“50 Best Travel Destinations” I asked great friends to share their favorite travel spots around the globe, both close to home and far, far off the beaten path. Herein are their responses.

NAME: Jennifer Zuccarini
OCCUPATION: Design Director, Victoria’s Secret / Co-founder of Kiki de Montparnasse
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Sao Paulo, Brazil. I had so much fun there: great architecture, food, nightlife, fashion… and just a little dangerous.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: Anytime, especially from December to May. HOTEL: Hotel Emiliano is a very cool boutique hotel in the posh Jardins neighborhood.
RESTAURANT: KAA is one of the hottest, much talked-about new restaurants. It was designed by Sao Paulo’s own Arthur de Mattos Casas of Studio Arthur Casas Architecture and Design.
HIT THE TOWN: After dinner, head to Skye on the top floor of the boutique Hotel Unique for great views of the Sao Paolo skyline, with an amazing pool. Have a night cap at the Lions Club that long ago housed an elegant men’s club.
SHOP: Thais Gusmao for the best lingerie (cheeky-good fun), Galeria Melissa for shoes, Adriana Barra for quirky, graphic home furnishings, accessories, and sexy reversible bikinis (located in an amazing, historic townhouse with each room fully outfitted in her distinct style.) Choque Cultural is the premier grafitti and underground art gallery.

KAA Restaurant

Galeria Melissa. Photo courtesy of Lalo de Almeida for The New York Times.

Hotel Unique has a thriving nightlife on the roof with 360 degree views.

By any means possible, go see this film on the big screen. The styling is perfection. Tilda Swinton’s wardrobe nonpareil. The Italian cinematography is magical and you won’t be able to take your eyes off this film once the story pulls you in deeper…

It’s a film like they don’t make anymore. Watch the trailor here.

“50 Best Travel Destinations” I asked great friends to share their favorite travel spots around the globe, both close to home and far, far off the beaten path. Herein are their responses.

NAME: Mary Ellen Matthews
OCCUPATION: Photographer, Saturday Night Live
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Mal Pais, Costa Rica for the surfing!
HOTEL: I stay at a barefoot hotel called Tropico Latino, www.hoteltropicolatino.com. It sits right on the surf break… I love the bungalows they have there… truly a surfer’s paradise.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: December – May.
RISE AND SHINE: Wake up before sunrise for a morning surf session then breakfast at the hotel or one of the amazing local restaurants down the dirt road…some down time with a book then back in for another surf…a nap then, my favorite part of the day, a sunset surf. Nothing can compare to having your friends in the water with you as the sun goes down and you catch your last wave of the day before dinner and cocktails! A dirt road connects a few breaks and great little towns… Santa Teresa for one.

A bungalow at Hotel Tropico Latino.

Palm-y pathways.

The endless surf break at Mal Pais.

Originally published on The Huffington Post on June 7, 2010.

Watch me tour the city’s premier vintage archives: the hush-hush resources for celebrity stylists, fashion insiders and top designers, and the most eccentric, amusing dress-up chests imaginable. I also share some vintage shopping tips.

Originally published on The Huffington Post on 26 May 2010.

With Memorial Day weekend coming up, here are some summer style jump-starters for the men out there. After my 10 Summer Style Spiff Ups for Women, the response was loud and clear: make one for us men too! With the help of my bespoke-obsessed boyfriend, here are 10 classics – that easily go from town to country, or the beach – for the dapper gent and the sporty jock. I know they have a penchant for the preppy but many have updated, modern twists and what can I say… classic is classic: it works!

1. Lock & Co Straw Hat. Available at Lock & Co

Lock's website declares that the origins of today’s boater hats are the sailor’s hat issued to midshipmen in the Royal Navy near the end of the nineteenth century to provide protection from tropical sun. These hats were then adopted by children in Victorian England and became part of their uniforms wearing their school or house colors as bands. And did you know that Panama hats are made exclusively in Ecuador and are hand-woven from the Tequilla Palm? The origin of the black band on the hat dates back to 1901 when Queen Victoria died.

2. Wilson Six.One Tour BLX. Available at Wilson

As in: 6 - 1, game over! Ace ‘em just like R Fed with this classic Wilson frame with all the modern updates for immaculate accuracy, power and precision. Giant Roger Federer signed tennis ball not included. Photo Getty.

3. Brooks Brothers Social Primer Bow Tie. Available at Brooks Brothers

This bow tie is yet another innovative - and playful - take on a classic designed in collaboration with K. Cooper Ray and just in time for the Summer bow tie season. Using Brooks’ authentic fabrics, the collection features reversible styles that create not one, but many ways to wear the bow tie.

