Having A Night
154 episodes - English - Latest episode: 9 months ago - ★★★★★ - 116 ratingsHaving A Night is a podcast dedicated to reviving the lost art of the dinner party. Sophie von Haselberg and Ariana Venturi are obsessed with both the micro and the macro of the all-important question: how to throw the absolute, supreme, no holds barred, remember-it-forever-unless-you-were-too-drunk dinner party.
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Episodes
Live Is Where It's At! Series Finale
August 13, 2023 13:17 - 43 minutesWell, friends, this is sort of a 'series finale' for the Having A Night Podcast. As Ari says in this ep, "we've basically done it". We've had on guests we've loved, guests we've hated (KIDDING!), we've talked about scintillating things and things so boring they could send a stone into a deep snooze. And now, we're hoping to take Having A Night in some more *live*, *theatrical* directions. If you've been listening to us for the last FOUR years, we cannot thank you enough. Knowing there were pe...
Boocatini
August 05, 2023 10:45 - 47 minutesAnd we don't mean 'boo' in the Halloween sense. In this episode, we uncover the hollow (literally!) trend that is bucatini. We also delve into another bu--burrata, that is. NYMag issued a scathing expose on the once-famed ball of cream. Is this ill repute deserved or is there a place in the pantheon of cheeses for our milky friend? Of course, it wouldn't be August if we didn't have a section on tomatoes (sandwiches, raw sauces, etc.) and zucchini (this is a must-cook situation. Zoodles left S...
A Hell of a Town!
July 27, 2023 21:33 - 47 minutesThis week is all about where to go and what to do in the great city of New York! When people (including people under the age of 21) visit from out of town, what are the major food groups one MUST hit? Pizza is at the top of the list, but must be in the form of the slice joint. Bagels are an essential, but don't you dare go near a place that serves unicorn bagels. The steakhouse, the Oyster Bar, the classic American diner... Lots to cover, including the pretzel of sliced meats, ie pastrami. Ha...
Hot Girl Dinner Walk
July 20, 2023 14:43 - 51 minutesI can be hard for a couple of millennials to keep up with Gen Z. It's a Hot Girl Summer, at least we know that part. But when it comes to Girl Dinner, are we behind the trend or are we so ahead of the curve that we've been Girl Dining for years and have long since forgotten about it? Hot Girl Walks are a newfangled moniker for 'walking while thinking', and by our use of the word 'newfangled', you can probably tell that thinking while walking is the norm for us. As usual, we get sidetracked by...
Czech Us Out!
July 10, 2023 11:47 - 56 minutesThe Pils is fresh, the sausages are thick, and the cry of dekuji issues from our lips. Yes, we're back from our *shared* vacation-- sort of tanned, very full, and nearly ready to commit to a week of teetotaling and juice cleansing! We go deep on 'responsible drinking' and shallow on the chicness of ponchos. There's talk of the ultimate roast beef sang (that's sandwich in collegiate language), the ultimate potato (cooked not just in oil but also STOCK), and the ultimate replacement for the ara...
Packing Heat
June 08, 2023 04:01 - 1 hourThe air of Canadian Wildfires has swept into NY and the sky is yellow... Apocalypse is on the brain. But we won't let that get us down! First of all, there's a naked woman across the street, which certainly buoys the mood. And then, we have packing to talk about! How to channel all your energy into one look -- are you a Jacqueline Bissett or are you gonna be out there rocking Jams World? And did you know that if you're the guy wearing the fun shirt, you better bring the attitude to go with it...
Thinking Big, Talking Small
June 01, 2023 04:01 - 48 minutesOrange Oil is our favorite food, but what about its gruesome twin, the Orange Oil Stain? This week starts off with some Real Talk about the dearth of desserts on-hand (yogurt and granola ain't gonna cut it anymore) and the sad truth that sometimes, mediocre food can make a person (e.g. Sophie) eat more, in the hopes of attaining culinary nirvana. Then, prepare for a bumpy segue into small talk! How to have it, why we're having it, and whether there is some way to dispatch with it altogether. ...
