Polka Dot Grace.life™
Welcome to the Weekly Column
Polka Dot Grace.life™ is a faith-infused storytelling experience created for women—and the welcoming spaces where they gather. Each weekly column pairs a thoughtfully chosen book with a soulful reflection and a seasonal recipe, inviting readers to pause, savor beauty, and share stories that restore.
Designed to feel like a rhythm rather than a routine, these literary-lifestyle columns become a cherished part of the week—offering nourishment for the mind, warmth for the heart, and something lovely to pass along.
Whether read aloud around a table, shared in a newsletter, or tucked into a gift bag, each story becomes a treasured experience—one your community will look forward to again and again.
Do Everything in Love
By Suzanne Alane Ruppert
All you need is love, the Beatles taught us. Love will keep us together, Captain and Tennille promised. Love me tender, Elvis pleaded. And to the philosophical question sung by Tina Turner—What’s love got to do with it?—I say: everything.
“I learned one thing. Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.”
—Ernest Hemingway, A Moveable Feast
Imagine wandering the cobblestone streets of Paris, feeling the roaring pulse of the 1920s. You can hear the laughter from bustling cafés and the chatter of artists and writers. Ernest Hemingway invites us into this creative world in his memoir, A Moveable Feast, offering a rich, mouthwatering exploration of his time in Paris.
Hemingway paints Paris as a city of endless inspiration, a haven for creative minds. Picture yourself at Les Deux Magots (founded in 1812 as a silk and novelty shop, converted to a café and liquor bar in 1884), one of Hemingway’s favorite haunts. The air is thick with the aroma of freshly brewed coffee, mingling with the scent of rain on cobblestones. He describes his writing process in these cafés with reverence, capturing the transformative power of place. (Think: church meets Broadway.)
He dines, writes, and—if we used today’s vernacular—does life together with an array of literary legends: Gertrude Stein, James Joyce, Ezra Pound, F. Scott Fitzgerald, and more. Through Hemingway’s eyes, we see Fitzgerald not just as the author of The Great Gatsby, but as a vulnerable, deeply conflicted man. Did you know that much of Fitzgerald’s writing drew inspiration from… his wife Zelda’s journals?
The memoir also delves into Hemingway’s personal struggles and triumphs. His dedication to his craft is evident as he navigates the tension between ambition and financial instability—a powerful reminder of the resilience required to master our dreams.
One of the most inspiring aspects of A Moveable Feast is its celebration of the simple pleasures in life. Hemingway’s evocative descriptions of food, from the succulent oysters at the market to the apple tarts shared with friends, invite us to savor each moment. In our fast-paced world, his reflections encourage us to slow down and find beauty in the ordinary.
“As I ate the oysters with their strong taste of the sea… I lost the empty feeling and began to be happy and to make plans.”
—Ernest Hemingway
Let’s Savor the Spirit of Hemingway’s Paris Together This Week
🥂 Amuse-Bouche – a tiny taste of intention
Hemingway teaches us that joy can live in the briefest, most fleeting moments—an oyster at midday, the feel of pen on paper, a shared laugh over wine.
What’s one small indulgence that could bring delight to your day, just because?
🧀 Hors d’oeuvre – a dash of discovery
Paris offered Hemingway an environment charged with beauty and brilliance. Its cafés, markets and winding streets weren’t just background—they were catalysts.
Where in your world might goodness be hiding in plain sight, waiting to spark your imagination?
🍽 Entrée – a hearty helping of purpose
Writing was Hemingway’s sacred work. Despite hardship and self-doubt, he remained faithful to his craft, showing up again and again.
What dream or devotion might be asking you to keep showing up, even on the hard days?
🍋 Palate Cleanser – a breath of perspective
The slower pace of a Parisian meal invites presence. Hemingway’s love of lingering over food and friendship reminds us: you don’t need to rush to arrive.
Where can you pause this week, breathe deeper, and let peace reset your rhythm?
🍰 Dessert – a sweet, soul-satisfying takeaway
Through wine, words and shared tables, A Moveable Feast whispers what the Beatles declared boldly: love is everything. And it’s in the choosing—to care, to create, to connect.
Where can you do something in love this week, simply because love asked first?
Taste Your World Change – Parisian Style
In the spirit of A Moveable Feast, let’s create something simple and shareable—something that reflects the beauty of slowing down and doing everything in love. This apple tart is more than a treat. It’s a quiet celebration of ordinary moments made meaningful—just like a walk through the market stalls of Paris, or a page written in a cozy café.
Whether you serve it over conversation with friends or savor it solo with a journal and cup of tea, let this be your sweet reminder: life doesn’t have to be loud to be lovely.
🌸 This column is part of The Bloom Collection (Spring)
Featuring themes of fresh starts, flourishing ideas and gentle awakenings, also including two Progressive Dinner Party menus.This week’s recipe is part of the Blooming Beginnings Progressive Dinner Party—a multi-course menu designed to nourish connection and celebrate the season’s soft unfolding.
Apple Tarts
Ingredients:
• 1 sheet of puff pastry (store-bought, thawed)
• 2 medium apples (Granny Smith or Honeycrisp work well)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp butter (melted)
• 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
• Powdered sugar
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Roll out puff pastry on a floured surface and cut into 4–6 squares.
- Thinly slice apples and toss with sugar and cinnamon.
- Arrange slices in a fan shape on each square. Brush edges with butter.
- Bake 15–20 minutes, until golden and puffed.
- Drizzle warm tarts with honey or syrup.
- Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.
Cheers to seeking inspiration in unexpected places, cherishing the people who enrich our lives and remembering that every moment is a feast waiting to be savored, shared and remembered!
How Do You Create Loyal Readers Who Keep Coming Back for More?
When you offer stories that nourish and gatherings that restore, your community doesn’t just return—they linger.
With Polka Dot Grace.life™, engagement becomes something deeper than content—it becomes connection. Beautiful. Meaningful. Uniquely yours.
What is Polka Dot Grace.life™?
Seasonal Collections. Weekly Columns. Restorative Gatherings—Lovingly Delivered.
Polka Dot Grace.life™ is my faith-infused storytelling experience, blending literature, reflection, and recipes into a soulful rhythm that nourishes both heart and home.
Each season invites women to gather—around a table, in a book club, or within community spaces—and discover stories that spark connection and meals that bring people closer.
It’s more than content. It’s a gift too big for a box—effortless, beautiful, and designed to linger long after the last page is turned.
❤️ Why Readers Keep Coming Back
Polka Dot Grace.life™ is a highlight of my week—a meaningful journey that gently nudges me beyond my comfort zone. As a lifelong fiction reader, I never expected these stories to expand my perspective so deeply. Each column lingers with a lesson, a shared experience or a thought that stays with me. And the recipes? Fabulous. I’ve always loved cooking, but now I’m even dipping my toes into baking—it’s wonderfully contagious!
Chris, Faithful Reader Who Loves Learning
Do everything in love.
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