the world according to sherimaven

Good morning, Monday. I'm sitting here listening to Madonna's "Bedtime Stories" and remembering how much I love this album. And I'm not sorry...

So this weekend had many lovely things happening from stumbling upon a hoarder's paradise of goodness in a smoke stained garage in Red Hook to mingling with good pals at a Springtime soiree to getting back into "GOTS". For a minute, I was out. But now I am so back. So good last night. 

But I digress- as I left work on Friday night to have a lovely dinner with a dear friend, I popped into the Gap just to see what was going on in there. The store itself was an absolute mess- as usual there's a sale on and merchandise was piled and thrown on top of other merchandise, with a free-for-all ensuing.  Get it together, GAP. For reals.

And as I went to try on a denim jacket, I heard a woman in the dressing room say "I need a man's opinion". 

I couldn't help but turn and look- it was a zaftig woman squeezed into a very, very tight black v neck long sleeve tee shirt. When the dressing room attendant (a male) took the bait, she said  "I have a date tonight."  And then came the clincher of all clincher female to male questions- "do I look fat in this?"

I found myself blush a little bit. I wanted to help her find a better choice. I wanted to let her know that although I hoped her date cared for more than her looks, she could surely find a better top. And then I thought, why on Earth was she asking a man while I was standing there? Didn't she know that 99.9% of men would NEVER tell you you look fat, particularly when asked by a woman who is a perfect stranger. 

"Um no", he answered. "But if you want, you could do a cute jacket or something over and then take it off when you get hot".

Nice of him. I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if she asked me. Because girl code to me says that we should tell each other not when we look heavy or fat, but when we don't look our best. I am not sure what I would have said, but G-d knows she would not have walked out in that shirt. I couldn't have let her do that. I realized that one should never solicit advice unless one is asked, and that men will almost never tell you the truth, so it's not worth asking them. And yes, that is Zayn Malik. He likes you just the way you are. As does every man you ask. (Even if they don't.)

When in doubt, ask a woman.  We'll tell you the truth- sometimes we'll be blunt and sometimes we'll dance around the issue, but we'll tell you the truth. My husband will tell me if he doesn't like a particular outfit or hat or weird shoe, but he would never, ever, ever tell me I look fat in something. I think that's guy code, non? What kind of animal would tell a woman she looks fat when she asks? Plus, I could see that that shirt was going to ride up when she sat down, and she'd be tugging on it all night. I'm not sure a man would know that. And if he did, he was too taken aback by her question to tell her so.

It's just one of those little gender games I realized- and that for the most part, women check other women out more than men check us out, so maybe it pays to ask another woman when you want to know what to wear on a date. That's just my two cents, and that's what's up this unsolicited opinion of a Monday in the 212. Yours, in making good choices. XO

Good afternoon, Friday. I'm happy to see you.

So I was in Zara the other day and if you are one of the few women that can look great in their clothes, congratulations, and well played. I myself seem to have a wriggly wrestling match every time I try anything on there. It almost never works but it sure is nice to look at.

I was particularly smitten with the great pieces in that lovely blue cornflower hue, and how it was all styled with brown suede and leather to give it that 70s vibe that is trending so hard right now. I love blue and brown together- it's earth and sky (or sea) all at the same time, and they complement each other so nicely. Lovely look for Spring and Summer.

And as I paged through some sites this am, I came across this fabulous story on Bazaar.com, shot by Miguel Reveriego. Set against the gorgeous setting of the La Quinta Resort near Palm Springs, it perfectly captures that essence I scoped out at Zara in midtown Manhattan. A very far cry from Palm Springs for sure, but they always get it right when it comes to what's trending and what feels so very right now. 

Here are a few pieces I pulled from their website (which now has a lovely search feature to play with) that I saw in store and was loving. A personal favorite is that low v tunic and wide leg jeans. So chic. Oh and if you really want to take things up a notch- some turquoise to keep things feeling hippie glam. I pulled this photo below from the Tiffany website. Gorgeous. Turq is so lovely.Doesn't it just make you happy?

