Spring is almost here…and so are sandals, but we need to get through a brief  but fabulous period of cute flats before we can go full-on sandal. And the Shop Tart knows just the flats, by Madison Harding, all punk rock and French at the same time. Magnifique!

And these jellies (yes, jellies) by BCBG are super-comfy and do not, in fact, look like jellies at all. They look as cute with jeans as they do with tights and a skirt. The Shop Tart thinks this would be the perfect shoe to wear to your crazy friend’s wedding this summer. You know, the crazy friend who insists on getting married in a grassy field in the rain, which makes shoe choices incredibly difficult. Très chic! You must see to believe…

These sandals, also by Madison Harding, are officially declared by the Shop Tart to be the coolest sandals for spring and summer. They also come in brown, with gold chains. Love, love, love!

And, never fear, if you’re looking for brights, Kicks has them. The Shop Tart is loving all these bags and the shoes the girls paired with them.

Did you know orange is the new brown? It is! Orange is a really bright, neutral brown. And the Shop Tart is still pining for these navy blue patent flats by Andrea Carrano.

Spring is always exciting at Kicks, when the sandals start pouring in. Check out this table full of sandals (but only part of what they have - there are more on the shelves.) The Shop Tart is into the new ones from Matt Bernson and they won’t break the bank!

Speaking of not breaking the bank, Kicks still has loads of fall and winter shoes discount heavily, including quite a few “last pairs.” And if someone’s getting you new shoes for your birthday, you must check out the new ones from Tibi. The Shop Tart tried to get a picture, but her hand must have been shaking with excitement, because all her shots came out blurry! So, ladies, let’s get some shoes!

In other news…

• KD’s Treehouse just received a brand new shipment from Speesee’s, just in time for spring. Tomorrow, from 10(ish) to 4(ish), Girl Scout Troop 1287 will be having a cookie sale in front of the store. The Shop Tart plans to buy ten boxes, throw them in the back of the car and hide them from herself until her detox is over on Monday. You may also buy boxes for overseas troops, who would love a taste of home. And…the winter clearance sale continues, but the clothes will be boxed up soon, so get them while you can!
• Simply Savory’s free wine tasting is today from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, always a fun time. Did you know they host parties? Your child and his or her friends would love a party at Simply Savory, held in conjunction with the Fire Station two doors down. Have you ever seen a kid freak out over the sight of a firetruck? Have you ever seen a kid’s mom blush over a handsome, strapping fireman? Ahem. The Shop Tart has. Simply Savory can also host private parties, like baby or bridal showers. No word on whether or not the firemen will show up to those…
• The All-Local Farmers’ Market is tomorrow, 8 am until noon, at Rosewood Market. From February to June, they are sponsoring “Bike to the Market” with Bike Columbia and the Palmetto Cycling Coalition. Have you seen those mad stylish bikes at Outspokin’? The ones with the nice comfy seats and retro-looking designs? Wouldn’t you look so cute and French if you added a straw basket and biked to market? Where can we get berets? Just kidding. Wear a helmet, but do bike to market, where they’ll have extra bike parking and a bike-friendly rep to answer all your questions. While you’re there, register for a drawing to win a bike basket, perfect for carrying home flowers, fresh greens, a loaf or six of Heather’s amazing bread, fresh eggs and local sausage (and everything else!)
• Tombo Grille is hosting three free tastings during the month of March. March 5th, sample beer from Rogue Brewery. March 12th, go Irish and try legendary beers and spirits from Ireland. March 19th, sample and learn about wines from Argentina. Each tasting lasts from 6 to 8 pm. When you’re finished, grab a seat for dinner or run next door to Paulie’s for a pizza to take home.
• Chef Tim at Motor Supply is getting fresh, local lamb this week and will be serving it all weekend long. Tonight, enjoy leg of lamb. Tomorrow night, go back for Lamb Saddle, when Chef Tim will take a beef tenderloin, slather it with whole-grain mustard and sauteed leeks and wrap it with lamb loin before rolling, slicing and serving it with natural lamb jus. The Shop Tart hopes she does not sound unladylike when she says, “Hay-ull yeah!” Ahem. Sunday, enjoy smoked lamb ragout at brunch. If you’re going Saturday night, you must call ahead to reserve; this special is only offered once or twice a year.
• M Boutique has fab, fab, fab brights for spring, at prices your pocketbook can bear. The Shop Tart advocates stocking up on trends at nice prices so you can save money for important splurges. Dresses are priced from $88 to $178 and tops are $38 to $98.
• VanJean just put out clothing, handbags and shoes by Shop Tart favorite Loeffler Randall. Can’t wait to go see!
• Pout has a new line from France, Guinot. Those French ladies do seem to know a thing or three about beauty, n’est-ce pas?
• Need stationary or gifts? Nan’s Notes is offering a 20% discount on any single in-stock item (no special order items) and 1/2 off an additional item of lesser or equal value. You must mention the Facebook message they sent about the discount (or tell them the Shop Tart told you about the message on Facebook.) The deal goes until March 13th.
• Mark your calenders and make a reservation: Chef Frank Stitt, a James Beard Award winner, is coming to Terra on March 5. Chef Mike Davis, owner and head chef at Terra served as Stitt’s sous chef in Birmingham before Mike opened Terra in Columbia. Chef Stitt has a new cookbook, Bottega Favorita: A Southern Chef’s Love Affair with Italian Food. Chef Stitt and Chef Davis will be using recipes from the book to prepare a five-course meal with wine pairings for 70 diners at Terra that evening. He’ll be signing copies of his book as well. Tickets for the dinner are $125 each and include dinner, wine and the cookbook signed by Chef Stitt. Couples who attend have the option of receiving one copy of the new cookbook and a copy of Chef Stitt’s previous cookbook, Southern Table. Fun, fun, fun!
• Also coming up next Thursday, a big party at Lola and Kicks of Lexington. Chō on Main, where the Shop Tart got her beloved lash extensions, will be there too. We love a party (especially when it comes with a discount on clothes and shoes!)

  

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

For your viewing and mind-numbing pleasure, may we present “Running in Heels,” a reality show documentary about interns at Marieclaire. If you can get past the way the girl from California pronounces “thank you” (”think yo“), you’ll have a grand time. The Shop Tart went with a count-your-blessings attitude and decided to be thankful she actually said “thank you,” instead of feeling entitled, like one of the other interns…

And, that’s your fluff, a little gift before moving on to something much less pleasant: Zits. If you thought there would be a magical era when you had neither zits nor wrinkles, you thought wrong. Or you were Jennifer Aniston, you lucky girl. The rest of us might go years without a pimple when, tout d’un coup, they reappear. Maybe it’s hormones, maybe it’s stress, maybe it’s Mercury in retrograde. The Shop Tart is no expert, so she can’t guess the cause. She can, however, suggest some solutions. Each of these techniques, mind you, should be used before you pick at the offending bump, which the Shop Tart has a bad habit of doing. Wondering if a trip to Watermark Hypnosis could cure her of that filthy little habit…

On we go…

For a true pimple emergency, the Shop Tart recommends good old rubbing alcohol. Do not tell your dermatologist, do not tell your esthetician and do not tell your mother. If you dab rubbing alcohol on a zit with a cotton swab throughout the day, it will probably shrink by the evening. Be very careful not to dab the skin around it, as you don’t want to get too dry. if you tell your dermatologist the Shop Tart told you to do this, she will swear you are lying.

Salicylic acid goes a long way towards prevention and these next three products use exactly that. Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Cream Cleanser is a Shop Tart favorite, although she recommends using it no more than once a day if your skin is on the dry side. The cleanser contains 2% salicylic acid, high enough to do something, but not so high it will fry your skin.

A few times a week, the Shop Tart loves this L’Oreal AcneResponse peel, although she fears it may have been discontinued as she has had trouble finding it recently. In particular, she loves the very mild lotion that comes with it and wishes she could buy that on its own. The cleanser is also nice and mild, with a .55% concentration of salicylic acid.

