Forever Prep

Hello ladies! Well this adorable young man was staring up at me when I got home yesterday. Virginia Living is an incredible magazine that my Mom and I have subscribed to since it was first published several years ago. It reminds me of "W" with its oversize format but the pages are heavy and glossy, like national magazines... used... to be. So every month I look forward to getting this magazine at home. This issue is the April 2011 issue and the cover feature is called "Forever Prep."

The story inside (starting on page 102) is fantastic, as it discusses the movement behind the Official Preppy Handbook and how it had a surge that re-occurred last year with True Prep (both of which I own, and enjoy for a good chuckle). More specifically, "Forever Prep" mentions how Virginia really has always been a good bit 'preppy,' but that we have really always referred to it as a 'traditional' lifestyle/fashion statement/etc. instead.

As the article states, summer is a verb (Alice!), and yes, we do go by the Old Dominion moniker. Most of us own at least one Jefferson cup, had cotillion and ballet classes, rode in fox hunts, attended steeplechase and went to a single-sex Episcopalian boarding school. Oh, and by the way, even though some silly young women at Randolph-Macon College wear socks with their boat shoes, if you are a real 'Vuh-gin-ian,' you know that is not acceptable and just looks ridiculous. Do you wear socks with your Rainbows? No. So these are your closed-toe equivalent! I am so happy that they chose Hampden-Sydney College and Sweet Briar as the models for this shoot, seeing as the campus is lovely and these men and women do often wear the garb shown (I would know, I attended SBC... natch it was for one semester... but still I did grow up around here)! Here are some more points from Virginia Living about the fashion of women and men in the Commonwealth of Virginia:
Following up on this article, I was very excited to pick up today a booklet on the 78th Annual Historic Garden Week in Virginia. To say that this event is an event, darlin, it is THE event! It is where women compete to have the best gardens, the most beautiful homes and the event, natch, has the Garden Club of Virginia involved. Okay maybe not all people compete, but a lot of them do as getting on the tour is difficult! As a Virginian with both a mother and two grandmothers as current (and former!) officers of their Garden Club chapters in VA, you know I am socially obligated to attend and I love every minute of it!

As you can see, Virgina Living's "Forever Prep" included a list of Virginia's Preppiest Events, which I have kindly included below:

And yes, you can see that #1 event listed is the thing I speak of above. Coincidence? I think not! ha!

"Forever Prep" really is a flattering look at what life is like in Virginia. For me, a native, it is one of the most realistic reflections into this world that is not necessarily about money anymore. It is about culture, tradition and embracing the values that you hold to a highest standard.

Photo Credits go to Virginia Living magazine and photographer Cade Martin. Text in the images provided was written by Caroline Kettlewell.

Vera Bradley

I love the overly patterned, cotton washing-machine-friendly goodness that is Vera Bradley.

While my passion has certainly waned a bit since my Freshman year of college in 2003, or even when I was in boarding school before that... I still like the comfy goodness that is Vera Bradley when I go grocery shopping or am bumming around Charlottesville. The purses are great when you don't want to be handed yet another plastic bag, just stick something in a Vera Bradley!

Here are some of my current favorites:

The Frannie, in Very Berry Paisley:


The Side-By-Side Tote in Make Me Blush:


The Weekender in Symphony in Hue: (I have the laptop case in this pattern)


The Gabby in Imperial Toile:


The Metropolitan in Blue Rhapsody:



Now, I am not one of those Vera Bradley people who collects things in a certain pattern, but I'd love to know what products you all have by this brand! Or do you think it is too juvenile for you?

Shoes!

Here is a post of some of the shoes I own that I love love love. Some are vintage shoes I inherited from my mother, others I purchased when still working for Nordstrom, and others in the past few years since I have acquired more taste and figured out where my fashion spectrum lay.

I am lucky enough to be the same size as my mother, so we can fit into 7s on up to 9 depending on the style. I'm really a legit size 8, which is weird, because I was a legitimate 9, and when I broke things off with one of my exes, I lost about 40 pounds and it was mostly in my fingers, feet, and calves. (not even kidding).

