S2E9: Talking about Brunch is Hell with Rico and Brendan

In Episode 9 of Season 2, we had the opportunity to speak with Rico Gagliano and Brendan Francis Newnam, the authors of Brunch is Hell. This was such a fun episode to record where we discussed everything from dinner parties to playlists to icebreaker jokes. Brendan and Rico shared the title they originally wanted to give their book and their most memorable dinner parties. Definitely an episode not to be missed. (Also, if you're a dinner party person, Brunch is Hell should absolutely be on your reading list.)

Show Notes:

• Meet Rico and Brendan

  • The Dinner Party Download

    • Icebreaker

    • Small talk

    • Guest of honor

    • Cocktails

  • Brunch Is Hell

  • Their origin story

  • The end of the podcast

  • The start of the book

• Brunch is Hell

  • The title of the book (and the almost title of the book)

  • Why (restaurant) brunch is awful

• Dinner Parties

  • Dinner party identifiers

  • Helping people with guidance

  • Etiquette rules

  • Nights to throw dinner parties aka "Tuesdays are Dumb"

• Most Memorable Dinner Parties

  • Brendan's Friday night dinner party

  • Rico and Brendan planning to have a memorable dinner party because Rico doesn't actually have one to add to the list.

  • Rico's childhood dinner parties

• Bakers vs. Cooks

  • Rico and Brendan are cooks

  • Great British Bake Show

• Icebreakers

  • The hope of reviving the joke

  • Why didn't the lifeguard save the hippie?

  • Knock knock. Who's there? To. To who?

• Music Playlist Choices

  • Sister Maryam Guebrou (Amazon / YouTube)

  • Movie Soundtracks

    • Blowup by Herbie Hancock (Amazon / YouTube)

    • Cotton Club (Amazon / YouTube)

  • Rico's belief that 70's Disco Music is perfect dinner party music

  • The P.D.P.D.P.

• Quick Hit Inspiration

  • Don't worry about it.

• What are you planning right now?

  • Chrystina: My 30th birthday party.

  • Rico: 90th birthday party in New Hampshire

  • Brendan: Tuna melt

  • Jessica: Blogger meet-ups

• What's happening in your kitchen?

  • Jessica: Local 30 challenge, canning, freezing, and dehydrating

  • Brendan: Brendan's refrigerator in New York

  • Rico: Losing money because of extra cold refrigerator

  • Chrystina: Alcohol

• How are you staying in touch?

  • Rico: All the ways

  • Brendan: Coffee, cocktails, and thank you notes

  • Jessica: Girls' day

  • Chrystina: Not doing so great.

• What are you into right now?

  • Jessica: Nesting

  • Rico: Ava Luna performs Serge Gainsbourg's Historie de Melody Nelson and Lina Waithe

  • Brendan: Romaine hearts and Cate Le Bon's Are You With Me Now?

  • Chrystina: Acai bowl from Oola Bowls in Lancaster, PA

• Find us online:

  • Rico

    • Twitter

    • Safe for Work

  • Brendan

    • Twitter

    • Instagram

    • The Paris Review

Gatherings Podcast: Facebook, Twitter

Chrystina’s Contact Info: Homepage, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest

Jessica’s Contact Info: Sweet Love & Ginger, Old Wisdom Wellness, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest