Jun
4
Delayed gratification can be fun!
Filed Under Babies and Children, Beauty, Clothes, Dinner at Home, Eat and Drink, Great deal, Home, Sale, Shoes, Wine, live music | Leave a Comment
One of the best things about shopping in local stores is the instant gratification: Choose, pay, and wear it out for drinks that very afternoon. Today, the Shop Tart had a lovely experience with delayed gratification. Two weeks ago, she was fitted for two bras by Carol of a Soft Touch at Belle Vie. After a fitting, Carol orders the bras and you have to wait. Waiting is hard, but the lovely thing is that you’ve already paid, so when your order arrives, it’s like it’s free! Today, the Shop Tart’s mother had an appointment for a fitting and the Shop Tart’s bras had arrived. They fit perfectly, bien sûr. Afterward, they went to lunch at Cloud Nine, where the Shop Tart enjoyed a beloved standby, the spinach salad. She and her mother fell in love with the glassware by Sophie Conran for Portmeirion. The bubbly flutes made the Shop Tart wish she could get married all over again - to the same husband, of course - just so she could register for them.
And the salad bowl? Yes!
Why stop there? The ice bucket was mad chic, too.
And, erm, just in case you wanted to get the Shop Tart another little present? This cake plate is fab (and would make a nice cheese plate, too, n’est-ce pas? Cake stands with low pedestals are verrah modern.
While she was browsing, the Shop Tart spotted a plate of angel food cake with pineapples, strawberries and…wait for it…lime zest. She resisted sitting back down to order a piece, but just barely, and only because her mother had an appointment at the car shop and they had to leave. She ran into a pregnant friend who was there to pick up one of Cloud Nine’s scrumptious cookies; did you know a cookie a day makes babies prettier? True story.
After lunch and bra shopping, the ladies headed to the car shop to leave Shop Tart mère’s car for service. Belle Vie shows shoes from kicks and la mère had seen a pair she wanted to try in her size. Lucky for her, they were in stock and on sale. Hooray! Kicks is still offering 30% off the first pair you purchase and 40% off the second. Never one to miss out on a sale, la mère wondered aloud if the Shop Tart might want to buy another pair. Mais oui! The Bijou de Pied flip-flops in purple were the perfect choice, around $30 with the discount. Maybe she needs the other colors, too.
And home she went to relieve the brave sitter, who had taken the children to Gilbert for strawberry picking, which gave the Shop Tart the perfect excuse to pick up some Gullah Gourmet biscuit mix from Simply Savory for strawberry shortcake. The shortcake didn’t happen though, because the she took the children to the pool instead, followed by diner at Pho Viet on Decker. The dinner was divine, but you will have to do without photos. Why? Because a certain toddler was acting like a complete maniac and the Shop Tart didn’t want to identify herself for fear of prosecution. Let it suffice to say she highly recommends the chicken and shrimp bún and the Vietnamese seafood crêpe. The Vietnamese spring rolls, which are really more like wraps, reminded the Shop Tart that summer is here and she needs to pull out Mai Pham’s Best of Vietnamese & Thai Cooking
In other news…
- Speaking of delayed gratification, the Shop Tart is halfway through her Laser Genesis treatments from Illumination Med Spa, as well as halfway through her series of facials with LED light therapy at Pout. She’s really starting to see a difference in texture; her skin is much smoother to the touch. Pesky breakouts and fine lines seem to be less prevalent, too. Loving these results!
- Revente got a Marc Jacobs bag in yesterday. The fab purse retails for $1250 and Revente is offering it for just $750.
- Lola has a brand new shipment from Velvet. Cool and easy for summer!
- Sid & Nancy has expanded their buying hours to…every day, all day. Take in your hippest clothes (you know, the ones you can’t fit into any more) and sell them for a little cash.
- Simply Savory’s free wine tasting is happening tomorrow from 4:30 to 6:30 pm, with a special addition. Lynwood Duke will be there with samples of her homemade Biscuit Bites in buttermilk and Country Ham. Perfect for gourmet snacking at the beach, at the lake or on the porch.
- Local band Lunch Money is playing Lollapalooza this year (cool, huh?) and you can get their CD at KD’s Treehouse. If you’ve never seen or heard the band, you must. Great fun for all ages!
- Check out brand new Tory Burch at VanJean, sure to be fabulous!
- Belle Vie is having a crazy Doncaster sample sale. Everything is divided up by size, so browsing is easy!
- During the month of June, Oyster bar is offering half-off oysters every day from 4 to 6 pm.
- Take a look at new summer clothing at Bohemian, including lots of cool cami-style tops for summer from Free People, Project E and 213 Industry.
- Tonight, enjoy an Oregon-themed happy hour on the patio at Solstice: $3 glasses of Oregon Pinot Gris & Oregon Pinot Noir al fresco with complimentary Oregon-style snacks from the kitchen.
