Newsletter Archive

My Cheese Crispies are the perfect nibble to offer your guests upon arrival for cocktail hour. They are my signature hors d’oeuvre!  Not only are they delicious, but they are also easy to make, store well in the refrigerator, and freeze well. They never fail to garner oodles of compliments! This recipe is simple to remember: 1 cup + 1 cup + 1 cup + 1 stick of butter = only four ingredients (Add a few dashes of red pepper flakes, too) You can make them ahead of time and either keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator (they keep for a month) or place them in a Ziploc baggie and freeze them! You may reheat them in the oven, just long enough to be warm, but they are also delicious cold. Are you in a pinch for time, or do you have friends dropping in for an

Holly-Jolly Christmas Days! With a name like Holly, you can understand how much I adore this magical time of year. ‘Tis the season of giving. Many of you have asked me to share some of my go-to gift items… so Ho-Ho-Ho, let’s go!  🎄Holly’s Gifts 2024 🎄 (Presents for both naughty and nice!) 1. A set of four Sterling Silver Studs are handsomely detailed with an enameled design and made in England. Their price point makes them perfect for traveling over “Hill and Dale” to a Black tie event anywhere in the world! 2. A pair of classic Fox Head men’s slippers (a staple at Fox Hall!) are comfy for lounging and stunningly attractive. They would be perfect for twirling around the Christmas tree and kissing under the mistletoe. 3. This dapper Nickle Fox Head Umbrella will be a well-appointed accessory for your sleigh, ready to fend off rain or snow elegantly. It will also be a smashing

As a bride of 21, Stuart and I drove to Michigan after our honeymoon, where my darling new husband studied for his MBA.  It was a long way from my home in Virginia. We moved into not-so-glamorous married-student housing, which to us, was glorious! We didn’t know a soul there.   Gratefully, Stuart introduced me to one of his classmates, Ricardo Mayer, and his wife, Patricia, another newlywed couple from Rio de Janeiro. They instantly became (lifelong)  friends, and are Godparents to our son. Patricia and I decided to host a dinner every other Saturday night so we could learn to cook various dishes, with the prerequisite being that we had to cook something we had never made before. Well, we had some interesting high and low notes, as you can imagine!  But, one dessert Patricia made in particular was a huge hit… simply divine! We forever referred to it

November 5th, 2024 is Election Day! In 1789, the first presidential election took place, and George Washington was elected President of the United States.  Voting is an extraordinary privilege in the United States. Since 1776, we Americans have celebrated a “star-spangled,” Independence Day in America. Now, more than ever, we need to vote. Let’s celebrate America with extra vigor. Perhaps we will all be inspired to proudly display an American flag to honor our great country and our right to vote. Flying a flag, the emblem of our identity as a sovereign nation, honors our great country. The protocol for hanging a flag: -When a flag is projected out from a building on a pole, the Union (the blue background with 50 stars to commemorate our states) should be at the top and in front of the pole…you know this! -Where does the Union go if you hang the American

 BOO! On Halloween, I prefer to decorate my home “bewitchingly beautiful” rather than with a spooky, larger-than-life scary theme. I have never been keen on over-the-top Halloween decorations, probably because my parents did not advocate that kind of decorating. Not to say that it is not amusing to see others who embrace skeletons and giant spiderwebs, but for me, a more elegant Halloween celebratory style is what I prefer to create for Fox Hall. As a child, I carved pumpkins and went trick-or-treating, the same traditions we continue to enjoy with our now extended family.  When our three children were young, it was a treat to make their costumes (you don’t see much of that anymore) and also to recycle some of my own costumes that I wore as a child, including a formal Japanese kimono (wig and all), a colorful Hawaiian grass skirt, and a much-loved Dutch girl outfit.

Who doesn’t love to be surprised by a thoughtful hostess gift from a guest when they enter your house for a party? A hostess gift is not a requirement; it is simply a lovely gesture to show appreciation for the invitation. One of my darling Virginia subscribers asked me this question below: “We are fortunate to invite lovely friends to our parties who bring various hostess gifts. I am one to send a handwritten note to thank each person for their thoughtfulness. Once, I mailed a thank you note for a hostess gift, and the recipient responded — via text — chastising me for sending a thank you before she could even get hers written and in the mail. [Ironically, I never received a handwritten note from her!!!]  So, should I wait a week after the event to send thank you notes for hostess gifts, or should I mail them