eBay Score: Charles Nolan Artwork

A few of the more unique things in our house come from eBay. It brings me access to things I don't ordinarily see. Case in point...

...original signed artwork from Charles Nolan. For those of you who followed my saga in NYC a couple of weeks ago, you know that I met the fashion designer in his signature shop in the Meatpacking District. The work above now happily resides in a spot of honor on the deep red walls of my office. (My office is full of things I love to look at...put in a fridge and I'm good for life.)


I've read that you may purchase Charles's artwork at the shop (limited editions of 25), but I was so enamored by the clothes and accessories when I was there that I didn't notice...or they were sold out (more likely, as I really did scope out every square inch of the shop). Here are some of his other gorgeous pieces:





The trench coat is not-so-gently calling my name...

I especially love the HATS in all the work. There's something so alluring about a hat -- check out the wonderful style and colors on CH models from a past show:







Hmmmm. I think I feel a post about hats coming on. Stay tuned!

We're Just Children of Winter

Another year has flown by. Ten days to go until it's time to hit the slopes at Sugarbush (111 trails in all), and to say we're getting excited is a bit of an understatement...Fact is, on Friday night hubby and son are double-dating with another dad/son duo to kick off the season and catch Warren Miller's new flick, "Children of Winter" in Boston (you can catch it at Berklee Performance Center)...

...and I'm sitting here typing away with my new DaKine ski bunny beanie on...the full fleece lining is yummy! Thanks, REI.

To see why we keep going back for more, heat up the fondue pot and enjoy some Vermont eye candy:







A little luxe for the V-state, but I'm loving this nook...perfect for a serious read or some apres-ski relaxing:



Want to see me before April 2010...plan a roadtrip here!

Crave-Worthy

oh my

A New Find

(Room designed by Kishani Perera, via Elements of Style blog.)

I cruise through my share of design blogs, and you have to think that life is just too short to chastise yourself for not having rooms that step out of the pages of Elle Decor. That being said, we all like to surround ourselves with things we love (life IS in the details), and I've recently tuned in to a website that gives you access to the look without the price tag.

I liken Z Gallerie Home Furnishings to a giant HomeGoods -- you have to wade through some (ok, a lot) of glitter and knicky-knacks to find those few things that will mix in with your own look to add glam/kick/wow.

If you don't feel like waiting for another year/five/ten to find (and afford) that perfect piece, this could be the place to satisfy yourself now. Not unlike handbag knock-offs, you won't feel bad when you've had enough and are ready to move on!

Just Out...

Remember yesterday's post about cool gifts to put in a holiday stocking? This is so going in -- hope it fits! Rules for My Unborn Son, by Walker Lamond. OK, so my son is 12 -- even better...he can read and hopefully learn something from it!

Here are some of my faves:
"Don't have a girlfriend in college."
"Ask your mom to play. She won't let you win."
"Don't pose with booze."
"You marry the girl, you marry her whole family."
"Experience the serenity of traveling alone."
"Give credit. Take the blame."

Here's a link to his blog and check out the YouTube -- he's one of a kind!

The Early Bird Gets the...

...stocking stuffers!

Let me back up for a sec. When I was growing up my four older siblings all hung beautiful stockings out on Christmas Eve, hand knit by one of the aunts. They looked something like this:
I coveted them. When I was born, seven years after the rest of the pack ("A mistake?" "NO, a blessing") I got the five-and-dime special. What it lacked in charm, it made up for in size. Nonetheless, it was a source of great disappointment for me each and every year. When my Santa years were behind me, my mother tried to make amends by buying a series of lovely stockings from accomplished crafters at garden club and church holiday fairs. I appreciatively smiled and drew out the goodies, but none such finery could appease me.

When my son was born I tried to rectify the situation by taking knitting lessons in an attempt to recreate the dream. The result? I was the only person in the history of the Needle Arts shop in West Concord to drop out of the class in utter frustration. Dejected, I ordered a handsome needlepoint stocking with his name stitched across the band in red -- lots of toy soldiers and the like. Perfectly...adequate.

