robincharmagne – That's so Pretty

Secure The Bag- Kirk Geiger London

March 22, 2021 by robincharmagne 4 Comments

Hi Pretties,

I am over the moon excited to introduce a new handbag brand, well new to me brand. I ran across this bag on the Nordstrom website and was immediately smitten. Kurt Geiger London is based in the UK and started in 1963 and widely known first for their footwear. While on my staycation, I popped in Nordstrom and picked up this beauty!

The studded top handle immediately caught my eye. Top handle bags are classic and elegant.

Along with the stunning top handle is a substantial chunky chain with a leather shoulder strap that adds to the flexibility and edginess of this bag.

With the dimensions of 11”W x 7 ¼”H x 3 ½”D, this bag is more than roomy to handle phone, wallet, sunglasses and a few other essentials. The interior has a center divider with a slip pocket on both sides and a magnetic closure.

The signature quilted exterior adds to the beauty of this bag. The workmanship is impeccable.

**Iconic eagle emblem, encrusted with crystals!**

These pictures do not do this bag justice, it is the perfect size and in the most soft buttery leather. With its luxurious vibe and a price point below $300, this bag is a winner If you are looking for an elegant but edgy bag, look no more, this is the one! Have you heard of the Kurt Geiger London brand?

Staycations Are Good For You

March 18, 2021 by robincharmagne 4 Comments

Hello pretties,

I remember March 11, 2020, very clearly. Me, along with my travel sis Tanisha, were excitedly preparing for our second West Coast Tour in Napa Valley. Just 12 days before our departure, the World Health Organization declared the pandemic. And, just like that, EVERYTHING changed. Airline flights, hotel reservations and, exciting excursions were canceled. Who knew what 2020 would bring? We were ill-prepared for any of what was to come for the remainder of the year. There was social distancing, mask wearing, toilet paper shortages, near economic collapse across multiple industries, racial unrest, continued police shootings, impeachment, virtual school, no movies, no dining, no gym, virtual baby showers, weddings, and funerals, wildfires, Kobe and Gianna Bryant, Chadwick Boseman, Alex Trebek, no Summer Olympics, Zoom meetings, murder hornets, and 538,000 deaths. If all these things were not enough to bear, my Mom’s passing just about took me out. I MEAN! It is no small thing to have lived through 2020.

Fast forward to about a week ago, I realized the giveaway gift certificate I won in 2019 for a hotel stay and dinner at a local hotel was about to expire, oddly enough on my Mom’s birthday. Light bulb moment – girl, take a staycation to do absolutely nothing except eat, sleep, shop, and journal!

I packed super light and headed to the Crowne Plaza® Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia in a beautiful and bustling suburb about 30 minutes from home.

I checked in, showered and changed into my favorite pjs to relax before dinner. I took some time to journal how I felt about the events of 2020. It cathartic to get your thoughts on paper and then talk them out. 2020 was scary and if you are like me, you personally know someone impacted by covid. I experienced job loss, missing family and friends, no travel, and death. It was a lot to experience and admittedly some days I did not even want to get out of bed. After I wrote it out and cried it out, and worked it out I was hungry. I headed to the restaurant for complimentary dinner.

Bucket list item checked – dined solo dolo!

Backyard at Parkwoods was earthy and calm. Lots of windows with sun coming through and a great view of the backyard. I ordered comfort food – wings and fries, two really good drinks, and I have to say the best key lime pie I have ever had – so delicious!

Back to the room for more lounging and relaxing. On a staycations you can unplug, reconnect with you, and let your mind and body rest! That’s what I did, no agenda, just whatever. We need an unplanned day sometimes!

If you have not staycationed in your own city, it is a great way to ease back into travel. You save money, and help the local economy by dining and shopping in the area of your hotel. 2020 tried us, but we survived. I feel recharged and ready to take on 2021! Special shoutout to Atlanta Digital Creator Ohnikka for hosting the giveaway! Are you taking a staycation or vacation?

