October 22, 2025 • 50 mins
Brie Larson and Courtney McBroom are redefining what it means to throw a party — and to live one. From childhood hot-dog experiments to full-blown adult spelling bees, the Oscar-winner and the chef-author spill stories from their friendship and the book it inspired.
Find out how hot queso bonded these friends for life, what qualifies someone as the perfect guest, and why, when it comes to the best parties, the mess might just be the magic.
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hey everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to work in progress. Hey,
whip smarties. We are in the full swing of holiday season.
Halloween is around the corner, and you know it's just
(00:22):
going to snowball into joy and memory making from there.
And that is why I'm so excited to be joined
today by not one, but two incredible women that are
bringing fun and nostalgia and elation for a party back
into our worlds. First, Ree Larsen is an actress, director,
(00:44):
and producer that you likely know, whether it's from her
Academy Award winning performance in Room or her title role
as Captain Marvel. She is an incredible activist and mind
and an incredible host, and through her love of hosting,
she met her best friend, Courtney mcbroome, who is a
(01:06):
celebrated chef, producer, and the former culinary director of Milk Bar,
a famous dessert and bakery brand that used to be
on my way home from work and I literally had
to start going a different way because I was like,
I can't. I just can't, like pull over for six
chocolate chip cookies every day. This is unhinged. Courtney is
really one of a kind. She's written several cookbooks, and
(01:29):
published a popular event series about dinner parties, and over
a hot tub of qeso, the two realize they shared
a mutual love of food and gathering, and that passion
has turned into a book called Party People. It is
a cookbook slash how to guide for hosts of all occasions.
And let me tell you something, this feels like the
(01:51):
cookbook party guide friend hang for our generation. Party People
features one hundred recipes and party ideas inspired by community
and celebration. So let's dive in with Brion Courtney and
talk about how to make your best memories. Well, welcome
to the show, gals. I'm so excited to have you
and so happy that you are giving us the gift
(02:15):
of this book in a time when people need some
joy in the realist way.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah. Thanks, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, we can't say that that was all part of
a master plan, but it feels like now, yeah, it
feels like.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
There's a little something kismet to it.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Normally I like to ask people to kind of take
us and our audience back, because everybody knows what you've
been up to and what you are up to. But
I have a little twist on the question. Not just
would your adult self recognize a version of her in
your eight year old self, and vice versa. But I'm
actually really curious what you think your eight year old
(02:53):
selves would think about you grown up gals as expert
party people. Were they party persons too?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
We actually were talking last night at dinner about how
we would give basically anything. There's no sum of money
that would be too much to go back and be
eight years old at the same time play.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Together, and like how would we get along as kids,
and like what would we do?
Speaker 2 (03:17):
It would be so much.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Fun to play pretend yes, and like make mud pies.
I'm sure we would cook stuff up in the kitchen.
We'd probably throw parties.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
I was definitely a party person because my mother, she's
an event planner. At that time, she wasn't getting paid
to do this type of stuff. It was just how
her love language is throwing elaborate parties and making really
wild memories.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So I grew up.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
With my seventh birthday, she turned their chiropractic office into
a casino, and all of my friends more cocktail dresses,
and all the parents were the cocktail waiters and waitresses,
and we played ochre and craps and it was like
lucky number seven birthday. My eighth birthday party was like
a two day Indiana Jones scavenger hunt. He's just always
(04:09):
had this really magical mind. So I grew up thinking that,
you know, hearing that your grandparents spent three months paper
machining you a giant boulder that's going to chase you
at your birthday party. Jones was like, normal, that's like
what you That's just normal, right, And now I know
(04:30):
that that's not the case, and so I think that, Yeah.
I was always a party person, whether that was.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
My thing or not. You know, luckily that was.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I was never the type of person that was like, no,
don't celebrate my birthday, like I think celebration is everything.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah, oh big time.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
I was like I was a kid that was in
the kitchen, like waking up before my parents and like
sneaking into the kitchen and just like making them breakfast
in bed. That would just be a huge mess and
bring it team like nah, and then I would come
up with like we'd like one of the things I
love to make the most I called black Pepper hot dogs,
which was just getting a hot dog and like cutting
it into bits, putting it into a skillet and like
(05:08):
pouring so much black pepper on it that you couldn't
even tell they were hot dogs anymore. And then I
would give that to them and my parents were so
nice they would eat it be like, hmm, this is
this is the best thing I've ever had. So that's
the beginning of my culinary career in general. So yeah,
I think little me would be very stoked to know
that I had turned it into an actual career.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Yeah, I think this has felt like one of the
most natural.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Things I've done.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
It's it's also you know, being an actor. A lot
of stuff is like you're trying to tap into universal
emotions and sometimes like it's nostalgia, and that food is
as well, Like food is such a direct line to
our hearts, into our memories and to comfort. So the
(05:56):
two of us together is one of our inspirations. Was
like the gatherings that have meant so much to us
in our life and also the foods. So we were
able to put like a lot of our family recipes
in there. It was super fun to like talk with
my grandma about and try and figure out what her
recipes are, because she's one of those cooks that it's
by feel. She makes pies so many year and it's
(06:18):
by feel, and so trying to translate that and decode
her pomegranate jelly and like decode my mom's peach chicken
recipe was such a lovely it was an honor to do,
and like the gift of our families that were passing
on and hoping to inspire.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
That's really beautiful. And you know, it's interesting you brought up,
especially the sort of unique experience of being an actor,
because you know, whether it's doing the things on camera
that we do or translating recipes for people, you're telling
a story, And when you guys were kind of going
(06:59):
back and forth with that part of your story, it
made me realize, anywhere I've ever gone on location, the
first thing I want to do is dive into the
food scene. That's how I feel like I get to
know a place. That's how I get to know people.
That's how I wind up making friends. Is like the
other folks who are really excited about that. Do you
(07:20):
feel like that tracks especially for you having to travel
so much for work that you feel a sense of home.
You know, you could be in Calgary or Australia. But
if you throw a party on a Saturday for your
new coworkers and your crew, suddenly everyone's in a really convivial,
familial environment and the vibe shifts to your point to
(07:44):
beginning to create.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Nostalgia absolutely well. And it also became a huge important
aspect of press tours.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
You know, people know when actors.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Are on press fors usually because you're like wearing outfits
and there's photos on the red carpet. I had done it,
Like the first time I did it, it felt like
this whirlwind and I basically only saw the hotel and
the airport because every twenty four hours you're flying to
a new country. And I was really disappointed with myself
the first time because.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
There was no time to enjoy the culture.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
So you're going to Mexico City and they're like, what
do you think.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Of our where we live.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Of our country that we love so much, And You're like,
I saw the airport. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And after that first time, I.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Was like, I'm never doing that again because I'm not
traveling across.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
The globe and going to the most.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Incredible places and then spending you know, ten hours talking
with various people and not having say about where I am.
So my rule is for every stop on the press door,
I have to have room to do street food, fancy restaurant,
and an art museum and like there's just enough time
(08:54):
to do that, and then you have so much to
connect with people over and you learned so much.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You learned so much much about cultures.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
And my other rule is unless this is like some
sort of very special situation at a hotel, no hotel food,
So it's lunch, We're going to get stuff delivered that's
from like whoever your guide is there like this secret
spot and it's just a way of understanding tradition and
culture and you feel grounded to your point. It's like
(09:23):
you suddenly, oh, I know where I am right now,
and we have to figure that out for ourselves, you know,
because nobody necessarily needs us to be grounded at any
given moment, but I prefer it. So you can't be
around friends and family, then you got to like pull
people in and like literally where you are.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
And then you get to have a human experience. You
don't feel like a robot. Something that struck me going
through the book, I was like, oh man, this feels
some of the vibe some of the photos. It made
me think of my own memories, It made me think
of gatherings with friends, It made me think about favorite meals,
(10:04):
and it really made me think a lot. And I
bet you to love her book Pria Parker's book The
Art of Gathering the way she talks about how important
it is not just for memory making, but for our
being to be with people, to experience tradition, to do
exactly what you're saying, like get out and get to
(10:26):
know a place. Suddenly, then it's not this two dimensional thing.
You're living in a three dimensional world. It it feels
like this really special universal importance. And then, like you
both said, you put really specific personal stories with your
family recipes, and you know, these these tales that are
(10:51):
important to you that then get to become important to
other people. Someone might say like, oh, I want to
make that peach chicken for my family, and then it
goes out in the world and the ripple effect really spreads.
How do you guys think about that, knowing what you've
made if you kind of do like the movie scene
(11:14):
where everything stops and then rewinds in high speed, like
to the moment you met because you met over food. Right,
you met at a party.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
You met at a party.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Okay, can you tell our friends at home that story?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yeah, of course. It was a friend of ours.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
It was like it was like a it was a
Hillary Clinton presidential debate party.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
So it was years and years and years ago.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
It was at a friend of ours house and I
was making caeso and it was like still, which is
like a I'm from Texas. It's like a very the
most texting thing you would have. It's not like Casey,
It's the best thing in the world to be clear.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
To be liquid that way.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
So I was making I.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Have like a really there's a recipe and the recipes
in the book anyway, So I was making it, but
I wasn't done yet, and then Bree comes in and
she's like hey everyone, and we hadn't met before, and
you know, she came over and introduced herself. Hey I'm Courtney,
and she's like what's this and like just grabs a
chip from the table and I sticks an into the
pot and eats it, and I was like, I know
we're going to get along great.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And it was, you know, love at first bite. I
think it's that.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, I love that so much. It was that it
took me two years into a show for my dear friend,
like one of my best friends that I meant, made
on that show to tell me that he hates when
people eat off his plate. And I was like, what,
you know, I come from a big, loud Italian family.
(12:42):
I've never not taken a bite of food off someone
else's plate. And I had been eating off my sweet
coworker's plate for two years. And he finally was like,
I'm really proud of myself because our friendship has helped
me get over that I hate that. And I was like, huh.
And then I had that story in your book. I
literally like took a picture of it and sent it
(13:03):
to him and I said, oh my god, we were
love it first bite too.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
It was so sweet, ironically linked in that way.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Yeah, anyone who has a passion for food in that
way is always a plus in my book.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Yeah, we'll be back in just a minute after a
few words from our favorite sponsors. When you two decided
to do this book, I mean, how did you know
that your love of you know, first of all your friendship,
so your love of each other, but then your love
(13:39):
of hosting and food and all these things was meant
to be packaged up and put out into the world
for other people to bring into their homes. Like how
does it hit you.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Well, it kind of hit and a roundabout way, which
is that I did this show lessons in chemistry that
is very food centric, and the food is another character
in this. You know, normally, when I think about a character,
you think about how they're dressing and maybe their home
that they live in, their hair, make up, all of that,
but this was like food was another element of how
(14:14):
Elizabeth expresses herself and shows who she is. And I
just knew that Courtney was the right person to do it.
