la boudoir

dude!

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 14:00:00 +0000

Cup of Joe posted this early last week, but this was too fresh (yes, fresh) not to repost. Stephen Wiltshire took a 20 minute helicopter ride over New York, and then sketched the entire city from memory (freakin' memory!). He's done similar drawings of Tokyo, Rome, Madrid, Dubai, London, and more.

Read more about Stephen Wiltshire, and check out his gallery.

cool claudia

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:33:00 +0000

French Vogue has some behind-the-scene shots from Claudia's photo shoot for Alberta Ferretti perfume. I have no idea what the text says, but the photos are worth a look.

Note to self (and the rest of the world): I'm registered for French class come January, which means I will be able to ask "Where is the bathroom?" by the time I go back to Paris next July.

white is black

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 13:00:00 +0000

I did some serious reading this weekend. Lula, Another Magazine, French Vogue (Oct and Nov issues), British ELLE (Oct and Nov issues), American ELLE and Vogue (Oct and Nov issues), even Bon Appetit was part of the pack ... It's safe to say I have a slight magazine addiction.

Anyways, I'm a bit late on the coverage, but I finally saw the Lara Stone blackface spread in the October issue of French Vogue. I wasn't a huge fan of the styling; however, the photos did make an impact.

This isn't the first, nor the last of skin coloring we are going to see. I haven't paid much attention to America's Next Top Model (the under 5'7 height thing is slightly ridiculous to me), but I guess Tyra did a blackface shoot. And more still, Mario Sorrenti shot a spread for the most recent issue of V Magazine (image above).

I don't know how the rest of the world feels about it, but I think I kind-of like it.

UpGrade

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 22:07:00 +0000

Vogue.com, the French version....recently got a facelift. And perhaps one of the best parts about it is the new feature on Carine Roitfeld. It's no secret the woman is well respected, well dressed, and working it out, if you know what I mean. And now, thanks to a little collaboration between Garance Dore and Vogue, we get to learn a little (and I mean very little) more about Carine.

The information is interesting, but personally I like the layout of photos and text. Garance is always spot on with her graphics and photos, and these notebook pages are no exception.

Check it out…it’s worth a look. French Version. English Version.

So sad, it’s stupid

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 21:16:00 +0000

You know Ralph Lauren fired Filippa Hamilton-Palmstierna for being too fat. Yea, I thought the same thing. I think she something like 5’10 120lb. I know, I know, whoa mama, she’ll blowin up the scale.

Anyways, in case the height to weight ration didn’t illustrate just how stupid the Ralph Lauren decision was, the recent Photoshoped billboards of Filippa prove the point.

Umm yea, does this look natural? Her head is wider than her waist. WTF?

Rachel Maddow did a short piece on this yesterday. Watch and Enjoy!

Visit msnbc.com forBreaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

balancing act

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 21:22:00 +0000

I looked at my blog last night and realized I haven’t posted anything in over two weeks. Holy crap! I have a rather long story to illustrate the last few weeks, months even…

When I was a kid, my family used to spend time in Tahoe. We’d take long walks in the woods, often crossing various streams that flowed to the Sacramento River. At the deep parts of the water, we’d step from rock to rock to get across. We were taught early on, in Girl Scouts probably, that you always test the rock you are about to step on before you put your weight on it. I’d stick my foot out and try to wiggle the rock beneath the translucent water with the tip of my toe. If it moved, obviously I would avoid it and try another, slowly making my way across the stream.

On rare occasions, because you never really know, I’d test a rock, think it was sturdy, step on it, and then the rock would shift. I’d throw my arms in the air, trying to catch my balance, and more often than not, end up crashing into the ice cold water. Good thing I could swim…

Point being, we’ve had a lot of rocks that wiggle lately. Some that have merely caused TJ and me to catch our balance, and a couple that have sent us crashing into the ice cold water. We may get three good rocks that move us half way across the river, and then holy crap, we almost fall in.

