Sunday, August 7, 2016

Book Review: At Home with Madame Chic:Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life

Approach life at home the Madame Chic way: a beautiful, illustrated toolbox of tips and ideas for organizing, entertaining, and savoring a stylish life.

When she arrived at Madame Chic’s Parisian apartment as a foreign exchange student, Jennifer Scott was a casual California girl who thought sweatpants were appropriate street attire. Madame Chic took Jennifer under her wing and tutored her in the secrets of how the French elevate the little things in life to the art of living.

Years later, Jennifer was back in California with a husband, two young daughters, a dog, and her first home. Every day she confronted mundane duties like folding laundry and unloading the dishwasher, and she began to think about Madame Chic’s home—how the breakfast table was set beautifully the night before, the music that always played in the background, the calm of Madame and Monsieur Chic’s ritual cocktail hour together. Jennifer wanted that life. She decided to see what would happen if she didn’t perform her chores impatiently or mindlessly, if, instead, she could live like Madame Chic.

At Home with Madame Chic reveals the secrets to having a happy, fulfilling, and passionate life at home. Jennifer explains the morning send-off need not be chaotic, it’s possible to look stylish with minimal time and effort, a little forethought makes it possible to serve a home-cooked dinner every night, and details like music and scented candles can set the tone for the whole family’s evening. Organized by the pleasures that can be found throughout the day, this charming, helpful book is full of ideas, playlists, recipes, beauty routines, and advice that can turn an irritating day into an enjoyable experience.


My Thoughts 
Where do I begin?  When I first starting reading this book, I was reading from the perspective of "this is ridiculous" and "who really has the time for this".  But as I read through each page, I started to see ways in which I could adapt my life in a similar fashion and baby steps do count!  You will not have an over night transformation and go from a chaotic crazy household to a chic Parisian perfect home just with the snap of your fingers like Miss Mary Poppins.
When this "how to" book begins, Jennifer was an exchange student visiting Paris from California, as we all know, California has that cool laid back vibe!  So imagine what Madame Chic must have thought when this girl walks in with a messy bun and a pair of sweats and claims this is "street chic" in the US!  I would pay to see her face!  
As you read more, Jennifer takes us to current day California where she resides with her children and her husband.  Madame Chic had such a profound impact on her back in the day and Jennifer is trying to uphold many of those principles in her current daily routine.  We truly all could use a little "chic" boost to our lives to live each day to the fullest!
When I look at some of the "tips" and tricks from my perspective I can see this that would truly help me in every day living!  Here are a few things I can really relate and emulate:
Set aside ME time
Dress up even when just working from home (no sweats and jammies here)
New approaches to helping children tidy up the house
Set aside 15 mins. to clean up and not get overwelmed
Meditation is key throughout the day 

These are just a few takeaways I had - there are so many more!  Read this book today and you will see ways in which you can live Parisian Chic in your own home!

Drink 
I will celebrate this book with a yummy cup of Parisian Tea!
Rating
I would rate this fun "self-help" book 4 wine glasses!  I think it's a fun read for all with lots of great take-aways!



    

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