#herkentuckycares Simple Ways to Make a Difference Today!

Today, I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Dawne Gee of Wave-3  to talk about the #herkentuckycares initiative. It was so amazing to be able to share the blog's mission for 2018, and especially to talk with someone as inspirational as Dawne!

For those of y'all who are new to HerKentucky, or who haven't been following #herkentuckycares on social media, I really want to use social media to engage Kentuckians to do good deeds over the next few weeks. I've teamed up with a great group of Kentucky businesspeople to "reward" the good deeds you share on social media. You can learn more about #herkentuckycares here.

I think that, so often, so many of us want to do something to help others but get caught up in the idea that it takes a lot of time, money or effort to really effectuate change. The thing is, there are so many small things that you can do that can add up to a big difference. Here are a few of my favorite ways to help out my community. As an added bonus, some of these activities can redirect the "too many consecutive snow days" cabin fever we're all currently experiencing! 

1. Clean out your linen closet for the Humane Society! Did you know that your old towels and blankets could be keeping shelter animals warm? I try to take donations of ragged towels, old bedsheets, and past-their-prime blankets to my local Humane Society a couple of times a year. This process keeps your linen closets clean and helps a furry friend in the process! 

I happened to be on Wave3 Country on the same day as Waylon, who is a Kentucky Humane Society Resident. Waylon hopes y'all will donate old bedding to KHS to keep him and his buddies warm!

2. Tie a scarf around a high-traffic tree. I love this idea, which I've seen on social media several times. If you'll be in an area where there's a high homeless or housing-insecure population, why not leave a couple of extra scarves or blankets out so that they can keep someone warm? 

3. Raid your travel toiletry stash! Those travel bottles of shampoo and lotion that you brought home from hotels and then never, ever used -- you know you have them. They'd be put to good use at a shelter for women and children!

4. Clean out your coat closet! Most of us have coats that don't quite fit, or that we just don't quite wear anymore. We're having a cold, cold winter and that Christmas present you never really liked could save someone's life!

5. Weed out your bookcase! I try to make an effort to take books I'm no longer using to my local Little Free Library. It's such a great way to know that you're helping spark new ideas for everyone!

Remember to tag photos of good deeds on Instagram and Facebook with #herkentuckycares for the chance to win a gift card to Starbucks, Target, or Heine Brothers and let me know in the comments if you have any other suggestions of simple ways to help others.

Thanks so much to Louisville Salsarita's, Jennifer Stetzler Interiors, Yoga Instructor Ryan Bratcher, Realtor Kacy Noltemeyer, Liz Toombs of PDR Interiors, Jennifer Stetzler Interiors, and Realtor Russell Smith for their generous contributions!! Tag your social media pictures with #herkentuckycares for more ways to do good!

#herkentuckycares

Social media is an odd phenomenon, y'all. Sometimes it makes us smile and sometimes it makes us roll our eyes. And, sometimes, it can be used to effectuate change.

In the nearly six and a half years I've been writing HerKentucky.com, I've been amazed by how truly lovely HerKentucky readers and social media fans are! So, I've teamed with a group of Kentucky-based businesspeople to say thanks to some of y'all when you're "caught in the act" of doing a good deed. We call it #herkentuckycares!

Here's what #herkentuckycares is all about:

• While, most of the time, many of us try to be humble with our good works, this January, I'm asking you all to broadcast them to your social media! 
• Starting today, Monday, January 8th, think of some of the ways you'd like to help your community. Your local homeless shelter could use coats, scarves, and new, unopened packages of underwear and socks. Your hometown animal shelter could use food, toys, towels, bedding, and bleach. Your local food bank could use healthy food. And a charity of your choice can always use a financial donation.
• Please take a photo of your good deed -- or of a friend or family member caught in the act of doing good -- and upload it to Instagram or Facebook with the hashtag #herkentuckycares.
• By submitting the #herkentuckycares hashtag, you're eligible for random drawings for gift cards to Target, Starbucks, Heine Brothers, and Salsaritas provided by Kentucky-based businesses who want to help pay it forward!
• The contest begins today, January 8th, and will last through Friday, February 2nd! 

Please share the word with your friends, and  let's start a good deed social media revolution in Kentucky this winter!

Thanks so much to Louisville Salsarita's, Jennifer Stetzler Interiors, Yoga Instructor Ryan Bratcher, Realtor Kacy Noltemeyer, Liz Toombs of Polka Dots and Rosebuds Interiors, Jennifer Stetzler Interiors, and Realtor Russell Smith for their generous contributions!!

What to Buy on the L.L. Bean Winter Sale!

