What a wonderful holiday this has been. I share some of it with you in today's video. We visit Kew Gardens, The Cotswolds, to see my friend, Alena, and end up at The Lion King!



Many of you asked for a tour of our flat and I share that as well in today's video. The flat has been beautifully decorated by my mother-in-law, Jane, who has exquisite taste in interior design (and all other things, really). I wish I had the "before" pictures for you. She had the whole space gutted and completely transformed it.

Today's blogpost will be shorter as I am still away from home and have limited time to write... I hope the vlog will speak for itself.

Thank you for joining me for today's video.

Alena's books are English Etiquette and Ladies Like Us .

News
📍 We are taking a break from The Chic Assignment in January and will resume in February.

📍Become a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I do one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. The lowest tier is $1.99 a month. Upper tiers receive recognition in videos and even mail. (Link must be accessed on a computer.)

📍Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses: The Ten-Item Wardrobe, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.


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Ordered books by Jennifer Scott...my new favourite YouTuber and Chic guru. Can't wait to add some more chic to 2020! #babiesandbookcases #chiclife #madamechic #dailyconnoisseur #bookstagram

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Comment of the Week
Kristyn writes, "I have a friend in Northern Scotland and another in Northern Sweden, and both say the same thing about the cold and dark of winter: wear layers and light candles! It's currently in the low 30°s F here in Michigan, and we have a lot of overcast days this time of year, so I take their words of experience to heart."

Hi Kristyn, It's great to hear how people in other parts of the world dress to stay warm. Thanks for confirming what your Scottish and Swedish friends do!

Thank you for joining us for today's vlog. I hope you enjoyed touring England with us. I look forward to seeing you soon!


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Welcome to the season finale for The Chic Assignment. What an enjoyable ride it has been as we have immersed ourselves in beautiful arts and culture and bettered our everyday lives through meaningful habits. I would like to thank you for joining us this year.



The Chic Assignment will take a break in January, but we plan to resume in February. If you have any requests for future assignments, please leave them in the comments below.

Our family has safely arrived in England and today's check-in is very special, as you will see glimpses of the English countryside and festive visuals from this time of year.

Tchaikovsky, Dickens, the present moment, and stress management. These were the themes for December.

Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite Op. 71a is always a welcome treat to listen to this time of year. I've even been known to play it in the month of July to feel Christmas nostalgia. Does anyone else do this too? We will explore Tchaikovsky's biography in a future Chic Assignment. This episode focuses largely on Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol, which is read beautifully by Ben.

Looking at the portraits of the Tudors at Hampton Court Palace, made me further ponder how short life can be. It's important to remain present with our family so that we don't miss the specialness of the season.

I was able to practice "not stressing the small stuff", which was Chic Assignment number 4, on the plane ride over. It's not easy taking a long-haul flight with four kids (including a baby and toddler!) So not stressing the small stuff was a must for me. I have to say that in order to get through the flight I had to also remain very present and accepting of the circumstances. Lots of prayer was happening too :)

Thank you for joining me for a wonderful year of Chic Assignments. What an enjoyable treat it has been to do this with you each month. As mentioned, I will take January off for the Chic Assignment, and it will resume in February, 2020.

I would like to thank the Elegant Connoisseurs, the top tier of the Memberships feature on my YouTube channel. Some of the ladies are artists, some business women, some are content creators, some are working professionals, and some are homemakers, all fascinating and lovely women. I appreciate your patronage!

All the King’s Morsels
American Blossom Linens
Awesome Possum Powers
Azalia Spa Goods
Inspired by Nikki
Not-So Desperate Housewives
Secret Owl Society
Something to Cherish
Christina Bolla
Caroline Haydu
Jet Rowley-Herron
Jenny Candelaria
Katherine Rae
Linda Eklof
Maria Conder

News
📍Join The Connoisseur Club by becoming a member of The Daily Connoisseur through the MEMBERSHIPS feature. I will be doing one livestream as well 3 episodes of my new Vodcast (a video podcast) per month. The lowest tier is $1.99 a month. Upper tiers receive recognition in videos and even mail. (Link must be accessed on a computer.)

📍Thank you for your wonderful support of my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS.

📍Check out my affordable eCourses: The Ten-Item Wardrobe, Chic Financial Principles for Debt-Free Living, and How to be Efficient at Home.

On Instagram
Follow me on Instagram for updates from our England trip...

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🇬🇧 #England #hamptoncourt #ivisiteverytime #tudors #henryviii #royals #dailyconnoisseur #connoisseurkids #lessonsfrommadamechic

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Dec 22, 2019 at 4:49am PST

Comment of the Week
On Instagram, jayasjohnson writes, "So refreshing to see an Instagram picture where the person is not angled to the side and is smiling normally and happily. You look gorgeous! Merry Christmas !"

