Jennifer Jane's Style Journal

Love of Vera Wang Collection

2009-07-14T09:55:00.000-07:00

The site Gilt Groupe is one of my most favorite things ever. The deals you can get for such high quality merchandise is amazing. Even when items are out of my price range, it is still fun to "window shop", like these items from today's sale of Vera Wang Collection:

Coco Avant Chanel

2009-07-02T15:38:00.000-07:00

This movie looks amazing! It looks like an instant classic that I could watch over and over.

Exciting Stuff

2009-07-01T18:24:00.000-07:00

Not a few weeks goes by that I don't spend a day missing Domino magazine and looking through the dozen past issues that I do have, so imagine my excitement to read on the adorable blog M.A. Belle that the author, Michelle Adams and her business partner had this announcement:

"As a special treat for you, we've rounded up some of your favorite (and boy do I mean favorite!) editors, designers, artists, bloggers and friends, and in September, 2009 we will be launching our premiere issue of an online decorating and lifestyle magazine called Lonny."

Yes! Then, I found a new blog that I like, High-Heeled Foot in the Door, and the author had this cool idea: "My idea for the new feature would be to let you, my lovely readers pick out a shop for me in the NY area that you would love to get a sneak peek into. I would then go and snap pictures and capture the experience for you and report back to you. Maybe I can even pick up a little memento and do a give-away as well!"

Not a day goes by that I don't question my decision to leave our teeny tiny West Village apartment, so I'm going to appreciate this! Finally, the mood board below is from the site of Australian Diane Bergen Interiors.

If you visit the site, you will be amazed. Seriously, it is that good. All so very inspiring!

Today's Temptations

2009-06-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

I love Jonathan Adler anything, but I don't need any of these pretty wares. The sale prices are sooo tempting though.....To shop, go to www.gilt.com.

Tall Gold Bird
Retail:$98
Gilt:$48

Chinese Figurine Box
Retail:$125
Gilt:$58

Corset Lamp
Retail:$330
Gilt:$165

Irresistible Sales

2009-05-20T09:42:00.000-07:00

I have been absolutely obsessed with all of these websites that have designer sales for a limited time. It is so hard not to buy something when it is such a good deal! Anyway, today I'm obsessed with Gilt Group's bedding sale. Loving the peony and dogwood print duvets from Manuel Canovas, the adorable sheets from Matouk, and, a classic luxury, white Frette sheets. The savings off retail on the items that I have pictured below are almost $400 EACH. Happy summer shopping!

Manuel Canovas

Matouk

Nest Clothing Sale

2009-05-06T09:16:00.000-07:00

How cute are these damask tunics for toddlers by Nest? Too cute is the answer! They are on sale through HauteLook.com for $16. I wish I knew a mini-fashionista to buy one for cause I love them. The wallpaper pleated dress ($26), ruffle dress ($24), and embroidered tunic ($16) are all equally adorable.

Aspiration Boards

2009-05-05T08:38:00.001-07:00

Late last night (after 24 hours of traveling), my boyfriend and I returned home from a business trip to Monte Carlo, Monaco for the PokerStars EPT Grand Final, and I noticed my aspiration board. During the middle of winter when I was feeling down, I put one together that was kind of a combination of a mood/aspiration board. Anyway, it blew my mind that soooo many of the pictures I had pasted to my board came true! We flew through Paris, and I saw a bird's eye view of the Eiffel Tower-much like the perfume ad in the middle of my board. When putting together the board, I pretty much just cut out things that I loved, and one of those was shutters, which I saw tons of on our trip. Silly, I know, put I'm going to get started on another one soon!

Cindy Crawford's Home Collection

2009-04-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

The goods look nice, but I really liked the Chelsea townhouse presentation of Cindy Crawford's home collection for JCPenney. Such a good idea!

Photos: Wendy Goodman/NYMag

First Look: Cindy Crawford's New Home Collection
{NYMag.com}

Shop It To Me Contest

2009-04-23T08:42:00.000-07:00

Hopefully you all have had the chance to watch Running in Heels, the awesome reality show that follows the staff (mostly the interns) of Marie Claire magazine. In honor of the season finale this Sunday, ShopItToMe is giving away some free subscriptions to the magazine. All you need to do to win is visit the ShopItToMe blog and comment on what office fashion faux-pas is the most offensive. There are already so many comments and worth looking at just to make sure you aren't guilty. And while you are there, be sure to sign up for their SaleMail. I just ordered a DVF dress for like $98 yesterday that I found on my SaleMail.

I have to share what I think is the greatest office fashion offense I have witnessed-Ok, so I usually like what someone wears as long as they use it to express themselves, but when I had a new job and we had what I thought was an important lunch meeting at a casino, the girl that was to be my coworker wore a halter top and on her shoulder blade she had a huge color tattoo of her baby daughter's face. Moral of the story is to cover up, especially in public when you are representing not only yourself, but your coworkers and your company!

Faces of Faith

2009-04-23T08:13:00.000-07:00

I just rediscovered tumblr and love it! I read and see so many interesting things on the web that I think it is a great way to share my finds. Visit me at JenniferJanesStyleJournal.tumblr.com.

Yesterday I featured a Redbook magazine photo shoot of Faith Hill. I don't listen to country music much, but I love her because she is so pretty and southern. Gilles Bensimon (Kelly's, from Real Housewives NYC, ex husband) shot Faith as three iconic blondes: Twiggy, Brigitte Bardot, and Grace Kelly. She looks fab!

photos: Gilles Bensimon for Redbook magizine

{RedbookMag.com}

Idyllic Ireland

2009-03-17T10:48:00.000-07:00

Everything on television for the past two days has been St. Patrick's Day themed, so I couldn't help but do a little day dreaming and go real estate shopping online. I found this too cute Irish farmhouse near the village of Oola (190km from Dublin, the only city in Ireland I have visited, but I so want to visit again and see the countryside).

The inside is adorable with tongue and grove ceilings, recently renovated with new insulation and plumbing, and a large original stone arched inglenook in the kitchen.

Images: propertyireland.net

The outside is really, really sweet: slate roof, lawn enclosed by mature hedges, an apple tree and two walnut trees, herb garden, large natural pond, graveled terrace edged with lavender and rosemary, and a couple of stone outbuildings. There are views of the Galtee Mountains and the Tipperary hills. All this for 259,000 euros, or about $336,000.

I also really enjoyed seeing the group Celtic Woman perform yesterday on the Mike and Juliet show. So so pretty. The Today Show had a special segment on traditional and current Irish fashion. Philip Treacy, the milliner, grew up in Ireland and started sewing when he was about 5. He lived across the street from a church and loved watching the weddings held there.

As much as I love tv, I love blogs even more and my new favorite for this week is Design Undercover. The author Nathalie created a Dublin city guide for Design Sponge last year and continues to bring us great stories, like the image below. Too too cute!

Urban Outfitters

2009-03-03T08:48:00.000-08:00

$250

I read a really really interesting article (at least to me) on Home Textiles Today's website regarding Urban Outfitters. I love browsing UO's site because the style is similar to sister store Anthropologie, but just a little younger, hipper (talking just interiors here, not clothing which is very very different), and less expensive. When I first moved to NYC, there was an Urban Outfitters store that I would pass everyday, so of course I stopped in to shop at least once a week. I fell in love with all the empty black frames they had hanging on the landing between the two floors and the floral covered flask that I bought for half price.

$100

Anyway, back to the article. CEO Glen T. Senk said "we take risks. If we don’t want to own it ourselves, we don’t put it in the line. It must differentiate us, but also be a commercial success.” I think they do a great job and often when I browse the site, I wish I had known about the site in college-the prices are so great! The article went on to say that the company’s design team is now in Australia where they are deriving inspiration for new product ideas. Just another reason for us all to be obsessed with Australia! This season, many of the products have a South African influence.

Some other points made: In addition to operating Urban Outfitters and Anthropologie, they operate Free People wholesale, which sells products – not including home – to about 1,500 specialty stores and select department stores, 30 Free People stores, a catalog, website, and one Terrain garden center.

Senk said, “Our place is supporting artisan, hand crafted merchandise and trends rather than competing with the commodity market. We love making limited editions."

