where the style things are

Let's Talk About Food Poisoning.

2012-02-08T16:51:00.001-05:00

Or, let's not. I won't be talking about food for a while, unfortunately, while this works its way out of me, but check out these really cool websites in the meantime!

Beachtomato:

All things style and taste, but beach-centric. Great ideas for honeymoon spots, fashion, and beach beauty. My favorite part? A "beach of the week" and "beach house of the week" features. I could look at these pictures all day, especially when it's snowing (finally!) outside.

{I want to go to there}

Cocodot:

It's like someone took my brain and put it into a website. This is all entertaining, all the time, broken down by gifts to give (and get), decor to shop, table to shop, and then great editorial content in the inspiration section. I could stare at this page for a long while for sure. And of course they have your paper needs covered as well.

{Social stationary needs, too, like the above - chic, darling, chic}

Sir Jack's:

While most of the stuff on this site is for dudes, there are lots of fun things on there for the ladies, like great sunglasses cases and scarves. But if you need to get your guy a gift, peruse away. I especially am keen on the estate & office section.

{A reproduction bartending guide for the turn of the 20th century}

What Should I Read Next:

Wandering through The Strand bookstore is one way I find new things to read and another is by Amazon's suggestions. However, when I've exhausted both of these ways - and believe me, this happens all the time - there is a great new place to mess around. What Should I Read Next gives you a long list of alternative books based on one you input into its search field. While it doesn't tell you why it's chosen something that it has, there is an immediate link to Amazon so you can find out for yourself. I had over 50 new titles to look up by the time I was done with playing around.

Enjoy! x

Table Makeover, And How to Get Spray Paint off Your Face

2012-02-02T14:48:00.000-05:00

I'm on a quest to keep myself busy during the day and thought yesterday would be a great day to paint my old table. My best and I found this literally outside our old apartment down in Chinatown - just hanging out in front of our door! It was fate. Originally it was a gross, dirty white-ish color and we painted it turquoise to go in our color explosion of a living room.

In an effort to make a more cohesive bedroom space, I decided to paint it. It was 50 degrees out and calm....on the street. On the 5th floor balcony at the back of the building, it was like hurricane winds. I didn't let that discourage me, though. Nor did I let the spray paint that ended up in my hair. Or on my face. And under my nails. Fun fact: makeup remover or any other oil based remover gets spray paint off your body and good old shampoo gets it out of your hair. Although maybe I should have left the gold in - it looked cool with the black of my hair.

Et voila, my new table! It's a little too bright gold, but I like it with my Sea Island prints over my bed. I'm doing the best I can with a New York apartment. Say hi to Augusta who's chilling right there in the pillows!

Ignore my medicine cabinet beneath the table and the cord to my humidifier. I'm pretty pleased!

Healthy & Delicious: Broccoli Slaw Adapted

2012-02-02T13:54:00.002-05:00

So a new addition to my DVR (this is what happens when you're at home during the day) has been Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger. While some of her recipes are kind of boring, I do like a lot of them for their substitutions. One such recipe was on the other day - Creamy Broccoli Slaw. I got really excited because it seemed easy, until I realized I don't have a food processor with a shred blade. But I do have a food processor I love! So anyway, I did the next best thing and adapted her adapted recipe. Enjoy!

{not the prettiest picture, but instagram makes things a little cuter!}

1 bunch broccoli (with long stalks if possible)

1-2 large carrots (optional - I didn't have any on hand so I didn't use any)

Handful of roasted unsalted sunflower seeds

1/3 cup non-fat greek yogurt

1 tablespoon mayonnaise (I used Smart Balance - it tasted fine, but you can use real mayo here since it's so little)

2 tablespoons brown mustard

salt and pepper to taste

shred, peel, or julienne the broccoli stalks, trimming off any excess hard parts on the outside of the stalk. do the carrots the same way if you're using them.

cut the florets close to the top so that the bits fall into tiny pieces. chop finely.

mix mustard, mayo, and greek yogurt together. stir into the vegetables. add sunflower seeds.

chill and store up to 2 days.

RentStuff.com - Your Cure for Buyer's Remorse

2012-01-30T11:53:00.000-05:00

You know that gorgeous Phillip Lim dress you bought for your friend’s wedding that only got worn
once before you, ehem, outgrew it? Or what about that new leather jacket that’s been hanging in your closet with the price tags on for a year? Well now there’s a place to get back some of the cash you poured into your previous purchases. RentStuff.com is a new start up by a pair of twins (sound familiar?) who want it to be the “eBay meets Facebook” of New York and beyond.

I spoke with Laura Boring, a good friend and the Head of Marketing of RentStuff.com to learn more about the business.

How in the world did you end up going from finance to a start up?

