Behind the Scenes with Noëlle

My friend, Lauren Addis joins us for a thoughtful conversation about Art; from curation of art in the home to building collections to navigating the digital art world and everything in between; including the perfect hanging height (listen for the ideal number), the importance of framing and the magic of mixing textures, colors and mediums in a room. 

Lauren's interest in Art was nurtured by her parents from a young age. This exposure & love of Art inspired her to major in Art History & Sociology and have minors in Ceramics & Women's studies at Gettysburg College. 

From her early PR career days in NYC working for Tiffany & Co,  Lauren most appreciated the artistry, design & legacy of the brand to her move to Philly and working for Urban Outfitters, the through line has always been this devotion to Art. While at Urban, Lauren launched a corporate art gallery by showcasing local emerging artists...and it was this program that eventually led Lauren to the decision to focus full time on Art Advisory and LAA Art Collective was built! 

Lauren's warm, friendly and stress free approach to collecting Art combined with her expert eye and beautiful sense of style make her your perfect match for Art Advisory.  You will learn so much in just this one episode! 

After listening to this episode I hope that you pick up something special this summer from your travels, museum visits or your local gallery to hang on your walls.  And if you're local, pop into LAA Art Collective. 

Find Lauren:
@laa_artcollective 
122 E. Lancaster Ave. Wayne, PA 
www.laurenanrigaddis.com

Hit send on that invite to friends & family and host that get together!  You're going to devour this conversation with my guests today.  Alston & Leigh met about 25 years ago as freshman at the University of Alabama! Their long lasting friendship brought them to NYC immediately following college and then eventually they both landed in Connecticut, where they are raising their families and launched Habitual Hostess.  Their respective backgrounds in PR, Special Events, Advertising, & Photography have expertly influenced the creation of Habitual Hostess...beautiful images, family friendly meals, entertaining tips and their uncomplicated but very lovely take on hosting makes this one of my favorite follows. 

If you have a friend and have ever thought about starting something together, I love their story because it showcases that with time (they originally had this idea back in their NYC days) and hard work and flexibility you can really start something special. 

This conversation is equal parts education (entertaining must haves, kitchen must haves) (recipes), hilarious (we laugh so much-I fully admit my shortcomings in my personal kitchen) and just plain fun.  Its so refreshing and reassuring to hear from the experts that you don't have to be perfect to host...remember if you are hosting, get yourself dressed, get yourself some gloves...and run that dishwasher about 3- 4 hours before your guests arrive! 

Enjoy! x 

I couldn't release one more episode without doing this Best of List  from my last 11 interviews. Each episode is filled to the brim with expertise, knowledge and action items that I wanted to highlight some of my personal favorite pieces of advice.  I have some amazing guests scheduled for the rest of Season 1 and Season 2 kicks off in September. Thank you for a being a part of this! Please  like, share and follow so that I can continue to grow and share these brilliant stories with you. xo 

I have become increasingly aware of aging in my 40s and am always interested in learning & sharing about Women's Health.  Natalie Strahorn is back for Part 2 this week to focus on exactly those topics.  You're going to want to take notes because Natalie's uncomplicated, realistic and holistic approach to women's health is so easy to digest. 

Whether you're interested in weight loss or preventative health protocols, I think you are going to really enjoy this episode. Natalie gives action items that everyone (even busy moms) can do,  gives us the 5 Major Components to getting into the best shape of your life,  and reminds us of the fact that disease in the body starts long before symptoms present. This is your reminder to take care of yourself.  Natalie even gets me to share the not so healthy lunch item that my kids take to school each day! 

Listen to this episode if you're interested in:

Women's Health
Fitness-what workouts / how many steps should we be taking?
Nutrition-specifically what to eat 
Holistic Health Approaches 
Aging well 
Weight loss 
Looking & feeling your best 
Ending the constant food /fitness internal dialogue 

This is like your personal one on one health coaching call AND lucky for all of us Natalie is taking on one on one clients. And she is offering Group Coaching too. Learn more here https://www.nataliestrahornnutrition.com/

I hope you enjoy this episode & remember to take good care of yourself. xo 

We all have summer on the brain which means showing more skin & more importantly feeling good in our skin...enter Natalie Strahorn, founder of The MVMNT Society, Holistic Health Coach & Entrepreneur.  Natalie is your new BFF who wants you to look & feel your best. Not only is she a wellness & fitness expert but she was SO incredibly generous with her time and came back to chat with me so that we could film a second episode devoted entirely to WOMEN's HEALTH.   We recorded this right after MDW, which for me was overly indulgent in all of my favorite summer favorites;  ice cream, gin & tonics, sandwiches & chips on the beach and chilled rose.  Natalie gives us the truth when it comes to weight loss & health in our 40s and beyond. 

In this episode we learn about Natalie's business.  It's hard to believe that she was at one point selling insurance!  She always had a love of fashion and magazines from a young age and credits her hustle mentality & determination for her success in NYC. After being told NO by a magazine,  a chance encounter in an elevator led Natalie to landing her dream job in the fashion industry.  From NYC to the Hamptons to taking her first barre class which sparked her love of fitness & return to taking care of her own body.

I love Natalie's story because it is a true testament to what she has built.  In this episode Natalie discusses the challenges of being in a job that isn't the right fit, the surprising piece of business advice about franchises AND we spend time on health & top level nutrition. Natalie even gives us the number #1 missing item on all of our plates. 

Not only is she absolutely gorgeous - she is a beauty inside & out.  Please enjoy, please share with women & please review my show so that I can continue to grow. 

