A blogger seeking a richer life... in a wasteland called the suburbs... for my family, myself, and anyone who will listen!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Holiday Windows 2009...xoxo...Bergdorf...Barneys


Oh What a Day!... we took the train (so easy) into NYC to see the holiday windows.  The weather was glorious and so were the windows... we walked from Penn Station over to 5th Avenue heading uptown   and stumbled upon xoxo's window (at 38th St) which is supposed to be a trendy young woman's apartment with two LIVE models... and depending on the time of day they're supposed to get dressed... in, you got it, xoxo clothing... but we only saw them lounging in underwear and robe (respectively).  To my surprise my 13 year old didn't even blink an eye... is that good or bad?!



Saks Fifth Avenue 'got techy' this year, working with Microsoft to bring you "Twinkle Twinkle Little Flake" powered by Windows 7... the old and the new... it's sweet, lyrical, and beautifully proportioned!




The best for last...  Bergdorf Goodman,... the 'ultimate spectacle' reigns again!  This years theme is "Compendium of Curiosities" loosely inspired by Alice in Wonderland.  David Hoey, Bergdorf's creative director, was more interested in "dazzling and spoiling people', than conveying a story. In this Thanksgiving season this is one situation where overstuffed is a Good Thing... or is it?!  "The scenes are over-the-top and obsessive in their constructtion", says New York Magazine.  The library scene is made entirely of cut paper (very NOW)!

Friday, November 27, 2009

The Glamourous Hostess!!!

A 'small price' and so much FUN to wear...



It's not easy being glamorous after cooking all day, serving up a great meal, making sure all your guests are taken care of... and finally, 'The Cleanup'... so I bought this 'Black Floral' apron ($15) and dishwashing gloves ($9) from 'Pier One Imports' and it did the trick...  and got a few 'Aaahs' too!



... And the rosettes with rhinestones brooch are 'pinned on' so you can wear them on another top or coat  on Saturday Night!  p.s. Bring this as a gift to your Hostess and she'll love you for it!

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade... 83 Years!!!





If you've ever been to 'The Parade', then you know how nostalgic these photos will make you...  even more than a Thanksgiving dinner.  My grandfather had his office on 34th Street so when I was very young we watched the parade at eye-level with the floats... how fantastic!... just like her...


                                                                        1988
Your Thanksgiving table setting is a reflection of who you are... so, don't hold back, think about it, and (not to sound trite) be creative... you don't have to spend a lot, use what's around the house, branches from outside, art your kids made, photos of family...





                                                                  Country Living

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

A Thanksgiving Puppy... Helping 'Little Shelter'!



It was Thanksgiving 3 years ago (Nov 23, 2006) that my Australian Labradoodle was born to a wonderful breeder (bluegrasslabradoodles.com) in Kentucky.  We wanted to rescue a dog but my 13 year old has allergies, so we did a lot of research (for about a year), and that's when our life, made more joyful, with dog ( 60lbs of) began...



This Thanksgiving a group of parents and our 11 year olds are donating supplies to "Little Shelter", an animal rescue and adoption center located in Huntington, NY.  They are a no-kill shelter dedicated to saving all companion animals whose lives are in danger, and they are desperate for supplies (see 'wish list' on their website).  Also November 29th is the 'Drawing' for the 'Mercedes Benz Raffle 2009", donation is $100 and only 600 tickets will be sold!



So for the love of fashion, I have to mention this beautifully made top-of-the-line designer dog products from 'Scooter's Friends Couture' sold at 'A Place For Paws' in East Northport, NY (631-499-0036)...
and something for a LARGE dog too!


Monday, November 23, 2009

Boots and Leggings... Leggings and Boots!!!



Boots again, well I just bought these 'Air Sara Short Boot' by Cole Haan and they have that Nike Air technology so they are soooo comfortable.  The Taupe Gray goes so well with all my black leggings too...







