Explore CLE: The Vault

This past weekend, Nick and I FINALLY made it to Vault at Metropolitan at the 9. If you know me in real life (and honestly, even if you only know me through social media), then you know that I LUUUUURVE fancy. And Vault is FANCY!

You walk into the lobby of the Metropolitan at the 9, and take a short elevator ride downstairs. And then begin the velvet ropes. There is a dress code -- dress cute, and fancy. You will see a lot of strutting, and you definitely don't want to be left out in the cold. Based in an old bank building, Vault definitely does not shy away from its roots. Past the ropes, you walk in a hallway, and then past the vault (yes, its a real vault) to the bar. You will see signs of the property's former life everywhere-- from the old school till to the private rooms, which are all vaults. Its no wonder that Vault is so popular with celebrities-- lots of places for privacy.

If you're not looking for a private room, or bottle service, the common area is not very large. There's the main bar, and a smallish area by the DJ booth, the area by the vault then the wide hallway where you enter. Certainly not tiny, but not cavernous either.

I'm not sure if the hallway area is always red, but I definitely felt like I was an extra in Blade. The drink prices are shockingly reasonable. 7 drinks (all liquor) ran us under $70 (excluding tip)-- almost unheard of in downtown Cleveland! Overall, we had a fun time, and I will definitely go back!

Coming soon to Metropolitan to the 9 (May 2015): Azure Sun Lounge-- Cleveland's hottest new rooftop bar!!! Hey hey heyyyyyy!

The name's Bond...James Bond (The Jump Back Ball 23 Kickoff Party)

Let's take a moment to admire these handsome men. Now, lets take a moment to think of February in Cleveland. What do these things have in common? The 23rd Annual Jump Back Ball!!! Ever since my first Jump Back Ball (the 20th), I have been completely obsessed with this event!! 21 and 22 did not disappoint either, and since I absolutely LUUUURVVEE the theme for 23, I'm sure it will exceed all expectations. If you haven't figured it out by now, the theme for the 23rd Jump Back Ball on February 22, 2014 is Shaken Not Stirred, an homage to the 23 Bond films that exist to date!!

So, if you want tickets to this incredible event, I highly suggest you make your way over to The Jump Back Ball Kickoff Party this Thursday! You may be going "oh, February is so far away! I can wait!", and I am here to tell you that you really shouldn't because
(a) last year the event sold out less than 30 days after the kickoff party, and
(b) the kickoff party offers the LOWEST prices for these highly coveted tickets. The tickets are $150 each, $115 if you are a Playhouse Square Partner. VIP tickets are $200, and the exclusive VIP tickets get you into the party early and also get you some fabulous food catered by Dante!

The details for the Kickoff event:
When: Thursday, November 7th, 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm
Where: Cibero Privado (the private room at Cibero, at 1438 Euclid Avenue)

Hope I see you there!! Now, in the mean time, I'm going to check out some iconic Bond girls and figure out which one of them is going to inspire my outfit for Jump Back Ball 23!!

Disclosure: I am receiving one ticket to attend this event due to a partnership to promote this event. As always, all opinions are 100% my own. 

We Jumped Back Two Spaces (The JBB 2013 recap)

This year was my third consecutive year in attendance of Jump Back Ball at PlayhouseSquare. Each year, Jump Back Ball teaches me important lessons.
In 2011 I learned: Don't drink gin all night. Nothing good will come of it.
In 2012 I learned: Don't wear heels higher than 3 inches. Platforms are great.
In 2013 I learned: NEVER wear a dress with a train.

With that, let's get to the bit that everyone is waiting for, the pictures....

This series was taken on stage, which was decorated in the theme of Candyland. I HATE using flash, so these pictures were taken in the natural light of the theatre...

The stage....

With Jessika, Michelle, and Allison

Sean and Matt (possibly the best dressed couple of the night), Jessika and Dave, your truly with N (I LOVE that he rocked a polka dot shirt)

Jen and Michelle 

L to R: (sorry, I don't know who this is!), Lisa, Tabitha, and Michelle

With Ginenne and Alexa 

Jessika, Lindsay, Joe G, Sean and Matt 

At some point N decided to try on Sean's glasses. I think he looks very dapper!!

