The Cooper Hewitt Shop

Me and the company wanted to take the intern to the Cooper Hewitt to check out the Design Triennial. Of course due to poor planning on our part, we forgot to check what time it closed. When we got there 20 bucks a person for only a half hour just didn't seem to make sense. But it wasn't a total waste of time, the shop was open for us to peruse, for free! Brian, the curator? buyer? finder? come on my selector? for the store always makes good choices. It was hard to photograph my favorites because they were often under glass.
I totally dug these watch shaped wrist bands. Playful and sweet. I would like to wear them all at once, two for each arm.
These necklaces also charmed me. A much better version for ladies than the patronizing all-pink tool sets for ladies the Home Depot sells. Though I could see a hunky, hip man in a v-neck shirt wearing the saw one...
And these are just weird. There is a part of me that wants to buy a set and mail it to John Waters.

Spring time, dress time!

What is better than wearing dresses every day? Probably not much (rock climbing, laying in the grass, dancing, picnicking, making out, bike riding... almost all of those things can be done in a dress) and now the weather is becoming more and more appropriate to be wearing a dress, and only a dress (and shoes!) and that makes me feel fancy. Fancy free! Spring time allergies make me feel like I have the flu, but that's another story.
Today I kinda sorta bought this dress, and I like it so much I'm sharing it with you, so I can spread my enthusiasm like my flu (its not a flu! You can't catch allergies, stupid). And keeping with the Israel theme, its Elli Tahari, and Israeli designer. BAM!

How many times have you said "It's cold?"

I'm a big fan of winter. HUGE.
(Did you just call me fat?)

I love winter time sports- like sledding, snowman building, snowball fights, putting on enough layers to comfortably ride the bike, huddling together and skiing.

There is a certain pleasure of pulling out ye olde winter time wardrobe and having the opportunity to wear a favorite sweater. Tights in general. And this season I've been wearing my uh-maze-ing work-boot-heels that go with any and every ensemble ever.

Let us not forget the cold weather comradeship. There is nothing like exiting a restaurant together only to be greeted with the extreme cold (and ladies and gents, its been a cooolllddd winter) and through chattering teeth shiver out "Iittttsssssoooooocoococcooocoooooollllldd," while scurrying to the nearest subway, or convincing someone to pay for a cab.

Or quite possibly the best of them all, staying at home, watching hours of bad television, drinking wine, keeping warm by snuggling with my cat. Can we just say snuggling in general?

But now comes the hard part. We've had our first snowstorm, which was really fun. By the third one of those, unfortunately people usually get sick of it (not I!). The holidays are over, and so begins our longest stretch without any vacation. And while we really think that March brings warm weather, truly it is April the shepherds in the light spring jackets. My summer time dresses are singing to me from my closet already- and this is the earliest they've ever done that.
How am I going to battle the cold weather blues?

This weekend I'm going skiing for the first time of the season. I'm going to ride my bike as much as possible, making getting there a quicker journey with the added bonus of generating lots of heat. I'll just pretend that my winter wardrobe still excites me, and continue the quest for the perfect (and affordable) pair of over the knee/thigh high boots which still elude me. Oh! And I just re-ignited my love for rock climbing at Brooklyn Boulders. I'm trying to go a couple times a week. Oh- and drinking wine. Lots of Cabernet pour moi. Merci beaucoup!

I'm going to keep telling myself that I love winter, even when it is no longer true. We shall see how long I can trick myself...


Having server woes, pictures should be back up right quick!

Animal Print Day

Just for giggles, and because Halloween is mostly the best holiday, and who doesn't love dressing up with their best friend (?)- Kirsten and I declared the day before Halloween to be dress up Animal Print stylin'. Which thusly got us 5 dollars off at the Buffalo Exchange because we were "in costume" and led to getting a bit drunk at the Skylark.
I think we can declare that day a success!

Oldies but Goodies

Chicago has these wonderful parts that are still decaying in this really fantastic way. Unlike major cosmopolitan areas of NYC which are almost all kinda glossy and plastic, or the opposite, deep in neighborhoods in the boros where there is no, what I like to call fabulous economy, is alot of decay and old school feeling, Chicago has done a decent job of blending, although making me nervous with all the independently owned coffee shops turning into banks... and don't get me started on the Loop-uh, I mean shopping mall.
These signs are just from Milwuake between Damen and Division. I'm kinda in love with them, and I'm sorry to see it rapidly turned over for shiny. There is something to be said for a worn history in a city. There is an archaic beauty in it.