By The Hair of the Artichoke
May 27, 2023 03:53 - 1 hourDid you spent the week blissfully biting into the metaphorical heart of the artichoke or chewing on a fibrous outer leaf? The answer is probably: both. Artichokes take center stage in this episode until they are rudely booted off in favor of raw, off-the-rails topic: THE VEGGIE SANDWICH. And boy does this episode get heated! Chevre proves more divisive than anticipated, but the gloves really come off when it comes to the Italian hero. We live by one credo, and one credo only: THOU SHALT NOT L...
Ride that Mic
May 04, 2023 22:02 - 49 minutesWhat are your Hopes and Dreams? Have you been busy thinking about what you hope for the Having A Night gals and the Having A Night Family? Us too! And in this episode we talk all about it, starting with nudity and other potentially humiliating behaviors that we would like to indulge in more often. As usual, we mix our metaphors, get completely off-track, and can barely recall where we began. All of which is to say, it's a regular dang Having A Night Ep! Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Must Love Flop
April 28, 2023 20:16 - 52 minutesFirst, we gotta recap the World Marmalade Awards, where Sophie took a silver in the First Timer's category. This quickly ushers in the hot topic of jelly vs. jam vs. marmalade, but soon we're out of the sweets and onto the savory subjects, ie PIZZA. Where to get it, what kind of flop it needs, what crust is best... This is an unplanned, off the cuff, but EXTREMELY exciting deep dive into excitement about one of -- if not THE -- most perfect food of all time. Learn more about your ad choices....
Parmesan Nuclear Holocaust
April 20, 2023 04:01 - 42 minutesN.B. -- audio is not the greatest in this episode, but we hope you'll enjoy nonetheless! The accidental theme of this ep is what pantry items survive the 'nuclear holocaust' and also what ingredients we need in the event of a 'nuclear holocaust', aka an airbnb with no grocery store around for miles. Fish pate ranks fairly low on the list of things that do well over a 5-year time period, while beans get a 5-star Having A Night stamp of approval. Parmesan breezes onto the list of things we need...
Scallion Floss
April 13, 2023 04:01 - 43 minutesIn this peripatetic episode, Ari and Sophie hop from Easter to food poisoning to the true meaning of the word 'shank'. They can't answer the question 'what is a cassoulet?' but they CAN tell you that scallions must be chopped and never served whole-from-the-grill. Find us on instagram @havinganight and we'll answer any burning questions... Or we'll just make up some of our own and answer those. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Salami Cones
April 06, 2023 04:01 - 57 minutesIt's time for a deep dive into portability. The portability of FOOD, to be precise. Burritos check the box but tacos fall short. Dumplings? No can do. Sandwiches teeter on the brink, depending on how they are packaged and how stuffed they are. We also take a deep dive into our own intellects and patchy knowledge with a superficial tour through 'inflation', 'economics' and 'cellphone addiction.' Ari correctly identifies herself as 'self-competitive' and Sophie tries to win her over to the side...
Taste This
March 30, 2023 12:59 - 57 minutesMore potatoes are discussed -- apologies are issued to wedge fries; clear gaps in our potato famine knowledge are exposed... Then it's onto a dissection of the tasting menu: is it a thing of the past or a thing of the future? Is it ever enough food? And the grimmest of all: what happens when 'share' plates aren't large enough to be truly shared? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Maslow's Hierarchy of Spuds
March 23, 2023 04:01 - 58 minutesWe take an unanticipated tour through Fried Potatoville... Hot takes are given on Hot Tots. Plus: the County Fair. Ultimate Americana, or vestigial tradition? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
We Demand The Whole Duck
March 16, 2023 04:01 - 1 hourIn this episode, Ari tries to keep the guardrails on while Sophie tries to jump over them. The Oscars were watched. Duck was eaten. Cabbage is discussed. At length. Its sweetness, its versatility. Also, chips and where we stand on all the new-fangled healthy versions. Is a Dorito its own category? Where do Now-N-Laters, Starburst, and Hi-Chews rank in terms of chew, waxiness, and flavor? These questions, topics, and more, including pugnacious outbursts by both hosts. Learn more about your ad ...
