One of the habits that made a big impression on me in Paris was how both Madame Chic and Madame Bohemienne loved to entertain guests. They had dinner parties at least once a week. The style of their parties varied- Madame Chic held more formal affairs and Madame Bohemienne's were more casual and spontaneous, but what they held in common were how welcome you felt as a guest. They never apologized for the state of their dress or their home or their cooking. You were always offered a refreshment, or aperitif, immediately upon arrival and were generally made to feel very comfortable. I believe it is because they had people over so often and so regularly that being a hostess was just like second nature for them.

Most people have a story, whether good or bad, about a time they were a guest in someone's home. When we have guests over we want them to feel welcome right away. This week's video shares my basic guidelines for receiving guests properly.

1. Get accustomed to using your best- If you use your best on a daily basis, it won't feel awkward to do so when company comes over.

2. Shed your insecurities and don't apologize- While it's important to get your home ready for guests, don't obsess about the details. Let their knock on the door be a signal for you to drop any insecurities that you may have about the state of your home or whether or not they will like your cooking. Don't apologize for yourself, your skills or your home. Your guests are most likely just happy to have been invited over!

3. Designate a space for their belongings- Let your guests know where they can place their handbag, coat and umbrella, or place their belongings there for them.

4. Always offer a drink to your guests upon their arrival- It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of seeing your friends, but don't forget to offer them something to drink when they arrive. They might be really thirsty or would really appreciate a strong cup of coffee.

5. Provide food if your guests are visiting during a mealtime- If you are inviting people over during a mealtime (noon or 7pm, for example) you must provide them with a meal.

Check out this week's video for a more comprehensive discussion on the subject. If you are unable to see the video above, click here, look in the sidebar of this blog, or visit my channel (and subscribe!) www.youtube.com/TheDailyConnoisseur


News
At Home With Madame Chic is going into its second printing with Simon & Schuster! Thank you readers for embracing this book on how we can live better at home.

Pink Julep is bringing At Home With Madame Chic along with her on a journey.

I will appear on Nippon Television's The Most Useful School in the World, Saturday, May 23rd at 7pm in Japan.

Madame Chic Inspiring Thought
Make connecting with people face to face (rather than screen to screen) a priority again. Invite a neighbor or one of your friends over for a cup of tea this week.

Comment of the Week
Madame Chic reader, Shannon, has tried the ten-item wardrobe and says:

Now in the morning when I slide open the closet door there is a sense of giddiness and excitement instead of dread or stress. What favorite outfit should I wear today? It doesn’t bother me to don the same dress twice or on one occasion three times a week because I love it so much. I have also built up my accessories to the point where I can easily change the look of dress with a belt, scarf or cardigan and it feels new. I’ve narrowed down my colors so that most things coordinate. Thanks again for the inspiration. It’s been a great life change!

Shannon, I am so happy you are reaping the benefits of the ten-item wardrobe. I hope it continues to positively influence your everyday life going forward!


Before we go, I would just like to say Happy Mother's Day to all of the Daily Connoisseur moms out there. I am so fortunate to have such a lovely mother who raised me well. All mothers deserve the highest accolades and respect for doing the best and the hardest job on earth. I hope you had a great weekend.

This week I would love to hear about your stories as a hostess or a guest. Do you have any horror stories to share? Any wonderful experiences that left an impression on you? Let us know in the comments and you could be picked as the comment of the week!


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I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day weekend! Last week was very special for us as we celebrated our youngest daughter's first birthday. I can't believe the year has flown by so quickly. We marked the occasion with delicious food, homemade cupcakes and a puppet show of Goldilocks and the Three Bears.

Here is a picture of the buffet table. For flowers I arranged a lilac and hydrangea bouquet. It was fragrant and abundant and perfect for spring.



What you can't see in the picture are the pink streamers and balloons hanging from the ceiling. I was in a bit of a rush that day to get everything ready on time and did not think to take a picture!



For the cupcakes I made a simple vanilla cake recipe and this homemade strawberry frosting, which turned out to be so delicious. It takes a little bit of effort but is well worth it to have an all natural frosting. The strawberry flavor from this recipe is delicate and velvety. I made both the cupcakes and frosting the day before, kept them sealed and separate until the following day, then I frosted them right before the party began. (I refrigerated the frosting only.)

I also made tea sandwiches: smoked salmon with herbed cheese and cream cheese cucumber, and had assorted salads available. Even though the food looks elegant and grown-up, it was all very kid-friendly! We used paper plates and napkins decorated with fairies...

Here is a picture of Goldilocks in the puppet show, which was performed by Puppet Theater on Wheels . (I love puppet shows. Remember the one I saw on the barge in Richmond Upon Thames?)




And finally, a photo of the hydrangea bouquet a few days later. I change the water in the vase every day to make the arrangement last as long as possible.



As the years go on I'm having more and more fun planning these parties. It was a wonderful gathering and most important, our baby really enjoyed it... which is all that matters!

News

♥ Check out this great article in Rebellious Magazine called Creating a Mom-drobe Part 1. In the article, Megan Cottrell tries out the ten-item wardrobe for herself.

♥ Lessons from Madame Chic is mentioned on My Life in Focus blog in an article called Paris AND New York.

♥ I posted my ten-item wardrobe for spring video on Huffington Post Style and it has received a great response from the community! In the article I also answer the question: do Parisians actually call it a ten-item wardrobe?


I hope you have a wonderful week. See you soon! x

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