Brunch and Its Ten Summer Fashion Commandments

Brunch is the number one reason I love to wake up on a Saturday or Sunday morning. It's a natural blend between the buttermilk pancakes and the Angus Burger you might be craving at Saxon + Parole. Although, the food is a great way to recover from your late night festivities, its just another reason to dress your best while dining at your favorite neighborhood brunch spot.

Sarabeth's Tribeca

Here are Ten Summer Fashion Commandments (that I love to follow)

1. As Rachel Zoe says, "Sunnies." A perfect way to shade a bit of sun from your eyes all while looking as cool as a cat.

Elizabeth and James Fairfax Sunglasses

2. Lace! Lace! Lace! Nothing is more sophisticated than a lace dress, skirt or a pair of lace shorts.

Battenburg Dress, SEA

Lace Mini Skirt, Dress Gallery

Scalloped Lace Skort, Free People

3. Play the part of Peter Pan. The peter pan collar adds a more casual and laid back style to that stiff button up shirt.

Printed Symmetry Buttondown, Free People

4. Prints can be a great conversation starter. Maxi or not.

Thread Tucked Embroidered Dress, Opening Ceremony

Charlie Jade Opal Print Dress, Nordstrom

5. A rollerball with a great summer scent

From Top Left to Bottom: Chloe Eau de Parfum Rollerball, Chloe Eau de Parfum, Tom Ford Violet Blonde, Acqua Di Parma Magnolia Nobile

6. Poppy King's solution to a pale lip: Saint Eden

7. The brunch bag

From top to bottom: Chloe medium paraty satchel, Givenchy medium zanzi nightingale satchel, Botkier Valentina shoulder bag

8. I heart flats. For their versatility and variability.

Reva Ballet Flats, Tory Burch

 9. Accessorize, Accessorize, Accessorize if you choose to go plain Jane!

From top to bottom: Jewelmint Crystal Gazer Necklace, House of Harlow 1960s Five Station Necklace, Jewelmint Urban Tribe Necklace

10. Finally, smile and enjoy the summer day!

Hester St. Fair and All the Goodies

Memorial Day weekend started out with such a bang and it continued to be just as fantastic with my plans to head to the Hester St. Fair with the best friend. Downtown NYC will always have its nooks and crannies that constantly entertain my laziness. Everything is convenient. What was more convenient was having macarons, vintage clothes, spanakopita, pies, homemade popsicles, and eclectic music all in one place. What more could this indecisive girl ask for??

While, I couldn't contain my excitement upon arriving here, I also forgot about documenting my first time here. The instagramming and the iphone usage was very limited due to the amount of finger licking food I had consummed here. Pictures are from a variety of online sources so please check them out!

The vendors and the people working here were extremely excited and welcoming even though the heat caused everyone to possible perspire in every way possible. What I did manage to take a picture of was the red velvet macaron bought from The Macaron Parlour and sweet treats from a nearby store called The Sweet Life.

From Left to Right: Dark chocolate covered cherries, chocolate truffle, chocolate covered, red velvet macaron

Inside of The Sweet Life (Photography Credit: Eric Isaac of Snap Food)

Macarons at The Hester Street Fair!

And as I count down the days til next Saturday's long awaited Veuve Cliquot's Annual Polo Match, I will be finding potential outfit ideas to dress for frills and thrills. Crossing my fingers for the sun to shine next Saturday at Liberty State Park! Tickets are now sold out but like Veuve Cliquot's facebook page to win two tickets to this beautiful event!

Be back for more of my shenanigans and fun!

When You're Not in the Hamptons for Memorial Day Weekend

You must kick off the holiday with some Fat Witch Brownies!

From Top Left to Bottom Right: Wicked Mint Brownie, Java Chip Brownies, and Dried Cherry Brownie.

Fat Witch Bakery is found at Chelsea Market located on 75 9th Avenue (between 15th and 16th streets).

Tomorrow: Hester Street Fair!

Blast to the Past at Sterling Pl.

Some of my childhood memories can be referenced to the weekend trips over the Brooklyn bridge to our brownstone in Park Slope. What felt like an hour in the car was just a 15 minute ride to our house that felt like a country house because of the lack of sky scrapers and bustle of people.

Nowadays, when I head back to the brownstone on Sterling Pl, I have distinct memories and familiar smells that immediately rush into my mind whenever I'm there. But what I find so interesting are the things I never noticed when I was 4 years old.

