Chocovine (Yes...Chocolate + Wine)

As I wander the aisles of the wine and spirits store this past weekend (yes, in Pennsylvania you can currently only by wine and liquor at state run stores. Which are not open near me on Sundays. Which is terrible when you are craving a mimosa or Bloody Mary at home and it cannot be done. Anyway, I ended up buying an it. ChocoVine's website describes it as "The great taste of Dutch chocolate and find Cabernet wine". At $10 for the bottle, my girlfriends and I were giving it a shot.

It's an interesting taste. It tastes more like chocolate milk or melted chocolate ice cream than wine. It's definitely a dessert wine and not something you would pair with a meal (unless that meal is a PB&J). Although tasty, one glass was enough for me. We drank it straight from the bottle, but after exploring the ChocoVine website today, I'm wondering if it is meant to be more of an ingredient in a cocktail than a stand-alone drink! Here is the cocktail I am going to make next time I buy ChocoVine!

Midnight Rush

2 oz ChocoVine
1 1/4 Espresso vodka
Served chilled in a martini glass

Have you ever heard or tried ChocoVine?

Wardrobe Wednesday

With the cool weather of fall setting in, not to mention the rain that we have been getting in Pennsylvania for the past few days, I've been wearing my wellies pretty consistently.

Considering that my Hunter Wellies have been a lifesaver lately, I decided to look up the background of the company.

North British Rubber Company (now Hunter Boot Ltd) began in 1856 by an American (shocker!) entrepreneur with a staff of four. During World War 1 the company produced more than 1.185 million boots in order to meet army demands. With success as a function boot during wartime, the company was again asked to produce boots for WW2.

Hunter Boot Ltd continues to keep the feet of the Royal Household of the UK dry (along with many others around the world! From the original Green wellington that was first made in the winter of 1955, to the variety of colors and styles available today, I just love this classic item!

One of the greatest accessories that I love to pair with my wellies are the welly socks! It fits the boots perfectly and cuffs over the top of the boot- so that the sock doesn't fall down and start to "puddle" around your ankles. Available in a ton of colors, the leg part of the sock is fleece and the cuffs are fleece, regular knit or cable knit!

With so many sororities going through Fall recruitment (including the gals I advise), its a hectic time for many out there.

Recruitment can be a time of high-stress, low-sleep and amazing excitement! With Fall recruitment over my for my girls, I want to provide a special treat for a chapter meeting!

I found great Greek letter cookie cutters online at shop.bakegreek.com. This is the Gamma one that I am going to order (kappa one not pictured).

Their website also features a tutorial on baking and cookie decorating- perfect for a girl like me who isn't so blessed with kitchen skills. I plan on making a batch of these super-cute sugar cookies decorated with either light blue or dark blue icing!

Any tips on making the best sugar cookies?! I would really like to do a great job for my girls!

A new nickname

I was just talking to a girlfriend on the phone and she called me a pint-sized Lilly Pulitzer Barbie.

It made me smile :)

Sometimes a call with a friend is all you need to turn your day around!

For a rainy day...

The Northeast is a giant rain cloud right now. I've broken out my wellies for the first time in a while, but realized this AM that I am in desperate need for a new umbrella.

I currently have a Coach umbrella- its a light blue print with the 'C' pattern all over. Although, I have to admit, I'm a little beyond Coach. Not to put down any Coach-lovers out there, but I associate it with the wristlets that teenagers wear. The items that I do have from Coach tend to not include the monogrammed pattern.

Here are some options for new umbrellas that I am loving. It's important for me that the umbrella be small enough when compacted that it fits in a tote bag- easier to travel with!

Option One: Lilly Pulitzer $25
I love this for the price and the fun pattern! It would certainly brighten up a rainy day.

Option Two: Burberry $125

I had the classic Burberry Nova Check pattern in college, and decided to go a bit of a different direction with my next umbrella- if it ends up being Burberry. I chose the black and white pattern for its classic look and that it won't show dirty (because we all know how much time a wet umbrella can spend on the floor!)

Option Three: Etsy seller $60

Monogrammed Umbrella from Etsy seller PoshDesignsbyMarilyn

I love this umbrella because a) its pink and b) the monogram! The best part is that there are a ton of font styles offered for the monogram.

Option Four: Gucci $430

...just kidding. Like I have $430 dollars(!!) to spend on a umbrella!

Which one do you think I should get?

All photos courtesy of google images or Etsy website

Humble Pie- The Bicycle Edition

I live in a city and there are a lot of people who commute on bicycles. Although I wish I could do the same (I have to drive to work due to the location of my office), I sometimes get annoyed by these bikers. I get annoyed when they ride in the middle of two lanes of traffic stopped at a light, nervous when they don't signal that they are turning, scared when when they aren't wearing helmets (safety first!) or horrified the one time that someone grabbed my bumper to pull him up a hill. Or when there isn't enough space to pass and I get stuck going 15 miles below the speed limit.