For those who are curious, I wore an ABS dress, acquired on bluefly.com. My little clutch came  from India, and I'm wearing the earrings I wore when N and I got married. My bracelet is Prabal Gurung for Target, and even though you can barely see it, I'm wearing the Rebecca Minkoff pave ring that I first blogged about here.

Overall, it was yet another FABULOUS night at Playhouse Square. Major dress trends were sequins (LOTS AND LOTS OF SPARKLES!!), black and red. There were a few people in costume, but I would say that of the 3 years I've attended, this year probably had the fewest people who dressed the theme. Makeup wise, there were some great bold lips, and of course, no shortage of false eyelashes (myself included).



And at the end of the night, with a good buzz, and tired feet, N and I cabbed it home to this....

Can't wait to do this all over again next year!!!!!


Disclosure: As a blogger for Jump Back Ball I received one complimentary ticket to attend the event, and purchased a second one for N. As always, all opinions are my own. 

Its time to get your tickets and Jump Back!

For long time readers of this blog, its no secret that I absolutely LUUUUURRVVEE Jump Back Ball. I honestly think it is THE best event in Cleveland. For newer readers, you can find out more about my JBB thoughts here, here, here and here, just to name a few.  2013 will mark the third consecutive year of attendance for N and I, and I CANNOT WAIT! Ever since the board game theme of "Jump Back 2 Spaces" was leaked on twitter earlier this year, I've been thinking outfits!!

I can't wait to see outfits inspired by some of these themes!

Well, TODAY marks the official kick-off for Jump Back Ball 22, with a happy hour at Market Garden from 5:30 pm- 7:30 pm. Its also your FIRST opportunity to score tickets to the event, AT A DISCOUNT! For tonight ONLY, tickets will be $135 ($110 for Playhouse Square Partners). Tomorrow, the ticket prices jump by $20 plus handling fees. I can tell you that this event has sold out for at least the past two years, so if you would like to go, please make sure you get your tickets EARLY!

If you're looking for more information, visit the Playhouse Square website.

And with that, Ladies & Gentlemen, I'M BACK to blogging since my post-Labor Day hiatus!!!! I've missed you!!!!

Summer Solstice 2012

So, I had every intention of doing a Best Dressed of Solstice 2012, like I did last year, but then Chardonnay happened, and what you've got is a bunch of pictures of my friends, who were wearing SUPER cute outfits, but unlike last year, I made absolutely NO effort to approach strangers. Apologies...

There was however, one stand-out trend-- Green was THE COLOR of the night!

 With Danielle 

 Danielle & Wes

 The architects: Brian, N, Wes

 Alexa & Deery- gorgeous in green!

 Charity and I own the same Dolce Vita for Target wedges-- v. high but comfortable!

 Eamon, Suzanne, Charity, and Ben

 Michelle & Frank

 Jen, Danielle, Charity and me

 With N, a few days before our 8 year anniversary!!

 with Reshae

 Michelle and Allison (rawr)

 Sassy Courtney and Charlene- work it ladies!

My one disappointment with the event was that unlike past years, there was no element of surprise- prior years have included fireworks or performance art- I hope the Museum considers bringing it back next year.

So around 1 am, Charity and Ben suggested we join them (and Suzanne and Eamon) at Tick-Tock Tavern, which is very close to home.  Then this happened...

Cheesy fries....

Let's just say the next day required a lot of hydration. Overall, another excellent night in Cleveland! Were you at Solstice? What did you love/wish were different?

Bubbles & Sparkles- A Stella & Dot Party

Its been a crazy couple of weeks, so I apologize for not being in touch on the blog. BUT, it is summer in Cleveland, so can you really blame me? : )

A few weeks ago, I hosted a Stella & Dot party with the theme "Bubbles & Sparkles," which was, as the name suggests, an excellent excuse to consume bubbles and ooh and aah over shiny things. Our stylist for the evening was Jennifer, and she brought over some lovely pieces from the summer collection; honestly, I probably tried on everything!!!

Here are some pictures from the evening...

