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Lifestyle & Entertainment Curation FOR THE
Ghost Host was created to dispell the myth that home entertaining has to be complicated, messy or perfect.
Entertaining is an artform and a learned skill. And it’s dying. In our modern world of convenience, we’re accustomed to sending a quick text, ordering delivery, and glossing over the little achievements. Hosting doesn’t have to be hard, we just over think it and have made it that way.
At Ghost Host, we believe it is time to revitalize the human connection that we all so desperately crave. There is no better place to foster that connection than around your table (proverbial or actual), detailed by the people within your space, a shared meal, and felt stories.
We are here to help you find your message, decide what is important, remove the obstacles, connect you with partners and purveyors that matter to you and curate your entertaining collection for keeps.
ABOUT US
Ghost Host by Magnolia Bluebird was designed to take the guess-work out of entertaining, to connect you with the purpose of your gathering and the story you want to tell, and to celebrate intention within our communities.
At home entertaining and behind the scenes hospitality coaching are at our core. Creating memories around your table and for generations to come.
Celebrating Everyday
THE 'Ghost' STORY
As the owner of Magnolia Bluebird and a previous tenure with one of Washington, DC's premier caterers I've been entrenched in the evolution of entertaining for over twenty-years. During the pandemic it became incredibly apparent that home entertaining is a gift but also a skillset that simply requires a little know-how, some preparation and a few supplies, but ultimately it boils down to desire, intention, purpose and the guest list. I realized my 'why' is to create something a little more permanent beyond the events I love and thus... Ghost Host by MB was born.
I was selected as a finalist in a tabletop design competition show on HGTV with Martha Stewart and Tamera Mowry, sadly, I didn’t make it to the table (pun intended) but I did watch the show. I realized it was so heavily focused on production that seven of the ten contestants didn’t actually know which side of the plate the forks went on or which way the knife turned. Spoiler alert: the creative that won is an amusement park designer…makes sense…
(Aha! moment #1)
Simultaneously, as the pandemic raged on, my creative world and purpose was spinning. I was deeply entrenched in trouble shooting and problem solving but there were no smiles on the dance floor or creative tablescapes feeding my soul. I began connecting with interior designers to figure out if there was some way I could support them. I also began receiving call after call from my incredible clientele asking me to design their holiday tables and to help them find a way to spread joy. Intimate, in-home gatherings were now all the rage but none of them valued the price tag with a rental experience.
(Aha! moment #2)
Hooray! My phone rang (finally) from one of my dearest clients. She wanted to host a safe weekend gathering to celebrate the (virtual) graduation of her daughters PhD with 12 of their closest family and friends. We produced an entire weekend filled with personalized amenities, three separate meals, daytime outdoor excursions, and a pretty incredible dinner celebration. And… we never saw a single guest. We later joked with our client “…it was like we were a ghost host, we came, we set up, we left, you celebrated, we cleaned up. Wait! I like the sound of that, write that down”. Thus… Ghost Host by Magnolia Bluebird.
(Aha! moment #3)
GHOST HOST celebrates THE EVERYDAY; THE MAKERS, CREATORS, ARTISANS & COOKS and most importantly, THE MEMORIES MADE AND THE HOSTS THAT FILL THE ACTUAL & PROVERBIAL TABLE.
First, we establish how you want to entertain, what is important to you and what your bandwidth and capacity is. Then we curate your collection with you and for you with a strong emphasis on intention and purpose behind every piece we recommend.
We aim to source local, small business, artisan and with a focus on purveyors whose stories align with yours as much as possible. Then we teach you how to use it, wash it, store it and/or display it. Perhaps you already have a few staple or heirloom pieces, we can incorporate them as well (the more storied the better!). Then we create a custom reference look-book with details so you can effortlessly host whenever you want without the anxiety.
Beyond the tabletop, we can create a collection of tried and true recipes, cocktails and even playlists that keep the joy high and the maintenance low.
Lifestyle + Entertainment Curation
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Part of being a gracious host is focusing on your guests, not hanging out the kitchen all night. With ‘Ghost Hosting’ we are there by your side to make sure we cover all of the parts. Greeting guests… check, tagging host gifts for thank you notes…check, ensuring your hand towels are refreshed and the crystal is sparkling… yep, we’ve got you. Don’t worry, we will also make sure the caterer arrives on time and the wine is perfectly chilled.
Ghost Hosting
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We have a bit of a bone to pick with the hospitality and service industry right now… we know… the pandemic was a s*&! show and you feel really lucky to even have staff right now. If this is no longer an acceptable base line (and it shouldn’t be), we can help realign or set your service standards, troubleshoot what is broken and train your team to provide the exceptional service you want to be known for and your customers, clients and guests deserve. In turn increasing profits, efficiency, sales and team member satisfaction.