The Simple Sophisticate - Intelligent Living Paired with Signature Style

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #220 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  | Spotify "It seemed an advantage to be traveling alone. Our responses to the world are crucially moulded by the company we keep, for we temper our curiosity to fit in with the expectations of others…Being closely observed by a companion can also inhibit our observation...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #219 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  | Spotify "Your environment, where you live and how you shape your surroundings, is the biggest, most important and most impactful thing you can do to favor your own happiness." —Dan Buettner, The Blue Zones of Happiness Have you ever said to yourself - if only I lived [...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #218 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  | Spotify "A nail is driven out by another nail; habit is overcome by habit." ― Erasmus While traveling during the past four weeks in France, I found that I was finally able to default in conversation to a handful of expressions to, on the most basic level, demonstrate I...

The final episode taped in France during my travels shares a few memorable moments I had the opportunity experience, and as I had the opportunity to stay at author, blogger and photographer Sharon Santoni's home in France, I wanted to share a few images from the cottage I called home for a few days in northern France. ~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #217 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate : ...

As my travels continue in France, Part Deux of the travel musings-themed episodes is shared today as I recorded the episode while walking in the country amongst vineyards, olive trees and under the brilliant blue sky of Gordes, Provence. Be sure to tune in as I talk about topics that have been on my mind these past few weeks. Some have to do with travel and some have to do with everyday life and h...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #215 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  | Spotify "It's worth the effort." —Patricia Wells (The following episode was taped while traveling in Provence, France, using a handrecorder. Please excuse indulations in volume.) The legions of birds and their signature melodies, the playful butterflies that promenade...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #214 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  | Spotify Today's episode is over one hour of Q & As. Questions from TSLL readers and podcast listeners and answers from me, Shannon. :) This annual episode began last year, and was so well received (the most downloaded episode of the year), it has returned. I do hope yo...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #213 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  | Spotify "Alone, we can plumb local markets and examine their wares closely. We can breathe in and relish the flavors in a sauce, or the coolness of a pitcher of cream. We don't necessarily take time to do these things in the presence of company, particularly during liv...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #212 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  | Spotify Lessons learned and applied. Often it is what we have done in the past that informs us how to do a similar task better in the future. Whether the mistakes were small or large, upon reflection we can be reminded of what didn't work, then examine more closely why...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #211 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube   | Spotify In America we have the story that ... your sex drive evaporates. ... Nobody wants to sleep with you, but you don't want to sleep with them either. ... And it turns out that that is really much more of a cultural story than a biological story, and ... people's...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #210 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube "It is always the simple that produces the marvelous." – Amelia Barr You react in anger when a moment of frustration arises only to have to take more time (once you realize you shouldn't have reacted in such a way) to apologize and rebuild a relationship. The best decisio...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #209 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube "Your home knows your past, it directs you toward your future, and it gives you the comfort of ritual. There is nothing on the planet that knows you and nurtures you like a home. You simply need to give it the tools to take care of you." — Home Sweet Maison: The French Ar...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #208 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube "Health is the outcome of the small choices you make on a daily basis." —Dr. Frank Lipman, author of How to Be Well: The 6 Keys to a Happy and Healthy Life The pillars of a healthy life have been enumerated by many an expert, but it was in Frank Lipman's book How to Be We...

"If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need."  — Marcus Tullius Cicero Claude Monet's gardens at Giverny, Butchart Gardens near Victoria, Canada, or the grounds of Versailles in France. Each and many more outdoor masterpieces which utilize the gifts of Mother Nature to enchant visitors are as glorious as they are intimidating to those of us who are curious to welcome similar...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #206 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube I am all about simplifying life's daily routines and events, and especially when our schedules become full, our time is precious. As of late, my spring has been bursting. From finishing TSLL's 2nd book , finalizing my summer travel plans, preparing my students from AP tes...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #205 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube "Today's accomplishments were yesterday's impossibilities." —Robert H. Schuller I was recently watching a documentary on Julia Child, and prior to meeting Paul, falling in love with French food and becoming the revolutionary figure she became in the food industry, there w...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #204 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube The Harvard Business Review pointed out in 2011 that there are many networks we each need in our lives to be successful. Looking at this concept from a business perspective, HBR shared that a manager and leader needs three networks to be successful:  operational, developm...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #203 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube Author of The Provençal Mystery series, featuring Antoine Verlaque and Marine Bonnet, M.L. Longworth joins me on today's episode of the podcast to discuss her latest mystery in the series which was just released on April 3rd, The Secrets of the Bastide Blanche . Having li...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #202 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube In today's episode of the podcast, stylist Tiffani Rogers of  Style by Tiffani returns to talk about the trends of the spring season. Be sure to tune as she will share what to invest in, designers to check out as well as how to style a shirtdress and what to do with the t...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #201 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube  "Exercise should be regarded as tribute to the heart." —Gene Tunney Disspell the myths, push through the pain, discover what you do not know so the wrong information no longer holds you back. The concept of good overall physical health is a tripod: aerobic, strength and...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #200 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube On Tuesday morning at 9:15 Pacific time in the western hemisphere spring will arrive. No weather prediction can change this reality. Even if it continues to snow where you live (the snow in England and France this past weekend have made me feel as a kindred spirit to the...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #199 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube "The best part of being single is that I get to know men and see what I love about them in a way that, when I was 19, I never afforded myself the opportunity. At 19, I would think, 'Oh, I got picked!' and I would just go along with it, happy to be picked by a man, instead...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #198 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube In today's episode of the podcast, author Jenna Birch stops by to talk about her new book  The Love Gap: A Radical Plan to Win in Life and Love   (January 2018).   Whether you are in your twenties or have decades of experience when it comes to love, successes and stumbles...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #197 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube As a young girl I took piano lessons, and I will admit, it was not the greatest joy of my life. A timer would have to be set for me to sit down for even 30 minutes to practice, and even then I would get up from time to time to check and see how much more time I had to pla...

~The Simple Sophisticate, episode #196 ~Subscribe to  The Simple Sophisticate :  iTunes  |  Stitcher  |  iHeartRadio  | YouTube "Style is a simple way of saying complicated things." —Jean Cocteau With the collections for Fall 2018 being revealed this month, I am always on a treasure hunt to find unique and worthwhile takes on the classics. At the same time, I am reminded as the trends shift each a...