New York Spring 2015 Beauty Report

I hope that everyone had a great week.  This week couldn't have been any longer and it was a rough one, unfortunately there was a death in my husband's family. It is so hard seeing someone you love going through the pain and loss. 

Spring 2015 beauty was effortless, pretty and oftentimes severe.  Complexions were kissed with bronzer, eyes were washed with a vibrant turquoise blue shadow and perfectly manicured brows perfectly frame the face.  Here is a recap of the beauty trends from New York. You can follow my Spring 2015 Runway Beauty board here.  I hope that everyone has a great weekend!

New York Spring 2015 : Runway Recap

New York fashion week has nearly come and gone but not without a few major trends that will have you eagerly counting down the days until next spring.  Here is a recap of the key trends from New York. Stay tuned for my beauty recap, because the makeup so far has just been pretty.  

Cherry Blossom Wonder

I hope that everyone had a great weekend! We had quite an eventful one, if you follow me via Instagram you might have seen we (legally) got married!  Saturday's weather here in New York felt like a hot summer day that brought with it sporadic rain showers, luckily, the rained cleared and the sun came out long enough to say our vows by the Long Island Sound.  It was a very special moment, but I am looking very forward to our actual wedding this Saturday.  

Ever since my first year living in New York (I am dating myself but it has been 13 years) I have been flocking to the same grassy hill in Central Park to take in the cherry blossoms each spring.  With this past winter being so brutal, there were times that I thought these beautiful flowers would never bloom.  I could sit under the light pink petal canopy for hours letting the light filter in and hearing the bird sing.  Here is a glimpse into the grand finale of spring here in New York, I hope you enjoy!

{Designer to Know} Co Fall 2014

Happy Friday everyone! I am very excited for the weekend if only because the temperatures are going to rise into the mid 50's - I am chomping at the bit to have the snow melt so that I can go running outside, since the treadmill hasn't been cutting it for me lately.  Do you have anything excited planned for the weekend?  I am closing this short week out with a new fashion discovery that is just too beautiful not to share.  Have a wonderful weekend!

A major source of inspiration for me as of late is still life (seen here and here) -  from fashion to food, my eye is drawn into the moody diffusion of light and the emotion that they evoke.  The Fall 2014 presentation from Co was captured through the lens of Amanda Demme resulting in photographs that are like a Dutch painting.  The clothes while dramatic are further accentuated with a dark background and the perfect amount of filtered light which allows for the soft, cozy knits and dramatic rose patterns to take center stage.  

{Fashion Spotlight} Alice + Olivia Fall 2014

Good fashion captures the imagination and transports you. The Alice + Olivia show did just that by debuting their Fall 2014 collection at the McKittrick Hotel, home to the play Sleep No More, on the west side of Chelsea.  Attendees entered the space through two castle-like doors and were led down a dark hallway barely lit by flickering candles.  You twisted and turned until you came across an open space similar to what you would find during the Jazz Age.  A red tinted glow illuminated the other wise dark room and the lively beat of a saxophone and piano fluttered in the background.   Scrolls delicately tied with bows were piled high atop café tables while libations were being served in delicate glasses.  The presentation was aptly called 'Enchanted: The Search for the Golden Monarch' and enchant Stacey Bendet did indeed.  Models were staged throughout the presentation in different fairy tales from Rapunzel to Sleeping Beauty but were dressed in modern form.  Rich brocade textures were interwoven with gold details and ruby red motifs creating for feminine looks, while some had a masculine air about them pairing tweed pants with leopard brogues.  Another winning piece was shift dress suspended by two golden keys that was bedecked with jewels laid by hand the day of which creating a shimmering effect.  Continue for more...

