StyleBlueprint.com

My absolute favorite blouse EVER

Liza — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:35:29 +0000

I bought this blouse at a trunk show here in town. I loved the trunk show, but the funny thing about the blouse was that it is not exclusive to the trunk show line as I found the exact same top, with a different tag sewn in, at Habit. I really did a double take and had to compare to confirm – yes, the same. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful to the aforementioned trunk show as I never would have tried on this top because it just kinda hangs there – nothing special – on the hanger. The magic happens when you put it on.

The brand is Alternative Apparel and the blouse comes in several different colors. I also noticed that Julia Roberts wore this top in Eat. Pray. Love. Hers was red and she wore it in the scene – SPOILER ALERT!- where she decides not to get on the boat with Javier Bardem. (What was she thinking???) So, what else could I do but get you a deal? Keep reading….

Completely flattering

I love the sleeves: roll up or down

Notice the ribbing at the sides and undersides of arms. This makes the blouse fit in a more tailored fashion and not balloon out.

Habit usually has this top in stock in white, khaki and gray – and we have a SBP deal for you! Simply mention ‘StyleBlueprint’ when you are at Habit to purchase this top at 15% off through the end of September. Meg, the owner, has more on order so she can satisfy your desire for this top. And, desire it you should as it’s only $70 regularly – but, right now, it’s only $59.50! *Style tip: while fine in your normal size, some like this top one size up.

For our non-Nashville readers, Alternative Apparel’s online store is also offering you 15% off by simply signing up for their newsletter. See site for details.

HABIT

2209 Bandywood Drive
Nashville, TN 37215-2726
(615) 292-9399

-Liza

Her Q’s: Quick & Easy Labor Day Recipes

Elizabeth — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:20:26 +0000

Dear StyleBlueprint,

My husband and I have been invited to join friends at their mountain cabin over Labor Day weekend. I am so appreciative of the invitation and want to bring a nice hostess gift and some goodies for the group. Since we will be hiking all day, I want to be able to quickly reheat or even microwave it. Do you have a good recipe that uses fresh ingredients? I love soups! Thanks so much.

Becky, Belmont neighborhood

Dear Becky,

I have several end-of-summer recipes that will wow your guests. These are tried and true; I promise your guests will be clamoring for the recipes. Please feel free to share the recipes with your guests – that alone is a true gift.

Nothing says summer (or any season!) better than a well-mixed gin and tonic garnished with a lime. I absolutely adore the combination of Hendrick’s gin with Fever-Tree Indian Water tonic. Combined, they create a delicious flavor. I love tonic in the small bottles because they never lose their fizz.

This soup is so simple and tasty. Buy cucumbers and fresh dill from your local farmers’ market—it makes a huge difference. This can be served as an appetizer in a small cup once you return from your hike. A dill or cucumber garnish is a must!

Lucy’s Cucumber Soup

1qt. buttermilk
1/2 cup mayo
2 medium cucumbers
1 small onion or some green onion
1 T Ranch dressing
Salt & pepper to taste
Pinch of dill
Peel cucumbers and scoop out seeds.

Add all together and blend in blender.

It’s better when made a least 1 day – preferably 2 days – ahead.

I promise this is the best Pimento Cheese you’ll ever taste. I served it while on my family vacation and everyone asked for more. Don’t underestimate the addition of vinegar; it gives it a wonderful zing. Where typical pimento cheese can get boring, this version will titillate your taste buds—cross my heart.

Amy’s Pimento Cheese

1 bag of shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 tsp vinegar
1 jar pimento, drained ( not the tiny jar, but the next largest size)
Walnuts or slivered almonds
Sliced green olives, drained
Hellman’s real mayo

Stir it all up, chill and chow down……..

My sisters and I have certain cookbooks we just love. The Tomato Basil Pie recipe below came from one of our favorite cookbooks, Heart and Soul published by the Junior League of Memphis. If you ever have the opportunity to buy one on eBay, do it! They are hard to find, but worth every penny. I promise there is not a bad recipe in this book. I made this last night and substituted Panko crumbs for the crackers which added a nice crunch.

Tomato Basil Pie

1 9-inch frozen unbaked deep-dish crust
3-4 medium tomatoes, sliced, drained, and patted dry
Salt and pepper to taste
8 slices bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
3 tablespoons snipped fresh basil
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
¾ cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup crushed rich round crackers

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Thaw pie crust for 10 minutes at room temperature. Arrange some of the tomato slices in pie crust to form a single layer. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with some of bacon and basil. Repeat layering, using remaining tomato slices, salt, pepper, bacon and basil. Combine Parmesan cheese and mayonnaise and spread over tomatoes. Sprinkle with crushed crackers. Bake for 30 minutes or until crumbs begin to brown. Makes 6-8 servings.

AshBlue in Bandywood has lovely hostess gifts, check out their selection of hostess napkins and holders.

Happy Labor Day!

Elizabeth, StyleBlueprint

Each Thursday we answer one question from a reader for both StyleBlueprint and the Her Q’s blog found at HerNashville.com. We also answer two questions each Tuesday just on the Her Q’s blog. Please send us your questions at: email@styleblueprint.com

You’ve Got Lice.

Elizabeth — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:35:23 +0000

L-I-C-E: A simple four-letter word that evokes terror in any household. Right now you’re thinking, “Is Elizabeth really going to write a post on lice? Where’s the style in that?” Well I am, and here’s why: too many women battle lice silently feeling kinda’ ICKY, like you’ve got the bubonic plague and won’t be invited to fun parties anymore.

Abby and my daughter Amelia

This post is about full disclosure: lice have visited our fair household not once, but twice in the past month, and from what I saw while sitting at Lice Solutions last Friday, they’re visiting Ensworth, USN, Overbrook, Percy Priest and Harding too. Ladies, we just may have an epidemic on our hands, and it’s time to fight back! Here’s a quick tale of my lice journey and some information you need to prepare for battle.

I never knew what lice were until about ten years ago when my kindergartner brought them home. Apparently lots of kids had lice, but everyone played their cards close, too embarrassed to mention it. .Silently, we all spent tons of money on treatments but kept passing it back n’ forth to each other. My lice adventure cost about $1,000. I bought products at Walgreen’s, dry cleaned everything in my home and tried diligently to remove the nits from our hair; I even hired professional nit-pickers.

My husband was of no help. He would don his 1.50 readers and say, “Not sure I see anything, honey.” I would then say… well, I’m not sure I want to write what I said to him.

Short of dousing my kids’ heads in kerosene, I didn’t know what in the hell (with lice, cussing is permitted) to do.

I first learned of Lice Solutions from my church list serve. It said something like this: Lice Solutions is a non profit whose mission is to remove lice COMPLETELY and return kids to school as soon as possible. And that is exactly what they do.

The Terminator

First, you schedule a head check. If those little boogers are stuck on a strand of hair (nits) or roaming in your head (louse), you receive a treatment. Lice Solutions uses a handy comb called THE TERMINATOR to remove most of the nits and bugs, and then checks EVERY SINGLE STRAND OF YOUR HAIR.

Every Single Strand of Hair!

Don’t worry Moms; they have movies, snacks and a fine bravado when it comes to the tedious work of removing nits.

You'll want to use this stash as a bribe.

Once you have gone through their regime, you are good to go back to school. Lice Solutions includes two follow-up visits with your treatment.

When you get home, collect all your hairbrushes and place them in boiling water or in a zip lock bag in the freezer. Use common sense to clean your house; vacuum thoroughly and use a lint brush on your furniture. Wash your sheets and towels and quit obsessing—lice do not live in your home, rather on your head.

At this point, you may want to consider an adult beverage.

If you continue to use the Terminator comb twice a week and check your child’s head regularly, you will diminish the chance of a re-occurrence. If you do find lice have returned (have a quick temper tantrum) and head back to Lice Solutions for treatment.

This last visit to Lice Solutions I had the pleasure of meeting Katie Shepherd, the founder of The Shepherd Institute for Lice Solutions. She had just returned from helping an orphanage in Cambodia where over 80% of the population has lice. She understands the strain lice puts on families, not to mention the stigma that accompanies them. Her book, Lice Advice is a how-to guide for families and is chocked full of good information. I love this quote from her book,

“Lice are equal opportunity parasites. They don’t care about the size of your wallet, whether your house is clean or dirty or what your personal hygiene is.”

The prevalence of lice in our society today is due to their resistance to over-the-counter drugs. Her goal is to educate us through her experiences with a goal of eradicating lice completely.

Schools need to know Lice Solutions will conduct head checks for only $1 per child. If they find lice in a child’s head, they will schedule a treatment and have them back at school ASAP. Lice are a nuisance, not a terminal disease.

Lice Solutions charges by the hour. Depending on how long you have had lice and how thick your hair is, they will determine how much you pay. It can be costly if you have three or four kids with lice, but I am not sure what the alternative is. No drug on the market has been proven to remove lice safely and effectively.

For those of you who want to slather your head with Hellman’s mayonnaise and wrap it in Saran Wrap, let it go. I tried it, and as we say in the south, “That dog won’t hunt.”

Now that I have completely bared my soul, or maybe my head, go forth—with lice, knowledge is power.

Jamie Beckwith: Girl Crush

Liza — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 04:04:35 +0000

I have a girl crush on Jamie Beckwith. What is a girl crush? It’s when you meet someone who you just instantly adore and think “How have I gone all these years without you as a friend? You’re awesome!” The counter to this, for guys, is a bromance. Same thing - just funny words to describe it. But, back to Jamie: you may have heard of her as she has a fabulous reputation as an interior designer along with her own home decor store, Beckwith Interiors, and a line of wooden tiles, The Jamie Beckwith Collection, that pretty much left me speechless. So, without further ado, let me introduce you to Jamie:

Jamie Beckwith

Jamie Beckwith came to Nashville the same way many of our finest do, by way of music. After some serious soul searching, she gave up that pursuit to settle down with her husband and three children. During this time she dug a little deeper into an area that really piqued her interest: home decor. Even when on the road singing, she always found that the home decor magazines and books kept her attention and left her wanting to learn more. Today, the decision to follow her heart as paid off as you’ll find this new designer taking on the design world with gusto. Check out her website for her complete portfolio.

A great room designed by Jamie Beckwith

"Striking artwork anchors this quarter-sewn oak library with custom lighting and amazing textiles" - Jamie

Her big break? Well, I can’t name names, but she was helping out some friends and finally let everyone know she was making a serious go out of this design “thing.” That meant she’d be charging a fee! One friend suggested she submit her work to a certain high profile couple here in town who was looking for a designer… low and behold, they picked her! The confidence brought by their belief in her, a designer without an office or a huge portfolio, spurred on her decision to open the Beckwith Interiors shop, which includes her design office in the back.

Beckwith Interiors is located in the Westgate Shopping Center on HWY 100 in Nashville.

A peek inside the Beckwith Interiors Home Decor store. Definitely worth stopping by. On top of a great selection, everyone who works here is nice and knowledgeable.

And, for all of you who know how I like to go at 100 miles per hour, you’ll appreciate why I just love this girl when I found out that not only had she accomplished all of the aforementioned in the past few years, but she also designed and launched her own line of wooden tiles, tubs and sinks called The Jamie Beckwith Collection. Does she sleep? Here are some pictures of her line, available across the country.

Tile Installations:

Projection installations:

Check out the wall behind the chair.

The projection blocks used to create dramatic artwork in a commercial office.

Tubs and Sinks:

How cool and cozy, at once, is this tub? Far more welcoming than my porcelain one.

How about this for your powder room? What a conversation piece!

If you live in Nashville, take advantage and stop by Beckwith Interiors, located near the Belle Meade Bread and Company. For those of you who don’t live in Nashville, many of her store’s offerings are available online and there are reps for the Jamie Beckwith Collection throughout the country.

Now, you have a girl crush too, don’t you?!

-Liza

Beckwith Interiors

6025 Highway 100
Nashville, TN 37205

Studio: 615-356-0808
Showroom: 615-356-5544
Fax: 615-356-0051

The Scott Show: a shoppers’ guide

Elizabeth — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 03:22:34 +0000

I’ve been to antiques shows before, but I’d never seen anything like the Scott Show.

There I was, standing in a warehouse somewhere in north Atlanta, way too early in the morning, with my longtime friend and decorator, Roger Higgins. At the center of the huge cavernous warehouse was a large truck with a crowd of people hurrying and scurrying around it. Two men would begin to uncover an item from the blankets, and someone from the crowd would yell “I’ll take it!”
“Take what?” I wondered. “There could be a pygmy under that blanket! It could be anything!”
Roger, a Scott Show expert of sorts, explained it all to me. Apparently, this well-tanned dealer – with gold chains – had exquisite taste. And price was of no concern, because if this guy from Florida’s got it, you want it. This was a perfect introduction to the circus that is the Scott Show.

The Scott Show occurs the second week of the month — every month. For more than 25 years, the Scott Antique Markets have been promoters of top quality antique shows. Their Atlanta show is called the world’s largest indoor antique show. The three huge buildings at the Atlanta Exposition Center make for one-stop shopping at its best: antique furniture, rugs, lighting, linen, art, yard stuff and jewelry. If you are a serious shopper with a checklist of things you need, put the September show on your calendar. I encourage you to enlist the help of a good decorator or savvy friend to go with you. This one’s not for the faint of heart; it can be overwhelming for even a seasoned shopper, and you will want to shop.
Antiques aren’t easy. How many authentic Chippendale chairs are there? You need to understand value, scale, and most important, how the piece fits in your overall decor. Good intentions aside, we all buy things impulsively for all the right reasons only to find they just don’t work in our home. In the long run, a professional decorator saves you money.
A quick story will illustrate my point:

I was sure I wanted a daybed for my new addition and was pretty sure it was waiting for me at the Scott Show. My friend and I met Roger bright and early the first day of the show. Our hands were full as we both were munching on decadent cinnamon rolls (more about the food later). We decided to split from Roger so we could cover more territory — or maybe he split from us once he saw our honey buns.
Of course, the very first daybed I found was perfect — really perfect. I lounged on it, my friend lounged on it, so I called Rog on my cell phone to zoom over for his final approval. He sauntered over and eyeballed the bed saying, “Wrong, all wrong.” Well, he was right: it was the wrong size and style for my house. I had avoided a $1,200 mistake.
Finally, I spied a daybed, disassembled on the floor. It was, in a word, gorgeous. I walked up to the handsome dealer expecting for him to quote me an exorbitant price. “I’ll let you have it for $400 since you look desperate,” he said. Once again, my jaw dropped.
I walked around it. “Looks good. Let me call my decorator.”
Incredulous, he said, “You’re calling your decorator for a $400 daybed?”
“Well, yeah,” I replied.
As it turned out, he and Roger were good buddies, and I got the daybed.

Roger is on the left and my daybed dealer is on the right.

The daybed is shown in its new home: mine! It's lovely, isn't it?

I always marvel at Roger’s knack for spying something delicious from across the room. These two pieces will be transformed into either headboards or wall decor. I might have zoomed past the simple, gorgeous antique panels since one was damaged — not Roger.

As you can see my buddy Betsy spied a great old refrigerator, which can be transformed into a wonderful wet bar for a den or family room. The dreamy color of green works as a neutral to complement most color palettes.

Finally, the food at the Scott Show is divine. We’re not talking hot dogs and hamburgers; we’re talking Greek salads, hummus, pasta, homemade cakes and pies. Shopping is hard work, and you’ll be rewarded (in calories) for your efforts.

If you want to see more of Roger’s finds from the Scott Show, stop by his showroom, The West Egg, at 2000 Blair Ave. Tell him Betsy, Elizabeth and StyleBlueprint sent you!

The Scott Show Schedule.
2010
September 10 – 12
October 8 – 10
November 12 – 14
December 10 – 12
2011
January 7 – 9
February 11 – 13
March 11 – 13
April 8 – 10
May 13 – 15
June 10 – 12
July 8 – 10
August 12 – 14
September 9 – 11
October 7 – 9
November 11 – 13
December 9 – 11

Fall Fashion Fridays with H. Audrey

Liza — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 00:42:57 +0000

We continue our “Fall Fashion Fridays” series with three looks for fall 2010 available at H. Audrey.

Rhett Murdaugh, H. Audrey’s store manager, says to look for these fall 2010 trends:

more stripes
cozy sweaters
lots of fur (faux of course),
camel coats
textured tights
the best accessory of all: YOU w/ confidence, grace and a smile! This makes the perfect H. Audrey woman.

I want to show you two dresses that I saw here when I stopped by to take photos. I admit that I’m a bit in love with each. Dresses are great wardrobe staples to keep in your closet for years. Ones that can be dressed up or down are always my favorite.

Helmut Lang dress, $485. I'm obsessed. Make it more casual with tights and boots or grab some heels and you are ready for whatever event is calling your name. Imagine how great a leather jacket would look with this dress - or denim.

This Julie Haus dress, $368, has me contemplating a return visit. It just seems to be that great dress that can go a thousand different directions. Many Will See necklace $995.

If you have yet to step inside H. Audrey, I hope this post encourages you to do so. No, you do not need a bank account the size of Gwyneth Paltrow’s to shop here. While H. Audrey is indeed one of Gwyneth’s favorite Nashville boutiques, this store has offerings that many of our readers will enjoy. I was a little dubious of the price range as the pair of cowboy boots I wanted last year (the rocker ones with the zipper) were $1295. However, this staff of stylists will work with your Target tank and Gap jeans – in fact they actively encourage it. So, next time you are at Hill Center Green Hills, open that beautiful wooden door to H. Audrey and have fun shopping in the type of store that Nashvillians used to leave town to experience.

Now, here is a casual look, put together by Betsy, their awesome stylist, which highlights how a pair of jeans and a white tank can go in several directions:

J Brand skinny jeans treated to have a leather effect. This is a great way to get in on the leather trend, without dropping leather money: jeans $240; White Tank, $75; Necklace is Many Will See $698.

Add a jacket for a more polished look. Smythe Jacket, $595.

Add this sweater to those same jeans and tank: this poncho-like sweater highlights your waist for a flattering fit, $430.

Check out the sales while you are there. My favorite three sales items are:

Nation tee's, fabu-licious, on sale for $35.

Those $1295 boots I fell for last year? They are now $695 if you are a size 8 (38). These boots, if you can afford the splurge, are life-time keepers!

This summer blazer from Smythe, is so dang cool. It's a size 6, but fits more like a 4. On sale for $450.

Have a great weekend!

-Liza and Elizabeth

Her Q’s: 60 second makeup and out the door.

Liza — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 03:46:20 +0000

These eyelashes really have no mascara on them, and no Latisse. Read through to the end of this post to see how I do it as well as how you can get them to look like this FOR FREE! This posts shows you other shortcuts to get out the door in as little as 60 seconds with a face you are proud to show off to the world. Pictures today are by the incredible Wiff Harmer.

Dear StyleBlueprint:

My mornings are too rushed and I’m constantly dropping my kids off at school and rushing to a meeting, or sometimes just errands, with little to no makeup on. I don’t want to look too made up, but I do need to look fresher and more polished. I’d love some pointers.

Jennifer, Nashville.

Jennifer-

When it comes to keeping your face looking its best, a routine is key: wash it each night and see a skin care specialist. If finding the time to see a brow specialist seems impossible, make quarterly appointments and then keep up the shape yourself. But, by taking the time to keep these appointments, you will save invaluable time each morning.

To speed up your morning routine, right after washing your face, put Vitamin C serum and eye cream on and walk away to get dressed, leaving time for these two things to soak in.

This picture was taken by Wiff after my 60 second makeup routine. I'm presentable but not too made up. I'd say I'm casual meeting ready, but not board room appropriate? Y'all know what I'm trying to say!!

Now for your AT MOST 90 second makeup routine. Perfect for the busy person always on the go:

Colorscience primers are amazing on their own. They even out skin tone and make your skin look great, but never “made up.” They are available at skin care centers like Trace Skin Care, Maxwell Aesthetics, and Gold Skin Care, or online. Something about this mineral primer allows me to skip powder if I so desire. Apply with your hands and just rub on. 10 seconds (really more like 8!).
Apply concealer to your under eye area as bright eyes are what people notice the most. I like both the Bobbi Brown creamy concealer, available at Woo, as well as the new Almay smart shade anti-aging concealer which changes color to match your skin tone. But, find your personal favorite as this step is a biggie. You may need a little on the shadows on either side of your nose. Make sure this is rubbed in properly. 20 seconds
Add a bit of bronzer, or a little blush. If you are like me you can add a little of both. Use the bronzer brush on your eyelids, bridge of your nose, forehead and chin – with a very light touch! I love the Bareminerals bronzer and the Nars, available at Cosmetic Market, and Bobbi Brown, available at Woo, blushes. 10 seconds.
I like a little eyeliner, but it’s not an everyday for me – it may be for you. 15 seconds.
Curl your eyelashes and brush your eyebrows into place. 20 seconds.
A little light powder will seal the whole face and keep you looking fresh all day. I skip this step all the time but you will look better hours later if you take the time for this step. My personal favorite is MAC set loose powder as it’s not as matte as other powders. 10 sec.
This leaves you 5 seconds if you needed to cover a pimple, which we all need to do from time to time!

