Thank you for your wonderful reaction to our latest Things Daily Connoisseurs Say video. Ben and I had so much fun filming it and laughing along with you!



Today, I am going to update you on my Chic Assignment findings for this month... To see the original Chic Assignment post for this month, click here.


Chic Assignment no. 1 Maurice Ravel's Boléro
I have found the mesmerizing and methodical beat of Maurice Ravel's Boléro to be a wonderful piece of music to accomplish things to. Here is a video of Valery Gergiev, conducing with a toothpick (yes, a toothpick!), and here is a video of the Boléro flash mob, which has 14 million views!


Chic Assignment no. 2 Shakespearean Sonnet
I chose the most famous sonnet to read to you this month... Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Sonnet 18:
BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate:
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer’s lease hath all too short a date;
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimm'd;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance or nature’s changing course untrimm'd;
But thy eternal summer shall not fade,
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st;
Nor shall death brag thou wander’st in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st:
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.


Chic Assignment no. 3 Is it al fresco? Or alfresco? What say you? Actually the Italians don't call it al fresco dining... al fresco means "in jail" now in Italian 😆

The phrase al fresco is borrowed from Italian for "in the cool [air]", although it is not in current use in that language to refer to dining outside. Instead, Italians use the phrases fuori ("outside", "outdoor") or all'aperto ("in the open [air]"). In Italian, the expression al fresco usually refers to spending time in jail.

Funny! This reminds me of about Lucia and her use of Italian in the Mapp and Lucia books.

Chic Assignment no. 4 Drink more water As someone who doesn't love drinking water, I have found fruit-infused water to be a delicious incentive to quench my thirst.



I have been using this pitcher and this stirring rod to create delicious and healthful fruit-infused water. I like combining various herb and fruit combinations such as strawberry mint, lemon verbena blackberry, and orange kiwi.

Have you ever tried fruit-infused water?

I would love to hear your updates on The Chic Assignment this month. Tag me on social media with #TheChicAssignment so others can join in. I hope you enjoy today's video.

News
📍PRE-ORDER my new book, CONNOISSEUR KIDS, which comes out September 10th from Chronicle Books. (Formal announcement coming soon.)

📍Visit my newly designed author website.

📍Join me for the Mapp & Lucia book club's final installment, which will take place this summer. You can read my book club announcement here.

📍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
Madame Chic in Poland...

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,,Lekcje Madame Chic" @dailyconnoisseur @wydawnictwoliterackie to niezwykłe lekcje stylu, których autorka uczyła się od francuskiej tradycyjnej rodziny. Tytułowa Madame Chic jest francuską damą z klasą charakteryzującą się prostotą, ładem i porządkiem. Jennifer L. Scott przedstawia nam jak połączyć 10 rzeczy w szafie, i być elegancką kobietą, jak to możliwe, aby zrobić gustowny makijaż w 5 min oraz przekonuje , że mniej wcale nie oznacza gorzej. W książce znajdziesz wiele przydatnych instrukcji, które nauczą cię jak stać się damą. ,,Lekcje Madame Chic " to mądra i inspirująca lektura o tym jak być stylowa. Przyznam szczerze, że sama korzystam z porad jakie przekazuje Jennifer L. Scott a zmiana jaką proponuje autorka nie jest taka trudna do wcielenia w życie. #lekcjemadamechic #jenniferlscott #wydawnictwoliterackie #lessonsfrommadamechic #bookstyle #bookinstagram #booklover #katiaczyta #bookaholic #bookphotography #bookworld #bookinsta

A post shared by Katia (@katiaczyta) on Jun 3, 2019 at 11:54am PDT

Comment of the Week
On The Chic Assignment, Susanne writes, "With regard to drinking more water, I heard it said that it's easier to drink more if you have a water bottle with a straw, and I've found it to be true--for some reason, the straw makes it easier.

Thanks for another inspiring assignment, Jennifer!"

Hi Susanne, I can see how drinking with a straw could help with consuming more water. It's that comforting sip throughout the day that is key. I know, I like to drink iced lattes that way, so perhaps I can change out my caffeine for more water. Thank you for the tip!

Thank you for joining me for The Chic Assignment check-in. As always, I would love to hear your findings. Thank you and I will see you next time!



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Welcome to The Chic Assignment for June, 2019!



As we move into the summer season, I am looking forward to incorporating seasonal qualities to The Chic Assignments. I really enjoyed reading your experiences with the May assignment and can't wait to share this month's Assignments with you.

