Missing the Indulgence of Spring…

Hey Diva’s,

With Summer being just around the corner and since Spring is quickly coming to an end, I’ve been feeling, well… a bit somber lately. I mean, I’ve had sooo much fun this Spring that I honestly don’t want it to end. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m looking forward to all of the wonderful things ahead this Summer, but the past few months have simply been a whirlwind of memorable moments and amazing adventures attending all of those sassy soirees and squeezing in a little shopping for chic finds with fabulous friends and wonderful women. Yeah; there’s nothing like the Spring. So as I reflect on all the fun times I had this season, I’d have to say that one of the events that quickly comes to mind was Chic Boutique Tour’s Spring Indulgence Shopping Soiree. If you haven’t heard of the Chic Boutique Tour, well, let’s just say you will need some serious retail therapy after you hear about all the fun and excitement that this event delivered.

So, let’s go back to August 2011 when I had the pleasure of attending my first Chic Boutique Tour. Let me first say that I had never experienced anything as unique as that, and since then I’ve been hooked like Charlie Sheen is, well, on everything. 😀 The event begins with the pink carpet being literally rolled out for the ladies as we board a luxury motor coach, with cocktails in hand, and head out to visit several of the hautest boutiques around Atlanta. It’s like having your girlfriends out for a day of fun and shopping, but you do it in style! But here’s the catch; with each Tour, we stop at a different set of boutiques, so if you miss the tour then you just might miss a chance to discover a hidden gem.

 

Chic Boutique Tour founder, CEO and diva extraordinaire, Rosalynn Wilson, has created the most unique shopping experience making the Tour a quintessential girl’s getaway with all of the bells and whistle to make it an experience like no other.

Each boutique we visited on the Tour offers a different shopping experience, so there’s something for everyone. And get this, the boutiques offer incredible discounts for Tour attendees.

Let me tell you that by the end of the tour I was beginning to feel like Dora the Explorer, having told my credit card (that I affectionately call “Swiper”) to please “Stop Swiping!” 😀

Ok, so check-in for the Spring Indulgence Tour began at the Refined Home Boutique located in the West Midtown Design District of Atlanta. Boutique owners David William D’Ambrosio and Tracy Winn have created an interior decorators wonderland in Refined Home with its hints at old world charm infused with cosmopolitan cues, making their showroom an absolutely amazing experience. From the moment I entered I couldn’t help but envision myself having just walked into my dream boudoir. Just visualize yourself surrounded by an eclectic playground of timeless home décor and matchless accessories that adorn the space like fine art. Refined Home Boutique offers an extensive collection of antiques and collectibles in addition to unique furnishings, tabletop settings, linens, lighting, bath & body products, candles, AND jewelry. Yes!!!

My fellow blog buddies, Tami Reed (Talking with Tami), Efie Lynn (LA Lynn’s Accessory Shoppe), Kerrie Cooke aka VirtuosOne (Virtuous Styls), and Dea Win (Pretty Girls Rock Dresses), were also in attendance, so I was super excited because whenever we get together we always have such a blast! I also met several new fabulous bloggers such as I am Fashion Weak, and Parker Simmons of Everyday Runway in addition to all of the wonderful tour guests.

So before boarding our chauffeured motor coach which I call the “Diva Express”, we shopped a bit, snapped a few pics, mixed and mingled, and enjoyed yummy treats and other goodies. VeeV Acai provided these fabulous mixed fruit Sangria drinks that were served in mini Mason jars for Tour guests. Too cute; and we got to take home the jars as keepsakes!!! Then, we hopped aboard our luxury chariot to head off to the second destination on the tour. Gourmet turkey sandwiches and this amazing watermelon, tomato, and basil salad, by Chef Jax Concepts provided a welcome snack during the tour, while sponsors SmartWater and Red Bull kept the ladies refreshed and energized between boutique visits. The fabulous Kerrie Cooke of Virtuous Styls served as the tour’s on-board stylist, giving the ladies useful tips on putting together the perfect look for the season.

While in route to each of our planned destinations, Rosalynn held several giveaways with the ladies having a shot at winning a fab book titled Commander in Chic by Mikki Taylor, an exclusive makeup and burlesque-style photo session valued at $600 by N’neka Photography, and a lovely necklace by Lia Sophia. During the raffle I won the exclusive photo session (Yeah!!!) and Tami grabbed that yummy Lia Sophia necklace. As you can see from the photo below I had my hopes riding on that fabulous neck candy. 😀

Now, by the time we arrived at our second destination London Loves MarLo, we were all juiced up from the endless cocktails that we enjoyed during the trip, 😛 so of course we were now ready to do some shopping!

