For Julie Boschi, entertaining is a birthright. One of her early childhood memories is the mahjong parties at her family’s farm. “I loved how my grandmother managed to play mahjong and supervise the food, the drinks, lights, table setting, the whole nine yards all the while puffing on her cigarette imbedded in this long very sleek tar guard.”
Now a consummate a host herself, she has inherited her grandmother’s acumen as an entertainer. “I used to stress over flowers, settings and food until I realized that a relaxed host is the best host,” says Julie. The best combination for her is keeping an element, whether the food or the decorative theme, casual. This means that if the meal is decadent, she picks flowers from the family’s garden as part of the table setting.
Julie’s decorative choices tend towards tradition. “I love the old world look, very feminine—flowers, candelabras, candles, white plates and monogrammed napkins,” she says. She has also become tech-savvy in searching for ornamental inspiration. “I love all these tablescapes I see all over Instagram or other sites which are just so gorgeous, witty and always using unexpected items,” says Julie. “I admire these hosts for their non-traditional aesthetic and I promised myself that I shall be more adventurous in my settings.”
Although she enjoys tea parties, the reality of Philippine weather makes it quite difficult, so she improvises by organizing champagne afternoons. “We took the liberty of switching tea to a more sparkly alternative,” she says. Julie is a fan of taking elements from the home and situating them within her party setting. “I really do not care how much an item costs or the brand. I purchase and use based on what I like and what is practical. Once you have your heart broken over some shattered crystal or plates or missing silverware, one’s perspective changes,” says Julie. A jewelry box holds plates of pastries, and a silver punch bowl and standing wine bucket become vessels for her freshly picked flowers. “If they’re not picked from the garden, I try to buy and arrange the flowers myself. They don’t look as grand or polished as the ones that are professionally done but I really enjoy doing it for my guests,” she says.
At the end of the day, the most important thing for Julie is how her guests feel. “I like it when guest always get surprised by how late it is when they check the time because they were enjoying themselves. That is when I feel that the party was a success.”
Julie’s Guide to Hosting
What is the best kind of host? My favorite hosts are gracious, not one to dominate the conversation, mindful of shy guests, quick to reassure, slow to boast, comfortable in her skin and just plain happy to see you enter her home. That to me is most important.
How do you write a guest list? I love making a guest list and I try to mix people. A homogenous crowd may be more comfortable but I like conversations to be interesting and our guests to make new friends in our home.
How often do you entertain? I do brunches or an afternoon get-together at least twice a month. Friends from the village come and just have a good time. This month alone, I already have four dinners, two lunches and a Sunday brunch lined up all before Holy Week.
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