The iconic Vera brand will be revived for both home and apparel. Marimekko also is an important program and Tracy Reese is doing well (because it is gorgeous!).

$15

$42

Urban Outfitters Plays it Differently
{Home Textiles Today}

New Show: Running in Heels

2009-02-25T15:52:00.000-08:00

I've only watched about the first 20 minutes of StyleNetwork's Running in Heels, but I'm already addicted! A reality show about a magazine equals fab in my book. It premiers on March 1st, but you can watch the full first episode now on fancast.com

Snaps for Gilles

2009-02-19T09:54:00.000-08:00

Photo: Marcio Madeira via Style.com

Rachel Zoe taught us the importance of The Dress, and Fashionista's Natalie Hormilla thinks that the closing dress of J.Mendel's fall 09 collection was D-I-E worthy. She described the dress and the audience's reaction as "a strapless, metallic, silk moire gown...with pleated tulle, massive ribbons, and a back that floated to give the dress a sort of ghost train. It set off our favorite part of Fashion Week - Instant and genuine applause from a grateful crowd (a Fall 09 first)!". I must agree-very, very pretty! I also like second to last dress, pictured below, with those too cute shoulders straps.

Photo: Marcio Madeira via Style.com

First Look: J Mendel
{fashionista.com}

Bangin Bangs

2009-02-18T10:39:00.000-08:00

Photograph: Billy Farrell/PatrickMcMullan.com via ParkAvenuePeerage.com

I pretty much love anything this girl does, so of course I love her new bangs. Tinsley Mortimer was looking adorable at the NY screening of Two Lovers last week.

Two Lovers
{Park Avenue Peerage}

This Little Piggy Went to Market...

2009-02-17T08:48:00.000-08:00

And saw interior designer Celerie Kemble of Kemble Interiors Inc.! Celerie was interviewed by Melinda Sheckells of Las Vegas Home & Design as part of the World Market Center's winter show. She's one of my all time favorite interior designers and has such great taste~just check out all of the PRESS and the publications she has been featured in. There are 56 pages of pictures of her on Patrick McMullan's website! Celerie spoke of how she doesn't really have "a look" that is all her own because it is her job to decorate based on her clients' wishes. Her book, To Your Taste, is not just a pretty coffee table book. Celerie walks the reader through making choices in their own home while showing examples of her work. Add to this her fabric and furniture collections, and you see that Celerie is one amazing gal.

Valentine's Goodies

2009-02-16T09:24:00.001-08:00

I hope everyone had a beautiful Valentine's Day! Mine was very nice with some great presents. Early in the week, my wonderful boyfriend got me an iPhone, then on Saturday he surprised me with two orchid plants and the Sex and the City DVD. We went to the theater and saw Confessions of a Shopaholic and then had sushi from our favorite local place. A perfect day!

Fashion Week Barbie

2009-02-16T07:47:00.000-08:00

Fred R. Conrad, Gabriel Dance and Simone S. Oliver/The New York Times

Loving this display in the tents at New York Fashion Week! So pink and pretty! Look at the link below for the full interactive feature of inside the tents. Also check out the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week site for all your need-to-know fashion week info and a video of the Barbie show.

More Than Just Tents
{NYTime.com}

Stylish Seaton

2009-02-12T08:17:00.000-08:00

Lately I've had to take the dogs out ALOT, and this requires a whole new wardrobe for me. We live in a townhouse community, so I know that I could be seen at any moment and my pjs just aren't doing the job. I just discovered the brand Seaton through HauteLook.com, and I think their leisure clothes would be perfect for dog walks. Seahorses are so unique and mysterious to me and make for a great logo. Best part? Seaton is on sale!

Yoga Coat
Originally: $298 Now: $104

Blanket Cardigan
Originally: $395 Now: $138

Rugby Stripe Tunic
Originally: $150 Now: $53

Deep Heart Long Sleeve Tee
Originally: $70 Now: $25

Flare Pant
Originally: $134 Now: $47

For even more sales, visit SeatonSurf.com.

Posy Hoodie
Originally: $152 Now: $53

Pineapple Vitale Smocked Dress
Originally: $255 Now: $64

Honey Crochet Mesh Tunic
Originally: $162 Now: $57

Navy Jasper Tunic Dress
Originally: $208 Now: $52

Vogue Cover Lady

2009-02-11T08:16:00.000-08:00

Annie Leibovitz for Vogue

Michelle Obama looks just fabulous on the March Vogue cover! I love her style~perfect for a professional woman who is first a mother. For the Vogue story, visit here. Andre Leon Talley did a great interview on this morning's Today Show giving me more reasons to love our new first lady.

First lady Michelle Obama graces Vogue cover
{Today.com}

Leading Lady
{Style.com}

My New It Girl: Jessica Hart

2009-02-10T08:31:00.001-08:00

Right now, I am obsessed with everything and everyone Australian. Aussie native Jessica Hart is a 22 year old model (represented in the US by ONE) living in Tribeca who has done lots of editorial work and ad campaigns for Guess. Her boyfriend is Nicolas Potts, a co-founder of The City's Jay Lyon's band Tamarama. Jess's website is really cute and we can look forward to seeing her in SI's 2009 Swimsuit Issue and on upcoming episodes of The City. Loves her!

Images via JessicaHart.net

Photo: Matt Jones via SI.com

Who's That: Hart-Breaker
{Page Six Magazine}

Tori's Cute Curtains

2009-02-09T16:45:00.000-08:00

Aren't Tori Spelling's curtains on the cover of her new book cute? So sophisticated for a nursery~though not as fancy as Kelly Wearstler's sons' rooms in her book Domicilium Decoratus (I've had it checked out of the library for over a month and don't want to return it!). We'll be able to buy Tori's book in April. I've never looked at her other book, but I hope this one has some good shopping, decorating, and fashion tips for mommies.

Tori Spelling's "Mommywood" Book Cover Revealed & Excerpt!
{My It Things}

Hearting Hayden-Harnett's Invite

2009-02-09T15:56:00.000-08:00

Image: blogs.fashionweekdaily.com

I have a weakness for invites, thank you notes, and announcements. I've pretty much loved them my whole life. Hayden-Harnett (who have a really cute collection for Target) has an adorable invite for their showcase at the Chelsea Hotel-a little leather clutch and room key.

Best Invite of NY Fashion Week Is...
{Fashion Week Daily Chic Report}

Decorum Design Forum

2009-02-09T11:51:00.000-08:00

I've been a reader of the blog La Dolce Vita for a little while now, and am so excited about Paloma's new project, Decorum Design Forum. Looks like lots of fun for all of us obsessed with design and living a stylish life!

Confessions of a Shopaholic

2009-02-09T09:50:00.000-08:00

If you live in any of these areas, San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Portland, or Seattle, you need to enter Shop It To Me's contest for preview tickets to Confessions of a Shopaholic. I hope the contest is still going on...if not, the movie comes out in a few days and I can't wait!

Australian Bushfires

2009-02-09T08:25:00.000-08:00

After visiting Australia last month, it is now so close to my heart. I'm sure most everybody has heard about the horrible wildfires that continue to burn there, which is just heartbreaking. So far, over 130 people have died, and the stories are just horrific. I researched ways that we in other countries can help, and I think donating through the Australian Red Cross is the best way.

Bye Bye Domino

2009-01-28T14:21:00.000-08:00

What is going to happen to our design world?

Sassafras Estate

2009-01-27T14:18:00.000-08:00

Sassafras Estate featured in Ultimate Homes 2007

I am so envious of Brad and Angelina. They are move-a-holics like me, but they get to live in amazing homes in amazing places. Next they will be relocating to Long Island's Gold Coast to a Tudor-style compound named Sassafras Estate. The estate was built in 1987 and was designed after the style of British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens. The property has everything they could want, including a 22,000 sq. ft. main house, gym, barber shop, helipad, private beach, and fallout shelter.

Awesome Australia

2009-01-27T10:06:00.000-08:00

I've been MIA for the past couple of weeks because I had the wonderful opportunity to visit Australia with my boyfriend. We had lots of fun, and I wanted to share some of the beautiful summer scenery from the parks, gardens, and the Great Ocean Road (where we saw a wild kangaroo cross the road!). Enjoy!

