2018
The Dinner Party: Where Style Is Served This issue celebrates personal style and community — the kind that only exists in New York. There’s a certain elegance that comes with dressing up and sitting down for a meal or some drinks.
LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
The Dinner Party: Where Style Is Served
D
inner parties are the intersection of food and fashion, whether that be dressing yourself or dressing the table. Often food brings us together — clothes can do the same. As much as we love the same foods, we love the same fashions. This issue celebrates personal style and community — the kind that only exists in New York. There’s a certain elegance that comes with dressing up and sitting down for a meal or some drinks. In bringing this vision to live, even more than creating an air of community was creating a definitive style. The wardrobe was a mix of softhued textures and silhouettes that transcend decades of fashion. The hair and makeup was understated, if done at all. Thank you to Beacon’s Closet in Greenpoint for lending so many dresses, blouses and jackets to us, and for inviting me to your store to select samples that suited my vision. Thank you to Matias Mollin, a student and friend who lent so many incredible pieces from his personal collection. Thank you to our incredible models, Rio Hito, Zoë Smith, Thea Nickolas, Sora Nithikasem, Ashley Sidoryk, Cy Gowdie, Will Schmacker, Sarah Strohecker, Payton Prendergast and Kat Vlasova. I really appreciate all your flexibility and patience, but mostly the positive environment you all created — despite the fact that none of
you knew each other, you formed a community. In the past we’ve only used three or four models and I am so glad that I was able to dress all nine of you and create the feeling of a real party. Thank you to our Multimedia Editor Katie Peurrung for creating all of these beautiful photos and consideration for my creative direction. Thank you to Rachel Buigas Lopez and Laura Shkouratoff for the incredible print and digital layout; I am so amazed by your efforts and expertise. Thank you to our Video Editor Alana Beyer and her deputy Justin Park for creating promotional videos. Scott, thanks for coming through with the definite dinner party guide. Thank you to Please Don’t Tell and the team at Criff Dogs for so generously allowing us to shoot in your amazing space. And finally, a massive thank you to our Under the Arch Editors, Yasmin Gulec and Pamela Jew. There would be no issue without your efforts and creative energy. Yasmin, I still can’t believe you let us get glitter all over your apartment; thank you so much for your generosity and unmatched positivity. Pam, you always know what I’m thinking before I can put it into words, our brains work the same and I am so lucky to work with you. So dig in and savor this issue. Cheers!
AMANDA BURKETT, Beauty & Style Editor
DIG IN
Below: From left to right, Zoe wearing Dyanne Dallas ivory pleated collared dress; Cy wearing Supreme mustard plaid mohair cardigan; Sora wearing Day 1 Pale Yellow Gauze Dress, and Kat wearing Town House plaid ruffled collar button down.
STRAIGHT UP
Above: Will wearing a Prada village-print wool sweater.
LET’S BOUNCE
Right: Cy (left) wearing vintage Maxwell T-shirt and Dimes fleece jacket, and Sora (right) wearing vintage 1940s dark green chore jacket.
MIRRORED HAZE
Left: Will (left) wearing Ralph Lauren brown multi-colored plaid flannel button up, and Payton (right) wearing Zara Woman cream linen shirt.
PAINT IT ON
Below: In the mirror, ZoĂŤ (left) wearing gold Lurex half-button collared shirt, and Kat (right) wearing Theory knit dress and sheer printed blouse. To the right, Thea wearing Gunne Sax blue bibbed white embroidered dress.
ON THE ROCKS
Above: Rio wearing Expressions by Campus orange and cream crochet collared button-up, black trousers and Patagonia brown suede Chelsea boots.
CALM BEFORE THE STORM
Ashley wearing Gerard Darel maroon petal maxi tank dress.
dinner party A DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO YOUR NEXT
Now, you just have to clean your entire apartment.