 The drinks.... we went through 8 bottles...

 The spread... it was very hot, so I stuck to cold nibbles...

Danielle and Courtney trying on goodies... 

 The sparkles...

 Lisa, Courtney and Janet giving the pieces a try...

 Beautiful ladies on the patio... Alexa, Allison J, Lisa, Tiffany, Sara, Janet and Danielle... there was a lot of very loud chatter and laughter that evening-- LOVE LOVE LOVE evenings with the girls!

And last, but certainly not least, my purchases.... I absolutely ADORE the packaging!!

So, I placed my order on a Thursday, and even though they say its 5-7 business days for delivery, I had my pieces in my hand the following Thursday! Unfortunately, my earrings broke in transit, but a quick email to my stylist Jennifer, and a return authorization was issued immediately! As with exchanges with most companies, they requested that I send back the defective pair before they would send out the new one- I sent them out first thing Tuesday, and I had my new earrings on Thursday!! Talk about fast!! Although I was a little disappointed that I couldn't wear the earrings on day 1, I was very very impressed by level of customer service!

Stella and Dot just released its fall collection this past week, and here are some of my favorites: So what are you coveting this fall?

Source: shop.stelladot.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

Source: shop.stelladot.com via cleshopaholic on Pinterest

Source: shop.stelladot.com via cleshopaholic on Interes

So what sparkles are you coveting this fall?

Can't wait...

For this tonight...

Summer Solstice 2012: What to wear...

Its no secret that the Summer Solstice Party at the Cleveland Museum of Art is one of my most favorite events of the summer. Last year, I did a post-mortem on some of my favorite looks from the event, and you can be sure that I will be doing one again this year. However, this year, I also have a preview- a sort of what-to-wear in the event you're attending and are stumped. My favorite part about this post is that all these outfits are from our very own, locally-owned store, Room Service!!

Here are my rules for dressing for this event:
1. The crowd is an all-ages, all-styles crowd. The older crowd tends to be dressed a little more formal- full length ball gowns, taffeta, silk... the younger crowd is more edgy- leather, lace, very much on trend, some music-festival like outfits. In short, anything goes. Wear what you feel comfortable in, because you're going to want to dance. If there's an outfit or look you really want to try but don't have quite the place or occasion to try it, THIS IS IT. Take risks, have fun! You will NOT look out of place no matter what you choose as long as its YOUR style.

2. Shoes: Invariably, you will end up in the grass. Just remember, grass + skinny heels = sinking. I usually wear wedges to this event, but an espadrille or pretty flat would work really well.

3. Accessories: Don't carry a clutch purse- it will just get in your way. This event calls for a wristlet or cross-body-- something that keeps your hands free for hand-holding, drink-holding, picture-taking, tweeting, dancing, etc. Have fun with your jewelry, and if you feel like wearing a hat, GO FOR IT!


A popular choice for women is a dress-- its easy, effortless, comfortable, and looks pretty and dressy without being stuffy.  These Room Service dresses are adorable and completely on trend, so if you're at a loss for what to wear to Solstice, or really any event this summer, these are all excellent options!

I love this blue dress- its flirtatious and sexy with the sheer lace, and has sleeves for those of you who are uncomfortable with your upper arms. 

White, is well, white hot this summer. The little yellow detail is unexpected and yet totally adorable!

Tangerine Tango was Pantone's color of the year, so you absolutely cannot go wrong with this color. I might pair this with a red or hot pink shoe and incorporate some subtle color blocking via the shoe as well! 

How cute is this print with the little yellow detail?!?!? 

Room Service may not be the first store to come to mind for party dresses, but as you can see, they have some really REALLY cute options! I hope you will stop in or call and check them out for yourselves!! 

Are you attending the Summer Solstice Party at the Cleveland Museum of Art this year? Are you attending any other Solstice celebrations?

Preparing for Jump Back Ball!