Oval Office Design Ideas

2009-01-20T23:43:00.000-08:00

InStyle.com asked three design teams for suggestions on how they would redesign the Oval Office. Gossip Girl's set designers wanted it to be earth and family friendly, Jonathan Adler choose a spirited American design, and Calvin Klein Home designer Amy Mellen gave the office a minimalist makeover. All photos via InStyle.com.

Golden Globes Fashion

2009-01-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

With all the classic dress styles and neutral colors, the Golden Globes last night were a nice treat for me. My faves in the wardrobe department via style.com:

Elizabeth Banks, in J. Mendel. The sleeves is what got me.

Photo: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

Evan Rachel Wood, in vintage Elie Saab Haute Couture with Neil Lane jewels
Photo: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Kate Beckinsale, in J. Mendel with Fred Leighton jewels. A very beautiful silhouette.
Photo: Frazer Harrison / Getty Images

Miley Cyrus, in Marchesa
Photo: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

Kate Winslet, in Yves Saint Laurent and Chopard jewels, with Leonardo DiCaprio, in Giorgio Armani. Kate's enthusiasm, along with her dress, really made her shine.
Photo: Steve Granitz / WireImage

Eva Mendes, in Christian Dior with Van Cleef & Arpels jewels. I love love the necklace.
Photo: Jason Merritt / Getty Images

The New York Times did a wonderful job putting together a slide show where dresses from the same color story are grouped together. View it here.

Australia the Movie

2009-01-10T17:58:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend and I leave for a trip to Australia on Tuesday, so we thought we just HAD to go see the movie before we went. We both loved it and are more excited than ever (it is the first time down under for both us). Last July, Vogue pictured Nicole Kidman on the cover and had a great feature story of the movie Australia. Baz Luhrmann, the director of the film, is famous for making Moulin Rouge (and is currently working on The Great Gatsby). I did not know until the Vogue article that Luhrmann's wife, Catherine Martin (C.M.), worked with him (I love power couples in the arts world) and had won Oscars for the design and costumes in Moulin Rouge. Of her planning and attention to all details, C.M. said “Baz and I feel that viewers can sense the truth of these things even if they don’t know they are seeing them. They can feel that the world we’re creating is dense.”

Nicole goes on to talk about the adventure that the filming of the movie created. She says "That’s why you make movies". The movie was just such a beautiful and unique film. I hope it receives Oscar recognition this awards season!

The interiors were just gorgeous, as was the charming exterior of Faraway Downs, the ranch. I love love love the shot of the outdoor Christmas celebration, with decorations hanging from a tree.
And of course I adored Nicole's character Lady Ashely's fashion~especially the flowers in her hair.
For more epic eyecandy, visit AustraliaMovie.com and AustraliaMovie.net (the site where I copied all of the above images).

Shop It To Me Love

2009-01-09T09:06:00.000-08:00

Earlier this week, I won second place in the Shop It To Me Trendsetter's Boast & Toast competition for a blog post I did last month! Shop It To Me is a great resource for budget fashionistas. Back in the day, when gas was cheap and I had nothing to do, I was so good at keeping up with what was in stores, how long it had been there, and if it was a good sale. Now, it is all too overwhelming, so Shop It To Me does it for me. I pick my favorite designers and everyday I get a personal salemail that features on sale merchandise. January is one of the best months for shopping for sales, not only because of post-holiday sales, but for inventory tax purposes, because retailers want to move the clothing out before Feburary 1st. Some of my favorite steals are below from this week's salemail:

Tibi~$69.60

Trina Turk~$45.60

Tory Burch~$139.45

Milly~$171.90

NYC's Colony Club

2009-01-08T09:27:00.000-08:00

My weekly dose of Gossip Girl is a guilty pleasure that I just love. This past week, Blair was interviewed to become a member of the city's Colony Club, so, not knowing what this was, I went to work researching. It turns out that the Colony Club is the city's most exclusive and prestigious private women's social club that was founded in 1903.

The first Colony Club clubhouse was located on Madison Avenue at 29th Street and is now home to the American Academy of Arts. There was a great article in the New York Times in 2003 that visits the current building and describes in detail the original facility:"...a double-height gym in the rear, with a running track on the balcony, and an elegant, French-style assembly room at the front, with a musicians' balcony above. In the basement was a swimming pool, surrounded by white marble walls and floors, with a broad trellised ceiling. Vines were woven into the trellis, through which yellowish artificial light shone through, similar to a garden bathed in soft sunlight. The lighting fixtures were fashioned in greenish-white glass after bunches of grapes. The interior, by the decorator Elise de Wolfe, were as simple as money could buy--restrained neo-Colonial and French--and the exterior still has some of the finest brickwork in New York. Laid with the headers, the short ends, facing out, they form a deliciously mellow mix of muted grays, reds, and blues. De Wolfe lived in the club during construction."

Sounds nice, doesn't it? I found a complete copy of Elsie de Wolfe's book The House in Good Taste online at gutenberg.org, and I have just been obsessed with her and her writing. She includes advice which still can be (and in my opinion, should be) used today. The House in Good Taste includes some gorgeous photos of the Colony Club's Madison location.

Colony Club trellis room
from The House in Good Taste via Gutenberg.org

Colony Club dining room
from The House in Good Taste via Gutenberg.org

a Colony Club bedroom
from The House in Good Taste via Gutenberg.org

In 1923, the Colony's current clubhouse opened at 564 Park Avenue. The site NYC Architecture has several links about the Park Ave. location, including this excerpt from author James Trager and his book Park Avenue, Street of Dreams (Athenaeum, 1990):

"A 20' x 60' marble-and-tile swimming pool is in the basement, together with massage baths, mud baths, and sulfur baths similar to those at European spas. A special elevator links the basement with the full equipped oak-paneled gymnasium on the fifth floor and the squash courts above....Caen stone lines the walls of the Colony Club's round entrance hall, while its one-and-a-half-story high ballroom has walls with brocatelle hangings. On the second floor at two dining rooms, the library, a cardroom, and a seventy-foot-long lunge paneled in American butternut. There are forty bedrooms - and a guests' room where anxious applicants are interviewed for membership."

There was even a kennel were members could check their pets!

Colony Club, 564 Park Avenue
image via www.nyc-architecture.com

Detox

2009-01-05T12:48:00.000-08:00

It seems like this year there is more talk than ever about getting in shape, organizing your life, and learning to love yourself, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and follow Gwyneth Paltrow's cleanse diet from this week's GOOP newsletter. She got advice from Dr. Alejandro Junger, who will have a book in May titled Clean. We are on day two, but for a detox diet, this doesn't seem so bad...yet. Good luck to everyone this year trying to shape up!

Beyond Yoga

2009-01-03T08:23:00.000-08:00

Credit: O Magazine via StyleList.com

HauteLook.com is having an amazing sale (ends in less than 48 hours) right now on the label Beyond Yoga. All the usual celebs are fans of the yoga wear, but Oprah also wears Beyond Yoga on her January cover, so you now the brand will be in high demand. In an interview from StyleList, I learned that Beyond Yoga was started by Jodi Guber, a celebrity yoga instructor that grew up in LA. She is the daughter of a high profile Hollywood producer and yogi-philanthropist mother. The line is meant to transition from yoga class to other activities in your day. Jodi tells us that the spring line will be fab with dresses and that she will have a men's line in Fall 09. I ordered the Orginal Pant, because Jodi says it makes one's butt look amazing, and the Tactel Kimono Top. Hopefully this will encourage me to workout in the new year!

TACTEL KIMONO TOP

Retail: $93; HauteLook sale: $35

ORIGINAL PANT
Retail: $77; HauteLook sale: $40

Holiday Wrap-Up

2008-12-26T07:41:00.000-08:00

I'm glad that the Christmas season has finally wound down. It means that I can get back to a healthy diet and a normal life. This season was lots of fun, starting with the open house of the Las Vegas Junior League's headquarters, a midcentury home that was built by the musical director for the Sands Hotel in 1959. The Morelli house is a beautiful example of a restored home, and it was lots of fun meeting so many people that had an interest in historic preservation and vintage fashion.

