A Toast to Entertaining

It was Christmas, and the baby in my belly would arrive in just a few days. I was clearly too pregnant to drive a couple of hours to visit family. Instead, we went to my dear friend's home to celebrate with her crew. The lights were low, the candles were lit, the lasagna was delightful and the wine glasses (well, everyone else's, at least) were full. We talked and laughed for ages-no phone-checking, no dish-washing, nothing better to do, nowhere better to be.

In the end, that is precisely what entertaining is about-creating a moment that lingers, that feels so good you don't want it to end.

To kick off the new year (and our fifth year of publication!) we decided to give you the ultimate guide to entertaining-bringing together people you love, beautifully. This magazine is packed with ideas on how to do that all year long. We give you one excuse a month to host a party. We offer planning tips from the pros. We take you inside intimate dinner parties of a few of the city's top entertaining experts. And we share our favorite hostess gifts from around the city.

Of course, we give you what we aim to give you every issue, too. You'll meet some incredible local ladies (in this issue, they're the gals of Shadowbox Live, and they're fascinating). You'll see great fashion (and this time, on real women). And you'll find a couple of new features this year, too: Style File (a fun introduction to a local style expert), Hit the Town (our suggestions for a great girls' night out) and Life Line (five minutes to inspiration). Plus, there's more.

You will see some stunning parties in these pages. But don't let them intimidate you-let them inspire you. I hope by the time you set this down, you'll be amped to create a moment for people you treasure.

Kristy Eckert, Editor

Have feedback? I want it! Email me at keckert@capital-style.com or Tweet me @kristyeckert.