So, here are several of my favorite beautiful shoes that I rely on to make my day a little happier. I think that for someone who is still finishing undergrad, I am already doing pretty well. : )

The shoes below are Guess. However, they look almost exactly like the Coach shoes that were a full-page ad in all of the fashion magazines this summer. I just adore them. They scream sexy lady and make my gams look incredible. Surprisingly easy to maneuver in, although the heel is a bit skinny. It is a khaki leather with wood. I wear them with my Lilly Pulitzer shifts and other summer dresses just to amp up the sexy factor. I also paired it with a short linen skirt and blousy tunic tops. With these heels, it is all about the balance of how much skin is shown.



I love my J.Crew driving moccasins. These are from probably 4 years ago. I adore them because they are sueded and worn perfectly. I use them grocery shopping and running errands on Sundays. They also look effortless with a nice skinny jean (I love Donna Karen's) and a cashmere shell/sweater set. They don't really work with shorts. Then I look like I am loafing around in someone elses shoes and it makes me look ridiculous. Food for thought.




Remember that episode of "Sex and the City" when Carrie saw that pair of shoes and said, "Hello lover" ? Well, that is how I felt the first time my Mom let me try these shoes on, and how I felt when she let me take them with me to boarding school for my Senior year formal. I was wearing probably the second most expensive outfit I will ever wear - after my wedding dress - so it is currently the most expensive outfit I have ever worn. I felt amazing in it and my date was great and my friends amazing. The Jimmy Choo shoes in this photo were my senior formal shoes. I adored them, and still do. I wear them sparingly as they have pearls on them and gorgeous sequins.



Here I am on the night of that formal. One of the funnest nights of my life. With my date Jordan, who is my hometown's minister's son. We went as friends but I'd always thought he was soooo cute. My dress was ridiculously expensive but my Mom didn't bat an eyelash because it fit me perfectly. Awww it was a great moment with Mom. So, insanely expensive dress and insanely expensive shoes. The memories made it though.



Here I am, far left, with my a cappella group Sextet, performing probably "For the Longest Time" or "Hooked on a Feeling."



These shoes are my Banana Republic ostrich embossed leather heels. The heel is wooden and it is a platform. There is a brass band around the heel. It is a gorgeous chocolate brown shoe. I really love these. M bought them for me for a "just because" gift and I adore them. I think he got these early on in our relationship in the early Spring of 2008. I wear these shoes with jeans, I wear them with dresses. They are perfect for my suits which most are brown if they are wool blended - and they are the perfect height!



I wear a lot of Nine West shoes for "going out" shoes. I don't normally wear them to work or to church, they are just my can-ruin-on-cobblestones-railroad-tracks-etc shoes. However, this pair of Nine West shoes I purchased while still working for the US Government back in 2007. I love these shoes and apparently they are right on trend right now. With my high arches these shoes fit me perfectly. They have a hidden platform of almost an inch, are gray suede, and are the cutest bootie-oxford mix I have ever seen. I wear them with skirts mostly. It is fun to wear them with contrasting tights in the Fall/Winter! For example, I wore them with a J.Crew burnt mustard miniskirt, a plaid button-down "camp shirt", and a chunky grandpa cardigan in navy. I had my one length of faux pearls wrapped around my wrist as a bracelet. It looked great (super awkard, my Mom took a picture of it she liked it so much).



The delish boots featured below are a gorgeous pair of vintage Son Camino boots. [cannot find that brand anywhere online but they are impeccable with great stitching, material, stamping on the interior, etc.] They were my Mom's and she gave them to me when I found them buried in a closet. Gorgeous Made in Spain boots sitting around! I wasn't about to have that. My Dad had the heel replaced and the rest is history. They are a gorgeous almost terra cotta reddish brown sueded leather, and are incredibly broken in and comfortable. I wear them best with bare legs but occasionally will tuck them into a jean or wear them with other pants when visiting a barn and/or farm.