3 Lessons From My Second Reel

March 15, 2021 by robincharmagne 2 Comments

Hello Pretties,

Reels? Who me? Yep me! Instagram is still my favorite social media platform and Reels just made me love it even more. Reels like its cousin TikTok are short videos, almost always accompanied by music or a voiceover. Now, some reels are super good with amazing transitions and some reels are informative on every level from relationships, cooking, fitness, and of course fashion, to beauty. And, some are so dang funny that I can’t help but laugh out loud at some of the foolishness. So many young folks do Reels and TikToks and I admit I was intimidated but I really wanted to try it out. My first reel was just a series of photos super easy, so I had to pick something else a bit more challenging!

After weeks of watching reel after reel, I saw quite a few people doing the one that is basically an intro, where you share some key tidbits about yourself. It is accompanied by the song Zodiac by Will Gittens.

It was on and poppin’ once I made my choice. Did I tell y’all it took 2 weeks for me to figure this out? I was trying to remember the lyrics and match my pointing (see below) to the music. That was a fail. I could not quite nail it.

Then a lightbulb moment, it is not the music, it is the count. There were 7 movements so I just needed to point in 7 different directions! Then I headed to YouTube University and studied how to add the text to sync with the music.

Put on cute graphic tee that catches the eye and voila, you got a reel! I was on cloud-9 and it dawned on me this was so fun, but I learned some things!

3 Lessons

When you learn new things, you create new neural pathways, which is fantastic for the brain. As we age, we need to keep learning and trying new things. I made my brain happy while helping stave off conditions such as dementia.
What a confidence booster! I was perfectly happy watching reels from the sidelines, but now I am part of the action. It was not a flawless performance, but I will get better over time.
You are never too old to do anything…PERIOD!

I say keep trying new things no matter how daunting or intimidating they may seem. What new thing have you tried lately?

What About Yo’ Friends – Monday Musing

January 4, 2021 by robincharmagne 5 Comments

Hey Pretties,

Happy New Year! We made it to 2021 and to a very important election, the Georgia Senate race. This election could change the climate of this country for the better. I was thinking that for the last four years, we survived a President who often demonstrated that he was ill-suited, not fit, nor qualified for the honor and privilege of leading the free world. I understand it is a bold statement, but it is a statement based on fact. Because, thanks to Twitter of all things, everyone had a front-row seat to the spectacle. Let’s review some of the tweets, build the wall, fake news, kids in cages, attacks on female politician’s appearance, support of dubious people, impeachment, etc. The list is long. Furthermore, I am not here to expose or to inform because you all already know!!

What struck me as odd was why don’t his circle, advisors, tribe, crew, posse, clique, whatever say to him, “Dude you are doing the most!” I mean that is what friends do, they check you. And this goes well beyond agreeing or disagreeing, but closer to recognizing destructive, toxic, or plain crazy as hell behavior. Did anyone say stop it, pull up, take it down a thousand, relax, relate, release? Where are his friends or close advisors?

In President Barack Obama’s book, A Promised Land, which I am currently reading and one of the best books I have read in some time, he frequently mentions his circle of advisors – David Axelrod, David Plouffe, Robert Gibbs, and of course Valerie Jarrett. He spoke candidly about how he relied upon them for advice and guidance in political matters. Sometimes he accepted the advice and sometimes he did not, but he was open to their counsel. That makes total sense to me because as I have mentioned here, here, and here, your circle makes a difference. You need honest, smart, and wise truthtellers who have your back. And of course, advisors don’t blow smoke either because that’s not helpful. Perhaps the President does have a circle but he tells them to kick rocks! Who knows.

I have not made any New Year’s resolutions, but one thing I know for 2021, I will continue to nurture my connections with my friends. I appreciate them for NOT having me looking crazy in these ATL streets! As much as I enjoy getting poured into with love and laughter and excellent advice, I want to pour into them as often as I can they deserve it.

Have you reached out to your circle of trusted advisors this year?

On another note, if you are in Georgia, please vote, it matters.

Dresses Over Jeans – OOTD #119

July 29, 2020 by robincharmagne 7 Comments

Hey Pretties,

Yessss, I am back with a new OOTD (Outfit of The Day) for my new pretties! With the coronavirus situation, we have to improvise and I took it back to the living room for some fashion fun! I missed playing dress up and super excited to share one of my favorite casual style trends – dresses over jeans! This styling is so fun and easy to put together – you just need a button front dress and a pair of jeans. It does not get any easier than grabbing two simple pieces to rock a casual style.