🎵 Chic Assignment no. 1 Listen: Maurice Ravel's Boléro This is the type of iconic piece that everyone should hear in its entirety at some point in their life. I am linking a YouTube video here with a performance from the Wiener Philharmoniker conducted by the great Gustavo Dudamel. This is not the type of piece you will listen to every day. Even if you only listen to it once while puttering around the house, you've completed the assignment!



There is something mesmerizing about this music. My baby sat watching Gustavo Dudamel conducting and when the piece was over, he clapped! Talk about art appreciation!

📖 Chic Assignment no. 2 Read: A Shakespeare Sonnet


Shakespeare season is upon us: festivals, Shakespeare in the park.... there are many amazing opportunities to see performances, but many of us don't have the time or are not able to find a local production. This month we are going to find one Shakespeare sonnet and read it. One day, take a few minutes to sit down in your reading nook and read the sonnet. If it is difficult to understand (because, let's be honest, they often are!), look up a commentary on it. Let us know which Shakespeare sonnet you chose and how you enjoyed it! I'll be sharing mine during the mid-month check-in. Here is a wonderful resource which lists all of the Sonnets for you to read.

🍴 Chic Assignment no. 3 Dine al fresco Take the opportunity at least once this month to enjoy the fine weather and dine outside. Whether you take a coffee and a croissant on your balcony, or you have a dinner party outside, celebrate the spring/ summer transition by dining al fresco. For all of our Southern Hemisphere friends, dine in a way that celebrates the autumn/ winter season.

💧Chic Assignment no. 4 Drink more water I always need to work on this one... I have plenty of coffee and tea throughout the day, but when it comes to drinking water, I have to force myself to get anywhere near the recommended amount. Do you struggle with this too? Let's cheer each other on this month as we try to drink more water. I usually have a tall glass of water with lemon upon waking and this month I am going to try to drink my recommended amount each day. Here is an article that shares some of the many benefits to drinking enough water.

News

📍Join me for the Mapp & Lucia book club's final installment, which will take place this summer. You can read my book club announcement here.

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

📍Check out my friend, Nikki Moreno's, In Your Words film for June, which was shot in the beautiful Utah mountains. I just love her artistic films!


📍Yesterday, I published a video only on YouTube with my seasonal encouragement to Look Presentable Always. Be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel by clicking the red subscribe button and hit the bell to receive notifications so you never miss a video.



On Instagram
Madame Chic in Italy...

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💝#pink #rubychocolate #kitkat #kitcatclub #coffe #coffeetime #sun #sunshine #instacool #instadaily #instalike #photooftheday #likeforlikes #likeforfollow #like4likes #l4like #fun #l4l #follow #followforfollowback #follow4followback #loveit

A post shared by Grace (@gracev1990) on May 23, 2019 at 7:02am PDT

Comment of the Week Sara B. writes, "I can’t stop thanking you for all your suggestions! Reading your books and watching your videos has made me discover new music (5 new albums of classical and jazz music that I absolutely love!), books (just ordered the first Mapp and Lucia book, Queen Lucia! Paperback and in Italian, for an easy and relaxing reading :) and ways of dressing! You’re elegant and classy but so kind and humble!!! You rock! 🤗"

Thank you so much, Sara! I'm so excited for you to join the Mapp & Lucia book club with us. You have time to read all the books as we are starting late summer.

I look forward to doing The Chic Assignment with you all and can't wait to hear your findings! Please share them below.


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*NEW* Shop my Amazon page for a comprehensive list of my favorite things and mentions on the blog.

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Today we start off at the Welcombe hotel, which sits on land that Shakespeare himself owned, and we end up at Anne Hathaway's Cottage. Anne Hathaway was Shakespeare's wife. The cottage belonged to the Hathaway's for 400 years. It was such a treat to walk through this enchanting thatched cottage. I didn't film inside, so I can describe it here for you. The ceilings were very low and the rooms small, indicating that people back then were much shorter than they are now. My husband, who is over 6 feet tall, had to duck in almost every room!

The cottage is in remarkable shape for being so old and sits on the most beautiful gardens, including a bountiful kitchen garden in front of the cottage and several acres of apple orchards. We were able to pick some of the apples and they were crisp and delicious!

William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway were married in 1582 when Shakespeare was 18 and Anne was 26. She outlived him by 7 years. They had three children, Susanna, and twins, Hamnet and Judith. Tragically, Hamnet died at age 11.

Here is a very striking portrait of Anne...



and a snap of the cottage from my Instagram account...

Anne Hathaway's cottage #Shakespeare #dailyconnoisseur #homeschoolfieldtrip

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Oct 5, 2017 at 3:37am PDT

I hope you enjoy today's video!