WORDS BY SCOTT HOGAN | PHOTOS BY KATIE PEURRUNG There was a certain rhythm to the days when my mom would prepare for dinner parties. The kitchen was filled with silence, broken only by her bare soles slapping against the hardwood floors, the stirring sounds and soft rustling as she set the table with folded napkins and the clang of silverware she kept in a wooden chest. I was always allowed to talk with the guests as they arrived, but as soon as they sat for dinner, I would be sent to my room. Sometimes, I sat at the top of the stairs trying to pick up any bits of conversation I could through my dad’s rumbling laughter. In college, we are trekking this bridge between adulthood and our past. We’re trying to figure out how to live and that can be a little scary sometimes. But when it comes to the very adult art of dinner parties, sit back, relax and we’ll show you how it’s done.
Y PART a P I T aYwearing Zatrank The babydoll white . dress
Atmosphere You’ve been there before. Sitting on a stranger’s twin XL bed in a tiny crowded room while the host’s questionable SoundCloud mumbles in the background, obviously quiet enough so as not to alert the RA — the same reason the kid with the greasy hair lets out a sharp ‘shhhhh’ every few seconds. It’s called the worst party ever and you went there every single week during your first year. The last-minute plans, the questionable Venmo requests the morning after and that one girl shouting “let’s go to Joe’s” will not be in attendance at your upcoming soiree, however. The days of sloppy dorm pre-games are over and throwing a classy dinner party is the norm. Your adult dinner parties will have an atmosphere, unlike the so-called parties of your past. The first thing you should think of when you decide to host a dinner party is what mood you want to set. Is it going to be intimate and chill? Lively and rambunctious? Something in between? By setting a vibe for the night, you can create a cohesive mood for your friends to follow through every aspect of the evening without them even knowing. While figuring out who to invite can seem obvious to some people, there are a couple of mistakes to avoid. If you’re planning a smaller dinner, make sure everyone knows each other well. That awkward silence really stretches when it’s supposed to be a nice adult dinner. If your group is any larger than a handful of people, make sure everyone knows at least two people invited. Being invited to a party and only knowing the host is the worst part of adulthood. You have to make small talk all night and learn about so many Gallatin concentrations. Take pity. Now create a playlist with your theme in mind. Music is the easiest way to create a vibe in a room and can really set the tone for the dinner. Make sure to give this some thought too — while it’s easy to dismiss, a playlist can make or break a party. Not someone savvy with music? We’ve got you covered with a basic playlist that will make any dinner party sing. Whatever mood you decide on, we all know that a shoebox apartment is too small to have a full table set with room to stand around left over. Try creating two different floor plans for the night. Before guests arrive, push the table into a corner and create a space for mingling by letting up some chairs around the couch so that there will be room to stand and relax before dinner starts. And when the time comes you can simply pull out the table and set up the seats in a matter of minutes. You don’t have to spend a lot of money to make a dinner party look and feel classy. All it takes is a little creativity and some good vibes.
The last-minute plans, the questionable Venmo requests the morning after and that one girl shouting ‘let’s go to Joe’s’ will not be in attendance at your upcoming soiree.
Guests clink their glasses together to comm ence the evening .
