Newsletter Archive

Every day is the perfect day to give, receive or admire pretty flowers!  But are you aware of the secret language of flowers?  Besides merely admiring them, the color and the variety of various flowers can have symbolic meaning behind them… a secret language. During the Victorian ages, the language of flowers was an ingenious way of expressing intimate, romantic feelings to another, back when it was taboo to do so blatantly.  The color and type of flower chosen was a silent dialogue.  I was unaware of this lovely language until I discovered a precious little book, placed by my bedside, at my mother-in-law’s charming Cape Cod house.  (As an avid, voracious reader, she consistently selects fascinating books to pique our interests and places them in the various bedrooms.  It is a gracious gesture that I now emulate for my guests and family too.) The little book was about the

Oh my, what a brilliant reception the debut of my Dempsey & Carroll notecards have received.  Thank you all for your enthusiastic support and interest… and purchases! I hope that you are inspired to write more notes! With the plethora of emails and texts these days, a handwritten note is a precious sight to discover amongst a pile of bills and catalogs.  Even the hand-addressed envelope stands out as a surprise present.  Remember that a  handwritten note is a thoughtful gift you can easily give at any time.  It will be received like a sparkling gem or a ray of sunshine.  You know that someone has taken the time to compose, and mail, their meaningful words, which are meant just for you! Often, thank you notes are cherished and kept by the recipient forever.  I have accumulated several “keeper drawers” for those special notes. Do you have a keeper drawer too? Here are

Have you ever received something that strikes you as the essence of exceptional quality, and also uniquely beautiful, so much so that you want to learn more about it?  Over twenty years ago, I opened up a thank you note from a very dear friend in Farmington, originally from NYC, who has impeccably refined taste in all things tailored and traditional.  I admired the handsome texture of the paper, the signature blue color, and the bespoke engraved monogram.  That same day, I opened up a bespoke gift note that accompanied a hostess present from another dear friend who is a very stylish CEO living in NYC and London.  Both note papers had meticulously detailed engraving, and the cotton fiber paper had an elegant feel too.  It inspired me to look at the name of the stationery company embossed on the envelopes.  Voila!  That was my first introduction to Dempsey &

One lovely August day, five years ago, my husband Stuart and I were off to the Saratoga Races, our summer tradition.  Afterwards, we strolled along Broadway in historic Saratoga Springs when Stuart spied a pretty hot pink and white lattice designed dress in a store window.  He promptly bought it for me.  That was my first Jude Connally piece, and the most comfortable dress ever!  I was hooked.  Soon, every color came home with me!  Welcome to the world of Jude Zimmerman, the clever designer who created a charming line of clothes in her unique “Jude material,” which is soft, machine washable, wrinkle-free and made in NYC.  I was inspired to learn more about Jude and how she created her line of clothes that are timeless, pretty, and continue to flatter any figure…  now, that is a real plus! What inspired you to start your own clothing line business? I

Do you know what a sizzle reel is? Hint: it has nothing to do with manners! Similar to a trailer, which is used to announce a new film, a sizzle reel is created to serve as a pitch, to entice and secure sponsors for a show. I thought it might be fun to share my sizzle reel, which was created to pitch my television series, You Are Cordially Invited. It served to attract Viking Cruises to become my sponsor! The long story about “how and why” I created my television series, You Are Cordially Invited, which features privately owned, masterpiece houses in England, is often the topic of my “Regal Interior Design” talks, and will be in a forthcoming newsletter. But, since I have introduced you to the term “sizzle reel,” I wanted to offer a little glimpse into some of the steps it took to create my first episode,

Oh, bed! Oh, bed! Delicious bed! That heaven upon earth to the weary head. -Thomas Hood A luxurious present to yourself that will provide sweet dreams night after night, and delight your eyes day after day, are exquisite, bespoke bed linens! From the moment I first walked past the eye-catching windows of the two Lori Jayne stores on S. County Road in Palm Beach ten years ago, I was smitten. Lori Bernstein has created a charming paradise for anyone who appreciates beautiful linens… and sooo much more! You will discover not only elegant linens, but also extremely attractive gifts, which can be personalized, custom made, monogrammed, engraved, designed, and are always “presented” elegantly. Lori Jayne is where you go when you want to get EXACTLY what you want. Timeless, tailored, and oh, so much FUN! Hearing that Lori created a new line of linens with custom embroidery designs named after the charming