We make Vampires & Werewolves look Fabulous!

Like many others on November 18, Eloise and I made sure we didn't miss the grand premier of the Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. FYI, it was amazing! We were so excited; we waited in line starting at 9:30 p.m. for the midnight showing! Of course, our legs and backs were a little stiff after  the first few hours, but we bit the bullet and dealt with the pain! Any girl or women would, just to see the deliciousness of Robert Pattinson and Taylor Lautner. Can you believe that stunning werewolf is a Grand Rapids native?!

We knew we could not show up to this premier looking anything less than our best, and like most of the crowd we did our best to dress the part! We must have nailed it too, why?, well people couldn't keep their hands off of us. I was concerned we were mistaken as Breaking Dawn characters ourselves. I can't say it's necessarily a bad thing; we love the attention and being in the spotlight.

Because we looked so fabulous we were asked as usual where we find such great style and pieces. Our one shop stop to the best place in town, Leigh's! We couldn't believe how many movie goers had never heard of our home away from home. Eloise and I both found ourselves new DL1961 legging jeans, newly in stock, and we can honestly say they might be the most comfortable pair we've worn. I paired my red ones with a Lafayette 148 blouse and a Zelda blazer, it looked very victorian yet polished! Eloise had a basic tee from Three Dots under a jacket from Bailey 148 and paired a chunky scarf that came from Chelsea by Joseph Scarf. With Christmas just around the corner, come into Leigh's! You might just find a few things to give and receive!

Gymnastics and... Fashion?!

In light of Eloise I've decided to make a trip for her and the little ones; Aerials and Baranis Gymnastics center, home of the Flying Tigers! After watching all of those children bounce around, it reminded me of my more flexible years, and every time a child jumped into the large scary foam pit butterflies fluttered in my stomach I also might have let out a few gasps. It's pure bravery the things those children do! Eloise and I both agreed we have hard enough time doing yoga in a still motion, there is no way we would have the ability to flip, twirl, and bounce like these young ones.

just watching made us queasy

that scary foam pit!

a room dedicated to the preschoolers

I suppose one of the things I enjoyed the most were all of the compliments we received from the mothers and grandmothers on our attire! We were more than happy to share with them our shopping secret; Leigh's at the Breton Village Mall! I think one thing they will be eager to find is a replica of my Rozae fur vest; I felt as if I were an animal the way I was being stroked! I complimented it well with my sheer top by Tracy Reese, a pair of gray Vince leggings, adding stylish flats from Cole Haan's Maria Sharapova collection. Eloise was receiving so many compliments as well, as she would,  she pulls off the working mom look well! Pairing her cardigan and skirt by Ellie Tahari she added a basic black Skinny Tee tank and Tory Burch's suede kitten heels.

they have their own shopping center too

There are so many different things you can do at Aerials & Baranis! They have the cutest room for the preschool age which I found to be the most appealing for my skill level. Six different trampolines to bounce on, which we were told if you touch the ceiling your name gets to go on the wall! They also have just like in the Olympics, bars, beams, rings, vault and a bouncy exercise floor! We realized what better way to strip children's energy than take them to a place as wonderful as this. We had so much fun meeting new people and spending time watching rather than participating, as we knew we would need a chiropractor if we decided to partake!

a fun new friend!

bravery, pure bravery

New Friends, Volleyball and Fashion

Remember when Eloise had mentioned we'd met some new friends last week at Robinette's? Well, I just couldn't wait to tell you more about them! Our intern and friend Lauren is much more than a fun fashionista, she also spends much of her time devoted to collegiate athletics as well! Eloise and I never would have guessed she was so athletic, but many of our new friends are a part of the Cornerstone University Women's Volleyball team! We felt overjoyed when they invited us to come and spend some time with them before one of their games!

beautiful girls with beautiful smiles!

Abby (left) & Ali (right) we believe they are trying to be as poised as we are!

the beautiful Jodi!

The thing I was most nervous about was trying to figure out what to wear!!! Eloise and I have not attended very many athletic events in the past, let alone a volleyball match. Patrick at Leigh's luckily came to our rescue! I decided to go with a comfortable Autumn Cashmere sweater with leopard imprinted leggings by Margaret M. To top it off, I added a silver bracelet and a pair of Stuart Weitzman boots! Eloise looked marvelous in her new outfit as well! She casually, yet elegantly wore a fur vest and striped sweater by Le Phare De La Baleine with a Michael Stars henley underneath. On bottom she chose flare jeans from 7 for all Mankind and some cute Cole Haan booties!

