After a long hiatus including two kids, renovating a home, career moves and of course many opportunities to play hostess,  I am thrilled to announce that Brooklyn Balabusta is back! As busy and hectic as our lives have become, I’ve realized that hosting and all that comes along with it including the planning, the cooking, setting the mood and table and most importantly doing it for people I love and want to spend time with is a true passion of mine.  Hosting has become my own creative outlet; I love having something to plan for, an event to look forward to and an excuse to bring people together in my home.   I know that this sentiment is not shared among most people today, the art of the dinner party has been long forgone for grabbing a quick bite or drink after work, in between crazy work and travel schedules, making it home to kiss kids goodnight and when there is time, relaxing on the couch and scanning Instagram to see what friends have been up to.

Through the past few years as we have continued to settle into our lives with kids and our own routine, I’ve found that I crave a sense of community and connecting with others even more than before. For me, nothing can replace bringing people together in a room or setting, sharing good food, drinks and conversation. I have continued to try and do this both formally and informally and while yes it takes work and some planning it can also be very spontaneous. My hope for this website is that through sharing some of my own experiences playing hostess including how I plan a menu, recipes I love, how to feed a crowd and tips to make it a littler easier, I can encourage and inspire others to do the same!