Confirmation Day at St. Rose of Lima in my Church Hat

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Celebrating in My Tenth Street Church Hat

This weekend I had the pleasure of attending my niece's confirmation at St. Rose of Lima Church at 46 Church Hill Road in Newtown Connecticut. The church was founded in 1859 and is considered the “Mother Church” of several surrounding parishes, having once served eleven towns in upper Fairfield County earlier in her history. 

Wearing my Tenth Street Church Hat - "The Sara"
 https://tenthstreethats.com/collections/womens-church-hats

Saint Rose  has been designated a National Catholic Historical Site by the Order of Alhambra and is currently undergoing some beautiful renovations. I can't wait to return when they are completed to see them all!

St. Rose of Lima Church
http://strosechurch.com/

Monsignor Robert Weiss (aka "Father Bob") gave a beautiful sermon welcoming the newest group of 'confirmees' making one of the sacraments. In his sermon he reminded us that there seems to be a direct correlation between the growth of evil in the world and the decline of church attendance --- but that the world is full of hope when groups of young people, like those making their confirmation today, assemble and join the congregation in spreading the faith. 

He affectionately called the group "holy rollers" reminding us we need more holy rollers spreading the word of Jesus Christ. 

Join me in congratulating my beautiful niece Jessica on her confirmation!

We had such a nice time being with family all afternoon and celebrating Jessica's affirmation of her faith. 

After the church service we met at the nearby Reverie Brewery at 57B Church Hill Road in Newtown where I may have found my new favorite brew, a coffee stout called "Night Moves" 

Reverie Brewing
https://reveriebrewing.com/

All day, both in church and at the brewery, I received SO MANY compliments on my Tenth Street Hat.  And can you believe that for once I was the one wearing a hat - while the cowboy went hatless! 

Hat: Tenth Street "The Sara" in lilac
Shrug: Calvin Klein in Gold
Dress: T Tahari in Blush

You'll remember last year I did the Tenth Street 'hat challenge' where I styled one of their hats two ways?  (Read it HERE)

Well here's this hat, 'The Sara" styled a bit more casually.

Hat: Tenth Street "The Sara" in lilac
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer

Tenth Street was founded in 1921 by Jack Dorfman and Arthur Hyman. The Tenth Street name is from the original warehouse on 10th Street and Broadway in Oakland, California. The company is known for their blend of a vintage feel with modern sensibilities. Almost 100 years later, they remain a family-run organization.

I love that I can get double the wear from a hat and that it has the ability to go from a bit formal to casual.  

How would you style 'The Sara' hat?

Thank you for reading and celebrating my niece's confirmation with me!

Tenth Street Hats 

Designer hats, made the old way, sold the new way. 
Hats for both men and women!

Find them online at https://tenthstreethats.com/

See more 'church hats' at  https://tenthstreethats.com/collections/womens-church-hats


Portions of this post were sponsored by Tenth Street Hats, but all opinions and views are my own.


©  Home Place 2019

End of Summer Vacation with Tenth Street Hats

Thank you Tenth Street Hats for Sponsoring this Post

Farewell to Summer with Tenth Street Hats

Tenth Street Hats - Style Challenge

First of all, can we give a big round of applause to the Royal Family for the huge comeback in hats! Ever since Kate Middleton's wedding there has been such a resurgence in millinery fashions, and our favorite new Royal, Meghan Markle, is also championing the cause! 

As a little girl, I remember my mom always wearing such stylish hats with every outfit. I also remember getting special hats myself to wear for holidays, especially Easter, along with a new spring dress and spring coat. 

And nowadays, I find ANY reason I can to wear a hat, like a visit to Saratoga Race Track or even a Royal Wedding.

When Tenth Street Hats reached out to challenge me to select a hat to style, I jumped at the opportunity! With a New England travel tour already on my schedule, I knew I'd have plenty of opportunities and NEEDS for a hat.

Traveling through three of the five New England States, we spent most of our time in sunny New Hampshire and Vermont touring antique shops, local attractions, and eating our share of great food throughout each state! We also did plenty of sightseeing, which meant plenty of time out in direct sun. A hat was definitely in order!

For my style challenge, I selected the Hokkaido from Tenth Street. The Hokkaido is a wide brim women's boater hat made with a natural straw fiber. I knew it would be casual enough that it would see plenty of wear, and yet, I could dress it up enough for church, a summer garden wedding, or to wear to my beloved Saratoga. It had a gorgeous baby blue grosgrain ribbon, and a cute little bumble bee adorning the bow.

Tenth Street was founded in 1921 by Jack Dorfman and Arthur Hyman. The Tenth Street name is from the original warehouse on 10th Street and Broadway in Oakland, California. The company is known for their blend of a vintage feel with modern sensibilities. Almost 100 years later, they remain a family-run organization.

First up, a casual look. Perfect for my breakfast meetup with friends, shopping, and sightseeing throughout New England.

Shopping Excursion in Lebanon New Hampshire

Hat: c/o Tenth Street
Top: Roz & Ali
Jeans: Nordstroms
Purse: Amazon Fashion

Town Green in Lebanon New Hampshire
Hat:  c/o Tenth Street
Top: Roz & Ali 

Sightseeing in Lebanon New Hampshire
Hat: c/o Tenth Street
Top: Roz & Ali
Jeans: Nordstroms
Purse: Amazon Fashion

Next up, we take it up a notch, but easy breezy none the less. 

