Monthly Archive for July, 2010

Powder Necklace

Published on July 27, 2010 in Good Reads. 4 Comments Tags: , , .

Gotcha!  Bet you thought this was some new trend you weren’t up on yet.  Well it is and it isn’t.  Powder Necklace: A Novel is a book I learned about back in February after attending the Independent Fashion Bloggers conference.  Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, the book’s author, was one of the panelists I was truly impressed with (she has a very cool job at Bluefly that will hopefully be part of another post in the near future).  My interest was piqued; I went home and Googled her and learned that she had a book, Powder Necklace, coming out.  The book is based on Nana’s experience as a young girl; it tells the story of her surprise journey from her home in London to boarding school in her native Ghana.  I was intrigued. I made a note in my calendar of the book’s release date and went on about my merry way. Then a few weeks ago, while reading my friend Kathleen’s blog, kat flower, I learned that Nana and Kathleen are friends (6 Degrees of Kevin Bacon, right?). You’ll have to read the book to understand the title.  I suggest you do.  One of the best coming of age stories I’ve read in awhile. It’ll make a great hostess gift too, the perfect alternative to a candle!

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Martha’s Vineyard: Planes, Trains & Automobiles

Published on July 25, 2010 in Travel. 6 Comments



We’ve been going to Martha’s Vineyard every Summer for the past 4 years.  Prior to that, I’d been going off-and-on with friends for about 6 years.  So, while not a lifer, I guess you could say that I have a pretty good sense of the island and life on it in the Summertime.  And whenever presented with a quandry  I can’t solve, I just ask my friend JT (a lifer) who has encyclopedic knowledge about all things MV – need a great lobster roll, birthday cake or the best place to find a house?  JT has the answer for you.

Martha’s Vineyard is one of the most relaxing places I’ve ever been too.  Just as Willow Springs, the island in Gloria Naylor’s book Mama Day, plays a vital role in the lives of its inhabitants, Martha’s Vineyard is a special place that holds a very dear spot in the hearts of those who return to it annually.  Time stands still when you’re on the island. Eating good food, catching up with friends, going to the beach, lazing around – there’s time for all of this and more in just one day. However, getting there is no joke!  It is literally planes, trains, automobiles and ferries for just about all who travel to Martha’s Vineyard.  Is it worth it?  ABSOLUTELY!  (My sister who has two small kids and lives in the Midwest would beg to differ with me, but hopefully they’ll come out again next Summer).  But, getting there is more than a notion. And I’ll be honest, packing can be a bit overwhelming because you never know exactly what you might need (i.e., want) while on the island.  At this point, I’ve pretty much gotten it down to a science though.  Below are my 12 essential items for Martha’s Vineyard.

  1. Zip Code tote bag from JMcLaughlin – It’s roomy, chic and husband-friendly all at once.
  2. Un flip-flop like flip-flops – I’m partial to Jack Rogers (it’s the Prepster in me) and FitFlops (they’re oooh, so comfortable!).
  3. Lilly P! – It just seems right to wear Lilly Pulitzer on one of the preppiest islands in the nation, plus her clothes are sooooo comfortable and functional.
  4. My Kindle – I don’t leave home without it!
  5. Sunglasses – I’ve been diggin’ my Ray-Ban Aviators this season; they’re so light on my face.
  6. Moisturizing hair and skin products – I’m partial to Kerastase, Kiehl’s and Neutrogena.
  7. Meco Charcoal Grill – My husband’s favorite grill; charcoal is just so much better than gas.  And yes, we actually bring our grill with us in our car to MV.
  8. A Bikini – My stomach just gets too hot to wear a one-piece, I’m weird like that.
  9. A Tunic – Tunics are great for beach vacations, you can dress them up or down and in a pinch they make great cover-ups.  No one does tunics better than Tory Burch.
  10. My Camera – As you know, I love my red Canon PowerShot.
  11. My iPod & Speakers – You gotta have your tunes on the beach and music for impromptu house parties.
  12. A Cocktail Shaker – Those impromptu house parties usually get started ‘cuz someone is using a cocktail shaker.  Enough said.

Do you have a favorite vacation spot?  Anything you won’t leave home without?