What I lack in knitting expertise, however, I more than make up for in the art of stocking stuffing. Through the year I'm on the lookout for little trinkets to stuff deep into toe (my own stocking, year after year, comprised of the like: new toothbrush, toothpaste, lip gloss, hand cream, etc., plus an orange and a twenty dollar bill...surprise!).

One shop, in particular, is a treasure trove for the kind of thing I'm talking about, Black Ink on Charles Street in Boston and its sister store, The Museum of Useful Things on Brattle Street in Cambridge. There are also a few online shops that make stocking stuffing fun: Spoon Sisters (drumstick pencils!), and The Curiosity Shoppe:

Atop the bulging stocking, be sure and place a sweet stuffed animal to really tug at the heartstrings:

Speaking of animals, I've even starting stashing things away for Tucker's stocking--they get it, believe me!

Whether you've been naughty or nice, it's never to early to start stuffing...



Oops!

Open Invite to Ski Country

Hot cocoa or hot toddy? Pick your pleasure! The snow is already flying in Colorado, but it's not too late to plan a getaway to usher in the holidays! We're off to the Limelight Lodge in Aspen again this December just before Christmas, and would love to turn more friends on to this great spot just across the street from the base of Aspen Mountain. I just received an email from the family-owned lodge touting some pretty great specials...tempting, no?

Even doggies are invited to the Limelight, suitably attired of course:
Ok, so we're just about the only people who don't arrive via private jet...no biggie. The more the merrier!
We had terrific ski conditions in '08 and are crossing our fingers for more of the same, but I'm always game to get off the slopes and enjoy the last minute shopping frenzy around town.


Maybe Kate Hudson will bring A-Rod this year. Wouldn't you love to see them in matching Uggs...

Welcome, Baby Eliza

I'd like today's post to mark the auspicious occasion of the birth of ELIZA, born just a few hours ago to my niece and her husband, and big sister Anna.

More to follow, but all I know today is her lovely name -- Eliza.

Thanks to My Fair Lady, Eliza carries with it a grand dose of English flair. Eliza Doolittle, to be sure, was a woman of stature.
And so my mind wanders to the trappings of a little English lady...

The Pram

The Tea Set


The Mary Jane's


Perhaps she's got a drop of DNA from her great aunt, and she'll gravitate to Mary Jane's with a little kick...


Just don't look to me to be the English Nanny...

No matter who she ends up becoming, one thing's for sure:

New York City, Part 3...True Friends

The reason for my trip to NYC this past weekend was, in part, to see Vanessa Redgrave give a rare solo performance of Joan Didion's stirring exploration of grief, The Year of Magical Thinking. If you haven't read it, and someone very close to you has passed away, you really should. Didion's book chronicles the year following the sudden death of her husband of 39 years, writer John Gregory Dunne, who suffered a massive heart attack as the two were talking over dinner in their New York apartment (and, within two years, the death of their 39-year-old daughter).

This one-night-only performance took place at the beautiful St. John the Divine and was a fundraiser for UNICEF (Redgrave is a Goodwill Ambassador for the organization).
It was an especially poignant evening because Ms. Redgrave suddenly lost her daughter, Natasha Richardson, earlier this year in a tragic skiing accident.

The celebrity-studded audience was, of course, something to see (how often do you look up to see Meryl Streep, hair swept back, and film legend Lauren Bacall, a few rows ahead of you?). Within rows of me in every direction were the likes of Harvey Keitel, Mandy Patinkin, fashion designer Nicole Farhi and husband/playwright David Hare (he directed this play), Shawn Wallace, Christine Baranski, etc.

I was most struck, tho, by the strength of female friendships. Lauren Bacall (85), Vanessa Redgrave (72), Joan Didion (75), Meryl Streep, (60) -- were all there for each other on a quiet October night, at a church on the Upper West Side. One of the last times they gathered together was just five short months ago at NYC's Lenox Hill Hospital, where Ms. Redgrave's daughter lay dieing from a fatal head injury. As I was sharing the evening with my own dear friend of nearly 30 years, I found myself thinking about how fortunate it is to have a handful of true friends spanning nearly three decades. I cherish them and hope that we, too, will be together in our seventies, eighties, and dare we hope it, nineties? True friends...the greatest of all blessings...through good times and in bad.