And as the weekend approaches and this week found me feeling somewhat untethered, a healthy dose of earth and sky sounds just about right. I was inspired by those two hues together, hope you are too. Have a wonderful weekend. Cause that's what's up this brown and blue Friday in the 212. Yours, in two great shades, plus a little turquoise for good vibes. XO

Good afternoon, Wednesday. It started out as a nice day, but now there's word of storms a brewin' this afternoon. Hopefully it happens just in time for rush hour. Fail.

I've been thinking all day about these crazy coyote sightings happening in Manhattan, the Bronx, and other east coast cities like Philly. I'm not sure what it means or why they are here, but the NY Times says they are not going anywhere. I'm getting super "Escape from New York" vibes from those guys. I'm not going to mess with them, and hopefully they won't mess with me. Not something I'd ever envision as a die hard city dweller, but life is funny that way.

So as you know, I went up to Woodstock last weekend and had a lovely time. In typical David and Sheri form, we immediately decided we should look at real estate there, because that's what old people do.

So as we glanced at one of the realty windows in town, we felt a pull towards a lovely old property in an "up and coming" area and went inside to investigate. We met a lovely woman, a former New York City power babe who lived at 7 Park Avenue for years and found her dreams in Phoenicia, NY. After working like a "dog" for 40 something years. Her and her husband, who was in market research, hightailed it upstate and enjoy happy hour cocktails and al fresco grilling and all of that good stuff.  That's about right.

She then mentioned a great summer rental- super duper affordable and in Phoenicia, a nice little town that has an eccentric energy and a pretty amazing fancypants diner we fell in love with. We decided to have a look on our last day in town. The place was pretty cool- across the street from the local swimming hole (I have never been in one of those by the way) and although the house was pretty no frills, the grounds were really nice with a big yard with a rolling hill and plenty of room for those aforementioned cocktails and barbecues. But then our realtor got real. And that's when the theme song from "Green Acres" went on repeat in my head. (You can probably guess which part of the song I was singing the loudest).

First, she mentioned that although it's cool to have a little dog on the property, we were never, under any circumstances, to leave him unattended or off leash. The reason? The hawks. The hawks could swoop down and scoop up my precious furbaby. Not on my watch.

Second, the bears. The bears that basically devour everything imaginable, so one can not even leave a pumpkin seed outside. I'm not that into bears. 

Third, beware getting pulled under the swimming hole. By rocks or whatever. Many have drowned this way, she said. I suspect many more will in the very near future. Guess who's not going to be one of them? ME.

Yes, I know I'm paranoid. But I've worked pretty hard to be peaceful and less of a female Woody Allen, and I suspect that country life would turn me into a complete basket case. There is no small part of me that is a pioneer woman, and though I enjoy the fresh mountain air and good country vibes, the thought of fending off bears, hawks, or ominous rocks holds very little appeal. I am just not a country mouse. Full stop.

I'll say that I would very happily visit at any time of year, and be a fabulous weekend guest and make everyone s'mores and partake in some mountain activities. I'm just not sure country life is something I'd be willing to pursue all summer, and certainly not all year. There's always Montauk. I'm way more beach girl than mountain girl. Cause that's what's up this wondering about coyotes in the Hamptons kind of Wednesday in the wilds of Manhattan. Yours, in what Eva Gabor said.  XO

Good afternoon, Tuesday. It's a lovely day in the neighborhood and I've officially got Spring fever. Bring on the rose, warm days, and long nights perfect for ice cream and saunters through Brooklyn with doggie and hubby in tow.

But on to a favorite obsession of mine, denim. For a while I was way off the denim train because I wasn't finding anything to love- skinny jeans are great and all but I am so happy with the boyfriend cuts reaching crescendo pitch this Spring. I love the looser silhouette, which I think can be even sexier than skinny with some great shoes and good tank and gobs of long layered necklaces. 

