Let's Get Our Art On!

It’s that time of year again, yes, it is Artprize time! Of course Eloise and I had to go check it out immediately since we already were hearing so much about it before the event even started. We broke out the leather, our edgy looks, and artistic flare and fit right in!

 

 

Since it was Artprize we had to look our best! I wore an Elliot Lauren Shirt paired with a Tribal Novelty Leather Jacket and a Vivante scarf with Tribal leggings. Eloise looked chic in her My Tribe leather pants, a Vince sweater and a fabulous Tribal Jacket. It ended up being a pretty gloomy, windy day so our jackets were very convenient! Nevertheless, the weather didn’t keep us from walking around and seeing all the very cool art pieces displayed throughout downtown Grand Rapids.

 

 

Our favorite part of the day was seeing the installation piece in The Grand River. It was so neat to see how the artist set everything up in the water and displayed it the way that they did! We felt a little inspired and decided to take a little video for you all to check out below!



 

We had an absolute blast seeing all these amazing art pieces and picking out our favorites this year. Eloise is excited to take the family to Artprize but we needed to have a little date with each other before she went with the kids. This is such a hard event to only go to once because when you think you saw it all, you discover more pieces! I can’t wait to maybe go check it out a couple more times!

To the Market We Go

Hello everyone! It’s Lola here! Last weekend Eloise and I decided that we had to go check out the Downtown Market in Grand Rapids. They just recently opened the indoor market this month, so of course we needed to take a little sneak peek!

 

 

Eloise and I wanted to make a nice farmers market statement so we kept our outfits cozy yet, of course, stylish. I wore some great fall trends including a Tracy Reese Plenty sweater, Vince leggings, and a Yigal Azrouel scarf. Eloise looked so cute in a Donna Degan top with a Dikon cardigan to keep warm, Vince leggings, and a Pono necklace. These new fall fashion pieces we picked up at Leigh’s were such a great purchase, I couldn’t wait to rock my outfit downtown!

 

 

Right as we arrived, we immediately had to stop at the first table to grab some delicious looking Hubbert’s Kettle Corn. Eloise picked up some “Unicorn Poop” (gotta love the name) for the kids. It was so different yet so much fun! Eloise said the kids almost ate the whole bag that night when she brought it home! She and I bought another bag of their cinnamon popcorn and maybe sorta couldn't show any restraint and ate the whole thing before we got home…oops. We decided to keep her husband in the dark about that since he loves popcorn so much (let’s hope he doesn’t read this post!).

 

 

 

 

 

YUM!

As we continued to travel down the strip we picked up some wonderful, fresh produce from local farmers. It always makes me feel good to know that we are giving back to our community. Later that weekend, I visited Eloise at her house for a nice dinner and made homemade pizza from all the items that we purchased from the Downtown Market. The kids had so much fun putting together their pizzas, and it made a really fun night for Eloise’s family and I.

Inside the indoor market, there were so many things to see and try. From eating delectable chocolates to trying all different kinds of vinegar and olive oil, the experience was absolutely delightful. Eloise and I want to make dates to return at least once a month to get fresh produce and fabulous products!

To the Peir We Go!

Seeing as fall is right around the corner, Lola and I decided we should get to the Grand Haven beach one more time before the weather gets too chilly. With not a cloud in the sky, it was a beautiful day to take a nice stroll on the pier. Seeing as it was not too cold yet, I decided to break out my light and very comfortable 360 Cashmere cardigan and paired it with my amazing J Brand denim. I kept it quite casual with a Michael Stars top under the cardigan, but of course had to add a Marlyn Schniff necklace as my accessory to give my outfit a little spunk. As usual, Lola looked a little more “blinged” out for the beach but looked fantastic if I do say so myself. She brought out some of the great fall trends with her W118 by Walter Baker top, Trina Turk leather skirt, and Lordane necklace…if that’s not bling I don’t know what is!

 

We couldn't have asked for a prettier day! Although, thank goodness for

for our new fall sweaters because it got a little windy! 

 

Once we continued our stroll, we started to get a little hungry. I was in the mood for a nice Michigan salad, but Lola convinced me we had to get something a little more Grand Haven original. So, even though I was looking out for my girly figure, Lola persuaded me to go to Pronto Pup corndog stand! I want to say I regret the calories, but I do not! It was a must-have for being at the beach!

To our surprise, we bumped into Leigh’s intern Lauren and her date! We were a little nervous to go up and interrupt her, but she was thrilled to see us and introduced us to PJ (Lola of course couldn't keep her eyes off of PJ and kept whispering to me what a hottie he was....I told her she sounds like a cougar...geez he's 10 years younger Lola...find someone your own age). They just grabbed a pup themselves which was their first ones ever…she is going to be hooked after that one, let me tell you, they can be quite addicting.

 

 

It was so fun to be able to sit down and have a nice conversation at the pier with Lauren and get to know her a little better since we will be seeing her at Leigh’s (…often by how much we love to shop there)! Sadly, we had to let her get back to her date and I had to get home to take the kiddies to soccer practice. Overall, I had such a splendid afternoon walking around the Grand Haven pier gossiping and chit chatting about nothing with my best friend Lola! I’m sad to see this nice weather go, but then again I am pretty excited to switch out my sandals for a nice, new pair of Stuart Weitzman boots!