Sitting on a Serpentine Sofa designed by Vladimir Kagan

Our neighbors decorated our neighborhood/in front of our house for a Christmas lights competition, but only won third place for all their efforts.
The lobby of Four Seasons Hotel Las Vegas was transformed into The Gingerbread Village, which featured gingerbread properties that were for sale with proceeds benefiting the Nevada Cancer Institute. Created by Four Seasons Executive Pastry Chef Jean-Luc Daul and his team of pastry chefs, production time took more than 500 hours. Wow.
We decided yesterday that Las Vegas has to be one of the best places to spend Christmas. We visited the Bellagio Botanical Gardens in the morning, where I loved the snowmen made of carnations, presents made of thousands of pieces of mirror, and the reindeer made of nuts.

From there, we visited Chef Jean-Philippe Maury's European-style pastry shop, also in the Bellagio. It was hard not to be in the Christmas spirit with the large chocaloate fountain that everyone, young and old, admired.

After that, we headed over to the Forum Shops at Ceasar's Palace, where I got my first pair of Jimmy Choos for 80% off the original price! Talk about a great gift. We then went to Barney's, but didn't find any had-to-have deals. I enjoyed several Christmas parties this season, including a shopping event with Lipstick Jungle's Robert Buckley at the Shoppes at the Palazzo. We received more Christmas cards than any other year, and we felt good buying presents for a needy boy instead of ourselves. Today the dogs are at the groomers as we prepare for the new year!

Glittering Girl

2008-12-23T09:02:00.000-08:00

Photo by Brad Barket via mtv.com

Wasn't Lauren Conrad's dress (and hairstyle) on last night's season finale of The Hills just too cute? I think it would be perfect for a New Year's Eve dress, and I am including an up close shot of the sequins, just in case you find it inspiring and want to bejewel a dress for yourself over the holidays (I really might...I took a two day course from the Royal School of Needlework at Hampton Court Palace, so maybe I can put those skills to work). The beautiful frock is by 3.1 Phillip Lim and is available for $925 from LaGarconne.com.

3.1 Phillip Lim via LaGarconne.com

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree

2008-12-22T09:25:00.000-08:00

Christmas tree in Rome

Two years ago, I got to spend Christmas in Rome, which was really fabulous, and I never forgot this tree I saw. Made of real materials, I liked that it was flat and therefore didn't take up much space, and it was unique and eye catching. Fast forward to this year, and I saw the cute post-it note tree on Apartment Therapy LA. This gave me the idea to use extra wrapping paper to make a tree on our kitchen wall. I made it last week while it was snowing outside, so it was nice to feel festive. I'm thinking of adding lights, but with only a few days to go, we will see.

www.livingetc.com

my 2008 Christmas tree

I've been reading the history of Christmas trees, and many contribute the popularity in the US to the printing of this sketch in Godey's Lady Book in 1850 of Queen Victoria and her family's tree.

Queen Victoria popularized many of today's Christmas traditions

Walking in a Winter Wonderland

2008-12-18T09:30:00.000-08:00

Topper, Tinsley, and Matthew

Yesterday, it started snowing and then, to our amazement, the snow stuck and didn't melt! The news says this is the most snow in Las Vegas in over three decades, and it was such a sight to see our palm trees covered with snow. My boyfriend was unprepared for this weather, so he had to wear my boots out to walk the dogs (who both loved playing in the snow!).

The Bag Lady Papers

2008-12-17T12:17:00.000-08:00

I really liked this story/blog post titled The Bag Lady Papers, written by Alexandra Penney. It is her story of how she spent her life saving money only to find out last week that she is a victim of Bernard Madoff's fraud. I found it in today's Daily Beast, which has a main home page with lots of newsworthy but also intriguing stories like How Madoff Spent the Money and The Return of Chest Hair.

Absolutely Beautiful Cottage

2008-12-16T09:39:00.000-08:00

Anna Spiro, the author of my all time favorite blog Absolutely Beautiful Things, posted photos of her family's cottage's makeover and it is just too cute for words! Visit her site for more photos to ohh and ahh over.

Photos: Anna Spiro/Absolutely Beautiful Things

Material Girl

2008-12-12T08:33:00.000-08:00

The other evening, I went to a "Totally 80s Christmas Party" and won a prize for one of the best costumes! I used clothing and accessories that I already had (which is kind of embarrassing) to create my Madonna look. So much fun!

Queen of Pinups Dies

2008-12-12T07:56:00.000-08:00

www.bettiepage.com

According to The New York Times, Bettie Page was the most famous pinup girl of the post-World War II era with her trademark raven bangs, spike heels and killer curves.

The Lion King Comes to Vegas

2008-12-09T12:47:00.000-08:00

On Friday afternoon, we attended a presentation of The Lion King at Mandalay Bay. The very, very famous Broadway Musical will open here in Las Vegas in late April, and I just can't wait to see King! My boyfriend is the theater fanatic in our house, but once I looked into the history of this musical and Julie Taymor (the director), I am just as excited. Three of the cast members from New York performed, and we were shown footage of the creation of the amazing puppets. Visit The Lion King's website for music, photos, and all things Lion King.

Something I found ironic in looking at articles from when the musical premiered on Broadway was that people were shocked by the pairing of the avant garde Taymor with Disney, but I think the combination works perfectly, especially for making it interesting for adults. Another time Disney partnered up with an unusual artist was in 1945, with surrealist artist Salvador Dalì.

Mimosa-2009's Color To Drink To

2008-12-09T09:26:00.000-08:00

Pantone announced that PANTONE® 14-0848 Mimosa is the color of the year for 2009. They say that "in a time of economic uncertainty and political change, optimism is paramount and no other color expresses hope and reassurance more than yellow."

You can use the color in your home (perfect for kitchens) or you can incorporate Mimosa into your wardrobe right now. Using Shop it to Me's daily Salemail, I found the first three Mimosa inspired looks just this morning, so while you are shopping for others this season, keep in mind that this color would look great on you too into the new year.

See by Chloe-Oversized Mod Coat

Reg: $875 Now: $350

saks.com

Diane von Furstenberg-'Nagami' Faux Wrap Dress

Reg: $365 Now: $145

nordstrom.com

French Connection-Kinickie Wool Coat

Reg: $328 Now: $229

bloomingdales.com

Tory Burch-Casey Dress

Reg: $495 Now: $198

toryburch.com

Fatal Charm

2008-12-08T12:44:00.000-08:00

For those of us who are a little too young to know the story behind Sunny von Bülow, I found this article, titled Fatal Charm, that appeared in Vanity Fair in August of 1985. I can see why the trial caught so many people's attention. Sunny's Newport home, named Clarendon Court, was used in 1956 as the setting for Grace Kelly’s home in the film High Society. The author of the article, Dominick Dunne, also tells us of Sunny's hospital care: "She receives physical therapy and dental care, and her hair is washed and set twice a week. Her own skin creams are used on her hands and face. She wears her own nightgowns and bed jackets and sleeps on Porthault sheets. Music plays in the room, and there are always highly scented flowers on her bedside table." Claus von Bülow was photographed by Helmut Newton for the article (pictured below) and hopeful I will be able to find more photos from that shoot. So intriguing...

www.vanityfair.com

Modern Day Mary Poppins

2008-12-08T09:15:00.000-08:00

Umbrellas don't have to just be utilitarian, and Pare*Umbrella is making sure that we have adorable umbrellas to brighten up rainy days. All are produced in limited numbers each season, and below are my faves: the mod battic, the picnic style, the classic sonnet style, and the zen cosmos style.

www.pareumbrella.com

Mr. Varney Comes to Town

2008-12-05T12:52:00.000-08:00

I just got back from the Las Vegas Design Center where the guest speaker today was Carleton Varney. I have been excited for months about this, and it was most enjoyable! Mr. Varney discussed a number of things, including how he thinks penmanship is a lost art, some words of wisdom from Dorthy Draper ("No gravy [colored decor]!" and "If it looks right, it is right"), and that his job is to sell memories. He signed my copy of In the Pink and drew me a cute picture in his new book, Houses of my Heart.

