Ay Jax

Today, I thought I would share two of my favorite places to eat in Jacksonville, Florida with you. I spent all last summer working there, so I’m getting kind of nostalgic, and had to visit my favorites when I went back to St. Augustine last week.

1. Chamblin’s Uptown

The socialite cousin of Chamblin’s Bookmine, this bookstore-cum-coffee shop-makeshift lunch destination is simultaneously one of the most bustling and calm in the city. Located at 215 N. Laura street right on the city square, smack in the middle of downtown Jacksonville, it’s an oasis of art, literature, and oversize cookies at your fingertips. Best of all, if you forget your book, they have plenty to choose from, and a liberal coffee selection on the cafe side. 

2. Bistro Aix

The closest Jacksonville gets to France, Bistro Aix has the smell and warmth of a boulangerie and the wine menu of fine Parisian dining. Complete with a wood fired oven and salmon smoked in-house, pizzas the likes of the one below come topped with caviar at the most affordable price this side of San Marco. Adjoined is Bar X, where you can soak in fashionably low Deco lighting with a Death in the Afternoon even Hemingway would approve of. Afterwards? It’s off to the nearby shops and boutiques lining San Marco’s beautiful neighborhood as the sea’s waves peak at you, just a block away. 

Outfit Details:
Blazer: Zara
Pants: Givenchy
Shoes: H&M
Bag: Kate Spade

Counter Culture: White Provision

One of the “rules” that most annoyed me as a child was the unspoken mandate that white was unacceptable after Labor Day. Seriously, why did half of my wardrobe become unnecessarily moot when Fall in Georgia doesn’t begin until November? While the ban on whites acted as a good excuse to buy new shoes, I never liked wearing off-white (let’s be honest– it’s not “off” it’s dirty), or really changing my routine at the behest of some old lady’s exaggerated interpretation of Emily Post. If we don’t wear black for two years anymore when someone dies, why hang on to the rest of the Victorian eccentricities to dress?

By now it’s probably clear that this post offers an example rejecting this rule into Fall, and in order to show you how, I went to a neighborhood in Atlanta, affectionately (and somewhat jarringly) called the “White Provision.” The name comes from an old shirt factory building that remains in the area (though no longer making shirts).

A lot of great food places line the opposite side of the building, including Atlanta’s number one rated resturant Bachanalia. However, if the 5-course prix fixe menu is out of your budget, the operation has an adjoining cafe/ bakery called Star Provision, where you can sample the kitchen’s fares before commiting to the date night. In my case, I shared a charcuterie and a box of sweets (go for the ginger cookie!). 

As for my outfit, I’m wearing knock off Ray Bans, a Talbots white linen blazer (thrifted), a Chloe sequin tank top (Ebay), vintage Givenchy purse (Ebay), Gap white skinny jeans, Primark heels, and a ribbon literally taken from an Agent Provacateur box. My necklace is thrifted as well. As far as carrying white into Fall, I think that jeans are a great way to go. While seasonally appropriate, they still make enough of a statement, but will pair well with Fall separates. The blazer, I think, is a harder sell, especially this one since it’s linen….

A quick word on blazers: if there is one item that you look for in a thrift store, try blazers. I think they are a very good intro. to the art of effectively shopping for used clothes. Most generic blazers will run you somewhere in the range of 40 dollars, which is a disgruntling price to pay for a glorified cardigan (unless of course it has elbow pads.. in which case do what you have to do). Most blazers are going to look less sketchy on the rack than a lot of the other hand-me-downs, and a lot of times you can score on some great brands you might not have been able to find otherwise. I know I’ve found DKNY, Pendleton, Brooks Brothers, Talbots, and Ann Taylor to name a few.

Alright. It’s your turn. Go on out there and crush some Victorian sensibilities, and when you do, be sure to share in a comment below. I’d love to see your interpretation of “Winter White.”

 

Nationally Acclaimed- Georgia Born.

 

This entry will begin the first on a few from Athens, Georgia- home of my alma mater, aka my stomping grounds for the better part of my coming of age. I say “better” because I don’t think it was until I got to college that I really got in touch with my exploratory side and started looking outside the peripheries of the corners of a book.

Now for those of you who don’t know, Athens is home to the University of Georgia, UGA for short, a bulwark of a research institution that still retains enough Southern charm to call themselves the bulldawgs (notably not bull “dogs”). UGA’s colors are red and black, so I tried to channel that for the spirit of this post, switching between my new Chloe heels and my much-loved Lanvin tuxedo flats + straw hat for walking around downtown.

The arch with its three symbolic pillars is a popular image of UGA. Local legend says that if an undergraduate walks under the arch before completing classes, they won’t graduate!

I will be writing a post soon on my favorite hotspots in and around Athens, but I felt the need to specifically spotlight one or two. Now, the nicest restaurant in Athens is probably Hugh Acheson’s Five and Ten. Rumor has it that Atlanta Magazine extends Atanta’s border all the way out to Athens just so they can include this culinary extravaganza on their list of the Top 50 Best Restuarants (where it sits at number 5). But for those of us who don’t expect oysters and caviar on a given Tuesday, I prefer Acheson’s sister restaurant The National for dining.

Specifically, on that Tuesday, The National runs the cutest date night deal. 3-course dinner and a movie at Cine (the fab adjacent indie theater, offering the best selection of films this side of the The Plaza)

If you’re still looking for that date to walk into your life (or waiting for the movie to begin), you can post up at the National’s bar for libations. Rest assured, a very intentionally-groomed hipster will kindly prove to you that you have no idea what you are talking about and then serve you something delicious that includes simple syrup.

As for outfit details, I tried a twist on the tuxedo look (that all the sudden seems so pervasive), unbuttoning this Haute Hippie dress into a long vest. With it I wore a GAP red and white stripe tank top, vintage Givenchy purse (which goes for about 15 dollars on Ebay), a plain black H&M straight skirt, and some statement business jewelry necklace, that probably made its way into my closet from the clearance section of Kohls. Regarding the dress/ vest, this look went easily from day to night, when I threw on a bandeau and went out Tuxedo chic, as shown below.

My Best Nixon Impression– Photo by: Katie King.

Thanks for reading, and stay tuned for more from Athens!

Haiti Part 4- The French Caribbean

Ladies and Gentleman, I’ve saved the best of Haiti for last. Again, with an unfortunate, yet sartorial flair for the colonial, I bring you my last and favorite combo. We walked around all day, and I felt like something out of Monaco. I’ve never been to Monaco, so I don’t know if the people are really glitzy or kitschy, but you know the scene in To Catch a Thief when Cary Grant has to escape the police and drives to some resort? That was me. Eventually, he and Grace end up in Monaco with their big plan to catch the “cat.” 

Slinking along like the “cat”…

The scarves in this movie are so good…. almost as good as the cameos. See what Cary Grant is wearing? It almost looks like my strewn room.

Tres francais, n’est pas?

Hat: local gem
Sunglasses: Urban Outfitters
Scarf: Estate Sale
Blazer: Talbots
Shirt: French Connection (ebay)
Purse: vintage Givenchy (ebay)
Pants: The Row (also seen here and here)
Shoes: Clarks