The controversy over...macarons :)

I don't think I would be exaggerating if I said that, with the possible exception of cupcakes, macarons are the food item most oft mentioned on this blog. That said, I finally had a chance to read this article someone sent a me a while back on the...ahem...bastardization (for lack of a better word) of these picture perfect bits of magnificence. What do you think? While I would personally love to see them in vending machines, I see where the concern is coming from.

(Lovely picture of the macaron case in Le Bon Marche by Laura!)

Warm, cozy...and delicious

I don't know what it is exactly about this photo...but I love it. Doesn't this hot cocoa look so yummy. Mmmmm

Photo (and recipe) spotted on Souvlaki for the Soul

Holiday previews

I noticed that a few favorite sites are already previewing their holiday collection. OK who doesn't love that. Nearly 3 months in advance, you already know I love it! And not to leap frog right over Halloween and Thanksgiving (which I also love) but don't these item just get you in the mood. Adorable mitten gift tags from Kate's Paperie and...

...perfect gifts for the co-workers...Peanut-inspired cocoa packages from Fred Flare. LOVE!

Short sleeved sweater...what do you think?

I cannot BELIEVE how much I love this look ... and that's saying a lot considering how skeptical I was of the whole short-sleeved sweater thing. While I super love short-sleeved turtlenecks, I just never really got how to wear sweaters with shorts sleeves. I mean, think about it...if you  need to wear a sweater, it probably means you need sleeves so (again with the impracticality) I was just a little confounded on how to wear this look. But now that it is settling in and I'm seeing the interpretations I have to say I am in love. Layering is an art (especially in a climate like upstate NY) and too look so chic...well, needless to say, now I get it. This cowlneck from Lands End Signature is just to gorgeous.

madge's new movie

Have you heard about Madonna's new movie, W.E.? It's supposed to feature the romance between Wallis & Edward....I am very intrigued. Read about it here & here.

capes

I've always wanted to buy a cape..but have been too chicken to do so. Will it look like a tent? Will I be laughed at? ...These are just some of the questions that keep me from making the leap. Of course I don't want to look like I'm wearing a bed sheet so the cut of the cape would be most important. I've noticed the trend this fall and I keep wondering when I'll finally have the nerve to actually wear one.

{Photo from the streets of Milan}

paris fashion week

I'd like to be in Paris right about now....Spring fashion shows are under way and I wish I could be one of the onlookers.....What is it about the French and their...je ne sais quoi??
Fashionologie tries to dissect it for us.....

paella

Oh my gosh...I do love a good dish of Paella. Here's a recipe from the WSJ....It looks a bit complicated, but then again paella isn't for the lazy chef, is it? ;)

Uggs

I think I just really liked this photo more than anything else.... Take a look at a piece on the Ugg Australia brand....

I have to say...I am looking forward to breaking out the fugglies this winter...They are nowhere near chic, but they are super comfortable. :)

Armani is Gaga

Who knew Mr. Armani was so hip? Imagine what the costuming will look like for her Italian tour in December!!!! What I wouldn't give to see a show.....

bean is cool

Who knew L.L. Bean was so cool????

law & order + los angeles= ???

Do you think Lennie Briscoe is rolling over in his grave right about now? I"m a bit disheartened by the newest franchise of Law & Order. Throughout the years, I've given each new character on the New York show a chance and each time I've been pleasantly surprised by how well they fit into the framework of the show's other characters....BUT this time I'm not so sure it will work.

Will you give this show a chance? It's on tonight......

UPDATE: This new show sucks. Enough said.

90 yrs of French Vogue

You already know I'm swooning over the Oct. issue of French Vogue, but I have to say it again because I am dying to get my hands on this issue. I am going to hit the bookstores this weekend, but I fear I might not be able to snag a copy for another few weeks.....I have to have this issue because the ads seem so amazing...And you know how much I love a good ad. It's so hard to come by these days in fashion magazines...Fashion ads have really gone down in the past decade and I'm still waiting for the day it returns in high form.

