I got a bit of the high roller treatment last week, when I was invited to the opening night party for the new Tanger Outlet Mall in Pooler! My friend Carolyn and I got dolled up for a night of chatting, snacking, and shopping sans kids, and we had a ball.

We arrived early to avoid any potential ridiculous Pooler Parkway traffic, and did a big circle of the parking lot just to get a feel for where everything was. (Hot tip, there’s a great playground for the kids in the back.)

When we found a man in a top hat directing traffic, we knew we’d come to the right place.

The theme of the opening night party felt very Midsummer Night’s Dream… Lots of gorgeous flowers and party decorations, with ethereal woodland fairy tale touches here and there.

There were so many great people at this party! I saw lots of my friends from Pooler and Effingham Chamber of Commerce, and even got to meet my business coach in person for the first time.

I’ll tell you more about working with Dave Gazave soon. For now, I’ll tell you he’s been helping refine how I run the business. Four  and a half years in, it’s been really good to get a fresh take on what I’m doing right, and what I could be doing better for my design clients.

If you can’t wait to learn more about what he does, click on over to his site and contact him. Tell him Steph Calvert sent ya.

We also saw some people we didn’t know.

It’s Georgia and it’s springtime, so of course there was a torrential downpour, but it didn’t put a damper on the party.

We had amazing snacks, delicious desserts, and then decided it was time to go shopping.

High fives to Carolyn, for being the Skechers store’s very first customer. These memory foam flats looked uber comfortable, and if she wasn’t a half shoe size bigger than me I might’ve stolen em from her the minute we walked out the door.

The manager of the store gave us a hot tip on how to save time driving to the new Tanger outlet mall that neither of us had heard about! Everyone’ll be driving into the parking lot at Benton Blvd, right where Sam’s Club and the new Byrd Cookie Company store is. If you go to Pooler Parkway via highway 80 instead of I-95, you can turn right on that street by Publix and in theory that will loop you around to the back entrance.

Secret entrance.

Because you’re a rock star.

We did some intense taste testing at The Peanut Shop, and discovered it’s all about the pickle nuts.

I tried to walk in here and open a checking account and they told me to get out.

So we went to see my friend Erika – she’s the manager at New York and Company… and how come no one told me how cute and affordable this store is? You’re all fired! But seriously – go check it out. (Sorry you’re blurry in this pic, Lauren!)

Remember that one year of Project Runway when they’d show the weird commercial for ombre every week? It’s years later and when Josh and I see ombre we still talk about how sick we are of that non-commercial selling us a fashion concept.

That aside, dig these ruffle tanks.

I was such a happy snacky camper at the Tanger Outlet Mall opening night party, guys. Outside of the official party snacks, some of the stores were luring party-goers in the door with the promise of even more deliciousness.

And it totally worked.

My friend Carolyn after the fact tells me she was yodeling into this boot, and I like to think she was smelling it. You make the call!

I considered picking up some new shoes for work.

And as we wrapped up our evening at the Tanger Outlet Mall opening night party, passing by some acrobats and a fire dancer, Carolyn and I chatted about what made us feel most like VIPs.

It wasn’t the free tote bag. (Though this is the nicest tote bag I’ve received in a long time!)

It was being a couple of moms of littles that got to go to a brand new mall that was totally empty, we got to shop quietly, and we got to talk in full and complete uninterrupted sentences for FOUR WHOLE HOURS.

Total. High Roller. Status.

Are you excited about shopping at the Tanger Outlet Mall in Pooler?

I think I’m most jazzed about all the discount shoe stores that are so much closer to home – what are you most excited about?