As I have embraced a simpler aesthetic over the past few years (less effort to clean and store!), our Christmas décor now features lots of candles and greenery, beautiful by day or night. And my year-long aversion to red goes on hiatus for the holiday season with accents of red roses in nearly every room. […]

The most perfect box in the world comes tied with a perfectly-tied ribbon around it. What makes it so special? Besides being a visually pleasing bow, the ribbon is tied in such a way that it does not criss-cross at the bottom of the box, allowing it to sit flat on a surface. Also, the […]

We enjoyed spectacular fall color in our backyard this year. Except for our oak trees which hold their leaves for most of the winter, nearly every tree around us is now bare. We keep leaf cleanup simple by raking leaves to cover our garden beds (free mulch and winter protection for bare soil) and then […]

I was scraping the bottom of a Dijon mustard jar to make my favorite vinaigrette and decided it was too pretty to toss. Not an ordinary glass jar, this mustard was a new-to-me French whole grain variety, Pommery Meaux Mustard, that I admit I bought for the pretty packaging. Once the label was stripped, it […]

One part spooky, one part chic is my recipe for Halloween decorating. I get my cheap thrills in the form of glittered bugs, gilded snakes and natural elements. I love that Halloween is on a weekend this year, so I’m looking forward to a chilly couple of days watching supernatural thrillers with a lots of […]

Come fall and winter, black tights are an essential aspect of my wardrobe and Wolford is the essential hosiery maker. They will run you around fifty dollars a pair, but if you take care of them, they will survive seasons of regular wear. The reason I will spend more on a pair of Wolfords is […]

It’s that time of year again for trimming wicks and basking in the glow of a gloriously rich candle, reading material optional. I’ve written about some other favorites here, but some newer scents that have captured my attention. Chilly air. Leaves. Candles. Bliss. TLC Candle Co. ‘Gatherings’ With notes of red currant, teakwood, pomegranate, nutmeg […]

So you’re all dressed up and ready to go to a dinner or cocktail party at someone’s home. You dutifully ask the hostess, “What shall I bring?!” to which she replies, “Oh, just yourself!” But really, what shall you bring. Any time a hostess throws a soirée she should provide absolutely everything (unless the event […]

The site of the revered fashion house of Chanel at 31 Rue Cambon in Paris is not only home to the brand’s flagship store, but above it, Coco Chanel’s apartment. The name ‘Chanel’ is synonymous with good taste and elegance. Within this classic, cream-colored building with clean lines and black accents lies a great juxtaposition. […]

This is the TV that launched a (multi) thousand-dollar mini remodel. I have never spent this much money on a TV before, but it has been worth every penny. When we decided to pull the trigger on it plus upgrading and simplifying our home theater system, I didn’t want something so pretty to be installed […]

If you’ve never heard of a ‘shrub’ before in the context of mixology, you’re not in the minority. It is a non-alcoholic syrup usually fusing together fruit and aromatics in a concentrated solution of sugar and vinegar. A shrub is the base of such wonderfully refreshing mocktails that, due to the acidity of vinegar and […]

This post has been a long time coming, but I am so happy to share how we updated our living room earlier this year. The idea began with wanting to upgrade our TV. We wanted the amazing Samsung Frame TV that would display art when in sleep mode instead of what I would always see […]