Good afternoon, Monday. Need a little time to wake up, wake up.
I'm too busy to write a proper post so instead here's a picture of Liam Gallagher and his brother/arch nemesis Noel. I'm going full Oasis today because I'm submerged in Anglophilia today and that's that. I'll hear of no other kind of mania today.
Cause that's what's up this Brit pop of a Monday in the 212. What's the story, morning glory? Yours, in music. XO
Good afternoon, Friday. I had a lovely OOTO type day today and boy was it lovely. It's cold out baby and I love it. Woke up late and hung with Khan and got to have lunch with a lovely old pal of mine who makes me laugh and inspires me. Lots of fun. Taking a day off felt like a little gift after a hard week, and I was grateful for some time at home. And while we're on the subject of gifting oneself, I thought it would be fun to do one of my Five for Friday posts and bring you Five Under Fifty- five fun things to buy for yourself this weekend that won't break the bank and are under fiddy bones. I hope wherever you are you can indulge in some you time, and perhaps buy yourself a little something if you feel like while doing so. Without further yammering, I bring you Five Under Fifty:
Tarte 12 Hour Amazonian Clay Blush in Exposed, $26- Hands down my favorite blush- subtle, glowy, pretty, oh and LONG LASTING. I have a hard time with blush in that it looks great when I put it on in the am but by the time I get to the office I'm Casper all over again. This blush is a bit like teflon but is still somehow natural. It's just the perfect shade and will suit most skin types. Big fan.
Armani Lip Maesto Matte Lacquer in Blush, $32- You know I love the red version of this super matte, eat and drink proof gloss that is part stain, part gloss. This color makes your lips look full and natural- adore a neutral lip color and this one is just perfection if your lips skew more naturally pink- fantastic little color boost that lasts and lasts and is matte but hydrating. Bravo, Mr. Armani.
C. Wonder hinge bit cuff, $38- OMG. So good. I love a classic cuff and this one feels expensive and fabulous and kind of Hermes/Gucci. C. Wonder's jewelry is so fabulous- great way to embrace some trends while not breaking the bank. Love their bracelets/bangles in particular. Great.
Old Navy Polka Dot scarf, $13.97- Oh, hey. My name is Old Navy polka dot scarf and I am too cute for words and a very cheap date. I'll go everywhere with you and you can even stash me in your nice handbag for chilly days.
The new Bridget Jones book, $16.01- Ya. I know. You're too smart and busy and postmodern to read this book. No you're not. And neither am I. Because everyone needs a break from CNN/fiscal cliffs/botched healthcare for all. You know you wanna. Just admit it and we'll all be ok,even if Renee Zellweger's new face looks reallllly weird.
And that's my list of fun things under 50 bucks. Two beauty products, two accessories, and one piece of chick lit. Looks like it's going to be a glamorous and girly weekend...cause that's what's up this gifting for myself kind of Friday in the beautiful borough of Brooklyn. Yours, in (responsible) spending. XO
Good morning, Thursday. Oh how Khan and I just wanted to sleep in today. Such a gloomy Gus of a day.
But since it is gloomy, I feel like wearing something super comfortable yet chic enough for the office. A very fashionable freelancer I work with showed me this line from Canada called Complex Geometries and I pretty much want everything. But one piece that struck my eye is this fabulous sweatshirt dress/top thing, called appropriately, the Coma. The sweatshirt has a humility that I love, and its been rocked by fashion types all over the globe of late. It's a trend I can really get behind. As for the one I've mentioned, I love the navy version (below) and would wear it with tights and heels and a big fake fur. I also love it with a crisp white shirt underneath, a statement necklace at the throat, and some leather leggings. It's just fabulous and useful and sexy in an "I don't really care" kind of way. I love the slouchy shape and extra long sleeves- perfect for nuzzling up on grey afternoons. And though $230 for a sweatshirt is sort of beyond, think of this is a basic dress to replace some of your more tired LBDs. It's a fresh take on a basic piece and I'm feeling crazy good love for it.
I'm all in. And if you have to get out of bed today, you may as well look cute doing it, non? Cause that's what's up this sleepy Thursday (is it Friday yet?) in the 212. Settle in. Yours, in sleepiness. XO
PS careful on this site...lots of tempting awesomeness. You've been warned.
http://complexgeometries.net/collections/dresses/products/coma-sweatshirt-black
Good morning, Wednesday. Khan and I have been waking up a bit early with the time change and with David out west for a shoot. Needless to say, we're still cuddled up in bed and watching the news together. Such news hounds we are.