Mr. Varney writes a weekly column for the Palm Beach Daily News and you can catch up on all of the past columns here. He told us a little about his next column, which will focus on the Plaza Hotel in NYC. Mr. Varney has a client in the newly renovated building, so I am eager to read some inside details. Earlier this week, I read the article Elosie Sheds a Tear, on VanityFair.com, and the whole situation is quite sad. Like so many articles have said, it is THE Plaza. For a short time last year, I was overexcited with joy because there are plans for El-Ad Properties to build a Plaza Las Vegas, but with all of the trouble in NYC, it seems like this might never come to be. They already imploded the Frontier Casino over a year ago and no new building has begun. So, I look forward to hearing Mr. Varney's thoughts about it. Being in the room with such a great decorating icon was such a great way to begin the weekend!

Online Scrapbooking and Book Making

2008-12-04T10:37:00.000-08:00

what you can create at blurb.com

This is one of the coolest things EVER! Blurb.com will turn your blog into a coffee table book! I mean, how cute is that? You can even place it in their bookstore where fans can buy it. Another good use for this amazing service is to make a bound portfolio where you can show your work in a professional manner, or gather your grandma's best recipes and make a cookbook. This is such a fun project for the coming winter months and a great idea for a personalized present. Just think of everything you could do, from making a book telling your family's history to a book full of behind the scences pictures from your wedding. Starting at just $5, I just love this service!

Another unique site is Storytir.com, where your online life from your blog, Facebook updates, Twitter, Flickr, and YouTube is combined to create an online interactive essay. I remember once that Martha Stewart said she liked to keep her old planners just to see what she had done in the past, and Storytir seems like the 21st century way of creating your "lifestream". I find it a little creepy/stalkerish that you can subscribe to one's lifestream, but having one for yourself seems really fun, cause we are all the star in our own lives!

I loved the site Flip.com, even though it was geared towards a slightly younger gal. You could make online scrapbooks that were really, really cute and then embed them to your online profiles on Facebook, Blogger, etc., but sadly, I read that flip.com (owned by CondeNast) will be no more on the 15th, so if you ever created a cute flipbook, you better print it off.

If you need some help laying out your book, I like Good Stock. They will take your shoebox of memories, like old photos, letters, news clippings, and sketches, and create a custom heirlom story with beautifully designed layouts, printed on quality paper, and then hand binded. You can also use a predesigned template, but I love the uniqueness of the custom books which are truley family heirlooms. I love Kim's blog, which just had a post about starting your own memior.

Happy writing!

a couple examples of goodstock.com's books

Rachel Zoe Returns

2008-12-04T09:45:00.000-08:00

LATimesBlog.LATimes.com

As if today being National Cookie Day and one of my best bestie's bday wasn't enough, I just learned that Bravo will have a second season of The Rachel Zoe Project! With so many magazines folding left and right and talk of designers having presentations instead of runway shows, this is awesome news. According to the LA Times, the show will air next summer and has not started production yet. Please let there be more than six episodes this time!

Tiki Gods & Mid Century Mod

2008-12-03T12:20:00.000-08:00

Vegas Runway

2008-12-02T15:02:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, I attended a fashion show put on by Las Vegas High School's Advanced Fashion Classes. The students were given the challenge of working with a commercial pattern to create a "fashionable, reasonably priced ensemble for a Las Vegas High School teacher". The printed program included the total cost of the garment as well as commentary that featured unique aspects of the garment. The clients (the teachers) served as the models, which was very entertaining and oh so fierce. My Junior League Provisional Training Class will be working with these students in the future on some very exciting projects. In all, there were at least 25 designers that showed their work, but my inability to take good photos (and those teachers were really working the catwalk!) means that I only have these to show, but every designer did a wonderful job.

Images: my personal photos

Call For Bloggers

2008-12-02T10:26:00.000-08:00

The Huffington Post wants to hear the stories of people who are being affected with the current economic crisis, and, as a blogger, I want to encourage anyone who has a story to share it. I don't like to focus on the state of the economy in my blog, but writing is VERY therapeutic and helps me to look on the bright side of things. Visit HuffingtonPost.com for more info.

H&M Home Collection

2008-12-02T10:04:00.000-08:00

Loving the H&M Home Collection line that will debut online in February, but sadly it will be available only in Scandinavia, the Netherlands, Germany and Austria. Pictured below are the collections: the youth series, classic series, design series, and the nature series.

Images via racked.com via H&M and Stefan Nilsson/Husmusen

InterviewMagazine.com

2008-12-01T16:06:00.000-08:00

FYI: InterviewMagazine.com relaunched their website today and it looks like a site that I will soon be obsessed with! Andy Warhol's Interview was where Patrick McMullan got his start, so I am looking forward to the 'Captured' section where users can sign in and upload their photos alongside personal photos taken by celebrities.

Santa Paws is Coming To Town

2008-12-01T09:21:00.000-08:00

For pet lovers that are obsessed with being green, check out this cute Scotty Dog Squeak Toy ($14) available from westpawdesign.com. Made of plastic recycled bottles, it is just one gift that Santa Paws could bring this year, plus it looks better laying around then some non-decor matching toy (in our house, we try to only have white, black, and pink). For more eco-friendly pet presents, visit this dailygreen.com slideshow.

Best of Black Friday

2008-11-28T18:11:00.000-08:00

I am loving this lounge chair I found today at Big Lots. The guy at our store says they have pink and leopard print along with the zebra and black (my favorite). The best part? Only $50 in store! I didn't get one, but I did pick up an adorable Shabby Chic dog bed.

Milk Does a Body Good

2008-11-26T08:48:00.000-08:00

www.filminfocus.com

Last night, we went to a screening of the movie Milk, and I just absolutely loved it. It is the story of Harvey Milk (played by Sean Penn), California's first openly gay politician, who was assassinated with San Francisco mayor George Moscone in 1978. I was a little surprised this morning to read David Edelstein's review on New York Magazine's website. He wasn't as impressed as I was, but I noticed in his review that he says Harvey Milk picks up a Midwestern stud on the NYC subway. Being a Mississippi gal, I know that Scott Smith (played wonderfully by James Franco) is actually from Jackson, MS, which remains today, but especially in the 1960s, a totally different world than the midwest. This might seem like a minor detail, but to me it takes away Edelstein's credability. So, let's visit the New York Times and A.O. Scott's review. He calls the movie a marvel and points out Milk's "insistence on being who he is without secrecy or shame",which is a great message for us all.

Matthew Williamson + H&M= LOVE

2008-11-25T10:17:00.000-08:00

I just love designer capsule collections, and today, H&M announced a collection with British fashion designer Matthew Williamson, in stores in April. On a field trip to Bond Street in London, my friend and I wondered to one of the side streets (we had already visited all the shops on Bond St. on our own) and *discovered* Matthew Williamson's boutique. We had never heard of him, but we instantly fell in love with his beautiful clothes and it didn't hurt that his mother was working in the store. So, because I could not afford any of his clothes, I bought a magazine that included a Matthew Williamson tank top, but I've never worn it in public. Now I will finally be able to own AND wear something from one of my favorite designers. Pictured are some of my favorite looks from his Spring 09 collection. One can see the influence of his working for Pucci, but with a fresh spin. Now, if only our Las Vegas H&Ms would carry the designer collections....

www.matthewwilliamson.com

Myers-Brigg Blog Analyzer

2008-11-24T07:30:00.000-08:00

My boyfriend sent me the link www.typealyzer.com, which is a Myers-Brigg Blog Analyzer. I vaguely remember taking the regular Myer-Brigg test in college, but this link instantly analyzes your blog, and quite accurately! I do avoid confrontation like the plague. What a fun link! Jennifer Jane's Style Journal's analysis:

ESFP - The Performers

The entertaining and friendly type. They are especially attuned to pleasure and beauty and like to fill their surroundings with soft fabrics, bright colors and sweet smells. They live in the present moment and don´t like to plan ahead - they are always in risk of exhausting themselves.

They enjoy work that makes them able to help other people in a concrete and visible way. They tend to avoid conflicts and rarely initiate confrontation - qualities that can make it hard for them in management positions.