It really was by chance. I am a 2^nd year MBA at Vanderbilt and worked this past summer at a real estate company for my summer internship. The original plan was to pursue a career in a similar field after graduation. However, this fall I was talking to my classmate and friend Adam Albright after class one day about his new company, RentStuff.com. I was immediately intrigued by the concept and by how much potential it could have. He mentioned that they were looking for marketing help, and I immediately volunteered. Since I would be joining as an intern, I think he looked over the minor detail that I have very little marketing experience. A few days later, I was promoted to Head of Marketing. Things move much faster at a start-up than in the corporate world!

Wow, no kidding! But that's great. What's it like working with all men? Finance and Real Estate are both pretty male-dominated industries, so working with all men isn’t anything new for me. I couldn’t ask for a better team. Everyone likes to joke around, but we also work really hard. Having men and women on the team is really helpful from a marketing perspective, because RentStuff.com’s benefits are so unique to each user. If you tell women that you can rent drills and power washers on our site, most of them just roll their eyes. But when you mention that you can rent designer cocktail dresses or list your old bridesmaid dresses, their eyes immediately light up! The guys tend to trust my opinion when it comes to marketing ideas for wedding rentals and clothing, and I look to them for more details on extreme sports equipment and car accessories. It just works.

What do you do day to day to market and promote the site? How is it different than your previous work experiences?

On a day to day basis, my primary goal is to encourage natural conversations about our company and to get people active on the site. Marketing for RentStuff.com is somewhat complicated, because what we are marketing is not something like shampoo, which has a well understood benefit. We have to first get people comfortable with the concept of renting and lending items to strangers and then get them on board with using our site. For this reason, word of mouth marketing is huge. It is very different hearing the story of how your neighbor just made $400 renting out his specialty camera lens on RentStuff.com rather than just seeing our company logo on a billboard. We recently implemented a refer-a-friend program that gives you rental credit for every friend you bring to the site. RentStuff.com pulls in Facebook so you can easily invite your existing contacts. Forming partnerships with local affinity groups, such as MeetUp.com hiking and kayak groups is another recent initiative. These groups are great because they typically need outdoor stuff to participate in group activities, or they have stuff and are willing to rent it out to others. Most of our marketing efforts have been focused around social media by using Facebook ads and pages, blogs, and twitter. We use social media because the majority of our target customers use social media.

What I am doing now is completely different than what I was doing while working in finance for a large corporation. At RentStuff.com, if I have a new idea I can actually implement it. Chris and Robert Jaeger, the CEO and COO, realize that we are in a completely new space and are open to trying new marketing ideas. If something doesn’t work, we try something else. It is also very rewarding to see the fruits of your labor. We had a blog post in the Village Voice, and a few days later we had the most site hits we’ve ever had in a single day. Instant gratification!

Explain how it works - renting or looking to rent.

You can always browse the site, but you have to create an account in order to rent or lend items. Creating an account is free and really quick if you select the Facebook log-in option. To list an item, simply upload a photo and set your item’s availability, security deposit, and price. For the price, we recommend listing at 10% of the retail value but certainly use other similar items on the site as a guide. You will receive an email request when someone wants to rent your item. You then have the ability to accept, negotiate, or decline the offer. If you accept, you confirm the pickup details and meet to exchange the item. When the item is returned, verify that your item is in its original condition and close the exchange over text message. It’s really easy! Renting out an item is just as simple. But here is a tip: most users don’t know this, but you can actually negotiate your rental price. We created a video to help explain the entire rental process.

{a screenshot of the homepage}

Ok, this actually sounds really, really awesome. When will it expand to other cities? We launched the site in August in Nashville. In December, we opened up the site in Chicago and New York City. Here is a secret that we haven’t shared yet – we are actually open everywhere now! Our inventory is still building in cities across the US, but users can start renting and lending from any city.

What can we not rent or ask to rent on the site? Anyone tried to rent something ridiculous or funny?

Obviously anything illegal is not allowed on the site. Someone put a rental request for a girlfriend the other day , so we definitely had to take that one down! (Ed Note: Awesome) We do have a pretty cool Jagerator in NYC– it’s a lighted three bottle Jagermeister tap machine with a cooling feature. We also have an old school smoke machine. Those items are both great for parties! Overall, our top rental categories are outdoor goods, electronics, power tools, and surprisingly cocktail dresses. With our site, you can essentially become your own “Rent The Runway” and finally get money renting out the bridesmaid dress you’ll never wear again.

Let's talk cash - or transactions, rather. How do you get paid and know it's safe? Security is the feature that sets our site apart from the competition. All of our payments are handled online by credit card, and a security deposit protects your item in case there is damage. Another feature we have in place is that payment for your item is not released until you actually meet up and see the item. The payment is triggered via text message. For example, say you are renting a bike from a guy on the Lower East Side. If you meet up and the bike is not in the condition described, then you don’t release the payment and the transaction is cancelled. The text message confirmation works when you return an item as well. If you are returning a canoe, the original owner will receive a text asking about the items condition. As long as everything looks good, the lender closes the transaction via text and the security deposit is released. We do everything we can to ensure both parties are protected during the transaction.