We were so impressed by what these girls could do. They jump, swing, squat, dive and roll like monkey's in a zoo! It never dawned on me how fast paced volleyball could be. Even with our flawless figures, Eloise and I gave these girls props for being so dedicated to such a competitive lifestyle. Now, I cannot speak for Eloise, but I instantly became frozen when they asked us if we wanted to play with them! I quickly declined as I knew it would be foolish of me to even try! Besides, after taking the time to get ready sweating was the last thing on my mind!

Lauren, Jodi & Heidi. They represented the Seniors for their last home game!

Art Prize

Last weekend Eloise and I decided, since we live in the great city of Grand Rapids, it was time to expose ourselves to Art Prize. We had no idea so many people were going to be there! I normally, of course, love all the attention, but I'm pretty sure some spectators thought Eloise and I were an actual entry! We were so flattered. Even so we looked great in some of our new fall pieces! We are so lucky to have a place like Leigh's to shop!

Eloise (right) and I

A very friendly gentleman we met!

Eloise decided to wear a chunky new rust colored sweater from the contemporary collection at Leigh's by Vince with a Three Dots cotton shirt and paired it with a pair of DL1961 flare jeans. To complete her look, she added one of our great fall scarves by Theodora & Callum! I fell in love with my gray vest by Smitten and went with a turtleneck from Three Dots and loose blouse by Dolan. The weather was just a bit chilly even with the fall sun poking out from the clouds! Therefore, I chose to show off my legs with thick and warm Three Dot leggings. They are so versatile!

We loved how many different types of art was available to see downtown, and one of our favorite things was to watch the juggler above! Eloise's face went stiff when I told her I could move like him. Must be she didn't believe me! Our time at Art Prize was fascinating. We can't wait for the rest of our fall adventures!

GRAM on the Green

Getting ready for the GRAM on the green was a little bit chaotic for Eloise as she was working right up until our ETA; awe the life of a driven advertising executive. Good thing I am a patient friend, and hired out her children to help dress her. They did a great job, with one minor detail missed…

           At the Grand Rapids Art Museum we set up base right along the entrance of the museum, from this prime location we could people watch the Rosa Parks circle Zumba class, the sketching pads, and the band playing; An Dro. It was so fun to watch all the Keith Urban fans walk around downtown in their boots and daisy dukes anxiously awaiting the concert.

            The more I people watched, the more I thought about starting a street fashion blog, and they are my favorite go-to fashion inspiration sites. For instance The Sartorialist and Street Peeper. At the GRAM the environment was just peaceful, a cohesive mix of all ages enjoying the weather and Celtic sounds of An Dro.

            We were comfortably casual. I wore a Michael Stars tank top, with a 3.1 Phillip Lim necklace, and J Brand jeans. Eloise was rocking a 3.1 Phillip Lim dress, elegantly understated; her kids really shined. I think they have a future as stylists. Thank you very much to Natalie Thomas for being such a great host and her right-hand woman Kristi.

 

"Put the WILD Back in Life"

After Eloise continually promising her little ones a trip to the John Ball Zoo, I finally got on her case as well, and off we went. Auntie Lola really pulled through for the group, plus our friend Annie got to join, as well as our new friend Brittany; we couldn't have had a better group! Right upon entrance there is a large sculpture of John Ball, the quintessential photo-opt location we wasted no time to climb at our own risk and pose!

Something about the zoo’s aura brought out the child deep within us, Eloise and I posed for hours! After our photo shoot, we immediately got distracted by the funky gift shop- we had yet to enter the zoo, and we were already having a ball! Check out our fun masks that made us instant friends with some youngsters and slightly embarrassed Eloise’s little ones…they were just jealous in my opinion!

Walking through the zoo I could not help but admire how amazing all the different fur coats were of all the different animals…and think how amazing they would be as a coat!! PETA would not be pleased with me, oh my!

Also, little did I know until I reviewed my photos that Eloise REALLY embraced the “Put the Wild Back in Life” motto, while I was off petting pygmy goats and taking a camel ride- take note following the rules! Eloise found herself in a much more “wild” position; just take a look at the pictures, they speak volumes more than I ever could.

Later on that day, Eloise mentioned she does not highly recommend any mothers or children follow in her footsteps and I am sure the John Ball Zoo employees would second that! She was simply inspired by the Louis Vuitton and Chanel ads; they have beautiful clothes, models, and elephants…so she went for it, somewhat regrettably.

