SEE Yourself with a New Look After my very last contact fell out of my eye at work and I was forced to walk around half blind with only the use... (08.06.2008)

Music City? So after discovering that Nashville would in fact be getting an Urban Outfitters, much to my delight, I realized in the same instance that we... (07.24.2008)

Movie Madness Saturday night a large group of us went to see the new Batman movie: The Dark Knight. Mayhem ensued inside the theater, and I'm not... (07.21.2008)

Nashville Getting a Little More Urban? I can't tell you how many times I've heard the rumor that we will soon be getting an Urban Outfitters. I have to admit, I... (07.18.2008)

Closing Down...or Just Revamping? For a few weeks now I've heard that the Green Hills Grille will be closing very shortly. In fact, I believe this was their last... (07.16.2008)

Good For You Sweets Well, I don't know if you could technically say that they are healthy, or even beneficial for your health, but the cupcakes at Whole Foods... (07.14.2008)

Spot on What is it with the Tennessean and the Britishism “spot-on?” The social writer uses the term almost weekly (not today or last week, which makes... (07.13.2008)

National Barbeque Weekend I wasn't able to do the typical 4th of July festivities that everyone I know was occupied with this entire weekend. I think what I... (07.07.2008)

Sushi Anyone? I don't know if it's the hot weather, or if I've just become more picky, but lately I've been eating Sushi at least three times... (07.01.2008)

Whole Foods on July 2nd As you are preparing to celebrate the red, white, and blue this weekend, don't forget to go GREEN by shopping at the Green Hills Whole... (06.30.2008)

Make a Statement For the past two weeks, I've been obsessed with jewelry. Not to the point of it interfering with everyday life, even though I probably do... (06.27.2008)

Breakfast on the Weekends This Saturday, from 8am - 9:30am, Whole Foods Market is joining with the Green Hills Action Partnership to encourage community awareness and involvement. They are... (06.25.2008)

Best Happy Hour in Nashville? I know that like me, you are wondering where to go after a hard week's work to meet up with friends...and not spend $12 on... (06.20.2008)

The Weight Debate I know that recently there has been a surge on the health food market, especially considering that seventh grade girls now have the body of... (06.19.2008)

Over Exposure There's nothing like summer when it comes to soaking up the sun, getting a tan, and having a frosty concoction by the pool. But when... (06.12.2008)

Twin Cities aren't Twice the Fun I returned from a four day trip to Minneapolis yesterday. The city was gorgeous; classic architecture mixed with modern colors and shapes. Flowers were in... (06.06.2008)

A Night of Cosmos, Cupcakes and Sex To clear up any misconceptions about my nightlife with the above title, let's just say tonight we're celebrating tomorrow's premiere of Sex and the City... (05.29.2008)

Product Junky I'm asked weekly who does my hair. Well, compliments of Avery at Rodney Mitchell, my coif is kept trimmed and in decent shape the majority... (05.28.2008)

Cpl. Justin Cooper It’s hard to lose someone at any age, but it makes things harder when that someone was only 22. Granted, he was a Marine sniper... (05.27.2008)

Time For a Little Dress Up Ok, so I know I've recently said I'm a Tshirt and jeans kind of girl, which I definatley am, but every once in a while... (05.26.2008)

Patience is a Virtue, But Bad Hair is a Sin Recently a friend, who will remain nameless, got a haircut that was extremely cute the day of, but has since grown out after a week... (05.22.2008)

ADD...or Just Ready For a Change Lately I've been desperately seeking new activities. I refuse to sit inside on a beautiful evening and stare at a screen watching reruns any longer... (05.21.2008)

Start Your Day with Mac and Cheese This weekend we decided to have a fun, girly day and start it off right with brunch. Having never been before, Marche seemed like the... (05.20.2008)

Jeans Friday Every Friday at work something wonderful takes place. Not only are bagels catered in for all of us slaving away in front of a computer... (05.15.2008)

Premier Language I wanted to let everyone know the phone number for Premier Language company that was featured in our Briefs section in this month's issue. It's... (05.15.2008)

The Fall of an Empire After seeing webcasts, watching recent episodes, and hearing stories both from the news and online, I have to go ahead and assume that Oprah has... (05.14.2008)

Hungry Girl Have you visited the Hungry Girl website? Not only is it really funny, but now they have a cookbook out in bookstores. The book is... (05.13.2008)

Life's a Beach Laying out all day in the sand, listening to the waves crash against the shore, is such a relaxing experience. It really helps put life... (05.09.2008)

Mother's Day Gifts Mother's Day is coming up in less than a week, and if you're like me you've spent some quality time in the mall lately searching... (05.07.2008)

Organic Footwear? After getting back into Nashville, I spent the majority of my time outside of the house since the weather was so nice. I traveled back... (05.05.2008)

Travel Arrangements One thing you learn when traveling frequently is to pack items you're really going to need for the trip. Something that I didn't anticipate when... (05.01.2008)

Don't Want To Be a California Girl I've been in San Diego the past 2 days on business, and I have to say, I miss Southern hospitality! I have really been surprised... (04.28.2008)

Nordstrom! Finally, for the first time ever Nashville will be getting a real department store. Nordstrom is set to open Fall 2010 in Greenhills. Sadly that... (04.24.2008)

Live United! By now, you have probably seen one of the two United Way ads running during the local news. Nfocus’ Beth Alexander and many of our... (04.23.2008)

Spring Bags Is it after Memorial Day that you are "officially" able to wear white? Or is that Easter...I can't remember those old rules! I do know... (04.22.2008)

Cutbacks I'm starting to feel the strain of this "recession" in regards to corporate life. Of course gas prices are higher, everyone is freaking out about... (04.21.2008)

