TBT – Repost : ETCETERA Clothing and Jill Romano

Scuba dresses from the etcetera clothing line

 Jill’s fall collection will be on display from 10/17-10/24. To make an appointment contact Jill at 978-771-9513, send her an email or find her on Facebook. 


*Originally posted in July 2016*

Jill Romano – Stylist Extraordinaire

When you’re sick of the mall and online shopping seems only to result in returns, try a unique, more personalized, shopping experience. My friend, Jill, became an independent fashion consultant for the ETCETERA clothing line in 2015. At the time, I had never experienced a home-based fashion business. I had heard about clothing shopping parties, but ETCETERA was very different. Jill was setting up a private boutique in her home, four times a year for each season. To browse the collection, you book a one hour appointment at which time you have the shop and Jill’s attention all to yourself.

Time to Shop

At my first appointment, I was impressed with the collection’s range of looks going from jeans, sweaters and simple tees to gorgeous dresses, business attire and jackets. I liked that I wasn’t distracted by a party atmosphere and could focus on the clothing. Jill was helpful, but not pushy. I love her–not just because she’s a fellow curly girl, but because her California-born energy is always so positive and fun to be around. She helped me find casual items that suit my style and while the ticket price was higher than I would normally spend, I was open to trying something new. I soon learned that these investment pieces were well worth the money.

Yes, they were high quality, timeless items, but the real payoff came when I realized that every single time I wore ETCETERA clothing , I got compliments in droves. What’s more – I found myself admiring the tops, dresses and sweaters of my friends only to learn they, too, came from Jill. No joke, it just happened last night! There is something eye-catching about the ETCETERA style that really speaks to me and keeps me wanting more.

 

Etcetera clothing line pink sweater and gray tank top jacket
My pink sweater is so soft in tone and touch. Jill’s tailored look with coordinating top and jacket screams stylish.
etcetera clothing pink sweater and gray fringed tank top
Take a closer look at Jill’s fringed tank top. So cute!

 

Personalized Service

The personalized service that Jill offers is another major benefit of this line. Not only does she help style and fit you, but she can even tell you if something you have your eye on has been purchased by someone else in your area. In the featured photo (thank you Linda Holt Interiors, for all of your fabulous photography), I’m wearing a scuba, digital print dress that I fell in love with and planned to wear to a local event. Jill was able to tell me that no one else nearby had purchased the dress. I was thrilled and that dress has become a dressy night go-to that gets comments every time I wear it. At a recent Bat Mitzvah, the husband of a woman I didn’t know asked where I got it because his wife liked it so much. I was flattered!

 

digital print scuba dresses by Etcetera clothing line
Jill and I both wear our scuba, digital print dresses. The thicker, flexible fabric of the scuba style dress is so comfortable and flattering.

 

ETCETERA clothing has allowed me to find some truly stand-out pieces. It’s also a great line for the busy woman who prefers to shop in an intimate setting with professional guidance regarding style, fit and comfort.

white top with sheer paneling, dark denim and hot pink silk top by Etcetera clothing line
My silk, pink peasant top with wide sleeve is comfortable and pops with color. Jill’s jeans and top with sheer panels demonstrate ETCETERA’s classic style.
Women's Tops by Etcetera clothing
Photo bomb courtesy Sir Oscar!

 

Coming up…

Jill’s next show for the fall collection will be September 8th through the 15th. She books appointments from 9:00 am to 7:00 pm every day of her showing, including weekends.

To learn more, contact Jill at 978-771-9513, send her an email or find her on Facebook. 

To view the current season go to www.etcetera.com.

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UPDATE: Shop Til You Drop 2017 on May 18th

I hope to see you there! Come check out my chocolate olives!

MARK YOUR CALENDARS!

The North Andover Women’s Club is hosting their 2nd annual Shop Til You Drop Event on Thursday, May 18th 2017 at The Stevens Estate, 723 Osgood St., North Andover, MA from 5-9pm. Cost of admission is only $5 and the evening will feature over 50 artisans, craftspeople and local businesses.  Join us for a fun night of shopping to benefit North Andover Veterans Services and the North Andover Women’s Club Scholarship Fund.

Please enjoy today’s repost of the good times and great wares from last year’s event.

Shop Til You Drop 2016

Beth Daigle for 3 Olives & a Twist at shop til you drop event
Representing!

 

Last night I took part in my first event showcasing 3 Olives & a Twist. The North Andover Women’s Club put on a spectacular Shop Til You Drop night at The Stevens Estate that buzzed with over 60 vendors and hundreds of eager shoppers.

It was so much fun! The energy in the historic mansion was electric. Conversation flowed while information was shared and wares sold.