I adore these Sperry Top Siders. They are a men's style which I bought at a surf shop in Atlantic Beach, NC when I was working one summer at Camp Seafarer - so summer of 2004. I adore these shoes so much because they are full of memories. I had campers draw on them, another camper accidentally dumped citronella candle on one of them, which was actually nice because it kept everything below the knees from being bitten for the rest of the summer. I have worn them on yachts, sail boats, Flying Scots, Sunfish, motorboats, everything. So wonderful. They always have sand in them and when I wear them occasionally to class and feel that, it makes me feel all happy inside!




All photos taken by me or with my camera camera camera.

Chatham Hall, Our Alma Mater

The Rectory is the home of the Rector of the school.


School days bright, that fly so swiftly,
Down life's stream, beyond recall,
Leave within our hearts abiding
Loyalty to Chatham Hall.

Chatham Hall our Alma Mater,
A love for thee, a pledge for all.
And forever and forever
We'll be true to Chatham Hall.

When the golden sun is sinking,
And the shadows o'er us fall,
Memories will take us backwards,
To our days at Chatham Hall.


I had an amazing boarding school experience at Chatham Hall in Chatham, VA. I would not change any day or minute from it for the world. I was in an albeit, sheltered, environment, but I was challenged intellectually, had friendly competition from classmates for everything, and learned dozens more things than I would have if I had remained at my public high school in my home town.

Here is a YouTube clip from an (I am assuming) Dad of a student who graduated:


The two videos are photo collages with our amazing alma mater song, which I have always loved. The last time I sang it I was bawling my eyes out, stunned that I was graduating and would never be a student again. I think I was sad more than happy on graduation day!!






Famous alumni include: Georgia O'Keefe, Ann Taylor (NPR broadcaster), Claudia Emerson (poet), Margaret Sullavan, Josephine Ford, and Jacqueline Mars.

138 students, approx, from when I was there. My graduating class had 34 classmates.

The building below is Pruden Hall, one of the two "core" buildings on campus. Pruden has a sister building, similar in construction exterior-wise but not exactly the same, and it is immediately to the right and connected by an arcade:


Here is a more recent photograph of the front of Pruden Hall:


The Arcade connecting Pruden to Dabney Hall:



Dabney Hall, where I lived for all three of my years at Chatham!:

Oh Shenandoah

This song means home to me. Here is the University of Richmond Octaves, an all-mens a capella group, singing it at my boarding school alma mater - Chatham Hall.


You can't help but get goosebumps... the song is just that beautiful.

Tequila and Limes

I so love margaritas. This summer, with Michael and I being all over the place, the best thing at the end of the day was to head home and make a tasty margarita. However, my "sin" of the summer was this: no margarita glasses. My personal goal is to really get a nice classy bar going. For now, the display case I inherited from my mother (made of maple, needs to be refinished for the dining room, but currently has a nice shabby-chic look to it - do I need to post a picture of it?) has our "nice things that can't sit out" at this time. For example, plain glass champagne flutes from my Grandmama, cut glass wine goblets, a cute polka-dot chip dip holder, my sterling silver wine stopper and plate, etc, are all in there. Oh, and PBF's pilsners, etc. ANYWAY, on to my wish list:



Recycled glass & a great price! How fabulous is that? It reminds me of the old glass bottled Cokes I could buy in the Pruden basement at Chatham Hall. Yay!



I am happy to have tried Grand Marnier in my margarita, as a bartender at a hotel I was at this summer served it with a citrus mix, yum! Then again, I was like 3 cocktails in so it may not have been so great if I was having it as my first drink, not too sure.



From my experience, you have to add this winner to make it a true Mexico margarita, with Patron of course... It is made by Patron, but it is also without any added fillers or flavors, so it's really lush and fruity but not as syrup-y as Grand Marnier (in my opinion)... but this is a great addition of more orange if you want - which may be prefereable, depending on if you use the traditional Key Lime with tequila (which has a yellower juice) or the regular lime which is more obvious in how green it is!