I've been meaning to write a post this week about one of my favorite subjects, eccentrics. I moved to New York in the early 90s when there were still plenty of these types around, and trust me they're still here now but become somehow out of favor. I was walking through Soho last night and noticing the way people are dressing these days and I'll tell you what- although the chic of the chic were out at Balthazar as I sipped on a martini (a well needed martini I might add), I couldn't help but fixate on one older woman sitting by herself in the corner of the bar. She had steely hair, pulled back, and a thick wrap of a sweater, with some Pumas that somehow did not fit the rest of her vibe. But none of that is interesting until you saw the rather large dachshund at her feet. In the restaurant. Hanging out at the bar while she ate some steak frites.
In New York, dogs are not really allowed inside restaurants, let alone famous emporiums of tourism like Balthazar. But this woman somehow had broken that rule- because she was a local, a fabulous, wacky local that was possibly too rich to care and too over it to worry about whether this was appropriate behavior or not. In a sea of strategically placed ski caps and Rag and Bone everything, this was the woman that won my heart. We need more eccentrics. Period. They know how to live life.
Just this weekend, Andrew O'Hagan wrote a piece in the New York Times on the demise of the fashion eccentric. He talked about people like Isabella Blow, and her love for mink antlers and a sense of real drama when it came to dress. O'Hagan notes that true eccentrics like Quentin Crisp and Vivienne Westwood and Anna Piaggi are becoming extinct, with a slew of fakers taking their place. I love he how notes that "the true eccentric gives us more mystery, more wonder about being human, a new side to beauty, while the faux-eccentric gives us less of everything". I couldn't agree more- and though I am a huge fan of the democratization of fashion and bloggers and Pinterest, I can't help but think we've all become a bit too styled within an inch, and we need to move the needle towards a more individual sense of dress- think Simon Doonan's Wacky Chicks or the lovelies of Advanced Style. I myself have always fancied myself a bit of a Peggy Guggenheim (in a fantasy sense) at heart. I may dress in more of a minimal way but in my heart, I'm a patron of the art in crazy glasses throwing wild parties.
In further praise of eccentrics, the article notes that "People like this are like beautiful storytellers, breaking rules you didn’t even know were there, just so you can see better and maybe be better. Life is so full of rules and so full of predictable routines that one can almost forget that art and life depend on spontaneity. Enter the eccentric". Do come in.
The circle of influence called social media has caused us to look at fashion in a very different way- we seek approval from friends and family in the dressing room as we upload photos, we curate a point of view on Pinterest, and we wait in longggg lines for cheaper versions of our favorite designers at stores like H&M. Why not just throw on a headscarf and wear nonsensical layers a la Edie Beale? We need more crazies- the RIGHT kind of crazies. Life has just gotten all too vanilla when it comes to fashion. To me, and as noted in the Times piece, maybe life does not always go perfectly, but at least the eccentrics know how to dream. These are the mad ones I spoke of yesterday- it's not just crazy for crazy's sake but its a style moment that's full of wit, a lack of pretension, and a whole lot of originality. These are people that just go for it, and think nothing of bringing a dog to a fancy restaurant or wearing pajamas to a dinner party, with a turban and a fur. It's a confidence in who you are vs. caring what others think you should be. It's a beautiful thing.
My favorite paragraph comes at the end of the piece, in which the writer notes on Ms. Beale- "You wouldn’t say things worked out well for Little Edie, but she was a beautiful woman who went her own way. And maybe that’s the true definition of an eccentric — someone who can’t be slain by what lesser people might say." That's it right there- it's time for women and men to be who they are when it comes to dress, and color outside the lines in this hyper curated time of style. Life is short.
There, I said it. Cause that's what's up this boom boom it's great to be crazy kind of Wednesday in the wacky old world of New York. Yours, in style. Go be original today, you. You should never be afraid to be yourself. XO
Good afternoon, friends. It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood...hope you got out and voted where you are- I was up early in the am to cast mine. 'Tis a new day in NYC so bring it on. I know many are lamenting the loss of a certain billionaire, but meh. Not me. Change is good and before this city turns into a full on posh theme park (it already has), let's get back to a little soulfulness and character.
Besides that, I was looking in my inbox this am and got an email from the brilliant Buck Mason, an outfit for mens clothes that skews sort of grown up garanimals- you get a package of items for one set price delivered to your door for a complete look, or buy separates as you wish. Think packaged basics of all the things a grown ass man needs- a great tee, some khakis, a good button down. You know. The basics. I find myself drawn to a man who dresses on the simpler side- with a nice watch or some great socks to accessorize. And though I appreciate a dandy, I'm more of a jeans and tee shirt type when it comes to what I like a man to wear. That's just me.
