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Christina of Tide & Bloom

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sinclair’s mercantile

The longer I go on blogging, the more I want to get into vlogging. Why? For one, pictures say a thousand words but then videos say 10,000. Secondly I think my genuine reaction in real-time would be so much more entertaining than coming here and trying to rehash the experience. Do you watch food network? I basically want to be Guy Fieri but also touring shops, testing products, and interviewing artists, et cetera. How do I become a famous personality so that people become interested in my opinion?… I guess I’ll just keep working on it. If you know anyone looking to make a TV show featuring me, let me know.

For this blog post/episode, I’m pleased to introduce you to Sinclair’s Mercantile, a newly opened lifestyle boutique down in the heart of McDonough. Where’s that, you ask? It’s about a 45 minute drive South of Atlanta. So not TOO far, but far enough (for me) where this really has to be a purposeful visit. Which is really just fine seeing as how Lanie Beth and her husband Brad have made it their mission to create a beautiful open space with just about anything you’d need to enhance your wardrobe. If half my bank account wasn’t already committed to Anthropologie, then I’d be spending a whole lot of it here.

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The duo has paid careful attention to what comes into their shop, in regards to both assortment and origin. It’s truly a shop for the whole family and includes thoughtful accessories for life and home as well. Being that they are in the heart of a small town, they knew it was going to be quite a big risk to bring in premium denim and designer names. Somehow though they’ve managed to create a balance – I can tell it was an intentional focus – between accessibility and aspiration. I couldn’t really resist and I bought a ring for $14 and bangin’ Matisse shoes for less than $100.

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I’m a shop girl at heart so I love things.

things i’m trying to teach myself

There are a number of things I’ve been trying to work on in the last month or so. I’ve been so quiet on here and even on social media.. but I had to take ten minutes right now (like literally decided two minutes ago) to just get out what’s on my mind. These are the things I’ve been thinking about non-stop, which will hopefully get me moving forward in all kinds of good ways before the holidays creep up on me.

  1. how to self regenerate and eventually become so good, it will only take an hour or two to feel balanced
  2. how to apply things I learn in one workplace and apply them to the other areas of my life, like my art and my physical health
  3. how to stop complaining/lamenting/resigning and just work on proactive solutions
  4. how to stay connected and discern which connections are worth investing energy in
  5. how to take risks and stop caring what everyone else thinks

Wish me luck! I gotta go get ready for work now…

creative makers: lauren friday

Boy, it’s getting harder and harder to write introductions that do my subjects justice. I’m surrounded by so many creators in my life, amazing women who conquer fears every single day and inspire every person they know. I don’t want to start sounding repetitive but there are just not enough words. Not enough words. This particular darling of a gem is someone I’ve admired from the day I met her; she has always had a fearlessness about her (although I’m sure she’d argue otherwise), a confidence that was so evident yet still humble. She’s just one of those people who loves people and you can see it radiate in how genuinely she presents herself. I strive for that sort of graceful transparency, and I couldn’t do it without role models like Lauren.

creative-makers-lauren-friday-12 Tell me more about what you do.

I currently work for a brand new educational business named The Callback Company. It is a company focused on training students of any age how to audition well based on their own skills. We provide Broadway masterclasses, seminars, cabaret performances, local showcases and NYC showcases to help broaden our students horizons and give them the skills needed to succeed in the professional world. We also help high school students prepare for their college auditions so they have an even bigger shot at getting into their dream program. It has been an amazingly fulfilling experience.

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So what’s your average day look like?

To be truthful, I don’t feel like I have an “average day”. Since I have so many different projects, it’s all about prioritizing and multitasking. Every day begins the same, however, with a bountiful amount of coffee.

What inspires you? How do you stay motivated?

I have to find the tiny joys within each day. The small victories often lead to giant ones. I also have an amazing support system that surrounds me. I try to fill my life with the most creative and positive people there are and gain strength and motivation from their encouragement and talents of their own. Inspiration is all around me, I think. I can be inspired by commotion or stillness. The challenge I face most often when it comes to inspiration is being in the correct mindset to see it. I feel like as an artist living in this world as it is today, it is hard to take yourself out of the daily grind long enough to truly experience your surroundings. This is something I am working on. The tactic that works the best for me is changing my scenery and other elements in my environment. 

charleston meals: spero

Yes, believe it – I have MORE photos from Charleston. The lighting was a bit weird for this one, but I have to share this little gem of a spot with you. A little bit more under the radar, and best of all was the bread flight. Three kinds of bread and three kinds of spread – I was there in a heartbeat. Everything was pretty tasty and it was a good spot for a low-key beer and shared meal; filled us up really fast!

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just a touch of trend

I’m going to be real with you guys. There’s just not enough time to take a picture with a nice camera and edit it and all that jazz. But, I had to share this outfit because I genuinely love it and what’s more – is that I’m surprised I love it.

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I don’t know if I’ve ever had a cargo pant and I wouldn’t call myself a lace-up lover but somehow, both of these work perfectly together. All from Anthro, as per usual. I think the key here is all about fit. There’s no point in indulging in trends unless it fits you to a tee. Also it helps that this look is all neutral colors aka foolproof!

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Lace-up Blouse / Anthropologie
Cargo Pant / Anthropologie
Earrings / Anthropologie
Heels / Seychelles

charleston meals: chez nous

Yes, two weeks later and I’m still ruminating on the best moments of our Charleston trip. That and also my normal life is just not that exciting. So I finally get to bring to you photos from one of my favorite meals in the Holy City, a lovely Sunday dinner at Chez Nous. We did our due diligence prior to the trip and Chez Nous was at the top of our list – the kind of place that focused on high quality simplicity, changing their menu every single day to suit the prime ingredients of the season.

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The day we drove to Charleston we checked Chez Nous’ instagram to see what was on the menu. Every day features two starters, two entrees, and two desserts – you can select however many you’d like for the table, even just a dessert if that’s your fancy. Their dishes are inspired by French, Italian, and Spanish cuisines – classic flavor combinations cooked exactly as they’re meant to be.

On top of that, we were lucky enough to get the best al fresco table in the house. Well, outside the house. Sitting outside as the light slowly dipped beneath the trees, everything felt exactly as it should be. The service, ambiance… it was all juuust right.

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I guess I should talk a little bit about the food, right?