And even though that wasn't something that you had ever
done specifically, you had all of the pieces of the
skill set, you basically had done it. Yeah, but it's
really the first time that I've ever worked closely with
a close friend, Like at work, I've done podcasts with friends,
(14:38):
I've done ventures, right, But like the thing about being
on set I've always held very sacred is that, like
I don't usually want people that I know around because
I feel like it shines a spotlight on the fact that,
like I'm playing pretent and so I usually just like
like nothing around, like I haven't forbid my mom was
(14:58):
ever there, I'd be like, oh my god, she knows
I'm lying. So I usually keep that private, but were there.
It was so much fun and we got so much
delight in seeing each other work, Like I want to
see a side of her that I never get to see.
She got to see a side of me. And then
also like she was my hand double. So sometimes we'd
be wearing like the same outfit and.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
It was just very child funny. It made me.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Feel very That whole set was very cozy, and like
having her there was very cozy and fun and collaborative.
And so once that came to a clothes we were like, well, geez,
like I want to keep working with you.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
I want to keep figuring this out.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
And the natural thing was like, well, what if we
did a book? And when you think about, you know,
this the big wide world of books, how many there
are in the world, And for both of us, neither
of us feel the need to say anything unless we
feel like you really ought to say it. You know,
we don't need to clog up the world with just talking.
And so when we got into it, of like, well,
how if we put these recipes? We knew we wanted
(15:56):
family recipes in it, but how do you organize it?
And as we reduced it, we realize that that who
we are is party people. Like we are the ones
that are like, come over it this day we're doing
Game of Thrones viewing parties, or yes, we the other
day we're like, we're doing a spelling bee. Come on
over and I'm going to figure out how to run
(16:18):
a spelling bee, an adult spelling bee.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
It's called the average Adult.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
It was called the first, first ever, and possibly last,
average adult spelling bee.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
It was incredible.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
So we are those people, and so because we've done
it so much, the main thing that we talked about
was like, you can make the most amazing thing in
the world, but if it stops you from being present,
and like your best friend comes over and starts saying like,
oh my god, I'm having such a hard time right now,
and you're like, uh huh huh, and then you realize, yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
It's not a party anymore.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
That's you being of service to everybody, which is a
lovely thing. But like the memories are for everybody, including
the host.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
We then spend a bunch of time talking through Okay,
so if we broke it down a type of party,
what would be the things that you could do to
make this kind of hackable and still still be beautiful,
still be impressive, but the focus being on interaction with
your guests versus.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Yeah, and giving people permission to like again hack it,
you know, and not not take it so seriously.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Not feel like you have to make every single thing
from scratch.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Maybe you just take one recipe from the book and
you order pizza, or like you can tell.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Your friend to make something and or get compostable plates. Yeah,
you don't have a big on that, and like if
you can if part of it is like I really
want to throw a dinner party, but I just it
really drives me crazy to then spend two hours after
cleaning up figure it out, Like I love that.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
There people who like to clean.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Yeah, I love I love a compostable plate. Why not?
And that's what's really nice. Like going through the book,
it feels kind of like a shift that I think
is reflected in society at the moment where women in
our peer group are like, look, our moms are great.
(18:15):
They crushed, but also they never had fun when they
were hosting. You know, you realize, like our moms were
those women who couldn't get their own credit cards until
nineteen seventy four. The generational shift, the divide is big,
and the idea that you can be your own modern
Martha Stewart. But you don't have to miss the party
(18:36):
you're throwing. You actually get to be in it. It
sounds obvious, but it hasn't been for so long. There
aren't many books that teach you to do that. And
in reading yours, I was like, this is exactly what
our friends need. We deserve this, Yeah, we do deserve it.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
It's basically been.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Like you're gonna make a mess and and something yeah hurt,
And like I actually think all of these are like
interesting psychological opportunities to get to know ourselves and.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Our loved ones.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Like we're saying, it's not actually about trying to hold
it all together for Christmas. It's like having a laugh
because you spilled something, you know, flaxing a little bit
into it and allowing the party to be the place
where you can explore where.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
You're a little rough around the edges.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yea.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
And we talk about in the book like parties are
like liminal spaces that have space for.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Grace, and like I think it's such a.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Shame based culture now that like it's important to have
these parties and to give people grace. If someone like
messes up and says the wrong thing or puts their
foot in their mouth or.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Like whatever, like that's okay.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Like you have any breaks and you kind of like
danced on the table and fell off, that's okay. You
don't have to be ashamed about it, you know, like living,
we all make mistakes, we all do stuff, we burn
the soufle we have one.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah whatever, it's okay.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah. It's a reminder to not be so afraid of
being to use the gen Z Kids term, like, don't
be afraid of being cringe. Just let the mess be
part of the magic exactly, Because if you're so measured
that you're afraid to make a mess, are you really
having fun in the first place?
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I would argue, No, you're not.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yeah, yeah, what do you think you two learned about
yourselves from cooking with each other so much to collaborate
on the book.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
I learned what a control freak? I really truly I
learned that too.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think, you know, the thing about
going on this book journey is it's different than just
writing a manuscript. There's like there's the words, which then
there's the recipe words. Then there's all of the photos
in the photo styling, and then there's stories in it,
(20:58):
and all of that together. It's like a multifaceted art piece.
And I realized that we care a lot about what
we're really trying to say underneath all of this, like
that there's like post in this. It's not just it's
a book you can actually read too.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
That's the other part.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
It's not just like you're gonna flip it open. I
look at some recipes. There's like a lot of archival
photos from our actual parties over the years and essays
and all of these things.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
But I think that.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
We care a lot, and we both care a lot
in the same kind of way, which is really helpful. Yeah,
we put everything we had into this, and I also
learned that I really like working with Courtney still. Yeah,
you know, I think it's a really rare thing to
be like we are great, you know, And I think
of anybody who's out there that's like interested in having
(21:47):
like a functional relationship with a loved one or best friend.
I think that one of the best things that we
established at the beginning was that we would talk through everything,
and also that we do check ins, which I got
from another friend who was like, do like whatever you
want once a week, every two weeks, once a month,
(22:08):
you do a how's our friendship going conversation.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
We're both terrified. We're like, hey, is this like the
most important thing to me? And Debris is like, hey,
our friendship is the most important thing, Like, yes, this
book is awesome together, but like, you know, it's so
easy for things to get messy when you start like working,
you know, contracts and money and so yeah, and so
like we were like straight up the very beginning, like
(22:32):
both recognize we're how terrified we were, like that it
was going to do something weird to our friendship.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
But totally Yeah, it's still good.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
I would say even stronger.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
I would say even stronger than before.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
I love that I work with my best friend too,
And it's really interesting because we had a lot of
that similar experience. And I think when you figure out
all of your skill sets, not only as individual people,
but the skill sets of your partnership, there's like the
you and the her and the Wei. You know, so
(23:07):
it's so and when the Wii has its own skill
set and you figure out how to communicate around you know,
what might be lacking and then bolster what authentically or
instinctively does so well. I mean, I don't know about
you too, but it's like sometimes we look at each
other and we're like, oh my god, we're best friends
and we're crushing. We're cute, Like we're so lucky. Like
(23:32):
you two are so cute. I love it.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
We finished our day yesterday taking ourselves out to dinner
and we played Monopoly Deal any dinner.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Oh god, I love it.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
We're laughing so hard and like we're both so tired.
I made the biggest mess at our table. I like
knocked over the toy sauce. I've flung a lime across.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
The rooverid water like on this.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Oh yeah, I love my I love water on the booth.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
I don't know why I did that.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
I'm out of my but know it's just an amazing
thing that Also, like at the end of a long workday,
we're like, let's play games, and we're going to do
that again tonight. Yeah, it's a very special thing. And
I think part of it is you have to have
the courage to say that you're not going to be
afraid of any conversation that's going to come up that
might make you uncomfortable, and that all has to go
(24:21):
out of the window because those conversations are more important
than like having secret resentments.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
That secret resentments will totally kill the vibe.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
They kill the party. Yeah, yeah, that's party pop.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
A secret resentment almost feels like a ghastly happening with
your stove, like you don't really know what's happening until
it might blow up your house, and then it's very,
very bad. There's just no reason to let it start.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I'm also really curious and Bree, especially for you, And
I think I think I the question came to me
because I thought about, you know, how we know each other,
like activism, spaces, standing up for women, supporting equal pay,
you know these things that are so incredibly important. And
(25:13):
I realized when I got into a relationship with my partner,
we'd known each other for a long time, but not
you know, in the every day and she was like, you,
I used to think you were the most serious person.
You're nuts, You're like so fun, You're so quirky, You're weird,
Like why aren't you more weird in the world? And
(25:34):
I was like aren't I? I think I'm weird all the time.
And I started to realize, you know, as so many
of us are. When you're running around and doing the
work and you have a moment, you're going to say
the important thing, You're going to try to elevate, you know,
the serious thing. And there's nothing wrong with that. I mean,
obviously it's a gift, and it's such a privilege of
(25:54):
you know, the spectrum of our industry, But does it
kind of feel really fun for you to be not
just you know, Bray Larson an Academy Award winner and
a superhero and a and an activist, but like to
look around and be like, you, guys, I'm really fun.
My world is cool. I throw spelling bees like I'm quirky. Yeah,
(26:19):
because I love it for you, and I'm I've been
watching you and being like I need to text her
and just be like this. This feels like a new
kind of permission slip.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
I think that's a good point. I mean, I think
of what you're talking about. If I'm understanding your point
of view on it is that I just feel like
there's a lot of chatter in the world, and yeah,
isn't something I need to say.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I don't need to inject myself in times.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
I'm not somebody that needs to be on the internet
and be like remember me, like.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I'm living, I'm doing my thing, and I ploy my life.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
And so I think because from an artistic standpoint in
my life has become so blurred with what that really means.
