Shopaholic in Alabama

Today we are on our way to Dallas to see the Tide play on Saturday night!  As we ride along I-20 between Vicksburg, MS and Monroe, LA we are listening to XM-19, the Elvis Presley channel. Here's a little fun fact about me that you don't know yet - the first concert I ever attended was none other than Elvis! It was his last performance in Mobile, on August 29, 1976. I was only six years ago and remember the concert like it was yesterday. My Father bought the tickets and took me, Mother and Nanny. My Aunt also went with us and we had a blast. I can remember my Aunt taking me down to the stage and putting me on her shoulders in an attempt to catch one of the famous Elvis scarves. (He would throw the scarves off the stage as he used them and your primary goal was to get.a.scarf.)  I wish I could find the pictures we took before we left the house. My Father always jokes that an Elvis concert was "the best place to see beautiful women". All the ladies would dres...

It looks like our area has made it through Hurricane (now Tropical Storm) Isaac just fine. We are headed home tomorrow to assess any possible damage and try to get things back in order. I anticipate getting back to regular posts by Thursday or Friday. Thanks to everyone who has emailed, sent texts, called, etc to check on me. I really appreciate it.  It certainly could have been much worse - and our friends in coastal MS and LA are experiencing the worst of Isaac. I hope they are all ok.  It seems like a cruel joke to endure this on the 7th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina - the day that changed so many lives forever.  More later and until then, hope everyone is doing well! 

If you're not yet a fan of Glam Grab Accessory Auctions on Facebook , you are missing out! Glam Grab provides a new, exciting way to shop for designer inspired contemporary jewelry and accessories. Their prices are fantastic, with most items under $35. This is a great place to get your bling without breaking the bank.  Personally, I have always maintained a large jewelry "wardrobe". I like to mix trendy fashion jewelry with my gold, diamonds and pearls. Trends come and go, so it's smart to spend less on those pieces (and more on the jewelry you'll hand down from generation to generation). Here is how the Glam Grab Accessory Auctions work. First, you want to "like" the Glam Grab page on Facebook HERE . Then, register on the website HERE . After taking these two steps, you'll all set to shop their accessory auctions. The auctions are held on Mondays at 7:30PM Central and Wednesdays at 11:00AM Central on the Facebook page HERE . When you se...

As you can imagine, the next few days are going to be a little more active than we'd like. The entire Gulf Coast is keeping a watchful eye on Isaac. Preparations began in my area today, many of the beach houses are being boarded up and patio furniture brought inside. My DH is out of town but should be back tomorrow to assist with our preparations.  Right now, I would have to say the forecasters aren't exactly sure where this storm is going. It appears Isaac could be up to a Category 3, or Major, hurricane when it hits land sometime Tuesday evening. It could come ashore anywhere between New Orleans, LA and Apalachicola, FL. And it really doesn't matter, because it's bad either way. The east end of  a hurricane is the "worst side" (if there is such a thing - it's all bad).  As many of you know, I work in Pensacola, FL so I'm worried about how this will impact my work schedule and how I will travel back and forth. In my position, I am considered ...

I have a confession to make. Fall is one of those seasons that doesn't get much attention in my house - or wardrobe. Of course the weather turns a little cooler (think 80+ degrees instead of 90-100 degrees). Of course we are neck deep in SEC football game activity and attend every Alabama home game in Tuscaloosa. But other than that, "fall" is really "indian summer" around here. As a result, I don't generally purchase many Fall clothes - and what I do purchase, it takes me a while to embrace. I can still remember getting ready for back to school as a teenager, with my new "Guess" jeans and polo shirts - only to burn up at school. (Yes, there was air conditioning back then, but it was still too hot!) So it should come as no surprise to learn that I just looked at the Fall 2012 Color Report. I have to admit, I love these colors. My favorites are fairly predictable: Olympian Blue, Ultramarine Green, Tangerine Tango, and of course Pink Flambe. Th...

Who else has wasted their precious time this morning trying to shop the Endless Summer Sale on Lilly Pulitzer's website? While I understand there are about a bazillion Lilly lovers trying to shop, it's highly frustrating that we can't get in and shop. Some people were lucky enough to have an order confirmation and were able to check out, before the site seemingly crashed for good.  I don't want to think about what all I could have done with the two hours of my life lost. What about you?

Even I can't believe it - but we've been here at the beach for four years. During the majority of this time, we've had drab white walls and white trim. It looked absolutely awful and we've been wanting to brighten up the joint for quite a while.  I'm pleased to report that we recently agreed on a color scheme, and painted some of the common areas of the condo. The kitchen and hallway going into the kitchen are both painted pink. Officially, the color is named "First Kiss". The color extends into the kitchen and even the DH is pleased with the results. (Please forgive the god-awful counter top and cabinets - they are next on the remodel list - I can only task the DH with so much in a short period of time, ha!) The pink color extends on the walls leading into the dining room, and we painted the dining room a lime green. The official color name is "Twist of Lime" and it's really fun! Pink and green - my favorites! (You'll also have...

