Experience: Derby Days at The Mint Museum

Derby Days, an annual event hosted by the Young Affiliates of the Mint Museum brings together young professionals outfitted in seersucker and big hats to celebrate the Kentucky Derby. The event has been named  "Best Party for Young Socials" by SouthPark Magazine and takes place at the Mint Museum Randolph. This is one event that should not be missed, it is not your average gathering! Just imagine, the landscape of the beautiful Mint Museum and the many guests watching the "most exciting two minutes in sports", enjoying a live band, food and drinks from local restaurants--and to put the mint in the julep--all these extras are included in your ticket price! Did someone say all-inclusive?! Love that!

There will also be a silent auction featuring everything from jewelry to fly-fishing. In addition, if you are feeling lucky there will be a raffle where you can try your hand at picking the winning horse of the race.

Bzzz: Be sure to purchase your ticket to this fun event this week, as tickets will not be sold at the door.

source: derbydayscharlotte.com

HoneeBee Quote

Drew Barrymore likes to give goodies from eco-friendly company, Essential Oils (EO) to family and friends.

Drew Barrymore

source: thefrisky.com

Mother's Day Gifts: Show Mama some Love

Mother's Day is coming up and you do not want to be caught out there with no gift for your Mom.  That would not go well! She is that special someone who deserves to be treated well...every day and May 13th will only bring about some extra special treatment! Here are a few gift ideas on how you can celebrate your Mom on her special day through cupcakes, tea and jewelry to name a few.

Cupcakes for Mom
Have kids visit one of my all-time favorite cupcake places, Polka Dot Bake Shop on Saturday, May 12th between 10:30am-1:00pm to decorate a gourmet cupcake for their Mom. Each child will have one-on-one time with expert decorators to create their cupcake masterpiece. Once completed, their cupcake will be placed in a box with a bow, ready to be presented to their #1 Mom. To  reserve your spot or for more information, call 704-523-5001. Spot must be reserved by May 11th.

Chocolate Afternoon Tea
Everyone is familiar with the tradition afternoon tea but The Ritz Carlton-Charlotte takes it up a notch by adding chocolate from their infamous Bar Cocoa. In addition to a selection of loose-leaf teas, the world's greatest Mom will enjoy tea sandwiches and sweet treats like chocolate and salted caramel tart and white cholocate and orange scones.

Cooking with Spices
Treat your Mom to a cooking class at Savory Spice Shop in Southend. The classes vary but the main ingredient is always--you guessed it--spices! Some upcoming classes include How to Make Mustard (May 4th) and Healing Spices (May 17). During the Healing Spices class, you will learn about spices that have a healing effect and Chef Karen will teach you how to make a delicious pizza. These classes book up fast so be sure to secure your Mom a seat soon.

A Day at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens
For Mother's Day weekend, take your special lady to Daniel Stowe Botantical Gardens to enjoy beautiful flowers and fresh air. To honor Moms, their entrance fee will be waived and the first 250 Moms will receive a potted plant from Rountree Plantation Garden Center. Other special activities going on that weekend include a tiffany style stained glass demonstrations by artist Bob Yost and mosaic art demonstrations by artist Pat Groome. These demonstrations will occur on the hour starting at 10 a.m. You can also snag artwork that day and  picnic baskets created by Best Impressions can be pre-ordered (do so by May 7th) to enjoy during your visit.

Jewelry
This may sound cliche but jewelry for Mom never goes out of style. While keeping Mom's style in mind, pick out a small gift at one of the many local jewelry stores around town...and to add a twist to this gift make sure she creates a "wish list" so the next time you want to gift Mom something special you have a few items to choose from. You can have her create her own by writing it down on the spot or most jewelry stores will help you create a list and keep it on file for future purchases.



sources: Polka Dot, Savory Shop, Ritz Carlton, DSBG, prettythings.tumblr.com

HoneeBee Gifts Guest Post: Charlotte Mom Favorites

I had the pleasure of writing a guest post for Charlotte Mom Favorites where I shared my top 5 picks on gifts, specifically books for the new Mom. I tried to pick fun, informative books that any Mommy-to-be (MTB) could appreciate. My book picks ranged from the original crowd pleaser (What to Expect When You're Expecting) to the unique (Fortune-Telling Book for Moms-to-Be). Please click here to see the entire post.