When you become like a public person, it's sort of
like what is that exactly? But like it's like, of course,
if I'm promoting a movie, then you're doing that, and
that comes with its own let's be real, it comes
with its own layer of protection that you have to
(27:16):
put on yourself because you have no idea what's going
to get taken out of context and then like, oh,
fund something got taken out of context and I'm mid
press tour and now I have to try and avoid
adding fuel to the fire for the next three weeks.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
So play this game where you're.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Just like trying to edge around and still desperately.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Dying to be yourself.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Always anybody is trying to not be themselves it's just
really hard and vulnerable. Yeah, and so I think with
this book, it gave me the way to feel like
this was something we're saying. Yeah that like this part
of me that has been with me this whole time.
I think together we were able to find what that means.
(28:00):
And so it's not just me trying to be a
goofball online. It's like it feels it feels like it's
for something. And maybe I'm also just getting older and
I just I don't care as much about that, and
like I have just enough being misunderstood things where I'm like, well,
I don't know, you know, it's just.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Totally and whatever.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
You know, I think I believe what I'm saying more
than the fear of being misunderstood.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Yeah, I love that for you. I guess for me,
I had this kind of aha moment where very similarly
to what you just said, I was like, I'm just
I'm living my life and when I'm having a good time,
I usually don't have a phone out. And then oh,
I guess maybe the heavier stuff might feel more weighted
(28:50):
in the public space. But what I'm realizing is the
sort of freedom I'm observing as a reader of your
book with both of you and then thinking about it
in the ways I know you specifically is that, Yeah,
you got to do exactly what you wanted and say
exactly what you wanted, but you got to put it
(29:10):
in print. You didn't have to worry about how someone
was going to clip an interview or nab a SoundBite
or any of the crazy part that you're talking about.
You got to lean into something that is totally artistic,
totally free rooted in the friendship between the two of
you that jumps off the page in the most special way.
Like I called my best friend and I was like,
(29:31):
oh my god, we're going to do this party and
we're going to do this way, you know, and I
don't know. It's like, I'm so overjoyed for you with
the project and then all the stuff that feels really
apparent about the freedom underneath it. I'm just really happy
for you both. It's very cool. Thank you, And now
(29:52):
a word from our wonderful sponsors. Okay, I have a
couple of like quick not exactly lightning round, but like
you're the hostesses with the most test So I have
(30:14):
a few specific party questions for you. In your opinion,
what do you think is the ideal party size?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Well, I think it very much depends on the party, okay.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
But I think for like an intimate like dinner party
at home vibes or a casual party, I like to
say like eight to ten couple.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Me too, okay. And what about a big party if
you were going to throw a fortieth birthday for someone
or something? Yeah, are spelling be whatever?
Speaker 2 (30:43):
No limits? This guy's the limit. I mean. Then it
depends on your venue.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
And by venue, I mean how many people do you
want in your house at one time?
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Right?
Speaker 3 (30:51):
How much can can the center hold? Is my and
how much are you willing to spend? Because more people
is more expensive.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
It's it's more mess.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
It's true. All of that stuff is true.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
But you also I think that doing we do like
bigger parties, like what we're talking about, like seventy people,
like twice a year.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
So I feel like you've got to mentally get your
mind around. Like I was saying to Courtney yesterday, I
was like, people need to understand that there's a reason
why Thanksgiving happens once a year. Yes, So I think
when people go, oh, I just it seems so overwhelming
to have a dinner party. I'm like, dinner parties are
not Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
That is not fine China. It is not like.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
You're roasting a turkey and like stressing about it all day.
It is not like people who maybe bring you stress,
like it's not.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Meant to be that.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
This is like do what you can kind of thing.
And then if you are the type of person that
really wants to experience or enjoys being like we talked
with someone yesterday who's like, oh, I cut a turkey
in fours and one fourth each goes to a different
country and they're prepared different ways, and I'm like, that's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
I can't imagine doing that monthly, but.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Near that works, you know, Yeah, we do like or
twice a year we do a murder mystery party and
we have a hot These are or twice a year
or once. These these are my our two events for
the year. Truly, couldn't do them more than that. But
then you're doing like a backyard party where you're making
pizzas and doing a spelling me what do you have
(32:21):
bandwidth for?
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Right? Okay, so that leans into my next question, which
is what would you each say is the best reason
to throw a party, but maybe that's bandwidth specific.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
I think that there's no idea too small for a party. Yeah,
literally any reason, and it's fine.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Like I think you were mentioning yesterday, like like you
can just throw a dinner party. It's like the thing
that you can make that's so easy for you to
make and invite your people over and be like, hey,
wear something that like you've always wanted to wear but never.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Get to wear, and like that's not so easy. And
people will jump on that because everyone.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Has closet that they want to wear.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
They where am I going to wear?
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Are this?
Speaker 1 (33:01):
I am obsessed with that. I have a good one
for you. My friends did this two years ago and
it crushed. They threw a Halloween party where you were
supposed to dress up as what you wanted to be
when you were a kid.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Love that, Oh, I love that.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
It was such a good theme.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
I love even I love a specific themed event during
a normal holiday so much like I'm just going to say,
now the holiday, the holiday print, I want to do
a Santa party where everyone dresses is a different Santa,
so you're like be like you can be Santa on vacation,
Santana Santa just like be Santa, but a different kind
of Santa, and like that's so funny because it's like whatever,
(33:37):
And also I'm the type of preserit and we're doing
it in July, you know, Like, yes, I don't care
about any of that.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
I feel like live when you want to live.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
I think because I come from a world where like
I'm usually working in another country on my birth So
like what am I just supposed to never acknowledge that
time is passing for me because Canada. No, it's like
you because you knew it when you can and the
way that you want. And like, I just think I've
(34:08):
heard people before be like, oh, I've always wanted to
go to blah blah blah on my birthday. I always
wanted to go to whatever country on my birthday, but
that's not the good season for it. I'm like, then,
celebrate your birthday when it is like.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
Yeah, it doesn't have to be. When you think there's
no rules, there's no literally zero rules.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
It turns out yeah, okay, maybe not a rule, But
what about a tip? What would you say, particularly because
you two host so often, is a good tip for
being a better party guest?
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Mm? Hmmm, I think.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
I mean, I love it when a party guests is like,
can I help you clean? And even if it's just
a little bit like I'm not saying like put all
your guests to work, but like even if it's just like, hey,
I'm going to take this plate that I just ate
off of and if it's composable, put it in the
compost bin, or if it's if it's not composable, like
give it a rintse and put it in the dishwasher.
Like that that I find to be very nice.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
We love.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
We love a guest who maybe like two hours before
the party says, can I bring anything? Because sure forgot something?
You can you can bet that we've already run out
of ice.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
I was just gonna say, extra ice always a hit.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Ice is like when in doubt, bring ice. And I
like to bring like a dustial bottle of wine, which
is also like that's fine, but I really feel like
bubbly water and ice is like no one them had
that you brought that, And I agree with Courtney, like
figure out.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
I'd say.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
The other tip is find the friend who really enjoys
cleaning or doing the dishes, because they exist, They totally exist.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
And I usual monthly to me.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
And I had a friend who was always invited to
that dinner party because loved doing the dishes at the
end of the night.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
Yeah, I really appreciate too. Is like I have I'm
thinking of Aaron. Yeah, we have a friend who's like
very much into wine. She always brings really great natural
wines and she always and I.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Love to see her. She also loves to clean. This
is a two hitter.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
She also will like she'll go around and like be
like hey, Like she'll come to me like do you
want a glass of wine?
Speaker 2 (36:20):
I'm like, yeah I do, and she'll just my glass
is always full.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
It's like as a I like, I love being like
posting but also being host haired for you know what
I mean.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
It's so nice.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I know we're in your house, but can I get
you something?
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Also the thing, the thing that Aaron did the other
day that was just blew my mind is like I
had ruffles and French onion dip, and she like knew
what was happening, and she knew we're having pizza. She
were having ruffles and all this stuff, and she brought
a sparkling that was paired.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
That was supposed to be paired with.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
I was like, bring a wine, sure, but like ask
me maybe what it is that because I mean that
was like such a gift to me. I was like, wow,
what a magical moment.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Yeah. Also, what a chic person to be like ruffles
and onion dip, gotcha with a wine? I know that
is my thing.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
No, it really knocked my socks off. She was like
I'm Italian and I was like, okay, I don't know
what that means.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Thank you for teaching me, thank you for humbling me.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Like, okay, Aaron sounds like a person I would also
like to invite to parties. What what what is her
party person archetype? And what are yours?
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (37:36):
I'm the nostalgic one. I love talking about the good
old days in the past with my friends. I love
like shedding a tear over ten mins ago. Yeah, I
would say Aaron.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Is the one with interesting booze.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
Yep, she's in there.
Speaker 4 (37:52):
I would say I'm a combo of depending on my
mood of party animal and the know it all I'm
sorry to say all, She's a party animal.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Perfect. I like a party zodiac.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
You know which one you are? Have you thought about it.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
I have in going through it and for our friends
at home. There's a really fun section in the book
where the gals identify the party person archetypes, which include
the party animal, which often is me. I'm like, turn
up the music, let's have a time, because, by the way,
that's how we get to the nostalgia. I'm like, if
we make a memory tonight, then we get to talk
(38:37):
about it.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
I like this little trifecta we have going here. I
don't think I know anyone who's a party pooper. There's
a shy one, there's a.
Speaker 4 (38:47):
Helper, a classic party archetype, someone who has the top
every story, like, oh, I've.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Been there, but this place, Oh you've been there. I
went there seven times already, you know so and so
from that's.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Usually the person I goes, so, God, you're here, I'm
gonna run into the kitchen. I'm like, you don't have
to go. I just don't need to hear the story. Now,
Halloween is right around the corner. What are you guys
planning Because you've just launched a book about parties, So
I feel like you're gonna have a lot of eyeballs
on you this Halloween.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Yes, well, I will say not to brag, but I
didn't did win the Golden Skull, which is like in
my neighborhood, which is the award that the house gets
who has the best speration.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Oh my god, I love right there.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
I have it next to next to my mom and
my award from the Murder Mystery party.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
I love that so much.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
They all have to live together, all the same thing.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
They're all quite meaningful.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
For a Halloween party based on everyone shows up as
pop stars.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Oh yeah, planning a pop star Halloween.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
I have our friends already that I was like, because
I like to do it not on the busy. Our
other close friend has like a really special day, Halloween Day.
Her house is the best place for trigger treaters.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
It's super cute.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
And so it's like, I never want.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
To take away.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
I want more, not less. I don't want to have people.
So I was thinking that I would do something earlier
and it would.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
Be specifically pop stars.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
Everybody has to dress as yes, as a pop star.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
She's trying to make me be Taylor Swift.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Yeah yeah, that's a yes.