Be a Highballer What's better than stopping and smelling the roses (or hydrangeas in this case) every once in awhile? Having a smooth drink in hand while doing... (04.18.2008)

Idol Heading to Nashville Kristy Lee Cook went home from Hollywood last night on American Idol, but she's probably packing up and moving to the Music City as I... (04.17.2008)

Finally...A Woman Wins at Losing I don't know if anyone's been watching this season's Biggest Loser, but last night for the first time ever, a woman won the title. The... (04.16.2008)

A Few Good Shirts I've noticed that when I'm lounging around, or running errands, or even just going to get coffee on the weekends, that I don't have a... (04.10.2008)

Giving Back Tonight instead of the elimination show on American Idol (Yes, my cable is now back on), they are showing a special segment called "Idol Gives... (04.09.2008)

Life Without Cable It really is amazing what you can accomplish when Comcast screws up and shuts your cable down a week early. Yesterday I had called to... (04.09.2008)

Open for Business This weekend I planned to do some major furniture shopping for the new condo. I desperately needed storage, and found baskets of every shape, color... (04.07.2008)

BoTOXIN This Wednesday, Fox News reported a new study proving that just one dose of Botox given to a laboratory rat produced signs of the chemical... (04.04.2008)

Busty babes, beware I'm just giving those ladies who are well endowed a heads up. Spring is upon us (even if it is rainy and chilly today), and... (04.03.2008)

Everyone's Running to "The Shack" Call me crazy, but after moving to Nashville and seeing the size of some homes (most having four or fewer residents within its 10,000 sq... (04.03.2008)

Eco-Chic Notice anything different lately when it comes to the conversations you may have related to fashion? The word GREEN seems to come up much more... (04.01.2008)

Vintage Honey For all you girls who shop as a sport, this is a great store for you to check out. Vintage Honey is on Linden street... (04.01.2008)

Spring Has Sprung April is right around the corner, but it seems the April showers are coming our way just a little too early for me. I love... (03.28.2008)

Not So Fast Food Lately, the trend in food has been gourmet-to-go. People don't always have the time to wait for a table, wait for the waiter, and wait... (03.26.2008)

Easter Best Remember when you were little and each year your mom bought you a pretty little pastel dress with a huge bow on the back? Well... (03.24.2008)

Gucci Gucci Goo Flipping through the pages of Bazaar, I kept noticing that it had to be the best smelling magazine I had ever read. Really, the most... (03.20.2008)

Bronzed Beauties I know warmer weather is upon us. I'm excited about that, believe me! Everyone I know has started to hit the tanning beds in order... (03.19.2008)

The Morning After the Party Last night on St. Patrick's Day, we celebrated in true Irish spirit. You know the drill; dark pubs, green beer (not that I'm sure they... (03.18.2008)

St. Patrick's Day Festivities Some people may call it cheesy, some might say it's just an excuse to drink to the point of oblivion, but I can't help myself... (03.17.2008)

A Wedding Story Two friends of mine got married awhile back, and to make their fairytale romance complete, they were featured on TLC's A Wedding Story. It ran... (03.13.2008)

A Presidential Visit I work by the airport, which means that after Airforce One touched down, all roads were closed and we were trapped within a 1 mile... (03.12.2008)

Spring Fever I'm sure everyone is in the same position I am. It's March, we've just set the clocks forward an hour, and I've bought new spring... (03.10.2008)

A Lost Art Recently a friend has temporarily relocated to another country. Since calling would be outrageous, we've decided to exchange letters...you know, the old fashioned way of... (03.06.2008)

Workout While You Shop Victoria's Secret is now selling a new "FitFlop" fitness shoe. It appears to be a sporty-style of sandal, available in black, red and gray. The... (03.05.2008)

Prescription for a Doctor When going to a salon or spa, it's a trial-by-fire type of experience. Sure, you might get a recommendation from a friend, but when it... (03.04.2008)

A Room with a View...but Little Else Sunday I went house, or I should say condo, hunting. I found some really great spaces. Some of them were holes, some of them seemed... (03.03.2008)

Rehab - The Place to Stage a Comeback? Vogue, Bazaar, and Marie Claire have all made references to Lindsay Lohan's "comeback" in the past few months. I can only ask, is she paying... (02.29.2008)

Another Ice Cream Shop for East Nashville I don't really understand why Ice Cream joints don't come to West End or Green Hills, but it seems like East Nashville is overflowing with... (02.27.2008)

Shopping Local I read the comments that people write to me on the blog. So, I decided to take someone up on their idea of looking hard... (02.25.2008)

Superfoods in my Cocktail First there was the Pomegranate Martini. POM was sold out of every store within a 100 mile radius of me, I'm sure. Now, it seems... (02.22.2008)

Cupcakes! After saying not too long ago that there just aren't enough places around here that offers yummy desserts, I spotted Gigi's Cupcakes springing to life... (02.21.2008)

Renting Is there another way to find condos for rent besides actually driving up and down each street, searching for signs posted up? I know Craigslist... (02.20.2008)

Lime left a Sour Taste in my Mouth Lime, the new restaurant on Broadway, looks really fun from the street. Huge, white light fixtures hang from the ceiling and looked to me like... (02.19.2008)

Eavesdropping at the Preds Game The game should have been too exciting for me to pay attention to the attendees around me. We had gotten tickets on the ice, literally... (02.18.2008)

Meat Market Southerners know their food, BBQ being top dog on that list. I know my desserts, but I'm clueless when it comes to a good steak... (02.15.2008)

Valentine's Day I love Valentine's Day, too. It's a free holiday! If you do something for someone else, great. If not, it's probably not a big disappointment... (02.14.2008)

