Anchors Away

One of my favorite shoppes in NYC is Fishs Eddy. I have so many great pieces of tableware from this store. These sailor glasses are a great new addition to their product line. I like the navy blue and the anchor on the side.


These glasses are also very cute. Anchors and ropes:

Cute and inexpensive treat for our Nautical Preppies.

1154 Lill

Two weeks ago, the girls and I surprised GLS with a trip to 1154 Lill for her birthday. From the website: 1154 LILL STUDIO is the original custom handbag boutique where you mix and match fabrics and styles to design a one-of-a-kind LILL handbag or accessory. It is really a great place and so much fun. The studio is on one of the cutest streets in Chicago, Armitage. While Michigan Ave. is the most famous here for shopping, it has lots of big box stores. Armitage is small boutiques and shoppes. Some are one of a kind and others are chains. Strolling around and shopping with an Argo Tea in one hand and my Kate Spade in the other is a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
The store is very cute and the workspace is amazing. You feel like an actual designer. Upon entering I spotted the cutest homemade decorations - Anchors!! These are so cute and made from cardstock and scrapbooking paper. I definitely see this craft project in my future.






The storefront window with a few sample purses:

The Workspace:

We started off by picking the style of purse we wanted. Mine is the Brianna, which has a wooden handle and is reversible. That part was pretty easy for me.
This picture is the style of my purse in two great fabrics. Reminded me of Lilly P.

I was tempted to create this one, but decided to have the true 1154 experience and create my own. I was afraid here in Chicago, it would look really out of place in the colder months. I will most likely end up making a cute tote for next summer with these fabrics. After that we set about picking out our fabrics. I finally narrowed it down to three prints and three solids. The first set. Navy with the green print or navy with the yellow print. I love the pattern of the green print, but I have been very into yellow and navy over the past year.

The second set. I love the black and white print and wanted to pair it with either lime green or light pink.

It was a very hard decision and I spent a lot of time thinking about what I wanted. I went back and forth and back and forth. Finally I decided on....

The green southern charm fabric with the nighttime navy. Since this is reversible, the nighttime navy is the trim on one side and the entire color on the reverse. I adore said purse and think I will be able to use it alot this coming fall. 1154 has a weekend duffel that is really great and I think the black and white Moroccan tile fabric would be great for that bag. Once, I have the actual bag in hand, I will post a photo. Ciao!

Showtune Tuesday

Like most girls, I love Legally Blonde: The Movie. I also watched the Search for Elle Woods on MTV and liked it alot. But, I was still nervous about the musical. I really really wanted it to be great, so everyone would like it. When it came to Chicago, we went the first week and I really liked it. Do I think it will be in the running like Wicked or Avenue Q? No, but it was a lot of fun all on it's own. I definitely was singing this song, long after the curtain fell.

Tea Time Magazine

Hi. My name is Sarah and I have a magazine addiction. It's true. I love magazines of most genres and read/subscribe to 15 or more a month. One of my favorites is Tea Time magazine. It is produced by Hoffman Media, who also produces Southern Lady and Paula Deen Magazine, among others. Sometimes, I really enjoy smaller media.

From the website: TeaTime is a source book for all who love tea and who want to enrich life with the serenity of teatime. The magazine proclaims the pleasures of tea as a gourmet beverage, and offers informative articles that range from food features to tearoom profiles. TeaTime goes beyond the history and science of the beverage and celebrates the art and passion that makes drinking tea a memorable occasion. TeaTime is designed for tea lovers. The magazine praises the delights of having tea and honors the life philosophy of serenity and beauty that is enhanced by tea events. Tea has never been more popular than today, and TeaTime is a lovely "manual" that helps us recognize and embrace the pleasures and spirit of tea.

When Tea Time arrives in my mailbox, I like to make sure that I save it until I have an hour or two to read it. Of course, I make a cup of tea (usually mint) and sit in my comfy chair to I can read it cover to cover.

The Beast

Last night we had our JLC book club. We are all finishing our associate year and waiting to be voted in. During an event at the house, JC won this amazing bottle of wine. It was huge. So we named it The Beast. It was quite the undertaking to open. But, once it was opened, it was all down hill. We managed to kill the entire bottle over the course of the evening. While we discussed the book for a few minutes, we quickly shifted off topic and never seemed to return. Does anyone have a book club that actually discusses the book? Just curious. Here is a picture strapped for the drive in JC's car.

