Draper James Lucky You Sale Favorites

My dress is $40 (also available in navy!!)

(This post contains affiliate links; I will receive a very small commission per click at no cost to the reader. All photos are © Sarah Caton of Space, Place & Southern Grace unless otherwise noted.)

Y'all, the Draper James summer sale is the best LDW sale I've seen (and trust me, I've looked at them all!) There are so many pieces that I've worn time and again, and the prices are insane -- up to 75% off! This bell-sleeved dress has been my go-to all summer because it's just so flattering and easy to wear; it's cut to $40, and I'm thinking of snagging it in navy as well! Here are a few more favorites for you!

Tees

This is a great time to stock up on DJ tees and tops. The striped tops are great beyond Labor Day and the tees are $10! The bell sleeved stripe tee has been a staple in my wardrobe all summer -- it's perfect for easy elegance -- and the What Would Dolly Do tee has gotten more compliments than possibly any other article of clothing I own.

Shoes and Boots

I'm pretty certain that I would wear Jack Rogers sandals every day if I could. I love these logo Jacks -- the Howdy Y'all and the Southern Belle are both adorable! The Soludos espadrilles and Old Gringo boots are great deals, too!

Magnolia Dress

Magnolia dress $50; Elizabeth's dress is sold out. (this photo is an iPhone snap!)

This dress is perfection, y'all. I wore it to the track and to a garden party and I've never felt more Southern in my life. The Ponte fabric is ridiculously flattering, and the print is fabulous. It's down to $50. Trust me, you'll be glad it's in your closet next spring!

Let me know if you score anything good from the DJ Lucky You sale! It runs through tomorrow, September 4th.

Something in the Water by Catherine Steadman Book Review

{This book review contains Amazon Affiliate links. I receive a small compensation for books purchased through the links in this post.}

I recently finished Catherine Steadman's Something in the Water in Audible audiobook format; it came recommended as the June selection for Reese Witherspoon's Book Club. This is such a great thriller, one that raises a lot of questions about personal ethics and the extent to which "good people" will allow themselves to go. 

Something in the Water is the story of a London couple, Erin and Mark, who lead a seemingly charmed life. Erin, a fledgling filmmaker, is working on a documentary about three incarcerated Londoners and their plans for post-prison life When investment banker Mark loses his job weeks before their wedding, cracks begin to appear in their perfect relationship.  Meanwhile, Erin becomes more deeply entrenched in the lives of her documentary subjects. When they embark on a honeymoon in Bora Bora, they discover a small fortune and must question how far they're willing to go for money, and what it actually means to be a good person. There are elements of classic parables like The Pearl or The Diamond as Big as the Ritz mixed with gangsters, money, and pretty people.  It's a fast-paced and riveting story, and I found myself extremely anxious to see what happened next. Although the novel was only released last month, I already find myself hoping it'll be optioned for film soon!

The Audible audiobook is narrated by the book's author, Catherine Steadman, who is also an actress who appeared as one of Lady Mary's romantic rivals on Downton Abbey. Ms. Steadman's narration lends the appropriate amount of drama and suspense to the tale, and her posh British accent works well with the characters she creates.

This book is a great listen in audiobook format; I can see it being fantastic in print as well. It's a fantastic vacation read -- all the talk of beaches and flights incites more than a little wanderlust! 

Let me know in the comments if you've read Something in the Water yet and if you like suspenseful novels like this one!

Draper James x HerKentucky Shop & Sip for Dress for Success!

Draper James dress (on sale!) | Elva Fields necklace | Cole Haan Shoes (old) c/o Off Broadway Shoes (Similar here!)

{This post contains affiliate links;  HerKentucky.com will receive a nominal compensation for every product link you click at no cost to you. As always, all opinions are my own.} All photos ©Sarah Caton of Space, Place & Southern Grace.

Last Tuesday, the Lexington Draper James store hosted a Shop & Sip for HerKentucky readers. It was such a special event for me -- so many friends and relatives came out to shop, enjoy sweet tea, rosé, and mini-bundt cakes, and, most importantly, raise money for one of my very favorite causes, Dress for Success. Dress for Success helps provide underprivileged women with the tools for economic and professional empowerment. I've been fortunate to work with the Louisville affiliate this year, and it is truly amazing to see the ways in which the clients' entire demeanor changes as they try on professional attire. I mean, who doesn't feel better in a fabulous new outfit?

 Draper James pineapple print dress, white Tulip Shirtdress, and white lace bell sleeve top, all on sale! 

It was such a fun event! The Dress for Success Lexington Board of Directors came out to shop, and a college friend of mine even brought his kids by! I was overwhelmed by how well the event turned out (we raised over $400 for DFS!!) and how absolutely lovely the evening was!

