{guest gift guide} the artistic fashionista...

I was lucky enough to have my parents finally come visit me out here this past weekend. It was a trip almost two years coming - and I can't express how excited I was to show them around my New York and see them for the first time since Christmas.

We had a great weekend - a perfect balance of their uptown, upscale Manhattan of past visits, and my downtown day-to-day life. All the things we did piece together like a pretty great guide to wining and dining with a dash of culture and shopping from Soho to the Upper East Side:


{We dined.}

• Gotham Grill: White table clothes, amazing seafood and a very 90s New York vibe, like Gramercy Tavern and totally delicious (the seafood salad is unreal)
• The Modern: minimalist, fancy and contemporary - just like the museum (amazing duck confit)
• db Bistro Moderne: fancy and delicious
  
• The Standard Grill: great spot for an early breakfast al fresco
  
• Public: trendy, brunch-y, delicious lentil salad and great drinks
• La Piscine: on the roof of Hotel Americano; lots of delicious fried seafood with a side of DJ
  
• Brasserie Julienne: cute little french joint on 2nd Ave in the 80s, live jazz with your moules frites
  
• Morandi: loud, busy and seriously great Italian fare on Waverly and 7th Ave
  

{We drank.}

• La Piscine: Before dinner every night we had cocktails on the roof with an amazing view of the city
  
• Kingswood: After dinner at db, I brought my parents to meet up with friends and see one of my favorite West Village bars
  
• Public: a dirty martini for Mom, a bourbon iced tea for me and the Bloody Maria for Dad
  

{We saw.}

• The MoMA:the Cindy Sherman exhibit was cool and creepy, but the permanent exhibits are always refreshing and unmissable
  
• The East River Ferry: A fun and unique way to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn - especially on a warm day; we took it to and from 34th street to the flea market 
• Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg): people watching, antique-ing and artisianal everything - of course
  
• The Met: My favorite museum in Manhattan, and the Steins Collection and Shiaparelli and Prada exhibit were crowded but truly wonderful (unfortunately the Cloud City exhibit on the roof was closed for weather)

{We shopped.}

• Uniqlo @ 53rd & 5th: picked up 4 shirts for my dad, but the crazy atmosphere and sheer amount of clothes is a little too much
  
• Treasure & Bond: cool, well-curated jewelry, gifts and apparel on lower West Broadway in Soho
  
• MoMA Design Store: so many unique and useful knick-knacks, and perfectly sized art prints for $10

be my valentine...

I was lucky enough to have my parents finally come visit me out here this past weekend. It was a trip almost two years coming - and I can't express how excited I was to show them around my New York and see them for the first time since Christmas.

We had a great weekend - a perfect balance of their uptown, upscale Manhattan of past visits, and my downtown day-to-day life. All the things we did piece together like a pretty great guide to wining and dining with a dash of culture and shopping from Soho to the Upper East Side:


{We dined.}

• Gotham Grill: White table clothes, amazing seafood and a very 90s New York vibe, like Gramercy Tavern and totally delicious (the seafood salad is unreal)
• The Modern: minimalist, fancy and contemporary - just like the museum (amazing duck confit)
• db Bistro Moderne: fancy and delicious
  
• The Standard Grill: great spot for an early breakfast al fresco
  
• Public: trendy, brunch-y, delicious lentil salad and great drinks
• La Piscine: on the roof of Hotel Americano; lots of delicious fried seafood with a side of DJ
  
• Brasserie Julienne: cute little french joint on 2nd Ave in the 80s, live jazz with your moules frites
  
• Morandi: loud, busy and seriously great Italian fare on Waverly and 7th Ave
  

{We drank.}

• La Piscine: Before dinner every night we had cocktails on the roof with an amazing view of the city
  
• Kingswood: After dinner at db, I brought my parents to meet up with friends and see one of my favorite West Village bars
  
• Public: a dirty martini for Mom, a bourbon iced tea for me and the Bloody Maria for Dad
  

