Newsletter Archive

When my daughter Alexandra lived in England with her husband, both of their houses came with a name.  It was then that I realized that an English country house is actually required to have a name. The house name is used as the mailing address versus a house number and street address as we do in America. Create a name for your house or apartment and have fun with it! For two hundred years, our c.1803 house has historically been referred to as the General Soloman Cowles house, and it will always be associated with the house, but we created our own name, Fox Hall soon after we moved in twenty-five years ago. Not only is it delightfully dignified to have a name for your house, it is also a reason to have towels embroidered, stationery engraved, and a multitude of treasures created with the name and/or theme. From a doormat

Photo credit: Deb Key Storytime… a mini peek about me, so pour a cup of tea! Quite often, I am asked “when and why” I began to design dresses, especially since my business is interior design. Well, it is probably not what you think- I have been designing dresses for longer than you may imagine. Here is my story: My darling Daddy, whom I loved and adored, died suddenly from a heart attack when I was sixteen… I was devastated. On top of that challenge, my Mum did not have access to any money in the bank for over six months because of a mistake the bank made. I never understood why,  but it happened, and she was too proud to let her family help us. During that time, I was invited to dances, debuts, and cotillions, which required a long and short party dress wardrobe. It was time to

Some hosts have a natural affinity for hosting memorable dinner parties effortlessly. Within moments of arriving at a home, you know whether it will be a jolly affair… or not. I was asked what two elements a successful host should strive to master: joyful energy and elegant ease! I realize how fortunate I was to observe my parents, who entertained constantly. We moved worldwide, and within two weeks, Mummy would host an elegant dinner party with ease… she had a gift.   So, by osmosis, mimic, and practice, I learned.  Stuart and I love to entertain. Several of you nudged me to share a few of our secret tricks! Moments before our guests arrive: We savor a few cherished moments and sip a glass of wine in anticipation of our guests’ arrival. This is not always easy to accomplish, as there are always last-minute details one must attend to, right?!  But,

Many years ago, in my entertaining roster of memories, I learned a valuable lesson, one I wish to pass along to you!  When you invite guests to your house for dinner (or any meal for that matter), once they accept, I urge you to then ask them “THE question”: “Do you have any food allergies or dislikes?!” Oh boy, I learned this the hard way. At one of our first big dinner parties Stuart and I hosted years ago, I made my foolproof beef tenderloin with a bearnaise sauce… divine, right? Well, JUST as our ten guests were seated at the table and dinner was being served, one couple announced that they were vegetarians! Really? Why did they not advise me of this when they accepted my invitation? It is the guest’s responsibility to tell the host. What did I do? It just so happened that I had a box

Last week I touched on reciprocation, “the forgotten art of hospitality,” and you, my dear subscribers, are passionate about it! I received more letters than ever in favor of this simple principle of giving and receiving… and the lack of it in today’s society. Today, I am featuring just a few heartfelt notes I received to confirm that you are not alone; reciprocity reflects the basic human desire to create a sense of balance and fairness in our social interactions!  And it does not have to cost a fortune to reciprocate hospitality. Take a peek… Dear Holly, This topic never seems to be discussed—thank you for sharing your commentary.  I, at one time, thought I had too many expectations for reciprocation. However, as my mother would say, it is simply “good form” to return a lovely time with a lovely time.  It is the ultimate thank-you note and an acknowledgment of

(Dress is Ala von Auersperg)  A darling subscriber brought up an interesting topic: the “unwritten rule” of reciprocating hospitality. Is it a lost art? Reciprocation, a gracious social norm, involves returning a favor or invitation.  It is an essential aspect of friendship. However, it is often overlooked in today’s society. I am speaking about social events, not business, and in particular, an intimate dinner party, not necessarily a large cocktail party or reception. My subscriber shared her personal experience: she and her husband have invited and hosted several couples to their dinner parties, who seemed to enjoy themselves thoroughly. However, over time, to their surprise, these guests have yet to extend an invitation in return. It is not because they didn’t have a delightful time; they gleefully accepted their invitations on more than one occasion! Why? I remember when a dear friend of mine, who has a very grand house and