Holiday Dressing

Do you feel at a loss when it comes time to get dressed for holiday parties?

We have as many as three events in one evening planned for December. It is a good thing I have collected so many interesting textures and shapes in black. Those pieces can all work together to create different looks to wear for any event, but this formula works especially well for the evening.

I found the close-fitting V neck long sleeve tee at T.J.Maxx last year. The wide-leg, very soft, thin knit pants are by Evan Picone from Dillard's. The black knit ruana is from Chico's last year. The suede Sam Edelman pumps are from Nordstrom. The statement faux turquoise necklace is from Chico's.

When wearing all one color, it is important to mix textures. It looks much richer, and the variations in depth of colors matter less. Always wear a black bra under dark clothing.

The closeup below shows the textures and details of each item. The ruana feels like a luxurious silk sweater.

Celebrate!

At long last, I close on the sale of my other house today! To celebrate last evening, Mr. Mickey took me to our favorite restaurant, Artisanal, in Banner Elk, North Carolina.

We had some time to spare, so we stopped in Elizabethton, Tennessee, along the way.

Elizabethton is home to one of the few remaining wooden covered bridges in the region.

The covered bridge is now used only for foot traffic. The white bridge behind me is used to drive across the river.

Along the river, many beautiful old homes are dating back to the late 1800s.

Owning one of these homes is a labor of love since constant upkeep and repairs are almost always necessary.

The Veterans Monument is an Elizabethton landmark.

Another Elizabethton landmark is the old pink jail beside the courthouse. Supposedly if you had to be locked up in a pink jail in the middle of town, it would deter you from committing a crime. The plan obviously wasn't very successful since they had to build a much larger new jail nearby.

Adding more texture to my wardrobe has been my goal for fall. The animal print lace overlay top is a new item at Chico's. The silver and crystal necklace and the travelers black pants are old and also from Chico's. The bag and BCBGeneration heels are old as well.

Sequins, Feathers And A Rolls Royce

We had a wonderful dinner on the Sunset Terrace at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville last evening.

The view from our table.

As we often do, we got into conversations with our neighboring diners.

These beautiful ladies (both in their fifties) were long-time friends in Asheville for a business trip from Minnesota.

This gorgeous fifty-something woman is Linda. She has a beautiful spirit and a vivacious personality. It was such a joy to visit with her and birthday boy Dave, her companion. They shared that huge piece of cake with us. Delish!

These beautiful fifty-something people were also celebrating a birthday.

The live music in the Great Hall Bar was nothing short of spectacular! We wanted to buy a CD, but they had sold out.

We saw this fabulous Rolls Royce as we were leaving. I hope Mr. Mickey buys another one. They are so much fun.

My look for this special evening included a gifted feather and sequined trimmed sweater from my dear sweet friend, Mitzi. The black crepe pants are from Chico's, the black evening sandals are from Dillard's, and the small clutch bag is from Stein Mart.

This fabulous sweater has inspired me to add more texture to my wardrobe. I will be looking for leather, lace, feathers, and fringe this fall. Remember to let the texture take center stage in your look. Keep all the other elements of your outfit smooth and sleek. Too many things going on in one outfit creates visual overload.

An Evening in the Kitchen at Gourmet & Company

Have you ever been the guest of the chef in the kitchen at a fine dining restaurant? Until this night, neither had we. It was the treat of a lifetime!

 

"Wear something cool. It gets sweltering in the kitchen", they told us.

I chose a high low black top and slim leg black pants from Chico's with earrings from Stein Mart, very old beaded copper evening shoes, and a bag from T.J.Maxx.

Gourmet & Company is celebrating 25 years in business.

This evening they opened their kitchen to us for the evening. A special table was set up in an area where we could watch Chef Jacob and his team create the magic on our plates.

Below is Todd, the most awesome bar manager ever! We have been visiting with him for more than eight years, and he is always charming and professional. His ability to pair the best wine with your food is always spot on.

Below is Chef Jacob. He is an amazingly talented chef, but he also has a keen eye for business and has taught his staff to "be" him. It was like watching a dance performance as they quickly prepared seventy-five fabulous meals on this evening.

Chef Jacob prepared each of our seven courses, and Todd paired each with the perfect wine to complement the flavors.

This pasta dish was one of the best ever!

The Sockeye Salmon was also perfect.

The sweet corn pudding was a delightful dessert course.

The team in action at the busiest time.

Jason, Jacob, Mr. Mickey and I, John and Chance

Our splendid menu for the evening.

Thank you, Chef Jacob and Gourmet & Company, for an evening we will never forget.

The Red Carpet

Wednesday date night included having dinner on the veranda at The Blackthorn Club surrounded by beautiful flowers and rolling green hills of the golf course.

The flowers at the entrance are always breathtaking.

A send-off party for Miss Tennessee Teen USA was being held in the main dining room, thus the red carpet.

I have to tell you about this jacket! It is from Chico's as are all the clothes today. The jacket has an almost sheer body with trim that looks like black leather. I love the fact that it is almost weightless. The perfect summer "leather jacket"!

The clutch and sunglasses are from T.J.Maxx. The sandals are DV by Dolce Vita 'Safia' from Nordstrom.