Preppy shopaholics love their Fornash - and I'm certainly in that group!  Today there is a wonderful deal on Uscoop ! You can buy a Fornash voucher worth $50 for only $25. The voucher can only be used on the Fornash website, and will be worth $50. I purchase vouchers on Uscoop all the time, and it's always a great experience.  But hurry - this deal won't last long. It's currently set to expire on Saturday at midnight, but could always sell out even faster. Hop over to Uscoop and get your voucher today! Your free invite to Uscoop is HERE .  I've already purchased my voucher, and am planning to stock up on the Belmont bracelets for my fall jewelry wardrobe. What are your favorite Fornash pieces? TGIF! 

Trying a "new to me" product is always exciting. In addition to having a slight shopping obsession for clothing, shoes and accessories - it's possible my cosmetics and skincare obsession runs just as deep. And I can't wait to tell you about this eyeshadow base from Trish McEvoy!  I've always used an eyeshadow base as part of my cosmetics routine. If you plan to wear eyeshadow, an eyeshadow base should be an integral part of your routine. Just like a foundation on your face, the eyeshadow base preps your eyes for shadow. For me, it always makes an eyeshadow just glide on, and it certainly helps it stay put! On days when I don't feel like going through the whole makeup routine, I'll apply only an eyeshadow base with eyeliner and mascara. That's just enough so I don't look tired and is a simple routine.  I recently tried the Trish McEvoy Eye Base Essentials in Nude. This product is absolutely amazing and provides just the right amount of base fo...

It's well documented around these parts - I love all of Tracy Negoshian's designs. What initially attracted me to the brand were her "gameday" dresses, however I wear her designs to work as well and they are perfect! Whether you're looking for a stylish, attractive and flattering dress for gamedays during the fall, a casual dress for evenings out, or something unique for your work wardrobe - Tracy Negoshian does not disappoint!  Here is your first look at the new Tracy Negoshian Fall collection. The line debuts this morning on the TN website (link HERE ) - but you don't have to wait, you can see it here on Shopaholic In Alabama before anyone else!  The dress pictured above is the Ruth - and will be the first addition to my Fall wardrobe. I plan to wear this dress to the Alabama vs. Michigan game at Cowboys Stadium in a few short weeks! With the houndstooth sleeves and elephant design, what an absolutely perfect dress for Alabama gamedays!  Here is ano...

Are you a Birthday Cake Snob? I'm Guilty as charged... Every year, I want a pretty birthday cake. The only requirements are: #1 - it must be from Pollman's Bakery in Mobile. #2 - it must have a beach scene. #3 - it must be yellow cake with buttercream frosting. No whipped icing, etc. Go big or go home - my birthday only comes around one time a year!  DH did a great job ordering my birthday cake this year, which is pictured above. We enjoyed it last night with family.  Do you have any birthday cake requirements? Tell me I'm not alone, please...

Caution: if you love seafood, you will probably be hungry after seeing this post!  As you will remember from Friday, I was very concerned about what was going to happen over the weekend. My Nanny was doing very bad, and my mother in law was in the hospital. Luckily, Nanny is feeling better and MIL was released home on Saturday. So, this weekend the DH and I were able to enjoy a nice dinner out for my birthday. Thank goodness, it was nice to be able to go out together and relax! He's been out of town a lot lately, and I've been working my tail off. (well not really - it's still here unfortunately, but you know what I mean!) One of our favorite restaurants here at the beach is Louisiana Lagniappe. Located at San Roc Cay in Orange Beach, Louisiana Lagniappe never disappoints. We've been going there for years (even before we lived at the beach). When we lived in Destin, we went to the LL there often too. We even have a favorite waitress (Tracy) and we always request ...

My 42nd birthday is Sunday. I usually like to have a big and fun birthday celebration with family and friends - a beautiful cake - a fancy dinner out - and all the trimmings. This year, it's going to be a little bit different, I fear. Our Nanny is not doing very well. Last night her blood pressure went down to 88/41. My Mother has spent the last two nights at her house. Nanny is also having complications from the breast cancer surgery and isn't healing at all.  Last night we also found out that my husband's mother, who is a 15 year breast cancer survivor, was in the hospital. Apparently she went in on Monday for a procedure (we had no idea, weren't told this was happening) and got sick and is having complications.  I do know this - I have a ton of fun dresses planned out to wear, no matter where the weekend takes us. :-)  It's also been another crazy week at work, I'm so happy to see Friday. Hope your week has been good! 

Happy Wednesday!  This morning, just a quick post to tell you all about my friend - Lindsey Hamner. She is competing for the Miss Teen Alabama title in December 2012, and is the local representative for Gulf Shores.  I have known Lindsey for years, and she is the coolest 15-year old girl I've ever had the pleasure of meeting. Her mother and I are BFF's, and they spend part of the year here in Gulf Shores - the rest of the time they live in the Birmingham metro area.  Lindsey and I like to hang out on the beach, we run together, and we wear our Lilly together!  Would you also consider supporting Lindsey's pageant efforts by going and "liking" her Facebook page? (link HERE ). And - if you own a business and would like to make a donation to support her efforts, that would be greatly appreciated. You can email me directly (lori.driver@hotmail.com). We are also collecting items to be raffled on her Facebook page (as well as on my SIA Facebook page ).  L...