Making Room by Gather

Stacey Morgan prepared, as much as she could, to send her husband into space. Alongside members of the NASA community, her kids, and the world, her husband took off, leaving her with the sheer reality that this could be the most celebratory season of her life, or the most tragic. Through this striking reality, she was left to question, ‘Where does my hope rest?’ As weeks went by, she faced parts of life that many of us aren’t forced to face in a lifetime. As she wrestled through community, fear, hope, and friendship, she came upon some truths that we will dive into through our awe-inspiring conversation today: “If we don’t make an active decision to choose hope, our default will always be fear.”How to actively choose hope over fear.‘Bologna’s on sale friends’: Who they are and why they’re important. How to support friends in crisis through community.What Stacey learned about the importance of saying no, and how you can too! There are certain conversations that grip your heart and speak to places in your life where you didn’t know you needed reminders of encouragement and truth. This was one of those conversations for me! Unlike any conversation we’ve had on the show so far, this conversation will leave you both intrigued and inspired. My hope is that you will finish listening to this episode, inspired that friendship and hope can start with you and what a beautiful thing it is!To get more wisdom from Stacey and hear the rest of her story, be sure to read her new book, The Astronaut’s Wife.Ready to make your weeknights a bit more simple? Get your first meal subscription with 15 minute restaurant quality meals  for $36! Gobble is offering YOU your first 6 meals at this incredible lot price to bring peace back to your weeknight table! Support the show

If you've been around Making Room for a while, you have likely noticed our growth and changes along the way! We want you to feel at home in this space, so we wanted to share some updates with you!Coming up on Making Room we will be honing in on three main categories, to prepare you holistically for everyday hospitality. Our episodes will fall in three main categories: Food, Design & People! Through those we will welcome on guests in the industry for conversations that launch early in the week. Throughout the month, you can also expect to see "Dates With Kayt", that will be workshop style classes, honing in on specific skills and topics hosted by Gather! As we make the switch to make Making Room by Gather a larger focus of the Gather community, we are also welcoming on ad partners to make the show free for you! Each one is intentionally selected and shares values with the brand. What this means to us, is that each one is selected with YOU in mind to add value to your home, life and hospitality! ----------This  week join me on a Date with Kayt, as we talk through what we mean when we say "Intentional Hospitality". Talking through: Why we so commonly experience disconnect and discontentment at Gatherings How to use our event goal, and guest list to make decisions during planningHow I learned this lesson from my fiddle leaf tree & what you can learn from it too! Get ready to adjust the "lens" you approach your hospitality through, and see the connection and  connection that comes through those decisions! Did you hear about our newest favorite meal kit in this week’s episode? These 15 minute restaurant quality meals are just what you need to make your weeknights a little smoother, and bring  more joy back to the table! Give Gobble a try TODAY with 3 Meals (6 servings) for $36! Trust us, it’s worth it! Support the show

Many of you are likely looking at the title thinking, ‘Is this week’s guest married to JOHN STAMOS?’, The answer is yes! Caitlin Mchugh Stamos joins us at the table, with her dynamic life and career experience spanning from acting and jewelry design to her newest venture launching a podcast. As a mom of an almost 4 year old, her hands are full with the joys of parenting, the challenges of parenting and balancing it all with her incredible community centered work. In this episode you can expect to hear us laugh, and chat, our way through: What everyone should know about “Uncle Jesse” in real life. What it was like to marry into the Full House Family How they navigated their relationship transition from engaged, to married, to parents! Everything you need to know about Disney, from an expert herself! ” How Can I Help?” Caitlin’s new podcast that brings light to social issues, and actionable ways we as a community can learn and… help! Join us this week as we span a wide array of topics, that we know will make you laugh, and leave you running to tune into her new show! Tune into How Can I Help Podcast Here! And be sure to follow her parenting and disney journey at caitlinskybound on instagram. Did you hear about our newest favorite meal kit in this week’s episode? These 15 minute restaurant quality meals are just what you need to make your weeknights a little smoother, and bring  more joy back to the table! Give Gobble a try TODAY with 3 Meals (6 servings) for $36! Trust us, it’s worth it! Support the show

