I Love Chris Benz

We're getting ready for "ice rain" and snow here is DC (Round 2!)... I'm seriously jonesing for some warm weather.

And these looks from Chris Benz's 2011 Spring Show pretty much sum up my perfect spring wardrobe.

I'm especially in love with the middle look... from head to toe it is absolutely my ideal outfit.

Diptyque Love...

Diptyque really is one luxury that I come back to time and time again! Their products are the ultimate, in my book.

And while I can't always justify a $60 candle (worth every penny!), especially with Bry and I saving for the wedding, I can splurge on a bar of their fragrant, heavenly, creamy soap at $15.

I recently picked up the Tam Dao because the packaging alone was like a little piece of art... and I've got to to say, it puts a smile on my face every time I use it.

Oh... and it leaves you skin feeling so-so-so good!


I may have also picked up my favorite scent (Baies) mini candle for my night stand. I love it.

Anthro is Heading to the Chapel...

I heard a rumor about this a year ago (and by rumor, I mean reading it in the WSJ!), but I couldn't be more delighted to see what the brilliant minds at Anthropologie have dreamed up for their new wedding collection!


BHLDN... I'm so happy you're arriving on Valentine's Day. And I am so happy to be recently engaged for your debut!

Prippy of Influence... Florence Broadhurst

Fantastic patterns with bold colors are the flame to a Prippy's moth... seriously! So clearly, Florence Broadhurst's brilliant work is a an endless source of inspiration for us, Prips... not to mention the fact that she led an incredibly fascinating life.


Florence was born in Australia, but moved to Shanghai to become a singer in the early 1920's. Her career is said to be marked with a heavily embellished resume to get her where she wanted to go... which was eventually to London, where she was a dressmaker.

Her love life was always there... as were the suitors. And she settled back in Australia, where she founded her wallpaper business in 1959.


Tragically, Florence was murdered in a very mysterious case before her time. Her work lives on, and her life is incredibly fascinating.


Check out the books of her work and life... I promise you won't be disappointed!

And a special thank to Happy Menocal for reminding me how amazing Florence's work (and life) have been.

Prippy Adventures... Sammy's Roumanian

Many, many months ago, an old friend mentioned how Sammy's Roumanian Steak House was one of the best spots in NYC. I didn't really ask for details, but took his word that Sammy's was great... and next time I was in NYC with a red meat craving I would check it out.

Well, I finally got around to checking out this Lower East Side spot last weekend with my best buds, Liz and Sam... and I've gotta say... it was one hell of an experience! Having no real expectations other than steak was definitely the right approach, because lord knows there is no real way to prepare for a meal "Sammy's Way."


After our fantastic waiter explained some of the more traditional Jewish dishes to us, we ordered the classics... like chicken livers a la Sammy's. Gotta say, I thought it tasted much better than it looked...


Liz did not agree with me!


But Liz did get something extra special at Sammy's... the love and attention of the absolutely amazing house act, Dani Luv! Not only did he work her name into lyrics while playing away on his keyboard ("The Liz From Impanema")... but he gave us free shirts and the hardest laughs we can remember in recent history!

All in all, I can't wait for my next trip to Sammy's. Simply put... it is an unbelievable experience!

P.S. - I'd recommend getting the vodka and latkes for dinner!

Warms My Heart...

Hugh Jackman + his frenchie puppy Peaches = Hubba Hubba

Us East Coasters have gotten hammered by snow today... but this picture could melt away just about anything! Awwww

Bowie Wit and Wisdom...

Life can be easy...
It's not always swell...
Don't tell me truth hurts, little girl,
'Cause it hurts like hell

~ David Bowie from the film Labyrinth's theme song, "Underground"

Prippy Grooming... Michael Angelo's Wonderland

My favorite spot to be pampered and have my hair loved and taken good care of is definitely Michael Angelo's Wonderland Beauty Parlor in NYC's Meatpacking District.

From the time you walk through the door, you're in a different, and much more wonderful world, of creative, talented, and kind people who make you look and feel fabulous. The space itself exudes wit and fun... feeling like a beauty version of Willy Wonka's factory!


