Roman Holiday

I am experiencing major deja vu! Here, I sit at Cafe Ephistrophy on Mott and Spring, sipping espresso and sharing a croissant avec nutella with Simone. The room is small and strategically no fuss cool. Everything from the the large mint green windows, heavy wood furniture, book shelves filled with eclectic art and books, antique cash register to the double kissing patrons makes me feel like I am back in Rome. It reminds me of one my oldest and dearest friends, Megan. She contacted me recently to tell me she'll be in Italy soon for two weeks and asked that I recommend a few places she must go. I assume she'll be in Rome at some point and since it's my favorite city in Italy, let's begin there.

"When in Rome":

The first thing you must do is rent a scooter. It is the BEST way to get around the city. The tiny ancient streets are easy to navigate on the scooter and the feeling is singular! The wind, the lights, the river...it's magical! So, of course, you must see ALL the greats. This will be exhausting but it's worth it. Go to the Coliseum first thing in the morning. Wake up as early as you can and walk through The Coliseum and the Old City composed of ancient Roman ruins such as the Forum, Bas Max and the Arch of Constantine. It is not enough to see it from the outside; you must go in!

Everywhere you look there's a beautiful piazza. Head to Piazza Navona first. Take a stroll around the square and walk around the corner to Largo Febo, 2 and you'll see an ivy covered building. This is Hotel Raphael and at the top is the most beautiful rooftop terrace you'll ever see! Pop up there to hide from the crowds, have an aperitif and take in the best view of Roma there is. Once you are recharged hit the other musts: Pantheon, Vatican and Trevi. There is no good time to see the Trevi. It is ALWAYS swarmed with people! But, directly behind it is the most charming church that is protected by a lover's gate. This is where lovers write their names on a lock and attach it to the steel gate for good luck. Finally, ride the scooter over to Tiber river. Walk along it's bank and take in the sites.

Rome at night is such a fun experience. Ride your scooter over to the Trevi and park in one of the tiny side streets. Right nearby is a classic Roman restaurant called Al Moro. Have their house wine and Carbonara, which they are famous for. Then, you can leave the scooter and walk to the Pantheon. It looks so different at night. Head to Via della Pace for a drink at Cafe della Pace. It's hidden in a tiny cauldesac near a popular square. You'll know it when you spot the large cloud of smoke ascending from the loudest groups of Roman hipsters you've ever seen assembled in one place. Prepare to fight the crowds for a glass of vino but again it's worth it! Sit outside, smoke cigarettes and meet the locals. They'll surely invite you to a secret after party in some old abandoned warehouse or something very posh.



The BEST day I spent in Rome was the day I went to Piazza di Spagna or the Spanish Steps. We stopped at a cafe for a coffee (espresso), spremuta (freshly squeezed oj) and pain au chocolat. You must have all these things while in Italy. We walked up Via Condotti to the steps and voila; my life changed! I walked all the way to the top and imagined how amazing a wedding would be here. A candlelit rooftop overlooking Rome at the Spanish steps... Anyway, after the steps we walked along Via Condotti and visited the boutiques. I searched for souvenirs for my family and Simone bought me a beautiful post card of Roman Holiday. It is one of the most precious things I own.

Our last night in Rome, after dinner, Simone took me back to the steps to take "one last look." He drove there without my asking; he knew I had to see it once more before we left. We bid her goodbye and promised to be back in July. We are planning an entire month there.

Safe travels my love! I hope this helps!

x

The Queen of my Heart

My boyfriend and I have different taste in music. But, while we were in Paris, he played Elis Regina and we were in complete agreement. Hearing it takes me back to our gorgeous little flat on rue du savoie. It's all I want to listen to nowadays. It sounds like Paris to me; bright, clever and strong yet simultaneously sweet, delicate and a bit vulnerable.

Elis Regina was Brazilian, however, and a national icon. She was the "Regina" or queen of bossa nova in the late 50's. The day of her funeral was nationally recognized in Brazil.

