Red Letter Day

Happy December...Here is a little red to kick off your bold and beautiful season!

image 1 Peter Dunham; image 2 Art by Cy Twombly; image 3 Jan Roden; image 4 hot mamma heidi klum; image 5 Miles Redd; image 6 via absolutely beautiful things; image 7 Erika Jack; image 8 Miles Redd Elle Decor

Brrrrrrr......

There is nothing more exciting about the weather changing than thinking about cozy fireplaces.  

Here are some images to warm you up!

And since the holiday's are around the corner, these colorful fireplace lighters would make a great gift for the person who has everything.  

Luxury List

Reed Krakoff Bag

It's time to kickoff the holiday season!  If your past due for that something over-the-top special...this is the list for you.  

Stella McCartney Dress

Tangerine Sky Bracelet

Manolo Blahnik Shoes

Lanvin Dress

Hermes China

Bogner Ski Jacket

Ralph Lauren Cashmere Throw

Air Delsur Tray

Burberry Coat

Michael Kors Watch

Halston Vest

Give Thanks

For each new morning with its light,

For rest and shelter of the night,

For health and food,

And love and friends,

For everything thy goodness sends.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Book Club

It's no secret we have a mild obsession with books, and the newly released book Portrait of Camelot: A Thousand Days in the Kennedy White House, just shot to the top of our wish list.  It has been 50 years since JFK was sworn into Presidency and the "Camelot era" was officially ushered in.  Political Historian, Richard Reeves promises to deliver an new intimate look into the Kennedy family's 1000+ days in office with never seen before photos from White House Photographer, Cecil W. Stoughton.  Be sure to check out the super fun and dreamy trailer from the DVD, which is included with the book, featuring Kennedy family movies here.  

images via amazon and vanity fair

The Green Machine

Every February in Nashville, the Antiques and Garden show is a bright spot for our community.  Betsy has taken on the challenge of co-chairing this big event with another one of our dear friends.  The show is comprised of 150 antique and horticulture dealers from across the globe.  In addition, the show has a history of hosting the top tastemakers in the design industry.  Martha Stewart, Michael Smith, Bunny Williams and Colin Cowie have all made appearances...just to name a few.  This year promises to be one of the best with Charlotte Moss kicking off our lecture series.  We promise to keep you well informed regarding the details of the show....Stay Tuned!

Just check out the lineup!!!

www.antiquesandgardenshow.com

Can't Buy Me Love

But now you can buy us on i-tunes.  That just made a good run a lot easier.  

And be sure to tune into PBS Monday, November 22 at 8pm CST to see LENNONNYC.  The film promises to give us an inside look at Lennon's last decade in NYC.   We'll be watching!

Foodie

Everyone is going to be busy in the kitchen this holiday season so here is a yummy recipe your whole family will love.  

Pumpkin Squares

Ingredients

Bars

4 eggs

 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar

 1 cup vegetable oil

 15-ounce can pumpkin

 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour

 2 teaspoons baking powder

 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

 1 teaspoon salt

 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing

 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

YUM!!!!

recipe and image courtesy of food network

There's No Place Like Home

It is a pleasure to bring to you what we think is the greatest city in the south!

NASHVILLE
 Below is the low-down on all the greatest places to grab a great meal, find that perfect outfit, get gorgeous, and entertain your kids.

To Eat

The Loveless Cafe

A quintessential southern eatery, The Loveless Cafe is a famous Nashville establishment.  Loaded with country charm this is the best place for biscuits and jams!

Patterson House
A well kept Nashville secret, the Patterson House is the closest thing to a Speak-Easy you'll ever experience.  The well appointed cocktail bar hides behind a magic curtain which opens to an intimate old-fashioned bar that serves up the most unique drinks mixed to hit all your five senses.

Burger Up

This up-scale burger spot boasts an impressive variety of yummy burgers made from the organic meat of ten local Tennessee farms.  

Marche Artisan Foods

We both agreed this was our favorite spot for Sunday brunch.  This delightful European-style cafe is a must for food-lovers and offers plenty of take-home-treats.   

City House

When Gwyneth Paltrow was in Nashville last year shooting her upcoming film, Country Strong, she frequented this Italian restaurant with great regularity.  City House offers a wonderful menu that changes seasonaly and is infused with the freshest ingredients from their back garden and in-house charcuterie .  If you ever stop in, make sure you taste their fricos and belly ham pizza.  YUM!

To Shop

Imogene and Willy

Matt and Carrie Edmonson are the creative proprietors behind this bespoke denim shop.   This dymanic duo designed and produced denim for brands such as J Brand, Polo's RRL, and Levi's before opening this utterly unique "mom and pop" feeling retail store.   Drop in and get a custom pair of jeans that will make your butt look like a dream!

Jamie

Jamie is the ultimate Nashville shopping destination, where you will find the most well edited selection of luxury goods at a variety of price points.   With brands that vary from Elizabeth and James to Lanvin, this is the place to find the best shoes, clothing and accessories.

H. Audrey

This cutting-edge clothier in the heart of Green Hills is where all the stars and stylists come to shop. Owned by the multi-talented Holly Williams (whose father happens to be Hank Williams Jr.) , H. Audrey offers the best from Rag and Bone, Loeffler Randall, and Alexander McQueen. 

To Pamper

Jill at the Salon at Jamie

Ahhhhh!!!! My favorite seat in the city.  Jill is the best! She does great color and cuts and is the best at throwing your hair up for a night on the town. We both look forward to a peaceful afternoon with her once a month if not two!

Karee Hays at Retief Skincare

You have met her before on the blog but we can not get enough of this great gal who keeps Nashville's skin glowing!  She is the best resource when it comes to getting the skinny on skin care products that really work.  

Woo Skincare and Cosmetics

This boutique offers high-quality products from beauty brands such as  Bobbi Brown, Chantecaille, and Armani.  This is a great place to grab a fresh tube of lipgloss and a unique gift for your girlfriend's birthday.

For Kids

Philips Toy Mart

Hands down, this is our kid's favorite place in town.  This Nashville staple has intrigued the young and young-at-heart for generations.

Popo

This is where are the cool kids go to play.  Popo offers the most unique baby and children's gear, books, and clothes.  You'll love their wide selection of bugaboo strollers, cutting edge baby products and unique children's books.  

To Do

The Nashville Public Library - Main Branch

Whether you are looking for a quiet afternoon or a best marionette show for your kids, this is the spot for you.

Cheekwood

Offering the most impeccable landscapes, sculpture gardens and historical homesite, this museum is a fantastic place to spend an afternoon. The recent Chihuly glass sculpture exhibit was breathtaking.  FYI- the museum offers Tuesdays for Tots as well as Saturday AM workshops which are great creative outlets for your little ones.  

Country Music Hall of Fame

YEE-HAW!!!  This is what we are all about or at least that is what out-of-towners think.  Don't miss out on viewing Dolly's sparkly dresses!

Frist Center for the Visual Arts

A MUST...

We are so lucky to have this first-class, 24,000 square foot art gallery in our town.  Presently, the Frist Center is featuring "The Birth of Impressionism" from the Musee de Orsay.

This exquisite Degas painting is hanging on the wall and ready for your viewing!

We hope you enjoy all that our great city has to offer!