“Foul!” you are screaming. What about lips and mascara?

I keep a lipgloss and lipstick in my purse and I usually put in on at a red light while driving my kids to school. My newest obsession is Plum Sugar by Fresh, but I love my Bobbi lip glosses and even the Say YES to Carrots lip butters.

For my lashes, I get my them tinted each month when I see Tracey Harris at Trace Skin Care for my microdermabrasion. I like that the tinting saturates both sides of your lashes. Tinting is $20 (but it’s free for you in September…keep reading!). If I did use Latisse, the tinting would probably last longer and my lashes would be really thick and even longer.

Eyelash tinting, no mascara here.

Trace Skin Care, #829-7198, is offering StyleBlueprint readers a special deal: make a microdermabrasion appointment at Trace Skin Care for anytime in the month of Sept and get a free lash tinting. When booking your appointment, let them know you are getting both services, but that the lash tinting is free by mentioning StyleBlueprint. Book today as September is NEXT WEEK! See if you, too, aren’t hooked! *Word of caution: after getting your lashes tinted, your eyes will look like you have liner on as well from the 100% vegetable dye used. No worries as any raccoon like feeling will go away once you are able to add some concealer under your eyes and by the next day, it is not an issue at all.

Because I get my eyelashes tinted, I don’t have to worry about mascara which is great as I’m not a fan of the way it feels. This way, I only curl my lashes and I’m out the door. Now, for an evening event, or something special, I will add mascara as it does give a more polished look.

-Liza

A Beautiful Mountain Wedding

Liza — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 01:14:09 +0000

There are few times in life when love is actually palpable; a wedding is one of these times. A few tears were shed this past July as I witnessed my cousin, Parrish, marry her guy Jonathan during their beautiful mountain wedding at The Laurel Ridge Country Club in Waynesville, NC. I may be biased, but they make the most adorable couple.

I was simply overwhelmed by the beauty of this wedding. Not only did Parrish and Johnathan get married at my favorite place on this earth, the mountains of North Carolina, but the choices made from the dress, to the colors, to the seersucker suit worn by the groom, to the gorgeous flowers had me knowing instantly that I needed to share this stylish, and very Southern, wedding with you.

Things to note: the wedding photographer is Amber Holritz. She is based in Chattanooga, but was contracted for this wedding through Asheville’s Corey McNabb. The wedding planner, and I think you’ll agree it was excellently planned, was Melissa Porter with Asheville Event Company.

Enjoy!

I love this picture as this is how I think of Parrish: happy all the time. Her gorgeous dress is Vera Wang. I also love that she didn't distract with a necklace and how about that big ring? LOVE it!

Here's Parrish on her way to the ceremony. Her sister, Ashley, is right next to her and her mom, Cheryl, is behind on Parrish's right.

The view out the windows in front of which they were married.

For this 5:30 PM July wedding, Johnathan wore a seersucker suit, while the groomsmen wore seersucker pants and a blue blazer. The boutonnieres were perfect.

A nice change up from a tux, huh?

The use of cornflower blue and bright yellow throughout the wedding was simply perfect.

2 of my cousin’s Ashley’s boys were in the wedding. I love to see children involved in a wedding!

Does it get any cuter?

A high 5 for the happy couple:

Notice the beautiful room in which they were married. It may not be a church, but the Cathedral is there in the ceiling!

I simply gushed over the wedding flowers, here is why:

A gorgeous bouquet

Flowers for the mothers and grandmothers

I love how each table had a display of different yellow flowers. The uniting factor was the color, not the kind. I even saw yellow cala lillies. I'm also a huge fan of rectangular clear glass vases.

The yellow and blue colors were carried into the wedding candies and cake as well:

Candies available at the reception.

This wedding cake tasted as great as it was beautiful.

I could go on and on with pictures of the fun reception, the incredible band and the proud parents. But, I’ll just pick a few favorites of the happy couple:

I love how this shows off the wedding party, each one happy for the newly married couple.

Love you!

And one more thing, Parrish and Jonathan – I have your wedding present and I promise to send it soon!

-Liza

The Majestic Grand Hotel

Elizabeth — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 00:39:30 +0000

The Grand Hotel

As we continue to battle one of the most oppressive summers ever, it occurred to me there may be some of you out there in blog land who might want to consider a place where you don’t talk about the heat index – a place where the daytime temp hovers around 80 degrees. Consider Mackinac Island and The Grand Hotel. The island has no cars and no smog, the air is cool and clean, air conditioners are optional, and you will wrap up in a pashmina at night and just say, “Ahhhhh.”

With that thought in mind, I set up an appointment with Bob Tagatz, resident historian at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island while on my family vacation. Bob knows everything about the history of the Grand Hotel and a bunch of weird facts which I will share with you later. The Grand Hotel truly is the grand dame of Mackinac Island. She’s classically beautiful, interesting, flirtatious and promises to deliver one great time if you stay with her. Can you imagine being built in1887 with the notoriety of being one of the world’s greatest summer resort?

The lobby of The Grand Hotel

If you can throw together a quick trip alone with your husband or significant other, I promise you, as a card carrying tour guide at Mackinac Island from 1975-1979, you will fall in love again and not look back. If you can’t do that, the Grand Hotel has tons of programs for kids. In fact, they even serve free snow cones at the pool.

First, a quick history of the Grand. The Grand Hotel was built in 93 days with 600 laborers working 3 shifts a day and no electricity. The Grand has had over 33 expansions over the years and is one of the most “green hotels” in the US.

Carlton Varney, president of Dorothy Draper & Company of New York, the oldest established interior decorating firm in the US, is the Grand’s formidable and quite famous decorator.

Carlton Varney

Mr. Varney continues to embrace Ms Draper’s motto, “shock you without clashing you.” With that theme in mind, the Grand is filled with bold graphic patterns embellished with splashes of geranium pink, cornwall blue and county club greens. And yes, each of the 385 suites and rooms have a completely unique decor.

Here are some of Bob’s fun facts..…

The Grand Hotel plants over 5,000 geraniums in their flower beds on the grounds.
When golfing, the front nine is called the “Grand”, the second nine,” The Woods”, and they are separated by one and a quarter miles, and the only horse-drawn carriage ride between nines in the US.
Five U.S presidents have stayed there: Clinton, Bush, Ford, Kennedy and Truman.
More than 50,000 of the Grand’s most decadent and delicious signature desert, the famous pecan balls, are served each summer.

Once you get to Mackinac Island, you can bike, hike, swim, ride horseback and play tennis–all of these amenities are provided by the Grand or can be arranged by their staff. The pool was made famous by the movie “This Time for Keeps” starring Ester Williams. I haven’t seen the ghost of Ester around the pool, but they serve a drop dead delicious rum punch.

How to get there: If you book a trip from Nashville, you fly to Detroit or Chicago, quite inexpensively, on Southwest Airlines; you then connect via a puddle jumper to a small town called Pelston, MI. Pelston is about 40 minutes south of Mackinac with shuttles running continually. Once in Mackinac City, you can take a ferry – they run almost every 30 minutes to Mackinac Island.

Once there, the Grand Hotel with its impeccable customer service will cater to your ever need. Promise.

To book your next stay, call your travel agent or go the Grand’s website: www.grandhotel.com

Pine Cone Hill + Pembroke Antiques = 20% off

Liza — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 22:32:31 +0000

I love Pine Cone Hill, not just the bedding, but the whole company’s offerings: pillows, pj’s, bags and rugs as well as the bedding. Did you know that those awesome Dash & Albert rugs fall under the same parent company? Well, the only store in all of Nashville to sell Pine Cone Hill and Dash & Albert is Pembroke Antiques; they currently have all these products at 20% off – until Sept 1st – and you don’t want to miss it!

Owner Laura Doolittle with her daughter, whose art is displayed at the store, Lauren Ossolinski

All of my kids have Pine Cone Hill bedding sets. I got tired of some of the cheaper brands falling apart so when I started back to work 3 years ago, my first goal was to buy new bedding for kids with the new cash flow. I can honestly say that when my kids beds are made, I still get a thrill over just how polished and cute their rooms are. The bedding is the highlight and I do little else to decorate. The bedding has held up better than well and they love the way it feels, which is important to a kid. The weight of the comforters is perfect for kids and adults alike.

Pine Cone Hill Bedding

My girls share a room and they each have the same bedding: a combination of two Pine Cone Hill styles. The monogrammed pillow is from Hable Construction, with I had embroidered here in Nashville.

Not only does Pembroke have Pine Cone Hill and Dash & Albert on sale for in-store items, but for all special orders as well. And yes, they do ship for all of our readers from other areas. Call the store at (615) 353-0889.

There are baskets and wagons throughout the store with the 2x3 and runner size Dash & Albert rugs.

Dash & Albert samples, one of every rug available, are at Pembroke. Makes ordering super simple.

Pillows and rugs by Dash & Albert

Dash & Albert even have these great textile bags, also 20% off, reg. priced at $58.

Pembroke is the ultimate find of a store: welcoming and friendly with great pillows, antique furniture, pottery, great wedding gifts, art all by local artists (including paintings by Lauren Ossolinski who is pictured with her mom in the opening picture to this post), lamps and all around great things for your shelves – all at a variety of price points. They will happily tell you “Oh, this rug is a deal. It’s 2×3 and perfect for in front of your sink and only $38!” Or- “Look at this. Isn’t this the most interesting? It’s from South America and dries to look like this and it’s only $36. Get a few of these on a shelf to add a natural element to your room.”

You know I have a thing for bread boards, and this one is great.

I found a shelf there about 4 years ago that is over 150 years old and was absolutely perfect. It now hangs in my bathroom. Their great finds come from yearly trips overseas to scour the European Antique scene. But, I guess what I love best is that Laura Doolittle, owner of Pembroke, loves to buy the same types of things I love to fill my house with: unique but not fussy and always comfortable. I think that pretty much sums up this store. And since they’ve been at the same location on HWY 100 for 40 years, they obviously have great products and style or they never would have lasted.

The collection of pillows at Pembroke has me considering a facelift to my couches.

If you really wish you had known about this sale in early August, so you had more than 8 days to get your act together to partake, then you need to be on Pembroke’s email list. They do an email blast a couple of times a month letting you know what they have going on. You won’t get overwhelmed, and you’ll see some pretty pictures with each blast – email them at to be added: pembrokeant@bellsouth.net

Pembroke Antiques

6610 Hwy 100
Nashville, TN 37205
615-353-0889

Fall Fashion Fridays with Melinda Nowers

Liza — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 03:22:34 +0000

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For today’s Fall Fashion Friday, we have local stylist and Nashville native Melinda Nowers. Melinda calls Franklin home base and also has a style blog, The Style Express, to help clients and readers work their way through the obstacle course that shopping often is. Melinda picked three things that women need to have in their closets for fall 2010. As two items are similar to what the team of Tina + Rebecca chose 2 weeks ago, and all these Fashion Fridays were sent to me on the same day in late July, we can be assured of two things – you’ll want some fabu boots and a killer leather jacket this season.

Now, let’s hear from Melinda:

Thanks to Style Blueprint for asking me to be a part of this post. I’m so flattered!
The term “must have” used to make me frantic… if I don’t have it, what happens? Can I afford it? That being said, I do have one “must” because it’s become a classic; the other two pieces are just friendly advice.

If in the past say, 3 to 4 years, you haven’t gotten yourself to a shoe store and bought a pair of boots then you “must”. Whether they are heels, flats, dress, platform, or whatever, it is time to buy a pair that best suits your lifestyle. The one I’ve pictured is a good all around look. It has a bit of detail with the buckle at the ankle and double stitching, a good toe shape, and medium heel. If the thicker rubber sole and tread is not be suitable for your work needs or you need a pair that does not add bulk to your ankle, shop around for a look that is sleek and streamlined. And they do make wide calf boots. If you are buying your first pair, I would stay with black or brown to start with. These are from Bluefly.com and are by Michael Kors. They are on sale for $255.99 Try Marti and Liz for a great budget pair.

The next item I would suggest is bit of a splurge. Assuming you have basics like a nice white blouse,a go-to great dress (neutral is best), good trousers, etc. covered, my choice would be to look into a leather jacket. And I would shop around for something with a little umph. While traditional black leather blazers or button up jackets are great, for a few seasons now, leather jackets have been including some extra hardware or details. I wouldn’t go to extremes, you want it to have a long style life (note next tip!), but look for maybe zippered pockets, or a stand-up collar, or some nipping in the back at the waist. Just a little something extra you feel good wearing. And, if you get it light weight enough, which is fine for Nashville, it can definitely be a multi-season jacket. The one I’m showing is brown and is from Bluefly.com by Soia & Kyo. I love the hip length. It is $237.00 And just a note about the boots and jacket – save up if you need to to buy real leather.

My next pick is a look more than an item. This fall I think, thankfully, there will be a return to classic pieces. While feminine and edgy looks will certainly be around, a fantastic pair of pants, great blouse, and blazer or cardigan will be very modern and stylish. I think more timeless pieces are what retailers will be showing and maybe not so much the broach plus necklace plus scarf plus belt plus ruffles etc. look. Not older looks, just more subtle. I’ve included a simple but ageless outfit that can be tweaked for body type.

For instance, switch out the cropped slender pants for a straight or full cut trouser. Change the length of the cardigan if you are shorter. But, keep a heel and the clean lines, just adding your personal touch by playing with colors or adding accessories for individuality. Appropriate for lunch out or work. Beautiful. This outfit is by St. John’s at Saks. You don’t have to spend a fortune to recreate this look, although, buy quality whenever you can. It will make a big difference in fit and wear.

***********************************

Thanks, Melinda!

Be sure to check out her blog for great information: The Style Express

–

Her Q’s: non-fussy Perfumes

Liza — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 03:28:04 +0000

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Dear StyleBlueprint:

I have always stayed far away from perfumes, but lately I’ve found myself on a quest to find the perfect one. For me this means one that is not too flowery and, simply stated, not too “perfume-y”. I hate that overwhelming perfume smell that follows some women around, but I have noticed that a nice pure scent is actually very appealing. Could you help me find a starting point as my trip to a department store left me empty handed.

Thanks!

Joy, Nashville

Joy,

Perfumes are hard. They are harder to write about as perfumes are all about smell and that scent changes with each person who wears it! Usually, the display that the company uses to attract customers predicts what the scent is meant to invoke when worn. Fussy bottles = fussy scents.

Two perfume lines I recently came across attracted me by the clean display used. These two lines of perfume are available at Nest Interiors: CB I Hate Perfumes and Histoires de Parfums. Nest sells the lines in partnership with Anne Herron of Note De Tete. Anne is highly trained in the world of perfumes and Nashville is lucky to have her. She teach classes on perfumes and even is hired by people who are intrigued by the idea of perfume, but need help finding that one signature scent. If this is you, and it sounds like it is, it may be worth the investment of hiring Anne to help.

CB I Hate Perfume Bottles

Stephanie, the owner of Nest, is also a former perfume hater. She convinced me that these two lines would change my mind, as I am not a fan of perfume. I guess I should say, I WAS not a fan of perfume. In fact, everyone in this post comes from a place of once not liking the perfume experience, but now is embracing it.

The CB collection, at $80 per bottle, was created from the founder’s early desire to be an artist or a chemist. He also had a brief stint as a taxi driver and this is when the tagline “I Hate Perfume” popped into his head. Unable to get away in his cab, he was forced to breath in some terrible perfumes. This makes me love the concept of the collection since my general dislike of perfumes comes directly from my 3rd grade teacher’s choice of scent and being stuck in the trailer classroom with insufferable heat mixed with the smell of this baking perfume.

The entire CB line is made with the intention of nostalgia. Each scent is made with smells that you have experienced at one point in your life. Since smell is the sense that most conjures up memories, simply smelling all the different fragrances in this line is like a trip down memory lane.

My favorite scent from CB is Kitchen as with it you really do smell like you’ve been cooking….with fresh herbs and a bit of smoke. It just makes me feel happy. With this is a line, I can see owning several scents (I mean you don’t always want to smell like a fresh kitchen, right? But a day at the beach with Beach 1966 may be perfect for summer, but not quite right for winter.) Check out the description for Kitchen:

CB in the Summer Kitchen

The next line is straight from France: Histories de Parfums.

Beautiful display for the Histoires de Parfums collection

The display looks like a sleek bar…think Patterson House…..but all the varied hues of liquid are perfumes (at a 15% concentrate) not liquor.

Histoires de Parfums.

Check out the labels that run down the other side of the bottle, so not to confuse you in your mad dash out the door:

Color Coded Perfume Bottles

At $185 each, these are obviously a bit more than many perfumes. However, the attention to detail in the aesthetics and the scent makes you understand why. Plus, the bottle will last you a very long time: 2-3 years with daily use! With a 15% concentrate, touch-ups throughout the days are eliminated and one spray is all you need.

The most popular scent in this line, and Stephanie’s personal favorite as well (and her former perfume hating husband loves it too!) is 1969. Stop by to smell this scent and see why.

Nest Interiors, located in the Edgehill Village Shoppes, is one of my very favorite stores in Nashville. It’s small and intimate and captures a sense of joy, humor and sophistication. Be sure to check out the McGowan and McClain jewelry line, the lighting, artwork and furniture when you are there.

Good Luck with the quest and let us know if you find your perfect scent!

-Liza

A portrait of your home is a lifetime gift

Elizabeth — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 02:37:48 +0000

Janetta Fleming, an accomplished portrait artist, made a compelling offer to StyleBlueprint: she offered to give one of our faithful readers a chance to have a house portrait commissioned, including framing by Auld Alliance Gallery, FOR FREE. As we were fans of her work already, we thought this offer too good to pass up! I love the idea of capturing your beloved family home in such a beautiful way, and believe me when I say Janetta has the eye capture it well and the talent to make your house come alive. And, with Christmas around the corner, what a great gift idea for those hard-to-buy-for loved ones.

We sold our family home of 48 years, at 1594 Vinton Avenue in Memphis, when my Mom died. Needless to say, it was a gut-wrenching experience. If you think about the memories you have invested in a single address from birthday parties, proms, illnesses, weddings and sadly, funerals – it is mind-boggling. Our house on Vinton was the “go-to” house for parties, school projects and meetings. I guess when it came to opening our front doors, we couldn’t say “no.” One of my prized possessions is a gift from my sister-in-law, a charming rendering of our family home.

Don’t you agree that the homes featured below capture Janetta’s whimsical and wonderful use of watercolor? Making your painting into a set of note cards, or Christmas cards, is a great way to get even more fulfillment out of your new art.

Many of you may know Janetta. She is a tireless leader in Nashville’s philanthropic circles with deep roots in town as she was born and raised in Nashville.
I first met her at an art show and, since I adore watercolors, I was immediately drawn to her work. She works in an impressionistic style and loves to splash color here and there. Janetta has a knack for going to the heart of the matter and discovering what is most important to the families whose homes she paints. She was trained as a nurse and wonders if her work ultimately has a healing effect on the people who buy it. She considers Mary Cassatt, Winslow Homer, and Henry Caselli to be influential in her painting style. And back to her home town roots, she was encouraged to draw by Betty Partee and Vicki Bartholomew at Harpeth Hall. Janetta’s all-time dearest guru of style is Dana Sherrard.

When I asked Janetta to talk about her paintings and thoughts on painting homes, she mused,

“Homes are such interesting extensions of their owners. I see them as sacred space for a family, shaping thoughts, memories and dreams. The personalities of houses and their gardens are of endless fascination to me, and I’ve actually been painting them here in Nashville and throughout the Southeast ever since I was seventeen!”

I hope you enjoy your portrait as much I love mine.

For more information, including prices, contact Janetta Fleming at #476-6543 or through email janetta@comcast.net

Auld Alliance Gallery: #352-5522

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Why I need (ok, WANT) a Katie Kalsi handbag.

Liza — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 01:13:17 +0000

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If you didn’t know this fact, it’s time you learned it: A great handbag can make your outfit. It’s true. My basic summer uniform consists of twill walking shorts, a J Crew tee, some not-very-shiny metallic sandals and my fabulous bag that I splurged on this past Spring. It has hints of metallic as well. I’ve had people stopping me everywhere to comment on my bag. The bag made my whole summer uniform look polished, put together, and just plain far nicer than it actually was. With fall approaching, I’ve looked at the bag that I’ve carried around for the past couple years: a perfectly colored yellow leather Boden Bag, which I like, but is starting to look a little tired. I want to update my go-to fall bag and go for something that stands out a bit more. Something that I really couldn’t wear to work if I were say…an attorney (I know all you attorney’s just laughed). I’ve mentioned before that I’m a neutral dresser. I think it’s time to kick it up a notch in the bag arena. Luckily for me, and for all of Nashville really, Katie Kalsi will be in town this Thursday night – August 19th, from 5-8 PM at Mary Wilson’s house, 709 Lynnwood Ave, 37205, – with her newest line of handbags.

