The weather is changing and that always reminds me that it is time to change out my wardrobe.
I found the best place to do just that – Destini! Natt Taylor’s designs are so fab and so girly. I want one of everything!! Especially these pants with the big bow – how cute would these be for all those holiday parties? You could pair them with everything. I really think they would be perfect for hosting parties. You would look amazing and be super comfortable all at the same time.
Especially love those pants on the left! Which is your fave?
And Natt, the designer of these treasures, is a sweetie. I met her at an event not too long ago and I loved hearing her story. Natt has been making clothes since the tender age of 16 and hasn’t stopped since.
Sweet Natt
So go on over to the website and check it out. Um….Natt…please tell Santa that I adore the pink strapless dress!
You’ve read the article in Design Is Magazine. Now get all the behind-the-scenes skinny.
Driving the 3.5 hours from South Montgomery was a snap with Sirius radio in our rental car. Arriving in the Crescent City to 97F heat, we entered The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans to kind hellos and cool air.
Yesterday was a wild whirlwind of a video shoot, but today, it is time to celebrate. It is my perfect husband’s birthday. Tonight we will celebrate by recreating all his childhood faves. Chili dogs, Groovy Mike Sells Potato Chips, Onion dip, Real Coca-Colas in glass bottles. A group of our besties will gather together in our home and it will be a ball.
And macaroni and cheese. Apparently it’s everyone else’s childhood favorite. What was yours?
Anyhoo, I am going to indulge myself by posting some of my favorite photos of Eric from the past year. Happy Birthday, Honey. I love you madly.
xoxo, Patti Today blogging to Three Dog Night – Celebrate
If you will forgive me for keeping it short this morning – I am off on a video shoot with my friend, Barry Belcher and his fab friend, Cori. Their videos are called Dirty Dishes – gossip and cooking! Isn’t that fun?
To give you an idea, here is one of their hilarious videos. The episode I am going to be featured on is Open Faced Sandwiches With Two Faced Friends. Fun!
I am running around furiously trying to get ready for uber-early call. Wish me luck!
In the meantime, let me introduce you to Barry and Cori:
xoxo, Patti
Today blogging to Buck Owens and His Bucaroos – Act Naturally
Our buddy Tammy Peterson has been super busy lately. Here’s some news from her about Hotel Blake in Chicago (one of my favorite cities!)
Cheer on the Chicago Bears with Hotel Blake’s
“Get Your Game On” Package
One of the closest hotels to Soldier Field, Hotel Blake Offers Convenient, Luxurious Way to Enjoy Monsters of the Midway and Windy City to the Fullest.
Gorgeous!
Chicago, IL – Headed to the Windy City to see the Chicago Bears play on their home turf this fall? Make it a winning overnight getaway with the Get Your Game On Package at the South Loop’s luxurious Hotel Blake, one of the closest hotels to Soldier Field.
Today travel news comes from Mexico. Like yoga? Like the beach? This may be the place for you!
From our friend, Tammy Peterson:
CEIBA DEL MAR ANNOUNCES MESOAMERICAN YOGA RETREAT WITH ELEMENTS YOGA
Boutique Riviera Maya Luxury Resort Partners With Lifestyle Outfit to Host “Mystical Mayan Adventure”
Puerto Morelos, Mexico – Elemental Yoga Retreats, a lifestyle division of Elements Yoga & Wellness Center, an award-winning boutique studio based in Darien, CT, has selected Ceiba del Mar Beach & Spa Resort, an intimate Riviera Maya property located on the picturesque, white-sand shores of peaceful Puerto Morelos, as the site of its “Mystical Mayan Adventure,” a culturally-inspired yoga retreat, November 7-11, 2010.
