Emily in the Apple

Renewal

2010-12-08T15:37:00.000-08:00

AHHHH! I have been gone for so long, but have no fear as I am back for good. My life has brought lots of changes in the past few months a new home, a new job, new friends, a renewal of my spirit, new relationships, and a new life! Through all of these things changing one thing has stayed the same, God is good. He has been leading my steps to get back into a relationship with him and has been drawing me closer to his spirit weeding out all of the missteps I have taken in the past few years and in the past in general. Learning to be renewed by his spirit and by discipline in my life, trying to not be hardened to the world that I am apart of and trying to focus my life on the most important things of the heart.

Here are a few pics of things changing in my life:

A beautiful brooklyn photo-shoot by Jessica Lorren. Love her <3

Catching the first snowflakes.

A beautiful road trip to Virginia

A new love in my life named Norma.

Your own Private Island

2010-06-21T12:44:00.000-07:00

Belize Please! This WILL BE my next major vacation, hopefully in the fall/winter. Amazeballs!

This is the Island that you will be swept away to once you arrive on the mainland. No one around, no cell phones allowed, privacy and relaxation are all you have. And, the 2nd largest reef in the world to explore is at your finger tips.

Click here if you are dying to see more: http://www.aprivateisland.com/

You might want to refrain from clicking until you get home from the office as you might get carried away.

SpanX

2010-06-17T10:31:00.000-07:00

The need for good shape wear and the fact that some of us actually wear shape wear in our twenties, is not something that we all talk about. But it is true, especially for us curvy girls. Shape wear is so essential to the smoothing out of all the imperfections (not that I have any), and really tightening up the assets when we need to. The brand that I and many others prefer is Spanx. I myself own a couple different pair of spanx to wear with different dresses or things of that sort and when I wear then, even though quite constricting, I feel pounds lighter and really happy with the shape I have (even though I am happy with my body without them too). Well, I have a revolution that I just stumbled upon, Spanx is now making swimwear!! Yes it is true, amazing one-pieces, not granny-esque but young, fresh and fun swimsuits that hug all of the right places to give you a flawless figure. Finding a bathing suit that fits my shape perfectly has been a challenge for me all of my life. Growing up on the beach I have had every type of suit you could imagine, but having a curvy body with boobs, hips and a butt but also having small shoulders and a tiny waist it is hard to find something that fits all areas while also flattering. Thus I am going to give the spanx suit a go, and with my love for one-pieces this shouldn't be that hard, I will review and follow up later. Here is the one that I like:

Like Miranda stated in the infamous Sex and the City 2 movie (which I loved by the way, saw it twice) "I've tricked my body into thinking it's thinner. It's called Spanx!"

NAAG

2010-06-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

NAAG is an online magazine run by two beautiful trend-setters who live in NYC, you might have heard of the creative director a Ms. Agyness Deyn. This mag is a fun, humorous and sophisticated look at fashion, beauty, culture and places around the city. Check it out at http://naag.com/

Photo courtesy of Naag.com

Five Fave Places

2010-06-10T10:12:00.000-07:00

I love the world soo much and there is something so unique and different about every place I explore. But I have to say, it is not the exact place that gets me, it is the memories that I make in that particular place that makes my heart long to return. In no particular order:

The beach where I grew up, Siesta Key, FL. I have so many great memories there from childhood to adulthood. It is a place where I get lost in the memories of my life, from family times to high school and so many more. My life can be told by the sand at this beach.

Romping around the Puerto Rican rain forest with all of my closest friends from College. I love these girls with all of my heart and I constantly pray for a day that we will all be together again!

The Dinosaur Tree in Palm Beach and the strip of beach that is overlooking the inter coastal and WPB city skyline. Dubbed "Paradise" in college because it was always a place that we would escape to, and also holds some of my fondest memories of Reed and I's budding romance. We spent many a night laying under that tree star-gazing and talking.

Speaking of Reed, basically anywhere in the world with this guy. We have been to a lot of places and it really doesn't matter where we are as long as we have each other. My favorite place we traveled together was through the dense forests in Washington state, he was so at ease navigating through his homeland. He is my heart!

The most-amazing, ever encapsulating city in the world where I currently live. There is no more of a place to me that feels like home than this one. This city can really eat people up, and is clearly not for everyone but somehow it has taken hold of me and I am not sure if it will ever let go. I heart NY and it hearts me back.

Swimming or any water activities, preferably in the ocean. Whether in the Gulf, the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean or the Irish Sea I love being in the water. The weightless feeling of moving with the tides and feeling the salt penetrate your skin. I love the Ocean.

Omitted places that will forever hold a place in my heart: London (where I spent the first half of my Junior year in college), Paris (My favorite city in the world next to NYC), Uganda and Kenya, Africa (some of the most growing experiences in my life and where I truly fell in Love with Jesus).

CFDA Awards

2010-06-08T12:04:00.000-07:00

I love fashion, and being that I love fashion I in-turn love the CFDA awards. Last night was the 28th Annual Council of Fashion Designers of America ceremony at Lincoln Center and all of the most amazing people came out. Again, I really wish I got off work early enough to head up there to see the all of the amazing red carpet looks, there were definitely a lot of show-stoppers. It is hard to choose favorites because there is such a wide range at the CFDA's and fashion is very interpretive, there is not just one thing that is appropriate even though it is black-tie. Here are a few that stood out to me.

