store spotlight: est8te knoxville

this semester here in knoxville, i have a part-time job (mainly weekends) at a fabulous little local boutique, est8te. owned by a lovely mother-daughter team, est8te offers luxury to the ladies of knoxville. it houses sophisticated southern clothing with a collection of carefully curated accessories. with brands that include, LEONA, tory burch, milly and haute hippie (just to name a few favorites), est8te brings current trends and staple pieces to knoxville's style scene.

i for one was at a loss shopping in knoxville until i discovered the gem that is est8te. the designer lines that est8te has are unmatched anywhere else in knoxville, all thanks to the owners. nell brewington, daughter part of the mother-daughter team, says that "because of her love for clothes and jewelry, owning the store feels more like fun than work." she also loves working with her mom, who she says teaches her to be a better person and owner everyday. the passion that this duo has together is clear in every aspect of the store. from the atmosphere to the product selection to the beautiful smiles they always have on their faces, the brewington ladies' hearts are in all that is est8te.

i love my time spent at est8te. being around beautiful clothes is something i love and i love helping a customer find exactly what they are looking for: the perfect dress, shoes or necklace. i love connecting with the customer and hearing their stories and what led them to the store. working at est8te has given me the opportunity to work with clothes in an enjoyable environment with people that i can learn from everyday.

est8te has just what the fashion-conscious of knoxville are looking for. spring is coming in everyday and the store beginning to brighten up with the colors of spring. new, locally made jewelry is in store now as well as some pajamas that i am dying to get on my body. est8te has exactly what you are looking for, whether it is an outfit for a formal, a night out on the town or a night in. stop by soon for a personal shopping experience and to see what all is in store (and whats on sale too)!

est8te facebook

est8te instagram

xoxo,
clp

double restaurant review & book review

this past weekend, i ate well. home game weekends are always hard on the waistline (but not on the tastebuds) because the family comes in and we spare nothing when it comes to food! keep reading to see what i thought of two local knoxville restaurants as well as a book i recently finished!

• bistro by the tracks: since saturday was a special occasion (phillip's birthday), i made us reservations at a nicer restaurant following the game. like other aubrey's family restaurants, it did not disappoint. while pricier than most, the food was worth every cent. from their summer menu, i ordered the yellow peach tomato gazpacho and the wedge salad. both were delicious and a perfect light meal after a day in the heat with the bread served as well. the best thing, however, was what both my mom and grandmother ordered: the grilled pork chop, which came on a bed of greens and grits and with a gouda crust and whiskey peach sauce. i would highly recommend bistro by the tracks to anyone looking for fine dining in knoxville. the menu changes seasonally and the food is made with local ingredients! 
• gourmet's market & cosmos cafe: gourmet's is the perfect local breakfast and lunch spot. on sunday, we awoke early and headed to gourmet's for breakfast after hearing how good it was! the reviews are on point: even my simple oatmeal was out of this world! the coffee is hot, the eggs are fried and the grits are good. stop by there for lunch too, as their lunch menu looks deliciously good too! 
• the husband's secret by liane moriarty: a novel about three different women put in three different, but all difficult situations, moriarty keeps the pages turning. the characters and back stories of each are thoughtfully developed and the writing is exceptional. a page turner that is hard to review without giving too much away, i would recommend this book to anyone looking for a little bit of mystery, heartbreak and an ending that weaves everything together. the only thing i didn't like about the book was that it ended! 

so that's two restaurants off my "knoxville eats" list and one book off my reading list! happy monday y'all - the longest day of the week is over!

xoxo,

clp

see ya soon, murfreesboro

i am off to knoxville for my senior year! as much as i don't want to leave home, i am ready for all that knoxville has: football, alpha chi, friends and a brand-spanking-new apartment! it is crazy how much has changed since i moved into my freshman dorm. i know i have said that quite often lately but its the truth. you truly do find yourself and figure your life out in college - at least i have.

the day i left to move in freshman year

today, leaving for senior year

safe to say i am have changed a bit since i started college. healthier and happier, the "claire with red hair" is off to knoxville for one more year. i am looking forward to new challenges and the many "senior year" memories to come. and last but not least, i am ready for some tennessee football! go vols!

xoxo,
clp

snow days & lilly

well, the world may have come to an end as we know it. UT actually cancelled all classes today. that never happens. thank goodness they did though! we have a good 5 inches of snow on the ground, with snow still flurrying about! i don't totally mind it today since i really don't have anything that i really have to do (with the exception of working out - which i will do at my apartment complex's clubhouse). still, i am ready for some more normal temperatures and weather here in tennessee!

on my to-do list tomorrow is one main thing: visit the new lilly pulitzer signature store opening in knoxville! i am so excited to have an all lilly store here in knoxville! and as a bonus, they are going to have an exclusive knoxville print murfree scarf! it even has neyland on it! needless to say, i will be at palm village at ten o'clock sharp tomorrow! (and by the way, lilly added some new arrivals to the online site!)

it is also new york fashion week! so many things going on! i always love looking at the runway shows and seeing what is on the horizon for the coming season. though they are showing for fall 2014  (which could still be worn right now), i am looking forward to this years upcoming trends! i have looked at kate spade, j. crew and tory burch's fall presentations so far and am in love! i feel like fall is very asian-influenced and designers are definitely into texture and deep jewel tones. activewear is also appearing more and more in collections! 

even though today is a snow day, i still need to be proactive and stay on top of my assignments! many of my professors assigned online work to do because of the snow so i am off to work on that some! later i am hoping to read my vogue magazine and enjoy the snow from inside my warm apartment! as i said last night, stay safe and warm everyone! 

xoxo,

clp 

in review: thai, pie, books and movies

well it seems like i have a few things share with y'all! in the past week, i have seen a couple of movies, finished a book and am halfway through another and tried out two (new-to-me) places in knoxville!