- Ross Holmes will entertain the crowd at Dianne’s tomorrow night. Do make a reservation, as seating is limited.
- H2 and Tonic day Spa are offering free microderm abrasion with every one hour facial this month.
- At Frame of Mind from 5:30 to 8 pm, Kenneth Gutzler will be presenting his art. There will be wine, cheese and chatting, the perfect thing for after work or before dinner.
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
May
26
Some people just have a knack…
Filed Under Clothes, Dinner at Home, Eat and Drink, Exclusive savings, Great deal, Home, Jewelry, Sip and Shop, live music | 3 Comments
Last week, when the weather was mellow and the mosquitoes were easily dissuaded by a spritz of repellent, the Shop Tart was invited for a drink on the patio at the home of her friends Tracie and Jay. They were joined by Jeffrey Day, arts aficionado and one of the brightest new stars in the local blog pool. Jeffrey was getting ready to head to Spoleto, where he is now, and his updates are a great read, although they might make you insanely jealous if you wish you were there. Anyhow, the conversation was interesting and any evening that ends with the singing of Tammy Wynette is a good one in the Shop Tart’s book.
Tracie, by the way, is one of those people who puts together a fab party with seemingly no effort. First of all, she uses these mad chic linens from Flock Home, with which the Shop Tart has become truly, madly, deeply obsessed. Designer Gina Pericini is a friend of Tracie’s from California. Maybe the secret to being casually hip-as-hell is having the right friends. Or maybe the friends come second. Chicken, egg, chicken, egg. The drink turned into a light dinner and the Shop Tart sipped cava while her hostess chopped, oiled and salted various delicacies for the grill. Did you know that green onions, lightly salted and grilled, taste better than onion rings?
Green onions, green tomatoes, okra, corn on the cob, tuna…all lovely grilled. She also had the famed Palmetto Cheese, both jalapeño and regular for comparison. Food is always a nice conversational piece. People love to share their opinions (which is why so many of them have blogs. Ahem.) Another friend once hosted a pizza tasting party, serving local pies, all cheese and offering pads and pencils for scoring. The Shop Tart doesn’t remember who won, but the party was a hit. On the patio, Tracie laid out a feast - olives, palmetto cheese, strawberries, crackers, vegetables for dipping - divine!
The patio offers a view of the lawn, which is more sculpture garden than lawn and is utterly lovely. Jay Hubbell is an artisan stonemason and sculptor (yes, the Shop Tart had to text Tracie for that description) and his work can be seen in various spots around town. It’s large in scale and the effect of several pieces in one yard is stunning. You know what else is stunning? A guy who can build stylish tomato stakes at the drop of a hint. Love these. Love!
While the tomato stakes are the bomb, you can glimpse a better example of Jay’s work to the left. In fact, while Tracie was preparing dinner and the Shop Tart was watching and sucking down cava sharing charming anecdotes, Jay was giving Jeffrey a guided tour of his work around town.
The evening was lovely, as were the handmade stacks of crackers, Palmetto Cheese, hot sauce and grilled green tomato. Yup. And the Shop Tart thinks we should all follow Tracie’s lead and enjoy a branch or two of something lovely from the yard (or the neighbor’s yard, if they are generous or not home.) So simple, so stylish, n’est-ce pas?
In other news…
- Collect your old gold and head to Unforgettable Fine Jewelry on Thursday from 6 until 8:30 pm for a gold party. You know how it goes: Bring your unwanted gold jewelry to sell for cash or…drumroll…this is where it gets interesting…double the amount in store credit! And…you and the other guests will enjoy complimentary drinks, heavy hors d’oeuvres and live music while you wait for your gold to be valued. Entry is free but space is limited, so call 779-3636 today to r.s.v.p.
- Check out new stuff at Revente from Blue-Q, including eco-stylish water bottles.
- Shop Tart Deal Alert: Ashley Hayes, a certified Pilates instructor with a great reputation, is offering Shop Tart readers an Introductory Pilates session for only $30. This would be a private, one-on-one session with the Pilates machines. That is an incredible deal. if you haven’t tried Pilates, this is your chance. Even one session on the machines will help you bring more to your mat practice. Call 803-800-6726 for your appointment as soon as possible, as she will get booked.
- The Vidalia Casserole from Simply Savory was mouth-wateringly delicious. Call and see what they have in the freezer or just stop by. This is the easiest way to enjoy a home-cooked meal!
- Thursday night, pack up your lawn chairs and head over to Riverbanks Botanical Garden for Rhythm and Blooms. Enjoy live music by the J’ouvert Steel Band, wine and tapas available for purchase, pre-prdered picnic baskets and gorgeous spring weather. Picnics must be ordered from Riverbanks by 5 pm the Tuesday before the show. You can also browse local art while you sip, chat and listen to music. Rhythm and Blooms is the perfect way to kick off your weekend and this is the last one! 6 to 9 pm.
