The Simple Sophisticate - Intelligent Living Paired With Signature Style

The quality of our lives is based on the decisions we make every day. And even though it may feel as though our minds are energizer bunnies, they burn out each day as well. It is imperative that we consumer our mind's power for the most important decisions and leave the remaining decisions to auto-pilot. The key is to make sure the auto-pilot is set to a quality life outcome.  In today's episode 17 everyday decisions will be shared that can be added to the auto-pilot list.  In this week's Petit Plaisir, the perfect recipe to end summer and begin fall: Fresh Heirloom Tomato Soup with Cream inspired by my favorite podcast, The Splendid Table.

Choosing to broaden our perspectives on a regular basis, whether through travel, reading or meeting new people from different life experiences can have a tremendously positive experience on the quality of our lives.  Today, 10 benefits will be shared to encourage each of us to continue to increase our knowledge and understanding of the world. This week's Petit Plaisir is a staple in the capsule wardrobe (spring or fall). Shannon has found her favorite tee and explains what size you should order and why you should invest.

As everyone returns from their summer getaways, whether you are going back to school, to work or simply getting back to a regular work schedule, the goal of being at work is to be efficient. And the best way to be efficient is to have an office area that is curated to make us comfortable and therefore confident to do our best work. With removal of clutter, only having items that we need and streamlining our systems, we can ensure a more productive work day each and every time we step foot in the office. Today I will share with you 25 simple, yet powerful ways to make your work day all the more enjoyable and productive. In this week's Petit Plaisir, a film set in Paris starring Michael Cain and Clémence Poésy that took my breath away, and I am eager to share: Last Love. 

President Obama renames Mt. McKinley, migrants stop a Eurostar train for hours near Calais, France, experts discover more trees on the planet earth than expected and much more! In this week's French Word of the Week it's all about wrapping up vacations and returning to the regular routine. Can you guess what word is the focus?

A seasonless, classic wardrobe essential is the blazer. In today's episode discover the 6 reasons why a blazer is a must-have in any woman's wardrobe, and then learn 9 ways to style a wardrobe to align with your signature style. In this week's Petit Plaisir, Shannon shares a simple decor trick to bring a bit more luxury to your bed without breaking the bank. 

The 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, firefighters from Down Under come to help the west, Serene begins the pursuit of wrapping up the grand slam and much, much more.  In this week's French Word of the Week, Géraldine is sharing the differences in language when it comes to friendships and romantic partnerships.

Author, blogger and decor expert Frances Schultz's new book The Bee Cottage Story: How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happiness is the focus of today's discussion. And while the premise of the book is all about how she restored her 1920's East Hampton's cottage, it also part memoir as readers discovery her journey to arrive at the place she is today, fulfilled, content and full of wisdom. Topics of happiness, meditation, authenticity and yes, even decor are discussed. In today's Petit Plaisir, I share my top 10 decor tips and ideas from the pages of The Bee Cottage Story by Frances Schultz.

First two women graduate from Army Ranger School, Addyi is approved for women's libidos, Lily Tomlin stars in a delightful new film and much more. In this week's French Word of the Week, we're talking food and breakfast, French toast specifically.

Even when we can identify a toxic person a mile away, we will still will have to deal with them from time to time. Whether it's in the workplace, at home or out in the community, there will be moments that can either leave us deflated if we don't know how to handle them or conversely simply be a minor road bump when handled effectively.  While we can limit our interactions, we'll talk about how to do just that as well as how to deal with toxic people we may encounter from time to time.  In this week's Petit Plaisir, a simple touch you can bring to your home to brighten the mood of the space without breaking the bank. 

Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, a WWII bomb in London, the film People, Places, Things and much more in this week's top news stories of the week.