{Beauty Flash} NYFW Fall 2014 Beauty Trends

After several seasons where the beauty looks sent down the runway were muted and natural looks dominated, fall took a different direction and albeit refreshing turn. Get ready, because next fall will be about makeup whether applied to the eyes or dotted on the lips.  Next season the focus will turn to the eyes if inspiration is drawn from the runway where eye shadow provided a major impact.  At Donna Karan models wore a stunning silvery shade with a subtle sheen that was paired with a nearly bare lip while at DVF models donned an incredibly flattering mauve shadow coupled with a lipstick in nearly the same shade.  In addition to shadow, the cat eye was also seen in different renditions whether a subtle winged effect seen at Rag & Bone and Ralph Rucci or a smoldering smokey as seen at Sophie Theallet -  all imparting a dramatic, yet modern look.  Many of the looks spotted on the runway had a 'pretty' quality about them - at Ohne Titel the models complexions were luminous like they were lit from within and at Michael Kors cheek bones were accentuated with a peach blush with bronze undertones and groomed brows. The hair styles were either windswept with a dramatic side part tossled off-center like at Richard Chai and Giulieta or an undone updo nestled together with pins at Jason Wu.  Overall the beauty looks floating down the runway breathed new life into the season and I cannot wait to see what lands in my makeup bag come fall.  Continue for more...

{Trend Spotting} NYFW Fall 2014 (Part I)

New York, New York - how sweet you are.  Fashion month has officially begun starting with a strong presentation of shows in New York.  There have been many trends, new silhouettes and dominating colors making the arrival of another fall season more than welcome.  Dominating the color scheme was a sea of blues varying from opulent cobalt to light and sugary blues making pastels extend past spring.  Another detail was the re-introduction of feathers whether inspired by a colorful peacock seen at Nicole Miller or layer upon layer of wispy feathers at Peter Som.  Last Fall it was all about the coat but next season there are belted varieties seen at Delpozo and Christian Siriano.  During the spring it was all about baring your mid-section, for fall the shoulder have their chance in the spotlight whether in feminine off-the-shoulder silhouettes or a more daring version with a plunging neckline.  What shows have been your favorite so far?

{Le Week de Paris} Top Five Baguettes in New York & Brooklyn

If I was stranded on a deserted island I would bring three types of food with me - a good bottle of Greek olive oil, a bar of rich dark chocolate and a crusty baguette (preferably just out of the oven). If I could pick a place for this said island to be it would be off the coast of France where I could get access to baguettes, unlimited sweet baguettes.  Since it is Paris week here on the blog, I couldn't let it pass without rounding up my favorite boulangeries here in New York that bake bread like they do in France. Here are some of my favorites, but after visiting make sure you have a cheese shop lined up or a few good bottles of olive oil! Did I miss any baguettes that I must try? Dit-moi s'il vous plait! Continue for more...

  

{Top Five} The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies NYC & Brooklyn

If I ever had to decide one treat to eat for the rest of my life, it would hands down be the chocolate chip cookie.  What isn't to love - it is filled with chocolate goodness, loaded with butter and the texture, oh the texture, ranging from soft and chewy to crispy. I have been stumbling across fabulous bakeries here in New York for over seven years and I am always keeping my eyes peeled for new places to try.  Recently when I was savoring, okay devouring, a Levain chocolate chip cookie (if you don't know what cookie I am referring to, I urge you to board a plane to New York and head to West 74th Street now) I thought how amazing their recipe was but for reasons unique to Levain. Their cookies resemble a rich Southern biscuit and are served warm with a gooey and doughy center while the chocolate chips and walnuts create a melt-in-your mouth texture.  But then there is Ovenly, a stand-out bakery in Greenpoint, Brooklyn that boasts a bevy of baked goods including a vegan (you would never know, trust me) chocolate chip cookie that is flecked with the perfect amount of sea salt flecks and incorporates more dough than chips.  

I decided I would do a round-up of the best chocolate chip cookies that this city has to offer and ask my fiancé, John, to decide on his favorite. So on an unseasonably warm Saturday afternoon, I sat him down and he happily dug in.  Disclaimer: I have happily eaten all of these cookies before, so I warned him, he was in for a really nice treat.  Continue for more...

