Spill The Beans

If you're anything like me, you have those certain places in various cities that when you're there, you just have to go! Spill The Beans is one of those places for me...and I don't care what I have to do to get there, when I'm home, at least one trip to STB is a requirement. STB is a cute little shop that sells gourmet coffee and custom blended ice cream and yogurt. I'm not a coffee drinker so as far as I'm concerned, the custom blended yogurt is where it's at! You first get to choose either vanilla or chocolate (yogurt or ice cream) and then up to three different toppings, of which there are probably at least 30 to choose from. Then they put it all in this magic machine and it makes the flavor of your choice! All I'm sayin is that coffee, toffee, and peanut butter will not disappoint! So my recent trip to STB got me thinking about how sweet it would be to have an ice cream/yogurt/sorbet maker at home. I remember and ice cream maker I had as a kid (along the lines of an Easy Bake Oven, but an ice cream machine) and what I remember is putting the ingredients in this metal drum, putting rock salt around it, and turning a crank for way too long only to end up with a couple spoonfuls of "ice cream". Well, those days are over y'all and the new machines are, get this...fully automatic! My favorite so far is the Cuisinart Classic Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker. It has received great reviews and is available at a reasonable price point. I recommend checking them out at Sur la Table because they have super cute colors! (Personally I'm lovin the tangerine!) Also, I saw these great Sorbet Cups and Spoons at Crate and Barrel which would be perfect for entertaining. Happy ice cream making and if you're ever in Clemson or Greenville, SC put Spill The Beans on your "places I must go" list...you'll be glad you did!!

Cuisinart Classic Frozen Yogurt, Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker, $49.95 Sur la Table

Sorbet Cups and Spoons, $2.95 each Crate and Barrel

Coffee, toffee, and peanut butter in vanilla frozen yogurt from Spill The Beans. AH-MAZING!

Piqué Polo Match

Although styles of dress vary depending on where you grew up, where you live, and your own personal take on fashion, one essential item in the wardrobe of every well-dressed man is a classic piqué polo. This is the perfect go-to shirt when a t-shirt is too casual but a dress shirt is too dressy. They have become a necessity on the golf course and perfect for church in the summer or a football game in the fall. In addition, piqué polos are comfortable, available in nearly every color possible, and look great paired with a multitude of pants and shorts from chino, to denim, to linen, to seersucker. Piqué refers to the type of fabric used to make these polos, typically made of cotton and displaying a somewhat woven appearance. Most companies have their own version of the piqué polo and while everyone out there claims to have "the best" I have included what I consider to be 7 great options, with at least one of them sure to appeal to your guy. So ladies, if the guys in your life don't have at least one (hopefully several) of these wardrobe staples, it's time to do them a favor and find one they will love! Also, don't forget about the little guys in your life...the last one is from crewcuts (J.Crew's children's line) and is nephew tested and golf course/school picture approved!

Repp Piqué Polo in tailored fit, $39.50 J.Crew

Skipjack Polo, $69.50 Southern Tide

Proper Polo "Laid Back", $59.50 Southern Proper

(Only available in stores at this time)

Lacoste Classic Piqué Polo, $79.50 Nordstrom

Classic Fit Mesh Polo, $75.00 Ralph Lauren

Classic Pique Polo, $62.00 Vineyard Vines

Premium Double L Polo, Banded Sleeve, $24.50 L.L.Bean

Boys' Solid Piqué Polo, $24.50 crewcuts for J.Crew

Denim Short Revival

Summer is well under way, and regardless of where you live in this great nation, chances are it's pretty dang hot! I am currently in the great state of South Carolina where temperatures today reached at least 98 degrees with a whopping (I am not kidding, get ready for this) 87% humidity! This kind of heat can make it difficult to decide what to wear, knowing that it will likely be sticking to you after less than 3 minutes outside. One thing is for sure, pants are out and shorts are in! I love skirts and dresses just as much (ok, probably more) than the next girl, and they will get their day in the sun, but today is about shorts and specifically the denim kind. You may have noticed denim shorts making a big come back on the fashion scene last summer and by the looks of things folks, they are here to stay. I remember them being a huge part of my wardrobe way back in elementary and middle school but after disappearing from the scene for several years, I am happy to see them making this resurgence into stores and closets everywhere. If you're not sold on the denim short trend, I would encourage you to give them a second look. Denim is such a versatile item in any wardrobe, and shorts of the denim kind are no different. They look effortless paired with a boyfriend t-shirt and sandals or dressed up with an embellished tank and heels. Really when it comes to denim shorts, the possibilities are endless! The majority of what we're seeing now are distressed, cut-off, cuffed, or boyfriend style however there is a wide range out there with price points varying as much as styles. I have included below several styles but for those of you who are not ready to invest in what might be a here-today-gone-tomorrow trend, don't forget that this would make for a super easy DIY project. All you need to do is take an old pair of jeans and cut to the desired length. Always make the initial cut longer than you want the actual inseam and make adjustments from there as needed. Next, simply roll, cuff, or leave the edge raw, and distress to your liking.