My favorite dress of the night, Carmen Kass in Michael Kors who was awarded the Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award. Yay to you MK!

Dakota Fanning in Marchesa, she has really grown up to be quite the stylish young lady.

Dree Hemingway in Calvin Klein. Very classic all white pant suit on a beautiful model. I like.

Joan Smalls with Monique Péan. Futuristic and Metallic a very keen combo.

Rachel Zoe in Marc Jacobs who won the womenswear designer of the year award

Sarah Jessica Parker in Alexander McQueen, the actress payed special tribute to the late designer.

Tonne Goodman in Michael Kors. The combination of sequins and a cotton button-up is so chic and high/low I really don't know why I didn't think of this myself. Love Love!

Tamara Mellon, the famed designer of Jimmy Choo, in a very futuristic LBD. She is really rocking it with the hair, shoes and clutch here.

Richard Chai with Hayden Christensen both in Richard Chai. I must confess I really love mens suiting, especially a perfectly tailored suit on a tall skinny very attractive man, that is a little bit off-beat. Hayden Christensen is looking really good here. In my dreams, Reed will own this suit. (I have purchased all of Reed's suiting in the last 3.5 years that we have been together, and that is usually what I buy him on a special occasion, even though I know her would prefer something else, hehe like a man buying a woman a tv. I am horrible I know, but I just can't help myself. He looks soooo good all dressed up!)

Side Note: MK & A were also in attendance at the event and I absolutely love them, along with Whitney Port and Ed Westwick, but they just didn't make the cut. They were looking a bit more shabby than chic! A lot of love though. For the full spread check out style.com and my favorite fashion photographer Tommy Ton capturing candids on the red carpet here http://www.style.com/trendsshopping/stylenotes/060810_Tommy_Ton_CFDA/

Memorial Day Extravaganza

2010-06-07T11:32:00.000-07:00

The pictures pretty much speak for themselves but we ended up moving the party inside after a while due to a slight down-pour. It was a blast to be with friends and enjoy the holiday, a dance party, a mad hatter fashion show, a Broadway number, Lexie's birthday and so many other good times. We will definitely be having another one, but might hold back on the booze a little bit more as everyone ended up getting sick!

The view from my rooftop. <3 this city

one of my favorites

Drinking Smirnoff Ice, who the heck knows why!

She proceeded to do a Broadway number LOVE her!

Juicy

2010-06-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Summer is a time for Juicing! This weekend I brought down my juicer from the storage cabinet she usually lives in above the stove for a new fresh home on the counter top to remind me to use her daily. She is a very faithful servant and makes beautifully delicious juices. I love her to say the least, and I want to utilize her talents more, especially with it being summer (well almost) and all. This weekend I did a detox and will continue to juice all week. I went to a great fruit and veggie market and spend 25$ on almost 20lbs of fresh goodness.

Mmmm... love the colors

A little bit of everything above went into this gem. She was so tasty!

I also juiced some lemons and limes and made fresh limeade for Reed and I's picnic on Sunday! Yummy!!

On the menu this week:

fresh apple juice

grapefruit juice

more mixed veggie juice

carrot and sweet potato juice

Goals

2010-06-02T09:35:00.000-07:00

As we all know I am not the most practical of people, that said here is my list of lifetime and future goals. Some will be impossible to accomplish, but what is the world without dreams right?? This list is revised almost every year and that is the fun part to see what I wanted and where I was at when I set some of these goals. Oh how life changes from day to day, month to month, and year to year and the mystery of never being the same any 2 days of your life is lovely isn't it!

Travel to every country in the world.

Pet a lion.

Build a tree house and sleep in it.

~~Have a nude portrait painted of myself and love it.~~

~~Start a retirement plan.~~

Get my PhD.

Run a hostel.

~~Fall in Love. (Everyday)~~

Be pregnant.

Compete in a triathlon.

~~Take ballet again.~~

Read the entire Bible from front to back.

Start my own non-profit organization.

Have a home on the ocean.

Grow wings so I can fly.

Shave my head.

Run my own vintage shop.

Pay off my student loans.

~~Live in a big city.~~

Write a book.

Cultivate a garden.

Get my deep sea diving certification.

Become a UN Goodwill Ambassador.

Watch a volcano erupt.

Experience the miracle of giving life.

Thanks to Jo Jo and Sarah for giving me inspiration to share. <3 you both.

Em and Em...

2010-05-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

Melt in your mouth not in your hand. One of my most favorite women in the world is getting married tomorrow Miss Mary Emily Kreidel!! I don't say this often but I truly love this woman as a friend and as a person. She is a gem, and if we weren't friends my life would be a whole hell of a lot different. I wish I could be there for her on her most special day tomorrow and it breaks my heart that I can't, but I know she is going to rock it like no other could. We have both grown a lot in the past 8 years since we have been friends, but when I think of her I think of her young, pure, immature heart. She is the best. The best of the best, and I am so lucky to have her in my life (although we are hundreds of miles apart) and I don't deserve a friend as amazing as her. So here is to you Mrs. Fleming my love!!!!!

