In order to make something memorable, you must first find what will make a lasting impression, and that’s exactly what The Sunnyhill Inc. non-for-profit organization set out to do when they went searching for their new venue at The Peabody Opera House (1400 Market Street, St. Louis, Missouri, 63103) for their  November  2011 event.  This past November Sunnyhill became part of The Peabody Opera House history by creating a journey chalked full of memories for all attendees. CRUSH, raised double the amount it had in 2010 for their “fun-raiser” and was hosted this year by the fashionable duo: Virginia Kerr, feature reporter for Great Day St. Louis on KMOV Channel 4 (CBS affiliate) and Nicole Benoist, founder of minipinkbook.com.  This fashion forward event elegantly blends the aesthetics of fashion with the complexities of wine and embarked on its 10th year with a twist of history that  put you right into the lap of luxury where the tastemakers in town will want to be. Wine sponsors for this years event were: Barefoot Wine & Bubbly, Major Brands & Anteres Winery. Our exclusive beer sponsor was provided by Anheuser-Busch which showcased: Budweiser Select, Stella Artois, Beck's & Leffe Brune for  samplings. If you missed this years event please visit the Sunnyhill Inc. website sunnyhillinc.org. 

Thanks to SAKS I was able to catch up with Taylor and do an interview, Q & A style and surprisingly, this isn’t the sexy-kittish designer’s first rodeo through the Lou. She actually swept through our Gateway city in 1993 on a Greyhound bus, not the usual “I’ve been in your airport before”, comment I feel like I usually get from people when I ask the standard question.

Here’s to our colorful dialogue and to Saint Louis Fashion Week keeping the Midwest on its toes! 

Cheresse Pentella (Interviewer): Since designing clothes to me is like an art form, and something I cannot do, I have to first ask, did you know you would be a designer at a young age or when exactly can you pinpoint fashion your passion in life?

Rebecca Taylor (Fashion Designer & Interviewee): Honestly, I had a love for clothes established back to the young age of just 4 years old. My mother hand made all of my clothes growing up and I distinctly remember asking her to add a button to the shoulder of an outfit or change something around, that would alter or add to some degree, a new style, even at that young age.  Of course, there wasn’t a lot going on in New Zealand and my first real hands on experience  was when I went into costume construction and learning to sew in trade school; it was either this route or electrical engineering believe it or not.

C: Wow, that’s an interesting start and a remarkable memory. So then you landed in New York working for a very well-known designer Cynthia Rowley correct?

R: At the time, someone I was dating back then, had been working for Cynthia. She was actually still in her up-in-coming phase. I was with Cynthia for 6 years and I took part in her developing over the years. We did New York Fashion Week and I began to see what ultimately happens to a designer once the talent becomes a success – it’s not overnight; there’s both growing and transitioning.

C: Now you’re the talent and the one the Midwest and many others have eyes on. What do you feel are the strongest adjectives that describe you for those Saint Louis consumers and others?

R: Modern, feminine, sexy – a designer for the everyday woman.

C: As an entrepreneur, I have to ask where the business side of things, ultimately play into your fashion house? Now that you’ve become a multi-million dollar company and you recently did a deal with a Saint Louis company, Kellwood, (Kellwood is an affiliate portfolio company to Sun Capital Partners, Inc. Kellwood designs, manufactures, and markets a growing collection of premier fashion brands across a broad range of consumer lifestyles. These brands include Scotch & Soda, Vince, Rebecca Taylor, ADAM, BLK DNM, David Meister, XOXO, Zobha, Jolt, My Michelle, Baby Phat, Phat Farm, Sag Harbor, Briggs NY, and Koret. Kellwood’s corporate headquarters are in Chesterfield, MO.) that has continued to gain both press and higher-end fashion labels back in January 2011, to be acquired. Can you go into more details on why this was the right move for The Rebecca Taylor line?