So I want to make some pre-Jump Back Ball comments following my turn as Tim Gunn this weekend:
1. Personally I prefer Michael Kors- I already have a natural perma-tan, and I can be a little snarky. That said, the words "pooping fabric" did not come out of my mouth in relation to either Allison or Alexa's dresses.
2. I will NOT be walking around JBB judging people for their outfits!! However, I will be taking lots of pictures in preparation for the "Best Looks of Jump Back Ball" post, so if I come up to you and ask you to let me take your picture, please please please let me do so!!
3. I've had my dress and shoes for a while, but I'm having a small crisis as far as my purse goes. I'm also completely undecided on jewelry, so that's going to be a game time decision. I'm leaving my hair in the capable hands of my stylist (I'm not giving her any direction), and I'm trying some new things with my makeup. Of course, I will share ALL of this with you on Monday!! Also, shockingly, I'm NOT wearing sequins!!!
4. If last year was any indication, Saturday is going to be an absolute blast. And no, I will NOT be drinking gin this year *shudder*
5.  For all those attending: I can't wait to hang out with you. Please don't drink and drive!!

Keep an eye out for my tweets from the event, and see you all on Monday!!!

Jump Back Ball: Discount Code and More outfit ideas

So, I've been waiting to do this post ever since I first heard about the Alice in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass theme for Jump Back Ball. Perhaps you've taken a look at my outfit ideas and want to embellish them a little, or perhaps you already have an outfit, and are looking for a little something to add to it- something that reflects this incredible theme. Well, what better way to interpret the theme, and make a head-turning entrance, than with a fabulous hat?!?!

Top row: Red wool fascinator, Queen of Hearts mini top hat,  Custom Mad Hatter hat
Bottom row: House of Cards fascinator, Lace Bunny Ears, Classic mini Mad Hatter

I will hopefully be wearing a fascinator. I say "hopefully" because it all depends on how my hair ends up that day!!

In any case, I really hope I see you at Jump Back Ball this year! It is SUCH a fun event, and supports such a great cause that you REALLY should consider attending. If you haven't bought your ticket yet, I have good news!! For ONE DAY ONLY on Friday January 20, 2012, you can purchase your Jump Back Ball ticket for $165 (a $5 discount from the original price), AND NO HANDLING FEES. The promo code is LURVE. There is a limit of 4 tickets per order, and is valid ONLINE only. Tickets may be purchased by using THIS link.

In addition to all the fabulous Cleveland party people, there will be plenty of delicious nibbles and drink-worthy beverages (I really hope they do a special shot named "Drink Me"), and of course fabulous bands: This year's bands are Radioactive and Tricky Dick and the Coverups! Can't wait to see you there!!!

Disclosure: I received two VIP tickets to Jump Back Ball in exchange for blogging about the event. As always, all opinions are my own!! 

Mad Hat(ter)s all around

Happy Halloween all!! Hope you had a lovely weekend/day trick-or-treating/handing out candy or however you celebrated! N and I handed out 16 lbs of candy, AND we ran out!! Is that normal or does our neighborhood just get more kids?

This week, I'm really looking forward to Thursday night. Why, you ask? Well, its because is the Kickoff Event for one of my most FAVORITE parties in Cleveland, Jump Back Ball!!! If you remember, N and I attended JBB 20 earlier this year and had an ABSOLUTE blast!! This year I'm even more excited because (1) JBB turns 21, and who doesn't love a 21st birthday celebration, and (2) I absolutely LUUUUUURRVVEE this year's theme- Through The Looking Glass!!

Whether your inspiration is the Disney version or the Tim Burton version (LOVE LOVE LOVE), I'm envisioning some exceptional outfits- lots of white, red, suspenders, stripes, blues, headbands, and of course, my FAVORITE- HATS!!! I can't imagine a more perfect opportunity to debut an absolutely stunning headpiece!!!

Although Jump Back Ball 21 doesn't happen until February 25th, 2012, trust me when I say that its NOT TOO EARLY to plan your attendance. There's a limited number of tickets, and they absolutely do sell out (and have done so for the past few years!). So if you would like to attend, here's how you can get your tickets:
1. Starting Friday, November 4th, you may buy them online here . VIP tickets are $200 each, and General Admission Tickets are $150 ($125 for Partners)- Information on the difference between the two categories is available here.
2. And I HIGHLY recommend this- Join me at Market Garden Brewery in Ohio City on Thursday November 3rd from 6-8 pm to buy your tickets in person. General Admission tickets will be $130 (that's a 13% savings) AND no handling fee. The kickoff event will be the ONLY time Playhouse Square will be offering the tickets at this price (there is a two ticket limit per person). And besides, the event will feature complimentary appetizers, drink specials and prizes. What's not to luurve about that?!?