Under makeup, this Skinceuticals Blemish Control Gel is the bomb. For stubborn zits, dab it on all day long. It’s clear, so won’t make you look like too much of a freak. The gel, along with the entire Skinceuticals line, is available at Tonic Day Spa and the Salon at H2.

At Pout, Shannon recently sold the Shop Tart on this drying lotion by Mario Badescu. The Shop Tart is always willing to try something new and always hoping for a miracle. This comes pretty close. It’s best used at home or at bedtime, as it shows up pale pink. When desperate, the Shop Tart applies it in the morning, too, and rubs it in after it dries. Plus, the application process is kind of old-school scientific: You dip a Q-tip past the clear liquid and into the pink stuff at the bottom, without shaking the contents, and dab it on the despised spot. Cool! So far, this lotion has banished zits after a couple of uses, leaving them significantly less offensive after just one use.

And, if none of the above work, the Shop Tart recommends a good concealer (we’ll get to that another day.) She does not recommend staying home and missing as much as tea time with a girlfriend. Parties are way more important than what you look like. Mwah!

In other news…

• Thursday through Saturday, Granger Owings is having their Last Chance Winter Sale with unbelievable deals. Don’t miss it!
• Coplon’s fall and winter sale is in the home stretch (right where the Shop Tart can afford it!) All fall and winter clothing, handbags and shoes are 70% off. See you there!

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

The Happy Café has been featured here before, but the Shop Tart wanted to make sure you knew it was still there. The Happy Bookseller, of course, closed a few months ago (*sniff*) but the café isn’t going anywhere. Well, they might move into the space next door, but they most definitely aren’t closing. Before heading to Coplon’s last week for the Sylvia Heisel show, the Shop Tart and a friend had lunch there. Her friend had the Chicken Barbecue Salad, which the Shop Tart finds hard to resist, because a more perfect salad does not exist. Chicken barbecue, over coleslaw, over crispy lettuce, sprinkled with sunflower seeds and drizzled with dill dressing. Yum!

Incidentally, aren’t we insanely jealous of that leopard print coat. The Shop Tart had one in college that she wore until it was an absolute mess. It hangs in a closet upstairs while she contemplates having it restored. Can you restore fake fur from the 60’s? Hmmm…

Determined to order something else for a change, the Shop Tart chose feta salad with a scoop of tuna salad on top. Would you be surprised to hear it was scrumptious?

The Happy Café is right where it always was, under the Happy Bookseller sign beside BeBeep on Forest Drive. On your next trip to Coplon’s, Dia’s, Cottage and Vine, Austral Salon or Tiny Treasures, make time for lunch. Remember, though, that the chicken barbecue salad is only available on Thursday and Friday, so have a backup plan or just try the special. Bon appétit!

In other news…

• Thanks to our troubled economy, even rich people are getting practical. Revente has received record numbers of high-end consignments this year from Burberry, Coach, Dolce & Gabbana, Ferragamo, Gucci, Jimmy Choo, Kate Spade, Louis Vuitton, Manola Blahnik, Moschino, Nanette Lepore, Oscar, Prada, St. John, Trina Turk, Valentino and others. While you might not be able to afford someone’s priced-to-sell beach house, their castoff Chanel bag is another story, n’est-ce pas? The Shop Tart is getting chills thinking about the matching floral Gucci bag and pumps on Revente’s Facebook page.
• LaRoque just finished a spring fashion shoot with photographer Melinda Register. Très chic!
  
  
• Weathers’ first ever Economic Crisis Sale just got better. Prices are even lower and everything is on sale, even new merchandise for spring.
• VanJean has a brand new shipment of Milly Cabana and Tibi swimwear. Go get your airbrush tan and get ready for summer!
• Lorrie Rivers will be at Dianne’s on Devine this Friday. Call for your reservation today.
• When the Shop Tart first heard about this, she thought it might be a dream. Solstice is starting a babysitter night, as in bring your kids but don’t eat with them. The only time the Shop Tart experienced this was at Club Med and it was glorious. Sure, for a big night out, you’d get a sitter and stay gone for hours, but wouldn’t it be nice to take the kids for an early dinner while you eat with other grown-ups? Oh, yes, it would be very nice. Looks like it might be a regular occurrence, so call the restaurant for details.