R: The pressure in the fashion industry is insane; it’s non-stop. Designers are expected to reproduce quicker and have new merchandise bi-monthly. My business partner, Elizabeth Bugdaycay, and I have done 15 years in this business by ourselves – 50/50. The forceful competition to constantly be creative is well, exhausting, and when this partnership came around it allowed me to really look at how Kellwood would be an asset to my line and my fashion shopper because it was only going to spur growth. I knew that my line could grow faster and grander by teaming up with Kellwood - they have the distribution and can go in to places and make things happen insanely quick. I am now able to provide my consumers a deliverable with boutiques opening much faster and me being allowed to stay focused on where my mind needs to be, which is with the clothing line and collections. You really have to learn to be balanced and put one foot in front of each other to live in this world.

C: I think every small business owner, entrepreneur and so on can understand exactly what you’re saying. I’m sure fashion line lovers just appreciate you thinking of them.

Your clothing has hit the celebrity line-up, and of course your designs were in one of the most fashion forward shows of all time:  “Sex in the City”. Can you tell us a little more about this and what other celebrities have worn your line or even who you like to see wearing your line?

R: One of my friends was a hair stylist for “Sex in the City”, the T.V. series and she would wear a lot of my clothes so this led to me being approached for my clothing line. Besides my clothes, I was actually typecast in the series.  Whether it’s T.V. or the movies the press people usually reach out or a stylist comes through the studio looking for specific looks, that’s how these things happen. Now, in regards to a few of the celebrities, I think it’s great that many body types and styles can wear my line and appreciate it from Jennifer Lopez to Uma Thurman. Then there is Cate Blanchet and Rishada Jones. Rashida is a personally favorite because she is always just so real, true and beautiful. I love to see her in my clothes.

C: I have always wondered how do fashion designers; especially those showing throughout Fashion Weeks know what the color schemes will be for each season?

R: For me it’s truly a sick sense. There isn’t a booklet on the styles or colors. For instance during the Spring New York shows, pastels were huge; yellow was strong as was white. Blues and greens were also seen a lot and in a big way.

C: I also have to ask, just how much do fashion editors get involved in the fashion designers choices and collections? Is it like the movies we see play out?

R: The editors dictate to more of the mainstream names, the influencers but not everyone.

C: So what can the lovely ladies of Saint Louis expect at your upcoming Oct 13^th show?

R: I want the market to get excited! I’m so thrilled to be meeting my Midwest consumer and getting a chance to find out just who that “Rebecca Taylor girl” is. The show will be great and I look forward to meeting everyone!

Taylor ended or interview by letting me know she has 5 new boutiques opening and a children's line! Her advice to other up-in-coming-designers was to do the best you can each and every day and make sure you have your priorities intact. Taylor’s priorities these days are her husband in which she has learned to be a team with in life, by making sure they both keep their sense of humor in line as well making time for their 3 young children; twin 4 year-year-old girls and their 2 year old boy.

 

For more information on Rebecca Taylor www.rebeccataylor.com; http://www.facebook.com/MyRebeccaTaylor; or @MyRebeccaTaylor or visit saksfifthavenue.com. To purchase tickets to Saint Louis Fashion Week visit Alivemag.com/fashionweek/ or contact PR & Events @ Saks Fifth Avenue in Frontenac Plaza. 

Driving in I gazed out the window looking out at wide open farmland and fields. I wasn’t really sure what to expect but I planned to enjoy a state known for their Super Bowl winning Packers and their cheese.

With so much land your eyes can’t help but notice the decadent landscaping, then the markets, boutique shops, lakes and as you continue into The American Club you almost feel a  like you’re approaching a University, only this University focuses on relaxation, golf and top rated bathing experiences. I was about to embark on all of this, and a much known and historical name, Kohler!

As I exited my SUV the valet team couldn’t be more precise or more decked out in their Euroean outfits which looked a little like a picture out of My Preppy Handbook. Walking into The American Club Resort I realized that this place was built by a family that prides themselves on execution, experience, attention to detail and making sure that nothing is done cheaply- nothing. And after being in the P.R. and marketing business for over 17 years I REALLY appreciate those who made this decision because it can be very effective and smart and of course it’s never as hard to spend when you actually have it to spend.