I saw this dress online and the geometric, tribal kinda print caught my eye. And would you believe it’s a rental from Gwynnie Bee? I love the print and the maxi length. You can find a similar dress here and jeans here. I could not find a good dupe for this sold-out tote bag, sorry ladies!

Easy, breezy style with nude sandals that pair perfectly with this print! I am ready for brunch or a day of shopping…when the outside opens!

And bold, gold accessories to top off this casual look! These gold hoops are big and sexy but super light! I am rocking gold accessories all summer!

I am now scouring my closet for button-front dresses to pair with jeans or over slim leg pants too! So many options with this casual style! Is this trend for you? Have you tried it?

Happy Birthday To Me

July 27, 2020 by robincharmagne 4 Comments

Hi Pretties,

I know it has been too long since I have shared a blog post! What better day than my birthday to get back in the blogging business. Y’all this 2020 is unforgettable. If I don’t remember anything else in life, it will be this year and how it changed everyone. There is rarely an event or situation that happens that touches everyone, but EVERY continent I believe except Antartica has been touched by this pandemic! But, I am not dwelling on the pandemic. More than anything, I am thankful to live to see another birthday.

So what have I been doing during the pandemic…cooking, cleaning, and shopping…yeah I know y’all have been doing the same thing too!

What I Have Been Doing…

The first thing I purchased was a new cookware set. If I was gonna be cooking up a storm, I needed some cute cookware. This is ceramic and so easy to clean, that was a big selling point for me.
To make my cooking life easier, I ditched my crockpot and I jumped on the Air fryer bandwagon. I have never seen such pretty chicken wings and fries on the gram’. Of course, I bought the accessory kit too. It’s bout to be on and popping in my kitchen!
And, because I just needed my 1000th pair of earrings, I got these cuties in a bold gold. I’m rocking gold accessories all summer! These are super lightweight and come in a bunch of sizes.
I know I’m not going anywhere in particular, but when I do leave the house, I still want to rock stylish sunglasses. These were less than $20 bucks and yep they come in other colors too, including pink!
Ever since I started blogging, I have wanted a ring light. And with so many more indoor photoshoots, it’s a must-have for content creators. I mean are you even a content creator if you don’t have a ring light? IJS…

If I can say anything about this birthday year, it has been the year of learning. I have learned how to tie a head wrap, the basics of tai chi, Zoom “dates”, how to cook two chicken dishes in the crockpot, the basics of SQL, and I am just getting started. Getting older and smarter, you can’t beat that!

How are you celebrating your birthday this year? What have you been doing during the pandemic?? Smooches pretties!

Toronto, Canada – Let’s Go

March 25, 2020 by robincharmagne 2 Comments

Hi Pretties,

Have you dreamed of traveling for the holidays? I mean how much turkey, dressing, mac n’ cheese, collard greens, and sweet potato pie with a big glass of sweet tea will you have in a lifetime? But that menu does sound really good, fattening but super good. Okay I digress, yes that Thanksgiving menu sounds grand, but what about a trip up North, way up north to Toronto, Canada. I traded turkey for Toronto and it was so worth it!

This trip was at Thanksgiving and the temps were quite cold and it was not Thanksgiving in Toronto. Canada celebrates Thanksgiving in October. And, as a major metropolitan city and the capitol of Ontario, Toronto has everything – lodging in every price point, dining with diverse options, sightseeing from museums to the zoo, and shopping from high end designer stores to vintage boutiques. We were there a short amount a time but managed to see some fun sites such as the Toronto Christmas Market and the CN Tower, which has amazing views by the way!

Toronto-landmarks-robincharmagne — Toronto Christmas Market/CN Tower/Canada Sign/Toronto Eaton Centre

My most favorite attraction in Toronto was the Bata Shoe Museum. During the time we visited, there as a Manolo Blahnik shoe exhibit called The Art Of Shoes. First things first, do you know this famed shoe designer is a man? I did not and was totally taken aback. There was a large display of shoes, renderings of shoes, and a video featuring the designer. In addition to this fabulous exhibit, there were several floors that housed various exhibits of shoes – the earliest shoe design from over 4,000 years ago, basketball shoes which as I recall belonged to Shaquille O’Neil, glass slippers, snow shoes, kids shoes, mens shoes – something for everyone and super educational, I mean who knew shoes had such a storied history. There is also an adorable gift shop with an assorted selection of shoe related gifts.