Jaya, your comment made me laugh. Thank you! I can't stand the fake poses either :) Merry Christmas.


I hope you enjoyed today's Chic Assignment season finale. I would love to know how the assignment this month impacted you. I am wishing you a very Merry Christmas and I will see you soon.

With love,

Jennifer


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Our tour of the English countryside continues as we explore Hampton Court Palace, Henry VIII's favorite home. My husband and the girls get lost in the maze, we marvel at the bountiful kitchen garden and tour the magnificent palace. My favorite part of the visit was the Chapel Royal. It was a special trip, indeed! I loved visiting Hampton Court Palace. There was so much we didn't get to see, I wish I had another day to explore... but we will have to save that for next time. I hope you enjoy today's video.



Here is information on the historical nature of the maze from the Hampton Court Palace website:

The maze at Hampton Court was designed by George London and Henry Wise and commissioned around 1700 by William III. Originally planted using hornbeam and later replanted using yew, the Hampton Court Maze covers a third of an acre, is trapezoid in shape and is the UK's oldest surviving hedge maze.

The maze itself is referred to as a multicursal or puzzle maze and is known for confusing and intriguing visitors with its many twists, turns and dead ends. On average, it takes 20 minutes to reach the center.

As you will see in the video, my husband and the girls tried to reach the center of the maze and got separated. The baby and I hightailed it out of there as soon as I saw the exit! The thought of being lost in a maze is not as appealing to me. I hope you get a laugh out of Mr. Connoisseur's hijinks in today's video.

News
The Haute Ticket is too busy reading Lessons from Madame Chic to create their own capsule wardrobe!

Take my new eCourse on the ten-item wardrobe. With over an hour of never-before-seen video instruction, notes and quizzes, you will feel prepared to create your own ten-item wardrobe. For those of you who already do the ten-item wardrobe, this course will keep you on track and provide further inspiration. The course is self-paced and includes a lively comment section with other ten-item wardrobe enthusiasts. Enjoy!



Comment of the Week
Linda A writes, "I'm a 79 year old fan of yours! I've purchased two of your books which have inspired my granddaughters to follow your lead. One recently spent half a year in France between high school and college as a result. Even my daughter-in-law who is an excessive accumulator of "stuff" has begun to get rid of a lot! Wow. Keep up the good work and try hard not to let the "critics" affect your joy in doing life your way. Hugs from Tennessee."

Hi Linda, I got a kick out of your comment. Thank you so much for your support of my work and for sharing it with your family. I appreciate you!


Today I would love to know... have you ever visited Hampton Court Palace? Do you enjoy learning about the Tudor period? What's your favorite book on the Tudor period? Aren't you glad you weren't married to Henry VIII? :) Let me know in the comment section and yours could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.


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Hello everyone, how I've missed you! I am back from my summer vacation and am renewed and excited for this new season of The Daily Connoisseur. I hope that you have had a great month and were able to spend quality time with your families.

Before this post begins, I'd like to extend my thoughts and prayers to the people of Texas who have been affected by Hurricane Harvey. I hope that you and your families are safe...

In today's video, I'm sharing some major life updates that are happening in our family right now.

The first major update is... we have moved into a new home and have left Los Angeles! This may come as a big surprise to many of you who have followed me, since it seems we only just moved to our last home. We lived there for two years and loved the home, however, my husband and I have been working toward certain financial goals, which you'll hear about in today's video, that necessitated our move.

The second update is that we are spending an extended period of time in Europe this year (mainly England) to visit my husband's side of the family. Because of this, we are homeschooling our children this year. Homeschooling really frees up your time to travel as you do not have to wait for the scheduled school breaks. This has been a decision that we have studied and researched about for an entire year and not one that we have taken lightly. Thank you in advance for your supportive comments in this endeavor! For much more on the subject, be sure to watch today's video.

News
Lessons from Madame Chic is out in Vietnam from Bloom Press.

LESSONS FROM MADAME CHIC is now out in Vietnam from Bloom Books ❤️ #MADAMECHIC #MADAMECHICVietnam #jenniferlscott #dailyconnoisseur

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Jul 31, 2017 at 9:56am PDT

Today, I would love to know... what requests do you have for the upcoming season on The Daily Connoisseur? If there is anything you'd like to see, please leave your request below. If you are interested in hearing more about debt-free living, please let me know in the comment section below. Also, if any of you are homeschooling parents, please leave me your best advice down below. Your comment could be chosen as comment of the week.

It's wonderful to be back and I will see you soon!


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I hope you had a great 4th of July weekend! I am back in America after a short trip to England. What a wonderful time we had! Today I have a short video showing one of my favorite places in England, Richmond Upon Thames.