These pictures don't even begin to do our friendship justice. "em and em, melt in your mouth not in your hand"

Special Treat

2010-05-26T14:02:00.000-07:00

Stolen from Miss Rebecca Lewis <3

No Words...

2010-05-25T09:12:00.000-07:00

Hopped into a random limo not knowing where we were going to end up...

This is where it took us.

haha

Beautiful friends.

40 mph wind

Seriously love these women.

wind again

One-piece at the pool

Ran into old friends from NYC, such a small world

biggest pool party of my lifetime

Chris my friend from high school. Again with the one-piece

best pic of the weekend, Abby is loving life!!

We thought it a good idea to coordinate outfits more than once, gosh we are cool.

Life Motto

2010-05-24T15:48:00.000-07:00

Vegas pre-planning!!

2010-05-19T10:26:00.000-07:00

So I am only one short day away from the thing I have been waiting for all year, Vegas!! I can't believe I leave tomorrow to head to the desert to soak up the sun, play in the pool and have fun with the girls. I am only going for 3 days but I am more excited for this trip than all of the other trips this year combined. Maybe it is because I am going out to celebrate my fabulous friend Ashley's birthday, maybe because we will be relaxing in the sunshine with no stress, and maybe it is because I have the potential to win $$ at the slot machines. I started packing last night and this is what I have in my suitcase so far (mind you I would like to have a carry-on only but might have to upgrade to a checked bag if I can't squeeze everything):

- 1 big red sun hat from FL, 2 Eugina Kim fedora hats, 1 vintage turban hat
- 1 pair of Pierre Hardy wedges, 1 pair of YSL black patent pumps, 1 pair of Louboutin Nude strappy heels, 1 pair Aldo Nude patent pumps
- 1 pair of cheap sandals
- 4 one-piece bathing suits (DVF, Zac Posen, Trina Turk and Vintage)
- 7 bikinis (not even sure who)
- 3 cover-ups
- 2 pair of shorts (denim high waisted)
- 2 tank tops
- 1 shorts romper (ana maria)
- 6 dresses (red, orange, green, leopard, black and pink)
- 4 scarves (Vintage)
make-up
hair-straightener
toiletries - SPF 70
under garments
belts and clutches
oh yeah and 1 bottle of Crystal Champagne

Have I forgotten anything???

The beautiful girls I am going with! Ashley the birthday girl is on the right.

Weekend Frolicking

2010-05-17T12:43:00.000-07:00

There was so much sunshine and springtime beauty this weekend the lover and I couldn't stay couped up in the house for one second! Saturday ended up being such a long, fun-filled day with a lot of unexpected turns.

Reed and I went to Madison Square Park to lay in the sun and relax a little bit, then my friend Rachael and her lover, Andrew, met up with us and we decided to walk to get lunch and ended up going to Cookshop on the west side at 10th ave and 19th St. Reed had to head back to the house to finish up some work and I went down to meat-packing to try on that DVF bathing suit I have been lusting over (sold out) and to pick up some last minute options for Vegas, and ended up meeting up with my two besties Ashley and Abby who happened to be at a day party at Bagatelle (so random). I had a glass of champagne with them then went over to La Bottega at the Maritime (a super cute outside italian eatery) to meet a good friend of mine for dinner, Grace Caruso who just moved back to the city from West Palm. Then Worth, Chris and Worth's parents saw me eating on the veranda and snagged me up and took me to 675 (one of my favorite underground bars) for a drink.

Then of course Sunday I met the girls, Ashley and Abby again, at Abby's cousin's coffee shop in the east village and we sat outside for brunch at Back 40. Then headed over to Union Sq to check out a piece of art Ashley ended up purchasing and window-shopped all the way home.

Long day, lots of friends, fun and playtime. Here are a few pics:

Reed and I soaking up the sun in Mad Sq Park.

We fit together like two puzzle pieces.

I took my new shoes out for a stroll.

Walked around for 9 hours sat and only ended up with 1 blister, not too shabby!

Pierre Hardy for GAP

2010-05-14T14:00:00.000-07:00

So another designer collaboration for spring '10 Pierre Hardy the infamous shoe designer did a line for GAP that debuted on the 10th of May. Yesterday on my lunch break I headed to the 5th avenue flagship store to snag the last pair of these beauties:

Such cute and girly summer wedges. Neutral with a little bit of floral!! Best part you can change out the bow fabric to whatever you want, so the possibilities are endless.

Dress Up!

2010-05-13T10:39:00.000-07:00

So in the fashion of blog communication I thought that I would respond to Sarah Gaila Morrison Tucker's post of my favorite dresses. There are so many that it is hard to choose. All of my dresses hold such a special place in my heart and every time I wear one it creates new memories. I love you all but had to pick a few sorry girls (to the ones that got left behind):

One of my favorite dresses of all time. A skin tight, mid-thigh length, no back, vintage Calvin Klein item purchased at Glam vintage circa 2005, prob from the 80's. My favorite LBD.

My second favorite, a Betsey Johnson beauty gifted from Tiffany Jezek circa 2005. Has been dubbed the cupcake dress, and been the go-to for a new years, a college dance, and several cocktail parties! Love her.

Actually both of the dresses in the above pic are mine, and both are favorites. The leopard print silk chiffon sheer number is vintage bought from the creepy man on Palm Beach Island, prob late 60's early 70's and handmade. It is short with a ruffled bottom and long bat-wing sleeves I love her. She is perfect for all events.