Katie Kalsi handbags Fall 2010

Who is Katie Kalsi? Well, she’s a TN gal, from Memphis, who got into the handbag business 6 years ago when she made 24 handbags with her artistic background. She gave 23 of them out to friends and family with which to walk around Memphis and kept one for herself. And yes, the orders started pouring in.

The Katie Kalsi brand is now one of the newest and most buzzed about brands in the handbag world, with a price range of $100 – $600. With rich buffalo hide leather, real python, solid dome silver rivets and hand painted “guitar strap” bags, there is plenty to fall in love with in her fall 2010 collection. So, how buzzed about is she? Well, Lisa Marie (yes, as in Presley) calls her the “Guitar Strap Girl”, based on her interchangeable strap bags, seen below. Lisa Marie wore through her first, and is onto her second.

The strap on these bags are interchangeable. This is the type that Lisa Marie refers to as the Guitar Strap Purse. The straps on these bags are hand painted.

Other celebs have sent her thank you’s on how much they love their bags including my Nashville favorite Faith Hill. And, I love this picture of Pat Benatar with her Katie Kalsi bag:

Pat Benatar with her own Katie Kalsi bag. That's Katie herself right next to Pat.

“Katie Kalsi Handbags are timeless, but intoxicatingly edgy. She uses iconic shapes with a touch of sass and funk. For the conservative woman, it gives her a chance to let her hair down just a bit, without being too extreme. For the fashionista, Katie’s bags give her a more classic choice of style, but still keep that fun and sass ever-present.”

The stitching and handwork on these bags is incredible.

I love the rocker vibe of this bag.

You will see Katie’s handbags on episodes of Glee and Cougar Town this season and her bags were chosen as swag for the MTV awards as well as for the 2011 Golden Globe awards. This TN native, a total go-getter at heart, has just gone international with her line. Much of the line is made in El Paso as she has partnered with the same guy who Kate Spade partnered with when launching her line of handbags. This ensures high quality, made-in-the-USA pride. A Katie Kalsi bag is a fun, stand-out, well made bag that WILL have people stopping you and asking you where you got it.

OK- This one would actually work for an edgy bag that could span both the weekend and work (even it you are an attorney!)

I hope you are impressed, as when I talk to Katie, with her three kids sometimes screaming in the background (mimicking my three kids sometimes screaming next to my ear), I just can’t help but love this girl. She truly is that person who had a dream and through hard work, and good design, has made it happen. I’m so excited to go get a bag on Thursday night. This trunk show is at Mary Wilson’s house at 709 Lynnwood Blvd, Nashville, 37205 from 5-8 PM. If you don’t know Mary, don’t let the Belle Meade address intimidate you. Mary is the funniest, happiest, most friendly person I know. If you don’t end up with a bag, you’ll end up with a new friend for sure.

Bags Thursday night will be both Cash N Carry, with credit cards accepted, as well as custom order. If you want Python straps and an added peace sign, by all means, Katie will make it for you! To see a sneak peak at the fall line, see the Katie Kalsi facebook page.

And, if you are lucky enough to already have a Katie Kalsi bag (they are not sold in Nashville presently) comment and tell us how much you like it!

Katie Kalsi Trunk Show
Thursday Night, August 19th 5-8PM (feel free to show up right at 8 PM, it’s fine)
709 Lynnwood Blvd, 37205

When you are all done shopping, join me at ChaChas for the Soles4Souls benefit dinner. See THIS WEEK for details.

The Canary Islands…where they are, why to go.

Liza — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 03:19:33 +0000

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Today’s post is written by Katherine Louw as her stories about the Canary Islands have put this destination on my ‘must-go’ list. I admit that previous to my talks with Katherine about her travels, I thought the Canary Islands were in the Pacific Ocean. I just didn’t know. For those of you still guessing, think Europe. To entice you to plan a vacation here, Katherine has collected deals ranging from 10-20% off at fabulous hotels and area attractions just for StyleBlueprint readers – see the end of the post for details.

Katherine:

In the year of 1492, before Columbus sailed the ocean blue… he made a stop in the Canary Islands, Spain to stock up on fresh food and water – and as legend has it, for a “rendezvous” with the wife of a Canary Island noble.

courtesy of www.worldatlas.com

My family and I went at the new year to visit my husband’s family, who immigrated to the island of Tenerife in 1972 from Denmark. His grandparents wanted to retire to the most southern point in Europe, which is Las Islas Canarias, Espana – located 70 miles off of the west coast of Morocco.

This archipelago of seven islands, nestled in the Atlantic Ocean, is full of history, charm and some of the most spectacular scenery you can imagine. I will write about the largest of the islands, Tenerife, because this is the island that I have explored and grown to love. My first trip there was in September 2001. I had been out of college for just over a year and was not ready to fully commit myself to “the real world.” A friend and I decided to spend a semester in Spain at the language school, don Quijote, which has seven locations scattered around the country. We would spend six weeks in three locations. I agreed to go to the “touristy” island of Tenerife for the first leg of our journey only because she agreed to the more historic, Spanish cities of Granada and Salamanca for our final two stops. As fate would have it, I met my future husband during our first week in Tenerife. That is another story, but I’ve gotten to know Tenerife pretty well since then.

See? I really did meet my husband here and now we visit with our two daughters! Notice the waves breaking against the rocks in the background.

Tenerife is a tourist destination, but I found that it is so much more. There are structures that have been standing for hundreds of years, quaint European streets full of cafes and almost everywhere you go there is a view of the Atlantic to one side and El Teide to the other. El Teide is the volcano that makes Tenerife and is the tallest peak in Spain, standing at 12,200 feet.

A view of El Teide from Puerto

Whether you are looking for a romantic, European get-a-way or an adventure vacation for your family, Tenerife can provide. Recently named the best luxury holiday destination in Europe, Tenerife offers five star resorts, black sand beaches, hiking, mountain biking, shopping, wine tasting and learning Spanish, on an island that is 40km x 70km.

Air Europa is currently offering a direct flight on an Airbus 330 roundtrip from Miami-Tenerife through October. You can search for this flight through Air Europa (flight code 095 and 096). This six and a half hour flight is as easy as it gets if you are going to Europe.

The town of Puerto de la Cruz is a great place to make “home base” and is just about 20 minutes from the airport.

image from www.webtenerife.com This picture shows a balcony in Puerto with the active volcano, Teide, in the distance.

Puerto de la Cruz, (“Puerto” for short), is a beautiful, pedestrian, coastal town. It is full of tourists, mostly German and British, and mostly retired, but don’t let this deter you. Here, you will find all restaurants offer menus in English and everyone working in the service industry speaks English. This will prove helpful to set you on your way for daily excursions because once outside of Puerto, you will find fewer English speakers.

Things you must do on any trip to Tenerife:

Culinary (this is my favorite part of Tenerife)

San Diego: Don’t miss the French bread with garlic ali-oli and guacamole dips. For our table of 11, with apps, entrees, wine, and a few desserts the total bill was 158 euros.
Meson El Monasterio: The setting of this restaurant is unmatched, and the food is always awesome. Lots of pictures on the website.

Wine: Tafuriaste winery in Los Realejos – They also have a great family restaurant, El Engaso on the other side of the vineyard from the winery with very typical Canarian food.

Shopping

Santa Cruz, the capital city of Tenerife, is the best place to shop. Shopping here is not high end, but is very European and fun! Think Ikea, H&M, and lots of other fun European Brands like Desigual, Zara, Mango, Corte Ingles, Pedro del Hierro, and Cortefiel. There is also a world famous opera house right on the water.

La Orotava

La Orotava, a must see on any vacation to the islands.

Hike Masca

I admit, I have not actually done this, but it is supposed to be an incredible hike.

Trip to Teide

Where else can you see an active volcano?

Family fun

Loro Parque

Puerto coastline and promenade. Don Quijote school, which has a great language program for anyone wanting to vacation while immersed in a Spanish program, is one of those buildings right on the ocean.

Swimming

Costa Martiánez (in Puerto de la Cruz) An enormous salt water pool, built on the ocean. The ocean waves crash up against the sides of the pool and provide a great mist on a hot day.

www.webtenerifeuk.co.uk

Buen viaje!

For StyleBlueprint readers:

Webtenerife, the tourist board on the island, has helped us obtain several offers, exclusive to StyleBlueprint readers.

Accommodations:

Hotel Botanico

Hotel Contemporaneo

www.StyleBluePrint.com

Sailing:

ECC Yacht Charter

Also, please take a moment to vote for StyleBlueprint, along with all your Nashville favorites, in the Nashville Scene's best of awards. You can vote everyday! Thanks!

Fall Fashion Fridays

Liza — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 00:47:25 +0000

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Today, we have enlisted the help of local stylist Sukey Johnson. She can whip your wardrobe into shape in no time and here are her thoughts on three looks, all keeping a budget in line, for fall 2010. Isn’t she cute? She can be reached by email at sukeykt@aol.com Her picture is by Wiff Harmer:

Now, let’s hear from Sukey:

I found 3 all round great sweaters to love for all occasions. They work with white pants til September, jeans year round, and always with your favorite black or brown pants. Last, but not least, I’ll tell you about a great belt. So many clients ‘forget’ their belt (you know who you are)!

First prize for best steal of a deal – Target $24.99 – Cheetah print cardigan. A little trendy, but worth it for the price. This will (or should) match more than a handful of things already in your closet

For a slightly higher price point, Ann Taylor $68 Shawl Collar Tunic – and it has cashmere! This color is called wet clay heather (it looks camel to me). Don’t let the word tunic scare you away. This is a sleeveless pullover that will look sassy in September with your tanned arms, gold jewelry and killer belt. Finally, in November you’ll still get to wear it with the right long sleeve shirt or blouse underneath. The cowl neckline is a winner for all of us. Love it!

available at area Ann Taylor stores, $68

This one wins the prize for biggest investment here today: BCBG’s signature cardi-wrap $148-$168 – The beauty of this item is all the color options at different times of the year. I love the camel heather, black, and grey. I got my first one this summer in orange and pink (now marked down!). This piece is very versatile in both occasion and look. There is a video online explaining 12 different ways to wear it, so no excuses! Also, the sales people are very polite and helpful (my experience was at The Mall of Green Hills).

Here are just 4 of the 12 ways to wear the cardiwrap.

I said, don’t forget the belt! I found this little beauty while in BCBG. The online picture does not do it justice. You must try it in the store because it’s a home run with the #2 and #3 sweaters adding the perfect bling to finish your outfit. (Remember the tiger print cardigan doesn’t need a lot more bling because…. it’s tiger print!) They call it Leather Belt with Golden Buckle for $58.

Ladies, remember a belt doesn’t go in the same spot for everyone. Don’t be afraid to try it high, medium or low, but try it.

…Lastly, as I feel ashamed my summer was too busy and school is already here. Let’s slow it down, lose the watch, and make a little time for yourself. You’re worth it!

Her Q’s: Pesto

Liza — Thu, 12 Aug 2010 02:54:10 +0000

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Dear StyleBlueprint,
I have a pesto recipe that I am not too happy with. While I’m overflowing with basil this time of year, I’m not overflowing with love for my pesto. I’d love some ideas for revamping my recipe. Thanks!
Anne, East Nashville.

…

Anne,
I love pesto and can eat it straight on a cracker. I try to always have fresh pesto on hand, and I NEVER buy store bought. It’s just too easy to make large amounts and freeze. Here are my three, make that four, favorite pestos. And yes, one features the traditional basil. I think what you need to know is that pesto should not be intimidating. It’s a great thing to experiment with. Hope you enjoy!

4 featured pestos, recipes below

Spinach-Basil w/ Walnuts Pesto.

This one originates from my cafe owner days as pine nuts and 100% basil was cost prohibitive for me, and I also wanted my pesto to have more of a fresh spring green color to it. This recipe was my solution as the basil flavor dominates the spinach, and walnuts are far cheaper than pine nuts.

6 oz bag of baby spoon spinach
1.5 ounces of basil (really, just put however much you want in. Some batches of basil are not as flavorful as others and this recipe is very forgiving.)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 cloves garlic
1 cup walnuts
1 cup olive oil. (Pour more in if needed.)
salt and pepper to taste

Blend in a food processor.

Arugula w/ Pistachio Pesto

I discovered this next recipe after having it drizzled over chicken at a friend’s house for dinner one night. YUM!

1 garlic clove, peeled
3/4 cup finely grated Asagio cheese*
1/3 cup unsalted natural pistachios
4 cups (packed) baby arugula
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel
1/4 cup olive oil

Jalapeno w/ Cilantro Pesto (with avocado optional)

Always a lover of spicy Southwestern cooking, this was a natural one for me to create one night. My husband calls the version with avocado, “The best pesto I’ve ever had.” And he’s a serious pesto guy. It’s great as a dollop over some corn chowder this time of year!

3 jalapeno peppers, chopped (It’s very spicy, but you are usually adding to something, so I like it this way…)
2 cups cilantro leaves and stems
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup olive oil
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
if using the same day, an avocado added is really great.

Blend all in the food processor.

Our family is now meat free on Mondays. This is a great dish: Jalapeno pesto pasta with tomatoes, black beans and goat cheese. One of my kids will eat this pesto, the others just get plain pasta with tomatoes and black beans.

Apricot w/ Spicy Pecan Pesto

So, the 4th one is a dessert pesto that I just concocted this week. While buying the ingredients for the other pestos, I stumbled upon the nut aisle at Trader Joe’s and the Sweet yet Spicy Pecans were just begging to be made into a pesto. But what kind? A trip later that day to Publix had me adding a package of dried apricots to the mix. Yes, you see where I’m going…. If salads today can actually have no lettuce, if cheesecake can be a savory appetizer, then why can’t pesto be a dessert? In the end, I actually think this will taste best served on a cheese tray paired with a variety of cheeses. But over ice cream? Yes. Fabulous. In a pie crust? Let me know. I bet it’s good.

1 package of Spicy Sweet pecans from Trader Joe’s
1.5 cups dried apricots
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon minced garlic – or to your tasting.
1 1/3 cups packed light brown sugar
Sea Salt – you’ll need more than you think, but to taste
Oil- tons. 3 cups. I know this sounds excessive, and it is. But the ingredients need the oil to blend properly. It’s very easy to drain the extra oil at the end.

Put in your food processor and turn on. This should last a long time in the refrigerator just looking at ingredient list.

Enjoy!

-Liza

East Nashville’s Tomato Art Fest

Elizabeth — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 01:35:52 +0000

I have known Bret and Meg MacFadyen so long, it makes me feel like an old lady sometimes. They painted my kid’s high chair, made the ceiling of my dining room look like aged copper and Meg even showed up to run my toddler’s birthday party, where they painted huge murals. As I floated with bubbling hormones holding my one-month old newborn, Meg mixed paints and slogged across the yard to assist my three-year old, who was completely covered in paint. . .

Meg and Bret. They just look like fun, don't they?

You may not know this, but Meg and Bret started the Tomato Art Fest. It was one of those ingenious ideas that just caught on. Meg thought it was a perfect fit for her Art & Invention Gallery, which is located strategically in front of Bret’s wordworking/warehouse shop, “The Garage Mahal.” (Ask him sometime about what it used to be used for.)

She started with the premise that selling tomato art and having a recipe contest would be fun, and then the darn thing exploded. It was a bustin’ ripe idea. When over 5,000 people showed up that first year, Meg thought, “I need some help here.”

Tomato art festival goers havin' fun.

A new fashion statement: tomato red

The Tomato Art Fest, enjoying its 7th anniversary this Saturday August 14th, is one of Nashville’s very favorite festivals. In fact, it was voted the best festival for each of the past three years by the Nashville Scene. What started out as an little grape tomato is now a huge beefsteak tomato, with over 20,000 tomato lovers from all over the country. It now encompasses art, music stages, the King and Queen of the Tomato Art Fest, a parade, Bloody Mary contests, tomato bobbing, recipe competitions and more. It’s pretty mind boggling what a tomato can do for a town. Where is Bill Geist when we need him? Usually I am out of town, but this year, lo’ & behold, I will be in town and hanging at the “Garage Mahal.” I may even try my hand at the recipe contest.

In honor of the festival, and in honor of the tomato, I am giving you a recipe worth locking in the vault. I begged Chef Jamie Watson to share it with me after our cooking class, then called him last week and begged him to let me share it with you. It’s easy, it’s delicious and it keeps for a couple of days in the frig. Happy summer. Ode’ to the bustin’ ripe tomato– it’s just one of the reasons we call the South our home.

Tomato Confit – A delicacy that can’t be beat (my line)

This recipe is for technique – so quantity is variable. As a guideline, you want to use enough tomatoes to cover the bottom of whatever size pan you are using (I recommend a sauté pan) – for best results do not layer the tomatoes.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Grape tomatoes* – washed, dried and green stems removed
Garlic – cloves left whole and lightly crushed to release oil – 6 per pint of tomatoes as a guideline
Fresh Thyme – left whole on stem – 4 or 5 large stems per pint of tomatoes as a guideline
Extra Virgin, or as Jamie says GOOD, olive oil

Place tomatoes, garlic and thyme in non heated pan
Add olive oil to come approximately 2/3 – 3/4 up sides of tomatoes
Place pan in preheated oven and roast JUST until tomatoes start to break
Remove from oven, cool and place in non-reactive container with just enough oil to cover. Reserve additional oil and use for dressing, vinaigrette, etc. Tomatoes will keep 3 days, refrigerate after 24 hours. Oil will last 10 days to 2 weeks under refrigeration.

* May substitute cherry or roma tomatoes. Cherry will require substantial cooking time. If using roma – cut tomato in quarters, remove core and pulp and discard cut meat into 3/4 “leaves” and cook as above.

For all of you out there who enjoy a good tomato sandwich on white bread, you’re going to love a big ol’ servin’ of tomato confit on a couple slices of Bunny Bread–it’s that good!

My addiction: hand towels & napkins

Liza — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 00:51:46 +0000

I love hand towels. I’m not talking cheap hand towels here, but ones rich with color, made from true, albeit absorbent, fabric and preferably oversized. It all stems from the inheritance of my grandmothers french hand towel collection. I even made this bench cushion, pictured below, from that collection over a decade ago! Still looks pretty good after three babies, huh? And it’s always been in my kitchen, where you’d think it would look worse for the wear by now:

I had to move the bench outside to get a picture in natural light.

I also have added them to a basket in my powder room:

Elizabeth has been so taken by napkins lately that she was compelled to take this photo where the napkins steal the show (anyone else instantly notice the McCarty Pottery as well?)

This near addiction has spilled over into a love for cloth napkins as well. As I’ve popped in so many local stores this summer, I started taking pictures of my favorite hand towels and napkins. I hope you are inspired as a beautiful hand towel within reach somehow can be that beam of happiness smiling back at you in the midst of the chaos of life. And at $15-$25 each, they also make a great gift as we often won’t spurge on these beauties for ourselves. But one rolled and bound with a special ribbon is always perfect.

A quick note, be sure to check out our THIS WEEK section as it was guest written by 365Nashville, a local blog highlighting 365 great things in Nashville!

Available at Digs, these beautiful hand towels are $15 each.

At Digs, linen guest towels, $24 each

See Digs online at Taigan. If you missed the press release, a Taigan shopping membership is now free! www.taigan.com/shops/digs/

At AshBlue, these fisherman weave oversized kitchen towels are $25

Also at AshBlue, these sets of 4 napkins for $48. I got these for my MIL for Mother's Day.

AshBlue

At A La Maison, these french large kitchen towels are perfect. $22

A La Maison

At Nest Interiors, these oversized napkins are extremely versatile. $18 each

Nest Interiors

Kayce Hughes has a new line of napkins made from her wonderful fabrics. $5 each

Kayce Hughes

Double Impact-A CHAIRity with a mission.

Elizabeth — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 04:02:40 +0000

A couple weeks ago, with thanks to my friend Anne Davis, I went to the studio of artist Sherri Parrish, in Green Hills, to look at some flood damaged chairs which have been turned into utterly complete objects of beauty. You, too, can witness the rebirth of these chairs on August 12, at the Belle Meade Plantation. You won’t want to miss the opportunity to support this amazing idea to help raise money for the flood victims.

Sherri Parrish, Anne Davis and Wallen Dean, her daughter.

Some of you may have heard about this story as Emme Baxter, from the Tennessean, recently wrote about Double Impact in her Sunday column. It is a story worth repeating: one of a community linked together through discarded chairs with a vision of how to help those most in need.

Steve Sullivan painted this "Piecing Nashville Back Together."

