the world according to sherimaven

OY. Friday. So busy going a million miles an hour don't even have time to discuss how much I'm enjoying all the Paul Ryan lambasting today- there, got that in. Phew. In other news, I've got five on it. Quickly and without delay- and it's beauty time, so go get gorgeous:

Ole Henricksen Truth to Go wipes- Sweet Mother of the Lord where have these been all of my life? I'm a bit of a maniac/rain man when it comes to washing my face every night- I cant' go to bed without doing so, and if I do, I wake up feeling pretty bad about myself, mostly because I am probably hung over or shamed, but also I've got junk trapped in my face. My makeup takeoff has the precision of a Patek Phillipe, so having to only use ONE thing to take the paint off is brilliant indeed. And for traveling these are pretty much the answer to a quart sized baggie of liquid's prayers. Oh, and they smell like creamsicles. LOVE.

http://www.sephora.com/truth-to-go-wipes-P271703?om_mmc=Googlepla&_reques...{keyword}&ci_src=17588969&ci_sku=1280015

Mac Cream Color Base in Pearl- Big fan of a glowy visage. I know I'm not super young anymore, but doesn't mean I don't like to get my glow on. I think a dewy visage is everything, and if you pop a little of this on your fingertips and dot on your cheekbones, you my friend, are in the glow game. Also a nice way to highlight under the brow bone when you need an extra little pop.

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/shaded/156/316/Cream-Colour-Base/index.tmpl

Illia lipstick in Arabian Nights- Oh, lipstick. I like you on so many other people but you just end up looking weird on me. Unless, of course, we're talking a sheer wash of color, which somehow manages to perk up my lips but not overwhelm them. I adore this lipstick- it's a sheer red with real staying power but never harsh or garish. And it's organic, friends. So it's good for you. I grabbed one at my fav beauty store, Shen, last week and it's the jump off. 

http://www.shen-beauty.com/index.php?product=ILI-Arabian+Knights

Tom Ford Noir- Hello, delicious. I bought this for David for his birthday and have to fully restrain myself to not steal it from him as it smells amazing on women too. Fragantica.com lists its notes as "top notes are bergamot, verbena, caraway, pink pepper and violet; middle notes are black pepper, nutmeg, tuscan iris, geranium, bulgarian rose and clary sage; base notes are opoponax, amber, indonesian patchouli leaf, vetiver, civet and vanilla". That vanilla gets me every damn time. This sexy scent is spicy and sweet at the same time, masculine and feminine, and every bit amazing. Great scent for Fall and Winter when you want to warm things up. Yum.

http://www1.bloomingdales.com/shop/product/tom-ford-noir-eau-de-parfum-spray-...&cm_mmc=Froogle_pla_pe-_-adtype-pla-_-target-21882504424-_-kw-&gclid=CKu97OGA_LICFcid4Aod-QQAqQ

Barrettes-  Oh, ladies. I am a girl who constantly wants the hair to look different. Without hacking it all off, there's ways to do this. One such way? Pretty hair accessories. Is anyting cuter than the stack of little red barrettes here or if you have a big mane, the giant hair clip (link to buy below)? I love clips for evening too with a well made up face and a simple dress. Girly perfection with out looking overly fussed. Adore. And available at local drugstores everywhere. Go have fun.

http://www.shopbop.com/jumbo-hairclips-adia-kibur/vp/v=1/845524441878881.htm?...

Welp, that's it for today. I'm in calendar madness over here at the office and must get back to it...and with that, THAT my friends is what's up this beauty-filled Friday in the 212. Have a great weekend. XO

Hi, Thursday. Sunny and pretty in the NYC today but sometimes you just want to be somewhere else. And though I'd love to chat with you about jeans, lipstick, boots, or empowerment, I'm simply going to post this awesome picture of the Stones, kicking it in Montauk at Andy's place (as in Warhol). If I could pick anywhere today, I'd go to there. No need to say why, just look at the photo. Hint: It's Montauk. And the Stones. Together. (Two of my favorite things).

And that's all I've got for you this Exile on my street kind of Thursday as I dream of other places and times. X to the O.

