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The Host Notes

Amber Dawn turns the old 'hostess with the mostest' adage on its head and encourages you to create meaningful experiences by scrapping the bits that do not bring you joy. You'll also get a behind-the-scenes look at building a food blog in a saturated market, what hospitality looks like in the thick of grief, and, of course, crowd-pleasing recipes straight from Amber's chaotic kitchen. Welcome! You're going to love it here.

My favorite homemade granola.
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The August Gather | The Host Notes

The August Gather The Joyful Hospitality Newsletter from Amber Dawn at The Host Notes The Monthly Gather brings intentional, joyful living tips straight to your inbox: a new seasonal recipe, hospitality insights, upcoming events, and current notable media obsessions. Happy mid-summer to ya! I've been spending every moment possible near, on, or in the water and soaking up the elusive Pacific Northwest sunshine. Savoring has become a way of life during these months. Also, I love Autumn and am...

At Home Happy Hour spread: olives, bread, pistachios, tapenade.

The October Gather The Joyful Hospitality Newsletter from Amber Dawn at The Host Notes The Monthly Gather brings intentional, joyful living tips straight to your inbox: a new seasonal recipe, hospitality insights, upcoming events, and current notable media obsessions. Hello there. As I tee up all the things I’ve been eager to share with you, I feel compelled to provide an update: 40 isn’t so bad. In fact, I’m kind of loving it? While I may not enjoy some of the symptoms of aging (note: skin +...

Wildflowers and the North Atlantic, Bushmills

The September Gather The Joyful Hospitality Newsletter from Amber Dawn at The Host Notes The Monthly Gather brings intentional, joyful living tips straight to your inbox: a new seasonal recipe, hospitality insights, upcoming events, and current notable media obsessions. Falling into cozy season I live for the summer transition to autumn in the Pacific Northwest. The way you need a light jacket around 6pm but the A/C still works overtime midday, the impulse to buy new pencils, and how we’re...

Hostess gifts galore from A Bit of Taste - Snohomish Olive Oil Company

June Gather A Joyful Hospitality Newsletter from Amber Dawn at The Host Notes The Monthly Gather brings intentional, joyful living tips straight to your inbox: a new seasonal recipe, hospitality insights, upcoming events, and current notable media obsessions. Oh, hello there! Great to be back in your inbox, friend! This month, I have something special from one of my favorite local suppliers that you won't want to miss. Be sure to read to the end for an exclusive discount code for THN readers....

Tablescape for spring: flowers in vases, candles, and a vintage table cloth.

The Monthly Gather a joyful hospitality newsletter May 2025 The Monthly Gather brings intentional, joyful living tips straight to your inbox: a new seasonal recipe, hospitality insights, upcoming events, and current media obsessions. A few random anecdotes, no doubt. As always, I hope this brings you joy. Thanks for spending time with me. Let's get into it. Spring has been a whirlwind... am I right? My good intentions to take a day trip to the Tulip Festival have not come to be and that...

Tastemaker Conference 2025

Welcome, Friend. This is The Host Notes' first ever monthly newsletter. Thanks for spending time with me! For your delight, I've rounded up some joyful living tips: a new seasonal recipe, hospitality insights, upcoming events, current media obsessions, and bundled them all into this work-in-progress publication. It's free. And written by a human. I hope it brings you joy. Let's get into it. I’m not sure how it happened, but January was eleven-hundred years long and then, just like that, it’s...