The Soup Strategy for Making Friends
"My husband jokes that I would pick up a dinner guest on my way home from the subway were it not for him," says Pilar Guzmán.
Hello! How are you doing?
This week we’re featuring the the brilliant magazine editor Pilar Guzmán, who is the editorial director for Oprah Daily and the new Oprah Insider Community and has worked as editor in chief of Martha Stewart Living, Conde Nast Traveler, and (rip) Cookie. When I asked for an insight she’s gained from working with Oprah, she said, “I like Oprah’s take on forgiveness: ‘Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different, but we cannot move forward if we’re still holding onto the pain of that past and wishing it was something else.’”
She lives in Brooklyn with her two sons and her husband, Chris Mitchell, with whom she wrote a stunning home decor book, Patina Modern.
Also, here I was at a party in December with Pilar and Chris, and also our girl Jenny and her husband Andy! I was so happy to run into Pilar there because I’ve worshipped her ever since I started in magazines. She has a knack for writing about things that really matter to people, and, even though she doesn’t know it, she’s been my long-time mentor from afar.
Here, Pilar shares nine favorite things, plus her beautiful friend-making strategy…
Cozy spot: The banquette in my kitchen. Preferably with my boys, or one of our two cats on my chest.
Small helpful thing a friend did during a hard time: In 2009, Cookie Magazine had just folded; I was the editor in chief, and I was devastated. That day, I came home to find a basket on my stoop. Inside were flowers and olive oil and bread and cheeses — my friend had curated things she knew I’d love. She hadn’t even told me it was there.