- Friday evening, Sprummer is the place to be. Great time, great cause. The Shop Tart and her husband went last year and can’t wait to go back. Edwin McCain and the Blue Dogs are playing, the food will be fabulous and so will the company (ahem.) Get your tickets now.
- On Saturday, wake up early and head down to Hyatt Park at the Eau Claire clock tower for the Ribs & Renaissance Festival. According to their Facebook page, “this will not involve people running around in Medieval costumes, but there will be a ribs tasting.” There also will be other types of food, cheap beer, local music, indie movies and - most importantly - Crafty Feast, an independent craft fair. Love Etsy? This is the live version. The festival lasts from 11 am until 8 pm. Enjoy music by American Gun, Magnetic Flowers, The Unawares, Mystic Vibrations and more. Crafty Feast will include fifty-six vendors. Bring some spending money because most of these yummy goods only will be offered in Columbia once. See you there!
- Friday from 6 to 8:30 pm, head to Frame of Mind to “Investigate Mike Krajewski’s DNA.” Enjoy an evening of his art, music and film.
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
May
25
Happy Memorial Day!
Filed Under Babies and Children, Clothes, Eat and Drink, Home, Jewelry, New Shop Opening, Sale, Shoes, Wine, vacation | 2 Comments
So…the big Westin Resort Wedding Weekend was not a complete success. The Shop Tart had a lovely time Friday at the post-rehearsal party in Bluffton. At 4 am, she woke to a loud shrieking noise. Her throat felt like it was on fire. Back in the day, she would have downed a few ibuprofen after recalling that, yes, she had had about four too many drinks and, yes, too many cigarettes will make one’s throat sore. But that was then. She had, in fact, behaved perfectly decently. Really. No cigarettes and only one too many glasses of bubbly. The loud shrieking noise was a fire alarm. Luckily, there was no fire. Not so luckily, the faulty alarm continued for thirty minutes. Although she has never been to medical school and isn’t even particularly bright in the science department, she knew immediately that the sore throat was a case of strep. How did she make this brilliant diagnosis? Well…the toddler had been diagnosed with strep on Friday and given that the weekend babysitter was a bona fide trusted adult and loving family member*, she and Mr. Shop Tart decided to head to the beach anyway. Karma in action, kids. True story. She secured a prescription for an antibiotic from a dear doctor friend in Columbia and sent poor Mr. Shop Tart out for the dope.
She rallied for breakfast (love a fancy hotel buffet!) Afterward, because it was pouring rain and they were unable to swim or enjoy the beach, she and Mr. Shop Tart spent some time wandering the hotel. He exercised and she sat in the sauna and felt the delicious heat permeating her rapidly-healing body. Antibiotics work really fast when you only take them once every ten years or so. She drank myriad cups of herbal tea and even enjoyed a little shoe-browsing in the lobby on her brand-new MacBook Pro 
After checkout, they went to the Boathouse for brunch, which the Shop Tart recommends. Maybe it was just because she was feeling better, but her crab cakes and eggs were delicious. The restaurant’s wine list was more than decent and, given the virtuous weekend she had, the Shop Tart is not ashamed to admit she enjoyed a glass of Principessa di Gavia, which she knew from Baan Sawan. Dry, white wine: It’s what’s for breakfast, y’all. She and her husband also enjoyed quietly mocking some guy at the next table who must have seen Sideways one too many times. Quietly mocking people without needing to say the words is one of the great joys of marriage.
When they arrived home, they took the whole family, intrepid babysitters included, out for dinner at the Cock n Bull. Oh, the lovely shrimp burger…
Here you go…
- KD’s Treehouse has the new Kate Quinn organic tops for grown-ups. Yay! Now adults can have the same soft, cotton next to their skin that the kids have been enjoying.
- Pink Sorbet is offering 25 to 65% off, through today. Lilly is the perfect antidote to the rainy day blues, n’est-ce pas?
- Kicks is still offering 25% off the entire store. Hooray!
- In Charleston for the weekend? Don’t forget to take a look at the groundbreaking pop up shop at 501 King Street. The concept and the locally designed fashions are mad hot.
- Lots of places are closed today, so call before you go. And expect more updates tomorrow. Mwah!
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
* Thank you, Aunt Molly! And thank you, Aunt Molly’s helpers, Uncles Nick and Barkley!
Jan
26
Follow the Shop Tart!
