Gifts from a Grateful Client

Earlier this week, I went in to work to find a gift waiting for me on my desk. My store manager had received the gift from the client and left it for me on the desk, with a sticky note attached that passed on the following message:

"Thanks for all the styling help last week, Caroline!"

I opened the bag to find the following:

I imagine you all squinting to see what's pictured here. What is it, you ask?

Sensura Almond Massage Oil and Sparkling Body Moisturizer (edible, of course). Compliments of a sex toy party enthusiast.

I tell you what, being in retail is never boring...

Meet the Predecessors

Before Holly and Paddington, there were a few other chows in my life... The ones who started it all.

This is my beautiful mom at age 22, sitting on her parents' front porch in good ol' Tallapoosa, with the two sweetest balls of fluff. (Please note her footwear - blue jellies!) She worked for a while at a Pike's Nursery, and one day, someone left these pups there in a cardboard box. (!) Well of course, they promptly found themselves a home with Mom, and became known as Winnie and Teddy.

Two years later, I came along. This is me at age 6, hanging on my swing set, which I got for my birthday that year. (Please take a moment to note my acid-wash jean jacket.) Posing for the camera below is Winnie, Holly's poofier predecessor. (And she'd been shaved in this picture!) Doesn't she look like Grendel? Lord, I miss her.

This one was taken in our very leafy backyard. The lion on the right is Teddy, an absolute bear of a dog. Oh! They were so sweet.

The pug on the left is Cindy, whom I named after my aunt's best friend and spent my entire childhood smothering with love. (She's an exception to the blog post on chows, but a very key ingredient in my childhood, so you get to hear about her anyway.) I was known to paint her toenails with neon polish and trim her fur in designs. Poor thing. She lived a very long life for a pug, and died on Independence Day when I was 15.

On the right is Paddington's predecessor Pooh. The resemblance between these two is absolutely uncanny. She came along a little after Winnie and Teddy.

Tee hee.

Pets enrich our lives in so many ways. How can you not smile when you see faces like these?!

My Latest Quick Dinner Obsession

Lately I've been making this dish once a week or so for dinner. It is so easy and delicious. Not sure what I want to call it yet...

Ingredients:

Linguine pasta

Extra virgin olive oil

Reduced-fat feta cheese

Basil

Kalmata olives

Cook pasta over medium heat for 8-10 minutes. After draining, toss pasta in olive oil. Chop basil and kalmata olives and fold into pasta. Top with feta. Enjoy!

Outfit of the Day: Charlestonian Style

Disclaimer: I must admit that this is not my outfit of TODAY. In fact, it is an outfit from about a month ago, but if you saw my outfit at the moment, you'd scoff at my sweatpants-and-orange-socks combo.

Moving on.

After interviewing for what is now my first adult job, I had the weekend off and was ready to relieve my stress. I drove five hours to spend the weekend in Charleston with one of my best friends from high school, Elise, who also happens to be a fashionista (and a model for Charleston Fashion Week!).

On my way out of town, I spotted this bad boy driving down the road. What IS this?! It was huge. And ominous.

We spent the day Saturday lounging and watching a What Not To Wear Marathon. Great advice from Stacy: "You always have to go, but you don't always have to match." LOVE that!

We did Saturday night Charleston-style, with great fashion, great food and great places. Our first stop was dinner at a quaint little Italian restaurant, where I had the most delicious fresh ravioli with pesto.

After letting that settle, we went over to Kaminsky's for dessert, where I had the most delicious Tollhouse Cookie Pie:

Next was a bar called Shine, which had the most fabulous decor:

Look at those chandeliers!

And those window treatments!

The bathrooms were fabulous, too. Just testing out the lighting.

Shoes: Colin Stuart for Victoria's Secret

*Note: Nude heels do amazing things for legs. They make them seem longer!

The wallpaper was amazing, so of course we had to do a photo shoot. It reminded me of my scrapbooking papers!

My outfit:

Headband: LOFT

Bell-sleeve top: LOFT

Skirt: Moda International for Victoria's Secret

Crossbody purse: vintage Coach, found at Agora in Athens

Elise's outfit:

One-shoulder knit dress: American Apparel (current)

Tights: American Apparel

I love these two.

This one makes the magic happen at Charleston Fashion Week.

He'll be getting me backstage on March 17th. :-) Love you, Travis!

After getting home, we had to have a late-night snack of brie en croute with raspberries, strawberries and wine. Yum.

In terms of a relaxing and fabulous weekend, it just doesn't get better than that, ladies and gentlemen.