Sweater Weather

2008-11-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

www.bergdorfgoodman.com

Loving this Eskimo Grandfather Cardigan made by Autumn Cashmere and available for $352 at Bergdorf's.

Margaret Russell's My New Bestie

2008-11-20T09:19:00.000-08:00

Last night, our local Robb & Stucky furniture store had a book signing with Elle Decor's Editor in Chief Margaret Russell. The book, So Chic, is beautiful, and Margaret and her Elle Decor pr team were all so nice.

I was seriously nervous because I admire Margaret so much. Just Monday night, she hosted the first Elle Decor Vision Award ceremony at the Harold Pratt House in NYC. Paula S. Wallace,
Savannah College of Art and Design president and co-founder, was honored as the winner. The award is meant to honor women in the design field, and I think Paula Wallace is a perfect winner. She is responsible for SCAD's amazing growth, especially this past decade, which includes restoration of some beautiful buildings in Savannah, the opening of an Atlanta campus, and SCAD's Lacoste, France campus. The award ceremony also included a roundtable discussion led by Margaret Russell and Cara McCarty, the Cooper Hewitt Curatorial Director. Cynthia Rowley, Anna belle Selldorf, Bunny Williams, and Celerie Kemble shared their design stories. So chic!

Eco-Conscious Charitable Gifts

2008-11-19T08:01:00.001-08:00

www.abchome.com

I feel like that over the past two years our society has come leaps and bounds with concepts of living green and being compassionate to others. I found this great slideshow of gift ideas on thedailygreen.com. Also, visit abchomeandplanet.org for more gifts of compassion through the best store EVER. Last month for my birthday, my mom sent me a decorating book from the 1950s that she bought for $4, so you don't even have to spend much money, but you do have to put thought into gift ideas and be a little creative. Happy shopping!

Eco-Conscious Charitable Gifts - Volunteer Gifts - Experiential Gifts - thedailygreen.com

Posted using ShareThis

Umbrella, Ella Ella, Eh

2008-11-18T10:33:00.000-08:00

This umbrella from Hayden-Harnett for Target is just the bee's knees. I don't really know what that means (my mom says it a lot), but, even though it rains here almost never, I think the cute pointed top and curled handle will make for a perfect sunbrella.

Visions of Sugar Paper Dancing in My Head

2008-11-18T07:52:00.001-08:00

How cute is this desktop calendar from Sugar Paper? I also love the dear note set, the recycled scallop notes, letterpress stationary 17 with a diagonal strip lining, letterpress stationary 51 that looks like notebook paper, and the merry letterpress gift tags. All are just too cute.

Carnival of Light

2008-11-17T08:28:00.000-08:00

I so want to hear this track, Carnival of Light, which was created in 1967 by The Beatles for an electronic music festival. Influenced by experimental composers John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen, Sir Paul McCartney told BBC Radio 4's Front Row "I like it because it's The Beatles free, going off piste...it would show we were working with really avant-garde stuff." Until it can be decided to release this track, we will just have to imagine it. {via The Daily Beast via BBC News}

Imagine Photographic Print by Vincent James
www.art.com

Passport to Glamour

2008-11-17T07:42:00.001-08:00

Last Thursday, I attended this event, Passport to Glamour, at the beautiful World Market Center here in Las Vegas. Gary Hutton, called the "Dean of West Coast Design", was the first speaker. He talked about his past and what some of his early infulences were (Kim Novack and beautiful cars) and gave some tips to hopeful designers. Mr. Hutton stressed living an artful life, and used the example of his unique Christmas cards. Guess I need to get to work on that one!

Next, you could meet with the editors of Western Interiors & Design for a portfolio review. Since I don't have any work, I just enjoyed the yummy salmon lunch. Events later in the day included a panel discussion called "Luxury: Then and Now", as well as a champagne reception to celebrate the launch of "Bling! An Exhibit of Iconic Showgirl Artifacts".

While there, I finally got to see the Design Italiano exhibit, which is a retrospective of the history of Italian furniture design from 1956-2008. In the United States for the first time, this exhibit did a wonderful job of featuring the carefreeness of Italian culture, plus the accompanying booklet has pictures of every piece of furniture along with descriptions so that my little mind doesn't have to work too hard to remember the details. Loved it!

Lipstick Jungle Canceled

2008-11-13T13:53:00.001-08:00

www.nbc.com

No, no, no! I cannot believe that Lipstick Jungle is being canceled. It took me a little bit of time to come around to liking it, but I just finished the novel last week, and that made me really appreciate the show. I'm pretty easy to please-any show that involves fashion, rich and successful women, and NYC is my cup of tea. Guess I'll just have to watch more reality shows...

UPDATE: I read that Brooke Shields said it is not canceled....we will just have to wait and see.

Hamish Bowles

2008-11-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Hamish Bowles, European editor at large for American Vogue and author of Vogue Living, is pictured at a party during Brazil's fashion week. I hope he was gaining inspiration and ideas for a spring 09 American Vogue Living issue ("Vogue Living, which Condé Nast has been testing with three issues so far, will not publish in the fall, the company said last week, but it may come out in spring 2009" NY Times in July), but with the recent cutbacks of Portfolio and Men's Vogue, I will probably just have to keep hoping. Wouldn't interiors with Brazilian influences be fun?

Photo: Astrid Muñoz via www.style.com

The It Doll

2008-11-12T07:52:00.000-08:00

To celebrate Vogue Russia's tenth anniversary, the mag will auction off hand-painted (by Russian craftsman) matrioshka dolls. The best part? The dolls' clothing was sketched by some of fashion's most famous design houses. Editor-in-chief Aliona Doletskaya says "Every matrioshka is unique and a piece of art in itself. Installation, sculpture, objet d'art - you can call it however you wish...any doll you pick will adorn your home, bring joy to kids and adults...". I'm not sure these matrioshkas will get much play time, which is sad because I still have a set that I played with when I was little-so much cuter than a Betsy Wetsy. {via vogue.co.uk}

Burberry

Roberto Cavalli

Osacr de la Renta

Dolce & Gabbana

Gucci

Marc Jacobs

Marni

Stella McCartney

Pucci

Ralph Lauren

Versace

Blumarine

Paul Smith

Grand Illusion

2008-11-11T10:18:00.000-08:00

www.designpublic.com

Clear acrylic furniture is something I love. It just seems so fresh to me. This Grand Illusion Table from Essey takes it one step further-I don't even understand how it is standing! So cool.

Lydia Hearst for Playboy France

2008-11-11T09:38:00.000-08:00

Having the last name Hearst is enough to make my ears perk up, but when I saw this cover for Playboy France with model Lydia Hearst, I was surprised. I think she looks really pretty, and as fashionising.com says "Playboy France wants to be seen more as a fashion title then a top-shelf, men's magazine." Nice.

www.fashionising.com
For all the photos, click here.

Party Like a Rockstar

2008-11-10T11:11:00.000-08:00

On Friday evening, we went to a party held at the Penthouse Suite of the Hard Rock Hotel. I got super excited when I heard the party location because it was decorated by Kelly Wearstler. It was extremely crowded, but pretty impressive with the cool hot tub and bowling lane. You could definitely see touches of the Hollywood Regency style in the bedrooms. Loved it!

Two-Tone Tight Trend

2008-11-07T10:16:00.000-08:00

Photo: Armando Grillo / imaxtree.com via style.com

urbanoutfitters.com

I'm going to a party tonight and was thinking about trying this trend that NY mag brought to my attention. First seen on Chanel's RTW fall runway ($295), a similar pair is available from UrbanOutfitters ($14), but alas, they are only available online.

Thakoon for Target

2008-11-07T09:47:00.001-08:00

Adorable dress.

I'm not a fan of crazy layering, but I do adore the floral top.

What a fun print!

Such a cute dress for those hot summer days.

The print of this bikini is too cute!

Love the hat as well as the flattering shaped tunic.

All images via nylonmag.com

I'm a huge fan of Target collections, not only because of the inexpensive prices, but also because it helps promote designers and makes them become more of a mainstream name. The collections have made me a fan of several designers whose collections I cannot even begin to afford, and I just love the slogan design for all. Imagine being an eighth grader and getting to wear Thakoon! I'm beyond jealous, but also so happy that today's teens and tweens have the option of dressing pretty darn fashionable.