Thrifting in Chicago

I finally received in the mail the memory card I had left in Chicago, so now I can overshare with all y'all. Like this time time Kirsten and I went thrifting. We stopped in a furniture store because I just can't help myself. So what if I can't take it home?
Aren't the walls crazy awesome? I mean, yes, the colors are kinda barf-y, but the idea is super sweet. I could see this done with tone on tone, or pink on red...that might be a bit much.... whatever I'd probably love it.
And then I was really jealous of anyone who could buy this chair in Chicago. Its like an Eames lounger, but cooler because it isn't. Its a one of a kind and unique and I like that.
Look at all these adorable totzkes you can get for your place, if you live in Chicago. I have to say New York City thrift stores are really picked over. These sorts of things are not common place.

I got the plauge

I have been home, sick as a dog, for almost a week. Thusly- I have not posted. I didn't get "swiney" as some people liked to poke fun, just a never ending cold, that seems to be more or less over except for this persistent dry cough. I was banned from the office yesterday due to my contagious-ness, so I ran around the city getting stuff to make necklaces for all my friends for x-mahanzadan. Do you want one? Let me know!
In other news, because I'm ab-fab, Bradford wrote about me- and my fashions- on Full Frontal Fashion.
Check it out, I look adorable. Comment away!
(Today I'm not feeling modest at all...)
Plus its the last day I was healthy, it was all down hill from there.

Chicago makes me happy

I just got back from Chicago, after being away for three days from the office I'm swimming in lots of work. And tomorrow sounds like a whole day away from the office running around on a special top secret mission. Look out for me in the city... and maybe Queens. These posts will be short.
My camera is at home, sleeping after being exhausted during its trip. And also, maybe I forgot it. So short, and photoless.

Highlights of my trip:
-Halloween, duh
-Meeting Kirsten and Becky's new roommate, Bill, a championship swimmer who wakes up at 3AM every weekday to go swimming, still wears his retainer 7 years later, and Barbie is the name of his girlfriend. This dude was totes amazing.
-Riding bikes with three other ladies in costume through the Chicago streets on Halloween night, hooting and hollering, and being hooted and hollered at.
-Spooning Becky and Kirsten
-Two dollar PBR's at the Skylark
-Tews and Sean Web djing so good
-Sleepwalking for the first time ever
-Eating Caprese Eggs Benedict at Orange, TACO BURRITO KING, homemade potato chips at Jerrys', and a veggie burger plus caramel milkshake at Earwax
-Thrift shopping, in an all leopard print outfit with Kirsten in an all zerba print jumpsuit. Animal Print Day.
-Seeing some amazing people, loving them, having long lifetalks
-Chicago Bike Messengers make great eye candy
-Getting drinks with my favorite Chicago EIC, at the ballerest cafe in Chicago, and exploring Southport
-Riding the El and the buses in general
-Running around the O'Hare terminal like a crazy person with no shoes on and hands full of tenthousandthings flailing about, "Hi can I skip you my flight is in just minutes! Okay? OKAY! thank you sooooo much!"- just making my flight by a hair.

Chicago is amazing, and this trip was fabulous. So much more to come.

Shoes

I have a real problem with shoes. Last month there was a week where I became the owner of four new pairs of shoes. Granted one was a gift, but still- its a thing I should consider watching. Also, I'm a twenty something, living in New York. I'm supposed to be silly from time to time.
Anyways, I have a real passion for plastic shoes. I don't really know where that one came from, but I own six pairs of plastic shoes. It started two summers ago with jellies. I liked them so much I bought another pair just in a different color. In addition to those I have plastic oxford like shoes in white (these are actually rain shoes, and also look like nurses shoes sometimes, they can be a bit trixy to wear without the right ensemble), Alexandre Hercovitch translucent heeled rain boots, white plastic Melissa shoes (my first Gilt Groupe purchase) and a new pair of yellow jellies-gladiator style, thanks to Lisa. They are all so crazy awesome, futuristic, waterproof, and I guess slowly becoming my thing.
With that said check out these crazy awesome shoes from Prada. Oh I love love love Prada, goodness gracious I do.They are held together by velcro darlings!

Design to Go- Areaware

Last Monday Katie and I headed over to the Port Authorty. Yes- that incredible hell hole right next to Times Square that brings New Jersey's finest to us everyday. We even waited in line, to get inside. What kind of crazies are we, you may ask?We were there for the grand opening of the pop-shop for Areaware called Design to Go! Katie and I noted that never before had we seen so many well dressed, with-it, hip New Yorkers at the Port Authority.

We brought the cool to the hood.As to be expected there were dozens of cool things to be had, including my old favorites, the animal pillows, the real-pig piggy banks, and the door stops cast from roller skates.This was something I had not ever seen before, a lit-up construction horse.

And Katie and I were totally smitten with these card holders, though it was trixy to get a photo because they were under glass.

