Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 281
January 2, 2012
What Do You Call a Man Who Gossips About His Mother?
"Other people is the world's most fascinating subject," according to the author Joseph Epstein. In his new book, "Gossip," Epstein argues that it's human nature to tell stories about each other. He even defends [...]
December 30, 2011
Decluttering One Last Thing in 2011
As 2011 draws to a close, look around your house and reflect on your life and determine if there is anything there that shouldn't accompany you into 2012. Is there an ill-fitting pair of [...]
December 29, 2011
Wedding Guest List Dilemma: How to Put This Nicely…
"I am planning my wedding and trying to keep it as small as possible," wrote a reader named JackiM15. "However, we are nearing 200, yikes! … "It is going to be an evening wedding, [...]
December 27, 2011
Organizing and Decluttering Goals Before the End of 2011
During this time of year, in addition to setting big resolutions for the coming months, I like to focus on a few mini-resolutions to finish before the end of December. It's nice to start [...]
December 26, 2011
Dress Code: Blue Jeans or Sequins?
A New Year's Eve party is arguably the biggest dress-up opportunity of the year. But what's the definition of "dress up" these days? I wore jeans and a sparkly beaded top to a holiday [...]
December 23, 2011
Would You Soak Your Contacts in Soda?
According to a new study, some people have resorted to soft-drinks as a saline-stand-in—and that's just one of many questionable practices revealed in the report. Granted, I certainly can't claim to be the queen [...]
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn: Books Four and Five
Dear Bookies, I didn't remember much of Books Four and Five from the time I read them at age 11. The first reading was all about the period details, like petticoats and Jewish rye. But this [...]
December 22, 2011
Christmas Decorating Ideas: Place Setting
Elegant table settings are a quick and easy way to dress up your Christmas decor. Start with a theme or color palate, and incorporate it into everything from the tablecloth and napkins to the place card. Adding [...]
Last-Minute Pet-Themed E-Cards
Let's face it. It takes a juggler to take care of our families, keep up with our busy lives, and send out our holiday cards ahead of or on time. Right? If, like me, [...]
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? Someone You Don't Know. Surprise!
"Occasionally, when I invite friends to lunch or dinner, they invite another person along without speaking to me about it first," a reader named Carrie wrote recently. "At times, I have something personal I [...]