Meet Haven Duddy..Mom, Real Estate Agent & Founder.  Haven was most recently recognized for being in the top 1/2 of the top 1% of all 45,000 Berkshire Hathaway Fox & Roach agents!!  She is also the brains behind all things Home, Interior, Lifestyle & Fashion that is Main Line Haven.  Haven & I met many years ago when our older kids were in preschool and we were both pregnant.  I remember as soon as I met Haven I instantly loved her authenticity and humor... she never sweats the small stuff and has a deep appreciation for what's truly important in life & living well.  Haven is the friend who challenges me to keep going - and I am so grateful! 

Fast forward almost a decade, and Haven knowing my previous career in the fashion industry tapped me to assist in editing her own closet. Instagram had quickly become a real estate business resource for Haven and she decided to invest in her wardrobe.  Haven's audience was asking about her clothes and what she was wearing.  She recognized that the audience was interested not only in real estate but the fashion piece too. This is the story of how Haven's old approach to shopping often led to the feeling of a closet full of clothes with nothing to wear.  

In today's episode Haven shares expert real estate advice for buyers, sellers and for anyone considering renovations in their own homes.  And Haven shares how her shift in mindset about clothing & the current overconsumption model that we are witnessing today doesn't serve her longterm goals for her wardrobe.  I hope you enjoy this episode...it really is like listening in on a conversation between friends. 

Please take a moment to review my podcast so that we can continue to grow.

Meet Brooke Ray and fall in love with her beautiful company, Locust Lane Rugs.  Brooke's multigenerational rugs & heirloom pieces are meant be in your homes & families for many, many years.   If you have ever designed or decorated a home, you probably have spent a lot of time looking at and searching for the perfect rug.  We all know that when you find the right rug it can not only anchor the room but it can be a true showstopper.  But you probably also know how painstaking that process is...Brooke has truly changed the way you can shop for your next rug.  Brooke is your new go to expert when it comes to rugs in your home. She gives us the best cleaning tips, and huge time saving tips when shopping for your next rug. Where to put them, what materials we should be using in which rooms and SIZING- one of the most important parts of the rug puzzle.  And Brooke gives us permission to just enjoy your rugs, host the party, serve the food and don't worry...the red wine will come out!  Her number one tip-  do not buy a rug that is too small! 

Brooke is a mother of 3, lives in Huntsville Alabama with her family and had a previous career in education.  At one point in time Brooke's journey led her to Ethiopia where she was writing textbooks!!  Enjoy this knowledge filled episode and definitely listen to this before you make your next rug purchase. Visit LocustLaneRugs.com and get ready for a completely enjoyable  and personalized shopping experience. 

Don't forget to rate this episode..this helps my podcast grow! xx 

This is for my fashion lovers and shoppers!! What a TREAT. If you're planning on shopping for Spring & Summer pieces, be sure to listen to this episode first.  Get ready for an education today.  Brie has the rare combination of having an extensive background in business, design and fashion merchandising as well as a creative, stylish point of view.  We chat about Brie's impressive fashion background (her NYC based career had her traveling often to Europe),  her risky decision to open a brick & mortar store, No.18 Boutique in 2014 and how she has been able to grow the business. Brie is open about her infertility issues and her journey to motherhood along with how she navigates being a mom and business owner.  

Confused and shocked by the escalating prices on designer pieces, specifically hand bags? Listen to this episode and learn about what is happening behind the scenes and if your dollar is really buying value.  We also share where to invest and discuss mutual love of YSL & the master himself, Jonathan Simkhai. 

This is the best conversation because it's the perfect combination of business advice along with tools to help the everyday shopper learn what to buy. Brie creates your Spring/ Summer shopping list and takes the guess work out of the search! Get ready to be inspired to work hard and look fabulous. Brie's story is SO good!! I hope she comes back in the Fall to do a Fall Capsule Wardrobe for us. 

Meet Eleanor Leftwich! Did you know that Eleanor wanted to be President of the United States? I love this goal.  Eleanor is a mother of 4 children, runs a family farm and recently launched a beautiful womenswear collection that is equally beautiful & practical; taking you from work and meetings to dinner.  You may have found Eleanor on IG because of her impressive, museum worthy vintage collection however, you most likely have stayed because of the tremendous insight she provides.  Eleanor shares what it takes to go from idea to product and how she leveraged seemingly unrelated fashion relationships to create her beautiful collection of knitwear, dresses, blazers & more. 

Like Eleanor, I value the quality of clothes and am always on the search for pieces that will live many lives in my closet.  Eleanor shares expert tips on collecting vintage clothing and chats openly about the quality of clothing that is available and what the discerning customer can expect when they purchase her lovely pieces. 

Eleanor shares her philosophy of clothing and how some of her vintage pieces truly are her art..potentially to be in a museum one day.  And how this is the year of YES for Eleanor.  I hope you join Eleanor and make it your year of YES too. 

Enjoy! 

Erin's story is magic! She is proof that you can not only learn new skills as an adult but turn them into a business.  There are many reasons why I love this story but what I love most is that Erin is self taught. While decorating her own home and in the middle of having babies, Erin taught herself to paint as a creative outlet.  She visited her local art store and asked questions and just tried.   Erin knows what it means to go of it & find something that truly lights you up.  We talk about the importance of having those hobbies and work outside of motherhood.  Erin gives us all a lesson in purchasing art for our own homes & how she thinks about adding pieces into her own collection. And guess what., you dont need an unlimited budget to have a beautiful personal art collection!  And we of course talk about how she juggles motherhood while building an empire of Art, Textiles & Home Decor. 

This episode is especially meaningful as Erin is just shy of being a month out from a 9 day hospital stay for a very serious bacterial infection & one of the scariest things she's ever gone through.  Her amazing recovery and reentry back into her world of Art, Textiles and Table Top is so impressive to witness. 

We are both former PR girls and really just had so much fun chatting.  I hope you enjoy this episode and follow Erin to see her beautiful, playful pops of color and gorgeous textured Art that is such a delight!