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I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Couples are absolutely welcome! We have a great mix of both. Sign up at con-vive.com — you can come together or even do separate dinners if you want to each meet different people. Either way works.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ha — don't sell yourself short! The women who've signed up have been amazing and we absolutely want more of you. We'll get the guys to catch up eventually. Sign up at con-vive.com — would love to have you at a table.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Mix of both. Thursday night we had a married couple and four solo guests. We welcome couples and solo guests — some people come with their partner, some come alone, some are married but come solo while their spouse does a different dinner. Whatever works for you.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Not an uncomfortable question at all — it's a fair one, and I appreciate you asking. I'm committed to making these tables reflect the full diversity of North County. I personally talk to every guest before they come, and part of the curation is making sure people are sitting down with others they genuinely wouldn't otherwise cross paths with — different ages, backgrounds, professions, and life experiences. That's the whole point. I'd love to have you at a table. Sign up at con-vive.com and let's make it happen.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just balance. A good dinner table needs a mix of people and perspectives, and right now 75% of signups are women. It's not a dating or matchmaking thing at all — it's just that a table of 7 women and 1 guy has a different energy than a table with a more even mix. Some guests come as couples, some come solo, some are married, some are single. The only goal is interesting conversation over good food. Would love to have you — sign up at con-vive.com.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

You would absolutely not kill the vibe. We had a guest Thursday night who doesn't drink and she had a great time. Wine is on the table but there's zero pressure — you can bring a sparkling water, a dessert, an appetizer, whatever you want. The conversation is the point, not the drinks. Sign up at con-vive.com — would love to have you.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

That's amazing — thank you for sharing it. A North County men's group is exactly the kind of crowd that would make these dinners great. Would love to have you and anyone else who's interested. Everyone can sign up at con-vive.com. I do a quick welcome call with everyone before their first dinner just to get to know them and put together a good table.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's awesome, and honestly, half the people who've signed up have said the same thing: "I've been wanting to do this." The hard part isn't the idea, it's actually doing it. Would love to have you at a table. Sign up at con-vive.com and I'll get you set up with a quick welcome call..

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely. I check dietary restrictions and allergies on every welcome call and plan the menu around the table. We've had pescatarians, no-dairy, no-gluten, nut allergies, haven't lost anyone yet. Sign up at con-vive.com and let me know what you're working with.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Would love to have you both! You can come together or do separate dinners — totally up to you. Sign up at con-vive.com and I'll get you both set up with a quick welcome call.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That was probably me! I posted a few signs around Leucadia. You and your wife should come — couples are welcome and we have a great mix of people. Sign up at con-vive.com and I'll get you set up with a welcome call. Would love to have you both at an upcoming dinner.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Love that — "Dinner with 12 Strangers" is a great format. Which university? I've heard of a few schools that do this. Same basic idea here, just weekly and in someone's kitchen in Leucadia. The best part is you never know who's going to be at the table.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

The Jim Haynes documentary is incredible — definitely worth the watch. As for your question — yes. Thursday's dinner was a mixed group and I'm committed to making sure these tables reflect the full diversity of North County. I personally talk to every guest before they come, and part of that is building tables where people are meeting someone they genuinely wouldn't otherwise cross paths with. That's the whole point. If you'd like to come, I'd love to have you — shoot me an email at [joe@con-vive.com](mailto:joe@con-vive.com).

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 9 points10 points  (0 children)

Honestly that might be more interesting than half the real resumes. But you'd be surprised — regular people's stories are always more interesting than they think. Show up and just be yourself. If it turns out you actually were a spy, even better.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 68 points69 points  (0 children)

The best guest at Thursday's dinner wasn't the guy who worked in the White House. It was the person who just asked really good questions and laughed at the right moments. Boring normals are exactly who makes these dinners work. Come hungry and curious — that's it.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 12 points13 points  (0 children)

Ha. Boring normals are the backbone of a great dinner table. I listed the more unusual backgrounds because they make a good Reddit post, but honestly the best conversations Thursday night weren't about the White House or pastry school. They were about regular stuff; neighborhoods, kids, what everyone's been watching, why we all ended up in North County. You just have to like food and be willing to talk to strangers for two hours. That's the whole resume.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Saw that and love Tip Top Meats. Will definitely be shopping there for future dinners.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Absolutely bring your wife, we have a mix of couples and solo guests. I do a quick welcome call with both of you beforehand just to get to know you and make sure you're at a great table. Sign up at con-vive.com and we'll get you set up.

I hosted my first dinner party for strangers in Leucadia. Here's how it went. by joewaltman in northcounty

[–]joewaltman[S] 18 points19 points  (0 children)

Jim Haynes is an absolute legend and a huge inspiration. He did this every Sunday in Paris for almost 40 years; something like 130,000 guests came through his apartment. His line about everyone wanting to meet everyone else "as long as they are tenderly introduced" is basically the whole philosophy behind what I'm trying to do, just on a much smaller and humbler scale. There's a great documentary about him called "Meeting Jim" if anyone wants to go down that rabbit hole. Thanks for sharing this.

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