Painted by Faith Hill, Tim McGraw and their family, a scene from the beach, "Our Favorite Place"

Here’s the story. As Sherri and her husband Craig were driving through River Plantation they saw scores and scores of chairs along the roadside. An inspired presence called out, “Hello, these chairs don’t need to be discarded; they have a higher calling.” The couple asked permission to collect the chairs and then enlisted the Nashville Rescue Mission to assist with detoxifying, stripping and sanding them in preparation for painting. The men of the Nashville Mission embraced the project; not only was this a way to help the flood victims, for many the chairs symbolized their plight– a sense of abandonment and rebuilding through the mission. The men labored hours on each chair preparing them for the paint brushes of many Nashville’s artists and VIP’s.
And paint them they did. So far, 89 chairs have been painted and refurbished. Notable Nashvillians from all walks of life – artists, athletes, musicians, songwriters and politicians – have joined together in the Double Impact project. Chairs have been painted by his honor, Karl Dean and family, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw & family, Manuel, Barbara Mandrell, the Reverend Becca Stevens, Michael W. Smith and so many more.

Barbara Coons

Made with love by the owners of StyleBlueprint fave--Knobstoppers

The chairs will be auctioned off via a live auction on August 12th at the Belle Meade Plantation. If you can not make the event, place a sealed bid online before Thursday at www.doubleimpactnashville.org Or, you can click on that link right now to view all if these creations. It’s worth blocking out 10 minutes to peruse. Many chairs will never be used as a chair, but more as a way to symbolize Nashville’s road to recovery. Like the flood, Double Impact involved Nashvillians from all walks of life, rich and poor alike, to say, “We are Nashville. We are one community.”

Look at this bench that Amy Grant and Vince Gill did. Do you see all the music pages now permanently part of the bench? Love this.

Julie Lees Chair, "The Ties that Bind Us."

For more information, contact: www.doubleimpactnashville.org or contact Craig and Sherri Parrish at double.impact.x2@gmail.com

Fall Fashion Fridays

Liza — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 04:11:11 +0000

We have solicited the help of some local stylists to help us all figure out what truly is the creme de la creme of fall fashion 2010. We asked them each to pick their top three looks or items to be on the look out for this fall.

This week, we are highlighting a duo we affectionately call The Closet Girls, Tina Adams and Rebecca Thompson. To read more about their services, be sure to see their blog here.

Here are their fall picks:

1. A great leather jacket. Leather, not pleather! Even though the faux ones can be sooo tempting, stick with the real thing and look for well-priced or on sale jackets. We see more ill-fitting and dated leather jackets in people’s closets than anything else, next to shoes. Leather must be super-fitted when you purchase because it will stretch and that is never a good look! This half-price one from Nordstrom’s is gorgeous and will work on most body types because it is short, slightly nipped in at the waist, and has flattering 3/4 sleeves. It doesn’t have all kinds of doo-dads on it that would give it a one season shelf life. If this jacket is sold out before this post is up, just use it as a guideline or example! You can even carry a jacket like this one into spring, as leather is now a 3 season fabric (see Phoebe Philo for Chloe’s Spring 2010 Collection). Gap and Banana Republic are also good sources for well-made and well-priced leather.

These are slate...not black here!

2. A brown suede boot. Worried about rain or snow? Just treat it once or twice a season with an all-weather spray and you’re good to go. People tend to spend more on boots so have a harder time letting the bad ones go – if your boots have a chunky heel or a big round toe, toss it and get a more classic oval-toe with a narrow heel or wedge for more stability. Suede is always much richer than calf leather and will wear better over the years because you can brush out the marks and scuffs. Brown before black because it will go with more things in your closet. We like stretch suede so you can wear them under pants as well as with skirts – two boots for the price of one! Again, buy right the first time and it only hurts once – don’t skimp on quality! If you buy good boots once every 10 years, not only will your feet thank you, but so will your ankles, your knees and your back. Tell Josh at Stuart Weitzman in the Green Hills Mall that we sent you to him and he will take good care of you!

3. A great pair of earrings. You don’t need tons and tons of jewelry. Fewer but better is our mantra. Replace your cheap CZ studs with a high quality pair. We recommend Landau, a kiosk in the Green Hills Mall across form the Apple store. The crystals are laser-cut with the same techniques used to cut diamonds, and they won’t turn cloudy in a few month’s time like lesser-quality CZ’s do.

Her Q’s: a plan for the tax free weekend.

Liza — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 03:25:50 +0000

Dear StyleBlueprint,

I want to take advantage of the August 6th – 8th tax free weekend savings and would love your thoughts on where to go, what to buy, and if it’s really worth it to fight the crowds for a 9.25% discount! I’m not a mom, so school supplies are not an area of interest to me. Thanks,

- Betsy, Nashville

Betsy,

I love that you asked if this weekend was really worth fighting the crowds. That is an question only you can answer as it changes for the individual. Here are my thoughts:

For many retailers, this weekend is a chance to move some serious merchandise. They also know that customers will be far more interested in clothing marked $99.99 and below. Because of this, look to capitalize on clothing that has been marked down to be under the umbrella of the tax free clause (under $100). That being said, you will be able to save far more than 9.25% on many articles of clothing. While you may see this at some chain stores, my experience in the past has been that the local owners take far more advantage of this ability to discount than do the larger chains. I suggest going to areas that are walkable with large concentrations of locally owned stores: Park Place Shopping Center on West End, Edgehill Village, Hill Center, the Bandywood stores, Hillsboro Village, and Franklin. Many places that don’t sell clothes will also be having sales to compete for your dollar. I saw this sign on Wednesday, outside of Jester’s in Belle Meade, which proves my point:

You will find locally owned stores vying hard for your business this weekend. Nowhere will you see this more than at the Hill Center in Green Hills.

courtesy of Two Elle

To find out what each store at the Hill Center is up to this weekend, click here. Out of curiosity, I called a store that I have loved since way before it moved to the Hill Center, Two Elle. I found out that they have quite a weekend planned: Two Elle has discounted EVERYTHING in their store to be under $100 so the whole store can be tax free! WOW. And, they will have John Martin Keith and Sacred June performing live at 3 PM on Saturday. So, you get a free concert as well. Two Elle is known as THE place to buy your converse as well as the Converse by John Varvatos clothing, Steven Alan clothing, Wildfox for women, Cheap Monday for men & women, OrlaKiely handbags and wallets, and Tarina Tarantino jewelry and hair accessories.

Two Elle

Whole Foods will also be celebrating the tax free weekend by hosting a free concert for kids, Friday at 9:30 AM, by the Zinghoppers. Whole Foods will also have special deals including $0.49/lb for fresh GA peaches! Yes, I did just write $0.49 PER POUND! The store will feature peach recipe demonstrations throughout the day as well. And, if you want my own two cents for what to do with those peaches, look at this recipe from Garden and Gun for Southern Peach Sangria. (You should pick up a copy of G&G at Whole Foods when you are there as my decorator Rachel Halvorson is on the cover and Imogene + Willie are featured as well!) Local skincare provider Holly Beth will be at Whole Body on the 7th and 8th and Sunday will feature a jazz brunch. For more details, see the link here.

Pick up G&G while at Whole Foods. This month features two Nashville businesses that StyleBlueprint has recognized for great style as well: Rachel Halvorson and Imogene+Willie

Popo, also in the Hill Center, is one of my favorite stores to shop for the kiddos. Not only does Popo has great clothes, they have the coolest gadgets, gifts and accessories for kids as well. I know you said you don’t have kids, but lots of our readers do, so I wanted to throw this in! From Susan Tyler, owner of Popo, “As well as participating in the tax free weekend, we will be hosting a window painting party on Saturday at 11:00AM were children and grown-ups alike can help to paint the backdrops to be used in the August window display for the store. Get out your inner Artist! Appaman clothing for Fall has just arrived and it’s “way cool.” Also the hottest selection in backpacks and lunch wares….all tax free!”

This post would not be complete without saying….. iPAD! Yes, if you don’t have an iPAD, but have been toying with the idea of buying one, take this as your opportunity to buy one as they, too, are tax free, and very cool.

Enjoy and have fun!

-Liza

Our favorite makeup artists share their secrets

Elizabeth — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 01:17:33 +0000

I don’t know about you, but I find myself inside drugstores and even department stores walking aimlessly, wondering what brands of cosmetics are worth testing. Every so often, People Magazine or InStyle will give you their two cents worth, but can we really believe them? And, who remembers to tear out the page and bring it with them to the store?

I’ve decided to find out what we all need and I contacted some of my favorite makeup artists. One great thing about a blog is you can refer to it right before you plan to shop, and even print out the list or pull up the list on your phone when you run errands at the mall or a specialty cosmetic store like Woo, Private Edition, The Cosmetic Market, or Skinbar.

If you would like a consultation with any of the following makeup artists, contact them through the links provided. They all work with celebs and artists in town, but they all take individual appointments as well.

Lorrie Turk:

My first call was to Lorrie Turk. We wrote about Lorrie in one of our very first posts. Back then, I hardly knew how to navigate the basics of the blog. Lorrie does makeup for a very famous country music star; here’s a hint: her client is the youngest artist ever to win the CMA Artist of the Year award.

“People often ask what my favorite products are. I do have a few long time favorites, but I am constantly trying new things searching for the newest miracle products. Here are a few of my new and longtime favorites. Some may be found in drugstores and some in department stores.” – Lorrie Turk

Drugstore Finds:

Eyeliner: Covergirl Liquidline Blast, a pencil liner is my new favorite! I can’t believe how great this liner is. It’s very pigmented and soft in texture, so it won’t pull your skin, but it also doesn’t smear and smudge.
Mascara: Covergirl’s new LashBlast Fusion is my new favorite. L’Oreal Voluminous Mascara is a longtime favorite.
Body: Jemma Kidd Show Stopper Year Round Body Glow is great for adding a little color and shimmer to body. The product isn’t greasy and won’t transfer to clothes. You can find the JK line at Target. They also make a higher-end pro line that you can find at Private Edition. I have been impressed with both the Target-line and the Pro-line of Jemma Kidd.

Dept/Specialty Store Finds:

Multiple Use: Nars Multiple Tint for cheeks and lips. This stick of sheer bright color is especially great this time of year when you want your makeup to be sheer, but still have a pop of color. I love it.
Concealer (I get asked about concealer more than any other product): My longtime staple is Amazing Cosmetics Concealer as it covers just about anything and has an amazing texture and one tube will last forever. My new favorite is Temptu Concealer as it is very light weight yet still manages to cover just about anything (can find at Sephora or online).
Foundation: Face Atelier Ultra Foundation is a new favorite (can be found at Shine Salon on Bandywood). MAC Studio Fix Fluid is a longtime favorite. Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Foundation is also a longtime favorite.

Shelia Davis Curtis:

Next, I called Shelia Davis Curtis. Shelia’s newest claim to fame, for us at least, was Liza’s and my new StyleBlueprint photo shoot! Sheila did our makeup and I dare say we look ravishing. Check out the About Us page to see the results of her magic. These are her favorite picks for summer.

Face:

“In general…YSL Touche Eclat is one of my all time favorite products. It’s like an eraser for your face! Many times, I’ll use this little gold pen to conceal dark circles and other minor discolorations and skip the foundation. It’s THAT good.”
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer
Cargo Bronzers

Lips:

Korres Lip Butter in Pomegranate,
Laura Mercier LipGlace in “Bellini” and “Petal”

Eyes:

KissMe Mascara

Nails:

Essie Nail Polish in Geranium

Randy Little:

Finally, I called Randy Little, a friend of Margaret Ellis and the makeup artist responsible for transforming Jacyln Khoury to Patti Smith, the designated icon in Margaret’s “Muses and Icons” ad campaign. I simply love this campaign: it’s clever and creative and what a great way to grab attention for your ad. My buddy Kay West posed as Lauren BaCall; she’s been a shoo-in look-a-like for years.

Drugstore favorites:

Rosebud Lip Balm
Great Lash Mascara
Tweezerman Slant Tip Tweezers

Department/Specialty Store favorites:

“After working for M.A.C for 3 years I’m pretty devoted to only using their cosmetics. I’ve used them for over 12 years in my career and have never been let down once by their performance on set.” – Randy

M.A.C Brow Gel
M.A.C Matte Bronze Bronzing Powder (Has no shimmer and does not turn orange)
M.A.C Blush in PeachyKeen
M.A.C Lipglass in Enchantress (Regardless of skin tone it’s gorgeous on Everyone)

Remember that our StyleBlueprint True Deal for 4 free tickets to the Nashville Rollergirls is still up for grabs until Thursday night. See the home page for details.

My superheroes wear rollerskates.

Liza — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 02:05:22 +0000

As a kid, we all have daydreams about superheroes and what they could accomplish. I think I was the queen of the daydreamers (that's according to my teachers), and my superheroes were always these tall, strong, opinionated, justice seeking, beautiful women. Think Superwoman, a show I plopped down for with regularity as a young girl. Additionally, Saturday mornings were dominated by the XMEN as well as Spiderman, Firestar, Iceman, and Plasticman…see where my imagination was fueled? One thing differed from what I saw on TV: all my superheroes wore rollerskates and all my superheroes were named Rollergirl. Well, guess what? It seems Nashville has it's own gang of Rollergirls.

I have been meaning to seek out an interview with Music City's Roller Derby team for a couple of years and this Saturday's double header match, the last of the season, was my incentive to finally find out more about this team that intrigues me. I firmly admit that talk of the Nashville Rollergirls is under the radar in many circles. I have never been to a dinner party or had cocktails and discussed the Rollergirls. My hope is that this interview changes this as I really think that these ladies deserve to be skating in a sold out Municipal Auditorium. No, I've never been, but I am going this coming Saturday night. You should too. See our StyleBlueprint True Deal: enter today to win 4 tickets to this Saturday evening's double header match. Enter, win, go. If you don't win, go anyway. This screams an "outside-the-box" fun time. And, Nashville, we all need to break outside the box from time to time.

To buy tickets, click here for ticketmaster.

My interview was with Leann Lewis, the Nashville Rollergirls' Marketing Director.

What is the biggest misconception that you all run into?

The biggest challenge we run into is that people have no idea there's a roller derby team in Nashville. The biggest misconception we run into, and often by those who are just finding out that there's roller derby in Nashville, is that we skate around in next to nothing with only one goal – to beat the snot out of one another. Roller derby is not wrestling. It is full contact and it can be dangerous and it's certainly a thrill to watch, but everything that happens is 100% real.

I have early memories of watching roller derby on Saturday afternoons. Has roller derby made a come back, or has it stuck around since the 70's?

Roller derby has been around in some form or fashion since the 70's and actually started way back in the beginning of the 20th century. Early roller derby wasn't much more than a speed race; roller derby of the 70's was athletic, but full of staged hits and fights; today's roller derby has evolved into a serious amateur sport that has less emphasis on drama and more focus on athleticism. It is definitely a full contact sport and the colorful derby names tend to lead new fans to think it's similar to roller derby of the 70's, but watching just one bout confirms that today's game is it's own thing.

My early memories may be weak, but I remember the competitors having different personas and sometimes being in costume. Is that still part of the game?

Derby names are definitely still in use and some leagues do have skaters who wear face paint or accessories that match their derby names, but costumes are few and far between among the most competitive teams in the country such as Gotham Girls Roller Derby, the Boston Derby Dames, Oly Rollers, Windy City Rollers and the Texas Rollergirls.

How many girls are on the team, age range, and is there a wide range of day jobs represented?

We currently have just over 30 bout eligible skaters and about a dozen girls going through our 8-week training class that will culminate in a skills test in September. Those who pass the WFTDA skills test will be eligible to bout. Those numbers are always changing as we recruit, people move, people have life things that interfere with being able to skate, etc. We accept skaters at 18, but our youngest skater is 20 and we have a few skaters in their forties and there's also a junior roller derby league getting started, the Nashville Junior Roller Derby.

This is all essentially a hobby for people and an expensive one at that, so it takes a high level of commitment to want to participate in up to 4 practices a week, exercise outside of practice, be available to travel for games, and do the millions of other small things needed to make the league run and get fans to come to our bouts so we can afford to offer money to other teams to bout against us, to maintain practice space and help offset some of the cost of travel for skaters. The Nashville Rollergirls are 100% skater owned and operated. Day jobs include teachers, service industry workers, stay-at-home moms, nurses, retail workers, office workers, managers, basically anything you can think of we either have, or have had, someone with that job.

For readers not familiar with roller derby, can you give us a brief synopsis of how it works and how score is kept?

Bouts are comprised of two 30 minute periods, which are broken down into jams. Each jam can last up to 2 minutes. A maximum of five players from each team are allowed on the track during a jam: one offensive player (Jammer), and four defensive players (1 Pivot and 3 Blockers). At the start of each jam, the pack (pivots and blockers from each team) lines up on the track behind the pivot line. Jammers line up 20 feet behind the pack. With one whistle blow, the jam begins. Once the pack has advanced 10 feet past the pivot line, two short whistle blows signal the jammers to sprint forward to fight their way through the pack. The first jammer to get through the pack that does not commit any penalties is deemed Lead Jammer. The Lead Jammer has the strategic advantage of being able to call off the jam. After the jammers exit the pack, they race around the track in order to lap the pack and earn a point for each opposing play they pass legally.

How many games do the Roller Girls have each season, and what is the official season?

There isn't a set season for roller derby in general and we tend to see different start and end times in different parts of the country. Nashville typically starts off their season in February or March ending in the fall. The 2010 season started in February and our last home game is August 7th. We go to Pittsburgh for a game on 8/21 and to Bowling Green on 8/28.

Is there a play-off situation?

WFTDA consists of 4 regions: West, North Central, South Central and East. The teams ranked in the top 10 for the 3rd quarter from each region go to their applicable regional tournament throughout September and October and the top 3 teams from each regional competition go to Nationals in November, which is being hosted by the Windy City Rollergirls this year. Nashville is ranked fifth going into the South Central regional competition.

Is this a family friendly event? If yes, do you all have opportunities for autographs and picture taking with young fans?

Roller derby is absolutely a family friendly event! All skaters make time at the end of each bout to greet fans, give autographs, and take pictures.

How has the team grown and changed since it started?

Just as modern-day roller derby has changed over the past few years, so have the Nashville Rollergirls. Our audience is growing, evidenced by our move from the Tennessee State Fairgrounds Sports Arena with a maximum capacity of 1200 to our first bout at Municipal Auditorium and a crowd of 2,418. We fully expect to add at least 50% to that number, if not more, for our final home game this season on 8/7. Gone are the days where the most penalized skaters would spin a penalty wheel to have tricycle races at half time and in comes a few people skating with their real name. There are certainly some people that miss the spectacle aspect once so common in roller derby, but I think the sport is still so unique that one can't help but love it.

Are you ready to try to win 4 tickets to this Saturday night's game? StyleBlueprint True Deal (click here): By entering, you are subscribing to our email list (free) if you are not already a subscriber. You know you've always meant to sign up anyway, we're just amping up the ante! The winner will be chosen Thursday night and will posted on the home page of StyleBlueprint. Winners are randomly selected. We will enter your name more than once if you:

Tweet about this contest.
Email at least 10 of your friends about this contest with a link to this post, and cc us email@styleblueprint.com on that email.
Have a Nashville blog? Refer to this contest with a link to this post on your blog.
Mention this contest with a link on your fb page (email us that you did this!)

If you do all 4 of these things, you get 5 entries! We have 2 packages of 4 tickets each!

Ms. Cheap needs YOUR advice

Liza — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 19:46:14 +0000

It's true. Ms. Cheap, the popular columnist from the Tennessean, with fans throughout the country, is writing a new book and she wants your help. Elizabeth and I are both big fans of Mary, aka Ms. Cheap, and we had a hunch that the best source of tips online and around town would come from you, the StyleBlueprint readers. So here's the deal:

The working title of her new book, to be published by Turner Publishing, is "365 Things to Think about for a Long and Happy Marriage.'' Mary would love "(StyleBlueprint) followers to contribute their tips and advice along with their names and how long they have been married — I know your following will have wonderful ideas - both from their experience and from things they've heard along the way. The advice can be things to do, and of course things not to do, as well as things to think about." She also added that's it's OK if the hindsight is clearer, and you are now divorced! So, leave a comment and your name (it's OK to leave out your last name if you choose) along with a bit of advice for our readers on this post. You never know, you just may say "OH, That's me!" when the book is published later on.

Be sure to see Ms. Cheap's book published last year and instock at local bookstores and at Amazon: 99 thing to save money in your household budget.

*Also, please note that the Trish McEvoy event at Private Edition, which we wrote about on Friday, has a ratio of makeup artists to attendees of 1:2. While our post said 1:2, the email teaser said 1:1.

We can't wait to read what you all have to say to Ms. Cheap in marriage, so comment away!

Meet Trish McEvoy at Private Edition

Elizabeth — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:58:57 +0000

The gorgeous Trish McEvoy.

There are a number of makeup artists whose talents and marketing savvy have changed the landscape of their industry. I consider Trish McEvoy, beauty maven and founder of the namesake cosmetics and skincare line, to be one of those visionaries. She plans to come to Nashville on Thursday, August 19 to conduct three makeup seminars at Private Edition. Here are the times for each session:

• 9:30-11:30
• 12:00-2:00
• 2:30-4:30

Private Edition in Green Hills

This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for you to learn from an icon in the cosmetics industry. Trish will bring her team of regional make up artists with her to give you individual instruction and share with you her tricks of the trade. In fact, StyleBlueprint heard the ratio of women to instructors will be 1:2.