{We saw.}

• The MoMA:the Cindy Sherman exhibit was cool and creepy, but the permanent exhibits are always refreshing and unmissable
  
• The East River Ferry: A fun and unique way to get between Manhattan and Brooklyn - especially on a warm day; we took it to and from 34th street to the flea market 
• Brooklyn Flea (Williamsburg): people watching, antique-ing and artisianal everything - of course
  
• The Met: My favorite museum in Manhattan, and the Steins Collection and Shiaparelli and Prada exhibit were crowded but truly wonderful (unfortunately the Cloud City exhibit on the roof was closed for weather)

{We shopped.}

• Uniqlo @ 53rd & 5th: picked up 4 shirts for my dad, but the crazy atmosphere and sheer amount of clothes is a little too much
  
• Treasure & Bond: cool, well-curated jewelry, gifts and apparel on lower West Broadway in Soho
  
• MoMA Design Store: so many unique and useful knick-knacks, and perfectly sized art prints for $10

getaway girl: the perfect weekender

I'm actually staying in town this Memorial Day weekend (shudder), but I have a couple of great weekend trips lined up already for the upcoming summer months. That seems to be my jam when it comes to travel these days since I can't really afford to take extended vacations. I treat myself to weekend jaunts every now and then to feel refreshed and renew my love for this urban jungle I now call home.

Currently, I use a pretty standard one-two combination of my beat up Longchamp shopper and my Le Sport Sac weekend duffel or The North Face backpack. The shopper and the backpack are both black, which is fine of course, but I have grown tired of the floral print of my Le Sport Sac. I want something that matches my more East Coast-infused life/style. Personally, I am craving a new weekend bag that's not too feminine, can get dirtied if it needs to, and will help limit my over-packing tendencies. Oh, and no wheels, please.

Since I'm aware that not all my readers are looking for the same style of bag, but we're probably all looking to get away for a bit this summer, I've compiled some selections of different duffels and totes that should perfectly fit everything from bikinis, board shorts, and boat shoes to books, button downs, and basically anything else.

(PS: The image above is of course by Inslee, and is rather how I imagine I will look during my various beach getaways...)

The Traditionalist:

Eddie Bauer Washed Canvas Duffel - $59.50

LL Bean Sea-Washed Canvas Duffle - $60

Filson Duffle (Medium) - $295

The Girly-Girl

Vera Bradley Large Duffel (Twirly Birds Navy) - $80
Weekend Duffel in Lotus, by StudioCherie on Etsy - $149

Le Sport Sac Large Weekender (Blossom Lake) - $108
Tory Burch Coated Canvas Beach Tote - $250

The Coastal Kid

 True Wind Sailor Bag (large) - $175

Ralph Lauren Canvas Deckhand tote - $195 
Angela Adams and Sea Bags for J. Crew pocket sail bag - $198
Sea Bags for J. Crew mermaid sail tote - $198


The Best of the Rest

 Green Stripe Coffee Travel Bag by TheWren on Etsy - $170
Jack Spade Nylon Wing Duffel - $395 
Marc By Marc Jacobs D2 Hillsy Weekend Bag - $558
American Apparel Large Denim Carry-All - $58

Anyone out there have a superior weekend bag they'd love to share with us?
Happy travels!

a dream, of the garden variety...

Soon, when I am living a decadent life of luxury (one complete with a salaried job and my own bedroom) I will treat myself to fresh Peonies and Ranunculus by my bed all the time. Peonies have long been my favorite of all flowers, and I think Inslee put it perfectly that Ranunculus are "the best. Like totally laid-back, unpretentious roses."

I figure, if I'm not (yet) waking up next to Prince Charming, I might as well wake to something just as lovely and gorgeous. I mean, right?

Of course, I realize this post has nothing to do with fashion. However, a fashionable girl/boy should have a favorite bloom that is not a ridiculous, long-stem, red rose. So, what's yours?

(Images via Google search, found on Apartment Therapy &  Southern Accents.)