4. Sperry Top Siders. Available at Sperry

Sperry is celebrating 75 years of the ultimate low-fi lace-up for kicking around town or healing out during the regatta.

5. Flower in Lapel with Linen Pocket Square

Details, Details! So dapper and dignified is a summer blossom peeking out from a man's lapel that it sets the lady's heart a flutter. Add to that a crisp, colorful linen pocket square and all eyes will be on you! Bespoke suits (and many off the rack) are made with a small cut-out in the lapel with fasteners on the reverse side to keep the flower stem in place. Pocket square from Bergdorf Goodman. Photo Kate Schelter.

6. Laird Hamilton Stand Up Paddleboard. Available at REI, Surf Tech and Laird Hamilton

The new craze in surfing are these stand up paddleboards (and paddle) which are great for cruising lakes, rivers, creeks, or wave riding. Walk on water!

7. Murray’s Toggery Nantucket Reds. Available at Murray’s Toggery

The. Most. Classic. New England. Pant... Period! Now available in shorts too.

8. Argentinian Belts. Available at Arandu

Made popular by dark and handsome Argentinian polo players, and now in demand for the fly fishing set, these hand-woven leather belts are easy going with a nice pop of color. Thread them through your jeans, khakis and Nantucket Reds and you're golden.

9. Swatch Color Code Watches. Available at Swatch

Accessorize your rope bracelet with these monochromatic timepieces – sporty for summer. They come in matte and shiny in every color of the rainbow.

10. Smathers & Branson Flask. Available at Smathers & Branson

For those long breezy sails or late afternoon tee times.

Originaly published on TheHuffingtonPost.com on 17 May 2010.

Whether you’re a city slicker or beach bound — these styles are equally useful for both — here are 10 easy pieces to stay chic in the heat and jump start your summer.

1) Lanvin Silk and Straw Hat. Available at LouisaviaRoma.com

The technology of this hat falls somewhere between a child’s craft project and effortless style. Silk ribbons are shredded and knotted to look like a flower. This would also make a great DIY project with an old panama hat and some satin ribbon as it has a hand-made quality (which is exactly what’s so appealing about it.)

2) St James for Calypso Stripy Shirt. Available at Calypso-cell.com

They took the traditional St James striped blue tee, and gave it a vintage wash for a new take on an old weathered favorite. This is the ultimate Francophile Picasso beachy look that equals instant style when worn over a bathing suit on the beach, or with shorts or white jeans.

3) Chanel Mini Classic Pocketbook. Available at Chanel

Enter "The Tiny Pocket Book"! Lighten your It Bag load for summer, and pair it down. This bag is more like jewelry than a heavy handbag.

4) Christian Louboutin Animal Print Sandal. Available at Net-a-Porter.com

One part pony hair leopard print, one part Grecian goddess, these flats are a step in the right direction from the all-popular gladiator style. The ankle architecture looks great with long, flowy, toe-dusting dresses or short mini skirts. Try them with shredded jean shorts and a t-shirt.

5) Farmer’s Market Carry-Alls: The French Tote and European Wicker Cart and Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver. French tote available here and Wicker Cart available here.

Farms are bursting with their most colorful, tasty veggies and fruit of the year. Stock up and buy fresh, buy local. Farmers markets aren’t all hippies (who play pan flutes) and vegans. They are the new see-and-be-scene in your local piazza filled with savvy foodies like your stylish self so make sure you know your chard from your chervil and look chic! Read Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver.

6) Alexander Wang Leather Corset Shorts with Front Tie. Available at Shopbop.com

You won’t look like Zena Princess Warrior or a female version of Mad Max in these, I promise. Pair with a ratty white t-shirt or a light blue oxford with rolled-up sleeves and, Voila! you’re “country” with an edge. A fashion forward edge. Also goes great with the striped shirts above and your favorite black sandals.

7) Vince Draped Suede Jacket. Available at Neiman Marcus

Now this may be called a leather jacket but it actually feels more like paper, stretchy paper because it’s so light. But paper is also the wrong word because it’s soft like butter. Whatever you want to call it, this is perfect worn as a cardigan or a jacket over jeans or a pretty floral mini dress. Treat it more like a jean jacket and you’re good.

Paul + Joe Sister Leopard Ikat Bikini. Available at Mywardrobe.com

With bikinis, I’m assuming if you wear one then you feel good in one. Bikini Styling Tip: less is more, that is, the less fabric the better. A suit should be snug on you (but not tooooooo snug); if it’s baggy it only gets worse with water! Bikini tops also double as colorful bras with summer sundresses.

9) Vince Denim shirt. Available at Net-a-Porter

Actually this pairs well with your leather shorts and is also a great beach cover up. My boyfriend likes to take his chambray shirt to the beach so he can dunk it in the salt water and air-dry. It creates a nice fade with a dry crinkle.

