Willow Chic Boutique

Over the years.....

Today, May 3rd, Willow in Rosemary turns a big 5 years old!!!! Just a few short years ago, but oh how so much has happened!! Here is a little glimpse of our last 5 years. Be for-warned, this is the longest blog post ever, but just pics! and some really funny ones at that. Enjoy at our expense!

Willow in Rosemary is born!

Opening day...not really sure if we are just sleep deprived or really don't know how to wear make-up!

Willow turns #1, a little more sleep, but still no make-up! eeekkkk!

Cindy and Bryan welcome first child, precious Barron!

A NYC trip...a little make-up!

Tommy Crow photo shoot... hardly professional models he had to work with.

Our little Willow in Rosemary store front

Another photo shoot and still no make-up

Back up in NYC working hard

Still NYC

Much needed trip to Cabo...as if I was going to show us in bikinis..

The scene every year when the Tory Burch Flops hit the stores

Trunk Show

Another Trunk Show

Ole Miss vs Bama game 

MAKE-UP!!! It was a Trish McEvoy Trunk Show...haha

Derby Party...missin our hats

Spring 2010, Willow + Woods in Seaside is born

Twins, Mae and Walter are born

Working hard in Seaside

A wedding to be had

NYC trip...1st time to take guys, this was their treat to us. Not bad seats!

A Wedding

LA Trip

Willow Dinner

A new Baby!

And our next baby to be born SOON!!!!

 

As you can see, we have been so so blessed over the past 5 years. Lots of new lives and relationships born, and so many new friends made. We are so thankful for our success at our stores and couldn't have done it without the hard work of all of our sweet Willow ladies over the years and you loyal customers. We enjoy very much what we get to do and feel like to 2 very lucky girls!

Much Love & Many Thanks to All!!

-Celia & Cindy

 

 

Look out Vogue

I know it has been months since we have blogged about our online store, but trust me, LOTS of work has being going on behind the scenes (thanks to Hillman Ball).  We are getting closer and closer to our launch date. A few days ago, we had a super duper photo shoot in Rosemary Beach by one of our favorite photographers, Tommy Crow. 

Here is a little taste of attempt at being models!!! 

our on set security guard..he slept through most of it!

lots of loot on set to choose from...and wine and a little tequila for the nerves!!

By the way, if you haven't been by Tommy's studio in Rosemary, it's amazing. We are two lucky girls to have Tommy shoot us for our site.  I got to see the proofs today and he must have some kind of camera...they look fabulous. Can't wait to show all of you!!!! 

We also have to give a big thanks to Mindy and Shannon at Rolland's Salon in Seaside for our big hair and make-up!

 

 

 

RTR

AUBURN girls...... It's a WILLOW party just for you!!!

WILLOW BOUTIQUE HOLIDAY PARTY IN AUBURN

Calling all you Auburn girls, WILLOW BOUTIQUE is headed your way for a HUGE Holiday Trunk Show!!!! This Friday, Dec 9th.  We are so excited to come to Auburn for our first visit. 

Willow is bringing all kinds of goodies for you ladies:

TUCKER - KARLIE - DOLCE VITA- TIBI - PARKER - FRENCH CONNECTION - HUDSON - CURRENT/ELLIOTT - ARYNK - JOIE - REBECCA TAYLOR - VINCE - GREYLIN - 12TH STREET by CYNTHIA VINCENT - KOOLABURRA BOOTS - FRYE BOOTS - AND much much more

and....the best part...we are giving you a holiday present and giving you a 20% off SALE!!!!!!!

How precious are these holiday party pieces??? All 20 % off!!

We will have lots of fun jewels for under $50 and the most gorgeous scarves..all for only $38. The best gifts!!!! We will even have some great shirts for the guys..Lacoste, Billy Reid and Original Penguin

So click on this link for more info on directions and times and come Christmas shop and party with us!!!!

"WILLOW AUBURN HOLIDAY INVITE"

Bring your friends and come by anytime on Friday from 9:00am - 8:00pm! 

email us for directions: boutique.willow@gmail.com

 

Turkey Day menu block???...here ya go!!!!

