The Simple Sophisticate - Intelligent Living Paired with Signature Style
Episodes
60: 25 Must-Haves for the Efficient Office Desk
07 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
As everyone returns from their summer getaways, whether you are going back to school, to work or simply getting back to a regular work schedule, the g...
59: September 5, 2015: Au Courant Weekly
05 Sep 2015
Contributed by Lukas
President Obama renames Mt. McKinley, migrants stop a Eurostar train for hours near Calais, France, experts discover more trees on the planet earth th...
58: Why Not . . . Wear a Blazer?
31 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
A seasonless, classic wardrobe essential is the blazer. In today's episode discover the 6 reasons why a blazer is a must-have in any woman's wardrobe,...
57: August 29, 2015: Au Courant Weekly
29 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The 10th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, firefighters from Down Under come to help the west, Serene begins the pursuit of wrapping up the grand slam...
56: Interview with Frances Schultz
24 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Author, blogger and decor expert Frances Schultz's new book The Bee Cottage Story: How I Made a Muddle of Things and Decorated My Way Back to Happines...
55: August 22, 2015: Au Courant Weekly
22 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
First two women graduate from Army Ranger School, Addyi is approved for women's libidos, Lily Tomlin stars in a delightful new film and much more. In ...
54: 10 Ways to Deal with Toxic People
17 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Even when we can identify a toxic person a mile away, we will still will have to deal with them from time to time. Whether it's in the workplace, at h...
53: August 15, 2015: Au Courant Weekly
15 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton, a WWII bomb in London, the film People, Places, Things and much more in this week's top news stories of the week.
52: 15 Ways to Not "Feel Fat"
10 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The idea of "feeling fat" is often rather a feeling of knowing we aren't taking care of our body as we should and knowing we can feel better in our ow...
51: August 8, 2015: Au Courant Weekly
08 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The top stories from the past stories such as President Obama's announcement on greenhouse gas emmissions, meditation's positive effects on being self...
50: Why Not . . . Design a Happy Life?
03 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by Dr. Paul Dolan's book Happiness by Design, this episode will focus 30 specific ways to cultivate a happier life. Most importantly, as re...
49: Au Courant Weekly: August 1, 2015
01 Aug 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Discover the top stories of the past week in 15 minutes or less. This week topics range from the selection of the 2022 Winter Olympics to Turkey, heal...
48: The Moving Checklist
27 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by her own experience of relocating after nine years of living in her beloved house to her new home in Bend, Oregon, Shannon shares a checkli...
47: Au Courant Weekly: July 25, 2015
25 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Part of living well is being in the know, whether it is being knowledgable of news from around the world or informed of going-ons right in your own c...
46: The Importance of Cultivating a Sanctuary
20 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Tapping into our true potential requires that we cultivate sanctuaries throughout our daily routines. And while our home should most certainly be a sa...
45: 10 Ways to Set Up Your Home Like a Luxury Travel Accommodation
13 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
If you've ever wanted to bring the comfort and luxury home with you after traveling and staying in lush living arrangements, whether a luxury hotel or...
44: The Gifts of Being a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
06 Jul 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by Dr. Elaine Aron's best-selling book, The Highly Sensitive Person, discover the 26 characteristics of being highly sensitive and learn 19 w...
43: 15 Ways to Make the Most of Summer
22 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
As the summer solistice has just occurred and the summer season has officially begun, Shannon shares 15 simple ways to take advantage of all that summ...
42: Why Not . . . Create a Lingerie Capsule Wardrobe?
15 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
In order for clothing to look its best and therefore to allow each of us to feel our best, we need the proper lingerie that provides the foundational ...
41: Holding On & Letting Go
08 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The quality of our days is another lesson in knowing what to hold on to and what to let go of, in other words choosing quality over quantity. In today...
40: How to be the CEO of Your Own Life
01 Jun 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by Sophia Amoruso's best-selling book #GirlBoss, today's episode dives into eight specific ways you can design the life that taps into your p...
39: Dating & Selling A Home
25 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Believe it or not, love and real estate have more in common than not. In today's episode, Shannon shares through her own experience what having succes...
38: Texting Etiquette 101
18 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The third part in the Life & Tech series continues with nine specific Do's and Don'ts of texting. With the primary goal of enhancing our relationships...
37: The Truth Behind "It Was Meant to Be"
11 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Very often the phrase "It was meant to be" is uttered to explain why something worked out or didn't work out, depending upon the situation. However, i...
36: How to Construct a Healthy Social Circle
04 May 2015
Contributed by Lukas
One of the eight pillars of a simply luxurious life is a healthy social circle, and in today's episode listeners will discover exactly who will and wh...
35: 3 Ways to Design a Life That Works Best for You
27 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
In Kate Bolick's recently released book (April 21, 2015), she dives into the possibilities of remaining single. While Bolick doesn't profess that bein...
34: Life & Tech: Email Etiquette
20 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The power of email correspondence is profound. However, the key is to understand that it is a tool to communicate, and it is up to the sender to effec...
33: How to Live Alone Well
13 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Eric Klinenberg shared in his best-selling book Going Solo that living alone is continuing to increase world-wide. In today's episode, listeners will ...
32: The Francophile's Style Guide
06 Apr 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by the style icons from the past (Coco Chanel, Jane Birkin, Bridgette Bardot, and Catherine Deneuve), as well as those effortlessly chic Fr...
31: How to Live a Courageous Life
30 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Each one of us encounters fears from time to time, the key is to understand how to navigate them as we continue toward our goals and stepping into our...
