Newsletter Archive

With the holidays approaching, “party time” is in the air!  It is important to show your appreciation to your host or hostess, especially knowing the effort put forth for the party you are attending. Your joyful self, along with complementary verbal sentiments, will be music to the ears of the hostess.  Bringing a hostess gift to the party is a lovely idea too, but I want to share two other gestures you can give your hostess… prior to the party.  Food: A very dear friend recently responded to my invitation for a celebratory cocktail party at Fox Hall and remarked how thrilled she and her husband were to accept, and complimented me on how pretty the invitation was (always appreciated by the host).  And then, she extended an exceptionally gracious offer, one I had never heard of before. It inspired me to share it with you, too! She knows that

The holidays are quickly approaching! Having lived in the South, I know that serving pecans, in any form, continues to be a cherished culinary treat and a timeless aspect of the traditional, gracious culture of the South, especially during the holidays. Homemade spiced pecans are a classic to serve and oh-so-simple to make! Perfect as nibbles during cocktail hour and festive during the holidays, they can also be a thoughtful hostess gift for any occasion too. Pecans can be stored in an air-tight container or ziplock bag in the freezer until you are ready to make this recipe.  Once made, they can be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for weeks.  They are perfect to pull out to serve for impromptu guests quickly! Holly’s EASY Spiced Southern Pecans Heat oven to 375 degrees Ingredients: 4 Cups of pecan halves 4 Tbsp salted butter, melted 2 Tbsp brown sugar

BOO! On Halloween, I prefer to decorate my home in a subdued, elegant way rather than a spooky one.  I have never been keen on over-the-top Halloween decorations or costumes; instead, I strive for a more understated, elegant, bewitchingly beautiful style! Yes, my family carved pumpkins and went trick-or-treating. I enjoyed creating and reusing some of my own past costumes for our three children, including a formal Japanese kimono (wig and all!), a colorful Hawaiian grass skirt, and a much-loved Dutch girl outfit. We continue the longstanding “Holden” tradition of having hamburgers and milkshakes for Halloween dinner (nothing like a bit of sugar just before commencing this candy-gathering evening!). But, regarding decorating our house, I prefer more low-key decorations. I embrace the challenge of repurposing several items that I already own. It is SO easy to embellish a Staffordshire dog with an orange ribbon collar, collect mums from the garden, 

It’s that time of year again when silk scarves come out of the closet, and I love nothing more than to add a splash of color to my outfits with one of my favorite accessories. Scarves become my magic “travel wardrobe” because they are lightweight and enable me to pack my suitcase with interchangeable monotone outfits; a plain outfit is elegantly transformed with a scarf. I can add my signature splash of pink… my happy color! But, what about scarf rings? These clever little accessories can enhance your scarf in so many ways, and they’re not as intimidating to use as you might think. Scarf rings are often overlooked, despite the fact that they can add a touch of elegance and sophistication to any outfit. Take a peek here at how I use one of my favorite scarf rings, which is a triangle of three riding spurs. Grand Millennial Tips:

Thanksgiving is approaching, and yummy desserts are guaranteed to be served! When you see a dessert fork and spoon placed at the top of your plate, do you know the proper way to hold them? Most people do not!  They tend to pick up just one utensil, the fork, and then leave the spoon on the table.  Truth be known, the appropriate way is to hold both pieces of flatware, simultaneously! The fork is held in your left hand, and the spoon in your right hand.  With the fork in your left hand, have the fork tines face down. The fork is a “pusher,” used to place/push the dessert into the spoon.  One then eats from the spoon, not the fork, as seen in this Instagram video. So, if the fork and spoon are centered and placed above the dinner plate, which goes on top? The spoon is on top

“Diamonds may be a girl’s best friend, but pearls are MY true gem!”  ~Holly Holden My classic interior design mantra for my first book was: Design once, for a lifetime, which also applies to jewelry. Pearls NEVER go out of style! They are precious, rare, and have been prized for their enduring beauty for centuries. Pearls are appropriate and charming any time of day. My second book, Pearls of Palm Beach, features eight timeless and tailored houses… elegant and quietly understated, just like pearls!  “The pearl is the queen of gems and the gem of queens.”  ~Grace Kelly Pearls are rare because they are not easy to find or harvest and are indeed the gems of royalty. Kings and queens have prized pearls for their unique luster, luminosity, rarity, and symbolism for centuries. Queen Elizabeth II consistently wore her triple strand of pearls (given to her by her father) or her double