What's something you'd want to rent personally from the site? I would love to rent some outdoor stuff. I really like to go kayaking, but I don’t go often enough and certainly don’t have the storage space to justify buying a kayak! It would also be great to rent a really nice camera to take for a weekend trip. Cocktail dresses are pretty high on my rental list as well!

Skulls for Everyone!

2012-01-27T12:43:00.000-05:00

Skulls are not a new motif, but they’re still a favorite. A skull something can add a little bit of edge to almost anything, at every price point. Most of these are fantasy purchases. Which is your favorite?

RHINESTONE SKULL

3” rhinestone skull, Patricia Field, $920

NEON SKULL CANDLE WITH MANDIBLE

neon candle, DL & Co, $90 each

SKULL NOTEBOOK * My personal notebook of choice*

skull notebook, Assouline, $90

SKULL AND BONES SET

tumblers set, Ralph Lauren, $295

SKULL STUDS

studs, Ioselliani, $1092

SKULL NECKLACE

necklace, Ileana Makri, $850

SKULL SWEATER

knit, Markus Lupfer, $465

SKULL WALLET

leather wallet, Lucien Pellat Finet $495

SKULL CLUTCH

minaudiere, Alexander McQueen, $1995

SKULL SLIPPER

velvet slipper, Stubbs and Wootton, $395

My Super Made Up Awesome Chili

2012-01-26T18:14:00.000-05:00

Yeah, what the title says. Pinterest shot of chili since flash photography makes everything look bad ( I should rent a real camera!). I got a new Dutch oven and substituted a bunch of ingredients since I don’t need a huge bottle of oregano, chili powder, etc, and went to town. I must say it was delicious! Oh, and healthy…reduced sodium, reduced fat.

1.5 lbs ground turkey

1 28oz can tomatoes in adobo, reduced sodium

1 6oz can tomato paste

1 bottle beer (I used what was in the fridge – Heineken)

1 14oz can of chicken stock ( I used Swanson)

1 packet taco seasoning ( I used Old El Paso)

1 can prepared Mexican chili beans ( I used Old El Paso)

1 onion

2 tea crushed garlic ( I used two pop out frozen bits of Trader Joe’s garlic)

any additional veggies wanted – great way to sneak them in. I added peppers.

For Garnish:

reduced fat (not fat-free) sharp cheddar

reduced fat (not fat-free) sour cream

green onions

baked Tostitos

Dice onion and heat in 2 tb olive oil on medium heat. Add garlic and cook until onions are translucent, about 8 minutes. Add any other vegetables and cook down a few more minutes. Add turkey and cook until brown, using the back of the spoon to break up the meat. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, beer, chicken stock, taco seasoning and bring to a boil. Knock the heat back and simmer about 1 hour, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Add the prepared Mexican chili beans and cook about 10 minutes longer until beans are warmed. Serve with reduced fat cheddar, reduced fat sour cream, green onions, and crushed baked Tostitos.

Sh*t Fashion Girls Say

2012-01-26T13:16:00.000-05:00

Yeah, yeah, yeah...I know, everyone's seen everything. This is #whitegirlproblems #citygirlproblems #allergygirl problems all over again...but this is just too priceless. My favorite is, "She's such a Maxxinista." Die!

Guys: Dress Your Age, Not Your Shoe Size

2012-01-25T17:51:00.000-05:00

I had to repost this from Put This On, a great blog about basically how not to dress like an idiot. Repeat offenders, please read. I’m talking to you, first year analyst with the ill-fitting suit.

Yes, that’s a manponcho.

From Put This On:

Below are twenty-five pieces of vital information that every man over 14 in the Western world should know. Every man. No excuses. Seriously. Seriously.