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I love L.L. Bean, especially in the winter. Their footwear, flannel, and pajamas really are the best I've found.  And, through tomorrow (Thursday the 4th), L. L. Bean has an additional 25% off all sale prices! I love this sale because there are so many things that you can use right now! Here are my picks for stocking up!

Slippers and House Shoes

Bean's slippers are the absolute best. I got Bob a pair of the flannel-lined leather slippers for Christmas; they've been the perfect thing for this cold weather snap! I've had my Wicked Good Camp Moccasins for a couple of winters now -- it might be time to stock up on a new pair!

Tote Bags

I love the open-top Boat & Tote for carrying odd- or over-sized items, or for daily errands. Order one to keep in your car. Trust me, it will cut the time you spend toting groceries/ Target run purchases in half! The Large bag in Mulberry is under $30!

Tees and Tanks

I LOVE the Unshrinkable Layering Tank. I have this in white and grey, and I wear it under everything from sundresses to sweaters. You can always use a few more plain tees to wear under sweaters and sweatshirts!

This sale is great, and it's made even better by Bean's free shipping! Let me know if you find any good deals - but don't forget it ends soon!

My 2018 New Year's Resolution

I've never been one for New Year's Resolutions. The idea that the arbitrary turn of a clock dial will miraculously give you the willpower to lose 20 pounds or give up Diet Coke once and for all seems a little too cute for me. I had the wonderful opportunity to take a few days off at the end of 2017, though, and I got pretty introspective. 2017 was a pretty monumental year at my house. A lot of hard things happened and so did some wonderful things. We had both big wins and big losses professionally; we had some illness and some setbacks, and we had some big accomplishments. And, we kind of left the year feeling exhausted and mired down in minutia. So, I set a fairly introspective and all-encompassing goal for Bob and me for 2018: This will be the year that we live bigger.

Now, that can of course be interpreted to mean more risk and more reward; a bigger home, bigger plans, and bigger goals. And, it goes without saying, those are part of the plan. However, what I'm really talking about is keeping our eyes on bigger goals. Not getting bogged down with pettiness and day-to-day drama -- this is a big one for me. Keeping myself focused on the end game.

I hope y'all will join me in living bigger in 2018. Think about your bigger goals. Travel more. Focus on leaving a lasting legacy. Help others more. Don't get distracted by petulance or gossip. Discover your hidden talents. Don't run away from big goals or big ideas. Live bigger.

What are your goals/ resolutions for 2018?

How I Shop the January 2017 Lilly Pulitzer After-Party Sale!

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I'm sure that most of y'all know that the Lilly Pulitzer After Party Sale starts Wednesday morning, January 3rd. If you frequent fashion blogs, especially those with a preppy twist, then you've seen the basic tips, and you know to have your login and payment info ready. But, I have a few of my own tried-and-true after-party sale tricks to help you get exactly what you want in a hurry!

1. Visit the Palm!
This year, Lilly stores are getting a head start on the sale fun. You can shop the sale starting tomorrow, Tuesday the 2nd, as soon as your store opens! In Louisville and Lexington, we have the Peppermint Palm; both locations are filled with a great selection and the absolute friendliest sales staff! 

2. Search by Style

The first thing I do when I get into the Lilly Sale is to search by style. For me, there are two Lilly pieces that always fit perfectly, hold up well, and generally work for my life. I start any Lilly sale by searching for those pieces: The Elsa Top and the Skipper Popover.

The Elsa Top

This is always the first thing I search for when buying Lilly. It's a silk blouse that can work with anything from jeans and shorts to skirts and tailored trousers. It often runs a little large, so I have a two-size range in this style. It's a popular style, and it goes quickly, so I search for Elsa tops, determine if there's one in my size (or my mom's) that I want, and make my first purchase.

The Skipper Popover

After I've assessed the Elsa situation, I move on to searching for Skipper Popovers. This is like a dressy, French Terry sweatshirt. There are a few variants on that style now, so "popover" is probably a better search term than "Skipper." Either way, this is my second favorite search, because I wear these tops year-round. I look for my size (and, again, my mom's!); I like to buy these so that they're a little large.

3. Search by Print

After I've looked for my favorite pieces, I search by print. If there was an absolute favorite print that I loved in the previous few months, I'll scan the sale for it. For example, during the January 2017 After-Party Sale, I looked for Psychedelic Sunshine, a print from August/ September 2016. I usually don't like to buy more than one piece in a particular print, but this one is so special that I wound up getting an Elsa and a midi skirt (I'd bought the Sophie dress when it was new in the stores!)

4. Shop by Size

After these searches, I finally search by size. I look for my size in tops, dresses, and skirts. I check what's available for my mom, and for my little nieces. And, I try not to buy more than we all need! 

I bought my niece's first Lilly dress on the August 2015 After-Party sale!