CH EE RS
M Y B U S INnEblSueS and black N O N E O F rin g Pendleto rse Cy (left) wea ans and Conve down, black je g plaid button (right) wearin hi-tops. Rio ver, gray llo black leather pu e ec fle lorblock . Patagonia co n knit beanie d Noah brow an s nt pa o rg ca
Drinks As a child at dinner parties, we all looked in awe at the forbidden fruits of adulthood suspended elegantly in everyone’s hands. The short and stout glasses reserved for whiskey or the dainty champagne flutes excited my pre-adolescent mind with the idea that I was a part of something illicit — being a voyeur to the inner workings of adult life. And, if done correctly, you too can emulate the oh-so-sophisticated evenings you gawked at as a child. It’s always important to vary the options when buying alcohol for your dinner. Vodka is a good staple to have, but stocking a bottle of tequila or gin as well allows your guests to fix their favorite drinks. And don’t forget about the friends who choose not to drink. Getting offered water as a substitute for alcohol at every party can get boring, so think about making a simple drink like pomegranate juice with sparkling water, or go the extra mile and make a pitcher of mocktails to share. In the same vein, have a drink prepared for when everyone arrives, like a pitcher of margarita or Moscow Mule. This welcome beverage sets a more relaxed, casual tone for the evening and allows the guests to settle in. Plus, it adds a sophisticated flair with minimal effort. Make your “bar” seem more polished by adding some popular garnishes like limes, olives, bitters and maybe even those maraschino cherries that make your cavities ache. Though these flares are welcome additions, don’t forget the basics. The cardinal rule of dinner party physics states that you will always use more ice than you think and, though it seems obvious, it’s always the simplest things we forget. Make sure those ice trays are filled, ladies! And buy backup ice at a bodega to store in your freezer. Remember, small flourishes can make a big difference. Even details like setting up coasters elevate the entire vibe of the evening. If liquor isn’t for you, pick up a couple bottles of wine, making sure to have at least one bottle of white and red. And for beer options, try to veer away from the typical Coronas or Pabst Blue Ribbon and experiment with something like a Grapefruit Sculpin, which has an incredible citrus bite and makes you think your name is Trevor and you live in Portland. Now, after picking what drinks you’ll be serving at your dinner party, focus on the presentation. You don’t want to resort to the typical red Solo Cups that fill everyone’s Instagram stories every weekend. It’s getting to a point in your life when it might be worth it to invest in some wine glasses. There’s just something strange about being adults who drink wine out of mugs. Whatever you decide to do, make good choices and use protection.
ckpot ur cro ead. es. Yo id s t ah h in ts its he nig gg coa repare for t robably e t n r up to p hile ld bu and yo you w day-o d Bull owave lose eye on s a Re ubt as r g o u ic d h m h c e ctor u wit r th pac s s at yo smoke dete was safe fo s didn’t kee ight. nt way n look il e r a t rn o u f a p u o o y k m in y differe ho t ic d m f t n k o o o s a o w n in t r t s r o h r a h w t n e u g p r a o u t us to Your , ow if y is the easies chen, there or those of oven la n you know dishes n by n F , your it o g smirks e only pers building dow sure cookin fort in the k f the night. etizers, side hing t h p o r t y e m d ap be an r can You’re burned you e tips to ma r level of co the en iends bring could m fed by ou ’ve fr . This r even a bee l e e r would We have so nding on y happy and aving your t n h e rry o pe g. the e nds wil cookin kes aside, de ne gets hom pressure by r energy on t chicken cu e your frie nuts nu ou ryo whil l of the All jo re eve hefs, lower us all y some coco main dish hile t a bow an foc n ensu c to at leas chew one w the e n r o u s you ca ally master res so you c ade sauce ly e o le t k a o g s m in s m v e u u sic to meth are ba d hors-d’oe with a hom space to foc wever, try ay, ave so d an sta Ho This w g. e to h ic n salads ig pot of pa a lot of hea ide salads. ’s luck. It t . o stin s p o e s h p d b iv d u r hione y too busy from a This clears e platter an t person ar t your ld-fas a o le s . s . w r o n e n e t fi t a t e e s t k e h la y ju n c r h p t a t e e t e , ’r r n chic s h , u u t o e e o o with recipe ’s imp use y out wh ith the che unting to y w a filter in snacks are u beca the table. It rning a new ou do d o p y s u r m w o er ho see rk f t lea , if y le at or oth or Jack to s if cooking the wo family-sty stress abou fortunately job to d, gf n ing all o t U st’s eat . e o t v g s h a waitin e other han nds into do in ju e dinner not h ’re do k, so it’s th u can y y o e e y h h t t t re the On th k your frie l a o t r il h f a o t w e h w b h w ly e is g n ic n tr ot o gad all th know inglin an you ca nd will brin e is m enu. N nds do if they ore th own m out better ke your frie hile everyon rie f ir h e c h rick m . It’s a t b a E n w e r a s m u n o t le o ’t o s l wil can ack late emb s ch friend nd product roach, you foods to sn your p ets res r brisk utting it on pp er ee u a g h o t n k y c fi t d u lu d p b t an s an and the po uvres sound becue pursue t hors-d’oe e alarm g some bar r fi u e o h t in figure starts. rning, stmat y arts bu shame in Po actuall the pan st r e v e When e, there’s n od, right? g els es go t in s h a t t y an if it moral not im
Food
likely l most ing wil your day, h t e m — so g ties in erfect t havin er par ’t be p many dinn nds and jus n o w frie row party will th g with , your Listen flawless. You us on bondin you. ? it s be d, wa ds on . Foc so har ct it to is han actice wasn’t ouldn’t expe sier with pr erica gets h t a h t sh Am s ea Now t you orate , it get ng. Bu we do e once corp go wro everything n go e at’ll be and lik e — th im t d o a go
PASS YOUR PLATE Will wearing Arrow Sportswear plaid button down and white tank.
