{outfit post} savage beauty...

Not me, McQueen! On a deliciously sunny and warm late Sunday morning, Meghan and I met on the steps of The Met to see the exhibit the fashion world has been buzzing about for months - Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty.

Believe the hype, give in to the excitement, and get yourself to this wonderful feast for your couture-loving senses. There are over 150 examples of the late designer's work, from gowns made of clam shells to a headpiece of butterflies. Not to mention that mesmerizing hologram of Kate Moss. I found the exhibit to be vastly superior than last year's efforts of the Costume Institute, so don't be thrown off if you were disappointed by their retrospective of American fashion.

Meghan and I drifted slowly from room to room, absolutely bug-eyed over the creations from McQueen's time at Givenchy and his eponymous label, some on loan from the design houses, and many from the personal collection of Isabella Blow, now looked after by Daphne Guinness.

Per usual for a Sunday in New York City, I woke feeling under-rested but overly-excited to get going and get an iced coffee in my veins. After seeing that the forecast promised sunny skies and pleasing temperatures, I opted for my spring go-to of shorts and close-toed shoes - oh, and a turband, obviously.

Gap sweater and (Tully's) Gap shorts; vintage belt; DV Dolce Vita tassel flats; American Apparel carry all; Anthropologie scarf; Ray Ban Avaitors; vintage necklaces; Michael Kors watch; Marc by Marc Jacobs bangle.

 (Oops, I forgot to take my little museum "M" pin off my necklace. And also apparently needed at least six bobbi pins to wrangle my bangs.)

The roof of The Metropolitan Museum of Art has to be one of my favorite places in the city. The views are incredible. You can look out to the high rises, the hotels, the ridiculous apartments of the Upper East Side, and over all the lush and crazily green trees of Central Park. The current installation up there is a sort of bizarre smattering of huge metal shapes, and it's not nearly as fun as the insane bamboo structure that towered over the museum last season. Bonus? There's a bar. Even if you aren't into art (or awesome Egyptian temples) it's worth paying a few dollars to bypass all that and spend some time up there drinking in how handsome Midtown can look from a comfortable distance.

I'm sorry I'm wearing sunglasses again, and I'm sorry that they're the same ones I always wear. This is annoying, even to me. If I'm being completely honest though, the whole turband thing looks a lot better with the shades. While indoors I was feeling totally self conscious about my eyebrows and how kooky the back of my hair starts to look if I move my head around too much. That being said, I do what I want (even if it looks less than perfect) and I want to rock a turband when my outfit needs a little zha zha zhu. This one did.

This easy, over-sized gray sweater got me through the winter - paired with (ugh) leggings and boots - but it feels fresh again with Tully's crisp, pleated white shorts and a woven belt. I played off the green in the scarf with my AA clutch, and then tried to perfect my no-teeth-smile-with-your-eyes face. How am I doing?

Don't answer that.

(Despite teasing myself for my own facial expressions, Meghan really did a great job taking these photos and I thank her for it! You can check out my pictures of her over on Wit & Whimsy.)

just about a year ago...

On a sunny afternoon in May 2010, Tully and I stood in the grass at Oyster Fest in San Francisco, sipping on overpriced cheap beer and trying not to breath in the smell of too much shellfish. We hadn't seen each other in over six months.

All we could talk about was New York City.

She moved the next week, I moved the next month.

Now we see each other everyday.

It's nothing really, except it's everything.

Dreams come true kids, and you can quote me on that.

*Editor's Note: Sometimes, late on a particularly dreary Monday night, when half your roommates are out of town and you're home alone, there's nothing to do except browse photos from a long time ago while trying to comprehend your life before you picked up and moved across the country. I think I now have to create my own eras of time to understand my life up to this point. BNY (before New York) and ITC (In The City). It's rather crazy to think that year 1 ITC is almost over...

**I have two other darling roommates, and I don't want them to feel excluded. Hey G & Moi - love you too!

scenes from the week / weekend...

The last week or so has been total madness (in the best way) over here. One of my best friends from college arrived in town on Wednesday, and my best friend from Seattle arrived Thursday. Since then we've been like whirling dervishes on the streets, parks and subways of Manhattan and Brooklyn. Here's a little peek into the events and adventures...

On Wednesday night, just minutes after Megan arrived from JFK, we hopped the subway out to Prospect Park, beers, blankets and snacks in hand, and parked in the grass to listen to the Bon Iver concert. Alli, Tully, Megan and I met Anderson and Inslee under a shady tree, and let the sounds of "Calgary," "Skinny Love" and "For Emma, Forever Ago," carry us into the late evening.

