Let’s throw a travel themed dinner party! It’s so much fun to infuse travel and other cultures into our daily lives. (I was recently interviewed by a local home store in Westport, Connecticut, called Fig Linens and Home. We talked all about bringing travel into your home décor. Check out the interview here.) What better way to infuse travel into the ordinary than to throw a travel themed dinner party.

I’ve been super in love with block prints lately. Passport by Design is all about showcasing worldwide artisans. The table runner and napkins are handmade in India by a company called Saffron Marigold. This collection is called Spice Route and it perfectly blends Indian and Moroccan designs. Look at the details. Many wood blocks were used to painstakingly hand print the ink onto the fabric.

Step 1: Choose the culture

The first step to throwing a travel themed dinner party is figuring out where in the world we’re going. This can be one country or a whole region. Will we be traveling to West Africa? Are we headed to Italy? Maybe we’re going to Japan. The choice is up to you. Try to be creative. Step out of your comfort zone and try a culture you’re not too familiar with.

Step 2: Pick the menu

Think about appetizers, the entrée and dessert. Add drinks as well.  In our Indian and Moroccan dinner party we’re serving Moroccan-inspired chicken. I found the best recipe in the Blended cookbook. I’ve cooked it 4 times already and it’s always a hit. The cookbook is by a local Connecticut blogger and has so many great recipes.

Step 3: Set the table

Dress the table with something from the culture that you’re going to be using. In this instance I used a table runner and napkins inspired by Morocco and India.  Search out items that go along with the culture and/or countries that you will be using.

Step 4: Create a Playlist

Use Spotify or YouTube to create a playlist of both traditional and contemporary music from the culture(s). If you know anyone from that culture, ask for recommendations.

Are you ready to throw your own travel themed dinner party? Are there any other things you would add? Let me know in the comments.