The name Kohler is known for being a worldwide leader in the most beautiful of plumbing products and it seems that this club was actually another flowing stream of design for this family, the city and for all who  know about the resort.

Down to the very straight and uniformed looks of the staff, it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the style of The American Club would be a mix of  traditional charm with dark wood and fine looks combined with the flavor of the modern swing especially, when it came to the suites’ bathrooms. Truly nothing was spared in the bathrooms especially the tub. You know going in, that it’s going to be engaging because the bathrooms for the Kohler’s are like fine works of Monet on display. Their rooms seemed like something you’d find in Aspen, especially the rates, than Wisconsin. For the first time in a long time, I really read the directions on the “how to” sheet and watched the tub take action with a heated bottom, massaging jets and interchanging rainbow colors which you can either choose to rotate or stay with solids. The effervescent flow created an urgency in me to want to run down to the Kohler museum and purchase whatever might allow me this relaxed feeling at home. 

Now, with all this said, nothing is better in life then going to a spa where everything is at your beck and call. The Kohler Water’s Spa is the Midwest’s only Forbes Four Star Spa and does a fantastic job in making sure that their products are up to date and the best ones out there. This summer Kohler partnered with a beer company to present their “Summer Beer & Pedicure” specials which was a smart idea for the beer company targeting women who can buy the beer of their choice. In this case I think the pairing of beer and The Kohler Spa outweighed any champagne taste or budget.

The American Club is considered a luxury spa and resort and it is operated by the Kohler Company. It has received various awards, including the Top 100 Golf Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler magazine, and is the Midwest’s only AAA Five Diamond Resort Hotel.  It now is part of Destination Kohler. The American Club hotel was built in 1918 to house the Kohler Company's immigrant workers and when it was left unused it was the Kohler family that stepped in to take ownership and find a way to make the land a destination place for others. The nearby Whistling Straits (five golf Majors) and Blackwolf Run (two golf Majors) are two of the world’s leading resort destinations to comprise the Group.

The market and shopping were all ridiculously cute. I use these adjectives because although there was really only 1 or 2 stores that my personal style leaned to I couldn’t believe how cool some of the items were that we found at the market and were sold here. From mini milk bottles that were candles to dishes and suitcases, even pillows, blankets and rugs printed with every color of puppy dog on them and the clothing lines might even have had some more luxurious labels then some other larger cities I know. The most interesting part about these boutiques and this marketplace was that at least 4 of the stores managers I spoke with told me that the store was opened and run by Kohler. In fact, to get the boutiques to come in and get the retail interested Kohler was smart to open their own stores up which are fantastic and totally out of the box by the way. What better then to just open your own style of shop?

From lingerie to children’s stores to a gardening boutique, Kohler had outdone themselves and whoever was the buyer – had literally found some of the most interesting items around. So to Kohler, I say KUDOS and I hope to be back again for this month's Food & Wine event (October 20-23, 2011)!  I hope many others find this family owned sparkling bubbler, because it’s worth it.

About Herbert Vollrath Kohler, Jr & The Kohler Company

The largest employer in Kohler is the Kohler Company, a worldwide leader in plumbing products; the village itself was created by the company as a planned community in 1912 as Kohler moved their operations from within the city of Sheboygan to then-rural land purchased by the company west of that city. Many people in Wisconsin refer to drinking fountains as "bubblers," because the first Kohler drinking fountain was known as "The Bubbler." In addition to the factory, the Kohler Company also owns The American Club golf resort, which includes the Blackwolf Run course complex in Kohler and the Whistling Straits complex in nearby Haven (which carries a Kohler postal address). In 1934 and 1954, Kohler will be inducted in the U.S. Business Hall of Fame as a "legend of business". 

As of 2007 Kohler's net worth was estimated at $4.0 billion. Throughout our nearly 132-year history Kohler Co. has remained true to our founding vision of defining the frontiers of ideas, craftsmanship and technology. Throughout the years we've led the way in product design with a commitment to quality over a broad range of price points. Kohler appeared in the film Open Range, released in 2003 and starring Kevin Costner.