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Bloody Mary Anyone?

Published on July 22, 2010 in Home STYLE and Life Is Good. 2 Comments

Bloody Marys are my favorite Sunday brunch cocktail, the spicier the better as far as I’m concerned.  Nothing beats a good homemade Bloody Mary, but if you don’t have the time or the inclination to mix up a pitcher of Bloody Marys from scratch, try Zing Zang Bloody Mary Mix.  To DIE for if you like your Bloody Marys with a little heat on ‘em!

I learned about ZingZang from my BFF Portia’s mom a few weeks ago in Detroit while having lunch at the Renaissance Center.  I admit it, I was a little hung over from the night before and 45 minutes in the gym did very little to help me over the hump.  So, I decided to bite the hair of the dog that bit me.  I ordered a Bloody Mary to cure what was ailing me (for the uninitiated, Bloody Marys are supposed to cure hangovers).  Originally from Mississippi, and back in the day one of the leading tastemakers in “The D”,  Mrs. R sang the praises of ZingZang in a way that made both me and my other BFFs, Nicole and April, want to try it immediately.  I went out and bought it as soon as I got back to NYC.   And, Mrs. R was right, ZingZang did not disappoint.  So, while I’d prefer to whip up a batch of Bloody Marys from scratch, I now have a great secret substitute. I think I’m taking some ZingZang up to the Vineyard this Summer.  Thanks Pearl!

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Adventures in Paris, IV: My Favorite Things . . .

Published on July 21, 2010 in Paris and Travel. 4 Comments

The Louvre Museum

Velib' Station - Bicycles for Rent

I loved the monogrammed Goyard trunk at the Assouline Store!

I stumbled upon this fabulous vintage boutique, La Renaissance, that I read about in Vogue years ago. Beautiful clothes - best part? The owner told me she liked my dress!

I love the entryways for the Metro stations - they're soooo elegant!

Restaurant Le Meurice at our hotel, Le Meurice - the food and service were to die for!

I HEART Paris!  I am so thankful to have had the chance to go and explore – it was an absolutely wonderful trip. Thank you for reliving the moments with me.  Until next time  . . .

Adventures in Paris III: Shopping!

Published on July 18, 2010 in Paris, Shopping Tips and Travel. 8 Comments

No trip to Paris would be complete with out shopping.  Yes, we made it to the obvious – Chanel, Louis Vuitton, Yves Saint Laurent, Anne Fontaine and the like, and they’are absolutely beautiful stores with fabulous merchandise to be had.  But, I have to tell you my most favorite place to shop in Paris is Marché aux Puces St-Ouen de Clignancourt, a.k.a. the Flea Market!  Call me crazy, if you will, but once you’ve been there you’ll know why I love it.  For some reason, we don’t have flea markets in the U.S. like they do in Paris or even London for that matter.  Leave it to the French to one-up us on junk, but they do and they do it sooooooo well.  Whatever your heart desires is there for the taking and then some.  A Birkin bag?  A Kelly?  Vintage Pucci, Channel, Cacharel?  Beautiful costume jewelry, fabulous fur coats, fantastic furniture to outfit every room in my imaginary country home; you name it, and it was there.  Prices were pretty good.  I found that speaking French and exhibiting my knowledge about a particular designer was helpful in dealing with vendors.

While we were strolling through the Marché (and there’s lots and lots and lots to stroll through), I saw an Asian woman who’s face was so familiar to me that I began racking my brain to figure out how I knew her (I’ve been in Europe and randomly bumped into friends before, so I really thought this was no different).  Then I heard her voice.  Her voice was so distinctive that I had to chuckle to myself. It was Vera Wang.  Yes, Vera Wang and her husband were spending the afternoon shopping in Clignancourt.  But I digress.

There are not enough hours in a day for me to explore all that Clignancourt has to offer, but you best believe I tried my best!  If I lived in Paris, I would be there every weekend for a few hours exploring, learning and building relationships with vendors (the Marché is only open on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays).  My most wonderful find?  Une autre Brazil! (Another Brazil).  This one is carmel colored instead of Black, but she’s just as versatile.