Trish’s career in the cosmetics business began in the 70′s with her husband, Dr. Ronald Sherman. Together they started the Trish McEvoy Skin Care Center to bridge the gap between science and beauty.

This could be you!

When I think of Trish McEvoy, I think of her incredible make up brushes and those handy, sleek make up planners. Each brush in her collection is designed to simplify your life by making it easier to apply your cosmetics. I can attest to the eyeliner brush: it creates a natural, but not-so-perfect line. I can do both eyes in about a minute–OK, I practiced a lot.

Her makeup planners are ingenious because you can customize your kit to fit your needs. How many makeup kits have you bought where you love the lipstick, hate the eyeshadow and end up tossing it all out? With Trish’s, you can mix and match the shades to create your very own palette of color.

For her personal appearance at Private Edition, Trish has created a one-of-a-kind rose quartz, python planner. The planner will sell for $150, and has a retail value of over $350.

If you are interested in attending this seminar, you need to book it NOW. Private Edition has available spaces, but the seats are selling out fast. In order to attend, you must commit to purchasing $150 worth of product and that’s pretty easy to do.
In addition, Nashville Lifestyles magazine is hosting an ultra luxe lounge for the event, stocked with cocktails and hor d’ oeuvres for guests before each seminar. This may be one of those times when you want to book a babysitter for the entire day!

Call Private Edition today, there’s a seat waiting for you.

Private Edition is located in Grace’s Plaza at 4009 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 101, Nashville, TN 37215. 615.292.8606.

And a heads up…all Fridays in August will feature must have’s for fall 2010 with some of our favorite stylists featured!

Her Q’s: Late summer tradition? Blueberry picking.

Liza — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 01:19:45 +0000

Dear StyleBlueprint:

The end of summer in basically here and I really want to start a tradition that mixes the best of late summer with family fun that we, as a family, can continue to enjoy as our children age. I can’t come up with anything satisfying and I’d love an idea. Thanks!

-Ruth, Nashville

Ruth,

I love this question and thought long and hard and came up with something, which I have decided to make into a Graves’ family tradition. I hope this is along the lines of what you were looking for. What I like about blueberry picking is that it is equally enjoyable at age 3 as it is as a tween or a teen. Blueberries are in season this time of year and there are several places in Mid TN to pick your own. For a list on places to pick your own, see this list. I took my two younger kids and two of their friends to Sante Fe, TN on Monday and here is a mostly pictorial account of our day:

Admittedly, the boys did not last long. They retreated to the car after about 15 minutes!!!

Here are my blueberry picking champions! Reese and Hannah.

There were TONS of juicy ripe blueberries.

The owner of the property, Bernie, is just a salt of the earth guy. He has been organic farming on this 100 acre property for 40 years. Being a Vanderbilt grad myself, I loved finding out that he bought the land when he was 19 and at Vanderbilt along with 3 of his Sociology professors. He is now the sole owner and will let you pick blueberries by appointment, $10 per gallon. This is by no means some touristy place. This is his farm and you are his guest. Wear old clothes and enjoy a secluded place that is only about 45 minutes outside of Nashville. To make an appointment to pick berries, email Bernie at tracevu@bellsouth.net. He suggests you get there early in the morning, or late in the day.

Bernie even took time to show my kids his organic garden, mostly grown on trellises:

Bernie showing the kids cucumbers growing on a trellis.

A quick trip to the creek made everyone happy:

We drove the Natchez Trace Pkwy back to Nashville. Do not take this route if you, or any of the kids you have, are prone to car sickness.

When we got home, we made the Best Blueberry Muffins from Cooks Illustrated. As this recipe is a bit complicated (be sure to watch the video on that link), I decided it would be perfect for a yearly treat to round out the day. Here we are making the muffins:

Mary Blake and Claire may have missed blueberry picking, but they enjoyed helping to make the muffins

Reese and Hannah helped with mixing the muffin batter. The boys? They played Wii...

Many giggles were had when the flour didn't stay in the bowl.

And here it is, the Best Blueberry Muffin:

Best Blueberry Muffin: it lived up to it's name

Ruth, I hope you enjoy this idea and thanks for giving us new tradition to look forward to and the end of each summer.

-Liza

Bravo Gelato: Free this Saturday.

Liza — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 02:43:26 +0000

First of all, even if you don’t live in Nashville, read this as Bravo Gelato does have plans to expand and you want to vie for one in your home town; believe me, you do! I’ll explain those details further down, but first, I absolutely LOVE Bravo Gelato. If you live in the Nashville area, you need to go today because they have:

Margarita Sorbet

Yep, you read that right – *Margarita Sorbet – and it’s just soooooo good. There is some real tequila in here – enough to flavor, but you’ll be fine to drive home. This got me thinking that I should serve this at my next dinner party so I asked Noel, the General Manager, if I could special order some. “Absolutely. The minimum order, a 6 quart tub, is $71.99 ($64.99 for non-alcoholic flavors and if you have poor math skills, that’s $1.50 per 4 oz serving of the spiked kind). We can make any drink flavor that uses pure, fresh ingredients. We have Mojito and Pina Colada also today, but we have made Lemon Drop Gelato, Strawberry Champagne, Peach Bellini, and several gelatos using local brew Yazoo. For our free Saturday give-away we’ll have Jack n’ Honey on hand.”

Excuse me – Free Saturday give away? Details please:

Pistachio Gelato with half eaten Raspberry-Pomegranate Sorbet in the background.

“It’s National Ice Cream month, so this year we decided that we should give away free gelato on July 31 from 12PM-3PM to celebrate. We hope it becomes a yearly tradition.” (Village Green location only)

I immediately quizzed him on flavors to expect this Saturday and he promises that you all will be very impressed with the emphasis on local flavors highlighted throughout his gelato (which they doing spectacularly every day, btw). The ones I wrote down include the aforementioned Jack n’ Honey and Yazoo Heffe Banana as well as Key Lime Pie (with graham crackers), Banana Pudding, Peanut Butter with (local) Honey, and Maple w/ Benton’s Bacon. Saturday, Noel will start his day at The Farmer’s Market and the ingredients available will determine many of the flavors to be highlighted for Free Gelato Day. If you’d like to find out what the flavors are on any given day, follow the store on Twitter: twitter.com/BravoGelatoNash

Mixing the bacon into the Maple Gelato. Image from **LoveandOliveOil.com.

What I love about Bravo Gelato, besides the taste, is the purity of their gelato. No artificial ingredients or food dyes used. (The one exception is Cotton Candy.) Even the Red Velvet Cake gelato they featured a couple weeks ago was actually brown in color folded in with the Cream Cheese Gelato. Noel did not add the enormous amount of red dye that I’ve come to expect with Red Velvet Cake. In fact, he didn’t add any. As a mom who fights the ever constant fight against food dyes being present in my 3 kids’ daily food, I really appreciate this stance that Bravo has taken.

***Image from Erin'sFoodFiles.com.

So, if you don’t live in Nashville, you are possibly a bit envious not to be able to indulge this Saturday. Well, I will cheer your day with the news that Bravo will expand sometimes in the future to a few other Southern cities. You see, they sell wholesale to more than 35 local restaurants and the wholesale business, just like parent company Christie Cookie, makes up a large portion of their sales. With locations in other Southern cities they can continue to focus on supporting local farmers and being true to the distinct city in which they are, while providing an outlet for walk-in customers to get their dose of daily goodness. If you want Bravo to consider your city, email Noel noel@christieretail.com and let him know why they should expand there. Really; he would love to start planning the future expansion which he promises to be deliberate and embracing of the culture of each locale (i.e. don’t expect a fast and furious expansion pace. Bravo wants to do this right.)

Bravo Gelato at the Christie Cookie location in Green Hills.

So, I need to own up to something here: when the Bravo Gelato line was first added to Christie Cookie, I was not a fan. But after a restructuring of the gelato process along with the in-house approach to making each flavor, which occurred about 18 months ago, I am now a convert. Hands down, Bravo wins my nod for the best gelato I’ve had outside of Italy. It might win in a tête à tête against Italy’s as well, but the side walk benches with a view of the parking lot can’t compete with benches in Italy with the view over St. Mark’s Square. But Bravo is also located in the heart of Green Hills and St. Mark’s Square can’t compete with that convenience.

Bravo Gelato is located inside Christie Cookies at The Village Green Shopping Center: 4117 Hillsboro Rd, 37215

………………………………………………………………………………

*My bet is that the Margarita Sorbet will sell out fast, so do go today, Wednesday, as it is spectacular.
**If you love food, you absolutely need to check out the blog www.loveandoliveoil.com, linked here to their post on Bravo Gelato. It is written in Nashville and is full of amazing recipes and photographs. Obviously, I love blogs. But when I find a blog as beautiful as this one, I fall in love again.
***Ditto for www.erinsfoodfiles.com, again linked to her post on Bravo Gelato. I think we’ll need to do a post in the Fall just about all the great Nashville Food Blogs as I’m wondering, after looking through these wonderful blogs the past few days, if there is a need for epicurious.com anymore???

Mountain Cabin Envy

Liza — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:44:59 +0000

I’ve been going to the same mountain in North Carolina since I was born. My mom grew up going to the same mountain. Her parents before her, and both of their parents before them summer-ed on this same mountain. Why? My mom’s side of the family goes back something like 9 generations in Daytona Beach, FL. The story I’ve been told is that the tourists came to Daytona in the summertime and with them a very feared disease: Polio. So, husbands would drive their FL families to the safety of the NC mountains, for the entire summer, to enjoy the cooler temperatures away from all the germ-filled beach bound tourists. So, my kids have no choice as to where their summer memories will be formed… a little mountain town in Jackson County, NC. To prove the early presence of the Daytona population:

There is a meadow mid-way up this mountain that used to belong to Farmer Jones. He grew corn, apples and raised cows. I grew up feeding some of these apples to horses boarded at his barn each summer.

Right across from the meadow is the old Farmer Jones house and barn. As happens with many old mountain farm houses, the main house, apple house and garage did not stand the test of time well. It became sad to pass by the house as we all knew the potential it held. Then, 5 years ago, the Culpeppers bought the house and land. What they have done is nothing short of breathing new life into this little spot of history.

In the midst of this heat wave that won’t go away, I thought you might enjoy a quick tour of their family compound:

THE MAIN HOUSE AND THE APPLE HOUSE GUEST QUARTERS MAKE UP TWO OF THE THREE FAMILY LIVING QUARTERS ON THE COMPOUND. NOTICE THE CUTE BUNNY SCULPTURE AT THE BOTTOM RIGHT.

The main house is surrounded by hundreds of day lilies

One of the last remaining original Apple Houses in all of North Carolina, one of the three living quarters on this family compound.

The backside of the apple house. This is all part of a new addition to the original building.

An up-close of the original apple house door.

The stone path that runs through the property.

A close up of the grape vine growing up the trellis.

Further along that same stone path, scissors on hand for cutting lilies.

The lilies really are amazing.

Stairs leading to the living quarters above the garage which make up the third living quarters on the property.

It's doesn't get much better than this, does it? Kids for 5 generations in my family have dammed up this creek.

This is the old barn which is just referred to as "the barn" on the mountain.

A bench overlooking the stream which runs between the barn and the family houses.

Some examples of the apple theme being carried through the inside and outside of this special family place:

Vintage apple prints

Apple dishes

Apple fabric

Notice the lampshade with the hand painted apples on it.

This window painting was done by the home owner.

Even the screen door has apples!

Outdoor apple art

Look at these great outdoor living areas:

The outdoor craft center

Hand prints of grandchildren personalize the custom-made outdoor dining table

grab a book for this bench that stays in the shade

Down the hill from the main house is the old road which meanders through an always cool place to sit on a hot mountain day: the Spring House. A constant cold spring runs here and is captured in a trough. Clean enough to drink, this trough of spring water used to house milk for sale (a natural refrigerator) for passing neighbors.

One of my favorite parts of the whole house was this coffee table, by Sticks, and custom ordered through New Morning Gallery in Asheville, N.C. It was their splurge piece for a house now complete.

Sticks coffee table

I think it’s so glorious that it deserves another angle:

Sticks Coffee Table

I hope you enjoyed your tour today. This is the way out:

The driveway runs over the creek and beside the barn.

The Best of Trader Joe’s

Elizabeth — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 22:49:02 +0000

Months ago we asked you to submit your favorite items from Trader Joe’s. It was one of those posts that kept being delayed– not that it wasn’t a great idea, it just didn’t scream, “write it now”! Until last night, I completely underestimated Trader Joe’s. Today I can write: This store is incredible.

This weekend I shipped my husband and kids off to our place on the river so I could get caught up. I literally sat at my computer for hours doing paperwork. Finally about 6PM, I headed to Trader Joe’s with your list of suggestions in hand. Since I needed corporate approval to shoot photos inside the store, I decided to buy most of what was on the list. Well, $123.17 later, I can say, “ I GET TRADER JOE’S.” While in the store, I had passionate shoppers and store employees racing me around the aisles to show me their favorite must buys from TJ’s. I even got a quick tutorial on the best beers to buy from Jerod (store employee) and his favorite marinade recipe, which I ready to share with you and the end of this post. I had a complete blast.

image courtesy of Kables of Seattle.

The good news is Trader Joes is doing just fine in Nashville even though we can’t buy their famous “Two Buck Chuck.” If you’ve never heard of this product, let me say it’s a phenomenon in the markets where Traders Joe’s sells it. They buy wine from an assortment of vineyards and sell it under their private label of Charles Shaw. Shoppers have been known to buy a bottle, go to their car, sample the elixir and return to buy multiple cases. Jerod told me in other cities, they keep it on palettes in the front of the store for easy loading. That’s pretty tempting when you’re entertaining a large group.

Trader Joe’s (per Jerod) has a huge following from the music business folks since most of them are from the West Coast and already love the store.

Here are your favorite items and we are grateful for your responses! I have noted your contribution in italics, including Liza’s and my favorites, and even the suggestions from the passionate shoppers I met last night.

Fresh and in the produce area: (enter store and head left)

Mediterranean Hummus: also available in spicy and a brand new one, cilantro and jalapeño. $3.99 (Kristen)
Green Cabbage, pre-cut and washed. $1.59 (Liza)
Romaine Lettuce Hearts. $2.29 (Elizabeth)
Heirloom Tomatoes, small and pre-packaged.$3.49 (Liza)
Champagne Pear Vinaigrette. $2.99 (Erin)
Ready Made Pizza Dough, wheat or regular. $0.99 (Jessica)
TJ’sFresh Salsa: mild, hot and verde. $2.99 (Kristen)

Frozen food section: (there are 2 aisles of frozen food divided between meat & vegetables and breakfast items

Mini Croissants: comes in chocolate too! $3.99 ( Sarah M.)
Steel Cut Oatmeal, already cooked. $1.59 (Sarah)
Mandarin Orange Chicken: this is Trader Joe’s #1 selling item store-wide. $4.99( Betsy)
French Style Flatbread: with ham, caramelized onion and gruyere cheese. $4.39 (Jerod/TJ’s employee)
Pastry Pups: mini beef franks, puff pastry with parmesan cheese. $4.49 (Jennifer)
Pastry Bites: with feta and caramelized onions.$4.99 (Amy)
Sweet Potato Fries. $2.29( Shilina)
Thai Jasmine Rice, pre-cooked $2.99 (Ann)

Beer, Beverages, Snacks & Miscellaneous (look high & low at TJ’s, they’re everywhere)

Red Oval Lager, really cheap, 6 pack. $2.99 (Ursula)
Savory Thin Mini Crackers. $2.49 (Kathy)
Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels.$3.29 (Elizabeth)
French Market Sparkling Lemonade. $2.99 (Sarah S.)
Mission St. Hefeweizen Beer, 22 oz. $2.49 (Jerod)
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups. $3.99 (Lella)

The Perfect Marinade: Trader Joes’ Island Soyaki. $3.69

Jerod’s Marinade recipe:

Pour yourself a chilled Red Oval Lager to get started.
1 cup of Island Soyaki marinade
Dump in the rest of your beer
Add honey or brown sugar to taste
Add chopped garlic & green onions to taste
A shake of hot sauce couldn’t hurt.
Marinade for at least an hour.

Happy Shopping!
Elizabeth

P.S. Be sure to click the StyleBlueprint logo OR the HOME tab at the top of this page to see our new site features. We hope you will really love the new design!

Easy Breezy Dresses…

Liza — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 02:42:08 +0000

Before I continue on with this post, three things:

Yes, we did win the Toast of Music City Contest for Best Blog and we are thrilled! It was equally thrilling to be in the top 3 with the powerhouses of Section303 and Nashvillest.
Our site is getting a MAJOR overhaul this weekend. Elizabeth, Terry Bailey of Bailey Graphic Design, and I have been working tirelessly and we are all oh-so-tired. But, we are ready and excited to show off the new blog. Check back and let us know your thoughts!
If today is your first day to visit, welcome. We cover all topics relating to style: home & garden, the arts, city happenings, fashion, food & entertaining, gifts, travel and health & beauty. Our categories will be far more obvious with the overhaul this weekend.

Now, back to our post for today. It’s Friday, so you know it’s all about Fashion:

A good friend sent me a question on packing for her Italian get-away. Now, Italy is really one to fret over in the packing dept as they are sooooo stylish. Italians spend a larger percentage of their earnings on clothing and accessories than any other country in the world. AND, my sweet friend would be traveling with a high profile couple…meaning that the other lady in the foursome would have her bags packed by a personal stylist. Talk about pressure!

J McLaughlin Maria Halter Dress, $198

Anyway, the reason I tell you this background is because it really made me think long and hard about our summer wardrobes and what I would do to ensure daily style, with not many clothes to choose from (i.e. walking around in Italy for 2 weeks but only wanting to bring one suitcase.). After making list upon list, I boiled it down to one basic item: the dress. I had that Aha! moment when I realized that for summer, more than any other month, a closet with a few great dresses really could get you through any situation. So, my advice to my friend was this: pack 3-4 dresses that can be rolled up. Have them be dresses that have the versatility of day to evening. Pack a couple scarves and cotton cardigans. A couple great shoes that are stylish and comfortable. A great pair for dinners out. Plus, in Italy, you’ll want to shop, so don’t load yourself down with the clothes you are hauling around from the get-go. While I’m featuring some patterned dresses here today, I would suggest solid colors for travel to Italy or long travels where you don’t want to pack much.

This Panama Wrap dress is VERY flattering. $185, Fall 2010 line, J McLaughlin

I suggested shopping at two stores that would guarantee the look and ease she was wanting: Athleta and J Mclaughlin. Lots of other stores have great packable dresses as well. But, when pressed for time, these two places have such a high probability of scoring, that they should be your first stop.

I’ve already featured two J McLaughlin dresses in this post and I’m about to show you a 3rd. Why are these so great? Well here’s why: the fabric was modeled after a French swimwear line. Think of the softest most luxurious swimsuit you have ever felt and know that this material is better. It is breathable on hot days and super easy to pack. Plus the fabric is thick enough to drape in the most flattering way, while concealing flaws, and yet because of this swimsuit material, it won’t stifle you in the oppressive heat and humidity we are having. Better yet, with a simple hand wash or gentle cycle and a drip dry (again, perfect for travel), it will look brand new.

A simple boat neck dress, with nice nipping at the waist to hang perfectly, $185 J McLaughlin

There are several more styles to choose from at the store including a stretch cotton dress, called the Harbor Dress (runs $99-$165), which I’ve mentioned before as I’m a huge fan. Hands down, if you want some dresses, and ones that are easy to travel with, head to J McLaughlin, in the Hill Center.

As a side note, they have lots of other pieces made from this same material. They have tons of tops and some pants made out of it. Isn’t great to have clothes that are just as stylish as they are comfortable?

Athelta. I love this catalog. I have a black dress, called Sizzle from Athleta, which I wear ALL THE TIME and would love to be able to put on my mannequin and take a picture of for you. BUT, I left it in North Carolina and won’t get it back until next week. So, I have to use the catalog picture. But, here is the history on this dress:

My husband Jay loves this catalog probably more than I do. When one arrives in the mail, he makes sure that I see it. “See anything you like?” he asks. Well, last year he ordered me this Sizzle Dress without me knowing. This is highly unusual. I love it and I love him. I have thrown this dress on after a crazy tubing expedition, worn it to the grocery store with flip flops, thrown a cardigan on with those flip flops for a put-together late afternoon jaunt to the movie theater, AND worn it to a rehearsal dinner with heals, a cardigan and great jewelry. Impressive, no? Perfect for travel.

Here it is:

Sizzle Dress currently on sale for $49.99. Comes in Tall. I could look like that with about 9 months of serious weights and training. Maybe....

And to prove to you the versatility of the Athleta dresses, for any nay sayers in the midst, here is a picture of me LAST NIGHT getting ready to leave for the Toast of Music City Awards. My daughter was my date, and all her clothes were purchased Thursday at Snap Kids (they are having a huge sale and I just love that store. The dress she has on can also be a skirt. See, I’m training her on versatility, too!).