INC, International Concepts Leggings in nylon/spandex, Velvet, and Denim, and just Plain, are must-haves for the season.  You can shop in-store or online at Macy's.  Tomorrow and Wednesday is their 'Thanksgiving Sale', so if you're not cooking for the big feast take advantage of the big sale!  Add a tunic top, long sweater or wrap...


Friday, November 20, 2009

Music To My Ears...



It's musical and it's on SALE...  Both my kids, 13 and 11 years, are really into music in a serious way... so enhancing their music is what's on their holiday lists every year.  It makes holiday shopping easy.  This year of course 'Sales' are everywhere, and we took advantage of one yesterday at Sam Ash, in Huntington, NY...  20% off if you purchase $259 or more on everything, AND 12 months no interest no payment.  You're thinking why am I telling you this now... but in this economy, there are deals all the time, so keep an eye out either online or from the store (they're different).  The other thing I love about them are their FREE store 'EVENTS' , clinics, performances, product demos, and more...  last night they had (along with the sale) a Drum Clinic, Master Class with Peter Greco.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

For Him... and Fragrance For Your Home




Well I'm now hooked on 'Gilt.com'!  What a smart & stylish Bluetooth headset... a Great gift for the man  in your life... and they say it has a "background noise-canceling technology developed by the military".  (That's one of the reasons I stopped using the bluetooth a few years ago, it was picking up so much background noise.)  The 'Jawbone II'  sells for $62 (originally $120) and the sale ends midnight tomorrow.



It's that time of the year when we move from the outdoors to the indoors... and the turkey, pumpkin, and apple spices fill the air... and when those aromas dissipate and the indoor air stales... it's time for home fragrances, especially when guests arrive.  There are so many home fragrances out there in the form of candles, sprays, and now reed diffusers... many of which choke my senses...  Trapp, Private Gardens, is my favorite, especially the No.24, Wild Currant... "a fresh, fruity, unforgettable blend of red and black currant..." If you go to their website and enter your  zip code they'll list the stores nearby.   I love the spray and the bottle is beautiful to leave out in the powder room!

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Barney's Holiday Windows... A Tribute to SNL!



Yesterday, Barney's revealed it's 'Holiday Windows'... a tribute to 35 years of Saturday Night Live, (as only in the witty style they are known for), including a papier-mache' Sarah Palin!  Simon Doonan, Barney's Creative Director, when asked by Time Out New York, WHY SNL?, "SNL was the perfect match for us: 35 years of imagery and names and phrases which have embedded themselves in the national consciousness. Cheeseburger! Cheeseburger! King Tut! Debbie Downer! Roseanne! The Coneheads!  Whatever we did, I knew it would give people a chuckle.  And G-- knows this is the year of the much-needed chuckle!"





Barney's is on Madison between 60th and 61st streets, and then you can walk over to 5th avenue to see Lord and Taylor (?) and Saks (unveiled Nov 23) windows too.  If you decide to shop Barney's they have kids gifts...  I love this modern and delicate chair for the little princess in your life, the Lou Lou Barbie Chair in pink for $170 (this is for you Taylie!)...


Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Mall Shopping... Purse Snatching!

Fashion aside for the moment...



When you're shopping 'the mall'  this holiday season, please think about this... go prepared... purse snatchers are there looking for the next victim.  How?... Just go with only the essentials.  Carry only the credit cards you're going to use that day... and contrary to what you may think, don't carry your bag diagonally across your shoulder, the thief will get your bag anyway and pull you off balance or worse... I know the kids are a distraction, but be aware of your surroundings.   It's not a bad idea to carry a whistle or personal alarm in your coat pocket so if they attempt to snatch you can scare them off... but most important... stuff is replaceable you're not!!!



Of course if you're shopping online... that's another kind of thief and another blog...




Just remember this holiday season that many more families are hungry, so do a food shopping with that in mind.   If you have the means give generously, especially this year...

Monday, November 16, 2009

The NOT Guilty Pleasures...



