Merry Christmas! I will be taking a short winter break from the blog but look forward to discussing my favorite topics with you when I get back. Thank you for all of your messages and requests. I read and appreciate them all even though I am not always able to respond... Wishing you and your family peace, good health...

Before this post begins I have a few very special announcements: ♥ I am going to be a regular contributing writer for Huffington Post Style! It's a major honor for me to be aligned with such a prestigious publication. Here is my first article, sharing my DIY, cost-effective fruit decorations for the holidays. ♥ Huffington...

This past weekend I went to see the Los Angeles Ballet perform the Nutcracker at UCLA's Royce Hall. It was a magical production. I've seen the Nutcracker several times but this year's performance was particularly special. I appreciated the artistic choreography and the familiar, beautiful music. The dancing was mesmerizing...

It can be very tempting to go overboard and spend a fortune on holiday decorations... but really there is no need. You can create your own natural, chic decorations at home. Each year I like to create my own homemade ornaments from dried citrus fruit. These ornaments are budget-friendly (not to mention kid-friendly!)...

Every holiday season I love to create this elegant centerpiece of sugared fruit. When displayed in a footed bowl or on a tiered cake stand, this inexpensive centerpiece looks grand and opulent. You will need: seasonal fruit greenery (in the video I use rosemary, but you can use any foliage from your garden or even...

Fellow blogger and etiquette aficionado Cassie Piasecki has recently released her handy etiquette guide for small business owners and freelancers called BizEtiquette. I asked Cassie to write a guest post for the Daily Connoisseur on her top five business etiquette tips. Her lovely picture and article are below. Thank you...

Looking presentable always. A concept that may seem obvious to many people, but is something I think we as a society desperately need to discuss. Looking presentable on a daily basis may initially seem like a shallow and superficial concept, but really it is about so much more than appearances. It's about respect....