This month we are listening to O Mio Babbino Caro from Puccini's opera, Gianni Schicchi. I found this exquisite violin performance from Caroline Adomeit as well as this beautiful operatic performance by Montserrat Caballé. 

Chic Assignment no. 2 Enjoy the artwork of Berthe Morisot

Berthe Morisot was a French Impressionist painter who lived from 1841 to 1895 in Paris. She is known for her elegant works full of feminine charm. Check out a gallery of some of her most famous works on Google Arts and Culture. We will learn about Berthe Morisot in the mid-month check-in. 

Berthe Morisot with a Bouquet of Violets by Édouard Manet -  Public Domain

After sharing my surprising intermittent fasting results, many of you requested a "what I eat in a day" video. That is what I am sharing with you today on the blog and YouTube channel.

I hesitated to share a video like this because I do not do any special diets that are normally associated with intermittent fasting (such as Keto). In fact, I eat quite "normal" food. I do have carbs and I do have sugar. So please know that this video is not meant for advice on what you should eat. You should consult your doctor or nutritionist for that. 

Despite my reservations to share what I eat on a typical day, I am going ahead and sharing because I think it will give hope to people who do not want to do any sort of extreme diet. I ate like this for one year (it's how I've always eaten anyway... I just cut out the nighttime snacking and moved my breakfast up) and was still able to lose 30 lbs. 

So many people in the comment section referred to their grandparents and great grandparents who also ate this way. They did not have any special diet tricks. They just enjoyed their food and did not have any excess snacking. So it is a rather old-fashioned way of eating. 

I did not plan my meals around this video. I just turned the camera on one morning and decided to show you everything. I hope you enjoy today's video! 

⚜️ Featured in the video

Keep Calm and Remain Classy Mug

Victoria Magazine Blue Roses Tea Set

Yo Mama's Ranch dressing (the best) 

Everything but the bagel seasoning

Portmeirion Botanic Garden dishes DCSPRING10 for 10% off 

Spode Blue Italian DCSPRING10 for 10% off 

SKYE Ismay earrings Jennifer20 for 20% off 

SKYE Laure freshwater pearl bracelet Jennifer20 for 20% off 

Lilysilk blouse  Daily12 for 12% off 

Welcome to The Chic Assignment check-in for March.

 I thoroughly enjoyed this month's assignment. Learning about Clara Schumann and Christina Rossetti was exhilarating for me. I hope you enjoyed it too. 

We begin by exploring Clara Schumann's Piano Concerto in A Minor, Op. 7 - 1 Allegro maestoso performed by Isata Kanneh-Mason. I am sharing ten interesting facts about Clara Schumann's life, found in this Classic FM article.  I found her life to be rather fascinating. She was the bread winner of the family, for example, which was very rare for that time period. She was also a musical genius in her own right, even though many tried to take credit away from her there. Then there's the love triangle with Robert Schumann and Johannes Brahms... so much to unpack! I hope you enjoy her ten interesting facts. 

By Dante Gabriel Rossetti - based on , Public Domain

Next, we explore the poetry of Christina Rossetti. You can find her complete poems here and more of her poetry here. I read from her biography from Interesting Literature in today's video. Christina Rossetti lived a fairy tame and scandal-free life compared to many of the artists we have studied, which is somewhat refreshing. I would love to know what your favorite Christina Rossetti poem is. Let us know in the comments. 

Chic Assignment no. 3 is to start planning your spring wardrobe (fall wardrobe for our Southern Hemisphere readers). How is that going for you? I am still in search of a few key pieces and am taking my time with it. In the past, I have rushed my wardrobe in order to get a video out for you and have regretted it. This year, I am acting as though I am not a blogger (ha!) and am waiting to see what comes. Don't worry, I will still be putting out ten-item wardrobe content to take you along the journey with me. I shared 5 Transitional Looks from my Spring Ten-Item Wardrobe at the beginning of March if you haven't seen that video yet. 

Chic Assignment no. 4 is to declutter and organize one cabinet that is driving you crazy. How did that go for you this month? I shared a whole house declutter at the beginning of March where I decluttered several cabinets, including my master bathroom and laundry room cabinets. It feels so good to get those spaces in order.

Welcome back, friends. Today I'm sharing beauty treatments I get but don't really talk about. Now in everyday life, I would normally never discuss this, unless it came up with a girlfriend. But since this is an informational blog, I'm sharing some of the beauty procedures I get so you can figure out if they would be worth it for you to try. 

Let's start with the most pressing questions: Have I ever had cosmetic surgery? The answer is no. Have I had any injectables like Botox or lip fillers? Again, the answer is no.

Funny enough the only two "secret" treatments I get have to do with hair. 

The first major treatment I have had is laser hair removal. I received my first round of treatments around 12 years ago at Laser Away in Santa Monica. The areas I had treated were upper lip, under arm, and bikini. I did not do legs because the treatment was already extremely costly. Also, the legs cover such a great surface area and I was worried about the pain issue. 

I'm not sure what the professional procedure is like today but back then it was very costly and very painful. I had to top off my treatment a few years later after I had my second child. Sometimes hormones after childbirth cause hair growth to return. 

Even though the treatments were painful and costly, I am still so happy I did it. A great consideration when determining whether or not to get a costly beauty treatment is this: will it improve your daily life? For me, it eliminated a time consuming and unpleasant grooming ritual and I don't miss it one bit!