 

 

 

We started with a favorite TV host and reporter on "Show Me St. Louis" (NBC affiliate) KSDK Channel 5:  Wendy Eriksonwho told us, “Facebook is a great tool for generating story ideas by simply paying attention to the reaction of Facebook users. When I'm researching for story ideas or to fill a segment, the business that pops into my mind is typically the one that I see most often on Facebook. In fact, the other day I was looking for a food-related story and saw on Facebook that a friend had posted a comment about a place called Gingham’s Homestyle Restaurant and how amazing the food was. Shortly after reading the comment, a local band posted that they were going to be playing at Gingham’s. The frequency level at which people were discussing this one topic and restaurant struck me as something newsworthy for my viewers as well as Facebook followers.” 

Night reporter and anchor for KSDK Channel 5: Jeff Small is responsible for covering any and all types of news stories ranging from good news in the city to hard news. Jeff commented that, “Our station closely watches the stories that are trending, rank high on our website or on national news outlets. We can also get tips or leads this way. I report mainly the hard news items and my stories can be strongly influenced by suggestions people make on Facebook if it fits what I'm covering and adds quality to the piece."

Over at Channel 4 KMOV (CBS affiliate) we spoke with Lakisha Jackson, Digital Content Producer and Correspondent who stated that I mainly use Twitter to inform the public of what is happening and as a station and department we use Facebook as a tool to connect with viewers which allows us to gain important feedback or information regarding news stories that may have not come across their radio scanner."

According to The St. Louis Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, bloggers, commenters, journalists and everyone else with access to the Internet constantly compete for attention. Many successful “web-eneurs” have established a personal brand and, with the help of social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, have made their own name and sites go-to destinations on the Web. The St. Louis Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists held a lunch back in April where they featured a panel of select journalists, that you may recognize, who have successfully created their own personal brand through the use of social media.  The journalists featured on their panel and invitation included the following: 

Evan Benn, who in just a couple of years at the Saint Louis Post-Dispatch, made himself and his Hip Hops blog a reliable and popular source for his personal comments relating to the beer industry.  Angela Ortmann @stlwinegirl built up her identity and is heavily involved in the event and consultation business, not to mention her affiliation with the Feast Publication.

From the advertising and sales perspective, we spoke with Jason Twigg, Online Sales Manager for The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Twigg mentioned "Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter play a strong role on how we deliver our advertisers message to consumers these days. The name of the game is not only exposure, but to whom you are exposing the message. Companies do not have the same amount of disposable income and have become increasingly aware of the effectiveness of their advertising dollar."

In being more connected there is also more room for error. For example, Facebook has grown from 200 million users in 2008 to about 500 million users today and with that comes the additional legal risks for companies, organizations and individuals as well. In fact in some cases, the regulations are still being written.

For those of you looking for grass roots or cheaper ways to reach the media, social media is an outlet. Just remember it is an incredibly powerful tool that has the potential to connect you with the community, catapult your career, shape your brand and reach your target market.  However, if not used carefully, it can also take you down and destroy everything you have strived for in a matter of seconds. Our advice: be wise, tread with caution and don't post anything you wouldn't want your client, employer or grandmother to read! Welcome to the social evolution of our time! 

 

An exciting addition to this year's Classic was the appearance of one of St. Louis' own restaurateurs, Chef Kevin Willmann, founder of Farmhaus. He actually graced the cover of Food & Wine Magazine as one of the “Best New Chefs of 2011” in a city wide search. This was ironic for me, because I first met Willmann at Lucas Park Grille when it launched downtown and I was hired on to handle the Grand Opening. This opening was one of my very first events as an entrepreneur with CheresseINK, and I remember the amazing creativity Willmann had then at Lucas Park. His quality and execution in his food defined the restaurants reputation, let alone his. 