Filed Under Babies and Children, Bags, Beauty, Clothes, Eat and Drink, Good Cause!, Great deal, Home, Jewelry, Sale, Shoes, Sip and Shop, Trunk Show, Wine | Leave a Comment
The Shop Tart had a lovely weekend - thank you for asking - with Frogmore Stew for fourteen of her dearest friends at her kitchen table. And copious amounts of Champagne and birthday cake, bien sûr! Because it was her birthday, she asked her lady friends to arrive an hour and a half before the gentlemen. She offered aprons and Champagne as soon as they walked in the door and the ladies chopped, chatted and chugged until the guys arrived for dinner. Is it obnoxious of the Shop Tart to say the picture doesn’t do the meal justice? Oh, well. She is what she is, n’est-ce pas?
She turned 28. Again. Her birthday comes at an ideal time, when everything is on sale!
She has a busy week after her birthday…
- AnnaBelle of LaRoque is throwing a party on Thursday to celebrate (and show off!) her fab new space. Stay tuned for details.
- The Super Bowl Sale at Kicks of Lexington, Lola and Lola G is happening on Friday and Saturday, with a preview sale (snacks and sippers included, bien sûr!) on Thursday with a $10 cover charge to benefit Hands of Hospice. The sale will feature 10-, 20- and 30-dollar bins, as well as 50 to 75% off all Fall and Winter shoes. See you there!
- Head to Kicks on Devine Street Thursday evening from 5:30 to 8 pm for a Lia Sophia jewelry show. They are still having a huge sale on fall shoes, 50% off. Look for special mark downs that night only on spring shoes! As for the jewelry, buy one item at full price and get up to two items at half price. Sounds like a plan!
- Sid and Nancy is having a book exchange - Bring a book to the shop and take one home. January is the perfect month to stay in, curled up with a good book.
- Simply Savory’s free wine tasting is happening Friday afternoon from 4:30 to 6:30. This Friday, they’ll host a Grand Opening party for the Deli and Dip. Mayor Bob will attend for ribbon-cutting duties.
- Have you combed your closet for potential spring consignments to take to Revente? The Shop Tart has and is hoping for a few bucks to spend on new looks!
- Thursday, Friday and Saturday, Britton’s is hosting a Yansi Fugel trunk show, with a special appearance by Maggie Silvestri, account executive for Yansi Fugel. Enjoy 10% off special orders and 20% off in-store purchases during the show.
- Mark your calenders: The Devine Street Sidewalk Sale is February 14th. Happy Valentine’s Day to you, lovely!
- Pout is celebrating a fifth birthday, with five days of senses. Today is “Sight,” so select eye products and eye services from esthetician Shannon will be 25% off. Tuesday is “Smell,” with discounts on candles, fragrances and other delightfully smelly things. Wednesday’s theme is “Sound” and you can look for discounts on Stila’s talking pallettes, select glosses (hear the sound of kisses being blown!) and Art of Shaving power razors. Thursday will focus on “Taste,” so head to Pout for a birthday bash with door prizes, goodie bags, discounts galore, tasty snacks and Champagne from 10 am until 7 pm. “Touch” is the theme on Friday. See you there!
- Just the Thing’s winter clearance sale is still on, up to 75% off.
- Both H2 and Tonic Day Spa are offering free microdermabrasion with any one-hour facial through the end of the month. Slough it off, baby, slough it off.
- “Desserts and Designers” is happening at Creative Tile’s Northeast Showroom tomorrow at 5 pm. Chat with designers while you browse tile selections and fantasize about your new kitchen. Solstice will be there with dessert and Max and Prissy will be showing clothing from the shop. Stop by for a glass of wine.
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
Jan
22
Get your healthy glow for less (and another Cheap Treat!)
Filed Under Beauty, Clothes, Eat and Drink, Great deal, Home, Sale, Sip and Shop, Wine, cheap treat | Leave a Comment
Good Morning, dahling. How are you doing with your New Year’s resolution? Not so good? Well, change it. Easier resolutions are best and the Shop Tart has one for you: You hereby resolve to go to Rosewood Market with a dollar (just a dollar!) and buy a key tag which will entitle you to a 5% discount on absolutely everything in the store. Everything, as in fresh produce, vegetarian options galore, healthy deli foods, skin-loving beauty products, vitamins and magazines. And everything else. The Rosewood key tag dangles from all the chicest key fobs in town.
You can use it to buy the Shop Tart’s latest and greatest seasoning, Garlic Red Pepper Miso. Her charming friend Tracie turned her on to it and she’s been adding a scoop to various dishes ever since. Bonus: Miso is really, really good for you!
Don’t forget to stock up on fresh produce, a no-brainer when it comes to eating right.
The Shop Tart can’t guarantee the health benefits of this cereal, but how could she resist the name? Sounds like a good time!