This month's collection is all about embodying Kerouac, one of the hottest, broodiest, maddest ones to ever have lived. I am a huge fan of his sullen yet exuberant anti-style situation, and it's no secret how much I adore his work, even if it makes me a walking cliche. "On The Road" changed the game when I read it in high school- from that point on, I wanted to get out there with the crazies and live LIFE, man.
And Kerouac kept it simple (may of you will recall that Kerouac wore khakis- as we learned in that genius Gap campaign of years ago)- so it's no surprise this six pack is all about real clothes for real dudes- a wardrobe to write a great American stream of conscience novel while consumed by mescaline and cheap booze by. Yup. Love.
The package contains:
A chino. A chambray button down. A white oxford. A black hoodie. A navy polo. A light grey tee. And all made in America. All you need in addition is some wanderlust, some hopes, some dreams, and a pal called Dean. Oh, and an Underwood to write it all down. And most definitely, a sweet ride. After all, you gotta go and never stop going till you get here. That's what life's all about, right? Dress accordingly. Cause that's what's up this Jack of a Tuesday on a new day in NYC. Jazz soundtrack not included. Let's get lost . Snap Snap. Yours, in beatnik ethos. XO
Good morning(ish) Monday David is out of town and I am in work work work mode and I am tired and bleary eyed and incapable of writing anything other than this stream of conscience ramble. But I did find this quote from "Into the Wild" that kinda sums it all up for me during this very cuckoo, chaotic retrogradient of a moment in this thing called life/work/life:
"If you want to get more out of life, Ron, you must lose your inclination for monotonous security and adopt a helter-skelter style of life that will at first appear to you to be crazy. But once you become accustomed to such a life you will see its full meaning and its incredible beauty. And so, Ron, in short, get out of Salton City and hit the Road. I guarantee you will be very glad you did.
...Don’t settle down and sit in one place. Move around, be nomadic, make each day a new horizon. You are still going to live a long time, Ron, and it would be a shame if you did not take the opportunity to revolutionize your life and move into an entirely new realm of experience."
Life may be crazy right now, but is it the right kind of crazy? I know not, but I do love the above quote. If I can't go to there now, I can at least embody that restless spirit and yearning to hit the road and see some stuff- I'm a nomad in my own mind right now. Cause that's what's up this a good quote is a good quote kind of Monday as I'm too tired to write my own good words. Yours, in literature. Maybe moving to the wilderness is the way to go, and leave the jungle of Manhattan behind. XO
Good morning, Friday (and November). I'm in the office with candles it listening to Darklands by the J & M Chain on this gloomy day and enjoying the productive lethargy vibe I'm experiencing. Sometimes getting things done on a sleepy day is somehow more pleasant, particularly when its enhanced by dreamy music and a lovely scent in the air (currently burning Voluspa's Crane Flower, which according to their site, contains notes of Bird of Paradise nectar, ripe grapefruit, geranium and lavender- it's not my usual but I do really love it- it's floral but not cloying).
So it was a big week for Halloween types this week and I have to say, I got caught up in it in a major way. I'm not much for costumes but I really enjoyed my agency's dog parade (as did Khan- I swear he was smiling as he pranced his little quarterback self around the office with the other gorgeous pups), and I loved my neighborhood's take on Halloween last night.
I loved seeing all the kids in their costumes, all the neighbors with their candy buckets giving out treats, and most of all- the quippy parents and their hilarious one liners and eye rolls. Cynical parents make me laugh, and the fact that they kept pointing to our bottle of wine we were hiding on top of the stoop and asking for treats was pretty hilarious. I know how hard it must be to get home at 4 pm from work to take your kids around the neighborhood, but from the looks of things, a great time was had by all. I loved how the costumes were original and handmade as well, or a lot of them were- it shows that parents took the time to help their little ones get ready for the big day. I just felt a lot of love and the kids were great about only taking one piece of candy each (we ran out about three times and had to make runs to CVS). One little girl was even kind enough to offer to donate her candy so we would not run out. That restored my faith in humanity right there. (That and the baby in the lobster suit inside of a pot I saw on Bleecker Street before I left the city last night).
