Travel Essentials

Thanksgiving is one of the biggest travel times of the year and when it comes to traveling, I like to have cute stuff and I like to stay organized. Vera Bradley has many great items that serve both of these purposes. I have many of these travel essentials listed below and they've really come in handy over the years. Right now, Vera Bradley is getting ready to retire a few of her patterns so items in Mesa Red, Botanica, Capri Blue and Pink Elephants are 60 percent off. This is a great deal! Many of these items will make great Christmas gifts and stocking stuffers. I will be packing mine up tonight as I'm flying home to Atlanta in the morning to see my wonderful family for Thanksgiving. I just have a five-hour dance practice to get through after work tonight first :)

Safe and happy travels!  

Large Duffel $50 

(Great for weekend getaways, sleepover parties, and as a carry-on for the plane)

Jewelry Case $20

Laptop Case $28.50 

(Perfect for the traveling blogger!)

Large Bow Cosmetic Bag $15

Umbrella $12

Luggage Tag $5

I-Pod Case $5

Curling Iron Cover $12

(I use this for my straightener so my Chi is protected)

Eyeglass Case $5

Ditty Bag $12

(This bag is lined in plastic and great to store toiletries)

Yay!

Thank you so much to With Love from New Orleans for giving me my first award! NOLA's blog is so much fun to read and I look forward to it each day. She is an event planner living in New Orleans, a newlywed who just got married earlier this month and has a love for Burberry. She also is the epitome of class. Check out her fabulous Christmas wish list!

Thanks again NOLA, I am so honored! After reading blogs for quite some time, I decided I would start my own and it's been so much fun so far. It's a joy to read everyone's blogs each day and discover adorable finds, read an inspiring message or just share in our love for cute and fabulous things. Thanks to those who inspire me!

Here are the five winners I am passing the award along to:

Seaside Prep

My Life in Pink and Green

Lilly P. Wannabe

Modern Day Belle

All Things Southern and Preppy

My five addictions:

1. Headbands - especially with bows 

2. Gossip Girl - I can't get enough of their cute outfits

3. Girly books - love to read

4. Cupcakes - they're just so cute, love all flavors

5. All things Lilly P. and Kate Spade

 Here are the rules: Copy and paste the rules and instructions in your post. When posting on receiving the award, make sure you include who gave you the award and link it back to them. Post five winners and link it back to them as well. Post five of your addictions. Add the award image. Let your winners know you gave them an award by leaving them a comment on their blog.    

Time to shine

The past few months I have been rehearsing for a show, The Singing Christmas Trees, that I am dancing in. It's a huge production my church puts on, involving hundreds of people. It's been a Christmas tradition in Orlando for 25 years and gets a lot of attention in the community. The past two years they haven't had it, so this year they are bringing it back better than ever. I choreographed the "Wooden Soldiers on Parade" tap dance. I'm also in a "Little Drummer Boy" hip hop dance and a few ballet pieces as an angel. I will post more about the show closer to time, but due to many practice hours, I am long overdue for a pedicure! OPI has some fun holiday colors out and I chose a few to share. 

Red Hot Gift (classic holiday red)

Rosy Mistletoes-Sies (magenta shimmer)

Brand New Skates (dark silver)

Baby it's "Coal" Outside (charcoal shimmer)

Glamour Game (champagne gold)

Thanksgiving Treats

With Thanksgiving just a week away, I thought I'd share some fun treats to make your holiday even more special. Swoozie's always has such fun party accessories, so check out their Web site for more fun items that may fit your style. 

Turkey Lollipop, $3.95

My family always has a little goodie bag or some type of decorative item as our place card and I thought these would be fun to incorporate into it somehow. These lollipops would also be cute slipped in through the napkin ring and placed on top of the napkin at each place setting.

Turkey Table Runner, $24.95

This would look great on a buffet table to dress it up, as well as a dining room table.

Count Your Blessings Platter, $24.95

I love the saying on this platter and it's a message we could all take to heart right now. It's the true meaning of a Thanksgiving celebration.

Let Us Give Thanks Platter, $29.95

This platter matches the other decor like the table runner and I like the simple saying and cute turkey.