In some respect, TJ and I are soaking wet, our clothes are weighted from the water, our socks soaking, and our toes have turned to prunes. Situations we’ve had no control of have slipped out from underneath us, and life’s wiggly rocks have caused us to lose our balance.

You can’t sit down in the middle of the river, no matter how much you want to, just like you can’t sit down in the middle of life. I think I just need to dry off a bit. I need to make it to the other side of life’s current stream, before I embark on another. And perhaps take some time sit down, catch up on the things I miss, and enjoy some sunshine. I’m going to get my feet on the ground. I am going to get back to reading magazines, listening to records, watching Rachel Maddow, eating salad, going to the gym (yea right!), and all those other things have been pushed aside (like writing here).

it's about time

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I have been separated (by distance not by choice) from my husband for 3 1/2 months. I moved down to San Jose/San Francisco for a job, and he has been up in Seattle waiting to make the move. Finally, finally, finally I am getting my husband (and nacho-dog) today. We'll be driving down from Seattle with all our stuff, and the dog for the next two days. So, forgive me for my absence, but I got something far more important than blogging to do :)

Until Monday...

the issue with the september issue

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Has anyone else seen The September Issue? I saw the movie last week with my mom and . . . was bored out of my mind!!!

Here's my movie summary:

Everyone bickers with each other.

Anna Wintour is pissy and aloof most of the time.

Umm, can I get a refund?

someday is today

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:54:00 +0000

When I was young (as if I am old), I would come to San Francisco from time to time. For my 16 birthday, I came to San Francisco with my mother and sister, and we shopped for my Jr. Prom dress. Upon driving back into the city, we drove up Van Ness Ave. and past the San Francisco Opera. It must of been their Gala, as the red carpet was rolled out and limos were parked outside. As we drove past the front of the Opera House, I vividly remember seeing a woman standing at the top of the steps; brown hair swept up in a twist, her back exposed, and the train of her crimson dress covered the steps beneath her.

I was enthralled. For a 16 year old girl, that spent her days listening to TOOL, to find the Opera desirable was an accomplishment. If my mother would have known what was going through my head at that moment, she probably would have stop right there, bought me a ticket, and made every attempt to save me from my poor music taste.

Anyways...we drove past the building, my head turning to see as much as possible, and although I only got a glimpse of the interior through the window of my mother's mini van, I thought to myself, "Someday, I will go there."

Well 10 years later, I'm going. Tonight, in fact. It's no Gala, and there won't be a red carpet, but I will finally see the inside, here the music, and be able to say at 16 I knew what I was talking about.

Enough said. I've got to go get dressed.

turning the page

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

My 25 year was destined to be a rough one. The day of my 25 birthday I said to TJ, "25 is a figure it out year, it will be messy; however, 26 is when I finally get to hit the ground running." Man, oh man, was I right.

I spent my last 5 months of being 25 "getting it together." Starting a new job, family members passing, living apart from the two best people on the planet (TJ and Nacho dog 0f course), moving in with my grandmother in San Jose, moving to San Francisco alone, blah, blah, blah...the list could go on...

Rough times only prove who you really are. They test your character and refine your soul. You true colors really show under stress. That being said, if you're a horrible human, you seem even worse. And if you are a person of character, you come out of the "toughness" a tiny bit taller, with your head held high.

Something about seeing the light at the end of the tunnel....knowing the end is within arms reach, makes me turn around and feel proud. "We survived," I tell myself. Mine (and our) transition to San Francisco is almost over. In less than two weeks TJ, Nacho, and our entire home will finally be here. No more sleeping on a sofa bed, yay! Finally, we both will be ready to "hit the ground running."

Point being, I turned 26 this past Saturday. And I just know 26 is going to be a good year.

it's just getting started

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Although the fashion frenzy is just getting started, you can see the first trend from a mile away...they look like paintings almost. What the hell am I talking about, you ask? Why, brush stoke prints for Spring 2010, of course!

Who needs florals when you've got a paint brush? Though the spring 2010 season is almost a year away, you might as well start shopping early. You can save yourself a pretty penny searching out prints from this past seasons.