Mitchell did an amazing job shaping my 'do and giving me a really classic layered look that is still high style. He was delightful to chat with, and his thoughtful approach made the whole cut just a lovely experience. Tiffani has given me top notch cuts, too!

Basically, any stylist at Wonderland is above and beyond... with genuinely warm personalities to match!

Blogger Friends Forever (BFF)...

Back from NYC with loads to share! It was an amazing trip... especially once I finished up my work week and meetings in the city.

On Saturday morning, I had the absolute treat of having breakfast at the adorable Peels with two of my favorite bloggers, Janis from Navy Bean... and Liz from Octavia & Brown. And while I've know Liz since kindergarden, I met Janis "online" over a year ago when I fell in love with her blog and her Frenchie, Navy.


So for us to meet in person was like a really great first date. We had so many ideas bouncing around that table that I think it made our waitress' head spin every time she checked on us!

Meeting you all in person always amazes me, and I'm truly thankful to unite with such creative and wonderful people online and... even more so... in real life!

P.S. - I can't wait for Scrapple and Navy's first play date!

NYC... Here I Come

I'm off to NYC tomorrow at the crack of dawn for a work event... and lucky me, I'm staying through the weekend!


To make things better, I'm meeting up with two amazing blogger friends for breakfast at Peele's AND I won tickets on the always beautiful Classic Bride to attend Wedding Party hosted by The Wedding Library and Martha Stewart Weddings.

To say I'm excited would certainly be an understatement! Added bonus... it is at The Palace Hotel... yep, that Palace from Gossip Girl!

I promise a full recap!

PS - How fantastic is Milton Glaser's Poster up top? Love.

I've Won... Stylish Blogger Award

Wooohoooo.... the fabulous Doreen over at the always inspirational blog, Style Maniac, just made my day with a Styish Blogger Award!

Along with the award comes the request to pay the compliment forward as follows: {1} Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award. {2} Reveal seven things about yourself. {3} Bestow the award on ten great bloggers you have recently discovered. {4} Contact those bloggers and tell them about the award.


So here it goes... along with a picture of me and Bry super exited about the Tacky Sweater Party we were off to...

7 Things You Don't Know About Me:

1 ~ When I was little, I had bronchitis and told everyone that I had a brontosaurus by mistake (oopsies!).
2 ~ I collect bar coasters. Love them.
3 ~ My favorite sport to watch is boxing, especially the old tapes of the great fights... Rumble in the Jungle... Thrilla in Manila.
4 ~ My favorite karaoke song is Tina Turner's "Private Dancer." Despite a less than stellar voice, I rock it!
5 ~ Speaking of music, the first concert I went to was The Judds at the Showboat Casino in Atlantic City. You put on one hell of a show to this 8 year old!
6 ~ I was Santa Claus in my kindergarten's production of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and had everyone fooled into thinking I was a little guy... until my Santa hat fell off with my closing line, unveiling my ponytail!
7 ~ When I have a big meeting, I channel the confidence of an arrogant James Spader character from the 80's... my friend and I now use "to Spader" anytime something important is on the line. Example: I just Spadered that presentation!

10 Stylish Bloggers:


Whitney over at a toast has quickly become a favorite blog of mine. Her adventures in NYC... and soon Nashville... provide a great backdrop for her stylish life.


I don't know what I would do without the music recs from the ladies over at Miss B and Hustle... they are seriously responsible for some of my favorite bands at the moment. And the blog exudes cool without being too cool.


Deanna chronicles life with her gorgeous young family on an apple farm in upstate NY with wit and love on Silly Goose Farm.


Amazing artist Amanda Stone Talley chronicles life and art over at The Big Easy Life. I definitely feel like I'm in NOLA when I look at her gorgeous picks.


M Crooked Letter is all about the things that inspire a Southern Gal living in DC. Allison touches every topic in this fashion, design, and lifestyle blog!


Janis over at Navy Bean provides endless inspiration for any paper and decor fiend... which I am! Her beautiful calligraphy and well-trained eye, make this blog a must-read. And her adorable Frenchie, Navy, is often featured as an added bonus!


Hip, Hip, Gin, Gin has such a fantastic name, it is no surprise that Em finds amazing things to share with us readers. And I always appreciate her cocktail recipes!