Miss Annabelle's Tea Shoppe

My mother and I both love tea and tea shoppes. We like to explore tea shoppes in and around our homes and while we are on holiday. My parents live in a suburb north of Cincinnati and one of our favorite tea shoppes is Miss Annabelle's. As you enter the adorable store front, there is a gift shop with tea, tea sets, stationary, greeting cards, bathe accessories and other fun trinkets. The back half of the shoppe is the tea parlor. There are 10-12 little tables set up. Hanging on the wall are all sorts of hats you can try and wear during your tea time. They have several different options on the menu; a light afternoon tea, a high afternoon tea, the sweetheart's plate and of course a teddy bear tea. Mother and I usually have the light or high tea. We always have a little guests who enjoy the teddy bear tea. Mother always uses this time to help our little guests work on not only tea etiquette, but general manners. It's just so nice to sit in a pretty room, drinking tea and chatting the afternoon away.

Showtune Tuesday

I saw The Color Purple during its pre-Broadway debut in Chicago. I was a little worried about it, because the theme is very serious. The book is very emotionally involved as is the movie. I knew it had to be a challenge to make this serious show into something upbeat. It was amazing. I loved this whole show. You cry a little, are sad a little, but you also have this amazing foot tapping, hand clapping part. We left very upbeat and singing a lot of the songs.

This is Fantasia from American Idol singing I'm Here:

NM: The Book

Via email, The Book came out for a preview today. Neiman's has so many beautiful pieces. A few I am coveting:
The Valentino Bow Tote. It is available in Red Patent Leather, Black Patent Leather and a black/white houndstooth. I would love the black and white one. It was very hard to find a picture but here is the red one.

The D&G Silk Tulle Dress

And the ultimate treat for dancing around town, the Christian Louboutin Glitter Slingback. To Die For!

Shag: The Movie

'Don't let any of the other girls drive my car!'

That is one of my favorite lines from one of my favorite movies. Shag is set in the Summer of 1963 and Carson is getting married. Her three best friends decide to take her on a surprise trip to Myrtle Beach to they can meet boys, go to wild parties and dance. I heart this movie so much, I could talk about it for ages. I have it on dvd, vhs and the soundtrack on cd and tape. Here is a the promo, but I know the image is not the best.

JLM, JMW and GLS were over the other night for dinner and movies. We watched Shag and Sex and the City. I love that both movies are about four best friends. I also love that, that is us. Good Luck Shaggin' on the Grandstand.

A Little Pick Me Up

The weather here in Chicago so far this summer has been very hit or miss. While, I do not miss the 100+ days with 100% humidity, the rain and chilly temps are killing us this summer. So today, I decided I need a little pick me up. I have been eyeing the A. Tierney bracelets for a long time. Everything they sell on the website is preppy. Everything. I decided on these two bracelets.

As I row, the oars seemed a perfect fit. Navy is also one of my favorite colors.



For the Lilly Pulitzer in me. I also heart polka dots.

I feel better already. 'Night!

A Passage to India

Every summer I like to read A Passage to India. Partly because the book is amazing and partly because of the memories I associate with this book. During the summer between my junior and senior year of high school this was one of our books for summer reading. I remember taking my book each day to the backyard and laying on my favorite madras throw and reading. My mother would bring me iced tea and a sandwich at lunch. I remember feeling so grown up because I had homework during the summer and it was a very important book to read. This book is magical when it describes India, but serious in the issues it deals with throughout the book.
Plot: A Passage to India revolves around four characters: Dr. Aziz, his British friend Cyril Fielding, Mrs. Moore and Adela Quested. During a trip to the Marabar Caves, Adela accuses Aziz of attempting to rape her. Aziz's trial, and its run-up and aftermath, bring out all the racial tensions and prejudices between indigenous Indians and the British colonists who rule India.