V-Day Speaking of flowers, I just received the most beautiful bouquet of roses to my office. The note was even better than the flowers, though! I... (02.14.2008)

Not your Average Florist A coworker is in the hospital, so I would like to send a bouquet of gorgeous flowers to cheer her up and have something to... (02.13.2008)

Sugar"Less" Fix Craving sugar, which isn't at all unusual on the weekends, a group of us headed out Saturday night in the search for a fix. Going... (02.11.2008)

Stepping down at 75-years-old I'm afraid I have some bad news for some of you... (02.10.2008)

Old Navy's spring lines I was catching up on reading my Women's Wear Daily (WWD), which I always get several days late and usually five or six at one... (02.10.2008)

It's not Always Easy being Green My office has finally decided to get with the current times and do something positive for the environment. What exactly do they plan to do... (02.07.2008)

Tornado Season? It's not that season quite yet, but last night's storms were enough to make anyone think we had been lifted out of Oz and sent... (02.06.2008)

Addictions Whoever said shopping was an addiction was right on target. While there aren't any actual drugs or stimulants involved (unless you count caffeine), I am... (01.31.2008)

Etiquette Let me just vent for a second. I apologize if this hurts anyone's feelings, but this is my opinion... (01.31.2008)

office stores - office depot/staples-- all of 'em! Just a quick rant about the lack of service, knowledge and interest in helping customers that EVERYONE is sure to experience at any of our... (01.30.2008)

Paying to Sweat It's an ongoing debate for me. Do I get a personal trainer at the gym, or do I workout on my own, hoping that what... (01.29.2008)

Hibernation - Putting on the Winter Coat It's winter. By definition we know that means its cold and dreary. But this entire week I've really noticed the toll it's taken on people... (01.25.2008)

Investments This whole week I've heard about changing 401k plans, recessions, and tax breaks for select people. I've wheeled and dealed when purchasing various items, and... (01.24.2008)

Baby it's FREEZING Outside Just when the temperature gets lower than winter in Tennessee should ever get, I realize that every store in Nashville has put away their thick... (01.21.2008)

Childhood Migration Lately I've been seeing ghosts. To preface that, this is not an "I see dead people" statement. This is a ghost of long past realization... (01.17.2008)

Viva Las Vegas Thursday evening I'm heading to Sin City. For the weekend I'll be basking in the neon lights, eating at world-renowned restaurants, and hearing the lovely... (01.15.2008)

Latte Revelation While nothing in the world beats a great cup of 100% Kona coffee, the java at Fido is tough competition. Is it because it comes... (01.13.2008)

You stay classy, San Diego (Warning: this is long. But if you read it, you'll understand why I couldn't spare any details) I'm sure everyone in Tennessee was as excited... (01.12.2008)

New Shows! Thank god new television shows are finally showing on TV, when storms are everywhere and the last place I want to be is outside! Now... (01.10.2008)

Make a Seat The Kids on the Block invite anyone with an artistic eye and a generous heart to contribute a chair-themed work of art—an actual chair or... (01.07.2008)

Surprise! "As life becomes harder and more threatening, it also becomes richer, because the fewer expectations we have, the more good things of life become unexpected... (01.07.2008)

New Year's Resolutions Everyone has one. We all want to do something different this year, be better, eat right. I haven't made a resolution yet though, and don't... (01.05.2008)

Cheesy It came as a horrible shock this week that KRAFT has discontinued its garlic cheese roll! My gosh, the South will rise up in arms—or... (01.04.2008)

I'm a Believer...in Whole Foods I'll admit it, I'm now a convert. I love everything about the new grocery store in Hill Center, from the huge seafood department to the... (01.02.2008)

Off Work with Nothing To Do Last night a group of us decided to go to a movie and then head out for a late dinner. After seeing Walk Hard and... (12.31.2007)

Ghost Town Last night I really needed to go to the store for some normal food. Not the many leftovers that will be in my house for... (12.26.2007)

Cookies and Candies and Popcorn, Oh My! Christmas weekend is just now approaching us, and I know for a fact my pants are a little more snug. Every day a new item... (12.21.2007)

Home for the Holidays - in Nashville This year, I am hosting Christmas at my house. I'm nervous! There won't be many people, but just the fact that this year's memories will... (12.19.2007)

Sushi for Christmas The Holiday Party was last night. Of course I found a dress at the last minute, one that is classic enough to last a few... (12.14.2007)

The Quest for a Dress Tomorrow night is my company's holiday party, so I really wanted to find something festive to wear. I searched high and low, in teeny boutique's... (12.12.2007)

The Joy of Catering Have I been Debbie Downer lately? That's the way it seems, but that could just be the repercussions of the Holiday season! Today I had... (12.11.2007)

Timmy Teabags for Heisman Who am I to criticize someone who has done in the 2007 season what no one has ever been able to do on several levels... (12.10.2007)

Running a Tight Ship I know I've previously mentioned that a group of people and myself would be volunteering over the holidays. Last night we had one of these... (12.06.2007)

It's in the Air Why can't people stay home when they're sick? Really, in the office there are countless people who arrive in the morning looking like death and... (12.04.2007)

Can't Put a Price on It I'm loving the new Hill Center shopping area! Greenhills has definately benefited from adding this to their once questionable variety of shops. Although the mall... (12.01.2007)

An Untraditional Thanksgiving Luckily, I had the usual Thanksgiving meal, comprised of too much of everything. Too much turkey, dressing (the southern version), and sweet potato casserole that... (11.27.2007)

I'll be Home for Turkey Tomorrow is Turkey Day, and for the life of me I can't come up with an item to cook. Horrible, isn't it? I go to... (11.21.2007)

