UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS to Marija Charlton, who has won the Reija Eden Jewelry giveaway.

Marija, please contact me with your details and I will ensure your jewelry is sent to you. Thank you to all who have entered! And thank you to Reija Eden Jewelry for offering such a generous giveaway.



Happy Memorial Day. Today we are giving thanks to our veterans who have given the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. We honor you and thank you!

In today's favorites video, I'm sharing some of my favorite finds for the upcoming summer season. I'm also doing my very first YouTube giveaway on my channel! I'm giving away a necklace and a bracelet from Reija Eden Jewelry. Reija Eden is a fan of both The Daily Connoisseur and the Madame Chic books, and she contacted me with the wonderful idea of doing this giveaway.

The winner of the giveaway will win:



Reija Eden Sparkly Rose Gold Raw Sapphire Necklace
The raw sapphire necklace is made with hand wire wrapped tiny raw sapphire stones and 14K rose gold filled chain. The necklace is a beautiful everyday piece and will instantly dress up any outfit. The grey, sparkly raw sapphires are combined with rose gold for a unique combination that is feminine and modern. The necklace is designed to let your inner beauty shine.



Reija Eden Amazonite Gemstone Essential Oil Beaded Bracelet

The amazonite gemstone bracelet features genuine amazonite gemstones and is designed to be used as an essential oil diffuser bracelet. The amazonite gemstones have naturally occurring variations making each bracelet unique. No two bracelets are exactly the same due to the variation in the hues of the stones. The black lava beads can be diffused with essential oils for aromatherapy on the go. I used my doTERRA frankincense oils in them. Just use a drop or two of your favorite essential oil on the bead and enjoy aromatherapy while you wear the bracelet. Amazonite gemstone and lava beads are said to have healing properties making the bracelet a great accessory to wear during times of stress and when needing calmness.


Reija Eden Jewelry was founded in 2008 in effort to provide beautifully handmade jewelry that also makes a difference while helping women look and feel more beautiful and inspired. The company is centered around kindness and compassion and being environmentally conscious. Reija Eden jewelry pieces have been featured in the Glamour magazine as well as on the TV show SIX. Reija was chosen as one of the mompreneus of Parenting OC magazine in 2016. Reija is a mother of four children who is passionate about jewelry design and helping her clients feel inspired and beautiful while making a difference through charity work. Her designs draw inspiration from her Scandinavian roots, modern architecture, runway fashion and nature. Reija is also very passionate about holistic health and recently started designing essential oil diffuser bracelets as a request of her customers. They have become an instant best seller with the amazonite gemstone bracelet being the most popular design. Reija Eden jewelry pieces are designed for today’s modern woman who is balancing the hectic everyday life while wanting to look put together and be ready to take on the challenges.

You can find Reija Eden jewelry on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

This giveaway is open worldwide. To enter the giveaway you must:

1. Be subscribed to my YouTube channel. To subscribe, simply click the red "subscribe" button. If you'd like to receive notifications by email when a new video goes up, click the "bell" and follow the prompts. I often post my YouTube videos a few hours before the blog goes up.

2. You must leave a comment on the YouTube video sharing your top three "favorites" right now.

The winner will be chosen by a number generator and announced via video two weeks from now.

And now on to the Favorites:




Teavana Passion Tango Iced Tea This was the drink I had in the hospital after giving birth to our son and I've really loved it ever since. It's a really refreshing, non-caffeinated iced tea that tastes great without sugar.



HSI Argan Oil Thermal Heat Protectant Spray I've been looking for a heat protectant for some time now and I really like this one.



Amope Foot File I do my own pedicures, and this foot file really helps to remove the dead skin from your heels. I use it on dry skin and then lather with cream.



Carrot Top Paper Shop Jane Austen Mug I adore Jenny Williams and her etsy shop. Her new Jane Austen mug is so darling and would make a fantastic gift for any Jane Austen fan!



The Adventures of The Wilderness Family Trilogy It's hard to find wholesome family movies that aren't crude and dumbed-down. This trilogy from the 1970s is truly good old-fashioned fun!

