"Sometimes the most memorable evenings are the ones spent with a few friends at home along with music, a homemade meal, drinks, and quiet conversations."
I tend to skip the Los Angeles nightlife scene, preferring to invite a small group over for dinner and drinks—it’s more intimate and lends itself to great conversations. To create a fun, inviting atmosphere, I create a long music mix either on Rdio or Spotify, a playlist that starts slow and then picks up over the course of the evening. Keep the volume low enough so that your guests can converse at ease.
As the host you’ll want to introduce your guests if they don’t know each other. Be sure to help spark conversation, perhaps by mentioning a shared interest or an engaging topic–politics, art, cinema, current events—that will get people talking. If your guests are already friends, as the host you can mix and mingle and enter into different topics of conversations—being tuned into what everyone has to say helps make each of your guests feel welcome. Having snacks and cold drinks is also a must. There’s something special about an ice cold Stella Artois out of a striking chalice and talking to friends, new and old.
When I think about my favorite memories, they definitely involve quiet conversations at home with some of my favorite people. You can follow suit and create your own warm memories over a beautiful chalice of Stella Artois.
BENJAMIN HEATH is an LA-based photographer who grew up in the Midwest, and transformed his career from commercial litigator to full-time photographer. Benjamin’s focus on natural light, clean composition and individual perspective can be seen through his celebrated portrait photography.
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