Totally Booked with Zibby: Rebecca Gardner, A SCREAMING BLAST: Exceptional Entertaining

Host: Zibby Owens
Guest: Rebecca Gardner
Episode Date: September 4, 2025

Episode Overview

In this vibrant episode, Zibby Owens interviews Rebecca Gardner—event designer, creative director, and author of A Screaming Blast: Exceptional Entertaining. They dive into Rebecca’s maximalist philosophy on parties, the meaningful roots of her career, lessons from her Texas upbringing, and the joyful chaos of her Houses and Parties brand. Rebecca shares behind-the-scenes stories about her book (including a fortuitous connection with Sofia Coppola), the ethos of true hospitality, and party-planning wisdom for any scale.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Rebecca’s Backstory: Roots of a Party Thrower

• Growing up in a quirky small town in South Texas, Rebecca learned early to “make your own fun,” laying the foundation for her creative approach to events.
  • “I have been planning parties with gusto, excitement and tenacity…since I was a little girl, planning ridiculous birthday parties, you know, for myself.” (05:36, Rebecca)
• Her company, Houses and Parties (based in Savannah, GA, and NYC), is a multipart “three-ring circus”: event design, interior design, and online retail of “unnecessaries for memorable occasions.”

The Sofia Coppola Connection: A New York Story

• Rebecca recounts meeting Sofia Coppola, who wrote the foreword for her book:
  • A chance encounter in a West Village restaurant, after a prior (thrilling) phone interaction with Francis Ford Coppola’s office for a holiday shopping request.
  • Despite initial embarrassment at her fangirl approach, Rebecca’s Texan boldness led to collaborating on Coppola’s birthday party and, eventually, the book foreword.
    • “Before I said a word to my table, everyone leaned forward and said, 'Don’t do it.' ...And I thought, well, to hell with all of you!” (08:13, Rebecca)

Influences: The Grandmother Legacy

• Rebecca attributes her entertaining philosophy to her grandmother, Nini, and a lineage of strong women who created joy through hospitality and resourcefulness.
  • “I come from a line of women that can make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.” (10:46, Rebecca)
• The story of discovering massive cake pans led her to appreciate the scale and business innovation of her great-grandmother, a caterer during a challenging era.

Turning Passion into Business

• Transitioning from party planning for fun to a scalable, multi-layered business was “a no-brainer”—Rebecca has always believed in the necessity of celebrating, at every level.
  • “I think that celebrating is really, really important in life. I think life could be a bowl of oatmeal if it weren’t punctuated with celebrations.” (12:43, Rebecca)
• Her time at the Savannah College of Art and Design helped develop her collaborative skills and broaden her creative vision.

Adapting for the Pandemic: Retail Joy

• During COVID, with events paused, Rebecca launched the Houses and Parties online shop, selling everything from Hermes china to playful party accessories.
  • Her favorite items “are the silly things that I think can really make a party fun—party crackers with giant paste jewelry, press-on nails, crazy hats, or senior superlative ribbons.” (15:25, Rebecca)

Party Philosophies: Lunch vs. Cocktail

• Zibby prefers hosting lunches: “I'm not stressed, I'm like, at my best. And I know they're not gonna go forever because everybody likes to move on with their day.” (17:10, Zibby)
• Rebecca thrives on big, free-flowing cocktail buffets: “I like a cocktail buffet where you can invite tons of people and you don’t have to be so strategic…Strong drinks and easy one-fork sort of supper.” (21:54, Rebecca)

Maximalist Aesthetic and Design Process

• Rebecca’s visual signature is about immersive, layered, and surprise-filled environments.
  • “Parties are not a time to be edited. They should feel generous and unabashed and comfortable…weird, twisted surprises and unabashed generosity should be reflected in the environment.” (24:43, Rebecca)
• She values guest experience above ostentation:
  • “I want guests to walk in and squeeze someone’s hand and say, ‘Damn, I’m going to have a great time. This is so creative,’ as opposed to, ‘I wonder what they spent on flowers.’” (24:58, Rebecca)

Creating the Book: Visuals and Stories

• The book features double-page spreads of vibrant events, paired with vintage fabric prints curated from Kravit archives.
• Collaboration with book designer Celia Fuller elevated the aesthetic.

Mentors & Inspirations

• Rebecca draws inspiration from fashion photographer Tim Walker (“constant source of inspiration”) and Sofia Coppola (“a master of environment and emotion”).
  • She also celebrates a resource list in her book, calling out the artisans behind memorable moments: “That brings me great joy and makes me feel good to, you know, scream their name from the top of the mountain.” (30:49, Rebecca)

New Launches & Party “Unnecessaries”

• Rebecca will debut a new collection for the book launch: wild party hats by Tel Aviv milliner Mayor Zabar, and the “Screaming Blast collection” featuring playful party favors like “Buttons of Truth” and engraved “Would You Rather” cards.
  • “Buttons of truth...giant pink buttons that...immediately give you a silly thing to say...Some are outrageous and positive and some are provocative. So things like that. I’m really excited to see how people respond.” (28:13, Rebecca)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Rebecca (on her grandmother): “My grandmother entertained beautifully and she kept a really elegant but mostly comforting house that was always orderly and stocked and ready to open its doors to friends and family and all sorts of black sheep that trickled in over the years.” (11:20)
• Rebecca (on maximalism): “That’s sort of the hairspray Texan in me. But I don’t think parties are a time to be edited.” (24:34)
• Rebecca (on celebration): “Anytime you gather, it’s a party. And I feel really, really strongly about that…that effort is really necessary to punctuate life with memorable occasions.” (13:15)
• Zibby (on her party style): “I prefer a lunch. I love lunches…I like to eat dinner at 6. So anyway, lunches. I’m not stressed, I’m like, at my best.” (17:07)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Rebecca’s background, family influences: 05:19–12:01
• From idea to business: 12:01–15:04
• Pandemic pivot, launching e-comm: 15:07–16:47
• Party philosophies: lunch vs. cocktail: 17:05–22:53
• Design aesthetic, table settings: 22:53–25:13
• Book creation and visuals: 25:13–26:24
• Party “unnecessaries” and new collection: 27:40–29:05
• Mentors and inspirations, resource list: 29:36–30:57

Overall Tone & Takeaways

The conversation is witty, sincere, and infused with Southern warmth. Rebecca’s maximalist, delight-first party philosophy resonates with Zibby’s curiosity and relatability, making the episode a masterclass in turning personal delight into creative and commercial success. Listeners are left with an invitation to celebrate with intention, welcome serendipity, and never underestimate the power of a good party hat—or a well-timed, screaming blast.

Endnote:
Rebecca’s book, her signature colorful style, and her Texan “all in” spirit offer inspiration for seasoned hosts and the entertaining-curious alike.

Resource List: For more, check Rebecca’s full resource section at the back of her book for the behind-the-scenes magicians.

(This summary omits advertisements and standard intros/outros. All quotes and segment times are from the episode transcript.)