For Padma Lakshmi, entertaining is a habit, so get like her. The model, host, and author is best known for her contributions to the hit Bravo cooking competition show Top Chef. So, it's no surprise that Etsy tapped her for the Etsy Edit that is the chef's kiss when it comes to hosting the summer get-togethers of our dreams.
The Taste the Nation host's biggest entertaining tip? "The most important thing when you're doing a party at home, whether it's for three people or 30, is to choose a menu that is forgiving, where 70 percent of the items are doable ahead of time like warming up a casserole dish in the oven or stovetop," Padma shares with Good Housekeeping. "People don't want to see the host completely stressed out. If you're having fun, they'll have fun and feel relaxed. It's never about the food or the objects on the table. It's about the audience, the environment you create and how people are feeling."
Vaxxed and waxed is the mantra of the season and as the world opens back up outside, we are also opening up our homes to invite friends and family to pull up, vibe and chill. From cookouts and outdoor barbecues to pool parties and picnics, the carefully curated collection has a little something from every kind of host. Check out some of our favorite artisan finds from Padma's collection edit below.
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Featured image by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for 30th Annual IFP Gotham Awards
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“I’m a different person, you know, now than I was January 19,” King shared. “Grief is a journey, you know? I understand that grief is love that has no place to go.”
“I know that it’s important for me to honor Ian in the totality of who he is, speak about him in the present because he is always with me and the joy and happiness that he gave all of us,” she added.
The Shirley star also added that it's vital to discuss the common misconception surrounding depression, noting that battles with mental health can manifest in diverse ways. “When it comes to depression, people expect it to look a certain way — they expect it to look heavy,” King told Robin Roberts.
“To have to experience this and not be able to have the time to just sit with Ian’s choice, which I respect and understand… He didn’t want to be here anymore, and that’s a hard thing for other people to receive because they did not live our experience, did not live Ian’s journey.”
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The Academy Award winner openly revealed that she was initially “so angry with God.”
“Why would that weight be given to Ian? Of all of the things that we had gone through — therapy, psychiatrists, programs — and Ian was like, ‘I’m tired of talking, Mom,' " she said.
With the memory of her son near to her, King said through tears, “My favorite thing about myself is being Ian’s mom and I can say that with a smile, with tears, with all of the emotion that comes with that. I can’t do that if I did not respect the journey.”
Anderson, 26, was a musician, DJ, and King’s only child. In 2019, Ian escorted his mother on the red carpet of the Golden Globes where she took home the award for "Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture."
He toldE! News at the time, "She's just a super mom. She doesn't really let bad work days or anything come back and ruin the time that we have. It's really awesome to have a mother who I can enjoy spending time with."
Understanding that grief is shared by many others, King emphasizes the unique weight of her role as Ian's mother and acknowledges that the sadness will always be a part of her.
“Sometimes, a lot of guilt comes over me. When a parent loses a child, you still wonder, ‘What could I have done so that wouldn’t have happened?’ I know that I share this grief with everyone, but no one else is Ian’s mom, you know? Only me. So it’s mine. And the sadness will never go away. It will always be with me.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or go to suicidepreventionlifeline.org.
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