I spotted these insane in the membrane Italian denim company R13's crossover (read harem) jeans on the Dreslyn last night (that site is a distraction- you've been warned) and feel madly in love with them. They remind me of a dear, super styley friend of mine who has a way of taking silhouettes such as this one and making them all her own- she's the queen of quirky chic and I love her for it. I like to get my quirk on from time to time, but infused with something classic. I can imagine rocking these with simple ballet flats and a navy boatneck tee shirt, or even a half tucked, Brooks Brothers button down and some pearls. I like to play up and play down, and these jeans are simply everything in that perfectly disheveled way. Too bad they cost an arm and a leg though. Boo hoo. But damn if I am not going to hunt them down for cheap somewhere. I have to have these. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways- Comfy, chic, tomboy cool. PS- the whole line from this brand is equally as bad ass- the waxed black version of these rule too, as do all of their styles from skinny to more loosened up. 

And that's what's up this jean Genie of a Tuesday in the 212. Yours, in expensive Italian denim awesomeness. XO

Link to buy here. 

Good morning, Monday. Such a sleepy day today. Had a lovely weekend upstate in Woodstock and the surrounding towns. Was lovely to drink in the fresh mountain air and drive around checking out lots of fun stuff up there. Besides the beautiful views, said fresh air, and laid back vibes, there's some fabulous restaurants and shops up there too- naturally because if New Yorkers are driving up there, there better be some decent food and shopping. We thought about renting a little place up there this summer too, so let's see if we can make that a reality. Truth be told, I'm more of a beachy type, but it was a lovely break from the action and would like to spend more time in different air.

Anyway, I stumbled across this great store in Woodstock called Ecosystem (they've also got a shop in Hudson) which had some amazing handcrafted clothes, jewelry, and housewares. Since I was in my maj hippie mood, I couldn't help but full in love with an amazing line of dream catchers (they seem to be all the rage for some reason) from very cool brand Sun and Glory. I fell in love with the dark navy and black feathered versions, and got myself one similar to this one pictured above.

This brand makes amazing jewelry out of metal and leather too, and those leather neck pieces give me major festival fashion vibes, in the best of ways. I love the statement from the artist too:

"mystic curiosity sourced and presented in the form of "art". inspired by native american culture, 70's crafting, and pagan traditions. designed by annie rocchio, a wardrobe stylist and nomadic explorer. currently traveling the states. "

I'll always have a bit of a hippie chick side to my personality, and I just love the vibe of this brand and their muses and am looking forward to catchin' some dreams in Brooklyn when we hang this puppy up.

Here's some other versions from their site, check 'em out here.

Cause that's what's up this hippie dippy Monday in the 212. Yours, in peace and love. Oh, snap it's 420, so there's that too. XO

Good morning, Friday. I haven't done a fiver for you in a while but thought it might be time to list out something or other because I'm in the mood.

Today, I'm going to hit you with five things I love about freelance life, so if you're a fellow freelancer, I'm sure you can relate to some of them, and if you're thinking of trying the freelance life, read on for some insight into said life. And lest you think this is a shameless plug, it's not really. It's just that I absolutely prefer my current situation over full time gigging, and pretty sure I will continue to freelance until some offer I can't refuse comes up, complete with unicorns and alchemy and rabbits being pulled from hats. But since I don't really believe in magic, I suspect my freelance life is my fate, and that's that. Here's why:

1. I'm a commitment phobe. True, I'm married and settled in my personal life,  but when it comes to work, I've always had a problem with going to the same place every day. For many people, there's comfort in that, and sure it's great to really get to know the people you're working with, but I prefer to play the field. I love the challenge of jumping around the pond and not staying put for too long. It keeps me sharp, on my toes, and on top of what's happening in business. By experiencing different companies and different places, I feel I'm much more valuable, flexible, and knowledgable. And I'm not sure I could work at the same place, day after day, and year after year. As a freelancer, I can easily segue from ghostwriting to production to consulting to just about anything I want. The way I keep things consistent? I do things with my own unique point-of-view, and I wouldn't want it any other way. I loved being part of great ad agencies, but always felt like a one trick pony- I was only known as a producer and nothing else. My goal for 2015 is to keep diversifying my own personal brand, and I love having the freedom to collaborate and work with all kinds of people.