Speaker 3 (40:35):
Yes, No, it's all kind of planned out.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
It's figured out well, I said, I wanted to be
Madonna from the eighties though, but I was saying she could.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
I haven't decided yet. If I'm going to open it up,
it's time to say. It was just yah, here's girlies,
which it makes sense that that's it's funny, it's good,
it's good. I don't know exactly. We honestly have so
many parties were throwing before Halloween that it's kind of like,
right now we're really planning we do a hot dog festival.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
So that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
By the way, can you tell me a little bit
about this.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
I have a video I need to send to you.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
I recently had the travel day from Hell, and after
fourteen hours at the airport, wound up on a red
eye and I had a hot dog before I got
on my red eye, and then I landed for work
and walked outside at lunchtime to get some sunshine, and
there was a hot dog stand and I was like,
it's meant to be, Like, this is the universe apologizing
(41:32):
to me for this day. So I had gone to
bed with a hot dog and then woken up essentially
with a hot dog dream. And it feels as though
perhaps that happened to me. So we could talk about
hot dogs.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
That's right, I think. So it was to remind you
that the hot dogs are unsung.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
They're the best food everyone.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
The best food.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
I've never met a person, It's true.
Speaker 2 (41:54):
It's true. Even the vegetarians and vigas.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Yeah, they like an impossible dog.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
So this is the fourth annual hot Dog Festival and
we just get a bunch of hot dogs.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
But is there is there a dress code? Is there?
Is there any Is there any theme past love a
hot dog?
Speaker 2 (42:15):
Show up hot dog?
Speaker 3 (42:16):
My stepdad dresses as a hot dog. There's hot dog trivia.
We're also this year doing a hot dog dressing contest.
So you dress up a dog and we vote on
which one is the best.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Which is the hottest dog? Yeah, obviously, and we all
talk allie of.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
Who eats the most hot dogs, which I'm pretty sure
is going to be my dog. Yeah, but we'll see great.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
Yeah, my dog love it. Stealing off of people's plates.
Speaker 4 (42:46):
But the only main thing on the agenda is to
just hang out and eat hot dogs.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
It feels like a perfect excuse to throw a.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Party, isn't it beautiful?
Speaker 3 (42:56):
Yeah, it's wonderful, but it's sort of gotten out of control.
I mean I think next year we'll have to like
move it outside of a backyard.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
And like you'll need a venue.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
Yeah, because it's like really grown. We have sponsors. It's
because it's so whole. We've been buy morn Dogs. Yes,
we've been sponsored by Martin's Potato Rolls for two years now.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
And Walters, well stop on, very great if you had Walters,
they're so good.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
Can we get to hot Dog on a stick?
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Yeah, we have. Actually, we've been working.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
We thought it was going to work out last year.
There's a lot of there's a lot of a lot
of red tape.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
You gotta gotta work.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
Also, basically, my connections go as far as an Instagram
d M.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
And if I can't get.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
It's gonna take a while.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 4 (43:44):
What's the hot dog Champion's name? Oh my god, Joey,
joe trying to get Joey test Joey, if you're listening
to this, we really would love to have you just.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
I have no guarantee of this, but I do feel
that's somewhere in the massive media umbrella of iHeartRadio. Somebody
has to know.
Speaker 4 (44:05):
Joey Chestnut got to get this is our plea please
get us.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
Yeah, public, we'll send some text messages around support us.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
It feels it feels close.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
I kind of feel his spirit, I feel his energy, Joe,
is that you He's coming from.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
Incredible Well, gals, I want to be mindful of time.
I know we're close to the top of the hour
and you've got more of these to do, So I
will skip to the end and ask you with the
book complete, Uh, what feels like you're working progress as
best friends and a working pair?
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Very good question, Very good question.
Speaker 3 (44:53):
My work progress, i'd say, is being I need value
in myself slowed down. I have a very earnest adoration
for this planet and the people in it, and so
it pushes me every day to be like I want
(45:15):
this place to be the best for everybody. Yeah, and
so I work really hard in all these different ways
for that, and it feels impossible to slow down when
that's your quest. Yeah, But there is, of course a
part of me that is like, am I allowed to
just rest for a moment?
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Is that okay too?
Speaker 3 (45:39):
And probably thirty six this year, and I feel like
that's a big part of the years to come for
me is like getting better at in a world where
there's so much I want to do and I feel
like I have such limited time on this planet. Where
can I still find value in the being and not
the doing.
Speaker 5 (45:58):
Yeah, the little thing just a philosophical thing I'm working on,
but just I'm sure that break there's just Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Pressure away, a couple more.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Jobs about this fine.
Speaker 4 (46:17):
I think for me, it's work in progress is just
continuing to like I think my dream is to just
like be able to inspire people doing what I did,
whatever that means, and just like and continuing to like
be myself in the world and carving my own path
and creating something tangible that I can people that can
(46:40):
be inspiring people. And I think this is one of
those things. So like continuing on like that journey. Yeah,
and it's hard, like carving a path out of nothing,
you know, totally, you know.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
Like forging a new path.
Speaker 3 (46:57):
It's an important aspect to like see what the path
is that's been walked before and go, gosh, I wish
that I could just do that, but I gotta go
the rougher way.
Speaker 1 (47:08):
Well, And I think it's a it's scary and really
courageous to decide you're going to walk a path while
you're laying the bricks for yourself, and you know, we're
not always going to get it right. We might have
to edit and make a left turn at some point,
but to do it and to have that kind of
(47:31):
audaciousness about your own dreams feels really inspiring. And it's
cool to watch both of you walk these paths together
and like, you know, not to be the cheesiest person
in the world, shocking, I'm fired up about something about
the world. I really, I really feel like to remind
(47:57):
people that they deserve beauty and joy while they are,
as you said, earnestly, standing up for people around them
is so important, Like this is fuel for us, and
it's part of the whole human experience. And even though
a party takes a lot of effort, it is I think,
in a way, part of the slowdown to put your
(48:19):
phone down and make memories with your friends for a night.
Like that's everything. So it's the most gorgeous, beautiful, fun book,
but it it also has like all the deeper messaging
in it that makes me feel very excited to have
a copy.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Thank you, yeah, how much? Thanks for seeing that?
Speaker 1 (48:40):
Yeah, of course, thank you ladies so much for joining
us today. This was great.
Speaker 3 (48:45):
Yeah, and we'll connect.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
Yeah, yeah, we must.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
It's like it's been too long, and I'm like, not
that it's a bad thing, but I'm like every time
I see you, it's like there's a crisis and we've
got to fix it. And I'm like, oh, I just
kind of want to get drunk and like find out
how you are.
Speaker 3 (49:02):
Totally it makes perfect sense. Like just like come for
a murder mystery party.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
It's fun.
Speaker 3 (49:08):
Like it's a big drama, but it's not a real one.
So it's kind of fun to get dressed about something.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
That isn't really going to affect the world.
Speaker 1 (49:17):
Yeah. That feels wonderful. And for you gals, as you
think about your calendar, we do. I host every year
pot Luck Friendsgiving Saturday before Thanksgiving. It's an all day hang.
Sometimes people are asleep by ten. Sometimes it turns into
a rager that goes to karaoke. It's a real ball
(49:38):
Please come.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
Okay, grateful that sounds lovely, See you there.
Speaker 1 (49:42):
Congratulations on this, you guys, it's so cool.
Speaker 4 (50:00):
Six
Hey everyone, it's Sophia. Welcome to work in progress. Hey,
whip smarties. We are in the full swing of holiday season.
Halloween is around the corner, and you know it's just
(00:22):
going to snowball into joy and memory making from there.
And that is why I'm so excited to be joined
today by not one, but two incredible women that are
bringing fun and nostalgia and elation for a party back
into our worlds. First, Ree Larsen is an actress, director,
(00:44):
and producer that you likely know, whether it's from her
Academy Award winning performance in Room or her title role
as Captain Marvel. She is an incredible activist and mind
and an incredible host, and through her love of hosting,
she met her best friend, Courtney mcbroome, who is a
(01:06):
celebrated chef, producer, and the former culinary director of Milk Bar,
a famous dessert and bakery brand that used to be
on my way home from work and I literally had
to start going a different way because I was like,
I can't. I just can't, like pull over for six
chocolate chip cookies every day. This is unhinged. Courtney is
really one of a kind. She's written several cookbooks, and
(01:29):
published a popular event series about dinner parties, and over
a hot tub of qeso, the two realize they shared
a mutual love of food and gathering, and that passion
has turned into a book called Party People. It is
a cookbook slash how to guide for hosts of all occasions.
And let me tell you something, this feels like the
(01:51):
cookbook party guide friend hang for our generation. Party People
features one hundred recipes and party ideas inspired by community
and celebration. So let's dive in with Brion Courtney and
talk about how to make your best memories. Well, welcome
to the show, gals. I'm so excited to have you
and so happy that you are giving us the gift
(02:15):
of this book in a time when people need some
joy in the realist way.
Speaker 2 (02:21):
Yeah. Thanks, Yeah.
Speaker 3 (02:22):
Yeah, we can't say that that was all part of
a master plan, but it feels like now, yeah, it
feels like.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
There's a little something kismet to it.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Normally I like to ask people to kind of take
us and our audience back, because everybody knows what you've
been up to and what you are up to. But
I have a little twist on the question. Not just
would your adult self recognize a version of her in
your eight year old self, and vice versa. But I'm
actually really curious what you think your eight year old
(02:53):
selves would think about you grown up gals as expert
party people. Were they party persons too?
Speaker 3 (03:03):
We actually were talking last night at dinner about how
we would give basically anything. There's no sum of money
that would be too much to go back and be
eight years old at the same time play.
Speaker 4 (03:13):
Together, and like how would we get along as kids,
and like what would we do?
Speaker 2 (03:17):
It would be so much.
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Fun to play pretend yes, and like make mud pies.
I'm sure we would cook stuff up in the kitchen.
We'd probably throw parties.
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Yeah, I was.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
I was definitely a party person because my mother, she's
an event planner. At that time, she wasn't getting paid
to do this type of stuff. It was just how
her love language is throwing elaborate parties and making really
wild memories.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
So I grew up.
Speaker 3 (03:45):
With my seventh birthday, she turned their chiropractic office into
a casino, and all of my friends more cocktail dresses,
and all the parents were the cocktail waiters and waitresses,
and we played ochre and craps and it was like
lucky number seven birthday. My eighth birthday party was like
a two day Indiana Jones scavenger hunt. He's just always
(04:09):
had this really magical mind. So I grew up thinking that,
you know, hearing that your grandparents spent three months paper
machining you a giant boulder that's going to chase you
at your birthday party. Jones was like, normal, that's like
what you That's just normal, right, And now I know
(04:30):
that that's not the case, and so I think that, Yeah.