Style Wi$e: Celebrity Style

The Olsen twins have turned their signature style, comprised of the most exclusive designers goodies although they so often look like bag ladies, into a best selling contemporary line called, Elizabeth and James. It is very rare that a celebrity label can be such a success, at least for longer than one season, but the Olsens have absolutely nailed it! In fact, they have taken the success of the Ready to Wear label and are sprinkling their fairy dust on shoes and jewelry.

Here is an example of an Olsen look I love! You can never go wrong with black and white; very Chanel/Lagerfeld. You can get this exact look just by shopping Elizabeth and James, which you can pretty much find in every department store known to man. MK is wearing the James IV Blazer in white, which retails for $395 , latex leggings which we all own by now, if not just go to American Apparel and tons of accessories. I found my white blazer at H&M for $40!! Then, I ran over to Shopbop, which sells tanks for 2 for $22 and minis for $15-20! So I had an all black shell, black tights, the white blazer, Urban Outfitters scarf ($34), Shopbop bangles $15. I layered all my jewelry of course, alla Madame Havisham, and some luxury items (bag and shoes) purchased pre-recessionista era.



"Necessity is indeed the mother of invention." Fashion is only a "necessity" to some so for those I say: get creative! My style is all about what inspires me at the moment and being as creative as possible. Whenever I see a look on the street, in a magazine, or website I pull it and find a way to make it my own. I have never been so frugal with spending for clothes but I've never looked more myself!

x

Sea Change

Change seems to be a very dominant theme in my life at the moment. My sister is pregnant, my best friend is graduating a very prestigious school, my twin (pretty much) is falling in love, my niece and nephew are growing by the minute. When I returned from Europe, change is all I found! I left during the end of a bitter New York winter and returned to high Spring, literally and figuratively. I have always been deathly afraid of change. But now, it is I, who is pursuing the most profound change; a sea change. Wikipedia defines sea change as "a poetic or informal term meaning a gradual transformation in which the form is retained but the substance is replaced, as with petrification." The expression is taken from Shakespeare's The Tempest, when Ariel sings,

"Those are pearls that were his eyes,
Nothing of him that doth fade,
But doth suffer a sea-change,
into something rich and strange,"

My quest towards my sea change began as I worked as a buyer. I lived a very straightforward life with one central theme: work, work, work! I had what I thought was my dream job, great apartment in Soho, plenty of admirers and wonderful friends. I focused on getting through each day and held my dreams, such as writing, travel and true love, under a "one day" veil. One afternoon I read an article in Elle magazine that interviewed America Ferrera. She explained the premise of her hit show Ugly Betty so concisely saying, "How much of yourself are you willing to compromise to achieve a position you always thought you wanted?" And my answer was: nothing!



So with the support of my love, wonderful family and friends I made a huge leap of faith to pursue my dreams. Now, instead of living in a never ending episode of The Hills meets The Devil Wears Private Label, I am the ecstatic half of a thriving relationship, a present member of my loving family, an excellent cook, the proud owner of very worn out passport and a writer.

If we were to picture our lives as an ocean what would that look like? My life as an ocean, pre-epiphany, was vast yet shallow. The dominant part was never going to add more depth and I was drying up. I have since drained all the shallow water and now picture my life as an incomplete yet very deep sea with a rapid current flowing in. Sea change is gradual, so I am by no means the Atlantic Ocean, but at least as beautiful as the Mediterranean.

Happy Mother's Day, Mari!

From the moment I met my nephew I was totally in love! My cousin put him in my arms and that was it. Something inside me was his forever and he in turn ignited something new in me. I felt like I wanted to protect him, give him anything and everything he could ever possibly want or need and I NEVER wanted to be away from him. I always cry when we part. Then, when his mother was taken from us so suddenly, I became his mother in my heart. I know she would want Jewel and Zai to be with me. That's what I work towards everyday. My life, my success is with their well being in mind.