Williams Sonoma is one of those brands that I would consider a pillar in the hospitality industry. They are known for their quality and their cutting edge design, but most of all I know them for the products that have filled my wish list holiday after holiday, year after year. Through their seasonal collections, they welcome designers to curate lines that breathe fresh, unique aesthetic into their serveware collections. Michelle Kim, a fashion designer based in LA, brings her maximalist style with mismatched patterns that share her unique story to Williams Sonoma in their newest spring collection. While I was ecstatic to learn more about the line, I also was itching to know the story that led her to…here! Michelle shares her unique journey to this launch, walking us through: Her memories of exploring fashion through her dad’s garment factory as a kid.The process of overcoming her own self doubt and imposter syndrome on her road to becoming a creative.How to craft our own personal style and why it matters.Her passion for animal rescue and how to get involved.Of course, everything you need to know about how to get the collection.Whether you are looking for a pattern to add character to a traditional table or you are looking to add to your pattern rich collection, Michelle Kim’s Williams Sonoma new line fits every table! Find her full collection and get your own pieces here! Follow Michelle’s Journey on Instagram @moremkimReady to try Gobble 15 Minute Meal Kits delivered straight to you door? Use this link to get 3 Meal kits (6 Meals!) for only $36!Support the show

Our weeknight meal rotation can get pretty dull, quickly! In the hustle and hurry, so often our table gets filled with food that is far from what we’d call…delicious. Quickly reaching for processed foods, and resorting to new recipes that we’re not quite sure how we feel about, many of us are calling out with an SOS. We all crave the skill to be able to serve food that we are proud to put in front of our guests, along with techniques that we feel confident in. As much as our weeks scream to us, “It’s time to give up that dream,” this episode is here to tell you a different story! Teri, the creator behind No Crumbs Left, sets out to give her readers unique flavor and spice combinations to add to their weekly line up! Beyond that, she is known by her mantra, “Don’t be afraid to fail, it’s just food!” as she teaches chefs to trust their cooking instincts.How does it sound to have all of these skills in your weeknight lineup? Magic elixirs: sauces, spreads and condiments for shortcuts to deliciousness. Why it’s important for everyone to have a signature dish and how to find one. Three ideas for fresh, flavor-packed 10-minute meals.What it means to cook smart.How to share weeknight cooking with a neighbor.And more! Get ready to get joy back in the kitchen! Teri is a wealth of delicious wisdom that we are so excited to share with you!Find Teri's Marinated Onions HerePurchase her cookbook, No Crumbs Left here!Support the show

There is so much power in our life stories. Certainly we all know someone who can bring an entire table to stitches, or tears, with the stories they share. However, so often we lead ourselves to believe that our stories are the exception. We lead ourselves to believe that our stories don't need to be told. If you spend anytime looking at food on Instagram (or TikTok) you have most definitely come across the platform of the Korean Vegan. Before I ever came to be captivated by her incredible food photography and recipes, I was captivated by her storytelling. Captivated by the way she shared her journey with healing her relationship with food, stories of her family's history, stories of her culture, stories of love and heartbreak. She taught me something, that stories build trust, stories deepen roots, stories make all of our lives and connections to one another...richer. In this conversation, Joanne and I will be talking about story telling, How to become a storyteller and the incredible new book she just released that brings it all together. Buy her new book The Korean Vegan here!Support the show

Are you looking to buy or sell your home this year? We know that with this ever changing market, it can seem like a daunting task! Whether you are buying or selling we welcomed on our friend, and real estate agent, Emily Lovejoy White to make finding home, a little more approachable. In this valuable episode we will walk through...What every HOME SELLER needs to know: -How to find a real estate agent-How to prepare your home for a walk through - The importance of depersonalizing -The truth about "feel good fragrance" -What to expect with closing, financing and negotiating.  -The importance of the appraising process What every HOME BUYER needs to know: -Extra expenses to prepare for -What every buyer should look for in a walk through -Floor plans to consider as you search for your new home -Questions a buyer should be prepared to ask How to thank your real estate agents: the gifts they would appreciate What design styles are important for sale and return on investment. & more. As you look for a space to call home, we are committed to helping you navigate the process with ease! Looking for more real estate and design inspiration? Be sure to follow @emilylovejoy white This episode was made possible by our friends: Emily Love Joy White & Joolies Dates: Buy your own with 20% off with code Gather20 Support the show