 

 

Fall is Just Around the Corner!

Summer is coming to an end and Eloise and I have been having a blast being with our fun, cute, adventurous selves thus far! Although, right around the corner is fall and I am more than excited to bring in the fall fashions. Of course, Eloise and I have to take a well-deserved trip to our favorite store Leigh’s to stock up on some must-haves for the fall season! I am dying to find out what kind of trends and fashion forward looks are going to be popping up in only a few short months! But, I am not only on the lookout for a wonderful cashmere sweater to add to my closet, but also the new intern I hear is at Leigh’s. Her name is Lauren and word around town is that she is a fun, outgoing little “fashionista.” I guess she goes to Grand Valley State University and is majoring in public relations and minoring in event planning. I cannot wait to meet this new little gem, and if she is anything like their last intern Casey, we are going to get along just great! I’m ready to put on my (of course glamorous) shopping shoes, grab my amazing best friend Eloise and take a nice trip to Leigh’s. Hopefully I will get to meet Lauren and have a little chit chat and become the best of friends I have a feeling we will be!

Our Birthday Month!

Like most best friends, Eloise and I had an instant bond. In fact, one of the first things we ever bonded over was the fact that our birthdays were merely two days apart! Can you believe that?! My birthday happens to fall on the thirteenth, while Eloise's is on the fifteenth! So naturally, ever since we met we decided that the month of August would be our birthday month, which would be filled with much pampering and even more best friend bonding. Each year we share a birthday party together, and contrary to our love for all things extravagant, we usually have a small get together at one or another's house where we drink a good glass of red wine and reminisce about the ghost of birthdays past. This year, however, word got out to our Leigh's family after a wonderful day of shopping, and the Leigh's intern and our great friend Casey thought that she would throw us a surprise party! She told us to put on our party pants and to get our butts over to her house, so unknowingly, off we went to a night filled with great friends and great fun!

Unlike Lola, I am a little bit more skeptical about people not telling me exactly where I'm going and why. So with a good pep talk from Lola, I put on my 7 For All Mankind kaki jeans (aka my party pants) paired with the most perfect Love Zoey dress, and a My Tribe coat to combat this chilly summer weather. I also decided to dress it up with some gorgeous Thela gold earrings. Lola, being as over the top as ever, she wore a stunning black and tan lace Nanette Lepore dress. She took after me and decided to pair it with a black My Tribe jacket and a pair of black and gold earrings by Thela. Like always, Leigh's always has the perfect thing to wear, no matter the occasion!

When we first arrived we walked into the most beautifully decorated sunroom complete with cupcakes and even a Shark Week inspired cake! We couldn't believe it, it was such a wonderful surprise! Casey really wanted an outdoor party but the weather just wouldn't allow it! But you know us, we still had a ball! She worked hard to personalize every aspect of our birthday extravaganza. From the bow party hats that matched our outfits, to the wine glasses that had our names on them! She even had some beautiful birthday presents from Leigh's waiting for the both of us. I swear that before we were even able to sit down Lola was begging to cut into the blue Coldstone Creamery cake, while I was dying to get my hands on some of the beautiful and delicious cupcakes that Casey had picked up from a local bakery called Sarah's Sweets!

Our cake is adorned with a lovely candle that says "Its all about me!"

Before we could dig in, Casey wanted us to open our gifts! She got me a pair of the most stunning Thela earrings, I instantly had to try them on! They were so perfect, she knows me so well! As for Eloise, Casey decided that a beautiful and practical cuff bracelet by Zenzii would be perfect, and indeed it was! Eloise loved it! I could just see it on her face.

 

 

After gift opening, it was time to dig into the cake and cupcakes, and let me tell you, that Sarah knows how to make a good cupcake! Casey put some beautiful gold candles into each of our cupcakes and sang us a very interesting rendition of Happy Birthday (she shouldn't quit her day job, that's for sure.) Even though she might not be the next Celine Dion, Eloise and I both had a wonderful time at the party, and are incredibly thankful for all of the wonderful people at Leigh's who always provide us with beautiful clothing and even more beautiful memories. Without them our lives would be nothing short of black and white, so thank you to all of those who are always on our sides giving us love and the best fashion advice I've personally ever experienced.
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,
Lola & Eloise

Like always, all of our wonderful clothes and accessories are from Leigh's.
Visit us at 1942 Breton Rd SE  Grand Rapids, MI 49506.
And of course, don't forget to like us on Facebook!

Grizzly Girls!

Now, country music may not be our favorite genre of music, however, local band Gunnar and the Grizzly Boys had our hearts from the first time we heard them. This summer, the band has been traveling from Lansing, MI, to all the way down in Kearney, MO, so we quickly jumped on the opportunity to see them right here at The Intersection, in Grand Rapids. Eloise and I began shuffling through out closets, but nothing seemed to fit for the event, so off to Leigh's we went!

