Entertaining is a fine art for Michael S. Smith. As a child, the interior designer watched his grandmother throw dinners for 20, and saw how hosting could help a sense of community flower in all situations. He was given a unique look into it while his partner James Costos served as the American ambassador to Spain and Andorra under President Obama; these days, the pair gives three to four dinners a week for friends, in addition to regularly hosting political events, fundraisers, and book parties. During the pandemic, Smith found outdoor dinners to be a needed escape from isolation. During a particularly memorable one, a friend's son, a singer with the Yale a cappella group The Baker's Dozen, performed with his group mates.
This story is from the December 2023/January 2024 edition of ELLE US.
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This story is from the December 2023/January 2024 edition of ELLE US.
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