results for Two unabashed romantics, Capucine and David Gooding founded Juliska in 2001 with a collection of 40 historic Bohemian glasses – since then the company has blossomed to one of the leading home brands in America. Juliska is not about trends; it’s about loving life and living well. Juliska today is made up of an inspired group of individuals committed to providing beautiful things for the home. We are inspired by the gathering of family and loved ones over food, passionate artisans, and centuries of European design.

Vietri Summer Entertaining Giveaway

July 15, 2013
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Entertaining

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Bianco White Serving Platter  ||  Blu Mare Crab Serving Dish  ||  Aladdin Tortoise Shell Flatware  ||  Indigo Medallion/Tied Dye Placemats  ||  Blu Mare Assorted Canape Plates  ||  Puccinelli Classic Glass Pitcher  ||  Puccinelli Old Fashioned Glass  ||  Lastra Bottle Holder  ||  Blu Mare Seahorse Serving Platter

In my eyes there is nothing better than a dinner party.  Good food, good friends, good wine and most importantly a beautifully set table.  And table settings don’t get more beautiful than VIETRI’S.  VIETRI, an American importer of hand crafted Italian goods has been gracing tables since 1983 when the Gravely sisters took a life changing trip to Italy…

The Gravely’s, Susan, Frances, and their mother, Lee, headed to the Amalfi Coast of Italy where they checked into the San Pietro Hotel in Positano. During lunch at the hotel, the three women found themselves captivated by the hotel’s colorful, handcrafted dinnerware. They immediately arranged to meet the artisans at a nearby factory in the town of Vietri sul Mare.  They were so taken by the Italian artisans’ craftsmanship that they ended up spending three days with them, watching as they painted, glazed and fired each piece by hand. A special friendship developed between the talented Italians and the charming southern women. Soon, the Gravelys returned home with an array of “mix-and-match” pieces featuring whimsical cows, horses, rams, and fish- the collection that would become known as Campagna, VIETRI’s flagship dinnerware.

It did not take long for the ladies’ friends and family to express interest in owning these unique pieces. Thrilled that others recognized what a treasure they had found, the women decided they wanted to import the Italian dinnerware and become wholesalers, selling to stores across the US. They named their company VIETRI, a tribute to the town where it all began and a play on the phrase “tre vite,” Italian for “three lives.”

That was thirty years ago, and in the time since, VIETRI has become the largest American importer of handcrafted Italian tableware and home decor products, working with multiple family owned and operated factories throughout Italy. A leader in design, craftsmanship, and customer service, the VIETRI brand both complements the American lifestyle and celebrates all that is irresistibly Italian: a love of life, people, nature, and good living.

And because I couldn’t agree more with the Gravely sisters, I’m thrilled to be partnering with VIETRI and bring you our summer entertaining giveaway.  Above I’ve created my top summer entertaining picks from VIETRI, and we’re giving you a chance to win my favorite, the Blu Mare Crab Serving Bowl valued at $100.  I love this bowl specifically because even if you can’t afford the entire place setting you can easily add it to your white dishes and some amazing placemats like the Indigo Medallion and Tie Dye ones for a great look.   The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents and will run through Sunday the 21st with a winner announced Monday the 22nd.  We’ll be running this all through Rafflecopter (below) which allows you to earn points for each item completed with a simple click of the button.  The more points you earn the more likely you are to win (and remember you probably already have entry points if you’re a regular reader of the blog).  Happy Monday, and good luck! truly, MKR.

This giveaway is sponsored by VIETRI, however my opinions are 100% my own

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Let’s Talk: Fashion Trends, Saying No & Saving-and-Spluring

A Conversation about Shopping Strategy
July 2, 2016
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday

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panama

We’re inundated with fashion inspiration these days, there’s no question about it.  As a result of Instagram and Pinterest especially, we can easily get caught up in the overwhelming urge to stock up (and spend a pretty penny) on the hottest trends.  Now I know this topic won’t be top of mind for me forever (like, say when I’m saving up for a deposit on my first house in a few years).  But at the age of 27, I’m attending a lot of events and weddings, saving for the future, and paying off student loans, so I have to be strategic about where my disposable money goes…and if I’m not careful, it usually all goes to clothes.   In a dream world, I’d always recognize forever-pieces from the duds.  In REALITY, though, it’s sometimes hard to resist the season’s latest trends because even wardrobe staples need a little flair sometimes. 

So what’s helped me not go broke over the irresistible new fashion trends?  Knowing where to draw the line, and being able to say no.  I’ve become so wise (in my old age) that I’ve learned that some trends work for my friends and not me, and vice versa.  For the record, I look SILLY in jumpsuits and rompers with my wide hips, but I have a friend with an hourglass waist who looks dynamite in them.

Another trick?  I like to think of trends as the category to have a little fun in, and that means getting creative with their sources (read: finding them on sale or highly discounted)!  French style icon and blogger Garance Dore wrote in Love Style Life, “It’s more about building your wardrobe with great essentials and using the trends for fun updates.”  I strategize a save-and-splurge technique by checking out discount sites like The Outnet and setting up sale alerts on ShopStyle (a great site to search for specific items) for the trendy items I’m looking for.  As an example of my save-and-splurge strategy, I’ve found that these affordable lace-up sandals look just as good as the designer version, and this affordable panama hat is exactly what I need, without costing as much as this one.  Lace-up sandals and panama hats are very trendy right now, and I feel better about buying the affordable options especially if I’m not 100% the trend will last through next year.  (And to my delight, these sandals and this hat actually have!)  A wardrobe staple like a classic black blazer, on the other hand?  I’m going to buy one I know I’ll have for at least the next decade. 

