The Salonniere, the nation’s leading website dedicated to the art of entertaining, has announced the 2018 Salonniere 100, an annual list honoring America’s 100 best party hosts. The 2018 Salonniere 100 spotlights honorees from 34 cities and 28 states in the United States and represents a diverse and brilliantly creative group of men and women who share one common trait: an exceptional ability to leverage the power of parties to enhance the lives of others.
“From prehistoric times to the era of the French salonnieres—the social influencers of their time—to today, parties have always played a pivotal role in human civilization,” said Carla McDonald, the founder and editor in chief of The Salonniere. “The Salonniere 100 is our way of honoring those who are continuing the tradition of hosting parties with a purpose. Whether they’re welcoming guests to support causes, advance ideas, unite people, or simply bring joy to others, the Salonniere 100 honorees are America’s most gifted and influential cultural connectors.”
Among those making the Salonniere 100 for the first time this year are:
- Artist Amy Virginia Buchanan and entrepreneur Patrick Janelle, who host wildly imaginative dinner parties in unusual places with the goal of building America’s creative culture (New York, NY)
- Kiyomi Buker, social secretary to the Ambassador of Japan, who relies on the Japanese idea of “ichigo, ichie,” meaning “one time, one meeting,” to inspire her parties (Washington, DC)
- Heidi Klum (New York, NY) and Cindy Crawford and Rande Gerber (Los Angeles, CA), whose annual Halloween celebrations have become two of the country’s most coveted party invitations
- Solange Knowles, Grammy-winning singer, songwriter, model, and actor, who is known for throwing “sexy parties with a super-cool vibe” (New Orleans, LA)
- Reese Witherspoon, actor, producer and entrepreneur, who infuses all her parties with southern charm and has become known as one of the nation’s most gracious hostesses (Los Angeles, CA)
Among those making a return appearance on the Salonniere 100 are:
- Natanya DiBona, co-host of Philadelphia’s Dîner en Blanc, who has turned the international flash-dining phenomenon into one of her city’s largest social events (Philadelphia, PA)
- Interior designers Ken Fulk (San Francisco, CA), Alessandra Branca (Chicago, IL), and Bunny Williams (Hartford, CT), who are known for the breathtaking environments they create for their parties
- Lela Rose, fashion designer, whose attention to detail when entertaining—including matching the cocktail napkins to the cocktails—is unrivaled (New York, NY)
- Dana Marie Roquemore, founder of The Dinner Party Project, whose events encourage strangers to meet new friends outside their social circle (Orlando, FL)
- Oprah Winfrey, media mogul and philanthropist, whose warm and down-to-earth hosting skills are legendary (Santa Barbara, CA)
To see the full list of 2018 Salonniere 100 honorees, visit: http://thesalonniere.com/the-salonniere-100-2018/
Honorees are identified alphabetically according to the most frequently cited nominees from each city. Only cities with a sufficient number of nominees are included. The Salonniere team spent six months surveying social authorities and local in-the-know experts, including journalists, philanthropists, not-for-profit fundraisers, social luminaries, event planners, and cultural and business leaders. A special focus was placed on those who entertain with enthusiasm, creativity, passion, and flair. The nominees most frequently mentioned were reviewed by The Salonniere team to compile the final list. Party planners and other event professionals were not eligible.
The Salonniere (“sal-on-yair”) is the nation’s leading website dedicated to the art of entertaining. Named for the women in the 17th and 18th centuries whose influential parties—called salons—introduced the power and delight of intellectually and culturally engaging social gatherings, The Salonniere was founded to celebrate the universal joy of social revelry, including the delight of planning and hosting parties. The Salonniere profiles great parties present and past, features glorious events, and offers top entertaining tips and inspiring ideas. Adding to the spirit of fun are the vintage photo-and-quote mashups that introduce every feature story with timeless wit and surprising exuberance. For more information, please visit www.thesalonniere.com
