the world according to sherimaven

Lots of fun things happening in the big cities...NY, LA, and my own little
hothouse flower, Miami...I may check out a thing or two...enjoy. I love how
global this is all getting. My fav though? The thought of eating ice cream
with Marc Jacobs and other fashion folk.

From Unbeige... (http://www.mediabistro.com/unbeige/)

"Eat ice cream with Marc Jacobs. What would fashion be without Marc Jacobs
and ice cream? Cast such thoughts from your mind and head to Bloomingdale's
in Soho (504 Broadway), where delicious baubles from the fall Marc by Marc
Jacobs jewelry collection will be sold from an ice cream truck (pictured)
customized by artist Will Broome. Follow your purchase of whimsical earrings
shaped like tiny golden owl heads with a free cone. Meanwhile, at
Bloomingdale's uptown flagship (1000 Third Avenue), shoppers can decorate
cookies with Tadashi Shoji. Impress the designer by arranging your frosting
and sprinkles with a nod to the Renaissance frescoes of Piero della
Francesca, Shoji's inspiration for the spring 2011 collection that will take
to the runway this morning at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week. Meanwhile, more
frozen novelties await at Lord & Taylor (424 Fifth Avenue), where the Van
Leeuwen Artisan Ice Cream truck will be idling, and Odin (199 LaFayette
Street), which will serve up special Brooklyn Brewery Brown Ale and
honey-flavored ice cream created by designers Sam Shipley and Jeff Halmos of
Shipley & Halmos in collaboration with Guerrilla Ice Cream
"

For what is fashion without something sweet? XO

Happy happy Friday. I just woke up and stepped outside and it's thick as
soup and hot as hell. I'm over it. It's this time of year that always gets
my goat and makes me miss Fall. Beautiful, brisk, amber tinted Fall. I hope
it's Fall where you are, cause it ain't remotely Autumnal here. It's still
hot as Delhi and I am so craving nippy air. For now, I will regale myself
with this pretty image and dream about crunchy leaves and gorgeous light.
Yes I know winter comes hot on the heels of said season, but still...

Hope you have a lovely weekend and Fall is beginning to show its majesty
wherever you are...I so miss it and am restless for the heat to end. And
that's what's up this unFall like Friday in the MIA. It's hot and cloudy and
stew like. Again. XO

Happy Thursday, y'all. Nice day here in the MIA. My head is agog with
thoughts of my upcoming trip...Paris has been a lifelong dream and can't
believe I am finally going there, with the love of my life, to boot. Feeling
blessed...

Of course, along with love and happiness, my mind goes straight to fashion
when thinking of Paris. This story shot by Tommy Ton (he of amazing street
fashion photo fame) for Vogue Nippon sums it up for me. In my dreams, I
would rock some of these looks- love this editorial and how it perfectly
captures my visual fantasy of what dressing in Paris should be. Love.
(Particularly enamored of that first shot. Parfait).

So let the countdown to pain au chocolat, the flea markets, and beautiful
old buildings begin (and extreme fashion bien sur). Can't wait. And that's
what's up this Frenchy Thursday in the MIA. XO

Hi, Wednesday. L'shana Tovah to those celebrating the High Holidays. May
your year be filled with the sweetness of apples and honey.

With Fall here, I couldn't be more excited about the millions of options for
girls this season. Suiting is back in a big way (Balmain pictured here), but
we've also got Ralph Lauren doing these dreamy 1920s Bohemian Paris dresses.
It's all about the yin and yang this Fall- as the leaves change, maybe a
girl can have it all at last?

I suggest mixing the two trends- the flirty, femme thing with the strict
suit- and voila- balance is achieved.

And that's what's up this totally even Wednesday in the MIA. XO

Hey, Tuesday. Thanks for the long weekend, America. Hope yours was as lovely
as mine. I was in Philadelphia with my family- the Northeast was in fine
form this weekend, with that hint of chill in the air that I find
irresistible. Perfection. I do get homesick in the Fall. Sigh...

In addition to the crisp air, I had the good fortune to catch one of the
final days of the late period Renoir show at the Philadelphia Museum of Art.
Going to that museum is good enough by itself- I have always been completely
obsessed with it- the Twombly room, the Nevelson sculpture outside framing
the sky, the medieval armor room. It's such an incredible place- probably my
favorite art museum of all, for nostalgic reasons more than anything, I
suppose. I remember wanting to live in it as a child. (Yes I had quite an
imagination...thinking big even back then).