Kokomo, by Athleta. $69

I actually changed my dress in the last minute before leaving as while the Kokomo dress has a heavily padded bra (think padded swimsuit type thing), I just felt it made my boobs hang weird. I know everyone is looking at the picture again. Believe me that this is not the dresses fault, ha!, and I quickly changed so that I could wear a bra and thus hold my head, and chest, high. But, for someone else, you can see that you can wear this daytime and nighttime with ease. And, it’s super easy to care for. It will not hide bumps and bulges though. For that, stick with the Sizzle Dress, or the Little Travel Dress:

Little Travel Dress, Athleta, on sale $49.99

So, embrace the dress and only buy ones that you LOVE. I think then you, too, will have your Aha! moment. Dresses are easy. Easy, breezy dresses.

Her Q’s: Visiting Teenage Nieces. What to do?

Elizabeth — Thu, 22 Jul 2010 03:00:02 +0000

Dear StyleBlueprint,

My Mom, sister and three nieces are coming to visit in a couple of weeks and I have no idea what would be fun for them to do. I know what younger kids would enjoy but 2 of my nieces are teenagers (16 and 19) and besides taking them shopping I’m clueless. Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Sandra – Nashville

We appreciate your question and if you are like me, you want a jammed packed agenda for your guests. While I do not have children your nieces’ ages, I have a daughter in the approximate age range. Teens can be a tough audience to please; our suggestions are fun and filled with variety. You’re in luck this summer because there are a couple of exhibits perfect for all ages: the Chihuly at Cheekwood and the Golden Age of Couture. Each is extraordinary.

Here is a quick list for you:

Chihuly at Cheekwood after Dark. A must. The exhibit is marvelous; it encompasses so much of the grounds and is absolutely beautiful at night. Bring a picnic supper and wait until it gets dark; you will see magic (and fireflies) everywhere. Cheekwood has just added Wednesday night to the mix. More info can be found at: www.cheekwood.org

Chihuly at Cheekwood

The Golden Age of Couture: Paris and London. At the Frist followed by lunch in the Frist Center Café – they even have Wi-Fi! Nashville has the distinction of being the only US city chosen for this world-wide tour. It is truly appealing to chicks of all ages. The café is a wonderful way to end the tour. My family loves the homemade potato chips. More info: www.fristcenter.org
Shelby Bottoms Greenway/Eastside Cycles Rentals. Shelby Bottoms is in East Nashville. It follows the Cumberland River with an easy, flat ride where you can cross the Cumberland for a gorgeous view of the river. If you are sweltering, you can always incorporate Wave Country in the trip. Check out www.nashville.gov/greenways, www.eastside-cycles.com and www.nashville.gov/parks/wave_country.asp
Tip-a-Canoe. Incredibly, they opened back up for business just a couple of days after the flood. Canoeing on the Harpeth River is so much fun. This section of the Harpeth is easy to maneuver and loops around so you don’t have to shuttle far. Just bring a cooler and snacks and enjoy nature. – www.tip-a-canoe.com

Hatch Show Print and then Suzy Wong’s House of Yum. Located on Lower Broad, Hatch is the oldest working letter press print shop in the country – and a hidden treasure. The tour is fascinating as you can see the history of music in Nashville through the posters. Then, head to the mid-town Charlotte area for Suzy Wong’s House of Yum. The girls at Nashvillest told us it was their favorite. I believe them that it must be fab since Arnold Myint, the owner, is competing in the Top Chef competition right now! www.suzywongsnashville.com
Zip Line Tour by Adventureworks. Everyone loves this excursion in Kingston Springs. My daughter went for a birthday party and said it was her favorite party. You will need reservations. Grab your guts and sail through the trees. adventureworks.com

Nashville Shores Drive In Movies. What a great idea! The movie this Friday night is Monsters vs. Aliens. I can’t think of a better way to celebrate summer. www.nashvilleshores.com

We love to shop too! For an outdoor area that is easy to navigate and walk, check out the Hill Center in Green Hills and then head to Bandywood, just around the corner. I promise almost everything is on sale.

-Elizabeth

DIY Herbal Infused Water

Elizabeth — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 02:40:20 +0000

We’re all feeling the summer heat and wondering when will it end. It reminds me of one of my favorite songs,
“We’re having a heatwave, a tropical heatwave, it isn’t surprising, she certainly can can-can.” With a little salsa in our step, Liza and I met in the StyleBlueprint test kitchen (my house) to experiment with concocting some refreshing, herb infused waters. They are certainly good for your waistline and will keep you hydrated in the 90 degree + weather. Here’s what we came up with….

Blackberry and Mint Infused Water.

Since I was having a neighborhood meeting at my house, I took an independent, non-official poll and the neighbors loved the blackberry infused with mint water the best.

Cucumber and Basil Infused Water

I personally love anything with basil, so my favorite was the basil and cucumber water. Basil is also wonderful when infused in a simple syrup (1 part water and 1 part sugar) and added to ice teas and club soda.

Peach and Sage Infused Water.

By far, the most interesting and beautiful of the three is the peach and sage infused water.

Liza mentioned yesterday that we were upping our game in the photography department, but dang, not sure we can always promise ones as good as these ones she took today!

Try these out and let us know your favorites–if you have any other ideas for great drinks to beat the summer heat, please send us a comment as well.

Exciting News…

Liza — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 04:41:22 +0000

We need to tell you all about a few things that have us really excited:

Yes, it’s true. Elizabeth and I will be attending the Tennessean’s Toast Of Music City Awards this Thursday evening as StyleBlueprint is in contention for Best Blog! We have no idea who will win, or what to wear, but we are just so happy to be up for this award with our friends at Nashvillest as well as Section303, the blog who made us all swell with joy during the Nashville Flood with the post We Are Nashville. Now, truth be told, both these blogs did such an amazing job keeping us informed and spirited during The Flood that we kinda think “How can we win?” So, 1st, 2nd or 3rd place, we consider StyleBlueprint a winner to be simply included in the top three with these other two amazing blogs. Nashvillest has won for the past two years, so that’s where my betting money is, but the We Are Nashville post made me cry, so Section303 has my heart. But of course, in the end …I would love StyleBlueprint to win! We know how many of you voted for us each day and we thank you. Our readers put us in this position and to you we are grateful.

Secondly, we are in the midst of a MAJOR site overhaul. MASSIVE. You’ve heard us talk about this for the better part of the past year and we have FINALLY done it! We are close…very close. We hope to make the switch this weekend so please be kind to us over the next couple of weeks as this process may prove difficult. But, the new site is so easy to navigate and it is just so dang pretty…we love it and we can’t wait to show you! To give you a sneak peak, here is unveiling of our new logo:

Our thanks to Terry Bailey, of Bailey Graphic Design, for designing our new logo and our new site. His vision for our site left us speechless as it was so much more than we ever had hoped for. He has been a joy to work with. THANK YOU TERRY! To see more of Terry’s work, click here.

Thirdly, in case you missed it, our new monthly column for Her Nashville, Her Q’s, debuts in the August issue. We have already starting blogging on the Her Nashville site each Tuesday and Thursday. The column is a reader question generated format, so if you have a question about ANYTHING (ok, please not sex, I blush easily…) send us a question. So far, we have answered questions on etiquette, style, fashion, home decor and beauty. We can’t wait to see what questions come next.

Ashley Hylbert

The fabulous photographer Ashley Hylbert is taking lots of pictures for us through this partnership with Her Nashville, and with her talent and enviable eye, we are in good hands. You will see some of Ashley’s work on the blog in the future and we’ll be sure to point it out. She is even raising Elizabeth’s and my game, so we’re excited to focus more on taking great pictures for the blog as well. Here are some pictures Ashley took of Elizabeth and me for the new site overhaul. (Ashley takes amazing pictures of families and weddings too…) Our makeup and hair was done by the eyebrow guru, and make artist extraordinaire, Shelia Curtis:

Liza Graves and Elizabeth Fox

Thanks Ashley! Check out her photography site here.

I wanted to remind you that we have an email plan, which sends you an email each Monday-Friday when a new post is published. An email is waiting in your inbox each morning when you wake up. If you email us to say you haven’t received it, 99% of the time it’s in your SPAM folder (I think Comcast is the worst offender here.). We also send out dedicated emails to subscribers which are separate from the blog. It may be a special offer or a fun list of things-to-do called SHOP. EAT. GO. that we try to send out each Wednesday or Thursday. But, only email subscribers get these. You can sign up HERE or through the email sign up found on the right hand tool bar of the screen (No, it’s not there if you are reading this on your fancy phone….!)

On the StyleBlueprint facebook page, we list our posts as well as sales or events we find out about. Sometimes we just point out something interesting that we found on another blog. Fans can also place updates on this wall about anything which falls under our wide style umbrella. You can ask us questions on our FB page and we’ll try to get you a quick answer. Our hope is for this page to be interactive and one which we, too, can find out about some cool stuff around Nashville, or anywhere for that matter. To become a fan, see www.facebook.com/styleblueprint.

Thanks you for reading and we’ll let you know how things go Thursday night at the Toast of Music City Awards! We’ll tweet it out and post it on facebook as soon as we know!

-Liza and Elizabeth

Monteagle Cottage Tour: Only $15, Clean Mountain Air Free of Charge

Elizabeth — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 02:40:52 +0000

When my friend Ann Shayne asked me to write about the 47th Monteagle Sunday School Assembly Cottage Tour and Bazaar, my response was a speedy, “Are you kidding? I’d be happy to.” Not only is she one of my favorite people, Monteagle is absolutely one of my favorite places.

Let’s face it, women run the world. Most of what we love best (think parks, zoos, art museums, greenways) is a result of some woman offering her time and talents (free of charge, I might add) to help make an event successful. With that being said, here’s why you want to pen, not pencil, this event on your calendar.

What’s not to love about a place steeped in history with lovely grounds and Victorian architecture?

Monteagle is a mere 85 miles down the road from Nashville and its high altitude offers a nice reprieve from the hot weather. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Monteagle Assembly, here’s a quick description: It is one of the last remaining chautauquas in the county with 161 Victorian cottages and buildings under the Nashville Register of Historic Places. Monteagle’s slow tempo and meandering ways truly change people’s lives for the better, providing educational, spiritual and physical guidance for the old and young alike. Kids zip around on their bikes, women take lectures on gardening and everyone finds respite in the cool mountain breezes. This has been going on for 127 years.

The Cottage Tour and Bazaar is Friday, July 23, and features six cottages inside the Assembly.

The moment you step into one of these charming Victorian abodes, you’ll want to spend the rest of your life there. They are whimsical, charming and quirky just like the Victorians. A yummy lunch will be served in the dining hall (also a historic place) or you can grab a box lunch. If you miss the Corner Market as much as I do, you can experience Emily Frith’s magic, as she is the chef for the day. The Bazaar features over 30 craftspeople and artists from the area. What a great way to stock up on holiday gifts. The proceeds from the event benefits the restoration of properties inside the assembly and local not-for-profits.

You may want to consider staying on the mountain to get the full benefit of clean, cool mountain air. The Adams Edgeworth Inn, a charming B & B inside the Assembly, is just one of many accommodations offered in the area. If hiking and swimming interest you, check out the trails in the South Cumberland State Park.

Ready to head East? Here’s some more details…

Monteagle Cottage Tour and Bazaar
Date: Friday, July 23
Cottage Tour Hours: 11am – 4pm
Bazaar: 9am – 4pm
Lunch Provided: Tasty and inexpensive
For more information: http://www.mssa1882.org

To get to know Ann Shayne better and thank her for finding the best tea punch recipe: www.masondixonknitting.com

Designer Labels. Warehouse Prices.

Liza — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 02:28:02 +0000

I’ve been wanting to try out some Kasil Denim and I think 70% off may just be the best way, don’t you agree? I’ve also been a huge fan of Lather lip balm, and at 70% off, it’s suddenly the same price as actual Chapstick. Where is this discount mecca of which I write? Well, this shop named MODE out of North Dakota (of all places!) is bringing a large supply of their designer items to sell for one day only: July 21st and the sale starts promptly at 10AM. The sale will take place at the Essex Retail Outlet.

Hold on a minute. WHERE? The Essex Retail Outlet?

Did you hear the record of my blissful music playing in my mind just skip and scratch? Essex? OK. I admit that I’ve really never been tempted to walk into this store as the pictures on their website are pretty much the exact opposite of what I tend to gravitate toward and I’m not that into gadgets. Really, all I had to see was the Catnapper recliner, “America’s most comfortable chair” (do you think it’s France’s most comfortable chair as well? Perhaps Mexico’s?), on special this week to convince me that me and this store don’t mix.

But, we all know that surprises exist and this store has tons of TN locations, so perhaps I will be happily surprised and quickly reprimanding my snotty anti-Essex thoughts. Let’s hope. But, I do know that with brands like Kasil, Lather, Lucy B Cosmetics, and MZ Wallace handbags, hauled in from North Dakota, there will be plenty there to tempt me.

Let’s talk about exact prices to expect. I just got off the phone with Ciara, the owner of MODE who is partnering with Essex for this sale. She has had several of these sales and they are always very successful and it’s because the merchandise is unused and first quality but the prices are truly at liquidation level.

Kasil Denim: $218 retail and JUST $40! In fact all denim for men, women and kids will be designer and all $40.
Australia LUXE boots, women and kids: $245 retail at $89.
Designer Handbags: $375+ retail for $52.99 – $72.99
Elizabeth Cotton luxury robes and PJ sets: listed on Oprah’s O list, retail $189+, just $40
Lots of organic towels, sheet sets and bedding.
Lots of high-end housewares.

OK, I’m convinced. Perhaps my snobby anti-Essex days are over….

Jennifer Aniston in her Kasil jeans. Yes, I do need a pair.

What I do know is this TN/North Dakota partnership is a brilliant move by Essex to bring similarly inclined women as myself to their store. Ok, Essex in Franklin, it’s showtime. July 21, 10AM. I’m there. Don’t disappoint. And please don’t disappoint our readers. But, with $218 jeans for $40, I don’t think you will.

Essex Retail is in the Williamson Square shopping center.

Happy Shopping!

Her Q’s: Home Design at a Fraction of the Cost

Liza — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 00:00:05 +0000

Each Thursday we answer one question from a reader for both StyleBlueprint and the Her Q’s blog found at HerNashville.com. We also answer two questions each Tuesday just on the Her Q’s blog. Check out this past Tuesday here. Please send us your questions at: email@styleblueprint.com

Dear StyleBlueprint:
I love your blog! I am so inspired by what you write about home decor and I really wish I could afford an interior designer, but I just can’t on my salary. I was wondering if you knew of any designer just starting out who might be willing to help me at a reduced rate to build their portfolio? Thanks! - Cici

Dear Cici,

Sometimes the timing of things amazes me. I wanted to scream in delight when I read this question as I had just received an email from a favorite StyleBlueprint design friend that would be of great interest to you! (Plus, flattery will almost always bump your question to top of the list!) Amanda Burdge is an established designer with her own retail and design shop in Brentwood, AB Home Interiors. She is launching some workshops in August and September for which you may want to sign up.

Amanda hard at work

Her first class, Collaborative Design Strategies, places you in the hands of an AB Interiors intern who is a recent design grad who has also completed the 4 week AB Interiors Design Boot camp. This allows the recent design grad to get “real world” experience with a homeowner while allowing the homeowner to have the safety net of an AB Interiors designer overseeing the project. The result will be great design at a fraction of the cost that designers charge. To work through a recent grad in this capacity will cost you $45/ hour. The projects will be pre-approved and focused on smaller projects, not whole house renovations. The designers will help you avoid costly mistakes by working with you on:

Overall design concepts
Space planning
Color consultation
Lighting selections

AB Interiors is also hosting several DIY workshops for all the people plagued by the creative bug, an illness which afflicts myself. AB Interiors’ goal with this class is to “provide the homeowner the necessary tools and expertise needed to complete the job on their own, all with our proven interior design techniques.” Sounds tempting doesn’t it? I think I may have to sign up as I really wish, truly and honestly, that I had become an interior designer, or a dentist. I can’t “play” dentist, but I’d love to play designer. The workshops will be held on Wednesdays in August with each class devoted to one topic including:

How to develop style
Developing a plan
Smart Shopping
Color Theory
Accessories

The cost per class will range from $199 – $499 depending on the length and amount of materials that each class requires. Considering these classes may save you the cost of a designer, or simply bad purchases over the course of your lifetime, the cost could be considered an investment. You now see how I talk myself into spending money, don’t you?

Maybe after this class, you can go:

From this...

...to this.Photos taken from AB Interior's portfolio.

Contact AB Interiors at info@abhomeinteriors.com or call 615-750-2763

Cici, in all honesty, please email us pictures of your before and afters as we would love to showcase them here on StyleBlueprint!

-Liza

Cindi Earl Jewelry: The Big Sale

Elizabeth — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 02:15:15 +0000

Cindi Earl Jewelry is having a serious sale this weekend. In my opinion, this sale is important enough for you to send this post to your husband or significant other (s.o.), with a note attached that says, “Hon, just in case you want to go ahead and buy my Christmas present early – when the prices are right – here’s the place to start.” The sale starts on July 15th and runs through July 17th.

Summer is hot and as usual, we are all busy driving, packing, un-packing and doing laundry, so what better time to switch gears and think about the holidays – aka Christmas in July! Because Lord knows when December rolls around, we will all be busy shopping, wrapping, baking, stressing and watching the mad cycle continue. And I assure you, by the time the holiday season comes around, finding the perfect gift for yourself rarely happens. It’s easier to smile and accept the fluffy slippers, because the time to scout around and find something you really want has long since gone by the wayside. S o do it now!

Once a year Cindy Earl has a serious sale. She reduces her inventory dramatically with as much as half of her entire store discounted as much as 50%. That’s about 7 cases of jewelry on sale. Pieces will start as low as $25. This year, she is even including top designers like Elizabeth Showers, Armenta, Mizuki, Mattioli, Stephanie Albertson, Suzy Landa and Erica Molin– all at 20% off.

Buying something from Cindi now will not only mean a nice gift for you and points for your s.o. at Christmas, it will also be the right thing to do. If you happened to drive down Harding Rd. after the flood, you saw Cindi’s shop was completely devastated (see below). With the help of her dear friends and the grace of God, she was able to salvage the contents of her store, clean out the mud and open for business in record time. I want to support local businesses like Cindi’s. She got hit by a metaphorical 2 x 4 and came back fighting. Nashville will lose a lot of local businesses due to the flood. Let’s support the ones who survived.

That dumpster you see is gone. The pavement is repaired. The store is open. The next time you drive by on your way back from dropping the kids at a swim meet or a sleepover, stop in and do some early Christmas shopping. Cindi will be glad to see you and will be happy to send an email to your honey to let him know exactly what you want. It’s not too early to think about a White Christmas!

Cindi Earl Jewelry
5101 Harding Pike
Nashville, TN
Phone: 615-353-1823

Her Q’s: Sunscreen Confusion

Liza — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 22:29:49 +0000

You know we are in the midst of our mid-year hiatus. But, we do have this edition of Her Q’s for you since it’s Thursday! We’ll be back to regular posts sometime next week.

Dear StyleBlueprint:
I am utterly and completely confused about which sunscreen to buy. Each year there seems to be more warnings about the harm that sunscreen does and I can’t seem to find any simple answers. I just want to know what to buy and preferably it is one available at a local drugstore. Thanks! -Martha, Nashville.

I need to be blatantly honest and tell you that I didn’t really know there was all this confusion out there over sunscreens. I did know that the American sunscreens have historically not protected as well against UVA rays as the European and Canadian sunscreens have. In fact, years ago, I used to special order sunscreen from Europe. I guess it was considered black market sunscreen after Dr. Gupta on CNN convinced me that it really was that much better to have those UVA rays blocked. After the FDA approved the use of broad spectrum sunscreens (and therefore nixed my need for black market sunscreens) I fell into the habit of buying sunscreen based on what was on sale and I preferred the spray bottle because I could quickly coat multiple kids. Now, I’m not so sure that is the best idea…or is it? Alright, Martha, I’m confused too.

Dr. Robbins

I knew I needed some professional help, so I arranged a chat with Dr. Jason Robbins, one of the founding doctors of Nashville Skin and Cancer. I have some answers for you. Grab your coffee, this is a long post:

First of all, Dr. Robbins was very upfront in that his specialty is skin cancer. Therefore, his bias is going to be in protecting his patients against UV light, a known and scientifically proven carcinogen vs. the unknown effects of chemicals found in some sunscreens. He says, “If you could see the 20 year old patients I have with Melanoma, you’d understand why my kids wear long sleeve swim shirts, hats, and are slathered down with sunscreen each day. It’s a real danger.”

