Stories From the Table celebrates the way our members gather, host, and make Paris Dining Club their own. First up: Lauren’s September dinner with friends ♡
“We fell in love with the idea of Paris Dining Club from the first email.
Coming together with friends, lingering dinners, the promise of a meal inspired by the beauty and deliciousness of Grand Café.
We instantly thought of our friends Alyssa and Jason DeRusha (or they thought of us, I can’t remember 😊), who are game for anything, and love nothing more than a great meal and conversation.
For us, Paris Dining Club quickly became something special.
It’s anticipated. On the calendar each month, we looked forward to seeing each other. We are over a decade into our friendship, and we learn something new from each other in every meal.
It’s also become an excuse. To bring out my grandmother’s china. To buy cloth napkins and napkin rings. To enjoy that bottle of wine saved for a special occasion. To try things we would never have ordered. To dress up a bit.
Each month, we decide who will host.
We consult the dinner party guide for inspiration on the vibe. In September, we were restarting our subscription after taking the summer off. Travel schedules, kids, transitions, something had to give. But we missed PDC and we missed each other.
With inspiration from local designer Mille (big fan here!), and casual elegance, I found my grandmother’s dishes and teacups in the basement, bought flowers from the Farmers market, and set the table the night before (pro tip).
The big black boxes arrived at my house Friday afternoon, and I enjoyed the ritual of slowly opening the paper and pulling out the containers. I pull out the instructions and read every word (I have learned from my mistakes that these ladies have planned this to the minute.) Menus are tucked into napkins, pans are pulled out, platters are ready.
That night, Alyssa and Jason bring wine (of course) and the night immediately flows. We talk, laugh, debate. I present the dishes and there are oohs and aaahs; preparation is easy and does not take away from the energy. Music is something French found on Spotify – like any good bistro it adds but does not distract.
The night ends only because the next day is a long day of kid activities (Alyssa and Jason learned long ago that I am not a night owl).
We toast, we hug, and we double check to make sure next month is on the calendar.”
xo, Lauren Mehler Pradhan
The best part of Paris Dining Club is seeing how you do it.