Unbutton the bottom button of your jacket. It’s not intended to be buttoned.
Same goes for your vest.
Remove the tags on the sleeves of your jacket before you wear it.
Jackets sometimes come with white basting thread on their shoulders or holding closed their vents. Remove this thread before wearing the jacket.
Jacket pockets are intended to be opened. Use a small scissor or seam ripper.
More than three jacket buttons is never appropriate for anything.
On a three-button coat, buttoning the top button is optional, and some lapels are rolled so as to make the top button ornamental. In other words: if buttoning the top button seems wrong, it is.
Brown shoes, brown belt. Black shoes, black belt.
Belt or suspenders. Never belt and suspenders.
Your jacket sleeve should be short enough to show some shirt cuff - about half an inch.
Your pants should end at your shoes without puddling. A slight or half break means that there is one modest inflection point in the front crease. If your pants break both front and back or if they break on the sides, they’re too long.
Your coat should follow and flatter the lines of your upper body, not pool around them. You should be able to slip a hand in to get to your inside breast pocket, but if the jacket’s closed and you can pound your heart with your fist, it’s too big.
When you buy a suit or sportcoat, it should be altered to fit by a tailor. This will cost between $25 and $100.
Your tie should reach your belt line - it shouldn’t end above your belt or below it.
Your tie knot should have a dimple.
Only wear a tie if you’re also wearing a suit or sportcoat (or, very casually, a sweater). Shirt, tie and no jacket is the wedding uniform of a nine-year-old.
The only men who should wear black suits during the day are priests, undertakers, secret agents, funerals attendees and yokels.
Cell phone holsters are horrible.
So are square-toed shoes.
Never wear visible socks with shorts.
Or any socks with sandals.
If your shirt is tucked in, you should be wearing a belt (or suspenders, if you’re wearing a jacket as well, or your trousers should have side adjusters and no belt loops).
Flip flops are great for the pool and the beach and not great for anything else. (Some say this is a matter of taste. We agree. If you have any taste, you will only wear flip-flops at the beach or pool.)
Long ties are not appropriate with a tuxedo. (Ed note: Ties and vests are disgusting. No girl likes it. Bowties, please. You know who you are.)
Never wear polyester outside of the gym or theme parties.

Wish List Week of Jan 23

2012-01-24T17:45:00.000-05:00

Wishing, wanting, hoping, sharing.

GLITTER TARTE SERVER

$18, Leifshop

KNOTTED LEATHER BELTS

$125 each, Rilleau Leather

NOVEL POSTERS

*this is composed of the entire Great Gatsby text! So chic! 34” x 24” – great artwork

$40, Novelposters

*PERSONALIZED* EQUESTRIAN BAG

$165, Oughton Limited

Cool Collars

2012-01-23T17:18:00.000-05:00

Collars are in. Prep lives on. Here’s a genius idea from A Pair & A Spare on how to make your own faux-dickie (oxymoron?). This would be a lot less bulky for under knits and I might have to pillage some second hand stores for shirts that might be hideous in full but brilliant in collar.

She secures hers with a hook and eye instead of trying to leave on the single top button

I have about 10 shirts I don’t like wearing anymore (or are too small, there, I said it) and this would be awesome. Button up!

Eating My Way through the East Village: St Marks Edition

2012-01-20T09:30:00.000-05:00

For years I avoided the East Village like the plague – too many people, too many choices, too far. Now that I live here, I can’t imagine living anywhere else. I am super lucky to have an East Village building with a laundry room, dishwasher, and central heating and air so I count my real estate blessings every day. I can walk to almost anywhere and surprise – the East Village has amazing restaurants. Welcome to my list of recently discovered neighborhood eats. Perhaps your favorite is on here! If not, comment and let me know what yours is so I can try it!

STICKY BUNS: JANE’S SWEET BUNS

Sticky buns bring back good childhood memories of monkey bread and the Pilsbury Dough Boy. And that ubiquitous Cinnabon that I used to walk by holding my nose. Jane’s buns are hot, sticky, gooey, and, well, sexy. I wanted to try the Old Fashion (like the drink, get it!) with Bourbon, sugar, bitters, vanilla, and…pecans. I was crushed, pun intended. However, Jane’s friend working the counter gave me a fresh one right off the baking sheet without pecans. And it was delicious. While I don’t find myself craving sticky buns, the option is there. They’re open late, too (midnight on weekends!), should day drinking find you on St. Marks hankering for something sweet.

image from Yelper Lucille C

Jane’s Sweet Buns, 102 St. Marks Place between 1st Ave and Ave A

BAHN MI: XE MAY SANDWICH SHOP

I am ashamed to say that I lived next to one of the best bahn mi sandwich places in all of New York for two years and never once tried one. Saigon, I’ll remember you fondly for your smiling faces and coconut waters only. The tiny shop, literally the size of my bedroom, was always packed. I read how great they were, but once I went in there I always got intimidated and ran out with Gatorade and Pocky. So walking down St Marks the other day I stopped in front of Xe May. The signage and restaurant was colorful, clean, and new, so I decided to give it a whirl.

image via Yelper Athena C

Schiesse, y’all, it’s GOOD. It’s quite possibly a perfect sandwich, with fluffy white bread (you can choose wheat), carrots, daikon, cilantro, cucumbers, and my choice of lemon grass chicken and mild chili mayo. I had to wait about 5 minutes for my sandwich which is made to order (by an older Vietnamese lady), so I struck up a conversation with the guy at the counter. He was so helpful and nice and offered for me to try the pate that I’m still kind of scared of in the original sandwich. I liked being able to customize my order, the $8 lunch deal (chips, huge sandwich, and drink), the fact that I could pay with a card on an iPhone, and the kick ass Lychee Green Iced Tea. I don’t have a picture of that because I drank it all before I got home, a whole block and a half away. Go there. Seriously. Go. PS they have bahn mi tacos too. And salads. And summer rolls.