For those of you who are interested in an at-home laser hair removal device, check out the EXO Beauty At-Home Laser Hair Removal device code TDC15OFF gives 15% off until March 31st. 

The second major beauty treatment we are going to discuss is one that I get on a regular basis: The Brazilian Blowout. You can read more about The Brazilian Blowout in this recent InStyle article. 

My hair tends to be frizzy and unruly. I typically blow dry it twice a week, but even so, I still have a "crown of frizz" that frames my face in a rather irritating way. The Brazilian Blowout smooths my hair and takes away the pesky frizz. It lasts around 3 months. It does not make your hair straight like a straightening system, but still allows wave, body, and curl, which is why I prefer it to other frizz fighting treatments. 

As for skincare, I have been using an exfoliation peel from Paula's Choice on a weekly basis. This has 25% AHA and 2% BHA. You apply it as you would a mask, leave it on for 20 minutes, and then rinse it off, applying your evening moisturizer. This has been a great addition to my weekly skincare rituals. I tend to avoid using other exfoliants for a few days after this. I have seen an improvement in my skin since using this peel. I highly recommend it. 

Let's talk about the beauty treatment I'd like to get... microblading or powder brows. Now whether or not I will ever actually get one of these treatments (they are semi-permanent makeup, after all, which gives me pause) remains to be seen. In the meantime, I am trying to grow out my sparse brows with this Vegamour brow serum. 

Small Business Spotlight 

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📍Please note: I am currently in the process of having my blog not only redesigned, but moved to Wordpress. Please be patient during the process as the blog might be temporarily disabled over the course of this month. You can always stay au courant with me over on YouTube to never miss a video. I'm excited to work on the blog and make it a better experience for you, dear reader! 

📍If you are looking for more content, consider becoming a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I publish one vodcast every Friday and do one livestream or zoom call once a month. It only costs $1.99 a month. There are also upper tiers available for people who are interested in supporting the channel on a higher level and receiving monthly mentions in the videos. 

📍Join us for The Chic Assignment for March 

On Instagram

Madame Chic in Poland... 

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Comment of the Week

Toni W. writes, "Spode Blue Italian would be my choice of your two featured dishes.

I'm collaborating with my friends at Riverbend Home to share two elegant spring tablescapes in today's video. We are featuring the classic Spode Blue Italian line and the timeless Portmeirion Botanic Garden collection. Riverbend Home has given The Daily Connoisseur a 10% off code DCSPRING10 

Thank you, Riverbend Home! 

⚜️Featured in today's video

Spode Blue Italian line DCSPRING10 for 10% off 

Portmeirion Botanic Garden collection  DCSPRING10 for 10% off 

Drinkware sets from Riverbend Home  DCSPRING10 for 10% off 

John Robshaw napkins

Gingham napkins on Amazon

Elegant Tablecloth options on Amazon 

The first tablescape draws inspiration from Spode's iconic Blue Italian line. The dramatic blue and white plates are complimented by the blue, cream, and lavender hues in the tablecloth and bouquet. 

I top the table off with crystal goblets and candlesticks. The napkins are a mix of taupe gingham and a beautiful pattern by John Robshaw. When you don't have enough napkins for each place setting, it's a great idea to mix and match them by alternating the different patterns, or by placing different napkins at the head of each table. 

Cheerful yellow gingham napkins from Amazon bring out a sunny aspect from the place setting, which is offset by a subtle cream jacquard tablecloth and quilted runner. 

When creating a spring tablescape, build upon what you already have. Don't be afraid to mix fabrics and colors. Lots of cheer and elegance can be brought to the table with a fresh bouquet and stately candles. I hope these two tablescapes gave you some great ideas for Easter or any other spring celebration you might be taking part in. 

⚜️What I'm Wearing

SKYE Risette dress Jennifer20 for 20% off 

Mott & Bow jeans JLS10 for 10% off 

Lilysilk blouse  Daily12 for 12% off 

Nail polish by Londontown JenniferS for 25% off 

Blue & White Stripe apron 

I hope you enjoy today's video. 

News

📍Please note: I am currently in the process of having my blog not only redesigned, but moved to Wordpress. Please be patient during the process as the blog might be temporarily disabled over the course of this month. You can always stay au courant with me over on YouTube to never miss a video. I'm excited to work on the blog and make it a better experience for you, dear reader! 

📍If you are looking for more content, consider becoming a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I publish one vodcast every Friday and do one livestream or zoom call once a month. It only costs $1.99 a month. There are also upper tiers available for people who are interested in supporting the channel on a higher level and receiving monthly mentions in the videos. 

📍Join us for The Chic Assignment for March 

On Instagram

Connoisseur Kids on Instagram...

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Comment of the Week

CJ Richard writes, I am a well-mannered, well-spoken, well-read, adventurous, well-traveled, intelligent, witty, competent, capable woman of 65. I have no reason not to be confident! Confidence does increase with age. I am grateful to be my age. Also, I am humble. 😛

CJ, your comment made me smile and was of the most up-voted comments on the video. I love your humbleness! Haha!

I hope you enjoyed today's tablescape video. Let us know how you like to decorate your spring table and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.

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FTC: This post is not sponsored. The Spode and Portmeirion collection was sent by Riverbend Home to be featured in today's video. I use affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links. Thank you for your support.