“I heard a former leader say that, ‘I cannot make the change; the change cannot come from the top always. It has to be a grassroots effort.’ And this is what’s taking effect: grassroots and leadership are coming to meet together.”

— Linda Parks

Walking into a high-end restaurant for the first time is exciting. You’re overcome with delicious smells – fresh herbs, smoky meats and baked delights – as you drink in your surroundings. Whether you’re sitting down at your favorite local diner or sampling one of the best restaurants in the area, atmosphere is the first thing you notice. From the tablecloths and silverware to the seating and immersive decor, all good restaurateurs know how to make a spectacle. But no matter how hard they work or how meticulous they are from the decorations to the garnishes, there’s one kitchen that will always be No. 1: mom’s. Linda Parks, longtime Newark resident, loves to host. And when she does, she tries to nail that perfect middle ground between a comfortable and familiar dining space, like mom’s, and a highend restaurant where you’re excited to dress up and tell your friends about. Parks decided the perfect journey for her would be something she does often; prepare for and host a dinner party for the people she loves.

Her husband, Javon; daughters, Alexis and Jordan Hampton; granddaughter, Payton Cobb; mother, Marie Dacus; and friends, Amy Gatlin, Paula Hesselgessser, and Jim and Annette Kurzawa; joined her at various parts of the journey. So, they set out on a Monday. How better to spend a few days with the people you love – especially the important women in your life – than by starting out shopping? Parks and company started at Cedar & Thread, a clothing and home goods retailer in Granville. They searched for inspiration for dinner decoration the next day, and found the perfect centerpieces: glass candelabras.

The next stop was the delectable Palumbo’s Italian Market, close by in Granville. With authentic Italian grocery items and freshly prepared meals, Palumbo’s is a resident favorite. If you’re planning a trip to Palumbo’s, you’d better come hungry. Very hungry. After all, you want to be able to enjoy your gourmet meal and fit in biscotti, cannoli and fudge cake afterward. Plus, you’ll certainly want to pick up a bottle of the Rosa di Sera; Palumbo’s is the only place in the country where you can find it. Of course, loving the food is made that much easier when you know the owner, as Parks does. When asked what she ate that day, Parks answers quickly and decisively. “What I order every time,” she says, laughing. “The eggplant parmesan with extra sauce and bowtie pasta. I love it there. … It’s amazing; it’s homemade, it’s not something that’s been reproduced.”

Not to be kept from shopping too long, the group headed to Newark to check out the antique offerings at Matilda Charlotte Antiques Etc. There’s always something new to see, as the shelves rotate frequently, so Parks ensures she doesn’t miss a thing by going to Matilda’s often.

After that, it was time to flex her artistic muscles. Parks bid farewell to her friends for now, and set off alone for The Ohio State University at Newark campus. When she’s creating a new table setting or a new design for her dining room, she typically doesn’t need to draw it out; it’s all in her mind, she says. Still, she was ready to try something new and put it down on paper. There was a perfect spot to get inspired to put pen to paper and think about her designs, so she might as well put it to use. Parks’ passion for creating one-of-akind table settings didn’t just crop up out of nowhere; Parks’ mom worked dinner parties and often took Parks along for the ride. She quickly fell in love with watching others marvel at her hard work, dazzled by the intricate decorations and perfectly planned details.

The next morning, Parks and her family stopped by the Nutcracker Family Restaurant in Pataskala. Parks, a New York native, spent plenty of time in diners. However, she says, it’s tougher to find good diners in Ohio. The Nutcracker is one of them, especially when you consider its award-winning dish, the double decker banana cream cake. The name alone is mouthwatering.

“Very beautiful place. Beautiful place. You know, diners have homemade food, so that was a great choice to go to the Nutcracker,” Parks says. “They have such a hometown feel and that was one of the things I noticed about them. … How they presented the meal to us, it was just awesome and it wasn’t a show. This is what they do.”

Their journey took place at the start of fall, so it’s just natural to kick off the season with a visit to Lynd Fruit Farm. But it wasn’t just to sightsee or enjoy the simple art of togetherness; Parks made good use of her findings from the open air market. “I ended up utilizing the Jonathan apples from Lynd Fruit Farm and making a pie filling out of it,” Parks says. “I did it with brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon and vanilla. … Everyone loved it.”

With breakfast covered and the pie filling purchased, it was time to go home and get to cooking. Parks is no stranger to serving others, and dinner was an event. She asked her guests to dress nice; no need for floor length gowns and suits and ties, but Parks and her friends take any opportunity to simply celebrate, relax and enjoy the moment. Parks, a breast cancer survivor, knows better than most how important it is to celebrate for the sake of celebration. Wasting a single moment is unacceptable. That’s precisely why Parks chose the group that she did to accompany her on this journey. Because of her survivorship, Parks’ passion for life, love of celebration and value for friendships are well fortified. In fact, her outspokenness for health advocacy awarded her the OhioMBE Publisher’s Award in 2019. Some may find loneliness in their darker moments, but after Parks’ diagnosis, her friends rallied around her, reflecting her own strength. Now, when it comes time to celebrate or mourn, laugh or cry, Parks calls upon this group of ladies and vice versa. Their bond was forged in fire, and that makes it stronger than anything.

So, Parks served only the best. First came apps in the form of delicious deep-fried tortilla shells with pico de gallo before the main course, baked salmon and chicken breast. Her secret is to marinate the chicken breast in her usual spices, then add Hellman’s mayonnaise. Sure, it may sound strange, but Parks promises it’s the best way to keep a baked chicken moist. As a side came her favorite dish of all: macaroni and cheese. It seems simple at first, but anyone who knows Parks should also know that nothing she does is simple, especially when it comes to flavor. Finally, no good dinner party is complete without a dessert, and Parks opted for two: the pie she made with Lynd Fruit Farm apples and pound cake, from an old family recipe.

And, of course, the thought that went into dressing the table was just as important as the thought that went into the food. Parks chose a color scheme of tan, brown, seafoam green and gold. White china plates with gold trim sat atop gold chargers, flanked by silver flatware and brown linen napkins. Guests drank from water goblets. In the center of Parks’ two tables sat the candelabras purchased from Cedar & Thread, and inside the candelabras, Parks placed eucalyptus from Village Flower Basket in Granville.