Fads come and go, fashion is always changing, but dinner parties are forever. I mean, seriously, haven’t dinner parties been en vogue forever? I bet ancient man had a potluck in order to get to know the new couple who moved into the cave next door. It is just what people do—have their friends and ‘not-yet friends’ over to break bread and break open new, vibrant relationships. Poor people do it; rich people do it. Even kings and presidents have dinner parties.

Dinner parties fascinate me, and i...