I was always a party person, whether that was.
Speaker 2 (04:36):
My thing or not. You know, luckily that was.
Speaker 3 (04:38):
I was never the type of person that was like, no,
don't celebrate my birthday, like I think celebration is everything.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
Yeah, oh big time.
Speaker 4 (04:46):
I was like I was a kid that was in
the kitchen, like waking up before my parents and like
sneaking into the kitchen and just like making them breakfast
in bed. That would just be a huge mess and
bring it team like nah, and then I would come
up with like we'd like one of the things I
love to make the most I called black Pepper hot dogs,
which was just getting a hot dog and like cutting
it into bits, putting it into a skillet and like
(05:08):
pouring so much black pepper on it that you couldn't
even tell they were hot dogs anymore. And then I
would give that to them and my parents were so
nice they would eat it be like, hmm, this is
this is the best thing I've ever had. So that's
the beginning of my culinary career in general. So yeah,
I think little me would be very stoked to know
that I had turned it into an actual career.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Yeah, I think this has felt like one of the
most natural.
Speaker 2 (05:34):
Things I've done.
Speaker 3 (05:36):
It's it's also you know, being an actor. A lot
of stuff is like you're trying to tap into universal
emotions and sometimes like it's nostalgia, and that food is
as well, Like food is such a direct line to
our hearts, into our memories and to comfort. So the
(05:56):
two of us together is one of our inspirations. Was
like the gatherings that have meant so much to us
in our life and also the foods. So we were
able to put like a lot of our family recipes
in there. It was super fun to like talk with
my grandma about and try and figure out what her
recipes are, because she's one of those cooks that it's
by feel. She makes pies so many year and it's
(06:18):
by feel, and so trying to translate that and decode
her pomegranate jelly and like decode my mom's peach chicken
recipe was such a lovely it was an honor to do,
and like the gift of our families that were passing
on and hoping to inspire.
Speaker 1 (06:37):
That's really beautiful. And you know, it's interesting you brought up,
especially the sort of unique experience of being an actor,
because you know, whether it's doing the things on camera
that we do or translating recipes for people, you're telling
a story, And when you guys were kind of going
(06:59):
back and forth with that part of your story, it
made me realize, anywhere I've ever gone on location, the
first thing I want to do is dive into the
food scene. That's how I feel like I get to
know a place. That's how I get to know people.
That's how I wind up making friends. Is like the
other folks who are really excited about that. Do you
(07:20):
feel like that tracks especially for you having to travel
so much for work that you feel a sense of home.
You know, you could be in Calgary or Australia. But
if you throw a party on a Saturday for your
new coworkers and your crew, suddenly everyone's in a really convivial,
familial environment and the vibe shifts to your point to
(07:44):
beginning to create.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Nostalgia absolutely well. And it also became a huge important
aspect of press tours.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
You know, people know when actors.
Speaker 3 (07:55):
Are on press fors usually because you're like wearing outfits
and there's photos on the red carpet. I had done it,
Like the first time I did it, it felt like
this whirlwind and I basically only saw the hotel and
the airport because every twenty four hours you're flying to
a new country. And I was really disappointed with myself
the first time because.
Speaker 2 (08:14):
There was no time to enjoy the culture.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
So you're going to Mexico City and they're like, what
do you think.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
Of our where we live.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Of our country that we love so much, And You're like,
I saw the airport. I'm so sorry.
Speaker 2 (08:25):
And after that first time, I.
Speaker 3 (08:27):
Was like, I'm never doing that again because I'm not
traveling across.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
The globe and going to the most.
Speaker 3 (08:33):
Incredible places and then spending you know, ten hours talking
with various people and not having say about where I am.
So my rule is for every stop on the press door,
I have to have room to do street food, fancy restaurant,
and an art museum and like there's just enough time
(08:54):
to do that, and then you have so much to
connect with people over and you learned so much.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
You learned so much much about cultures.
Speaker 3 (09:01):
And my other rule is unless this is like some
sort of very special situation at a hotel, no hotel food,
So it's lunch, We're going to get stuff delivered that's
from like whoever your guide is there like this secret
spot and it's just a way of understanding tradition and
culture and you feel grounded to your point. It's like
(09:23):
you suddenly, oh, I know where I am right now,
and we have to figure that out for ourselves, you know,
because nobody necessarily needs us to be grounded at any
given moment, but I prefer it. So you can't be
around friends and family, then you got to like pull
people in and like literally where you are.
Speaker 1 (09:44):
And then you get to have a human experience. You
don't feel like a robot. Something that struck me going
through the book, I was like, oh man, this feels
some of the vibe some of the photos. It made
me think of my own memories, It made me think
of gatherings with friends, It made me think about favorite meals,
(10:04):
and it really made me think a lot. And I
bet you to love her book Pria Parker's book The
Art of Gathering the way she talks about how important
it is not just for memory making, but for our
being to be with people, to experience tradition, to do
exactly what you're saying, like get out and get to
(10:26):
know a place. Suddenly, then it's not this two dimensional thing.
You're living in a three dimensional world. It it feels
like this really special universal importance. And then, like you
both said, you put really specific personal stories with your
family recipes, and you know, these these tales that are
(10:51):
important to you that then get to become important to
other people. Someone might say like, oh, I want to
make that peach chicken for my family, and then it
goes out in the world and the ripple effect really spreads.
How do you guys think about that, knowing what you've
made if you kind of do like the movie scene
(11:14):
where everything stops and then rewinds in high speed, like
to the moment you met because you met over food. Right,
you met at a party.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
You met at a party.
Speaker 1 (11:23):
Okay, can you tell our friends at home that story?
Speaker 2 (11:26):
Yeah, of course. It was a friend of ours.
Speaker 4 (11:29):
It was like it was like a it was a
Hillary Clinton presidential debate party.
Speaker 2 (11:33):
So it was years and years and years ago.
Speaker 4 (11:36):
It was at a friend of ours house and I
was making caeso and it was like still, which is
like a I'm from Texas. It's like a very the
most texting thing you would have. It's not like Casey,
It's the best thing in the world to be clear.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
To be liquid that way.
Speaker 1 (11:53):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah.
Speaker 2 (11:54):
So I was making I.
Speaker 4 (11:55):
Have like a really there's a recipe and the recipes
in the book anyway, So I was making it, but
I wasn't done yet, and then Bree comes in and
she's like hey everyone, and we hadn't met before, and
you know, she came over and introduced herself. Hey I'm Courtney,
and she's like what's this and like just grabs a
chip from the table and I sticks an into the
pot and eats it, and I was like, I know
we're going to get along great.
Speaker 2 (12:14):
And it was, you know, love at first bite. I
think it's that.
Speaker 1 (12:19):
Yeah, I love that so much. It was that it
took me two years into a show for my dear friend,
like one of my best friends that I meant, made
on that show to tell me that he hates when
people eat off his plate. And I was like, what,
you know, I come from a big, loud Italian family.
(12:42):
I've never not taken a bite of food off someone
else's plate. And I had been eating off my sweet
coworker's plate for two years. And he finally was like,
I'm really proud of myself because our friendship has helped
me get over that I hate that. And I was like, huh.
And then I had that story in your book. I
literally like took a picture of it and sent it
(13:03):
to him and I said, oh my god, we were
love it first bite too.
Speaker 3 (13:08):
It was so sweet, ironically linked in that way.
Speaker 4 (13:12):
Yeah, anyone who has a passion for food in that
way is always a plus in my book.
Speaker 1 (13:17):
Yeah, we'll be back in just a minute after a
few words from our favorite sponsors. When you two decided
to do this book, I mean, how did you know
that your love of you know, first of all your friendship,
so your love of each other, but then your love
(13:39):
of hosting and food and all these things was meant
to be packaged up and put out into the world
for other people to bring into their homes. Like how
does it hit you.
Speaker 3 (13:51):
Well, it kind of hit and a roundabout way, which
is that I did this show lessons in chemistry that
is very food centric, and the food is another character
in this. You know, normally, when I think about a character,
you think about how they're dressing and maybe their home
that they live in, their hair, make up, all of that,
but this was like food was another element of how
(14:14):
Elizabeth expresses herself and shows who she is. And I
just knew that Courtney was the right person to do it.
And even though that wasn't something that you had ever
done specifically, you had all of the pieces of the
skill set, you basically had done it. Yeah, but it's
really the first time that I've ever worked closely with
a close friend, Like at work, I've done podcasts with friends,
(14:38):
I've done ventures, right, But like the thing about being
on set I've always held very sacred is that, like
I don't usually want people that I know around because
I feel like it shines a spotlight on the fact that,
like I'm playing pretent and so I usually just like
like nothing around, like I haven't forbid my mom was
(14:58):
ever there, I'd be like, oh my god, she knows
I'm lying. So I usually keep that private, but were there.
It was so much fun and we got so much
delight in seeing each other work, Like I want to
see a side of her that I never get to see.
She got to see a side of me. And then
also like she was my hand double. So sometimes we'd
be wearing like the same outfit and.
Speaker 2 (15:19):
It was just very child funny. It made me.
Speaker 3 (15:21):
Feel very That whole set was very cozy, and like
having her there was very cozy and fun and collaborative.
And so once that came to a clothes we were like, well, geez,
like I want to keep working with you.
Speaker 2 (15:33):
I want to keep figuring this out.
Speaker 3 (15:35):
And the natural thing was like, well, what if we
did a book? And when you think about, you know,
this the big wide world of books, how many there
are in the world, And for both of us, neither
of us feel the need to say anything unless we
feel like you really ought to say it. You know,
we don't need to clog up the world with just talking.
And so when we got into it, of like, well,
how if we put these recipes? We knew we wanted
(15:56):
family recipes in it, but how do you organize it?
And as we reduced it, we realize that that who
we are is party people. Like we are the ones
that are like, come over it this day we're doing
Game of Thrones viewing parties, or yes, we the other
day we're like, we're doing a spelling bee. Come on
over and I'm going to figure out how to run
(16:18):
a spelling bee, an adult spelling bee.
Speaker 2 (16:21):
It's called the average Adult.
Speaker 3 (16:23):
It was called the first, first ever, and possibly last,
average adult spelling bee.