Looking for vintage recs and organizational inspiration? Check out Liz's blog, Octavia & Brown!


Louise writes about her amazing personal style over at Thrive on Novelty, and I always seem to find something new to lust after when reading about her fashion picks.


Chic Geek is the perfect balance of preppy finds and stylish DIY projects to beautify your home and life. A great prepped up twist on design!

Hope you enjoyed!

Fashion Breakthrough... Emma Stone

Perfection in my book. If you're going to be daring, do it up!

Kudos, Emma Stone!

Simple Pleasures... La Vie de La Vosgienne Candy

Growing up, my Mom would always have a tin or two of La Vie de La Vosgienne candies in her purse. And when we would finish the candies, I would use the tins to store my treasures.


Now, as an adult, I would absolutely love to have all of those gorgeous tins back. There's something so chic about these candies!

I love carrying them in my purse... and it doesn't hurt that they're absolutely delicious!

Dream Dress...

Love this dress... especially the cut and those fabulous shoulders!

Oh Jenny Packham, I adore you!

Prippy Viewing... Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day

The snow is coming down hard here in DC, so I can only imagine that a lot of us East Coasters are in for a possible snow day... although who am I kidding, I'll be at the office tomorrow...

But for those of you who get to stay warm and cozy at home, I recommend watching one of my favorite movies, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day.


Taking place right before WWII, this movie captures love on so many levels and weaves together one day-in-the-life of an aspiring actress/singer caught in a messy love triangle, and the unlikely woman who helps her follow true love and friendship.


The film is visually stunning, incredibly well acted, and very funny. It warms my heart every time I watch it, and I think it would be the perfect movie to watch with a hot chocolate or toddy in hand.

Work Place Humor...

Today, my colleague (an incredibly witty man) shared this video with me from the Canadian ad agency, John St., and I was in hysterics!

While I take my job very seriously, sometimes there is therapy in laughing about yourself and the industry you work in! While this isn't an apples-to-apples comparison of my line o' work... it is pretty darn spot on and extremely funny.

Are there any humorous parodies that remind you of your day job?

Bowie Wit and Wisdom...

"I'm O.K. - you're so-so"

~ David Bowie in the brilliant song, "Up The Hill Backwards"

How Much is that Doggy in the Window...

I think this Tebalina balloon dog necklace is an absolute must for any pet lover (or fashion lover!)... don't you think?

Feeling Bookish...

Any room loaded with books almost instantly becomes one of my favorite spots. There's just something about the look and feel of a library that makes me supremely happy!


So you can imagine my delight when my amazing designer friend, Sam, shared this NYT article about carefully curated high design book collections.


Thatcher Wine, who runs the amazing Juniper Books which specializes in handpicked collections for libraries, really blew me away... talk about a dream job!

In My Library... My First New York

So, it really isn't a secret if that I absolutely love and miss New York City... and I have such vivid childhood memories of my earliest visits.

For me, my first trips usually involved squash tournaments that had my amazing Mom running around the Ivy Clubs with me watching match after match, with awkward breaks in between. We always made the most of our trips, and I cherish those first memories of the Big Apple.

My First New York: Early Adventures in the Big City (As Remembered by Actors, Artists, Athletes, Chefs, Comedians, Filmmakers, Mayors, Models, Moguls, Porn Stars, Rockers, Writers, and Others is an amazing book with short accounts of first NYC memories.

If you Heart NY, it is definitely worth picking up!

Seeing Red

Look what my Santa Sister left for me under the Christmas tree... a red Nixon watch that makes a bold statement.

Good taste runs in the family, in my opinion!

Well Hello There, 2011

We've made it! It is 2011... and Scrapple and I survived the crazy day after Christmas Blizzard at the beach in Stone Harbor, NJ!

Seriously, I'm blown away by all of the creativity my blogger pals are throwing out there at the start of this fabulous year!

Congratulations on all of the new endeavors, businesses, personal goals (that you were brave enough to put online), and most importantly dreams for the year to come.

I have a few things I'm busy working on myself... and I can't wait to share them with you.

Let's take this year by storm!