OVERALL A GOOD NIGHT Thea wearing B.U.M. Equipment khaki overalls and John Galt white T-shirt.
CAN’T POSTMATES THIS
From left to right, Payton wearing Andy Warhol Whitney Museum vintage T-shirt; Ashley wearing blouse with green crochet, and Thea wearing B.U.M. Equipment khaki overalls and John Galt white T-shirt.
ANTIDOTES &
ANECDOTES Cocktails are the cherry on top for any dinner party, adding an extra fitz and spirit to the table. WORDS BY YASMIN GULEC | PHOTOS BY KATIE PEURRUNG
Moscow Mule INGREDIENTS:
(1 serving, adjust to taste) 1 tablespoon of lime juice ¼ cup of vodka ¾ cups of ginger beer Ice A copper mug (I swear it makes it taste better) The Moscow Mule is a great drink for people who don’t love the taste of alcohol, mostly because the ginger beer masks any trace of vodka. Perfect for all seasons,a Moscow Mule is not only delicious but is also visually appealing — mostly because of the shiny copper mug. It’s a good menu item for a rustic dinner party and, luckily, relatively easy to make. To all my over-21 friends who want to taste a good Moscow Mule, I suggest you order a round at Mother’s Ruin in SoHo if you’re not snowed in for the night (or aren’t making them for your own dinner guests).
Gimlet INGREDIENTS:
(1 serving, adjust to taste) ½ cup gin 1 tablespoon simple syrup 1 tablespoon lime juice If you’re a fan of the gin and tonic but want to shake up your taste buds, try the Gimlet. A sweet and citrusy drink that is both delicious and dangerous. I remember drinking a Gimlet at a beach party in Izmir, a seaside city in Turkey at the tail end of summer. It’s the perfect cocktail to sip to as you dance the day and night away while enjoying the ocean’s hot breeze.
Shandy INGREDIENTS:
(1 serving, adjust to taste) ¾ cup of beer ¼ cup of Sprite This is the simplest of all drinks, an easy last-minute solution if you didn’t prepare ahead of time. Shandy is approachable, gentle and won’t make you regret any of the decisions you make while under its spell. Beer lovers and haters alike will take to this Sprite-infused drink — you can take my word for it. It’s also a great way to repurpose beer that is old and flat. If you’re hosting a low-budget dinner party, get some cool cups, make some shandy, add a curled lemon peel and voila — a cool cocktail.
OPEN SEASON
Rio (left) wearing William Wegman dog T-Shirt. Will (right) wearing a Prada village-print wool sweater.
STRAIGHT SHOOTER
Cy wearing Supreme mustard plaid mohair cardigan and Prada yellow bucket hat.
GATHER ROUND From left to right, Kat wearing Theory knit dress and sheer printed blouse; ZoĂŤ wearing gold Lurex half-button collared shirt; Cy wearing vintage Maxwell T-shirt and Dimes fleece jacket; Sora wearing vintage 1940s dark green chore jacket; Ashley wearing reversible cropped navy zip jacket and John Galt white T-shirt, and Rio wearing Expressions by Campus orange and cream crochet collared button-up.
SMOKE AND MIRRORS
Thea wearing Gunne Sax blue bibbed white embroidered dress.