News
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!



Cat W writes, "Signed up for your online course and LOVE it! Was a great deal for $5. hope all your fans sign up too. It was great and really kicked me into gear to get started. Love the European tours. Have fun in Europe & enjoy your babies they grow so quick."

Barbara Jacobs from Booklist has reviewed Lessons from Madame Chic.
Scott spent six months in Paris in 2001 as part of a foreign-exchange program. What she observed and learned fills this book. Many of these style secrets—for instance, how to eat and what to wear—can be found elsewhere, but Scott’s 20 tips cover much more than the traditional diet-and-exercise and style-and-beauty. Extremely readable short chapters include recaps of the major points discussed in them, and those points include always looking presentable, realizing that clutter is not chic, cultivating your mind, and living life as a formal affair. Each of those lessons features tidbits Scott picked up from her two Parisian families, here called the Chics and the Bohemians. Throughout, two words appear most often—quality and passion. --Barbara Jacobs



Comment of the Week

Ulrike C. writes:

Hello Jennifer,
Thank you for sharing the beautiful pictures and videos of your Europe trip. I have enjoyed all of them, but this is probably my favorite so far. For one, I have always loved England, although I have not yet been able to travel there. Stratford is definitely on my list of places to visit. Will you be able to see a play while you are there? I also enjoy seeing a bit more of your family. I know you want to keep the kids out of the spotlight and protect their privacy, and I fully agree with that, but it is nice to have an occasional glimpse into that part of your life as a reminder that you are not "only" a writer and blogger, but also a busy mom of young kids.
I would like to recommend a book to you in case you don't know it yet: How to Teach Your Children Shakespeare by Ken Ludwig It is a wonderful introduction into Shakespeare's work, and Ludwig gives good ideas and really a fun method of exploring and enjoying Shakespeare with your children. You can adapt it to any age (okay, your son may be a bit young :-)...), and it is amazing how quickly kids absorb the stories and characters and beautiful language. I love Shakespeare as well, and I have seen several plays as well as movie adaptations. One of my favorite movies is "Much Ado About Nothing" with Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson. I love the setting in Tuscany, and it is so hilarious! I highly recommend it, especially for people who may be intimidated by Shakespeare and fear they might not be able to follow the plot because of the language.
I wish you a wonderful time in Europe! I am from Germany, but I have been in the US for over twenty years, so seeing your pictures makes me a bit nostalgic...

Hi Ulrike, thank you for the book recommendation, I will check it out! With our hectic schedule, we were not able to see a play in England. On our last trip, we were able to take my oldest daughter to see the puppet theatre on the barge in Richmond and it was a sure treat. Thanks for your great comment!

Thank you for joining me for today's vlog. I'll see you on Thursday for the last England adventure where we explore Hampton Court Palace!


For those who have inquired, this video was shot with the DJI Osmo, a handheld camera device for your iPhone.


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Come visit Stratford upon Avon with us in this two-part series. Today, we drive through Shakespeare's hometown, I show you the gorgeous Welcombe Hotel and share about my background as a Shakespearean actress! As a very big Shakespeare fan, I simply adored Stratford upon Avon. I hope you enjoy today's video. In part 2, we get to visit Anne Hathaway's Cottage.

Here is a picture of the beautiful, Welcombe Hotel.


...and a few Instagram snaps from my trip, including the gardens at the Welcombe.

Shakespeare's country 🇬🇧#dailyconnoisseur #MADAMECHIC

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Oct 4, 2017 at 6:46am PDT

#englishgarden

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Oct 4, 2017 at 6:49am PDT

#sisters #England 🇬🇧

A post shared by Jennifer L. Scott (@dailyconnoisseur) on Oct 4, 2017 at 7:45am PDT

News
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
Laura F. writes, "HI Jennifer I quite agree about getting up earlier than the rest of the family it's also my moment of peace before the rush starts, keep up the good work and can't wait for you're next video xx"

Hi Laura, I agree! I need that extra time in the morning to get things done in a peaceful environment where I am uninterrupted by little ones :)

Today I would love to know... have you visited Stratford upon Avon? What is your favorite Shakespeare play? Have you ever acted in a Shakespearean play? What was your favorite role? What is the nicest hotel you've ever stayed in? Let me know and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.


Visit my Author Website

Facebook facebook.com/JenniferLScottAuthor

Twitter @JL_Scott

Instagram @dailyconnoisseur

Take my eCourse on the Ten-Item Wardrobe

Sign up for my Seasonal Author Newsletter


FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own.