Hats for The Derby and Otherwise

I have always been a hat lady.  I wear them in the Winter to keep warm and look chic.  I wear them in the Summer to keep the sun off my face and look chic.

We lived in the South for a number of years, so hats were necessary for sun protection.  I have a little collection and enjoy wearing them, especially my straw hats for sunny days. Watch how a man looks at a woman in a hat (who is wearing it well).  They seem to look a bit longer, perhaps, remembering the days when their mothers and grandmothers always wore hats AND gloves.

There is a wonderful hat store, or as they were called millinery shop in Rocky River.  Studio St. Marie is owned by the lovely and talented Lee St. Marie.  She has a very special gift for making wonderful hats.  Lee also remakes  hats by adding or taking away decorations. Her talents extend to stretching, tightening and restoring hats.  In her delightful store,  she carries a selection of ready made hats, fascinators and hair ornaments.  She can fashion the hat of your dreams with whatever colors and decorations you desire.  The wonderful thing about Lee is how easy she is to work with.....her ideas and taste usually win me over.  Either way, you will leave with a wonderful hat, as well as a delightful experience.

Each time I visit her, I remember the days of sitting in the Millinery Department at Higbees, while my mother tried on hat after hat.....with only one thing on my mind... lunch at the Silver Grille.  Lee has a collection of vintage hat boxes upstairs, in her shop, that will take you back in time and  miss the days when ladies wore hats to match every outfit.

If you live on the east side, believe me, this shop is worth a visit. Come for lunch at a local restaurant and have some fun trying on hats at Studio St. Marie.

Bye bye for now.  Living graciously and elegantly is the best.

Spring Weekend in Cleveland

Well, it seems Spring has finally graced us with her presence.  My husband and I wanted a low key Sunday outing, to enjoy the weather and a lovely lunch.  Casual, elegant and easy.

We began by having lunch at the Cleveland Museum of Art's lovely restaurant, Provenance. The Sunday buffet was delicious and the view, with the floor to ceiling window, on such a beautiful day, was perfect.

After lunch, a stroll through the Museum gift shop was wonderful.  There are so many lovely things to enjoy and an excellent place to find a unusual gift for someone special (or yourself!)  Beautiful coffee table books, colorful dish sets with the recent Van Gogh theme, gorgeous silk scarves and spectacular jewelry that you will not see anywhere else.  Delightful.

We then decided to visit an old favorite, The Rockefeller Greenhouse.  It is a beautiful venue with seasonal arrangements and pretty outdoor gardens to wander.  This garden center has been a favorite of our for years and it did not disappoint.  It is well maintained and is a joy of wonderful smells and sights.  (And for the ladies, the bathrooms are clean and beautifully tiled in blue).  It's important.

We took the 'scenic' route home, along the Shoreway and enjoyed the sights of Cleveland coming alive.  Walkers and bikers were downtown and the Great Lakes Science Center was quite busy.

As we drove, I marveled at how we Clevelander's can endure these hard winters, and then reemerge to start again and enjoy our city on the lake.

Bye, bye for now.  Living graciously and elegantly is the best!

A White Chiffon Scarf

Whenever I see an article on the 10  most important must-have items in a woman's wardrobe , I ALWAYS read it.  I think it's to reassure myself that I have them all , in some form or another.    Usually, I do, and I rest easy.  The articles are pretty much the same.  Core items that we have all accumulated over the years and, perhaps, upgraded as time went on.

Well, much to my surprise, I recently read (I wish I could remember which magazine) that a large white chiffon scarf was an essential!  Who knew?  The odd thing is that about two years ago, I was loving the Mad Men era dressing and I searched for just that scarf.  I found it at the Vermont Country Store.  I purchased it and use it all the time.  I throw it in my handbag, in case of rain (a la Jackie O). I always travel with it ...you never know when just a slight bit of chiffon around your collar can soften and dress up a coat or jacket.  I was so impressed with the writer of the 'list', and, of course, proud of myself for this inexpensive, yet versatile purchase.

The best part is that these chiffon scarves don't wrinkle.  I just wish I had saved some of them from my youth.  Oh well, it gives me something to keep en eye out for at flea markets, if you all don't beat me to them.


Bye bye for now....living graciously and elegantly is the best!

The Handbag

Let me just begin by saying I am not a handbag person.  I have one 'main' handbag for each season (in Cleveland that means Winter and Summer).  I have carried these two bags for the past ten years (or more) and am fine with that.  They are good quality and I feel they were worth the money.

Recently, it was time to purchase a new Winter handbag.  I spent many hours researching which handbag would fufill all my needs and yet, look good for years to come.  A classic.  I finally decided on the Louis Vuitton Alma GM in black epi leather.  OK, now to find one!

This proved to be no small feat.....I searched the Cleveland area, to no avail.  I called the Louis Vuitton store in Columbus, Ohio at Easton Shopping Center. I happened to speak to Annah, the Store Manager, and it was smooth sailing from there on.  She found one (in the King of Prussia store) and had it sent to her to be inspected.  She then send me photos.  I was sold!  Such wonderful customer service.

I took a day trip to Columbus, to purchase the handbag and was treated as if I had flown in from some far away land.  Annah couldn't have been nicer, and Amanda monagramed my handbag, while we waited......with the offering of lovely glasses of water (not plastic bottles), served on a tray.  My heart be still.

I left with my long researched and perfect LV Alma, feeling wonderful.  The shopping experience was delightful.

What I learned:  Do your homework.  Establish yourself with someone in the store, first, so you are not just walking in as a 'cold call', so to speak.  They will be expecting you and all the 'prep work' (ordering the bag and approving the condition) is already done.  This makes the experience enjoyable, not frustrating.

Actually, leaving with the handbag was the most wonderful feeling.....and even though it took a bit of work ahead of time, on my part, it was well worth the time.  Don't forget to write a thank you note.....the employees were wonderful and they should be commended.  But, then you knew that...


Bye bye for now,  living gracefully and elegantly  is the best!

Mission Statement

Greetings! I wanted to introduce myself. I am a new blogger in Cleveland. There is a difference between my blog and the other Cleveland blogs.......I am a lady of a certain age.

 I grew up in Shaker and now live in Westlake. This gives me the advantage of knowing both sides of Cleveland. I am focused on living a quality life, finding the best, yet affordable, goods and services that are available. I buy things online, of course, but there is the delight of instant gratification, when actually shopping in a store. I enjoy this and remember the days when downtown was a special day of shopping. Getting dressed up and having lunch......le sigh.

I am also focused on good to great customer service.....how to get it and when to walk away, if it is not available. We have lived in the South and returned to Cleveland, so this blog is a venue for me to find the best things Cleveland has to offer, all with a positive attitude. Sometimes, our weather makes that a bit difficult. I hope you'll join me and add your thoughts and suggestions as I enjoy our city. I have decided to remain anonymous, so I do not have any outside influences that would sway my personal opinions. Please feel free to email me with thoughts. Bye Bye for now....... living gracefully and elegantly is the best!