Lastly, the bar tool set. How the hell PBF and I have survived without one of these babies is completely shocking to me. We need to have one, pronto!! This one is the Faces Bar Tool Set from Williams-Sonoma. It is a 8 piece set and fantastic: ice bucket, storage rack (removeable), jigger, strainer, tongs, stirrer, bar knife, and bottle opener. I keep going back to it, hoping Mike will splurge on it for me, but, of course, he would rather buy me dinner out and a bottle of Chanel Coco Madmoiselle instead (like last weekend). It retails at $99 on their website.




Oh! And a shaker. Duh. Here is a great one I have been eyeing for months!! Again, Williams-Sonoma. Guess you guys know where some of my registry will be when I finally get engaged!! It retails for $32.

September 11... Never, ever forget

Photo Source: http://www.memeticians.com/


Today I want to remind people of the disaster which happened on September 11, 2001. While I was fortunate enough to not lose anyone in this horrific tragedy, that does not mean my heart didn't break that day. I feel as though a good bit of my naivete cracked that day... as I still cannot forget my first images... I was at Chatham Hall, and I was a junior in boarding school there. It was during my free period, and I was in the computer lab. I checked my email, planning on walking into my Algebra 2 math class that next period. Something inspired me to go downstairs and watch TV. It was right then that they first started coverage on NBC. I immediately ran up to my math teacher, Mr. Toulson, and told him "Something bad is happening in NYC, I think you need to see this...". And he and I ran back downstairs, and the full extent of what was going on hit everyone in the Niche in the face. I sat myself up on the snack bar and held myself. I just couldn't move. I didn't want to move. I thought of my classmates and friends who were from NYC or had friends and family there. I was scared for them. I couldn't begin to fully gauge that this event could be happening anywhere else, like the Pentagon. I was so caught up in the thought that this was occurring, and right in front of me, I saw the other tower fall. I remember thinking that it was like a cascade. A waterfall effect. And if it wasn't a disaster, then it would have been an amazing engineering feat. But it wasn't. It was real. It was scary. It was incalculable to think about it.

I hope everyone remembers and respects on this day.

"Met in the Stairwell" by Stacey Randall

You say you will never forget where you were when you heard the news
On September 11, 2001.
Neither will I..

I was on the 110th floor in a smoke filled room with a man who called his wife to say 'Good-Bye.'
I held his fingers steady as he dialed.
I gave him the peace to say,
'Honey, I am not going to make it, but it is OK... I am ready to go.'

I was with his wife when he called as she fed breakfast to their children.
I held her up as she tried to understand his words
And as she realized he wasn't coming home that night.

I was in the stairwell of the 23rd floor when a woman cried out to Me for help.
'I have been knocking on the door of your heart for 50 years!' I said.
'Of course I will show you the way home - only believe in Me now.'

I was at the base of the building with the Priest ministering to the injured and devastated souls.
I took him home to tend to his Flock in Heaven.
He heard my voice and answered.

I was on all four of those planes, in every seat, with every prayer.
I was with the crew as they were overtaken.
I was in the very hearts of the believers there,
Comforting and assuring them that their faith has saved them.

I was in Texas, Virginia, California, Michigan, Afghanistan...
I was standing next to you when you heard the terrible news.
Did you sense Me?

I want you to know that I saw every face.
I knew every name - though not all knew Me.
Some met Me for the first time on the 86th floor.

Some sought Me with their last breath.
Some couldn't hear Me calling to them through the smoke and flames;
'Come to Me... this way... take my hand.'
Some chose, for the final time, to ignore Me.
But, I was there.

I did not place you in the Tower that day.
You may not know why, but I do.
However, if you were there in that explosive moment in time,
Would you have reached for Me?

Sept. 11, 2001, was not the end of the journey for you.
But someday your journey will end.
And I will be there for you as well.
Seek Me now while I may be found.
Then, at any moment, you know you are 'ready to go.'

I will be in the stairwell of your final moments.

God
[or whomever you believe in]


Stop and think and appreciate God's power, or whomever you love and find to guide you all your days, in your life.



Photo Source: http://lifeinthemix2.co.uk/


If you wrote this, please let me know:

How many of us have heard that question, "Where was your GOD when the World Trade Center and the Pentagon was attacked?" Well, I know where my GOD was the morning of September 11, 2001, and He was very busy!