Toronto-ShoeMuseum-robincharmagne — History of shoes, so amazing and beautiful

The food in Toronto was really good with lots of choices. The first place we ate was Jack Astor’s is was very lively and we had a fantastic server. This spot was the jump off for our trip, a real neighborhood feel. And, definitely put us in a mood to have a good time seeing Toronto – highly recommend. Apparently Evviva’s is super popular because there was a line and a wait. I would say it was so worth it. Not only was the food delicious, but the ambiance was really nice – highly recommend. My favorite though was dinner at the CN Tower. The service was outstanding with a very attentive server. Our food was on point, beautifully presented and delicious. But the view of Toronto is unmatched. The restaurant revolves with 360 degree views of Toronto. So pretty, especially at night. The prix fixe menu with three courses was well priced at under $100 – highly recommend

Toronto-Eats-robincharmagne — Jack Astor’s/ Evviva/CN Tower

Toronto has some interesting sites, including a wrecked police car hanging out of a building. I believe this was from a local television station. Another interesting building is the Flatiron Building that has a trompe l’oeil painted on the side by the artist Marg. There are also many architecturally stunning buildings throughout Downtown Toronto. Grab your camera so you don’t miss a shot.

As you can read from this post, I loved Toronto – the food, the attractions, the shopping, we didn’t have dull moment. But frankly, unless you like super cold weather, I would not recommend going at Thanksgiving. It was soooo cold for my taste – I’m talking puffer coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. However, if you prefer colder temps, it is the perfect time of year to visit. The Christmas Market is also a good draw for this time of year. I plan on visiting Toronto again…when it is warmer. Do you prefer traveling in colder or warmer weather?

Five Tips For Working At Home – Monday Musing

March 16, 2020 by robincharmagne 6 Comments

Hello pretties,

My how things can change! I am going to cut straight to the chase – COVID-19 is significantly impacting our daily lives, with some of you now working from home sweet home. This has been my work situation for 15 years and I have learned a few things along the way that I am sharing with y’all today! Here are five tips for working at home…

…

Renaissance Gateway Staycation Part II – Let’s Go

February 20, 2020 by robincharmagne 4 Comments

Hello pretties,

Today, I’m sharing Part II of my staycation at Renaissance Atlanta Airport Gateway Hotel. Of course, a well appointed, comfy room is a must but I am drawn to hotels with beautiful decor. Take a peek at some of the artwork and furniture pieces…

The lobby bar is well stocked with comfy seating

This room off the bar is like a big living room/game room/craft room-so inviting

This hotel felt like a big home with all kinds of living spaces for dining, relaxing and of course nice rooms for sleeping. The location is perfect for travelers being 5 minutes from the airport and ten minutes from restaurants and shops. If you’re in The A, choose this beautiful hotel!

Have you stayed at any beautiful hotels? Do tell!!!

Turtleneck Next Level – OOTD #118

February 19, 2020 by robincharmagne 2 Comments

Hello pretties,

Back on the OOTD train with THE OG outfit – something cute on the top and jeans on the bottom. That outfit combo is the most flexible when building a casual wardrobe, with endless options for top and bottom. Today I’m rocking a classic – the turtleneck but with a twist.

As soon as I saw this sweater with the open shoulder on Eloquii, I snagged it. The open shoulder is a nice detail without being too revealing or exposed in cooler months. Turtlenecks are great wardrobe builders and immediately give an outfit a bit of polish. They can be a good addition to suits and dresses. But in true form, I paired this one with a pair of plain comfy jeans that would fit nice and snug in a pair of black to the knee boots. I finished off the look with a round crossbody bag. Take a peek…

Shop The Look

This OOTD was super easy to put together and I am pleased with how it turned out. I and ready for shopping or a casual night out. And, this turtleneck will be in heavy rotation, provided this crazy Georgia weather stays consistently Winter, because clearly Mother Nature appears to be forgetting the seasons.

What is your wardrobe staple? That one thing that you always feel good wearing?