WORDS BY AMANDA BURKETT
I Effortless Elegance at the Table Students share the recipe for throwing the perfect dinner party. Essential ingredient: the outfit.
realized my love for clothes after a meltdown with my mother when I was 10. We had a family dinner party to attend, which meant she was my stylist for the night. She pulled out a freshly ironed white blouse, navy skirt and black tights; patent black mary janes were waiting next to the door. I was as peeved as an argumentative preteen could be. I thought, ‘just throw me in something casual, something of my brother’s, something unusual.’ I went to dinner wearing exactly what she had placed out, but mark my words — it was for the last time. Fortunately or unfortunately, the good ‘ole days of being polished by our parents are over. College and life in the big city invite new situations to the table and for the first time, it feels like we are forced to face them alone. In the city we are constantly surrounded by people, and plucked from these masses is the new family we make for ourselves; it might take some time — months, years, who knows — but once you find it, hopefully it stays with us for life. We dress up for them and ourselves, we go out to places with eons of tea lights and we host whirlwind dinner parties at our homes.
TOUCHING UP Zoë wearing gold Lurex half-button collared shirt.
Ashley wearing reversible cropped navy zip jacket and John Galt white T-shirt.
ON MY TAB
We all know what a dinner party is – whether you’ve seen it in the movies or watched your parents host, sitting on the sidelines in awe. When it comes to hosting, you’ll learn all the obstacles that you took for granted before. Dinner parties create a sense of warmth; a way of creating a sense of home in a city that sometimes feels isolating. CAS junior Emmy O’Leary hosts dinner parties, though her small studio apartment makes it difficult. On nights when she throws dinner parties, which only happens every once in a while, she embraces the chaos and the oh-too-tight squeezes around every corner — the guests bring light to her cozy studio. “We just stuff the room with people and everyone is laughing and eating and drinking,” O’Leary said. “I definitely have run out of chairs and people sit on the microwave, but I think that’s kind of the sweet beginnings of trying to be grown up and still not doing it right.” Before coming to NYU, LS sophomore Emma Pretzer was a semi-reluctant hostess. While she enjoys cooking and planning, she has grown accustomed to hosting because of her dietary restrictions. Once she came to college, she found a community of like-minded herbivores. “Now that I have my own apartment and I have found a lot of vegan friends at NYU, especially in my sorority,
we have tons of vegan meals together,” she said. “I usually host dinners and everyone brings a vegan dish, kind of like a potluck but never as organized.” Steinhardt junior Fiona Kelly recalls hosting often during her first year, but finds it more convenient to get together for pasta at a cozy spot in the West Village, like Bar Pitti or Rosemary’s, where she doesn’t have to stress over the details. “I did a lot [of hosting] freshman year but as people got busier, it got harder,” she said. “We usually go out to dinner more than meeting at someone’s house for a home-cooked meal or potluck.” Offering to host may seem easy, but all of a sudden the day creeps up on you. You’re hit with a laundry list of things to do — making all the food, setting the table, cleaning your entire apartment. But somehow, often the hardest part ends up being picking an outfit to match your high-quality night. A seasoned professional knows that there’s a happy medium between the glamourous and the comfortable, but for newcomers, it might take a few nights of hosting to find it. Don’t pick anything white; your saucy pasta dish has no mercy. O’Leary is not so strict about her outfit, as her guest list is typically reserved for close friends and she prefers to channel all of her energy into hosting. She says, though, that her ultimate goal is to focus on fashion. “Normally if I’m throwing it, I look like a disaster because I’m always running behind schedule and cooking,” she said. “Hopefully one day I’ll throw a real, proper dinner party where no one is sitting on the microwave and I’m dressed nicely.” Steinhardt first-year Sarah Goldman doesn’t throw her own dinner parties, but she throws herself into planning her outfit when she attends a dinner party. She likes to have fun with her makeup because she doesn’t wear it on regular days, and her go-to outfit is a classic dress over tights paired with boots. “I used to watch my mom get ready in the mirror when she was going out.” Goldman said. “I loved to watch her put on lipstick or mascara so I’ll do one or the other if I’m really dressing up.”
