Happy Memorial Day

Enjoy these images that celebrate Memorial Day!



Thank you to everyone who serves and has served our country through military service. They are true heroes. We honor and thank you.

xoxo

Mom, I'm Hungry!

Summer vacation is soon here. If your house is anything like mine, you have little people who are constantly hungry and looking for snacks in the summer. I try to encourage healthy snacks like carrots, celery, and seasonal fruit, but nothing is better than a frozen treat in the summer.


The Zoku Quick Pop Maker from Williams Sonoma is on its way to my house! As soon as I saw this amazing device, I knew that I "needed" it. You can create customized frozen pops in as little as 7 minutes. How much fun it that? The flavor possibilities are endless. The first kind I'm going to try are "Jamaica" flavor from hibiscus water that I told you about here.



I'll post more pictures of the pops we create this summer. Love it!

xoxo

Travel in Comfort

As airline travel becomes more uncomfortable, it is up to the passenger to find special goodies that make travel fun, practical and comfortable. I'm headed to Mexico and have found some fun things to make my trip a little easier.

The On your weigh luggage scale is ideal for me! I practically have a

Master's Degree in the Art of Packing a 50 Pound Bag.

Every time I weigh myself on the scale, weigh my bags, weigh my bags with me on the scale... It's quite a process. Sometimes when a bag is right at 49 or 50 pounds, I'll even snap a picture of the scale as "proof" for the airline ticketing agent at the airport! This scale will eliminate my scale adventures and fits compactly in any carry on bag. Plus, the green color is too cute.




You'll be able to easily identify your suitcase at baggage claim with this luggage tag. Anne Taintor is so hilarious. I just adore this!



The Kindle has completely changed the way I read books. Not only have I been reading a lot more since I got the Kindle, it's so easy to take anywhere. This little pink light is perfect for dark planes or cars.



To avoid the pesky 3 ounce rules there are a few strategies I have up my sleeve. I always stock up on samples from Sephora. An even better solution is the website 3 fl. oz., a website for "those who travel, those who are curious and those who cannot commit." All of the upscale cosmetics are TSA approved travel size.

My passport is so cute in this pink Kate Spade passport cover! I love it. Every immigrations and customs agent always comments on this cute cover.



Don't laugh about this one. Toilet paper is important. Not all airplane bathrooms or public restrooms always feel the same way! This compact roll is perfect to fit into a purse and can come in handy in a number of situations.
After running to a connecting flight in shoes that are not practical, you may need some of these bandages! I'm famous for wearing shoes that are gorgeous but not necessarily comfortable.



What are some "must haves" on your list for airplane travel? Let me know what to add to my list!

xoxo

Preppy Patriots

Memorial Day is just around the corner! What will you be wearing this weekend at your Memorial Day celebration? Here are some preppy options in tones of blue to help celebrate this day in style.

You can never go wrong with Jules Reid and this ensemble is no exception. I love the Montauk top. It looks great with the white pants that you can finally pull out of your wardrobe.


Spending Memorial Day on a boat? This adorable dress from Vineyard Vines is perfect for my peeps who live near the water. Those are little anchors hidden in the print. How cute is that?


Nettie, you're one of my favorites for summer. Blue, toile, Lilly, and oh so comfortable!! This dress is a winner! You'll be as comfortable as you would be in a tank top, but you'll look so polished.


I'm loving all of the cute cardigans that Lilly Pulitzer has for spring and summer. The options are perfect, the cut is slim and chic, and the sweaters are perfectly paired with everything in the preppy closet.


Whatever you decide, please don't wear this dress! I thought you would all like a good laugh!



xoxo

Philanthropy and Fun

Crocodile Kids is sponsoring a fun night of shopping to benefit the Cisco Center on Monday, June 7, 2010 from 5-8 p.m.

Please join Elizabeth as she hosts a fun night of shopping at Crocodile Kids to benefit the Cisco Center. The Cisco Center serves children with special needs and their families through a variety of services and programs. Although funding for these services is available through some organizations, the Cisco Center also offers need based scholarships to qualified candidates.

What is better than mixing philanthropy, fun, and shopping?

Crocodile Kids just launched a new gifts department just for Moms! The shopping event will be a lot of fun and is a great opportunity to see some exciting new things in the store, including this cute Lilly bag.


And this bracelet...


Several raffle drawings will be held during the event and here's the good news; you don't need to be present to win! The raffle prizes include a weekend stay at Loews Philadelphia, a $100 Zachary's Jeweler Gift Certificate and a pink dog tote from Hicks and Smith.



You can buy your raffle tickets here and join the party no matter where you live.

Giveaways from Vineyard Vines and drinks from Blue Martini in Annapolis! What a perfect excuse for a girls' night out.

The event will be held at Crocodile Kids located at 474-C Ritchie Hwy, Severna Park, MD 21146. Doesn’t this look like fun?

xoxo

Seersucker Thursday

The official uniform of summer is here! It’s time to pull out your seersucker and stay cool in style. One of the best ways to beat the heat of the humid DC summers is to wear seersucker. Recently, I saw a friend wearing his seersucker pants and he looked perfectly preppy and cool, even on a humid evening. Then I started to think about Seersucker Thursday…

Seersucker takes over Capitol Hill in the summer with many members of Congress and their staffers joining the preppy fun with Seersucker Thursday. Read about how this fun DC tradition started here. Everyone’s in on the game for Seersucker Thursday, the tradition that crosses party lines.



Here's a great wardrobe option from J. Press



Keep reading to see who's wearing seersucker this summer on Capitol Hill.

xoxo

Talking Translator

Are you going on an international trip any time in the future? Here's a great little gadget for you! The Nyrius Global Talking Translator is one of the coolest gadgets I've seen in a long time ~ and it really works.