Thursday evening I was invited to the Anthropologie showroom to celebrate their Color + Print event. In the company of some of my other favorite style bloggers, I had my hair and make up done (red lips = my new favorite thing) and tried on clothes from the fall collection.

After my blogger event, Megan, Jessica and I headed to Los Feliz for a few margaritas and then to so-trendy-it-hurts Beauty & Essex to meet Moira and Tully.

Friday night we merged all kinds of friends and visitors at Company in the East Village. We indulged in 2-for-1 cocktails, and it was a terrific mish-mash of friends I hadn't seen in months and friends I see on the regular.

 So on Saturday we decided to take an adventure to try and see the set of Boardwalk Empire (by recommendation of TimeOut New York) in Brooklyn. Here's a fun fact: You can't. It's all kinds of gated and fenced. So don't believe TONY! Additionally, as illustrated in the candid photo above, it's really hard to find. It takes approximately four iPhones.

After haggling with the security guard for a while, and getting formally rejected, we walked the streets of Brooklyn, through a crazy Cuban street party and made it to Berry Park, a fantastic beer garden with an even more fantastic roof.

Oh, it's just me and my Persols enjoying a Leffe Blonde under the slightly overcast and insanely pleasant skies Saturday afternoon. Wearing Megan's perfect sleeveless-and-slightly-sheer button-down from Forever 21, which I am now obsessed with. 

Alli, Tully, Rach, me & Megs @ Berry Park.

one year ago today...

I sat up abruptly in my little twin size bed and looked across the room. My eyes landed on the two gigantic suitcases waiting expectantly by the door. Even though I was still bleary eyed, I felt a lurch in my stomach so violent it could have thrown me to the ground.

Oh god, it's finally here. I thought. I am getting on a plane today, with a one way ticket to New York City. I have no job, no plan, and a few thousand dollars to my name. What the hell am I thinking?

That was 365 days ago. 

This has been, without a doubt, the most exciting, challenging, fun, frustrating, inspirational, eye-opening, amazing, adventurous, stimulating, ridiculous, wallet-abusive, whiskey-soaked, coffee-fueled, new-friend-filled, and flat out phenomenal 12 months of my life.

And I wouldn't change a damn thing.

I love you New York, happy anniversary.

NYC autumn from above...

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

#partyforgood thank you & photos!

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

March madness...

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

tgif...

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

{outfit post} what i wore + DKNY party...

On a rather sweltering Thursday evening a couple weeks ago, Meghan and I met up in Soho to check out the launch party for What I Wore blogger Jessica Quirk's first book, also titled What I Wore, hosted at the DKNY Soho store. As per the usual with our fashion party adventures, we sipped champagne, admired some really gorgeous clothes and mingled with the other guests.

When I think of DKNY, I think chic, and I think black and white. So I kept things pretty simple, and wore my most basic black mini and a white button down, with some vintage chains and jazzy blue flats.

H&M (men's) button down; Express skirt; Steve Madden flats; Ba&sh clutch; vintage chains; Michael Kors watch; Tiffany bracelet; Persol sunglasses.

In my opinion, there are few sexier articles of clothing than a button down shirt, for a man or a woman. I love to get mine from the men's department of places like J. Crew, Gap and H&M because the fit is slim, but more relaxed than a woman's cut. They tend to be a bit longer as well, making them wildly versatile for tucking, untucking, half-tucking and tying. This look is a pretty standard combination for me, I can't seem to get enough of a good button down these days; especially pairing one with a saucy little skirt for a night out. For me, it strikes the perfect balance of masculine and feminine influences, and with a few vintage chains and flats, you basically have my uniform.

I feel like Meghan had a bit of a Jak & Jil moment with this photo, no?

(Thanks again for snapping the pics, Meghan!)

via Becca: Frenando Volken Togni poster...

So Becca was once a co-worker of Tully, and that makes her a friend of mine. Have we ever met? No. Does that matter in this day-and-age? Clearly not. (If you don't have "internet friends" you're really missing out.) Anyway, being the talented & creative person that she is, she has a really great blog, too. A recent browse revealed a series of "24 Hours In..." posters by artist Fernando Volken Togni. It's probably no surprise that my favorites were New York City and Paris. Check out his site (linked above) to see more of his colorful illustrations.

Via Thought Catalog: Screw New York!

This post from Thought Catalog just made me laugh out loud multiple times in a very populated Starbucks. It's so true it hurts a little.

Screw New York!

I could add a couple things:

Screw New York for getting me to a place where I feel pretty indifferent about the mouse that lives under my stove.

Screw New York for rendering me most likely incapable of ever wanting to do my own laundry, let alone anyone else's, ever again.

Screw New York for having so many incredibly ambitious and talented people living on one island that I'm simultaneously impressed and annoyed with almost everyone I meet.