Located in Inman Park, London Loves MarLo is an exclusive “by-appointment” boutique that boasts about their drastically discounted designer apparel, shoes, handbags and accessories for women…and for good reason too. Because, when I say “drastically” that’s putting it mildly. Where else can you get an “in-season” and “never before worn” Marc Jacob’s piece for 40-70% off the retail price? (Queue crickets….) I can’t say enough about their selections, and co-owners Kellie Moore and Niki Puckett have definitely brought NYC and LA to the ATL. Oh, and they also host private shopping experiences where you and several of your girlfriends can book a divas day out over champagne at their swanky showroom. We had a great time and several ladies added a few pieces to their personal collections. 😉

Next up was Bombay Gal Butik where boho chic meets Asia with handmade, unique and eclectic, apparel, handbags, jewelry and accessories. Located in the Virginia Highlands area of Atlanta, Bombay Gal Butik offers shoppers exclusive pieces that you will not see strolling past you around town. In fact, you’d be hard pressed to find these pieces anywhere since most of them are one-of-a-kind, handmade, and vintage. And, their accessory collection is literally “to die for!” Trust me when I say this because I nearly went into cardiac arrest when I saw the price of this fabulous draping beaded necklace that I snagged during our stop there. Major SCORE! Ihsaana, owner of Bombay Gal Butik, should consider keeping a heart defibrillator somewhere in the store as I’m sure I wasn’t the only one to have had this happen to them. 😀

BouChic Boutique + Lounge was next on the tour, and let me tell you that it definitely lived up to its name. Located in the Glenwood Park area of Atlanta, not only was the decor very cosmopolitan “chic” but so was the selection. BouChic carries haute handbags, handcrafted arm and neck candy, as well as a variety of fabulous fashions for women of all sizes, which was the vision of owners Demetria Acloque and Dominique Tate. And with offerings from local up-coming designers to established names; it all works in haute harmony. Not only is BouChic a “boutique” but they can also host and accommodate private events in their sexy lounge area. And speaking of which, I wanted to just curl up and get comfortable on that velvet sofa. (queue excessive snoring) Oh, there’s also a wet bar; just in case you were feeling a bit parched from all the panting you were doing after browsing their chic clothing collection. 😀

So, after they pried me from the lounge area 😉 we headed over to Pink Sky Boutique in Glenwood Park for a taste of SoCal chic. Pink Sky’s bohemian-inspired yet laid-back style succeeds in its attempt to blend timeless pieces with funky, trendy garnishes. OMG; they carry the most delicious handbags, chunky bracelets, yummy accessories, and saucy shoes this side of the local ice creamery. 😀 So, if you have a craving for scrumptious fashion, Pink Sky will definitely curb your appetite and have you coming back for seconds. Brands such as Chinese Laundry and Jeffrey Campbell can be spotted at Pink Sky, and they also carry a heavenly collection of Honesty Jewelry. I spotted this fabulous scarf that was calling my name…so I did what any fashionista would do…I answered! 😉 Christi, owner of Pink Sky, definitely has a gem here. And with prices that won’t send your wallet into another stratosphere, you can shop like there’s no tomorrow. After all, the Sky’s the limit!

Our final stop on the tour was the uber-swanky Happy Feet Boutique located in Town Brookhaven. And let me tell you, we could not have arrived at a more perfect time. We had been to five fabulous boutiques, coupled with all of that walking we’d done all day; so by the time we arrived at Happy Feet “my feet” were not so happy. 😀 I was in desperate need of a foot massage. Well, Happy Feet offers a host therapeutic pedicures and foot massages to get you right back on your heels. And trust me when I tell you that there wasn’t an empty chair in the place. So after a brief moment of relaxation in their spa-like setting, it was time to get back to shopping. Happy Feet is not only a foot spa, but they also carry a gorgeous assortment of shoe styles with brands such as Jessica Simpson, DKNY, Via Spiga, BCBG MAXAZRIA, and many more. I had the pleasure of discovering Happy Feet Boutique a few weeks prior during their grand opening celebration (see photos from that event), and from that moment on I was “sole-d!” 😉 This is the perfect place to have the girl’s meet up for a day of pampering and shopping over cocktails and live music. Yep! My girl DJ OMG is there every Saturday to keep the foot party rockin! Audrey Tarrant, owner and diva extraordinaire, has created the ultimate experience for your feet that will have them singing (and dancing) in perfect harmony.

What a fabulous excursion! We had sooo much fun, and it couldn’t have occurred on a more perfect day as the weather was absolutely beautiful! The Chic Boutique Tour is a great way to meet new people, network with other like minded divas, and shop, shop, shop!

Thanks to the fabulous Rosalynn Wilson, maven and mastermind of the Chic Boutique Tour, and Jackie O of 4Sight Media (who handled the PR duties), for putting together such an amazing experience!!! I had a blast, and I look forward to the next tour on July 21^st, 2012!!! I will see YOU there!

The amazing Robin Marshall of RobinLori Photography captured all the fun on film. Thank you Robin for the lovely photos!!! ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Check out more pics from the Chic Boutique Tour – Spring Indulgence Shopping Soiree :

[fbphotos id=354465487922865]