Preppy Rae's

Vacation Photos~Michigan~The Lake Shores Museum

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Tue, 29 May 2012 01:39:00 +0000

This museum has a great personal health section.

My son playing with food groups.

The receiver on the left had a recording of a healthy heartbeat. The one on the right had silence (cardiac arrest).

Part of the wildlife exhibit.

The great thing about this museum is free admission. Wish we lived closer.

Classy in Carolina: Monday Morning Motivation

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:33:00 +0000

Classy in Carolina: Monday Morning Motivation

Vacation Photos~Michigan~Hackley Library

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Fri, 25 May 2012 14:22:00 +0000

We visited the Hackley Library in downtown Muskegon.

These are the stairs inside the entrance leading up to the children's section. The entire upstairs is devoted to educating youth.

On the landing in the stairwell.

Beautiful murals adorn the wall underneath austere crown molding.

Architectural details like intricately carved arcs are balanced by playful shelving.

The room had a rounded wall which I love.

The fireplace.

Interesting artwork.

Beautiful details.

Hackley was a lumber baron who contributed a lot to his community. Many buildings and even streets and highways are named after him. This particular building was built in 1888.

Mother's Day, 2012

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Tue, 15 May 2012 14:21:00 +0000

Our church has a Mother's Day tea party every year, just for the ladies (there's a nursery for the children). Afterwards we go out into the courtyard (built in the 1800's, the church has a courtyard) and take photos. Here are a few from inside and outside the church...more to follow. There are about a dozen tables, each with 8 seats, and each table has a hostess. The hostess serves tea, replenishes plates of finger sandwiches, and engages guests in conversation. Usually my mother and I host a table together. This year I was out of state during preparation time, so it was just my mother hosting the table. Fortunately, new family members were able to attend this year. My sister in law K (her daughter shown here), future sister in law A, and A's mother sat with us at the table. The tea party always includes a guest speaker. The speaker may give a motivational speech, talk about mission trips to other countries, or give a testimony. This year the speaker was Pat Owens, the author of an incredible book (her own autobiography) that I highly recommend you all read. After her own closest friend died of cancer, Pat was doubting God. Then she found out she had an incurable disease. God healed her completely (to the surprise of her doctors) and the experience changed her life. She is an excellent speaker and posed some thought-provoking questions. I have some great family photos of everyone else, just waiting on permission to post them. :-)

Back in a week!

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:47:00 +0000

Vacationing with family in MI for ten days. We are hoping the weather will be nice. We stay on a lake and it may not be quite warm enough for swimming yet this year. We are planning on doing some fun activities around town, pics to follow. I hope you all had a lovely Mother's Day!

Preppy Drinks (and boy does he ever!)

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Thu, 10 May 2012 16:07:00 +0000

I have compiled a list of preppy drinks.

G & T:
2oz gin to 5oz club soda
Mix ingredients and put them into a highball glass with ice. Garnish with lemon wedge (optional).

Americano:
1oz Campari bitters
1oz sweet vermouth
1 twisted orange peel
1 twisted lemon peel

Pour over ice, garnish with lemon and orange, fill with club soda.

Country Club Cooler:
5oz dry vermouth
1/2 tsp grenadine
club soda
orange spiral
twist lemon peel

Pour grenadine and water into a collins glass, stir. Add ice and vermouth, fill with soda, stir again. Add lemon peel and orange spiral dangling over the rim of the glass.

Pimm's Traditional No. 1:
1 slice each of apple, cucumber, orange, lemon for each person present
1 sprig of mint
2 parts lemonade to one part Pimm's

Mix it all together.

Bloody Mary:
1oz Smirnoff No. 21 vodka
3oz tomato juice
2oz red hot sauce
2oz green hot sauce
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
half oz of lemon juice
1 pinch salt
1 pinch peppers
1 stalk celery

Add Smirnoff No.21 Vodka, tomato juice, red hot sauce, green hot sauce, worchester sauce, lemon juice, pinch of salt, pinch of pepper. Pour back and forth between 2 mixing glasses, strain into a highball glass of ice, and garnish with celery stalk.

Cape Codder:
2oz vodka
2oz cranberry juice cocktail
half oz lime juice
club soda

Pour vodka into a collins glass, add cranberry juice, lime juice, and add ice cubes. Top off with club soda, garnish with lime or mint.

Madras:
2oz vodka
2oz orange juice
2oz cranberry juice
wedge of lime

Add vodka and OJ to a collins glass, add ice, float the cranberry juice, serve with a stirrer, garnish with lime.