Screw New York for convincing me that Central Park might be all the nature I really need in my life to survive here for many years without going insane.

Any of you readers out there have any great love/hate New York emotions?

Vent! It feels good, I promise.

a quote to brighten up your wednesday morning...

Miranda: Man, I've had a lot of scuzzy apartments. Why do I think living in Manhattan is so fantastic?

Carrie: Because it is.

(Sex & the City season 6)

there and back again...

Every now and then, when things look particularly dire, I doubt whether I'm cut out for this city. I question if I don't belong somewhere else, somewhere where life is - easier. Less expensive, less competitive, less cramped, less crazy. Because New York City is nothing if not those things.

By a stroke of luck and generosity, I got to steal away from the city this past weekend. I got to relax by a pool, take long drives along palm-lined streets, buy cocktails that only cost $5 and hang out in my friend's condo with a walk-in closet.  Phoenix has nearly perpetual sunshine and mall parking lots half the width of Manhattan. Seriously. Oh, and self-serve frozen yogurt. And did I mention all the swimming pools?

All too soon I was on my flight back, trying to ignore my tingling sunburn and the turbulence by concentrating on Esquire's 'Big Black Book' for Spring/Summer 2011. Somehow my mind drifted from the return of double breasted jackets to the reality of returning to the city, and everything awaiting me on West 19th Street. A familiar feeling of frustration and exhaustion started to take over my thoughts. That LCD Soundsystem song started playing in my head, "New York I love you, but you're bringing me down..."

Anyway, I think I must have been asleep the last time I landed in New York, because I would remember this feeling. The plane dipped to the left, and I peered out the windows across the isle just long enough to see almost the whole of Manhattan - it's 3-D skyline jutting upwards towards the stormy skies - fearless, epic, grand, glamorous, (expensive, crazy, cramped, competitive) Manhattan.

I got a surge of goosebumps down my entire body. I smiled into my magazine, and my chest tightened like it does right before a first kiss. I was soaring above the tiny island that feels like it holds all the possibility for everything I have ever wanted in life. It's all there. Here. I wanted to swan dive right out of that Boeing 747.

So okay okay, feeling all verklempt in an airplane doesn't really mean anything. (Except that I'm perhaps a bit of a nervous flier.) But damn if it doesn't at least remind me that I came here to accomplish some things, and by god I'm going to accomplish them.

Alright, now I'm done. I that was just my long-winded way of saying "Hello! I'm back from my lovely vacation in Arizona and I'm raring to go."


We now return you to your regularly scheduled fashion-based blogging schedule...

{outfit post} bright, bold, brunch...

As I hinted at in a previous post, Sunday was a truly spectacular day in New York City. It felt like the  island of Manhattan decided to put on it's favorite and most flattering outfit, and really get out there and sparkle. The sun rays were warm on my back, trees were showing leaves and blooms, and I had a brunch date I'd been looking forward to for weeks.

I met the lovely and stylish Sonia, of In Pursuit of Style, at my favorite French spot in Chelsea, Le Grainne.  We hit it off instantly - it must have been the matching faux fur vests. Over coffee and Nutella crepes with bananas and strawberries, we chattered away non-stop about everything from Google Analytics to Gucci.

Once we had cleaned every last bit of hazelnut spread off our plates, happily buzzing off caffeine and sunshine, we had a giggly stroll around the neighborhood, snapping a few pictures and figuring out when we could do this again.

Needless to say, it will be soon.

 J Brand jeans; H&M mens' button down; Tully's Tory Burch cardigan; Moira's faux fur vest; Jessica Simpson ballet flats; Ray Ban aviators; American Apparel clutch; freshwater opera length pearls.

Michael Kors watch; Tiffany bangle; vintage chain, stone, glass and gold bracelets; F21 owl ring; O.P.I.'s Jade Is The New Black. 
(Stay tuned for a whole post dedicated to my new AA clutch. It's an obsession.)

I was having sort of a daytime glam moment for brunch that day. What can I say? The bright sun and warm temperatures brought out the top-knot / faux fur / too many bracelets combo in me. Let me tell you: the prospect of hitting the streets sans jacket was almost too much for me to handle. I had to make it count.

Anyway, I have always admired this Tory Burch cardigan that lives in Tully's and my closet, but that was once Moira's. It's the perfect rich, bright hue of orange, and really pops against a white shirt and dark denim. The cozy vest is also Moira's, and I shamelessly borrow it frequently, so it was only a matter of time until it ended up on le blog. Riddle me this readers, what in the world is the point of having three roommates if you don't borrow their clothes? That's right, there isn't one.

Talk stoop.