Things That Make Me Smile: Colorful, Splendid Life.

1) Purple Shoes.
They add the perfect *POP* of color. I love my new Chloes from Paris, and I love these suede loafers featured on The Sartorialist.

2) New Shades-of-Purple Vespas.
If you know me, you'll know that I've always dreamed of having a red canoe and a lavender Vespa. You might also know that I have a fish at my office named Aubergine. I passed this Vespa yesterday and it seemed like fate.

3) Subconsciously dwelling on Paris.
In the last few weeks I've randomly happened to watch a number of movies with French connections:

• Julie & Julia. A truly EXCELLENT and utterly CHARMING film. As she lives and loves in Paris, Julia learns and eventually masters the art of French cooking.
• Taken. A gory action film. Set in Paris.
• La Vie En Rose. Another BRILLIANT film. Set in Paris and New York. It was lovely to watch Marion Cotillard walk through Montmartre then Central Park and think about how I've taken those same steps in the past few days.
  
• Revolutionary Road. I watched this on the plane en route to Paris. Despite its dark tone, the movie sets Paris as the ideal place to be--where one discovers the answers to life's questions and really learns how to live.
  

4) Exploring Brooklyn.
My friend CLB is my best excuse for exploring Brooklyn. This week we had dinner at Clover Club, a nouveau-speakeasy she selected for us.

We sat in the back room, which had a lovely library-feel and a fireplace filled with candles.
And the cocktails aren't bad either!

5) Spending time with friends, particularly friends from far away!

Dinner with CMM, in town for the summer, at Westville East // Sassy new New Yorker RFS post-(a separate) dinner at Westville East.

Kayaking on the Hudson with MVG: We didn't fall in!


Cupcakes at Two Little Red Hens with TAG // Post-Dinner at Kefi with visiting Londoner HP!

Model as Muse exhibit at the Met with TMS, in town from L.A.!

Pool Party on Long Island with my Princeton Gals: CHW, MVG, A(K)K, CJM, LAT, EJS
---
I have a great weekend planned and I hope you do too!
Enjoy one of the final weekends of summer!
Cxx.

Still no camera cord...but....

I had an amazing weekend. I wish I could post my photos to show you how fun it was!

FRIDAY:
Celebrated my co-worker and friend NDL's art exhibit opening at a shop/gallery hybrid on the Lower East Side. Though it may not be my personal aesthetic I can, as an art history major, appreciate N's fine work. Check it out here: Skull and Tree. Cheers to NDL!

My Princeton gals joined me for the exhibit and then we walked a few block over to the excellent LES resto, A Casa Fox. We had such fun. The food was delightful, particularly the empanadas which are the restaurant's speciality. The place is truly adorable and highly recommended. I should note that they take great care with their floral arrangements which add such a pleasant touch to an otherwise rustic-themed (Mexican Shabby Chic? It's quite cute) venue and I really find that attention to the small details wins me over every time. Wish I had the photos to prove it!

SATURDAY:
MVG and I had brunch in NoLIta at the adorable and delicious French-Moroccan resto Cafe Gitane. The waitresses wear matching green jumpers that are too cute for words. The food is fantastic; I had a mozzarella, tapenade and tomato sandwich on focaccia bread. The warm weather, bright sunlight and pleasant summer breeze coming in through the open door were magnificient. It was the PERFECT summer day.

Following brunch, MVG and I meandered through the shops of SoHo, the West Village (where we passed former Imitation of Christ designer Tara Subkoff), and the Meatpacking District (where I tried on literally every pair of sale shoes at Jeffrey), and finally worked our way to our final destination: The NY Kayak Company! Located at Pier 40 on the Hudson River, the NY Kayak Co. offers free kayaking to any and all who visit and sign a waiver. Typically there is a 20 minute kayaking maximum, but because the weekend was fairly quiet we were allowed to be on the water as long as we liked. It's incredibly pleasant to be in NYC but feel as if you're in the middle of a country lake (a country lake that happens to have a view of New Jersey...). We enjoyed an hour on the water and caught up on our girl talk. I highly recommend this wonderful and unique experience!

