If I must confess, I am really not a fan of “The Mall”.  Long gone is the excitement of the Saturday afternoon trip in search of Laura Ashley dresses and Benetton sweaters.  It’s just not the same for me anymore.  However, my daughters, 14 and 12 are in serious awe of the mall shopping spree.  Sadly for them we really never go to the mall, so when we do it is a HUGE TREAT.  Since my parents and sister are visiting, we decided to make a day of it (my sister, like my girls, LOVES all malls) and head to the Westchester.  My girls spent the entire day before planning what they were going to buy and which stores they needed to check out.  With them taking the lead, I simply followed, with no agenda of my own.  Here is our Mall Haul and I have to say it is quite impressive.  There is something for everyone and quite an interesting mix of merchandise.

Our first stop Urban Outfitters:
French Saying T-Shirts
Bacon socks for my son
Exercise shorts in cool patterns
Waterproof Flamingo ziploc bag to protect our valuables at the beach
Panda’s Dream Eye Makeup Eraser (no more raccoon eyes!!!)
Adorable glitter globe photo frames for instax photos
Chunks of turquoise Agate for our bar carts (see yesterdays post!!- on sale)


LuLu Lemon – mostly for sports camps essentials which will take us through all of next year’s school sports:
Tech T-Shirts
Running Shorts
Tennis and Squash gear


Abercrombie:
The most amazing batik print blue and white flared leggings (on sale)


Express:
Gorgeous ecru knife pleat tank (on sale)
Turquoise and colored stone earrings, that look like they came from Calypso but for about 1/4 of the price!


J Crew:
Metallic leather sandals (on sale)
Hair calf leopard sandals (on sale)
Embellished t-shirts (additional 50% off sale)
Lulu Frost for J Crew Large Stone Pendant Choker (promotional pricing)

Today we asked Interior and Fashion Stylist Nina Draddy to tell us what her bar cart “must haves” are for entertaining!  She also recently styled some carts which she was happy to share with us!!  

As far as bar-cart Must Haves go:
-vintage glassware
-fresh flowers, even if just a bud vase or full bouquet 
-a very fabulous unique bowl or two for lemons, limes, nuts
-decanters 
-gorgeous wine stoppers like AERIN’S new ones
-lit votives, matches in pretty boxes 
-an unexpected decorative object like a sputnik or hunk of agate rock
-a cocktail recipe book
-fun napkins
-a gorgeous framed photograph 
-mix in some fantastic attractive bottles of premium/small batch, handcrafted artisanal liquors – check out the selection at Wine at Five (if you are in the Westchester, NY area) or you local liquor store, the bottles themselves are works of art with great looking labels that have artsy fonts, logos and colors.

Who would have thought that the Beach Bag Week would have been so informative.  The fashionistas gave us a list of books that should keep us happy all summer long:

I’ll Drink To That

Widows Guide to Sex and Dating

Country

All titles can be purchased in the Amazon link to the right of this post!  Happy Reading!
images Amazon.com

Our last Beach Bag post is by fellow blogger Call Me Ang.  I have had Ang contribue to the blog before.  I love her style and her story.  You should definitely check her out..onto our last beach bag haul!  Enjoy!

Aren’t you sweet to think of me! I carry a pink and green (LARGE) pottery barn kids bag (because I’m a mommy) and it has my oldest daughter’s monogram on it. I always take a LOT of water….And of course sunscreen. I use Neutrogena Wet Skin Kids (it’s a spray) and find it easier to use a sunblock stick for all of our faces. I also have ball caps for all of us. Traditional sun hats won’t work on our windy beaches..they blow away. I also have a little coin pouch with my ID and money for parking…and finally Lacoste beach towels. All of which our monogrammed…Pretty simple.


We Always wear Vineyard Vines hats and drink water from Tervis Tumblers.


I swear backpack chairs are lifesavers for the beach. Can’t fit in my beach bag….but it’s an essential. wink emoticon

Today we are looking inside the beach bag of Abbie Durkin, the fashionable face behind the stores Pink on Palmer and Clutch with locations in Larchmont, and Rye NY.  Lets see what Abbie’s must have are: