The Magical Mystery TOUR !!!! JR goes on the road. Reflections of the Journey!

27 June, 2014 / Jules Reid / COMMENTS (0)

THE MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR

The SOUTH, or THE WEST, or the BEACH or the Mountains.....

It has been the most interesting past 2 months ! This has not just been about selling clothing. This has not just been about color and design. This has not just been about women and our figures. THIS HAS BEEN A STUDY of our great country and of people. A snapshot of the differences in culture and in the varying states in The United States.

Our first Trunk Show in Richmond

What an honor it has been to be able to visit such lovely towns and hostesses.

I began my travels close to home in Richmond, Virginia. It was the kickoff to the JR SUMMER LINE. Hosted by 2 of my most favorite friends, we learned about the infamous Miraval Rose from Cote de Provence, a winery recently purchased by BRAD and ANGELINA.

It was the perfect rose wine to enjoy as we welcomed the end of April. Richmond ladies were fond of the Parisienne dress in our Silver Moon Brocade and the Charlotte top in Orange Kiwi. And, next, a day at Saint Catherine's Girls School as the girls celebrated the May Day dance. Inspiring colors and ribbons fit the bill !

Onto Raleigh, North Carolina. Wonderfully upbeat women with gorgeous children and homes. Truly one of my most favorite stops! Discussions of college applications, lacrosse games and upcoming trips to Wrightsville Beach. Many of these gorgeous ladies had grown up together, and their children following in their paths. It felt welcoming and very southern.

Jules in Raleigh, NC wearing the Emma blouse and Harbour Island pants in Brown Peace print.

And then the rain in North Carolina and Virginia started. We were bombarded with torrential rains for 2 days straight. Driving to Northern Virginia for a trunk show that was never to be..... the JR green BARBIE DREAM VAN had a BIG issue along 95 North, and unfortunately the show never happened. This was a big disappointment. Rain pounded the Virginia beaches until we thought we would never see the sun.

The following week involved a week long journey to Tennessee and Georgia. The JR van headed to Chattanooga, Tennessee to have a 2 day Trunk Show with my most cherished, old friends. 2 girls I met 10 years ago at The Breakers in Palm Beach who have become important figures in my life as well as the life of my sons. Kim hosted a gorgeous show in her newly designed Italian Villa in a neighborhood near Girls Preporatory School in Chattanooga.

We had fun greeting new and old JR friends. We ate delicious cheeses and drank red wine and mostly just talked. Our showings are not pushy. In fact, the worst feeling I could have as a designer and company owner would be if our clients had any buyer's remorse. We ALL know that feeling, and it is one I dread myself. At this age, I KNOW what I like and what I want to own. Many ladies who have attended our shows comment later that they loved the laid back feeling we create. I hope this is ALWAYS the case. Chattanooga talks were of upcoming days on the lake, the last days of Finals at McCallie and GPS, and Mother's Day.

A street sign in North Augusta. LOVE THIS!

And it was then time for SEWANEE graduation to see my goddaughter graduate! A place I have wanted to visit for a long time. What a gorgeous campus. The architecture is breathtaking! This school's traditions run deep. Graduation gowns passed down through families with custom embroidery on the back right shoulder signifying other family members who have also graduated from College of the South.
It was a beautiful couple of days filled with exuberant graduates, celebrations at the Greek houses, and a time of honor for my BESTEST friend EM. The Monteagle Sunday School Assembly community established in 1882 served it awesome purpose of housing the students family and friends. The feeling of relaxing on the screened porches covered with tall trees and shade and feeling the Tennessee breezes was amazing. Lucy Hebb is going to reach for the stars!

Next came a literal one day stop in North Augusta with Tara Simkins and 2 of her cronies. Tara is one of the most inspirational women I know. She amazes me with her spirit, her gratitude and her endurance. She is featured in a great book by her coach and mentor Meadow Devor who created the women's group~ The Rowdies. I encourage you to read Tara's story. I left Augusta feeling reenergized and grateful.

Trunk show in Alpharetta GA

And, onto Alpharetta, Georgia! While driving from Augusta to Alpharetta, I felt the need for ONE glass of red wine and a good, quick, gourmet dinner.

As luck would have it, I stumbled into a private wine tasting hosted by Matt and Danielle Garafalo, owners of Oconee Cellar at a fabulous restaurant called Da Corrado.

Matt and Danielle, residents of Cuscowilla, could NOT have been more welcoming to a random woman walking into a private event by mistake. A 2 day extravaganza of a wonderful Trunk Show. Ladies attended in support of their dear friend Diane Geier, a new major part of the JR business. Diane opened her gorgeous home and we all had a ball trying on every outfit that we produced for this season! The fave JR SUMMER pieces in Alpharetta were by far the John John and the Hunter shorts. Diane introduced me to THE style maker in Atlanta, Danielle Rollins. Here is her gorgeous coffee table book. I love this shot of the back of her in the red dress, her hair up in a gorgeous bun. She is so inspirational with her out of this world table decor and party settings.

I had a 2 day hiatus and was able to fly into Richmond, Virginia to watch my sons play in their travel team lacrosse games. There is nothing better than watching your boys getting into a sport that is taking over the SOUTH ! Teams of all ages gathered for competition at a LAX field to play the game, run around on a gorgeous day, and JUST BE BOYS! www.hrlax.com

Wait~the travels are hardly done yet! Left is one THE BEST CITIES IN THE WORLD in my humble opinion. I was lucky to be at The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach for 2 glorious evenings among friends and good food at The Palm Beach Grill. A good friend and editor of MVMagazine, Amy Lagae, hosted a lovely show in her home along with children's clothing designer Marie Chantel. The setting was a lovely home in EL CID complete with a relaxing, couture pool ! A trip to Palm Beach is never complete for me without a trip down Worth Avenue to the Eres boutique for a special, everlasting bikini.

As I reflect upon the first part of my SUMMER 2014 Trunk Shows, I do so with great regard for the women who graciously opened their homes, invited their friends and WE HOPE fell in love with the JR line. It is amazing how these towns are quite different in many ways~ the climate, the neighborhood feel, rural or urban, the accents to name a few. But it is REMARKABLE how as women and mothers we are all splendidly doing ABOUT THE SAME things as our days pass~ going to school events, juggling our children's sporting schedules, carpooling, filing our forms for schools, making dinner, having a glass of wine, talking with our best girlfriend over the phone, wondering ( or worrying) about this whole aging process, making time for our significant other, finding time for our spirituality, TRYING to do our daily exercise choice and JUST BEING FEMALES.

Traveling is the best medicine!

Bye for now, Jules