Representing 3 Olives & a Twist at Shop Til You Drop

My goal was to spread the word about 3 Olives & a Twist and with my oversized poster, iPad, flyers, business cards, and yes; color-coordinated outfit, I did just that. Guests were intrigued with the blog, but my jumbo martini glass filled with olive candy also caught a lot of attention. I encouraged guests to try and while some wished they were real olives, most were pleased with the chocolate covered almonds disguised as my favorite martini garnish. I promised to share my olive candy source – drum roll please…Oh! Nuts, purveyor of quality nuts, dried fruit, candy and chocolate delivered on my surprise, sweet treat. Note: Shop local – Dottie’s Delights in North Andover would be happy to procure these for anyone interested.

Along with candy olives, I shared the point of my lifestyle blog which is to let readers in on some of the cool, fun and fabulous people, places and experiences I’ve had the good fortune to come across. I love nothing more than to talk up a good thing. With that in mind, I hope you’ll enjoy this photo essay of just a few of the fine businesses I encountered at last night’s Shop Til You Drop extravaganza…I wish I had room for them all.

A look at the evening…

 

Art by Chongson Scott (603) 912-5108, ScottsinNH@Comcast.net
Art by Chongson Scott (603) 912-5108, ScottsinNH@Comcast.net

 

Artist, Chongson Scott - Shop til You Drop vendor
Artist, Chongson Scott – Colors of Strength (603) 912-5108, ScottsinNH@Comcast.net

 

Dragonfly art by Beth Jensen - Fine Art Paintings & Prints
Dragonfly art by Beth Jensen – Fine Art Paintings & Prints. beth_e_jensen@yahoo.com (978) 604-7642

 

Artist Beth Jensen - Fine Art Paintings & Prints
Artist, Beth Jensen – Fine Art Paintings & Prints. Beth_e_jensen@yahoo.com (978) 604-7642

 

Handcrafted leather bracelets by Dan Jacavanco - Jacavanco Studios
Handcrafted leather bracelets by Dan Jacavanco -JacavancoStudios.com, Lawrence, MA. (978) 238-1555.

 

Handcrafted leather belts by Dan Jacavanco - Jacavanco Studios
Handcrafted leather belts with a pop of turquoise by Dan Jacavanco – JacavancoStudios.com, Lawrence, MA. (978) 238-1555.

 

Floral display by Piccirillo Design
Floral display by Piccirillo Design, Interior Design, Wilmington, MA gpiccirillo217@comcast.net, (978) 761-0823

 

Kim Mollica, Arbonne Consultant
The lovely Kim Mollica, Arbonne Consultant and NAWC member – Find her on Facebook.

 

Others who attended Shop Til You Drop: Rose & Dove Gifts, Gunther’s Goodies!, Vintage Vault and Peach.

Thank You!

To all who came out for Shop Til You Drop,  thank you for your support and a wonderful night. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. Congratulations North Andover Women’s Club – the night was a huge success!

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Fun Things to do in LA – A Quick Trip

 

Fun Things to do in LA - Hollywood sign, hollywood walk of fame, santa monica pier, beverly hills sign

There are so many fun things to do in LA, it’s hard to know where to begin. If you follow me on Instagram, you know that I took a short trip to sunny Los Angeles, CA last week. If you don’t follow me, check out 3 Olives and a Twist  for a look at pretty things, yummy things, thoughtful things and happy things – I’m a little obsessed with Instagram lately!

In the short time I was there with Tony, Julia and Ally, the LA attractions we experienced left us wanting more. So much so, Ally reported she’d like to go to college in LA. Gulp, oh no! Too far, my girl, too far!

But I get it. The energy in LA is intoxicating and the weather quite nice. During our stay, the days were warm while the nights a bit cooler than expected.  We didn’t quite pack appropriately, but nothing a quick shop at LA’s cool outdoor mall, The Grove, couldn’t solve. Note to self – if ever I go back in fall, remember that Southern Californians wear boots and sweaters just like we do in the Northeast.  I can leave the flip flops at home.

Fun Things to do in LA

While living the LA life, we took in classic Los Angeles sightseeing destinations like the Hollywood Sign, the Walk of Fame, Rodeo Drive, the Santa Monica Pier and, yes, I dragged my whole family to Sur Restaurant for my second visit there.

SUR Restaurant

Sur is the West Hollywood hot spot where my guilty pleasure reality show “Vanderpump Rules” takes place. I know I’m way too old to watch this show, but I’m hooked – I’m sorry, I just can’t look away! To be expected, I saw no “big names” but I did spy a few second and third tier characters who’ve had recurring appearances. Sur’s co-owner Guillermo was there, Lisa Vanderpump’s son Max was busy bussing tables and Stassi’s frequently featured friend, Christine was waiting tables as usual.

