When Holly and Rodney got married in 1995, they called on party planner extraordinaire Colin Cowie, who they say orchestrated the wedding celebration of their dreams and became a dear friend in the process. Now that Colin has authored his seventh book, Colin Cowie Chic: The Guide to Life as It Should Be , the Peetes invite him to share some of his expert secrets to living life to the fullest.

In Colin Cowie Chic , Colin reveals all about how he lives, entertains, works, travels and more. For Colin, order and aesthetic beauty can be found in all areas of his life, from the lavish parties he hosts right down to his immaculately organized underwear drawer. "It just makes me feel more comfortable," he says. "I get a kind of sense of security out of it from an emotional point of view and a practical point of view."

When it comes to cooking, Colin says less is more. "My whole approach to food is no more than five ingredients … because I think the moment you start adding more than that, it becomes an effort, it becomes a production," he says. Simple yet delicious dishes are Colin's trademark, like his Raw Brussels Sprout Salad with Almonds and Parmesan , a favorite of the Peete family. "I've been making it almost once a week," Holly says. "My children are lapping it up!"

As for the source of this lifestyle guru's inspiration, Colin says it comes from everything he sees, hears, smells and touches. "My brain is kind of like a sponge that tends to drink up all of these things," he says. In writing Colin Cowie Chic , Colin says he hopes to inspire others to up the ante in their own lives. "I wanted to share my lifestyle with others because it brings me so much joy and it brings so much joy to other people that interact with me," he says.