Speaker 2 (16:30):
It was incredible.
Speaker 3 (16:31):
So we are those people, and so because we've done
it so much, the main thing that we talked about
was like, you can make the most amazing thing in
the world, but if it stops you from being present,
and like your best friend comes over and starts saying like,
oh my god, I'm having such a hard time right now,
and you're like, uh huh huh, and then you realize, yeah.
Speaker 2 (16:51):
It's not a party anymore.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
That's you being of service to everybody, which is a
lovely thing. But like the memories are for everybody, including
the host.
Speaker 2 (16:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (17:00):
We then spend a bunch of time talking through Okay,
so if we broke it down a type of party,
what would be the things that you could do to
make this kind of hackable and still still be beautiful,
still be impressive, but the focus being on interaction with
your guests versus.
Speaker 4 (17:19):
Yeah, and giving people permission to like again hack it,
you know, and not not take it so seriously.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Not feel like you have to make every single thing
from scratch.
Speaker 4 (17:28):
Maybe you just take one recipe from the book and
you order pizza, or like you can tell.
Speaker 3 (17:33):
Your friend to make something and or get compostable plates. Yeah,
you don't have a big on that, and like if
you can if part of it is like I really
want to throw a dinner party, but I just it
really drives me crazy to then spend two hours after
cleaning up figure it out, Like I love that.
Speaker 2 (17:50):
There people who like to clean.
Speaker 1 (17:53):
Yeah, I love I love a compostable plate. Why not?
And that's what's really nice. Like going through the book,
it feels kind of like a shift that I think
is reflected in society at the moment where women in
our peer group are like, look, our moms are great.
(18:15):
They crushed, but also they never had fun when they
were hosting. You know, you realize, like our moms were
those women who couldn't get their own credit cards until
nineteen seventy four. The generational shift, the divide is big,
and the idea that you can be your own modern
Martha Stewart. But you don't have to miss the party
(18:36):
you're throwing. You actually get to be in it. It
sounds obvious, but it hasn't been for so long. There
aren't many books that teach you to do that. And
in reading yours, I was like, this is exactly what
our friends need. We deserve this, Yeah, we do deserve it.
Speaker 4 (18:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (18:55):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (18:55):
It's basically been.
Speaker 3 (18:56):
Like you're gonna make a mess and and something yeah hurt,
And like I actually think all of these are like
interesting psychological opportunities to get to know ourselves and.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
Our loved ones.
Speaker 3 (19:08):
Like we're saying, it's not actually about trying to hold
it all together for Christmas. It's like having a laugh
because you spilled something, you know, flaxing a little bit
into it and allowing the party to be the place
where you can explore where.
Speaker 2 (19:23):
You're a little rough around the edges.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yea.
Speaker 4 (19:27):
And we talk about in the book like parties are
like liminal spaces that have space for.
Speaker 2 (19:32):
Grace, and like I think it's such a.
Speaker 4 (19:35):
Shame based culture now that like it's important to have
these parties and to give people grace. If someone like
messes up and says the wrong thing or puts their
foot in their mouth or.
Speaker 2 (19:43):
Like whatever, like that's okay.
Speaker 4 (19:46):
Like you have any breaks and you kind of like
danced on the table and fell off, that's okay. You
don't have to be ashamed about it, you know, like living,
we all make mistakes, we all do stuff, we burn
the soufle we have one.
Speaker 2 (19:57):
Yeah whatever, it's okay.
Speaker 1 (20:00):
Yeah. It's a reminder to not be so afraid of
being to use the gen Z Kids term, like, don't
be afraid of being cringe. Just let the mess be
part of the magic exactly, Because if you're so measured
that you're afraid to make a mess, are you really
having fun in the first place?
Speaker 2 (20:18):
I would argue, No, you're not.
Speaker 1 (20:20):
Yeah, yeah, what do you think you two learned about
yourselves from cooking with each other so much to collaborate
on the book.
Speaker 2 (20:29):
I learned what a control freak? I really truly I
learned that too.
Speaker 3 (20:37):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, I think, you know, the thing about
going on this book journey is it's different than just
writing a manuscript. There's like there's the words, which then
there's the recipe words. Then there's all of the photos
in the photo styling, and then there's stories in it,
(20:58):
and all of that together. It's like a multifaceted art piece.
And I realized that we care a lot about what
we're really trying to say underneath all of this, like
that there's like post in this. It's not just it's
a book you can actually read too.
Speaker 2 (21:14):
That's the other part.
Speaker 3 (21:15):
It's not just like you're gonna flip it open. I
look at some recipes. There's like a lot of archival
photos from our actual parties over the years and essays
and all of these things.
Speaker 2 (21:24):
But I think that.
Speaker 3 (21:25):
We care a lot, and we both care a lot
in the same kind of way, which is really helpful. Yeah,
we put everything we had into this, and I also
learned that I really like working with Courtney still. Yeah,
you know, I think it's a really rare thing to
be like we are great, you know, And I think
of anybody who's out there that's like interested in having
(21:47):
like a functional relationship with a loved one or best friend.
I think that one of the best things that we
established at the beginning was that we would talk through everything,
and also that we do check ins, which I got
from another friend who was like, do like whatever you
want once a week, every two weeks, once a month,
(22:08):
you do a how's our friendship going conversation.
Speaker 4 (22:12):
We're both terrified. We're like, hey, is this like the
most important thing to me? And Debris is like, hey,
our friendship is the most important thing, Like, yes, this
book is awesome together, but like, you know, it's so
easy for things to get messy when you start like working,
you know, contracts and money and so yeah, and so
like we were like straight up the very beginning, like
(22:32):
both recognize we're how terrified we were, like that it
was going to do something weird to our friendship.
Speaker 1 (22:37):
But totally Yeah, it's still good.
Speaker 2 (22:39):
I would say even stronger.
Speaker 3 (22:42):
I would say even stronger than before.
Speaker 2 (22:44):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (22:45):
I love that I work with my best friend too,
And it's really interesting because we had a lot of
that similar experience. And I think when you figure out
all of your skill sets, not only as individual people,
but the skill sets of your partnership, there's like the
you and the her and the Wei. You know, so
(23:07):
it's so and when the Wii has its own skill
set and you figure out how to communicate around you know,
what might be lacking and then bolster what authentically or
instinctively does so well. I mean, I don't know about
you too, but it's like sometimes we look at each
other and we're like, oh my god, we're best friends
and we're crushing. We're cute, Like we're so lucky. Like
(23:32):
you two are so cute. I love it.
Speaker 3 (23:34):
We finished our day yesterday taking ourselves out to dinner
and we played Monopoly Deal any dinner.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Oh god, I love it.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
We're laughing so hard and like we're both so tired.
I made the biggest mess at our table. I like
knocked over the toy sauce. I've flung a lime across.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
The rooverid water like on this.
Speaker 3 (23:54):
Oh yeah, I love my I love water on the booth.
Speaker 2 (23:57):
I don't know why I did that.
Speaker 3 (23:58):
I'm out of my but know it's just an amazing
thing that Also, like at the end of a long workday,
we're like, let's play games, and we're going to do
that again tonight. Yeah, it's a very special thing. And
I think part of it is you have to have
the courage to say that you're not going to be
afraid of any conversation that's going to come up that
might make you uncomfortable, and that all has to go
(24:21):
out of the window because those conversations are more important
than like having secret resentments.
Speaker 4 (24:27):
That secret resentments will totally kill the vibe.
Speaker 2 (24:31):
They kill the party. Yeah, yeah, that's party pop.
Speaker 1 (24:36):
A secret resentment almost feels like a ghastly happening with
your stove, like you don't really know what's happening until
it might blow up your house, and then it's very,
very bad. There's just no reason to let it start.
Speaker 2 (24:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (24:53):
I'm also really curious and Bree, especially for you, And
I think I think I the question came to me
because I thought about, you know, how we know each other,
like activism, spaces, standing up for women, supporting equal pay,
you know these things that are so incredibly important. And
(25:13):
I realized when I got into a relationship with my partner,
we'd known each other for a long time, but not
you know, in the every day and she was like, you,
I used to think you were the most serious person.
You're nuts, You're like so fun, You're so quirky, You're weird,
Like why aren't you more weird in the world? And
(25:34):
I was like aren't I? I think I'm weird all the time.
And I started to realize, you know, as so many
of us are. When you're running around and doing the
work and you have a moment, you're going to say
the important thing, You're going to try to elevate, you know,
the serious thing. And there's nothing wrong with that. I mean,
obviously it's a gift, and it's such a privilege of
(25:54):
you know, the spectrum of our industry, But does it
kind of feel really fun for you to be not
just you know, Bray Larson an Academy Award winner and
a superhero and a and an activist, but like to
look around and be like, you, guys, I'm really fun.
My world is cool. I throw spelling bees like I'm quirky. Yeah,
(26:19):
because I love it for you, and I'm I've been
watching you and being like I need to text her
and just be like this. This feels like a new
kind of permission slip.
Speaker 4 (26:28):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (26:28):
I think that's a good point. I mean, I think
of what you're talking about. If I'm understanding your point
of view on it is that I just feel like
there's a lot of chatter in the world, and yeah,
isn't something I need to say.
Speaker 2 (26:41):
I don't need to inject myself in times.
Speaker 3 (26:44):
I'm not somebody that needs to be on the internet
and be like remember me, like.
Speaker 2 (26:50):
I'm living, I'm doing my thing, and I ploy my life.
Speaker 3 (26:55):
And so I think because from an artistic standpoint in
my life has become so blurred with what that really means.
When you become like a public person, it's sort of
like what is that exactly? But like it's like, of course,
if I'm promoting a movie, then you're doing that, and
that comes with its own let's be real, it comes
with its own layer of protection that you have to
(27:16):
put on yourself because you have no idea what's going
to get taken out of context and then like, oh,
fund something got taken out of context and I'm mid
press tour and now I have to try and avoid
adding fuel to the fire for the next three weeks.
Speaker 2 (27:31):
So play this game where you're.
Speaker 3 (27:33):
Just like trying to edge around and still desperately.
Speaker 2 (27:37):
Dying to be yourself.
Speaker 3 (27:38):
Always anybody is trying to not be themselves it's just
really hard and vulnerable. Yeah, and so I think with
this book, it gave me the way to feel like
this was something we're saying. Yeah that like this part
of me that has been with me this whole time.
I think together we were able to find what that means.