Having An Oscars
March 09, 2023 05:01 - 56 minutesAri and Sophie try to come up with genius pairings for each Best Picture nominee, mostly failing to make a cohesive menu. Ari hasn't seen any of the films but she's not letting that stop her from voicing her opinions! Turns out, seeing the trailer is JUST like seeing the movie. Happy hot dog fingers, everyone! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Spongebath Nopants
March 02, 2023 13:52 - 1 hourLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
It's Not All About Kate McKinnon
February 16, 2023 19:01 - 43 minutesLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Wedding Martinis
February 09, 2023 14:31 - 53 minutesWe unpack Ari's wedding (with plenty of distraction along the way.) Has the pandemic made Ari bad at socializing with a martini glass? Do we need an intro? These questions, and more, answered in this Very Important Episode. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
101% Podcast, 102% Pants
February 02, 2023 17:04 - 47 minutesWhat to say about an episode that's been nearly a year in the making? By which we mean... We took almost a year off! How the hell did that happen? Well, Ari got married, the girls were geographically separated for 3 months, yadda yadda, EXCUSES, EXCUSES! And a year-long absence is INEXCUSABLE, but we hope you'll welcome us back into your ear holes! XOXO Ari & Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
The Last Dance
March 10, 2022 05:00 - 51 minutesAt last, Having A Night: Wedding Season comes to a close. Ari still isn't married, but at least she has a venue and a date, if not a dress and a jazz trio. This season, the girls dug into the crevices of the Wedding Industrial Complex and somehow emerged unscathed. They parsed first dances and after parties, dessert tables and tiered cakes, fairy lights and candles, placement and free-for-alls. In this final episode, Sophie lays to rest the weddings Ari could have had, and Ari offers the best...
Fondon't: Just Desserts
March 03, 2022 23:36 - 53 minutesCAKE SMACKDOWN: Design vs. Taste! We're putting all our money on TASTE, the clear frontrunner in this prize fight. Who wants a beautiful cake with no flavor? If you fondant fonDO… step aside. We’ve all seen “Shallow Hal” (shame on us, millennials)! We want our cake to TASTE like Gwyneth, no matter what she LOOKS like! Dear Tony Robins: please hypnotize all brides to see beneath the fondant! Also in this episode: Sophie plans Ari’s engagement party PLUS why pie is is always the wrong choice. L...
Keeping the Vibe Alive
February 24, 2022 05:00 - 43 minutesYou've survived it all -- the endless toasts, the crack-of-dawn hair & makeup shift, the mic feedback during the ceremony... You grazed the floor with your butt during SHOUT and cried during the first dance even though the band sucked. You ate three pieces of cake, two bottles of wine, and zero water. The wedding is over, right? You've done your part and then some? WRONG. You better get your ass into gear because after the party is the after party and only then can you hit the hotel lobby. Bu...
And I Would Walk 500 Miles
February 17, 2022 05:01 - 59 minutesIf music be the food of love, then you better pump the jams and play something great at your wedding. The DJ/Band dispute is a tale as old as time and both girls want to rock DJ. Now that that's settled, does an electric violin kill the vibe or electrify the dancefloor? And where is the string quartet in all of this? Can't we just let strings be strings instead of warping them into an Ed Sheeran arrangement? Has the Dirty Dancing jump surpassed iconic and gone straight to cheugy, or is it rea...
It's All About Location
February 10, 2022 04:59 - 46 minutesThe girls may not be location scouts but they sure do have opinions on where you should have your wedding. Vibe is paramount. Finding a new way to say 'vibe' is also paramount. Vibes unearthed during this hour-long convo include the cheugy farm vibe, the sterile loft vibe, and the Stepford country club vibe. Obviously, the correct answer to where you're getting married is D, None of the above. Ari unloads and downloads about the venue currently in her top position and Sophie lends an excited ...
