What’s on the playlist?
KB: Mostly Cocteau Twins, Fleetwood Mac, Blood Orange, and David Bowie.
BN: It really depends on the guests and the menu. Usually I’ll start with something like Alice Coltrane or Dorothy Ashby so the energy is sexy and fun as the sun goes down. During the meal itself, it’s more of a mix between soul, disco, and jazz—Lijadu Sisters, Weldon Irvine. Finally, when it’s time to dance, it’s more electronic and dance—The Knife, Kylie Minogue, and so on.
What is your biggest hosting pet peeve?
KB: Martha [Stewart] actually taught me this. She never asks people about their allergies or dietary restrictions. You serve what you want to serve, and people can eat it or not.
BN: Maybe this is the Vietnamese family in us, but when you have people over, you become a five-star hotel, getting whatever the guests need. You’re already opening your home to anything that could happen. Accepting that is part of the hosting.
Name your ideal hostess gift.
KB: I never expect a gift; you’re inviting someone because you want them in your home. But I love to give something I grew in my garden. Especially if I don’t know the person very well or aren’t sure what the menu will be.
BN: A bag of ice and a book on design/architecture I don’t already own. Or a thank-you card that I can read the next day.
What’s going on at your after-party? Is there one?
KB: What after-party? The dinner is the main event.
BN: We are the after-party.
Dishes that night, or the next morning?
KB: That night, always.
BN: I have been known to clean the entire house that night.
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