La Dolce Vita

Sweet summer, how quickly you have come and how quickly you have gone.  One of my favorite seasons is now coming to an end and while I am quite sad to bid adieu to the season I am very excited for what is ahead. Let me tell you it is going to be good, so stay tuned.  

Why not end the summer with an editorial featuring the jaw-dropping couture dresses from the Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda Fall 2014 show that took place in Capri a few months back? These stunning photographs appear in the October 2014 issue of Vogue Japan, photographed by Boo George and styled by Anna dello Russo and Giovanna Battaglia.  Have a wonderful holiday weekend and I will see you back here on Tuesday!

Line to Love: Co Resort 2015

If you do not know about Co, then hopefully this will change that!  I discovered Co, founded by Stephanie Danan and Justin Kern, when I came across their stunning Fall 2014 fashion presentation.  The styling and photography, not to mention the clothes blew my fashion mind.  Now to add onto this goodness enter the Resort collection, which incorporates feminine silhouettes in the prettiest of fabrics.  The current collection can be found at Barneys.  

White Layer Cake with Strawberry Buttercream

If I could, I would bake a cake at least once every two weeks.  This has nothing to do with my sweet tooth either, it has more to do with the process of creating something beautiful.  I always say that my four favorite passions all phonetically begin with the same sound - fashion, food, flowers and photography.  When I can pair a few of these things together it makes me impossibly happy.  To relish in the end of summer, I decided to create a white layer cake with strawberry buttercream and decorate it with soft pink lisianthus flowers.  This recipe is unique because it incorporates two different types of frosting - a buttercream and an Italian meringue.  The latter takes a bit of time to make but it is definitely worth it.  It takes on the consistency of fluff and melts in your mouth.

Setting the Table:: A Fragrant Herb Bouquet

A table setting would never be complete without a flower arrangement.  The spring and summer months are filled with luscious floral blooms, so it is inevitable that they will end up in a pretty bouquet front and center on the table commanding all of the attention.  Also in abundance during the summer are herbs - parsley, basil, oregano, sage, mint and lavender, just to name a few that are very inexpensive and can be picked up at your local farmer's market.  On a recent trip to the flower market, instead of picking up another variety of dahlias or roses, I opted for a fragrant mixture of sage and lavender. The color palette couldn't be prettier, soft foamy greens blended with textured French lavender and when nestled into a antiqued silver vessel the result is organic yet beautiful.   

Currently Coveting:: Altuzarra for Target

Fall is almost here and that means fashion month and of course new capsule collections.  They seem to be a dime a dozen these days, but the Altuzarra collection for Target is setting these collaborations apart.  I adore the cinched waists and the dramatic floral designs added sparingly to tops and dresses. Sadly living in the city, my only options are on-line, so I am going to be setting my alarm, the collection goes live September 14th!

I Love This Look: The Duster Coat

Happy Monday everyone! It feels good to be back, honestly being away for even a week made me truly miss blogging.  I never realized after stepping away for a week, while not technically traveling, feels rather strange. The process of blogging has been interwoven into my life so completely, when I am not doing it on a daily basis I miss it.  I hope that everyone had a great week.  Starting this off this week, sadly the last 'unofficial' week of summer, there is not better time to talk transitions. The duster jacket is one of those pieces that is great to incorporate in spring or fall since it can add a bit of polish to any look.  Below are some of my favorite picks to help achieve this look.   I would love to get my hands on a vest version, have you seen any? Tips please!

Life Lately & A Short Vacation

(My new settee that I absolutely love)

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a great week and an even better weekend ahead.  Here are just a few snaps that I have taken with my cellphone over the past few weeks.  I have two phones, one for work and one for personal but the latter shattered last week (into a pretty shape pattern nonetheless) so it makes editing photos that I take with it pretty hard/interesting to edit.  Lately I have been playing with the filters on some of my favorite apps. I love VSCO Cam and I recently downloaded Photoshop Express.  Do you have any favorite apps to edit photos?  

And on that note, I am taking a little blogging vacation next week.  After all it is August and just like you want to savor summer before it leaves us, plus I am hard at work on something I cannot wait to share with you.  Have a wonderful weekend and I will see you next Monday!

(Playing with filters at Table 87 in Brooklyn, terrific coal oven pizza)

Line to Love:: Beridan Naturals

If there is one beauty product that I have a weakness for (besides lipsticks) it is luxurious bath products - oils, soaks and butters.  It is the little things in life that mean the most like a long bath or inhaling the revitalizing aroma of an essential oil.  I recently discovered Beridan Naturals, a line of bath products that incorporates natural, organic and ethically sourced ingredients that are all crafted by hand and packaged in reusable or recyclable packaging.  I am most intrigued by the butters and bath milk which look like the perfect treat after a long day.  You can shop the entire collection here.  

Chamomile & Grapefruit Butter / Floral Butter / Chamomile & Grapefruit Pink Bathing Salts / Oatmeal & Coconut Bath

New England Clam Chowder

We have had a fantastic summer when it comes to the weather. There have been very few unbearably hot days with more days in the high 80s and cooler evenings.  On a recent weekend, the temperature was perfect to enjoy some New England Clam Chowder on our porch.  While there were plumes of smoke floating from neighbor's grills, it was nice to enjoy a comforting bowl of soup that is a staple in New England year-round.  Traditional chowder is cream-based, I decided to lighten it up using whole milk.  I have found that when a recipe calls for heavy cream, you can substitute quality whole milk (I love Ronnybrook Farm) and you will not even miss its heavier counterpart.  

