I love Suzie Kondi — both the person and the brand. And everything she sells is perfection — not just her sweats or her sweaters (I am obsessed with my new sheer skirt I got from her!) but also her socks. WHO KNEW? She currently does not sell them online (only at her store) but I am telling you all to be on the lookout for these socks online and go to her store to get.
The perfect ankle sock to wear with skirts and loafers.
There is so much to love right now — and this is what I am loving!
1. Picnics in October
This past weekend felt like summer in the city. 80 degrees in October! I absolutely loved every minute. Toosh and I had a picnic and she did homework and I needlepointed. Loved it.
This past weekend, I traveled to Ojai, California, to visit my one-and-only-son, Cruzzie at school. It was a fun filled three days (will report more later) and I loved every minute of it (even though the red eye back was intolerable). I stayed at Hotel El Roblar, a brand new hotel in the area that opened up less than 3 months ago. Although it is newly opened, the building has been in existent since 1919. Now, it has been restored by Eric Goode (owner of the Turtle Conservancy and Bowery Hotel, etc…), Ramin Shamshiri, Warner Ebbink and Jeremy McBride. It is a 5- room hotel with two different restaurants, a pool, some giant tortoises, and a hipster vibe. I loved my time there and I cannot wait to return.
Picture of the outside — Spanish architecture. I love this picture (taken from their website)
THIS WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE. If you like to listen to music at home — but you have different music taste than that of your family members or friends, you can blend your music taste and create a playlist that both accounts like. Enter, Spotify Blend. It is simply what you think — a feature that creates a shared, personalized playlist combining the music tastes of you and a friend. Amazing, right? (Apparently, this is an old feature, but I am just now learning about it, and I am so excited that I need to share with you, in case, you, too are old and out of touch).
Thank you, Spotify.
With the start of the new School Year, I am dreaming of lots of new Natori items — undies, bras, pajamas, everything! Here is my wish list:
1. Bliss Serenity Cotton Slip Dress
I love anything cotton that Natori does — it is timeless, comfortable, breathable, and the perfect nightgown. I love this one — and it comes in black and white!
Usually when someone shares a dupe with me, I don’t believe it until I see it in person — and if it is good, then I will copy the fake. So last month when I was in the Bay Area and saw my bestie in a studded belt — I told her immediately I loved her Khaite Belt — she told me it was an amazon fake for 15 dollars. I couldn’t believe it. Everything about the dupe looked EXACTLY like the real deal.
The real. For 650 plus dollars.
15 dollars — OMG YES YES YES YES. Same same but different!
Last summer, my mom got me interested in making baskets — it was a great creative outlet that was different than needlepointing (which I do all the time). I took a 9 month sabbatical from making baskets (I.e. the school year), but this summer, once again, I have found myself interested in making baskets. I LOVE IT. It is so fun, different, challenging, and you get a pretty basket at the end. The best place to get all the kits / equipment / videos is Flax and Twine — this online store is amazing and beautiful, and I love everything they sell. In the past two weeks, I have made two different baskets.
It is WAY more complicated than you think it is. And takes a lot of patience.
Apparently all I do is eat, but when in Los Angeles last week, every activity was planned around where we would eat. My (extremely cute) 90 year old uncle is so adventureous and doesn’t just sit at home — quite the contrary, he is out and about all the time, in touch with the best restaurants and exhibitions, etc….So he suggested going to the ONLY MEXICAN RESTAURANT with a MICHELIN STAR (Holbox) which was right next to the California Science Center — and we jumped on both. We LOVE science museums (interactive, fun, interesting) and we love Mexican food — so win win win!
First of all, this cliche view never gets old. But I loved it on this particular night because you could see a sliver of the moon — nothing makes me happier than pretty skies.
Ok, so going with my theory of always doing something cultural and eating something delicious, we had a great day at Gjusta Bakery and visiting the Getty Villa (different than the Getty Center!) in Los Angeles. These are not next to each other, but it was a quick drive from the bakery to the villa. And we wanted to do both (and recommend both, too!)
GJUSTA BAKERY
Gjusta is the sister restaurant of Gjelina (which is forever my favorite restaurant in LA, and also has the best cookbook and best sticky toffee pudding you will ever eat). It is located in Venice and everything in it is just beautiful and delicious.
Love nothing more than picking fresh fruit in the summer! So this past week, went to one of the many blueberry farms in the area and picked 6.5 pounds of blueberries! Since we always keep 1/3 fresh to eat, 1/3 freeze for future use, and bake something with the remaining 1/3, I went down the rabbit hole of what the best recipe would be to use with these delicious blueberries. Thankfully, found NYTimes recipe on Chez Panisse Blueberry Cobbler and knew that it was a winner. Sure enough, this dessert is incredible and easy to make (double win)
Blueberry picking! Literally half go in my mouth, the other half in the bucket.
I have been in the South of France the past two weeks and have been loving the slow and simple life. Here is what I have been really loving.
1. Exploring by Boat
So much fun to explore the Calanques (the mediterranean version of a fjord) by boat. Highly recommend!
Sorry for the delay in posts — we are in Paris and have been nonstop with activities, museums, steps, and eating! The best! Anyways, I am now no longer jet lagged, no longer every second packed, and so I am baaaaaack. One highlight of the past week was a trip to Giverny, where Monet lived and painted. In all the years I have spent coming to Paris, I have never ever been to Giverny before. And it did not disappoint! Not only that, it exceeded expectations, and I highly suggest that everyone make a trip to Giverny if you have not yet been.
Every morning on our way out the door, we took our photos and did OOTD (outfits of the day) where we told each other our outfits.
Never have I ever tried a body balm as luxurious, hydrating, and smooth as this one — Olena Body Bliss Balm. It not only makes your skin feel fabulous and supple and soft, but it smells delicious, too.
