A Glad Heart

I came home two days ago worn to the bone. The stress of school (I'm a nerd, i.e. I push myself to the limit), sorority president, and just holding up emotionally has been a little taxing. But God has just taken me under his wing and pointed out all the many blessings I have been given. Once again, I'm floored.

Father, your grace amazes me. We are undeserving of your gifts. We are not entitled. Yet you love us more than infinity. Mrs. Arnold reminds me of this.

And me?

I'm thankful I have a family. A big, fun Southern family. They're loud and yell "War Eagle" a lot, but I wouldn't have it any other way...

I'm thankful my cousin (and those like her) are safe in Afghanistan.

I'm thankful for true friends, and even the journey to find out who they are.

I'm thankful I can think and write, and sometimes still dance.

I'm thankful that this life isn't all there is.

Debs de la Web

Random dep photo courtesy of Flickr.

Deb⋅u⋅tante - (n.) a young woman making a debut into society.

Debs⋅de⋅la⋅Web - (n.) a Monday morning debut of distractions that have successfully kept me from diligent work on my senior thesis and media bias position paper. Dangit.

⋅ The Love List introduces the etiquette-based Sass & Class column. First post? Football game behavior, just in time for rivalry weekend--Weagle.

⋅ MyScoop online magazine caters to "fashionistas with a Southern drawl" and has just expanded into Mississippi!

⋅ Flower Magazine's "What Kind of Flower Are You Quiz" for those of us that didn't grow old of Seventeen quizes. I think I tossed my hair after getting Alabama's state flower--the camellia. Maybe. But as a joke.

⋅ A toungue-in-cheek post by Natalie Davis over at Alabama Political Parlor offers the inside scoop for AL politicos.

⋅ Alabama-based Wrapsody has some fabulous online holiday deals starting this Wednesday:

- 30% off adorable Greek gifts
- 25% off retiring Vera Bradley patterns and free monograming on all Vera
- Free shipping over $100!

In order of stockings: moi, sister, mother. Photos courtesy of Wrapsody.

Aight, your turn. What's distracted you towards a holiday/work-free mindset today?

Boys Should Be Boys

Photos courtesy of Buffalo and Company

It didn't take me past the first quarter of the SU football game today to notice my friend's frat hat donned a logo I'd never seen. But it was so... manly.

Ponies, gators, whales, pointing bird dogs, and labs--we've seen a lot of stitched animals lately. Buffalo and Company blazes on the scene with a new approach:

"We believe man needs to re-discover his symbol. We see clothes for men lost to fashion designers and femininity, and too much prep. And while we believe in class, and high society, most men were made by hardship and through experiences of struggle, and failure to get there."

- Buffalo and Company, in reference to their symbol

Here, here! Because while I want grosgrain ribbon and Lilly, I like my boys to be boys. What do you think?

Well, clutch-my-pearls...

Thank you, sweet EKM's Epigrams for the award and kind words! As you know, I'm taking notes (with a Le Pen, of course) from you. Thanks for all the help and a friendship that has lasted since our debut as Bethlehem stars in the Trinity Kindergarten Nativity play. I "pi" love you, fellow sister!

Sharing the love? Easy enough: my beautiful bestie, fellow Samford JMC major, and stylish blogger Sloan! Read her blog--you've fall in love.

My Twi-Style

Happy birthday, Melissa. And happy, um...Thursday to me?

Raise your hand if you've bought a fabulous birthday present. Keep it up if you then purchased round two just for yourself. Ah-ha, thought so.

I'm guilty as charged, too. Cue Target sweatshirt fresh from a trip to the monogram store. I couldn't help but adore the trend spreading around the ADPi house. It is so like the J. Crew-wearing, collar-poppin', Vineyard Vines toting (lion and diamond print, mais oui) women that rule the basement of the house. Or as we call it, "The Underground."

So happy birthday my sweet Melissa! (and happy exams-are-soon, me.) I shall don this to the midnight showing of New Moon ce soir.