Mystical Mayan Adventure
Abundant natural beauty—an ivory-white beach bordering brilliant Mexican Caribbean seas, breezy palms, lush greenery, and exotic flowers—surround boutique Ceiba del Mar, which boasts numerous hospitality accolades but is otherwise secluded, providing unrivaled serenity for spiritually connected physical practice, meditative inquiry and indulgent self-care at the heart of the “Mystical Mayan Adventure.” In keeping with the resort’s commitment to providing guests with exceptional respite at all levels, and Elemental Yoga Retreats’ desire to infuse the “Mystical Mayan Adventure” with aspects of holism and an exploration of local culture, the Mesoamerican-influenced yoga and wellness retreat will include the following:
• 7 sessions of spiritually-based and specialty yoga at unique locales throughout the resort;
• 4 guided sessions of morning meditation amid a soothing, centering backdrop;
• A specialty Aromayoga Restorative session;
• A Temazcal Ceremony, a contemporary spa therapy based on an ancient Maya purifying ritual conducted by a local shaman;
• 15% off all other spa treatments;
• Complimentary use of land/sea sports equipment; and
• Calming sanctuary in one of the resort’s 88 sublime, sea-facing guest residences, each with a full bathroom with shower and separate bathtub; local wood accents and handcrafted furnishings; complimentary wireless Internet; 300 thread-count Premium Cotton linens and pillow menu; complimentary in-room morning coffee daily and nightly turndown service; International cable TV and DVD/CD player, and 24-hour room service.
Adventures for an additional cost include:
• Spelunking (cave diving);
• Journey to ancient Mayan ruins;
• Zip lining through the jungle;
• Scuba diving (from the dive shop at Ceiba del Mar); and
• A golf outing.
All-inclusive “Early Bird” rates for the “Mystical Mayan Adventure” are per person and start at $1593 for double occupancy and $2093 for single occupancy. Full Yoga retreat package, including four nights in luxurious, ocean-view accommodation included. Rates for non-yoga participants sharing a room with a yoga retreater start at $1263. Rates increase by $200 if booked after September 15, 2010. To book call Ceiba del Mar at 1-877-545-6221 and mention the group code: Yoga Retreat. Reservations must be secured with a credit card. Cancellations received within 120 hours (5 days) of arrival will incur a full stay charge.
Elements Yoga & Wellness Center
Voted “The Best” yoga studio in Connecticut for six consecutive years by Greenwich Magazine, Westport Magazine, and New Canaan, Darien & Rowayton Magazine, Elements Yoga & Wellness Center is a unique, spiritually-centered school that offers various styles and levels of yoga as well as expert instruction from acclaimed teachers who represent a full and diverse spectrum of disciplines. In addition to weekly classes; specialized workshops; advanced teacher training, mentoring and study programs; and healing massage and bodywork for yoga practitioners of all ages, the studio’s retreat division is actively working with boutique luxury resorts to develop intimate yoga retreats aimed at invoking total-body transformation. Culturally and spiritually influenced by their locations, retreats will uniquely combine inner work with outdoor adventure to rebalance the mind, center the soul and nourish the spirit. Enriching activities inspired by local custom and heritage in concert with deep yoga practice and spiritual meditation create a singular experience for soul-searching travelers and both avid and casual yoga practitioners.
Elements Yoga & Wellness Center is owned by and operated by the husband and wife team of Bruce Bassock, a former commodity and equity trader turned yogi whose effective Yoga for Men program garnered national attention from The New York Times and Yoga Journal; and Donna Kuebler, a Fairfield County 40 Under 40 recipient, supporter of many non-profits, a charitable event co-chair, and the Program Director of Fit Yoga Magazine. Bassock and Rita Trieger, founder and editor-in-chief of Fit Yoga Magazine; author of Yoga Heals Your Back and Tranquil Mind; a highly-sought yoga conference speaker; and a well-respected yoga and meditation instructor, will lead Elemental Yoga Retreats, including the “Mystical Mayan Adventure” at Ceiba del Mar.
“Our goal is to provide modern travelers—individuals who want to cultivate self-awareness while relaxing, staying fit and having fun—with exactly that opportunity,” says Donna Kuebler, co-founder of Elements Yoga & Wellness Center. “When practice is over we enjoy getting to know the people who attend our retreats to develop a traveling community of like-minded, fun-loving, adventurous yogis. ”
For more information about Ceiba Del Mar Beach & Spa Resort, which was included on Conde Nast Traveler’s 2009 and 2010 Gold List, earning perfect scores of “100” in “Best Rooms” and “Best Service” categories for Mexico, visit www.ceibadelmar.com, or call 1-877-545-6221.
