Weekend Brunch

We always enjoy having brunch on the weekend.

The brunch in the Dining Room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate is fabulous!

The turquoise and amethyst stone necklace from Chico's goes well with my turquoise Sam Edelman shoes, so I wore them together again on Saturday morning. The royal blue cold shoulder top is from Clara Sunwoo via My Fair Lady. The pants are Travelers from Chico's.

There were so many beautiful flowers throughout the Inn, including a fresh rose on every table.

That's the Biltmore House off in the distance. 

We love being on the estate!

I get many emails each week asking how to eat out so often and not gain the weight back. The truth is, I do gain a few pounds when I indulge on these short trips. However, that being said, it is now Wednesday, and I am back down to 142 pounds. 

I taste all the foods that I want to try, but I eat only a small portion of each. I am never on a diet. My lifestyle is one of balance and pleasure. I thoroughly enjoy whatever I want to have in small quantities, and I am always mindful that food is fuel, not entertainment. I did have a croissant, a decadent dessert, and some lobster with pasta on this trip. After an occasional splurge, I return to eating some fresh fruit, lots of vegetables, whole grains, and raw unsalted nuts.

Silver and Gold

A wild pair of shoes call for a subdued look otherwise.

The simple black dress is part of the Travelers Collection from Chico's. There is a gold side tie detail at the faux wrap waist.

The cuff is also from Chico's, and it features a gold-colored gemstone mounted on a smooth silver cuff. The ring and clutch are several years old.

The Sam Edelman shoes are all business up front, but there's a party going on in the back. 

Cinderella's Black "Crystal" Slippers

One of the reasons we love to go to Artisanal in Banner Elk is that you can be dressed to the nines while blending in with the other patrons.

In my late 20s, I started collecting key pieces in black to wear to special events. The reasoning is that I have always felt confident and stylish in black, but moreover, the items work together so well.

I'm wearing items purchased over a span of about twenty-five years.

The Draped Front top is Covered Perfectly. The sheer layered asymmetric skirt was found at T.J.Maxx about ten years ago. I bought the velvet and faux fur trimmed Erté inspired evening coat from one of my sales reps in about 1989 when she also represented my jewelry line.

These Sam Edelman shoes are my most recent purchase. They are undoubtedly the most fabulous pair of shoes I have ever owned!

The clutch is from T.J.Maxx a couple of years ago. The earrings and ring are old from Stein Mart.

Winter blew in on sporadic gusts of wind during the night. We awoke to the first frost of the season in the mountains today.

I was a little girl in 1965 when I saw Rodgers & Hammerstein's Cinderella with Lesley Ann Warren for the first time. I dreamed of the day when I would find my own Prince and go to the ball wearing a beautiful gown. Nearly fifty years later, I have at last found my Prince, and I get to wear my black "crystal" slippers if not to a ball, then certainly to dinner.