Socialite-ing: My Favorite Things Event for Glenwood Autism

Oh boy, they even had Zaps: Me, Sloan, and MBK

As Mary Beth and I clacked in our heels up to the red carpet (synomous in Birmingham with MyScoop), we had a good feeling about escaping tonight from the gates of Samford for the unconventional. With an array of toys in hand, Magic City socialites came out of the recent chill of the Birmingham air and into Gus Mayer tonight. Glenwood Inc. center for autism teamed up with Southern style guide MyScoop for "My Favorite Things:" an evening to raise money and donate toys to the center.

A bar of creamy grits and toppings provided a dinner-of-sorts as we wove in and out of aisles. Tory Burch and Milly frocks, sky-high Prada shoes, and Kiehl's counter were eye-candy. (We were good little college girls and the Hobo's stayed shut.) I sipped on a cranberry juice and Firefly vodka while MBK sampled THE spiciest margarita on planet earth--we blame the Tabasco. But props to Kathy G. event caterer!

Perusing the Hunter selection--chance of showers in London.

Spotted: Laura Kate, my sorority sister and mentor currently interning for event planner extrodinaire Kathy G. / Heather, another ADPi sister now show-stopping at Flower Magazine / The one and only Sloan, a Samford girl who's keeping me up to date on my past-internship world of Southern Living as a current intern / Amy Lemley Bailey, the founder of MyScoop in a precious gold skirt and rockin' tall boots / Holly Lollar, a public relations inspiration to so many of us in Birmingham.

For more information about Glenwood, see their website or follow them on Twitter. Glenwood's got a chock-full winter calendar of activities, events, and volunteer opportunities!

Best Seat in the House

My real-life sister always scores a date to see the AU tigers (I love you, K!)

Southern Football's Dating Game

Published in the Wall Street Journal on Friday, November 13, 2009

Each Sunday, Peyton Alsobrook, a 19-year-old freshman at Auburn University, gets together with his Alpha Tau Omega fraternity brothers to compare notes on the women they take on dates to Saturday football games.

Those who seem bored are eliminated from further consideration, he says, along with any who might talk too much during a close game "because they're from up North or something." As the all-important Alabama game approaches, Mr. Alsobrook says he's narrowed his list of potential dates to four. The winner, he says, will get a coveted ticket to the big game and, beyond that, special treatment that might include candy or even "actual flowers."

Click to continue reading

Out of Chaos Comes Order

It caught my eye every time I passed it. At Spoleto Festival USA in Charleston, where the annual festival poster sells as hotly as show tickets, a black-and-white thumb-printed image of a curly-headed young man intrigued all of the interns. We were perplexed as to why the gift shop was still making bank off of a year-old design.

We eventually caught on. The 2007 Spoleto Festival poster used Chuck Close's famed Large Phil Fingerprint/Random (1979), a portrait of composer Philip Glass, as its focus. And as Dr. Flynt popped in a documentary about Close in art history today, I had to remind myself to sit up straight; that leaning forward won't get me into the film.

So who's Chuck? A fan of de Kooning, Close worked to purge his work of de Kooning's style and create on all his own. By breaking photos down into diminutive bites of color, he took the art world by storm. Close's bewildering technique is a fascinating process to watch as he works of a pixelated grid employing brilliant colors. --he reinvented portraits.

I'm obsessed.

Close and Philip Glass were friends. Like any good (ex)ballerina, I've an affinity for Phillip Glass as one of the 20th century's most prolific composers. He gave Twyla Tharp a backdrop for the fabulous In the Upper Room. (Which, might I add, the Boston Ballet performed during the 2008 Spoleto Festival. I think I had an outer body experience.)

Watch the Tharp/Glass collaboration.

Imagine the six degrees games these artistic geniuses could play... And the Nietzsche quote is thanks to Ellen's brilliance.

Life, Liberty, and Pursuing Art History

Drawn by our mutual affections for American history, politics, art, and the sweet bluegrass of Act of Congress, three friends and I trekked to the Birmingham Museum of Art's College Night last night. Catered, upscale McDonalds (I'm not kidding) was situated around the terrace, but we wolfed down our food to be the nerds scholars we are and then trounced up the staircase. Destination? Saluting the Life, Liberty, and Pursuit of Happiness exhibit.