Time for a New Theme? I am one of the biggest supporters of Sex and the City that I know. Right now I happen to be teetering on the edge... (11.19.2007)

Hot stuff It's a miracle for all of us who love to feed the birds but hate those theiving squirrels and racoons. Don't get me wrong. I... (11.19.2007)

Indulgence on Ice Last night I attended a Nashville Predators game against the Chicago Blackhawks. The game was great, with the Preds winning during overtime (just one overtime... (11.16.2007)

Roman Holiday...or Maui...or Paris! Sometimes weddings happen just for the mere event of it all. And I know everyone understands what I mean by that. The focus is the... (11.14.2007)

Belle Meade Bank Robber http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071113/NEWS03/71113003 Blue blazer, check. Rolex, check. I know it's not funny...except that it sort of is. This guy looks like he belongs on "The Bachelor"... (11.13.2007)

Spreading the Love I'm joining friends and co-workers in the coming months to have a little fun while really helping a few non-profit organizations. Over the Thanksgiving and... (11.12.2007)

Journalism Program I was sitting in the Freedom Forum Center on Vanderbilt's campus Thursday morning for a seminar on global warming, and I started thinking about going... (11.09.2007)

Heating Things Up What is it about cold weather that just makes me want to put on a heavy sweater and eat soup all day? Except for the... (11.08.2007)

Starbucks: Not worth the whiplash, folks. I am not a morning person and so I can empathize with a degree of lack of clarity regarding certain matters in the wee moments... (11.06.2007)

I Feel Pretty...Festive Walking around looking at all the Christmas decorations in the stores, then coming home to a bare house was getting to be a little depressing... (11.05.2007)

One Giant Step BACK for Womankind Halloween: a time for candy, treats, and hoes? That's the way it seems anyway, looking at the costumes designed for and snatched up by women... (10.31.2007)

A Rather Lovely Engagement I know I promised to write about all the wonderful details of my trip while I was gone. But I'll be honest, I was a... (10.29.2007)

Snap happy Snap, Kids Gear and Gifts is hosting a Kid’s Fall Party this Saturday from 10 am to noon. Take the kids by the new Hill... (10.25.2007)

Time factor Recently, I’ve attended two different, very lovely events that honor women, planned (as so many are) by women and attended by 90 percent (or more... (10.25.2007)

Halloween transformations Nfocus gets a lot of pitches for stories. Sometimes, PR people want us to cover business events—fun, but not our métier. Sometimes, it’s a check... (10.23.2007)

Jungle Safari This morning we got up before the sun, headed to the nearest coffee shop for a jolt of java, and then began our journey into... (10.22.2007)

Back to Reality...for today at least After my busy, insane schedule this week in the midwest, it's time for a little rest and relaxation. What better way to do that but... (10.18.2007)

Fall into Chicago I realize that I made a huge mistake by forgetting my coat. No worries though, right? I'll just run into one of the many shops... (10.16.2007)

A feast for readers What a beautiful week-end it was for authors and readers in Nashville, and I’m not just talking about the weather. I joined the crowds in... (10.14.2007)

Peaceful Controversy Everyone's a critic, and when it comes to the environment, many people are hypocritical in one aspect or another. That really came to my mind... (10.12.2007)

The Windy City This Sunday I leave for the big city of Chicago. I'll take in the sights, sounds...and of course all the food. But mostly I just... (10.10.2007)

An Affair to Remember Today I had the priviledge to attend a wedding in the country. Everyone looked on happily as the bride raced down the aisle, intent on... (10.07.2007)

A Girl's Best Friend Yesterday a friend of mine got an upgrade to her wedding band. Jealous? You would be if you saw the ice rink that now sits... (10.06.2007)

Sports Talk Why does Colin Cowherd have a nationally syndicated "Sports" talk show? Does anyone have any legitimate reason? The guy knows little to nothing about any... (10.03.2007)

Game, upset, and match Ugh.... ly. College football was seriously ugly last week as West Virginia, Florida, and Oklahoma, all ranked in the top ten before last week's game... (10.03.2007)

Do A Little Dance... I am a complete fool for marketing. Last night while watching Dancing with the Stars, I had an overwhelming need to get online and find... (10.02.2007)

Nashvegas/ Amy and Vince/ Community High Last night I had the pleasure of attending a benefit for Community High at the Country Music Hall of Fame. Community High is a high... (09.28.2007)

All That Glitters I wandered into ReCreations the other day; that wonderful store where anything you can possibly dream up is probably tucked into one of their shelves... (09.26.2007)

Cheap Imitations? This weekend my mailbox was completely full of magazines. It's the best way to get mail! No bills, just the promise of hours worth of... (09.24.2007)

I got hit by the Hitmen The Hitmen of Music Row definitely threw me for a loop. As you all know, the Nfocus team covers party after party. Eric and I... (09.24.2007)

Eat on China, not from China I read food lables religiously for things like calories, sugar, fiber, salt...the usual stuff, but I have really never paid much attention to where the... (09.21.2007)

Bypassing Diabetes A friend was telling me about someone she knows that has recently decided to undergo Gastric Bypass surgery. She opted for this route instead of... (09.18.2007)

Tennessee's Finest This weekend a big group of friends went to Centennial Park for the annual Walk for ALS. As we rounded our first corner in the... (09.17.2007)

Empty coming soon... (09.16.2007)

Paint the Town Red I do not know much about historic renovation/preservation, so maybe someone out there can help me understand what possessed the powers that be at Belle... (09.16.2007)

Needless deaths I was out and about on Monday, and I was so saddened by the number of dead and dying trees and shrubs in areas of... (09.16.2007)