No matter how long it takes, Goldman doesn’t really mind, and sometimes doesn’t even notice. “Spending time getting ready with my friends is often the best part of the night,” Goldman said. “It’s so much fun to listen to music and anticipate what the night will turn into.” After adding a spritz of her signature scent, Byredo 1996, she is ready to go out. Although Kelly is no longer much of a chef, she is somewhat of a master with her wardrobe, mixing comfort and style in all of her looks. “When going out with friends, especially in New York, I try to dress up more than when I am home,” Kelly said. “I have this nice black jumpsuit that is a great day-to-night look and is more for a dinner or a cocktail party or event. I usually wear dark clothes that I feel comfortable in but also are formal enough.” In his own right, Stern junior Farjad T. Malik is in the same boat as Kelly. He’s not much of a host, but he loves to dress up for the occasion. It’s been ingrained in him since he was a child. “My parents were quite fashion forward to be honest, along with my older brothers,” Malik said. “I also went to a boarding school where we had to be dressed in a certain way everyday for dinner.” Malik’s outfit recipe consists of chinos or pants —
THIS SEAT’S OPEN Sora wearing vintage 1940s dark green chore jacket.
INVITE ONLY
Sarah (left) wearing A.P.C. white blick-lined bib shift dress. Thea (right) wearing Gunne Sax blue bibbed white embroidered dress.
I definitely have run out of chairs and people sit on the microwave, but I think that’s kind of the sweet beginnings of trying to be grown up and still not doing it right. EMMY O’LEARY, CAS JUNIOR sometimes jeans — a button down shirt and a blazer. Although he has no one telling him how to dress at college, he’s stayed true to the formal style he learned from his family and at his boarding school in Pakistan. Whether your specialty lies in cooking or clothing, it’s these components that not only bring together a dinneryz party but a community. When it really comes down to it, who cares what food you’re serving? No one is going to tell you that to your face, and if they’re drinking, they won’t notice that you added too much oregano. The guests fill the room, everyone sits down for dinner and you all wind down with a glass of wine. Talking and laughter replace the sound of pots and pans as everyone sits down for dinner. You did it: your outfit without a stain in sight and you didn’t burn the house down. A smile stretches across your face as you remember that it’s the company matters the most. “The best part about having dinner with friends are the friends themselves,” he said.” It’s the company that matters and when you’re around good food with great people who you care about, it honestly makes the food taste even better.”
WE’VE BEEN WAITING Zoë (left) wearing Dyanne Dallas ivory pleated collared dress. Cy (right) wearing Supreme mustard plaid mohair cardigan.
OVER IT
Kat (left) wearing Town House plaid ruffled collar button down. Will (right) wearing a Prada village-print wool sweater.
THE GIRL’S ROOM
Kat (left) wearing Theory knit dress and sheer printed blouse, and Zoë (right) wearing gold Lurex half-button collared shirt.
SPECIAL THANKS
Beacon’s Closet Please Don’t Tell Matias Mollin Rio Hito, Zoë Smith, Thea Nickolas, Sora Nithikasem, Ashley Sidoryk, Cy Gowdie, Will Schmacker, Sarah Strohecker, Kat Vlasova, Payton Prendergast
EDITORS
Jemima McEvoy, Editor-in-Chief Sayer Devlin, Managing Editor Alejandro Villa Vásquez, Deputy Managing Editor Sakshi Venkatraman, Deputy Managing Editor Pamela Jew, Under the Arch Managing Editor Yasmin Gulec, Under the Arch Editor Katie Peurrung, Multimedia Editor Alana Beyer, Video Editor Justin Park, Deputy Video Editor Rachel Buigas-Lopez, Creative Director Laura Shkouratoff, Creative Director Amanda Burkett, Beauty & Style Editor Scott Hogan, Dining Editor
Washington Square News
@nyunews
@nyunews
We are telling big stories — the Bling Ring, Venmo fraud, drug donkeys — ones that expanded past our print-standard 500 words, ones that paint pictures with words. This magazine aims to be a platform where undergraduate and graduate students alike can mutter on about their love of the blue-seated MTA trains or put into words the flavor of their love of grandma’s dumplings.
nyunews.com/underthearch underthearch@nyunews.com