In any event, there's nothing like New York on Halloween. I remember all of those years living right at the start of the parade on Sixth Avenue and Spring, and the joy of watching so many creative people strut their stuff was always pure joy. I watched some of the parade on TV last night and New York did not disappoint- with plays on everything from the government shutdown to a take on a snowball's chance in hell, I love the ingenious thinking of this city in the Halloween costume throwdown. Oh and any excuse to prance down the street drunk. Gotta love that.
Maybe it's the fact that things have been kind of tough this year, and the past few years really that I felt so comforted and happy to see so many of my friends on social media really going for it when it came to dressing up this year. Maybe we all needed to get out of our own skin for the night and be someone else, or something else. Maybe real life has just become too meh to handle and we need to have Halloween more than once a year. I see nothing wrong with neighbors giving out free candy to a troop of mini lions and construction paper/cardboard robots. I'm in favor of doing this more often, and I may even start thinking about a costume. For now, I'll just admire all of you beautiful people and your children and your pets. Khanny had two costumes this year and will probably beg to wear his again this weekend (not, but a girl can hope).
I hope you all enjoyed your celebrations- oh, and there's something good about global warming after all- no jacket over the costume. Last night was a bit drizzly at times, but it was beyond warm- and it was not just the mild temperatures- it was also those great heartwarming moments of people just having a great time. More of that please.
Cause that's what's up this post Halloween Friday in the very fabulous city of New York. Maybe there'll be a couple more parties this weekend to keep the costume dream alive. So oh hey, November. My favorite month of the whole year with my absolute favorite holiday- Thanksgiving. I can't wait. I hope there's still some candy around the office, ps. I'm still in the mood for trick or treating. Happy post Halloween! Yours, in autumn goodness. XO
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Good morning, Thursday. Happiest of Halloween to you all out there. I hope you enjoy your spooky day. Today is a special one here at our house- it's the day we got our little Khan baby three years ago, from the Humane Society in Miami where our little guy jumped in our arms and we all never looked back. Needless to say, the love he has brought to our lives is a gift. David took a redeye straight to the office and Khan and I are laying in bed, snuggled up and watching the early news. I'm so very grateful for having him, and having the ability to give him the nice life and home he deserves. Bless that little man.
Now on to fashion. I'm having mixed feelings lately. And by that, I don't mean I'm conflicted about Alexander Wang at Balenciaga or wondering why Kim Kardashian has to be so vulgar all the time. I'm having mixed feelings because I'm loving a mixed media approach to dressing for the Fall- leather panel leggings have been around a few seasons now, but nobody does them better than DKNY, in either a thick ponte knit or a jersey. It's a great way to do leather but not feel too over the top.
I'm also absolutely in love with Emerson Fry these days- digging on these mixed material boots, some sort of python situation mixed in with leather. I love the shape of them- the wider calf makes for some divine skinny jean moments- it's a super flattering silhouette.
And then of course is Claire Vivier, whose dark color blocking on her simple tote is simply all that. I'd love to pop some gold initials on there (love her custom monograms) and this would be the absolute perfect bag for Fall/Winter travels to and fro. Needs it.
Oh and if you're feeling super spendalicious, this Burberry patent sleeved trench is spy sexy. I love it. But the good news is I've been seeing variations on a leather sleeve in all the stores and at all price points. This one's just sort of amazing and had to share it with you.
And of course, I'm not ever mad at a leopard print mixed with leather and a zipper. This 3.1 Phillip Lim panel dress is gutsy and sexy, but pair it with a tux jacket and you've got a great look. Fabulous.
Yup this stuff all skews dark. But it's Halloween and basic black feels super right to me today, and well, most days really. Basic black with a bit of a mash up is the way to go for all of your cold weather staples. I'm looking forward to mixing it up this Fall/Winter- hope your day is full of tricks and treats. I remain snuggled with Khan until the sun officially comes up. Cause that's what's up this two materials are better than one kind of Thursday in the best city in the world. Yours, in fashion. XO
Good morning, Tuesday. It's been a year since Sandy and sending lots of love and wishes to all of those still working hard to get back to normal. The city is business as usual, but I'm sure a lot of people in the Rockaways and the Jersey Shore and other points are still trying to figure out how to make it all feel ok again. My thoughts and prayers are with them all.
So, oh- I tried a cronut yesterday. For those of you living under a stalactite, the cronut (whose name is by the way trademarked now) from Dominique Ansel's bakery in Soho is the new Magnolia Bakery cupcake. Scores of people wait to get their sugar craving mitts on them each day, and as luck would have it, my lovely and very foodie friend Stacey Fischer sent some over to my office, because she's awesome and knows the power of a hard to get dessert. Bless her.