2. I like new things. As a reader of this blog, you're no doubt aware that I like to shop and try new products, brands, and everything under the sun. I'm not that different when it comes to my work life- I'm a consumer of experiences and enjoy the challenge of interpreting new cultures, processes, and personalities. Shiny and new is way more fun than dull and old. And by the time things get dull and old, I'm usually on to the next project. That works for me. Sure, I don't get that heady buzz you get when you build something together and watch it grow, but the project based life is one I really enjoy because I truly never get bored. Oh and I love checking out different neighborhoods for places to eat, get coffee, or get some retail therapy. Like I said, I like new things.

3. I like Switzerland. As a freelancer, I don't get too deep into the politics and ickiness that often accompanies corporate life. I get to make like Switzerland and be cool, stay neutral, and keep my nose out of the drama. I'm much happier that way. I just want to make good work with good peeps and not worry about bad vibes or ill intentions.

4. I love the hustle. Admittedly I tire of being out and about and drumming up business, but I really do like to network and meet people and explore potential opportunities. I've always been a hustler, a character trait that served me well in full time life, but serves me even better as a freelancer. Sure there's humbling moments where I think I may never work again, but as my friend recently told me "one phone call changes that". And it's true. Everyone knows the downside to freelancing is the risk, but to me, it's totally worth it. 

5. I thrive in chaos. This one is a double edged sword- because often by the time I get a phone call, there's a lot of panic and pandemonium around a project that can't be handled with full time bandwidth. In my production life, I've always thought the perfect character sketch of the ad freelancer is Harvey Keitel as Winston Wolfe in Pulp Fiction. He infamously enters the scene of a crime, in a tuxedo, and says "I'm Winston Wolfe. I solve problems". Yup. That's me and every other freelancer called to work on a pitch, last minute project, or mission impossible. Just lead me to the bodies. I'll clean them up. Day or night. I love jumping in head first into crazy situations and trying to figure things out on the fly. It's the same thing that keeps you up at night too, ps. To be a freelancer, you've got to be a little nuts. Fearless, but nuts. Full time life is much more stable, but in the ad world I know, you're in chaos no matter what. In full time life, you will clean up your fair share of bodies, but then you can't jump out afterwards and peace out and move on. And as Winston Wolf also said "rather you than me, gentlemen. Rather you than me. Hopefully, I get invited back for the sequel. I love repeat gigs and catching up with friends I've made- that's also a huge bonus- your network is huge once you learn to not faint at the sight of blood.

So that's what I've been thinking about as I returned to a freelance gig this week, and realized how much I enjoy it. The last month was strangely quiet, but I'm so happy to be back, doing what I love, thriving in the chaos, and loving the hustle. And that's what's up this freelance five for Friday in the 212. I encourage you to explore your best angle/character study when it comes to the next phase of your career and brand. Yours, in pulp fiction and career opportunities.  (What the sign says). XO

Good afternoon, Thursday. I'm hanging in midtown for a minute and damn if it's not the most heavenly day. The cherry blossoms are blooming in midtown to deflect the hustle and bustle and it doesn't get much better weather wise than it is today. I hope you are all enjoying it. Well played, Mother Nature. Well played. 

So it's no secret that New York can be an absolutely excruciating, life suck of a town to live in. It's expensive, overcrowded, intense. There's too many one percenters and not enough room for the rest of us. There's too much kale, too much soul cycle, too many people pretending this city is not the warped metropolis it is and turning it into a mall in Portland. But then there's nights like last night, which make a girl pause and remember just what a gift it is to live here.

Last night found me in a basement of a sushi restaurant on St. Mark's Place, at a table full of interesting, fabulously funny people, all gathered together to eat passable sushi, drink cheap wine (lots of that), and watch a belly dancing performance. At 8 pm at night. On a Wednesday.