Jaunt over to NYTimes for a Q&A with Carine Roitfeld, editor in chief. This woman is beyond cool...and I pray one day she will take over Vogue U.S. (please please let this come true in my life time!)

funny

I think you know my well enough by now to know that I love love love lipsticks. And because I love them so much, I'm quite picky about which brands I buy. My favorites are usually by Nars. Francois Nars is a makeup genius and I think he really knows how to create color--in the right way. As much as I get a kick out of buying Chanel lipsticks, it's really more for the brand, not the actual product. But Nars has both. The quality is top notch and he never compromises on producing the best color palettes.

So this leads me to my newest purchase: Nars Funny Face lipstick. Can a lipstick make you happy? Answer: YES!

This fuchsia is not for the meek...I hear Funny Face was the color JCrew featured on their models during the pre-fall campaign (but I don't care too much about that)..... When I think of this lipstick I happen to think about the Amanda Peet spread from Domino a whiles back.... Do you recall the Funny Girl poster she had hanging in her daughter's room? That's exactly what I think of....and I love love that poster! It's just fun....

No need to intellectualize it, I guess..... I just love putting on this color. $24 can buy happiness!

i heart you, turtleneck!

How fabulous is this look from Michael Kors? I love love the turtleneck...and I so wish I could pull off this look... Simply simple, gorgeous, and timeless!

From the great Sartorialist.

while we're talking about t.v. shows....

I've also become a huge fan of Bored to Death starring (one of my favs!) Jason Schwartzman. I'm currently watching the first season, which just came out on DVD....and so far it's quite good. I love it for all the shots of Brooklyn (Park Slope) and the funny Zach Galifianakis (did you hear there's going to be a Hangover 2 {double yay!})....Check it out if you get the chance.

Also, take a peak at a fun photo spread of the cast for Harper's Bazaar......

just cause I love camera shots (and sofia)

Another shot from the Venice Film Festival ( I would have killed to have been there!). Notice the cute cuff links? Love shots of Sofia w. cameras. Note: Do you notice her necklace? Is it the Elsa Peretti bean necklace? (just curious...or i have nothing better to do with my time)

It's a dreary afternoon here in the D.C. area....rain and more rain in the forecast. Hope you're warm & dry...wherever you are. :)

Squeal for Glee

Yikes! I know I'm awfully slow on this one: I love Glee!

Where have I been? Well, you know how it goes...I usually don't like shows that have a lot of hype and have been talked about ad nauseam...but this one is really GOOD! I watched last night's episode by happenstance and you know, it really is funny---actually more witty than just plain funny. The dialogue is quite sharp and the characters (all of them!) are simply adorable. Plus, they featured Britney Spears last night so it was kind extra fun to watch....Another bonus was John Stamos ( I'll always adore him for his General Hospital role as Blackie!...Now who remembers that?).... I heard Gwyneth is planning on making an appearance in Nov. so I'll be sure to continue watching.

Tell me, do you watch Glee? Am I the only person on this planet who hadn't seen an episode?

Love of 'Living in'

Have you ever seen the brilliant 'Living in' posts of the equally brilliant blog Design*Sponge (just as an aside, this blog was one of my first introductions to the 'genre' and I'm not sure I could have picked a better one...creative, lovely and a true joy ... it is one of the reason I find probably 90% of my inspiration from blogs these days...but I digress...). If you haven't seen it, you must...it focuses in on all of the artistic and wardrobe elements of favorite films...a stupidly overlooked element of filmmaking, in my opinion. Frankly, wardrobe and art direction are half the reason I go to the movies. I'm begging you to check out the past 'Living in' posts and in the meantime, here are my top 3 favorite wardrobe/art films. The images were burned into my brain the minute I saw these films...no surprise, Sofia directs 2 of the 3...the odd one out, is an inspiration of hers :)

I wasn't the biggest fan of the script, but Marie Antoinette has the best costume and art direction of any film I have ever seen. Period. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.

Who amongst us didn't fall in head over heels for Scarlett Johanssen's effortless, easy, gloriously graceful style in Lost in Translation. No doubt a carbon copy of the queen of effortless style (and director) herself.

But in the end, my top honors have to go to the master himself. Wong Kar Wai's In the Moon for Love is the most highly stylized piece of film perfection. I remember every moment from when I first saw it. Brilliant script and performances, amazing soundtrack and those cheongsams. In a word...unforgettable.

Oh Gemma...

Gemma Correll has just been cracking me up all morning.

