Sarah Bogart Cooney Sets The Table
Sarah Bogart Cooney was born and raised in Manhattan's East Village, before living in Maryland, Colorado, and Texas. She attended an all-girls' boarding school outside of Baltimore, then received her BA in Anthropology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. She spent two summers excavating an Early Medieval homestead in Ireland before moving to DC for five years, where she worked at a Harvard-owned research institution and at an academic publisher. After meeting her husband, she returned to New York, where she became the director of a historical and genealogical society based in Manhattan. She lives on the North Shore of Long Island with her husband and child, and writes the blog Fewer & Better.
1. Who inspires you to set the table?
Both my grandmothers inspire me to set the table! They were both amazing hostesses and I always admired the time and care that went into the parties they hosted. They were both lovely women whom I miss dearly.
2. What is your favourite hostessing tip?
Something will inevitably go wrong, but don't worry--no one else will notice! Just relax and have fun!
3. Which pieces do you always gravitate towards when setting the table?
I will say that we are in the process of going through a lot of things that have been in storage for some time, and with the pandemic, we haven't been doing much entertaining! That being said, I am so excited to use some of the special table linens I've bought or inherited over the years, from a beautiful handwoven and embroidered set I bought in Guatemala, or the napkins my paternal grandmother used to use for parties. I'm also excited to use my great-grandmother's china, which my aunt has given to me!
4. If you could have a dinner party with anybody- who would be invited?
This is such a difficult question! I think my grandmothers and my mother. I miss all three of them so much, and I would love to show them what I've learned from them.
5. Finally, who would you like to see featured on the blog?
I'd love to see my friend Nan Philip on featured--she sets the most beautiful table and I'm constantly inspired by her!
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