Recap: Giftapalooza event at The Boulevard

Giftapalooza was a hit at The Boulevard at South End for Charlotte's Day of Style benefiting the Ronald McDonald House charity. I was able to help people choose stylish gifts and introduce some HoneeBee'ers to The Boulevard (can you believe they had never been?). The hot ticket item of the day was jewelry--and the person people were most looking for a gift for: themselves! Hey, I don't judge! Here are a few pictures from the event. You can find more here.

Me and Jennifer of The Boulevard

                                       

My top gift picks from The Boulevard which included a "Produced Locally" onesie, a DNC mug, candles and more

The bright and beautiful Mar y sol bags

Shoppers enjoying all that The Boulevard had to offer

Happy shoppers: Marcia, her hip son and Portia

Bzzzz:  Be sure to stop by the HoneeBee Gifts Facebook page to see more pictures. Also, stop in to The Boulevard to check out their great gift items. Now is the time to begin thinking about Mother's Day gifts and hostess gifts for upcoming summer parties.

Happy (Event) Weekend & Media for Giftapalooza

We are one day away from Giftapalooza and we have been receiving great coverage announcing the event! I wanted to share a sneak peak of the store (not my gift picks--you'll have to stop by to see those!) and some of the media coverage.  

The Boulevard at South End features jewelry, clothes, candles and more in their shop

There's so much to see in this beautiful gift boutique and new items arrive regularly

We have received coverage from the following media outlets. Just click the link below each logo to see why you should come out on Saturday!

Giftapalooza is featured in the Dusk Till Dawn



Sales and Events not to miss week section











HoneeBee Gifts to host Charlotte Day of Style with The Boulevard Gift Boutique

Charlotte's Day of STYLE (CDS) is a new addition to the Charlotte STYLE Week collection this year and takes place on Saturday,April 21st. CDS is a free city-wide shopping and dining soiree and I am very excited about this new initiative that is the brainchild of Bridgette West, Publisher of Charlotte Style Magazine for three main reasons:

• Charlotte Day of STYLE is a great way to support a great cause, as well as the local shopping and dining community
• Bridgette West is such a doll and I enjoy being able to support her efforts

And last but not least.... I have the honor and privilege to act as a host for The Boulevard Gift Boutique's Day of STYLE event! I simply love The Boulevard so when the opportunity to work with them came up, I jumped at the chance! The Boulevard Day of STYLE event will take place from 12-3pm on Saturday, April 21st.

The event is appropriately called, Giftapalooza (guess who made that up?!) and I will be on hand sharing my top gift picks from The Boulevard and helping attendees pick out the perfect gift (personal gift shopper, anyone?) In addition, Charlotte stylistas will enjoy a Mar y Sol handbag trunk show, check out the Spring Spice handcrafted jewelry collection from Moondoonie and indulge in delectable treats & wine.
While enjoying these activities, you will be able to shop the latest finds at The Boulevard where over 20 local artists are featured and new merchandise arrives daily. Remember me mentioning something about a good cause--well 10% of the day's sales will be donated to The Ronald McDonald House of Charlotte. So, there is no need to feel guilty about picking up a little something for you, your stylish friend or your Mom (Mother's Day is coming up!).

For more information on the event, please visit The Boulevard at Southend's website here.

Bzzzz....The first 25 guests will receive a gift bag filled with goodies from HoneeBee Gifts, Escape Spa, Common Market, Arrichion Yoga and more!

I hope to see you on Saturday!

HoneeBee Quote

Brad Pitt seemingly likes to relive his childhood joys by gifting his children the very style of toy that brought him so much entertainment as a youngster: helicopters.

source: yahoo.com, usweekly.com

Experience: Flawless Makeup Art

I am actually live blogging from the Flawless Makeup Pamper  Parlor event taking place from The Residences at SouthPark. The event, put together by Joy Randall (owner of Flawless Makeup Art) and her team of experts,  provides makeup education, as well as showcases various makeup lines and their benefits. Today's event features make-up from Femi Cosmetics, LAMIK Beauty and Prima Donna. In addition, 72 Shoe Boutique, Sankofa Soul Accessories, C Talulah and Queen Cleopatra were in attendance selling and sharing their wares.

