A Polished Palate

Tuesday, April 21, 2015

Closet Addition: Spring & Summer Skirts

I love a good skirt. It's one of those pieces that you can easily dress up or down. They can be worn to work paired with a blouse for a more a professional look, and later, paired with a crop top for a night out on the town. I've been drooling over some of the skirts I've seen on various websites and while browsing Instagram. While on my search for the next addition to my closet, I came across so many beautiful skirts, from mini and midi to skater and pencil. Since I can't purchase them all, I though the least I could do is share some of these beautiful and bright eye-catching patterns.

These skirts scream feminine and fun!

Which ones are your favorites?

Weekend Recap: Edmund's Oast + Gardening 101

Happy Monday friends! Another weekend has come and gone. I was able to catch up with friends over dinner on Friday, as well as spend some quality time with my mom on Saturday and Sunday and I enjoyed every minute of it. Here's a little weekend synopsis through the camera lens.

Saturday my mom came in town and we kicked off her visit in a sea of flowers.

Two things I should mentioned: 1. I know nothing about gardening, but I sure do love flowers. 2. I'm hosting a baby shower in two weeks and my pack yard needs some pretty blooms. This is where mom came to my rescue. She is great with gardening and I don't know what I would have done without her.

We worked up quite an appetite after all the flower shopping and headed to dinner. We went to one of my absolute favorite spots in Charleston, Edmund's Oast. (more from a previous visit here)

We started out with this bowl of deliciousness, compliments of the kitchen.

We may have gone a tad over board ordering. However, it was mom's first visit so it was necessary to sample some menu favorites like the fresh ricotta and the pickled shrimp.

And the lamb meatballs....

Mom insisted on the little neck clams, I on the other hand went for the cast iron soft shell crab.

Our eyes may have been bigger than our stomachs but nonetheless we enjoyed every dish.

Side note, I recommend requesting the chef's table when dining there. It's the best seat in the house, with a front seat view of all the kitchen action.

Sunday morning the gardening began....began with me informing mom that I don't own any gardening tools. #fail We improvised...

Let's just say that I'm more comfortable in the kitchen than the yard. But as you can see from the photos below, the spoon worked just fine.

A second trip to the store for more flowers, a little rain shower and six hours later we were done. Thank goodness for my mother! I'm working on recruiting her for round two for help with the actual garden.

News Feed Friday

I'm currently researching vacation spots for the fall which is only making me want to jet set off to an island ASAP. Until then, I will patiently wait and live vicariously through our honeymoon photos from St. Lucia.

I don't know about you, but I can't wait to get my hands on one of these frappuccinos at the end of the month!!

What an inspiring dance performance by 8 year old Alissa Sizemore, just 9 months after her below knee amputation. #yougogirl

28 Amazing Dishes That Require Just 4 Ingredients or Less, yes please!

For all the "brides to be" out there: The Brides Guide to Bridesmaids

I'm not so sure that I will ever be a fan of these.

Seasons change and so does your makeup. Find some simple tips here on How to Tweak Your Winter Foundation for Spring.

I'm all about cooking with Greek yogurt to save a few calories: 27 Greek Yogurt Recipes You Need to Make.

Loving this two piece maxi dress and these earrings!

Have a great weekend!

Candlefish Love

Back in December I had the pleasure of attending a candle making workshop along with a few other local bloggers at Candlefish. (read the full post here.) Lucky for us Charleston, SC residents, their flagship store is located right downtown. Don't live in Charleston? Don't worry! Candlefish has launched their new website so you can now shop from the comfort of your own home! Although I do recommend paying the shop a visit if you're in the area, it's beautiful inside.

And now for some more good news.....

Celebrate the launch of candlefish.com and enjoy a free travel tin candle from The Library at Candlefish with any online purchase using the code: OFFTHEHOOK

Here are a few of my favorites:

Candlefish No. 40

Candlefish No. 60

Rewined: Mimosa

Mer Sea: Voyager

Rewined: Rose

The Perfect Nude Shoes

Shoes are my weakness! I think it's a half blessing and half curse that I wear a size 5. Having small feet makes shoe shopping very difficult, yet for some reason I still love to shop for them. I think it's the thrill of the chase. I always find myself in the shoe section first at every department store I go in, checking the bottoms of all the shoes on display and hoping I see the number 5. (The smallest shoe is usually on display.) And when I can't find what I'm looking for I ask an associate to search online, and if that doesn't work I ask to take a look at what other options there are in back (some stores allow me to do that.) So there is a method to my search and you better believe that when I do find shoes I love in my size, I wear them until the soles fall off.

With that being said, it's always a good idea to invest in a pair of shoes that can be worn with multiple outfits to a variety of functions. Which is why you just can't go wrong with a classic nude shoe. I have my three go to pairs: a ballet flat, a wedge and a closed pointed toe strappy shoe. I believe every woman should own at least one good pair of them. I've rounded up a few of my favorites with everything from high heels to flats at all different price points. So do yourself a favor and make some room in your closet for a nice little pair or two of nude shoes.

Side note, some of the shoes listed below are pictured in a different color, but they are available in nude.

Weekend Recap: Good Eats

5 o'clock couldn't come soon enough last Friday. Whit and I had planned a very much needed night out, and by planned I mean we "planned" on going somewhere but didn't have any specifics. Side note, restaurant reservations are usually a good idea when trying to dine in Charleston, and making them a day or so in advance is an even better idea. Needless to say, we have been wanting to check out The Obstinate Daughter for a while now but we just can't seem to plan far enough ahead to get a reservation. So we decided to stick with a place we know and love. A little Italian hidden gem called Pane e Vino. This place has some amazing pasta and a super cute outdoor patio. If you live in Charleston and haven't checked it out yet, I highly recommend doing so.

There was a jazz band playing outside on the patio, but unfortunately there were no available tables. It's a great spot when the weather is nice out. The inside of the restaurant is small with a rustic Italian flare. The romantic dim lit dining area is cozy with a handful of tables and bottle after bottle of wine lining the wall at the bar in the back.

I had the gnocchi all sorrentina, which consists of homemade potato dumplings in a Bolognese sauce with buffalo mozzarella. It may not have been the best dish to photograph but it sure did taste good.

Whit had one of the specials of the evening which was a slow roasted lamb pappardelle.

We had just enough room after dinner for a cocktail before we headed home.

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We stopped in Union Provisions for a little nightcap. Random side note... Kenny Powers, the main character from the HBO series Eastbound & Down was there. However, we decided not to be "those people" and bother him for a picture. Apparently a new series he's in is being shot in Charleston. Moving along...

We had a pretty busy lineup on Saturday, but managed to do a little shopping for the house. We were on the search for some picture frames. Which by the way, we ended up finding some great ones at Michaels. I never really go in there unless is for something crafty, but there were actually some decorative items that caught my eye. FYI..there are some good sales going on right now. Everything we purchased was 50% off.

Sunday was supposed to be spent on the boat with friends, however the weather wasn't cooperating. We ended up spending our Sunday Funday at Taco Boy on Folly Beach.

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I went with the chorizo nachos and a Dos Equis to wash it all down.

We were intrigued by the frozen yogurt shop across the street that had a sign that read "nutella frozen yogurt" so we headed there for a little dessert.