Hello Daily Connoisseurs,

I hope you had a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving holiday with your family! I really wanted to do a Thanksgiving post this year, but with my trip to Japan the week prior to Thanksgiving, I was unable to get that done. If you haven't seen my Thanksgiving tablescape blog from last year, you can check it out here.

This week's video shares my recent trip to Japan with you. I traveled with the baby to Tokyo to shoot a television show. Thank you so much to the Japanese readers who have embraced my books so enthusiastically. I am so grateful to you and simply love visiting your country!

A photo posted by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Nov 16, 2016 at 11:40am PST

Here I am with the director and crew for the on-location shoot.

In this video you will see my makeup artist sessions, my hotel room, what I ate, where I shopped, local culture and sights as well as a few funny episodes involving a complicated washing machine and a Japanese face mask! The most exciting thing about the vlog, however, is that you get to meet my baby boy, who was such a delightful companion on this trip.

A photo posted by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Nov 17, 2016 at 10:30am PST

My little man. Everyone who met him said he is so "Kawaii"!


We are outside the National Art Center after visiting the Dali exhibit.


Going over my lines in the greenroom before the big shoot!


The Madame Chic books were featured at the front of the airport bookstore!

Regarding the Japanese drugstore items I show in the video, I found some of them on Amazon. If you are interested in them, here are the links:
LuLuLun Japanese moisture face mask

Kate Tokyo brown shade eyes eyeshadow (I have shade BR3, but could not find that on Amazon, so here is the link to BR1, which is quite similar).

Brow Lash Ex eyebrow pencil. (I am not sure if this is the shade I picked up at the drugstore, but it looks similar, and actually better, for my coloring.)

I hope you enjoy this week's video, Japan Vlog 2016.

News
Japanese viewers: The television show I am appearing on is Nippon Television's The Most Useful School in the World, airing Saturday, December 3rd. I do hope you check it out and please let me know how you like it!


Comments of the Week
Anonymous writes:
Bonjour Jennifer,

As for tights, I always put them with my damp hands and with my palm in contact with my tights and not with my legs. It's a bit strange but doing so I avoid ruining them from the very first time.
When buying thin and expensive tights, I often choose the superior size.
And before washing, I put them in a special bag.

Thanks for all your posts.

Hi Anon, those are great tips, thank you! I also wash my stockings in a mesh laundry bag to prevent tears. And many times, my nails, jewelry or heels have caught on the tights causing a snag. I like how you deal with those issues.


Kathleen writes:
Hi Miss Jennifer!

One of the things in which I delight about my own ten item wardrobe is ease of packing! When I was young, my mother always told me, "Packing is simple as long as your clothes are clean." and yet I found myself frequently dithering over what I might like to wear followed by later regret that I had not chosen something else. I've amended her advice to, "Packing is simple provided your clothes have been chosen with care and they are currently clean." The last 5 week long trips I have taken I've simply moved my ten items from my closet, to the smaller of my two suitcases (including the hangers), added underpinnings, a bathing suit, my travel toiletries, and called it an enjoyable 15 minutes. I've found that I am always overpacked but never feel as if I'm lacking in any area.

On the subject of pantyhose, when I was in college my sister and I used to tell each other, "Never wear a skirt without hose!" And we would thoroughly enjoy how fantastic our legs looked. As I've gained responsibility and a desire to skip that step while getting dressed we have modified the statement to, "Your legs will look better in hose." Less totalitarian and more motivational!

My favorite brand of hose is, Leggs: Sheer Energy; Medium Support, Control Top. They are about 4.50 a pair and I can wear one pair of them between 7 and 14 times (sometimes more!) Before they tear or run.

Thank you for the video!

~Kathleen

Hi Kathleen, thank you for your great comment! I also love the ease of packing with the ten-item wardrobe. In fact, I recommend that people who have a hard time doing a ten-item wardrobe, pack one for a long vacation. They will see the benefits on their trip, like the ease of dressing and the ability to look presentable and stylish. Thank you, also, for sharing your pantyhose recommendation. I have found that Amazon sell the Leggs control top tights you recommend in a 4-pack for just over $16, which is definitely more affordable than most pantyhose I have seen on the market.