Today, on Mother's Day and almost a year since we lost Maria, I want to honor her. The day she introduced me to Zai changed my life. It's my dearest memory of my cousin and I know the thing she was most proud of, in her short life, was being a mother. Today I will go visit her for the first time since she left us. I'll sit and talk to her, wish her a Happy Mother's Day and thank her for the most precious gift she could have ever given me, Jewel and Zai.

love thy model

The fashion industry has declared May the month of the model. The Met held its annual Costume Gala on Monday and dedicated the evening to the "Supermodel." The event was titled The Model As Muse.

I live in New York city where models are sitting beside me at Cafe Gitane, partying at the next table at the Box, and walking in and out of my Soho building all day long. I have never (in my whole New York life) known a day, let alone a month, that wasn't about revering the impossibly gorgeous models that inhabit my city. Lately, models feel actresses are stealing their thunder and should leave the hard work; i.e modeling and "cover girling" to the real professionals. The industry has responded by dedicating the biggest event of the year to these majestic creatures, who they hail as "heroines," and the May issue of the most recognized magazine in the world; Vogue. Quite a supportive response!


Frankly, I feel both actresses and models enjoy pretty enchanted lives! I am, however, glad to see a better American Vogue cover. The European covers, particularly French Vogue, blow ours away! And they are usually swathed with models and not (hiss) actresses. The real star this issue is Steven Meisel, who has been the genius behind so many Vogue covers, throughout the years. The moment I saw the lush cover I knew it had to be him. He has been labeled a chameleon style wise but his aesthetic is unmistakable. Hopefully, Steven and our models pull through with killer sales this issue. God knows our lovely little books need the support! In fact, I'm going to grab my issue today. My favorite, Kate Moss, is featured inside.

Happy Reading!

x

An Eiffel Tower Key Chain

It is SO true that the best things in life are free...or in this case almost free. My boyfriend and I are back in New York. The other day after moving him in, he gave me keys to his apartment. He attached an Eiffel Tower key chain to my set that he had picked up during our time in Paris. I was so touched. This gesture was so plainly me, so impossibly sincere and it probably cost about 50 cents. Every time I reach for my keys I am reminded of how lucky I am.

These are the little things in life that make the greatest things possible.

x

Style Wi$e: The Shoe Report

Tough times will definitely test a true fashionista's chops. As the economy tightens our belts, so to speak, we look to more creative forms of expression. After working in the industry for over 6 years, I became a fashion purist, believing only in the value of a designer shoe. However, as designer shoes went from an average retail of $450-$500, my first pair of Pradas, to $700-$1200 and up, I had to find a new motto. As I always say, there is no substitute for some things but my new "knock-offs" have gotten more attention than my Dior gladiator's Carrie Bradshaw wore in the Sex and the City movie! Although those did get me my boyfriend, so they're worth it!





I LOVE mid calf booties. My favorite pair of shoes in my closet are my YSL booties from 4 seasons ago. Vanessa Coyle, Senior Fashion Editor at UK Harper's Bazaar, was recently wearing them to fashion week Paris. I was so proud we had the same shoe! However, booties are difficult to pull off in summer. Luckily, for me, open toe booties are one of the biggest trends this season. So what do you do if you are not one of the fortunate few to get their hands on the amazing Alexander Wang's? I've been desperately trying to find and was finally sent to ebay where they are going for $899-$1250!! None are my size and definitely out of my price range!





My solution: Carvela, a shoe line from London designer Kurt Geiger. Harrod's bought a few key styles and I fell in love with their open toe bootie, the Antonia. Sky high geometric heel and platform, mid calf zip up bootie for only $210 AND they are comfortable! I wore for about 6 hours straight on Saturday and was totally fine! The street test proved overwhelmingly positive with every man or woman I saw telling me how much they loved my shoes! One woman stopped dead in her tracks to grab my arm and exclaim, "I just want to tell you your shoes are f*cking amazing!" I told dozens of women about Carvela and now I am passing it along to you, my beloved readers. Check out their website: http://www.kurtgeiger.com/brands/carvela. Not all styles are winners but if you look closely you'll find some wonderfully affordable treasures, such as the must have Gucci platform! I was thinking these for high summer.... they feel very Guiseppe Zanotti.