The Great Macaron Hunt: NYC & Brooklyn

When it comes to eating sweets, I tend to gravitate towards treats that are beautiful and almost too pretty. I definitely do not discriminate but I tend to gravitate towards French desserts like tarts, eclairs and other sweet confections and when it comes to pretty there is nothing prettier than the macaron - the light as air cookie shell filled with so many decadent and interesting flavors. I set out to discover and rediscover my favorite macaron spots in New York, in particulary the places that are unique to only New York. We are lucky in the city to have great places that are authentically French like Ladurée and La Maison du Chocolat but I wanted to taste and explore the delicous spots that you can find only in New York.  Join me as I take you to the best places that will entice the palette and leaving you to want to book a trip to New York (or Paris!).  

A Day Away:: Cold Springs, New York

Over Labor Day weekend we ventured up to Cold Springs, New York in the Hudson Valley.  Escaping the city and going to the country is one of my favorite things to do whenever possible.  The Hudson valley is so lush and green and I adore how the gentle foothills roll into the still Hudson River.  Cold Springs is a town that has been around since the early 1800's and exploring it's narrow streets was like stepping back into a simpler times.  If you are in the spirit to wander through antique stores this is the place to do it as one tiny shop flanks another and the signage has a nostalgic feel.  We enjoyed lunch at the Hudson House Inn and then cooled down with home-churned ice cream at Moo Moo's Creamery (humidity on that particular day was about 80% which is why the landscape looks a bit hazy and the Hudson looks more like the Nile). If you are in the New York City area Cold Springs is just a train ride away from Grand Central and the train lets you off right in the town square.  Continue for more...

Summertime in New York

Summertime is one of my favorite times of year living in New York, from leisurely laying on a blanket in the park to strolling through the farmer's market, this is the time of year that I revel in and want to soak up every minute.  I also relish in the fact of summer Fridays, which are (very) sadly coming to an end this week.  Here are some photographs that I recently took while in Central Park and the Union Square Market that is exploding with so much healthy goodness. And with that I leave you - I hope you have a wonderful Labor Day weekend, my plans are to head to the beach, cook some delicious meals and relax.  See you back here Tuesday!

Welcoming the Cherry Blossoms

I hope that everyone had a great weekend. I spent an extra day away to spend time with my family in Boston. I finally got to meet my nephew and let me tell you, he is the sweetest little man - it is times like this that I wish I lived closer to my family.  I also got to spend Mother's Day with my mom which was very nice, we enjoyed a nice brunch full of pancakes and strawberry scones.  We also had wonderful weather, everything in Boston is in full bloom, just like it is here in New York. I snapped these photographs at my favorite cherry blossom location in Central Park. These blooms just make me happy - I wait for their arrival every year.  Is there a particular flower that you wait for all year?  

Trending Beauty:: NY Fall/Winter 2013 Wrap-Up

The New York shows have come and gone, now it is a big jump across the pond to London.  New York featured many amazing collections and I also adored the makeup looks that painted the runways just as much.  Here are a few of my favorites.  On another note,  I hope that everyone has a great long weekend, I am headed up to Boston today for my sister's baby shower.  I am looking forward to seeing my younger siblings, my mom and my grandma that I haven't seen in entirely too long.  See you Tuesday! 

Don't forget to enter here to win a Skin Owl oil of your choice! The last day to enter is Tuesday.  Your skin will thank you!

The Look: Lids were painted with a smokey gunmetal eye shadow and accentuated with antiqued copper shadow lining the bottom lashes.  The rest of the look was muted with bare lips, flawless skin and hair tousled.

The Look: A smudged kohl-lined eye, matte skin and another bare lip paired with poker straight hair held-up high in a pony tail

The Look: A practically bare eye, pristine skin accenuted with a bright candy-colored pink lip. 

