It’s a girlfriend dinner party … for one!

As fun, and loud, and friend-filled as a hosting/being invited to a big girlfriend dinner party can be, sometimes ‘it’s just fun to be one.’ To reconnect with an old friend face-to-face, get to know a potential new friend or just catch up with a girlfriend who may need you  in her life, we recommend ‘breaking bread,’ possibly over wine or take-out, with just one girlfriend.

Having a one-on-one conversation, really listening and giving each other your full attention can only be achieved when distractions and dinner guests are limited.

So, in honor of this Month of Friendship, we’re talking aboutinviting a friend over to serve up dinner, dialogue and share a few dreams together. You don’t even have to invite her over for dinner, but agree to a restaurant where you two can talk – sans friends, family, cell phones, kids, etc. Just the two of you, on a ‘date’  away from everything and everyone that requires your attention. Just friends, talking, sharing, laughing and making sure the other knows her friendship is worthy of a dinner together.

Personally, I’m not the chef in our home so, for girlfriend dinners, it’s gotta be a restaurant. I had dinner with my high school friend, Laura, on Friday night  – which was WAY overdue. So much has happened since we were last together, yet, as friends for a long, long time, we caught up readily and promised to make it a more frequent occurrence. Having someone else bother with the meal preparation and serving us without question to our caloric intake, ‘is that really healthy for you?’ or alcohol consumption made it a stress-free dinner. (Actually our self-control was well in tact, but it was a no guilt, eat-all-the-chips-and-salsa-you-want kind of evening.)

But, if you’re so inclined and capable (like my gourmet girlfriend Terri), you’re probably a wonderful chef and host for a girlfriend dinner. Make her favorite meal. Have her join you in the meal preparation or allow her to bring part of the meal. Or, if you’re kinda in between, order out – Indian ‘take away,’ pizza delivery, Chinese pick-up – whatever you and she love, just make the meal choice whatever fits your schedule, tastes and favorite indulgence.

We asked our Facebook Friends what they make/have for a girlfriend dinner and they shared:

• Cathie: Wine. (Cathie is a wine writer & author of  “Cheap Cabernet: A Friendship“)
• Norja: Tapas and wine
• Janet: Depends on who it is!! Most of the time we go out for dinner, but if I am having it in I will often have one friend bring a salad, another dessert and I will do the main entree. – Also “Tapas and wine is perfect, or cookies and cocktails!”

What do YOU recommend for a girlfriend dinner? What girlfriend dinners have been extra special to you and why? Share and inspire!

Days 1-11 for our Month of Friendship:

• Day 1: Throw a girlfriend dinner party
• Day 2: Girlfriend Gratitude
• Day 3: Social Media Friends
• Day 4: Make a memory gift for your girlfriend
• Day 5: Phone a Friend!
• Day 6: Plan a Girlfriend Trip
• Day 7: Pamper your Pals
• Day 8: Make a Friend Laugh
• Day 9: Start a Girlfriend Tradition
• Day 10: Go Shopping with your Girlfriends
• Day 11: Remember a friend you’ve lost, in honor of 9/11

Tags: be a better friend, friendship month, make dinner, make dinner for your friend, month of friendship, take-out

This entry was posted on Sunday, September 12th, 2010 at 8:16 pm and is filed under Be a Better FRIEND. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.