So here is the gist of what I learned: there are two types of sunscreens: a physical sunscreen and a chemical sunscreen. Physical sunscreens are the mineral sunscreens. They actually block the UV rays from penetrating the skin. Just like shade or clothing, they create a barrier. Chemical sunscreens absorb the UV light and create a chemical reaction that disables the UV rays from penetrating the skin. Dr. Robbins points out that many people today feel more comfortable with the thought of a physical barrier vs. a chemical reaction happening on their skin. But, he reiterates that both protect and it’s better to protect the skin with sunscreen than fear the chemical reaction. One causes known harm, skin cancer, while the chemical reactions potentially cause harm.

However, and this is where all the information does start to get confusing, mineral sunscreens (the physical barriers) are not outside of criticism. If you think back about zinc sunscreen, you will remember the white noses of lifeguards. Sunscreens today, which contain zinc, do not provide that same white shield. This is because the particles have been micronized. Some people are concerned that with such a small particle, which is thus able to be absorbed more easily and is thus more user friendly, that the body is absorbing some of these particles. Dr. Robbins points out that again, one is a proven harm: UV light causes skin cancer and one is a theoretical problem. His line of work, and the skin cancer he sees with regularity, insists that he fight the known harm and urges sunscreen use.

The brands and formulas Dr. Robbins suggests are broad spectrum with an SPF of at least 15, but 25 or greater is best. This brings us to confusion of broad spectrum. Our sunscreens only protected against UVB rays, with no UVA ray protection, until the FDA approved ingredients for UVA protection about 4 years ago. Now, you can find UVA protection in many American sunscreens; these are the ones you want to buy. However, there is no way for us, the consumer, to know how much UVA protection is in that bottle of sunscreen. The parallel I can think of would be years ago when organic food was not regulated so companies using one organic ingredient would call the whole thing “organic”. The good news for the future is that the FDA is changing the consumer awareness on sunscreen bottles to have both an SPF – for UVB ray protection – and a star system, for UVA ray protection. 1 star will mean not much with 4 stars being the best. In the meantime, you just need to do your research.

In the midst of my research on this topic, I found The Environmental Working Group (EWG) site full of information on the potential problems with many sunscreens including 1) those that are not broad spectrum 2) hormone disruption issues 3) chemical and nano particle issues. However, if you don’t have time for all that, because not all of us do, one list to become familiar with is the top 10 list of sunscreens from the EWG listed here on a site that allows you to see the products and order them directly off Amazon.

And, if you are concerned about Vitamin D deficiency, Dr. Robbins warns that this is no reason to forgo sunscreen use. In fact, after a few minutes of sun exposure, your body has produced all the Vitamin D it can and further non-protected sun exposure actually breaks down the Vitamin D your body just made. There are many theories on why Americans have low Vitamin D. Vitamin D is fat soluble so it may be that as our society’s waist bands increase, those same fat cells are leaching our vitamin D. It may be something else. But, we are in no way a vigilante sunscreen society, so sunscreen being the culprit simply doesn’t make sense. Further, Vitamin D supplements are readily available and have no cancerous side effects.

So, depending on how you are wired, this information has either left you reaching for more sunscreen or being more wary about what you are rubbing on each day. If you are more wary, there are other ways to protect: clothing, shade, and limiting your outdoor activities during the brightest times of the day. Australia had an epidemic of Melanoma and now the playgrounds there are covered with tents and the kids run on the beaches with full body swimsuits. Here, in America, your kids may be teased for full body swim wear, but long sleeved rash guards are becoming commonplace.

One of the new UV ray deterrents I am most excited about is SunGuard. SunGuard is a powder you add to your laundry load to make all your clothes have an SPF of 30. As regular clothing only offers an SPF of 5, this is one thing that I will be doing to all my family’s clothing. The higher SPF level in your clothing is maintained for about 20 washes.

Another way to boost your ability to fight UV rays is surprising: tomatoes. I just read this in the Tennessean article on July 6th:

Eating tomatoes can help prevent sunburn… Tomatoes contain high amounts of lycopene, which is thought to protect the skin from harmful UV rays. A study at the universities of Newcastle and Manchester in England found that participants who ate five tablespoons of tomato paste daily for three months had 33 percent more protection against sunburn.

Lastly, I have heard the argument that sunscreens obviously don’t help with skin cancer because our skin cancer rates have been rising steadily over the past three decades, from when sunscreen was introduced. When I asked Dr. Robbins about this, he explained that our society has become one that spends more time indoors, in offices and schools, with bursts of leisure times. The leisure time sunburns actually increase your chances of getting Melanoma.

Oh- one last thing, there is no such thing as a good base tan. Don’t hit tanning beds. They are addictive and harmful and provide no protection for your upcoming beach trip.

Dr. Jason Robbins co-founded Nashville Skin and Cancer in 2005. And for all of you reading that are thinking “Yes, I need a Derm whose specialty is skin cancer, but I like Botox also.” Well, Dr. Robbins and all of the partners at Nashville Skin and Cancer do that too!

-Liza

Her Q’s: Recipes for July 4th

Liza — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:05:44 +0000

This is our first installment of our dual post Thursdays with HerNashville.com called Her Q’s. Each Thursday we will be answering a reader question on any of the stylish stuff we like to write about. In addition, each Tuesday we will also be answering a couple questions exclusively on the HerNashville site, so be sure to check us out. As regular readers of StyleBlueprint know, our style definition has a wide umbrella: fashion, home decor, entertaining, art, music, travel and so much more. So, if you have a question send it our way: email@styleblueprint.com.

Today’s question will be much embraced by everyone going to a 4th of July party. Be sure to check our our post Under 200 Calorie Cocktails if you’d rather bring a pitcher of cocktails to share!

Dear StyleBlueprint:
Each 4th of July I am asked to bring a side of baked beans and an appetizer to my large family gathering. I’m so tired of the canned baked beans and dip I always bring. Can you help me with some new EASY recipes that will draw great praise? Thanks! – Mariann, East Nashville

This is easy for me as I completely understand this need. For me, the 4th of July is the largest family gathering I am a part of each year. My uncle hosts about 30 – 40 of our closest family members on his porch in the mountains of North Carolina. And, I’m always asked to bring several things requiring some new recipes each year. As I make my fare in a tiny cabin kitchen, with lots of kids running around, none of the recipes can be too complicated. Elizabeth, my blog partner, and I have included four recipes here to cover anyone’s needs: baked beans, a salad and and 2 simple appetizers. Have fun and Happy 4th!

-Liza

Minnesota Bake Beans

Elizabeth served these at the Whitland Ave 4th of July Patrons Party last weekend to rave reviews. I made them for my family specifically for this answer and Mariann, everyone LOVED these!

1/2 pound bacon
4 green onions/chopped or 1 small onion chopped
½ cup vinegar
¾ cup brown sugar
2 t garlic powder
1 t. salt
½ t. dry mustard*
1 t chili powder*
3-4 drops Tabasco, or to your own flavor
1 16 oz can green beans drained*
1 16 oz can lima beans*
1 16 oz can red kidney beans
1 16oz can pork and beans

Cut bacon in pieces and brown. Remove bacon and sauté onion in some of drippings. Add the next 7 ingredients to onions and simmer 20 minutes. Combine bacon and beans with onion mixture. Place in crock pot or casserole and bake at 350 for 1 1/2 -2 hours. Salt and pepper to taste. *I buy frozen vs. canned for these beans. The * spices I double and I also add 1 T of Worcester sauce.

Serves 12

Feel free to embellish this in anyway.. add a variety of beans not just kidney and pork & beans..

Ready for the baking sheet: Prosciutto and Brown Sugar wrapped bread sticks

Prosciutto and Brown Sugar Covered Bread Sticks

This is the healthier version, see Variation for “who cares but big flavor” version:

Bread sticks – Pillsbury
6 oz Prosciutto
Light Brown sugar-1-2 cups

Wrap bread sticks in Prosciutto, one slice per bread stick. Then roll in brown sugar making sure to really pat the sugar in. Put on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (it can be refrigerated at this stage). Bake at 350 for 11-13 minutes. Watch because they can burn and you may want to turn them. Remove quickly and place on wax paper, they will stick due to sugar.

Bread sticks loved by kids and adults alike!

Variation

1 box cooked bread sticks (24 pieces)
Bacon
dark brown sugar

Coat each strip of bacon with brown sugar. Wrap bread sticks with brown sugar covered bacon. Bake at 350 oven for 30-40 minutes. You may need to turn, so watch them! Remember to use wax paper to set them on when they come out of the oven.

Tomato-Mozzarella Skewers

You can not get more simple than this:

Heirloom cherry tomatoes
Mini mozzarella balls
fresh basil
Vinagrette dressing

Use bamboo skewers or these fancy toothpicks that I picked up at World Market.

Alternate tomatoes and cheese. Place on a blue patter and drizzle with vinaigrette dressing and chopped basil. It’s easy and patriotic!

Tomato Watermelon Salad

This salad is simple to make and highlights the best of summer: tomatoes and watermelon. Elizabeth and I love this recipe from Epicurious.com For the 4th of July, I would consider adding blueberries as your toppings would be red, white and blue!

8 cups 1 1/4-inch chunks seedless watermelon (about 6 pounds)
3 pounds ripe tomatoes (preferably heirloom) in assorted colors, cored, cut into 1 1/4-inch chunks (about 6 cups)
1 teaspoon (or more) fleur de sel or coarse kosher salt
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
3 tablespoons chopped assorted fresh herbs (such as dill, basil, and mint

6 cups fresh arugula leaves or small watercress sprigs
1 cup crumbled feta cheese (about 5 ounces)
1/2 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted

Combine melon and tomatoes in large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon fleur de sel and toss to blend; let stand 15 minutes. Add 4 tablespoons oil, vinegar, and herbs to melon mixture. Season to taste with pepper and more salt, if desired.

Toss arugula in medium bowl with remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Divide arugula among plates. Top with melon salad; sprinkle with feta cheese and toasted almonds and serve. Serves 4 – 6 large salads. Plenty for 10 side salads.

Loving Lucite for Fall & Winter

Elizabeth — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 06:35:57 +0000

I don’t know if you feel the same, but I adore costume jewelry. The craftsmanship is divine and it’s something I can afford. Lucite has been making the rounds since the early 20th century without much down time. This post is about Lucite and why you want to scoop it up now.

Lucite is the chic choice this Summer with every major retailer from Macy’s to Henri Bendel displaying some version of this 1920’s jewelry phenomenon. Last spring’s fashion magazines had lots of choices from chunky, geometric necklaces to gorgeous stilettos and everything in between. Don’t’ pack up your Lucite once summer is over because trend spotters say it’s hotter than ever, especially for the Fall and Winter season. And just when we thought Lucite may start to wane , our favorite out-on-the town girls of Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte and Miranda wore these clear gems in Sex and the City 2, stoking the Lucite flame once again.

Cynthia Nixon

Why Lucite and why for Fall and Winter?.

Reason #1: It can be worn with anything in your closet, with any color and is perfect for casual or dressy.
Reason #2: Lucite can be layered with strands of pearls, chunky gold or silver chains to create texture and add a new dimension to your look.
Reason #3: Lucite is affordable to the average pocketbook with pieces available at discounters such as Forever 21 and even Target.
Reason #4: Your kid can throw it down and stomp on it, Lucite was used to make the early telephones and it isn’t breaking in this lifetime. Pretty compelling, huh?

Lucite has been described as a “great palate cleanser” by Gary Rose of Robert Rose, a private label design house—we totally agree.

I’ve always loved Bakelite, a close cousin to Lucite, but Bakelite is much more one dimensional than Lucite. After a quick search on the web and at stores around town, I found a treasure troth of Lucite.

My first find is from StyleBlueprint’s favorite vintage jewelry diva, Betsy Hindman of Plum Vintage Jewelry. I saw this necklace right after she bought it and vowed to “borrow” it for a summer party. Don’t you think it would look great with a white linen tunic and jeans?

Fabu had more Lucite than they even realized! These bangles look so fab with a classic black dress.

I popped by UAL on West End Avenue today to check out their sale. Ladies, tons and tons of things are on sale for 50% off. You heard me correctly–50% off. I bought a fabulous lime green Michael Kors cocktail dress for $150 dollars. While on the way out, I spied this great Lucite combo. (if you love big chunky rings, they have a new shipment in as of this week.)

available at Marti and Liz for less than $40

Francesca’s Prices Make Me Happy

Elizabeth — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 01:55:29 +0000

The Hill Center in Green Hills is one of the most pleasurable shopping experiences in Nashville. You can grab lunch, stroll the sidewalks and do a little window shopping or the more serious kind, then hit Whole Foods for their incredible $14.99 family meal deal.

There are lots of words to describe the shops in the Hill Center: unique, eclectic, and fashionable. Now, I want you to add another word to that descriptive list: Bargain. What? Bargain? Yes, you heard me right. Recently, while clothes shopping for my 14-year-old daughter Lucy, who’s growing about one shoe size every six months, I stumbled into Francesca’s. Since I know Lucy’s clothes will only fit until her next growth spurt, which are happening with increasing frequency, I’m always on the lookout for an affordable option. I have found a fantastic one in Francesca’s.

Friends of mine have been singing the praises of Francesca’s for some time. They adore the jewelry, the dresses and the low prices. Their high praise for Francesca’s is totally warranted. Francesca’s is quite an affordable gem located smack dab in the middle of the Hill Center. Who knew?

Francesca’s is actually a large chain with locations in over 32 states. Considering they opened in 1999, they are in a phenomenal growth mode (too bad it’s a privately held company). What is great about Francesca’s is that you get no indication that it’s part of a “chain” when you walk through the front door. It has the vibe of a shop born and bred here in Nashville. In fact I went in hoping I could meet Francesca herself. But ultimately, the test is whether they offer lovely, quality clothing at extremely reasonable prices, and Francesca’s definitely delivers. And for a mother of a young teen, there are clothes here at prices that will make you drop to your knees and cry.

Most of the dresses and tops in Francesca’s cost between $30 – $50 and the accessories are equally as reasonable. Where Forever 21 can be overwhelming and lack a certain quality, Francesca’s whimsical and fun merchandise has the feel of a one-a-kind boutique. Rather than cram the racks with tons of merchandise, they have a couple of dresses and tops in each size. Most of the salesgirls are cute and under 30; all of them have definite opinions about putting together great outfits with jewelry to match.

The jewelry is a bargain with earrings priced from $9-$18 and the necklaces are slightly more. You may find a piece of jewelry for over $50, but that is rare. Scan the shelves top to bottom and you will find gift items like candles, frames, notebooks and more.

What’s funny about Francesca’s is that the most expensive item in the store is their popular Miss Me jeans. Miss Me is usually the brand that is the least expensive in higher end boutiques. Yet, in keeping with their mission to keep prices low, Francesca’s offers another line for about $38 a pair.

Don't miss the "Miss Me" jeans

While, unfortunately, I am too old to shop here except for gifts and accessories, all three of my daughters love the place. Yes, with 14, 9, and 7 year old girls to clothe, I will be handing over my credit card at Francesca’s for years to come. Many, many years.

Lucy and Ali

And because this post is mostly about my oldest daughter Lucy, I thought I might take a moment of motherly pride to share a recent accomplishment. Lucy and her friend Ali Landsman decided to take on the Richland Creek Greenway for their 8th Grade “change” project. They wanted to see a sign installed to alert drivers of pedestrians crossing to enter the greenway. If you have ever been on Cherokee Road and Sloan Road approaching McCabe’s Golf Course, you know how dangerous that stretch is as a pedestrian due to the curve. With lots of research and persistence, they were able to get a caution sign installed. You can read more about it in the Tennessean. Job well done, Lucy and Ali!

Under 200 Calorie Cocktails

Liza — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 20:58:18 +0000

In summer, I really don’t want beer or wine. I want an ice cold cocktail. Salt is good. 500 calories a pop is not good. I have no problem foregoing dessert but I really want to be able to have 2 cocktails and only consume 400 calories. Oh- I want them tasty as well. Is this too much to ask?

I know you are wondering what brought me to this mission. I was at Taco Mamacitas enjoying their fabulous Vegetarian Caribbean Taco with Sweet Potato Fries and I ordered the 100 calorie Margarita. While I love this place, I urge you to bypass this drink. It is not good. I only had two sips as it wasn’t worth the 100 calories. It tastes like an artificial sugar limeade. My thought was, “I’d be fine doubling the calorie count for great flavor.” And so began my mission. I gathered some friends and Elizabeth, blog partner, was in for appetizers and fresh peaches. We told everyone: we’ll have four cocktails on hand, each under 200 calories and we want your vote on which is best. All the cocktails were embraced and we had a tie for best one in the end.

Here are the recipes, to be made by the pitcher. The first two listed are our tie winners, but all 4 had more than one vote:

June Bug
Modified from a cocktail served at The Lantern in Chapel Hill, NC

2 parts lemon soda* to 1 part Pimms 44 (I used 1.5 liters of lemon soda and .75 liters of Pimms)
Pureed fresh ginger. The amount I used for the above mix was 1/3 cup.
Mix in a pitcher and let the flavors meld for at least an hour (best for 4 hours) in the refrigerator.
Served over ice and garnish with chopped cucumber
* I used Trader Joes Sparkling Lemon Soda

Pomegranate Mojito

3 cups Pomegranate Juice
3 cups white rum
1 cup fresh squeezed lime juice
1/2 cup Agave Nector
large handful of mint leaves – pounded to release essence
Mix in a pitcher. Add mint leaves and any lime rinds from squeezing to seep for at least 1 hour but 4 hours is best.
Remove mint and lime from pitcher and serve over ice with a splash of club soda
Garnish with mint

Kristen Weaver, Elizabeth James, Jere Myers

Grapefruit Margarita

4 oz. Tequila
2 oz. Triple Sec OR Cointreau
3 cups grapefruit juice
Fresh squeezed lime juice is optional. A cup of lime juice only has about 60 calories so adding to the mix lowers the calorie count per 6 oz volume.
For a pitcher (1.5 cups tequila, 3/4 cup Cointreau, 9 cups grapefruit juice)
Salt rim and garnish with both a slice of grapefruit and lime.

We called this next one the “Lethal”:

Lethal

2 cups Tequila
1 cup St. Germaine Liqueur
1 cup fresh lime juice
Mix and serve 4 oz as a sipping drink ice cold. You will need to sprinkle Sea Salt over the top to counteract the tartness. With salt, very tasty.

I forgot to mention that we did have food. Yummy, healthy, full of summer goodness food. I wanted everyone to be able to stand while eating, and I didn’t want to stick to “finger foods”. Solution: serve salads and homemade pesto pasta in clear cups to eat with real silver forks. We also had beef tenderloin (grilled on the Big Green Egg) rolled in tortillas with a homemade horseradish-chive-cilantro mayo. For dessert, I went the easy route and picked up a tray of frozen lemon bars. Elizabeth brought some tasty appetizers that went with our healthy theme

This is how the salads looked before I topped them with dices of fresh picked peaches and Trader Joe's Cilantro Dressing. At this point, the salad is chopped baby spoon spinach, heirloom cherry tomatoes and avocado.

After adding chucks of fresh peaches to the top of each salad, I transferred the dressing to a plastic squeeze bottle to drizzle across the top of each cup. Here are the salads on the bottom tier of my display piece.

Here is the three tiered display piece loaded down with food. To make the pesto, I use spinach, basil, garlic, asagio cheese, olive oil and walnuts. It's the basic recipe I came up with years ago when I owned a lunch cafe in downtown Nashville. Then toss with your pasta and it's fabulous! I use 3/4 spinach to 1/4 basil.

This creamy dip with vegetables was really yummy. The other appetizer was bread rounds that had been toasted on the grill and served with a goat cheese & fresh herb spread.

This was a great way to have friends over in a casual way with not tons of work. If I did it again, I’d love to take the time to have some of those small black board name signs to put by the drinks and the food. Maybe something like this….I can see them stuck in a pot of mint on the bar. Wouldn’t that be just too cute? Living the Good Life Blog made these name cards.

I did have little plastic shot glasses so friends could sample each drink and then choose which one to make a full size from.

So, do you want to know my favorite? The June Bug. Elizabeth’s favorite was also my husband’s favorite: the Pomegranate Mojito. Her husband David’s favorite was the Grapefruit Margarita. We all liked the Lethal as well, but it seemed more like a Friday night drink, even the name, not a Sunday evening gathering drink! For the most part, the ladies choose the June Bug for top honors and the men the Pomegranate Mojito.

My sweet friend Edith Kirkland, myself, Elizabeth and her husband David. My "bar" - an old Stickley Desk - was a bit of a mess by this point!

I hope we’ve inspired you to have a healthy party with fresh summer cocktails and good friends. Elizabeth and I will have more gatherings…so friends don’t be insulted if you weren’t invited! This was very last minute!