The blue one Jodi is wearing is what I am wearing at the current moment haha, she is from H&M and I purchased her when Brit and I came up to scout out the city for the first time thinking we might move here. She is my go-to for work and networking events.

This item is my favorite long dress. She is a vintage find from Miami Beach Vintage and is a Grecian ivory/beige chiffon. I love the bodice because it is kind of corseted and the length is perfect for flat sandals, and she is really comfortable.

This is my go-to dress for weddings and wedding related events. It is a classic red color and made by my good friend Catia who designs the amazing Ana Maria dresses (www.anamariacouture.com) I own about a third of her collection already and plan to slowly acquire all of them. Her designs are amazing because the fabric is perfect, they are very versatile and oh so flattering. This dress is a classic.

This little number is something I created to wear on NYE 2009. It was fashioned out of an old Betsey that I had that was too big. I cut her up and made this beauty, she is actually two separate pieces and the top is a sheered green tulle over a vintage corset. She is more special because I crafted her. See blow for a picture of me sewing her in Carol Swota's quilting room Christmas 2009.

This dress is new to me but is my current favorite. She is a Miguelina silk beauty and I bought her off of Gilt about a month ago. I love neutrals right now and the cut of the dress is so flattering. You will be seeing more of her to come.

This last dress is such a lover, but I don't have many pictures of her because she is very delicate so I have only worn her out twice. She is a nude, mini, long sleeve, hand-beaded, vintage Calvin Klein that I bought at a garage sale in upstate NY. She is probably the most amazing piece I own (and for me that is pretty amazing)! I love her so much and she hangs in a special part of my closet and I look at her all of the time but I hardly take her out to play. She is completely hand beaded with clear crystal beads, and she weighs about 20 lbs. but she fits me perfectly. She is a true stunner, when I saw her at the sale I knew I had to have her and for $50 she was such a bargain considering she still adorned her $3000 original price tag from Bergdorf circa the late 80's. True love completely enveloped in a dress!

Surfer Chic

2010-05-11T11:25:00.000-07:00

So I am really into designer collaborations right now, I mean why wouldn't I be, amazing designers collaborating with design houses to make affordable high fashion pieces that are only offered for a limited time and produced in selective quantities. HELLO! That has designer bargain written all over it, and that's my middle name. Anyways I am Loving these pieces right now:

This LBD is from the collection that Cynthia Rowley did with Roxy and I do have to say it is AMAZING! It is made of Neoprene (Wetsuit material) which might I add is so genius. It is very fitted and forms to your body, is water resistant, and helps regulate your body temperature. How innovative! I really wish I surfed so I could be cool and wear this out to a party and them jump in the pool or ocean. I also love the neon pops of color, very 80's. And did I mention it is $165, which for Ms. Rowley is a bargain.

I thought that I would insert this photo of my lover surfing back in the day when he lived on the beach. I am so inspired by him and the first year we were together he use to take me out surfing at sunrise and try and teach me, I was horrible. I love surfer chicks though they are all so cute, great bodies, long sun-bleached tresses and freckles on their noses. mmmm... I guess I just really miss Florida right now. The sunshine and the beach. That sunshine state, it will always hold a piece of my heart. <3

BoHo Love

2010-05-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

I keep telling Reed that I want to be bohemian this summer, mostly as the excuse as to why I haven't cut my hair in 9 months and hate shaving my legs these days. Anyways, I love the look of bohemian done well. Not too grungy not too clean, a kind of hap hazard nonchalance of comfortable dressing. Complete with long vintage dresses, mixed prints, long flowing hair, headbands, sandals and hippie elegance I know I have the right elements to complete the look. I am excited to embark on a boho journey this summer whether laying around in the grass reading a book for hours on end or riding an old bike in a dress to the store with the wind in my messy hair, I just love summer and how it makes me want to live a simple life again.(Oh the days of college and summers on the Vineyard) Here are a few beauties that pull it off oh so well:

Nicole Richie and Margarita Missoni are such classic bohemians, love their style.

Again, i think that this dress is Missoni. MK is so boho chic.

My best friend Candice, she has always been such a boho beauty.

my hearts desire

2010-05-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

I have also been obsessing over this little gem ever since I saw it on Victoria Beckham in Elle, and again on th runway. DVF, Leopard Print, High Waisted, Vintage looking, perfection!

Chartreuse in Spring

2010-05-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

I am going to Vegas in a couple of weeks with some girlfriends for my very first time! I want to get a new suit, or a couple. I have been stalking this one from The Lake & Stars for quite some time and am still trying to justify spending $400 on it when it hits Barney's next week. Opinions?

I dream of high waisted one pieces.

The back.

Or... the 2 piece option

Love it with the thigh-highs

or.. the 2 piece version

and in white. Maybe the one piece in chartreuse and the two piece in white?

Maybe I just love the collection because I wish i looked like the model. ha ha typical.

Met Gala

2010-05-04T11:25:00.000-07:00

Every year the Met Gala lures a huge crowd of amazing people wearing the best fashion of the season. The Fashion Institute Gala is like New York's version of the Oscars but better!! I have yet to venture to the met steps on the fateful night to get a look at the dresses, but maybe one day I will brave the crowds and get a first hand look. For now here are just a few of my faves for the evening. Note: at the Met Gala anything goes! NYC fashion at its best.