All in all what a great day at the zoo, sporting such labels as Lilly Pulizter, Stuart Weitman, Valentino Red, Michael Stars, and Donald Pliner! A special thank you to all the helpful employees; what a great staff they have!

Science Fair

Earlier this week our good friend Rebecca Wierda invited Eloise and me to attend her son's science fair.  Unfortunately, Eloise was unable to go and because we are inseperable, I nearly declined the invitation. However, Rebecca knows me too well.  She enticed me to attend with the prospect of meeting super hot Single Dad, so I put on a cute outfit and got pumped to learn some chemistry!  Little did I know I WAS the science experiment!  

I had been hoodwinked into serving as a prop in a demonstration about prosthetic limbs!!! I soon realized that this had been her plan all along!  I never would have gone had I known what I was signing up for.  After being touched by sticky kid fingers and covered in molding clay I was banished to ride home in the trunk.  When I was in the vulnerable position with limbs detached and with a ridiculous over-sized tee-shirt on she decided to snap these "hilarious'' photos of me.  I see how you are Rebecca! I'm such a good friend and shop only at Leigh's and this is how you treat me!? 

Grand Rapids Symphony

Meg Willit trying to get Eloise to loosen up.

On the eve of Christmas Eve we were honored to join Meg Willit at the Grand Rapids Symphony to see Cirque de Noel and celebrate her birthday in style alongside the dashing Patrick Plank and the ever lovely Rebecca Wierda.

Years ago [see: in my more limber youth] I was a dance enthusiast dabbling in burlesque and later saucy salsa dancing during my first stint in Spain. I wasn't shy to remind our group that I could easily steal the show if I were so inclined.

Of course, a diva doesn't dress herself - a privilege I took to the next level by enlisting Patrick to dress Eloise and I for the evening. [Patrick said I was a little stiff...but nothing a trip to the bar couldn't fix]. I wore a 3.1 Phillip Lim top and pants with a Peter Nathan vest while Eloise wore a chic Trina Turk top tucked into a Tadashi skirt and 3.1 Phillip Lim belt under a Milly sweater.

[Left]: Lola [Right]: Eloise

Sure, we look amazing, but if it were my big day I would have gone in my original ensemble against Rebecca's advice - my mother's best Christmas sweater-dress finished with velvet cuffs, embroidered reindeer and sequined snowmen. Rebecca warned that not even my best pair of festive red Louboutins could excuse such a sight.

Andola Mathis and daughter Chamberlain Mathis

Waiting for the show to start with Rebecca and Meg

When Tchaikovsky's "Waltz of the Flowers" began, Meg and I took to the aisles for a spontaneous waltz. We had an amazing night! Now I am looking forward to New Year's Eve in Grand Rapids - the only night of the year it is socially acceptable for me to wear head-to-toe sequins...that is, until Eloise and I can hunt down tickets to see Lady Gaga in March.

Holiday Gala

On Thursday we attended the 16th Annual Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World Gala presented at Frederik Meijer Gardens.

Against Eloise's advice, I set up my Christmas tree and began blasting holiday music before we could finish our Thanksgiving leftovers. If it were up to me, my house would be bedazzled with colorful lights and gaudy ornaments year-round. To help Eloise find inspiration for her tree [that she refuses to put up until after the first week of December] we were looking forward to checking out all of the amazing Christmas trees, a few glasses of wine and globally inspired food.

Eloise [at right] pulled out her new Pamella Roland gown for the evening and Leigh's Rebecca Wierda was kind enough to let me borrow her own Pamella Roland dress...she may have a time getting it back!


[from top to bottom] Alexis Bittar and Lee Angel


I pulled out my heaviest ornaments for the occasion; Necklace by Robert Rodriguez


Eloise wearing a Lee Angel bracelet


The lovely centerpiece at our table


&The dazzling Chihuly chandelier

After a few drinks we made our way past the trees for an enchanting carriage ride around the sculpture park to the tune of festive carolers. It was the perfect time for us to forget about unfinished Christmas shopping and enjoy the snow globe weather that's here to stay.



Eloise loved these Filipino star lanterns



The Mexico inspired tree was my personal favorite - the small pinatas made it look like a Lisa Frank explosion!


The Canada tree was covered in charming little owls


I was tempted to wear this mask from the Brazil tree after a couple more trips to the open bar, but Eloise cautioned me that it didn't quite go with my outfit.


After dinner we ran into Rebecca and some new friends.


A huge thank you to the gala co-chairs Pamella DeVos, Meg Willit and Starr Meijer for inviting us to the gala!