With the 5% discount, you can shop more often at Rosewood, where everything is good for you (but not in an “Eat your vegetables or no dessert for you, young lady” kind of way). The Shop Tart will step gingerly onto her soapbox for a moment… So many of us battle our weight when we should be worried about our health. If you take the bull by the horns (or the, um, gourd if you are vegetarian) and change your eating habits for the better, your happy weight will find you. Really. Eat foods as close to nature as possible, don’t suffer unnecessarily and find some sort of exercise you love. In her capacity as a Pilates teacher, the Shop Tart is often asked what kind of exercise people should do. Her answer? Whatever kind you will do. Don’t like getting your hair wet? Skip swimming. Don’t like short skirts and cute instructors? Tennis is not for you. Don’t like former ballet dancers? Forgo Pilates. Whatever you choose, make sure you stretch a little, strengthen a little and sweat a little. Focus on health, not weight. You’ve heard it before, but it’s true, true, true! Incidentally, the Shop Tart finds Self Magazine inspires without hurting her feelings. She gleans an encouraging health tidbit or three from every issue. And she picks up her skirt and steps delicately off the soapbox.
Since we’re improving ourselves, how about a Cheap Treat? Do you get patchy bits of dry skin in the winter? No worries, you don’t have to admit it. Most of us do, whether on the face, elbows or any other location that misses summer humidity. If you want skin as soft as a baby’s bottom, why not use a product meant for a baby’s bottom? Don’t use it on your face in the day time, unless you’re into the greasy look, but A+D Original Ointment banishes dry patches like nothing else. Getting ready to go out? Dab it on while you’re fixing your hair and wipe it off, along with those dry flakes, before applying make-up. For really dry skin, apply heavily before bedtime.
Need another reason to banish junk food? The Shop Tart recently spotted this sign. She feels scared.
Now, go be lovely!
In other news…
- Simply Savory’s free wine tasting is happening tomorrow afternoon, from 4:30 to 6:30 pm. This week, they’re serving Foxbrook Chardonnay, Foxbrook Merlot, Trapiche Malbec and Trapiche Pinot Noir. Yum!
- Mark your calender: AnnaBelle of LaRoque wants you to see the new shop and she’s having a party next Thursday evening. Details coming soon! Stop by this week for a 75% off winter and fall sale rack and new styles for spring.
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
Jan
21
Snow Day!
Filed Under Babies and Children, Clothes, Eat and Drink, Great deal, Home, Jewelry, Sale, cheap treat | Leave a Comment
Kindly spare the Shop Tart your lecture about how it was so much colder up north and you had to put chains on the tires and people down here are so silly because everything closes when it’s cold and rainy. She knows all about these things. She went to college. In Canada, even. Snow days happen. All your plans canceled in one fell swoop, when you learn that school is closed and your little darlings will be home. No shopping for you, dear. No relaxing lunch downtown. No child-free, Champagne-heavy Inauguration Day party at your sister-in-law’s. Hmph.
But you know what you can do? Redecorate the top of your dresser. The Shop Tart has trouble with big projects; the top of one piece of furniture isn’t so daunting. Her dresser, which also serves as her bedside table, mocks the rest of her bedroom with its slovenliness. Scatterbrain that she is, the Shop Tart must have several magazines and at least two books going at the same time, so she can choose based on her many, many moods. And she must have at least one receptacle for change; it never overflows because she regularly swipes coins for parking. She must have at least one other receptacle for sunglasses and keys. As you can see, there are at least two pair of sunglasses strewn on her messy “before” dresser. And a piggy bank, camera lens, coffee cup and a tie. And some other stuff that won’t fit in the overflowing drawers below.
In fact, a few magazines escaped the top of the dresser and migrated to the floor. She would like some credit for making her bed (and she should probably admit she did it just for the picture, although it might have been more dramatic to have left it unmade.) What’s a girl to do?
Without further ado…please admire the Shop Tart’s solutions. Apologies if she is a little too proud of herself.
- In order to keep all those magazines and books neat, she propped a bamboo box on its side to serve as a small bookshelf. She promises not to let it fill to overflowing. The old camera lens and her dad’s old camera that goes with it act as a bookend.
- Two open bamboo boxes rest on top of the box, one for change and a larger one for sunglasses and keys. They are easy to remove and replace. Ease is the key to staying organized.
- A small ceramic skateboard made by one of her children and the pictures, one of her husband and one of her with her first baby, remained, as did the bag behind them. The bag is from Cartier, modified by the Shop Tart’s husband with a picture of himself a a teenager, and contained a watch given to the Shop tart on her tenth anniversary by said husband. Not ready to part with it just yet…
- The piggy bank, coffee cup and tie were banished.
Ooh! She did one more thing: replaced all the plain metal knobs with amethyst balls wrapped in brass wire. Hard to see in the photo below, but the Shop Tart is tickled pink by them*.