I (left) decided to go with a hot pink Elie Tahari top and some DL1961 printed jeans, and of course to top it off I went with a fabulous K&K Interiors beaded necklace. Eloise (right) picked out a fun Kate Spade top, with a pair of mint green Sanctuary shorts, and fittingly she decided to wear a Dorfman Pacific hat!

Hope you were hungry Eloise!

Pictured: Robby Mason, myself, Gunnar Nyblad, Eloise, Joe Rood, and Joe Connolly.

Robby was totally trying to make a move on me, but I stayed strong. Dating a rock star would just be too hard! I was definitely blushing, can you tell? Maybe next time he'll get up the courage to give me his number! And sorry to break your heart Joe, but Eloise is happily married, doesn't mean you still cant be friends though, right?

 



After hanging out with the guys it was show time! They were opened up by Timmy Lee & The Ten Cent Heroes, and Flashing Blue Lights, which really got Lola and I in the mood to rock! The mood quickly rose as the boys came out onto stage and everyone in the crowd began to dance and sing along.

 

We could tell that Gunnar and the Grizzly Boys have quite the avid following, and instead of fans, they seemed like family at a reunion singing along, arm and arm, to all their favorite songs. There were people of all ages there coming to see the favorite local band for the first and only time locally this summer.  Lola and I could tell that the guys in the band loved being on stage, and loved playing music, which was so wonderful and refreshing to watch! We decided to switch up our usual beverage of choice, for a nice cold beer! Nothing like dancing to a great band while refreshing with a nice cool one, right?! Eloise told me the next morning that I may have had one too many beers, and that I may have embarrassed myself out on the dance floor. Whoops! At least I had fun!

 

Gunnar holding up a guitar he had smashed in half!

 

Taking a bow!

Thank you so much Gunnar and the Grizzly boys for a great show and a great time. You'll see us back again. Eloise and I can say that we are now officially Grizzly Girls!



All of our beautiful clothes from Leigh's in Breton Village!
Follow Leigh's on Facebook, and of course follow us on Facebook!
"Like" Gunnar and the Grizzly Boys on Facebook.
Keep and eye out for all upcoming shows at The Intersection.

A Little More Wine than Canvas!

After taking a bit of a break from events, Eloise and I decided we needed a good old fashioned girls night out! As you all may know we're quite the adventurous duo, so we wanted to try something we hadn't done before. After briefly searching the web for events, we found Wine and Canvas! Anything has to be good if it has wine in the name, am I right? So we signed up and began choosing our outfits! I decided to go with a red and green Trina Turk top and a pair of hot pink J Brand jeans! So fab, am I right?! Lets not forget my beautiful Save the Queen necklace or Lordane bangles! Eloise decided to go with a Trina Turk top and matching J Brand jeans as well! So perfect! She paired the outfit with a Lordane necklace and Dimitradia bracelet. All of these pieces from our favorite store, of course! Leigh's!

While walking in I have to admit, I was pretty nervous, this is nothing like the finger panting I'm used to at home! However, Lola convinced me that I will do just fine. Of course as you may know, fashionably early is the new fashionably late, so we were the first ones there. As everyone shuffled in and the wine was served my nerves floated away, and before I knew it, it was time to start putting paint on that canvas! Luckily aprons were provided so I didn't have to run the risk of getting anything on my beautiful Trina Turk top, or J Brand Jeans!

Looks like we landed in Italy!

I had a right to be nervous! Look at this beautiful thing!

We began painting the background to our African Sunset and we quickly realized just how Zen painting could be! After a few drinks everyone seemed to loosen up and enjoy themselves. Everyone even started to belt out a Journey song together, even though I couldn't hear much over Eloise's off key voice. Just kidding! After completing the background of the painting we got to take a break while we let the paint dry, which meant more drinks, and even an appetizer! And honestly, ever since I stepped into Pietro's and smelled the fresh bread baking, I was pretty hungry. We decided to throw our diets out the window and order fried mozzarella, and to be honest I only have three words to describe it, TO DIE FOR! In fact, just thinking about it makes me want to hop in the car to scarf some down right now. Luckily my figure doesn't seem to grow or shrink much, it pretty much just stays the same no matter what I do, pretty lucky, huh?

After basically inhaling those fried mozzarellas it was time to get back to work! It was time to paint the tree. Step by step, the instructor worked us through the proportions. She did the measurements by fingers, so in some places it would be three fingers, and in others it would be two, although Lola and I stuck to four fingers when it came to measurements, because we have pretty stiff hands. In fact, I'm surprised we were even able to use those paint brushes! Either way, with the help of the instructor and the support of the new friends we met around us, we were able to make some pretty awesome paintings, if I do say so myself.

Our masterpieces!

Everyone rocked it out!

Us with the final product! Not too shabby, eh? The red in the painting goes perfect with my outfit! And the blue perfectly complement Eloise's Trina Turk top!
All of our beautiful clothes from Leigh's in Breton Village! http://www.leighsfashions.com/
If you want to take a painting class or just have a girls night out sign up with Wine and Canvas on their website at http://www.wineandcanvas.com/
And don't forget about that fried mozzarella! Try it for yourself at Pietro's!  http://www.rcfc.com/pietros/