We Roast, We Toast
February 03, 2022 05:39 - 57 minutesSpeeches. Toasts. Roasts. The best man thinks he’s headlining The Comedy Cellar. Your dad has been speaking off-the-cuff for 45 minutes. 6 sorority sisters, 1 mic. And everyone’s opening line begins with “FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON’T KNOW ME.” We're issuing a trigger warning for everyone who's ever roasted, toasted, speeched, or been speeched. Consider yourself warned. XOXO! Ari & Sophie Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Bridal Parties: Choose Your Own Straps
January 28, 2022 00:15 - 1 hourWhat better way to celebrate your wedding than playing a massive game of WHO WORE IT BEST with all your closest friends!? Last week's episode covered bachelorettes, and that means this week, it's the Bridal Party... which, when you really think about it, is just a big ol' horse and pony show. Who's got the best updo? Beach waves? Best strap situation? Most inoffensive walking pace? Ladies, it's time to parade your girlfriends for all to see! In $700 single-use, jewel-toned polyester, no less!...
Fun: Ton or Fun: None?
January 20, 2022 05:00 - 49 minutesAfter a long, unannounced hiatus, the girls are now COVID-free and ready to dive into the Bachelor/Bachelorette Party, which has recently swelled from simple "party" into the bachelor/bachelorette three-day-weekend. It's hard to say exactly when this shift occurred, but it was probably around the same time as the emergence of the welcomed-by-some, dreaded-by-most Four Day Wedding Weekend. The Stag-do/Hen-do can be an opportunity for a bacchanal (THE PURGE, but sexy?) or an opportunity to spen...
Ryan Hill - Apotheosis Events
December 10, 2021 22:56 - 1 hourThe girls heard your pleas for a wedding planner, and have arrived with the ultimate answer: Ryan Hill, the head honcho and owner of Apotheosis Events. If your image of a "wedding planner" is the-gal-in-the-black-dress-looking-miffed-while-she-screams-into-her-headset, Ryan is about to turn that idea upside-down. Vivacious, kind, and hysterical, he sees his role as part Stage Manager, part Producer, and part Therapist, and coming from a Broadway background, theatricality is front-and-center a...
Stick to the Classics
November 25, 2021 05:00 - 46 minutesThanksgiving rolls around but once a year, and the girls could not be more amped that it's making its presence known in the form of PUMPKIN. From here on out, it's nothing but spiked cider and holiday parties. In spite of a minor argument over cranberry sauce, Ari & Sophie are on the same page: sticklers for the absolute classics. Why screw around with what's already perfect? They wax on about their Thanksgiving hopes and dreams, PLUS -- don't worry, Season 4 is still Wedding Season. The girl...
Guest List: Wedding Edition
November 04, 2021 04:00 - 34 minutesWho's coming & who's getting snubbed? Is it mandatory to invite everyone whose wedding you've been invited to? And is there ever a good way to say "O HELL NO" to the request for a +1? In this episode, the girls get down and dirty with the A List, the B List, and the zzz list. (Don't invite any snoozers to your wedding, ya hear?) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Full Bar Can’t Lose?
October 28, 2021 04:00 - 45 minutesYou want to make sure your guests are happy and drunk at your wedding…. But how much are you willing to cough up? This week we go through various tiers of WEDDING BARS. Full? Premium?! BEER AND WINE ONLY? Lots of revelations are made this week folks, and the verdict even surprised us. Tune in for all things cocktail hour and leave your feelings about champagne toasts at the door! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Cracking the Code
October 21, 2021 04:00 - 50 minutesCocktail attire? Black Tie? Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. For Ari and Sophie, w-e-d-d-i-n-g spells COSTUME PARTY. A chance to steal the attention from the bride with an absolutely smashing outfit (mostly joking here, folks, not to worry.) We're talking Hoedown Chic, Playful Hawaiian, and Creative Formal. Yes, the girls are positively gagging for specificity when it comes to dress code. Adjectives abound -- are you a Colorful or a Festive? Oh, and speaking of, whatever happened to...
Wedding Food Sux
October 14, 2021 04:00 - 48 minutesName your top 5 wedding canapés and prepare for war. This week the girls are unloading all their wedding-food gripes (BEFORE the professional guests get the mic). What is it about synchronized servers that turns you on? If salmon and chicken were a real-life DUET.... who would be on piano? But actually WHY is wedding food so sucky??????!!! Is it the formality? The fillet? Both? Touché. Buckle up folks, you're in for some big opinions about chicken satay. Learn more about your ad choices. Visi...