Full disclosure: Playhouse Square has offered me two VIP tickets in exchange for my help promoting the event on my blog. However, you should know that had I not received this offer, I would be at the Kickoff Party bright and early at 6:00 pm to secure my tickets!! I did just that last year, and it was totally worth it. The Kickoff Party was fun, and Jump Back Ball was a RIDICULOUSLY fun evening!!! I hope to see you on Thursday, and then again in February!!!

Planning for the Weekend: Fabulous Friday

Do you live for the weekends? I certainly do, and sometimes, with the amount of stuff happening in Cleveland, its a little difficult to get it all in. Take this weekend for instance- on Friday (9/9) alone there are not one, not two, but THREE events that I really want to attend. Unfortunately, I can't be three places at once, but as it turns out, I will certainly be attending two of the three events.

So, the first event is one that happens the first Friday of every month- The Tremont ArtWalk. If you STILL haven't been, you really really should consider attending- art galleries and boutiques open late, yummy cocktails on the fabulous patios, not to mention the absolutely delicious food at any one of the restaurants on Professor Ave. If you end up visiting, I highly recommend a stop at Banyan Tree. At this month's ArtWalk, Banyan Tree will have a very special visitor- The Canton Box Company. I've picked up their creations before, and they may make excellent gifts for weddings, bridal showers, or even housewarming presents!

Unfortunately, I will miss the ArtWalk this month though, because instead, I will be attending F*SHO 2011! I missed it last year, and based on reviews from those who attended, I missed an amazing opportunity to see the work of some incredibly talented Clevelanders. I don't usually make the same mistake twice, so I won't miss it this year. Besides, I'm still in the market for dresser and some sort of linen closet (I'm leaning towards a chest, but I'm open to ideas) and I'm hoping I find some stuff at F*SHO.

That said, this Friday I'm MOST excited about the Dredgers Union End of Summer ROAR ALONG the SHORE!! $28 gets you a 2-2.5 hour tour on The Goodtime III, libations, live music by not one, not two, but eight (EIGHT!!) bands, and of course, time well spent with some fabulous Clevelanders!! Seriously, if you haven't seen the view of our city from the lake by nightfall, you are definitely missing out. Besides, if you're on foursquare, and haven't gotten your "I'm on a Boat" badge, this is a great opportunity to take care of that!! And finally, one more reason to go this party- if you take your ticket into Dredgers Union on Friday September 9th, you get 25% off all men's and women's denim!!! Tickets are available at Dredgers Union, Room Service, and online!!

Well Cleveland, if you STILL don't have plans for Friday, you should be ashamed of yourself ; ). Just kidding!! But seriously, I hope you will take advantage of the last few days of summer and enjoy our city this weekend!! Maybe I will see you around!

Summer Solstice

This year is going by a little too quick for my taste. I'm really not ready for it to be June already, although with June comes nicer weather, and one of my absolute favorite parties of the year: The Summer Solstice Party at the Cleveland Museum of Art on June 25th! N and I attended last year, and for some unknown reason, I have ZERO pictures!!!

You will just have to trust me when I say that this party is ridiculously fun, and is THE BEST PEOPLE-WATCHING in Cleveland. Seriously.

The Summer Solstice Party attracts a very diverse crowd, and with it, come some very diverse fashions. Last year, there were some incredible outfits, ranging from casual, to very formal, although my favorites were the "fashion forward" pieces, especially the head-wear (you know I LUUUUURRRRVVEEEE a great hat!!). I wore a white embellished tank with a black bubble skirt, black braided belt and yellow wedge heels; this year I think I'm going the maxi dress route. There's great bands, a fireworks show, and of course, you can tour the museums as well!!