If you are interested in sharing the gift of makeup with someone (I would recommend a Girls Night Out) check out the next Pamper Parlor event taking place on May 9th. For more information, please check out Flawless Makeup Art . 

Bzzz...I would recommend the Pamper Parlor for a fab Girls Night Out. For a more private session with the fab Joy Randall,  see her site for all her services.

source: flawlessmakeupart.net

The Gift of the Weekend

Hello! TGIF! What are you doing this weekend? My weekend will be filled with some of my favorite things: art, food, friends and fashion. I hope to see you out if you are in the Charlotte area. Either way, enjoy your weekend to the fullest!

source: prettythings.tumblr.com

Perfect Gifts for Every Spring Party & Contest Winner Announced

From holiday gatherings to outdoor dinner parties, spring brings all sorts of fun occasions. After all, there’s nothing like kicking back with a refreshing drink in your hand, chatting with family, friends and maybe even meeting a new fling for spring while enjoying that warm spring weather. But whether the party takes place beachside, in a backyard or in your buddy’s house, you should never come empty-handed. The hostess has put a lot of time and thought into the party and passing along a small gift is the perfect thank you. Check out a few fun gifts for spring that I shared over at Shecky's. All gifts can be enjoyed by your host AND all the party guests!

My article: http://www.sheckys.com/2012/04/07/perfect-gifts-for-every-spring-party/

Winner of the Special Advance Screening of the movie Five Years of Engagement is...drumroll please...Debi Adam! She and a friend will check out this hilarious movie which hits theatres on April 27th.

HoneeBee Contest: Tickets to Special Advance Movie Screening: The Five Year Engagement

Are you interested in winning a ticket for you and a guest to see The Five-Year Engagement movie before it hits theatres? All you have to do is "LIKE" the HoneeBee Gifts Fan Page between now and Monday, April 9th! On Tuesday I will pick randomly pick a winner and announce it on my the HoneeBee Gifts Fan page. Be sure to check back to the site to see if you won! This contest is limited to Charlotte, NC residents. This is a short contest but worth putting you hat in the ring for!

A bit about the movie....
The movie features Jason Segel and Emily Blunt. It is a comedy about the journey between popping the question and tying the knot. It is from the producer of mega-hit Bridesmaids and officially hits theatres on April 27th.


Just a bit more from their official website...
The director and writer/star of Forgetting Sarah Marshall reteam for the irreverent comedy The Five-Year Engagement. Beginning where most romantic comedies end, the new film from director Nicholas Stoller, producer Judd Apatow (Knocked Up, The 40-Year-Old Virgin) and Rodney Rothman (Get Him to the Greek) looks at what happens when an engaged couple, Jason Segel and Emily Blunt, keeps getting tripped up on the long walk down the aisle. The film was written by Segel and Stoller.

A bit about the contest:
The only way to win is to become a fan on the HoneeBee Gifts Fan Page
Contest begins now (Sunday, April 8th) until Monday, April 9th, 11:59pm
Winner announced  & arrangements for ticket pick-up Tuesday, April 10th
Advance Movie Screening takes place on Thursday, April 12th at 7pm at AMC Northlake

Questions: Just shoot me an email at simonemcdowell (at) gmail.com.

The Gift of the Weekend

What are you doing this weekend? Leave me a comment and let me know if you are doing a little shopping for yourself, a friend or "the one".  I would love to know where you are buzzing around!