Camilla Bell in Jason Wu with the designer. I love love love this dress!!! I have never wanted a traditional wedding dress and after seeing this beauty I feel as if it might be the thing to aspire to.

Of course Gavin and Gwen in her own design. so beautiful, love the color and tulle accent on the bodice without being too girly.

Coco Rocha wearing Zac Posen. Loving all things vintage goes hand in hand with an obsession with tie dye, and this dress is soo unique and stunning on her. The hand dying must have taken so long but it turned out perfect! Reminds me of a mermaid.

Jessica Alba in Sophie Theallet. I am really into neutrals and rose/blush colors right now. This is very simple, sophisticated, and stunning. She is so classic.

Lily Donaldson in Marc Jacobs. Another neutral beauty. I love how natural these colors look on the skin. So soft and they really accentuate the beauty of the person wearing it.

Chanel Iman in Michael Kors. Or course I love this! Gold lame, retro looking, pants jumper whats not to love! Koodos for not fitting the mold. Gorgeous as always.

Rachael Zoe in Marc Jacobs. I die. This dress is ba-na-nas! I would wear this to the grocery store or to the park it is so beautiful, I love the color and the velvet. The Zoe is too skinny, so most of the time she looks horrible in clothes that show her body, but she looks gorg here. She still needs a couple cheeseburgers, but the dress makes up for it. Of course you would Zoe, of course you would.

Naomi Watts in Stella McCartney. The dress is nice, I don't love it, but what I do love is her styling here. Her makeup and face is so natural looking and with the drama of the dress it is perfect. She has two kids and is in 40's and is such a beautiful woman. Note: 40's is the new 20's!

Last but definitely not least, Gaga in what I am assuming to be Armani Prive, due to the crystallized head to toe look. If i owned it, I would rock it. Perfection.

Wild West

2010-05-03T13:57:00.000-07:00

This post is a little overdue since we just got back from our FL trip yesterday, but nevertheless a much needed update. Last month Reed and I took an 8 day trip out west to visit some of his family in Portland and Washington, his friends in LA, and my friends in San Diego. We had such a blast and loved every minute of it. It was such a good break from the cold, wet winter we have had in the city. It was definitely a vacation of firsts, my first time in Oregon, Washington and California, the first time I met Reed's father, Aunt and Grandmother (whom I adore), it was time I experienced an earthquake (and hopefully the last). We both absolutely fell in LOVE with California since it reminds us of our native FL but not as hot and humid, now Reed and I are thinking of CA as the next stop on this crazy ride of life. I just wish all of life could be a vacation sometimes. Enjoy!

Reed and his father hiking up to Mt St. Helen

Natural Beauty

An amazing waterfall off the trail

Playing by the river

my love

One of my favorite pics.

Reed and his dad Harold, such a great joy to finally meet him.

Reed's Grandmother and Aunt, I absolutely love his family!

In LA visiting Reed's best friends from college. Love them as well.

Beautiful San Diego

Seal Beach

Playing with one of my best friends from childhood.

Dominated the Mission Beach boardwalk roller coaster

Lounging by the pool before the earthquake!

Having a dance party after the quake.

The group complete with Aspen, Carey, Me, Kelley and Reed. Love my friends.

So many things... So hard to choose

2010-04-20T13:17:00.000-07:00

In no particular order:

1. Waking up next to the man I love.
2. Brunch (not limited to Sunday) - esp. Clinton Street Baking Company Pancakes and bacon
3. The New York Times preferably "Sunday Styles" section
4. College Memories
5. The first taste of a great bottle of wine
6. Clean Sheets
7. Sewing and creating unique items for my wardrobe (just got a new sewing machine on Saturday, belated birthday present, thank you to my love)
8. Coffee esp from a French press
9. All things Parisian, I have been obsessed since I was a child
10. Hats - really into turbans right now
11. Finding Vintage treasures and digging through other peoples hand-me-downs aka thrifting
12. Kittens, Kitties and Cats (Basically anything that is cute and fuzzy) - esp my two love birds Louis and Stella
13. A good run after a long hard day
14. LOVE & LIFE
15. Going for a bike ride with the salt water breeze on my face (preferably in a dress)
16. Worshiping my creator
17. The touch and smell of a babies skin, actually babies in general and toddlers - LOVE 2 yr olds. and the uninhibited curiosity of a child
18. True Friends
19. Summers in Martha's Vineyard
20. Eating cupcakes - preferably homemade
21. Sending and receiving letters in the Mail
22. Public Transportation - esp when the train car is empty
23. The renewal of life in the springtime - watching the leaves come back in Central Park from my office window
24. Rooftops and Parks in the summer
25. Champagne
26. Orchids and flowers in general
27. Grapefruit Jelly Bellies
28. A good movie at the theater with candy and popcorn
29. The changing of Fall leaves
30. Yoga and stretching

