You Had Me At Aloha

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Touching down in the tropics, I had a fabulous view of the island of Oahu, from the crystal clear ocean to the majestic mountaintops. After landing, I made my way to the Queen Kapiolani Hotel on Waikiki. I sipped a Blue Hawaii at happy hour, poolside as I waited for my other half to arrive.

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For dinner we headed to Tiki’s. They have a fab atmosphere with a deck overlooking the ocean, as you sip your signature drinks from coconuts, pineapples or whatever you prefer. They also had a fun array of delish dishes.

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The following day we set out to explore Waikiki. Downtown was full of fabulous fashion, from Ferragamo to Fendi. My favorite shop was Pink Sand, a boutique exclusive to Hawaii, featuring fabulous resort wear and bangin’ bikinis.

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To escape from the tourist traps and selfie sticks, we hopped on a bus to Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve for a snorkel stop, which with our luck was only closed that day. We pushed on and popped over to Makapuu Beach, which was sweet and secluded with big waves and body surfers. My favorite feature was the lighthouse overlooking the bay.

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The next day we were off to the North Shore. We made a pit stop for a picture and wound up on a day date through Haleiwa, a must-see for shopping, from unique bikinis to beach gear. Walking over rainbow bridge, we passed paddled boarders and came across Anahulu’s for shave ice, and this fab photo op.

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Heading up the island, we finally arrived for our stay in Turtle Bay. This was one of the most luxe locations ever, and was even the setting for the film, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall.” As the night neared, we went for a walk around the point, where we watched the sunset as the waves crashed against the rocks. It was the perfect place for a nightcap in the jacuzzi.

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The next day we soaked up some rays by the pool, then sipped bellinis beneath the cabana. We spent our second sunset by the North Shore watching the surfers. In the evening, we headed out to a romantic dinner, as it was our faux Valentines Day date. To top off the night, we exchanged goodies and kisses as we popped champagne. It was the perfect end to a perfect trip.

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Spring into Luxletic

Don’t you wish you were on vacay year around? Well with this hot new collection you will feel like you are. Spring is the latest line to hit the Lilly stores, and it sure didn’t disappoint!

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The first shipment of the season included new additions to their ever- popular lulxletic line. Here is a peek of my favorite piece and purchase, along with the rest of the rack.

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Athleisure: a trend in fashion in which clothing designed for athletic workouts in a gymnasium, sometimes termed activewear, is worn outside of the gym to go to the office or shopping or other social occasions.

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Below I have paired a few outfits together  from the latest collection for you to scroll through and shop.
Have fun and happy shopping!

No Time Like Tea Time

Every year, the ladies of Rock Hill gather at the Women’s Club for the oh-so elegant, Christmasville Tea. My grandmother has forever been a member of the club, and it is always a treat to make it in town to visit her for the event. I was happy to have my parents join us as well.

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Upon entering, we were greeted by charming carolers singing along the stairway. Tables were topped with vintage lace and tasty tea. We were served rounds of savory sweets, starting with biscuits and jam, followed by salty sandwiches, and completed with sweet treats.

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I never leave the ladies without a side-trip to the Sugarplum Shop. They have an adorable array of local artwork and gifts, perfect for Santa’s stocking stuffers. This is one of my favorite Christmasville events, and I can’t wait to see what the rest of this holiday season has in store!

Event: 10th Annual Victorian Teas and Sugar Plum Boutique at Christmasville

Location: Women’s Club of Rock Hill

Dress: French Connection

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Family and Friendsgiving

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This year I am thankful I was able to spend Thanksgiving with both friends and family, and have some seriously fabulous food.

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The Palm Avenue ladies and I hosted our first ‘Friendsgiving’ and I must say, we were beyond proud of our holiday spread. This was also my first time tracking down a turkey, but after all the trouble,  it certainly made a great centerpiece. Each girl brought their best traditional dish to the table, from hush puppy stuffing to momma’s mac and cheese.

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Just when I thought we were all stuffed, there was still just a smidgen of space for dessert. Of course I had to make my famous Pilgrim Hat Cookies, a festive reincarnation of the with hat cookies featured in my previous posts.

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The best part had to be spending the holiday with my fabulous family. My Gramie hosted the gathering at her house in my hometown of Rock Hill, and we all left with full hearts and full bellies!

Hostesses: Kristen Kutchey and Peggy Angel           Pilgrim Hat Cookies: The Prep In Pink

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Witch Hat Cookies

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Looking for a spooky snack for your Halloween party? Well I’ve got the recipe for you! In my last blog, I featured these Witch Hat Cookies that were a holiday hit. My mom started making these for family and friends when I was a kid, and they have been a cookie classic ever since. With this easy recipe, you too can bring this tradition to your home.

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What You Will Need:

1 Pack of Fudge Stripe Cookies

1 Small Bag of Hershey’s Kisses

1 Tube of Orange Icing

1 Decorative Tip for Icing

1 Non-stick Fry Pan

(Makes 24)

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Directions:

Lay your cookies out on a tray, chocolate side up

Unwrap your hershey’s kisses

Have a small fry pan on the stove and set the temperature to low

When your materials are ready, place the bottom of the kiss on the pan for a few seconds while you push it around in a circle just until the chocolate starts to melt and become sticky

Next, place the kiss on the center of the chocolate side of the fudge stripe cookie

Finally, grab your icing tube with decorative tip attached, and draw a band around the kiss and top it off with a bow.

Feel free to get creative and add warlock buckles, spiderwebs or anything spooky.

Repeat this process with each cookie, serve and savor!

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