As we wound our way back through the West Village to get to the East Village, we noticed that Westville was offering Sloppy Joes; this is my favorite dish at my favorite restaurant and it is served only once in a blue moon. (Note: Westville and Westville East are my favorite restaurants in the entire City. To say that I've eaten there at least 100 times in the past 2 years would NOT be an exaggeration; if anything, it's an underestimate.) MVG and I split the sloppy joe and a piece of blueberry pie and took our full bellies back to the East Village where we lounged in my apartment and chatted until late into the night hours.

SUNDAY:
CMM and I met up at the Lilly store, then walked down to the French Institute's Bastille Day celebration on 60th Street between Park and Fifth Avenues. I had a waffle from Augustin's Waffles and CMM and I sat in Central Park while I delighted in the Nutella topping. We then worked off the waffle by walking down to Westville East (I wasn't kidding when I said I eat here a lot) at 11th Street and Avenue A (we walked at least 68 blocks and a few avenues) and were both famished (again) by the time we arrived. My friend MM from Princeton happened to pass by on the sidewalk and came in and joined us for a few minutes of conversation. Turns out she's in a new play that opens this week--go see it if you can! "I Stand for Nothing."

All in all, a great weekend. (Photos coming soon...)

Looking forward to this four-day week (Summer Friday this week!) and then...
PARIS COUNTDOWN: 11 days!

Happy Monday,
Cxx.

Things That Make Me Smile

1) Covet.com: A new website that helps you define and navigate your style.

The site directs you through a quiz in which you select what you LOVE and, importantly, what you HATE. The quiz results tell you your main fashion style (options are Classic, Sporty, Contemporary, Couture, and Edgy), as well as your wardrobe influences (e.g. I am a Classic Conservative, a style appended by my Classic Romantic and Classic Preppy dabblings).

After the quiz, you can sign up to receive information about sales on the brands and styles you love! It's very similar to Shop It To Me, another great site, and has the added fun of the starter quiz; such a great gimmick!

My results page:

2) This Spectacular "Shop Closed" Sign.

Dry-cleaners: They're Just like us!

3) Beautiful Kristin Davis in Oscar de la Renta.

She was cast as the perfect SATC-er for a reason...
JUST LOOK AT THAT HAIR!

4) Bat-Shit Crazy Accessories.

Though I may be a Classic Conservative with a side of Romantic Preppy, sometimes I go out on a limb and wear crazy things.

To most people I come across as a Charlotte York-type (Art History major, dating a nice Jewish boy, briefly lived in a Park Avenue (south) Penthouse, wear lots of Ralph Lauren and Burberry), but I've definitely heard some puzzling questions/reactions upon my first encounters with people...and I have been told that my funky side is the root of these assumptions. For example: When I first met one of my (now very dear) friends, she quite bluntly stated "You smoke a lot of pot, don't you?" Needless to say, my jaw dropped and I clinged to my pearls for dear life; not the impression I want to make!

Another acquaintance recently mused, "I bet you love to hang out in Williamsburg; I bet that's your favorite neighborhood." While I DO think Williamsburg is interesting and special in its own way, I'm a West Village girl at heart. Anyway, I think you all know how I feel about hipsters...

However, despite my obvious concerns about several first mis-impressions, I simply have to follow my instincts and impulses, and think a crazy feather necklace could be a great piece to have. Wouldn't it be so much fun to flounce around in?

5) Last but not least: Birthdays!

Happy 24th TOMORROW to CMM, who has a genuine sparkle and is one of the most beautiful people I have ever met! I am so happy that she will be nearby for the summer, and I cannot wait to celebrate her birthday with her!

And a happy 23rd birthday on SUNDAY to DAW!
In college someone once observed that DAW and I practically spoke our own language, and I always assumed I'd never have a Maid of Honor...just DAW, wearing a cummerbund that matched the bridesmaids' dresses.
Though DAW is far away, not a day goes by that I don't think about him!


With the birthday kids (plus our favorite professor, below) in May 2007.

Enjoy the weekend! I hope you can bask in sunshine!
Cxx.