 

Only a few days left until that one day of the year when we (maybe) don't count calories and allow ourselves to have a nap in the middle of the day and not keep it a secret!!!  Kav and I traveled south (yep south of our beach), to another beach, Naples, to spend an early Thanksgiving with his family. I love Thanksgiving and have always been a HUGE volunteer in the kitchen.....to clean only!! Never have I been much of a fixture at the ole stove for cooking. So Kav thought I had a fever when I volunteered to cook Thanksgiving ALL BY MYSELF for his family. 

Well if you know me, once I've said I'm going to do something...I'm gonna do it. So I was in deep trouble. I turned to the trusty Southern Living in the airport on the way down and picked out the menu below. Not to give myself a pat on the back, but OH MY GOSH, it was delicious. My favorite was the Creole Dressing and Crannberry Salsa and Kav's fav was the Collard Greens, Squash Casserole and turkey (he said it was a 3-way tie). 

Everyone had a fav, but I "think" they loved it all. We had a tiny bit of dressing left over and that was it. And no one got food posioning today. The Tucker's have decided to keep me around. 

So IF I CAN COOK AN ENTIRE THANKSGIVING DINNER ALL BY MYSELF....ANYONE CAN!!!!!!!! (print out these recipes...promise you won't regret it) 

Good Luck and Happy Eating. xoxox -celia

APPLE-BOURBON TURKEY & GRAVY

• 4 cups apple juice
• 1 cup bourbon
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 (12- to 15-lb.) whole fresh turkey*
• Cheesecloth
• Kitchen string
• 4 celery ribs
• 4 large carrots
• 3 small apples, quartered or halved
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chicken broth (optional)

Preparation

• 1. Stir together apple juice and next 2 ingredients, stirring until sugar dissolves.
• 2. Remove giblets and neck from turkey, and rinse turkey with cold water. Drain cavity well; pat dry. Place turkey in a large roasting pan. Dip cheesecloth in apple juice mixture. Wring dry. Cover turkey with cheesecloth; pour apple juice mixture over cheesecloth, coating completely. Cover and chill 12 to 24 hours, basting occasionally with marinade.
• 3. Preheat oven to 325°. Remove turkey from pan, discarding cheesecloth and reserving 3 cups marinade. Sprinkle cavity with desired amount of salt; rub into cavity. Sprinkle desired amount of salt and freshly ground pepper on skin; rub into skin. Tie ends of legs together with string; tuck wingtips under.
• 4. Arrange celery and next 3 ingredients in a single layer in bottom of roasting pan. Place turkey, breast side up, on celery mixture; pour reserved marinade over turkey in pan.
• 5. Bake at 325° for 3 hours and 15 minutes to 4 hours or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion of thigh registers 165°, basting every 30 minutes with pan juices and shielding with aluminum foil after 2 hours and 30 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Remove from oven, and let stand 30 minutes.
• 6. Transfer turkey to a serving platter, reserving 2 1/2 cups pan drippings. Pour reserved drippings through a fine wire-mesh strainer into a large measuring cup, discarding solids.
• 7. Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat; whisk in flour, and cook, whisking constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until smooth. Gradually add drippings, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring mixture occasionally, 5 minutes or until gravy thickens. Add up to 1/2 cup chicken broth for desired consistency, if desired. Stir in salt and freshly ground pepper to taste. Serve turkey with warm gravy.
• *Frozen whole turkey, thawed, may be substituted. 

CREOLE CORNBREAD DRESSING

Ingredients

• 1 (12-oz.) package andouille sausage, chopped
• 8 green onions, thinly sliced
• 3 large celery ribs, diced
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 medium-size green bell pepper, diced
• Cornbread Crumbles
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 (8-oz.) package fresh mushrooms, diced
• 1 cup dry sherry
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups chopped toasted pecans
• 2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
• 2 (14-oz.) cans low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 large eggs

Preparation

• 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sauté andouille sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add green onions and next 3 ingredients, and sauté 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Transfer mixture to a large bowl; stir in Cornbread Crumbles.
• 2. Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms, and sauté 3 minutes. Add sherry, and cook, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until liquid is reduced by half; stir in parsley. Stir mushroom mixture, toasted pecans, and Creole seasoning into cornbread mixture.
• 3. Whisk together chicken broth and eggs; add to cornbread mixture, stirring gently just until moistened. Divide mixture between 1 lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish and 1 lightly greased 8-inch square baking dish.
• 4. Bake dressing at 350° for 40 to 45 minutes or until golden brown.

