INSPIRATION: wall of clocks

I’ve eaten at this charming East Village Italian spot, Orologio, a few times without ever really noticing its incredibly unique interior. On first glance, it seems to be a classy European-inspired front with delightful outdoor seating, and the floor-to-ceiling windows open to allow for a nice breeze. The owner and staff is surprisingly brilliant – friendly and welcoming.

(My charming sausage & spinach omelette dish for Sunday brunch)

After my most recent visit with a few girlfriends for a lovely New York City Sunday brunch affair, I was instantly inspired by Orologio‘s captivating decor. There were clocks, or ‘orologios’, everywhere. After dreaming up my eventual wall of hooks earlier this month, I found another use for a future wall of mine: antique clocks. Grandfather, cuckoo, tick-tock-tick.

Obsessed.

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twilight wedding couture

Whether you like the Twilight books or not, there’s no escaping the craze that plasters every magazine, blog, and poster these days. (I’m more of a TrueBlood fan, myself, but either way: Vampires are so hot right now)

SPOILER ALERT: With the anticipation of the alleged ‘wedding’ between the characters Edward & Bella in the third movie, InStyle.com rounded up a crop of fabulous designers to sketch their idea of Bella’s gown: Monique Lhuillier, Erin Fetherston, Brian Reyes, Max Azria, Prabal Gurung, Lela Rose, Christian Siriano, Badgley Mischka, and Zac Posen.

In Eclipse, “Bella’s dress is described as an early 1900s design (which complements her antique engagement ring) with friend and Maid of Honor Alice Cullen’s modern tweaks to the train and veil.”

(InStyle.com, Monique Lhuillier)

Monique Lhuillier’s design is by far my favorite, but I may be biased because she is also my favorite wedding gown designer in general. This gown captures a vintage style with an updated silhouette, perfect for the reserved and interesting Bella. It also would do wonders for Kristen Stewart’s boxy & thin frame, adding elegance with the delicate lace high-neck and a terrific sash for a feminine curve.

My second favorite is a similar, Lela Rose design, which is more angelic and sweet than the Lhuillier.

(InStyle.com, Lela Rose)

To view the rest of the slideshow, click here.

epilogue features ‘the sartorialist’

(Shorts Summer in Florence, The Sartorialist)

My friend, Corban, helped develop and create an online magazine called Epilogue. As a new endeavor, this ‘literary journal’ incorporates many new artists, underground music, cultural statements, and in-depth interviews with a crop of interesting intellectuals. I receive the weekly digest of new stories every Monday and was elated to see that Corban had interviewed my own personal blog crush himself: Scott Schuman, the Sartorialist.

Highlights from the interview include:

On Scott Schuman’s Midwest upbringings: That’s absolutely a huge part of what informed my eye. I don’t shoot too many things that are just dramatically crazy over-the-top. I think that I shoot a lot of things that people can relate to… Growing up in Indiana where that stuff is not readily available or easily available, I learned how to maintain a certain romance and see it in a certain way.

How The Sartorialist idea was developed: Like anybody I like to people watch. I can’t say that I’m a big aficionado or anything of street style… I love all the magazines, all the Vogue’sand the GQ’s, all the big magazines or the little ones. So for me it was just kind of a supplement, to allow for a great fantasy world where street style is much more reality based.

On the global spread of his photos: One of the things that I knew was that because it was Internet and it was so photo-driven, people didn’t have to speak English to enjoy the site… I end up writing a little bit more just to help people see it in the direction that I saw it, to be able to enjoy the audience I’ve created and be a part of that conversation. But past that, I like having people make up their own minds about how they think about something.

Food for thought: These bigger guys that I shoot, they say, I took that picture to Nordstrom’s and asked the guy to help get me dressed like this. Things like that are great because it’s not about them buying expensive suits, it’s about looking at one of the images I’ve taken and figure how they feel they can make their life better.

Read the rest of the interview here.

i clicked my heels, and here i am.

I’m back from New York City, and boy do I need to catch up!

More blog love coming your way soon.

xoxo,
nae

(Marie Claire, Mark Abrahams)

p.s. just picked up Marie Claire Sept09. can’t wait to devour.

rock and republic’s spikes

Rock & Republic, Fall 09 campaign. (via Fashion Copious)

The second I saw this, I gasped! The “Roma” dress looks so absolutely glam, but I knew I’d seen it done terribly wrong before. Kristen Stewart attempted to rock this sharp dress at the Teen Choice Awards this past weekend… and it was plain awful.

(Jason Merritt/Getty Images)

Most of the time, celebrities make designer dresses look fabulous (and shame the rest of us for ever thinking we could look that good). But in this case? I’ll take the glam ad campaign over bored and unenthused Kristen Stewart any day.

new perez!

I love me some Perez Hilton just as much as the next person, but I’m surprisingly lukewarm about his new sister site: CocoPerez.com.