Ceiba del Mar Beach & Spa Resort is an award-winning, oceanfront boutique resort in the Riviera Maya district of Mexico. This intimate resort is situated on half-mile of a private white-sand beach and offers 88 deluxe Ocean-View rooms and suites, seven of which are penthouses; two restaurants; a swimming pool; the wellness and aromatherapy Spa at Ceiba del Mar, and beautiful indoor/outdoor spaces for events, meetings and destination weddings.
This sounds like the perfect place to unwind, doesn’t it?
Caren West, of Caren West PR sent me this reminder about next weekend’s Chili Cookoff. Oh, what fun this is. Here are the deets, Dolls!
THE GREAT MILLER LITE CHILI COOK-OFF RETURNS TO STONE MOUNTAIN, GA SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2010
100% of the Proceeds Benefit Camp Twin Lakes
All Ages Welcome; Kids 12 and Under Free
Atlanta, Georgia (September 17, 2010) – The 31st annual Great Miller Lite Chili Cook-Off will once again descend upon picturesque Stone Mountain, Ga. on Saturday, September 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. With 100% of the proceeds benefiting Camp Twin Lakes, approximately 300 teams from across the country will provide free chili samples to patrons on a first-come-first-serve basis. The event will also feature six hours of live music, food, drinks, games, contests and more. Fun for the whole family, tickets are $10 for adults; children 12 and under get in for free. Tickets can only be purchased the day of the event on site and will not sell out. For more information visit www.theatlantachilicookoff.com.
As promised, here is the behind the scenes story to supplement my article in this month’s Design Is Magazine in my column, Living The Ritz Life. A magazine only allows so many words, but on my blog, I can blather on forever. So, if you want to hear the whole story about our stay at The Lodge, here you go.
Imagine a place where all your cares melt away at the door. A place where the phrase “my pleasure” actually means “my pleasure.” Imagine a place that is a retreat for the soul as well as the body.
A short one and a half hour drive from downtown Atlanta takes you to such a retreat. The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation is close to the big city, but a world away.
The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation
Arriving on a sultry Friday evening, this lodge of the well-heeled looms into view only after turning off the beaten path of Interstate 20. At the front door, friendly valets dressed in ivy caps, knickerbockers and argyle socks, ala golfer Payne Stewart, greeted us. Check-in was seamless and the weekend was now underway.
As we entered the club-level guest room, a roughhewn box on the hallway table caught my eye. Inside the box were graham crackers, Hershey bars and marshmallows, all the fixings for s’mores at the complimentary evening campfire. There were also notes welcoming my husband & me along with a jar of delicious spiced pecans (with the recipe attached). The king-sized bed was dressed with crisp white linens and the softest down pillows. Two wooden chairs and a table on our balcony ensured a view of the lush greenery.
Eric reminded me that I had an inkling to start a blog when we were in Los Angeles. I thought you all might get a kick out of a couple of those vintage posts.
From November 23, 2008.
Tonight we finally made the pilgrimage to L.A. from Santa Monica to Pink’s Hot Dogs for one of their legendary franks. After standing in line for an hour and ordering up, we enjoy our meal alfresco – a pastrami-swiss dog with fries and a coke for me and a chili dog and a sauerkraut, tomatoes, mustard and bacon with onion rings and a coke for Eric. Consuming the dogs took no longer than 10 minutes, I’m afraid.
Of course we had to check out the bathrooms – they serve over 2000 hot dogs a day and I was feeling brave. Although I took no photos of the bathroom, it was spotless. This was a well run operation.
So if you are in Los Angeles and craving a piece of history and have at least an hour to kill, get yourself a spot in line at Pink’s Hot Dogs and remember – cash only!
I know a lot of you have been waiting patiently for the details of our paella party. Here you go!
The party started the day before when Vickie arrived and Jeff, Crystal and Teague joined us for some brainstorming about the fire and flow of the party. Pizza and beer followed. A pre-party is always fun.
Sunday we all woke early and Eric got the fire started. Early, y’all. It was blazing by 10 a.m. and was ready for the paella pan by 3 p.m. And then Eric cooked. And cooked. And cooked some more. We have realized that the paella still takes about 3 hours to prepare. But we were ready this time.