This is a great look for brunch with friends, church, or a little garden party I attended at our bed and breakfast.

In Lebanon New Hampshire
Hat: c/o Tenth Street
Dress: Jessica Howard for Dillards
Purse: Amazon Fashion

In Lebanon New Hampshire
Hat: c/o Tenth Street
Dress: Jessica Howard for Dillards
Purse: Amazon Fashion

I just loved my weekend away exploring all that New England has to offer!  I hope you enjoyed my style challenge looks with Tenth Street.

Tenth Street Hats 
Designer hats, made the old way, sold the new way. 
Hats for both men and women!
Find them online at https://tenthstreethats.com/

This post was sponsored by Tenth Street Hats, but all opinions are my own.

©  Home Place 2018

Saratoga Race Course with America's Best Racing

Fashion, Food, and Fun at the Saratoga Race Course!

This year we were invited back to the Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs New York as the guests of America's Best Racing. an organization initiated by The Jockey Club to promote awareness of the sport of thoroughbred horse racing in North America to a new generation.

America's Best Racing's emphasis and focus is on the fun and fashionable lifestyle associated with American horse racing.

This isn't your grandfather's day at the horse track with a cigar and a racing form!

This is a day of sport spent with fun loving enthusiasts enjoying the magnificent thoroughbreds, smart wagering, and, of course, fashion at the races!

Our hosts from America's Best Racing for the day were the lovely Victoria and the ever dapper Dan who made us feel welcome, helped us with questions about the race course and wagering, and encouraged us to have a fun-filled day!

Pre-race I explored the grounds and found a wonderful vendor, Hatsational, who sets up shop on the grounds at Saratoga selling stylish hats and fascinators to race course fashion enthusiasts! If you don't come to the races with your own hat, I promise you you'll find one that matches your outfit at this fabulous outlet.

I had a great time trying on various hats and fascinators and chatting with the sales staff. They have several locations in  the greater Saratoga Springs area besides their on-track location. If it weren't for the fact that purchasing a hat would mean carrying the one I was wearing for the remainder of the day, I would have purchased one. Or two. And of course a fascinator too! Yes, they were all that beautiful!

Here are some other fashion shots from the races...

Beautiful hats

And it's not just the women who get into the fashion act...here's a father son duo in pastels

...and some pretty madcap pants!

Or maybe this is more your style?

I guess there's something for everyone at the race course!

For more race course fashion follow Twitter's #AmericasBestFashion or Instagram's #AmericasBestFashion

The Saratoga Race Course is also family friendly - just look at the playground perfect for the wee ones to enjoy!

Last year's visit to Saratoga, also sponsored by America's Best Racing was spent in the Carousel Restaurant (Read about it HERE). This year's visit was a bit different as we enjoyed an alternate aspect of a day at Saratoga with a picnic lunch on the pastoral grounds of the race course.

Yes, that's right! Saratoga Race Course allows patrons to bring in their own food and drink to enjoy on their beautiful premises, so long as everything is packed in plastic. No glass is allowed in the picnic areas - a wonderful safety precaution.

The great folks at America's Best Racing provided us with some great food and spirit! Our picnic lunch was catered by the Putnam Market of Saratoga Springs and consisted of artisan sandwiches and specialty salads and sides.

And our spirits were courtesy of Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Because, after all, what's a horse race without some good Kentucky bourbon.

Andrea, the NJ Market Manager for Buffalo Trace, whipped up two vats of bourbon favorites for us all to enjoy. A Bourbon Spiked Lemonade  and a Mint Julep, both made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon. Here's a little known fact, in order to be bottled as "bourbon" the spirits must be made in the United States!  And what's more, Buffalo Trace Bourbon has the distinction of being the the oldest continuously operating distillery in America. During Prohibition the distillery was even permitted to remain operational, to make whiskey for "medicinal purposes".

I have to say that even though I'm not a Bourbon lover...Buffalo Trace was so velvety smooth that even I became a big fan of the brand. Buffalo Trace notes that its taste is "rich and complex, with hints of vanilla, toffee and candied fruit". I couldn't agree more.

After eating we strolled down to the paddock to see the race horses up close with special entry passes furnished by America's Best Racing.

And then see the jockeys being escorted to the race track.

After our visit to the paddock it was time to place our bets! We had a lot of fun pouring over the race form finding favorite names, checking out the odds, and playing our favorite name and number combinations.

In the end the cowboy came out ahead...ever so slightly...and it was a fun day at the races!

We loved standing track side and watching the post be put in place and the horses trot out to position.

Finally, before leaving, we headed into the Saratoga Pavilion where Fashion Saturday with Lord & Taylor was taking place. I even got to pose paparazzi style on the red carpet! What fun!

Our thanks to Victoria, Dan, and everyone on the ABR Tour for a fun and fashionable day at the beautiful and historic Saratoga Race Course.

Will we be back next year? You can #BetOnIt!

Saratoga Race Course 

267 Union Avenue

Saratoga Springs, NY, 12866

Find America's Best Racing on the web at http://www.americasbestracing.net/
Follow them on twitter @ABRLive and @ABRVTour
Like them on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/AmericasBestRacing
Watch them on Instagram @AmericasBestRacing


Disclaimer:  We were invited to the Saratoga Race Course by America's Best Racing. All opinions are our own.