Funny thing about organizing…it usually leads to more organizing. The Shop Tart didn’t stop with the surface of her dresser, but moved on to the four small drawers at the top. One contained tights and slips, one contained lingerie, bathing suits and cards from her children, one was reserved for socks and the fourth had a bunch of belts and random spillover from the top of the dresser. After pruning and tidying those, she couldn’t help but move to the larger drawer below, and the one below that and the one below that. Lo and behold, she moved to the closet and tackled the small dresser containing pajamas and underthings. What a rush! Several bags were filled for Goodwill; several more were filled for the garbage. Finally, she tidied the top drawer in her bathroom; it was very scary and she’s glad to have it behind her. Up next? The hanging clothes, bags and shoes. The Shop Tart hopes to find a few things for consignment at Revente, a great way to get paid for all her effort, n’est-ce pas?
Why are people so enamored of Spring Cleaning? When the cold leaves town, the Shop Tart wants to go out and about, enjoying the sunshine. Cold, rainy days are perfect for cleaning. If we have just a few about a million just a billion more, she can achieve perfect organization!
So joyous over her newly organized dresser, the Shop Tart found time to make Inauguration Day cupcakes for her children, who were excited to be home from the school to watch our newest president take office. The Shop Tart took pride in her children’s civic-mindedness, but was was relieved they understood the importance of cupcakes to commemorate any important occasion. Lemon with vanilla icing. Delish!
Now that you can leave the house…
- VanJean’s sale is still marvelous, plenty of fall and winter left, and new things for spring are rolling in by the truckload.
- Mary has new shipments of Diana Warner jewelry and dresses by Shoshanna and Milly. They also carry plenty of merchandise for under $100, a trend the Shop Tart loves.
- Speaking of Under $100, check M Boutique for the latest trends at prices you can get your wallet around. They pioneered the “Under $100″ trend! Well, not really, but they were on the bandwagon pretty early.
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart.
* She found them on sale at a certain national chain, whose warehouse happens to be right here in South Carolina, which means they ship really quickly. Almost instant gratification.
Jan
2
The whirlwind is over. Wasn’t it fab? The Shop Tart loves January, a time to relax and go low-key after all the hustling and bustling in December. Speaking of The Hustle, the Shop Tart wore a jumpsuit on New Year’s Eve. Yes, y’all, a jumpsuit. Not only did she wear one, she predicts you will, too - or at least consider it. Just be careful - the Shop Tart almost made the mistake of pairing a black metallic mesh Whiting and Davis bag with the jumpsuit, which would have been just a touch too costumey, n’est-ce pas? A vintage 40’s peplum jacket with a fur shawl collar and Michelle Vale bag took the 80’s edge out of the look. At least, um, the Shop Tart hopes they did. Her friends were too kind to say.
Where will you find your jumpsuit? That depends on your price range and which shops jump up to the plate. Yves St. Laurent makes a lovely one and, for the you-should-really-put-this-in-your-retirement-account-instead price of $2890, the Shop Tart is certain it flatters any figure. YSL offers a more casual version for the why-not-take-a-trip-instead price of $1780. On to more realistic options…
Last year, VanJean carried a cute casual version by Tibi, if the Shop Tart remembers correctly*. And if in fact it was Tibi, the price was probably palatable, if not bargain-basement. Wonder if VanJean bought any of the Phillip Lim versions for this season? There’s a great sleeveless black, faux-bustier version with wide leg pants (around $850). The Shop Tart loves this one, but doesn’t particularly want to guess at the price. Maybe the more casual version…
Coplon’s carries Chloe and Stella McCartney, who both made fab jumpsuits this season ($995-$1600). No word if Coplon’s will carry the jumpsuits, but the Shop Tart would love to see them up close. Robert Rodriguez (also available at Coplon’s) offers a gray, draped silk version that promises to be very flattering (around $360) and would be perfect for the store - and the Shop Tart’s closet!
We can only hope that M Boutique, the Bohemian, Belladea and Mary score a chic jumpsuit or three for us to rock. Alice + Olivia produced a mad cool jersey version with flutter sleeves for Spring (around $368). Just Sayin’. The Shop Tart is putting her money on M Boutique, usually the first shop to offer the latest thing at a price we like. Both Lola and Max and Prissy like the edgier pieces, too. Hmmm…
The Shop Tart is considering offering some sort of prize to the first reader to spot a jumpsuit for sale in town. If you are a local shop owner or employee planning on carrying a jumpsuit, let the Shop Tart know and you’ll be featured in a post. Stay tuned!
In other news…
- Mary and Martha’s is offering knife sharpening year-round for $6 a knife. Wonder if they can sharpen the Shop Tart’s Cuisinart blade…
- Finleaf Gallery is closed until January 6th.