Tavi - The New Girl

2010-04-13T11:45:00.000-07:00

http://www.thestylerookie.com/

I am obsessed with this blog and the 13 yr old girl behind it. She loves fashion, not only fashion but personal style. She is very unique and blends her own thrift store finds with those of big name designers, who by the way love her, and give her tons of free stuff for her blog (she is known to be friends with/obsessed with the likes of the Rodarte sisters, Miu Miu, and Prada). She is so wise for her age and not to mention honest and straight-forward. I really wish when I was 13 I could have been so in tune with myself and the world around me, and not have cared so much about what others thought. Just think if all pre-pubescent girls didn't have to go through that awkward not knowing who I am phase, how much easier life would be. And not to mention she is so darn cute too.

photo courtesy of tavi's blog, shirt courtesy of proenza schouler

yourself

2010-04-07T13:35:00.000-07:00

65 Ainslie

2010-03-16T13:43:00.000-07:00

So Reed and I moved, about 2 weeks ago now, to the one and only Williamsburg! I wasn't sure about it at first, coming from the most amazing block in Manhattan (5th avenue and 10th Street) anything seemed like a step down. Needless to say it is really growing on me. Not only is our neighborhood full of young professionals and artists alike, it is so very interesting and modern in a sort of ever changing kind of way. I always see people walk down the street (due to my floor to ceiling windows) and I can't help but notice all of the funky fashion, hair styles, shoes, bicycles and interesting couple combinations that comes with youth and modernity. It really inspires me, to be me. Everyone is very unique there or tries to be, and that is such a far cry from my growing up in south FL where all anyone wants to do is blend in. I really appreciate being unique and I think the longer I live there the more I will feel accustomed to the unusual being more the usual.

Other than that... our apartment is TO DIE FOR! Everything I have ever dreamed of. I mean it is a rare gem to find an NYC (brooklyn) apartment with a dishwasher nonetheless a washer and dryer as well. The building is designer by renowned NYC architect Karl Fischer, brand new and complete with everything that someone who hasn't had any household luxuries in years could ever want. Brand new hard wood floors, tons of closet space, central air conditioning and heating, a gym, a rooftop deck with the most amazing view of the Manhattan skyline and so much more. My most favorite thing about the apartment is the kitchen. The whole building is modern and everything is designed around sustainable community, this said our kitchen is so beautiful. We have Meile appliances, modern fixtures and NUDE PATENT LEATHER cabinets (they are not really patent leather)!! I am obsessed with nude right now, and especially nude patent leather, and when we first looked at this place and I saw the cabinets I knew I needed them, if only for the sheer fact that they accessorize so well with my nude pumps and nude crocodile MIU MIU bag that Reed got me for my birthday. Anyways, the kitchen is amazing, the apartment is amazing, the neighborhood is amazing and what more could I say! I am obsessed with life, as always!!

http://www.65ainslie.com/

Pictures coming soon.

Gluten Free Me

2010-02-25T12:34:00.000-08:00

So amidst almost a dozen doctor visits and hospital procedures, I have had consistent stomach pain since December with no reasoning, I decided to get a second opinion. I ended up going to a doctor in FL and he suggested Celiac Disease, which is the inability to digest gluten. Essentially gluten acts as a poison in the small intestine, paralyzes it and it becomes unable to break down food and absorb proper nutrients. So I decided to take a step in the right direction to see if it would help my stomach and gave up gluten cold turkey. This has been A LOT harder than I thought! To my dismay wheat (the primary source of gluten) is found in almost everything we eat (breads, pastries, cereal, sweets, fried foods). The more I researched celiacs and gluten the more I realized that for some people gluten is very toxic and detrimental to cell development and that having an over all gluten free approach can really be the best thing for your body.

All that said, I received my small intestine biopsy back this past weekend and it revealed that I in fact do not have celiacs! Yet, I am still determined to try my hardest at living a gluten free lifestyle. It is still possible that I have another type of gluten intolerance and since I have been off of it, almost 2 weeks now, I feel so refreshed and alive, tons of energy and overall really amazing. I feel very lite and airy like i could float away. But there are those times when I get really really hungry and feel like there is nothing to eat! As if I am starving and all I want to do is have a piece of bread, pizza, sandwich, burger, etc and I can't! Anyone that knows me knows how much I love food but, until i figure out what the issue with my stomach is it will just have to be so.

Good thing I live in such an amazing and diverse city that we have a few gluten free restaurants and bakeries, like Tully's, that can satisfy my cupcake craving! Below is the vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting. I die!

My very good friend Sarah Knee has had a gluten intolerance for a few years now, and I can now fully appreciate her struggle for a gluten free lifestyle. Hats off to her.

Orgasms

2010-01-13T12:12:00.000-08:00

Hey Ladies, I was browsing Style.com at work and found this article. I found it so interesting and enlightening. Female satisfaction in general is so taboo to talk about but I think that it has been so overlooked by women, especially Christian women in society today. When if ever do you find yourself discussing your orgasms with friends? It is hard enough to discuss them with your partner. Anyways, enjoy and be enlightened, the last paragraph is the best. If you feel ashamed reading this, then it is definitely geared towards you!

BEAUTY, HEALTH, AND FITNESS Tuesday January 12, 2010 1:01PM

Health: The Pleasure Principle

Vogue talks with filmmaker Liz Canner about her new documentary Orgasm Inc., the search for a “pink Viagra,” and what women want—and need—in their sex lives.