I hope you enjoy this week's video! Please let me know what your favorite parts of the vlog were. What do you love about Japan? Let me know in the comment section below, and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.

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This has been a heavily requested topic... losing the baby weight.

I have many thoughts on the subject that all fall in line with my general philosophy on life (quelle surprise!).

Of course I am not always good at taking my own advice. Right after having my second baby I felt frustrated almost instantly with the extra weight I had to lose. But these things take time. It's a gradual shift that occurs, that goes hand in hand with a healthy lifestyle and attitude.

Watch my video (which was recorded at the end of a rather long day!) to hear my thoughts and tips on losing the baby weight. If you are unable to see the embedded video, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

This week I would love to know... what has been your experience with losing the baby weight?

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month. My mother-in-law, Jane, is a brave breast cancer survivor. Her inspiring story is a great reminder of the importance of getting regular mammograms as early detection is what saved her. Please don't delay. Schedule your regular mammogram today!

To donate to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research click here.

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I hope you all had a marvelous weekend. As I write this I am in bed. Yes, I am officially on full bed rest now, even though I am not due till the end of May. Doctor's orders. Thankfully I was able to shoot some videos in prior weeks (including this week's video) so I will be able to post those for you as time ticks on.

Speaking of videos, this week's has a baby theme to it. It comes by request from Maureen, who asks for advice on how to stay chic while expecting. In the video I give you a mini maternity fashion show and share with you my advice on navigating pregnancy with dignity and grace.

If you are unable to see the above embedded video, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur.

Also, I wanted to mention that today marks my one year anniversary on YouTube! I can't believe how time has flown. I've really enjoyed doing videos and I hope you get enjoyment out of watching them. It all started on April 16th, 2011 with this video, How to Tie a Scarf.

So until next time... I would love to hear your own pregnancy related stories in the comment section below...

Have a wonderful week!

Jennifer x

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I hope you all had a great weekend. Last week I got a new haircut and recorded this quick video blog to show you the before and after (and my inspiration picture!) If you are unable to see the above embedded video, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

Once this baby comes I don't anticipate having a lot of time to blow dry my hair so I decided to get rid of some length and go with an effortless, yet chic hairstyle. Thank you to Valentino at Salon Nesou for your beautiful work!

Baby Update

Speaking of babies, I am well into my third trimester of pregnancy and even though my baby isn't due until the end of May, my doctor has advised me to take it easy. I am trying to do so but as all women know, that is easier said than done! But I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of you who have sent me well wishes about the baby.... I really appreciate it. In the meantime we are getting everything prepared chez moi in case we have an early arrival!

So as I have been trying my best to take it easy, this week's post shares with you some great reading for the week.

Fitting in Fashionably in France

I have done a small series of posts for the company Foreign IQ on fitting in fashionably in France. If you are planning a trip to the beautiful country any time soon (or anywhere in Europe for that matter) check out my advice on packing shoes, clothes, accessories and outerwear. You can visit the posts by clicking here or by visiting Foreign IQ's blog: http://www.foreigniq.com/blog

The Daily Mail and Le Point

Along with being featured in The New York Times last week I was also featured on The Daily Mail in the UK and today in France's Le Point (talk about a great week!) To see the articles click on the embedded links.

Giveaway

If you haven't already entered last week's giveaway for the Benedetta eye cream, there is still time. I am announcing the winner on Thursday. As a side note, some of you email subscribers have told me you are unable to leave comments on the giveaway post. Never fear, I am still counting your emails as entries. Good luck!

This week I would love to know... what is your current hairstyle?


Jennifer's book, Lessons from Madame Chic: The Top 20 Things I Learned While Living in Paris, is now available in Paperback, Kindle and Nook.

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Hello Everyone,

Today brings a very happy announcement...

We are having another baby!

My husband and I are thrilled as is our daughter and, of course, Gatsby. I am in my second trimester and feeling great (if not somewhat exhausted). The new baby is due at the end of May and we couldn't be happier...