So back to the Renoir show- Renoir was the first artist I can recall being
inspired by when I was still in ponytails and knee socks. When I look back
now, I can see why. I have always been drawn to figurative art- whether it's
fashion illustration or photography, and of course, painting. Renoir's use
of the figure in his painting is pivotal to his works. Many people in the
art world have been dismissive of Impressionism, but judging from the
crowds, the masses don't agree. The show was filled with paintings of
beautiful people from Renoir's everyday life- his son, his son's nanny, his
wife. Of course, the marshmallowy nudes that have been widely panned are
there as well, and I find them quite beautiful. And that's the thing about
Renoir I find really wonderful- his paintings are simply pleasant to the
eye- beautiful people in lovely costumes doing every day things, but so
elegantly and pretty, with a gorgeous soft palette. As a child I was
mesmerized by his depiction of creamy skin, rosy cheeks, and refined French
life. I guess my point is this- sometimes I just want to look at pretty
pictures, of pretty people and pretty things. What's so wrong with that?
Many feel that art should ignite, provocate, and incite. Of course it
should, but when you gaze at a Renoir you feel warm, happy, and seduced by
his beautiful and sensuous depiction of everyday French life, and that is
enough for me. I remain a fan, and would perhaps live in a Renoir painting
if I could.

Towards the end of his life, Renoir was stricken with severe rheumatoid
arthritis, which made it almost impossible for him to paint. With the help
of an assistant, he continued to paint as he moved to the South of France,
and continued to paint until the end of his life. He once said, "the pain
passes, but the beauty remains". I agree. And I thank Monsieur Renoir for
relieving me of some pain and stress this weekend as I gazed upon his lovely
canvases. Needless to say, I'm ecstatic to go to Paris and see more beauty
at every turn. Because sometimes, I just want to look at pretty things.

And that's what's up this gorgeous Tuesday in the MIA. Why don't you recall
something from childhood that moved you and go check it out again through
adult eyes? It's fun to look at the stuff that formed you as a young one- do
it today. XO

Yes maybe the camel coat is the it thing...but these Burberry motorcycle/shearling/ bomber creations are my prediction for the knock off items  of the season...I can tots see it in Zara or the usual suspects (I am quite fond of the one in the middle).But maybe you've been a good girl and will buy this for yourself, or you've been naughty and are about to get naughtier by buying this super spendy item. Either way, nice or naught, let me borrow it, pretty please?

Big kisses and leather bomber and shearling dreams...XO

Happy Friday of Labor Day Weekend- 'tis the end of summer and I can recall
just posting about its humble beginnings. Feel like this summer flew
by...where did the time go?

Us Miami folk tend to dread the summer- extreme heat and humidity every day
for about 5 months. I've grown used to it, but it's still oppressive, though
I know my Northeast friends might as well have been in Miami this summer for
all the heat they endured. I found that strangely comforting.

Now I know Earl is an issue for some of you- but hope you enjoy the long
weekend as you bid adieu to the glory of long days, lazy afternoons, and
bare skin. I must admit the thing I miss the most about the Northeast is the
Fall- there is no season I love more- the colors, the smell of falling
leaves crunching under my feet, the lattes. I miss crisp air. I miss that
feeling of New York when beach weekends are over and everybody rejoins the
city masses- the city always feels electric in the fall. And don't even get
me started on the fashion- I so miss a chunky knit. I'm not going to
complain about the start of the season in Miami though- have Art Basel to
look forward to as well as LA like weather and low, low humidity. Can't.
Wait. That's it, y'all. Enjoy your weekend wherever you are cutie pies- read a
little, shop a little, feel the sun on your face a little. You all deserve a
long weekend, cause I say so. Much love and talk to you Tuesday...cause
that's what's up this last weekend of summer in the MIA. XO

Hiya, Thursday. I took the morning off from the gym because sleep felt more
important. Sometimes you just have to. It's a great, sunny day here in the

305 but it's extra great because of the choice news below. So, ladies, start

your fashion engines. (Update: Only if you live in the choice markets of  Britain, Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Germany .That is BS, right? Maybe they are preparing a big push for the US?).

You need to rev up because the mighty Zara, they of the well studied
knockoffs and key fashion finds is now officially hawking their wares
online, just in time for fall. Danger, Will Robinson, danger. Go easy
ladies. Go easy...(but look at that cape. OMG). Link is below. Happy
shopping (Update: But not if you live in the USA). Some amazing camel coats on there too- which I feel is the most
important piece for Fall to update your wardrobe.

http://www.zara.com

Enjoy yourselves. Cause that's what's up this shoptastic, yet restrained
Thursday in the MIA. Zara online. A dream come true. (But only if you don't sing the National Anthem- lucky European girls rejoice- you're just a click away. Us Americans still have to go the bricks and mortar route for a piece of the dream). XO

 

UPDATE: OK so I went on the site and noticed you can't buy anything. At all. I called the Zara office in NYC, quite vexed I might add, and they told me you are not yet able to shop online in the US of A. What we don't need online fashion here in the States? Feel like that's super weird. Oh well...guess you will have to get your fix elsewhere. Love you all...)