NYFW Fall 2013: Round-Up Part I

New York Fall 2013 fashion week is in full-swing.  The runways are looking seasonably dark with a multitude of black, both in leather details and opulent textures, as seen at shows like Jill Stuart and Hervé Léger. There has also been a plethora of fur and the occasional pop of show-stopping red or Pantone's color of the year emerald in the form of malachite, as seen at Monique Lhuillier. Here are just some of the shows that are catching my eye.  

Purple Haze at Jason Wu Fall 2013

 It was a soft purple haze at Jason Wu's Fall 2013 runway show. The models strutted down the runway with a mesmerizing shade of purple swiped across the lids, cheekbones were powdered with a neutral blush that led to a chiseled cheekbone effect, while the lips were left bare.  Hair was flawlessly parted in the middle and coiffed back into a criss-cross pattern and finished with two barrets. The entire show in one word - stunning. 

 *Images via style.com 

Erdem Pre-Fall 2013

 The Erdem Pre-Fall 2013 presentation was a dreamy collection of watery florals, layered yet not over done sequins and featured the 2013 Pantone color of the year, emerald.  Erdem is quickly becoming one of my favorite shows each season, as I just adore the feminine silhouettes and florals  patterns that seem to be incorporated with each collection. I hope that everyone has a wonderful weekend!

The Magic of the Holidays in New York

I hope that everyone had a wonderful (and filling) Thanksgiving with family and friends! The food was delicious and I believe that I slipped into a food coma around 4p.m.  yesterday, but that has since thanks to a green juice from the Vitamix (more on this amazing appliance later).  

I am one of those people that can't really think about Christmas until after Halloween and Thanksgiving. Anymore I feel like these three days are getting crammed into one another not allowing you to enjoy each day when it arrives.  Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, I can now get into full-on Christmas-mode, but believe me a few weeks ago I was giddy with excitement when the tree arrived in Rockefeller Center and I have been biting at the bit to play holiday music.  In my opinion, New York is the place to be during the holidays. The city streets are magical and it is one of those times of year that you want to become a child again, whether walking down Fifth Avenue and or ice skating in Central Park.  One of my favorite elements during the holidays are the windows, in particularly the Bergdorf Goodman windows. I have said this before, there is talent and then there is talent.  These windows just like every other year are spectacular.   Click to continue to see the awe-inspiring Bergdorf Goodman windows...

The Flower District

If you are ever planning on coming to New York and you love flowers (I mean who doesn't) you must visit the flower district.  It is an entire city street dedicated to beautiful, fragrant blooms and floral supplies.  I recently ventured to my old stomping grounds (it is located a block away from The Fashion Institute of Technology, my alumni) of Chelsea to take in this bustling district once again.  Wandering into each shop filled me with such inspiration from the vibrant color palettes of the flowers, the display pieces to the heady floral aroma of the roses.  

Paris in New York (Maison Kayser)

New York City never creases to amaze me. Shops and bakeries pop-up and unless you are constantly wandering the streets it can be very hard to keep up. I was recently headed to a yoga class on the Upper East Side and I just happened to look over my shoulder to see that Maison Kayser, a boulangerie I used to visit daily in Paris, is now in New York City (!!!). I became extremely giddy and filled with excitement. Just stepping into the shop brought back a flood of precious memories, like standing in line on the Rue Monge for my warm baguette at 6pm with the other Parisians - something that had become a daily ritual (that I never wanted to end). The aroma and taste of their bread is something that repeatedly comes to me in a recurring dream - even six years later. I have dreams I am back in Paris and I am telling my loved ones that we have to go and eat one of their baguettes, but funny enough in my dreams we never actually get there. It is almost as if I long for those memories. So what did I do? I sat down to take it all in once again. Almost as if I was on the Rue Monge in Paris. I sank my teeth into a buttery and flaky pain au chocolate, bought the L'Italienne sandwich for lunch and took home a Rue Monge demi-baguette for later. Who says a little bit of Paris can't exist is New York? I have prime evidence that it does. And that truly makes me happy.