Willmann was actually the first of many St. Louis Chefs to work with our firm. CheresseINK has handled Claus Schmitz, Larry Forgione, Gerard Craft, Mike and Marc Del Pietro and many other exquisite names. During my tenure in Miami, FL – where I worked for both a P.R. firm and then the city magazine – I organized and partnered on openings with several restaurants, mostly on South Beach. To this day, I still remember pushing the magazine to get aligned with hot brands and new possibilities and so we began throwing more events and opening up major celebrity restaurants. There was: Joia, which marked Madonna’s sidekick Ingrid Casares’ where she launched the beginning of the all white lounge/restaurants; Ricky Martin’s, Casa Salsa, which was on the coat tails of his CD; Gloria and Emilio Estefan’s restaurant Bongos Cuban Café; and one of my very first as a team member of Zynax, The All Star Café. At 22 to 23 years of age these events seemed way more awe-inspiring then they do now. It’s amazing how chefs have become mainstream national celebrities esepcially with their rise on reality TV shows. I will never forget Forgione telling me that in New York, chefs were given rock star status even back in the day – and I think now, when we bite into something unbelievably juicy, can't we all understand why? 

Walking into Aspen’s Food & Wine grand tasting tent this year, I was thankfully more prepared than last year because I knew what to expect. I had meetings set up with several major companies squeezing in all the opportunities that I could. I was lucky enough to sign up and attend events or seminars with my hosts including: Danny Meyer, Mario Batali, José Andrés, Lidia Bastianich, Susan Feniger, Michael Symon, Thomas Keller, Daniel Boulud and Jerome Bocuse. I sat next to a writer who wrote for AMEX’s Restaurant Briefings, an online newsletter that defined all the industry trends each year. This year, I was told it was the year of the iPad and touch screens. This shouldn’t surprise anyone that restaurants were using their own software and technology to service their interactive wine list. Diners can choose to view wines based on characteristics such as vintage, region, type and price range. For example, in the world map view, tapping on a region or country will show you wines that come from that area of the world. Many restaurants from both coasts use iPads to allow the consumer to see an entire wine list and actually order the wine right from the table. This would notify your waiter and have he/she appear with your wine selection and a glass prepared for you to sniff, swirl and taste. In fact, some restaurants even went a step further and allowed their patrons to order completely from the iPad – when I inquired about this cutting staff out of the picture, I was told it would actually enhance the staff's performance and allow them to stay on top of the table more giving them more time to spend on recommendations in hopes of probably upselling for larger bills if the waiter did his or her job effectively. Who knows what will ultimately happen with this style though in the future if this recession doesn’t take a turn. Interesting enough those restaurants that had implemented the iPad for their wine list and presentation had seen an increase in sales anywhere from 10-15%.

If you think about it, showcasing the bottle, a description that outlines the taste and mentioning what it could pair with in terms of the menu is a futuristic advancement to say the least. I had heard the iPad was also being used at a more casual Burger Joint in San Francisco, where beers and burgers were ordered through the iPad and you saw your waiter when your food was delivered to your table. Other companies such as Chipotle and Starbucks have standalone apps available for the iPad where customers can view the restaurant’s menu, nutritional value, and even let you place an order for pick-up at your convenience for those on the go. I had actually seen implementations of this in this years Fashion Week when AOL brought out their iPad to gather information on consumers while they boarded their Style.com bus. Lexus also used the iPad for the same collection of information onsite in The Grand Tasting tent this year and they also would send you an instant email offer of $1,000 off your new Lexus car.

Besides industry technology, I also saw more branded partnerships like Patron and QVC onsite. These relationships have always existed but this year the integration popped up everywhere. A super cool example that was also showcased on "The Today Show" was the Patron Pops that were on-site as the Classic icicle pops and they partnered with a popcicle vendor in order to have these onsite and to standout amongst all the other competitors - and they did! Latin Flavor PITBULL launched his new flavored vodka, Voli, this year at the event and promoted it heavily at one of his event performances, live at Sky Hotel.