Hi, Wednesday. There you are. And here I am. Funny how that happens.

Feeling a bit fried, far left of center, off balance, and just a bit out of
whack. I've been doing a bit of traveling, a lot of dieting, a respectable
amount of exercising, and Type A level planning- but all I really want to do
is have a respite from so much doing and just be- enough of things that have
suffixes of "ing" and more pure states of mind. Right this second, I'd
rather make a more sweeping statement and just do. Or be. Or sit. I know I
can do this anyway, it's all a state of mind, but just feeling the need to
sit still is top of mind right now. Wanting to feel a bit more grounded I
suppose.

As I read through this morning's emails after a particularly annoying spin
class, I put on the iconic Beach Boys album "Pet Sounds" as the coffee did
its thing. I'm so glad I did. The album is so layered, so beautiful, so
soulful, and also so peaceful. It's truly a delight to listen to. Think I
read an A/V Club interview once on the Onion that Brian Wilson created this
classic set of songs with the intent of spreading a little love to the
world, and I think he succeeded. Ask any real musician how they feel about
this incredible lush gift and they will say it's transcendent. But Wilson
started descending into madness after its recording- he never felt like he
could top this masterpiece. I suspect he was coming unhinged during its
recording as well, almost because the genius of it was simply too much for
such a sensitive soul to endure.

To this humble fan, this classic is the greatest example of complete
brilliance coming out of chaos and insanity, resulting in unrepentant
beauty. So as I sit here trying to balance and not over ponder, I guess my
point is to look for the beauty in the chaos and vice versa and things
should be copacetic and unfold as they should. Often one can't exist without
the other, at least that's the way it has always been for me. And maybe I
should stop trying to top my last "masterpiece", whatever that may be, and
just simply be. Oh and listen to Pet Sounds again and again. I'm not
promising that you can craft a classic album this way, but ya never
know...it is doing wonders for me. (Wouldn't it be nice?)

So check out Pet Sounds, most likely again for many of you, but if it's the
first time for some of you, I hope you enjoy it. Helping me find my way
today, and finding comfort in its complex beauty. And that's what's up this
multilayered Wednesday in the MIA, as I try to just be. XO

Good morning, Tuesday. Thanks for being sunny. Much appreciated.

I admit I am somewhat of a technology agnostic- slow to embrace some of the
amazing things that are happening in the interactive world as I have been
gaga for the still image for ages, and still am. But to move forward these
days, it's simply not possible to not embrace some form of technology in the
vast playing field we all find ourselves in these days. Yes I have embraced
blogging, Facebooking, even a bit of Twittering. But in terms of a lot of
other interactive stuff, I've been waiting for something to completely blow
me away, which has not as yet happened in spades. It's probably happened for
you already, but I am a late bloomer. I was looking for something to believe
in. And then yesterday came, and I saw the light.

Yesterday was the day I checked out Arcade Fire's new video for the song "We
Used to Wait", as I'm sure many of you did as well. The site was created
with some insane Google technology that allows you to be a participant in
the video, by typing in the address of the house/apartment/trailer you grew
up in. You are then taken on a very emotional journey through your past,
accompanied by a killer song by very much THE band of today. What's even
more clever is that you end up wanting to do more than just type in the
house of your youth- you end up watching again and again as you key in the
address of your first apartment, the first house you shared with a partner,
the first place you moved after college. And because you're doing all of
this, you're listening to the song a whole bunch. And then you realize how
sick the song is too. Genius. Been reading much on Arcade Fire of late and
can't help but think they are simply one of the coolest bands able to cross
over from indie into mainstream in a transcendent fashion.

Anyway, the site had me in shock and awe and told one of the most compelling
stories I've ever seen- by allowing us to interact with the video it speaks
to our obsession with personalization and customization coupled with a heap
of nostalgia for simpler times, all to a killer soundtrack and birds flying
overhead. That's where the crossover happened I reference in the title of
this post- I was finally able to see how cool technology enables us to tell
more complete stories- it was a watershed moment for me- one you all have
probably already had, but it was a powerful reminder of all we can do now.
I'm excited to see what happens next. I actually can't wait.

If you are one of the few that have not checked out this incredible
video/web experience- the link is below. Only works on Safari and make sure
you close all other windows to get the optimal effect. I am certain you too
will have you mouth wide open as you watch this, glued to your screen and
not really caring that you have shut down your IM for a few moments.
So. Damn. Great. I am a believer. Chris Milk is an amazing director and the
Google team knocked it out of the stratosphere with some techy magic. Link
below- enjoy if you have not seen and watch again if you have:

http://thewildernessdowntown.com/

And that, my friendly friends, is what's up this 2.0 Tuesday in the MIA. XO