This talking translator is about the size of a blackberry so it will fit easily into your bag, purse, or pocket. Forget about lugging stacks of books with you or slowly looking for words in a dictionary or phrase book. With this translator, you'll be able to find what you need quickly.

Probably the neatest feature of the translator is that it verbally speaks the phrase or word for you. You won't have to worry about pronunciation or being misunderstood. Store favorite phrases such as, "How much is that lovely bag?" or "More diet coke, please." to make shopping and ordering a breeze.

I tried this out in Spanish and French to see how accurate it was and what the pronunciation of the speaker was like. I was pleasantly surprised to hear a decent voice from a native speaker. So amazing! You can also use headphones to listen to the audio if needed.

Amazingly, you can find this at Staples or online. The price is very reasonable.

xoxo

Perfect for a Princess!

Yesterday, I went to Persnickety Palm's anniversary celebration. The store was PACKED and Linda and Caitlin efficiently helped everyone with their purchases. I always love to see new summer items in person. Luckily (or unluckily) for me, I didn't do too much damage in this visit. There was a cute little tree with butterflies on it. Each butterfly had a discount on it. I got 20% off my purchase, but a lucky peep behind me got 50% off!!

After enjoying some macaroons and juice outside on the store's porch, the girls immediately found these beauties.



How can you make the classic McKim even cooler than it already is?

Add glitter!!

I'm imagining that I will find sparkles everywhere for weeks, but it's worth it.

We also went to my cousin Heather's graduation party yesterday. Natalia said it was "the best day of her life!" (She has "best days of her life" about once a week!)Best wishes for a happy Sunday? What are your plans for today?

xoxo

Bags, Bags, Bags

Bags are one of my favorite ways to change an outfit from day to night or to make an impact with a simple dress. Two of these are in my collection, one will be added to my collection soon, and one is a dream for my bag collection. Any guesses as to which ones are which?

Lilly Pulitzer


Gucci icon bit tote


Hermes Birkin bag in blue jean


Goyard Jeanne PM


Chanel Coco Cocoon Bowling Bag


Did you see the Birkin bags on Rue La La yesterday!? I had to look just out of curiosity! Can't believe they were on Rue La La.

xoxo

Setting the Table

A while ago, I talked about some things that are important to me when my children are talking with others. It's also important for children to know how to act at home, in a restaurant, or as a guest in a friend's home. The minnies have always gone everywhere with me and are comfortable eating in any restaurant.

Some parents shy away from "nice" restaurants when they are with their children, but I firmly believe that once children know what to expect and what the parents' expectations are, they will behave beautifully in any situation.

One thing that will boost a child's confidence in him or herself is to have an important job at home. Children love to help. Even at a very young age, they can help to set the table. After a few weeks of practice with this delightful placemat, your little ones will be pros at setting the table. They'll never wonder where the fork should go. It will be automatic.

When I was a little girl, I used to love to read the Goofus and Gallant cartoons in the Highlights magazine. I'd often poke fun at the cartoons, dramatically acting like the characters, but the lessons are timeless and help to promote good manners.

This placemat has good and bad manners on opposite sides. They make excellent talking points while at the dinner table to discuss what is and is not acceptable. With my girls, I try to emphasize one key point each month with them and focus almost exclusively on an area that could be improved, such as sitting up straight. This limits my suggestions to a few and helps me to focus on the positive instead of constantly nagging.

How do you promote good manners at home and in restaurants with children of your own or children you know? What are some of the worst offenses you have seen by children (or adults!) at the table?

xoxo

Lester Lanin and Lilly!

How adorable are these little peeps in their Lester Lanin beanies? I'm loving this picture from the Lilly Summer 2010 catalog.



Now if I could only find the Lester Lanin beanies buried in boxes from my college days, I'd be a really happy camper! Does anyone still have their Lester Lanin beanies?



As you probably know, Lester Lanin played the music at the weddings of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley and many more. This fantastic orchestra entertained guests at Presidential Inaugural balls and thousands of social events around the world. I had the opportunity to see this orchestra many times and LOVE them! There's something so happy about their music. Their recordings are on my ipod!

So much fun the famous beanies were featured in the Lilly catalog.


xoxo

Rent the Runway

Of course you've heard of Rue La La and Gilt, but have you heard about Rent the Runway? Perfect for the person who needs many different looks for many occasions!

Afraid of repeating a dress in a photograph?

Want to wear the latest Lela Rose dress for one evening without spending a fortune?

Do you have many weddings, parties, or fundraisers to attend but nothing to wear?
Then, Rent the Runway is for you! At this members only site, you can rent couture and designer dresses for about 90% off the retail price. The lastest trends in Vogue are now attainable for everyone.

How does it work? You choose a dress you like by date or event. You'll receive your dress (in two different sizes, just to play it safe) by mail. After your special event, simply return the items in the pre-paid packaging. Dry cleaning and shipping is included in your rental fee. Stylists are available online to help with fit questions and to help you accessorize your look. It's like having a personal shopper online. At 5'4", I also appreciate it that long dresses come in multiple hem lengths. This ensures a great fit and avoids hemming issues.

You might think it is a little strange to "rent" a dress, but it's a fairly common practice. Celebrities do it all the time. Socialites are often given clothing to wear for special appearances. Designers who are looking to publicize their newest looks commonly loan their clothing to well known people. I've even seen local news reporters wearing Lilly from a certain store. In large metropolitan areas like Los Angeles and New York, there are dress rental companies dressing ladies for special occasions. Now, you can do the same thing that many people have been doing for years!

Here are some gorgeous items I found on Rent the Runway from designers like Halston Heritage, Lela Rose, Badgley Mischka, and more. Some old preppy standby's are there too, like Milly, Tibi, and Shoshanna.

Here's your personal invitation to join.

xoxo