The Power of the 'Ask'

The Power of the 'ask'.  It is a very simple concept, but something that can be quite daunting.  It is the simple act of when you need something, ask.  A little word that can hold a lot of power to both those doing the asking and those receiving it since it can solicit either a ‘yes’ or worse a ‘no’. Throughout life I have been hesitant to ask for the things that I need, whether it be personal, work-related or just life-related.  Haunted by the fear of rejection I tended to stay where I felt comfortable, to linger in those areas that I would never have to feel vulnerable. It takes both courage and confidence, something that can be difficult to muster up, but if you have it they are a powerful duo that can turn dreams into a reality.  Recently I have embarked on a side project where all I am doing is asking.  Tired of feeling scared and knowing that it has been holding me back from going further and achieving my dreams, I decided to go for it, after all what could I loose.  People that have been successful never sat by themselves twiddling their thumbs making their visions come to life, rather they reach out, they ask.

On Point : The Best Transitional Flats

Happy Monday everyone!  Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Ours was spent doing newly married couple errands, returning duplicate gifts from our registry and trying to organize our home with all of the new wonderful pieces we received - including the new addition of this settee that I am in love with at the moment.  Can you believe someone wanted to put it in the garbage?  Anyways let us talk fashion and flats - the staple item in your shoe closet that is necessary for commutes and errands in the city.  I hate being that girl that changes from flats to heels between appointments, so I like to wear flats that make a statement, no heels required.  Here are some of my favorite picks! 

Sigerson Morrison Gertiey Flat  / Tabitha Simmons Alexa / Cynthia Vincent Eloise Flat / Vince Oxblood Nina / Nicholas Kirkwood Pointed Leather Loafer / ASOS Madhouse Pointed Shoes

Into the Woods

Why not end another week with this florally inspired editorial featured in the September issue of Harper's Bazaar UK, photographed by Erik Madigan Heck.  Just looking at this editorial induces happiness, not sure if it is the bright color, the field of roses or the dreamy gowns, but whatever it is I love it. And don't we all need bits of beauty in our lives?  I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend.

Beauty Profile:: SOTHYS Paris New Makeup Collection

Before we jetted off to Paris, I attended the launch of the SOTHYS Paris new makeup line that just arrived here in the United States. Perhaps you are familiar with this luxurious spa on the storied Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré in Paris that specializes in beauty treatments and massages that will leave you feeling utterly pampered and beautifully relaxed.  Their new makeup collection promises to give you an effortless look just like French women that always seem to have that certain je ne sais quoi.  

At the Market:: Apricots + Browned Butter Apricot Shortcakes with Cinnamon Whipped Cream

Stone fruit season has arrived - peaches, nectarines and apricots are creating a beautiful kaleidoscope of color at the farmers market.  There is nothing quite like biting into a juicy peach or nectarine and letting the sweet floral aroma take over your taste buds.  One variety of stone fruit that I typically never gravitated to was the apricot, it reminded me of the store-bought dried versions that always left a little to be desired.  I decided to give this fuzzy fruit a second chance and I am glad that I did.  Not only are they easy to eat as is, they are a fantastic fruit to incorporate into your summer baking.  I decided to give the traditional shortcake recipe an upgrade by making Browned Butter Apricot Shortcakes and topping 

it with cinnamon infused whipped cream.  This recipe is definitely a crowd pleaser because of the different textures it takes on - the shortcakes are moist with a sugar crusted exterior, the browned butter apricots practically melt in your mouth while the cinnamon whipped cream lends the perfect finish.   

Petal by Petal:: 'Café au Lait' Dahlia

It has been far long since my last Petal by Petal series. Well that is changing now and what better time than summer when flowers are plentiful, especially local varieties that only emerge once a year.  One of my favorite summer blooms is the dahlia. They come in a variety of sizes and colors, like this vampy red version that was featured here last summer.  The flower market in New York is over-flowing with this variety right now and while I thought my process of elimination would be difficult, it ended up being quite easy after seeing the 'Café au Lait' dahlia.  This particular variety is known as a Dinner plate dahlia because it is literally just that, nearly the size of a dinner plate.  The smaller varieties of dahlias have a longer shelf life, unfortunately the larger they are the quicker they begin to wilt.  Even though I only had them for about three days, they still added a dose of happiness to our home.  

Color Palette:: Neutral Territory

Happy Monday everyone! Can you believe that we have already entered August, where is the time going?  Summer seems to be flying by!  I hope that you had a great weekend.  I am the first to say that a world without color would be a very sad place, but sometimes the lack of color can be very calming and good for the soul.  It can act like a palette cleanser for the colorful world that we live in. Something is soothing about the combination of bright white mixing with creams and beiges, whether in fashion, interiors or a styled vignette. Here are some images that induce a serene mood and of course an outfit to pull everything together!

Currently Inspired:: Pinterest Picks

Recently I have been fueling myself with as much inspiration as possible and here are some of the images that have been the catalyst for creative research.  I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend, savoring the moments of summer.