First things first. The Shop Tart is on her fourth day of Tarte’s Four Day Stay and…drumroll…wait for it…it’s still on! Now, she might have added another coat last night, if she had been going out, but didn’t, since she was curious to see how it held up. Believe the hype, ladies. The color has survived three nights of sleep, one nap, one workout, one day in the pool, numerous eye rubbings and at least seven washes. And a whole lot of South Carolina heat and humidity. Pretty cool.

In case you haven’t noticed, everyone’s on Facebook, even your mother. Thankfully, she took down those pictures of herself on Spring Break. The Shop Tart thinks it’s wonderful that the internet, which gets such a bad rap for making communication impersonal, is finally capable of bringing people together, locally! Here are just a few Facebook pages you might enjoy:

The Shop Tart This is obviously the most important one, and it goes without saying that the Shop Tart hopes you will become a fan of her page on Facebook. It makes her feel good to have fans!

Burlap Fine Papers

Certified SC Grown

Congaree Grill

Fortay

Gervais and Vine

Just the Thing

Kicks

LaRoque

M Boutique

MBellished Papers and Gifts

Pout

Tickled Pink

Tullulah

VanJean

So, there you are. Just a few to start. Before you know it, you’ll be addicted to Facebook just like everyone else. Of course, if Facebook is too time consuming, never fear. The Shop Tart will keep you up to date. Enjoy!

In other news…

• The sale at VanJean right now is phenomenal. Summer things are 75% off and they have several racks of Fall and Winter form past years…marked 90% off! That thousand dollar coat you loved? It’s $100. So go get it!
• Fortay is also having a 75% off sale. And, for you ladies who are ready, they just got in a fab shipment of Diane Von Furstenberg for fall - lots of those bold colors that’ll be essential to updating your wardrobe.
• Simply Savory’s FREE wine tasting is happening tomorrow from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. Great way to start the weekend!
• Exotica is having a Cambio Jeans Trunk Show from July 31st to August 9th. Bring a friend to shop Cambio and receive $25 off your order.
  
• During Tax Free Weekend, Tiny Treasures is offering an additional 10% off all Fall 2008 clothing.

Happy Shopping!

Fall is coming and you know what that means for ladies in balmy South Carolina…warm weather clothes in cool weather colors! The Shop Tart stopped by Sophie Shoes yesterday and caught them unpacking Fall merchandise. There were too many cute things to count! Doesn’t Katie Hood, a rising Junior at Hammond School, look great in this newly arrived dress from Mary? The cotton dress (only $88.50!) would work right now, thanks to the fabric and short sleeves, with sandals. It could be worn through October with boots…or the adorable red shoes by Söfft ($118.50) shown here. The bright yellow bag by Big Buddha ($118.50) will be the perfect piece to add punch to your Fall wardrobe. Katie’s own hammered gold hoop earrings are from M Boutique.

Katie has been having a blast working at Sophie this summer and plans to come back on weekends once school starts. Sophie is offering 50% off all Summer shoes, except for “Last Pair” shoes. And those are all only $20! There are still a lot of great choices on sale and new things are arriving every day. In addition to all the new shoes, Sophie just got a shipment of Hobo clutches, bi and tri-fold, in great new colors for Fall. Make sure to put Sophie and Mary on your list for Tax Free Weekend!

Now, the Shop Tart is sure you are all dying to know how her Tarte Four Day Stay from Pout is holding up. Very well, thank you. It has now survived five face washings, two full nights of sleep and one short nap. The best thing about it is that she still looks like she has eyelashes when she goes to bed at night…and when she wakes up in the morning. This is the perfect product for coy newlyweds, who aren’t quite ready to unveil a totally natural face. Last night, the Shop Tart applied it to her lower lashes, too. Ooh la la!