We are Thankful Blessing Jar, $19.95

I'm not exactly sure what this is, but it says it comes with paper inserts for blessings. During Thanksgiving dinner, everyone could write down their blessings and put them in the jar and one by one it could be passed around for everyone to share a blessing. It would also make a cute cookie jar! Here is a fun recipe to fill it with.

I have much to be thankful for and I'm looking forward to seeing my family at Thanksgiving. We usually have it at my grandparent's house in Birmingham and that's where we're headed this year. I'm getting excited for pumpkin pie, my family's fantastic dressing recipe, early morning day-after-Thanksgiving shopping, a movie and catching up with those who mean the most to me. 

Festive Fun with Kate Spade

The most wonderful time of the year is quickly coming upon us. I'm sure many of us have office Christmas parties and other celebrations coming up in just a few weeks. So, now is the time to find that perfect outfit to dazzle everyone with your holiday style! I found a few things from Kate Spade that I just love and would be perfect for Christmas parties. Although quite pricey, some of these items are too cute to pass up. Mix and match or find that one special item to jazz up something you already have so you don't break the bank. Enjoy!

Kate Spade: Spring Island Kerry-Lynn dress

I love a good party dress and this would be perfect for Christmas or Valentine's Day! 

The bow is adorable.

Kate Spade: Spring Island Jillian dress

This is such a classy little black dress. It will look great with pearls!

Kate Spade: Spring Island Framed Lella

The peacock feathers add such cute detail to the clutch and the pine green color is great for Christmas.

Kate Spade: Bobbi

These flats would look beautiful with either party dress. The pearl clusters on the toe are too cute!

Kate Spade: Lovely

All tied up with a bow! These heels come in gold as well.

Kate Spade: Holly Heights Tidbit Plates

These plates would be perfect for a holiday dinner party or a great gift for someone who likes to entertain.

Kate Spade: Holly Heights Coasters

The coasters and their festive snowflake pattern will look great under a favorite holiday drink.

Kate Spade: Holly Heights Gift Tags

Have a bag of homemade Christmas treats tied up with these gift tags for your guests as they leave the party to continue the theme or use the tags to identify all the delicious types of cookies in a cookie swap with your friends. 

Book Review - The Devil in the Junior League

"It's Lee's details about how the blue-blood women dress, talk, decorate, entertain and conduct themselves that keep the pages turning . . . The Devil in the Junior League is sweetened ice tea on a hot afternoon, the correct daytime beverage of choice for all would-be debutantes."

— USA Today

Reading is one of my very favorite things to do so I'm always looking for a good book. Recently I came across The Devil in the Junior League. I knew this would be a fun read because I've been thinking about trying to join my local chapter this spring. The book, by Linda Francis Lee, was quite fun and entertaining! Lee, a former Texas Junior Leaguer and debutante, tells the story of a woman living in the heart of Texas blue-blood society that finds out that money really doesn't buy happiness and some rules are meant to be broken. 

Fredericka Mercedes Hildebrand Ware (Frede to her friends) is a 28-year-old that hails from a family in the oil business. Having been brought up with exquisite etiquette, charming manners and an extravagant lifestyle, Frede has been taught to always be proper and live her life according to the rules — in this case the unspoken JLWC rules her mother has set before her. Frede believes beige is the new black and pearl's are a girl's best friend. A prominent member of Willow Creek society, Frede has it all — a perfect and tastefully decorated home, a handsome husband, an art gallery and her only worry being what lavish project she can come with next for the New Project committee. Frede, who is destined to follow in her mother's footsteps and become the next JLWC president, is shocked when her perfect world is pulled out from under her. One day she discovers her husband has betrayed her, stolen all her money and taken off to who knows where. Not wanting to ruin her elite status in town, Frede is forced to make a deal with her tasteless neighbor, Howard Grout, who will take on her case without payment if she can get his wife, Nikki, into the Junior League. Nikki, who wears wild NC (what the JLWC women call someone with no class) outfits of stilettos, spandex pants, feathers and animal prints, is not exactly JLWC material, but Frede takes on the case as it's her only option. As Frede tries to transform Nikki and Grout follows the money trail to find her husband, all experience a few twists and turns along the way as Frede begins to change and learns to live a little. 

