9 Steps to Throwing an Epic Dinner Party
Together with Sonos, we threw a dinner party for the ages at Ryan Lewis' house and we're sharing all our hosting secrets.
By Seattle Mag November 2, 2017
Presented by Sonos
We love a good dinner party here at Seattle magazine, so when Sonos came to us with an idea for the ultimate potluck we jumped on board. There was just one twist: instead of bringing the food, guests brought the music. Enter the Sonos Playlist Potluck. We threw a dinner party for the ages at Ryan Lewis’ Seattle home with Chef Zoi Antonitsas, where guests added their favorite songs to a collaborative playlist.
Now we want you to go out go out and throw the best dinner party your friends have ever experienced. Follow these steps to create your own Sonos Playlist Potluck and head to playlistpotluck.sonos.com to build your soundtrack.
1. Pick the Place
What better venue to host a music-centric dinner party than the Seattle home of music producer Ryan Lewis? But you don’t need a Grammy Award winner’s house. Just find a spot with an intimate and cozy environment.
2. Collaborate with Co-hosts
Seattle magazine Food Editor Chelsea Lin and Chef Zoi Antonitsas of Jarr Bar and Little Fish partnered with Sonos to host the event. Pairing up with friends eases host-anxiety and makes everything from the planning to the partying more enjoyable.
3. Set the Scene
Details are everything. From the Sonos speakers filling each room with music to the vinyl record place cards, we carried our music theme throughout the entire evening.
4. Sync Your Soundtrack
Guests RSVP’d to the party by adding their favorite songs to a Sonos Playlist Potluck playlist. Macklemore and Ryan Lewis’ “Thrift Shop” kicked off the playlist, which was followed by a mix of musical flavors with jams from Kanye West to Hey Marseille. By crowdsourcing your playlist, every guest gets to show off their unique style while discovering new music.
5. Invite Your Squad
We put together a dream team from the intersecting worlds of art, music, style and food. When creating your guest list, mix it up with different friend groups so everyone meets someone new.
6. Craft Killer Cocktails
We started the night with Spiced Plum Punch and Botanical Garden cocktails in the whiskey lounge. Kicking off the fête with a memorable libation is a necessity to get the party going.
7. Chef Like a Pro
Chef Zoi served up an homage to her heritage – a Greek-influenced feast of scallop crudo, lamb kefta and Theo Chocolate and espresso mousse. Not everyone needs a world-class chef in the kitchen. Just keep it simple and cook what you know.
8. Keep It Real
One of the best things to come out of a dinner party is the authentic connections made. Our guests were mostly strangers when they arrived at the party, but when they left it seemed as if they were old friends. Seat people next to someone they don’t know and let the conversation flow.
9. Bring It All Together
At the end of the day it’s all about food, music and friends. If you focus on that, the rest will come easy.
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