This morning on the way to work I saw a guy on a bike (no helmet) riding in front of me. It is a tight street with a row of parked cars on each side and a lane of traffic in each direction. He was holding up traffic in one area of the road and, once it was safe, I went around him and continued on my way. Well, the biker caught up to me at the next red light and came over and knocked on my window.

My stomach fell to the floor. I was pretty sure he was going to yell at me for something I had done- passing him? Riding too close to the parked cars so that he couldn't get through and slow down traffic again?

No...what he said next really surprised me.

"Your back driver brake light is out. Just thought you might want to know!"

I believe in...

That when in a hurry, painting only the toes that you can see in peep-toed shoes is completely acceptable

Giving the children's book Olivia to every baby girl that comes into my life

Still having my favorite childhood stuffed animal on my bed at my parents

Pulling the comforter over the messy sheets is as good enough as making the whole bed sometimes

Sometimes you have to go for the full-sugar, full-fat version

Reading a book that will make you smarter every once in a while (sorry shopaholic series!)

Taking the scenic route sometimes

Pushing yourself sometimes...whether it be a difficult recipe, a new hobby or a physical activity. The reward is so much sweeter!

Talking to my mom every day :)

That whoever said sunshine brings happiness never danced in the rain (love that quote!)

Giveaway!

Summer Wind is hosting a great giveaway of a Coast Apparel Winyah polo! Super cute...I would get the Cosmo Pink! Make sure you enter...deadline is Sunday at midnight!

How cute is this polo?!

Wardrobe Wednesday

This past weekend was my first taste of Fall. It got pretty chilly on Friday night...as in I started my evening in a 3/4 sleeve shirt and by the end of the night was wearing an additional sweater and fleece.

I've started switching my closest from the warm weather to cold weather clothes. Out went the seersucker dresses, Madras skirts and cute tops. In came the heavier pants (think cords, velvet and jeans), thick, woolly sweaters

As cooler weather starts creeping in, I hate having to give up all of my skirts/dresses because its too cold for bare legs and I have to wear tights/nylons. Even the thought of tights on my legs makes my skin crawl for some reason! Plus, I find that the Northern wind just whips right through to the bone!

Enter my new favorite item, Plush Apparel. They sell...wait for it...fleece-lined tights. Their tagline is "Stay Warm and Stylish". They can be worn as stockings or leggings and add warmth without bulk. They come in a variety of styles too: full foot, footless, knee high, stirrup and more. I can't wait to get my hands on a pair!

A Big Contradiction

Do you ever feel like you are a walking contradiction? I do. A lot sometimes.

So...I have to admit...I'm an adrenaline junkie.

I love it all: bungee jumping, sky diving, scuba diving, rock climbing. I'm not one to shy away from an activity that is going to get my heart pumping. I'm working towards getting my parachuting license and my next step for my scuba life is getting my wreck and night diving licenses (I already have my regular and deep water).

Sometimes I feel like I am two people in one. The dressed up girlie-girl, wearing a ton of pink and pearls. But the crazy gal throwing herself out of an airplane (with a perfect manicure I might add).

When people find out the type of activities that I do, I always get the same look of disbelief. They can't believe that little 5'2'' me has a desire to climb up a large slab of rock (in a purple harness haha) or jump off a bridge with an elastic cord tied to my ankles. But maybe that just makes me a little more interesting. Who says that every preppy girl has to be the exact same?

Is there something about you that surprises people when they find it out??

Giveaway!

Trish over at Pink Preppy Lilly Lover is hosting a great fall giveaway!

Tortoise shell is a part of many preppy girls closets and mine is no exception. I have a set of super cute tortoise shell bangles that I love to throw on!

Check out the cute watch below that Trish is giving away. Wouldn't that be a great addition to a watch collection? Check out her page and don't forget to enter!

http://pinkpreppylillylover.blogspot.com/2010/09/inspired-by-tortoise-giveaway.html

Lilly + KKG = A New Favorite!

It's no mystery that I love me a little Lilly Pulitzer. Imagine how excited I got when I heard that Lilly is putting out its first sorority collection this Fall! Four sorority prints are available: Delta Zeta, Delta Delta Delta, Kappa Delta and Kappa Kappa Gamma!