The closets are filled with things from the 80s, which makes me believe this is just a convenient time capsule. Of course, it's filled with the dirt and grime of the 80s as well. Take a peek:

MJ jacket look-alike? Shoulder pads included.

Ugly Christmas Sweater Time

Bike Reflector Turquoise Shirt, Courtesy of the 80s/early 90s

Mismatched Textured Vest. Fringe and Floral Included As a MUST

There you have it- some of what can be found from the 80s/90s fashion/ pop culture craze...The big question is: to reuse or donate?

Giving Love Back to the Madre

Mother's Day weekend was full of warmth, love, and great weather. Saturday was a day of surprise as we headed down to Pier 25 to find a parade of mermaid like gargantuan puppets and new yorkers dressed in full-fledged sparkle costumes.

Pier 25: Manhattan, NYC

The fun part was being able to take in the beauty and sun at the pier without having to travel too far.

Playground Adventures Under the Sun

Sunday was a day of fun as we headed to the Rebecca Minkoff sample sale before it packed its bags, literally, to the west coast. A purple suede Rebecca Minkoff Collection bag and a gray large zip wallet later and we were entirely parched. We followed our thirst for Starbucks and then decided to walk all the way back home. Our nonchalant walk led to stops at Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, and Madewell (of course).
The best part of this was the spontaneity. There was no purpose for this walk. No goal of going to a particular place and running a particular errand. It was pure adventure.

A Large Dog Spotted: Dean and Deluca, Soho

Chocolate Covered Strawberries: Whole Foods, Tribeca

 Hope your Mother's Day was as joyful as mine!

Polo, anyone?

The annual Veuve Cliquot Polo match is just a few weeks away, but that doesn't mean it's too early to prepare for it. The scene is an exact replica of the polo match scene in Pretty Woman except I'm predicting more urban inspired styles integrated into the classic, sophisticated Hampton's look.

Lauren Santo Domingo

Veuve Cliquot Polo Match 2011, Governor's Island

Some of the ladies opt for the long and demure dresses while others prefer the short and modern style. But what is present on every man, woman, and dog is the hat. Whether it's long brimmed or short, floral or solids, and wool or straw made, you will find hats of all sorts. The variety is endless and I can't wait to see what's in store this year. Hugh Jackman was the host last year so I'm excited to see who can top last year's hosting abilities.

And like every annual event, there are always a few changes. This year, the venue will be at Liberty State Park where the sites are tad different. Let's hope the venue doesn't bring in any Snooki-like party crashers and hair poofs.

Pictures from last year's Veuve Cliquot Polo Match

With all the fun that happens at the polo match, dress in your best prep-chic outfits, pack your sun hats, and head to Liberty State Park to watch some polo! (Tickets to be purchased beforehand)

New York, New York

My first evening back in my hometown feels nothing more than pure bliss. The scent of city life fills my nostrils even more as the car brings me closer back home. Unfortunately, that blissful feeling only lasted a few seconds until I had to carry all of my bedding, luggage, and miscellaneous items stuffed into boxes up to my apartment complex. After being stuffed in the back seat for 4.5 hours, all I've been waiting to do was to raid my closet and fridge. While that may not have happened hours after moving back home, I had taken a wonderful evening walk to Au Bon Pain for some oatmeal raisin cookies. But what I had loved so much about the walk was being comforted by the sky high buildings and busy city streets.

City Hall, Manhattan

With buildings so tall, it makes the city feel so immense as if the possibilities were endless.

Rebecca Minkoff Becky Jacket, Online

But you won't be hearing many people call blazers, "lady jackets."

You will be seeing the Essie colors of the rainbow at Bed Bath and Beyond.

It's good to be home, New York. I've missed you dearly. More adventures to come...

Summer Starts NOW

In spite of all things that may have gone wrong in academia today, I am glad to say that school's out and summer is in! Home will feel like more than just a three month hiatus from Albany; it might even feel like a true vacation. Here are the highlights for the coming month:

I will be on a Rebecca Minkoff sample sale extravaganza with my mother perusing through every bag from Wednesday-Sunday. We are true lovers of the Minkoff brand!

By the end of May, I will be working with Juliette Longuet, an extremely talented French fashion designer, for an extravagant event at Waldorf-Astoria's Guerlain Spa! I have worked with her for years and I can't wait to be surrounded by everything fashion! Time to shed those study pounds and shape up for a night of fun, clothes, with Juliette Longuet and Guerlain!

Lastly, I will be so ecstatic to see this during my morning runs across the Brooklyn Bridge. There is no place like home. There is no place like home.