Xe May Sandwich Shop, 96 St Marks Place between 1st Ave and Ave A

PUDDING: PUDDIN’ BY CLIO

New dessert joint in the neighborhood? I’m ON IT. I have been waiting for Puddin’ by Clio to open for about two months. Urban Daddy, Thrillist, and the whole gang wrote it up and I immediately went running down St Marks to find it still under construction. I stalked them on Twitter. I walked by the shop. And then finally two weeks ago they opened….and ran out of pudding in 40 minutes. Working with only a small kitchen, they make the pudding in batches which are available around 4pm. I waited until 5pm once to walk down there and the butterscotch was already sold out. Today I actually got there at 5 til 4pm and 6 people were before me. They start serving pudding 4pm til late, but I imagine if you get there past 5:30 your choices are severely limited. The butterscotch has a great scotch finish to it, but the sleeper hit is the vanilla. Vanilla + butterscotch, I nearly swooned – love at first bite. This is going to be an expensive habit financially and calorically, but that’s what spin is for, right?

image by Yelper Jamie K

image by Yelper Madhav T

Puddin’ by Clio 102 St Marks Place between 1st Ave and Ave A

The reason for lack of my own images is that I ate everything before I could get back to my camera! Block and a half, people. Block and a half.

2012 – Year of the Home Office Space

2012-01-19T15:20:00.001-05:00

So, I’ve been away for quite a while. And you may have noticed the volume of blog posts went down in 2011. While I do only try to post on relevant, valuable topics now instead of trying to “keep up”, 2011 was a tough year, y’all. I did a very scary thing and quit a job that wasn’t working for me and began freelancing. While having all the extra time to blog seems logical, a body in motion stays in motion, right? Some days, especially this summer working and having the time of my life back at the magazine, were jam-packed with work, events, and ideas. Others, not so much. So my resolution for 2012 ( other than to lose those pesky last 10 lbs…and to be healthy…and to be grateful…) is to be back on this blog, busy dispersing little slices of lifestyle. I resolve to provide more content. Many of you know I do not blog to gain financially but rather to share my point of view and start dialogues with you, my lovely readers. Every share, site visit, and comment means so much to me personally. So here’s to doing more in 2012, starting first with getting my workspace together. No more working on my laptop on my actual lap in front of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Enjoy the pointers I’ve researched for pulling it together and share any you might have! I’m going to try and make the tips a habit by the end of the month.

Ways to Keep Your Workspace Out of Your Lifespace

DECLUTTER. I am a packrat. Major. I keep things for sentimentality, because I’ll use them “someday,” and in conjunction with other things, i.e. I needed this candle because I have two others and three makes a pretty trio. Try keeping your immediate work surface as clean as possible. I have a very small desk which usually functions as a dumping ground for papers and clothes. Now, all that’s on it is a small container of pens, a coaster, and a tiny light.

START THE DAY LIKE YOU WOULD AT AN OFFICE. My best friend who works from home gave me this tip – she gets up, dresses in real clothes, puts on a little makeup, and sits down at her desk. Shocker – she gets a full day’s work done, but if she needs to leave for groceries or the gym or a doctor’s appointment in the middle of the day she can.

DON’T EVEN THINK ABOUT THE TV. What’s on during the day, anyway? I can tell you – a lot of crap. If I start watching Live with Kelly, all of a sudden I want to watch The View and then it’s time for Bravo catch-up and then the news and you can see how I all of a sudden have spent 5 hours in front of the TV before prime time even starts.

ORGANIZE. While I love doodads and such, try to keep your decluttered space organized. I have a little “office supplies” basket where I put my address stamps, checkbook, nice writing pens, post-it notes, and the like so that it’s all contained neatly.Then I have a separate filing basket with important documents, tear sheets, and business cards. What do you actually really need? Take everything else and put it somewhere else.

KEEP FOOD IN YOUR HOUSE. New Yorkers, I know this is hard. But the less trips you have to leave the house for breakfast, lunch, snack, pudding, lobster rolls, the better. I am going to allow myself one 30 minute break for lunch (and maybe an episode of Modern Family) and then get back to it.

KEEP IN TOUCH. Being at home is a lonely business. Sometimes I go 8, 9, 10 hours without human contact which can be beyond depressing. Many might disagree with me, but I turn to gchat. By being online all day I can have the same little chats with my friends as I would when I was at work (shhh) or instead of the little chats I’d have in person with co-workers. Something is better than nothing, especially for super social people like myself, and people also like myself who have a boyfriend who I am calling at work only if I’m dead. I try to make plans several times a week with friends to replace the events I would have been attending, and I that way I have something to look forward to. And won’t be the one breaking the plans!