Gift Tip #99: Dean & Deluca Custom Gift Basket

Once I moved to Charlotte, I became a fan of Dean & Deluca. Honestly, they do a great job marketing their brand but I have to hand it to them--the products back it up. With such great items, I fell in love with the idea of creating your own custom D&D gift basket.
All you have to do is go on their website and step-by-step you choose what your giftee would like. You begin by choosing a container, and there are many choices from the signature white box to a reusable bag to a wicker basket. Once you pick your container, the fun begins...all of the D&D products are uploaded and you simply click on the product and it is put in your virtual cart. The items range from popcorn to barbecue sauce, and don't forget about D&D's special blend coffees. 
With all these treats, you are sure to create the perfect basket, which could be a gift for virtually anyone (or yourself--I'm just saying!).  If you are overwhelmed with the choices, D&D also has custom theme baskets already created for you. Some of the themes include: Coffee Lover, For the Cook, Snacks and Italian. They will pre-select items to be placed in the basket and all you have to do is check out. You can also add items to the custom theme baskets, if you choose.

source: deananddeluca.com

HoneeBee Quote

One of my favorite indulgences is a car trip in a new country-we just went to Norway and did 16 hotels and more than 3,000 miles in three weeks with kids. It was Disney-cartoon perfect.

Berenice Bejo

Out the Box: Dion Lim

Out the Box is a new series on HoneeBee Gifts that focuses on local community notables who share a bit about their gifting life...and a little more. I am excited to share this new feature with you and I hope you enjoy this up and personal look at gifting. It's kind of like peeking into someone's closet...but much more fun!

The Gift: Dion Lim
Today we are featuring Dion Lim, TV News Anchor & Money Saving Expert (have you heard about Dion's Daily Deals??) for WCNC, the NBC affiliate based in Charlotte, NC. Dion was recently promoted and now does the 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. newscast. She is a cute, petite ball of energy! When asked what she loves most about her job, she says "I love that every day is different. You get to meet, and for a moment, get to walk in the shoes of the most interesting people".

The Wrapping:  Dion shares just a bit of her gifting life...
Best gift received: My tiny Yorkie found on a farm in rural Missouri...and a wedding present for a helicopter tour around Oahu, Hawaii
Best gift given: Dion could not just pick one. She shared her top three with us. 
~A dachshund
My husband had mentioned one day in passing, he liked dachshunds. A few week later, while going to the supermarket, I passed by a pet store, and inside, was a little weenie dog that had gone on clearance! His original owner had returned him, and the price on him was marked down twice. Instead of buying ingredients for dinner, I came home with this little dog, that has given us years of unconditional love.
~A tin Hello Kitty box with a twist
The runner-up (gift) has got to be a tin Hello Kitty box, filled with 1970's Farrah Fawcett doll heads. All (heads) turned so when you opened the box, the four blonde heads would be staring at you. This was a gift to a friend in college, who was very artistic. I think you'd have to be in order to appreciate this unique...quite strange gift.
~Pringles, yes the chips!
My husband and I have a friend who loves Pringles. He can take down an entire tube in one sitting. So, when he came to visit us in Charlotte, we covered the guest room with 30-40 cans of Pringles in the most obscure flavors we could find and then after he left we sent him the leftover tubes.
My "go-to" gift (to give): Something slightly humorous, and or exclusive to where I'm living. Now, my go-to is pimento cheese and Callie's biscuits, or taking a Segway tour around Charlotte.
What's on your wish list (to receive): A two-week trip to Japan...flying first class!
Your most recent shopping splurge: A Kate Spade tote bag that reads "Eat Cake For Breakfast" and a Jeremy Lin Fathead sticker. They both make me smile when I see them.
Fill in the blank:  I love shopping at Paper Skyscraper for tchotchkes and Whole Foods for unique natural foods and body care items.

The Bow: Let's peek into the life of Dion, off-air...
On a Saturday afternoon you'd most likely find me... being totally domestic.
Favorite quote...You miss 100% of the shots you don't take--Wayne Gretzky
I am most inspired by...Everyday people who follow their passion, no matter how scary or risky it can be.
I'd love to meet...nobody famous. Most "famous" people I've discovered are either just like everyday folks or are kind of jerks.

Bzzz...Be sure to tune in to WCNC NewsChannel 36 from 5-6pm and 11pm to see Dion in action! You can also follow her on twitter @DionLimWCNC.