Good morning, lovers. It's a cloud filled day (ah-gain) in the NYC but I've got a nice latte and some Otis Redding on Spotify so who am I to complain? As we all start to notice the weather changing, it's hard not to think about the important stuff in life- like what to wear. One trend I'm seeing everywhere and at every price point is coated denim (image above shows a bevy of coated colors from Habitual), a new favorite of mine for the ultimate rock and roll look without going into leather territory if that's not your trip. Coated denim is simply the coolest, and with the advances in textiles these days, it somehow manages to feel like a breathable second skin without the heat that wearing leather often brings. One of my favorite pieces spotted out in the retailverse has been this little Dittos Sabrina jacket, which fits more like a shirt than a jacket and is a great layering piece to go underneath a coat in those brrrr days to come. It's full of stretch and although this picture makes it look less than awesome, you have to trust me that it is. Dittos was a big jeans brand in the 70s, and its funk appeal still pervades. A little shop called Goldy & Mac in my 'hood has it, and I am a huge fan of its cuteness coupled with coolness.

And as you can imagine, with every good trend comes a variety of price points. These Current Elliott metallic patterned jeans are off the hook, but a more reasonable pair can be had on Piperlime by Blank Denim for under 100 bucks. And J Brand is doing this insane green color, I've seen loads of coated looks in oxblood (the color of the season), and I'm a huge fan of these Velvet Goldmine looking bronze jeans from the Limited, with a price tag that will leave you plenty left over to buy a great pair of platform sneakers or high heeled booties to rock these with. 

So as we suit up for the winter months, why not get coated? And that's what's up this mid monring in Manhattan, cuties. Have a shiny, sheeny day. XO

WHERE TO BUY:

Dittos Sabrina coated acket

http://www.karmaloop.com/product/The-Sabrina-Coated-Denim-Jacket-in-Onyx/270822

Blank denim jean

http://piperlime.gap.com/browse/product.do?pid=331683002&tid=plaff2178999...

J brand stretch denim

http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/j-brand-stretch-denim-leggings-coated-conifer/339...

Current Elliott metallic jean

http://www.intermixonline.com/product/current-elliott+coated+silver+metallic+...

Limited bronze jean

http://www.thelimited.com/678-Coated-Legging-Jeans/8518812,default,pd.html?dw...

Good morning, Tuesday. I had a fabulous long weekend celebrating my husband's birthday yesterday- it really was one of those perfect New York weekends- from seeing Jay Z perform in Brooklyn (surely a highlight of my life) to wandering around a sleepy Manhattan on Sunday, having dim sum with friends and walking around neighborhoods undiscovered and weird in that "Flight of the Conchords" kind of way (I always remember thinking they had such strange locations that I had never seen before). Yesterday was a straight up lounger of a day, kicking around the neighborhood and ending up with some homemade mac and cheese courtesy of moi.

But back to Jay Z. I mean. He's a force. When you think about where he comes from and where he is now, it's hard to imagine a more American success story. From living in the projects and being raised by a single mother, to selling drugs and then eventually ruling the world of hip hop, becoming one of the world's most recognizable brands, and marrying one of the most beautiful world, you gotta give it to him. And as he rapped his way into our psyches Friday night with his on point delivery of all his greatest hits with a set that shouted out Brooklyn in the coolest of ways (projections of Brooklyn brownstones and landmarks), he told all of us that we have potential, that we all have genius inside of us, should we choose to use it. I couldn't agree more.

It's funny that HOVA said that, too. Because as I was leaving my freelance gig on Friday night, rushing to get home and change for the show, it occured to me that the most valuable thing we have in thsi world are our ideas. If you've ever worked in advertising, the people who make the most money and seem to glean some happiness from the madness are those who trade in ideas- the creatives. As someone who has always produced for a living, it's a hard fact of life to ignore that although without people to help bring the ideas to life, many great ideas would die a swift death. But I can't help but wonder why many producers don't make more money than they do, for all the stress and spreadsheets and negotiations and interpretations of sometimes opaque concepts. Truth is, ideas are simply worth more. Especially good ones. They're the currency that drives everything we all do, so why not come up with a couple of those? Think about it- not everyone is a writer or "creative" type, but I can't help but think of people like Sara Blakely, who invented Spanx and completely changed the way women get dressed. And why was it successful? Sure there was cute packaging and a good product, but damned if coming up with a more inclusive approach to modern suck-it-inage was quite simply a great idea. It's all in the ideas, kiddos. Imagine if someone in government had one of those from time to time...There is simply nothing more important or valuable than great ideas.