- Weathers is having a 2-for-1 Sale. Standard rules apply (buy one, get a second of equal or lesser value absolutely free.)
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
* She does remember that it looked très chic on store manager Christina with a fab pair of metallic thong sandals.
Dec
31
New Year’s Eve!
Filed Under Clothes, Eat and Drink, Home, Sale | Leave a Comment
First a little housekeeping: Those of you who get the Shop Tart’s e-mails may have noticed you now have to click on the title of the post to see the full entry for that day. Those of you haven’t noticed, well, you now have to click on the post to see the full entry for the day. If you don’t get the Shop Tart’s e-mails, why not subscribe?
Now on to more interesting things… In case you haven’t heard, it’s New Year’s Eve. The Shop Tart hopes you have fabulous plans already! The Free Times did a great job of summing up the options. A lot of places no longer have spots available, but it’s worth giving your favorite a call, as people do cancel. In fact, it’s worth showing up at the last minute to see if you can take the place of a no-show. Speaking of, don’t be a no-show. There are people who can’t decide what they want to do and make reservations all over town, taking spaces the rest of us might like and cheating the restaurant out of a chunk of money. Making multiple reservations, in the Shop Tart’s most humble opinion, shows an unattractive lack of confidence. How hard is it to commit to a good time? They’re all bound to be fun - the company is always more important than the locale, n’est-ce pas? - so just pick one!
Company is more important than locale, but your outfit trumps both. The Shop Tart has planned entire parties solely for the purpose of debuting a new look and she’s not ashamed to admit it (well, maybe a little ashamed, but she wants you to realize you are not the only one obsessed with your appearance above all others!) So, what are we wearing? The Shop Tart will rock a jumpsuit and sparkly heels. She’s going for the “Hot 70’s Housewife Out on the Town” look. Wish her luck in the “hot” department. And wish her wisdom on the jumpsuit decision; she’s waffling. A jumpsuit? Seriously? We’ll see.
Don’t forget your New Year’s Resolutions. Resolve to keep them this year. Resolve to make keepable resolutions. The Shop Tart is considering the following, but hasn’t committed, so don’t get too excited:
- She will de-clutter and re-organize one cabinet or closet in her house each month. One a month.
- She will wear curlers to pick up the kids at school no more than once a week.
- She will immediately cease embarrassing her children for sport, though her own mother seemed to enjoy it immensely.
- She will stop cussing, drinking, obsessing about her clothes and making fun of her husband. Ha ha. Just kidding!
So, lovelies, have fun, be safe and wear what you love! It’s not too late to shop, although you should do it early and call ahead, as some places are closed today and others close early. It’s also not too late to call a car service for this evening (The Shop Tart recommends Aiken Limousine). Many New Year’s Eve hotspots offer safe transportation; take advantage of it.
In other news…
- Simply Savory is open until 5 pm today, so head in for that last minute bottle (or case!) of Champagne if you’re staying in for the night or having people over after your 5 pm dinner reservation, which you were forced to make because you waited until the last minute. Ahem.
- Today is the last day to take advantage of M Boutique’s 25% off cocktail clothing sale - great place to get an outfit for this evening!
- Belladea is open today and has two sale racks, one at 30-40% off, the other at 60% off.
Happy Shopping, Happy New Year and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
Dec
30
Fashion crisis! Averted!
Filed Under Clothes, Eat and Drink, Great deal, Home, Sale, Shoes | Leave a Comment
The Shop Tart has been in a jeans rut. Her skinny black jeans (Paper Denim and Cloth) get worn far too often, as do the fifties-style, cuffed skinny blue jeans (James). She has too many kids to get away with trouser jeans (Lucky), which look suspiciously like “Mom Jeans” on her, as do any super-highwaisted ones (Dearest Philip Lim, Love you. Can’t rock those jeans.) She does have a trusty pair of Paper Denim and Cloth boot-cuts, purchased after losing all eighty pounds she gained while pregnant with her second child. That child is eight years old so, while the jeans still look impressively current enough, the thrill is gone. She is not the type to wear white jeans (James and Joe’s) in winter, although it can be very chic. She has a pair of dark, boot-cut (Citizens of Humanity) that are serviceable but almost too boring to mention. After searching high and low, and talking herself into believing if the celebrities wore them, they’d be just fab on her, the Shop Tart found these, the Current/Elliott 1957 Boyfriend Jean as Seen on Reese Witherspoon. Love is in the air and the thrill is back!
Sadly, she couldn’t find them in Columbia and had to order them from National Jean Company. Well, it wasn’t too sad, as they had free and fast* shipping and excellent customer service. Now she is left to wonder which shop in town will carry them first. Or, um, maybe no one else wants intentionally ripped, cropped, baggy jeans. It wouldn’t be the first time the Shop Tart loved something no one else did. But come on, aren’t they cool?
