Chances are, you will get kissed in the kitchen if you give your Valentine a copy of The New Food Lover's Companion: More Than 6,700 A-to-Z Entries Describe Foods, Cooking Techniques, Herbs, Spices, Desserts, Wines, and the Ingredients for Pleasurable Dining. More >>

Happy New Year! So you ended the year with a fabulous door wreath - now what? As a designer, clients are always asking for advice on what to do to make their front door more stylish and inviting during the winter months. More >>

I just wanted to relay my thankfulness to parents in today's world who take the time to teach manners. This reminded me of a recent Christmas shopping story I have... More >>

On Christmas Eve, I had a whim to paint our kitchen, pull up the old tile, and refinish the hardwood floors underneath. Some whim, I know, but spontaneity is a pattern with me! More >>

My husband Jimmy recently passed away. This is in his honor... More >>

Studies indicate that 95 percent of dieters gain back all the lost weight, plus at least 10 percent more. This can set up a pattern of yo-yo dieting, which doctors warn is often more dangerous to the body than simply staying consistently at a higher weight. Therefore, your most important New Year's resolution may be to figure out how not to regain the pounds you lost. More >>

It was December 23rd, 1954. We had just arrived in Santa Ana, California, after spending a year living in "West" Germany, as refugees from what was then, "East" Germany. I was barely 9 years old, but I remember it very clearly. More >>

When my son, Nick was in 3rd grade as usual we spent Christmas Eve visiting at my in-laws. All the local family was there for the evening. My sister, Lynne, was expected to arrive at my house on Christmas morning, but... More >>

After we were first married, we moved about 300 miles away to New Mexico. On Christmas Eve, my wife and I started to drive back to stay with her (not-so-nice) parents over the holidays. More >>

The Christmas of 1964 comes close to bringing tears to my eyes even today. We only got presents twice a year: birthday and Christmas. We each got three presents. Often what we got was clearly a cheaper version of what we wanted, but imagination made up the difference. More >>