Check out this week's video for a mini tour. We go to the Terrace Gardens, Petersham nurseries and take a walk along the Thames. In the middle of the video you will hear a very talented violinist perform by the river. Classical music connoisseurs: can you tell us what song he is playing? (A bit of music trivia is always fun!) You can leave your answer in the comment section below or tweet or facebook me.

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

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
Spend some time this week in a garden, whether it be in your back yard, the local park or on a special trip. Enjoy the beauty that surrounds you and be very present while there.


Speaking of beautifully scented roses, here are the David Austin Gertrude Jekyll roses from the garden of my mother and father in-law's house. This rose has the most incredible scent! A strong, traditional rose fragrance emminates from every bloom.

News
Style Sprinter recommends Lessons from Madame Chic among great company in her What to Read in the Hamptons list.

For the Love of Organizing has selected Lessons from Madame Chic for her July book club! Check out Laura's introductory video here.

Enchanted blog writes about rejecting the new materialism as discussed in Lessons from Madame Chic.

Fab le Frique talks Paris and Lessons from Madame Chic.

At Home With Madame Chic is making waves in Italy and the Czech Republic!


L'eleganza del riordino from publisher Piemme.


S Madame Chic doma from Mlada Fronta

Comment of the Week

Patrish writes:

Just a quick note on aprons: they have something that most clothing for women does not--pockets! I love to listen to audio books while cleaning/cooking and the apron pockets hold my phone or ipod and earbuds so they are always within reach when I have a few minutes. I also have a small coin purse that holds a house key (ever locked yourself out while taking out the trash?), lip balm and a few dollars in case I need to tip a delivery person. I transfer the coin purse to whatever apron I'm wearing. I won't buy an apron without pockets.

Thank you Patrish! While I don't keep a coin purse in my apron, I do love to listen to podcasts or music while I work around the house and love my apron pockets for the very same reason.

Artistic Recommendation

Elizabeth writes:

After I read your first book - I watched the film Amelie - it was lovely. I came across another film starring Audrey Tautou - Delicacy. It is a beautiful film and Ms. Tautou is outstanding - I just wanted to recommend it to you if you haven't seen it. I love your books and am looking forward to the release of Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic.

Best wishes,

Elisabeth


Thank you Elisabeth. I am looking forward to watching Delicacy!

This week I would love to know... how are you spending your summer holidays?


Music featured in video is: Beethoven Pathetique Sonata 2nd Movement


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Downton Abbey season 3 aired here in America last Sunday and what a delight it was. This show has cast a spell on us. There is something so mesmerizing about that grand English country house and its inhabitants. Well for all fellow Downton fanatics I have a marvelous book recommendation for you...

Ashenden, by Elizabeth Wilhide, is a positively mesmerizing book about 240 years in the life of an English country house. Each chapter in the novel shares a historical slice of life in the magnificent Ashenden.

The story starts off in present day England with brother Charlie and sister Ros, who have inherited Ashenden from their aunt. Suddenly met with the enormous financial burden the house brings with it, but also intrigued by the prospect of perhaps keeping it, the brother and sister are at odds over what to do with it. While we wonder about the fate of Ashenden, we are taken back in time with a fluid interwoven storyline as we get to meet the people who inhabit the house.

Ashenden is a delightful read. I felt very attached to the house by the end of the book and didn't want it to end!

I was lucky enough to interview the author, Elizabeth Wilhide, who gives us more insight to the book below. And be sure to check out the end of this post to see how you can win a copy of Ashenden for your own library!

What inspired you to write Ashenden?

Ashenden is based on a real house, Basildon Park, which I visited – almost by accident – in the spring of 2008. My husband and I were intending to visit a garden nearby, which turned out to be closed, and we ended up at Basildon instead. I knew I wanted to write about it as soon as I set foot in it and felt the insistent tug of its symmetry. I knew I had to write about it when I read the guidebook and discovered how closely its changing fortunes mirrored that of the country’s history.

How did you research the different historical periods you write about in the novel?

I’ve made my living as a writer on design, interiors and architecture for many years, so I already knew how this type of house would be decorated and furnished and how it would be used at any given period– that was a tremendous help! A few of the stories in the novel are closely based on real events associated with Basildon Park; most use the house as a springboard for my imagination. Chance research online led me to a site detailing POW camps in Britain during World War II, which was a thrilling discovery and became the starting point for the chapter Hut C.

Do you have a favorite historical period?

In terms of design, I love the clarity and elegance of the Georgian period. But social history in general has always fascinated me – what people wore, what they ate, how they worked, how they survived times of change…

What can you tell us about the state of many of these historic English country houses today?

