Miami!

I apologize for my lack of blogs this past week but I have been suffering in sunshine and luxury at The Biltmore in Miami.


Yes, it was pretty tough to take. The pool, the spa, the king sized bed, the room service... there's nothing better than a good hotel. I do believe I could live in a hotel for the rest of my life and be perfectly happy. Unfortunately, I was there on business and did not get to enjoy half of what the hotel or the area has to offer. When I make my first million, I will definitely go back for some R & R. Here are some pics of the view from my suite....






















And the suite itself....

















And part of the incredibly lobby....

Today's Outfit

It's snowing!!! Our first significant snow of the year. Today's outfit better keep me warm!


Untitled - by BDority81 on Polyvore.com

I miss you, Charleston!

Maybe it's because the temperature in DC did not get above freezing today or maybe I'm just experiencing some mid-winter blues but I have really been missing Charleston lately. I attended the College of Charleston for four years and fell madly in love with the city during my time there. As it always seems to be, you never appreciate the beauty of the place you live until you leave. Here are some beautiful photographs of the city as well as some of my favorite places. Enjoy!































Eating:

The Kickin Chicken sandwich is a MUST HAVE if you are visiting Charleston. It is - even after all these years - still the best sandwich I've ever had. I love it!


The best desserts in Charleston! A huge selection of fabulous cakes and other confectionary treats! The red velvet cake with cream cheese icing is a personal favorite.

The best meal $5 can buy! If you're in the mood for greasy Mexican food this is the place for you!



Shopping:

The Copper Penny - this boutique carries tons of fun dresses and jewelry. They also have a shoe store (Shooz) that carries fabulous designer brands such as Kate Spade, Bettye Muller, Sigerson Morrison and the preppy fav, Jack Rogers.
www.shopcopperpenny.com


Luna - a fabulous boutique that carries lots of BCBG, Milly and Diane von Furstenburg.
www.shopluna.com



Handpicked - lots of monogrammed jewelry and affordable, even for a college student!
www.behandpicked.com


Sitting:

The Cistern at the College of Charleston - this is the center of campus. In the middle of the city, it feels like the private garden of an old Southern mansion. I had several classes that were held here and many movies have been filmed here, including The Patriot, Cold Mountain, and The Notebook - all while I was in school there!

Waterfront Park - There are porch swings all along this dock. I used to study here, though I never got much done. I was too distracted by the amazing view!

Isle of Palms - this is the nearest beach - about 15 minutes from downtown Charleston. I spent a lot of time here, not enough in class....

Oh, how I miss you Charleston. Let's plan a preppy blogger vacation there. Who's in?

Awww....

I just saw the sweetest thing on The Today Show. Jenna and Barbara Bush wrote Sasha and Malia Obama a very touching letter. Hearing them read it brought tears to my eyes. It reminds us all that these men are not just Presidents, public servants, politicians, they are also fathers, husbands, sons, brothers. Check it out if you have a moment.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123239885943895155.html

What the Heck Nordstrom????

I received a Nordstrom gift card for Christmas and was anxious to use it to shop for one of my favorite things: shoes! Unfortunately, upon visiting their web site, I was met with what I can only describe as the ugliest shoes ever. If you happen to like any of the following shoes, I sincerely apologize. I do not. All I wanted was a feminine and classic heel - something I can have for years to come. This is what I got.








































Seriously, is there a witch convention going on in DC that I don't know about? Let me also point out that these were not inexpensive shoes. I think all but one pair were over $100!

Serious problem.....

So, I have encountered a problem. I have had my black Tory Burch Revas since maybe June of last year and I just noticed that they have a tear in them! The leather on the interior part of the heel has a sizable rip in it. I am kind of irritated by this, especially considering how much I paid for these shoes. They should last longer than 8 months!!! So, my question is - what is my course of action? Should I contact Tory Burch? I purchased the shoes at a local Bloomingdale's and I do not think I still have my receipt. Help! What should I do???

A Historic Day

Today was a historic day for our country. Whether or not you voted for Barack Obama, it is crucial that we all stand together as Americans and begin to make changes and sacrifices that will make our country as strong as it once was. My spirit is renewed and I am hopeful that this will be the beginning of a great era for our country. I am thankful that our new President has reminded us that the work is not all his, that we as citizens of this great country are also responsible for making it better. I am prepared to do my part - are you???

In addition, I would ask you all to please pray for Senator Ted Kennedy as he suffered from what is being reported as a minor seizure during today's festivities. Regardless of how you feel about him or his politics, I think we can all agree that he has sacrificed a great deal for this country.

Yay! My First Award!

The Fabulous Life of a Southern Belle (thank you!) has awarded me with the "Honest Scrap" award. And I get to award 7 more lucky ladies. Here's how it works:

1.) Choose a minimum of 7 blogs that you find brilliant in content or design.
2.) Show the 7 winners names and links on your blog, and leave a comment informing them that they were prized with "Honest Scrap." Well, there's no prize, but they can keep the nifty icon.
3.) List at least 10 honest things about yourself.

1-- I love my monogram. I have a total of 8 monograms on various objects in my room.

2-- I have never gone into Target and not spent money.

3-- I have been interested in the Kennedy family for years, particularly Jackie Kennedy. I read my first biography on Jackie Kennedy at age ten and have read at least ten since then.

4-- I believe in spending money on classic clothing and accessories. I do not believe in spending money on trendy pieces - for that, I go to Target or H&M.

5-- I am a Democrat and have been since I registered at age 18. This will come as no surprise to my friends who know I am very passionate about politics.

6-- My two favorite places in our great country are Charleston, SC (where I attended college) and Nantucket, MA.