Happily I have not suffered from any nausea, but this pregnancy has had the very curious affect of rendering me totally exhausted at the midpoint of every day. This exhaustion has proven challenging and has tested me in the areas of keeping up the home (cooking dinner every night has been interesting), keeping up my beauty routine (le no makeup look is becoming more and more literal every day) and even keeping up this blog (I didn't shoot any videos for a while because I just didn't feel presentable)...

As I move into the second trimester though I find I have more energy and have even developed a few beauty and homemaking systems that have saved me time and have produced rather illustrious effects (all based on French philosophies, of course). I will divulge those later but for now I just wanted to share with you my happy news. Thanks in advance for your support.

And as for an update on the book... I am just as impatient as you are! I will not bore you with all of the technical issues of its pending publication, but suffice to say I *hope* to have it out before the end of this month. Thanks for all of your support with that matter as well!

I hope you have a wonderful week...

This Thursday I will be doing a post (and video) on a very cool new lip gloss on the market...

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Before this week’s post begins, be sure to check out my latest video Baby Shower Outfit where I show you an outfit (dress, shoes and jewelry) I recently wore to co-host a baby shower. To see the video, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog or visit: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur

And now for this week’s post.

My favorite part about writing this blog and doing the videos are the correspondences with my readers. I love to read comments and get emails from you. We have developed such a marvelous online community. If you have not checked out the comment section for each post or video you must do so as the readers of The Daily Connoisseur (who invariably have excellent taste) discuss books, make beauty recommendations and comment on their experiences with the topics discussed in the blog.

This post is devoted to questions and requests I have gotten over the past few months relating to motherhood. So here we go!

Vicki writes:

I would love to hear how you instill these French values with your children. I try to enhance my daughters lives but there are probably so many things I'm missing.

Vicki sent me this request in reference to The Top 20 Things I Learned While Living in Paris series on my blog. I was lucky enough to learn those lessons from Madame Chic (whether consciously or subconsciously) when I was in my early twenties, but it really took a lot of reflection and becoming the Madame Chic of my own household a few years later to make the lessons actually stick. And now that I have a daughter I am more conscience than ever of how I live and what lessons I am teaching her every day.

Of course I would say the best way to teach your children about eating well, good style and how to live well is to follow the practices yourself- to lead by example. In fact, I just came across this quote today:

Parents forgive their children least readily for the faults they themselves instilled in them.

Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach

While I find this to be a rather funny quote (though somewhat negative), it is food for thought. We have the opportunity to instill the values in our children that we want to (while they still care to listen to us!)

If, for example, you wished mealtimes in your house were more formal or cherished, then insist on everyone dining together at a certain time- with television off, ringing phones unanswered and music playing in the background. If you would like them to keep their room clean, make sure to do your best (with their help) to maintain a clutter-free home. With regards to beauty, style and self confidence- employing le no makeup look, adhering to the tenant of looking presentable always and dressing appropriately for every occasion sets a marvelous example of how to be chic by not overdoing it.

And, of course, on top of living the example yourself it would be a prudent decision to give them my forthcoming book on the subject as a reference guide ☺


The next reader question comes from Jeanne, who asks about how to stay chic during pregnancy and motherhood.

Having just had a baby myself (although I can’t believe she will be one year old soon!) I can personally attest that staying chic during pregnancy and motherhood isn’t the easiest of feats. Now that I am finally getting a full night’s sleep again it is easier, but during those dark hours of waking up four to five times a night being chic was probably the last thing on my mind. Although invariably when I would finally get ready for the day it did boost my spirits to not look like a complete and total frump.

I would say the 3 key things to help you stay chic during pregnancy and motherhood is to employ a 10 item (or capsule) wardrobe, have a simple haircut that is easy to style and employ a (fast) le no makeup look that works for you. If you have a capsule wardrobe your only option is to pick something that is chic (providing everything in your capsule wardrobe is chic). You will not tempt yourself to wear frumpy sweat pants all day long because you won’t own them. Jeans and a cashmere sweater are equally as comfortable as sweat pants and look so much more chic. (Incidentally, if you are pregnant, you probably have a capsule wardrobe of maternity clothes- which makes for great practice!)