Also check out Preppy Food.

Preppy Food

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:54:00 +0000

Preppy food is traditionally rather bland, with appetizing options such as chipped beef on toast, or Stouffer's frozen meals. More modern preppy meals consist of things grown locally or on one's own land (this seems to be a growing trend globally, and not just among preps). For instance you may buy pancake mix, and use your own free-range chicken eggs from your backyard to cook with the pancakes. Farmer's Markets are increasingly popular, as well as backyard vegetable or herb gardens. If you are fortunate enough to have access to local hormone-free beef, you might grill a fresh steak and have Farmer's Market asparagus on the side. The less processed, the better. Preps prefer to be healthy! Plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables with lean meat.

Some choice offerings from our local Farmer's Market, and from a local seafood restaurant.

You should also read Preppy Drinks

Dress Preppy On a Budget

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Thu, 10 May 2012 02:23:00 +0000

Preppy stores are stores that carry quality clothing that lasts. The prices are not always low, but you will not have to replace items very frequently, and if you stick to Classic Prep style and maintain your weight, you won't have to worry about looking dated. Classic Prep style is very low-maintenance. Stick with 4 or 5 pairs of khakis (incorporate these slowly and choose carefully), 2-3 crewneck cable knit sweaters in neutral colors, 2 oxford cloth button downs (blue and white are best), 3 two-button polos, and 2 pairs of shoes (in addition to athletic shoes like tennis shoes, golf shoes, horseriding boots): ideally, one for Spring/Summer (boat shoes), and one for Fall/Winter (L.L. Bean boots), and possibly a third pair for dressy occasions (penny loafers). The brighter colors like pink, green, and nautical red can be worn in the form of accessories: A KJP bracelet, a D-ring belt, a headband or scarf.

Some frugal options:

Land's End for oxford cloth button downs (other options from this store are generally of lesser quality)

L.L. Bean for khakis (choose carefully, there are just a few near-perfect options), L.L. Bean boots, and crewneck sweaters.

For boat shoes you can try either L.L. Bean or Sperry. I suggest "liking" Sperry's Facebook page to get the best promo codes and sale times. For penny loafers the absolute best is Bass.

Polos: Ralph Lauren during a sale, or L.L. Bean

Please do not run out and drop $$$$$$ on a lot of items you have never tried. Wait for a sale, buy one item from a company, and if you like it, buy a few more. Just because I or anyone else likes it doesn't mean you will like the color or the fit. You don't have to buy a whole new wardrobe overnight. Go slow and add pieces you like that fit well and make you feel good. These clothes should not make you feel self-conscious or uncomfortable.

Contemporary Preppy Style

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Thu, 10 May 2012 00:36:00 +0000

Contemporary preps tend to be the under-30 set and focus more on trends and fashion rather than classic styles. Contemporary prep is a laid-back, less androgynous style.

Shirts--Oxford cloth button downs with long, short, or 3/4 sleeves in stripes, solids, or ginghams in any colors, with white and pale blue being the most common, particularly for men.

Sweaters--Cable knit, may include baby cable knits, V-necks, or crew necks, in any neutral or pastel colors. Cardigans with argyle patterns in pink and green are often worn.

Pants--Khakis, khaki shorts, khaki skirts, or khaki capris, in whatever style is trendy.

Ties--Men may wear polka-dot bow ties in contrasting colors to their oxfords.

Blazers--Tweed or madras, these should contrast with ties. Vests may be worn under blazers. The whole look should be just this side of comical.

Glasses--Aviators or horn rimmed glasses, worn in a funny or ironic way.

Socks--Argyle, stripes, polkadots

Shoes--Weejuns, penny loafer heels and more modern takes on traditional preppy shoes, boat shoes with argyle or madras patterns, Jack Purcells in new patterns and colors

Fabrics include madras, regular cotton, stretchy fabrics. Lots of patterns and contrasting colors. Bright or pastel colors only, no dark colors.

Popular contemporary prep stores include Abercrombie & Fitch, American Eagle, Hollister, J. Crew, or anything worn on Gossip Girl

Things to watch out for when dressing contemporary prep:

* Looking trashy or trampy; stay away from short shorts, low-rise tight pants, thin tissue tees from J. Crew that show your entire bosom, tight sweaters, see-through khakis.