News
Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic has now been released in Japan, along with the paperback edition of Lessons from Madame Chic. Thank you to the Japanese readers for your incredible support of my books! The cover is by Annika Wester, Translated by Akiko Kansaki and published by Daiwa Shobo.


Comment of the Week
Regarding The History of Makeup post, Julia G writes: Thank you for reviewing this book! To the best of my knowledge as a former history teacher, the fixation of women aspiring to have fair skin was based on economics. Namely, if you were fair skinned, it meant you spent your time indoors and did not work outdoors where your skin would get tan from the sun. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. I started using Jergen's Natural Glow because I am so pasty living in Alaska. It makes me look healthier, I think. The grass is always greener, right? ;-).

Hi Julia, I enjoyed reading your perspective as a former history teacher. I always find the trends in beauty over long periods of time to be very fascinating!

I hope you enjoyed my favorites today and that you will enter my giveaway for the jewelry. The giveaway is open worldwide so all can enter! See you over on the YouTube channel.

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FTC: This is not a sponsored post. All opinions are my own. Links may be affiliate.

I hope you had a wonderful mother's day weekend! This week, I have two videos for you discussing pregnancy. In today's video, I talk about my own journey with this third pregnancy (I am currently 34 weeks pregnant), with everything from weight gain, to hair loss, to skincare and beauty. I also recommend my favorite non-caffeinated drinks and show you some presentable pajamas. On Thursday, be sure to check back with the blog, because I will answer your motherhood and pregnancy related Facebook questions.

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

Items mentioned in this week's video:

Baby Be Mine maternity nightgown

Everly Grey maternity nursing pajama set

Pero instant natural beverage



Teeccino** Dandelion Caramel Nut (pictured above, made with the coconut cream and almond milk creamer)

Teeccino** Vanilla Nut (this one is my favorite!)

Califia Farms Better Half unsweetened coconut and almond milk creamer (so delicious!)



Rooibos Rocks tea (pictured above, iced)

** There are conflicting reports on whether chicory causes uterine contractions during pregnancy. Teeccino's official statement is that their chicory herbal teas are safe during pregnancy. This is their official statement from their website:

"Is Teeccino safe for pregnant women and nursing mothers?
YES! All the herbs in Teeccino have been in the human diet for thousands of years. There are no stimulants or drugs like caffeine that could cause uterine contractions or hyperactivity by the infant.
Although there is misinformation repeated on some internet sites about chicory being contraindicated during pregnancy, there is no scientific substantiation of this claim. On the contrary, there is the long history of pregnant women drinking chicory-based beverages with no problems whatsoever.
Teeccino is nutritious for both mom and baby. Many health care practitioners, midwives and doctors recommend Teeccino to their pregnant patients. Learn more about the effects of coffee and caffeine on women’s health."

To be safe, be sure to ask your doctor if chicory tea is safe for you to take during pregnancy.

News
La Dame Darling recommends Polish Your Poise with Madame Chic as one of 7 Darling Books for April

Honey We're Home recommends Lessons from Madame Chic and At Home With Madame Chic for great French reads.

Comment of the Week
Last week's discussion on screen time etiquette and addiction was amazing! So many of you chimed in with your observations, questions and musings. I really loved this comment from AquinoFamily99. She was responding to the question that some of you posed, asking about the difference between crayons and screens at restaurants for children. I loved her insights! Here is an excerpt from her comment:

Screens vs paper @ restaurants -
Usually when kids are coloring or writing on paper they are very reachable, as someone else stated. On the screen, whether they are playing or socializing, they are usually unreachable to the people present.
Usually. Not always.

I have read several articles over the last few years about the real, physiological addiction and the brain chemistry concerning electronic games and computers. The symptoms are similar to that of drug addiction where taking the 'drug' away causes withdrawal, denial, guilt and physical illness! It's worse for kids. There are programs and safehouse-type institutions to help addicts!