Call Me Pollyanna You could certainly cynically call me Pollyanna with big rose colored glasses because I walked out of the Green Hills Kroger yesterday smiling. While I... (09.15.2007)

Big week on campus Poor, poor Michigan fan. It wasn't enough to get slapped around by a 1-AA school, but then to be embarrassed by a "pansy" Pac 10... (09.14.2007)

Big Week on Campus see above... (09.14.2007)

The big sighting It’s going to be hard to top last night, Sunday in the city. After a brief respite, the four of us filed back into the... (09.11.2007)

The Pignic Basket Want to know how to get our attention? Send us a press packet like this one filled with chewy sweets for me and chocolate goodness... (09.10.2007)

Fashion Week Day One There are four of us—Sandra Lipman, Gus Mayer’s Janice Elliott and Fran Wilkins and me—here in New York for fashion week, and I’m the only... (09.10.2007)

The Office Returning this morning from a vacation at the beach (is there anything better?), I walked into my office to find every surface covered in electrical... (09.10.2007)

From Dave Alexander, Nfocus sports blogger Ahh, the best time of year is here, and I'm not talking about Christmas. For some, this is better than Christmas, and in the South... (09.06.2007)

Fly the flag This is a wonderful piece from my brother Al Thomas. We have a nephew who is in a hole in the ground in Afghanistan, enduring... (09.04.2007)

Intellectual Trends Now that it's rainy season, one of my favorite things to do is read; yep, sit on the couch, lay in the bed, or lounge... (08.29.2007)

Sunset Grill closing?! I just heard Sunset Grill is closing for lunch… something about building a gigantic parking garage on their existing lot. Anyone know anything about this... (08.24.2007)

Fairways It's definitely Golf season, with the Barclays in full force this week and the greens being trampled every weekend by adoring fans of the game... (08.24.2007)

The Resurrection of Fountain Square? Bud Adams is buying Fountain Square. Veeeery interesting. http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070822/BUSINESS02/708220391/1045... (08.22.2007)

The highest form of flattery I've never been so flattered in my life! The Tennessean is taking up social coverage, and it is so cute. They went "behind the scenes... (08.21.2007)

Prepare... Becoming tired of watching it rain on the carrots a Kroger, I decided to take one for the team and do my utmost to bring... (08.21.2007)

August I enjoy having my coffee in the early morning on my front deck. The flowers are at their late summer best. The fountain trickles, and... (08.20.2007)

School Returns Without Me You know I'm starting to understand what my daddy was saying when he told me that growing up was a bitch a couple of months... (08.16.2007)

Memories I am going to Kroger today and stand in the produce section, so I can hear thunder and see lightning, followed by rain..... (08.14.2007)

SECRETS! Secrets! We love them, don't we? That is... if they do not belong to us. With this idea in mind, Frank Warren brings us postsecret... (08.10.2007)

Coming Back Down to Earth For those of you who have read the articles in CNN Money, and heard the press conference with George W. Bush today, you'll know that... (08.09.2007)

Stress Relief Ok, I need a massage. Not just your run-of-the-mill generic Swedish massage either. I need a pain-enducing, leaving bruises on my shoulders to work out... (08.02.2007)

Endless water supply I can only assume Metro has an endless supply of water, since from morning until evening (and maybe through the night, who knows?), 8 to... (07.30.2007)

How did this happen? I was recently traveling down Old Hickory Boulevard coming from Brentwood. As I got closer to Hillsboro Road, I began to see these horrible, huge... (07.30.2007)

Move in Three years ago, we were paying $1,700 per month for rent on a generic two-bedroom, two-bath apartment for our sons, both students at Vanderbilt, with... (07.30.2007)

I'm a Barbie Girl Recently I've been in the market for a new house. In fact, it will be my first purchase for a home so I want to... (07.25.2007)

Leftovers in the break-room… help yourself Darn the homemade sugar cookies that lady in the marketing department brought in to the office! Sure, all that Splenda might have a positive effect... (07.23.2007)

August issue coming Friday We put our August issue to bed this week, and I had ample opportunity to feel grateful to work with a handful of professionals who... (07.22.2007)

Word on the Street As most people have probably noticed, the Cool Springs area has been growing at an incredible rate for the past year. Corporate buildings keep going... (07.11.2007)

A bright light went out for a quarter of a million people last night Last night one of the most amazing people, from one of the most incredible families I've ever met, died. His name is Jonathan and he... (07.10.2007)

Bad behavior, redux Neil and I have a cousin we adore and when she sees or hears something that shocks her she says, "I have just lived too... (07.05.2007)

No change here! It really takes a lot to make me mad, really it does. And this did it in a big way. As most of you know... (07.05.2007)

Mayoral criteria Ever a fan of Gail Kerr, I have to refer you to her column in The Tennessean today. It lists a series of questions she... (07.02.2007)

Sparkle and Awe Growing up, the Independence Day tradition for everyone I knew was to go downtown in the big city of Florence, Alabama and watch the fireworks... (07.02.2007)

Sideways If we as a perceived healthy society really were, we would take a look at each step we take and not at others'... (06.29.2007)

Taking pictures I’m sure my job looks like a piece of cake sometimes. Just put on a dress, grab a photographer and show up at a party... (06.29.2007)

Wannabes behaving badly It started with sex at the Hunt Ball. Any way you cut it, and we all know illicit stuff goes on, but that’s not Emily... (06.26.2007)

Authenticity Por Favor My Sunday afternoons are always spent out to eat somewhere. I love Mexican food, and am always sampling different places to see what the area... (06.25.2007)

New and improved I always look forward to the Swan Ball issues of every Nashville publication. I especially like to see new faces...and I mean "nipped, tucked and... (06.24.2007)