Having a simple haircut is also essential. I would suggest going to your hair stylist and finding the right cut for you- one that requires the least amount of maintenance possible. Also ask your stylist to show you a few quick updos for everyday use (**please note I will be doing several hair tutorials on The Daily Connoisseur’s YouTube channel as I have gotten a lot of requests for them, so stay tuned for those). And as for le no makeup look- your version of it might go as far as only applying spot concealer, mascara and lip gloss, or if you have more time you could add tinted moisturizer and blush… every little effort counts.

Having said all of that, I also believe it is important to go easy on yourself and to remember that laughter, having a great sense of humor and being deliciously in the present moment are easiest ways to achieve chicness in motherhood...

Thank you Jeanne and Vicki for your questions...

If you have any questions or requests for either videos or posts, please leave me a comment here or email me at:

jenncouture (at) gmail (dot) com

I will do my best to honor them in a timely manner.

The above picture was taken back in January. The baby and I are soaking up some culture at the Getty Villa in Malibu. I try to take her to at least one artistic outing a month so as to get into the early habit of appreciating the arts...

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I hope you are having an enchanting summer. I know I am. Mr. Connoisseur and I are having so much fun with baby…

I cannot believe it is almost the end of August and the fall season of The Daily Connoisseur is almost upon us!

The following are some updates, observations and announcements:

The 5 minute face (otherwise known as le no makeup look) has been my savior. I am getting little to no sleep what with the baby and all and in the morning it boosts my morale tremendously to be able to hide the dark circles and apply a touch of lip gloss and mascara. My friends even tell me I don’t look tired in the least! (Although they could just be saying that to be nice… I do have thoughtful friends).

My house has spiraled out of control into a veritable dumping ground for baby apparatus, unopened mail and other objects I can't be bothered to pick up. You all warned me it would happen and it has. Granted it is not dirty as I am fortunate enough to have a wonderful lady that helps me clean twice a week, but as far as method and order are concerned, it could be described as Hercule Poirot’s worst nightmare. As I write this my desk is so messy, I’m thinking of moving my computer to another room! I’m sure once I get a grip on things my home will return to its usual sense of order, but until then I must learn to juggle both baby and the Sisyphean tasks that I dread (like organizing my office).

Madame Sportif has departed back to Paris, but in the meantime I have befriended a new French couple! (I know… I’m like a moth to a flame). The story with this couple is quite remarkable- I will share it with you soon. And I, of course, have already racked up some observations Comme les Français to share with you (also forthcoming).

I will be starting a new series in September called The Top 10 Things I Learned While Living in Paris. Although I am having a hard time narrowing it down to just 10 things. Right now it’s roughly 17. It might stay that way too- even though “The Top 17 Things I Learned While Living in Paris” doesn’t sound as nice as "The Top 10"… we shall see.

I am finding little pockets of time here and there to write and I am finally able to start the last rewrite of my mystery novel… It is a fun, old school mystery about a modern girl living in Santa Monica that solves a case involving murder, some missing rubies and a little international intrigue. Think Agatha Christie- but Daily Connoisseur style. If you know of any literary agent or publisher in need of such a revolutionary novel, do let me know.

Lastly, Baby Connoisseur is a splendid little bundle of joy. She is healthy and vibrant and getting bigger every day. Thank you again for all of your lovely comments and messages.

And, as always, if you have any requests for future blog posts, leave me a comment, or email me and I will do my best to honor your request!

Bisous,

Jennifer xx

Pictured above is a beautiful bouquet of flowers given to me by Mr. Connoisseur.

Mr. Connoisseur and I are proud to announce the arrival of our baby girl. She decided to make her debut two and a half weeks early and is thriving and doing great. Thank you so much for all of your lovely messages and your support as we enjoy this amazing time in our life.

Jennifer xxx

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of my wonderful readers on The Daily Connoisseur. I consider myself to be very fortunate to not only have one, but two Valentines (Gatsby and B, you see) and this year is even more special because I have a big announcement… we are having a baby!

B and I are elated (I actually can’t believe I’ve kept it a secret for so long!)- we are expecting the newest addition to our family in August. Thank you in advance for all of your support and I hope this Valentine’s Day is filled with love for you and your family…

...and yes, we are having a girl :)