My mom always carried a pocket book (Coach was all the rage in Chestnut Hill, PA in the 80′s). I didn’t know what a bag/clutch/handbag/purse/minaudiere– you name it–was until I started to read fashion magazines in college. People would kind of laugh when I said “pocket book” as though it were an outdated term. But I have always been one to carry a small sized bag that held just a wallet, lip balm, keys, and now my blackberry. I’m so excited that these little sisters of the It Bag are coming back into style to lighten the fashion load.

 

The Cultivated Home, written by Haus Interiors’s Nina Freudenberger, has just featured us and our blog. Click here to read it.

It is really fun after many years of fashion, fashion, fashion to be included in a publication that covers decor. I have always been interested in interior design (my mom was a decorator) so it’s validating to see my “interior style” as inspirational to others. I follow the same old rule: surround yourself with what you love. I will post more pictures of my apartment in the new year but enjoy this for now!

“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: Graham Day Guerra
OCCUPATION: Artist; Rhode Island School of Design Professor
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia
HOTEL: Limetree Hideaway at Dunns Creek Estate’s in Red Hill
WINE TASTING & RESTAURANTS: Spend an afternoon enjoying the small plates and local wine at Foxeys Hangout Wine Company, then head to Merricks General Store to stock up on more wine for the evening. A trip to Red Hill’s La Petanque is worth it for the pork belly alone. Don’t miss TGallant Cellar Door.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: Late October to mid December.

“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: Bettina Zilkha
OCCUPATION: Author / Writer
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Porto Vecchio, Corsica
HOTEL: Grand Hotel de Cala Rossa, www.hotel-calarossa.com
RESTAURANT: Restaurant at Le Belvedere
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: early September
PERSONAL RECOMMENDATION: Take a boat from Bonifacio to the Lavezzi Islands, spend the day swimming and sunning.

“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: Garrett Dutton aka G.Love
OCCUPATION: Blues man G.Love and Special Sauce
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Nosara, Costa Rica
HOTEL: The Harmony Hotel www.harmonynosara.com. Renting a house is another great way to kick it.
RESTAURANT: Olgas has awesome Pescado Frito Entero or Tipicas. Blew Dogs is a fun surf bar and popular with the locals. The Gilded Iguana is a good dinner spot. Breakfast at the Harmony Hotel is great.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: The summer is the rainy season and the waves are bigger. And when I’ve been there it didn’t really rain that much. It’s fun to go over winter holidays to get warm. The waves aren’t as big then but there’s always something… Nosara is a good surf destination to bring your girl to as there are surf lessons, yoga, zip lining, horseback riding and a million things to do. But the beautiful beaches are enough!
ECO-FUN: Go to Ostinal Wildlife Refuge one night and help the Sea Turtle rangers locate females laying eggs. Or go during a hatch and help release the baby sea turtles into the ocean. It’s something you’ll never forget and a must if you bring your kids.

RECOMMENDATIONS: I recommend surfing, drinking as much good Costa Rican coffee and beer (Imperial or Pilsen), and eating as much ceviche and fried fish as possible… Oh Yeah!
GETTING THERE: I recommend flying into Liberia and renting a car for the 2 hour drive to Nosara.

“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: Sarah Sophie Flicker
OCCUPATION: Director/Performer, The Citizens Band/ Editor at Large, Lula Magazine
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Copenhagen, Denmark
HOTEL: My parents apartment
RESTAURANT/MUSIC VENUE: Loppen in the Christiania district, www.loppen.dk
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: Christmas!!!
INSIDER RECOMMENDATION: Christmas is a magical celebration of light in Denmark. All the streets, homes, restaurants are lit with fairy lights and candles. You can drink Glog till you wobble and eat able skiver which are like apple donuts… YUM! Tivoli has incredible festivities and decorations too. It is truly the coziest!
DANISH VOCAB: The Danish word “hygge”, which, although translates as “coziness” is more akin to “tranquility”. Hygge is a complete absence of anything annoying, irritating, or emotionally overwhelming, and the presence of and pleasure from comforting, gentle, and soothing things. Hygge is often associated with family and close friends.

