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Bring Back the Sophistication of Celebration
I’m not sure anybody really needs a reason to throw a party, but it never hurts to have something worth celebrating; weddings are particularly popular affairs for doing it up big. But, to paraphrase...
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How to Be a Charming Host(ess) Without Losing Your Mind
Oh, how Pinterest and Martha Stewart have fooled us all. It isn’t possible, or even advisable, to make every party into a production worthy of a magazine spread. You may not have the space, budget, or...
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To the Host: Awesome Gifts to Show Appreciation
Do you like to get presents? Of course you do, don’t be silly! It’s even better when the gifts are truly thoughtful. Imagine how charming it would be if you showed up to a party with a little something...
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Mother of Mine: Gifts for Mom Any Time of the Year
Mother’s Day is almost here. Have you found that perfect gift yet? No? I don’t blame you. Since February I’ve read at least two dozen compiled lists of perfect gifts for that dear, sweet lady whom I...
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Dear Ol’ Dad: Father’s Day Gifts Beyond Soap on a Rope
His hands are rough, his hugs are big, and his grilling skills are tops — just some of the many reasons we love that guy. Daddy didn’t get his own holiday until years after Mom got hers, but boy does...
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In Defense of Printed Invitations
Computers can do a lot. But, to raise an age old question, just because they can do so much, should they? So many people leave the greatest parts of their lives in the hands of electronics. Having a...
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The Unwilling Recipient: How to Buy Gifts for Difficult People
I’m sure there was life before gift cards and internet shopping, but I can’t imagine the one and barely remember a time before the other. Since their advent, gifting has become a cinch. Mostly. There...
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Sophisticated Entertainment: The Four Party Schools You Shouldn’t Miss
So you think you know how to throw a party. You know how to prime your guests with the right invitation style; your tables groan under the perfect selection of food and beverages; lighting and flow are...
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Think Outside the (Crayon) Box: Office Supplies for Grownups
It happens every summer. The temperature rises, public pools see a rise in popularity, and store shelves fill to bursting with school supplies. Hello Kitty winks at you from atop pink-handled safety...
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Staircase Wit: Snappy Comebacks for Uncomfortable Conversations
Upon finding themselves on the receiving end of a critical remark or even a simple (but uncomfortable) question, most people falter under the pressure. Without a staff of screenwriters from, say, 30...
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How to Host an All Grown Up All Hallows Eve
My bet is, when you were a kid, Halloween involved a costume of whatever trendy character had topped the movie charts and a pillowcase for candy. It was an entire evening of every kid for himself;...
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How to Host Guests with Dietary Restrictions (Without Being a Jerk)
In college, my favorite day was Thursday, because that was the day made-to-order paninis were served at my dorm. But one day, my best friend, who is Jewish, was handed somebody else’s order of ham and...
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10 “Tins” to Indulge In: Gift Boxes You’ll Love to Give
For me, the end of the year has always signaled the season of indulgence. First came Halloween candy followed by pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving, then December came bearing the tastiest treat of all — a...
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Contain Yourself: 6 Alternative Vessels for Flowers
Winter has arrived in North America, bringing with it guests gathered ‘round roaring fires, parties galore, and days when the sun is blotted by snow flurries and gray clouds. Do you know what all these...
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How to Throw a Relaxed Boxing Day Party
What exactly is Boxing Day? Despite the lively images suggested by the name, it has nothing to do with family members who have buckled under the stress of the season and resorted to fisticuffs. Nor...
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Improve Your Lighting, Improve Your Life (Or At Least Your Day)
Light is amazing. Besides all the cool scientific stuff it has going for it, it also has magical properties. Light draws people in. It can make a huge house feel cozy and a small space expansive. A...
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10 Classy and Modern Ways to Show Gratitude
Chances are, somewhere in this fleeting whirlwind we call life, or many someones, did something that left a lasting impression on your heart. Now is the time to return the favor. People are in the joy...
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14 Sweet Valentine Gifts That Will Sour You on Chocolate and Roses
Oh, Valentine’s Day — that holiday of confusing origin. The one time of year when chocolates and red roses are acceptable substitutes for saying, “I love you.” I know you, my dear readers, are tired of...
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Party Favors Adults Will Love
Today I picked up my nine-year-old daughter from the third birthday party in as many weeks. As we walked to the car she animatedly told me about the cake, the chocolate fountain, and the scavenger...
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Just Kidding Around: 10 Childlike Activities for a Better Adulthood
Life as a grownup isn’t quite what I expected all those years ago when I looked forward to the days I could wear high heels and stay up as late as I wanted. I didn’t anticipate early mornings following...
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A Sleepy Girl’s Guide to Hosting an Impeccable Brunch
Brunch is my favorite meal of the day. Actually, breakfast is my favorite, but since I adore sleeping long past a reasonable breakfast hour, brunch takes first place by default. I don’t think I’m alone...
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From Zero to Hostess: How to Make Last Minute Parties Look Easy
Parties happen. In fact, some of the best parties are ones that spring up unexpectedly. Like that time an afternoon of poolside lounging turned into an impromptu garden party. And remember when your...