In other news…

• VanJean is having their Last Call clearance sale on Summer merchandise. Things are going fast, but there are plenty of things left, up to 75% off!
• Finleaf Gallery is gearing up for the Devine Street Sidewalk Sale, on August 9th. They’ll have things marked up to 50% off.
• Don’t forget Tax Free Weekend, August 1st through 3rd. It’s a great time to buy big ticket items, like coats, handbags and shoes…
• The Five Points School Supply Drive is from 4-8 pm on Friday. Lots of merchants are offering special deals for those who donate supplies.
• MBellished Papers and Gifts is giving FREE $20 Gift Cards to anyone who adds the store as a Facebook friend from now until Aug 15th! What do you mean you aren’t on Facebook? Everyone’s on Facebook, including the Shop Tart!
• Tickled Pink has the new Dazzle Stroller by Silver Cross - all the rage for Hollywood moms right now!

Happy Shopping!

The Shop Tart hasn’t stopped batting her eyelashes since yesterday afternoon, when she first applied Four Day Stay, a new lash tint from Tarte. She read about it and knew she had to have it when she learned it was sold out all over the place. Pout just got a shipment and the Shop Tart rushed right in to get some. So far, it has survived one face washing and one night of sleep. She’ll keep you updated!

Every so often, the Shop Tart likes to bat her eyelashes over a burger at Mr. Friendly’s in Five Points. Because she likes to pretend she doesn’t eat carbs, she orders it with a salad instead of fries and removes the bun when it arrives at the table. Then she uses the bun when she’s finished so soak up the remaining salad dressing. So there. The other day, she got the French Quarter Burger, a delicious combination of blackened beef and Roasted Red Pepper Blue Pimento Cheese.

Her husband got the Friendly Burger with Pepper Jack Cheese and curly fries, which the Shop tart ate about half of!

They ate in the bar, which is also one of their favorite dinner spots. In fact, they refer to it as their favorite sports bar, because of the little television. They don’t have a television at home*, but Mr. Shop Tart does occasionally want to see a game. His wife is happy to go along…as long as it’s Mr. Friendly’s, because the television is unobtrusive, the wine list is excellent and Justin, the bartender, is fun to talk to while her husband ignores her.

The outside tables are also great when the weather obliges. If you want to see everyone in Columbia, the main dining area is the place to be. The Shop Tart might just have to take her luscious eyelashes there this week to show them off!

Mr. Friendly’s always features the work of a local artist on the walls. The Shop Tart thinks this is a great idea for everyone! The artist gets exposure (and maybe a few sales!), the restaurant gets free décor and the patrons get something lovely to look at while they eat. Right now, Roger Hutchison’s art is featured, including this beautiful piece.

If, by the way, you don’t happen to be craving a big, juicy burger, Mr. Friendly’s has plenty of other divine options. They have different menus at lunch and dinner, both excellent. They also have a list of specials every day. The Shop Tart would describe the food as Southern with Big City Edge…or maybe just really, really good!

In other news:

• The Etcetera Trunk Show at Fortay ends August 4th. Don’t miss it!
• The Bohemian had a whole tray of funky and fabulous jewelry on sale when the Shop Tart stopped by. Go take a look - there were plenty of pieces that would work for Fall.

* Yup, they are hippy freaks!

The Shop Tart spent a lovely weekend in Washington D.C. with her sister - eating, drinking, laughing hysterically and shopping. Funny thing about the shopping, though. For some reason, things that are already on sale in Columbia are still being sold at full price in Washington. And there isn’t nearly as much new merchandise there as there is here. The Shop Tart was so looking forward to scoring some bargains and getting to preview some things not yet available here. Surely, she thought, the shopping is better in the big city. Au contraire! Columbia won by a mile. There was one place that didn’t disappoint, Hu Shoes in Georgetown. The Shop Tart always visits when she’s in town, just to see the new Chie Miharas. Those shoes are gorgeous. if you want to see them somewhere closer, stop by Worthwhile next time you’re in Charleston.

