When I'm home the heart and soul of our family is in the kitchen. Growing up my parents both worked so dinnertime was for family - the TV was off. I think it's important to grab that time and really make it special even after a tough day.

In my family we let our boys have a say in what veggie side they want for dinner that night. We list off a handful of options and get them excited about helping to plan the dinner menu. They're much more inclined to finish their plates when they've helped decide what goes on them.

We'll be going to the fish market and a farmer's market this afternoon to get what we need to make and eat dinner as a family. I'm trying to expose my kids to going to a farmers market or the fish market and learning what that's all about.

I can't tell you how scary it can be walking onto a movie and suddenly joining this family it's like going to somebody else's Christmas dinner everyone knows everyone and you're there and you're not quite sure what you're supposed to be doing.

My kids say if there's any family dinner that doesn't result in somebody crying it's not a good dinner. They cry because it helps relieve them of a guilt or some onerous emotional burden. It's like a family tradition.

Some of the most important conversations I've ever had occurred at my family's dinner table.

Our country's political discourse and debate are enriched by discussions of the political implications of our faith traditions whether they are taking place in our communities at our dinner tables or in our places of worship.

My parents discussed singing every night over the dinner table I had a tremendous music education.

I keep my diet simple by sticking to mostly fruits and vegetables all day and then having whatever I want for dinner. I end up making healthy choices like sushi or grilled fish because I feel so good from eating well.

My doctor told me to stop having intimate dinners for four. Unless there are three other people.

When we were in the design studio I always was pretending like I was in a closet asking my friend before I step out into the world what do I look like? And everybody wants that honest friend before they go and go to dinner or go to an event.

At a formal dinner party the person nearest death should always be seated closest to the bathroom.

I think a nice romantic dinner should be saved for when you and the girl you're dating or seeing have something special and it's a more special occasion.

Years later I would hear my father say the divorce had left him dating his children. That still meant picking us up every Sunday for a matinee and if he had the money an early dinner somewhere.

Dating is kind of hard. Like dinner or something like that. Like a forced awkward situation is very strange. Especially for me for some reason.

We always had lutefisk for Christmas dinner after which Dad read from the Norwegian Bible.

We sat together as a family for dinner at night. And my mother had a job. My dad had a job. But there was always a meal on the table at 6:00 you know.

My dad was a labourer and my mum had exactly the same job as Noel Gallagher's mum - she was a dinner lady at our local school. Everyone comes over from Ireland and they get the same jobs.

My niece was very much caught up in the vampire craze for young adults and she thought having a vampire boyfriend would be a cool thing. What do you do on a first date? The more I thought about it the more fun I had imagining what you'd serve a vampire for dinner.

David Lynch and I almost made a movie together in the late '80s. We had lots of dinners and lunches. He's a very cool hip guy. This film let's face it is like an homage to him I would imagine he'd find it funny.

Growing up politics never trickled down to the areas we come from. But people from Obama's camp and Obama himself reached out to me and asked for my help on the campaign. We've sat and had dinner and we've spoken on the phone. He's a very sharp guy. Very charming. Very cool.

In the Lamborghini I have to avoid certain roads because of pot holes and there's nowhere to put my drink no cup holder. And I'm not going to lie it looks pretentious. I used to think it was cool to like drive it to dinner. Now? Like I really need to be looked at any more.

Learning can take place in the backyard if there is a human being there who cares about the child. Before learning computers children should learn to read first. They should sit around the dinner table and hear what their parents have to say and think.

With Jackson there was quiet solitude. Just to sit and look at the landscape. An inner quietness. After dinner to sit on the back porch and look at the light. No need for talking. For any kind of communication.