You guys know by this point that I love a good story. Whether it's rehashing funny catering stories, tales of travel, childhood memories, or even my engagement story (my favorite of all!), I think the table is meant to be a place to share our stories. One of the things that makes the yellow table so special to me is the fact that it has its own story.

My mom bought the yellow table back in 1975 - before she was married - when she was 25 years old. She saw it, fell in love, and borrowed money from my granddad to pay for it. She grew up eating every meal around her family's table, and she wanted to start that tradition for her own family one day.

Pudding

My parents got married in 1976 and my mom started throwing dinner parties right away - one of my favorites involves a tower of lemons for a centerpiece...she was quite the Martha Stewart of her day! Once the kids came (me in 1980, my brother in 1981, and my sister in 1986), our life pretty much revolved around the table. Mom was always in the kitchen, and if we weren't eating a meal around the table, we were sitting around it reading or working on various projects. The table was truly the center of our home.

Family

Though we always ate as a family around the table, there were usually others who joined: friends, neighbors, exchange students, extended family members. My mom had the mentality that "there's always room for one more." We never let space hold us back. The meals were simple - casseroles, hamburgers, ham and biscuits, macaroni and cheese, and fresh vegetables from my grandparents' gardens. She was less concerned about making an elaborate meal than she was about us eating together.

My mom's incredible dedication to guarding this time together - and her amazing sense of hospitality - are forever imprinted on me. She gave me the table as a college graduation present, and it's been with me now in Pittsburgh, in Nashville, and now in New York City. I feel so honored to be able to carry on the rich tradition of the yellow table in my own home, and through this blog. And eventually...through a yellow table cookbook! Little did my mom know, when she bought that table so many years ago, that she'd be creating a legacy...

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P.S. If you haven't already seen Eric Ryan Anderson's awesome short film about the the yellow table...give it a watch. He really captured the spirit of the table's story!

P.S.S. If you're interested in throwing a story-telling dinner, check out these posts (one and two) for inspiration.

P.S.S.S. Do you have any favorite memories from your own table? When you were growing up, or more recently - maybe with your own family? Please send them! I'd love to share some on the blog!