GREEN BEANS WITH CARAMELIZED SHALLOTS

Ingredients

• 2 pounds haricots verts (tiny green beans), trimmed
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound shallots, halved lengthwise and peeled
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Preparation

• 1. Cook green beans in boiling salted water to cover 3 to 4 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain. Plunge beans into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.
• 2. Melt butter and brown sugar with olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add shallots, and sauté 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low, add vinegar, and sauté 10 minutes or until shallots are golden brown and tender.
• 3. Increase heat to medium-high; add green beans, and sauté 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.

WILD RICE WITH MUSHROOMS

Ingredients

• 2 (6-oz.) packages long-grain and wild rice mix
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 12 ounces assorted fresh mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup Marsala
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Preparation

• 1. Prepare rice mix according to package directions.
• 2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion, and sauté 7 minutes or until golden. Add mushrooms and salt; sauté 4 to 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. Add Marsala, and sauté 3 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Stir mushroom mixture and parsley into prepared rice.

CRANBERRY SALSA

Ingredients

• 1 (12-oz.) package fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 tablespoon orange zest
• 1 navel orange, peeled and coarsely chopped
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and coarsely chopped
• 3 tablespoons coarsely chopped crystallized ginger
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Preparation

• 1. Pulse cranberries in a food processor until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a bowl.
• 2. Pulse orange zest and next 5 ingredients in food processor 3 to 5 times or until orange, ginger, and pepper are finely chopped. Stir into cranberries; cover and chill 2 to 24 hours.

SQUASH CASSEROLE

COLLARD GREENS

For the squash casserole and collard greens, I used  secret family recipes, so you're on you own here!

And wash it all down with this yummy twist on a regular-ole mimosa:

CLEMENTINE SPARKLER

Ingredients

• 1 1/3 cups cava or other sparkling wine, chilled
• 3/4 cup fresh clementine juice, chilled
• Clementine slices (optional)

Preparation

• 1. Combine cava and juice. Garnish with clementine slices, if desired.

and even Annabelle made a new bestie...

(thanks SL...my first Turkey Day menu...for brand new family..off without a hitch)

 

India Hicks in Willow, Rosemary

When we have customers who are more "recognizable" come into the store, we try to keep it quiet, as to respect that they are on vacation and just want to escape. (after we tell all the willow girls..haha) Well, one of our fav customers turned friends is the one-and-only India Hicks. She and her beautiful family vacation often at Alys Beach. Since she announced Alys beach as one of her top places to visit on her blog, I didn't think she'd mind if I did. 

 

A month or so ago, India was in town and invited us to come see her new jewelry line at a preview party. Her jewels are amazing!!! Take a look for yourself:

If you don't know who India is, you need to. She is an undeniably stunning model, amazingly stylish and super-uber cool! (and not to mention one of Princess Diana's flower girls) We just love when she pays us a visit and are more than thrilled to have been chosen to be one of her first boutiques to carry her brand new India Hicks Jewelry collection.

We will display and wear it so proudly! We will definitely let you know via our FB as soon as the highly anticipated delivery hits our doorstep. In the mean time, check out her blog and feast your eyes on some serious style.  

   www.IndiaHicks.com 

Feelin the love.....

A couple of Saturdays ago, our dear beach friends threw us a party. It was perfect; from the gorgeous invitations designed by Morgan's sis-in-law to the beautiful setting on the 18th hole at Shark's Tooth Clubhouse, to the acoustic music, the yummy food, beautiful flowers and ALL of the many friends who came to celebrate with us.