In filming your documentary Orgasm Inc., and during your research on women and sexual health, what did you find women were missing in the bedroom?

It’s so hard to know. Part of the problem is that there is no normal, and the term female sexual dysfunction is a misnomer because there’s nothing that says what female function should be, nothing that actually says, “You should have five orgasms a month in order to be healthy.” There’s this misconception that everyone is supposed to have an orgasm during sex to have a healthy sex life. And that’s just not the case. We know from research that 70 percent of women need direct clitoral stimulation to have an orgasm. I think that all of us have complaints. I mean, who doesn’t want to have an orgasm whenever they want?

One woman in your documentary says that when she thought about orgasm, she thought of a “war in her head.” What were the most common complaints women had about their sex lives?

The complaints were usually couched in either a general idea of what their sex lives should be or they were couched in something like “I’m really not getting along with my partner right now, and I’m just not that interested in sex.”

How important is having an orgasm to a healthy sex life?

In the 1970s, we began to understand the importance of the clitoris in orgasm. It became part of women’s liberation: the right to have an orgasm. But I do think that the goal orientation of trying to achieve an orgasm with every sexual encounter has put a lot of pressure on sexual relations.

What do you think of the drugs and products currently in the FDA pipeline that are geared toward women? LibiGel? Bremelanotide? Flibanserin? The Orgasmatron?

They’re not like Viagra, where you just pop it in and you get an erection within a half hour or hour. The drugs you have to take continually, and over the long term they can have a real effect on the body. And so, until they come up with something that’s just taken topically and that actually works and doesn’t have serious side effects—and I don’t see that with any of the products that are being developed right now—I think women need to be really careful and think very hard about whether or not the benefit outweighs the risk.

How big a problem do you think female sexual dysfunction is?

Female sexual dysfunction was a term that came out in the late 1990s because Viagra was such a blockbuster and companies like Pfizer turned to women and said, “You’re a bigger market.” The problem was, in order to develop a drug, they had to have a disease. The definition is extremely broad: Almost any sexual complaint you have, whatever causes it, will fall into this disease category. It’s a bizarre disorder because you have to self-diagnose and you have to be distressed by it. So in other words, if you never felt an iota of sexual desire in your life but it didn’t bother you, you don’t have the disease. If you never had an orgasm, but it didn’t bother you, you don’t have the disease. There are real physiological conditions that can cause sexual dysfunction. I think that we can’t ignore that. But for the most part, I think most sexual problems are caused by sociocultural conditions.

Talk about the difference between desire and arousal. Do you need one for the other?

No, absolutely not. In fact, Susan Bennett M.D., whom I interviewed and who’s an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, talks a lot about how often, after seven years of being in a relationship, women lose a lot of the sexual desire that they had earlier for their partner. It’s just very common. And what’s been found is that that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy sex. She describes it as sort of like eating an ice-cream sundae. Say you go out with your partner and you’re at a coffee shop and you’re not really hungry for an ice-cream sundae, but your partner decides to order one. Now, if you start eating that ice-cream sundae, it’s going to taste quite good. You might find yourself eating the whole thing. In other words, we can still enjoy sex; it’s just a matter of initiating.

What can women do non-pharmaceutically to enhance their sex lives?

In the documentary Orgasm Inc., we visit the antique-vibrator museum [in San Francisco]. They knew back in Victorian times that that was a great cure for sexual problems. I definitely recommend vibrators. Sex therapy has certainly helped some people, learning to communicate better with your partner about what feels good. Comprehensive sex education. Relaxing, not working so hard. My favorite cure is what I call choreplay: watching your partner vacuum the living room or do the dishes. Choreplay leads to foreplay. There’s nothing sexier than a man with a vacuum.

Is there anything couples can do together to help their sex lives? Is there an unfair burden being placed on women to solve these issues?

Definitely. I think this is a societal problem. We’re sort of joking about the magic pill, but I think it’s much deeper than a chemical.

If you were to develop a product for women based on all the complaints you’ve heard, what would it be?

It would be a product that ends sexual abuse toward women; that ends inequality in the workplace; that ends inequality in relationships; that let women feel comfortable about their bodies; that gives women good sex education so they can fully know about the clitoris and about how their bodies function. Why can’t we take a pill like that?

Liz Canner is currently working on a new documentary about the history of the female orgasm. Orgasm Inc. is showing at film festivals and will be available on the Web siteorgasminc.org.

Winter Wonderland

2009-12-28T09:33:00.000-08:00

Oh how I love the Holiday Season! An excuse to wear sequins and red lipstick, fur coats and pretty gloves, hang stockings, have live trees in the house and a fire in the fireplace. This Christmas was special for so many reasons. It was Reed and my first Christmas in our own place, with the kitties of course. We (more like I) went all out this year. We got a huge 10 ft. tree, hung stockings on our mantel, Christmas lights over my flower boxes in the window, and had a yule log burning on the tv (since our real fireplace is too old, we didn't want to light the house on fire). We had an amazing Christmas party and a lot of our NY friends came and joined in the festivities with us. It was so great, better than we thought it could have been and all the while we had our first blizzard outside and got tons of beautiful snow! Also, my mom came up to be with Reed and I on Christmas day and to play for the weekend. And one of my closest friends and old college roommates, Emily Kreidel, got ENGAGED!!! Soooo crazy I am still in shock. She is so great and deserves a great man, and her fiance is just that. Here are a few pics from the festivities. I will post more on facebook later. love love

Our beautiful street, our door is the one that is open.

