Some Favorite Reads Through the Years

Many of these are animal oriented. Why? Because I am a huge animal lover!

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (good beach reads)

Girl who Played with Fire

Girl Who Kicked the Hornets Nest

Me Talk Pretty One Day – David Sedaris (LOL hilarious)
Naked – David Sedaris
Angela’s Ashes – Frank McCourt
Life of Pi – Yann Martel
Many Lives and Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. – Sandra Gulland (all time favorites)
Tales of Passion, Tales of Woe – Sandra Gulland (")
The Last Great Dance on Earth – Sandra Gulland (")
Many Lives, Many Masters – Brian Weiss
The Art of Racing in the Rain – Garth Stein (This is not what you might think it is)
Pet Cemetery – Stephen King
Thinner – Richard Bachman
Water for Elephants – Sara Gruen (another of my all time favorites)
Glass Castle – Jeanette Walls
Semi Homemade – Sandra Lee (incredible story about a rise from ashes)
The G(r)ift – Debra Ginsburg

The Extra Man - Jonathan Ames

Our Audrey?

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703615104575329310203829130.html?KEYWORDS=when+words+go+lightly+to+screen#

Entryways

Just reading a blog by Peak of Chic regarding entryways. Gist was small space, big statement. We want our guests to say, fun night ahead. Those of us who have guests!

Because of the size, we can go crazy with materials. Wallpaper, floor, paint. One thing that's not my favorite is trompe l'oeil. I feel like it's dated.

VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945 on Vimeo

VJ Day, Honolulu Hawaii, August 14, 1945 on Vimeo

Be sure and have your sound on and enjoy Jimmy Durante.

Disclaimer: The copy reads 'my father'....it's the authors father, not mine.

YouTube - American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity - Gallery Views

YouTube - American Woman: Fashioning a National Identity - Gallery Views

YouTube - The fashion of the 'American Woman'

YouTube - The fashion of the 'American Woman'

The thing that surprised me the most while watching this exhibit live, was how tiny women were at the end of the 19th century. Small, fragile stature, feet, waists. A photography show ended the exhibit with today's woman. Very moving from suffragette to today!

Baby Boomer Grandma Names

I just realized that I am 30 days away from being a Grandma for the first time. My son asked me what I want to be called....this is ONE BIG PROBLEM! I don't feel like a Grandma, but here we have it, I will be!

I think I will wait to see what the baby calls me?? This is how I felt the first time I had to say "Senior rate" at the movies. It just won't come out!

Some of you may have faced this, any suggestions other than just plain ole Grandma, which is what it will probably be anyway??

Grillin'

For some reason forever, I have left the grilling to my husband, I think it's a generational thing. Anyway, now I have a whole hour to myself before he arrives home from work and I have taken it on. Surprise, it's SO MUCH FUN. Not just the obvious stuff, but I have been spying my favorite cook Bobby Flay in his fabulous grill kitchen and been studying. It takes a lot of practice but some of the stuff I have grilled lately is:

Grilled Pizza (this takes some practice, make it 2 smalls rather than 1 large)
Grilled Salad

Grilled scallions, asparagus, any veggie

Grilled Shrimp

Perfect steaks and burgers (bought from whole foods, once you taste a burger from WF, you'll never go back)

The thing that I am still working on is hood up or down. It makes a huge difference. Practice, practice, practice. I also think that grilling takes time and prep, mostly prep. But it is not as quick and easy as I thought.

Today, I go out to find a timer. I have discovered that this is key to grilling.

Check out Bobby Flay's recipes on foodnetwork.com!

Pictured above, the crust of the pizza before toppings. The first time I did it I laid the whole topped pizza on the grill and put the top down. Yum, black crust, live and learn. It's a process.

Updating with Scarves

There are scarves flooding the market that we need. I only have a couple of summery scarves, but I am going to add to the mix. For a plain t-shirty outfit, a scarf can update us into a good way. Not old, not young, just current.

Then there is The Times Square Look

One of my favorite pasttimes, people watching! Enjoy!

A note on jeans

Since I was in NY this week, I had a hawkeye out on the fashions of the city. Just as last year in Rome, no jeans, again, very little jean sightings in NY. Basically seen on clueless tourists. The women seem to be mixing it up. One of my favorite people watching places is the Saks designer shoe department. There we can see some subtle fashion messages. Nothing outlandish, just well kept women of all ages doing their thing. One young woman had a beige loose top on with harem style (in a good way) slim cotton pants, good shoes and hair twisted loosely and pinned with a glittery pin. Gorgeous!!! I want those pants!

Anyway, the point being, I tell myself, don't be afraid to break out of the norm with the pencil style pant and go into something slightly different.

