Happy Weekend, Sealed with a Kiss!

Lilly Pulitzer "Sealed with a Kiss" pink patent clutch, perfect for warm weather.
198.00, LillyPulitzer.com

Palm Beach; Simon Doonan's Take

C.Bell is an authentically 'Palm Beach' interiors shop that I can't pass up a visit to.

I love Palm Beach. It is one of my favorite places in the world. Amongst all things glitzy, gaudy, and positively plastic, remains a stationery old-guard manner to people that exists nowhere else. Resort style, bright colors, preppy-bohemian dress, C.Orrico, cocktails, and Boloud all stand out as island standbys, the kind of places and things you love and cherish more with every visit.

Lace frock by Anna Sui s/s 2008 - Palm Beach boho at it's best.

The grandeur of the island's homes, the Breakers, and brick-paved roads lend the kind of wonderland charm that truly make it an escape. So many things about it that may make it seem "new money" are greatly outnumbered by the things that make it so authentically "old Florida".

Allan Reyes Interiors is a delightful shop on Dixie Highway

My friend Nicole just sent me a delightfully cheeky piece about Palm Beach ettiquette by the unrivaled Simon Doonan, who notes;

"Old-fashioned etiquette is alive and well and living in Palm Beach. While vacationing there last week, I saw the kind of extreme posturing and genuflection which one associates with 18th-century Versailles. Everywhere you look, there are doddering titans of industry kissing the backs of ladies’ hands and deftly inserting gilt dining chairs under lifted bottoms. When these grandees leave or enter a P.B. restaurant—Chez Jean-Pierre, for example—they exhibit the kind of magnificent, regal deportment that leads one to believe they might practice at home with books on their heads. All this hilariously unself-conscious campiness serves a purpose: It gives Palm Beach an identity. Take away the anachronistic folderol and the place would be Boca." You can read the rest of the piece here, on Mr. Doonan's website.

LOVE Quotes: Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities have crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day. You shall begin in serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense." -Ralph Waldo Emerson

The Love List On Houseguests

My 23rd birthday is coming up, and to celebrate, a number of my out-of-town friends will be coming to stay with me for a few days. Obviously, things like these require some preparation. Even though the visits are casual and a lot of formal pomp and circumstance isn't necessary, I'm lucky enough to have a guest bedroom in my town house set up for just these kinds of stays.

Amanda Peet's lovely, informal guest room. Photo by Coliena Rentmeester.

In the bedroom, of course there are the standards - fresh sheets, a well-made bed, a clean room. On the night stand, bottled water, a box of tissues, a candle, fresh flowers, and some reading material. Eventually I'd like to add a nice desk (like Katie Lee Joel's, below), but for now an empty bureau with a small TV and DVD player on top will have to hold their own.

Katie Lee Joel's spare but beautiful guest room was designed with her mother in mind. Photo by Paul Costello.

I also like to have a small guest basket in my bathroom (since it is shared with the guest) with spare travel-size toiletries - an extra toothbrush, a spare razor and shaving bar, face wipes, lotion, toothpaste, and of course shampoo and conditioner. I drag it out when guests come and stick it conspicuously next to two fresh, fluffy towels.

Sephora has a fantastic "airplane-approved beauty" section of their website, chock full of high-end products in miniature sizes, perfect for guests, travel, or making sure you love it before you go for the full-size.

For the evening of my birthday, I'm cooking everyone a big pot of my Mom's chilli (maybe some of you remember the recipe?); maybe I'll throw in some venison if Ken, my sportsman neighbor will let me bum some. A small assortment of toppings, some beer and red velvet cupcakes baked by a friend will round out a simple, easy, and inexpensive way to feed lots of friends before a night of celebration.

How do you prepare for houseguests? What do you like to cook for them? Leave me your tips in the comments!

Sharing the Love

Beautiful letterpress thank-you notes by twinravenspress

As bloggers, we subject ourselves to every kind of scrutiny - good and bad. When I started blogging, I didn't anticipate not only the great opportunities that would come my way, but also the nasty things people sometimes have to say. However, some days you open your email and you get a letter from a reader like this, that is so sincere and flattering you just have to share it. I'm sincerely grateful for all of my readers - you guys are why I do this. Thank you.

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Hi Jessica!

I think it was a week or two ago that SNL's featured performer was Jason Mraz. I know that his song "I'm Yours" is quite popular now, but I had to smile because you predicted OVER A YEAR AGO, on your blog, that it was destined to become a future hit. However, I was not a bit surprised that you had a knack for making such great predictions.... all because I remembered a LONG-ago blog post of yours entitled "I heart Tory Burch" where you mentioned that you liked the look of flats with shorts. Really, Jessica, how could you possibly have predicted THIS kind of mass-appeal and success for TB??

You obviously have a "gifted" eye (and ear, apparently, too!) for artists of all kinds. And your ability, at such a young age, to realize that potential in others absolutely assures me that YOU are destined to make your own "mark" in the world. Can't wait to see what that mark's destination will be! Until then, though, I'm really going to enjoy watching your journey (which I hope you'll have time to chronicle on your blog).

Okay, I'll stop gushing for now. :)

Keep up the good work!
Cheers!
Sophisticated Southerner

Artistic Freedom: Dave the Potter

Photograph by Gavin Ashworth

In the mid-1800's, a Carolina plantation slave known simply as Dave the Potter created numerous beautiful stoneware pots for utility around his workplace. Often, he would inscribe them with verses, thoughts, recipes, and at other times, he would simply sign his name.

His story has been documented in Leonard Todd's book Carolina Clay. Dave's works are now prized collectors items, often fetching six-figure numbers at auction. March 6-7 will see the next open bidding on Dave's work - online and in person bids will be taken at Charlton Hall’s Great Americana at Auction in Columbia, South Carolina. You can watch the auction take place online at Charltonhallauctions.com at that time. To see pieces available for purchase today, try mudsweatandtears.com.

Monday Room du Jour: Rashida Jones in Domino

Photo by Paul Costello

Domino's untimely passing was extremely sad news to us all. In honor of the now-defunct mag, rooms du jour will be pulled from it's pages for the rest of the month. Here is Rashida Jones' now iconic apartment, one of the publication's most famous features, well worth revisiting. From the collective blogosphere's heart, we'll miss you, Domino.