On the Bandwagon Somehow I have failed to mention the plight that Paris Hilton has gotten herself into. How is this possible? Especially seeing that every other media... (06.22.2007)

Serendipity We went to New York for the week-end for a friend’s 50th birthday party. When my 11- and 14-year-old children learned we were going, the... (06.22.2007)

Flying is for the birds I couldn’t help it. Everyone around me was really quiet, trying to mind their own business in their 16 inch seats aboard a US Air... (06.22.2007)

Jay Leno was terrific Maybe I'm late to the party, but what is up with the critical remarks about this very funny man, who gave a masterfully funny performance... (06.21.2007)

Taking the plunge This week, mayoral candidates Briley, Dean, Dozier, and Gentry will be emptying their wallets and trading in their blue suits for more street-ish schmattes to... (06.20.2007)

Finally a reason to go to Opryland My new favorite day is Monday because Cheekwood is closed. My partners in crime there, Jennifer, Cathy and I, went to the Relache Spa at... (06.19.2007)

Tradition Found This weekend I had the chance to experience a local treat...Bobbie's Dairy Dip. Yes, this was my first encounter with the small, almost unnoticeable confectioner... (06.18.2007)

Miss you, Dad I never thought it would come to this. He was always there...a veritable force of nature, my daddy, Allison Houston Thomas. He was, in no... (06.18.2007)

I miss Tony John from Cincinnati cannot begin to replace Tony Soprano. First of all, that lame theme music. Is that supposed to appeal to baby boomers? It's... (06.17.2007)

What a party! Another Swan Ball has come and gone…over a year of hard work by many, many volunteers produced one of the loveliest parties ever. It was... (06.13.2007)

A Chance to Celebrate This Friday a group of friends and I would like get together and celebrate someone's new career. Generally, I prefer dressing up and going somewhere... (06.12.2007)

Nothing sweet about these creatures They are driving me mad! Ants...millions of tiny ants have invaded my kitchen. I have heard them called sugar ants but there is nothing sweet... (06.07.2007)

Got a tip for ya How much do you give the guy who pulls your car around from the makeshift lot? Three dollars? Five? What about the man who brings... (06.07.2007)

If you call me Kelly… I’m not going to answer you. I’ve been dealing with this problem all my life and I’ve had it. My name is Sinclair Kelly, not... (06.04.2007)

Sweet Nuptials This weekend marked the date of my friend's wedding in the deep south of Alabama. Everything went as planned, and the bride could not have... (06.04.2007)

Which numeral is which? Dr. Dave and I were trolling through the jillion channels of nothingness on TV recently, and came across what looked like the scene from the... (06.03.2007)

Quote of the Year "They say it is better to be poor and happy than rich and miserable, but how about a compromise like moderately rich and just moody?... (05.31.2007)

The Inn at Evins Mill I have a great tip for any of you wanting a quick get-away. Only an hour and 15 minute drive from Nashville is this great little place... (05.29.2007)

Downtown..everything's there for you..downtown I have not ventured downtown—on foot—in years. But I needed some building images for a job I am doing, and I needed to take my... (05.29.2007)

Wedding Season June brings warm weather, swimming pools, and wedding cake. Three of my favorite things in life. BUT, attending weddings and being a part of the... (05.24.2007)

Breakfast on the Weekends I know it is, in fact, closer to midweek than weekend, but I long for weekends the whole week through. Mostly due to the fact... (05.22.2007)

Senior discount? Now that I am officially a senior—60—I expect better service and more discounts. My husband is thrilled that I can go to Harris Teeter on... (05.21.2007)

Steeplechase recovery After persusing some 700 photos from Steeplechase, I'm ready to reflect. The day was gorgeous, the people well-behaved and beautifully, imaginatively dressed for the occasion... (05.19.2007)

Weekday Routines Coming to an End Ok, so every show that I watch during the week has ended this week. All, with the exception of American Idol, and I know I'm... (05.18.2007)

Lost all email I am bereft. I have long needed to update my computer in several significant ways. My techie younger son has chided me often for operating... (05.16.2007)

Come Fly With Me I have just booked my first cruise, set to sail in July. While I'm extremely excited right now, I have also had a few friends... (05.15.2007)

Nix the heads-together pose I'm poring over pictures from the Steeplechase, the Symphony Fashion show, Hunt Ball and more. Usually, looking at pictures from a great event is like... (05.15.2007)

Tradition...or Glorified Nascar With Steeplechase just a few days away, my attention has turned from the usual bout of shopping for dresses and bags to posh headgear. This... (05.08.2007)

Downtown fun...almost DOWN TOWN FUN..ALMOST On Friday night, my buddy Margaret and I ventured downtown for a performance by comedy legend Bob Newhart at the Ryman, which... (05.07.2007)

TALK TO ME BABY So far, eighteen people are running for president, ten republicans and eight democrats. A few others, such as Fred Thompson and Newt Gingrich, say they... (05.06.2007)

Goldie and Carolina are lucky that Baker Eadie is back in town Now that my children are getting older, I spend far more time in the veterinarian’s office than I do the pediatrician’s. It’s probably because we... (05.04.2007)

Calorie Restriction Overboard I hit the gym each and every morning, along with other "regulars" that go daily to sweat it out before starting their day. Today I... (05.01.2007)

The Naked Pages Did anyone else notice what looked like a cardinal mistake in NFocus this month? Those blank pages just jumped out at me. Pages 46 and... (04.30.2007)

That time again... As the end of April rolls around, I find myself rolling uncontrollably into insanity. Although I try to anticipate the madness of this time of... (04.29.2007)

Thanks, Henryetta There are lots of changes in the Nfocus family between issues—faces get tighter, babies are born and, sometimes, friends are lost. We occasionally face the... (04.27.2007)