(28:00):
And so it's not just me trying to be a
goofball online. It's like it feels it feels like it's
for something. And maybe I'm also just getting older and
I just I don't care as much about that, and
like I have just enough being misunderstood things where I'm like, well,
I don't know, you know, it's just.
Speaker 1 (28:20):
Totally and whatever.
Speaker 3 (28:23):
You know, I think I believe what I'm saying more
than the fear of being misunderstood.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Yeah, I love that for you. I guess for me,
I had this kind of aha moment where very similarly
to what you just said, I was like, I'm just
I'm living my life and when I'm having a good time,
I usually don't have a phone out. And then oh,
I guess maybe the heavier stuff might feel more weighted
(28:50):
in the public space. But what I'm realizing is the
sort of freedom I'm observing as a reader of your
book with both of you and then thinking about it
in the ways I know you specifically is that, Yeah,
you got to do exactly what you wanted and say
exactly what you wanted, but you got to put it
(29:10):
in print. You didn't have to worry about how someone
was going to clip an interview or nab a SoundBite
or any of the crazy part that you're talking about.
You got to lean into something that is totally artistic,
totally free rooted in the friendship between the two of
you that jumps off the page in the most special way.
Like I called my best friend and I was like,
(29:31):
oh my god, we're going to do this party and
we're going to do this way, you know, and I
don't know. It's like, I'm so overjoyed for you with
the project and then all the stuff that feels really
apparent about the freedom underneath it. I'm just really happy
for you both. It's very cool. Thank you, And now
(29:52):
a word from our wonderful sponsors. Okay, I have a
couple of like quick not exactly lightning round, but like
you're the hostesses with the most test So I have
(30:14):
a few specific party questions for you. In your opinion,
what do you think is the ideal party size?
Speaker 2 (30:22):
Well, I think it very much depends on the party, okay.
Speaker 4 (30:26):
But I think for like an intimate like dinner party
at home vibes or a casual party, I like to
say like eight to ten couple.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Me too, okay. And what about a big party if
you were going to throw a fortieth birthday for someone
or something? Yeah, are spelling be whatever?
Speaker 2 (30:43):
No limits? This guy's the limit. I mean. Then it
depends on your venue.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
And by venue, I mean how many people do you
want in your house at one time?
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Right?
Speaker 3 (30:51):
How much can can the center hold? Is my and
how much are you willing to spend? Because more people
is more expensive.
Speaker 1 (30:58):
It's it's more mess.
Speaker 2 (30:59):
It's true. All of that stuff is true.
Speaker 3 (31:01):
But you also I think that doing we do like
bigger parties, like what we're talking about, like seventy people,
like twice a year.
Speaker 2 (31:10):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (31:10):
So I feel like you've got to mentally get your
mind around. Like I was saying to Courtney yesterday, I
was like, people need to understand that there's a reason
why Thanksgiving happens once a year. Yes, So I think
when people go, oh, I just it seems so overwhelming
to have a dinner party. I'm like, dinner parties are
not Thanksgiving.
Speaker 2 (31:30):
That is not fine China. It is not like.
Speaker 3 (31:32):
You're roasting a turkey and like stressing about it all day.
It is not like people who maybe bring you stress,
like it's not.
Speaker 2 (31:39):
Meant to be that.
Speaker 3 (31:40):
This is like do what you can kind of thing.
And then if you are the type of person that
really wants to experience or enjoys being like we talked
with someone yesterday who's like, oh, I cut a turkey
in fours and one fourth each goes to a different
country and they're prepared different ways, and I'm like, that's fantastic.
Speaker 2 (31:58):
I can't imagine doing that monthly, but.
Speaker 3 (32:00):
Near that works, you know, Yeah, we do like or
twice a year we do a murder mystery party and
we have a hot These are or twice a year
or once. These these are my our two events for
the year. Truly, couldn't do them more than that. But
then you're doing like a backyard party where you're making
pizzas and doing a spelling me what do you have
(32:21):
bandwidth for?
Speaker 1 (32:22):
Right? Okay, so that leans into my next question, which
is what would you each say is the best reason
to throw a party, but maybe that's bandwidth specific.
Speaker 3 (32:33):
I think that there's no idea too small for a party. Yeah,
literally any reason, and it's fine.
Speaker 4 (32:39):
Like I think you were mentioning yesterday, like like you
can just throw a dinner party. It's like the thing
that you can make that's so easy for you to
make and invite your people over and be like, hey,
wear something that like you've always wanted to wear but never.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Get to wear, and like that's not so easy. And
people will jump on that because everyone.
Speaker 3 (32:55):
Has closet that they want to wear.
Speaker 2 (32:58):
They where am I going to wear?
Speaker 3 (33:00):
Are this?
Speaker 1 (33:01):
I am obsessed with that. I have a good one
for you. My friends did this two years ago and
it crushed. They threw a Halloween party where you were
supposed to dress up as what you wanted to be
when you were a kid.
Speaker 2 (33:12):
Love that, Oh, I love that.
Speaker 1 (33:15):
It was such a good theme.
Speaker 3 (33:16):
I love even I love a specific themed event during
a normal holiday so much like I'm just going to say,
now the holiday, the holiday print, I want to do
a Santa party where everyone dresses is a different Santa,
so you're like be like you can be Santa on vacation,
Santana Santa just like be Santa, but a different kind
of Santa, and like that's so funny because it's like whatever,
(33:37):
And also I'm the type of preserit and we're doing
it in July, you know, Like, yes, I don't care
about any of that.
Speaker 1 (33:43):
I'm not.
Speaker 2 (33:43):
I feel like live when you want to live.
Speaker 3 (33:46):
I think because I come from a world where like
I'm usually working in another country on my birth So
like what am I just supposed to never acknowledge that
time is passing for me because Canada. No, it's like
you because you knew it when you can and the
way that you want. And like, I just think I've
(34:08):
heard people before be like, oh, I've always wanted to
go to blah blah blah on my birthday. I always
wanted to go to whatever country on my birthday, but
that's not the good season for it. I'm like, then,
celebrate your birthday when it is like.
Speaker 2 (34:19):
Yeah, it doesn't have to be. When you think there's
no rules, there's no literally zero rules.
Speaker 1 (34:26):
It turns out yeah, okay, maybe not a rule, But
what about a tip? What would you say, particularly because
you two host so often, is a good tip for
being a better party guest?
Speaker 2 (34:42):
Mm? Hmmm, I think.
Speaker 4 (34:45):
I mean, I love it when a party guests is like,
can I help you clean? And even if it's just
a little bit like I'm not saying like put all
your guests to work, but like even if it's just like, hey,
I'm going to take this plate that I just ate
off of and if it's composable, put it in the
compost bin, or if it's if it's not composable, like
give it a rintse and put it in the dishwasher.
Like that that I find to be very nice.
Speaker 2 (35:08):
We love.
Speaker 3 (35:10):
We love a guest who maybe like two hours before
the party says, can I bring anything? Because sure forgot something?
You can you can bet that we've already run out
of ice.
Speaker 1 (35:23):
I was just gonna say, extra ice always a hit.
Speaker 3 (35:27):
Ice is like when in doubt, bring ice. And I
like to bring like a dustial bottle of wine, which
is also like that's fine, but I really feel like
bubbly water and ice is like no one them had
that you brought that, And I agree with Courtney, like
figure out.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
I'd say.
Speaker 3 (35:43):
The other tip is find the friend who really enjoys
cleaning or doing the dishes, because they exist, They totally exist.
Speaker 2 (35:51):
And I usual monthly to me.
Speaker 3 (35:54):
And I had a friend who was always invited to
that dinner party because loved doing the dishes at the
end of the night.
Speaker 4 (36:01):
Yeah, I really appreciate too. Is like I have I'm
thinking of Aaron. Yeah, we have a friend who's like
very much into wine. She always brings really great natural
wines and she always and I.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
Love to see her. She also loves to clean. This
is a two hitter.
Speaker 4 (36:14):
She also will like she'll go around and like be
like hey, Like she'll come to me like do you
want a glass of wine?
Speaker 2 (36:20):
I'm like, yeah I do, and she'll just my glass
is always full.
Speaker 4 (36:24):
It's like as a I like, I love being like
posting but also being host haired for you know what
I mean.
Speaker 1 (36:32):
It's so nice.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
I know we're in your house, but can I get
you something?
Speaker 1 (36:36):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (36:37):
Also the thing, the thing that Aaron did the other
day that was just blew my mind is like I
had ruffles and French onion dip, and she like knew
what was happening, and she knew we're having pizza. She
were having ruffles and all this stuff, and she brought
a sparkling that was paired.
Speaker 2 (36:54):
That was supposed to be paired with.
Speaker 3 (36:56):
I was like, bring a wine, sure, but like ask
me maybe what it is that because I mean that
was like such a gift to me. I was like, wow,
what a magical moment.
Speaker 1 (37:06):
Yeah. Also, what a chic person to be like ruffles
and onion dip, gotcha with a wine? I know that
is my thing.
Speaker 3 (37:16):
No, it really knocked my socks off. She was like
I'm Italian and I was like, okay, I don't know
what that means.
Speaker 2 (37:22):
Thank you for teaching me, thank you for humbling me.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Like, okay, Aaron sounds like a person I would also
like to invite to parties. What what what is her
party person archetype? And what are yours?
Speaker 2 (37:35):
Oh?
Speaker 3 (37:36):
I'm the nostalgic one. I love talking about the good
old days in the past with my friends. I love
like shedding a tear over ten mins ago. Yeah, I
would say Aaron.
Speaker 2 (37:48):
Is the one with interesting booze.
Speaker 1 (37:50):
Yep, she's in there.
Speaker 4 (37:52):
I would say I'm a combo of depending on my
mood of party animal and the know it all I'm
sorry to say all, She's a party animal.
Speaker 1 (38:10):
Perfect. I like a party zodiac.
Speaker 2 (38:13):
You know which one you are? Have you thought about it.
Speaker 1 (38:16):
I have in going through it and for our friends
at home. There's a really fun section in the book
where the gals identify the party person archetypes, which include
the party animal, which often is me. I'm like, turn
up the music, let's have a time, because, by the way,
that's how we get to the nostalgia. I'm like, if
we make a memory tonight, then we get to talk
(38:37):
about it.
Speaker 2 (38:38):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (38:40):
I like this little trifecta we have going here. I
don't think I know anyone who's a party pooper. There's
a shy one, there's a.
Speaker 4 (38:47):
Helper, a classic party archetype, someone who has the top
every story, like, oh, I've.
Speaker 2 (38:54):
Been there, but this place, Oh you've been there. I
went there seven times already, you know so and so
from that's.