New York City, Part 2...Best for Last

It's amazing what you can do in two short days...if you've got comfortable shoes and energy to spare.

a.m. Barneys, Bergdorf's, Bendel's. "B" is for Buzz. After that, desperate need for Eastern sensibilities...Takashimaya. "T" is for Tasteful. Tranquil. Transcendent.

Already noon. Enough of the East Side. Make way to West Side, passing long line of tourists. What's the attraction? omg. Abercrombie & Fitch. Pathetic. Onward, past another long line. This time for David Letterman show.

Hop in cab for 43 blocks...to the trendy West Village/Meatpacking District/Chelsea hugging the Hudson River. Lust-worthy shopping. But first, sustenance. I was drawn to a tiny cafe next door to the Gaslight bar for wonderful Italian fare, with french doors opened onto cobblestone streets and New York's hippest (later learned it's hangout of James Gandolfini, but no sightings).

OK, back to the shops. To name but a few...Calypso, Louboutin, DVF, Scoop, Jeffrey, Poleci, Stella McCartney, Theory, Tory Burch, Trina Turk, Vince, Yamamoto, La Perla, Earnest Sewn and...

...my fave, Charles Nolan.
I was first intrigued by CN when I read that Bobbi Brown put a Charles Nolan jacket at the top of her "can't live without" list.

I opened the door with a little skip in my heart. The shop was, without a doubt, the most visually appealing of any I visited. Gorgeous displays, antiques, books galore, and oh-so-wonderful clothes. It was easy to make yourself right at home...and I did, flinging my coat on a sofa and trying on anything and everything in my size.

I was immediately smitten with the two gracious women running the shop; one turned out to be Charles's sister, looking very chic yet comfy in a black knit dress, black leggings and black riding boots. She quickly put me at ease and helped me craft some groovy looks of my own.

In the midst of playing dress-up, I noticed a man on the premises...yes, its was Charles himself. I was introduced, and we had a light conversation about women' fashion and the appeal of knit fabrics. Serious stuff. Here's a pic of the never-out-of-jeans Charles...notice the mouthwatering coral felt princess coat at left -- I tried this little bit of heaven on and fell in love. But I couldn't in my heart of hearts possibly bring home one. more. coat. Nonetheless, I'm in pain just thinking about it spending a lonely night on the rack and not in my closet. Suffice to say, everything in the shop spoke to me, but I brought home only one lovely piece -- a black knit longish riding jacket -- dreamy and drapey, it fits like one very comfortable glove. ("Never button the bottom button" I was told. Oops! I thought that was just a rule for guys.) This photo makes it look a bit severe...it's really very versatile and anything but.Not done yet...

Lindy and I walked the recently-opened first phase of the High Line (ten years in the making) -- an extraordinary elevated public park that sits above historic railway in the District to preserve the city's historic industrial past. A true urban oasis.

An early pre-show dinner at ever-packed Pastis, perfect for simple French pleasures. So close to a real Parisian eatery, I immediately opted for the Croque Madame in all its glory.Now you see why I'm walking everywhere!
At last...time to make our way to the Church of St. John the Divine for a once-in-a-lifetime presentation of Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, starring Vanessa Redgrave...stay tuned.

NYC.1

{hotel view}

The day finally arrived. After waiting many months, I kissed the boys bye-bye and headed to NYC yesterday (only 2 hrs. 50 min. on a Sunday morning) to see Vanessa Redgrave in the one-night-only, one-woman show of Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking. The benefit performance is tonight at St. John the Divine (see older post here).


Who else to share this experience with than Lindy, BFF for nearly 30 years! Lindy has been a New York for over two decades, and we've enjoyed so many wonderful weekends in the city. I think this one will be extra special.

Yesterday was glorious, and we walked/talked the entire day away, meandering from Washington Square Park through Soho, the Bowery and East Village 'til we collapsed into the warm and welcoming Mediterranean arms of the Il Buco restaurant.