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Everything In Moderation: Hobbies for People Who Work Too Much
When work becomes all-consuming and joyless it becomes a negative addiction. While workaholics believe an obsessive dedication to their careers makes them ideal and effective employees, they actually...
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Out of the Studio and Onto the Street: Painting Adventures In the Great Outdoors
En plein air: a French expression which means “in the open air,” and is particularly used to describe the act of painting outdoors, which is also called peinture sur le motif (“painting on the ground”)...
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How To Plan a Porch Crawl Dinner Party
There are so many things to love about summer: sunshine, road trips, watermelon. That extra hour or so of lingering sunlight and the warm evenings have me just about ready to POP — party on the porch!...
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Keep Your Cool: Tips to Avoid Overheating During Your Summer Workouts
Sweating is gross, so I try not to do it. However, the heat wave known as summer has broken and the simple act of walking outside results in heavy perspiration. And exercising? I’d rather not. But I...
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Perfecting the Low Profile Exit: How to Leave a Party Politely
To flee or not to flee: the question of how to leave a party. Until recently I had no idea there even was a question about leaving parties. As in: what is the most polite way to break away? For some,...
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The Road Less Traveled: Why Walking Parties Should Be the New Social Craze
A majority of the working class spends nine and a half hours a day sitting and, sadly, none of them have medical insurance that covers care costs for derriere spread. But you’re in luck because we’ve...
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Party Playbook: Tips To Up your Tailgating Game
The very first tailgate party I ever attended spoiled me. There was food and drink, games, a party bus — game day perfection! Over a few decades the members of Charlie Foxtrot — devoted fans of the...
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How to Host a Lit Swap: The Busy Professionals Book Club
Look at your coffee table. Okay, now look at the corner of your living room. And now your bedside table. Do you see what I see? A dozen plus books “I’m definitely gonna read,” books I couldn’t bring...
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Best Blankets: Cozy Comforts for Nippy Nights
Can you feel it? That chill in the air? Soon temps will dip into the 60s, 50s, 40s… and mornings, the house still chilly from the overnight low, will be just perfect for grabbing a book, wrapping one...
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A Cuppa Love: Deluxe Guide to Gifts for the Tea Drinker
Some like it hot, some like it cold. Some like it in the pot, but not nine days old. Forget peas porridge — whatever that is — this is a rhyme for tea lovers! As regular sippers know, there is a lot to...
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Java Code: Deciphering the Secret Language On Your Coffee Label
A woman walks into a coffee bar and immediately becomes confused because the chalkboard menu is written in code! That sounds like the beginning of a joke, but you know you’ve been there. It isn’t just...
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3 Lessons from Presents Exchanged by World Leaders
With every royal wedding, presidential tour overseas, or other face-to-face exchange with the powers that be from (insert country/committee here) there is a slew of news stories covering the gifts...
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Beyond Decking the Halls: 4 International Winter Holidays to Make Your Own
Perhaps you missed it, but come October 15 (give or take) the winter holidays were upon us. The most prominent among them is Christmas, but it certainly isn’t the only thing celebrated this time of...
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Bust Winter With the Balm Squad
Feathery snowflakes, crystalline patterns made by skates upon ice, and white-smothered landscapes that shine in the moonlight — winter is a time of wonder. But it is also a warzone. Dry, cold air that...
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Gimme 5: How to Give Romantic Gifts Using Love Languages as Your Guide
In 1995, Gary D. Chapman unleashed a secret weapon upon the world of relationships: his book The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts. Sometimes relationships feel like they’re taking place...
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Please Have a Seat: Why Your Dinner Parties Should Include Assigned Seating
The idea of assigned seating may seem stiff and formal, but it is actually an effective way to put dinner guests at ease. Pre-designated seating minimizes the awkwardness that comes with first-time...
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Take Your Time: How to Slow Down and Why You Should
Remember that Alka-Seltzer jingle from the 90s? Nobody likes to eat and run, they’d rather take it slow. But the way this life is going, you got to get your food and go! If all that runnin’ round...
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A Weekend Getaway in Dallas, Texas
“Hello old friend,” I whisper to the cityscape looming closer through the thick glass of my airplane window. I’ve never lived in Dallas, Texas, but I’ve spent dozens of weekends there enjoying time...
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Historic Tea Parties You Wish You Could Have Attended
When you hear “tea party,” you might think one of three things: politics, Boston, or little girls with plastic food. When we hear “tea party,” we think: social hour, tea cocktails, and movie nights....
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10 of Our Favorite Ways to Commit Random Acts of Kindness
What does it mean to be kind? Many of us have a sense of what kindness is — a sweet confection of good, nice, attitude, and action. That’s a good start. Some may mix in generosity or a dash of...
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Stay Close To Your Parents (Even from Afar)
Relationships take work. Not exactly breaking news, but a fact we often forget, especially when it comes to family. Take Mom and Dad for example. They’ll always be there for you; they have to, it’s...
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