“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: Chris Schumacher
OCCUPATION: Director of Investment Research, Papamarkou Wellner Asset Management, Inc.
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Middleburg, VA. Where serious, understated luxury is nestled in the seat of beautiful horse country.
HOTEL: Private residence; otherwise The Welbourne Inn, www.welbourneinn.com. This B&B (pronounced with a drawl as Wel-buhn) is the residence of Nat and Sherry Morison, eighth-generation owners. The original house was built in 1770 with over 500 acres of land and it will submerse you into another era of old-world Virginia.
RESTAURANT: Hunter’s Head Tavern, Upperville, VA (few miles west of Middleburg on Rt. 50) www.huntersheadtavern.com
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: Anytime during hunt season. Fall and Spring for steeplechase races.
SADDLE UP: Catch one of the fall fox hunts – you don’t have to be a rider, you can follow the hunt on foot for a nice hike.
SHOPPING: Middleburg Tack Exchange for the best finds on saddles, tack, and to learn more about hunt appointments. English Country Classics for amazing men’s clothing at Virginia prices.

I keep this restaurant list in my blackberry because I constantly find myself in a different neighborhood with the recurring question: Where should we eat? Voila! My fool-proof list for quality, value and charm (and to help recall places that I am near, or spots that I haven’t been to in a while) in no particular order, with recommended plates in italics:

Motorino Pizza - pizza margherita. East village.
The Breslin – mussel soup, pumpkin and pomagranate salad, poached egg over lentils, chocolate donuts. Flatiron.
Back Forty - donuts, roast chicken, fennel salad. East village.
Mermaid Inn – lobster roll, Old Bay fries. East village.
Indochine NoHo.
Hampton Chutney Nolita.
Nobu Tribecca.
Il Buco NoHo.
Rauoles Soho.
Smith + Mills – caviar. Tribecca.
La Esquina – ceviche, insalada de casa, tacos. Take-out menu yummier than sit-down. Nolita
Cookshop Chelsea.
Barrio Chino – enchiladas verde. Lower East Side.
Little Giant – mac and cheese. Lower East Side.
Freemans – artichoke dip. Nolita.
Blue Ribbon Sushi Soho.
Gramercy Tavern – chef’s tasting menu. Gramercy Park.
Union Square Cafe Union Square.
Cafe Mogador – Greek salad, country breakfast, hummus, labne, apricot and prune tagine. East village.
Candle Cafe – grilled seitan chimmichurri, all salads, meze plate. Upper East Side.
JG Melon – turkey burger and fries. Upper East Side.
Spotted Pig - gnudi, seasonal plate of 5 vegetables; chicken liver toast. West Village.
Bar Pitti – Insalata Pitti (not on menu; you have to ask), rigatonni Pitti, pesto, sauteed spinach. Greenwich Village.
Cafe Sabarsky Upper East Side.
Turks + Frogs – the meze appatizers. Tribecca.
Bobo Greenwich Village.
Taralucci + Vino – cappuccino, beet + corn salad, duck ragout. Flatiron.
Caracas Arepa bar East village.
Bacaro - duck ragout. Lower East Side.
71 Irving – California bagel, caprese panini. Gramercy Park.

It’s worth knowing where to get excellent food rather than average expensive food, don’t you think?! What are your favorites? Let us know what we should add…

“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: Jesse Kamm
OCCUPATION: Fashion Designer and Mamma
TRAVEL DESTINATION: Austin,TX
HOTEL: San Jose Hotel on South Congress, www.sanjosehotel.com/
RESTAURANT: Justine’s 1937 French Bistro
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: October/November
SHOPPING: The Spartan Shop on South Lamar is a great place to shop for affordable gifts for you and your loved ones. They currently hock Jesse Kamm napkins.
FURTHER AFIELD: A lap around town lake will have you sitting on top of the world. Cruise west to Krause Springs for some laid back fun in the sun… rope swings too boot.

“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 and Sandy Weymouth
OCCUPATION: a Mom; a geologist, respectively.
TRAVEL DESTINATION: French Polynesia
HOTEL: Kia Ora Sauvage, www.hotelkiaora.com
RESTAURANT: There’s only one choice and you’ll get real Tahitian food.
BEST TIME OF YEAR TO VISIT: We went in the summer (for our honeymoon) and it was great.
PACKING LIST: Bring one bathing suit, one sundress, a pack of cards, a good book, sunscreen, and a bottle of rum and juice… leave everything else at home and be ready to live by the light of a lantern after the sun goes down.