Greetings. My apologies for the long delay in posting. Personal business took up all the oxygen in the room for a few weeks, but I’m now back in the digital saddle. Peter, one of our members and a resident of Stockholm, recently commented about the local upper class and their “less than Old Money” habits. … More Stockholm Syndrome
I hope 2023 has begun wonderfully, and that the entire year will be filled with health, joy, and prosperity for everyone. First, I’d like to thank everyone who purchased a copy of How To Be A Rich Man…or Woman! If you haven’t written a review on the Amazon product page, please feel free to do … More Happy New Year, and An Update…
After relocating to Paris from Los Angeles several years ago and more recently combing through the belongings of Mommy Dearest, I’ve had, once again, time to consider the mixed bag that is material possessions. More precisely, I’ve had the chance to identify what makes a worthwhile acquisition, even as we try to streamline our lives … More Material Possessions: How To Define and Refine Your Choices
It’s inevitable that we accumulate material possessions. We need to be sheltered, clothed, fed, and nurtured, so we buy or rent a house or an apartment and fill it with furniture. We buy pots and pans so we can cook. We purchase clothes which will, at minimum, keep us protected from the elements. We purchase … More Pretend You’re Moving
My apologies for the gap in posting. A series of out-of-town guests, numerous work projects, and a short trip to Nantes have interrupted the usual workflow. Our foreign correspondent David was in Paris recently. We had a coffee at the cafe across the street from my office and discussed all manner of things: solutions to … More Recommendations Update: The Rolex Dilemma
I have a complicated relationship with Tatler magazine, the British magazine that breathlessly chronicles the latest goings-on of the royals, high society, and well-heeled wanna-be’s. On the one hand, they have published some interesting articles on how to raise children in an affluent environment, estate planning, and other more grounded subject matter. On the other … More In Defense of Red Pants
You have no idea how much fun I get out of curating this blog. The comments and contributions you all make are incredibly rewarding, especially/even when flaws in my grammar or inaccuracies in my content are pointed out. I don’t like making mistakes, but I don’t often get bent out of shape over them, and … More Me, Myself, and I
Bonjour, everyone. Karl was kind enough to post a very detailed comment about his recent trip to Paris. I wanted to make sure that everyone saw it, so I’ve done a cut and paste. It appears below in italics. So enjoy. My thoughts…I think Karl has a great approach to European vacations: pick one city … More Fresh Set of Eyes on Paris…from Karl
Life in Paris is not always bowl of cherries, but it rarely goes long without a surprise. Most of the surprises are pleasant. A few are enlightening. One of the more enlightening moments occurred recently. (I’ll be intentionally vague with details to protect the privacy of those involved.) A young person from the United States … More The Importance of Narrative
We recently received the comment below from one of our readers. I thought it was very interesting and very relevant. Here it is, and I’ve added some thoughts below. I happened on your site while doing some personal research on old money style and its contemporary applications, like the trendy of the concept of sprezzatura, … More The Application Process