KEEP YOURSELF HAPPY. The one awesome upside to being at home is that I get to listen to music as loud as I want, which I couldn’t do unless I played DJ in the fashion closet. And I was only in there for 10-15 minutes at a time. Golden Oldies help me move it along, so I put on Pandora and hunker down. I also love to have flowers around, so now I do!

What do you do when you work from home? Let me know – I need all the help I can get!

My Dream Office (today):

Blogger Elves at Work!

2012-01-09T15:44:00.001-05:00

Caution! Be back soon. xx

Wise Words

2011-12-06T21:48:00.000-05:00

"I believe in manicures. I believe in overdressing. I believe in primping at leisure and wearing lipstick." – Audrey Hepburn

A Little Piece of Ms. Elizabeth Taylor Can Be Yours!

2011-12-05T21:40:00.001-05:00

ooh, goody:

Van Cleef & Arpels

$15,000-$20,000

Bvlgari

$8,000 - $12,000

Bvlgari

$600,000-$800,000

Van Cleef & Arpels

$40,000 - $60,000

Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co

$12,000-$15,000

Van Cleef & Arpels

$150,000 - $200,000

FISH CHARM NECKLACE

$500-$700

WIDE CUFF BRACELETS

$100-$200

CHERRY RED CHANEL TRIO

$500-$700

EMERALD AND RUBY EARRINGS (UNKNOWN)

$4000-$6000

TITANIUM, RUBY, AND PEARL ELEPHANT BAG (UNKNOWN)

$6,000- $8,000

CARTIER BRACELET

$3,000-$5,000

TRIO OF VAN CLEEF & ARPELS ALHAMBRA BRACELETS

$8,000-$12,000

VERSACE ‘QUEEN ELIZABETH’ BOLERO

$15,000 - $20,000

CHRISTIAN LACROIX SUIT

$400 - $600

CHRISTIAN DIOR FLORAL DRESS

$600-$800

EMANUEL UNGARO JACKET

$700-$900

Aren’t they just all so, so gorgeous? Here are just a few of the hundreds of items being auctioned off next week. The prices listed are from the catalog for the auction, but I can’t imagine anything of Ms. Taylor’s going for $400. I wasn’t going to buy a ticket to enter the showing ($30 is a lot when the FIT Daphne Guinness is free), but I might now seeing the extensive collection.

My favorite is the Van Cleef sapphire and diamond earrings, which I saw at the Van Cleef exhibit earlier this year – which is your favorite?

{all images via Christie’s}

Gift Guide 2011: What to buy for those you love & those you like

2011-12-01T14:13:00.001-05:00

FOR YOUR BEST FRIEND

Handpainted crystal necklace, Etsy, $36

FOR YOUR HOSTESS

Perforated roll of cotton napkins, A+R Store, $28

FOR YOUR SPORTY SISTER

Striped hoodie with earphones attached (plug is in pocket), HoodieBuddie, $32

FOR THE CASH-STRAPPED NEWLYWED

Lunch Love Notes, Jackandellapaper on Etsy, $8

FOR YOUR CHI-CHI INLAWS

100% wool blanket, Pendleton, $108

FOR YOUR ART-STARVED BROTHER

Dog blueprint print, Uncommon Goods, $185

YOUR NERDY BOOKWORM BOSS

Library candles smelling of leather, wood, etc, Assouline, $95 (you have to like Assouline on Facebook to get the item to appear)

FOR THE STEP-NEPHEW YOU GOT DURING THE FAMILY SECRET SANTA EXCHANGE

Whale tissue holder, Supermarket, $39.99

FOR THE PERSON YOU FORGOT ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST

5 Bud Vase, CB2, $14.95

FOR YOUR NIECE AND NEPHEW WHOSE MOMMY DOESN’T PLAYSKOOL

wooden animals on wheels, greenduckweed Etsy, $16

FOR THE BOYFRIEND YOU LOVE VERY, VERY MUCH ( I MEAN A LOT) WHO HAPPENS TO HAVE A GAMBLING ADDICTION

Ebony poker set, Zontik, $620

FOR THE BOYFRIEND YOU LOVE, BUT WHO KNOWS YOU CAN’T AFFORD A $600 POKER SET

Four square anywhere game, Restoration Hardware, $14

FOR THE FRIEND WITH A SERIOUS SWEET TOOTH AND WHO LOVES A GOOD “OF THE MONTH” CLUB

Dessert of the month club, blackboxdessertclub, $45

FOR YOUR NEIGHBOR

Doorman, Uncommon Goods, $30

FOR THE GIRLFRIEND WITH IMPECCABLE TASTE THAT YOU’RE SCARED TO BUY FOR

Fallon “Loved” Cuff, L-attitude, $77

happy shopping!! xo

Daphne Guinness at FIT

2011-11-30T15:24:00.001-05:00

I could say a ton or I could say nothing about going to see Daphne Guinness’ clothing at the FIT (FREE) Museum. I’ll just let these two pictures do the talking.