I've wondered for years why I've always felt a bit at odds with what I did for a living- I loved production, loved connecting, loved making stuff happen and giving integrity to great ideas, many of which took months to sell and figure out and integrate into some brand's strategy. But here's the deal- when I'm writing about fashion or life or females or rock and roll, it's effortless. There's no pain with it, at least for me. That's because it's coming directly from my brain, coming up with ideas for posts and pieces feels wholly mine, dependent on my creativity and point of view and mood. I generally enjoy writing things about stuff I feel passionately about , that call on my life experience and tastes. Many people can write technical copy or ad copy, but that's just not for me. And I suspect Jay couldn't either, not that I'm comparing myself to him- just inspired by his method of storytelling. He raps about what he knows- his journey, his current state of mind, his favorite things. This is when ideas are really allowed to sing- when they come from a place of truth. Besides, what's the alternative? To be dishonest and fake and disingenuous? Nah.What I love about Jay Z is everything he does feels so authentic ot his "brand"- and there's no compromising when it come to what he wants the world to see and what he wants his fans to vibe on. He knows his talent so well that it's pretty hard to imagine him failing at everything- he's that laser focused when it comes to sharing his ideas and genius with us. And when you're being true to yourself, I'm of the mind that the rest of us will notice and enjoy it as well. Get away and run fast from those people that that want anything else from your every day.

If we are to move forward in this country or in this world, we need to realize just how important ideas are to our future. And I agree wholeheartedly with Jay Z that we all are capable of so much greatness- it may not one day allow us to be triple digit millionaires, but maybe our very own genius and ideation comes in figuring out new ways to feed our families every night to finding ways to instill a bit of creativity into the every day. Even if we're not willing to quit our jobs and our lives to write the great American novel, meditate on a rock in India, or take a crack at world peace, we all need to channel that spirit that speaks to who we really are.

Too often our jobs take that away from us- don't let it. Find a work around- whatever it is that inspires you to keep thinking, creating, or recognizing your genius has to somehow find its way into your overly scheduled life. I know that no matter how many readers I have, I have to keep writing to stay alive. I feel lucky to have found writing again after so many idle years- we are all capable of "more" and more does not always mean more money, though that's always nice. If you're feeling trapped by your every day, take some time to come up with some solid ideas. Make something. Do something. Feel something. Inspire someone. Take a leap. Take a risk. Don't be afraid and don't let anybody try to take that from you. We all have such a unique perspective and we all come from different DNA- embrace that "you" thing and there's no stopping you. I'm trying to live in that truth today as I try to forget the crappy commute in the rain- I joined a writing class whch I'm stoked about, and hope to continue to bring you my thoughts and ideas- my currency has so long been entrenched in making stuff happen, that now I'm going to spend some time focusing on making stuff for myself. I'll still do what I need to do to make a living, but being creative is now a big part of my life, and honoring it is more important to me than anything. And that's what's up this don't stop believin' kind of Tuesday in the rainy and yawny NYC. Be true and believe today. Let it shine. XO

Good on ya, Friday. Yesterday felt more like Friday than today ever could. But today starts up the birthday celebration for my darling David, whose bday this year falls on the same day we all celebrate the day that Columbus found our little patch of land. So as I bid adieu to the workweek and give all thoughts of email and conference calls the boot, my five spot this week is all about that classic Fall fashion statement- the staple we all want on our feet, and there are so many good options out there, it's almost dizzying. I found five that I'm tots digging though, and hope you like them too. After all, there's five toes on each foot, and we need to keep those suckers warm as the temperatures hit the skids. Here go:

Rag and Bone Newbury tall boot- At just under $700, these boots are not exactly a steal. But to me they are utterly perfect and cool for all of you out there that love the high boots and jeans thing, or wearing a platformed boots with filmy skirts and tights. I'm in that camp and that's why my plan is to dream about these boots for the next month, meditate on them, and praise the Lord in their honor in the hopes that they will magically appear on my feet. I need them in black but this brown is just fab too. Obsessed. The perfect amount of rockerish chunk to get you through the cold months.

