#SWMISIPSTROLL Archives - Detroit Duchess

Lighten Up With Vera Bradley

Disclosure: As part of the SWMI Sip & Stroll wine tour, I received a Vera Bradley Tote to review. All opinions are my own.

You may have seen my previous posts on the fun #SWMISipStroll wine tour that I recently participated in. If not you can catch up with them here, here and here. One of the biggest surprises of the trip was the gorgeous Vera Bradley Big Tote that we received upon arrival.

Mine was in the Confetti Stripe pattern and some of the other ladies received the Palm Fronds, Midnight Sun and Marrakesh Beads. This was the perfect color for summer and makes a great work tote! This was my first Vera Bradley bag which made me curious to see what else I might like from the most recent line. Since I received my tote, I’ve been following Vera Bradley on Instagram and have been expanding my wish list to include some of these fun pieces:

Harper Clutch ($148)

I thought this clutch in white was super cute for summer outings. It would have been perfect for some of my recent outfits.

Quilted Harper Clutch ($148)

On that note, I also loved the quilted version. It has a Chanel like quality to it and the blush color is so feminine.

Die-Cut Notecards ($18)

I’ve really wanted to step up my correspondence game, like sending thoughtful notes to friends and families and being better about sending thank you notes. Maybe if I had these darling cards it would be easier…

Whimsy Hybrid Hardshell Case for iPhone 5 ($38)

I may have mentioned that I love pineapples for summer and this one is no different! So fun!

Flower Enamel Bracelet ($58)

I need more turquoise in my life, starting with this cute flower bracelet.

What are your favorite Vera Bradley pieces?

Wine Wednesday: Southwest Michigan Sip & Stroll Weekend

Disclosure: I was invited to participate in this hosted tour and will be provided with complimentary lodging. All opinions are my own.

Since it is #WineWednesday, I thought there was no better time to share with you that I’ve been invited to the Southwest Michigan Sip & Stroll wine tour this weekend! I had a big event at work and just started teaching again for the semester, so this couldn’t have come at a better time.

This is the first year for the Southwest Michigan Sip & Stroll weekend being hosted by Deb at Just Short of Crazy and Renee at What Mama Wants and I’m thrilled to help kick it off. Because it starts on Friday, I was able to take the day off of work and recruit one of my besties, Jen, to come along for the ride.

Our tour is kicking off on Friday, where we check into The Harbor Grand, a full-service boutique hotel in New Buffalo, MI.

We’ll be touring four wineries and The Chocolate Garden on Friday and Saturday before heading home. I can’t wait to try the Sticky Bun and Vanilla Rose truffles, which I hear pair perfectly with my favorite, Pinot Noir.

I am familiar with Domaine Berrien Cellars as their wine is featured at Michigan by the Bottle, a favorite hangout of mine, but I am excited to learn more about the others including Lemon Creek Winery, Hickory Creek Winery and Contessa Wine Cellars. I will hopefully have a few new Wine of the Week selections to share with you after this trip. A few fun facts to note:

Domaine Berrien Cellars was the first winery in Michigan to release a commercially grown and vinified Syrah.
Lemon Creek Winery is home to the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines in the State of Michigan.
Hickory Creek is known for crafting wine in the Old World style.
Contessa Cellar’s tasting room looks like an Italian villa overlooking their beautiful orchards.

After doing a quick search on our hotel, I am definitely excited to check out The Four Winds Casino (about a 10 minute shuttle ride away) and recently featured in USA Today’s Leaving Las Vegas: The best casinos outside Sin City. We will also have to make a stop at Oinks Ice Cream Garden, which is a treasure trove of pig paraphernalia! For those of you that don’t know, I love pigs and collect piggy banks.

You can follow our trip throughout the weekend on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram using #SWMISipStroll.

Have you been to New Buffalo before? What are your favorite places to visit? If you’ve been to any of these wineries I would love to get your recommendations!