Vanderbilt Rules
Vintage Gloria Vanderbilt pumps
These funky fresh little heels are vintage Gloria Vanderbilt, they are a little dated looking, but they are actually really comfortable, and hey the eighties are making a comeback! I think they look sweet with a drapey white tee, and slouchy linen pants. I really love summer.
Color wars
The purple drywall
Ok, I promise that this digital archive (I cannot stomach the term "blog" anymore) has not jumped the shark, or lost sight of it's original direction. But one thing that I have realized is that it has become a very unexpected platform for me to have a dialogue with my late mother. There were so many things I shared with her on a daily basis, and this remodel of our favorite room in the house would have undoubtedly been the topic of many conversations, so with this in mind, I am giving myself the freedom to break from clothing et al. for a moment and focus on this exciting project. To share with you what I would have shared with her.
Drywall is UP! Not Green board, but purple (As I learned from my amazing contractor as he sent the first shipment of green board back to the supplier) Purple drywall is the gold standard of drywall (insert ironic color jokes here) And is apparently far better for wet conditions then even green board, which apparently makes white board a jokey joke. This feels real and exciting, next to the pantry, in honor of my mom and Julia Child, I will have good old fashioned peg board for my pots and pans. Cant wait to post more pics!
Life's a beach
Mom's Sea-life Bracelet
Ok, I have to post this, because this used to be the time that we would visit my folks in Long Island, spending lazy days at the beach and having great dinner's at night. Over the years the trips have shifted to August, but with great excitement, we are heading east on the 23rd. I cannot wait. My parents house on Long Island, and the surrounding special environs, are some of my favorite places in the world. I love sharing that with our children, but it really is so bittersweet without my mom. My stomach still lurches when I think about being there without her. But I know it will be beautiful, and I really need a break!
Demolition Derby
Ye Olde Kitchen
The before...
Ok-so on film this does not look too bad...These are the before pictures of my kitchen. But as a woman that cooks nearly every night, and loves to entertain, this kitchen has remained basically unchanged since we moved in almost 11 years ago. My beefs? The fact that to find a pot in a corner cabinet required spelunking gear, and that each white tile was a magnet for all things dark, and all the black tiles..you get the picture. That combined with no pullouts for pots and pans, no ventilation and spotty lighting made for a charming but not terribly efficient kitchen. My goal, to stay within the same footprint yet make it more useful, productive and above all beautiful. Let the games begin! I know my mom would have loved to go over all the details with me, and I think of her with each decision I make.
Cloisonné elephant pendant
Vintage Elephant pendant.
Just another sweet pendant my mom owned. My mom really love talismans's, amulets, god luck charms. As a result, I have never flown on a airplane without a piece of red ribbon on my body, never boarded (and still won't) a plane without touching the side and gently whispering "Happy landings, Big Bird." She loved it all. There was a time after my mom died when I would look at her collection of Angels and Saints, and "evil eye" jewelry, and be so angry, thinking, "great job on your protection! She believed in you, needed you, and you let her down." And then I had to think of the mercy, the fact that she lived as long as she did with a terrible disease, that she was with us for years after I excepted. And I thought about the fact that when her time came, she did not suffer endlessly, and that my brother and I were by her side. Those were all blessings. I often say, "Man plans, God laughs." But the reality is that we pray for luck and protection, but the universe unfolds as it will. And as my grandmother used to say. "I don't pray for outcomes, I pray for God's will." Amen. So we need to think of our blessings every day.
Happy Birthday Murica!
Lobsta Roll!
So for the 4th of July-I thought, oh I should post one more sea life themed piece of jewelry, my mom owned, as we spent so many 4th of July celebrations together at the beach in Long Island. But the reality is she would not have worn starfish earrings, she probably would have worn big ol' clip on earrings that looked like fireworks exploding. And a crazy red white and blue blouse. Since I am in possession of neither of those, I have decided to post a picture of the fabulous meal we had with our dear friends Peter and Shannon. This is a quintessentially American meal. And I am proud to say, made from scratch. Peter was the MVP, making homemade rolls. As a group we shucked eight lobsters, and managed to save what could have been an undercooked catastrophe, by sautéing the whole lot in butter prior to mixing with mayo, lemon juice, pepper, and LOVE. My mom would have adored this meal, and as butter was generally always her answer to any cooking situation, I'm sure I made her proud.
