Nicole

Decoding the Dress Code: A Graceful Guide to Gala, Cocktail, Tea, and Business Attire

One of the quiet arts of polished living is knowing how to arrive appropriately dressed for the occasion. Dress codes are not arbitrary suggestions tucked into the corner of an invitation. They are part of the language of hospitality. They tell us what kind of atmosphere a host is creating, what level of formality is […]

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The Grace of Good Conversation: What to Discuss in Business and Social Settings

There are few things more revealing than conversation. Before a title is explained, before credentials are exchanged, before a reputation fully arrives, a person is often understood by the way they speak — and by the subjects they choose to entertain. Conversation is not merely filler between introductions and departures. It is social currency. It

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How to be a Baller: Top 10 Tips to Survive the World’s Best Historical Balls

I’m still on a high from the 2023 Fêtes Galantes. This year’s theme was the Royal Wedding of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI, which was held in 1770. Attending a historical ball at the iconic Chateau de Versailles is the pinnacle for most “Ballers”. Stop the eye rolls. You already know I love play on

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Cherry Blossom Pop-up Season: Noma Kyoto & Tokyo

Japan is my spirit country. Greater Tokyo is the world’s most populous metropolitan area and the country’s culture, finance, and government center. This is hard to fathom considering the cleanliness, quietness, and order you encounter everywhere you go. From the malls, subways, to the city streets you can find structure. Tokyo offers an eclectic mix

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Kingdom Cuisine: World’s 50 Best Restaurants – 2022 Icon Award Winner Wawira Njiru

In 2022 the World’s 50 Best Restaurant organization recognized a diverse slate of altruists in the culinary space. I had the pleasure of interviewing two prior to the awards in London. Second up: Wawira Njiru. World’s 50 Best Restaurants Article followed by my interview with Ms. Njiru Wawira Njiru is making a difference in the

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Kingdom Cuisine: World’s 50 Best Champion of Change 2022 Chef Dieuveil Malonga

In 2022 the World’s 50 Best Restaurant organization recognized a diverse slate of altruists in the culinary space. I had the pleasure of interviewing two prior to the awards in London. First up: Chef Malonga.   Kigali, Rwanda based Chef Dieuveil Malonga is one of the recipients of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants 2022 Champion

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Fancy A Drink: The World’s Swankiest Watering Holes

For the “Spirit World” today is monumental; and no, I am not referring to ghosts and goblins. The list of The World’s 50 Best Bars will be announced at a live ceremony in London and will be streamed on social media channels. The location for the awards couldn’t be more appropriate because London is the pinnacle for

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Allow Me To Re-Introduce Myself… The Queen from the Queen City

Let’s Start At The BeginningThough I spent the last two decades gallivanting the globe and relocating to four states, Cincinnati will always be home. Even the photo above, taken at the Hotel Covington in Northern Kentucky, is poignant because I was raised by my Reed grandparents who migrated in the late 40s from the Deep

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Chasing Rainbows Restaurant Review Ducasse Sur Seine: Paris

When it was announced last year that the World’s Most Michelin Starred Chef was opening a floating restaurant in September 2018 I was probably the first person to put my virtual reservation out into the Universe. I am obsessed with the Ducasse brand.Dining at a Ducasse restaurant is a full fledge sensory journey. The servers

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