http://www.saksfifthavenue.com/main/ProductDetail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845...Ash

Ash Yahoo Bis Wedge Boot- Oh, wedge boot. I love thee. I'm not a girl who cops to loving Uggs, but I love how these are a little spin on the warm and comfy boot thing but have some real cool cred. I'd pop these on for just about everything fall and winter in the city have to offer. On my list of must haves. Thick tights, leggings, cuteness all around. Digging this color too. They come in other flavors too.

http://www.ashfootwearusa.com/yahoo-bis-taupe.html

Good evening, Thursday. Today felt more like Friday than any Friday on record. This week, woah. Oh and ps, take my advice- a second location on a school night- never a good idea. I paid for that today, though fun was had last night. Also, pizza at 1 am, though delicious, is also not a good idea.I also got to meet one of the beautiful women photographed for Ari Seth Cohen's "Advanced Style"- she was just BEYOND. But because of so much fun, I am both shaken and stirred today, and it's not that cute.

So I'm really, really, reallllly tired tonight and am waiting for David to get back from Detroit, so Khan and I are sitting here chillin' out. Tomorrow you're getting a 5 spot for sure, but dang if I didn't have a chance to share with you all my favorite looks from fashion week(s), of which there were many. One interesting thing I saw emerging was a seasonless approach to dressing- I can't recall a time in my life when leather, fur, and coats were shown for Spring, but they were all over the runways, in somber tones of crimson, dark green, and russet that felt way more winter chill than Spring heat. Do the designers know something we don't? No idea, but clearly they did not get the memo about this little global warming business. I for one am not sure about leather pants in May in New York. I can't even think about that, really. Oy.

Other than that little thought, I gotta jet. I'm trying to figure out what to eat and what to do with myself tonight.  It's hard to relax when you have no time to get stuff done. Ech. All I got for you today, folks. Just wanted to put it out there, and I leave you with this- I had a funny thought today about office life, and though I am freelance, I do tend to sit in people's spaces for the duration of my gigs, and the mark of a place where I will succeed is a place where you can imagine, at any point of the day,  Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" being blasted at "11". That or say, the Notorious BIG, NWA, or Sabbath. I'm just sayin'- I prefer to work at places where it gets loud, vs. a place where people have no interest in rocking away the stress. As for me, I'm going to keep on rockin' in the free(lance) world, though I may have to wait till I get home to do so. Meh.

That's all I've got for you, peoples. Love you all and chat at ya tomorrow. Back at it. Cause that's what's up this living out loud , weird grab bag of a post kind of Thursday in the 718, Fight the power. XO

Tuesday afternoon, holla. It's crap outside in my city and all I want to do is eat chocolate/cheese covered food stuffs and get into bed. But there's always fashion to perk me up, and yesterday's INSANE Saint Laurent show was enough to motivate me for the rest of my days.

It was Hedi Slimane's debut as designer for the formerly named YSL, which is now, more simply put, Saint Laurent. He did not disappoint.

Hedi's been spending gobs of time in the states of late, in particularly Los Angeles. I agree with style.com's review- it shows. Here were clothes that felt very Laurel Canyon in the 60s, but also would be at home in any rock/model/cooler than cool chick's closet. I've talked about the chick before- it's that girl who lives somewhere amazing yet slightly disheveled, may or may not wash her hair every few days just to give it the right crunch, wears leather year round, and can drink any man under the table, and curse profusely while under there as well. She's that girl who always looks profoundly and deeply cool no matter what- Kate Moss is pretty much the poster child for the chick look, and this collection was made just for her and chick fans everywhere. I'm so one, ps. There's nothing I like more, really.

