Bubbling Over

There is nothing that gives me more joy than creating energy and light with champagne and caviar moments – in my intimate little studio, 8H, in the Streeterville neighborhood in Chicago, at a condo pool in Aspen, at a red carpet glam party for women nominated for James Beard Awards, and even on screen for my global virtual brunches.* I love to hear glasses clink together!

Champagne coupe towers are fun to build if you are looking to create a toast and a moment for the ages. I once spent a week carting 506 identical coupe glasses all over Manhattan as I built champagne towers for the teams at Town & Country, Time, Food & Wine and Bon Appetit magazines. When you make a toast with a 10-foot tower of glass behind you, your fellow toasters may not remember what you say, but they will definitely remember the moment! But you can also keep it simple. Make sure that everyone has a glass of something, get their attention and proceed.

Take a deep breath. Speak loudly so you can be heard above the noise. You can keep it succinct and toast another day well lived – or lived as well as we can. You can also make it more complex, and use your platform to offer a personal story, advice, wisdom or even a call to action.

There are very few moments that compel everyone in the room or onscreen to stop – stop texting, stop creating Instagram stories and TikToks, stop worrying about everything – but a toast is one of them. Eyes lift, phones are put down (unless they are filming the toast, but at least the holder of the phone is paying attention!), and a wonderful moment that is yours to use to engage, inspire, support and amplify is created just like that. All you have to do is raise a glass.

Cheers!

*Belinda created a weekly Virtual Boozy Brunch to encourage connection, comfort and celebration during times of social distancing and raise funds for restaurant-industry workers who lost their jobs during the pandemic. Virtual Boozy Brunch was designed to bring together communities of people who want to do good in the world. #DOMOREGOOD