In other news…

• Revente is offering 20% off everything next weekend to make Tax Free Weekend even sweeter!
• Friday from 5 to 8 pm, Five Points businesses are sponsoring a school supply drive for needy children. Drop off points include the fountain and participating businesses.
• Tax Free Weekend is almost here. Make sure to scout out the shops this week. Shoes, clothing and handbags are included. Other items, like sunglasses, paper towels and wigs, are not. Take a look at this article for links to what’s included and what isn’t.
• The temperature doesn’t seem to be dropping. Why not beat the heat with a pint of delicious Ciao Bella Gelato from the Gourmet Shop? They have loads of flavors, including a limited edition for Summer 2008, Key Lime with Graham Cracker Swirl… And for all you manly men, they just got one of their bi-annual shipments of Macanudo Gold Label Cigars!
• Strobler is offering 15% off all regular priced merchandise, in store or on order. They also have lots of sale items marked down even more. Time to redecorate?
• Are you a member of H2 or Hampton Hill Athletic Club? If you are, lucky you! Show your membership card at The Spa at H2 (H2 members) or Tonic (Hampton Hill) to get a 15% discount on all spa services. Not a member? No sign up fee at H2 through the end of the month!
• Tickled Pink got a shipment of new pictures, including lots of great looks for boys’ rooms.
• M Boutique has a new shipment of cute tops, priced very reasonably from $48 to $68.
• All summer clothing at LaRoque is at least half off!
• Pout got a shipment of (sold out almost everywhere!) Tarte Four Day Stay, a lash stain that lasts four whole days! The Shop Tart will be picking hers up today!

Happy Shopping!

Every now and then, the Shop Tart comes across something that she just knows will work in her wardrobe…for the rest of her life. The Cartier Tank Française she wanted from the time she first saw it when she was ten years old, for example. She didn’t get that until she had been married ten years and carried three children. And learned how to hint without being overbearing*. Sometimes, it takes real effort to obtain those style-defining staples. And sometimes, it’s easy!

Belladea just got a brand new shipment of jewelry, including some gold-filled necklaces. These aren’t just any necklaces. They are…perfect. When the Shop Tart was there last, she saw two of them - one with five strands and one with just two. Both of them are very, very reasonably priced (the kind of thing you can buy for yourself without thinking too hard) and the Shop Tart wants one right now. The two-strand necklace can be looped around to look like three. How cool is that? The Shop Tart is afraid her photo doesn’t do them justice, so go see for yourself! This is the five strand necklace (the top loop is made up of three strands).

What? What did you say? You’re curious about the dress? More good news! That fab dress is by MM Couture and it’s only ninety-nine dollars. That’s right, less than a hundred bucks. Sure, it’s more than $100 after tax, but why not buy it next weekend, when clothes (among other school related things) will be tax free?

In other news…

• The Shop Tart needs to scold every single one of you. She apologizes in advance if you’re offended, but she’s trying to save you from yourself. She was in VanJean the other day and saw an absolutely stunning dress on the rack by Tory Burch. Not a single one had been sold. The dress was marked 75% off. The Shop Tart, assuming it must look absolutely horrible on, tried it, just in case. It was much too small, so the tried another one, two sizes bigger than normal. Perfect fit! The reason the dress hadn’t sold could only be this: Some of you refuse to even try something if your “size” doesn’t fit. The Shop Tart has things in her closet from Size 0 to Size 14 - and they all fit. Different designers, different eras, different numbers. Don’t worry about the size. Worry about the fit. If it looks good, rock it! And…um…thank you for being afraid of that gorgeous dress, which the Shop Tart was able to pick up for a ridiculously low price!
• Britton’s is having a Half Off Sale - Spring and Summer Merchandise.
• Simply Savory is having another free wine tasting today, starting at 4:30 pm. They offer a 15% discount on mixed cases of wine, 5% more than the standard offered by most stores!
• Strobler is offering 15% off all regular priced merchandise, in store or on order. They also have lots of sale items marked down even more. Time to redecorate?
• Don’t miss the All-Local Farmers’ Market tomorrow, from 8 am until noon, at Rosewood Market. Nothing is more stylish than buying local, especially if it means getting flowers for a ridiculously low price that last for a ridiculously long time because they’re so fresh! The Shop Tart will be in Washington DC, visiting her sister and watching her oldest son sing in the National Cathedral with his church choir (Did that sound braggy? Maybe it was, just a little. He sings like an angel!), so could someone please pick up five dozen fresh eggs from Wil-More Farms for her? And two big bouquets of flowers? And some salad greens? And okra? And eggplant? Please?

Happy Shopping!

* Huh. She may have been a little bit overbearing, but all’s well that ends well, n’est-ce pas?

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