Xenophon on Home Economics

Posted by Amanda Millay on May 10, 2012 | 0 comments

The first text on home economics gives an idea of its great import. Xenophon, an Athenian, was born in 431 B.C. and was a pupil of Socrates. He fought with the Spartans and was exiled from Athens before settling in Corinth. The format of his book, Oeconomicus, will be familiar to lovers of Plato, as it is a dialog between Socrates and Critobulus about the proper way to manage an estate. Socrates talks at length about a man named Ischomachus and his wife, in order to illustrate the principles of “the science of the household.” If you’re as crazy about your Kindle as I am, you can find this book for free on Amazon.…

Poetry: Sonnet LXVII

Posted by Amanda Millay on May 6, 2012 | 0 comments

Why you should read it: Charlotte Turner Smith is now recognized as an important Romantic poet, although she didn’t get the credit she deserved during her lifetime.

Cocktail trivia: Charlotte was forced into marriage at age 15, due to her father’s reckless spending. Her husband wasn’t any better with money, and she ended up serving time with him in debtor’s prison, where she wrote her first book of poetry.

About Charlotte Turner Smith: Despite Charlotte’s unhappy marriage, she and her husband had 12 children together. She eventually left him, and supported her children by her writing. She is known for suggesting that women in unhappy marriages take solace in the arms of a more pleasant man, and for saying her marriage was “legal prostitution.”

Recommended Reading: Elegiac Sonnets, the book of verse she composed while in prison, and the wonderful Gothic novel Emmeline, The Orphan of the Castle.…

The New Noblewoman: Interview on One Tiny Violet

Posted by Amanda Millay on May 5, 2012 | 1 comment

Curious about the mission of The New Noblewoman? I was recently interviewed on a beautiful blog, one tiny violet, about art, values, and what it means to be a noble woman in the modern world. It’s been a true pleasure to learn about one tiny violet, so when you visit make sure to check out Angela’s great posts about art, poetry, books, religion, and “finding extraordinary BEAUTY in an ordinary life.” You can also read Angela’s work at Persephone Writes ~ Journeying towards a literary life, which is filled with inspiration for writers, poets, and lovers of literature.

The New Noblewoman: An Authentic Feminine Mystique For This Generation

If you’ve increasingly felt distanced from the superficial, politicized, less than intelligent propaganda that currently passes itself off as “literature and media for women” then welcome to a breath of fresh air, a place where the unique inner life of the feminine spirit and mind is nurtured and cultivated, prized and revered. Welcome to The New Noblewoman (TNN).…

Book Review: ‘Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange’

Posted by Amanda Millay on May 2, 2012 | 0 comments

Ines de la Fressange and Sophie Gachet
Parisian Chic: A Style Guide by Ines de la Fressange
Flammarion, 2011 (5th edition)

If you’re looking for advice on Parisian style—in the realms of fashion, beauty, and home decor—French model (and aristocrat!) Ines de la Fressange’s Parisian Chic is a must-read handbook. Ines’ style fits in completely with the values of The New Noblewoman, in that she stresses finding your own style over mindlessly following trends, not being vulgar in fashion choices, and avoiding anything that screams “expensive.”

Here are a few Parisian fashion tips from Ines:

• Bye-bye bling: Ines says that Left Bank Parisian style is opposed to big logos and using a lot of bling to try to look rich;
• Outfits are out: Mixing up styles, like pairing vintage with classic, is in;
• If it feels good, wear it: Make comfort a priority; and
• Beware of good taste: Don’t become a victim of arbitrary fashion rules that don’t fit your style.

…

Five Ideas for a Traditional May Day

Posted by Amanda Millay on Apr 29, 2012 | 0 comments

For thousands of years, May 1 has been a day to celebrate spring in European countries. It’s the end of winter, the days become longer, and the blooming earth triumphs over the barren winter months.

Unfortunately, this day with such a long history is now celebrated in more than 80 countries as International Workers Day. In the U.S., the date is Loyalty Day, and citizens are supposed to confirm their commitment to the nation. So if you want to infuse some tradition into your spring celebrations, here are five May Day celebrations that go back at least a couple hundred years.

1.…

The Difference Between High Tea and Low Tea

Posted by Michele Fletcher on Apr 26, 2012 | 4 comments

Most women know that tea is more than just a hot drink—it’s a tradition. However, few are familiar with the customs surrounding tea and the difference between a high and low tea, especially when the terms are commonly misused.

A high tea sounds very high class, and a low tea sounds a little . . . well, less grand. Actually, it’s just the opposite. A low tea, also called an afternoon tea due to when it’s served, is the more formal tea that provokes images of little old ladies eating tea sandwiches. The working classes of England couldn’t have tea until after work, so they had high tea, which was more like dinner.…

12 Processed Foods That Won’t Kill You

Posted by Amanda Millay on Apr 25, 2012 | 2 comments

We all know that processed food is bad for us, but on the nights it’s unavoidable, it’s good to know that there are a few options that can be found outside the organic grocery that aren’t too bad for you.

Everything on this list can be found at Earth Fare, the healthy supermarket, which carries national brands in addition to the standard organic fare. Earth Fare’s food philosophy is to not carry any product with high-fructose corn syrup, bleached flour, artificial fats, artificial trans fats, artificial colors, artificial sweeteners, artificial preservatives, and in its meat and dairy, no antibiotics or synthetic growth hormones.…

Poetry: Evening Solace

Posted by Amanda Millay on Apr 21, 2012 | 0 comments

Happy Birthday, Charlotte Brontë! Born April 21, 1816.

Why you should read it: Charlotte Brontë is most known for the novel Jane Eyre, which includes several poems. Charlotte had to support herself financially since she had no family money (her father was a priest in the Church of England). Luckily, he provided for her education, sending his daughters to boarding schools and educating them at home. Charlotte worked as a teacher and governess before getting married and dying at a young age, but she had hoped to be a poetess.

What it’s about: How feelings that seem to be forgotten can resurface, and how emotions that can be so strong at the occurrence of events fade in intensity as time goes by.…

Hobbies of Noble Women (Yesterday and Today) – Part I

Posted by Amanda Millay on Apr 19, 2012 | 1 comment

According to Josef Pieper, leisure is the basis of culture. The German Catholic philosopher dedicated an entire book to the subject. In Leisure, The Basis of Culture, he writes that leisure time laid the foundation for Western European civilization. For it was not until people had mastered the basic necessities of survival that they were able to devote themselves to mathematics, architecture, philosophy, music, sculpture, and other arts. If Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle had to spend their days laboring for food, the entire history of Western civilization would have been drastically different. Had monks and nuns not been able to devote their lives to contemplation and scholasticism, thanks to the generosity of wealthy patrons, libraries worth of books would never have been written.…

How To Improve Your Posture (and Your Health and Spirit)

Posted by Amanda Millay on Apr 17, 2012 | 5 comments

The word “posture” refers not only to a straight spine, but encompasses all the limbs and entire carriage of the body. “Posturing” can also refer to affecting an attitude, and “good posture” in that sense refers to an overall demeanor that is centered and grounded. Another definition of posture relates to one’s ideology: In a conversation, you can take a defensive posture, or be secure and maintain an open yet confident posture, even if your ideas are criticized.

The Relation Between Mind and Body

Anyone who’s ever exercised or done yoga knows that physical activity can have a positive impact on one’s state of mind.…