Cathy Horyn, who is very much on most designers shite list of late, was one of the few to pan the collection- calling it derivative and not at all fresh. And Robin Givhan liked it but wondered how any "real" women could fit into these clothes. (Please tell me how that's different from any other runway show). Regardless of some negativity, the collection to me perfectly captured the essence of Saint Laurent at its best- hip, happening, sexy, and cool. LA girls are notoriously in this genre, and Slimane surely got inspired for the very rockish style of Angelenos- though I love the very vintage YSL touches like the pirate lacing and new take on le smoking. I am sure that types who like to channel more Golddust woman than ladies who lunch were thrilled with these looks- and there's no doubt boho fans like Rachel Zoe are probably still passed out cold from how awesome these looks were. Think Betty Catroux, Sienna Miller, Kate Moss, Anita Pallenberg, Marianne Faithfull, Stevie Nicks, and all the other cool chicks everywhere who love to wear black (lots of black), slouchy hats, and menswear inspired silhouettes you could cut with a knife. These clothes are for girls who are familiar with Gram Parsons, are a bit more Edie Sedgwick than Edie Beale, and are sexy little creatures of the day, but more often of the night. There were loads of trousers, fabulous maxi dresses, and something for just about every woman who is rock and roll at heart. I'm fully in love with this collection. Is it anything new? Nah, not necessarily. But these are clothes to covet- the boho girl is no longer a flight of fancy trend, it's a full blown style archetype that is almost classic in its ability to speak to a certain type- regardless of age or body shape. These are looks for girls who know their style- year after year I return to a more rocked out, boho look, because it's where I'm most comfortable. Maybe you're not going to wear a skinny suit (Hedi's have always been INSANE), but any of us can wear a flowy maxi and a big hat- those printed looks in particular could solve any Spring wardrobe snafu. I WANT IT ALL.

Bravo to Hedi Slimane and his first collection at the helm of the giant pirate ship known as Saint Laurent. It's a fabulous legacy and you're killing it. California sure looks good on you, and I suspect it's going to look good on lots of chicks next season, as they snap up these pieces or the many High Street copies that will be derived from this great collection. And that's what's up this I love rock and roll and Hedi Slimane rules my world kind of Tuesday in the 212. Yow. It's fun being a girl. XO

Good afternoon, Monday. I've been up since 5 am due to my insanely stupid decision to go to the gym at said hour. My limbs were not ready, nor was the rest of me. Needless to say, I'm chugging a Sugar Free Red Bull and trying to motor through. I'm knackered.

But in other news, I have to admit- I've been watching all of the fashion week shows and simply have not had time to really connect and write about them. This is unfortunate because there's many interesting things to say- perhaps sometime soon I will be able to figure out a time to tell you my take on Spring '13, but for now, I wanna tell you about another one of my favorite subjects- New York, and moreover, Brooklyn.

So check it- if such a thing as a perfect New York weekend were to occur, I'd say this past one was close to it. Saturday am was spent close to home, reading the early edition of the Times and then going to a big concert in Central Park to help end global poverty (http://www.globalcitizen.org/AboutUs/AboutUs.aspx?typeId=16). 

It was a wonderful beautiful Autumn night, with 60,000 beautiful people hanging on the Great Lawn to listen to some music by five acts, most notably The Black Keys, The Foo Fighters, and Neil Young and Crazy Horse. I was amazed at how civilized the whole thing was- so organized and orderly and without incident. The Black Keys killed me (Dan Auerbach tots cute too) with their garaged out, sledgehammer mixed with jackhammer blend of rock and roll, and the Foo Fighters came at it with their usual fervor, though there's talk they may be ending the party and not playing again any time soon, at least that's what Dave Grohl said at the show, leaving many fans in the audience, of which there were many, scratching their heads. And then Neil Young came in and did his Neil Young thing, which to be honest, sounded good but was hard to look at. Horrid, I know. Superficial and stuff. But he's not easy to look at. But here's what was- the beautiful moonlight, the view of Manhattan from the park, the mix of old and young and the smell of weed pretty much everywhere and all for a great cause. Nothing like seeing a concert in Central Park- this much I can say.

