In the introduction of The Old Money Book, I talk about the scenario of two people who receive a financial windfall. One person handles the inheritance poorly. The other person handles the inheritance well. It may surprise you to know that many people, not just the wealthy, are going to receive an inheritance or some … More Anatomy of a Windfall
We usually associate bravery and courage with specific acts of physical prowess involving danger and risk. The person involved could be injured or killed. The consequences of failure are definitive and real. Success is victory. Little lies in the space between. But there’s another less acknowledged kind of courage. It’s the courage to examine certain … More A Special Kind of Courage
After what seems like years living in the French countryside (it’s been a scant 8 months), I can more fully appreciate the contrasts between this and my time living in Paris (which lasted 6 years). At the risk of repeating myself–I discussed this subject briefly in a previous post, I believe–I wanted to provide a … More A Man In Between
In addition to being stunningly beautiful tokens of love, diamonds have enjoyed an enduring reputation as being a highly portable, highly liquid, and highly desirable asset. While not as predictable as gold or real estate as a hedge against inflation or as a safe haven for wealth, they nevertheless gave a sense of security to … More Diamonds Are Not Forever
As many of you already know, I write nonfiction books (The Old Money Book et al,) screenplays, this blog, and songs (a new addition, The Brooklyn Side of Town, has just been uploaded. Enjoy!) And like most everyone else, I write emails and texts regularly. So I have a little experience and a lot of … More The Medium and The Message
A friend commented not too long ago about ‘upward facing’ social signals and the contrasting ‘downward facing’ social signals. A confused moment fell over our group, so he elaborated: the way we dress and the things we buy can often be subtle or obvious social signals. These signals–logos, brands, accessories, styles, or trends–are used by … More Social Signals
As you may recall, I was a guest on Talking Billions, the podcast hosting by wealth management advisor Bogumil Baranowski. Bogumil was kind enough to ask me to join him again, this time focusing on my book Old Money, New Woman: How To Manage Your Money and Your Life. You can listen to the podcast … More Talking Billions: The Women’s Podcast Episode
It’s been a rollercoaster of a time over the past few weeks at the chateau. As I write this, electricians and plumbers are hustling about, installing a washer and dryer and updating our electrical network in the south wing of the chateau. For those of you just joining the blog, a little refresher: in January … More Chateau Update: Summer 2023
After ten days of entertaining American friends in Paris, I am back to the welcome quiet of the house, fairly recovered. While I’m the most sociable of people for short periods, I find myself a little burnt after extended visits. But I love my friends, and I was happy they had a good time. Sitting … More Correct Me If I’m Wrong…
Not too long ago, one of our longtime contributors (The Salty One) forwarded a link to an insightful and timely article by well-known columnist George F. Will. You can read it HERE. Mr. Will makes a few good points. He bemoans the creeping 24/7 casual nature of dress today. He notes the reverse-snobbery of a tech … More The Lost Art of Dressing Appropriately