If we're being honest, many of us pre-screen for playdates. We're looking not only for kids that will be a good influence on our children, but parents who are interesting. After all, if the kids hit it off, you will be seeing a lot more of one another.

And since everyone is overly-polite in the beginning, here are a few tips to get you off to a good start:

Being gracious

A good host knows that offering refreshments is polite, if not expected. Not to mention that if some children get too hungry, their heads have been known to spin 360 degrees.

Food Allergies

New friends never want to appear too demanding, or assume you will be serving food. In which case, they're too polite to mention any gluten or peanut allergies. So, have a spread on your table that offers a nice selection of snacks, so they have options. 

Clean and Simple

To avoid potential messes that your new friends may agonize over, keep the food mess-free. Save the spaghetti marinara, and opt for finger foods they can grab and go. Besides, playing with friends is their priority, and plates and silverware are too fussy.

Health is Wealth

More than ever, parents are conscious of what they're feeding their children, so avoid a dozen doughnuts and a 2-liter of soda. You don't have a break the bank to provide fun, healthy options. Besides, serving quality food will make everyone feel they deserve any sugary treats you may serve.

Before I share a few recipe ideas, here are a couple of non-food-related tips:

Ready to Go

Have some things in mind for the kids before the playdate begins, so if they get off to an awkward start, you can trot out a slime kit or kinetic sand. You may even want to save a brand new toy for the occasion, so even your child's eyes will light up. Avoid anything that may make too much a mess, such as paint or permanent markers. Some children have a wilder temperament, and if you don't know about it, you'll be repainting your walls. If it's hot out, have a kiddie pool and an extra pair of swim trunks ready to go. 

Space to Play

You want to give the kids space to play without adult intervention, but you want them close enough so that you can hear what they're up to. Keep the food and drinks (where the adults will be hunkered down) within ear shot of the children. After all, we all know it's worth popping our heads in if it gets too quiet.

 Wine Down

Regardless of all the branding we see with wine being called "Mom Juice" (been there, saw the painted wine glass), don't assume that the other parents will want to imbibe. Then again, don't assume they won't! Rather than liquor, offer something lighter for the day, like a chilled white wine. If all goes well, everyone can get out of their heads a bit and bond by swapping stories about their children. Have a nice playlist in the background and sit in some natural sunlight, and your playdate becomes officially cool!

The More the Merrier

Why invite one parent, when you can invite a few? Make it an intimate little group and connect new friends. Lord knows none of us have enough time to host multiple playdates, so consolidation puts more time back into your life. And who knows? Maybe you'll be invited to a great playdate by a guest who followed your lead! 

Recipe Ideas

Hummus with Crudite

Roast Beef and Cheddar Pinwheels

Ants on a Log

Fruit Parfait

Deviled Eggs

Remember, playdates are never just about the kids. You can make it fun for all!

Happy Independence Day, from Ladles & Linens!

Friendly reminder that a couple of stores will be open for revelers in the early part of the day.  Feel free to swing by for last-minute party items, host gifts and more!

Hours: Roanoke: 10a-1p & Carytown: 10a-3p

In the meantime, enjoy a couple of last-minute tips to make the most of your holiday!

In case you haven't noticed, it's hot outside. Cakes and pies are grand, but firing up the oven on a sweltering day? Not so much. Show your loved ones that you're too cool for British rule with an Americana parfait! Zero cooking, refreshingly cool, and you can wow your guests with homemade whipped cream! Ditch the whisk (again, too hot)  and try this handy cream whipper! One taste and people will know your cream wasn’t store-bought.

Enjoy fireworks without floaties – keep pesky bugs out of your drink with these silicone drink covers. 

As a nation of immigrants, it's sometimes tough to find a food that originated in America. People's go-to are hot dogs and hamburgers, but they are in fact German foods, from Frankfurt and Hamburg, respectively. How to Americanize these dishes? Slather them in BBQ sauce of course! Take your grilling next level with a Himalayan Salt Block. Filled with minerals, it infuses food with a subtler and more complex flavor than regular table salt. And it can take the heat!

Have a happy fourth!

Sarah-Gordon Goddard knows her way around a party. Her Instagram stories bring you into her home, where she takes the mystique out of gorgeously-plated dishes and shares snippets of lively dinner parties. And the backdrop is always changing. Known as The Millennial Antiques Dealer, her home (featured below) showcases a rotating collection of beautiful things until they are sold to admiring followers of The Goddard Collective. 

In fact, Sarah-Gordon takes Goddard Collective Instagram followers along with her on antiques road trips. We get a first look at her uncovered treasures, though my favorite part is the journey - all the winding country roads and quaint cafes along the way. 

She recently hosted a summer soiree, mixing up old friends and new, so we could walk away with new girlfriends. She served wine and shook up bourbon cocktails with her sleek Viski cocktail shaker. 

In keeping with the summer theme, dinner was light and seasonal; a kale salad topped with fresh salmon and drizzled with a tangy lemon-tahini dressing. She served optional chick peas and cranberries in positively summery Le Cadeaux  plateware, pictured below and in the top photo of this post.

Salad was served with elegant silver bud servers, available at Ladles and Linens. 

Conversations overlapped as we enjoyed our delicious meal. This curated group of ladies had interesting careers, yet many had aspirations to be entrepreneurs, with their side hustles already taking off!

As we roamed her home to take in the newest art pieces, bronzed lamps and vintage wine racks, we grazed on snacks in the kitchen. I fell in love with her dog Petey, and her summery flamingo tea towel!

And of course, Sarah-Gordon wouldn't let us leave without a bit of decadence, to balance out our guilt-free dinner. We were treated to individual lava cakes, dusted with powdered sugar and topped with fresh raspberries. We would've licked our plates clean, had social norms not prevented us.

It was a lovely night. Upon leaving, I stepped onto Sarah-Gordon's porch, adorned with plants billowing out of antique urns.  With my belly full, crickets chirping and moon rising, it was the perfect way to kick off summer. 

Sarah-Gordon, AKA The Millennial Antiques Dealer, is pictured above, left.

Tip: Attending any pool parties or al fresco dinners this season? This cheeky flamingo dish is such a standout host gift, they'll think of you whenever they pull it out.