One down...many more trends to go.

here's why

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 23:00:00 +0000

Whyred pronounced why-red, is one of my favorite Swedish labels. Designers Roland Hjort, Lena Patriksson Keller and Jonas Clason started designing menswear back in 1999, and quicky grew into womenswear.

The Spring 2010 collection consist of minimal, raw, "throw it on and walk out the door" clothing that I would suggest you consider adding to your wardrobe. Simple, easy, clean, and modestly priced are all accurate words to describe the collection. Exactly what you need and what you can rationalize spending money on in "economic times like these." Whyred just launched an online store ... sounds like it's time to start shopping right?

Here are some more images from the Spring 2010 lookbook.

signs of life

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I'm alive, still breathing, and back. I have moved into my apartment in San Francisco, finally established the internet, and in two weeks the sounds of A's baseball, Rachel Maddow, and little dog feet running across the hardwood floor will fill the house again. I am a step closer to normal, two weeks from having my husband back, and with some time things will be settled again...ahh.

In the meantime, back to basics, back to the things I love. I've missed staying up late, warm bubble baths, Cote Bastide soap, the smells of olive oil and garlic, drinking cheap table wine after 10pm, systematically scanning one fashion site after another for news, reading my French Vogue...ahh.

Anyways, I'm back in the game, just in time for Fashion Week to start.

fall 2009 runway 'kind-of-sort-of" overview

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 06:50:00 +0000

I haven’t had time to put together my normal runway review. Moving to San Francisco has cut my time short. So, in I decided I would give you an overview of the collections and trends that stood out the most.

Everything in the attached pdf I have previously posted about. There is so, so much more. It's sad to think I spent all those hours cataloging photos, only to not use them. What can I say, time has gotten away from me.

Fall 2009 1/2 complete, kind-of-sort-of overview

truth be told

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:51:00 +0000

The cat's out of the bag. So it's time to tell the truth. I promised a while back I would fill you in on all the details of my "new job" and now is the time. If you haven't noticed, I have been absent from my blog, posting on 1-2 times a week. In a variety of posts I have left subtle hints about what a life-changing decision my job would be. Little did I know how true this would be...

My new job is working for the San Francisco Symphony. Fabulous, right? It's the Symphony! It's San Francisco! However, if you read my blog, you know I live in Seattle. I was offered the job in June, and two weeks later I was on an airplane to California. This means since June I have lived in California, while my husband and nacho-dog stayed in Seattle. Aside from being alone, away from the comforts of home, and missing my best friends (my husband and nacho-dog), there is so much more to this...

So, I didn't get a place on my own. Instead, I have been living with my grandmother in San Jose. This means a 1 hour and 15 minute commute each way. Up at 6:30am and home at 9pm. No more going out at night, staying up late, sleeping in, and so forth. I haven't had time to watch tv, read a magazine, cook dinner, or anything else for that matter.

My husband is still in Seattle, and just told his job this past Friday. He held off telling his job the situation due to a variety of reason; nonetheless, he has been unable to talk to any one in Seattle about the situation. We have both been living in two different worlds. He's waiting to come down to San Francisco, worried about his job situation, and alone with nacho-dog.

Perhaps the worse part has been the run-down of things that happened with in days of moving to California: my uncle passed away and his funeral was the day before I arrived, two days later my husbands grandmother passed away, and two weeks later our dog had emergency surgery that cost upwards of $3000 bucks (the day before our 1 year anniversary). Eww.

Needless to say, it's been an exhausting few months. Still, there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

We finally have an apartment. A cute flat in Hayes Valley, walking distance to work, cute shops, and tasty restaurants. I move in September 1, which means no more commuting!

TJ told his job this past Friday. Fingers crossed they will keep him on, and he will work from San Francisco. He loves the Seattle Opera, loves his co-workers, and wants to continue working for them.