We keep our kids screen time down to once a week and are very choosy about the games. I have seen the addiction begin first hand in one of my children as his behavior dramatically changed. This is a serious issue.

Screen vs paper books -
I don't think anyone here would judge you for reading on Kindle, checking email, playing a game or using social media, just as we would not judge if you were reading a book.
It's more about when you do these things and whether it's keeping you from living life or spending time with humans.
If you wouldn't pull out a novel on a date, you shouldn't pull out a kindle book or other screen activity.

AquinoFamily99, I couldn't have put it better myself. I really loved your input on both of the issues you touched upon. I have noticed with my own children that when it's time to put the screen away, they develop irrational behavior (tantrums, anger, defiance), where as with a simpler project such as a coloring book and crayons, they do not have such swinging emotions. Because of this, we seriously limit screen time in our house and, like you, are very picky about what they do play with. Thanks for your wonderful comment! And thank you to everyone else you weighed in on this discussion. It's worth checking out the comment section on both the blog and YouTube channel to see what your other connoisseurs are saying about this subject. I will do a part two on this topic one day in the near future.

This week, I would love to know your thoughts on the pregnancy chat. Do you have any stories or recommendations for us? Have you tried any of the herbal coffees or teas I recommend? Also, what do you think about AquinoFamily99's comment on screen time? Let us know, and your comment could be chosen as comment of the week on the blog.

See you on Thursday for part two of the pregnancy chat videos.



FTC: All items mentioned in this video were purchased by me. All opinions are my own.

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Le Palais des Thés, that marvelous French tea company, recently contacted me to review their all new iced tea range.


Exotic, fragrant and quite sophisticated, I am very impressed with their selection. The teas I review in my video are:

Thé du Hammam (green tea with rose, berries, orange flower, green dates—the scents that perfume the famed baths of Istanbul)

Thé des Sources (green tea with mint and bergamot)

The des Alizés (green tea with white peach, kiwi, watermelon)

Wu Long 7 Agrumes (Delicate Oolong tea, scented with Le Palais des Thés' seven citrus blend: natural extracts of lemon, lime, sweet orange, bitter orange, grapefruit, bergamot and mandarin)

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

**Correction- Regarding the Fleur de Geisha cocktail I discuss in the video, it uses dry sparkling wine (not dry white wine and sparkling water). Here is the recipe for those interested:

Fleur de Geisha Sparkling Aperitif:
Infuse .2 oz (or three tea bags) of Fleur de Geisha tea in 10 oz. simmering water for three minutes. Be careful not to boil to avoid bitterness. Filter the leaves or remove the tea bags and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Vigorously shake the tea and .8 oz peach liqueur in a cocktail shaker. Pour into flute glasses to about half the height. Top off with chilled champagne or sparkling wine. Serves five.

And for a fun cocktail recipe using the Thé du Hammam, click here.

For more information on Le Palais des Thés click here, or visit http://us.palaisdesthes.com

FTC: The teas were sent to me by Le Palais des Thés to review. All opinions expressed are my own.

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Thank you for all of your messages this past week. I am still on bed rest but feeling a lot better. I have been spoiled by my friends and family who have looked after me really well.

Today, I have a very exciting tea review for you. The No 1 Ladies’ Teas by The Republic of Tea. So without further ado…

No. 1 Ladies’ Teas

I love tea. I also love The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (I’m currently reading his latest, The Limpopo Academy of Private Detection). So when I saw that the Republic of Tea had released a special collection of teas based on McCall Smith’s bestselling novels it was all too thrilling for me.

I contacted The Republic of Tea requesting samples and they kindly sent them to me last week. The following are the descriptions of the teas along with my notes.


97 Per Cent Citrus Ginger Bush Tea
This tea is clearly dedicated to Grace Makutsi, Mma Ramotswe's assistant detective at The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, who so triumphantly scored 97% on her Botswana secretarial exam. Made with 97% green rooibos and 3% red rooibos, this tea is bright, aggressive and a tad bit bitter, much like Mma Makutsi herself. One to stimulate the mind. The citrus and ginger notes are strong and I also detected notes of lemongrass. It is a lovely bright, invigorating tea.