And then Sunday came along and my dear friends from Boston came to our place and hung out with us at the Atlantic Antic, a huge street fair type thinger all up and down Atlantic Avenue from the Brooklyn Heights all the way to the new Barclays Center. In addition to the usual nauseating funnel cake and annoying little popper things that all those kids throw on the sidewalk, there was the most gorgeous sea of people I have ever seen. It's hard to imagine a more diverse group really- from Lululemon clad moms to Brooklyn homeboys to dashiki clad grandmothers, it was, a scene beyond scenes. The very, very special thing about this city is its ability to bring people together- when you live here, you are constantly bombarded by humanity, and there's no way to avoid it. Sometimes it's unbearable but on a sunny day in Brooklyn, it's heaven sent. As we watched as the locals danced to some vocal house- Puerto Rican families dipping each other, a beautiful African American couple vibing to the music, a group of white little Beastie kids hanging out and surveying the scene, it all came flooding back. "It" being why I fell in love with this crazy town in the first place- I will never forget the first time I wandered into Central Park after I moved here for the first time. It was back in the days of the amazing rollerskating circle- a spot where every class and character of Manhattan was out skating around to old disco or deep house. There was the guy who skated with the bottle on his head, the foxy downtown girls in mini skirts, the awesome street styled hoards before the Sartorialist was our lazy way to look for such things.

It was the early 90s, but it could have been any time really- because it just transcended time for one young little pup from Philadelphia whose world would never be the same (me, silly).

It was a poignant and powerful glimpse into how free and fun and fabulous New York could be, and I for one, was sold. One thing I will say- New Yorkers know how to have a good time, and I'm not sure there are many cities in the world (let alone this country) where so many different types of people hang out together and enjoy the city. I'm thinking London may be one of the few, but yesterday in Brooklyn, I felt the love. Brooklyn, although now known as artisanal and hipster capital of the world, is just so much more than that. Brooklyn is what this country is supposed to be all about it, if you really must know. It's people from different backgrounds and geographies and demographies all doin' it. Sure there's a lot of fancy pants people in the BK now, but there's still a lot of middle class people too, and in terms of every day life, we're all in it together. What's better than that?

And yea, there's Barney's COOP now on Atlantic Avenue and the old Hassids of Williamsburg must wince every time they walk past another chic little spot serving bacon, but there's still a large helping of middle ground in Brooklyn. In my neighborhood, anyway. I take great joy that I live in a neighborhood where Muslim women stroll their baby carriages right alongside Chinese women, American women, and families made up of two dads.  I so missed that in Miami. Perhaps this all sounds idealized to you, but if I can live in a place that I can idealize and not feel trapped by, then so may it be. Nothing wrong with a bit of idealism. Especially in a place where I feel, well, real.

Many will tell you that Miami is multicultural due to its strong Latin presence. But to be honest, it always felt so exlusionary to me- I'm not sure a lot of people there want to fully integrate, to enjoy and celebrate our differences and experience the pleasure of moving past language, color, or class. I always felt like an outsider there, perhaps of my own doing, but more because I felt like there were a lot of weird rules there that I did not want to follow, and I'll leave it at that. I missed that more than anything I think; living in a city where rules are meant to be broken, and I am so thrilled to be back home where many times I want to tear my hair out, but other days have me pinching myself over how wonderful this city, and Brooklyn in particular, can be. At one point yesterday as we strolled the teeming streets with Khan in his bag peering out at the sea of people, David looked at me and gave me a huge hug and said how happy he was to be home, and this acknowledgement from the love of my life, the man I met right here in this city, was confirmation for me of how right this is for us. It ain't easy, but it's the only place for me. To be surrounded by so much great energy all weekend was the boost I needed after such a crappy Friday. Thank you, New York, for always giving me something new and cool to do. And thank you, New Yorkers, for always knowing where the party is. And though you shat on me on Friday, you more than redeemed yourself this magic carpet of a weekend(G-d only knows what I'd be without you).

And that's what's up this Brooklyn's the borough kind of Monday as I sit in an office in the 212. All the love and hope you are enjoying your surroundings, wherever you are today. Don't take it for granted. That means you too, New Yorkers. I know it's Monday and everything, but take stock. XO

Good afternoon, Friday, you freakshow. What a day, folks. What a day. These are the days that try this maven's soul, and just about every other part of her as well. I know I always give you a five spot on Friday- I planned on showing you some boots I'm feeling sexy about right now but instead, I would like to kvetch. I feel that in light of my decision not to fast this week, the Lord decided to punish me with a craptacular Friday. I hope I can finish repenting now. I can't even imagine what tomorrow is gonna be like if not...