5. Check Back In!

Because it is so hard to get online at the stroke of 8 on Wednesday morning, the Lilly Pulitzer crew has really gotten smart about pacing the sale. New styles will come on the site as the sale progresses. This year, they've announced that the sale will last three days rather than two. I promise, if y'all want to shop, you'll be able to!

Good Luck, and let me know what y'all find! How do you shop the After-Party Sale?

How to Build a Maker's Mark Bourbon Bar for the Holidays!

Maker's Mark Distillery at Christmas 

I always think of Maker's Mark as the bourbon of Christmas. Sure, there may be bourbons you drink at Derby time, and bourbons you drink on, say, your birthday. But, Maker's is the bourbon you buy for Christmas.

It may have something to do with the fabulous way that the folks at Maker's market the holiday, from nostalgic print ads to witty Ambassador gifts. It may be that Maker's Mark is the bourbon my family has always used in the bourbon balls that we make at Christmastime. Whatever it is, Maker's slays the Christmas game.

My cousin Amy had the most creative use for her Maker's Ambassador earmuffs! Lola the Chihuahua models them for us!

Since Maker's is the flavor of Christmas, it's a great idea to set up a Maker's Mark bourbon bar over the next few days. Only a few simple ingredients will allow you to offer your guests a variety of popular cocktails. 

What you'll need:

• A couple of bottles of Maker's Mark
• A bottle of vermouth
• A bottle of Angostura bitters
• Simple Syrup
• Sour Mix (3 cups simple syrup to one cup lemon and lime juice)
• Maker's Mark cherries
• Lemons, limes, and oranges for garnish

If you have these items, you can mix up a whisky sour, an old-fashioned, or a Manhattan, in addition to serving your bourbon neat or on the rocks. Add a couple of sizes of glasses to allow your guests some choice.

Set everything out in an accessible place, keep fresh ice handy, and your guests will be refreshed and full of holiday cheer!

What's your favorite holiday cocktail?

Our Stay at the Kimpton Aertson Hotel in Nashville

Annie Lindberg's "Redberry"

Nashville has changed so much recently, y'all.  When we lived in the Music City a decade ago, it still had a small-town feel. These days, there's so much new construction and a big city energy, but it's still as charming and Southern as ever. A couple of weeks ago, when Bob and I had some appointments in Nashville, we chose a new hotel in Midtown, one of the areas that's changed the most over the past couple of years. The Kimpton Aertson did not disappoint!  It was elegant, comfortable, and provided the perfect night's sleep!

The Aertson, a boutique hotel named for an ancestor of Cornelius Vanderbilt, is adjacent to the north end of Vanderbilt University's campus and an easy walking distance from Hattie B's Hot Chicken and The Patterson House. The location is great for experiencing Nashville in so many ways -- from traditional Music Row-and-Hot Chicken tourism to visiting college campuses at Belmont, Vandy, and Lipscomb to taking in the sites of 12 South, including Draper James. It made a perfect home base as we ran errands, took appointments, ate, and shopped in the area!

The hotel itself is simply lovely! Artistic nods included artist Annie Lindberg's mixed media installation "Redberry",  a web of pink and orange threads, wallpapered bedroom ceilings that resemble frescos, and a huge, elegant bathroom with glass doors and white subway tile. A wallpapered wall in the bathroom mimicked the blueprints for the nearby Tennessee Capitol building, providing a nice nod to the hotel's Nashville locale without overindulging in the prevalent Music City Kitch prevalent in so many nearby hotels.

The exercise room was roomy and well-equipped, allowing Bob and me to both log in a good workout. The treadmills and ellipticals were excellent, as were the thick exercise mats and the plentiful free weights. The real star of the hotel, though, was our actual bedroom. The bed was a perfect firmness, and the down comforter and pillows were so luxurious. Every detail was so thoughtful and convenient, from the USB charging ports on both nightstands to the Jawbone Mini Jambox speaker for smartphone pairing. Our 6th floor room overlooked Broadway, providing a fun view of traffic and campus. 

Delightful special touches included a dog-friendly policy (Max and Sophie want to tag along next time!), hyper-local Frothy Monkey coffee in the lobby at morning, and a cocktail hour there in the evening, and a text-for-valet service. I hope to take in the Woodhouse Spa, the Henley Restaurant, and the rooftop bar and pool on future visits!

As I enjoyed the hour "gained" by visiting the Central Time Zone, I read a line from Nashville native author Ann Patchett in her collection of essays, This is the Story of a Happy Marriage: "My memory can only separate hotels int three categories: those that are disgusting, those that are very nice, and those that may have been Hyatts." Thanks so much to the Kimpton Aertson for staying in the price range of a hotel that may have been a Hyatt while providing a stay that placed it firmly in the very nice hotel category!