* Looking like a smart aleck (guys); be careful when combining your blazer, bow tie, and glasses. Too matchy-matchy makes you look like a geek, too mismatched makes you look silly and too childish or clownish.

There is quite a controversy between contemporary preppies and classic preppies. I will say that for contemporary preppies it seems to be a passing phase; preppy is trendy for a few years and then vanishes. Classic preppies tend to dress and act preppy for life, and are more likely to have been born into a preppy family. For my thoughts on what constitutes a "preppy", see What Makes a Prep, A Prep, or you may want to compare Classic Prep with Contemporary Prep.

A note for commenters~Please Read

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Wed, 09 May 2012 18:53:00 +0000

I would like to lay down some "ground rules" for commenting. A disclaimer, if you will: Posts that use derogatory language, foul language, or bullying speech towards others will be deleted. Please do not post your personal identifying information or anyone else's, for the safety of all involved. And, as always, no spam. Your cooperation is appreciated.

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Tue, 08 May 2012 17:31:00 +0000

Too cute not to share. He will be 2 on Thursday.

Preppy Dogs

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:35:00 +0000

Preppy pets include mainly dogs--sporting breeds, as preppy people are very outdoorsy and adventurous-- Retrievers, Spaniels, Pointers, and Setters. A very common choice is the Golden Retriever.

Good preppy dog names:

Lancaster
Baron
Chip
Sailor
Rudder
Trip
Gingham
Buffy
Hunter
Muffy
Kennedy
Beau
Parker
Wellington
Lilly
Yankee
Dutch
Buck
Duke
Derby

Or other names taken from sports or preppy hobbies, like Birdie (golf or birdwatching) or Lacrosse.

The preppy dog will generally have a preppy collar and a preppy leash. Preppy food dishes and a preppy bed are other staples.

Preppy collar--Good quality brown leather, possibly with a nice nameplate attached.

Preppy leash--Good quality brown leather.

Preppy food dishes--Practical porcelain (or other pottery material). This avoids the very common event of dishes tipping over and spilling all over the floor. Solid blue or solid green is nice. Any preppy color will do.

Preppy dog bed--Ours is a nice comfy Navy blue and hunter green plaid made of cotton. Solid beds or gingham, nautical stripes or argyle are acceptable.

Our 2 sweet dogs (both have passed on), Cocoa, an American Cocker, and Chewy, a Yorkie-poo.

What Makes a Prep, a Prep?

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Wed, 02 May 2012 18:21:00 +0000

This seems to be a hot topic lately among many bloggers (and commenters). What makes a prep a prep? What are the defining credentials? Some people say a madras shirt worn to a family reunion back in 1987 is enough. Others say a prep school in England paid for by old-money relatives is a must. So where is the line? When exactly is that defining moment when you consider yourself "preppy"? Note that I say "when YOU consider YOURSELF preppy". Why? Because that's what really matters. How you define yourself is what counts. You are the one who has to live with yourself. You know and you decide what you like or don't like, what you do or don't do. Your family may have an impact, but the final outcome is up to you and no one else. And I think staying true to yourself is the preppiest of all.

My take:
If you love the outdoors
If you enjoy classic, timeless, good quality clothing
If you have good manners
If family is important to you
If nautical things interest you
If quality means more than quantity and working means more than money
If the environment is not your trash bin

Then you can consider yourself preppy.

Why? Preppy has not been around since the beginning of time. Actually, preppy is relatively new, in comparison to your early 1400's ancestors. Chances are, no matter how WASPy or wealthy or influential your parents and grandparents may be, somewhere in your family history, there is a non-prep. A lot of non-preps. And that means, that at one point in time, someone in your family BECAME preppy. And if they became preppy, then anyone can. Simple as that.

For different types of preppy, you can see Contemporary Preppy Style or Classic Prep.

My preppy son (shown here at 1 yr, he is now nearly 2).

Classic Prep

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Tue, 01 May 2012 21:44:00 +0000

Classic prep--Prefers nautical colors and a conservative minimalist style. Lots of neutral colors so everything coordinates. This style is easy to maintain, because you can blindly throw on pretty much anything from your closet and it will look good.

Shirts--Polos or oxford cloth button downs in red, white, Navy blue, occasionally pale yellow, pale blue, hot pink, hunter green, with small motifs or none--whale, alligator, anchor, horse, lobster, and never more than one motif in one outfit. For men, ties with Regency stripes in traditional colors or school colors are worn, such and gold and hunter green. In wintertime, cable-knit or birdseye crew-neck sweaters with oxford cloth button downs underneath in coordinating, classic colors are acceptable. For Spring, preps may wear cardigans with shells or oxford cloth button downs underneath. Sleeves are either long sleeves or traditional short sleeves (no cap sleeves or 3/4 sleeves).

Outerwear/foul weather gear--a wool peacoat, trench or traditional yellow rain slicker, cable-knit or leather gloves, knitted hat, ragg socks, houndstooth or tattersall scarf and hat. Traditional ballcaps are a summertime must-have.

Pants--Straight-leg twill khakis. They may be cuffed in summertime. No capris or pedal pushers or cropped pants, no jeans. Bermuda shorts in khaki are acceptable on extremely hot summer days for a casual look. Pants are not low-rise nor are they skin-tight. No cargo pockets, contrast stitching, or details that would be considered "trendy". No flare cuts or hemlines that fall to the bottoms of your shoes.

Shoes--Bass weejuns, Sperry topsiders, Jack Purcells, Wellington boots or L.L. Bean boots (all shoes should be in neutral solid colors and conservative, traditional styles).

Belts--Generally brown or tan leather, no patterns or motifs.

Purses or bags--LL. Bean Boat and Totes in conservative colors like Navy blue or hunter green.

Grooming--For ladies, a touch of concealer, some mascara, and maybe some taupe eyeshadow is all you need. You should have a natural glow from being outdoors, and a little pink in your cheeks from sailing or golfing. Brows should be natural. Hair should be long, wavy or straight and either all one or length or in long layers, often in a ponytail, and have a natural color and shine. For men, a clean-shaven or well-groomed mustache or possibly goatee. Hair should be short and neat. Nails on both genders should be neatly trimmed and filed, with natural polish if any.

The classic prep look is known for its universal, minimalist appeal. You could go to school, work, shopping, a barbecue, or church in any decade and look equally appropriate. This look is able to be worn by all ages and both genders with very minor tweaking. Madras is used sparingly. A Navy blue blazer can be used to dress up an outfit. Crests from clubs, schools, or family crests can be used on shirts or blazers (only when necessary, or it looks pretentious). Monograms can be used on tote bags, collars of pets, or children's clothing. Classic prep is the "wholesome, American look" that you often see on models in summer catalogues. Most fabrics used are cotton or wool, no stretchy fabrics.

Classic prep is a great way to go if you like to keep things simple. You don't need a lot of different shoes or belts, you don't need tons of accessories, and since you're pretty much just wearing khakis, you don't really have to worry about coordinating anything.

Pics of classic prep coming soon.

Preppy Decor

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 20:18:00 +0000

A lot of the time, a preppy house will have decor suited to the area where the prep lives, or suited to the area where the prep grew up. Coastal preppy decor is often (if not usually) nautical-themed or "beachy". This can mean anything from paintings of ships to lifesavers hung on the wall to red white and blue bedspreads. Preps who live more to the south and enjoy hunting and fishing may have hunter green and dark red, brown or grey earth tones. Think "beach house" or "country cabin in the forest". The preppy home should reflect the family history, location, and interests.

Quilts--especially madras--may be used. Knitted throws are common, especially when living in chilly areas.

Some preps go the practical route and do all-white cotton linens and curtains. Bleaching makes everything look new again, and white coordinates with everything. This works especially well in a beach house, because you can add other items in white, like dishes or chairs, giving a very cohesive, laid-back look.

Furniture is usually handed down through the family, and is handsome, durable, and well-made.

Younger preppies may go a more current, trendy route, and have pink and green walls and argyle bedspreads, or motifs like whales, anchors, lobsters.

Most traditional preppy homes will have a library or study (or both), filled with instructional books, historical books, and classic literature. Bookends shaped like duck heads are common, along with a wingback chair or recliner and a desk. Brandy, scotch, cigars, or pipes may be included.

Some basics:
leather couches and chairs
plaids, stripes
tufted furniture
Queen Anne style furniture
wood or tile floors (no wall-to-wall carpeting)

Above, nautical stripes combine with earthy pottery and refined cabinetry to create a modern preppy look.

Often, decor items will be a mix of new and old--grandfatherr's old wingback chair, and new contemporary-style light fixtures.

Below, a beautifully painted staircase provides a relaxing, outdoorsy focal point.

Most rooms in preppy homes center around functional items and practicality. It appears to be just coincidence that these sturdy copper pots (and copper pots heat more evenly, for better food) hang so prettily on the rack.

The island in that kitchen is beautiful, but serves a purpose as well--those drawers probably hold many necessities, and the ample counter space allows for easy vegetable chopping, and holds serving dishes nearer to the dining table.

Preppy Books

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 00:10:00 +0000

To the right of my blog posts you will see a list of links under "Preppy Reading". These are things that you can read online (mainly non-fiction) that involve some aspects of preppy living. You can also check out my old post from 2008: Preppy Books. These books are more "about" preps than "for" preps. However, for everyday pleasure reading (mainly fiction), I am making a list. Please feel free to leave suggestions in the comments so I can add to the list. I will start with the much-loved classics that most people, preppy or otherwise, should read. One of the main components of "prepdom" is classic style. This includes fashion but is also a whole lifestyle, a way of living that should embody a certain spirit of patriotism, athleticism, and practicality.

Great Gatsby

Catcher in the Rye

Moby Dick

To Kill a Mockingbird

Catch-22

Call of the Wild

Sherlock Holmes

Crime & Punishment

Don Quixote

The Good Earth

Grapes of Wrath

Jane Eyre

Lord of the Flies

Animal Farm

1984

My Antonia

Of Mice and Men

Old Man and the Sea

Red Badge of Courage

Robinson Crusoe

Scarlet Letter

A Separate Peace

Tale of Two Cities

Tess of the D'urbervilles

Their Eyes Were Watching God

War and Peace

Ulysses

Atlas Shrugged

To the Lighthouse

Wings of the Dove

Sister Carrie

Go Tell it on the Mountain

Deliverance

Sun Also Rises

Secret Agent

The Rainbow

Tropic of Cancer

Light in August

The Maltese Falcon

The Age of Innocence

From Here to Eternity

Main St

A High Wind in Jamaica

A Farewell to Arms

Sophie's Choice

The Postman Always Rings Twice

Huckleberry Finn

Tom Sawyer

Dear Mister God, This is Anna

Anything by Shakespeare
Anything by Emily Dickinson
Anything by Jane Austen
Little Women
Little Men
Black Beauty
Three Musketeers
Swiss Family Robinson
Miss Marple series
Hercules Poirot series
Laura Ingalls Wilder series

For non-fiction, good choices include instructional books about your interests or hobbies, including sailing or other sports, cookbooks (Betty Crocker, Julia Child, or books about gourmet cooking), or bird-watching books. Preppy people love to learn about things they love, and they usually love the outdoors. Books about gardening, fishing, or maps of the best local campgrounds are good preppy reading materials.

Preppy people also like historical books. Biographies of famous people, like U.S. Presidents or Marie Antoinette, are a good place to start.

Anything that is considered a "classic", a "nerd's book", "old-fashioned" or simply "not trendy" is probably a good preppy book.

Catching Up and Moving On

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 23:04:00 +0000

After a 2-year hiatus I'm getting back into the swing of things!

A quick update:

Mr. Rae and I did manage to adopt a beautiful little boy, who is now nearly 2 years old (see profile picture)! My 2 dogs had a surprise litter of 2 puppies on New Year's Eve 2009 (technically, one was born at 11pm New Year's Eve, the other was 1am New Year's Day, both girls); one puppy was given to a friend, the other we kept (and named Eve, of course). Since then, the mother has died of a cancerous mouth tumor, the father died of bloat. We are happy that we kept Eve. We also moved to a new area and are now looking at becoming homeowners! So, we have been keeping busy what with surprise puppies, a new baby, etc. The blogging rather fell by the wayside in the midst of major life changes.

More preppy posts coming soon!

Much Ado About...Adoption?!

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 22:41:00 +0000

Sorry for the year-long absence, I have been spending much time preparing to adopt a baby. We are all finished with preliminaries and are just waiting to find a birthmother. While we wait, we are focusing on time-consuming hobbies that will likely get pushed to the side when Baby arrives. This includes: French cooking! Check out a few of these traditional Provencal recipes...

Tomato and Basil Crostini

Ingredients

4 plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

12 to 16 slices French bread (baguette type) 1 large clove garlic, peeled

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Zest of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly-ground pepper, to taste

Recipe

Allow the tomatoes to drain in a colander for 30 minutes.
Toast the slices of bread and rub each with garlic.
Combine the tomatoes with the remaining ingredients in a small bowl and divide between the slices of toast.
Serve immediately.

Tourin(Dordogne garlic soup):

10-12 cloves of garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon flour
water as required
salt to taste
egg, separated
pepper to taste
1 teaspoon vinegar

1. In a frying pan, brown the chopped garlic in the olive oil.

2. Add the flour.

3. Mix well, then cook for a moment.

4. Add some boiling salted water, and cook for 10 minutes.

5. In a separate dish, mix the egg yolk, pepper and vinegar

6. Add the egg white to the soup, while stirring with a whisk, so that no large pieces of egg white form.

7. Cook for another 5 minutes.

8. Remove from heat and add the egg yolk mixture, again stirring to avoid coagulation.

9. Place thin slices of bread in each soup bowl, and pour the soup on top. Serve hot.

10. Bon appétit.

I will be trying these next week, pictures and recommendations will follow!

Ann Arbor, Bananas, and Tomatoes, oh my!

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 16:07:00 +0000

Thanks for bearing with me on my 3-day hiatus. I ran and picked hubby up at 1:30am from work and got to spend a whopping 24 hours spoiling him with homemade cooking before dropping him off at 5 this morning. He'll be gone another 2 weeks...

I have been given the task of watering my mother's potted tomato plants while she is on vacay in Ann Arbor. I use the hose with the spray nozzle on and I keep forgetting to turn the hose off when I am through! I've managed to flood our yard twice already. Although I must say tomato plants are beautiful even without the tomatoes on--they are getting those little yellow buds that almost look like flowers, you can tell it won't be long before the tomatoes are here!

M has been particularly cute lately...he went through an annoying phase around 18 months and now at 22 months he is adorable, goes around chattering to everyone and everything he sees!

I found a recipe for Baked Bananas Sultana and although it sounds unappetizing, it's actually really yummy!

Place ripe bananas (still in the peel) into the oven for 10 minutes at 350.

While the bananas are baking, put a little water and sugar into a saucepan on the burner at medium high. Add a pinch of cornstarch and bring to a boil. It should form a smooth sauce. I add a little flour to thicken it and give a creamy color.

Boil Sultana raisins (I use regular) in a pot on the stove for 10 minutes or until they are warm and squishy.

Take the bananas out of the oven and peel them. Drizzle the sugary sauce on top and add raisins as a garnish. I also like to add vanilla ice cream.

I really thought this recipe was going to be a bust but it's a new favorite. M, A, and TSU (The spousal unit) love it!

Well, I know this post is long enough because my dog is sleeping on her back and snoring. How come I love it when Cocoa does that and hate it when C (my TSU) does it?

The Today Show says...

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 12:59:00 +0000

J. Crew's jeweled jellies and madras weekender bag were featured on The Today Show this morning. The madras weekender was featured as a "man-bag" for beach packing. I think I'll buy one for a lady-bag anyway. ;-)

Special Delivery

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 13:15:00 +0000

I received my critter collar polo in Sweet Papaya! The tennis tail is the perfect length and the fabric is so soft. I've been looking at the petite favorite-fit Keaton pants in khaki or dark slate (translation--very dark brown)...they're on sale but I've never ordered pants from J. Crew. But I highly recommend the polos!

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:14:00 +0000

Brooks Brothers is having a Summer Clearance Sale--50% off non-iron shirts for men and women, and their dresses and dress trousers are on sale as well. Check it out!

On a side note, Bertha is now a category 2. :-)

Photos courtesy of www.brooksbrothers.com

And so begins hurricane season...

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 22:02:00 +0000

There is a category 3 hurricane (goes by the name of Bertha) heading for the Caribbean at the moment. I believe they said it would hit Bermuda and then head for Va Beach. Early in the season for it, but there it is. Winds of 115mph. Hmmmm. Curious as to how this will go because we live on a lake. Guess we will see.

Guide to Preppy Sports

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:08:00 +0000

Badminton

Crew

Cricket

Croquet

Fencing

Field Hockey

Golf

Horseback Riding

Lacrosse

Polo

Sailing

Skiing

Squash

Swimming

Tennis

Preppy Vacations

noreply@blogger.com (randc) — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 17:06:00 +0000

Bar Harbor, ME

Block Island, RI

Cape Cod, MA

Delray Beach

Fair Isle

Hilton Head Island, SC

Kennebunkport, ME

Martha's Vineyard, MA

Millbrook, NY

Nantucket, MA

Newport, RI

Palm Beach, FL

The Hamptons, NY