Gingham floral dress (on sale!)

Of course, I've loved Draper James since the very moment I saw a newspaper article that said Reese Witherspoon was launching a lifestyle brand, but I'm even more excited about the brand lately. I love that they've expanded their sizing to be more inclusive, that they're experimenting with pop-up kids' collections, and that they listened to customer feedback to drop the price point just a bit. I also love the ponte fabric in several of their tees and dresses, like the one I wore to the event! 

Draper James x ELOQUII T-shirt (on sale for $32!)

Draper James x ELOQUII Gingham Fit and Flare Dress | Draper James x ELOQUII Floral Dress | Draper James x ELOQUII Stripe Wrap Dress| Draper James Maxi (All on Sale now!)

I can't thank the Draper James Lexington team enough for hosting us! They were so gracious and friendly, and were so kind to provide the donation opportunity! Don't forget that they have a great selection of Draper James products in-store, so if any of these pieces are sold-out online, give them a shout at 859-618-6785.

Shop the post!

All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin Book Review

{This book review contains Amazon Affiliate links. I receive a small compensation for books purchased through the links in this post.}

Emily Giffin is an author with whose work I have a complex relationship. I think she's an amazing storyteller and that she has a knack for compelling dialogue and "smart lady soap opera" fiction. I often can't wait to read her books and have them delivered via Amazon Prime on the day of publication. I devour each new book in a day or so. I can't put Ms. Giffin's books down. And yet I often find myself highly conflicted. Something a character says doesn't hit me right, or a plot point seems... not quite right. 

I preordered Ms. Giffin's latest, All We Ever Wanted, as soon as I learned that it was set in Nashville. Now y'all know that Nashville is my happy place. I travel there as frequently as possible to recharge my creative batteries. I especially love the neighborhoods in the southern/ southwestern end of town; several of the main characters live in this area, in the exclusive Belle Meade neighborhood. I've made many fun trips to the East Nashville area for meals and festivals and events; this neighborhood plays a prominent role in the work as well. So, I kind of braced myself. Ms. Giffin grew up in suburban Illinois, practiced law in NYC and wrote in London before settling in Atlanta with her husband and kids. I always wonder if she has a bit of disdain for the South; the main character in Love the One You're With -- an otherwise highly compelling novel -- seemed to delight in subtly disparaging the South in a way that made me cringe. So, when I picked up a novel set in my favorite city by an author whom I know to be a compelling storyteller, I still had guarded expectations.

Let me just start off by saying that, from a storytelling perspective, All We Ever Wanted is fantastic. The book tells the story of two Nashville families, the Volpes and the Brownings. The wealthy Brownings, Kirk, Nina, and their son Finch, are firmly ensconced in Nashville's elite Belle Meade circles, while single father and carpenter Tom Volpe raises his daughter Lyla in a blue collar East Nashville setting. Finch and Lyla are classmates at a prestigious private school; their worlds are changed forever when a drunken photo of Lyla is posted to Finn's social media. The story is a fast-paced and heart-wrenching story of parental guilt, hidden secrets, and long-ago pain. Nina finds her small-town morals at to be at odds with her husband's desire to protect their son's Princeton admission at any cost, and she begins to address a long-suppressed assault that has impacted her entire adult life. Tom must confront his own class biases and the scars left by his tumultuous relationship with Lyla's mother, an alcoholic who abandoned them when Lyla was a toddler. This story plays out as every mother's nightmare: "How did my little baby become this person?" becomes "Is my child a psychopath?" in fairly short order. The work forces readers to think about the impact of class and privilege, the slippery slope between alcohol use and abuse, and the often-terrifying landscape of sexual consent and assault. It's a timely, nuanced, and tight narrative about the damage we can inflict on others and on ourselves, and it's a fantastic pool read.

And yet -- y'all knew there'd be a yet -- there were problems. Readers, I think I have to confess to y'all that the problem was with me and not with the book. I couldn't get past weird little details like "You send your kids to single sex-high schools like MBA or Harpeth if you live in Nashville" or "Nobody splits a glass of wine at Husk" or "A Methodist cop who's lived his entire life in Bristol would never drive home after drinking even a single beer." I didn't love the broad-sweeping message that you're kind of inherently vapid and materialistic if you live in Belle Meade and that you're in touch with core values if you hail from East Nashville; I've definitely met plenty whofolks who defy each of these stereotypes. And yet, as a writer and a serious reader, I know better than to allow myself to get mired in these little details. I know that if I set a novel anywhere other than the places I've lived -- Lexington, Louisville, Nashville, or the holler -- I couldn't pass this test. If I set a piece of fiction, the author of this work could likely find just as many nitpicking details that I got wrong. Ms. Giffin has been painstaking in her research of the city. So many things seem perfectly right, like pastries from Sweet 16th, which makes the best red velvet cake in East Nashville, or possibly anywhere in the world. Ultimately, she gets more "Luke Bryant popups in the Gulch" and "Buying jeans at Imogene + Willie" stories right than wrong, these little details make me sound like a pedantic malcontent, and the book is the best piece of chick lit that's been published so far in 2018.