Having A Night: Wedding Edition
October 07, 2021 04:00 - 43 minutesWe vow to take you as our lawfully wedded listeners…. That’s right! Bell’s are RINGIN’ cause Ari and Sophie are BACK for an all new season dedicated to possibly the biggest night to be had…. WEDDING NIGHT! This season is all about throwing the ultimate party. Listen in for the 10 commandments of wedding planning, an engagement story for the ages, the great ‘band v. DJ’ debate and so much more. It’s a season filled with guests from the wild world of weddings: planners, florists, caterers, bake...
Ari Does Sophie
June 10, 2021 04:00 - 59 minutesSEASON FINALE!! In a groundbreaking, first-ever, tell-all interview filled with never-before-seen personal stories of strength, perseverance, and what she ate for breakfast this morning, Madame Sophie Von Haselberg BARES. IT. ALL. The much-adored, fiercely-funny, mayo-ambivalent-multi-hyphenate QUEEN speaks OUT about strawberry yogurt, fasting, and what went down in the early 2000’s at a club in China that opens at 7AM. Legendary interviewer Larry King is resurrected from the dead, taking on ...
Sophie Does Ari
June 03, 2021 04:00 - 38 minutesYou know her voice, you know her taste, you know she goes heavy on the mayo.... But do you really know the woman we all listen to, laugh with, and love every week, aka The Jewish Italian American Princess herself, Ariana Venturi? This is the EXPOSE you've been waiting for, the tell-all interview with journalist S'Oprah von Haselberg. From the childhood nostalgia of her culinary heroes to piercing insights like "if chicken is on the grill, there has to be sausage on the grill, too", this is an...
Bryan Dayton
May 27, 2021 04:00 - 53 minutesA lot of people don't understand that 'A Life of Partying' can and should be a noble pursuit. Bryan Dayton is not one of those people. Founder of Half Eaten Cookie Hospitality group, which operates 5 killer restaurants in Colorado including OAK at Fourteenth, Bryan knew from a ripe young age that he wanted to spend his precious time on this earth mixing cocktails and giving others the kind of NIGHT this podcast is all about. That is to say, one filled with delicious food and bev, great music,...
Annie Favia
May 20, 2021 04:00 - 1 hourAnnie Favia is the brain, heart, and soul behind Favia Wines and Erda Teas. Though born in Connecticut, she's the NorCal gal of our dreams— a viticulturist with an obvious green thumb, a deep respect for nature and how it sustains us, and the sunny, engaging disposition of someone who knows her shit but isn't about to lord it over you. Can you tell we fell in love with her over the course of our conversation? In this episode, we go deep on Cabernet Franc, what drew Annie to wine, how she got ...
Renee Erickson
May 13, 2021 04:00 - 55 minutesWhat were you doing in your early 20s? Starting a restaurant empire with nothing more than a BFA and a song? Yeah. That's what we thought. Renee Erickson is the kind of chef/restauranteur/cookbook author/fearless woman that dreams are made of. Owner of multiple –and most would say, the best– food destinations in Seattle, including The Walrus and the Carpenter, The Whale Wins, Bar Mesuline, Bateau, and General Porpoise Doughnuts and Coffee; possessor of a James Beard Award and two time cookboo...
Ian Cauble
May 06, 2021 04:00 - 58 minutesIan Cauble is the wine guy you want to have in your ear. And by "wine guy" we mean just one of 269 Master Sommeliers in the WORLD, and the recipient of the Best Young Sommelier in the World and TOPSOMM awards. If you saw the documentary SOMM, you know exactly who we're talking about. (Blonde. Lots of flash cards. Passionate as hell.... Is that ringing a bell? ) And if you didn't, then please stop reading and turn on your television immediately. Not only is Ian knowledgeable beyond imagination...
