Wine, Women and Shoes

On Saturday, I had the pleasure of working with my dear friend Krista who owns Monkee's of Johnson City. 

Krista asked me to spend the day modeling and visiting with the attendees for a Wine Women & Shoes® event to benefit the Wellmont Foundation.

The legendary Virginian Golf Club was the location for the special event. My personal attire for the day included a royal blue Clara Sunwoo top from ShopmyFairLady.com. The cigarette leg white pants are by Renuar, and Purple Poppy provided them.

The necklace is from S.M. Bradford on Hilton Head Island. The shoes are from last year, and they are by Vince Camuto. The bag is from Express.

I loved seeing my sweet friends again and meeting loyal followers of the blog. It was thrilling to hear "I follow your blog!" so many times during the day.

It was an honor to be in the company of hundreds of generous women who donated their time and money to help others who might not afford the early detection necessary to outlive cancer.

I made a great discovery today when I met Alexandria W. Alli from F&W Style. She is the designer of a fabulous line of handbags of excellent quality. The rich colors and textures are so classic and elegant. I will be buying several of her designs!

I modeled an emerald cape sleeve dress with black leggings accessorized by a hand-beaded necklace and carried a small beige clutch bag. These items are from Monkee's of Johnson City.

Several of the young women who modeled with me on this day are breast cancer survivors.

Proceeds from this event will help the Wellmont Cancer Institute improve access and affordability for breast cancer screenings.

Wine Women & Shoes® sophisticated events feature SHOEMMELIER-style wine tasting, auctions, fashion marketplace, and often a fashion show created for women who enjoy fine wine, great style, and female camaraderie – all to support a noble cause.

The Women's Fund Luncheon

The Women's Fund of East Tennessee recently held our 4th annual luncheon at the Cherokee Country Club in Knoxville, TN.

The Women's Fund's mission is to be a catalyst to transform the lives of low-income women and girls in the East Tennessee Foundation's 25-county service area.

Through the grantmaking process, the Women's Fund seeks to fund exemplary programs that address skill attainment in two focus areas: 

Life Skills and Education, and Work-Related Skills

Congratulations to the grant recipients for 2015.

The Women's Fund award was created by world-renowned glass artist Tommie Rush.

Michelle Witten and guest speaker, Jason Witten, Brenda Wood, and Coach Phillip Fulmer.

Some of my beautiful friends are Mary Powell, Ann Reel, Kay Clayton, and Carol Transou.

Sweet gentleman friends, Doug Sizemore and Rab Summers.

This year I wore cobalt blue with black with silver jewelry, all from Chico's.

The Women's Fund Kick-off Party

I am very proud to be a Leadership member of The Women's Fund of East Tennessee, which serves as a catalyst to transform the lives of low-income women and girls in East Tennessee. On Thursday evening, we held the Kick-Off Party for our next year of projects.

The event was hosted at the fabulous home of John Trotter. (His mother, Brenda Wood, is the chair of the luncheon committee.) The home is known as Crescent Bluff. It was formerly the Dulin Art Gallery, and it is on the registry of historic places.

The H. L. Dulin House was built in 1915.

We enjoyed a beautiful view of the Tennessee River as we dined.

The guest speaker was recently retired Tennessee women's athletic director emeritus Joan Cronan.

The band appropriately played Bluegrass music.

These huge urns flanked the entry to the library.

Some of the lovely people who made this evening happen.

The First Baptist Church on Main Street in Knoxville is also on the National Register of Historic Places.

Mr. Mickey snapped this the next morning as we were waiting for the car. We are on our way to Turkey Creek to shop.

My look for both days included basic pieces from Chico's with shoes from Vince Camuto.

Blue suede shoes by Vince Camuto. I found them for $16.99 at Ross Dress for Less.

The Farmer And The Chef

On Thursday evening, we attended The Farmer & The Chef to benefit the hungry.

We enjoyed a great evening out while helping feed the hungry in Northeast Tennessee during the Second Harvest Food Bank’s annual The Farmer & the Chef event. It's where local farmers and chefs come together to create a unique culinary experience using available seasonal products to prepare their signature dishes.

Proceeds from this major fundraiser for Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee go directly to help feed the individuals and families in our region that will go hungry due to lack of food access. At the same time, this event helps establish sustainable relationships between local farmers and chefs, vital to our community's well-being.

Head Chef James Allen from our own Blackthorn Club is about to become a first time Dad today. Congratulations!

This is my beautiful friend Nita. It's always great to see her!

This is my stunning friend Victoria. I always get a little awestruck around her. She could so easily be a model. Hard to believe she is a grandmother!

This is my very stylish friend Kathy. She always brings a smile to my face each time I see her.

These fabulous legs and shoes belong to Danielle Hahne, account manager and photographer for VIP Seen Tri-Cities magazine. She always wears the most over top shoes of anyone I know.

I wore a cobalt blue jacket from Coldwater Creek with Peck & Peck white pants from Stein Mart. The white tank top and necklace are from Chico's. The shoes are from Belk, and the bag is from a consignment store.