The coolest ottoman EVER.

I know, it’s absurd.  But I want it. I’m not entirely sure whether it would go with my existing apartment decor (what exactly goes with a leather rhino?), or where I would put it.  But it is SO AWESOME!  And I don’t own an ottoman.  that means I need one, right?  If nothing else, there is a corner in my bedroom that would be admirably filled by a 4-ft leather rhino.  I have a newfound respect for Jonathan Adler’s decorating tastes.

If the rhino’s not your thing, never fear.  There’s a hippo.

Still need to fill out your summer wardrobe?  Tobi’s got your back.  Today only (until 11:59 pm Pacific), get 40% off everything with the code GETOUT40.  I’m trying to cut back, but… well, I’ll be checking out that Black Halo dress I’ve had my eye on, and that Laila Azhar dress Lily’s been eyeing?  Everything’s on sale.  Enjoy!

We all know I’m a jewelry hound.  While I have several places I love for investment pieces, I’ve always been a fan of places like Kenneth Cole or Banana Republic for on-trend costume jewelry to keep things up to date.  A recent look through Banana Republic’s website, however, has made me wonder about where they’re trying to go with their jewelry and accessories lines.

After seeing a necklace I liked in Lucky, I perused their jewelry holdings this week.  As I expected, they have several very wearable pieces, most of which are offered at a price that’s reasonable for what they are.  Their 51″ framed jewel chain necklace at $45, fine.  Their glam bib necklace in smoke gray at $69, fine.  It was this piece that really jarred me:

Banana Republic, $198.00.

Don’t get me wrong, I like this necklace a lot.  So much so, in fact that I considered buying it… until I saw the price. $198?  Really?

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I am squealing with delight, ladies! The trailer for The September Issue has finally dropped!  Feast your eyes on this:

Quite simply, it looks A-MAH-ZING.  Our beloved Ms. Wintour could strike a person dead with a single glance, and boy does this film capture her in her glory.

Looks like there is even a speacial quest appearancshe from Uncle Karl!!

You better believe your Femmes will be there opening day.

The perfect summer jacket from Trina Turk.

Welcome to summer!  Wedding season is in full swing.  We’ve covered wedding fashion outdoors, in the church, at the beach, so hopefully you have your eye on the dresses you’ll be wearing at this summer’s ceremonies, but what we haven’t covered yet is, well, the cover-up!  Yes, it’d be great if your dress covered all the bases by itself, but let’s be realistic.  Sometimes weddings will take you in and out of the sun, the wind, and the air conditioning, and you’ll find yourself in need of some help for climate and modesty control.  This is particularly true if the reception is going to be outdoors or in tents and the ceremony is in a church or the ceremony is outdoors and the reception venue is heavily airconditioned.  A pashmina is always a safe choice, but if you’re looking to go a little farther afield, here are some ideas for cute cover-ups that are totally wedding-appropriate.

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So one of the best things about summer in the city - aside from all the adorable warm-weather fashions that Kai keeps digging up - is the plethora of outdoor concerts, shows, and other events that go on all throughout town from May to September - many of them free! I’ve been fortunate enough to attend a handful of these recently and hey, you can’t beat the mix of high and low culture, good weather and great company (and maybe some wine). Show up early to get a good seat, or just show up late and try your luck. A few ideas after the jump!

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A beautiful print in restrained colors. From Theory.

Every year, when summer rolls around, I get excited over the weather, the food, and the fashion.  What looks better after a long, hard winter than easy clothes in cheery pastels?   The fact is, however, those airy summer colors and I?  Well, we don’t get along all that well.  (Can we say washed out?)  The great thing about the psychotic quantity of lead time fashion gives the actual seasons is that by the time the first actual day of summer arrives, the stores are putting out their second wave of clothing.  The fall clothing isn’t quite here yet, but now on offer are summer cuts in slightly deeper, fall-slanted hues.  Perfect.

This season, the stores are full of soft greys and purples, in flowing summer-weight fabrics that will be perfect for long August evenings by the water.  Here are some of my favorites.