                   Alexis Hudson, Grand Bastille Tote, original price $550, Gilt Fuse Price $179

I've never bought a fashion purchase online under a time constraint, and this may be the first... at Gilt.com.
A friend of mine from high school who I recently facebooked (is it now a verb?) told me how she's following my blog and that I might like this site... well, thanks for the HOT tip Leslie!  It is by invitation, but I'm sure (with only 500 people in the world) you may know someone who will invite you especially when they get a $25 coupon when you place an order.  This Hudson Tote offer expires today at noon.  I like it in Chestnut Brown.  They also offer luxury 'Vacation Destinations'... I'm ready!



If you love good 'Drama' the way I do... tune into the new PBS (WNET13), 'Masterpiece Contemporary' two part series, "Collision" .  I watched Part 1 last night ... OMG!!!  DVR it if you can't tune in at 2am tomorrow (of course not), or it's on again 12/29/2009 at 9pm on WLIW21.  Sunday, November 22 at 9pm is the conclusion (Part 2) on Channel 13.  If you go to the website you can look up the times in your area.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Using Technology for Thanksgiving!






Let's say you're looking for recipies for Thanksgiving, or movies, music, and TV shows to watch over the holiday weekend... then try going to Clicker, a search engine for all the media on one website... pretty COOL (not to mention convenient)!  Here's another search engine...  a little more esoteric, but also very helpful when you're looking for ideas for movies, books, and music... gnod.




When my son was two and then again when my younger son was two and the older one was four, we had O'Brien Pictures shoot black and white portraits of them.  We should of kept doing it every two years... I'm sorry we didn't... they're beautiful!

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Knockout Beautiful... and Sustainable Too!!!









"Eunsuk Hur is a textile designer who is looking to push the boundaries of fashion and interior design by exploring different materials..." I love it!  I want one of her wall pieces in my bedroom so I can float through her dreamy vision as I drift off to sleep.  I remember as a child having an orange and pink floral wallpaper in my bedroom, and it was almost hypnotic as I would study the patterns, drawing me closer to  somnolence.



There's nothing like a 'Creamy Vinaigrette'  for those salads you want to eat lots of during the weeks prior to Thanksgiving.  So here's one from Ina Garten that I really like and you can make it for the week.  If you don't have shallots just leave them out, and if you want to substitute mesclun greens make sure you do it with a delicate leaf.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Thankful for Soldiers...



I do feel very removed from the war torn parts of the world... and I do appreciate the US soldiers and the job they do... I spent some time this week looking at the more intimate photographs taken in Afghanistan by David Guttenfelder, chief Asia photographer for The Associated Press. 


Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Turn Off TV... Turn On Stumbleupon!




Monday night there's nothing on TV we really like, so I say we call it a "Stumbleupon" family night!  I mentioned it briefly in my blog yesterday... it's a special search engine taylored to your (or your families) interests, and the more you 'stumble' the better it gets'... Try it!  So last night I stumbled into vaiavanti.com, with 46 very COOL & simple animations, some of which were interactive.  I shared them with my kids (getting a lot of WOWs)... and they loved it!



Yesterday I had boots on my blog from Anthropologie, and today again, beautiful objects that are frozen in a spectacular display!

Monday, November 9, 2009

How To Fold a Shirt... and a Bootie Splurge!




We know how to fold a shirt... or do we!  Stumbleupon.com (my favorite internet site), transported me last night to the site  'how to fold a shirt',  demonstrating a super fast way of folding T-shirts, sweaters, etc... it's entertaining at the least, but I have yet to master the technique.  Maybe after this next load of wash... I'll let you know!




Anthropologie has beautiful and very different boots than you'll see anywhere else... they're also on the pricey side, but if you're going to splurge on anything this season, I think boots are the item. This first bootie is milk chocolate with a rosette (feminine and sexy) for $378, the other bootie is more rugged in grey with buckles and brass studs for $250.