30: Become the Master of Your Cell Phone
23 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Our mobile devices can help our lives run more efficient, but if not used correctly, can have significant drawbacks. In today's episode 12 rules for m...
29: Why Not . . . Spring Forward?
16 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
As a new season begins, it is a reminder that by unburdening ourselves of the unnecessary (events and ideas of the past that are no longer aiding us i...
28: The Modern Woman's Lifestyle Grocery List
09 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
What is the lifestyle grocery list? Any item that requires money in your budget, but doesn't occur regularly (i.e. weekly or monthly), minus food or...
27: 13 Ways to Cultivate True Wealth
02 Mar 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Understanding the power of money and becoming the master of it is crucial to a life full of contentment. In today's podcast, the definition of true we...
26: How to Style a Bar Cart
23 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
If you enjoy living simply, but also enjoy entertaining from time to time, a bar cart is a wonderful, efficient way to combine style and function with...
25: Why Not . . . Become Self-Actualized?
16 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of needs are the catalyst for today's episode. Shannon will dive into the definition of Self-Actualization, remind us all t...
24: 10 Differences Between Women & Girls
09 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Have you ever wondered what is at the foundation of the difference between a woman and a girl? Well, most importantly, it is a choice and something ea...
23: How to Create a Luxurious Everyday Life
02 Feb 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Twenty ways inspired by the French to live truly simply luxuriously each and every day.
22: 17 Ways to Become More Charismatic
26 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The good news is anyone can have charisma. It is not something you are born with. Inspired by Olivia Fox Cabane's 2013 book The Charisma Myth, in tod...
21: The Importance of Selecting the Best Reality
19 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
Inspired by Shawn Achor's best-selling book Before Happiness, today's episode focuses on how we can shift the reality in which we see our lives. From...
20: How to be the Master of Your Mind
12 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
One of the most fundamental components to living well is mastering our thoughts on any given day. Regardless of life's events, how we respond will det...
19: Why Not . . . Be A Romantic?
05 Jan 2015
Contributed by Lukas
The part of being a romantic I want to grab onto and dive deeper into is the idea of thinking outside the box, of not being limited by the boundaries...
18: 15 Ideas for a Promising 2015
22 Dec 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With 2015 quickly approaching, perhaps you are contemplating a few resolutions to pursue. Today, I will share with you 15 (plus one more) ideas of wha...
17: 4 Habits That Cultivate Continual Self-Growth
15 Dec 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A full life is a live that is continually changing, offering us opportunities that have never before experienced and becoming all the more enjoyable. ...
16: 6 Fixed Life Ideas to Let Go
08 Dec 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Too often we are the obstacle that gets in the way of life unfolding in such a way that will bring us happiness. Whether out of ignorance or fear, we ...
15: 7 Components of Building a Signature Style
01 Dec 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Building a signature style involves knowing who you are, what your physical assets are and understanding what works best with your lifestyle. In today...
14: 8 Strategies for Prepping for the Holiday Season
24 Nov 2014
Contributed by Lukas
With just a little preparation and arranging of priorities, the holiday season can be the best time of year and set the stage for a wonderful start to...
13: 8 Ways to Create Glowing Skin
17 Nov 2014
Contributed by Lukas
How we treat and care for our skin is just as vitally important as what we eat and how we live. Amazingly positive results can reveal themselves natur...
12: Why Not . . . Be Unforgettable?
10 Nov 2014
Contributed by Lukas
The key to being unforgettable is not to present perfection and agree to everything and everyone we meet. Rather being unforgettable begins with being...
11: 7 Keys to Building a Strong, Healthy Relationship
03 Nov 2014
Contributed by Lukas
One of the pillars of living a simply luxurious life is building strong and healthy relationships. Whether at work, at home or in your community, thes...
10: 5 Ways to Live an Examined Life
27 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Socrates reminds us that the "unexamined life is not worth living", but what exactly is the examined life? Today, I examine five general over-arching ...
9: 6 Ways to Live Fully Each Day
20 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
The beauty of life is that the unexpected can always happen, but if we don't recognize that life's surprises can actually be diamonds to be seized, we...
8: Love Food, Love Your Body
13 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Food is a pleasure to be enjoyed throughout our lives, but food is not why we live our lives. On the other hand, it is important that we not see food ...
7: 6 Ways to Create a Chic Sanctuary
06 Oct 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Regardless of the size of home we live in, creating a space that is welcoming, clean, and comfortable is crucial to rejuvenating and relaxing so that ...
6: Authenticity: Finding the Courage to be Yourself
29 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Authenticity is a simple notion in its construct, but applying it to everyday living can be daunting. In today's podcast, four concrete measurements o...
5: Confidence: How to Gain It & Why It's Invaluable
22 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Confidence not only is something you can learn, but it is also something you can master. In today's podcast, Shannon share five specific ways to exude...
4: 10 Ways to Unearth Your Inner Francophile
15 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
From the cuisine to the fashion and everything in between, there are many aspects of the French culture that continue to fascinate people from around ...
3: 10 Essential Wardrobe Items
15 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
Regardless of your age, size, job or personality, these 10 essential wardrobe items will be the glue that pulls each season together seamlessly.
2: Mastering Your Money
07 Sep 2014
Contributed by Lukas
At the foundation of a contented life that instills peace of mind regardless of life's events is financial security. As one of the pillars of a simply...
1: The 8 Pillars of Creating a Simply Luxurious Life
18 Aug 2014
Contributed by Lukas
A simply luxurious life is a life focused on quality over quantity, and while each of us has our own path to follow, our own unique passions that driv...