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8 Quick Entertaining Must-Haves for the Impromptu Guest

Always be prepared for the unexpected guest. Whether it is a friend stopping by after work or neighbors gathering on the front porch for an impromptu drink, here are a few tips so you are always party ready.

15 Items Every

Powder Room

Needs

Whether you are entertaining overnight guests or friends just dropping by, the powder room is the one area all will ask to visit. Have you taken inventory of this part of your home lately? Make your bathroom boutique beautiful by implementing our top points below. 

Gifts Ideas for
the Mom in Your Life

May can be a crazy month with the chaos of end of school activities, home projects, and travel plans. But we need to hit pause for one day to celebrate the special mom in our life. With hearts of gold and putting others before themselves, we have gathered a list of ideas to help you honor the special lady in your life.

Gather Around the Table this Easter

A few years back my husband and I attended a play that was an adaptation of the classical movie Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner, which originally starred Sidney Poitier, Katharine Hepburn, and Spencer Tracy. It was a beautifully written, and quite comical, story based on the difficulties families faced in the 1960s with inter-racial marriage. The scene that stood out the most to me was when the son was trying to bring both families together for dinner. In the last line of the last act, he turns to his father and says, “Dad, we need you at the table.” With that, the father joined the others, and the audience was left with the understanding that healing had begun.

My 10 Favorite 
Hostess Gifts

Giving a party requires a great deal of work. If you have been fortunate enough to be included in a festive soiree, it is nice to arrive with a gift for the hostess. The typical present will cost anywhere from $15-$100. What you spend will be determined by your relationship and the type of event. Is it a formal dinner? A backyard BBQ? Also, when possible, know the likes and dislikes of your hostess. If she is allergic to flowers, you probably will not arrive with a bouquet in hand.

How to Create
a Tablescape
in 8 Steps

1. Choose the table. Will you use a round that seats four or a rectangle that seats twelve? This decision will determine your centerpiece.

12 Tips on Dog
Etiquette

Warmer weather will be arriving soon, and I am seeing more of our four-legged members making an appearance in the dog parks and on walking trails. With pets taking more prominent roles in our lives, I thought it would be good to brush up on basic dog etiquette and ownership responsibilities.

Let's Celebrate

Meeting friends for dinner after work, grabbing coffee with your girlfriend or just ordering pizza on a Friday night with neighbors. We all have a deep desire to be connected in a world that often forgets the importance of relationships. Many of us have the desire to entertain, but we let our circumstances keep us from extending hospitality. Often it revolves around our lack of confidence in our ability to host events. I get this!

The Art of
Toasting

A toast may be offered in any setting and made to an individual or a group. Increase your confidence at your next social gathering by learning the ins and outs of this ancient tradition.

A Party Idea
for Each
Month of the
Year

A perfect entertaining year for me would be hosting a different themed party each month! Will I do that? No. Will I dream about it? Yes! If I cannot have a party every 4 weeks, I can at least help my Lisa Lou family with ideas so hopefully a few of you can carry the torch of hospitality for the rest of us.

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  • Writer's pictureLisa Lou
    • May 19, 2020
    • 2 min read

Rocking Chair Challenge


In our family when we make decisions whether we should proceed with a certain goal, we view our choices through the eyes of the “rocking chair test.” Think about something you want to accomplish. Now, imagine you are about to turn 100! You are sitting in your rocking chair, looking back at the life you have lived. Dwell on the current goal you have in mind. Is this something, at 100, you will regret not having pursued? Even if it meant your pursuit failed. If so, you should consider moving forward with your plan.


No matter how detailed we get or how much we stress test our plans, ultimately, my husband and I apply the rocking chair test to everything we do. This simple trick also helps us stay motivated when the challenge becomes difficult. We let ourselves feel the regret that will ultimately come if we do not try.


I want to challenge each of us to apply the rocking chair test just for the next 30 days while we are still in some type of quarantine.

What would you like to accomplish?

When you look back, how will you have improved your life?

Did you master that difficult recipe?

Have you improved your artistic skills?

Maybe you lost 5 pounds (or gained…it could be your plan😊).

If you run a business, what actions will you implement to move your company forward?


There is no end to where these questions can go. The main thing we do not want is to look back at this time and see that it was wasted. For me, I have several projects in the works. I do not enjoy being told to stay home, but I do love what I am able to accomplish! I would love to hear from you! Let’s share what we are doing.

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