This weekend's assignment is vaguer than previous ones have been, but you know: kindness is always called for. I'm considering it apt homework for all of us. And so I give you a slew of small ways you and me may get our good-deed on. 1. Buy the meal/coffee/movie ticket/sandwich for the person in line behind you. 2. Pick up your friend's/spouse's/mom's favorite local treat and surprise them with it. 3. Compliment a stranger. 4. ...

I know I can't be the only one feeling the frenzy. The holiday season has certainly arrived, and with it a slew of invitations, social commitments, and, well, a little bit of stress--little ff you're great at compartmentalizing. Since I'm an avid supporter of your sanity, I've compiled a few tips to help you navigate the holiday party scene with ease. Let's get into it, shall we? 1. Don't go giving it away  When the ...

Last year I decided against gift guides all together. This year, I've decided to participate, but in a slightly unique way (unique is the LS way, hello). In no particular order then: 1. Most people would love to be gifted an experience Taking classes, attending workshops, receiving private instruction--such things have never been more popular and mass appealing as they are now. The experience of a class-like set up is fun, doesn't intimidate by way ...

This past week I had the pleasure of vacationing in the British Virgin Islands, a place so dramatically beautiful it sort of stuns the senses. While there I felt as though it was my time at the buffet line, that I needed to soak up as much of the place as I possibly could because when else is your backyard a panorama of seemingly prehistoric natural beauty? The waters were the tiny blue-hued swatches in ...

Then there are the times when you have to pull your home together in a hurry, you know, because company is coming. Like for Thanksgiving or something. Normally here's what you do: shove all the stuff out on all the counters and all the piles in all the places into one or two concealed locations (a drawer, a closet). You tell yourself you'll come back to it after your guests depart. Then here's what happens: ...