Bascially if Areaware makes it, its the neatest (if not entirely useless) thing (or as the French would say- truc), thinger, thingie, and stuff. I really just wanted everything. It was all cool, from a fold-up bike, to a "look at me!" piece of jewlery, it all belonged in my apt.

Alors, mes cheris, vous devrez le visiter bientôt!

I'm a bohemian princess

Beacon's Closet is one of my favorite places to shop and I would say easily over half my entire wardrobe is from there, including shoes, dresses, jeans, tops, skirts and purses. When my Chi-city ladies come, we always go there, its kinda a mecca. So that was the first place Kirsten wanted to go when she got here, well the first place after an Uncle Louie's pumpkin pie milkshake.
She bought- ahem- the most amazing dress/kaftan/mumu/thing ever. Generally reserved for ladies of larger proportions... And we went to the park and were in love. Kirsten kept calling herself a bohemian princess, and I do believe she was.Do we even like each other?
Of course we do! (Don't look up my skirt)
Also check out the ROCKIN! jellies Lisa got for me! Holler!
Lisa joined us at the park and by tying her belt around her head I made her look hip, which is great because she normally doesn't and then she got real sassy. REAL HIP.
What's Kirsten lookin' at?
Only in Brooklyn, my friends...
Does he have his father's eyes?
And the lovely lady wanted some glamour shots in front of the best Brooklyn Library ever!
Then we went home and got girled up, but that's for another post...

BEST TEE SHIRT EVER

Okay- it was only ten dollars and I probably should have bought it, but I left it for someone more deserving. HOWEVER I think it is brilliant- amazing- wowzah.

The High Line

Johanne, my love from Belgium, a good friend- friend for life (and a Francophone, what is it with me and French speakers? seriously! I just can't get enough!) came to NY for a visit with her great friend Marie Pierre, nick named Mype.
Johanne lived here for year, but it was Mype's first time- so they spent alot of time doing touristy stuff. I feel like that is all well and good, but I know why I love NY, and its not because I can visit the Statue of Liberty or go to the top of the Empire State Building. There is a spirit of the city- a charming street, a good slice of pizza, fashion-fashion-fashion, hustle bustle, community within a whole hell of a lot of assholes, beautiful creatures of the night, bike messengers... oh the ever shifting list of wonderful things that come together to make a heart beat, a breath, a rhythm, and gives it a saucy character.

When I travel I try to keep this idea in mind and try to fall in love with other cities. When I have guests I try to bring them to the New Yorkiest places I know- and leave them to their own devices when it comes to making the trek to Times Square. They can visit that on their own time.
I understand the pull, I suppose, but its too plastic and not really New York, even though it absolutely is, ya get?
So I decdied that on a Sunday I would take over. I knew we needed to walk a shit ton after eating my hands down favorite pizzaria (John's on Bleeker for all ya'll). We meandered through the West Village, stopping at interesting shops, a neato gallery, and of course a Marc Jacobs or two,- all en route to the High Line. It is a brand new, and super neat park.
If you live here, you know it is one of the only above ground parks in the US, built on the old rail road tracks used for carrying freight (and meat- yes, once the meatpacking district was true to its namesake).
You can still see the old tracks, and a view of New Jersey (is that a pro or a con?). It was a nice way to spend an afternoon, lounging on the over sized chairs, enjoying a paused moment, taking in the completely interesting park. I recommend it to anyone. Its unlike any park I've ever been to, and while there is no grass to laze around in (which is absolute favorite thing to d0) there is plenty of greenery, people watching and good architecture. Check it.
After our fantastic day at the high line Mype gave me such a complement- New York would not be New York without you. And suggested I start giving tours of the city. I think I would like to do that very muc- and it would be so so so much fun. I love foreginers, I mean after all, I'm a New Yorker!

Hue are you?

I went to the Hue Are You opening party at the Future Perfect on Friday. The show was fantastic, if not overly crowded to the X. The show, curated by the American Design Club was aiming to show color in contemporary design. The pieces were fun, whimsical, and engaging.

If you've never been to the Future Perfect, check it out, it has some of the ballerest furniture, totchkes and jewelery. Its all funky and amazing. And I want it.

The Fantasy

I went to go check out Jamie Hayon's "The Fantasy" collection with Lladro at the Lladro store in the Manhat.
IT WAS AWESOME!!!!
I was completely in LOVE with his shoes for Camper (which all the very attractive and attentive servers were sporting) and these Lladro pieces were no different. Totally creepy, and I mean that in the best way ever.
At the party the guests had to walk up to the third level, which meant passing through the second level of the store. The floor was blacked out but I could see the "normal" Lladro pieces, silently and perhaps sadly sitting in the shadows, wishing for the glamor and fame they know they will never have.