It was as if my AP US History book had sprung to life and with revolutionary pride had plastered itself to the gallery walls. More than 230 early-American masterpieces are on loan currently from the prestigious Yale University collection. John Trumbull, Thomas Eakins, and some original silver from Tiffany & Co. defined the patriotism we've inherited. The furniture itself had me transported to 1770 Virginian parlors and swanky 1880's Fifth Avenue mansions.

Some highlights from the exhibit

You know that good ole' "The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776" you've seen in textbooks since days as a pony-tailed third grader? Yes, it hangs in all its glory in the BMA until January 10. Political leaning, health care reform, and beltway opinions aside: If you've got even the slightest inkling of a rush when you consider the history, mystery, and fierce pride of our nation, these treasures will make your heart swell.

The Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776 by John Trumbull. Courtesy of Yale University Art Gallery.

Like Petty and Mayer soulfully sing: "She's a good girl, loves her mama, loves Jesus, and America, too." And I gotta say, all four statues apply for this American girl.

(And we may or may not have found the dress-up box in the children's section...)

Happy Homecoming!

Ah, to be a collegian. I would say I'm going to miss this feeling, but it's a good thing Southern tailgates aren't going anywhere. It's just all part of the lifestyle, y'all...sweet-tea-filled Tervis included.

The girls at Samford's Homecoming this past weekend in front of the Alpha Delt tailgate!

Frugal Yet Fabulous

It should mean something that my parents requested that I take extensive notes at our sorority's campus-wide educational event last night: Personal Finance 101. I've got to be honest, I'm not the wisest spender, but I am getting there. There was that time I decided I needed Tory Burch Reva flats so bad that I "asked" Mama after the transaction had been made (and got a negative answer), along with a few other dilemmas. I'm getting there, however.

Photo courtesy of Confessions of a Shopaholic

So I'm thrilled to find a blog and company that is tailor made for a future young professional like me! Saving Money and Living Life was started by two of my ADPi sisters that have always been role models to me. Heather and Jessica, hats off! This endeavor is no exception.

The website offers a plethora of deals-and-steals for a girl whose interests align with mine:

• Adorable boots to match any J. Crew outfit for $20? Yes, please.
• Free sample of Dunkin' Donuts Coffee? I'm an addict. Done.
• My best friends and I may or may not be fans of 12 a.m. Whataburger runs. I'm a vegetarian, but they'll love the hook-up for a free burger.

BOGO alerts, coupons, and giveaways--this resource will get you on track to enjoy the big stuff and get away with a "steal" along the way.

Put it in the Bag

Image courtesy of iomoi

With a recently re-crafted website and a stunning collection of stationary and gifts, the time is right for iomoi. Custom invitations, paper, acrylic trays, paperweights, and more are stamped with a smattering of designs: Spanning the realm from preppy to regal to exotic, there's a thread of wit woven into it all.

The latest? Canvas bags. Did I mention they're custom? Hellooo, Christmas list. I needed a new schoolbag after all.

Hi, Heels.

Photo courtesy of The Sartorialist

Time of publication: 7:12 p.m. on Tuesday, October 27, 2009

Dragged to desktop: 7:10 a.m. on Wednesday, October 28, 2009

View count as of Wednesday, November 4, 2009: Very high.

I told Rachel the Roommate, "Look isn't this PERFECT?" Her response: "Duh, you think so. You want that to be you." C'est vrai. Feminine, strong, with red-soled Louboutins...

I'll always love a ruffle.

C'est parfait.

Photo courtesy of Zipporah Films

Perusing the New York Times this morning, my ballet antennae was piqued--fifteen years of classical ballet study makes it hypersensitive. A new documentary, cast in the hallowed halls of the Palais Garnier, is flickering across a Houston Street theater in New York. A. O. Scott's article about "La Danse: The Paris Opera Ballet" is fabulous. The films is sure to be a mix of genius, sweat, Aurélie Dupont, beaded tulle costumes, and Nutcrackers.

Proof again that all good things land on Manhattan. And this southern belle can't wait to join in the revelry.