Too Many Choices

It's too much. I can't decide. I am completely overwhelmed. With what? The Macbeth Collection Monoglam Metal Letters. I love to personalized pretty much anything with my monogram or my name. The letters that hang on the wall have been popular for a long time, but I am not the biggest fan of the wooden letters. I have always wanted something a little different and more modern. Enter Monoglam Metal Letters. Obvi, it is all the letters of the alphabet, but the colors and prints you can pick to endless. The list is seriously huge and has the ultimate selection of preppy choices; Anchors, Pineapples, Madras, Palm Trees and Polka Dots. Perhaps, I would make one inspired by Lilly for my office. It would be my monogram in these three prints:

Showtune Tuesday

This week's treat. The incredible and multi-talented Angela Lansbury. A great show (and don't compare it to the movie, please).

This Little Piggy Went to Prada

I don't have children yet, but one day I would like to have a lovely little girl. We will wear dresses all the time and go on outings while Daddy is at work. About a year ago, I picked up the cutest little book, This Little Piggy Went to Prada. It's under title is Nursery Rhymes for the Blahnik Brigade. I am a firm believer in picking up cute items when you seem them. You never know if it will be hard to find when you really want it. The book is by a British author, Amy Allen. There are lots of references to English stores and places. This is a definite must for all the Manolo Mommies.

Pilates in the Park

Saturday morning, KMD, GLS and I went to Pilates at Millenium Park. It was so much fun. To be downtown on the Great Lawn working up a sweat in the sunshine. The class was very challenging, but a wonderful workout. It felt great to be up and about so early on a Saturday.

The crowd before class:


A helicopter flying close to the Pritzker Pavilion:

After class we walked by Cloudgate aka 'the bean':

Dylan's Candy Bar

DCB is one of my favorite places in NYC. Everytime I visit NYC, this is usually one of my first stops. My candy jar from DCB has been empty for a little while. When shopping yesterday, I decided to fill it up. I like that the candies match the logo. I also heart Dylan Lauren. When the store was first opening, they did a complete spread in Town & Country magazine. I still remember the aqua polo and dark jeans she was wearing.
My little jar:

Whale of a Tale

I am looking for a fun little gift for a Florida cousin. Of course, I started with my staple website, Vineyard Vines. I came upon the cutest little beach bags, featuring whales. I love whales and elephants. You will probably hear this from me alot. It is available in Pink and Blue. I love the blue. I know I would feel compelled to put either a fuchsia, lime green to yellow grosgrain ribbon bow on the handle for a little fun. Which one would you pick?

Firefly Pendant

CB2 is the funky little sister of Crate & Barrel. The first store opened not far from my first Chicago apartment on Lincoln. They have great entertaining tableware at reasonable prices. I was in the store the other day and came upon this great chandelier. I think this would great over a simple table, maybe one made of distressed wood. And at $199, the price is definitely right.

Patchwork Elephant

Look at this adorable patchwork elephant. Made by whileshenaps. I love the pink patchwork on this cute ellie. This could be added to my little collection.

Preppy Entertaining

I love to entertain. During the summer, I like to entertain in an informal, casual environment. During the winter, I tend to be more formal with dinners that involve courses. Here in Chicago, we can get hit with lots of snow, below zero temps and 90 mile an hour winds. So inviting everyone inside, it the best choice. Since I am more relaxed in the summer, I like to find items that are fun and cute. One great site is Merry Martini. She has some amazing things. I will post several here, but be sure to check out her website. There are so many must haves for the preppy entertainer.
Perfect to the Lilly Entertainer:


Lovely Madras:

One of my favorites. I love the navy.

Crust Chicago

Tonight, James and I went to Crust Chicago in Bucktown. Crust is an all natural organic restaurant. Even though the weather the yucky, we sat outside under a covered tent and it was perfect. To drink I have a Mango Iced Tea. Delish! We started with the tapenade which was wonderful fresh vegges, garlic and goat cheese with toasted pizza crust. I had a margarita pizza that was on the thinnest, lightest crust ever. It was so good. J had the pepperoni calzone and it was huge. He loved it tho'. Stop by and check it out.