Then experts sat down to discuss the Food Truck phenomenon and having major celebrity restaurants inside stadiums, which led me to wonder why Danny Meyer doesn’t have a spot in one of our major football, baseball or hockey stadiums? I’m not keen on implementing the NYC pricing to our stadiums but it would make sense to get a hometown foodie. In fact, Meyer's seminar this year was Wine & Wieners, so maybe we even use the name?

Partnerships and possibilities like these are endless, just as they are in the P.R. world!

 

With the four month long NFL lockout hopefully coming to an end within the next couple of days, I bet you are wondering what the professional athletes have been doing with so much free time since they have not been able to play football. As the saying goes, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop.” In other words, too much free time will you get you into trouble. A few NFL players have proved that saying right by their social media presence in the past few months. 

At the beginning of every season, usually around training camp, each member of every team is informed to “think before they tweet.” With the absence of the organization’s guidance and no one to look over their shoulders, a few players have gone a bit crazy with how they express themselves and their thoughts about the pending labor issues. For example, Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker, James Harrison, blasted NFL Commissioner, Roger Goddell, in the August issue of Men’s Journal. "If that man was on fire and I had to piss to put him out, I wouldn't do it," Harrison told the magazine. "I hate him and will never respect him."  From tweets of players cursing the lockout to explosive comments in interviews, the athletes are having a hard time using their filters.  

As soon as the NFL lockout began, I could only imagine the fears that each organization’s public relations team was having. Professional athletes on the loose can only mean one thing…. a publicity nightmare! With the faces of their organization out of work, the NFL was forced to find groups of people to hit the community and keep the positive image of their team that they have been working so hard to secure. Within weeks of the NFL putting the locks up, cheerleaders and front office staff members took over the athlete’s job of being the spokespeople of the organization. The entire staff was quickly trained to answer any and every question that a disgruntled fan would have about potentially not having a 2011 football season. The proper lockout etiquette has been the standard way to behave while attending or representing the football organization at any outing or event.

This technique would be called “crisis communication” by the educated public relations professional, and it would be something similar to the efforts put together by the PRteam at BP after the oil spill to help keep a positive outlook on the company. The NFL started out positively by addressing the labor issues before the lockout was put into place, but that didn’t mean the members of the National Football League Players Association had the same efforts in mind. 

Although fans are skeptical that an entire league can come together and have a productive 2011 season after being away from their profession for four months, multiple players have expressed how refreshed and healthy they feel after their long summer away. As you read this, the chains on the doors of each team’s training facilities very well may be unlocked and the players, coaches, front office and even the cheerleaders can come together again as one big happy family. Well… except the few black sheep with new skeletons in their NFL closet.

What are some fitness tips and tricks for those going on vacation that would never cross most people’s minds?

A few tips I could give for someone before they leave for vacation are first that, most people buy new clothes or swimsuits for their vacation – and when you buy new things, you are excited to wear them, right? Well, make a point to buy some new workout clothes, too! That way you will be anxious to wear them and will be more likely to workout which will help keep you excited about working out on your vacation! Also, it has been my experience that getting a good base tan before you hit the beach is helpful, especially if you are light skinned and are prone to burning easily! Not that I'm advocating tanning, but it can be very harmful to your skin and your body if you hit the beach totally pale and then get fried!The more times you get badly sunburned, the more prone you are to getting skin cancer. So, starting out under a controlled environment, slowly working up your base color and gradually reintroducing your skin to the sun’s rays can help keep you from getting completely burned on the beach. Just make sure you don't burn and always use sunscreen throughout your vacation. I also suggest not waiting to pack until the last minute. Pack early or make a list of what to bring, that way you are less likely to forget something that you'll regret not having later like your phone charger or your camera. And as much as we girls want to look good on our vacation, I would suggest not getting acrylic nails put on prior. Years ago I did and regretted it when the very first day on the beach putting on my sunscreen, they got completely ruined! The sunscreen reacted similar to nail polish remover and practically dissolved my nails.  I had to go the rest of my trip with nasty nails and there was nothing I could do about it.

What are the five essential items in your suitcase for your vacation?