Solid
Vintage Elsa Peretti for Halston solid perfume nacklace
I adored this necklace of my mom's when I was growing up. This is a fantastic piece designed by Elsa Perreti for Halston in the 1970s, and was filled with his solid perfume!
I did a little research on it (of course) and here is what I found out:
"It is the well known that Elsa Peretti designed for a few iconic fashion houses such as, Oscar de la Renta and Halston in the 70s. Her pieces are iconic. This piece is one of those creations. It is, as are many of her Halston designs, very similar to the best sellers she would do later for Tiffany & CO. The kidney bean pendant, although much smaller in scale, is still in production and being sold for several hundred dollars. Elsa's work possesses a simple, organic aesthetic. Thus, she has become known for timeless, understated pieces that are a favorite of the stars. Elsa was a model turned designer and her first client was Halston. This was his very first perfume."
xo
Dirty Copper
Mom's copper pots
Copper Bowl
Today I am posting something incredibly special to me, this is a collection of my mother's old copper cookware. I have mentioned this before, but my mother was an incredible cook. She loved this cookware for good reason, not only is it beautiful, but it happens to be excellent for cooking. Copper is a wonderful conductor of heat, but quickly loses heat after removal from a burner, making it really great for food that needs flash cooking, (shrimp, scallops etc.) Copper bowls are also the best for whipping egg whites, I could go into the molecular reasons for that, but that is just TOO food nerd. (but I will put a link to why below;)
I am in the process of remodeling our kitchen, and I cannot wait to display these beauties in it. Another thing I inherited from my mother was a tremendous love of cooking. The kitchen is my favorite room in the house, and I delight in preparing meals for my family and friends, just like my mom did. Every time she would visit, there would be a night that she would cook a favorite meal for the family. In honor of my mom, I am going to share a recipe for something I always asked her to make. This is not a fancy recipe, this is just pure, delicious comfort food. There are not exact measurements, as this is a "to taste" recipe, but I will do my best to make it easy:
Brown ground lamb in a large pan. After browning, drain lamb and return to pan (medium heat) add Greek seasoning (to taste) cooked rice and lemon zest. Heat together. After removing from heat, finish with fresh dill, and Voila, the simplest, yummiest comfort dish ever.
If your feeling saucy, this is also good with a little feta thrown in. Enjoy. xo
http://chemistry.about.com/od/howthingsworkfaqs/f/copperbowl.htm
A simple twist of fate
Mom's everyday earrings
These sweet gold twist earrings are just the kind of earrings that she would have worn on a daily basis. Honestly, she would have never have left that house without some sort of bling on, a little jewelry and some makeup. Even when she was sick, she always made an effort to look her best. Some would call that shallow, but I think it's a nice touch.
Silver Streak
Vintage black silk caftan with silver thread.
This caftan is a gem. It is black silk, with silver threads running through it. The silver threads are very thin but so closely woven that you can really smell the metal running through it. I have been thinking a lot about what I want to wear to this upcoming wedding, and parties surrounding it, and this frock may be in the running at least for part of the time. Actually I was thinking this would be good pre wedding with black flat sandals, I'm not crazy about how the shoes above look with it, Any one have any thoughts? xo
Pass the Pucci 'pon the left hand side...
More Pucci!
I know, this collection is very Pucci heavy, but what can I say, this was my Mom's metier. These dresses must have really spoken to her, as she had so many of them. Honestly, I think they must have appealed to her because they were, bright, eye catching, and flattering, that seems like a pretty good combo to me.
Gilty
Hand made brocade silk dress
This is a dress that I have worn for awhile, it is one of the earlier dresses that my mother passed on to me. I even have photos of me wearing this on our miniature cruise from many years ago. I think that this dress was one of the ones that my mom inherited from my grandmother via my great aunt. There is a duplicate of this one in black that I also have inherited and love. These are for sure handmade, and what I think is crazy, is that this dress is labeled a size 10. Alrighty then....The silk is so heavy and sumptuous, I feel very lucky to have these to take care of.
Hiya Coach
Navy Blue Coach Saddle Bag
I love these simple coach bags, the ones that where made of thick supple leather, and except for the removable tag, were logo free. Honestly, these are the types of things that make me happy; simple, classic and well made. This bag will surely get even better with more time.