See Thru Soul Denim Shorts, $42.00 Nordstrom

Level 99 Carolina Shorts, $68.00 Anthropologie

Slim Slouch Shorts in Claystone Wash, $72.00 Madewell

See Thru Soul Cuffed Shorts, $48.00 Nordstrom

Paige Premium Denim 'Jimmy Jimmy' Stretch Denim Boyfriend Shorts, $129.00 Nordstrom

Joe's Carpenter Shorts, $99.95 Anthropologie

7 For All Mankind Honolulu Shorts, $99.95 Anthropologie

Denim Midi Shorts in Whitewash, $59.00 Madewell

Denim Shorts in Desire Wash, $72.00 J.Crew

Vera: The Art and Life of an Icon

Today I found myself shopping at Anthropologie in the Lennox Square Mall which is located in Buckhead, a quaint neighborhood in north Atlanta. Upon entering the store, my mom and I noticed an overwhelming number of sales associates dressed to impress, as well as an entire table full of baked goods, fruit and drinks, which in retail could only mean one thing-a special event! After browsing for a few minutes we learned that the author of the book, Vera: The Art and Life of an Icon would be doing a book signing in the store today. Until today, the only two Vera's in fashion that I knew of were Vera Wang and Vera Bradley. It only took a minute for my stylish mom to inform me that in fact, the original "Vera" was an artist who made beautiful scarves and other textiles, and was actually very well known in the fashion industry. After flipping through the book which chronicles the life and career of Vera Neumann, an accomplished designer, artist, and entrepreneur, I was inspired to do further research to find out more about this American icon. What I came to discover is that she believed fine art should not just be for the wealthy, but should be available to all and incorporated into everyone's daily lives. She understood the positive impact that bright colors and patterns could have on a person's day, and was in fact the first person to put a print on a bed sheet! Anthropologie has designed a line of items from furniture, to linens, to clothing called "We Heart Vera" which are inspired by the designs of Vera's classic scarves. Below I have included some pictures of her work, which is quite amazing. So a special shout out to the late Vera Neumann, for putting prints on bed sheets and table linens, and making beautiful pieces of wearable art. What an inspiration!

Shower Curtains Galore!

It is probably pretty safe to say that it is not often that you think about shower curtains. That is unless however, you are in need of a shower curtain. This is exactly where I find myself...in the market for a shower curtain, sitting at my computer shower curtain shopping. Not the most exciting venture but considering the impact that a shower curtain can have on a room, I didn't want to just go to the store and buy the first thing I see. In my opinion a shower curtain has the potential to "make or break" the decor of the bathroom, considering it is essentially dominating a 6ft x 6ft space on the wall. You would think twice before putting a 6ft x 6ft poster on the wall, which is exactly why you should think twice about your shower curtain! Not to mention the amount of coordinating that goes with the design in things such as your bath rugs, towels, and accessories. In my quest for the perfect shower curtain I learned that there are about a million out there (this is not an exaggeration!) with a wide range of price points. I chose to include only fabric shower curtains but do however recommend some sort of vinyl or coated liner, sold separately of course!

Ruffle Shower Curtain, $49.00 Pottery Barn Teen

Paisley Pop Shower Curtain, $49.00 Pottery Barn Teen

Matine Toile Shower Curtain, $59.00 Pottery Barn

Joy Ride Shower Curtain, $48.00 Garnet Hill

Doyle Stripe Organic Shower Curtain, $49.00 Pottery Barn

Diamond Matelasse Shower Curtain, $79.00 Restoration Hardware

Bella Shower Curtain, $59.00 The Company Store

Bustled Shower Curtain, $118.00 Anthropologie

Argyle Shower Curtain, $100.00 India Rose

Amy Butler Coventry Fabric Shower Curtain, $39.99 Bed Bath and Beyond

They're Not Just for Sailing Anymore!

The majority of the summer I live in my brown rainbow flip flops, what I would argue and many would agree to be the best sandals ever! On the off day that I need or want to wear an actual shoe, I look no farther than my good ole Sperry Top-Siders. Sperry's have been the iconic boat shoe for 75 years and offer a wide range of colors and styles to fit the likes of most anybody. They look great with shorts, skirts, cropped pants or denim, and they're comfortable too! Below are just a few examples of Sperry's versatile line-you're sure to find something to please prepsters to hipsters to fashionistas alike!

From top to bottom: Women's Authentic Original 2-Eye Boat Shoe in Classic Brown, Women's Authentic Original 2-Eye Patent in Orange Patent 2, Women's Angelfish Slip On-Boat Shoe in Blush/Oat, Women's Seasonal Bahama in Yellow Tie-Dye, Women's Authentic Original 2-Eye Metallic Boat Shoes in Platinum Gold.

Goooooaaaaallll!!!

The 2010 FIFA World Cup is well under way and if you haven't been watching any of the games, you just might have a new reason. Today the US took on Algeria in a game that would decide who would advance as one of the final 16 teams of the tournament. After a goal by Clint Dempsey in the 21st minute which was then called off sides, the game remained 0-0 until after the 90 minutes of regulation time. Lucky for us, there would be 4 minutes of injury time added to the clock, which left 4 more minutes of hope for the US to finally win another World Cup game (it had been 8 years since their last one). 45 seconds into injury time, Landon Donovan was in the right place at the right time, scoring what was probably one of the most exciting and important goals of his life! Next we take on Ghana on Saturday June 26th, at 2:30 EST on ABC...now is your chance to start watching!!

The College World Series

There wasn't much that I loved more on a spring day in Clemson than watching my favorite team play baseball at beautiful Doug Kingsmore Stadium. As spring semester would end and summer would arrive, we would continue to watch the tigers play in the post-season road to Omaha and hope that our team would make it to the College World Series. Only 8 teams make it to the CWS each year and I couldn't be happier that this year that list would include Clemson! With a win against Arizona State in game 1, we take on Oklahoma tonight at 8pm CST. Go Tigers!!

Y'all! I started a blog!

So, I decided to start a blog! It is something that I have been wanting to do for a while so I figured now is as good a time as any. From fashion to sports to food, culture, and friends, I hope you enjoy my attempt to chronicle what I like to call this great adventure of life!