The top 5 products that I would make sure were in my suitcase for vacation are sunscreen, SPF chapstick/lipbalm, vitamins, hand sanitizer, and tennis shoes!  Sunscreen is clearly a must have if you are going to be in the sun at all and if you wish to avoid wrinkles and skin cancer. Most people forget about their lips and they get burned! I use an SPF chapstick that I continually apply as much as sunscreen to keep my lips moisturized and to prevent burning and peeling. I have vitamins and a probiotic that I take everyday, so you want to make sure to keep up with that while you're on vacation, too. Tennis shoes are a must because you never know what you are going to do or what may come up on vacation, and you also want to have them so that you can be sure to get your workouts in as well!  Lastly, hand sanitizer is great, especially when traveling.  Whether by car or by plane, there are going to be a lot of germs you are going to come across and you may not always be able to get to a sink to wash your hands.  Keep this with you and you could help save yourself from potentially getting sick at the worst possible time.

What would you recommend as the best types of food to put in your system while traveling?

While traveling, there are some foods and drinks you'd want to stay away from as well as some you should be sure to include. You want to stay away from caffeinated drinks or any high sugar drinks or snacks.  These might pick you up temporarily, but will bring you crashing back down and feeling even more tired. Stick to water to keep you hydrated and your blood sugar levels steady. Also, be sure to bring healthy foods to snack on such as nuts, veggies, fruits, and trail mix to keep your energy up and to keep you from overeating when you eat your meals.

Vacation is definitely a time to jump off the diet band wagon, but some don't want to lose all of the hard work they put in for their beach body. What suggestions would you give to those who really just want to let it all go?

My suggestion for those that want to "let it all go" on vacation is, DON'T!  Why would you want to work so hard to get your beach body just to undo it all?  You can still have fun and relax and do all the things you want to do, while maintaining a fairly healthy diet and lifestyle. Bring your tennis shoes and workout clothes and get a morning run in along the beach while you watch the sunrise, or take just 30 minutes out of the day to use the exercise room at the hotel. If there isn't one, you can do lunges, push-ups, and planks in your room. You can choose to walk the boardwalks or use the stairs instead of the elevators. Any physical activity you can do will help to at least maintain where your body is at. But your diet comes into play just as equally, so don't get too crazy! Still make healthy eating choices when you go out to eat. For snacks or packed lunches, buy only healthy foods so that you have only those choices. If drinking alcoholic drinks, try to stick to clear liquors with club soda or water and stay away from beer or super sugary and fruity drinks like daiquiris. They are packed full of calories. If you must have dessert, choose to split it with someone or take the other half home to eat when/if you have a craving later. The key is not to deprive yourself, but to make smart choices. Every little bit helps and you will not only be able to help keep that beach body you worked so hard for, but will feel energetic and great at the same time!

Marta’s Boutique is an independent staple in Saint Louis, mainly because of owner and founder, Marta Gaska. Marta has been a well-known name in the St. Louis community and not just because of her business, but because of her vast fashion sense, pleasing personality and continued charitable outreach. She created the inception of boutique stores in St. Louis and is one of a handful of boutique “originals”. Marta has been in the retail industry for 29 years and she has watched fashion, trends and boutiques come and go; she continues to make sure that her retail style fits her consumers. Over the years Marta’s Boutique has revolutionized just as the styles, designers and looks have in order to stay in sync, fashion credible, designer knowledgeable, and price comparable.

“My clients want to explore sophistication in a chic and refined way but with a touch of freshness and youth. Today’s woman isn’t showing her age, she’s adapting along the way,” expressed retail extraordinaire Marta Gaska.

Marta attributes her businesses continued success to being family owned and operated with four generations of stylish females involved, including Marta’s mother Bernice, her two daughters Tania and Lauren, and now her granddaughters, who will one day grow up to continue the family boutique. Tania and Lauren now have the responsibility of working alongside their mother and deciding what fashions the boutique should carry as well as many other undertakings. The daughters also give input to the generations in their 30’s, 40’ & 50’s and the more innovative, creative and playful women they see and the challenges that both newbie Mom’s and business executives face. In addition, it was this strong family team that made the decision to open Marta’s second boutique in Ladue, an opportunity that will only continue to further expand the brand of Marta’s Boutique.