Speaker 1 (39:00):
Usually the person I goes, so, God, you're here, I'm
gonna run into the kitchen. I'm like, you don't have
to go. I just don't need to hear the story. Now,
Halloween is right around the corner. What are you guys
planning Because you've just launched a book about parties, So
I feel like you're gonna have a lot of eyeballs
on you this Halloween.
Speaker 3 (39:21):
Yes, well, I will say not to brag, but I
didn't did win the Golden Skull, which is like in
my neighborhood, which is the award that the house gets
who has the best speration.
Speaker 1 (39:32):
Oh my god, I love right there.
Speaker 3 (39:34):
I have it next to next to my mom and
my award from the Murder Mystery party.
Speaker 1 (39:42):
I love that so much.
Speaker 2 (39:45):
They all have to live together, all the same thing.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
They're all quite meaningful.
Speaker 4 (39:50):
For a Halloween party based on everyone shows up as
pop stars.
Speaker 2 (39:54):
Oh yeah, planning a pop star Halloween.
Speaker 3 (39:57):
I have our friends already that I was like, because
I like to do it not on the busy. Our
other close friend has like a really special day, Halloween Day.
Her house is the best place for trigger treaters.
Speaker 2 (40:12):
It's super cute.
Speaker 3 (40:13):
And so it's like, I never want.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
To take away.
Speaker 3 (40:16):
I want more, not less. I don't want to have people.
So I was thinking that I would do something earlier
and it would.
Speaker 2 (40:24):
Be specifically pop stars.
Speaker 3 (40:26):
Everybody has to dress as yes, as a pop star.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
She's trying to make me be Taylor Swift.
Speaker 1 (40:32):
Yeah yeah, that's a yes.
Speaker 3 (40:35):
Yes, No, it's all kind of planned out.
Speaker 4 (40:39):
It's figured out well, I said, I wanted to be
Madonna from the eighties though, but I was saying she could.
Speaker 3 (40:45):
I haven't decided yet. If I'm going to open it up,
it's time to say. It was just yah, here's girlies,
which it makes sense that that's it's funny, it's good,
it's good. I don't know exactly. We honestly have so
many parties were throwing before Halloween that it's kind of like,
right now we're really planning we do a hot dog festival.
Speaker 2 (41:05):
So that's yeah.
Speaker 1 (41:06):
By the way, can you tell me a little bit
about this.
Speaker 3 (41:08):
I have a video I need to send to you.
Speaker 1 (41:12):
I recently had the travel day from Hell, and after
fourteen hours at the airport, wound up on a red
eye and I had a hot dog before I got
on my red eye, and then I landed for work
and walked outside at lunchtime to get some sunshine, and
there was a hot dog stand and I was like,
it's meant to be, Like, this is the universe apologizing
(41:32):
to me for this day. So I had gone to
bed with a hot dog and then woken up essentially
with a hot dog dream. And it feels as though
perhaps that happened to me. So we could talk about
hot dogs.
Speaker 3 (41:42):
That's right, I think. So it was to remind you
that the hot dogs are unsung.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
They're the best food everyone.
Speaker 1 (41:48):
The best food.
Speaker 3 (41:50):
I've never met a person, It's true.
Speaker 2 (41:54):
It's true. Even the vegetarians and vigas.
Speaker 1 (41:58):
Yeah, they like an impossible dog.
Speaker 2 (42:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (42:01):
So this is the fourth annual hot Dog Festival and
we just get a bunch of hot dogs.
Speaker 1 (42:08):
But is there is there a dress code? Is there?
Is there any Is there any theme past love a
hot dog?
Speaker 2 (42:15):
Show up hot dog?
Speaker 3 (42:16):
My stepdad dresses as a hot dog. There's hot dog trivia.
We're also this year doing a hot dog dressing contest.
So you dress up a dog and we vote on
which one is the best.
Speaker 2 (42:28):
Which is the hottest dog? Yeah, obviously, and we all
talk allie of.
Speaker 3 (42:33):
Who eats the most hot dogs, which I'm pretty sure
is going to be my dog. Yeah, but we'll see great.
Speaker 2 (42:43):
Yeah, my dog love it. Stealing off of people's plates.
Speaker 4 (42:46):
But the only main thing on the agenda is to
just hang out and eat hot dogs.
Speaker 1 (42:52):
It feels like a perfect excuse to throw a.
Speaker 2 (42:54):
Party, isn't it beautiful?
Speaker 3 (42:56):
Yeah, it's wonderful, but it's sort of gotten out of control.
I mean I think next year we'll have to like
move it outside of a backyard.
Speaker 1 (43:04):
And like you'll need a venue.
Speaker 3 (43:05):
Yeah, because it's like really grown. We have sponsors. It's
because it's so whole. We've been buy morn Dogs. Yes,
we've been sponsored by Martin's Potato Rolls for two years now.
Speaker 4 (43:17):
And Walters, well stop on, very great if you had Walters,
they're so good.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
Can we get to hot Dog on a stick?
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Yeah, we have. Actually, we've been working.
Speaker 3 (43:28):
We thought it was going to work out last year.
There's a lot of there's a lot of a lot
of red tape.
Speaker 2 (43:33):
You gotta gotta work.
Speaker 3 (43:35):
Also, basically, my connections go as far as an Instagram
d M.
Speaker 2 (43:38):
And if I can't get.
Speaker 3 (43:39):
It's gonna take a while.
Speaker 1 (43:42):
Yeah, totally.
Speaker 4 (43:44):
What's the hot dog Champion's name? Oh my god, Joey,
joe trying to get Joey test Joey, if you're listening
to this, we really would love to have you just.
Speaker 1 (43:53):
I have no guarantee of this, but I do feel
that's somewhere in the massive media umbrella of iHeartRadio. Somebody
has to know.
Speaker 4 (44:05):
Joey Chestnut got to get this is our plea please
get us.
Speaker 3 (44:13):
Yeah, public, we'll send some text messages around support us.
Speaker 1 (44:19):
It feels it feels close.
Speaker 2 (44:21):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 3 (44:22):
I kind of feel his spirit, I feel his energy, Joe,
is that you He's coming from.
Speaker 1 (44:30):
Incredible Well, gals, I want to be mindful of time.
I know we're close to the top of the hour
and you've got more of these to do, So I
will skip to the end and ask you with the
book complete, Uh, what feels like you're working progress as
best friends and a working pair?
Speaker 2 (44:50):
Very good question, Very good question.
Speaker 3 (44:53):
My work progress, i'd say, is being I need value
in myself slowed down. I have a very earnest adoration
for this planet and the people in it, and so
it pushes me every day to be like I want
(45:15):
this place to be the best for everybody. Yeah, and
so I work really hard in all these different ways
for that, and it feels impossible to slow down when
that's your quest. Yeah, But there is, of course a
part of me that is like, am I allowed to
just rest for a moment?
Speaker 2 (45:37):
Is that okay too?
Speaker 3 (45:39):
And probably thirty six this year, and I feel like
that's a big part of the years to come for
me is like getting better at in a world where
there's so much I want to do and I feel
like I have such limited time on this planet. Where
can I still find value in the being and not
the doing.
Speaker 5 (45:58):
Yeah, the little thing just a philosophical thing I'm working on,
but just I'm sure that break there's just Tuesday.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
Pressure away, a couple more.
Speaker 2 (46:13):
Jobs about this fine.
Speaker 4 (46:17):
I think for me, it's work in progress is just
continuing to like I think my dream is to just
like be able to inspire people doing what I did,
whatever that means, and just like and continuing to like
be myself in the world and carving my own path
and creating something tangible that I can people that can
(46:40):
be inspiring people. And I think this is one of
those things. So like continuing on like that journey. Yeah,
and it's hard, like carving a path out of nothing,
you know, totally, you know.
Speaker 2 (46:54):
Like forging a new path.
Speaker 3 (46:57):
It's an important aspect to like see what the path
is that's been walked before and go, gosh, I wish
that I could just do that, but I gotta go
the rougher way.
Speaker 1 (47:08):
Well, And I think it's a it's scary and really
courageous to decide you're going to walk a path while
you're laying the bricks for yourself, and you know, we're
not always going to get it right. We might have
to edit and make a left turn at some point,
but to do it and to have that kind of
(47:31):
audaciousness about your own dreams feels really inspiring. And it's
cool to watch both of you walk these paths together
and like, you know, not to be the cheesiest person
in the world, shocking, I'm fired up about something about
the world. I really, I really feel like to remind
(47:57):
people that they deserve beauty and joy while they are,
as you said, earnestly, standing up for people around them
is so important, Like this is fuel for us, and
it's part of the whole human experience. And even though
a party takes a lot of effort, it is I think,
in a way, part of the slowdown to put your
(48:19):
phone down and make memories with your friends for a night.
Like that's everything. So it's the most gorgeous, beautiful, fun book,
but it it also has like all the deeper messaging
in it that makes me feel very excited to have
a copy.
Speaker 2 (48:37):
Thank you, yeah, how much? Thanks for seeing that?
Speaker 1 (48:40):
Yeah, of course, thank you ladies so much for joining
us today. This was great.
Speaker 3 (48:45):
Yeah, and we'll connect.
Speaker 2 (48:47):
Yeah, yeah, we must.
Speaker 1 (48:49):
It's like it's been too long, and I'm like, not
that it's a bad thing, but I'm like every time
I see you, it's like there's a crisis and we've
got to fix it. And I'm like, oh, I just
kind of want to get drunk and like find out
how you are.
Speaker 3 (49:02):
Totally it makes perfect sense. Like just like come for
a murder mystery party.
Speaker 2 (49:07):
It's fun.
Speaker 3 (49:08):
Like it's a big drama, but it's not a real one.
So it's kind of fun to get dressed about something.
Speaker 2 (49:14):
That isn't really going to affect the world.
Speaker 1 (49:17):
Yeah. That feels wonderful. And for you gals, as you
think about your calendar, we do. I host every year
pot Luck Friendsgiving Saturday before Thanksgiving. It's an all day hang.
Sometimes people are asleep by ten. Sometimes it turns into
a rager that goes to karaoke. It's a real ball
(49:38):
Please come.
Speaker 2 (49:38):
Okay, grateful that sounds lovely, See you there.
Speaker 1 (49:42):
Congratulations on this, you guys, it's so cool.
Speaker 4 (50:00):
Six
Hosts And Creators
Sophia Bush
Bethany Joy Lenz
Robert Buckley
Hilarie Burton
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