Kav and I feel truly blessed and so loved. Thanks to all the wonderful hosts:

Cindy & Bryan Krutz, Morgan & Will Palmer, Michele & Dale Armstrong, Paige Daugherty, Anna & Jason Comer, Krissi & John Finch, Memori & Brian Spence, Stacey & Reynolds Henderson, Candace & Jamey Price, Shelly & Jim Rode, Katie & Cary Humber, Amy & John Giles

( I mean...that list above is a pretty good party alone!!!!!)

More pics later. 

Thanks to all that came, all who hosted and a special thanks to you who gave toasts...very touched by your words.  We love and cherish all of your friendships.

-Celia & Kav

oh, lots of you asked about my dress..it was on loan from 12th Street/Cynthia Vincent, but we just got some in at Willow in Rosemary yesterday. To die for!! (gotta throw something fashion in there, right?)

 

 

 

Willow online store contest...$300 gift card winnings

Want to help the Willow girls name our new online store?!

(cindy has 3 babies on the brain and celia has the wedding planning stresses, so they need your help)

 

We know all of you Willow shoppers are oh-so creative, so we want your help picking out the perfect name for our NEW ONLINE STORE! This, of course, will not come without a reward :)

 For the winner of our little naming contest, we will supply you with a $300 GIFT CARD to use at Willow+Woods, Willow or our online store!

Don't be shy...show us what you shopper's got!!

 

A few tips:

• The new online store name doesn't have to have anything to do with the word "Willow".
• Keep it light and easy to remember 
• It must be an available domain..(we can figure this out if you don't know how)
• We will sell women's clothing, men's clothing, jewelry and shoes

 

Send us an email at Boutique.willow@gmail.com with the subject line: "Online Contest". Entries are due by Monday, September 5th (Labor Day). We will announce the winner on Wednesday Sept 7th. Please provide your name, store name idea, and the best way to get in touch with you (in case you win or we decide to give you a lil treat for participating).

We are so excited to see what you all come up with...

Ready. Set. Go!

Must see...Seaton

We are so excited...it is Trunk Show time again. Just got confirmation that our HUGE box of Seaton has left LA and is en-route from the Pacific Coast to the Gulf Coast. 

We love love love Seaton. Do you know Seaton??? Well, let me introduce y'all.

First of all, meet designer, Jill Roberts; no relation (that I am aware of..unless she was once in Alabama). 

Jill is designer of Seaton and owner of Jill Roberts boutiques in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica CA. Oh lala..(sound familiar?? boutiques in Rosemary Beach and Seaside, FL..haha) anyway..if she looks like you have seen her before, maybe you are obsessed with "Million Dollar Designer"??? Well I am and my fav is Mary McDonald...

Known for her glamorous style and diva attitude. Fun fact: Karen Walker's roll on "Will & Grace" was allegedly created about Mary McDonald's life. 

Back to Seaton/Jill: Remember the episode when Mary designed Jill's new home office and did the crazy geometric pattern on the floor...and the girls didn't exactly see eye-to-eye or like each other?? Yep..that's Jill.

So we got a little glimpse of Jill's home and I saw a lot of pink, but the geometric floor did look amazing. Well, Jill has some great style. With her beach inspired line, Seaton, you can tell she just gets the beach-life.

Check out some images of what is on the way to our beach town:

 

Stop by this weekend and next week to see Seaton. Perfect for your 4th of July holiday week!

 

very thankful today.

One year ago today our Gulf of Mexico and coast suffered one of the most horrific events in it's history with the explosion of the Gulf Water Deep Horizon oil well, followed by hundreds of days of vast amounts of oil leaking into our waters. Experiencing this as a local resident and business owner, was one of the saddest and scariest times in my life. The every day fear of the unknown and helplessness was overwhelming, to say the least.

All of us along the coast came together as neighbors and pushed through. Although we still feel some aftermath, mostly on our economy, we are hopeful, grateful and thankful today that we have our our gulf coast waters and beaches back.

 

  

A big thanks to all of you who supported us and still visited your favorite beaches in the world. We look forward to having you back down again this summer!!!