So I’d love to know: what fashion trends are you loving right now?  Have there been trendy pieces that you have turned into staples?  Has there been a fashion trend you’ve fallen trap to?  What trends have you avoided?  Lastly, where do YOU score your trendy pieces?  Cheers, Kat 

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Photography, Chelsey Heidorn for Waiting on Martha

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A Roadtrip through South Carolina with Atlanta Food & Wine

How to spend 24 hours in Greenville, South Carolina
March 15, 2017
Story By: Mandy Kellogg Rye
Filed Under > Everyday

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We recently had the most amazing time in South Carolina, as I’m sure you can recall from our posts on Instagram and Snapchat (username WAITINGONMARTHA).  Coming back from the whirlwind of a trip (we were gone 10 days in total), I was officially convinced that South Carolina is probably my (second) favorite state.  With its incredible geographical delights, drool-worthy food and great drivability from us here in the A, it makes for a wonderful getaway and worthwhile trip – however long you can go.  

Atlanta Food & Wine Festival teamed up with our friends at Discover South Carolina and Lexus to send us on a food-and-drink filled 3 days-2 night road trip.  And man, the itinerary was GOOD.  There’s a lot to cover, but in today’s post, we’re talking about where to visit in Greenville. 

First on our itinerary was Six & Twenty Distillery, where founders David Raad and Robert “Farmer” Redmond welcomed us with open arms after a morning of road tripping north from Atlanta.  David and Farmer’s passion for their craft was apparent from the second we walked through their doors; we had a wonderful time hearing about their unique process in making a variety of handcraft whiskies, bourbon gin and vodka. The homemade touch was obvious with everything we saw (and tasted!); every bottle was meticulously filled, hand corked and labeled on site, and the batches of bottles were numbered and personally signed. The team left with t-shirts and bottles of Six & Twenty’s crowd favorite, Carolina Cream, in tow. 

We were enamored with the story behind the Six and Twenty name too.  Legend has it that before the Revolutionary War, a Choctaw woman was captured by the Cherokee and made a slave. She overheard the Cherokee’s attack plans for the trading post where her British lover lived. She escaped captivity to warn him of the looming danger, and traveled 96 miles to save him. She set geographical points along the way, based on her distance from the Cherokee village.  The distillery is located approximately 26 miles from the original village, giving it its name! Check out more on this love story that made history (and one heck of a great name for a distillery). 

Next on the itinerary: lunch at Grits & Groceries, which is located at Saylors Crossroads at the junction of 185 and 284.  Its closest town is a little place called Belton, about 30 minutes away. As we pulled up, we found cars lining both of th roads, seemingly at the only establishment around.  We knew we were in for a treat seeing how busy it was in the middle of the day.  We grabbed Bloody Mary’s at the outside bar and eagerly waited what we knew would be a feast to remember.  And we were right; Chef Heidi Trull sent out her fried country ham balls with homemade pepper jelly (AMAZING) and we scarfed them down in practically one bite.  When the place cleared up a bit, Chef Heidi sat us right at the bar so we could have a front-and-center view of the kitchen.  She then went and served us the royal treatment, bringing out samplings of all of her mainstays on the menu: her famous praline bacon, “Eggs Elizabeth”, fried cheese grits with tomato jam, “Three Little Piggies” sandwiches, shrimp and grits, the Palmetto Burger (possibly the best grassfed beef burger we’ve ever had with a big ole scoop of homemade pimento cheese on top), and of course (somehow we found room) for her husband Joe’s homemade fried apple pies.  I mean they had to roll us out of there, but not before they sent us on our way with more fried apple pies for later and plenty of homemade pepper jelly. 

Happy food comas set in, and we headed back to Greenville to check into the Westin Poinsett, which has a great central location in the downtown. We took a bit of a breather to reset, explore the town and gear up for dinner at the wildly popular Willy Taco Feed & Seed.  With two locations (the other in Spartanburg, SC), the “Willy” of Willy Taco, William Cribb, has knocked it out of the park with this full-service, upcycled cantina concept.  This location in particular is inside a renovated, historic Feed & Seed building that’s had a special place in Greenville residents’ hearts.  The owners did a fantastic job staying true to the historical details, while ushering in cool, modern details that fit the funky vibe. And on the menu: a great mix of conceptual tacos, burgers, sandwiches, salads, house-made chips and fresh juice margaritas. The vibe was electric and funky; people everywhere happy to be there, joining friends for a few drinks at the bar and noshing on some impressive taco creations at the tables. 

 This wasn’t our first time in Greenville, and it certainly won’t be our last.  We absolutely adored having this chance to see more of this great town, and highly suggest these spots if you’re wondering where to visit in Greenville.  A big thanks to AFWF, Discover SC and Lexus for showing us a few more must-visit gems, and introducing us to new faces and friends that we’ll be sure to seek out come June at the Atlanta Food & Wine Festival!  Stay tuned for our recap of Day 2 and 3, where we stopped in Columbia, Beaufort and Hilton Head.  Amazing lineup, right?!  Truly, MKR

P.S. Next time in Greenville and Traveller’s Rest, we’re hoping to check these off the list: Dark Corner Moonshine, Copperhead Mountain Distillery, Quest Brewing, Brewery 85, Grape and Grains of Greenville, Swamp Rabbit Trail Brewery and Blue Ridge Brewing Company.  Spread out, in moderation, of course! xo 

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Photography, Kathryn McCrary for Waiting on Martha | This post is in collaboration with Atlanta Food & Wine Festival, Discover South Carolina and Lexus.  All opinions are 100% our own. 

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