(ps….I found it better than the McQueen exhibit. Sorry, sue me. Less people, more collections, more fun.)

Chanel, Lagerfeld, Alaia, Celine, McQueen, Gareth Pugh, and Daphne Guinness originals…sigh. The exhibit is broken down into Dandyism, Armor, Chic, Evening Chic, Exoticism, and Sparkle. All my favorite things.

Hurry, it’s over January 7th, 2012!

{images via FIT }

Need It Want It: The Acne Boot

2011-11-15T11:01:00.001-05:00

In the span of two days I saw the same lovely low boot on two women walking through the east village and thought I MUST have those. Two tone, just low enough, perfectly cropped....I fell in love. I searched high and low on l'internets to find them, and then upon finding them, cried. These puppies come in at $570 unfortunately, and are by the editor-favored Acne.

So, in my usual way, I sought out some alternatives. None seem to have the two-tone coolness, but at under $300, these other options do just fine without it.

Nordstrom BP "Trolley" short boot with zipper, $99.95

Dolce Vita "Jax" short bootie, $186

Madewell "Almanac" Boot, $248

Matiko "Chelsea" Bootie, $215

Zara Heeled Cowboy Boot, $90

Lovely options, right?

However, make no mistake - my favorite, must have, all-encompassing loveliness belongs to the Frye Dorado tall riding boot...at $458, an investment, but so perfect. No bells, no whistles, no trends...just tall, nice leather that goes with everything.

Interiors for the Fashion Obsessed: Guest Post!

2011-11-08T10:39:00.001-05:00

Hey gang, I am so pleased to have Susi from Arcadian Lighting guest posting today - check out her awesome ideas for interiors inspired by fashion! Want to guest post? Email me!

Hi, I'm Susi from Arcadian Lighting, where I can be found writing about light fixtures, design ideas and trends. I'm super excited to be guest blogging at Where the Style Things Are about interiors for the fashion obsessed! Fashion and interior design are a little bit of the chicken and the egg - which one comes first is sometimes hard to say. I was inspired by Lauren's posts on New York fashion week for Spring 2012 to find rooms that capture the latest from the runways. I hope you are inspired, too!

I was captivated by this classic outfit from Kate Spade SS12 on Lauren's Pinterest. Classic lines, alternate black piping on cream and the punch of orange on the clutch are all gorgeous and feminine.

This modern yet classic living room has the same tailored feeling as the Kate Spade outfit above. Lime yellow replaces the orange as an accent color against classic black and white.

How pretty is the mix of lace on the dress and zig-zags on the purse from Valentino SS12? The gorgeous monochrome palette allows the patterns star in this outfits. I love the pompom detail, too.

This feminine bedroom features both damask and zebra stripe pillows on the bed. The cream and grey palette allow these two disparate patterns to work together for a chic look. The lovely mirror and modern lamp (not to mention the curvy chandelier, even though it is barely visible in this photo) are stylish finishing touches.

Chanel's Spring collection is sublime. Classic Chanel tweeds and ultra-feminine fabrics in beautiful pastels make this one of my favorite collections for Spring 2012.

A mix of tailored bedding and soft, flowing silk curtains give this master bedroom a similar feeling as the Chanel outfit. Mixing tailored pieces with feminine touches is a great way to create a master bedroom that suits both men and women.

This red jumpsuit caught my eye in Lauren's post on the incredible collection by Wes Gordon. Classically feminine with modern twists, Gordon's Spring collection would inspire incredible rooms.

The pattern of the red jumpsuit by Gordon immediately had me thinking of Diana Vreeland's iconic red room in her New York apartment. Layers of gorgeous red patterns make this room over the top stylish. The double-arm wall sconce looks great with the framed art against the dramatic red wallpaper pattern. Do runway fashions inspire your home decor? Stop by Arcadian Lighting's blog to share your thoughts and discover even more fashionable ideas for your home!

(Images: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)

Thanks, Susi!

"Arcadian Lighting is the best source for lighting fixtures and accessories at discount prices. Arcadian Lighting has been in the lighting industry for over 15 years selling decorative home lighting fixtures and lamps online, and has become one of the top Internet retailers for home lighting products."

Mmm….Still Summer? I wish.

2011-10-17T12:16:00.001-04:00

This morning I had time and energy enough to make some pumpkin spice muffins – yum! No pictures, however, as my food is never as beautiful as others. I’m just happy they taste good.

I’ve come across a few new, delicious recipes that are helping me hang on to summer just a little bit more – let me know if you try any! I will definitely be putting these into rotation.