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. I'm sure some of the descriptions and details of the Junior League are exaggerated, so keep that in mind as it's meant to be a guilty pleasure read. Being a southern girl, I loved the southern style of writing. The book was full of "well, bless your hearts" and "verra veraas" (very, very) and lots of sweet tea, of course.

A few of the JLWC rules: Diamonds should never be worn before dinner (with the exception of an engagement ring) and a lady must never wear a watch after 6 p.m. One must be fully made up at all times no matter if she is going to the gym, grocery store or a dinner party. Never wear warm-ups, even the expensive kind made out of cashmere, unless you're on your way to the country club to play tennis or golf. Stilettos are a big no-no for committee meetings. Opt for Manolo flats or fabulous Ferragamo low heels instead. 

Frede's final word: If at first you fall on your face, the only acceptable response is to pick yourself up, refluff your hair, and go on bigger and better than ever.

Happy reading!  

Edited to add: The book is being turned into a movie starring Jennifer Garner!! Thanks Soon to be a Mrs. for letting me know! 

Congrats to My Life in Pink!

If you haven't checked out My Life in Pink and Green you definitely should! Kim has a great blog that is so fun to read and her dog Spencer is just adorable. As it happens one day I was reading through blogs and came upon hers. As I started reading I was thinking to myself, wow this sounds just like my Sigma Kappa grandbig who also lives in Maryland and is a wedding planner. Then I put two and two together and realized it was her!! So, Kim is my fabulous grandbig who just this weekend got engaged to Sailor Boy! Congratulations Kim, I am so happy and excited for you!!!

Love,

Your grandlittle

Friends are fabulous

Hello friends! I am back from the Biltmore and had a wonderful weekend in Asheville and Charlotte. It was so nice to reunite with some of my closest friends from college. The weekend was full of catching up, sharing stories, laughter, fun adventures and good times. We started our trip out in Charlotte where we had lunch at a cute cafe and looked around some shops. We had a great sushi dinner and a fun night out where we ran into many people from Elon. I was so excited that I finally got to try Firefly, the sweet tea vodka. It was as delicious as they say! We arrived at the Biltmore Saturday morning. It was gorgeous! We had a fun time on the tour, checking out all the rooms and thinking about all the history behind everything. I loved seeing it all dressed up for Christmas. Unfortunately I do not have pictures because it rained a lot this weekend. At the Biltmore, we also took a tour of the winery and did a little shopping. The rest of our time in Asheville was spent wandering among the shops and going to some fun restaurants. We really enjoyed Early Girl Eatery, where we went for brunch on Sunday. It had some great southern specialties and was quite yummy. Overall, it was a wonderful trip! Before we know it, it will be time to plan for our Girl's Trip 2009. We're thinking something tropical this time. A big thank you goes out to my fabulous friends for a great weekend!    

Deck the Halls . . . of the Biltmore that is!

The Biltmore, Asheville, N.C.

Happy Thursday everyone! Tonight I am headed to Charlotte, N.C. and then onto Asheville, N.C. to spend the weekend with some of my very favorite friends. I am so excited to reunite with them and catch up on all our lives. We all went to Elon University together (in N.C.) and they are my Sigma Kappa sisters and such wonderful people. We are spending the whole day Saturday at the Biltmore (my first time visiting!) and I can't wait to check it out in all its Christmas glory. We have quite a few fun activities planned there such as a chocolate and wine pairing, a tour of the winery, a tour of the estate, and a talk on the Biltmore Christmas traditions. I just know this will get me in the Christmas spirit. I won't be able to post while I'm gone, but will bring back many festive photos to share with you when I get back. Have a great weekend!  

Fall recipe

A couple weekends ago my boyfriend and I visited my family in Atlanta and we all went to Georgia Tech's homecoming and football game to see my sister who is a senior there. Tailgating is one of my favorite parts of attending football games. We had such yummy food and one of my favorite recipes that we like to bring is Buffalo Chicken Dip. It is very easy to make and is always a crowd favorite. Try it out, you won't be disappointed.

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts

8 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup Marie's chunky light blue cheese (in the refrigerated section by the vegetables)

1/2 cup hot sauce

1 cup shredded cheese 

To make: Cook chicken and chop finely. Mix chicken and softened cream cheese, then add the blue cheese dressing and hot sauce. Put mixture in a round shallow dish such as a pit plate. Sprinkle with cheese and cook in the oven for 30 mins. Take it out and stir the cheese into the mixture. Cook for 10 more mins. Serve with tortilla chips and celery.

