New On The Blog

The Last Act
of a Gracious
Guest

The day after a party a gracious guest will follow up with a thank you note or phone call. Do this within 1-2 days so your appreciation does not seem stale. The formula for a thank you looks like this:

Observing Official Protocol
Seating at a
Dinner Party

Some dinner parties require a more formal protocol. For example, a military dinner will have strict guidelines as to where personnel will sit. If you are hosting a client dinner, you might also prefer a more formal arrangement. Even in a casual setting, you can choose to follow protocol to honor a special guest. The below description is based on a social party (vs. business), a rectangular table, and includes both men and women:

Seating for a
Dinner Party

When hosting a dinner party, where you place your guests around the table is a crucial element for the success of your event. You presumably put thought into who you invited to the gathering. Do not stop there. The placement of each person around the table is something that should not be thrown together at the last minute.

5 Tips on
Entertaining
with Young
Children

I love entertaining friends and family in my home, especially during the holidays. But I must admit, it can be a bit overwhelming hosting a dinner party in the stage of life with little ones running around. The cooperation I receive from my toddlers is a significant factor in how efficient I am on a daily basis. Add in hosting a party, and it can be overwhelming. If you find yourself wanting to gather friends for a festive evening, here are my tried-and-true tips for entertaining with young children:

My Party Needs a
Rehearsal?

Planning a party can be fun, but do you know the best way to ensure everything runs smoothly? Have a rehearsal for your party. Yes, you heard correctly. You have spent a great deal of time planning your theme, creating your guestlist, and delivering your invitations. Now is the time to do a mock rehearsal which will allow you to create an action list of outstanding items around your home that might need attention. It also helps solidify any last-minute details.

13 Dinner
Party Skills
You Should
Know

These thirteen tips will get your through any dinner party. Here is a quick refresher. 

1. Leave The Cocktail Glass Behind:

If you are attending a dinner party, there may be cocktails offered before the meal begins. When the hostess signals it is time to head to the dining room, leave your drink behind. Why? The dining table has been pre-set with the glasses you will need and adding another to your place setting will only clutter the minimal real estate in front of you. Your palate is another reason to leave the cocktail behind. Many hostesses go to great lengths to pare wine with the food being served. Once seated at the table it is time to switch to wine or water.

Attire: What Do I Wear to
the Party?

You just received an invitation to a party, and the attire says: Shabby Chic; Razzle Dazzle; Cowboy Couture. What??? Word to hostesses: when listing the attire on the invitation for a party, make it clear. We do not want our guests to solve a riddle to understand what is expected of them. There is a phrase I like to quote, “To be unclear is to be unkind.”

How Do I Do an introduction?

Table manners are the area in which I receive the most questions, but it is introductions that have people the most baffled. After I explain the correct way to conduct an introduction, I often get that starry-eyed stare that tells me, “I really don’t understand what you just said.” To help all of us, I have broken down the process into a simple format. Before I proceed, let me say this. Do not let a lack of confidence in managing an introduction keep you from DOING an introduction. Even if you are unsure, most people do not care.

How to Be the
Perfect Dinner
Guest

When attending a party, there are certain expectations we have of our hostess. We appreciate everything she has done, but we do assume there will be food, drinks, a clean bathroom, and a home that does not smell like the local pet store. What some people forget is there are also expectations of the guest. When a hostess plans a party, a great deal of time is spent deciding who she will invite. What group of friends go well together?

Making an Entrance with Confidence

Have you ever seen someone walk into a party looking scared, so unsure of themselves, and then watched them slink off to an obscure corner? Their body language screamed, “I wish I was anywhere but here!”

6 Important
Points for the
RSVP

You are invited!!! There is something special we feel when we receive an invitation. It is the anticipation of a celebration, the excitement of choosing what to wear, but more importantly, it is the affirmation that tells us, “I was chosen!” We know a hostess has responsibilities to ensure her party is a success, but did you know there are expectations of the guests? And your first job begins when you receive an invitation that says RSVP. Follow the six steps below and the hostess will be singing your praises!

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  • Lisa Lou
    • Sep 7, 2021
    • 2 min read

What Every Powder Room Needs


Friends are visiting at home more these days. Without fail, the one room most will need to use is the guest bathroom. Have you taken inventory of this area lately? It is an easy space to make boutique beautiful. Here is the list I reference to keep this area ready and waiting.

Mouthwash: I place the mouthwash in a crystal decanter and then use a tray to hold 2-ounce disposable cups and paper hand towels. If you choose fabric hand towels, have several. People do not like to use wet towels.

Paper Guest Towels: I keep a big inventory of these. Set out a stack. There are many great designs to choose from!

Toilet Paper: Check the current roll. If it is low, switch it out. Always provide a spare roll within sight.

Air Freshener: Does this need an explanation?

Lit Candle: Always welcoming.

Trashcan

Pump Hand Soap: I prefer pump over a bar. Bars remain wet and are less hygienic.

Lotion: A nice touch, especially as much as we wash our hands these days.

Artwork: Have something visually pleasing so guests do not stare at a blank wall while on the seat of honor.

Lights: Overhead lights off unless you can dim them. Ambient lights on. Sconces are great.

Lock: I dread that feeling when I am in someone’s bathroom trying to hold the door shut because there is no lock, while at the same time taking care of business. Yikes!

Mirror: Although rare, I have been in powder rooms without a mirror. This item is a must!

Rug: This provides added texture, softens a room, and adds comfort for standing.

Plunger: This is the one item you may hide in a cabinet. If someone needs it, they will find it!

Master of Disguise: Some powder rooms double as a child’s area. We had to keep the bathtub in the guest bathroom while our son was at home. I disguised it making a curtain for the tub that mimicked the window drapes.

Together with you,

Lisa Lou