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Looking for a little indulgence without breaking the bank?  Try Lure Fishbar’s happy hour! If you’ve never been to Lure, it’s well worth a look-in.  The restaurant is in Soho, and is located down below street level at the corner of Mercer and Prince.  With its warm woods, cream-colored ceilings, and porthole shaped windows, entering Lure is like stepping into the dining room of a posh cruise ship.  As a dinner venue, it’s delicious if distinctly on the pricey side; I’d still rank it after Aquagrill for sheer seafood opulence, but the atmosphere makes it a great place for a date or a special occasion dinner.

If you’re looking to indulge a little without spending a fortune, however, Lure’s happy hour, weekdays from 5 to 7 pm, is the way to go.  The happy hour menu, available here, includes a variety of seafood-focused snack foods, but the tidbits aren’t the reason to go.  (They tend to be small and on the expensive side.)  The oysters are the real bargain at $1 each; the drinks are admittedly near half off at $7, but are still not exactly dirt cheap.  That said, though, both the happy hour and regular drinks are well worth the money.  (I especially liked the grapefruit margarita from the happy hour menu and the lychee and watermelon martinis from the regular menu; they were all perfectly balanced summer drinks that I will certainly be going back for.)

If you arrive at 5, there’ll be plenty of space to sit, including some very comfortable booths; by 7 the place is packed.  Be warned: the drinks come quickly — the oysters, once the bar fills up, come much more slowly, so ordering promptly and generously is the way to go if you’re a big oyster fan.  So go.  Consider it an exercise in healthy eating — oysters are low in cholesterol and a great source of a whole slew of vitamins and minerals, so happy hour might be the best thing you do for your body all day!

So I know we all need to grocery shop more efficiently, cut back on calories and save money … but i couldn’t resist.

Last Saturday I had the pleasure of dining chez T, a FOAFOAF (that’s friend of a friend of .. etc) who -  when he’s not working as a doctor - is a gourmet chef.   (Overachiever central.)  T served up a five course meal complete with wine pairings that can only be described as ridiculous (in a good way).   But that’s not the point of my post.

In between mouthfuls, I asked T where he gets his online foodie fix, and he recommended that I check out Chocolate and Zucchini, a thoroughly delightful blog about all things food.

C&Z is the collection of online musings of Clotilde Dusoulier, a 29-year old Parisian who lives in Montmartre. She started the site 6 years ago as “an outlet for someone who feared her friends might tire of hearing about what she cooked/ate/baked/bought, though they didn’t seem to have a problem with being fed dinner.”

Like any good food blog, it’s full of recipes and ideas, but Lady Dusoulier has charm galore (she may be the living embodiment of gamine, a culinary Audrey Hepburn for our times. Don’t even THINK about mentioning that creepy Amelie movie) and will tell you about making her own strawberry mochi (Kai, are you listening?), her personal recipe for Happiness, her recommendations for Paris food markets, and also an education in French idiomatic expressions that relate to the culinary world. She has also written a cookbook and a foodie’s guide to Paris.

So to hammer home the point, this is a 29 year old who lives in France and cooks, eats, and talks about food for a living. I want this chick’s life! But enough about that. Go check out her blog.

Ah toiletries, sweet, sweet, toiletries...

Hello, my name is Emma, and I’m a Hotel Toiletries Thief.  This is how I would have introduced myself had there ever existed a Hotel Toiletries Thief Group.  You see, I am That Girl. When I check into my hotel and get to my room, I bee-line straight for the bathroom.  Why?  Because I want to see what’s there!  To me, it’s like Christmas.  I go in there and if the products are really good, my eyes light up, a broad smile comes to my face and then… and then I hoard.  Having just completed a 3 week vacation in Japan and Singapore, I am still on a toiletries high.  At the Park Hyatt in Tokyo they had Aesop Toiletries. At the Shangri-La, it was L’Occitane to include full sized bath soaps! I like to justify my habit by saying that I like to ride my bike to work so those lighter toiletries are fantastic.  And why am I now gleefully confessing my obsession?  Click on the jump to find out… read more »