7-- I am obsessed with roasted vegetable sandwiches. I'll choose them over a cheese burger almost every time.

8-- I know their popularity has faded, but Dave Matthews Band is still my favorite group. I have attended 8 of their concerts in my life. When I was 17, I went 3 nights in a row.

9-- I find Clint Eastwood very attractive, even at age 80.

10-- I love the act of getting ready but am often uncomfortable once I get "ready" and would rather be in jeans. : )

Ok girls, it's your turn to spill it. I tag:
Monograms and Manicures
Puttin on the GRITS
Prepadelphia
From the Land of Cotton
Le Petite Blog
A Savannah Redtop

Day of Service

Apart from being Martin Luther King Jr. Day, it is also a national day of service. It was initiated in 1994 and - guess what - I just found that out. So, since I have no plans today I am going to do the following:


1. Give blood - I'm a universal donor so it's my obligation even though I am totally grossed out by it.

2. Donate clothes - I have 3 trash bags full that have been in my trunk for months.

I encourage all of you who have the day off to participate in some community service today as well! Here is a great web site that links you to service activites you can do in your area.

www.usaservice.org

Have a great day!

I've been tagged!

Yay! Beantown Prepster has tagged me! Here's how it works:

1. Grab the nearest book.
2. Open to page 56.
3. Find the fifth sentence.
4. Post the text of the next 2 to 5 sentences, along with these rules.
5. Don't dig for your favorite book, the cool book, or the intellectual book. Pick the CLOSEST!
6. Tag five other people to do the same!

Luckily, I was reading my new Jodi Picoult book 'Second Glance' this morning. Here it goes...

When Ross put his hand on his nephew's neck, the boy nearly leaped out of his skin. "Ethan," Ross said, "you okay with this?" Ethan was shaking in his shoes. "Yeah. Oh, yeah, sure, I'm totally cool."

There you go! It's a great book - a little odd - but a page-turner none the less.

I tag:

1. Southern ( & Single) Belle
2. A Preppy Girl Meets World
3. Nautical By Nature
4. Downtown Southern
5. Newlywed Hostess

Thanks for my first tag Beantown Prep!

First Lady Fashion

Obama-mania has hit DC full force! I am very excited for all the festivities. I cannot wait to hear our new President's speech and am very excited to see what our new First Lady is going to wear! I have been an admirer of her fashion sense since the campaign and I know she will not disappoint on Tuesday! Here are some of my favorite items she has worn (she frequently rocks pearls which I love).

They have this dress back in stock at White House-Black Market. Perhaps a dress for one of the many Spring weddings I have to attend?

Question....

I received a Boden catalog in the mail today and found MANY cute things that may need to be added to my Spring wardrobe. Is anyone familiar with this brand? Are there clothes well-made? How is the sizing? Are there tops and blouses a little on the short side? I'm a tall girl and not ready to show off my six pack abs any time soon. Help a prep out!

Here are some of the items I'm eyeing...

Ugh....

I just had my first experience with what I will henceforth refer to as Obama traffic. Yikes. I went downtown for dinner this evening (Toscana - highly recommend it, especially if someone else is paying) and it took me 30 minutes to go 3 blocks! DC traffic is never good but this was awful. I will be avoiding downtown like the plague this weekend.

Additionally, I am officially ready to move to a warmer climate. With the wind chill, it was 11 degrees today! No, thank you! Visions of my college days in Charleston haunt my mind. Ah.....when life was easy and living was fun....and the weather was warm.

One More Week!!!!

Have I mentioned how much I love LOST? Well, I do. You know what else I love? Sawyer. There's something about those bad boys.... Check out this clip from last season's finale and you'll see why I heart him oh-so-much. I can't wait for next week's season premiere!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5W2-dvSzKk

Inaugural Outfit

Now, I'm not sure I'll be attending the Inaugural Ball (I'm sure my invitation is in the mail), but if I were, this is what I would wear!


Untitled by BDority81

Roommate Rant Part I

Can I vent for a moment? I live with a strange girl whom I met on craigslist. We have lived together in a townhouse for about a year and a half. I find her to be one of the most annoying people I've ever lived with. I don't know if this is because I am ready to live on my own or because she is actually an incredibly irritating person. I tend to think it's a combination of the two. One of the stipulations she made when we moved into the place was that no one could wear shoes in the house. I agreed and have begrudgingly obeyed the rule since moving in..... at least when she's home. : ) Apparently, she's worried about germs and dirt on the carpet. Now, if she was a person who was fastidious about keeping the house clean then perhaps I could understand this rule. Unfortunately for me, her cleanliness extends only to keeping the rug marginally clean by enforcing shoe removal. Her room is absolutely filthy - the carpet is barely visible and she has filled the huge whirlpool tub in her bathroom with clothes and products. She never cleans the kitchen even though she uses it much more than I do. She leaves her dishes in the sink constantly. She never takes the trash out and even has the nerve to leave it by the garage door for me to take out. The worst (and this is really gross) is that her dark hair falls out all over the kitchen floor and she never thinks to clean it up! Ugh. So, imagine how annoyed I was when she came to me this morning and asked if she could get a dog. Yeah. First of all, our lease explicitly states that we are to have no pets. Secondly, if she's supposedly so worried about germs coming in on our shoes, imagine how many come in on a dog. And thirdly, she can't even manage to clean up after herself so I have no confidence that she'll clean up after her dog! Grrrrrr..... This concludes my rant for today. Thanks for listening.

Recession Fashionista

The tanking economy is no reason to go without the things you want! Here's a web site that tracks items online and alerts you when they go on sale. Check it out!

http://www.shoppingnotes.com

Here's what I'm watching.....