A quick ask of our waitress about her desire to be on the show and she replied, “No way – I have no interest in all that drama.” So why the heck work there? I wondered. While I do think the scene at Sur was a little mature for my girls, it was an interesting experience and the food was actually good.

The Ivy Restaurant

Not as good as The Ivy Restaurant where we ate the night before, but good nonetheless. The Ivy came highly recommended by our hotel concierge. Considered an LA landmark, it’s a buzzing and beautiful little spot, also in West Hollywood, where the ambiance actually outdid the food. We were greeted by gracious waiters wearing brightly colored floral neck ties who handed us flutes of champagne (strawberry spritzers for the girls) as we entered. We were seated at an outdoor table with a big bouquet of beautiful pink and yellow roses that matched the staff’s neckties and the colorful lights that surrounded the entryway. Everything about the place was so pretty, charming and cheery. If we were going to see a celebrity it was going to happen here for sure…it didn’t! Despite the fact that The Ivy is a known celebrity hangout we somehow managed to, again, see no one.

Go See a Lakers Game

 

A Lakers Game is a fun thing to do in LA
The Lakers vs. The Bulls at the Staples Center

 

We did, however, manage to see one celebrity when we attended The Lakers game.  While we were hoping for Jack Nicholson, Ashton and Mila or Rihanna, we ended up with Jay Mohr. Although, Julia and Ally had no idea who he was, I was happy enough to at least see someone I knew from the small screen.  Oddly, just before we left for LA I had randomly watched Suicide Kings starring Mohr. Weird, seeing that’s not something I would typically watch.

Jay Mohr aside – The Lakers game was a highlight of our trip. I never would have thought to go to a sporting event, but it turned out to be a great time. We had good seats, it was a good game and even the Laker Girls were entertaining.

Walk the Malibu Pier

In addition to the Santa Monica Pier, we also stopped off at the Malibu Pier. I was glad we strolled to the end because there we found the cutest gift shop called the Malibu Beach Supply Co. With not much else to do, I could have poked around this little shop for hours.

Malibu Beach Supply Co. - plants, oranges, mini VW buses, home decor
The Malibu Beach Supply Co. had so many great things from toys to home decor

Fun Things to Do in LA – Instagram Inspirations

While in Santa Monica, Ally suggested we track down a restaurant where pasta is prepared in a hollowed out wheel of cheese. I had just seen a video for this on Instagram – I was excited to see it firsthand. Forma Restaurant and Cheese Bar was located in a quaint, bustling downtown area. Side streets were full of adorable homes with distinct architecture, sidewalk cafes were full and we thoroughly enjoyed this little stop off our beaten path.  Both the pasta and the jaunt through the shops were a treat.

Forma Restaurant and Cheese Bar, a Santa Monica home, I got my wings! CottonHi
Forma Restaurant and Cheese Bar, and a unique Santa Monica home. I got my wings!… and Tiramisu ice cream with chocolate cotton candy from CottonHi.

 

Also seen on Instagram, Julia had us find one of several locations throughout the City of Angels where artful wings are painted on sides of buildings – perfect for picture taking purposes. We also found a specialty dessert spot, as seen on Instagram, in Koreatown and enjoyed cool cotton candy confections courtesy of CottonHi. Yum!

I loved discovering these unexpected spots on our own.

Tour Warner Brother’s Studio

And the last of our many fun things to do in LA was a tour of Warner Brother’s Studio. This was fun on so many levels. We got to see sets, backlots, soundstages, the most enormous prop house imaginable and sit on the Friends couch at Central Perk. I asked the girls if seeing how television shows and movies are actually made behind the scenes took away from the “magic” that is Hollywood. Gladly, they said no and felt the inside scoop made it all even more appealing.

set of friends' central perk
Ally, Julia and Me on the Friends couch in Central Perk

 

This was a great time of year to get away before the craziness of the holiday season. In just four short days, we saw so much – I couldn’t even chronicle all of it in one post.  I’m so glad we did it and can’t wait for my next chance to go back to explore even more fun things to do in LA. Fingers crossed it won’t be for a college tour.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving break! It’s good to be back and looking forward to the excitement of the holiday season.

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Things to Do in Amesbury: Gift Shops, Restaurants & More

Nest Home and Gift shop, Amesbury MA
Welcome to Nest!

 

It’s funny how you can live nearby a town and not know much about it – especially when it has so much to offer. I live just 30 minutes from this Massachusetts town, and only recently did I discover all the great things to do in Amesbury from shopping vintage boutiques, to dining at delicious bistros, and so much more.