Being a KKG girl, I was so pleased when I saw the pattern Lilly had created just for us. Blue and Blue (our colors), intertwined with our symbols of the owl and the key and cute little pink KKG greek letters. The pattern comes in a Murfee scarf, tote bag, original wallet and make-up bag. I think I am going to get the Murfee scarf. It would be great to wear to alumni meetings (where I sit on the chapter council for my local alumni group!) or to advisor meetings (I also advise a local chapter of KKG!). I just wish the scarf was under $100...the $118 plus shipping cost is a little pricey.

Make-up Bag

Murfee Scarf

Does Lilly have your sorority print available? What prints would you like to see if they expand their sorority collection??

Images courtesy of Lilly Pulitzer

Wardrobe Wednesday

Every Wednesday I hope to share with you an outfit or wardrobe piece that I currently loving. I can't wait to hear your feedback!

I'm headed to a wedding this weekend. It's cocktail attire, but the service and reception are in the evening at a very nice location. Here is the outfit I'm planning on wearing:

Dress: Shoshanna Black Beaded Halter Dress

Shoes: Calvin Klein Cora

Clutch: Tory Burch Pink Resin Clutch

I love the dress for a couple of reasons:

• The fabric is heavier, so perfect for heading into fall wedding season/holiday cocktail parties
• The skirt is tiered and fitted but not tight. So I won't get the dreaded "food baby"
• It's pretty conservative, yet has fun punches of color with the beads!
• I can wear a wrap in a variety of colors. Perfect for a chilly September night!

Now...what sort of jewelery should I wear? I was thinking a big cocktail ring. Maybe in a color to match one of the beads?

Pink and Green!

My favorite colors are pink, green, navy and white. Truth be told, the majority of my closet is filled with these colors. Except green. It is one color that just does not look good on me. So I incorporate green through other avenues- a splash of the color in a otherwise pink/white pattern, a fun bangle or my new obsession...this fabulous bag.

I am a handbag junkie. It's a perfect combination of structured yet soft leather. It can be worn in the nook of the elbow, on the shoulder or with the long strap across the body (which I'll admit looks crazy on me since the bag is then wider than I am!) The only downfall is that the bag is a bit heavy to start and once I throw so many random things in there (as we all have a tendency to do with a bag this large) it gets reallllly heavy. As in leave-marks-on-your-shoulders heavy. Although a unique color, it's a fun twist on a time-enduring classic bag. And I love it. Even if it did cost as much as a month's rent.

What are some unique ways that you incorporate colors you love into your wardrobe??

Don't laugh butt...

Hi, I'm a Pennsylvania prep and I buy things on infomercials.

I have insomnia from time to time and find that infomercials are usually pretty good at helping my drift off to sleep. After you watch one for about 10 minutes I've have seen every detail about the item, so I don't feel the need to try and stay awake to see what happens.

I had insomnia the other night. I watched an infomercial and I am now the proud(?) owner of the Brazil Butt Lift (get the pun in the title?!)

I'm usually not one to fall for exercise videos from TV (aside from a disastrous p90x trial), but I'm kinda excited about this one. There are different work-out regimens based upon what type of behind you have. But its easy to do in my own home before or after work and is not super long (sorry p90x!). PLUS Victoria's Secret models said that they use it all the time and love it! And- honestly- who doesn't want to looking like one of the VS Angels?

The package is currently en route and I'll give you an update once I'm a few weeks into the program (I promise NO pictures...no one needs to see that!!)

Has anyone ever tried this workout video? What is your favorite workout video to do at home?

10 Random Things

Since I'm a newbie to the blogging world, I thought that I would share 10 random facts about me

1. I love dogs and can't wait until my life is stable enough (re: home enough) to adopt one.
2. I'm allergic to dogs (will probably make #1 difficult)
3. I never recognize famous people when I see them out in public
4. I really want to visit the Whistle Stop Cafe from Fried Green Tomatoes
5. Before I go out of town I always clean my house. Nothing better than coming home from a long day of traveling than to a tidy space!
6. I only eat green bananas
7. I participate in a fantasy football league!
8. I'm short- 5'2" and love it when people say they thought I was taller than that. Must mean I'm carrying myself well...or just have a larger personality ;)
9. I could eat sushi everyday (anything but eel please)
10. I usually don't got to movies in theaters...I have trouble sitting still for so long!

Have any questions that you would like to know?? Leave a comment or e-mail me at alwaydswearpearls@gmail.com. Maybe I will use your question in my next 10 Random Things post!

Labor Day Weekend: Newport Style

It's hard to believe that summer is "unofficially" over! I had a fabulous time in Newport with my girlfriends. We were lucky enough to make it there on Friday with only a slight delay from Hurricane Earl. And we were so blessed to have great weather for the rest of the weekend!