On another note, I have reached the point in this digital archive (I have decided that I am really over the word blog, it really is an inelegant word isn't it?) Where I am a third of the way through the year. I really can't believe it. I am also hitting the end of my fashion larder in LA, so I will have to have a major re-up in NY in a few weeks. To any and all who are still tuning in, thank you so much. I know I took a few days last week off, but I was in the midst of hosting a baby shower for 30 at my house, without a kitchen! My mother would have done the same thing BTW. I will try and post some pictures of the kitchen in transition. Cannot wait until it is done!
Which way LA
VIntage LA tee shirt
Oddly, this is a vintage Los Angeles tee shirt that for the life of me, I don't know where my mom got, or when, but I do remember her having it forever. This tee really cracks me up, because some of the most prominently listed places on it are places that I have barely heard of, and I have lived here for over 10 years! Southgate, Maywood, Orangethorpe anyone?
In a clutch
Vintage Yellow wicker clutch
What pairs better with jeans and a simple black top? A bright yellow wicker clutch, that's what! I can't wait to break this out more this summer. So fun! I believe that my grandmother passed this on to my mom, and of course it has made it's way to me. But honestly, this looks like it could have just jumped off the pages of current fashion magazine with the tagline "10 bright summer clutches" Vive la summer.
Happy Anniversary
Handmade sugar paste cake top
June 24th, 2001. On this day 13 years ago, I stood on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and married my husband. All our parents were in attendance at that ceremony. We were some of the first of our friends to marry, and we had a BIG ol' wedding. I used to regret that it was so big, and think to myself, "man, that was so much money, it could have been used for so many other things...." I thought that way for many years, until recently. Now when I think about our wedding, I think about all of the things that made it fabulous, the venue, the band, the food (seasonal sand dabs!!!), and all the people that were there. I never wanted a wedding that big, at least I didn't think I did, but it was just this massive celebration, filled with so much love and joy- and all the people in attendance contributed to that.
For those of you that knew my mother, you knew that she was an extraordinary pastry chef, and made exquisite cakes. My mother was visiting from NY for the wedding, so the cake and the base decorations were made locally, but my mother handmade the sugar paste Lilly of the Valley bouquet that you see pictured above for the top of our cake. Each leaf and blossom was crafted by her. I have it saved, and thank God, LA is not humid, because it is still in perfect shape.
This July, we are going to be celebrating at the wedding of the daughter of one of my mother's dearest friends, It is at Blue Hill at Stone Barns, my mother would have lost her mind, it is a foodies paradise, and some of her favorite people in the world will be there, I will be there for her, and she will for sure be there in spirit. Here's to weddings, to love, to joy, to good food, good friends, and celebration. It is truly what makes life worth living.
Give a man a fish
Enamel Fish Pendant
I adored this pendant growing up. What is not to love about it. It had bright colors and moving parts. It was such a fun thing to play with, while sitting on my Mom's lap. This is also, exactly the kind of shirt she would have worn with this necklace. She would have smelled like either, Smoke, Shalimar or Opium perfume. I truly dislike the smell of cigarette smoke now a days, but my euphoric recall of those times close enough to my mother to smell all of her, trumps even that.
Live Rust
Vintage Carole Little St.Tropez satin button down
This is the second Carole Little St. Tropez, silk charmeuse blouse of my mother's that I've inherited. It feels so '70's that I had to pair it with a flair leg, denim jean. It just wants to be worn in the spirit of the era. For example, I don't think this shirt would look great with black yoga pants. When I wear this shirt, I hear the Doobie Brothers, smell Salem's, and feel my Mom's spirit.
“Mississippi Moon won’t you keep on shining on me.”
Turban-ite
Vintage Frank Olive Head Scarf
This is a vintage Frank Olive silk hand-painted head scarf. To be honest, I had never heard of Frank Olive, but as I am want to do, I did a little research on him. Apparently, he was a well known milliner on the Kentucky Derby scene. What is interesting to me, is that this is one of the only items I have of my mother's form my dad's brief tenure at Bonwit Teller. I think Bonwit's had great potential, but it's large scale corporate takeover, (the same one that was the reason my father left), really sunk it. Here's to old time department stores, and ladies hats.
I case you want any more backstory on Frank Olive, here you go: http://www.vintagevixen.com/store/pc/Frank-Olive-Hats-d159.htm