And who doesn't like a gal who likes to think ahead. Adorable X-mas card :)

Bows everywhere

Over the weekend, I met my friends K & D, at the Coach store at Eastview Mall. K had just gotten the most awesomes 'gift' via Coach (I'll spare you details...all you need to know is that Coach has the best customer service EVER). Anyway, while I was there helping decide on a fabulous new bag, I saw this adorable New Poppy bow ring (Please check the link...couldn't find a 'postable' image and it is so cute!!!). Anyway, I was thinking how much I love all this 'bow' inspired jewelry. I think we might have the ever amazing Kate Spade to thank for this...and while I was poking around the blogs this morning, I noticed this post on You are my fave...tell me this bow tie bracelet from Three Horses isn't simply gorgeous.

Happy B-day Google - LCM

Today is Google's 12th Birthday...and who gets the honors of the Google doodle this time...why if it isn't the best known cake artist Wayne Thiebaud. You know you are cool when this amazing American artist commemorates your birthday :)

*And this is an 'LCM' because everyone knows Google is a librarians best friend!

such a cool photo

Saw this on Jak&Jil....I believe it's of Garance Dore w. her LV Sofia bag.... I love everything about it---the red check shirt, the animal print skinny belt, the camer on her neck, those cool cool print shorts...and of course...that bag.

LCM meets Vogue Italia

Geek chic, Italian way..... (btw, Vogue Italia is quite unique...very unlike the other Vogue franchises....The photos are always a bit more oomph, if that makes any sense....) Love their website too.

because i am obsessed w. her...

New Sofia LV bags.... Love Love Love. {swoon}

Just another day in Milan

Could these 2 be any more beautiful?

(Seriously...who needs Anna Wintour when you've got the Sartorialist. Thanks for the inspiration of the day)

You know what I did 15 years ago...

I moved to Rochester, NY...to get my masters degree in English Lit...Sept. of 1995

Rochester, you aren't really that bad. I didn't care for you much at first, but you've really grown on me...and you do have lovely lilacs.

And the Dryden Theatre is pretty amazing.

The winters are kind of a nightmare...but that's ok...I've always liked the snow and cold.

And of course, you have Wegmans. 

But none of that would matter if it weren't for this simple fact...if I had never moved to Rochester, I would not have met my 2 best friends in the world, KJ and Chris...who I was lucky enough to find, in the very same month of that very same year. I don't even want to imagine what life would be like without them. So for that fact alone...you are ok in my book Rochester :)

I heart you guys...always.

Print by rosydesignonline

Happy Chuseok to KJ and family!!

I loved your post KJ on 'Bambino' about your culture and on feeling closer to it these days. So interesting and I so know what you mean. Most of my life I have had a love/hate relationship (well maybe not hate :) with my 'Greek-ness'. There are many times when I  fully identify with the Greek culture and treasure everything that it has brought to me...and others, well, when the culture and the parts of it so embedded in my personality, completely confound me. And maybe, that's what I ultimately love so much. That feeling of being part of something...something bigger that me. 

As you and your family gather to celebrate Chuseok tonight (I think tonight...) know how lucky you are to be a part of something so lovely , that brings such richness to you life.

XOXO

this is for b

I couldn't help it. B, this one is for you!....Cause every girl deserves a nice Jewish guy (although this one here looks pretty scary).

2011 must have....

Every year I get the Kate Spade calendar inserts for my KS agenda, but every few years I also get the desk calendar because the design is too cute....Well, it looks like 2011 is a lucky year... Grab yours today (imagine how well prepared you'll be for 2011!)

oldie but goodie

Did you have a Snoopy sno-cone machine as a kid? I remember cranking out the ice on this baby when I was in the 3rd grade... Boy, do I wish for simpler days...I should so get this for my kiddie-to-be. :)

is it too early?...

...to be looking at 2011 calendars? I figure I'd get a head start on some things because I'm pretty sure I'm going to be quite busy by the time Dec. rolls around.... I love the fabric calendar by Lisa Rupp.

dinner w. marie antoinette

I saw these lovely Ladies-In-Waiting Dinner plates at Anthropologie the other weekend and fell in love....Wouldn't they look adorable w. some macarons on them?

crewcuts coloring book

I'm still feeling miserable (thanks, flu!), but this totally makes up for some of it... Crewcuts Coloring Book..... Love love love.....