Guests on Shine

How to Outfit a Guest Room for $65 or Less

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There's more to preparing a guest room than just making the bed. Welcome visitors with a practical space that's comfortable and anticipates their needs. First tip: While it's…

The E-Lister's Guide to Maneuvering in Fancy Restaurants

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If TGI Fridays is your idea of fancy dining and you wouldn't know what to do with that extra spoon they insist on putting on your table if it hit you in your mullet, here's some pointers if you ever find yourself at the same feeding trough as LeBron James. 1. I know the hostess is snotty.…

Save money by potlucking

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I love having dinner parties and hosting guests, but eventually the cost of large meals starts to add up. So what's my solution? Potlucks. Not only do you still get to have everyone over, but you cut costs by…

Wedding Reception Ideas?

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Hello all! Just couldn't decide what style reception I wanted to do..I'm having a small reception (20 guests) and I am debating between just taking everyone out to a restaurant or just having catering done at my mother's home. From all of your experiences what was best for…

Housewarming party checklist

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Time to christen the new pad! REAL SIMPLE. REAL LIFE. experts Gia Russo and

How to fake a clean house

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When you’re short on time, here’s how to give your living spaces the illusion of cleanliness.

The Living Room

Reserve one side of sofa cushions to be shown to guests. Before company arrives, flip over the cushions to reveal good-as-new fabric. When…

Entertainment resources for your houseguests

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These sites will help guests find activities in your area.

frommers.com The online version of the popular guidebooks provides everything from lunch-spot recommendations to numbers of taxi companies.

uschamber.com/chambers/directory Here you can…

How to Simplify the Wedding Guest List

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Six ways to keep the numbers down while keeping the peace

Start with Percentages After you determine the venue and the number of guests you can afford, assign 50 percent of that number to the bride and groom and 25 percent to each set of parents (or, with…

Why your cat likes cranky old Aunt Ethel

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Do you have a cat who always seems to gravitate toward the one guest in your home who is either allergic or is a card-carrying cat hater? One of my clients had a cat who absolutely insisted on sitting in the lap of cranky old Aunt Ethel, even though she detested cats and wouldn’t give the kitty so much as a glance.