I’ve been lucky enough to go to a few events that Kara has curated. She’s an effortless host with impeccable taste, enviable style and a graceful warmth. The kind that you had forgotten about because it’s such a rarity. Kara brings this warmth to everything she does. She writes, styles, curates and connects. And she loves whisky and bad ass women. YES to that!

I have a dinner party company and a food & lifestyle blog called by Kara Elise. I curate dinner parties, I’m a kitchen consultant, and I do a bit of food styling. I really love food, and I love its power to bring people together in such a unique way. Food is a universal language, and some of our best conversations and connections with people happen over a meal. I believe that food is really really powerful. When we eat in beauty, we feel beautiful. When we take the time to create with food, to slow down enough to enjoy and share a meal, we create a space to welcome others into our lives. My whole goal in everything I do is to empower others to create that space.

Oh my gosh. This is so difficult. I love when I’m gifted something that is so personal to me… When I turned 30, my best friend wrapped up 30 things that had some memory attached to them and shipped them across the country to open on my birthday. It was amazing.

My advice for anything relational is to really know who you are and follow your heart. That sounds a bit cliche and vague, but our healthiest relationships happen when we are confident in who we are, what we’re made for, and what we believe. When we are operating from a healthy place, we can welcome someone else into that. Health also seems to attract health. When we know who we are, we are able to be true to that and really listen to our hearts and what they’re yearning for. Also… NEVER settle. And don’t make excuses for bad behavior. There are too many good men out there who know the value of women. Those are the ones worth dating.

Coffee. Too easy?

I love writing.

Or honestly wine with my girlfriends. I have the best girlfriends.

Wow. I was 20, it was actually my first boyfriend (I was a late bloomer). We didn’t date long, but he was the first boy who I actually let my heart fall for and the first boy that I envisioned a future with. We were so young, so unaware of who we were, and I was definitely not ready for a relationship. Our breakup was pretty epic though- It was like a dramatic scene from a movie in front of the eiffel tower. It took me quite a while to get over him, and he’s now become a fond memory and a great learning experience.