Thursday, May 26, 2011

Shopping in: Chattanooga & Atlanta


Last week I visited Chattanooga and thoroughly enjoyed the city's quiet charm. Residents are justifiably proud of this city: a cultured and genteel berg just two hours driving from Nashville and Atlanta. If it's been several years since you visited, there's more to see than just the Choo Choo. There's a burgeoning arts community, beautiful riverfront parks, easy access to the outdoors and of course… terrific restaurants and shopping. I also ventured down to Atlanta for a quick spin through town to check out some shops.

Here's a quick overview of what I saw and loved:

Revival Uncommon Goods: Chattanooga's source for classic home furnishings with a modern twist. Owners Rodney Simmons and Billy Woodall have brought some fabulous brands from New York and Europe (Astier de Villatte, John Derian, Juliska and Simon Pearce) to appoint their gorgeous new store anchoring Warehouse Row. Also look for industrial antiques and hand-wrought light fixtures. The sale bin next to the cash wrap was a wonderland… I'm still regretting not picking up two charcoal alpaca throws with the red whipstitch ($62.50 marked down from $265.00) that were gone the next day. Lesson learned.

Nell's: Hollywood glamour has a home in Tennessee (and it's not in Nashville!) In 2006, Jimmy Adams moved his whole store from Beverly Boulevard to Chattanooga to raise his daughter, as well as the bar for interior design in Chattanooga. Everything in the store has a 1930s feeling, as though Katherine Hepburn might walk in with a drink and settle into one of the sumptuous Hickory club chairs. Adams has also brought in one-of-a-kind pieces from his travels. While it's not cheap, Nell's is another great place to look for sales: we saw a number of items marked 50% off.

Clement's Antiques & Auctions: Imagine that the contents of Versailles, Hearst Castle and Liberace's home were all emptied and put up for sale in a non descript roadside warehouse and you have an idea of what Clement's is all about. Serious Louis XVI and George III antiques mingle with kitschy Greek & Roman statuary and over-the-top pieces smothered with ormolu. If you have a large space and a love of ENORMOUS carved gold-leaf mirrors… this is your Xanadu. They also hold auctions 3-5 times a year.

Sid Mashburn: The founder and namesake cut his chops designing for Ralph Lauren & J-Crew before returning home to found his own label based on Atlanta's West Side. Mashburn brings back the classic haberdashery with a southern preppy flair. Many items are made in store (tailors are at work and on view) and he also carries classics "that can't be improved upon" like Levi's 501 jeans and Rod Lavers. Best of all was the service… they were friendly, intelligent, approachable and never overbearing.

Antiques & Beyond: If you're long on style and short on budget, A&B is your place. Every dealer in this antiques collective seems to have stepped up their game and wants to sell their wares. We saw a pair of Sherrill wingbacks upholstered in coral velvet for $950, generously proportioned mirrors for under $300 and too many great lamps to count for under $150. This being a collective, the list price is only the first offer in negotiation, so don't be shy about bargaining.

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Amazon Saves Me From Myself


Let me state my bias upfront… I am a rabid fan of Amazon.com. It began with my love for reading and being able to find any book affordably… then developed into an obsession with the Kindle – which allows me to pack a whole library into a slim volume on travels throughout the U.S., Asia and Europe. I became a loyal Prime customer a few years ago when I started ordering more and more gifts for friends' weddings and random things for me (like luggage or linens) – paying upfront for a year's worth of shipping throughout the lower 48 on Prime eligible products. My obsession turned into evangelism this year with the introduction of Amazon's "Subscribe and Save."

Subscriptions aren't just for magazines anymore. On Amazon, I subscribe to things I regularly deplete and find myself regularly running off to CVS buy in a panic… like my favorite brand of razors, deodorant, toothpaste, battery toothbrush refills… and even my shower loofahs. I also plan to add toilet paper, laundry detergent and anything too cumbersome to schlep home from the store (I don't have a car.) Instead, all of these items show up on my doorstep while I'm at work or off enjoying myself. In return for the automatic interval order every one, three or six months, Amazon gives me free shipping and a 15% discount off the list price. Not only does the service eliminate excess trips to the store, I also don't find myself heading out for a week-long trip without deodorant or extra razors.

Genius, huh?