Here's what I recommend:
1. You should really really really REALLY consider going. Last year N and I went at 10:00 pm, when the admission price dropped to $20.  We had so much fun that this year we're going to the 7:30 admission.
2. Ladies, it is almost inevitable that you will end up on the lawn. As you well know, lawn = no pointy heels, so definitely consider wearing flats or wedges
3. Wear something comfortable, but don't be afraid to try a new look that may not necessarily be "you". You never know how great you will end up looking, and this is an incredible event to test it out!!
4. Unlike me last year, take a camera and make sure you take loads of pictures!!!!!

Hope I see you there!!!!

The Best Baby Shower. Ever.

Bad Blogger!!! I'm figuratively slapping myself on the wrist for leaving you for so long. On the plus side, I've been doing a lot and shopping a lot, so I have plenty of material for the next few weeks!!

This past weekend, I was in Chicago visiting some of my friends (T, CJ, and Aneesha) from my very first "grown-up" job. We were fresh out of college, in the real world, making a ridiculously small salary, and for the life of me, I can't figure out how we managed to pay rent, have fun, and eat!! Anyway, we're all grown up now, and one of our very own, the very fabulous CJ, is expecting a baby in June!! Seriously, CJ is THE cutest preggers person I know (not counting Victoria Beckham)! If you look at her from behind, you can't tell she's preggers. You also can't tell she's preggers if she's sitting at a table, and it covers her belly. Its ridiculous. I don't think I want kids, but if I do, I only want them if I can look like her when preggers.

CJ is definitely the type of person that wants a non-traditional baby shower, so T planned an afternoon at the spa, filled with mimosas (not for the mommy-to-be obvi; she stuck to sparkling grape juice).  Off we went, 10 women at Reina Spa, getting pampered with mani's and pedi's. Here's what I love about Chicago: you can get a mani and pedi for $40!!!! Come on Cleveland, get it together!! I hate that the pedi itself costs $40!!! Maintenance in Cleveland gets really pricey!!! Amidst lots of laughter and catching up, I got myself a manicure with that new(ish) shatter/crackle polish, that I really really love!!  About 4 hours later, we were ready for some food, and headed to dinner at Club Lucky. More wine and some delicious food followed, and we called it a night.

Seriously, such a FUN baby shower!!!! Its funny, none of my Chi-town girl friends, myself included, make much effort to keep in touch; We'll email every now and then, but by and large, we're pretty bad at it. And then I make my annual visit to Chicago, and its like nothing every changed. The distance and lack of contact is nothing; its like we never missed a beat!! Do you have friends like that? I really hope you do. Everyone deserves that sort of effortless, drama-free, endlessly fulfilling friendship!!

Another fabulous Playhouse Square Party

If you read my blog last week, then you know that I was SUPER excited to attend the Lexus Dark Ride Event at Playhouse Square this past Saturday. It was everything I expected and more!! Jessi, clefoodgoddess and I walked in and were immediately ushered onto a red carpet for pictures. That set the tone for the rest of the night, and keeping with that theme, I have to warn you that this is a picture-heavy post!

Above and below: The scene that greeted us as we walked in. There were two platforms with dancers performing interpretive dance while a DJ played in the background. 

Above: with contest winner Hungry in Cleveland 

Above: my fellow fabulous Cleveland bloggers that hosted giveaways on their blogs: Allison, Alexa, and Alana. I felt left out not having my name start with the letter "A". : )

Below: The Absolut Wild Tea Ice Sculpture. They had this peach cocktail that tasted exactly like peach iced tea!

Above: The whole reason we were there; the Lexus CT 200h. And Below, me in the car. It smelled like glorious "new car" and had a really comfortable drivers seat. That was pretty much the extent of my car-exploration; I was ready for some MUSIC!!

With the always fabulous JV

And, the Talent, Dev (who was so fun!!!). I will be downloading her music ....

 ...and Jay Sean 

Not to be outdone, Seanski decided to get in on the act...

And so the night ended with me hobbling on my excruciatingly painful feet, which I continue to nurse back to normalcy today. The night was SOOOOOO worth the pain. I CAN'T WAIT for next year's event!!