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

The Shop Tart’s holiday season continues through January, when she celebrates her birthday and anniversary. While most people like to detox at the start of the new year, the Shop Tart just can’t, as there are too many non-detoxy occasions. So, February it is. Yesterday, she started a one-week detox diet - no bubbly, no gluten, no sugar, no dairy, no processed food and, worst of all, no caffeine. The caffeine deprivation is killing her, which is only a very slight exaggeration. Those other things, she doesn’t have every single day, all day long. Coffee and Diet Coke, however, are the cornerstones of her diet. Waaahhhhh! So, on to the fun part of detoxing…

Facials and massages! As you know, because she bragged about it yesterday, the Shop Tart had a divine massage on Saturday. Yesterday, instead of sipping coffee like she usually does, she met Shannon at Pout for a detoxifying facial. This was not her first visit to the talented Shannon, so she knew she could expect to leave with smooth skin and a little glow. The Shop Tart doesn’t believe in facials that leave you red-faced and raw, as if you need to abuse the skin to whip it into shape. Shannon’s facials are gentle, yet the effects last and last. The last time the Shop Tart had one, she went an entire month with no breakouts. Coincidence? Don’t think so!

Every facial at Pout is tailored to your needs, so there’s no way to describe exactly what happens. Shannon can do everything from masks to micro-dermabrasion. The Shop Tart is a real fan of micro-current therapy, which instantly stimulates and tones the skin. Perhaps you would like to buy her this $650 micro-current machine to use at home? It actually works. Really.

If you aren’t quite ready to make that investment or if you just want the occasional toning - say, when you have to be a bridesmaid in your 23 year-old sister’s wedding alongside her 23 year-old bridesmaids and you are much older than 23 - Shannon can add it to your facial for much, much less than $650. Or a few of us could go in on the machine together, so we could use it every day.

The facial isn’t all business, by the way. While her face was covered in various masks, Shannon gave the Shop Tart a lovely massage for her hands, shoulders and feet. Much better than when the esthetician simply leaves the room to go make her grocery list. A Pout facial is all about you, which is right up the Shop Tart’s narrow, self-centered alley.

As expected, she left with a pretty glow and clean skin. All she needed to face the world was a little Stila Hair Refresher and a swipe or three of mascara and lipstick. Yet another bonus of the Pout facial is that you really can do it on your (long) lunch-hour, because they have all the products you need to freshen up and head back to work looking well-rested and fabulous!

And now the Shop Tart might need to head to Soak to detox her nails, then go shopping to detox her closet and fill it with fresh clothes for spring…must be thorough!

In other news…

• When you go to Pout for your facial, check out their new shipment of Chantecaille, including new colors for spring.
• Debbie and Heather of Revente and Sid & Nancy just returned from New York where they shopped like mad and attended an accessories show. Can’t wait to see what they found for the shops!
• Do you need help organizing all your fashion finds? Do you have a fab dress but no perfect shoes to go with it? Are you too busy to shop? Liz LaFitte, who works at Kicks, can help you put it all together. She’s a personal shopper and closet organizer and she’d love to help in your pursuit of fabulousness!
• Belladea has a brand new shipment of Jade for spring - you can see it in the front window (or just go inside and try it on!)
• Free lunch! Granger Owings is hosting a trunk show featuring Oxxford suits, sport coats and trousers and clothing by RNG for men and women. The trunk show is on Wednesday and Thursday from 9 am to 6 pm, with a light lunch served between noon and 2 pm.

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

It could be said that massages are like pizza: There’s no such thing as a bad one.The Shop Tart would agree. She loves nothing more than stripping down to her Hanky Pankys*, sliding between thick cotton sheets on a table in a dim room and being rubbed all over by a professional. Heaven! She has never, in the history of the world, experienced a bad massage. She has, however, experienced massages that were exemplary.