TOMATO TARLET – recipe from the kitchn

Serves 4 as entrée, 8 as appetizer

2 ripe tomatoes, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 sheet frozen puff pastry
3 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons finely chopped basil
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to taste
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400°.

Lay out the tomato slices on a large sheet of paper towels. Cover with more paper towels and allow to drain for approximately 30 minutes (this is crucial to not getting a watery tart). Meanwhile, remove the sheet of puff pastry from the freezer and allow to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Unfold the puff pastry onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, pinching to close any holes in the seams. Using a fork, prick the dough all over to prevent it from puffing up during baking.

Spread a thin layer of mayonnaise over the entire puff pastry. Sprinkle evenly with shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheeses. Arrange the tomato slices over the cheese. Season generously with kosher salt and pepper. Grate a generous amount of Parmesan cheese on top and garnish with freshly chopped basil.

Bake for 30 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown and the cheese is melted. Remove the pastry from the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Cut into 9 squares and serve immediately.

STRAWBERRY GOAT CHEESE BRUSCHETTA, recipe from Annie’s Eats

* 1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced
* 1 tbsp. sugar
* 1 French baguette, sliced on a bias
* 4 oz. goat cheese
* 1 tbsp. olive oil
* 2 tsp. balsamic vinegar
* ¼ cup minced basil leaves
* Freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Combine the strawberries and sugar in a small bowl; toss to combine.
2. Let the berries macerate for about 30 minutes so that they begin to release their juices.
3. Spread a thin layer of goat cheese on top of each baguette slice. Top each slice with spoonfuls of the strawberry mixture.
4. Drizzle lightly with olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Top each slice with the basil leaves and cracked pepper, to taste.

Jenny Packham on Gossip Girl

2011-10-12T13:02:00.001-04:00

{photo credit: Fashion Roll Call}

Jenny Packham’s SS11, above, was featured on Gossip Girl on Monday night on Blair Waldorf and I nearly had a conniption over two things so perfect coming together. Not that I’m in any position to even think about marriage, but how gorgeous would this be as a wedding dress in white? My fantasy wedding dress was stolen by Duchess Catherine, so I have to rethink my dream dress and this is so far winning…good news is, I have a long, long way off before it comes to fruition!

Fashion Month Roundup

2011-10-12T12:54:00.001-04:00

{ugh so preeeeetty…Ralph Lauren SS12 via From Me to You}

Will NOT be hosted here…instead, head over to my Pinterest board and see my favorite shots on and off the runway from New York, London, Milan, & Paris! xx

We Need to Have a Talk.

2011-10-04T19:11:00.001-04:00

We need to have a talk…about Wes Gordon, Atlanta native and New York’s newest darling in the fashion area. He attended Lovett (shout out to Kemps!), and went through Central St Martins in London plus did internships with the revered Oscar de la Renta and formidable Tom Ford. I have had the pleasure of meeting with him in person and he is just a dear! I told him I could see myself running around Atlanta in every single last piece he showed. He’s so gracious, so personable, and so damned good at what he does. (See examples below.)

{all images Wes Gordon Spring/Summer 2012 via style.com}

And now, a little piece of Wes Gordon can be yours through Wes Gordon x Jones New York – which made me super ridiculous happy giddy that I could get a little piece of Wes. (His main collection, made entirely in New York, is so worth the money, but I just don’t have that money right this second.) So, at $99 to $475, the Wes Gordon x Jones New York collection is priced just right for someone wanting to get her feet wet with Wes – and then you’ll be saving money for things like this like me. Exclusive to Bloomingdale’s, the collection will be available March 2012. Which is your favorite piece?

{all images Wes Gordon x Jones New York via Fashionologie}

Oh, also, he has a really, really, really nice head of hair.

Need Smoking Slippers? Try Topshop

2011-09-30T10:50:00.000-04:00

That’s all.

MANNEY $56, navy blue suede

MANNEY, $60, dalmatian

KLOVER, $106, black with gold clips

VICTOR, $45, red patent leather

KLASS, $100, blue tasseled suede

KOSY, $100, green suede

Viva La Veronica!

2011-09-29T21:53:00.001-04:00

A couple of weeks ago I had the pleasure of being in Veronica Swanson Beard’s “showroom” – which, I later found out thanks to Bazaar, is actually her apartment. And what a beautiful, cool, downtown meets uptown chic apartment it is! I only saw as far as the distinct kitchen and living room, but the rest of the rooms look just as fun and lively….not to mention that amazing outdoor space. Check out the pictures from Veronica’s feature, and check out the Veronica Beard line she has with her sister-in-law, Veronica Miele Beard. Removable dickies on blazers?! Love.

The bits I saw:

and the bits stashed away somewhere in the three stories they have that I didn’t see:

{photographs via Ditte Isager for Harper’s Bazaar}