Marti & Liz Shoes: Discover Your Inner Imelda

Elizabeth — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 01:12:13 +0000

If you need to update your summer sandals, Marti & Liz Shoes in Cool Springs has their shelves crammed full of great summer shoes. They re-stock their shelves on Thursday, so today will prove a great day to shop if you can get there (if you can’t it’s ok as I was there on Wednesday and the shelves were full of great shoes, promise!). You may remember that I wrote about this quirky shoe store last September, (StyleBlueprint/Marti and Liz) about how I scored two pair of Taryn Rose flats this past winter for under $40. Well, as I was walking though Dillards last month, I saw the exact same pair of Taryn Rose shoes for $250…and that was the sale price!

Marti & Liz is a small Southern chain. They stock slightly worn shoes and some brand new ones, most of which are under $30. My understanding is that they buy overstocked shoes, samples from retailers and even shoes that were worn on movie sets as well as the runway. What I know for sure is you can find the following brands at Marni and Liz right now: Kate Spade, Stuart Weitzman, Cole Haan, Coach, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Joan and David and tons of more conventional brands like Nine West, Crocs, Sofft, and Anne Klein.

I spent about 30 minutes in the store and here is what I found:

The best brands are always in the front of the store

If you need some great shoes for fall or winter, I found these fabulous shoes, one by Stuart Weitzman and the other by Calvin Klein. Both were under $40.

Stuart Weitzman wedge loafers for $29.99

Calvin Klein faux snake skin pumps under $30

Marti and Liz must have a hundred pair of various sandals. Here are a couple of pictures that would be great for you or a tween/teenage daughter:

I love the color of these sandals by Stuart Weitzman

There are dozens more!

These are so cute on your feet

Marti & Liz Shoes
2000 Mallory Lane
Franklin, TN
615.435.8126

Ta Da! Instant Makeover!

Liza — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 02:21:01 +0000

One chair. Bored with chair. “New” chair. Love this chair.

Old Chair

New Chair

My fabric is Sunbrella Sail Cloth. LOVE IT! It cleans up so easily.

If you too need a chair makeover, it doesn’t take long to have some slip covers whipped up. Go for it. It’s kinda like the paint of the wall world: little commitment needed.

From Traditional Home:

Veranda:

Country Living:

House Beautiful:

House Beautiful. I saved my favorite for last. May I just move into this Belguim masterpiece? Dream Family Room, right here:

Swiftwick Compression Socks Prove Best

Liza — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 05:39:07 +0000

Just like sheets, the extra thread makes a difference. Swiftwick socks, owned locally (a Brentwood, TN based company) but sold nationwide, are seriously a cut above any other sports sock I have ever worn. Ok, let’s be serious, the socks I generally wear are bought at Target or stolen from my husband’s sock drawer. But, every now and then I have been known to splurge on some workout socks, usually when buying a new pair of shoes and pondering if I actually have any clean and paired workout socks to welcome me home. As the answer is often no, a splurge pair of socks is added to the checkout. I’m glad I grabbed a pair of Swiftwicks during such a moment.

So why is Swiftwick so great? They use 200 knit construction which creates the most form fitting sock on the market. The compression technology massages your feet and really does make them happier during the grueling routine we tend to put them through. In fact, the socks have been proven to increase circulation to the lower part of your legs making your performance even better. Click here to read more about the technology behind these socks.

And, the socks live up to their name: they do wick the moisture away from your feet. I’m a die-hard fan. I think Purebarre needs to hook up with this company and contract out their Purebarre socks to them. Just add some traction and these would be SO MUCH better than the sub-par socks sold there. And pilates studios could follow suit. Do yourself a favor and try a pair of these and see if you don’t also think that these socks simply beat all other socks ion the market.

Swiftwick sponsored our Consignment Sale last February which netted over $8300 for Nashville Children’s Alliance. They handed out socks and arm-warmers to the patrons at the party. The response to the socks from patrons has been great:

“My socks kept being stolen by my highschool daughter so I decided to go buy several pair. Then I went back again and bought more. They are great.”

“I never gave much thought to running socks, but now I see why I should. I’m a convert. Swiftwick socks do make a huge difference. And, they are perfect for biking. My husband even is buying them now!”

“These socks are so comfortable that after a long day at work, I kick my shoes off and reach for these socks to put on. Add some yoga pants and a glass of wine and my relaxing evening is in full swing.”

Want more testimonials? Click here.

Check out the website for more information or to order online. These socks are available locally throughout the country and now I’d like to request that all the athletic socks my kids are given through various sporting leagues be switched over to these. I mean, geez, these socks even help to prevent blisters! Buy a pair and you’ll see why I am sounding so obsessed. Trust me – you’ll see. You’ll be obsessed too!

There are tons of stores that sell Swiftwick. But, where you would expect to find them at various athletic stores, you might be surprised to find out that Swiftwick socks are beloved enough to also be carried at such specialty stores as Posh on 21st Avenue, Caldwell Collection on Bandywood, Williams Medical Supply on Church Street, and Off the Cuff in Brentwood.

Ok, your homework is to try these socks and get back with us with your amazement.

Two Moon Gallery Offers Space for Events & New Artists

Elizabeth — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 02:01:20 +0000

When StyleBlueprint wrote about Two Moon Gallery a couple of weeks ago, we promised to tell you the rest of the story about this charming and innovative gallery. Not only are they breaking the mold when it comes to introducing emerging artists to Nashville, they have configured a simply gorgeous space which caters to events of all kinds.

For all of you planning to host a bridal luncheon, a cocktail party, a simple gathering with good friends or even host your own trunk show, Tw o Moon Gallery has an affordable event venue for rent 7 days a week. With a couple of phone calls, you can host one of Nashville’s TA-DAH parties that will be the envy of all your friends. Think Holly Golightly – artsy and interesting types, sipping cocktails and discussing Neitzche.

Or if you are an emerging artist with a desire to see if there’s anybody out there that will buy your artwork or even contemplating getting in bed with a gallery but want a test run – Two Moon Gallery offers temporary gallery space at, again, incredible rates. But here is the best part: artists pay a one time fee and nothing else. There are no high commissions or any fee whatsoever connected to sales. Hal Pickel, Two Moon’s proprietor, understands how difficult it is to get started as an artist and has a passion for his new, featured-artist concept after years of paying high commissions to galleries to show his own work.

In Hal’s words…

“As an artist, I often found myself with a body of work but without a venue for a show. Very rarely was I able to find a gallery to host a one-time show. Unfortunately, when I did, they would require a 40% to 50% commission. This practice is not only commonplace, but also standard in the gallery industry. It hardly seemed justifiable.”

A quick aside: art galleries are an important part of our community and add to Nashville’s cultural fabric. However, there are many new artists who may not have the resources to afford a gallery and want to have a one-time show. Two Moon Gallery, for a mere $1,000, will create invitations, supply public relations assistance and help in every aspect of the event planning process for two days of gallery time. While Two Moon plans the event, the artist can focus on his or her art. It is truly a win-win idea.

Last week I stopped by to see Hal and Rachel Pickel and met their brand new baby girl, Lillian Rose. Liza and I have been talking about an interesting event for StyleBlueprint readers, so I toured the gallery more as an event planner than a blogger.

I love the gallery’s location in the 12 South neighborhood with its view overlooking Sevier Park. The gallery is over 1600 square feet but it feels much larger since it encompasses two floors with a beautiful rooftop terrace. The gallery uses a number of architectural elements to give it an open feel. It has a complete kitchen, plus a half kitchen downstairs. In addition to the rental space, Two Moon Gallery offers bar and wine services for an additional fee and has ample parking. For only $400, you can have a four hour event with all the fixins’ and none of the hassle. If your party is going strong, a nominal fee is charged for extra hours.

If you think about it, eliminating the hassle of cleaning your house before and after the party, and having all the detail hassles taken care of, is well worth the $400. I don’t even think you need flowers since the art in Hal’s gallery is so spectacular.

The next time you are in the 12South neighborhood, stop by Two Moon Gallery. Not only will you love the space, but check out the current new artist, Kerry Schroeder from Austin, TX, whose paintings could be the perfect backdrop for your next event.

Bits & Pieces….

Liza — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 03:57:51 +0000

I have all these little bits and pieces to write about, but they never seem to make it into a post. So, this my bits and pieces post, full of tips and nods to people, places and products…lots of products…

StyleBlueprint has forged a partnership with Her Nashville. Starting in July, look for us to answer style questions on their blog a couple times a week and in August, look for StyleBlueprint in their print edition. Send us your questions on all the stuff we love to write about under the wide umbrella of style: fashion, home decor, travel, entertaining, kids, social graces… So, as you read through this post, think of some questions to send our way!

Moroccan Hair Products

Moroccan Hair Products: the ultimate bomb of hair products. Pricey. Frankly, I’m addicted but I console myself knowing that people are addicted to far pricier substances….This product smooths and hydrates hair to leave a healthy mane in its wake. Available at salons. $36.

Taco Mamacits

The Vegetarian Caribbean soft taco – special ordered on a soft corn tortilla – at Taco Mamacitas is a current obsession. Yum.

Mekong Blue

Mekong Blue got some celebrity love at The Kentucky Derby! See this picture of Sandra Denton (Pepa) from pop-rap duo Salt N Pepa admiring a Mekong Blue scarf. This company’s focus on improving the lives of families in Cambodia continues to have us impressed, so check them out online!

Therapy Systems

Am I the only one is Nashville that didn’t know Therapy Systems was a local company? This is a great product for anyone looking for a new skincare line and you get to support local! Sold at Cosmetic Market and Private Edition.

Snap Kids

Snap Kids continues to bowl me over with their cute clothes for Tween’s. My oldest daughter will start blogging for them soon so I’m going to know a lot more about this store from now on. But, know this: Leah Bentley, owner, picks out great clothes and has headbands, watches and bracelets all in that magical $15 – $20 price range that makes a perfect birthday gift. They also have camp tees that take about two weeks to get back in once ordered.

Isn't this camp tee adorable? Both my girls ordered one for August Camp.

Woo

I totally understand the obsession with online shopping. I have been trying to get to Woo for 2 weeks to get my Hydrating Eye Cream by Bobbi Brown. TWO WEEKS! Why is this so hard? Woo is convenient but my life is not. But, I want to support local shops. Woo, I will be in this week as I am now completely out. And yes, this under eye cream, which you apply before your concealer, is a complete gift to your eyes and has drastically changed – for the better – the way my concealer looks throughout the day.

Eating Healthy

And, I continue to wonder why, in the season of the most bountiful supply of vegetables that 1) I never could find any local asparagus this spring and 2) I find it harder to eat healthily in the summer. Why is this? Salt, alcohol, candy and the fryer are all knocking at my door each morning. Please go away!

Cheese Please

Speaking of food, the Goat Cheese Gouda at Whole Foods is amazing.

AmLactin

AmLactin lotion, available at Walgreens, is my hands down new favorite. It is pricier than the rest there, but I’ve never used anything that so thoroughly moisturized without reapplication throughout the day than this product. With some Alpha Hydroxy therapy thrown in, this lotion also helps to turn over fresh skin and my legs and arms simply LOVE IT! Click here for a $2 off coupon.

Yes To Carrots

Speaking of drug store products, I’ve been wearing Yes to Carrots mint lip butter non stop for about 6 weeks. It’s all I reach for. Sometimes I add the C Me Blush Lip Tint in Ready Red by the same brand. I highly recommend both. I’m wondering if I’ll ever return to lipstick or gloss again….I know my Lip Fusion will have me back one day, but it’s no time soon.

Thanks for reading!

Invest in Your Undergarments

Liza — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 00:42:50 +0000

Our guest blogger today is Francie Likis. As you read through this post and come to the realization that you need some new undies, Rebecka Vaughan is running a 10% off special right now. For details, read here and then stock up! Thanks RV and thanks Francie!

Francie:

The older I get, the more I appreciate how much it matters what lingerie we put underneath our clothes. This is due partly to a realization that proper lingerie makes clothing fit better but mostly to the unfortunate reality that as we get older, well, our bodies just don’t look as good, tight, perky – you get the idea – anymore. Whatever your age, the right lingerie makes great clothes look even better!

A top shopping spot for lingerie in Nashville is Rebecka Vaughan Lingerie located at 4004 Hillsboro Pike in Green Hills. I made my first trip to RV 12 years ago when the woman who was making my wedding gown sent me there to get the right bra for my dress. The women at RV helped me find the perfect thing, and I have been back many times in the years since.

If you are looking for a bra, one of the sales associates, all of whom are expert bra fitters, will come into the dressing room to take your measurements. This experience is as up close and personal as it sounds – full disclosure for the modest. Apparently, many women wear bras in the wrong size. After measuring, the sales associate will bring you some bras to try. As you try the bras on, the associate will check the fit and give you some tips about putting a bra on properly. If you have never been fitted for a bra, this may all sound like it is not worth the time and trouble or that it can’t be that much better than what you would find on your own. My experience is that it really does make a difference. One of my favorite purchases from RV is a strapless bra that does not slide down. I thought they were an urban legend, but they do exist.

Elizabeth and Liza sent me their “hands down” favorite bra and here it is….

JUST KIDDING!!!!

Rebecka Vaughan Lingerie is famous for finding the perfect fitting bra but this is far more than a bra store. There are panties in seemingly endless choices of styles and colors. They carry a variety of sleepwear, including StyleBlueprint favorite Claridge+King. You will find not only the ubiquitous Spanx, but also several other brands of shapewear including a RV favorite line Body Wrap, which is seam-free. They also have slips in many different lengths. Maybe I am old fashioned, but I am still convinced most dresses and skirts look better with a slip underneath them.

I know Liza says this long tank, in black by Claridge+King, is her favorite nightgown.

In addition to their wide range of lingerie, RV also carries some great specialty items. One of my favorites is DIMRS (“dimmers”), which as the company says, “turn your ‘headlights’ off.” These reusable silicone nipple covers adhere naturally (read don’t have an adhesive that requires a couple of cocktails to be tolerable to remove) and can be worn inside bras, close-fitting tops, bathing suits, etc. They are thin enough to be invisible under clothing yet durable.

Another amazing product RV carries is called Bring It Up Instant Breast Lifts. Breasts do not remain at their original location throughout women’s lives, but these little clear adhesives can put them back there. They are different from other products like this I’ve seen because they are applied from the top of the breast rather than underneath. While I haven’t worn them, I saw woman at RV demonstrate them on my sister who was trying to find the right bra for a one-shoulder dress. All I can say is women pay thousands of dollars to have their breasts look as good as my sister’s did with this inexpensive product. Granted surgery is permanent, and Bring It Ups are temporary and not really for daily use but this product is perfect for special occasions.

My favorite recent lingerie discovery is the Unbelievabra, which is not available locally but has a great story behind it. The Unbelievabra was invented by a stay-at-home mom who could not find a bra that fixed “back fat” to her satisfaction so she started sewing during the day while her kids were at school. When she showed her friends before and after photos of her wearing the bra, they said it was unbelievable (hence the name). The Unbelievabra is completely smooth in the back and very comfortable. There are a couple of different styles depending on whether you want a full camisole or a shorter length as well as some options with a lower back and cut-in shoulders to wear with sleeveless and tank tops (though the regular style works fine with all my sleeveless tops, and I like the way it is cut better). Check out these before and after pictures from their website. Incredible, huh?

Just as I was finishing this blog post, I discovered the lingerie section in my new favorite store Wolford. I won’t even begin to talk about my Wolford obsession other than to say they have great shapewear and bras that definitely warrant consideration in your lingerie wardrobe.

Francie Likis

StyleBlueprint thanks Francie for writing her first ever blog post for StyleBlueprint! As a nurse-midwife and nurse practitioner, she spends much of her professional life talking about personal topics and intimate parts… so it’s no wonder that she can candidly open up here about here about some of her lingerie secrets. She is the editor-in-chief of the Journal of Midwifery & Women’s Health and a researcher at Vanderbilt. She has lived in Nashville most of the past 21 years.

Speaking of which, what are your favorite lingerie products?

Our Favorite Authors Suggest Hot Books for Summer

Elizabeth — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:06:27 +0000

Since every school in Nashville sends home a summer reading list, we thought, “Why not StyleBlueprint?” But rather than compile our own list, we decided to call a bunch of great authors and find out what they suggest we read this summer. Great idea, no?

But a little daunting, I must admit. Great authors are, by definition, people who don’t take a lot of random calls. What if they didn’t take my call? So prepared for rejection, I contacted the following authors: Ann Patchett, David Maraniss, Susan Gregg Gilmore and Alice Randall. Luckily, most of them must not have caller ID because they answered the phone. And based on the enthusiastic responses we received, Liza and I are delighted to offer the following list of titillating and provocative books to tuck into your suitcase or stack on your bedside table.

Here are their varied and compelling suggestions:

Ann Patchett

Ann Patchett is the author of many books including: The Patron Saint of Liars, Truth and Beauty, Bel Canto and Run. The highly acclaimed Bel Canto won both the PEN/Faulkner Award and the Orange Prize in 2002 with over a million copies being sold. Word has it that Ann has a new book in the works. I can’t wait to be the first in line for an autographed copy. Here are Ann’s sizzling summer suggestions for you to consider. Note: the quotes are from Ann and the other authors regarding the books they have suggested.

Ann Patchett

Ann’s Picks

The Pursuit of Love and Love in a Cold Climate by Nancy Mitford

“The most satisfying read ever and not to be confused with the The Mitford series.”

Endless Love by Scott Spencer.

“Don’t let the movie with Brooke Shields scare you, this is a book you can’t put down.”

Just Kids by Patti Smith.

Patti Smith is considered the grandmother of Punk Rock. This book details her early years in NYC and her relationship with photographer Robert Mapplethorpe. Both were young and restless artists. ”This is a beautifully written, coming-of-age memoir.”

David Maraniss

David Maraniss is a Pulitzer prize-winning journalist and author of many books including Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World; Clemente: The Passion, Grace of Baseball’s Last Hero; and First in His Class: A Biography of Bill Clinton. David gave one thoughtful suggestion, a novel which may be just right for Father’s Day.

David Maraniss

David’s Picks

The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman.

“It is a funny, insightful, bittersweet book about the last days of a newspaper, written from the perspective of different characters of an English-language paper in Rome.”

Susan Gregg Gilmore

Susan Gregg Gilmore is the author of Looking for Salvation at the Dairy Queen. Susan also has a journalism background and has written for the Los Angeles Times, The Christian Science Monitor and Chattanooga News-Free Press. Susan has a new book, The Improper Life of Bezellia Grove, debuting later this summer.

Susan Gregg Gilmore

Susan’s Picks

Mrs. Darcy and the Blue Eyed Stranger by Lee Smith.

“As you know, she once taught English at Harpeth Hall, so a nice Nashville tie-in.

Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson is due out this June.

Bloodroot by Amy Greene.

“A wonderful new Southern voice.”

The Lost Summer of Louisa Mae Alcott by Kelly O’Connor McNees.

Alice Randall

Alice Randall is a Harvard educated African-American woman who writes thought-provoking novels and even country music. She has written the following novels: The Wind Done Gone, Pushkin and the Queen of Spades and Rebel Yell.

Alice gives us her tantalizing suggestions to set a nice tone for this summer, “Each is hot enough, in a smart way, to make the hottest day feel cooler.” Yo-Wee! That sounds pretty good!

Alice offers StyleBlueprint three delicious reads for the perfect summer!

Alice Randall

Alice’s Picks

The Awakening by Kate Chopin.

Coming Through the Slaughter by Michael Ondaatje.

Wild Sargossa Sea by Jean Rhys and Hilary Jenkins.

I have already hit Davis Kidd, McKay’s Used Books and fired up my Amazon account to order what I could not find in stock. I hope you enjoy our favorite authors suggestions.

Happy Reading and Happy Summer!

StyleBlueprint.com

My absolute favorite blouse EVER

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Lorrie Turk:

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My superheroes wear rollerskates.

What is the biggest misconception that you all run into?

I have early memories of watching roller derby on Saturday afternoons. Has roller derby made a come back, or has it stuck around since the 70's?

My early memories may be weak, but I remember the competitors having different personas and sometimes being in costume. Is that still part of the game?

How many girls are on the team, age range, and is there a wide range of day jobs represented?

For readers not familiar with roller derby, can you give us a brief synopsis of how it works and how score is kept?

How many games do the Roller Girls have each season, and what is the official season?

Is there a play-off situation?

Is this a family friendly event? If yes, do you all have opportunities for autographs and picture taking with young fans?

How has the team grown and changed since it started?

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Ms. Cheap needs YOUR advice

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The Best of Trader Joe’s

Fresh and in the produce area: (enter store and head left)

Frozen food section: (there are 2 aisles of frozen food divided between meat & vegetables and breakfast items

Beer, Beverages, Snacks & Miscellaneous (look high & low at TJ’s, they’re everywhere)

The Perfect Marinade: Trader Joes’ Island Soyaki. $3.69

Jerod’s Marinade recipe:

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Easy Breezy Dresses…

Dear StyleBlueprint:
Each 4th of July I am asked to bring a side of baked beans and an appetizer to my large family gathering. I’m so tired of the canned baked beans and dip I always bring. Can you help me with some new EASY recipes that will draw great praise? Thanks! – Mariann, East Nashville