I have wonderful visual memories of Clignancourt, but I have to admit I was sooooooo excited to be there again that I forgot to take pictures.  I meant to.  I really really did.  But I didn’t.  Yes, my camera was in my bag.  I just got caught up in the moment.  You’ll have to go for yourself and experience the thrill that is Clignancourt!  Enjoy these pictures courtesy of Vogue.com.

And when you go to make sure you find everything you’re looking for, take Keys to the Fleas with you.  Keys to the Fleas is a new iPhone App launched by Claudia Strasser, the voice behind The Paris Apartment.  The app is $1.99 and is an insider’s guide for navigating the Paris flea markets – it includes maps, shippers, Métro stops, bus routes, hours and local haunts where you can kick back and admire your treasures over a café au lait!  I didn’t get to use the app because it launched a few weeks after we got back, but you best believe I’ll have it with me the next time I go to Paris! (Oh, and by the way, it’s the first in a series of guides on the flea markets of the world – Morocco here I come!).

One more installment from my Adventures in Paris will hit your inboxes with pictures of some of my favorite places and things . . . À bientôt!

In Fashion News This Week . . .

Published on July 16, 2010 in In Fashion News This Week. 2 Comments Tags: , .

Someone over at The New York Times must’ve known I’ve been channeling my inner Francophile this week.  Ann Morrison’s article on French women in Thursday’s Fashion & Style section - Aging Gracefully, The French Way -beautifully describes their secret to aging stylishly.  Aging gracefully is on my agenda, which means I now have another reason to move to France!

Adventures in Paris, Part II: Café Society

Published on July 15, 2010 in Paris and Travel. 1 Comment

Another reason to move to Paris?  The Cafés!

Some of my most relaxing afternoons have been spent sitting in a cafe watching the world go by.  I can’t wait for warm weather in New York when restaurants spill over into the sidewalks and you can sit outside to enjoy your newspaper and a good cup of coffee.  In Paris, that good cup of coffee is accompanied by a buttery, flakey, melt-in-your mouth croissant.  But the real difference is that in Paris, all of the café chairs face the street rather than one another.  Why?  All the better to see and be seen of course!

I think my favorite cafe in Paris is Les Deux Magots in Saint Germain des Prés; I know it’s got a reputation for being a bit touristy, but real Parisians really do go there – it’s where our friend Eun Hwa suggested we meet up.

The name, Les Deux Magot, comes from the two wooden statues of Chinese commercial agents (magots) that adorn one of the pillars.  The last time I was there was almost 10 years ago, but nothing’s changed.  The only difference is that then it was a cold March day and my sister and I were doing our best to keep warm while drinking their famed hot chocolate and trying not to look like tourists.  This time around, it was 80 degrees and I was drinking Perrier and sitting with Parisians!  Summer, Spring, Winter or Fall – it’s a scene.  It’s definitely a place to see and be seen from back in the day when intellectuals like Simone de Beauvoir and Jean-Paul Sartre intellectualized and writers like Albert Camus and Ernest Hemingway thought deep thoughts and artists like Pablo Picasso soaked up the landscape.

If the walls at Les Deux Magots could talk, oh what stories they’d tell!

Adventures in Paris, Part I: Vivre Le Macaron!

Published on July 14, 2010 in Paris and Travel. 4 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Long live the macaron!

I’ve always liked French macarons, but now I’m a bit obsessed with them. The French macaron differs from what we traditionally think of as macaroons; they are very light sandwich like cookies filled with cream or butter and can be found in a wide variety of flavors. I love the way they taste, but I’m a sucker for how visually appealing they are too.

So, we get to Paris and on my list of things to eat/drink are a Cafe Creme, a Croque Madame and macarons.  On Day 2 while having my second Croque Madame (I was hellbent on finding the best one in the city) at a bistro recommended to us by our concierge (it was just ok, so the bistro shall remain nameless), people kept walking by with little white bags that said Pierre Hermé on them.  Inevitably, as they walked past our table, they began pulling out the most scrumptious looking macarons.  Disappointing Croque Madame No. 2 finished, we exit the bistro in search of this Pierre Hermé.  It was literally two doors away from us at 185 Rue de Vaugirard. (In case it’s not obvious, we kind of ate our way through Paris  . . . I mean come on, it’s Paris! Great wine and fantastic food, the word diet became a 4-letter word).