In case you are nuts like the Shop Tart and want a pair, she has two suggestions:
- Order small. They run big. The Shop Tart ordered the smallest size she can fit into and they’re still a little big.
- Try the code “GRECHEN” at check-out to get 20% off your purchase. Not sure if it still works, but it did a month ago!
In other news…
- The ladies at Kicks were working on inventory. Could this mean they’ll find a few forgotten pairs to put on sale? The Shop Tart hopes so!
- M Boutique is offering 25% off cocktail clothes until New Year’s Eve.
- In Charleston for the weekend? Hampden Clothing is having a sample sale at their Mt. Pleasant location from now until January 10th. 75% off everything - hooray!
- Make your New Year’s reservations early, as restaurants are filling fast. Or you could pick up dinner from the deli case at Simply Savory, DiPrato’s or Gourmet Shop and snuggle up at home to watch the ball drop.
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
* The Shop Tart hates delayed gratification, so fast shipping is a real plus. Even so, she couldn’t sleep or eat while she waited, which may have been why the jeans were so baggy. Huh.
Dec
18
Best places in town to run into your friends from high school.
Filed Under Babies and Children, Bags, Clothes, Eat and Drink, Good Cause!, Great deal, Home, Jewelry, Men, Sale, Shoes | Leave a Comment
Now, the Shop Tart realizes you might not want to run into your friends from high school, but really, isn’t it time to get past that? Go get your hair done, put on a nice outfit and go out to lunch. You might see someone fun (even if they weren’t fun in high school) and end up making plans for the evening. After all, you can only share so much holiday cheer with your family. The Shop Tart never fails to see old friends in these lunch spots:
- The Gourmet Shop. It’s always bustling, you can pick up a few last-minute holiday gifts and the food is scrumptious. Now that you’re older, you probably think you should order the Seasonal Green Salad, no bread, no croutons, with a side of smoked salmon. Delicious choice, but why not pretend your metabolism is back in high school and go for the Brie and Bacon Croissant? Just this once, for old times’ sake.
- Mr. Friendly’s. You’ll run into people you know and they might be with their parents. You are now mature enough to say hello to the parents and act interested, m’kay? Have a burger and fries or dig in to any one of their fab specials. You won’t really have time to eat though, because you’ll spend the whole time chatting with everyone in Columbia.
- Groucho’s. It’s a classic. You can order the STP Junior, but you know you want the whole thing, so go for it. And the ice - oh, the marvelous ice. The Shop Tart craved it like crazy when she was pregnant. You’re not pregnant, are you? That would be an interesting piece of news!
- Motor Supply Company. It’s still warm enough to sit on the enclosed porch and it’s perfectly acceptable to share a bottle of wine at lunch. What a fab way to fuel your Christmas shopping. Carol Saunders Gallery, right next door, is sure to have the perfect thing for your mom, like a piece of jewelry or some hand-blown wine glasses. Just don’t carry the wine glasses yourself if you drank most of that bottle.
- Adriana’s. You met one of your best friends when you worked there in high school. She introduced you to people who remain your best friends. In fact, she introduced you to your husband, a union that resulted in three adorable sons. You went to her wedding in Italy and had a blast. Not quite? Well, that’s what happened to the Shop Tart, so she has a special spot in her heart for Adriana’s. And their food is actually good now - really good - and they have great coffee and free wi-fi, so you can pretend to be working instead of looking up your high school friends on Facebook. Cool!
Last, but not least, Goatfeathers is not a lunch spot, but after a long day of shopping, chatting and behaving in a generally polite and cheery manner, don’t you need a drink or three? Happy Hour is calling your name. Goatfeathers is open when others are not and you’ll always run into someone you know. It’s nice and dark, so you can be as sullen as you were in college and no one will notice. Hooray!
In other news…
- Capes and skirts at LaRoque are 50% off. The Shop Tart thinks a lovely evening cape would be the perfect gift for someone special!
- Next week’s wine tasting at Simply Savory will be on Monday instead of Friday. They’ll also have a bubbly tasting on the Monday before New Year’s Eve. Fun!
- After a great run, Tickled Pink is closing for good. Everything is 40% off through Saturday.
- Some things in the Coplon’s sale are up to…gulp…80%. The Shop Tart is saying this very quietly, since she can’t get there until after 11 and is pretty sure people will be busting the doors down. They’re bringing merchandise from their other stores. The sale lasts for three days, through Saturday. The Shop Tart is shaking with excitement.
- Looking for a way to give back? Columbia’s Free Medical Clinic always needs your help. Count your blessings if you have a job and health insurance and do your part to help those who don’t.
Happy Shopping and don’t forget to tell them you read it on the Shop Tart!
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