A Visit to Nest

Taylor Simpson, owner of Nest, an adorable home and gift store, suggested I visit Amesbury when we first met on a photo shoot for Merrimack Valley Home Magazine. Taylor had designed a room we were featuring in our spring 2016 issue. In addition to the Nest store, Taylor launched Nest Designs out of Andover, specializing in staging, home improvement and interior design.

In Amesbury, I met up with Taylor, first in her store, and my immediate reaction was WOW! I love the entrance. The door was framed with a natural birch archway that gave the sense I was entering a very unique space. The spacious store was filled with eye-catching finds from colorful summer hats to glitzy jewelry.

 

Jewelry, soaps and succulents from Nest, Amesbury MA
Jewelry, soaps and succulents from Nest

 

As Taylor spoke with customers, I happily poked around investigating all of the fun finds. From herbal teas to the Nest Kids section, I was impressed with the great selection. As I made my way to the back of the store, I was drawn to a second, custom-built archway that led to the Nest Garden. My green thumb was pulsing with excitement as I entered a space that left me feeling I’d entered a magical forest. There were succulent arrangements everywhere. I’ve been obsessed with succulents ever since my father grew the largest Jade tree I’ve ever seen. And now, with succulents more popular than ever; this room was a haven for anyone looking to bring these earthy, easy care plants into their home.

I was further intrigued by the shelves of Fairy House items and fondly recalled the days when I would create little fairy gardens with Julia and Ally.

 

Fairy Houses from Nest, Amesbury MA
Fairy Houses

 

Nest alone is reason enough to pop up to Amesbury, but Taylor was nice enough to walk me around more of the downtown area.

More Things to do in Amesbury: Restaurants, Boutiques, Craft Beer and More

As we strolled by the dramatic rushing waterfall of the Powow River, I learned that Crave, Phat Cats Bistro and The Noshery are great restaurants to grab a bite. I was also reminded that Nest will be participating in this year’s Vintage Bazaar taking place in nearby Salisbury on June 25 & 26. I had a blast there last year with over 175 boutiques, vintages finds, indie crafts, salvage and more. Also happening in Amesbury on June 26th is the Carriagetown Car Show (Judd, do you want to go?).

Next up on our list of things to do in Amesbury – the Craft Beer Cellar, where I had the pleasure of meeting proprietor, Karen Wood. Karen showed me all around this beer lover’s dream (wine too) and turned me on to some great Father’s Day gift ideas too.

 

Beer and Wine at Craft Beer Cellar, Amesbury MA
Father’s Day Beer Boxes ($17-20), Beer and Wine at Craft Beer Cellar

 

Last stop on my Amesbury day of fun, Ovedia Artisan Chocolates, where a lemon chocolate truffle and Greek Frappe hit the spot. What’s a Greek Frappe? A coffee-based drink, shaken ‘til foamy, poured over coffee ice and finished with a splash of cream – YUM!

 

Things to do in Amesbury, get an Ovedia greek frappe
Greek Frappe by Ovedia

 

Shop Local

Be sure to check out all these great things to do in Amesbury, and remember SHOP LOCAL – help our small businesses thrive!

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Charming Charlie: A Fun Place to Shop

Charming Charlie chandelier and bags
Bags and Bling

Do you know about Charming Charlie? I just recently discovered this cute women’s clothing store at MarketStreet in Lynnfield. If it’s been in our area for a while, consider me late to the party.

From the outside, this colorful jewelry, accessories and apparel store caught my eye with its glistening chandeliers. The sparkle drew me in, but it was the selection of extremely affordable items that kept me shopping.

There was an ease to browsing about Charming Charlie because everything was organized by color. The pretty, bright hues immediately put me in a happy mood. Pocketbooks, tops, sweaters, shoes, scarfs and baubles galore were all stylishly organized and displayed. The looks were trendy, yet sophisticated – which I liked.

Colorful and fun
Colorful and fun

My first trip in, I walked away with a couple of sweaters, a top and two scarves.  My next time in, I was shopping for a birthday gift, but ended up purchasing jewelry for myself. I also found a great gift, but was more excited about my own purchases.

Good stuff
Good stuff

Rings, necklaces, bracelets and earring might run anywhere between $5 – $18, tops and sweaters range from $15 – $30 and most dresses are well under $50. If you even only wear something for one season, you get your money’s worth.

Pretty in Pink
Pretty in Pink

Charming Charlie is a cute little spot to add color, bling and diversity to your wardrobe without breaking the bank. It’s a perfect place for teens who may not have a lot to spend, but who are into fashion trends with money burning a hole in their pocket.

If you haven’t already, check it out online at CharmingCharlie.com or stop in. Little did I know, Charming Charlie locations are far and wide. Locally, they are in Burlington, Natick and Westwood, Massachusetts, as well as Nashua and Manchester, New Hampshire. They also have a store in Patriot Place in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

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