I recommend All We Ever Wanted for anyone who loves Big Little Lies, Something Borrowed, or the early seasons of Nashville. Please chime in if you've read the book and have an opinion on the story, or if you've ever found yourself derailed by an author's tiny missteps in regard to locale and local customs! 

Dinner at Texas de Brazil in Lexington's Summit at Fritz Farm

{Disclosure: Texas de Brazil provided a complimentary dinner for two in exchange for this review; no additional compensation was provided and all opinions are my own.}

Bob and I had the opportunity to visit Texas de Brazil in Lexington's The Summit at Fritz Farm over the weekend. We love Texas de Brazil for special occasion meals and were excited to sample the dessert menu! Texas de Brazil celebrates their 20th anniversary soon, and are offering all desserts for 20 cents on Monday nights in July with a meal purchase!

Now, as I'm sure you know, Texas de Brazil is a Churrascaria, colloquially known in the US as a Brazilian Steakhouse. Churrascaria a fun and delicious dining concept in which the gauchos carve charcoal-grilled meat tableside. It makes for a fast-paced sampler of meats! But, did you know that the salad bar at Texas de Brazil is pretty amazing as well? 

I'd eaten at Texas de Brazil locations in Lexington and in Memphis before, but I'd never spent a lot of time with the salad area before. I started with a cheese plate for Bob and me to share. The tangy goat cheese, fresh mozzarella, and salty parmigiano were great accompaniments to the rich meats. The prosciutto was a fantastic quality, and the pineapple carpaccio was amazing! (If limitless meat isn't your jam, you can actually order the salad area only as your entree!)

We also tried some seafood. The shrimp salad was so great that I hope to recreate the recipe soon -- it had the heat of jalapeño and the tang of lime juice. 

We also loved the Moqueca cod fish -- a traditional Brazilian fish stew made with coconut milk.

Of course, the star of any Texas de Brazil experience is the meat. As usual, the Churrascaria did not disappoint. When you're seated for churrasco service, each diner is given a two-sided card to indicate whether the gauchos should bring more meats to the table.

The filet was a standout, along with the flank steak. The lamb was perfect -- rich and well seasoned. We enjoyed a great assortment!

We made sure to save room for dessert, though. I had the Brazilian cheesecake, which had a rich fudge base and a caramel glaze.

Bob opted for a refreshing key lime pie. Both were fantastic.

Stop by the Texas de Brazil in Lexington for special promotions over the next few months for special 20th anniversary celebrations. It's a fantastic date night spot, or great for a family celebration!

Thanks so much to Texas de Brazil for inviting us to dinner! We'll be back soon!

Maker's Mark TasteMaker's Dinner Honoring Chef John Currence

I love this chandelier at Star Hill Provisions, the distillery restaurant at Maker's Mark

Bob and I had the opportunity to visit the Maker's Mark Distillery this weekend to attend the TasteMaker's Dinner Honoring Chef John Currence. Now, if Chef Currence sounds familiar, it may be from Season 3 of Top Chef Masters. Or from The Mississippi Delta episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. Or, you may have seen one of the many issues of Garden & Gun which sing the praises of his four restaurants in Oxford, Mississippi. Well, you get the idea. Chef Currence knows Southern Food.

Visitors Center, Maker's Mark.

Visitors Center, Maker's Mark (Can you spot the Distillery Cat??)

It was a beautiful, if warm, Southern summer night, so we took the hour-or-so "scenic route"  to Loretto from Louisville. With work opportunities for the book, I've been fortunate enough to visit Loretto pretty frequently over the past couple of years, but Bob hadn't had the chance to see some of the newer additions like the Tasting Cellar and Star Hill Provisions. To me, one of the most special things about the Maker's Mark campus is the strong commitment to building new structures that fit nicely with the original Victorian architecture from the property's days as Star Hill Farm and Burks Springs Distillery. In researching my book, I've been able to speak with several folks -- including Chairman Emeritus Bill Samuels Jr -- about the strong commitment to preserving Mrs. Margie Samuels's original vision of the distillery, honoring her design choices in every new project. If you haven't been out to Maker's Mark in a few years, you're in for a real treat; all the familiar Victorian elements are there, but the campus has been upgraded in so many new and beautiful ways! 