I came home late last night and am feeling the after-effects of a too-fun weekend. Tonight I plan on some serious lazy time: catching up on my DVR'd shows, uploading pictures from Newport (so I can share some with you!) and upacking from the weekend.



How was everyone elses Labor Day weekend?? What fun ways did you send summer out with a bang?

To White or Not?

Every year around this time the same question comes to mind...Can I wear white (and other summer fabrics) after Labor Day? My answer (and I know that this is one that you probably don't want to hear), but I think it all depends. On a variety of things. Where in the country do you live? What is the fabric? What are you pairing it with? Etc, etc, etc.

Please keep in mind that I live in the Northeast (or to some the Mid-Atlantic and I've even heard Pennsylvania described as the Midwest!):

White pants: I feel that white cotton pants should be packed away until spring. However, heavier fabrics and "winter whites" can stick around for the cooler weather. I personally plan on wearing my white jeans into the Fall...but I will pair them with deeper, richer fall tones like brown, burgundy and hunter green instead of the lighter pastels of the summer. How about a chunky sweater over skinny white jeans into boots? Cute! A great transition outfit from the warmer temps to the cold ones.

Personally, I will be placing my eyelets, linens and seersuckers away until Spring...or until a tropical vacation this Winter!!

What do you think? Is white after Labor Day a no-no or an old-fashioned rule? What do you do?

Newport!!

Have you ever realized how much easier it is to get out of bed in the morning when you realize a) work is closing early due to a holiday weekend b) a holiday weekend means 3 fabulous days off in a row and c) 3 fabulous days off in a row equals vacation!

I'm headed to Newport, RI today for a 4 day trip with a bunch of girlfriends. Other than once changing plans at the Providence airport I have never been to Rhode Island. Newport is a sweet coastal town with cobblestone streets, a quaint downtown, a beautiful harbor/coastline and gorgeous architecture. I'm excited to hang out with the girls, eat delicious New England good (lobster and clam chowder anyone?!) and hopefully catch a few rays.

Mansion

Harbor

downtown

The only issue is a certain hurricane that is sweeping the East Coast over the next day or two, which is expected to cause travel delays. Here's to hoping we actually make it to Newport!

Have you ever been to Newport?? Any place in particular that we should check out??

All photographs courtesy of Google Image

Happy 9.02.10!

As a product of the 80's and growing up in the 90's, 90210 was one of my favorite shows growing up! From the high years to college to beyond, I never missed a week. One of my first bonding moments in college with my freshman roommate was to watch 90210 on FX.

Imagine my surprise when the first text I received this AM was "Happy 90210 Day!" I was a little confused at first, but then it clicked. It was September 2, 2010 9/02/10! Love it! I wish that I had realized this sooner so I could have planned some sort of party, but I'll celebrate tonight with watching an episode or two!

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Who is your favorite character from 90210!?? I was always a HUGE Dylan fan...there was just something so cute about the sort-of bad boy!

Steals & Deals!

Shopping is one of my favorite things to do. From Target to TJ Maxx to Bloomingdale's and Saks, I rarely meet a store that I don't like!

A new feature that I am going to have are Steals & Deals that I come across. My first is going to be from Victoria's Secret (I hope you don't mind that I am talking about "unmentionables" on here!). I love the free panty cards that VS sends out, especially since they are always coupled with another deal. The most recent VS panty card (good through September 13) has a deal for $10 off any purchase!

I wandered myself into VS yesterday and went searching for the item that my little card was valid on. With no luck, I talked to a very friendly salesperson who explained that they were all out of the item on the card (sad), but that I could substitute any other VS panty worth $8.50 (score!). I think that its great that they acknowledge the fact that a 'free' item goes fast and offer an alternative. Well, I got VERY lucky when I spotted this cute pink & green number...and the last one left was in my size! In love!

I coupled my new pink & green find with a tube of lotion. The lotion was $10 and with my $10 off a purchase side deal on the free panty card, I walked out of VS the proud owner of the items below...For FREE! Note: The minimum purchase for the $10 off is $10...if you purchase an $8 item they do not give you cash back. Let's be honest, no store is that nice!!

What do you think of my first steals & deals? Have you gotten any good deals lately??

After a loooong break...I'm back!!

It's been quite a while since my last post...I realized after I started blogging that I wasn't really sure what direction I wanted to take my blog. Would I focus more on my shopaholic side? The volunteer work that warms my heart? The fun (and sometimes incredibly spontaneous) travels? Or just the daily ups and downs of a twentysomething still trying to find her place in the world?

Over the past few months I've continued to think about that and I've come to the conclusion that its going to be work a work in progress. Hopefully your comments and suggestions will help guide me in the journey!

Cheers!