Note: My family usually doubles the recipe

ENJOY!! :)  

Sweater splurge or steal

As we all know, cardigans are a must-have staple to complete an outfit, whether it's worn over a favorite dress in the office or to complete an ensemble for church. But, what makes a classic cardigan even more fun is a bit of feminine flair — ruffles. I just love details that give an outfit a little something extra. As the weather has cooled off a bit in Orlando, I've found it's time to break out the sweaters again. I recently discovered a splurge and a steal of two similar sweaters.

J. Crew Merino ruffle-neck cardigan, $78 

Old Navy ruffle cardigan, $26.50

Both sweaters come in classic colors such as black, gray and white, while other J. Crew choices add a splash of color in jewel tones with a variety of fuchsias, yellows and orange. The Old Navy cardigan also comes in red, green and purple, which would be great for the holiday season. I will be wearing the black Old Navy cardigan over my Lilly dress (Andrey dress, Charmed) for a business dinner tonight and think it will add just the touch of cuteness I desire.  

 

Favorites

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Shop with me!

Rue La La

Gilt Groupe

Joss & Main

One Kings Lane

A few of my favorite things:

Ballet flats

Lilly Pulitzer

Cupcakes

Rain boots

J. Crew

Books

Pink and green

Essie polishes

Dancing

Sparkles

Kate Spade

Faith

Twirling

Family and Friends

Elon

Pinkberry

Sigma Kappa

Magazines

Kitties and dogs

Stationery

My pink bicycle

:)

Happy hairbows

The half-yearly 40 percent off sale at Nordstrom is going on now. I stopped by this weekend and found the perfect headband for the holidays. At 40 percent off, it was a great deal and I know it will be put to good use. The watercolor silk headband is by Tasha and comes in red or black with an adorable bow on the side. It is very Blair Waldorf-esque. I chose the headband in red and know that it will look great for Christmas parties and other fun holiday festivities. Check it out when you stop by the Nordstrom sale!

       

Contact

Drop me a line!

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Questions, comments? Just want to say hi?
I'd love to hear from you.

Email: poshpeach06 (at) gmail (dot com)

Twitter: twitter.com/PoshPeach06

Advertising: If interested, send me an email. I'd love to represent you on Posh Peach, whether it's an advertising spot, review or giveaway you think my readers might enjoy. 

Let's dance!

Welcome to The Pink Tutu. I'm a 24-year-old living in Orlando by way of a few states in the South. I was born in Virginia, grew up in Georgia, went to college in North Carolina and immediately after graduation became a Florida girl, where I work in the magazine field as an assistant editor.

I have been blessed with the most wonderful family, boyfriend, Sigma Kappa sisters and friends along the way. I truly believe it is important to find something to be happy about each and every day. I love all kinds of dance (specifically jazz, tap, ballet and lyrical), pink, traveling, polka dots, sundresses, reading, Lilly Pulitzer things, monograms, golf, headbands, writing/editing, smiles and much more!

I'm looking forward to sharing a little bit about some of my favorite things with you. I have been a dancer since I was a little girl in a pink tutu and it has brought me much joy over the years. I hope The Pink Tutu will bring a little sparkle to your life as well! 

About me

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Welcome to Posh Peach! I’m a 20-something living in Orlando by way of a few states in the South. I was born in Virginia, grew up in Georgia, went to college in North Carolina and moved to Florida immediately after graduation from the beautiful Elon University. I currently work as an editor/writer at a magazine. 

I have been blessed with the most wonderful family, boyfriend, Sigma Kappa sisters and friends along the way. I truly believe it is important to find something to be happy about each and every day. I love all kinds of dance (specifically jazz, tap, ballet and lyrical), ballet flats, my pink bike, traveling, sundresses, reading, Lilly Pulitzer everything, monograms, golf, headbands, writing/editing, smiles and much more!

I’m looking forward to sharing a little bit about myself and some of my favorite things with you. A little bit Southern, a little bit stylish, this blog has given me much joy over the years. I hope Posh Peach will add a little sparkle to your life as well!