• movie: American Hustle: honestly, i walked out of the theater completely unaffected by the movie. for one thing, it was terribly long and i have a hard time sitting still. but regardless of the time, i felt like it left something to be desired. don't get me wrong, the all-star cast was great. because of the buzz surrounding it, i felt like i was supposed to rave about it afterwards. however, it was a movie that i was glad when the credits rolled on the screen. 
• movie: Last Vegas: better than American Hustle that's for sure. while it was funny at times, it was a bit predictable but a good renter nonetheless. i think that the older crowd might find it funnier than my generation but it still had some good laughs here and there. 
• book: Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter: not sure why it was on so many bestseller lists. the plot jumped around from different characters and time periods which could occasionally be confusing. while everything connected at the end, there was still something missing from the book as a whole. 
• restaurant: Taste of Thai: hands down the best thai food i have had in knoxville. i ordered the pad thai with veggies and it was beyond good. the portions are huge and i brought more than half of it home. erin and ellie both got drunken noodles with chicken and it looked quite tasty as well. i will definitely be returning there to get my thai food fix in knoxville! 
• bakery: Buttermilk Sky Pie Shop: i have been dying to try this little pie shop and couldn't resist the temptation after supper tonight. i got granny's apple pie, erin got classic pecan and ellie got chocolate meringue. my mini-pie was one of the best things i have tasted in a long time and was sad to see it gone. the mini-pies are the perfect individual portions, but they also have whole pies available to buy, as well as thumbprint cookies, homemade buttermilk biscuits and ice cream! it is going to be a dangerous place for me, and worth every calorie!  

its Super Bowl sunday (and groundhog day but that's getting a little overshadowed this year)! what team am i cheering for? peyton. the team of peyton manning. we tennesseans loved him in '98 and we love him just as much, if not more, today. i will be watching the Super Bowl (aka the commercials) at my apartment tonight while partially studying (4 tests in 7 days). i made a big pot of taco soup and a batch of jalepeno cornbread that my cousin erin and best friend ellie are going to munch on during the game! 

the groundhog saw his shadow this morning, which means six more weeks of winter. my fingers are crossed in hopes that he is wrong and that spring is right around the corner. the spring collections that are appearing in stores have me dreaming of warmer weather! i have a busy week ahead and i am sure you do too so i will keep this short and sweet. happy groundhog day and Super Bowl sunday! go broncos!

xoxo,
clp

top five knoxville restaurants

now that i am back in knoxville, i thought i would share my favorite places to eat around here with y'all! there are countless delicious restaurants in knoxville but these are the ones that i frequent quite often and always take out-of-towners to.

1. aubrey's: by far one of my favorite restaurants ever. their menu has a little bit of everything, from soups and salads to burgers to pasta. my favorite thing to order at aubrey's is the baked squash vegetable side dish but i honestly haven't had a thing from there that wasn't good. the service is always excellent as well. 
2. sunspot: i just discovered this at the end of last semester and wish i had discovered it sooner! as part of the aubrey's restaurant family, it does not stray from having delicious food and top-notch service. the atmosphere and design of the restaurant is really cool, with large patios and open air-seating. this menu too has a little bit of everything, including many dishes for vegetarians. my favorite is the sweet potato tamale that comes with portobello mushrooms, black beans and salsa. i need to try something new but i can never resist it! as a bonus, all the food is prepared with fresh, local ingredients. they also have a half price wine night on wednesday that many of my friends enjoy! 
3. tupelo honey: well worth the wait. i cannot express how good this restaurant is! the menu boasts items that are traditional southern but with modern spins. i hear their bloody mary's are to die for and they serve breakfast all day (my favorite meal of the day). the complimentary biscuits and honey are mouthwatering and serving sizes are generous. my favorite breakfast dish to order is the breakfast bowl, which is made up of goat cheese grits topped with black eyed pea salsa verde, an egg and bacon. i also love their black bean burger with any of the fresh sides. 
4. dead end bbq: best barbecue around! dead end's barbecue is some of the best that i have had. i like it because it is not "wet" bbq but it is also not dried out. their hot sauces have just the right amount of spice and they also have other choices on the menu that don't include barbecue. i always order the pulled pork plate with the mayor's beans and jalepeno cornbread. my whole family loves it and we may even get it for a tailgate this fall! 
5. chesapeake's: i have been going to chesapeake's for as long as i can remember. it is a locally owned restaurant specializing in seafood, but their non-seafood dishes are excellent as well. the entire family (and by entire, i mean entire) usually makes a trip to chesapeake's at least once during football season but mom and dad and i try to go more often. you can't leave without getting a slice of key lime pie! its a little piece of heaven! 

other restaurants that i enjoy here in knoxville are ye olde steakhouse, surin of thailand, litton's, don gallo's, copper cellar, cafe 4, tomato head and calhoun's. there are even more that could go on this list but if i had to choose only five to eat at, those described above would certainly be at the top of the list. next time you are in knoxville, i definitely recommend any of these restaurants! you won't be disappointed!

xoxo,

clp