The New First Family

2008-11-05T17:00:00.000-08:00

Thinking of America's future today has just put me in a great mood! The new First Family all looked amazing last night, and I really can't wait until they live in the White House. Until then, we can watch Jacqueline Kennedy's White House Tour from the NBC News Time Capsule.

Brilliant Bloody British

2008-11-05T10:43:00.001-08:00

I have a special place in my heart for London, so I am biased in thinking that everything the British do is just awesome. For example, the salon named The Crib, located on Kings Road in Chelsea. Not only does it promise to be a home away from home, that hair dryer chair is such a cute idea! No more feeling like a senior citizen (sorry, that is what I feel like under traditional dryers) while letting those highlights take hold!

Marimekko Memory Game

2008-11-05T09:52:00.001-08:00

When I was young, my aunt sent the best Christmas presents. They were usually games that were fun, but also somewhat educational. When I saw this Marimekko Memory Game, I thought that it is the perfect present for any age, but especially for younger people. It is never too early to learn about the Finnish company's legendary prints. Only $26 from Jac Boutique.

Kelly Killoren Bensimon

2008-11-04T09:52:00.000-08:00

So, the newest Real Housewife of NYC is Kelly Killoren Bensimon. I'm putting a lot of hope in that she will be awesome because when I read that she will be one of the housewives, her book In the Spirit of the Hamptons was literally beside my computer on my desk waiting to go back to the library. Fate? Anyway, she sounds pretty good on paper: growing up in Illionis, becoming a model at age 15, graduating from Columbia with a BA in English Literature, editor at large for Hamptons and Gotham magazine, original editor of Elle Accessories, author of three books, single mother of two daughters and two Jack Russell terriers, avid equestrian, designer of her own jewlery line, and other projects that are just too many to list. So, I like her, and her homes are really cute and looked lived in. Kind of refreshing.

NEW YORK CITY

Photographs from InStyle Home via kellykillorenbensimon.com

EAST HAMPTON

Photographed in 2006 appearing in Hampton Style and Global Guide magazines via kellykillorenbensimon.com

Today is the Day!

2008-11-04T08:59:00.001-08:00

Hammargren Home of Nevada History

2008-11-03T15:15:00.000-08:00

Yesterday, my boyfriend and I volunteered at the Hammargren Home of Nevada History, which is only open for tours one day a year, with the funds raised going to Living Grace Home for pregnant teenagers. It is the home of Lonnie Hammargren, who has had a very interesting life being a veteran, doctor, and serving a term as Nevada state lieutenant governor. His house, which was originally three at one time, is home to his many, many collections, including a chapel, Bugsey Siegel's chartreuse toilet, many hotel signs, antique cars, and space models. I can't even really begin to explain it, but I had so much fun meeting all kinds of nice people-truly an experience unique to Las Vegas.

the original famous sign

this rollercoaster was on top of the Stratosphere

Liberace's staircase

Topper's Announcements

2008-11-03T10:35:00.000-08:00

We finally got around to mailing our new dog's announcements this weekend, which I got for really really cheap at vistaprint.com.

PaperCity's Tome

2008-10-31T11:36:00.000-07:00

Books are my favorite thing in the world. Domestic Art: Curated Interiors sounds very promising for some great eye candy. Just read amazon.com's editorial review:

The selected houses in this book were pulled from the pages of PaperCity, from the years 2000 to 2008. Roughly a decade of design alchemy and clinking highballs. The editors of this book foraged for both the musty and gutsy and the soaring and sensual, from a 500-square-foot bedsit to a mid-century organic architectural wonder thirty seven glorious projects, from follies to disciplined mansions, from Dominique and John de Menil's International-style house with its interior by the great couturier Charles James to artist Christian Eckart's abandoned 1940s warehouses polished to gleaming architectural wonder. Marvel at a compound of rescued, early-1900s clapboards, and an 1880s German-immigrant cottage. We've included a 50s masterwork by the great organic architect Bruce Goff, and an industrial space that crackles with own surreal designs, while a chalet-style 1913 bungalow manifests the best bits and pieces of the past. A turn-of-the-century seaside gingerbread is a study in anthropology peppered with good art; an antiquarian aims his cerebral arrows at Louis this and Louis that, then electrifies it all with saturated color; and an 18th-century chateau and an old-world hunting lodge is installed in a downtown loft space. Meanwhile, a stylish gent sips scotch neat in his Scotch Room, watched over by two mounted deer, a pheasant and a wildebeest. Shouldn't everyone have a wildebeest ... and a Scotch Room?

Images: Domestic Art: Curated Interiors via amazon.com

The book's NYC launch was a Carlyle cocktail with friends, drinks, and hors d'oeuvres that included caviar treats, kobe burgers, and mini risotto cakes-tastefully Texan just like PaperCity.

Evening of Anime

2008-10-30T09:44:00.000-07:00

To me, Halloween is such a fun time. You can really show your creativity and costume parties are just the best. West Villager Allison Sarofim (freelance contributor to a number of lifestyle magazines, including Domino) is famous for her annual Halloween party, and I especially like her parties because of the amazing guestlist and even more amazing theme (last year's was a surrealist theme). This year the theme was "Evening of Anime" and the costumes proved to be entertaining. For more articles on the party, visit Allison's Fame Game profile and follow the links.

Photos: Hanuk via style.com

House of Harlow 1960

2008-10-30T09:12:00.000-07:00

Ok, I just love Nicole Richie. I think she is so funny and has such a unique style. I do love the name House of Harlow 1960 and hope this can become more than other celebrity collections. View the entire collection online at Kitson.

Hotel Maison Moschino

2008-10-27T10:44:00.000-07:00

petals bedroom via fashionweekdaily.com

the dreamhall via fashionweekdaily.com

Hotel Maison Moschino (the luxury clothing brand) in Milan will open next year in a neoclassic 1840 railway station with a restored exterior and an interior that promises to be what dreams are made of. The entrance leads to "a surrealist world with white, serene clouds floating in a blue, Magritte-style sky, and then further into a welcoming, cream-and-gold hued hall. The hall decor is 'designer hotel' style radically revisited. Fantasy reigns in a Dreaming World where cloud-shaped armchairs and surrealist lamps reproduce the magical world of a true fairy tale, calm and relaxing. Each of the 54 rooms and 15 suites is unique. Located on four floors, the rooms are designed to reflect a personal interpretation of rest. The 'monochromatic' rooms span from ivory to silvery gold, from dark red to night blue, to heart damask wallpaper; the suites capture elements from the world of fairy tales." -www.palazzobarbarigo.it

Maybe someday I can go to fashion week AND stay here...both would be a dream come true!

www.palazzobarbarigo.itwww.palazzobarbarigo.it

www.palazzobarbarigo.it

All About Style

2008-10-27T09:30:00.000-07:00

Domino's latest issue features Jenna Lyons, creative director of J.Crew, so it was natural to have a party at J.Crew's newest store, the J.Crew Collection store on Madison at 79th, which I've read is a pretty high end store. My favorite site for party info, fashionweekdaily.com, said that the state of the economy was on everyone's minds and had this quote from editor-in-chief Deborah Needleman:

"I have concerns like everyone has concerns," Needleman confessed. "But I feel like this magazine makes sense for the economy. Our whole aesthetic of mixing and matching isn't about budget, per se, but about what looks cool. Domino is a useful magazine--it's about real life, real people and real homes. Things don't seem as bad to a magazine that's about reality as they do to a magazine about excess. You called us a shelter magazine, but I wouldn't use that word. It's not just a bullshit line--we're about style."