The idea of "feeling fat" is often rather a feeling of knowing we aren't taking care of our body as we should and knowing we can feel better in our own skin. In today's episode, Shannon shares 15 simple ways to get back on track when it comes to eating well without going on a "diet" as Americans use the term.  In this week's Petit Plaisir, Shannon reviews Harper Lee's Go Set A Watchman.

The top stories from the past stories such as President Obama's announcement on greenhouse gas emmissions, meditation's positive effects on being self-critical and the return of a Stradivarius  violin that was lost 35 years ago. So much to talk about, so tune in and you'll be au courant in 15 minutes or less. 

Inspired by Dr. Paul Dolan's book Happiness by Design, this episode will focus 30 specific ways to cultivate a happier life. Most importantly, as revealed by Dr. Dolan's book, the equation of what makes a happy life is discussed and from that point the remaining 29 tips are shared. In this week's Petit Plaisir, the book The French Beauty Solution is reviewed and recommended. 

Discover the top stories of the past week in 15 minutes or less. This week topics range from the selection of the 2022 Winter Olympics to Turkey, health studies, the Republican Presidential debate, Jon Stewart and a films that are debuting nationally and in Bend. Geraldine Lepere discusses a chic French word of the week that you won't want to miss.

Inspired by her own experience of relocating after nine years of living in her beloved house to her new home in Bend, Oregon, Shannon shares a checklist that will take you from before to during to settling in without the unnecessary stress and angst. Such a life transition can and should be seen as an opportunity, and such a realization is easier to understand when the unnecessary stress is alleviated. Tune in to find out how. In this week's Petit Plaisir discover a simple, scrumptious summer dessert that will have you stopping by your local farmer's market this coming week in order to treat yourself adn your guests - a Berry Galette.

Part of living well is being in the know, whether it is being knowledgable of news from around the world or informed of going-ons right in your own community, because it’s not what you think, it’s that you think. All of the information shared on the Au Courant Weekly will enable you to go forth into the weekend ready for an engaging conversation or simply mindful of the most recent current events, from which you can formulate your own opinions. So tune in each Saturday morning, and in 15 minutes or less you will be au courant. In this week's episode: Dr. Seuss, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, the Sibling Study, Cuban Embassy, President Obama in Kenya, and more! And don't forget Géraldine Lepère, the French language expert and founder of the website Comme une Française  offers her weekly French Word of the Week at the end of the episode. Find out what it is!

Tapping into our true potential requires that we cultivate sanctuaries throughout our daily routines. And while our home should most certainly be a sanctuary as we've discussed in previous episodes, so many other sanctuaries can be cultivated as well. In today's episode, inspired by her recent paddle boarding experience shares the power of carving out time alone so that we can let go of what is thwarting us from discovering what our heart yearns for and stepping ever closer to our true potential. In this week's Petit Plaisir, the second weekly episode of The Simple Sophisticate, which begins airing this Saturday (July 25, 2015) is discussed. 

If you've ever wanted to bring the comfort and luxury home with you after traveling and staying in lush living arrangements, whether a luxury hotel or vacation rental, in today's episode you'll discover 10 simple and inexpensive ways you can live a little more luxuriously right at home. In this week's Petit Plaisir Shannon reviews the film The Woman in Gold the film and shares her experience visiting the Neue Galerie where the original Portrait of Adele Bloch-Bauer I hangs. 

Inspired by Dr. Elaine Aron's best-selling book, The Highly Sensitive Person, discover the 26 characteristics of being highly sensitive and learn 19 ways to ensure you can thrive to your fullest potential. In this week's Petit Plaisir, Shannon shares one of her favorite podcasts to listen to while relaxing and traveling: The Splendid Table.

As the summer solistice has just occurred and the summer season has officially begun, Shannon shares 15 simple ways to take advantage of all that summer has to offer whether you are staying in town or have the opportunity to travel. This week's Petit Plaisir at the end of the episode is Amazon's latest original comedy series that is the ideal six episode download to enjoy whether you are on a plane, train, in the car or are spending an evening or two in.