Customers will be excited to see a superior selection and wider variety of designers in the sale line-up including: Miss Me, Juicy Couture, Sevens Jeans, Virgins, Saints & Angels, Humanity for All, French Dressing Jeans, Michael Stars, Hanky Panky, Spanx, Rock’n Royal, David Khan (great line for new Mom’s), Joseph Ribkoff, Provided by the business owner Brighton and even exclusive lines: Alberto Makali and Simon Chang that are not found in other St. Louis stores. There will also be a wide range of handbags, jewelry, sunglasses, belts and several other accessories at the sale.   

Last year the tent sale generated over 1,000 customers, several of them new, to the boutique. The sale and revenue also helped to bring in tax dollars to the City of Ellisville and the community. This year, with the unfortunate tornadoes that have rampaged our surrounding cities, a significant donation will be made to the Merriman family in Joplin – a family that Marta and her family have already sent donations to. A sale event with this much merchandise takes a long time to put together and with this charitable partnership, the event becomes a cause-shopping experience, which is more special because of the help that customers can provide to those in need. 

Remember ALL sales are FINAL. Arrive EARLY for the best selections & charitable donation. Cash & Charge Purchases will be accepted! Please note that those with charge purchases may have to wait a little longer based on the time of day and crowds.

Marta’s Boutique

Marta's Boutique opened for business in 1982 and continues to be owned and operated by four generations of family. Marta’s is a boutique known for their large selection of ready to wear apparel from casual to holiday dressy or charity formal.  Selections of fashions come from all over including blends from Canada and Europe. Marta’s can also handle clothing challenges or crises as well as alterations. Marta’s Boutique has two locations: 1352 Clarkson / Clayton Center, Ellisville, MO 63011 where the store has been for 15 years and their new location: 9208 Clayton Road, Ladue, MO, 63124.

The spot is for Old Navy’s Let Freedom Ring Sale and while the idea of a special sale for a holiday weekend is practically expected within the retail market, some consumers think Old Navy went too far with their campaign.

One YouTube commenter named SpectorTippy stated that “This [commercial] is a slap in the face to take this song that means so much to every American Patriot and turn it into another stupid Old Navy commercial,” while another commenter with a similar sentiment, VEPR39, expressed that “Old Navy will never see a single dime of my money ever again.”

Was Old Navy’s approach to the patriotic holiday a little insensitive? Some viewers don’t think so. Several comments on the YouTube spot declare that people are just “whining over a simple commercial.” Some viewers even enjoyed the commercial.

While Old Navy hasn’t issued any official response to the reaction about the spot, they did just announce a 4^th of July program supporting American troops. The San Francisco based company will hold an “Operation: Care and Comfort,” an organization in San Jose, California, throughout all 1,000 Old Navy stores nationwide. Customers will be able to donate essential items needed by troops during this time period – and no doubt, Old Navy is hoping for a higher traffic of consumers to come in because of their Let Freedom Ring sale, which will also bring in a higher amount of donated goods.

The 4^th of July, while first and foremost an extremely important day in our nation’s founding, has undoubtedly become a holiday eagerly branded by those in many different industries. These campaigns can often be great ways to connect with consumers in an engaging and emotionally charged way – so it’s important that major companies seek out information, whether in-house or through their PR firm, to make sure their message comes through the way they themselves perceive it. Old Navy’s greatest strength is its transparency – the fact that it is a brand known for its support throughout the community year round makes its 4^th of July campaign very genuine and believable. When it comes down to it, the campaign did what a good PR campaign centered around such a patriotic holiday should do: represent the 4^th of July as a day to reflect on the humble beginnings of the United States, how much the nation has grown and prospered, and staying grateful to the many Americans, notably the thousands of troops stationed all over the world, who continue to uphold the highest level of sophistication on behalf of their country.