’s home design often makes or breaks the confidence they hold as they welcome others in. Liz Marie Galvan is known and loved through her intentional, warm and inviting design. With her cozy cottage farmhouse style, she has inspired hosts to use design and identify their own style to make their homes cozy. Through this conversation we will walk through: The journey that led to the success of the Liz Marie Galvan Blog The role her grandmother had in shaping her love of design from a young ageWhat being a military wife taught her about community and hospitality How to define cozy and how to can vary from host to hostHow to prepare your outdoor spaces for summer hospitality Antiquing: how to approach it and her favorite finds this season How sticking with a budget, and using what you haves gives you more confidence in your design Whether you are a design enthusiast, or someone in need of a pep talk this episode has you in mind! Do you want to listen to the Ted Talk that Liz & I gushed about? Watch it here! Be sure to get your copy of Liz’s newest book, as a guide to create cozy all year round! Support the show

“Wait, but what am I supposed to wear?” Have you ever received an invitation to an event and wondered that very question? We’ve all seen the movie plots where someone underdresses for a very formal occasion AND more times than not, that very plot finds its way into our own lives. So much of social anxiety starts with the invitation. When too little information is given or information is misunderstood, it leaves us wondering what is expected of us. In this episode, we invited Outfit Formulas creator, Alison Lumbatis, to help us define six types of dress codes and give you clear, attainable formulas for each one! How “Yoga pants mom rut” led Alison to a profound understanding of the importance of getting dressed.What is Outfit Formulas, and what is it that led 100,000+ members to join.Defining and understanding what is expected through: Smart casual - swings casual Business casual - swings formal Business professional attireCocktail - balance between formal and casual Formal What is a capsule wardrobe? How to create one and why they help.Notes to those who feel they are limited with personal style due to finances. Personal Style: How to find yours and how it helps you be a more confident host! Through all we do, our hope is to make gatherings filled with less anxiety and more confidence getting to the table. This conversation will leave you feeling inspired, understood, and ready to take on your next invitation dress code with ease. Interested in joining, Closet Staples Casual Capsule Wardrobe Builder? Take $10 off with code MAKINGROOM. Active now and valid until July 31, 2022.Alison's book is available for purchase at Target and Amazon, HERE!. Support the show

There is something so enticing about BBQ. Around the world this cooking technique is used and well-loved. With the summer upon us, cookouts are on our minds and yet so many of us only fall in the “I can cook a decent burger” category of BBQ skill level. All of us can say that there's a level of BBQ or grilling that we would love to improve in to give us an extra kick of confidence. Pit Master Pat Martin is truly a master of his craft and is leading the way in open pit BBQ through his many locations of Martin's BBQ and Hugh Baby’s BBQ & Burger Shop. Through his new book, Life of Fire, he creates a tell-all of what he’s learned, all he knows, and how you too can master your own “over fire” eats this summer! With Father’s Day making its way here, not only do we think this cookbook would make the perfect gift, but we know that this conversation will get you itching to say, “Come to our house to celebrate. I'll cook!” In this conversation you will hear: How his love for whole hog BBQ started.What Julia Child taught him about food, cooking, and technique. 7 stages of fire and how each one is used.What every host should know about grilling and BBQ.Go-to staple recipes and the truth about sauces.How and why BBQ is such a natural gatherer of people. The best way to include kids in the cookout process. If you are from the south, run…don’t walk, to the nearest location of his restaurant! If not, be sure to pick up a copy of his book here! Support the show

* This Episode is not suitable for little ears* This past week a question came into our inbox: " How do I host someone at my house that is 'creepy' with my kids" ...The question also included red flags that I believe many of you are facing and likely wondering how to deal with at your table. Through this conversation I will bring to the table what I believe will be the start of a series on this show. While I am an advocate for open door hospitality, it is critical to know the warning signs. My hope through this is not that you build unnecessary walls, but rather feel well prepared and informed on how to keep your table one of celebrating and health.  You can expect to hear: What the risks are of exposing children to potentially risky behavior in adults How to approach these situations if they are family Next steps if you need to set boundaries or if you believe harm has already been done In this conversation I will be straight with you, because truthfully, this is for the safety of your home and your children. I hope that through this conversation you feel that this is a safe space to have this conversation and that you don't feel panicked but instead, prepared. As we work to prepare you for everyday hospitality, we know that this is a small, but critical, part of the whole. Support the show

We’ve all been mesmerized by cookie decorating videos at one time or another. Something about them gives us a sense of wonder and a confidence that, “If they can do it…surely I can too!” We walk down the aisles of the grocery store buying far too many supplies, none of which we know how to use properly. We head home only to find out that we, in fact, should have looked up just a few more tutorials before getting started. If you find yourself nodding along to this experience, you are surely not alone! What many don’t know is that my very first business endeavor was sugar cookie decorating. While it was short lived, this season soon became a crash course into what worked, what didn’t, and what everyone attempting to decorate needed to know! That time in my life was marked by spending far too much money on supplies that weren’t necessary, wasting loads of time and money on recipes that didn’t work, and scouring the internet for tutorials…which is where I found today’s guest. SweetAmbs took the internet by storm as she developed viral cookie decorating videos. Quickly after following her, I learned about a decorating course out of state. All by myself, I drove out of state to this workshop that finally gave me clarity and a solid grasp on the art! Amber Spiegel will walk us through: What it was like working at Wilton’s headquarters.Cookie Decorating 101: What tools you need and which ones to leave behind.Royal Icing: How to create different icing consistencies for the various decorating techniques.Picking the right cookie recipe and why it matters.Where to find quality workshops for specific designs and techniques.How to store cookies for gifting and extended freshness. & more! While I know not all of you listening are looking to become the next viral cookie decorating star, I do know that decorating is an area so many of us aspire to have skills in and feel as though we fall short! Through this conversation, my hope is that this piques your interest, and gives you just the inspiration you need to keep creating and develop new found confidence as you do! Get a copy of Amber’s Cookie Decorating Book Here! Take one of Amber's Classes Here! Follow her on instagram @sweetambsSupport the show

Each month I lead one episode to dive deeper into hospitality, community, relationship and intentional living. This episode is one that was brewing in my heart all month, and finally I was able to put it to words! It is very likely that you have had both of these experiences:- Leaving an event feeling more disconnected than when you walked in & - Leaving an interaction feeling deeply seen and craving more time togetherWe live in a time where we are more connected than ever, yet, lonelier than ever. What this tells me is that it's time to say, 'something needs to change.' Through various observations in our hospitality culture, my own community and experiences I have realized that there are 6 things we can do to make people feel more...seen. While the epidemic of loneliness is deeply rooted, these small changes and steps can make a lasting ripple effect. - Replacing the phrase "It's not my place" - How to make connections with people you see often in public - Extending unlikely invites - Eye contact- Introducing your guests to one another - Added personalization in the details Can you imagine what that would look like, if we went first to make people feel seen? I can, because I have been through the receiving end, and it's powerful! Let's make the decision today to make these few small changes, and go first. Support the show