I am very, very popular. And the curse of very, very popular people is that our time is so seldom our own. We are in demand. We have places to go, people to meet, meals to devour. There are drinks to be had, stories to be exchanged and long weekends to be spent in the company of other very, very popular people in their glamorous weekend homes.

There is only one way to maintain the status of a very, very popular person. You must reciprocate. Though I may be very, very popular. I am not very, very rich (shhh… don’t tell my very, very popular, very, very rich friends). So reciprocating to me means entertaining at home.

But Saturdays book up fast. What is a very, very popular person to do? Well, the answer is simple. Have a dinner party during the week. Now I know it’s hard to entertain at home on a weeknight (especially now that there is some CSI franchise on TV three times a week). But it can be done with some planning.

Here are my tips:

So it’s barely a week past thanksgiving, you'd think I’d want to turn off the stove, curl up with a good book and sit by the fire. But you’d be wrong, or at least part wrong.

Now I may live in Los Angeles, and you’ve probably bought into that ridiculous rumor…something about California having no distinct seasons. But you’d be wrong.

The holidays also make me want to see friends and family! That means more cooking. And I mean cooking December style!

It may not snow here (at least at sea level). But winter in Southern California can be bright and crisp and cool: and full of inspiration for a good meal.  I crave something warm and hearty, yet healthy and flavorful. 

What better time than now than to introduce what I am going to call Sippity Suppers!