What do you call a liberated first spouse? How do you address Andrea Conte when she is with the Governor? Recently, at the Tennessee Waltz I mumbled my way through"Hello Governor and Ms.-Andrea-Conte...... (04.26.2007)

When in doubt, fly through Singapore In March, I attended an amazing academic/interdisciplinary conference in Salzburg, Austria. The conference participants hailed from all over the globe; from places as varied as... (04.25.2007)

Waxing poetic—not bikini waxing After "reading" this morning's newspaper—the inmate hanging himself, the fine-looking 23-year-old soldier's obituary and other happy news—I let myself go to the dark side. Since... (04.25.2007)

Fun vs. Funds Today I spoke with someone regarding careers. This person is passionate about food; adores to cook. He does this every chance that he gets, will... (04.25.2007)

Anne and Mary's Big Adventure Cocktail conversation has gotten me into my share of trouble over the years but it never has landed me in a doctor’s office, until now... (04.24.2007)

Va. Tech, another perspective A friend of mine recently pointed out that over six times the number of deaths occurred in Iraq the same day 32 people were killed... (04.23.2007)

Hot Air at the Pool This weekend was my first to enjoy my new community pool. It was lovely...until two men decided to sunbathe next to me in an otherwise... (04.23.2007)

Art R Us After a recent trip to the Frist, my beloved came up with one of his brilliant ideas. He does this quite often to remind me... (04.22.2007)

Sea monster washes up Did you read about the colossal squid that washed up in New Zealand last week? Weighing almost a thousand pounds, it is the largest single... (04.22.2007)

On a lighter note: Savarino's Dr. Dave and I just had a roving lunch at a couple of places fairly new to us. We had shrimp gumbo at Nooley's in... (04.21.2007)

A Tragedy puts Everything in Perspective Not having cable cannot even begin to compare to the loss of lives in Virginia yesterday. This morning I reflected on this after reading more... (04.17.2007)

A World Without Cable I recently moved, taking everything with me including my television. But I have yet to be able to get the cable turned on because apparently... (04.16.2007)

Uncle Rimus If one read or watched too much news over the last several days - and one did - then it'll come as no surprise that... (04.15.2007)

Oyster Easter rocks (and a plug for Steeplechasers) Spring in Nashville is awesome! I must say, Nashville sure does know how to celebrate the arrival of warm weather. Oyster Easter last weekend (though... (04.12.2007)

Revenge...sweet and loud I recently ranted about my back yard neighbors who left Muttley out to bark all night. Well, they were seriously chastised by other neighbors besides... (04.12.2007)

Beauty Isn't Only on the Inside True Story: A friend of mine purchased her salary's worth of cosmetic's from Sephora over the weekend. She swiped her credit card once the makeup... (04.10.2007)

Born Again and Again and Again I asked a priest if he really thinks Jesus is going to come again, like, to Chicago or someplace, or, maybe, the Green Hills Maggie... (04.08.2007)

Shoerly there's another way When it comes to getting out on the party scene dance floor, I have to put out there what so many of us are thinking... (04.08.2007)

Thankful redux For some reason, a glitch is preventing entry to the comments portion of Anne Clayton's essay on gratitude. Should you have an answer to her... (04.06.2007)

Snow on Highway 100 snowflakes in April a slo-mo scrim of flotsam dogwood waits, so still... (04.06.2007)

House Beautiful Being the hopeless shopaholic I am, moving into a new home has offered many trips to stores and their internet counterparts in the search for... (04.06.2007)

Model Behavior Party Favors It’s been several weeks since the fun night out at the Model Behavior event. I looked again at the paperwork inside my party favor bag... (04.03.2007)

Wednesday nights rock again I cannot believe that I can get my Bruce Springsteen and Billy Joel fix for $5. Nathan Lee is back hosting Writers At The Rutledge... (04.03.2007)

Target Practice My new, shiny car has a scratch. Actually, the vehicle has more than a few dings and dents since its purchase two weeks ago. Nashville... (04.03.2007)

Thankful, thankful, thankful I have been traveling a lot lately in and out of the good old US of A, to destinations that are billed as paradise. These... (04.01.2007)

Your rights? Wrong! I have just returned from an idyllic week in Seagrove Beach, where I mostly ignored everything but sunscreen, my next meal, sunscreen and cocktail hour…my... (03.27.2007)

Caribbean dream. Not. I recently returned from a 10-day Caribbean Cruise. About a year ago, two girlfriends and I decided to stop talking about taking a big-girl vacation... (03.27.2007)

Spring garden fetish Springtime…when a young man's fancy turns to…mulch! Yes, mulch. It’s not only in Nashville, but everywhere. People are equating gardening with mulching. One of my... (03.25.2007)

Tupper at the Basement A memorial service of sorts took place last night at The Basement for Tupper (see previous post), and the place was packed with the eclectic... (03.25.2007)

Shiny New Things Everyone loves a good investment. A new home in a wonderful area, a great piece of artwork, even a classic, goes with everything handbag. When... (03.21.2007)

Pause and reflect I visited the Hermitage for the first time over the weekend. Slave life there was described as being better than in most other places. Families... (03.21.2007)

Schoerke family visits Elliston Soda Shop Since we aren’t leaving town for spring break for a few more days, I treated my kids to lunch at Elliston Place Soda Shop. It’s... (03.21.2007)

Tupper Saussy dies Musician, composer, artist, tax evader and most entertaining dinner partner passed away in the wee hours of Saturday morning while sitting at his computer at... (03.18.2007)

Costco turn-around I was killing a little time on Saturday and decided to check out the new stores on Charlotte. New Target...same store, new address; Marshall's, just... (03.18.2007)