A Lilly 4th

For the 4th of July, the boys were on a trip to Michigan. This left the girls to celebrate at home. I decided to do a little twist for the 4th of July. We had a pink and green 4th of July. An Independence Day tribute to Lilly Pulitzer herself. Because I have always loved pink and green together, a lot of what you will see it part of my collection. I only picked up fabric and little buckets.


I started by taking fabric and creating some color on the table. I didn't want to use a full tablecloth because I really love the dark wood of the table.

I made a cross shape and layered the pieces over each other.

Then I created the centerpiece using three different floral arrangements. I definitely believe in groupings of three or odd numbers. I used three different types of flowers and three different vases. I think the trick here is to very the heights and also how full the arrangement looks.



The napkins are a gift from my mother. I used my white corelle dishes and silver Crate & Barrel silverware. For glasses, I used a stemless wine glass for sangria and a champagne flute for champagne. To kick up the glassware a little, I tied different color grosgrain ribbon on the stem of each glass.


Here is a view of the entire table.



Beside the knife and spoon, I also placed a green corn on the cob holder at everyone's place setting. I used little metal buckets from Target's The One Spot to hold condiments and buns. I used scraps of fabric as liners of the buckets.
Our Menu:
Caprese Salad
Gourmet Hamburgers with all the toppings
BBQ Grilled Chicken
Homemade Mac & Cheese
Corn on the Cob
White Sangria
Champagne
For dessert I did a make your own Ice Cream Sundae bar. It was a huge hit. I pretty much bought everything you put on top on a sundae. We ended up making tons of little sundaes to try all the toppings.
Hope you enjoyed my Lilly 4th.

Showtune Tuesday

I was a Opening Night Mary Poppins (or as Gracie says Mary Hoppins) in Chicago. It was wonderful and I was most impressed by the child actors. Lots of dialogue and dancing. Burt dancing around the stage and Mary flying were wonderful effects.

What a Whale

Jonathon Adler is up to new tricks. I love this salt & pepper set. I love the whale the most, but they are all really cute.

The Devil in the Junior League

Our JLC Book Club is reading The Devil in the Junior League for the month of July. I was on the authors' website and noticed that Universal Studios optioned this book for a movie and Jennifer Garner signed on to star and produce. How fun! I suggest all you Junior League ladies check out this fun book.

Tea Time

Wandering around on etsy today I discovered the cutest print, Tea Time. theblackapple is the artist and her work is very whimsy but a little serious. I will definitely be ordering this print for myself and even Gracie. It is perfect for our love of tea time and tea shoppes.

Happy 4th of July

My favorite Star Spangled Banner ever. Ever. Please remember all those who have fought and are fighting for our country.

Row This Boat

A few summers ago, I took a Learn to Row class from the Lincoln Park Boat Club. I had a really good time and have always meant to go back. This summer I decided to take the Learn to Row 2 Class. It was much harder and a lot more time on the water. Instead of being at the lagoon, we are at the river site. I like the river site better. It is more intense and you can see the rec and competitive teams practicing. After LTR2, we have the opportunity to work with the rec team. This is something I am striving for, but I do think I need another LTR class and some endurance work. Even though I despise running I may have to start running. All the crew teams do it and it really is the best way to build your cardiovascular endurance. The picture below is one I took from the North Ave. bridge of the men's team.

Reading List

I love books and I love to read. Because of my busy schedule, I am a little sporadic about my reading. I get into swings of reading all the time to not reading at all. Sometimes, I like to read instead of socializing with actual people. Usually I am very punctual, but if I am ever late it is most likely because I cannot put book down.

Currently on my reading list:
someday my prince will come by Jerramy Fine
certain girls by Jennifer Weiner
American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld
My Horizontal Like by Chelsea Handler
What Makes Us Catholic
Home: A Memoir of My Early Years by Julie Andrews
Nice to Come Home To by Rebecca Flowers
Write It When I'm Gone by Thomas M. DeFrank
Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster
The Age Curve by Kenneth Gronbach

During the summer I definitely like to read lighter fare. I enjoy the chic lit and beach reads during the summer. I save the heavy reading for snowy nights in front of the fireplace.

A New Stuffie

I love elephants and whales. Recently, I was wondering around the internet and came across this adorable elephant stuffed animal. I just want to scoop her up and set her on my bed.