So many of us, without even realizing it, are doing the adult equivalent of walking across the cafeteria with our head down. I have come to learn that the way we communicate and act with the people around us either flashes an "I'm available and interested in friendship" signal Or "steer clear-not interested" siren. Through my own journey to friendship and deeper connection I came to learn that some of my own patterns gave the wrong signal and perpetuated loneliness and disconnection. Here are 5 Ways to Grow & Show Interest in Friendships/Relationships: 1: Be specific in Making Plans: The next time you say "let's get together", take out your calendar and make a date! I find that often we are being too courteous of the other person, which in turn leaves us both waiting for an invitation. Give yourself permission to show interest by making a plan AND trusting that the other person will set a boundary and be honest if they need to. 2: Remember & Acknowledge Milestones: When you are with someone you are trying to grow a relationship with and you hear them reference an important date...take out your calendar, write it down and set an alert! When you see the alert, send flowers, send a text, show up- whatever it looks like! By celebrating when friends celebrate, and mourning when they mourn shows commitment. 3: Be Mindful of Communication Response Times: This can be touchy, hear me out! Life is full, some seasons we are more responsive than others. Truthfully, I've been more delayed than I'd like these days. However we need to keep in mind...not responding- sends messages. Think of it like a dating relationship. If you thought you had a good first date and you don't hear back for a week, you assume they aren't interested (even, if maybe that's not true). Try to use phrases like "Hey, I see your message it's a busy week but I'll answer soon" to keep things clear and growing 4: Being Authentic & Vulnerable: What do we all ask when we see each other, "Hey, how's it going." We have been conditioned to answer it with non-genuine answers. My challenge for us is to slowly and steadily allow ourselves to be more honest with those around us. To share more about what is really happening with life, work, family etc. Sometimes vulnerability can land flat. However what I'm finding is that over time authenticity invites more authenticity. When this isn't present in relationships, they stay at the surface. However, when we allow the roots to go deeper, the relationship grows stronger. 5: GO FIRST:  We live in a culture where we are all waiting to be asked. There is a value shift in life where kids are praised for going up to 'random people' and making friends, while adults are shamed for that very thing. If you are picking up on friend chemistry, likely you're spot on! Keep friendships growing by allowing yourself to respond to these very inner inklings. Be the one who extends the invitation, sends the text and shows up. The community that we long for and the community that we need...starts with us! Join us for this rich conversion on this weeks Date with Kayt.Support the show

One of our most commonly asked questions is, "What do I cook for large groups?' With questions from meal planning to logistics and everything in between this is an area of uncertainly for many hosts. When I was thinking of who to bring on to add wisdom to this conversation, Tieghan Gerard was the first to come to mind!If you have spent any time searching for recipes, you have likely come across Half Baked Harvest. Tieghan has become well known and well loved in so many of our homes for her delectable recipes with unique twists for the everyday host. Coming from a large family and learning to cook for full tables from a young age she is a wealth of encouragement and insight on this very topic! As an exciting addition, we also will be talking about her new book Half Baked Harvest Every Day, available March 29! Find out more about Tieghan at Halfbakedharvest.comExpand your hospitality knowledge at Hospitalityacademie.comVisit this Episode's Sponsors at: Emily White Real Estate: Contact Emily here! Durant Olive Mill: Take 10% of Oregon Made Olive Oil w/ code DURANTJoolies: Take 20% off your order of the BEST dates with code GATHER20Plants by People: Order your plant based tonic for 15% off with code GATHER15 Kayty's current favorites are BLOOM and HARMONYSupport the show

Looking ahead to spring feels good right about now! Sunshine, flowers and then ...the spring cleaning! As we looked ahead to this years big sweep, we wanted to approach it from two angles: How to make it attainable, to give us confidence for warm weather hospitality AND How to take on these big projects with safer products. As we thought about who to bring on for the conversation, there was no one better than BRANCH BASICS! Kelly Love, one of Branch Basics founders will be leading us through: 5 Focuses for Spring Cleaning The Truth About Disinfecting How to Make Your Own Air Purifier The Difference Between Fragrance Free & Unscented How Branch Basics Products can Replace ALL of your Cleaning Supplies & more! Together we will learn the importance of this seasonal clean for the health of our family and preparation for our gatherings! I promise, you'll be excited to start cleaning! Follow Kelly, Her Story & Get Your Own Branch Basics Products on their website! ----------------This episode was graciously sponsored by our friends at Emily White RealEstate on instagram @emilylovejoywhitePlants by People & Joolies Order your own for 20% off with code Gather20 Support the show