Thomas Jefferson’s Dovecote on the Rose Hill Estate
As a garden lover as well as an admirer of Thomas Jefferson, I was intrigued when a friend emailed asking if I knew what a dovecote was (not realizing that… Read More
Author: Bettie Bearden Pardee
7 Steps to Hosting a Successful Cheese-Tasting Party
Who doesn’t love cheeses? If it weren’t for their high caloric count, I could live quite nicely on them for a daily diet of protein. However, a recent front page article… Read More
Neighborhoods of Newport House Tour 2016
Everyone loves a sneak peek at private homes, especially if they’ve never before been opened to the public. St. Michael’s Country Day School has been presenting the Neighborhoods of Newport… Read More
April in Paris: An Intimate Perspective
Norma Thiessen, who lives in Toronto in “a little blue house,” adores all things French: the people, food, fashion, history, architecture, countryside and culture. But most of all, she loves… Read More
“Nothing Left Unsaid: Gloria Vanderbilt & Anderson Cooper,” a Preview Screening at The Breakers
One soon learns, and then takes for granted, that Newport is seemingly at the epicenter, in an understated way, of many newsworthy events. Case in point…Tuesday night, in a filled-to-capacity gilded… Read More
15 Essential Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Wedding Photographer
For many, planning a wedding is preparing for life’s greatest adventure and grandest party. There are many pieces that must come together to create the perfect event, much like a… Read More
Euonymus, an Overlooked Garden Design Asset
It’s always insightful to hear someone else’s “take” on one’s garden, especially if it’s Martha Stewart. Her interest in our use of euonymus (pronounced u-on-a-mus) as a design element caught… Read More
Easter Entertaining for the Aspiring Hostess
With all the bunnies hopping, flowers blooming and spring fever popping, everyone is in a most celebratory mood; especially since Easter, coming so early, gives us another excuse to put… Read More
Bringing a Spring Picnic Indoors: 8 “Pardee” Tips
It’s about this time of the year when cabin fever sets in and the first blush of spring makes us yearn to get out and about; hosting a gathering of… Read More
Iconic Views of Northern and Southern Italy
Isn’t falling in love with Italy something each of us should experience? When my talented assistant, Michelle, returned from her first trip to this magical country, there were stars in… Read More