Speedy Motors Breakfast Black Tea
This tea is described as dependable, much like Mma Ramotswe's husband, Mr. J.L.B Matekoni, who also happens to be the proprietor of Speedy Motors mechanic shop. Reminiscent of Earl Grey minus the citrus note, it’s a nice, mild, yet full bodied black tea for morning. I found it best served with milk.


Precious’ Cup of Comfort Vanilla Red Bush Tea
This was my favorite of the three as I suspected it would be. This rooibos tea is, as the title describes, a cup of comfort… just as warm and enveloping as I imagine Precious Ramotswe to be. Precious’ Cup of Comfort is creamy with rich vanilla notes. It is the sort of tea you could have copious amounts of, without feeling guilty. Really delightful.

It is important to note that these teas come as tea bags in a canister, not as loose leaf tea. The teas sell for $11.50 each. To learn more, visit The Republic of Tea at www.republicoftea.com or to see the collection directly, click here.

All images provided by The Republic of Tea www.republicoftea.com

Until next time!

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I am normally a purist when it comes to drinks. I’ve never been one to get a designer drink like an eggnog spiced latte. I normally just go for a good old fashioned coffee with cream (no sugar). As far as tea goes- much the same. I like green tea, straight up. And I thought I liked rooibos tea that way too until I went out for tea with my friend Amelia and she ordered a rooibos tea latte.

I was instantly curious. It sounds so pretty after all- a rooibos tea latte. Ordering it just sort of rolls off the tongue. But I was very suspicious of potentially adulterating one of my favorite drinks. After all Mma Ramotswe from Alexander McCall Smith’s No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency series drinks rooibos tea plain and silently scoffs when her assistant Mma Makutsi adds milk to it.



But never being one to judge (too much anyway) I decided to try one for myself. A rooibos tea latte is made by steeping rooibos tea and then adding a touch of warm frothy milk (I make mine with soy milk but hemp or almond milk is good too). Thankfully I decided to be adventurous and experiment with my beloved drink because I find this new version to be delicious- it is particularly delightful at breakfast time with fresh fruit!

To see how I make my rooibos tea latte (and to see how I store my tea) watch the above video. 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

I would love to know… what is your favorite morning beverage?



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Now I realize by now you may be royal wedding-ed out. But I do hope you’ll indulge me for this special edition post as I dish out my observations on the big event, connoisseur-style.

It is common knowledge on this blog that I am a devoted Francophile but not many of you know that I am also a hopeless Anglophile as well (after all, I did marry an Englishman!) So of course last Friday’s royal wedding was a complete treat for me- as it was for over 2 billion people around the world.

Here are my reactions, sentiments and recaps:


The bride looked beautiful. Her wedding dress, pitch perfect- the lace sleeves were reminiscent of Princess Grace. She exuded elegance. Her bouquet was a lesson in restraint. She purportedly did her own makeup which boggles my mind- she opted for a slightly heightened variation of le no makeup look. Her hair, simple and unfussy. She is a class act.

Prince William- dapper and doting and very handsome. I will admit, I always wanted to marry Prince William, but as you have probably already figured out, that didn’t happen and as I tell my husband, I got the next best thing! (It’s always good to tell one’s husband things like that).

Prince Harry’s cheekiness was refreshing and very attractive.

I loved the hats! I hope seeing all of those gorgeous hats that were burgeoning on art pieces brings back the fashion of wearing hats to more than just special occasions. I must say that the most alluring hats were the ones that complimented the ladies’ outfit and did not overtake their face. There were a few questionable choices made. I will not name names but you probably know who I am referring to.

As a side note, A few years ago I attended a beautiful English wedding in Stoke Poges at the Stoke Park Club and got to wear a hat for the first time (pictured above). Wearing a hat really adds a heightened sense of drama to an outfit. I sadly had to leave my hat in England as it did not fit in my luggage, and I long to be reunited with it again!