So here are some things that annoyed me today, five of 'em to be exact. In the grand scheme, ain't no big whoop, but still. I whooped plenty this am when the day was clearly showing me how totally unawesome it was going to be. Look, I love New York more than anyone, but some days here feel just BEYOND. And not in a good way. Hello, misanthropia. Goodbye, sunny, happy life is wonderful I love fashion kind of chick. 

Wanna know what's up? Here go.

Khan's ride does not show up until 8 am. Yea, I know. Khan has a ride. To his fancy daycare. He gets picked up and taken home. It's fancypants. Whatever. He doesn't like to stay alone all day so we have to do it. In any event, I had to be in the city for a most important meeting today in the am, and K usually gets picked up at 7:20 am. The two of us are bleary eyed and barely breathing when we lazily get out of bed, go outside for a pee (he, not me) and eat some venison (again, he, not me) before they come for him. We waited. And we waited. And we waited some more. He finally shows but...

Cleaning woman does not show up till 9 am. Yea, I know. I have a cleaning lady. I schlep around all week and the last thing I'm doing on the weekend is scrubbing floors. She's an amazing wunderkind of sanitary talent, but damn, she is always late. ALWAYS. Just not by an hour when I specifically said I need her here by 8. Needless to say, my shower was frantic as was my attempt to look civil because I was afraid I would miss her ringing the front doorbell. Oof. 

Car service is late. And driver has no idea what he's doing. Yea, I know. I use a car service to get into Manhattan. In the am, the humanity of the subway makes me feel insane. I need the relative solitude of a car to help me through it all. But this guy, THIS GUY. He was parked down the block and didn't show up till 9:15, he claims he was honking at me. FROM TWO BLOCKS AWAY. I'm not fucking Spiderman. My senses are not quite that good. He then proceeds to go the totally worst way ever to the Brooklyn Bridge, and then misses the exit on the FDR, making me almost late for a very important meeting. He then tells me it's my fault, because he couldn't focus on the GPS- and why? Because I quickly told him the entrance to my meeting was on a different street than what his jacked up GPS said, so he lost "focus". Pardon me, but I think you need a brain for that. There was more idiocy, but that's all I can tell before I start to feel murderous again. Oh and I ruined a fabuolous pair of shoes in the monsoon. Shite.

Something to know about me- I hate to be late. And I hate when others are late too. If you ever want to piss me off, keep me waiting. I am not a fan. And if I am ever late, it's because somebody else f'ed up, not me. And I will always let you know I'm going to be late. It's one of my absolute biggest pet peeves in life- I broke up a friendship once with a girl who thought it was very cute to be late every time we hung out (it wasn't) and I married a man, who, amongst other things, was often at places before I was when we first started dating (a huge plus). Don't make me wait, ok. Unless you want me to be mad. You don't. Or at least, you better not.

Oh and my neighbors are all trolls. Except for that one little girl in the red canvas motorcycle jacket. She's adorable. I've been railing about my neighbors in this building for some time now- I can remember years ago being well aware that we as New Yorkers don't necessary greet new neighbors with a pie, but would a "hello" or "good morning" kill anyone? Barbarians. Hard to believe you can live in the same concrete slab with people and they act like you don't exist. Perhaps I need to make my presence more felt? Or should I just retire somewhere more friendly? Like my own private cave?

So if we're observing this tale of woe, what have we learned? We've learned the following:

I am entirely too bougie. I need to clean my own house, leave the dog home, and take the subway. I'll get right on that...Moliere was right, ps. There's great hypocrisy when one is trying to live an aristocratic life, and, and, we are all flawed. Even me. Everyone else is worse though. That's him up there, ps. Moliere. He looks like he really hates people. Though his wig is resplendent.

I'm impatient as hell and should probably work on that. I'm too impatient to do so however.

I need to buy crappier shoes. Ruining good ones in the rain hurts too much. (Bougie again).

I am well aware that New Yorkers are not friends with their neighbors. Deal with it. Do you like how I just tough loved myself? Is there a term for this?

I need an ice cold martini. Dirty. Stat. From Balthazar preferably. Yea, bouged out again. But damn, they make a nice one. Is it weird I was thinking about this at 9 am today? Don't tell me, I don't want to know.