Oh, the shopping and food! Here's just a taste of Soho:

{Newly renovated Washington Square Park -- we saw the cutest Halloween costume show for doggies}

{fab Crosby Street Hotel, opened just this month, former post here}

{Lindy on the hot pink seat}
{another great Crosby chair}
{Lunch at Balthazar}


{One of many shopping stops, Billy Reid...the antique-laden space was so cozy, we tried on everything...}


{A fave of both of ours, John Derian}


{We tracked down New York's most talked about bakery, Baby Cakes on Broome Street, for a late afternoon vegan treat, posted about here}


Check out their new cookbook here.


{The Grand Finale. We were transported to Italy at Il Buco}



Stay tuned for Day 2...

Bettye Muller Rocks

I'm not much of a name dropper, but as I bop around some of my fave shoe sites, I'm going to make an exception. My nephew is married to New York shoe designer extraordinaire Bettye Muller. In addition to being full of life, uber creative, and a real cutie, she creates versatile, classic and sophisticated footwear, with just the right amount of kick.

I'm off to NYC this weekend, and hope I can squeeze in a little face time with this globe-trotting dynamo. Bettye travels the world looking for inspiration and the finest construction. Her shoes are crafted in two small artisan factories in Northern Italy and Napoli. Before going on her own, Bettye designed for L’Emporio, Henri Bendel, Marc Jacobs for Perry Ellis and Linda Allard for Ellen Tracy.

“My shoes are like Hitchcock Blondes. Like Kim Novak and Grace Kelly, they have a distinct look that is mysterious and beautiful. Each one tells a story” — Bettye Muller

Here are some of my faves for fall and winter:

Love distressed red boots...(also available in gray at Bergdorf's)

Red suede with brown leather...yummy!

Deep purple satin:
Classic black suede:
Over the knee, or cuffed:

Bettye's shoes can be found in the chicest boutiques all over the world as well as Bergdorf Goodman in New York. You can visit Bettye's website for where to buy, or to friend her on Facebook.


P.S. Even more ultrachic than Bettye's footwear is their ultrachic Manhattan home. *Sigh*

Hmmmmmmmmm. I haven't said anything about my nephew (Bettye's husband), have I...........? Ah well, another post for another time.

"M - I - C....See you real soon"

When K. returns from his conference in Disney World I think I should greet him like this, don't you?



So me.

Gotta Love Your Initials!

I am such a letters gal (as in ABC). I love books, words, and letters themselves.

So it's no surprise that I like monograms. When my husband and I were thinking about what to name our son, I labored over the initials so they wouldn't spell something bizarre. The name at the top of our list was promptly nixed because its initials spelled JOG. I was sure that when he got older his monogrammed shirt would ensure a good chuckle.

Sound crazy? You ain't heard nothing yet...! I fondly remember a trip to Florida when our son was just two. I love the photo of him in his tiny white polo shirt with the red monogram...it matched his little red Keds! I was in love.

Even my company logo is designed around my initials:What can I say? When you grow up next door to Newport, yuppy capital of the USA, monograms rule. There was nothing that couldn't be embellished with an embroidered set of initials.
As we rapidly approach gift giving time, there are three websites worth checking out for some fresh, customized presents (you need a little extra time to order something with a monogram, so think ahead). If you're more into gift receiving, check out some cool ideas for yourself, family and home...

#1 - The Monogram Shop, owned by a mother/daughter team in East Hampton offers beautiful, more traditional "stand the test of time" items. Everything from cozy robes to awesome canvas bags with leather handles (which is listed in the men's section...duh? I'd love it!). They also list the "hints and rules" of monogramming.







#2 - The Monogram Shop in Maryland has a fun selection:









#3 - Leontine Linens has a gorgeous selection of monograms for fine linens. Their flagship store is located on Magazine Street in Uptown New Orleans. Stop me now before I redo the bedroom...









Wouldn't you like to see your initials emblazoned across a little something? Just to call it your own?