10) The Princess Sovereign Bike and Berkley Helmet. Available at Adeline Adeline

Slow Transportation is like the Slow Food movement: returning to the joys of simple everyday pleasures in a healthy, fulfilling way. Talk about smelling the roses, this quintessential English town and country bicycle is still handmade in their Stratford-upon-Avon factory. Throw some blossoming pink peonies in the front basket, ring-ring your bike bell and pedal through the streets in a “time stops” romantic elegance. We just hope The Sartorialist spots and shoots you!

Last week, I mysteriously received 3 black pens and 2 blank notebooks in the mail with instructions to get creative* on these pages with the ink. Carte blanche. The pressure was on (paralyzing fear): what should I draw/write? Sunglasses of course. I decided to paint plain water over the pen marks to give it a watercolor look. The black ink had a warm purplish chromatic cast.

Sunglasses drawn with a DBA Pen which is 98% biodegradable. Drawing Kate Schelter.

I am honored to submit my artwork for the silent auction during the launch of the new DBA 98 PEN*.  We’ll see how the auction goes this Friday at the Boom Boom Room hosted by André Balazs, Salman Rushdie, Matthew Modine, Alex Matthiessen, Donna D’Cruz, and Brooke Geahan. Click here to place a bid.

* 98 artists, writers, designers, and notables will be participating in THINK BEFORE YOU WRITE including works by André Aciman, Yigal Azrouel, André Balazs, Lorraine Bracco, Dan Colen, Georgina Chapman, Grace Coddington, Costello Tagliapietra, Keren Craig, Simon Critchley, James Frey, Colin Firth, Walton Ford, Amanda Hearst, Jenny Holzer, Tom Hooper, Derek Jacobi, Mick Jagger, Lewis Lapham, Rogan Gregory, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Terence Koh, Hanna Liden, George Lois, Matthew Modine, Clancy Martin, Colum McCann, John McEnroe, Enrique Norten, Richard Phillips, Molly Ringwald, Cynthia Rowley, Salman Rushdie, David Schwimmer, Spencer Sweeney, Ruben & Isabel Toledo, Aaron Young, MGMT…. I mean, wow, wow, wow!!!!

** A new pen that is 98% biodegradable.

“50 Best Travel Destinations” I asked great friends to share their favorite travel spots around the globe, both close to home and far, far off the beaten path. Herein are their responses.

NAME: Cindy Greene
OCCUPATION: Fashion Designer (and former partner of Libertine)
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Kruger National Park, South Africa
HOTEL: Otters Den River Lodge, www.ottersden.co.za
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: June to September
SAFARI: Siyabona Africa for safari arrangements, www.siyabona.com

Photo from Ottersden.com

Photo from Ottersden.com

Photo Cindy Greene.

Photo Cindy Greene.

Photo from Ottersden.com.za.

Photo Cindy Greene.

Photo Cindy Greene.

“50 Best Travel Destinations” I asked great friends to share their favorite travel spots around the globe, both close to home and far, far off the beaten path. Herein are their responses.

NAME: Katie Lee
OCCUPATION: Cookbook author of  The Comfort Table
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Punta Mita, Mexico
HOTEL: Four Seasons www.fourseasons.com/puntamita
RESTAURANT: El Corral (delicious local seafood), Aramara (Asian/Mexican fusion), or any taco stand in town.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: January through March. The whales migrate though the area during this time. Every morning from my casita I watched whales jumping. Pretty spectacular way to start the day!
ROAD TRIP: Rent a car and spend some time exploring nearby beaches. If you like to surf, there are great waves and not too many people in the line-up. There are several interesting towns to check out as well, like Sayulita and San Pancho, which are only about 20 to 30 minutes from Punta Mita.

Katie's fresh catch of the day! Photo Katie Lee.

Fresh fish at The Four Seasons. Photo Jaunt Magazine.

Punta Mita sunset. Photo Katie Lee.

“50 Best Travel Destinations” I asked great friends to share their favorite travel spots around the globe, both close to home and far, far off the beaten path. Herein are their responses.

NAME: Juan Gali
OCCUPATION: Bon Vivant
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Bariloche, Patagonia, Argentina
HOTEL: Llao Llao Resort + Spa, www.llaollao.com
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: Early December (for warm weather); July (for cold weather)
FRIENDLY TRAVELS: If you arrive smelling like a horse from a 2 week riding and camping trip, they let you go straight to your room to shower, no questions asked!

Wintery Bariloche, Patagonia.

Sunny Bariloche, Patagonia.

Poolside mountain view..