NYC Travel Tips

Above, giant florals at The Met

Just got from a fabulous 24 hour stay in NYC. Here are some of the things that we did that I'd love to share with you:

Stay of The Waldorf=Astoria http://www.waldorfastoria.com/

American Woman Exhibit at The Met http://www.metmuseum.org/

Above photo, the interactive bamboo exhibit at The Met, on the roof of the museum. Light self serve lunch is available, and the views and experience is wonderful. Note: do not attempt this on a weekend!

Irish Immigrant Tour of Tenement Museum http://www.tenement.org/
Broadway Play - Red - limited run http://redonbroadway/news/
Dinner in the Times Square area
Brunch at The Boat House in Central Park http://www.thecentralparkboathouse.com/

There, that was the itinerary and I would highly recommend this burst of fun to anyone. It's not your typical 'tourist NYC' deal. My travel friend is a New Yorker and knows all the latest fun stuff!
Above, right, one of the lovely ladies visiting The Waldorf for a banquet.

NYC Trip

So I am going to the Big Apple next weekend, and have been hemming and hawing about what I should wear. I am meeting a friend, staying at The Waldorf (good deal), we will probably shop around, of course eat, and go to the theater. What to wear? I then had a light bulb moment, as the big O would say. I am building whatever it is that I wear around my shoes, as in comfortable shoes. No platforms, just flats in a couple of different colors, and simple white Capri's and maybe a flowing top for nighttime. There, done!

Coral

For the last couple of years coral anything has popped into design. Especially is you are seaside these designs are out there. Not only is the shape of coral really interesting, but the color orange can make a room pop. Not a lot, just a punch of coral and voila, new room. Note the gentle mix of blue, white and coral. White is my favorite background color, anything goes with white.

Sunburst Design Old = New

Sunburst anything is retro and new. Sunburst mirror or clock, it can be an important focal point in any room.

Come a Long Way, Baby!

Love just to Look

Can you imagine getting up each morning and going to this closet? Who needs fancy clothes? Just put a pair of these on with your basics.

Room Chat

I know I have mentioned this before, but a trend in decorating is multiples. A group of related pictures hung in a row. A pair of matching lamps, and make the lamps BIG! Yes, it's matchy, matchy, but it's also fresh and clean. Add a vintage piece to the mix and it's all yours.

Europeon Wine Tasting

I have to laugh because I lifted this image off a vedddddy stylish Italian blog, and the girl is squeezing wine out of a bag. I have been drinking this wine for ages, (I get a lot of flack for it too) and as a matter of fact, 3/4 of the wine sold in Italy is packaged like this for freshness.

Looks Heavenly Doesn't It?

Unfortunately, sunbathing usually turns into hell. Don't do it!

If You Are Moving

Please sell all your things on Craigslist and start over. Ok, we have some anchor pieces that we've had for years. But a few of the things that are over with a capital O are:

Breakfronts
Dressers
China Cabinets
Armoires (I have a beautiful one now, but when the time comes it's gone)
Desks can be morphed into something obscenely stylish
All TV's need to be flat screen, talk about aging a room, a regular tv
Knicknacks put them away for a year and see if you come back, better yet, give them to your children.
Bedside tables can be fresh and new.
Skirted tables
Tableclothes in general - gone
(Napkins look rustically good unironed) but the stained ones, goodbye.


Don't be a prisoner to your belongings. It's freeing trust me!!

The Makeup Kit

Some of my standbys for years have been:

Prescriptives camouflage cream - for under eyes and imperfections (a dot)
L'Oreal Voluminous waterproof mascara
Chanel eyeliner crayon pencil - black or brown for lining and shading eyes
Chanel powder eye shadow in dark brown
Chanel Cameo compact cream foundation for finish or cover up (just a touch)
Clinique Cream stick blush (never powder, it's aging)
Bobby Brown lipsticks - creamy and non drying

I play around with some Revlon or L'Oreal Color Stay lipsticks but they tend to be drying. The Chanel items listed above are pricey but the pencils last for a good year at least, well worth it, and the eye shadow, maybe two or more. A good investment. They are very rich colors as opposed to the lesser brands where you have to apply more. With Chanel it's just a touch really.

Found It!

Got the denim jacket at Old Navy for $29.50.

Denim Jacket

Off to look for and hopefully buy a denim jacket. Need one.

Life is Too Short

for a bad dinner at a restaurant. I have come to the conclusion that if it's not a special place, I'm not going. Stay home, cook.

Cool Chunky Bracelet

This is a lucite bracelet that I bought this weekend at a little shop in Maine for $17.00.

Eyebrow Coloring

One of the younger women, in her 30's, just came out to tell me she is getting some grays in her brows. She will be visiting the hairdresser soon for hair color, and I told her to ask the hd to color her brows at the same time. Even if you want them a different color, in this case, not blonde, your hd should do this gratis. It's a simple procedure that makes a huge impact. Who wants gray brows?!