When she was pregnant with her third child, about eight months along, she experienced some carpal tunnel syndrome, just enough to be annoying. One day, en route to her regular massage therapist, she received a call informing her said therapist had come down with a stomach bug. The Shop Tart wished her a speedy recovery and, in the World of All-About-Her, immediately got back on her cell to try to secure another massage as soon as possible. Urban Nirvana had an open appointment, so the Shop Tart pulled a u-ey and got there as fast as she could, only to learn the therapist was a man. This stressed her out, just a little, as she hadn’t in many, many years considered the possibility of being naked in a room with a man other than her husband. But, she rationalized, she would be wearing her Hanky Pankys and would be partially covered by a sheet at all times. And he was a licensed professional. And she wanted a massage real bad.

That therapist was Wyck and he cured her carpal tunnel syndrome. She spent the last few weeks of her pregnancy without a hint of it. Every massage is good, but not every massage has long term effects. Recently, Wyck began working at the Spa at H2. On Saturday, the Shop Tart secured an appointment. She showed up with clogged ears and sinuses and a pain in her neck that had been bothering her for days. Guess what? After the massage, all her unpleasant symptoms were gone. Kids, the man works miracles. The Shop Tart hesitates to recommend him, for fear he will become so popular she won’t be able to get an appointment, but she wants to do the right thing. So, there you have it: Go see Wyck, Massage Genius.

And, on the Shop Tart’s to-do list today…a facial at Pout, performed by esthetician extraordinaire Shannon. Why? Because the Shop Tart might be on t.v. and she wants to look her best. SQUEEEE! Stay tuned for updates on both the facial and the television appearance.

In other news…

• AnnaBelle at LaRoque has new fabric for Cup dresses. Being original is fab, so go choose your dress today. Love this one…
  



• Debbie McDaniel of Revente and Sid & Nancy has been on a big trip to New York City - can’t wait to see what she found!
• On Friday, you must not miss the unveiling of the Lilly Pulitzer Jubilee Retrospective at Pink Sorbet, from 10 am to 5:30 pm. The Shop Tart loves looking at all the photos of people in vintage Lilly. And she loves that Lilly is bringing back that vintage look. Fab! While you are there, be a dear and pick up this dress for the Shop Tart (Size 2, please.) She promises to wear it throughout spring and summer.
  



• Havens Framemakers and Gallery is having a Yard Sale, Saturday 9 am to 4 pm. They’re cleaning out the back room, so look for rock bottom prices on original art, prints and frames.
• Coplon’s has new shipments of both white and blue Anlo Jeans, Loeffler Randall and Velvet T’s and dresses. Speaking of white jeans, they’re back. After a mild drop in popularity last summer, they seem to be part of the cool crowd again. Hooray!
• M Boutique is packed with new trends and things for spring after a recent trip to market. Prices, as always, are friendly.
• Max and Prissy has loads of new things for spring, including pieces by cute and comfy line Boy Meets Girl.
• Gervais and Vine and Rosso Trattoria will be closed this evening.
• Wish is having a sale. But one item at 50% off and get a second for just $10 (jewelry and handbags excluded.)
• Are you crafty? Are you ready to show your work and meet other crafty-minded people? The deadline to apply to Crafty Feast, a local indie craft fair, is March 1st. Two of the Shop Tart’s favorite local artists, Nick WIlson of the Half and Half and Jen Ray, photographer, are on the jury. Even if you don’t apply, don’t miss the fair on May 30th. Should be mad eco-stylish!
• If you just can’t get enough of the Shop Tart, please listen to this recording of her guest appearance on Chick Chat with Marti Bluestein, a segment on Frank Knapp’s Show, U Need 2 Know. If you, like Marti and the Shop Tart, believe that the two of them along with random friends should be allotted an entire hour, please let the folks at WOIC know. Mwah!

Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!

* Best underpants ever. Available at Mary. Stock up the next time they have a certain-percentage-off-everything-in-the-store sort of sale. Really. They’re expensive, but if you buy one or two pair at a time, you’ll soon have enough to wear them exclusively! Warning: They come in so many cute colors, you might find yourself spending a little too much time matching them to your outfit when you’re getting dressed. Oh, wait. That’s not a bad thing, now is it?

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