Our street when the first snow fell.

Our backyard after the blizzard

Our Tree

Our 2009 Christmas Photo

Reed's Beard

Silly picture

The babies watching the snow fall, Stella's first snow.

2009-12-11T12:50:00.000-08:00

Untitled by kimmdavis( NO COMMENT) very busy featuring Lanvin shoes

Items in this set:
Ashish Sequined silk V-back dress, $895
Diane von Furstenberg Indina Mongolian faux fur jacket, $725
Lanvin Lizard platform ankle boots, $2,030
clutch silver
9 Row Crystal Baguette Earrings by Kenneth Jay Lane, 245 GBP

I am obsessed with this site!! It lets you use fashion as a tool to create art. Love love

2009-12-11T12:45:00.001-08:00

I Wanna Feel You Near!!! by ♥ Duchess ♥ featuring Marc Jacobs bags

Items in this set:
Sequin halter mini dress, $560
juril Long Tailored Coat w/ Shirred Sleeves (Black)
CHRISTOPHER KANE x TOPSHOP, 99 EUR
Yves Saint Laurent Divine peep-toe platforms, $795
Lanvin Satin bow sandal | NET-A-PORTER.COM, 4.550 EUR

2009-12-11T12:44:00.001-08:00

Infactuation. by !*Love*Shoes featuring Rachel Gilbert dresses

Items in this set:
Sequin halter mini dress, $560
CASADEI 3509/2 BLACK SUEDE 1799401, 714 GBP
Be & D Garbo Baguette (Gunmetal) - Clutch, $699
Silver 5 Stack Loose Ring Set, $355
HURLEY Rosie Sunglasses, $90

Big city, small town.

2009-11-24T10:54:00.000-08:00

Every day I just keep thinking about how much I am obsessed with life!!! I know I am cheesy but it is so true. I love my life!

On that note. This large city of mine that is consumed with millions of people, is feeling everyday more like a small town. I keep running into friends on the street or on the subway that I know and get so excited when this phenomenon happens. To think that out of 8.1 million people on this island, I randomly get in the same subway car as one of the dozen or so friends that I have here. It is so strange. Also, running into almost literally, old friends on the street twice in one day! I mean what are the odds? Knowing the names of all of my neighbors and the street merchants on my block, the people who work at my grocery store and even my morning coffee shop, how can such a big city feel like such a small town? I love it and I guess it is just now starting to truly feel like home.

On my way home from the office, this is what I see.

Jobs and Shoes.

2009-11-20T12:29:00.000-08:00

A great Job is like an amazing pair of shoes… you can wear them for years and still love them!

On that note, everyone keeps asking me what my new job is. So here it is:

I work as an Executive Assistant for and I quote “one of the most important and prolific acquirers and developers of new pharmaceutical and biotechnology products in the world.” I am the right hand of the Chairman, who subsequently owns over a dozen portfolio companies within a few larger companies, complicated I know. I work for 3 companies simultaneously: Paramount Bio Capital, Paramount Bio Sciences and Opus Point & Co. The later of the three is a privately owned hedge fund specializing in asset management within the biosciences, the first one is a Broker-Dealer (Wikipedia insert here: A broker-dealer is a company or other organization that trades securities for its own account or on behalf of its customers.), and the second one is the blanket name of the company that acquires the up and coming pharmaceutical and biotech companies and then takes them public.

So it is. I work in Finance, but with a medical twist. We buy companies and develop drugs that are curing certain types of cancer, hemorrhoids, and chemotherapy techniques just to name a few. It feels pretty good to work on something every day that is eventually going to better the lives of others and has the opportunity to revolutionize the medical field as we know it.

Not to mention the view!!

All in all I love my job! I enjoy coming to work every day and am surrounded by very intelligent people who challenge me and teach me new things constantly. I hope that everyone can feel the satisfaction of doing something that they can really feel connected to.

If the shoe fits… Love it!

Oh Stella!

2009-11-19T12:32:00.000-08:00

So... that inevitable time finally came this past weekend when just one fuzzy bundle of love was not enough for our household. We (by we I mean my ever-so-amazing lover Reed and I) decided that our precious cat King Louis America needed a wife to love and spend the days with, because what is life without love? So we trekked all of the way uptown from our 10th St. apartment in hopes of bringing back the fuzziest, silliest, most amazing kitten ever and we did! Thus, we introduce to the world Stella:

The Princess for our King. Stella is by far one of the most beautiful cats I have seen.She has very long and luscious hair and has one small white fleck right under her neck as if she were wearing a diamond necklace. She looks black but she is actually very dark brown, like a coffee bean. I initially wanted to name her Coco after one of the most influential people in the world, the late Coco Chanel, but Reed didn't like it so we went with Stella, Princess Stella Chanel for those of you who do not know her. Her eyes are gold like a haute sequin dress with a green ring on the inside.

Bottom Line: She is amazing and lights up my life. She is so playful and energetic, she jumps around like a little fluff ball and squeaks a lot (she doesn't know how to meow yet) and I love her.