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted Monday was the last day of my spring vacation this year. Four days back into the daily grind and I need another, longer getaway. While... (03.16.2007)

Where does all the money come from? I drive by Laurelbrooke every day, and every day I wonder, what do all these people do to be able to afford these homes—other than... (03.16.2007)

Julie Schoerke's night out: by JULIE On this stormy evening, several dozen of us braved the torrential rain. We were rewarded with a stimulating 90-minute conversation led by Vanderbilt History Professor... (03.16.2007)

Codependency Part II To paraphrase Jeff Foxworthy, "You are a codependent if..." 1. A guy writes a column on people-pleasing, emails it to you with a tongue-in-cheek note... (03.15.2007)

Ann Frances For those of you prospective brides out there, here's something that you may not be aware of. Ann Frances is no longer selling retail; instead... (03.15.2007)

Now that's what I call an Easter Egg! As many of you know, I work at Cheekwood, Nashville's Home of Art and Gardens. Last week, my fellow employees and I were treated to... (03.13.2007)

What vegetarian means to me Bear with me because I’m new here, but how is it that five pieces of gnocchi and a few roast vegetables are considered equivalent to... (03.12.2007)

Not so positive thoughts Yesterday I blogged about the power of positive thinking, a theory that I believe is the basis for living happliy with yourself and your fellow... (03.11.2007)

What's in a name... Recording the names of party-goers isn’t as easy as it looks. I am not an Nfocus Rolodex; and, contrary to popular belief, Beth does not... (03.11.2007)

The Secret Okay, I admit it. I was one of the millions who rushed out and bought The Secret after watching Oprah gush over it for an... (03.10.2007)

Building for the boomers I know that I am getting old, but really, some of the new houses going up around me need a ski lift to get to... (03.10.2007)

Swan Lake soirée Wonderful cocktail party last night at Lynn and Elizabeth Greer’s house celebrating the arrival of Alfred Fiandaca for the Ballet Ball weekend. Both Elizabeth and... (03.09.2007)

Velvet rules Thanks to all our buddies who came to Model Behavior at Radius10 Tuesday night. I’m still recovering from those special blueberry martini things and the... (03.08.2007)

From guest writer Julie Schoerke Nashville native and 1994 David Lipscomb High School graduate Christian Baker has completed his first big movie, My Brother , starring Vanessa Williams and Tatum... (03.08.2007)

Driving under the influence...of text messaging While dodging vehicles and doing my best NASCAR impersonation, a loud beep alerts me that I have a new message on my cell. I open... (03.08.2007)

Mary Kay...who knew? I’m always looking for better mascara. They all promise to add “dangerously sexy” volume, length and curl, while keeping dangerously sketchy smudges and raccoon eyes... (03.08.2007)

Constance Gee whiz Maybe you saw the announcement last week that Constance Gee has filed for divorce from Chancellor Gordon Gee. Two wonderful people, one sad story. One... (03.07.2007)

"401-K? Huh?" So, I have recently graduated from college and am attempting to make the transformation from financially supported college student to financially independent 20-something professional woman... (03.07.2007)

To err is human.... We all make mistakes. Some days are better than others—those are the days when I walk out of the house with two matching socks, my... (03.07.2007)

Dixie means Country Life gets confusing when people don't get what they expect; problem is, they expect too much. Some radio stations and their owners who say they... (03.02.2007)

Dr. Orcutt's take on advances in plastic surgery The following was written by Tom Orcutt, M.D.: The hottest, newest treatments in plastic surgery and skin care aren’t always as advertised: the companies that... (03.01.2007)

COSTCO addiction I’m addicted to COSTCO. I can’t stop buying in bulk. I kept hearing about it, how great it was, all the amazing things you could... (03.01.2007)

Trust in the law Yesterday I was in a fender bender in a parking lot. I followed the instructions on my insurance card and immediately reported the accident to... (02.28.2007)

Wilson Hardcastle's mom We just discovered a great blog from Nashvillian Wilson Hardcastle: I'm Just Saying . In recognition of his mom Fran Hardcastle, longtime volunteer at Vanderbilt... (02.26.2007)

After Oscar I get it. We’re all celebrating everybody in there-are-no-losers-here Hollywoodworld. But I’ve seen enough video montages now to last the rest of the decade. It’s... (02.26.2007)

Bring back New Orleans I returned from Mardi Gras this past week—my 10th annual visit since I started going in the 7th grade—and let me tell you, the swamp-like... (02.25.2007)

No smoking at Sperry's: What!? I noticed an alarming sign on the door of my favorite watering hole last week. As of March 1st, Sperry’s restaurant will be a no... (02.25.2007)

Clubland There are a lot of clubs I am not a member of, and never expect to be. They include Belle Meade Country Club, the Mile... (02.22.2007)

The Rat Pack Did anyone else have the privilege of seeing “The Rat Pack” last week at TPAC? I went to the Feb. 9 performance and for the... (02.19.2007)

Black tie: What it means for girls Several days before Heart Gala, I got an email from a female friend that said, “Can I ask a very junior high question? What are... (02.19.2007)

Plastic surgery: Yes I am all about life-changing moments. Those little things in life that make you decide to go left rather than right, say yes rather than... (02.18.2007)

From Green Hills to Buckhead Here’s the scenario: I wanted a new bag. A gorgeous, one-of-a-kind, creamy leather handbag that could go with whatever outfit I threw together. Where did... (02.18.2007)

M&M now stands for Made in Mexico Today I heard the disturbing news that the Hershey Chocolate Company is planning to move a large chunk of is manufacturing capacity to Monterrey. Mexico... (02.15.2007)