Unlike Basildon Park – and its fictional counterpart – many country houses were demolished in the 1950s and 1960s. Years of decline, death duties and the depredations of the war years simply made them too expensive to maintain. Sadly, one ended up as hardcore under the M1 motorway. Many of those that remained were saved by the National Trust and opened to the public. Today, income from visitors is often not enough to run these places and they have had to fall back on other sources of revenue. Basildon, for example, featured as Netherfield in the 2005 adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and the location fees helped pay for essential repairs to its stonework.

What is your writing routine?

My day starts with the Guardian cryptic crossword – it’s my commute! Then it’s chiefly a question of avoiding or failing to avoid distractions, including demon Twitter. Ashenden was written in my spare time, in the evenings and at weekends. At present, I’m trying to get my imagination to switch on earlier in the day…

What's next for you?

I’m about a third of the way into a new novel set largely in London during World War II. I’ve always been drawn to this period and I’m particularly interested in the gap between the myth-making that went on during this period and what actually took place.

Thank you Elizabeth!

Giveaway

To win a copy of this book, please follow these guidelines:

1. Leave a comment below stating your first and last name (or last initial) and what city you are from (please note, due to restrictions, this giveaway is only open to US & Canada residents only).

2. Let us know in your comment what your favorite historical novel or movie is.

3. To be entered twice in the giveaway, either tweet about this giveaway, or post about it on your facebook page. Please let me know in the comments if you have done this so I will know to enter you twice.

The winner will be announced one week from today. Good luck!

Check out Ashenden on Amazon.

Find Elizabeth Wilhide on Twitter @EWilhide

News for Lessons from Madame Chic

♥ I am featured in the Charlotte Observer this week for an article called, The right 10 pieces can help you build the perfect wardrobe.

♥ Parisien Salon gives Lessons from Madame Chic a great review and they are doing a giveaway in their article called Twenty Lessons on Leading a Stylish Life.


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Before this week's post begins be sure to check out my latest video entitled My Favorite Jeans. In the video I show you my beloved J Brand Skinny jeans and the various ways in which I wear them. If you are not able to see the embedded video below click here, look in the sidebar of this blog or visit my channel: www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur



And now for this week's post...

My time in England is coming to a close and I will be back home by the end of the week! While here I have been paying very close attention to the vibe of everyday style. I love doing this. When I lived in Paris I noticed the paired down, minimalistic effortless chic clothing that comprised so many women’s daily wardrobes- A line skirts, colorful sweaters, neck scarves, low heeled sandals. In California it is a whole other matter- Casual luxe reigns there- designer jeans with a deliberate rip in the knee, James Perse t-shirts, sandals, pedicures and sunglasses.

British style is a whole other beast. I would best describe the style I’ve seen here as ‘eccentric chic’.

British street style is whimsical, eccentric and edgy. The women here are not afraid to take risks or go for trends. Having said that a lot of them march to the beat of their own drum and ignore trends all together.

Allow me to elaborate.

Edgy Fashionistas: When in London shopping on New Bond St. I noticed several women in what I would call 'extreme harem pants'- a slouchy pant with jutting angles at the hip. One woman paired her extreme harem pants with maroon suede ankle boots, a white tank top and grey vest. She had her hair in a messy top bun. She wore edgy eyeliner and sharp pink nails. She looked as though she had just been styled to walk down the runway- but I think she was just walking to work. Imagine wearing that to the office!

Free Spirited Eccentrics: I’ve noticed a lot of black opaque tights paired with bright ballet flats: this look is either worn with a dress or shorts. I’ve noticed a lot of tight leggings and high riding boots. Colorful bra straps peeking out of see through crochet tops. Messy up-dos. Feathers and bows pinned in the hair. Eyeliner and bright lipstick. Pretty floral dresses worn with something quirky like a chunky sweater or a leather vest.

Sophisticated Statement: The most conservative looks come from the women of a certain age that wear timeless, sophisticated clothing- cashmere sweater sets, Hermès bags, driving loafers and statement jewelry. These women are always well groomed and usually wear le no makeup look as well. It is this group of women that seem to take their fashion cues from Paris.

Around every corner there are surprises. There doesn’t seem to be a ‘uniform’ for British women- and based on my above descriptions you can see why I have labeled their look ‘eccentric chic’.

I admire many things about British style- the women here seem to have a lot of fun with fashion. They don’t appear to dress for sex appeal like they do in L.A. and I don't see the minimalistic elegance (from the younger generation anyway) that I saw in Paris. There is a mad, artistic vibe that prevails here- an originality that is very fun to observe.

Of course out of all these styles my favorite British style icon is one who I haven't mentioned yet- Catherine the Duchess of Cambridge who is inspiring the world with her ladylike and sophisticated sartorial choices. She is in a category all her own.

I would love to know… what are your thoughts on British style?

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