Oh, yea- and fashion week is underway in Paris and everyone is gorgeous and skulking about and there are models and celebrities and beautiful things to wear. The problem is, I'm stuck here. Meh. I'm not going to do too many posts like this, but sometimes you just have a DAY, darlings. I need to check myself before I wreck myself. Speaking of which, my best gay is on the way over to drink some much needed wine. So that's all I've got this whiny and whingy 5 spot on this here Friday evening. All the love, kids. All the love, but a little bit of hate for some good measure. Just for today.  Piss and vinegar, kids. Goes well with smelling the roses, sometimes. XO

And if you don't know why there's a connection to Moliere and hating people, you've got some reading to do. Because there's one thing I hate more than lateness, it's the ill read. You know who you are. Get to it. Just don't talk about it, because that's pretentious.

Good evening, kitties. It's been quite a day and I have that tired feeling that forces me to slow down and sit still, which is a good thing. I'm racked by thoughts, however, of how I will show you images from Milan and London Fashion Weeks since they have passed and, well, it would be like me reporting old news. What I'm thinking is doing a big wrap up this weekend as to trends for Spring, and that's the best I can do for now. Until somebody hires me full time to report on all things fashion, I'm going to have to slug it out at a day job, which means being behind the times from, well, time to time. But today I'm going current current now now now with this post and showing you the incredible collection of NIna Ricci today, which to me, epitomizes what is just so mind bogglingly perfect. I remeber being in France and wondering if I could somehow bottle that "je ne sais quoi"- it seemed unfair that French women had more style in their adorable left pinky toe than I had throughout my whole body. I mean, my ancestors were shtetl dwellers, my great grandfather was a butcher, and I grew up eating corned beef specials and matzoh ball soup. As young French schoolchildren frolicked in Bonpoint and learned the difference between pinot and Bordeaux, I  was stealing sips of my father's beer . Cut to the French, who seemingly from birth have a well bred mystique. From a young age they learn how to casually toss a sweater over sparrow like shoulders, sip wine in a way that is elegant and non swill like, and tuck hands into pockets to casually suggest how casual and cool life is, even though they are clad in layers of Chanel or Lanvin. Not fair. Not fair at all. I'm a real Barbarian compared to French women, and of this, I've reluctant acceptance. C'est la fucking vie. 

Ok but back to the shows- and particularly, Nina Ricci. Piece after piece came down the runway that gave me a huge case of the oohs and ahhs. The collection felt like Coco Chanel at the height of haute, there was an air of the carefree 20s and Parisian ingenues drinking into the wee hours with brawny Americans like Hemingway and tragic heroines like Zelda Fitzgerald.  And only the French could do tight black netted on a top with fishnets on the bottom and not look slutty. The French have sexy down to a science, in fact, I think they invented it. The suiting feels very vintage Chanel in the best of ways, a skirt suit you can move in and run from the boardroom to a date at Brasserie LIpp with some hot Frenchman. The sheer dotted blouses, the shapely silhouettes, the pop of dots on a soft pink frock.  J'adore. And the look that summed it up for me was a simple blushy peach cardigan with grey skinny slacks- a classic and albeit preppy silhouette that somehow never feels stuffy or old fashioned- the French do classic better than anyone, and I have no doubt that almost every piece in this gorgeous collection will reach classic status in no time. And that's how good the French are. It's kind of ridiculous, non? This collection had all the fixings of great French fashion- polka dots, feminine dresses, a play on masculine suiting, lace, netting, simple hair, a smoked out eye, and wonderful jewelry. I wonder if Carine Roitfeld had anything to do with this? The style is so very her- and she is really one of my all time favorite style icons, and of course, she is French.

But I must go now. LIke, right now.

 SJP is on "Glee" playing a Vogue editor and doing a mash up of Sinatra and songs from Annie. Oh. My. Ga. I guess there are some advantages to my husband being out of town- I would never be watching this otherwise. SJP looks phenomenal, ps. She's still got it. In spades. And she's an all American girl who would love the gorgeous look at Nina Ricci today. Who says the French and Americans can't get along? Bonne nuit, cause that's what's up this trying to watch "Glee", blog, and think about fashion kind of Thursday in the most multitasking city in America. XO