Pippa Middleton, sister of the bride / maid of honor, looked stunning in her alluring cowl neck white dress. What a figure! The fact that she wore white was also very fresh and modern, although I hope it does not spark a trend across the world for wedding guests to wear white!

The only reading in the ceremony, done by Catherine’s younger brother James, astonished me. His public speaking skills were excellent! I can’t imagine doing a reading in Westminster Abbey for all of those esteemed guests and 2 billion people watching all over the world. At my good friend Juliana’s wedding in Miami a few years ago I was asked to read a Shakespearean sonnet during the ceremony and out of nowhere broke into tears halfway through the reading. They were tears of joy for my good friends, of course, but no matter what the reason, it is not pleasant to break into the ‘ugly cry’ in front of a hundred guests, so I can only imagine what would happen if I were to do a reading at a Royal Wedding. I suppose it’s best I wasn’t asked.

The procession, the uniforms, the horses, the carriages, the tradition, the pomp and circumstance of it all enchanted me… we don’t have that in America and it is thrilling to see.

And, of course, the Queen looked lovely in her daffodil yellow ensemble…

To celebrate the royal wedding I threw a tea party for 10 of my girlfriends. I had it catered by the Tudor House Tea Room in Santa Monica as I did not have time to make the food myself (although if I had had the time I would loved to have done so). We served five different kinds of tea sandwiches (cucumber, smoked salmon, turkey cranberry, chicken curry and cream cheese herb and walnut), currant scones with clotted cream and farmer’s market raspberry jam, various confections and mini tarts (including apricot, chocolate, and lemon), fresh strawberries with cream and a large sponge cake with buttercream frosting. Yum.



To drink I decided to go with Mr. Connoisseur’s suggestion of Pimm’s cocktails (a splash of Pimm’s gin with lemon soda, ice and a twist of lemon rind), and French berry lemonade for the ladies who did not want Pimm’s. I gave away commemorative tea towels (pictured above) as presents to each guest.

Oddly enough, at the end of the party I realized we didn’t have a drop of tea! Oops! (I did ask, but everyone seemed contented with their Pimm’s!)

All in all it was a lovely day spent with friends to celebrate a lovely occasion. Cheers to Prince William and Catherine Middleton the new Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. May they have a very happy life together.

** Please note, this special Sunday post will take the place of the regular Monday evening post. Join me again this Thursday for a special skin care review.

** I would like to send my prayers to the families that have lost loved ones on 9/11 and send a thank you to our troops. God Bless America!

What a week!




My Royal Tea Party table is pictured above...

The picture of the Duchess of Cambridge is courtesy of Access Hollywood.

The Daily Connoisseur is now on YouTube and is available on Amazon Kindle

Not being able to drink my favorite teas and coffees while pregnant has proven quite challenging. I normally am a green tea fiend- a connoisseur, if you will, that usually enjoys at least two cups a day. I also love an afternoon coffee (cream, no sugar) **sigh**... Anyway, don’t feel too sorry for me- the day will come when I can enjoy my favorite beverages again. But in the meantime...

I wandered into my favorite tea shop in Los Angeles, Lupicia Fresh Tea, and explained to them my woe in not being able to drink the tea I love (I usually get their Momo Oolong Supergrade or classic Sencha Green Tea) . They explained to me that rooibos tea, or African red bush tea, is actually quite good for pregnant and nursing women and is recommended as being safe to drink. I did my research- and they were correct! So I journeyed back and purchased Jardin Sauvage- a green rooibos tea flavored with mango and citrus- and have been delighting in it ever since. I love rooibos tea anyway (after all, it is Mma Ramotswe’s drink of choice) but this green rooibos has such a smooth, lovely flavor, I'm happy to add this to my repertoire of favorite drinks.

As I write this, I am enjoying a cup- along with a perfectly chilled sliced white peach... a delightful afternoon treat.

My beloved Royal Albert bone china tea set (a present from my mother in law) is pictured above. This antique set makes the ritual of drinking afternoon tea even more special...

I would love to know… what is your favorite tea?