It’s his soapbox to whisper even more celebrity gossip and news, but with a focus on fashion and style. But waaaait, who said Perez has any semblance of a fashion sense?

(Getty Images)

About his non-fashion background, Perez tells Yahoo!: “I think it’s great that I don’t [have a fashion background] because it gives me an objective yet opinionated look into the world of fashion that my readers can relate to. I like to think, even though I dress like a clown, I know what looks good on women, the same way I know what sounds good musically. I’m not trying to be a tastemaker. I’m just trying to have fun with fashion the way I have fun with celebrities and the way I have fun with fashion in my own life.”

UPDATED: Not sure if that’s enough justification, especially when he’s been misspelling designer names. “A Loyal Fan” of one of my favorite fashion blogs, Fashionista, says this on the matter:

“I’m offended that he even thinks he can legitimately comment on fashion – especially when he spells Gaultier Gautier and thinks someone in London makes clothes under the name Garth Pugh… I mean the stories so far are ripped straight from your headlines! He’s clearly stealing content from Jezebel and WWD, too without crediting anyone and more importantly without bringing anything new to the discussion.”

A responder, “B,” wrote in the comments, “CocoPerez will be the fast food of fashion blogging, cheap and flavorless. It will be fashion dumbed down for the general public who pretend to care about fashion, aspiring to spend their pennies on Uggs and Juicy.”

What do you think of the new Perez site?

searching for: a yellow cardigan

I don’t know about you, but some of my dresses are screaaaming for a cardigan. A little extra coverage never hurt anyone!

(American Eagle, originally $44)

I just have to throw it out there that I was obsessed with this dress when I saw it online earlier in the summer. It’s just the cutest little paisley print, and has the perfect dark blue and white coloring that screams summer. It even screamed, “Pair me with a red belt and you could wear me to your Fourth of July party!” It screamed a lot of things at me! I just had to have my hands on it.

When I received it, however, it didn’t fit exactly right. But, I still loved it for all that it was and saw the potential. Except now every time I try it on, it’s screaming something else: “Pair me with a cardigan! Yellow, perhaps?”

From a simple ShopStyle search, I was lost in a sea of yellow cardigans: short-sleeved, flutter-sleeved, prim, slouchy, mustard, neon, bright, pastel. As for price and appeal, I thought this one looked most appropriate (minus the belt!).

(Forever 21, $32)

What do you think of this combination? Any suggestions for my love affair with this dress, and a new addition to make me feel more comfortable in it?

thank you, Scott Schuman

(The Sartorialist)

The first and only time I have Pre-Ordered a book to have it delivered in a nice little cardboard box for my immediate enjoyment, was for this fabulous book that I am itching in anticipation to look at and gobble up.

My favorite ‘street’ style blogger, Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist, has released his book and today, August 12, 2009, is my lucky day where it will finally be mine… ALL MINE.

If I could shake that man’s hand one day, I would say to him, “Mr. Schuman, you have inspired me to open my eyes, look at the world, and see the beauty in the stitching, the material, the composition, the pairings, the color, and most importantly, the aura of fashion around the world and on the streets. Fashion is a vibe, it’s alive, and it’s beautiful. Thank you.”

etsy craving: vintage watch ring

Who needs to tell time when you’ve got the fabulous inner-workings of a watch on your finger? With antique gears and a dazzling Swarovski crystal, these Steampunk Vintage Watch Movement Rings are the perfect conversation piece – giving your daytime jeans & tee an automatic vantage point or adding to the overall effect of a fun floral vintage dress.

This Etsy seller, QA Create, sells a lot of jewelry by recycling vintage eye-catching details, including old typewriter keys, lego pieces, and antique coins. Another one of my favorite gift items are the Authentic Baseball Sterling Silver cufflinks, which are perfect for that All-American baseball fan in your life.

the perfect refreshment

This drink looks absolutely divine on a 100-degree summer day.

(Photo and recipe courtesy of my favorite food blog, Life’s Ambrosia)

You will need:

• 6 lemons
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups simple syrup (recipe follows)
• 1 (16 ounce) container strawberries, hulled and halved
• 1 quart sparkling water
• ice cubes
• mint for garnish

1. Roll the lemons back and forth a couple of times on the counter to release the juices. Cut the lemons in half juice into a bowl. Remove any seeds that may have fallen into the juice.  You should get about 1 cup of lemon juice.
2. Using an immersion blender or regular blender, blend the strawberries with the 1/2 cup of the simple syrup, until smooth.
3. Pour lemon juice, strawberry puree, 1/2 cup simple syrup and sparkling water into a pitcher. Add more simple syrup if you want a little more sweetness. Add ice cubes. Chill until ready to drink.
4. Place more ice cubes in a glass, pour in chilled lemonade, garnish with mint sprig. Enjoy!

Simple Syrup

• 1 part sugar
• 1 part water

1. Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Bring to a boil. Stir until sugar has dissolved.
3. Cool completely.

Happy Saturday! Enjoy!