We're drawing one lucky name from all tickets* purchased before the end of Labor Day weekend to win a complimentary one-night stay in one of Baltimore's most notable hotels, the Tremont Plaza Hotel.

One winner will receive complimentary accommodations on the evening of the Oxfords & Oysters event (Saturday, 9/18) at the luxurious Tremont Plaza Hotel in the heart of downtown Baltimore. 

Offering a distinct combination of comfort and convenience and providing easy access to Little Havana, site of this year's Oxfords & Oysters end-of-summer celebration, this grand hotel promises to make your stay in Charm City an even more memorable one.

The Fine Print:

The winning name will be randomly selected via electronic drawing. Winner will be contacted first via email and then announced on the Sky Blue Events blog on Tuesday, September 7th at 11 a.m. (winner to be identified in the blog announcement only by first name and last initial).

* This includes all General Admission and VIP tickets purchased prior to Monday September 6th at 11:59 pm EST (including all tickets purchased prior to the announcement of this special drawing).

Winner will be responsible for all incidental charges in excess of base room rate and associated taxes. Hotel accommodation prize is non-transferable and is only valid for ticket holder on 9/18/10.

Tremont Plaza Hotel :: 222 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202

Should the groom-to-be ask the father-in-law-to-be for permission for his daughter's hand in marriage?

Where do you stand on this engagement tradition -- love it or leave it?

True Prep

In the right hands, the simple thank-you note is a work of art. Your penmanship doesn't count, as long as it is legible. We don't need to mention it, but obviously an ink pen is used, never a pencil. A fountain pen is nice but it is an unneccessary affectation.

A thank-you note may not be generic. You must thank your benefactor for his gift but never without identifying that gift.

Thank you so much for the fantastic oar! I don't know how Bly and I ever lived without it! We can't wait to take it out with us this summer at the lake. And the green stripe will look terrific with our canoe! It was great to see you at our {fill in the blank} OR We were so sorry you missed our {fill in the blank}, and/but we hope to see you again soon.

Lots of love,

Hooper

From Lisa Birnbach, author of The Official Preppy Handbook, the international best-seller of thirty years ago, comes True Prep, a whole new, old sensation.

True Prep is "a contemporary look at how the old guard of natural-fiber-loving, dog-worshipping, G&T-soaked preppies adapt to the new order of things." Find your personal copy tucked in the monogrammed canvas boat totes at this year's Oxfords & Oysters afternoon bash, somewhere between a Peter Blair tie and a Southern Proper headband.

If you love Boatman Geller stationery as much as we do, then you will be thrilled to see what's included in this year's VIP gift bag. The cheerful stationery collection is known for its colorful patterns, clean lines and whimsical illustrations gracing notepads, note cards and plates and featuring whimsical illustrations, from wellies to racquets to whales.

As founder Jane Boatman Geller explains it, “I wanted to create a sense of a lifestyle – rooms draped in toile, little boys in brightly colored rugby shirts, football fans wrapped in a warm plaid blanket, girlfriends gathering for a cocktail – or two.”

 {Oxfords & Oysters Event details, including info on the band, the location,the Oyster Recovery Partnership and, of course, the VIP gift bag}

We appreciate Boatman Geller's lifestyle sensibility as well as her obvious love for the classics and modern take on traditional patterns. Some of our favorite styles include:

Save the date: 2.29.2012

Been waiting forever for the man of your dreams to pop the question?

Well, thanks to the Scots, who in 1288 made it legal (that’s right, legal) for a woman to propose to a man on the 29th of February aka Leap Year, women can mark their calendars for 2012 and embrace this tradition themselves.

Additionally, according to ancient English law, February 29th of any leap year holds no legal status. Thus, savvy women considered it apropos to propose on this date and the perfect time to take this unjust law into their own hands. Parties and dances were even held in support of the cause as well as to create an opportunity for women to ask their gentlemen to dance.

While Scottish men who declined the offer were once fined and required to present the offended woman with either a silk dress or a swanky new pair of gloves, we're not sure if there is a fancy gift involved should your sweetheart delicne to accept your leap year proposal.

Good luck!

Crisp, classic, colorful stripes and fun, fresh polka dots are hallmarks of preppy style and Miller Ribbons delivers both. Customers can even customize their grosgrain ribbon key fobs with personalized embroidered monograms or sorority letters.

An ideal gift idea as well as a fun treat for yourself, there are a plethora of stripes and dot color combos to choose from guaranteeing a perfect reflection of your personal style.

Want a preview before you order your monogrammed version? VIP ticket buyers will receive a colorful (non-monogrammed) grosgrain ribbon key fob in their gift bag at this year's Oxfords & Oysters event. We're excited to have Miller Ribbons support for this end-of-summer celebrationl

For event details, info about the Oyster Recovery Partnership and to get your tickets, read more here >

True Prep

"We wear sportswear. This is because it is easier to go from sporting events to social events (not that there is much difference) without changing."

"Don't knock seersucker till you've tried it. (Between Memorial Day and  Labor Day, unless you live in Palm Beach or Southern California, or the southern Mediterranean, please."

"Men's jewelry should be restricted to a handsome watch, a wedding band if American and married, and nothing else. If a man has a family crest ring, it may be worn as well. For black tie, of course, shirt studs and matching cuff links are de riguer."

"Men may wear sneakers with linen or cotton trousers to casual summer parties. We like."

"High-heel rule: You must be able to run in them - on cobblestones, on a dock - in case of a spontaneous footrace."

From Lisa Birnbach, author of The Official Preppy Handbook, the international best-seller of thirty years ago, comes True Prep, a whole new, old sensation.

True Prep is "a contemporary look at how the old guard of natural-fiber-loving, dog-worshipping, G&T-soaked preppies adapt to the new order of things." Find your personal copy tucked in the monogrammed canvas boat totes at this year's Oxfords & Oysters afternoon bash, somewhere between a Peter Blair tie and a Southern Proper headband.

Vivian Lacroix of Sky Blue Events, right, was on hand at the annual "Best Of Baltimore" party at the Hippodrome to help Madeleine and many of our favorite business partners celebrate their wins.

Known around the Baltimore region as "The Brow Whisperer", Madeleine's spa and gift boutique features an array of specialized skincare services, massage treatments and exclusive product assortments including the Paul & Joe makeup line and Kate Somerville skincare treatment line.