LUXE lists Pierre Hermé as one of their standout stores, they describe it as “mmmelt-in-the-mmmouth mmmacarons” and they were right!  It was melt in your mouth deliciousness that just made me want to move to Paris right then and there, but at about 225 calories a pop I probably need to keep my behind right in New York where temptation isn’t around every corner.

Caloric count in check, my macaron hunt sated, I was good.  That is until the next day when our friends Eun Hwa and Olivier took us to their favorite patisserie in St. Germain de Prés, Gérard Mulot.

We couldn’t be rude, right?  Who cares if each macaron is 225 calories?!!?!  Each was 225 sumputous calories of some of the best confections I’ve ever had.  And, I mean you only live once, right?  Eun Hwa filled up a lovely gift box for us to take home on the plane.  Finger. Lickin’. Good!

Now, we did not make it to Ladurée, which has a reputation as being the best macaron shop in the world.  On my next trip to Paris, I will have to make it by to sample their delights.  For the time being, I’m still savoring the memory of the macarons we had.  My favorite flavor was caramel with sea salt. To. DIE. For.

Don’t ‘cha want one right now?  . . .

P.S. If you watch Gossip Girl, which I do not, look for Ladurée to make an appearance this Fall when the girls from The Constance Billard School for Girls head to Paris.

Paris: Bastille Day!

Published on July 13, 2010 in Paris and Travel. 1 Comment

I’m feeling a little Frenchy since my trip to Paris a few weeks ago.  The Francophile in me is definitely re-surging!  I have loads to tell you about my time in the City of Lights and what better way to kick off my Paris story than to wish my newly adopted countrymen and women Bonne Bastille!  July 14th is Bastille Day in France. Bastille Day commemorates the storming of the Bastille fortress-prision on July 14, 1789 when the French overthrew the monarchy and created their own democracy.   Festivities are held on the Champs-Élysées (which I think must be one of the best streets to shop on in the world!) in Paris.  So stay tuned  . . .

P.S. - Oh, and by the way, it’s official, I am a macaron junkie.

Say “CHEEEEESSEE!!!!!!”

Published on July 11, 2010 in POSSESS This:. 1 Comment Tags: , .

I love photographs!  You can count on me to be the one snapping away at life’s most important, and not so important, events.  Even in this day and age of Blackberries and iPhones with picture taking capabilities, the photo quality just can’t compare to that of a real camera.  As a result, I almost always have my camera with me, because you just never know, right?  My red Canon PowerShot takes great pictures and is so small that it fits in my tiniest purses.  Of course, just when I thought my camera was perfect, I learned about these cool camera straps that can instantly transform your camera into a chic Chanel-esque wristlet.  These hot camera straps are the brainchild of Teen Vogue Accessories Editor (it’s all about the accessories ladies!), Sarah Frances Kuhn.  The line is called SFK and they come in a variety of options, I’m diggin’ the multi-color chain with the tie-dye cord.  It’ll set you back $30 bucks, but hey you and your camera will be stylin’ and profilin’!

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[image from Refinery29]

In Fashion News This Week . . .

Published on July 9, 2010 in In Fashion News This Week. 0 Comments Tags: .

The Washington Post reports that Full Figure Fashion Week is here to stay, plus-size women are demanding change and the fashion world is taking note.

If you need some quick advice in the morning as you’re getting dressed, rather than calling your best friend, check out one of the new sites that lets you upload a picture of yourself to receive instant advice as detailed in The New York Times.

POSSESS This:

Published on July 6, 2010 in POSSESS This:. 3 Comments Tags: , .

You know I swoon for just about anything that sparkles!  I’ve been wearing my sequin Jack Purcells for a few weeks now.  LOVE ‘Em. They’re comfortable, stylish and fun.  Perfect for long weekends, traveling and running errands. They make me smile each time I look down at them.  They are a little flat, so I’ve been wearing mine with Dr. Scholl’s tri-comfort orthotics inserts (I know – orthothics? . . . but girlfriends, your feet are nothing to play with, as much as I love my Tribute heels I love my feet more).  My sequin JPs are definitely my “go to” shoes this Sumer.

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