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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 20 – Dinner as the Main Event
Fiona Ferris titled Day 19 “Be Your Own Chef” in her book, 30 Chic Days. In this chapter, Fiona writes about how to take the stressful decision making out of mealtimes. Many of us can relate to her comment that it’s not actually preparing a meal that is so exhausting, it’s the actual deciding about what to prepare. She shares her approach to make mealtime easier: keep a “family favorites menu.” Just like restaurants list what dishes are available, we can keep a list of our favorite meals (and/or dishes) conveniently located in the kitchen. Whenever we are stuck trying to think of what to make, we can pull out…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 19 – Social Generosity
“Socialize in a Relaxed Manner” is title of Day 19 in Fiona Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days. In this chapter, Fiona discusses how to feel comfortable and comport oneself elegantly in social situations. The key, according to Fiona, is to focus more on others than on ourselves. Living in Paris and participating in a multi-cultural environment, I find Fiona’s advice to be spot-on. The secrets to moving comfortably through a variety of social situations are: “If you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything.” The advice given by Thumper’s mother in the movie, Bambi, is just as wise today as it was when the movie was made in…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 18 – We Are Our Habits
Fiona Ferris calls Day 18, “Little and Often” in her book 30 Chic Days. In this chapter, Fiona discusses how our habits, in effect, create our future. She gives a very thoughtful discussion on how we can gently modify our habits so that they are in alignment with our vision of our future. Fiona is not alone in recognizing the astonishing power of our habits to make or break our lives. Almost 300 years ago, Benjamin Franklin spent a great deal of his life thinking about habits. For a lovely introduction to the charming and brilliant Ben Franklin, check out Benjamin Franklin, An American Life, by Walter Isaacson. reviewed here. …
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 17 – Self-Care, Community & Video Conferencing
In Fiona Ferris’s Book, 30 Chic Days, the title of Day 17 is “Take Exquisite Care of Your Grooming.” In this chapter, Fiona discusses some ideas and tips on skincare. An interesting point that she makes is that when we take a few moments each day for simple acts of self-care, we reinforce our own knowledge that we are worth spending time on. The meaning behind the few moments in the morning to reach for the skin lotion which also contains SPF, or, in the evening, to apply the night-time extra moisturizing cream not only enriches and protects our skin but also enriches and protects our self-view. So, whatever…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 16 – Home Sweet Home
“Create a Sanctuary at Home” is Fiona’s title for Day 16 in her book, 30 Chic Days. And what a pertinent topic for this “Lockdown” Spring of 2020! Fiona writes that she wants her home to nurture and uplift everyone who lives there. Her preference is for a minimalist space decorated in neutral tones to foster a calm and serene feeling. Her personal preferences are echoed in the book, Simplicity Parenting, Using the Extraordinary Power of Less to Raise Calmer, Happier, and More Secure Kids by Kim John Payne and Lisa M Ross. The basic message from both Fiona and Payne is that too many objects (clutter) and too many…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 15 – Think Tranquility
In Day 15 of Fiona Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days, the title is “Cultivate Serenity and Calmness in Your Life.” Fiona writes that she enjoys a tranquil, low-key experience. Chaos and crisis is the exact opposite of how she defines a “chic” life. The salient point that Fiona makes in this chapter is that she intentionally chooses a calm existence. There are many areas in our day that can be altered to support a sense of tranquility. I find that how my day begins tends to set the tone for how I experience the rest of the day. To ensure that my mornings are as easy and relaxed as possible,…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 13 – Curves Ahead
Fiona Ferris titles Day 13 “Indulge In Your Femininity” in her book, 30 Chic Days. In this chapter, the author lists several fun ways to enjoy both traditional and personal interpretations of femininity. Fiona makes the point that confidence and a sense of fun are integral parts of being chic. She recommends discovering one’s own personal style points of femininity and playing it up. You might not be able to tell from the photo above but this morning when I snapped it, the outside temperature was 34 F (1 C) and 25 F (-4 C) with wind chill. The wind, may I add, never stopped for the 45 minutes…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 12 – A Little Glamour for the Closet
Day 12 is “Curate Your Wardrobe Like It Is Your Own Bijou Boutique,” in 30 Chic Days by Fiona Ferris. In this chapter, Fiona returns to the idea that beauty and ease in our everyday life is both good for our schedule and nurtures a positive sense of self. She describes a lovely Parisien clothing boutique and asks “Why not have this “look and feel” in our own closet?” I skimmed this chapter last night and thought, “I already have a carefully edited capsule wardrobe (to go along with my (extremely) capsule closet) – AND I just moved into this closet only two months ago. How can I apply…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 11 – Inner Choice
In Fiona Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days, Day 11 is “Adopt A Low-Drama Way of Being.” Fiona gives a lovely discussion of how letting go of being a “control freak” allows her to nurture an internal sense of beautiful calm and peace – to a large degree independent of the events and people around her. I can claim the role of poster child for Fiona’s description of a type-A, control freak – with all the near constant frustrations and irritations that accompany that role. It was (initally) quite a disheartening surprise when I truly recognized that the uiverse goes on merrily without any thought of adjusting itself to my…
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A Chic Paris Lockdown – Day 10 – Less (Stuff) Is More (Freedom)
“Simplify Your Life For Abundance” is Day 10 in Fiona Ferris’s book, 30 Chic Days. Fiona writes about that wonderful feeling of lightness and freedom as she looks around at her de-cluttered surroundings. I like how she links the ideas of open space and abundance. This is a powerful conceptual linkage. When we protect open time in our schedule and open space in our surroundings, we allow ourselves to live with freedom and cofidence. Freedom to respond new opportunities and new thoughts. Confidence that we can effectively respond to each day’s gifts and challenges as they arise. Often we react to life’s uncertainty by fearfully “stocking” up on anything that…