He was trying to discourage anyone from taking those flights. Those four flights together held over 1000 passengers and there were only 266 aboard. He was on 4 commercial flights giving terrified passengers the ability to stay calm. Not one of the family members who were called by a loved one on one of the hijacked planes said that passengers were screaming in the background. On one of the flights He was giving strength to passengers to try to overtake the hijackers.

He was busy trying to create obstacles for employees at the World Trade Center. After all, only around 20,000 were at the towers when the first jet hit. Since the buildings held over 50,000 workers, this was a miracle in itself. How many of the people who were employed at the World Trade Center told the media that they were late for work or they had traffic delays?

He was holding up two 110 story buildings so that 2/3 of the workers could get out. I was so amazed that the top of the towers didn't topple when the jets impacted. And when they did fall, they fell inward. GOD didn't allow them to topple over, as many more lives would have been lost. And when the buildings went down, my GOD picked up almost 6,000 of His children and carried them home with Him. Reassuring His frightened children that the worst was over and the best was yet to come.

He sat down and cried that 19 of His children could have so much hate in their hearts. That they didn't choose Him, but another god that doesn't exist, and now they are lost forever.

He sent his children that are best trained for this disaster and had them save the few that were still alive, but unable to help themselves. And then sent many others to help in any way they were needed.

He still isn't finished though, He holds the loved ones left behind in His arms. He comforts them daily. His other children are given the strength to reach out to them and help them in any way they can.

And I believe He will continue to help us in what is to come. He will give the people in charge of this great nation the strength and the wisdom to do the right thing. He would never leave us in our time of need. So when anyone asks, "Where was your GOD on September 11th", you can say "everywhere!"

And yes, although this is without a doubt the worst thing I have seen in my life, I see God's miracles in every bit of it. I keep praying for those who don't believe in GOD, every chance I have. I can't imagine going through such a difficult time and not believing in GOD. Life would be hopeless

Source: http://www.allisonsheart.com/yourhand2/stairwell.html



Photo Source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/sis/



If you wrote this, please let me know:
*** THE BUILDINGS ***

~ The World Trade Center ~
The twin towers of the World Trade Center were places of employment for some 50,000 people. With the missing list of just over 5,000 people, that means 90% of the people targeted survived the attack.

~ The Pentagon ~

Some 23,000 people were the target of a third plane aimed at the Pentagon. The latest count shows that 123 lost their lives. That is an amazing 99.5% survival rate.

In addition, the plane seems to have come in too low, too early, to affect a large portion of the building. On top of that, the section that was hit was the first of five sections to undergo renovations that would help protect the Pentagon from terrorist attacks. It had recently completed straightening and blast proofing, saving untold lives. This attack was very sad, but a statistical failure.

*** THE PLANES ***

~ American Airlines Flight 77 ~

This Boeing 757 that was flown into the outside of the Pentagon could have carried up to 196 people, yet 64 were aboard. 78% of the seats were empty.

~ American Airlines Flight 11 ~

This Boeing 767 could have had up to 262 people aboard, but carried 92. 74% of the seats were unfilled.

~ United Airlines Flight 175 ~

Another Boeing 767 that could have sat 262 people had 65 people on board. Again, by God's grace, it was 81% empty.

~ United Airlines Flight 93 ~

This Boeing 757 was one of the most uplifting stories yet. The smallest flight to be hijacked with 45 people aboard out of a possible 196 had 84% of its capacity unused. Yet these people stood up to the attackers and thwarted a fourth attempted destruction of a national landmark, saving untold numbers of lives in the process.

*** IN SUMMARY ***

Out of potentially 74,280 Americans directly targeted by these inept cowards, 93% survived or avoided the attacks.

The hijacked planes were mostly empty, the Pentagon was hit at it's strongest point, the overwhelming majority of people in the World Trade Center buildings escaped and a handful of passengers gave the ultimate sacrifice to save even more lives.

Source: http://www.allisonsheart.com/yourhand2/stairwell.html