Sure, your city may have that too. But there is something about a New York show that is just so bad ass and raucous and raw. Every woman that came out (of all shapes and sizes, and I do mean every size of the spectrum) danced her belly off, with the accompaniment of a fabulous guitarist and a cowboy boot wearing, bald beatboxer (sounds awful but works), to a packed house. Our table boasted a videographer, blogger/supreme connector, set designer, high end hair genius, and that was just at my end. Looking around at the crowd, everyone was there and part of it and enjoying each other's company while watching a fantastic performance. My friend took to the stage with one of the dancers and improved a great performance, while a Yoko Ono type hit the stage and did an impromptu performance of her own which was better than some of the performers themselves. I'm not sure where else one can sit in a basement sushi den and watch bellydancing, surrounded by interesting people who are all in on the madness and want to have a fantastic time and always get all of your jokes. As I stepped out on St. Marks Place, laughing and chatting with my friends, I realized that living in New York, though oppressive and frantic and arguably not as cool as it once was, is still pretty freaking cool. I hear there's a Japanese game show night at this place too- gathering a posse for that as we speak. Who wants in?

If you are living here and are too tired to drag yourself out of the house after fighting the hoards and smelly subway people all day, force yourself. New York, I will always love you- your wackiness, your depth, and your ability to throw a party like nobody else. That and the Springtime happy vibes have a hold of me. I love discovering new things here, and there's always something new to see- it's just a matter of getting out of your own head to get off of your sofa and go see them. I miss doing nighttime activities and have to remind myself that what's even more amazing than NY by day is NY by night.

Cause that's what's up this NY is still awesome kind of Thursday in the 212. Yours in bellydancing, belly laughing, and still being crazy, after all these years.  I still count myself as one of the lucky ones to live here.  XO

Hey now. Wednesday. It's SPRING. 

And though I'd love to do a full blog post today, I'm simply too busy celebrating the great weather. Glorious day. For now, enjoy this image by Arthur Elgort, whose work always makes me think of fresh Spring days and good times. 

And that's what's up this thank goodness for Spring kind of Wednesday. Yours, in feeling the fever. XO

Good afternoon, Monday. Wow it's gorgeous out. Spring fever, I have it. I can't get enough of this delicious weather. So good.

And as I walk the streets checking out everyone's cute Spring looks, I can't help but envy the girls who look so cute in Converse, particularly the high tops. I can't wear them at all. I've tried many times but am chalking up my Converse fail to a lack of length in the legs, and being under 5'8", or for shorter girls, smallish feet. No matter what I do, I look clowny in them, and though I love the look, I'm putting up the white flag in homage to the fact that I will most likely never look cute in Converse. A bummer, but I'll get through it.

Then there's the current obsession with Stan Smith like sneakers everywhere. I love the look of a white sneaker, but this silhouette is another one that's pretty tough to wear. My foot is an 8 1/2, not giant but not small either. But if you saw me in Stan Smiths, you'd think my feet were absolutely enormous. Not cute. At all. Don't even get me started on the shell toed version. Oy.  Next.

A friend of mine is obsessed with Golden Goose kicks- those of the Italian import, mega expensive skater shoe variety. I like them a lot, but I hate the price. I just can't right now. I have a pair from last season (shown above) that I got on a big time discount, but as much as I love them, they are not as comfortable on my feet as sneakers should be. Damn.

So it was with great pleasure that I discovered these fabulous Pumas shown above at Madewell last week. Back in the day, I was a big time Puma chick, I always rocked the solid black leather low tops, until the brand deviated and became a bit too Euro trash for my tastes. But I do believe classic Puma enthusiasts will welcome the Match back with open arms (feet?) because they are even better this time around. I got the cream color version and they are flattering on the foot and pillow like, just the way sneakers should be. I am going to wear mine with all of my summer LBDs, my boyfriend jeans, and well, everything I own. And the best part is they are well priced- for $65 you can't beat them. Oh, and fear not the bit of patent leather detailing- I sensed cheese factor upon first glimpse, but they look super cute once you try them on. Spare, chic, and elegant. Oh, and they come in black too. I declare this sneaker a must have- for the price, comfort, and cool look alone. What, you want to pay $400 and change for a pair of Common Projects jump offs? Be my guest. I'll be rocking these.

Cause that's what's up this pumped up Monday in the 718. Yours, in sneaking around. XO

Link to buy here.