Tasting Cellar, Maker's Mark Distillery

Star Hill Provisions, Maker's Mark Distillery. I love the Kiptoo Taurus sculpture displayed to the right of the mural.

The event kicked off around 6 p.m. with hors d'oeuvres: pimiento cheese beignets (which basically combines everything I love on earth) and pickled shrimp salad gougeres. The shrimp salad, served on tiny little croissants, was amazing, and I resolved at once to replicate the recipe! This course was accompanied by a Maker's Mark-spiked University Greys' Punch. A bluegrass duo performed on the patio, but we sought refuge from the heat by ducking into the side bar at Star Hill Provisions. It was so cozy and charming!

Punch at Maker's Mark

I sadly forgot to capture a photo of the soup course, which a chilled celery veloute with crabmeat and butter-toasted bread crumb. It was a great night for a chilled soup, and I never say no to crabmeat! This course was followed by a Maker's Mark highball.

The salad course, crisp and refreshing with a peppery bite, featuring Maytag bleu cheese, roasted tomato vinaigrette, and pickled apples.

We then were served a Maker's 46 Manhattan. I love Maker's 46 for a cocktail; I think the spirit's complex flavor stands up so well when mixed.

The entree course was bourbon-braised pork belly with celery root puree and a casserole of crispy Brussels sprouts and lardons. I seriously loved that casserole, y'all. It combined the comfort of my mom's broccoli casserole with a well-made mornay sauce and charred Brussels sprouts. This is another dish I hope to recreate at home!

We finished with a bourbon and clove poached pear served in phyllo with Maker's Mark frozen custard and bitter cocoa nibs. The course was accompanied by Star Hill Provisions' Maker's Mark Private Select. The Private Select program has created so many interesting expressions of Maker's Mark. It's so interesting to try different barrels and see how different folks' tastes run.

As longtime fans of the Maker's Mark brand and the distillery campus, we took a moment to walk around after dinner to notice all the beautiful new additions to the setting -- we even caught glimpses of frolicking rabbits and a lounging distillery cat! Bob noted how very much the distillery has changed from the late 90s, when the tour was a bare-bones look at how the bourbon is crafted. It was a fun evening of food and cocktails in a perfect setting!

Thanks so much to Maker's Mark for inviting us out to experience this fun event! The next TasteMakers dinner will honor Chef Edward Lee and will be held on Saturday, July 14. You can purchase tickets here. 

 

5 Fun Facts about Hi-Five Doughnuts!

It's National Doughnut Day, an observance dating back to the 1930s, which honors the Salvation Army "Lassies" who served doughnuts and other treats to U.S. Troops during World War I. Here in Kentucky, we take our doughnuts pretty seriously. In fact, the New York Times once traced a doughnut trail across our great Commonwealth. One of the state's most beloved doughnut stops is in a gas station!  That's the great thing about doughnuts: they're inexpensive, accessible, and enjoyed by almost everybody! My favorite doughnut spot is Hi-Five Doughnuts, which serves amazing creations with a Kentucky flair. You absolutely MUST try the bourbon caramel glaze, and if you're really brave, you can try the Kentucky Fried Buttermilk Chicken Doughnut.

Hi-Five Doughnuts is one of my favorite Kentucky businesses, combining local ingredients, awesome female entrepreneurs, incredible marketing, and a fabulous product. Let's celebrate National Doughnut Day with five fun facts about Hi-Five Doughnuts!!!

1. Hi-Five is woman-owned and operated. Leslie Wilson and Annie Harlow began their business running a food truck, affectionately named Shelby, then opened a storefront in Louisville's Butchertown neighborhood. 

The bacon-glazed doughnut is amazing, y'all.

2. The business name pays tribute to the legend that the custom of giving a high-five was invented in a U of L basketball practice in the 1970s.

3. Hi-Five has trademarked their hashtag! When you talk about the #ladiesofthemorning, then according to to the US Patent and Trademark office you're referencing Hi-Five Doughnuts!

4. The Hi-Five business model is so cool, a book has been written about it! Dr. Lyle Sussman of U of L's College of Business wrote "Breaking the Glaze Ceiling: Sweet Lessons for Entrepreneurs, Innovators and Wannabes", which establishes 12 business principles based on Leslie and Annie's success. In interviewing the Doughnut Ladies for a prior article, I was so impressed that they built the entire enterprise on a no-debt model, opting instead to purchase only what they could afford at any given time.

That's cinnamon glaze + Cinnamon Toast Crunch. You need it in your life.

5. Everybody loves Hi-Five! The Travel Channel has visited them, they're a staple at local events like the Forecastle Festival, and they're often served as a finishing touch at local galas and weddings.