And, soon we will be living in a fabulous city. Warmer weather, close to friends and family, and of course, the Oakland Athletics and Raider games. We'll be able to go to ballgames after work, walk nacho in the winter without him freezing, and see friends more frequently. And perhaps the best part, we are selling the car! No more driving. I cannot wait!

I think I will have my husband (and dog) here soon! So things are on their way to being better, I think.

Like Whoa

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 20:48:00 +0000

This image was posted on Jak & Jil today. At first I thought, Awesome. And then I looked closer and thought, Dude, are those her pubes?

Happy Friday!

miss marisa

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 09:00:00 +0000

Marisa Tomei did a one-off, fashion photoshoot for the Boy Fall 2009 lookbook. I'm not the biggest fan of the photos. They have a very similar vibe to Marc Jacobs print ads, which isn't really my thing. However, Marisa Tomei is too cute for words. She hasn't aged a bit, and she's over 40! Ahh, a reminder that there is hope for us ladies out there.

I think I need to go watch Untamed Heart now. Check out more photos.

models without makeup

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:09:00 +0000

You remember a while back when French ELLE did a fashion spread, and the models were without makeup? Wild, I know. Seems like the trend is catching on. Check out Harper's Bazaar model spread. They aren't "au naturel", but pretty dang close. All I can say is, "Work it out Helena, work it out!"

Can't Touch This...just yet

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 11:00:00 +0000

I cannot wait to get my hand on this... a new book, The Italian Touch. Aside from all the fabulous photos, what I really want to see is Anna Dello Russo's home. You've read the story about her two apartments right? One for living, and one just for her clothes. Oh Yea. So you can only imagine what her home looks like. Needless to say, I know I will be drooling. Lots and lots of drool I think. I'll be sure to have tissue with me before I start reading.

run, run, run

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:00:00 +0000

Oh my! It's Wednesday and I haven't posted anything. This week has ran away with me.

Work has picked up, and my favorite person in the world (a.k.a. my husband) and I spent this past weekend in San Francisco. I am working hard to catch up on everything, but I figured I share some things that have sparked my interest:

I love these Balenciaga ads with Jennifer Connelly and I want to know what Pia is up to!

Is it Friday yet?

read it.

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:45:00 +0000

I got a kick out of this interview with Scott Schuman of the Sartorialist. It's a little bit of photo background, fashion throughs, personal info, and a little T.M.I (aka too much info). But, it's well worth the quick read.

oh baby

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

There seems to be a rash of pregnancies in the modeling world: Gisele, Karolina Kurkova, and now Jourdan Dunn. It reminds me of when Katie Holmes, The Pitts, that Simpson sister, yea, yea you get my point. It's as if the business of popping out babies (i.e. baby clothes, baby bumps, blah blah) is a trend. Your thoughts?

home sweet home

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 17:00:00 +0000

Back to Sac. I’m going home this weekend, to my childhood home in Sacramento. My mom and I are going to cook for hours, I’m going to go buy Star Wars toys for my nephew (aka my new BFF), and perhaps I will get myself a tan in the 90+ degree sunshine.

Until Monday…

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 20:55:00 +0000

This photo was posted on Jak & Jil today. All I can say is, Work it out Garance, Work It OUT!

small things make all the difference

noreply@blogger.com (Stacy) — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 11:00:00 +0000

You ever have a moment where things are made right? As in, everything wasn’t perfect, but then something came along and made it work.

Let me explain. Yesterday was gloomy in San Francisco. No sunshine and no warm wind blowing my hair across my face. It was cold. And well, the office was pretty quiet and cold too. Silence and overcast weather can make the day feel gloomy.

I left my office around 1pm, and walked down the street to the sandwich shop for lunch. I ordered myself a caprese sandwich, waited for it to be prepared, and then took my sandwich back to the office to eat. When I opened my mouth and took my first bite, I tasted to my delight, perhaps the best caprese sandwich I’ve ever had. Heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, warm banquette… mmm…delicious!

And just like that, my mood switched. My sandwich was good, and for the moment, all was as it should be.