Black non-discrete container.
May here we are! (or Mid-May, here we are!) This is what I am loving right now.
1. Murals in the city
Murals. Love Biggie.
This past weekend, the family flew out to Ojai, California, to be a part of the Gymkhana Weekend at Cruzzie’s school. This “Gymkhana” is the culmination of Thacher’s mandatory freshman horse program. As a freshman, you are given a horse for the year, where you are responsible for them, day in and day out. EVERY SINGLE DAY, the freshmen have to muck (before classes — rain or shine, Saturday and Sunday), feed (every evening), and learn how to ride (5 afternoons per week). This program teaches discipline, routine, courage, care, and skills. Gymkhana is one of Thacher’s central traditions where the ninth graders (and many upperclassmen who continue to ride) compete on teams in all sorts of horse races: barrels and poles, the rescue race, ring spearing, even the notoriously-difficult Silver Dollar Pick-up. It was a one of a kind weekend — so proud of Cruzzie, so proud of his classmates, and in awe with their hardworking, dedication, skills, and heart.
Practice on Friday afternoon when we arrived.
As many of you know, one of my favorite pastimes is to browse gourmet grocery stores. Yes, I know, weird, but nothing is as calming and fun than being in a great grocery store! So it is no surprise that on one of my recent trips to a great grocery, I came across, Doughy. Doughy is a healthy cookie dough company, where you can eat the dough raw, or bake it like a normal cookie. This dough is vegan, gluten free, grain free, low in calories and sugar, and made only with 7 ingredients. WAAAAAAYYYY healthier than eating Pillsbury cookie dough (which I often do) and also, way tastier.
I fell in love with this company that I needed more than the little tub I got at the grocery, and went straight online, to their website and purchased a case of 3. I have yet to try all of them, but knowing that I finished a mini tub on my own, I have complete faith that I will be able to eat all this before summer time.
Super cool, my bestie’s daughter created a candle company as a class project for her school, Girls Middle School (in California). The assignment was in her entrepreneurial class, in order to teach the students how to create a business from start to end. Rosie, along with three other friends, started No Cap Candles. This company is a brand of candles with trendy names, designed for teens.
As a supporter of Rosie, I of course, was going to buy at least one candle. But because the candles are SO creative, zesty, full of fun and spark, I had to buy one of each! How could I not! I am so so so impressed by Rosie, her dedication to this company, and how the end result is so great.
Last week, I took my THIRD flower workshop, and I couldn’t have loved it more. In the past five years, I have taken three flower arrangement classes, all from the NYC florist, Flower Girl. Every time, I leave having more of a sense of how to create a beautiful creation. Trust me, if you have access to take a flower arrangement class, take it. So fun. So fun. And I love coming home with a new bouquet, too! WIN WIN.
Final Product!
OK, I didn’t believe it at first — but there is NOTHING like these almonds. Nothing. Sorry, I wish you could find “sprouted raw almonds” that tasted just like this from somewhere else, but nope, not possible. Only from Juice Press.
These almonds. Worth the hype. I didn’t want to believe it. But they are this good. Trust me. You can buy them at Juice Press (which btw, ships nationally!)
My 7th grade daughter, Tusia, has been on the search for the perfect rings for quite some time. Problem is, she has tiny little fingers, and we didn’t want to break the bank with a ring. So when I remembered Catbird — a Brooklyn based Jewelry company that I fell in love with two decades ago, I knew it was the perfect place for us to go look at for rings. And it was EVERYTHING and more than we had hoped for. The staff was incredible, all the jewelry beyond perfect, reasonable prices, and exactly what we were looking for.
We ended up getting two rings so she could stack them. She wanted them on her pointer finger — and they literally had every size imaginable — so it was perfect.
YUMMMMMMM. One of my family’s favorite food items is chocolate croissants — I mean, WHO doesn’t love chocolate croissants??? So when in the Flatiron area of Manhattan last Friday, I fell upon not one, but two, different bakeries, that were so beautiful and scrumptious, that I had to get something at each. First off….
The store looked like a museum. On the ground floor, there was a sit down cafe, and to order take out, you walked up the stairs to where the baked goods were all displayed and where you placed the order. Even the bags are beyond chic and beautiful.
In browsing the Natori website (which I do often, and you should too!), I came across the Natori Peony Glamour Gown and fell head over heels in love.
Isn’t this gorgeous? Also — I love this photo. Gorgeous model, hair, photograph and most of all THE NIGHTGOWN!!!!
I know that this is weird, but I discovered the best socks on Amazon, and I need to share them with you. 10 socks for less than 25 dollars. Not only is the price amazing (some times socks cost 25 dollars per PAIR!!! This is 10 pairs for 25 dollars!!!), but the socks themselves are the perfect sock. The colors, the fit, the comfort, the appropriate thickness — they check every box. Every time I reach for a pair of socks in my (unorganized) sock bin, I hope to grab one of these pairs. They are hands down the best socks.
Technically, they are men’s socks, but they are a perfect fit for men and women! I love the Fall color scheme of them, too.
Recently, I came across a booth at a farmer’s market with the most incredibly happy and delightful garlands. Ever since I saw them, I am trying to figure out (a) how to make them (b) what I would do with them. Take a look at these insane beauties.
Ombre of colors.
This morning when I was walking the dog, I was in disbelief that there were Christmas lights on so many of the stores along Madison Avenue….but then I realized, we are 2/3 done with November and it is almost December….how did this happen? In any case, Christmas light season here we are. And here is what I am currently loving.
When I went to visit Cruzzie, I thought it would be nice to bring him and his friends something from NYC to CA. It had to be compact, easy to travel with, and something everything would like — which turns out to be candy. Bonbon candy. It was a huge hit and worth lugging it across the country.