Jenna Lyons and Vince Mazeau. © Patrick McMullan via fashionweekdaily.com

Annelise Peterson with Deborah Needleman in J.Crew and Christian Louboutin. © Patrick McMullan via fashionweekdaily.com

MK & A

2008-10-24T09:04:00.000-07:00

I was so impressed with the segment on Oprah yesterday of Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen that I called my boyfriend up to watch it (I don't think he was as crazy as I was about it). Anyway, I guess I forget how much I like them. About six years ago, I bought one of their bed in a bag sets from Wal-Mart and it was just too cute. I mean it! It was called something like "Paris Flea Market" and it looked really good in my bedroom at my mom's house. I also use to wear some of their clothes and accessories (pony tail holders with bows on them-so Kate Spade looking) from the little girl's department...cheap and chic!

oprah.com

What struck me in their interview on Oprah was that they are so mature. I get fed up with celebrities having clothing lines, but they aren't acting anymore-fashion is their full time job. They also have a coffee table book called "Influence" where they interview some of fashion's biggest names. If you are lucky enough to live in NYC, the twins will be appearing at Union Square's Barnes & Noble on Tuesday, October 28th, at 12:30. If you can't make it to that, amazon.com has an interview with the twins where they go into details of the process of the book and nymag.com shares with us the interview of the twins and Karl Lagerfeld.

Modern Day Oleg?

2008-10-23T09:12:00.000-07:00

With all of the talk of Sarah Palin's wardrobe costs lately, I have to agree with Glamour magazine's editor in chief Cindi Leive, who said in the NY Times "Honey, I could have dressed you for a lot less than that", and “In general, she looks terrific,” Ms. Leive said, “but if you asked me to figure out where the $150,000 went, I’m not sure I could tell you.” EXACTLY. So, while browsing around this morning, I discovered (ok, it came right to my inbox from Bergdorf's) the label REDUX Charles Chang-Lima. I love how the clothes reference historical details. The REDUX Charles Chang-Lima site only has last year's clothes, but there is a sort of trippy intro and then you look at the clothes by popping balloons. I love the cross between classic and modern.

Trench dress: $1,825 at BergdorfGoodman.com

Spectator coat dress: $2,800 at BergdorfGoodman.com

Balloon evening coat: $2,600 at BergdorfGoodman.com

Fall 2007

Louie Appearance

2008-10-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

Right now, I am seriously jealous of all the Hotlanta fashionistas-because tomorrow, Christian Louboutin will be at Jeffrey's from 1-4pm. I read recently that he rarely steps out in public. I mean, if I still lived there (it was for about four months two years ago) I probably wouldn't even go, but since I can't go, I really want to. Maybe you all will run into Sheree...

www.bravotv.com

Stylista

2008-10-22T14:47:00.000-07:00

Image:Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times

I've had the premiere of the CW's new show, Stylista, marked in my calendar for months, so I hope tonight that the show will impress. I'm sure I'll love it though, since it deals with fashion and the magazine world. This interview in the LA Times gives some insight into Anne Slowey, Elle magazine's fashion news editor, who is the star judge of the reality show competition. I kind of wished these shows weren't competitions...I mean, I wish they were actual reality and followed people who got these jobs the real way, but I guess that wouldn't really be that fun, would it?

Culver City

2008-10-22T10:45:00.000-07:00

A little bit over a month ago, we went to LA and I got to stay the night for the first time EVER. So exciting for me. We actually ended up staying in Culver City, called "The Heart of Screenland", and I fell in love with its main street, Culver Blvd. It has lots of cute little eateries, including Tender Greens (where we had dinner with my boyfriend's childhood neighbor) and M Cafe, which has an all macrobiotic menu (great for us vegans!). The Culver Hotel, built in 1924, was called a skyscraper when it first opened. We had views of the mansion used in Gone With the Wind and the accommodations were cute in a grandma kitschy/might be haunted way.

The surrounding neighborhoods are full of cute little houses along tree lined streets-just too cute!

I Heart The City

2008-10-21T09:13:00.000-07:00

Olivia, from MTV.com's The City

I am a Hills junkie, but I am so excited for The City. For a couple of years, everyone has said they like Whitney the best, and I love New York, so this show is sure to be fun. Plus, Olivia Palermo is on the show, and I am obsessed with socialites. Just check out her first place, an apartment in Tribeca, featured in the Post's Page Six Magazine. Her mother, Lyn Hutchings, a partner at interior design firm Hutchings-Lyle, helped her decorate with a 1960s look with a classic, old Hollywood feel.

Photo: Karin Kohlberg via nypost.com
Caption:“The zebra-print rug is a bold statement, but taking risks is more fun,” says Olivia of her prized walk-in closet.

Photo: Karin Kohlberg via nypost.com
Caption: Olivia topped her sofa with mirrored pillows from Calypso Home “for a little Austin Powers touch.”

Photo: Karin Kohlberg via nypost.com
Caption: The art deco chair was a housewarming present from her aunt.

In Domino Mag

2008-10-20T15:36:00.000-07:00

Just read this from fashionweekdaily.com:

P.S. Jesse isn't the dishing type, but he did confess to The Daily that he spent much of the day running around to prepare client Annelise Peterson's apartment for a Domino shoot orchestrated by none other than Lauren Goodman. Do we sense a cover in the works? You heard it here first...

Cannot wait!

Home Color, F/W 2009 Report

2008-10-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

Image: fashion.informat.com

The process of forecasting AMAZES me. So that our interiors can all be a year ahead of most, here is the Home Color report for fall/winter 2009 from fashion.informat.com. The themes are called Textura, Close Quarters, C'est Magnifique, Days of Bold, Room with a Hue (my fav, bottom left), and Divine Design.

Fashion's Mr. Blackwell

2008-10-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

Image: PEOPLE Magazine, Vol. 23, No. 5 via people.com

Mr. Richard Blackwell, who is best known for his annual Worst Dressed List, died Sunday. Such a fascinating person. Read the 1985 profile of Mr. Blackwell from People magazine here. Born in Brooklyn in 1922, he eventually made his way to Hollywood, where he became successful enough to have his own line of clothing and lived in the fabulous Mediterranean-style mansion pictured above with a wonderful collection of art. In the People profile, Mr. Blackwell says of his several suicide attempts "I realized there is no failure, only experience."

Phillips de Pury & Co.

2008-10-16T10:16:00.000-07:00

Steven Klein, Case Study #13 no. 13, 2005; estimate: $25,000-$35,000

Bert Stern, Marilyn Monroe (The Last Sitting), 1962; estimate $15,000-$20,000

Ormond Gigli, Girls in the Windows, New York City, 1960; estimate: $20,000-$30,000

Alfred Eisenstaedt, Future Ballerinas of the American Ballet Theatre, New York City, 1937; estimate: $15,000-$20,000

Helmut Newton, Office Love, Paris, 1976; estimate: $25,000-$35,000

Helmut Newton, Charlotte Rampling at the Hotel Nord Pinus II, Arles, 1973; $120,000-$180,000

Harry Callahan, Chicago, circa 1950; estimate $12,000-$18,000

Horst, Lisa with Harp, Paris, 1939; estimate: $7,000-9,000

Today, Phillips de Pury & Company is having an auction (450 West 15 Street New York, NY) titled Photographs. I've posted my favorites that will be on the auction block and can only hope that they find adoring homes. All images can be seen at http://www.phillipsdepury.com.

Green Shoes at Payless

2008-10-15T09:39:00.000-07:00

Payless has announced plans to launch the first-ever affordable green footwear line. Summer Rayne Oakes, Discovery Network's Planet Green fashion and beauty expert and author of Style, Naturally: The Savvy Shopping Guide to Sustainable Fashion & Beauty (Chronicle Books, February 2009), will serve as the green footwear brand's Eco Consultant. The shoes will be available early next year.

LVDC Events

2008-10-15T08:55:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I dragged my boyfriend to this event, Covered, at the World Market Center. From Steve Avitable, VP, Furniture Merchandising for The Robert Allen Group, we learned on picking suitable fabrics for furniture frames. I was most interested in his description of their fabric design studio in NYC. Mr. Avitable described it as having lots of windows with a long wall that the designers post their inspirations to. I am such a sucker for mood boards.

I am most excited that the Las Vegas Design Center will have Carleton Varney as a guest speaker in early December. Mr. Varney, known best to me for being Dorthy Draper's sidekick, just released a book, Houses in my Heart, with a book signing party on Oct. 2nd at Bergdorf's. I wasn't planning on buying the book because of the $95 price tag, but on amazon, it is marked down to $60 now....so tempting!