Chocolate Fever with &Sons
April 29, 2021 04:00 - 53 minutesMarc and Phil Covitz were born into a beloved Beverly Hills chocolate family. When they eventually took over the business, they decided to re-conceptualize the cocoa-kingdom their mother had built and bring in some modern flavors and techniques with the help of acclaimed pastry chef Kriss Harvey. &Sons is now leading the luxury chocolate game and making some of the most beautiful, delicious, and creative sweets that money can buy. Pop Rock Praline? Passion Fruit Caramel? We were lucky to try ...
Sheldon Simeon
April 22, 2021 04:00 - 52 minutesYou may recognize Sheldon as the chill dude from Hawaii who was voted Fan Favorite on not one but two seasons of Top Chef. But he's also part of a brigade of chefs shining light on Hawaiian cuisine and gently insisting that it be given its due. His new book, COOK REAL HAWAII goes way beyond poke and Kalua pig, and delves into the people and cultures that make Hawaiian food such a unique fusion. After all, where else but on the world's most isolated land mass can you get Polynesian, Japanese, ...
Some Like It Hot With Kim Prince
April 15, 2021 04:00 - 50 minutesWe know you've had fried chicken. Maybe you even love to douse your crunchy bird in hot sauce. But that is NOTHING compared to what Kim Prince is doing at her LA restaurant, Hotville Chicken. Born into the family that invented Nashville Hot Chicken, she is carrying on the Prince tradition, bringing their famous (and, naturally, secret) recipe to the West Coast. Just how hot are we talking? Let's put it this way: one of the heat levels is called TOE TAG. As in... You're probably leaving in a b...
Party Time with Meghan McNeer
April 08, 2021 04:00 - 54 minutes"Psssst, do you party?" asks Meghan McNeer on the homepage of one(!) of her marvelously curated party companies, Standard Party Supply. We've never loved a question more. If Having A Night had a magical sorceress sister who could make all of our dinner party dreams come true... it would be this gal. This week, we had the absolute honor of speaking with the tablescape queen and maximalist party maven herself. After years working as an editor at beloved design mag Domino, McNeer started Standar...
Spring Cleaning Part Deux
April 01, 2021 04:00 - 56 minutesTime to finish what we started! This week we're diving head first into the freezer.... aka, "where food goes to die" or "a blackhole of the space/time continuum." Remember folks, your standard Frigidaire does NOT have medical-grade cryogenic powers! It's time to face the music and toss out all that freezer burn hath touched. Get out your painters tape and sharpie and join us as we get ruthless with the chicken carcasses and frozen bone broths of yore. Plus! We are taking a good hard look at o...
Lawrence Longo
March 25, 2021 04:00 - 49 minutesFood promoter? Culinary entrepreneur? Pizza partner? Whatever you call him, Lawrence Longo is carving out his own unique path in the food world. He is the founder and CEO of the Off The Menu app, a producer of food festivals; he brought restaurant Burgers Never Say Die from a pop-up to brick-and-mortar establishment, and is single-handedly responsible for giving the good people of LA their very own outpost of NYC's famous Prince Street Pizza... basically, Longo finds food that he loves and br...
Spring Cleaning!
March 18, 2021 04:00 - 40 minutesPast-due condiments, unknown substances covered in a layer of mold, a nearly-full bottle of something unidentifiable you bought while you were tipsy.... These problems are a tale as old as time, if you ask us! We are diving into the deep, mysterious world of the coldest room in your house, aka your refrigerator. To Store the Milk or Not to Store the Milk in the fridge door... Low vs high humidity drawers... Which section of the fridge is truly the coldest? Our heads are spinning! It's Spring ...
Perfecting the Art of Zoom Dinners with Sheila Marikar
March 11, 2021 05:00 - 54 minutesSheila Marikar is a prolific journalist whose work is featured in The New Yorker, The New York Times, Forbes, and tons more. She describes herself as a generalist, but when we say this woman knows her way around food and wine, we aren't kidding! We are generally under the impression that we have pretty good knowledge when it comes to food & drink, but Sheila absolutely schooled us! And truly -- that's the joy of getting to host this podcast. We delve into whether there is a right way to drink...