Beauty

Summer Beauty Kit

The pleasures of summer put different demands on our skin and beauty routine. This is the time to lighten up your look and add a little sheen. Humid temperatures making your skin act up? I have just the thing to soothe your skin. Need a little sparkle to rev up your evenings? There are new makeup options that will help you shine from head to toe. Come with me and check out all the latest goodies you're going to want to add to your summer beauty kit!
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Cheers!

Getting Re-Acquainted with Old Friends

If you spend enough time with wine-lovers, you know that there are certain phrases that get repeated time and time again. “That’s good juice!” “Man, that wine’s got a long life ahead.” “Personally, I prefer the nuance of Old World reds and the power of New World ones.” There’s nothing wrong with these phrases or the sentiments they convey: They are merely commonly expressed opinions that reflect personal perceptions or preferences regarding the wine under discussion.
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Cheers!

The Weight of Words: The Language of Tasting Notes

My friend Scott Turnbull, sommelier at the excellent Fountain Restaurant at The Four Seasons Hotel Philadelphia, is a wine lover, pure and simple. And despite the prestige and high profile of his job--he manages, and pairs food with, one of the top wine cellars in the region--he’s the kind of person who is in this line of work because he truly enjoys wine. Read More

Entertaining

Hosting an Intimate Dinner Party

Creating a truly memorable event is always a tough challenge.  Whether it is a birthday party, holiday gathering, a wedding reception, or an intimate dinner at home with friends, the key to an unforgettable celebration is careful planning and details, details, details! The first step in planning is determining the purpose of the event; no matter what size the event; and what you want to accomplish.
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Etiquette

Vacation Time! Travel Tipping Etiquette

Summer is here, which means “Vacation Time!” Many of us traveling for pleasure have high hopes to receive excellent service along the way. Our tipping habits can make the difference between good service and great service, but many times, we are confused about whom to tip, when to tip, and the appropriate amounts to tip.
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Etiquette

Symphony Etiquette: Protocol of the Hall

If you are a patron member of your local symphony, or if it is your obligatory duty to attend a concert just once a year, it is of utmost importance to help enhance the experience and not be an embarrassment to yourself and everyone around you without even knowing it. Good concert etiquette helps both the audience have a wonderful musical experience and helps the musicians perform to the best of their ability. Read More

Gourmet Gallery

Perfect Peach Cobbler

A cobbler belongs to the family of old fashioned homespun desserts that have interesting names like crisps, crumbles, brown Betties and pandowdies. What they all have in common, besides their funny names, is their thick bubbling layer of juicy sweet fruit covered with a crust. The crust does vary by dessert and can be either dropped by spoonfuls on top of the fruit or rolled and cut into biscuits before placing on the fruit.
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Health & Wellness

Surprisingly Unhealthy Foods: What to Choose Instead!

What to eat?  Seems like a simple question, but it’s one that can vex even the most savvy eater, especially when trying to make sense of food packaging.  How many times do you browse the grocery aisles trying to discern the “best” pasta, cereal or bread?  Most concerned healthy eaters know the obvious, like there is no fruit in “Froot Loops.”  But what about “grown up foods”? You know, those labeled as “whole grain,” “all natural” or “healthy”?
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Health & Wellness

Defy the Diagnosis: Type 2 Diabetes

There are some things that we have absolutely no control over. Our age, our height, our gender is set when we’re born.  Our tendency to hold on to weight or to be “naturally thin” may feel like something you’ve inherited from your family, but I can tell you from personal experience that being “naturally thin” is an oxymoron. Read More

Image

Is Your Image as Great as You?

When others look at you, do they see your greatness, your true value? Or do they see a person whose irreverent image shouts “take me as I am.”  When you let your image down, you actually let your Self down – even though you may not be aware of it.  The person you see in the mirror each day speaks volumes to you before you head out the door. You may look in the mirror, sigh and say, “Aw, what does it matter” or smile and shout “Yes! I’m going to conquer the world today?” You don’t need a crystal ball to predict your future; all you need is a mirror.
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