Wear It Wednesday - Shoes For All!

There have been countless comments about my shoes in previous posts, so today, I will show you the same look again and again with different shoes and a different bag. (That is the only thing that changes.)This exercise will show you how easy it is to adjust a look to fit your desired shoe style and heel height.

These animal print flat loafers are by Vince Camuto, and the bag is by Coach.

These metallic wedge sandals are by Kenneth Cole Reaction. The straw clutch bag is old from T.J.Maxx.

These Børn loafers have about a one-inch heel. The Tignanello bag is old from Stein Mart.

These Vince Camuto cork platform heels with ponyskin animal print uppers are old from Nordstrom. The Alberta di Canio handbag is from T.J.Maxx.

The half-tucked white top and the jeans are from Chico's. The belt is by Ralph Lauren via Belk.

High School Friends

I met my dear friend Susan when we were about thirteen years old.

I had just enrolled in a new school, and she was one of the first people I met. Her kindness to the new girl was never forgotten. We remained close friends throughout high school, but I moved away a few years after graduating, and we lost touch. 

Thanks to Facebook, we caught up with each other again a few years ago. On Saturday night, Mr. Mickey and I joined Susan and her handsome French husband, C.A., for dinner on Gourmet & Company's patio.

We all chose something healthy and colorful from the menu. Chef Jacob's family was also dining on the patio at the table next to us. Mr. Mickey snapped this precious photo of him as he was holding his daughter. 

I wore white jeans from Dillard's by Kut from the Kloth with a white tank top and a duster length sweater from Chico's. The turquoise color necklace is also from Chico's. The shoes are by Jessica Simpson from T.J. Maxx.

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.

Jazz Night

At the end of a tough day, the best reward is a relaxing evening with your best friend.

Mr. Mickey and I stopped at the Memorial Hall Theater at the Veterans Administration for a few quick photos on our way to dinner.

  

The theater is supposedly haunted by an old projectionist and actors moving about on the stage. I am happy to report no such ghosts were seen on this visit.

Established in 1901, the Mountain Home VA Medical Center is located here in Johnson City.

We had dinner at Wellington's, where a jazz band was playing. They often have live entertainment, including professors and students from ETSU.

As is often the case, we struck up a conversation with someone because we liked her shoes. Can you believe this woman is 55?

White Shirt and Jeans

It's a classic combination... a white shirt with blue jeans.

This fabulous white San Francisco Shirt from Cali and York has gold trim buttons and three-quarter length sleeves.

The jeans are old from NYDJ. The bag is from Coach. The shoes are from T.J.Maxx. The silver, gold, and gunmetal chain necklace is from Chico's.

Wear It Wednesday: Routine

Many of you have asked about my daily routine and what I eat. About three years ago I lost forty pounds. If I stray from the routine outlined below, I immediately start to see the weight creep back on.

A long walk every day is an essential part of my physical and mental health. The earlier, the better! I normally walk/run/jog three miles at about six o'clock every morning in the warmer months. In the colder months, I walk in the warmest part of the day. I move around as much as possible during the day and never take the parking spot closest to my destination. That's it for exercise.

Two cups of tea before my walk is part of every morning—no cream or sugar.

During the day, I sip bottled water with either fresh lime or lemon juice squeezed into it. No ice or sugar. (The bottled water is distributed by Mr. Mickey's company.)

I often make a green smoothie using frozen peas, kale (Russian Kale shown here is my favorite), a banana, yeast flakes (for B12), almond milk, yogurt, and a teaspoon of some flavor of All Fruit by Polaner for sweetness.

I use this plain yogurt as if it were mayonnaise, sour cream, or ice cream, depending upon what I am adding it to.

I have half of the smoothie with breakfast and the other half at lunch. I just put the blender in the fridge until lunch and then give it another whirl on the blender base to remix it.

I have some version of this hot cereal every morning with whatever fruit is in season. The recipe is here.

I sometimes crave a bite of dark chocolate, so I will have one truffle occasionally.

Dates with yogurt are one of my favorite desserts!

Lunch is normally more kale cut up in small ribbons (julienned) with whatever vegetables I have in the fridge. Heirloom tomatoes from my parent's garden are the centerpiece of every lunch right now. I eat vegetables raw whenever possible. Purple Japanese sweet potatoes or quinoa are often part of my lunch. Here is another version of lunch.

A little olive oil and balsamic vinegar are the only condiments I add to salads. Fresh herbs and garlic also give some added flavor. Eating whatever is in season and local as often as possible is my goal. I also buy organic if it is available. On rare occasions, I may eat a piece of chicken or fish if I am at a restaurant I know serves free-range or wild-caught.

Lunch is at about two in the afternoon. I try to eat nothing after three in the afternoon. If it is date night or some other social occasion in the evening, I will order a salad and a glass of wine. I am mindful of portions at all meals, but I eat the least amount of food possible in the evenings.

Food is nourishment, not entertainment, not therapy, not reward. If I eat high nutrient foods during the earlier part of the day, I rarely feel hungry in the evening. I sleep much better when I go to bed with an empty stomach. I also feel less hungry the whole next day.

For more information about healthy eating, read these books:

'Eat to Live' by Doctor Joel Furhman

'Clean' by Doctor Alejandro Junger

More Cali and York!

I am wearing the tunic over a plain white tank and old Levis. The DVF shoes are old and they are from Nordstrom. The Alberta di Canio handbag is from T.J.Maxx.

You can find many more high-quality classic pieces like this tunic at Cali and York.