Here's the deal with the cronut- at first bite I'm all like, meh. But then another bite. And another. And though I wished I had more bites (I had to share once it hit the office that I had the precious pastries here), each bite became more delicate, delicious, and complex. The creamy filling, the doughnut texture mixed in with the crunchy outer layer of a croissant all so delicately conjured. It's an experience worth savoring, almost as much for its waiting list worthy status as for its taste. I'd say it's well worth the wait. I like stuff that gets better with every bite- I mean, who doesn't? Am I making a life metaphor out of this fancy tasting of mine? Perhaps. I'll leave that for you to decide. I'm pretty lucky to still be around these parts, and I'm enjoying each bite. That's all I'm gonna say. Sometimes you have to wait in line to get something delicious. Oh and fakers beware- you may attempt to make a better cronut, but in my mind, ain't nothin' like the real thing.
So if you happen to be around Soho and feel like waiting in the chilly air for a cronut, go do that. It's worth it. Now that we all know Magnolia cupcakes are grossly overrated, no need to wait in line there. Their banana pudding, however, is bath worthy. I'd like to fill a tub with it.
And that's what's up this sweet and dandy Tuesday in the 212. All the love and yours, in yumminess, and cronuts. XO
Good morning, Monday. It's sunny and chilly and twas a lovely weekend of long walks and experimental cooking. I saw some new friends, I saw some old friends- all in all- not too shab.
But the news of Lou Reed's passing yesterday gave me major league pause. I heard the news when I was in my local wine shop- the girls there were listening to "Sunday Morning" (watch out the world's behind you) and told me he had died. He's one of those losses that is particularly painful. I remember being a kid and thinking about what it would be like when people from my musical or celebrity DNA pass, and though I was probably thinking of people more like Simon LeBon, I now know that losing Lou Reed cuts pretty deep, not just because he is one of my heroes, but he also represents a particular breed of New Yorker that has also, or is slowly being, swallowed up by the new guard. He was the last of a particular brand of enfant terrible who understood the intricacies of New York bullshit and beauty.
Lou was one of those incredibly gifted storytellers who always seemed to have the perfect birds eye view of New York. His music, his sunglasses, his cool ambiguity made me want to move here. I love how Lou neither identified as gay nor straight- he had a sex appeal that was not really about his looks but a raw darkness and virility that made him very attractive. Add that to a history of writing songs that give you all you need to know about New York's (now disappearing) subcultures and really there you have it.
I'm not sure anyone will ever write a song as good as "Walk on the Wild Side" again, or make me feel the way I do every time I hear the gnawing opening chords of "Sweet Jane", particularly the live versions. And the beauty of "Sunday Morning" or "Pale Blue Eyes" makes me want to laze about in bed and find a lovely piece of sun to stretch out in. Lou's world was rock and roll magic to the hilt- defiant, more than a bit druggy, and most of all, electrifyingly gorgeous. I've always thought of Lou as a bit of a Rimbaud type- a beautiful libertine poet who didn't necessarily fit in. That's a New York hallmark right there, or at least it was for me. Lou sang about transvestites, junkies, angels, and any other fringe type you can think of. Yea, the tired and poor and hungry came here, but it was those square pegs yearning to break free that Lou sang about, and though I was none of the above, as a little girl in Philly with a weird haircut and a paint set, I could relate. I so wanted to walk on the wild side. I so stared at every Velvet Underground cover and picture of Edie, Nico, Andy, and Lou and wondered if I would ever be a fraction as cool as they were (Answer obvious there...ha). I love that Lou and the Velvet Underground were a band cast by Andy Warhol. Their performances were all art and chaos and downtown cred. Lou's rawness and honesty and lushness took a hold of me and informed the way I listen to music. He will be so missed and I can only hope that as we miss another awesome New Yorker who embodied what it meant to be here, he will be having a blast recreating Max's Kansas City in Heaven, with Andy and Nico in tow. Oh, and Edie of course. Lou is survived by Laurie Anderson, his partner and another amazing creature who refuses to draw within the lines.
And though our city no longer has a factory with silver balloons and the Lower East Side has more baby strollers than junkies, there's still room to celebrate this city's edgy soul. I'll miss you terribly, Lou. You were always the beacon of what it meant to be a New Yorker, and I know I'm not the only one sad to see you go. May you go to all tomorrow's parties. Try for that kingdom if you can.
Cause that's what's up this RIP Lou Reed kind of Monday in the 212. I know what I'm listening to today. All you other rebels out there, keep Lou's spirit alive. XO