Newsletter Archive

A handwritten note is more important than ever, especially with the present-day trend of sending off a quick thank-you via email.  A handwritten acknowledgment for someone’s hospitality, gift, or act of kindness is the pinnacle of graciousness, a quiet beacon of polish, and a proper nod to good manners. Have you ever heard the old-school term “bread and butter” note and wondered what it is? My Instagram explains it here. Simply, it is a note of appreciation for someone’s hospitality and should be sent out or delivered “by hand” as soon as possible after leaving someone’s house. A thank-you note is an appreciated gift to your host. Interestingly enough, in my lifetime, the people who take the time to write a note tend to be some of the most remarkable, successful people I have ever met. They understand how important it is to recognize someone else’s effort on their behalf.  From respected

So, you have houseguests coming!  How well-prepared is your Guest Bathroom? While you are not trying to be a 5-star hotel, you want your guests to feel comfortable, relaxed, and attended to! Assemble a little “guest bathroom basket” under the sink, or place it in a vanity drawer or their bedroom closet. Fill it with items your houseguests may have forgotten or appurtenances they may suddenly discover they need. This extra effort will relieve your houseguests because they do not have to “ask you” for something; it’s all at their fingertips if needed! The Houseguest Bathroom Essential List: Linens: Two big fluffy bath towels (or more), two hand towels, and two washcloths per guest (a black make-up hand towel is thoughtful, too) A white cotton floor mat near the shower or tub A new bar of soap on the sink AND in the shower/tub A bottle of liquid body soap

Kentucky Derby day is near, so let’s chat about hats! Ladies, did you know that the appropriate side to tilt your hat is to the right side of your face? That’s right! Rachel Trevor-Morgan is a clever and, OH, SO talented London milliner with a Royal Warrant, and she has been a lovely sponsor. When I visited her in London at her atelier last year, she confirmed that ladies’ hats are “traditionally” placed or tilted/slanted to the right side of the face of a lady. Bows, pins, and other ornamentations are also placed on the right side of a woman’s hat. And for gentlemen? The ornamentation goes on the left side of the hat. Even though milliners are quite creative these days and decorate all aspects of a hat, I thought you may wish to know the proper way to wear and embellish your hats! GrandMillennial Tips Ladies:  After five

A “charger” is a plate that is more significant in diameter than a dinner plate. It is also referred to as a service plate or an underplate. While chargers are used for decorative purposes these days, they used to be primarily to protect the table from hot plates being placed directly on top of the table’s wood surface. They date back to the 15th century. Chargers vary in size from 11-14″ in diameter. Food is never served on the charger itself. Instead, the dinner plate is placed on top of the charger. Additional courses may also be served on the charger. Do you know when NOT to use a charger?  The dessert course! A charger is permanently removed before the dessert course is served. Chargers have become a popular decoration for dinner tables in recent decades. They are made of various materials and have endless color options. The most traditional

Stuart and I adore entertaining, and our goal has always been to have a jolly time while catching up with our darling friends. We share stories and laugh the night away over dinner. “Friends are a gift you give yourself!” I truly savor the preparation before a dinner party, from arranging the flowers, deciding the menu and setting the table, to cooking the dinner. While as time-consuming as it is to cook, it is my way of showing my love to our precious friends and family; I am grateful to be able to do this. That being said, Stuart also contributes by placing the appropriate glasses on the table and being in charge of the wine and libations for the event. He excels at showing “his love” with this task! True confession: serving and cleaning up is something that I do not enjoy… who does? So, when we host an

For those occasions when impromptu guests arrive, or you spontaneously invite friends over for lunch or dinner and need a quick dessert, I have the perfect recipe! It is one that both men and women savor, and you will most likely have all the ingredients on hand. So, what is my tried-and-true “SECRET” pie recipe? A Lemon Chess Pie! You can whip it up easily, especially if you have a pre-made pie crust, along with two lemons. You will likely already have the other ingredients in your kitchen: butter, eggs, and sugar. The Lemon Chess Pie has a long heritage in England. It is similar to the English curd pie, dating back to the 1600s. It was adopted here, in New England and Virginia.  A version of the recipe was even in Martha Washington’s cookbook.  As a young bride in Richmond, I was given the recipe by a bridesmaid who