Surf Fashion, USA

In the O.C, Orange County, CA, where I'm from, there are several "required Cali" visits that my kids will not let us skip. One is to Huntington Beach, otherwise known as Surf City, USA. My nephew explained that you have to include the USA part or the location will be confused with Santa Cruz. Apparently, there was some frenzied politicking by both local governments to get the official name. For me, it will always be Huntington Beach, home to Huntington Surf & Sport–mecca of surfer cool stuff.

HSS is the real deal. Absent is the blaring music, fake driftwood signage, nightclub lighting, model surfer chicks and dudes out front (except for the real ones walking to or from the beach). Unlike the store, Hollister, the only way to experience a "live feed" from Huntington Pier is to walk out the door and look to your left across the street. Hollister will always be the want-to-be of HSS. Like a store bought sea shell, their products promise the California dream, but once home, they are more reminiscent of a heavily marketed brand, admittedly a successful one, conceived by suits not surfers.

HSS is a must for anyone attempting to authenticate a surfer lifestyle, or style. They carry all the great surfer brands as well as their own house brand. And if you need to pick up a surf board and not just flip flops, well they have plenty to choose from!

Huntington is a fun place to beach, shop and surf. A hodgepodge of pacific beach humanity, it has great people watching.

To find out more about this favorite Cali destination read GoNOMAD editor, Max Hartshorne's article, Huntington Beach: A Surfer's City.

Summer Cover Up, Pashmina, even now!

My daughter has been wearing a lightweight pink pashmina this summer. She loosely wraps it once around her neck framing necklaces. Worn with a tank top on top of a cami, with not-too-short shorts and sandals, it's a great look. I'm particularly fond of this outfit because it hides the multiple of straps; bra straps, cami straps, tank straps that are de regure for teens.

While in the Hamptons I saw a woman more my age (don't ask) wearing a fettuccini strap sun-dress with a very lightweight scarf. Wrapped loosely, it effortlessly made what was a bare top not too bare. The scarf was fringed and colorful.

I was the grateful recipient of a featherweight pashmina from China that has a lovely illustration of three Chinese women in traditional garb, punting. Its cantaloupe, peach, orange, sand, green and turquoise colors are mixed together in a watercolor effect that is dreamy and it too is delicately fringed. I'm wearing it a lot. The color and fabric is a winning combination with a chartreuse silk dress I have that offers a bit too much up top.

My Chinese wrap was also the starting point for packing on Friday. Its sunny colors blend well with all that is Southern California.

Promise Land, Really?

AT 429 Cranberry Hole Road in Amagansett, New York there is the Fish Farm, officially it's called Multi Aquaculture Systems. This place is the site of what was once known as the "promise land." We went there to poke around the farm, look at fish and peek into The Hamptons past.


According to Marie Valenti pictured above, the area was called the promise land because of the "promise" of employment after WWII. This part of
Long Island hosted a number of
government work projects providing employment as well as several fish factories. One still stands on the site. Extinct railroad tracks lead directly to it.

Apparently the Manhaden fish, the factory's harvest, which was so plentiful in the 40's was just about fished to extension. The Factory closed in 1955, but its rusty carcass still stands, giving visitors a picture of industry in the folds of seaside environs.



What's interesting about this fish factory is both the setting, a locations scout's cannery row, and its store
which has wares from Provence! I know, what does Provence pottery and pickles have to do with a fish farm? Why ask why? But I did, and the story is that a woman from Paris has gone into partnership with the purveyor's of the fish farm and they've opened this totally cool little French fish shop. The farm also has an extensive takeout menu including every manner of seafood (ever heard of clam bellies?), key lime tarts and chocolate souffle. You can eat there at outdoor tables overlooking the bay or to take it with you. Lobster rolls oceanside–a truly perfect (and stylish) combination.


As for the fish tanks, well they seemed really dark, dank, dingy and algae ridden. The fish probably are happy, or at least they don't know any better. I've no experience with fish farm culture, so I really can't comment. It was just really curious to me.

Isabel Toledo, not just for an Inauguration


A test: Did you know of designer Isabel Toledo before Mrs. O wore "her" at the inauguration? It's both remarkable and disconcerting the way one outfit worn by a single woman can catapult name recognition of a designer to astounding heights. Isabel has been designing beautiful clothes for the last two decades. I saw a dreamy collection of her life's work at FIT in Manhattan recently. The show was called Isabel Toledo: Fashion from the Inside Out. It's worth noting that Mrs. Obama's inaugural sheath and overcoat was the least interesting piece in the exhibition, however tasteful and beautifully tailored.


Besides the clothes, what was truly romantic about the show was the way Isabel's genius illustrator husband, Rubin Toledo, augmented the exhibition with oversized fashion illustrations of Isabel's designs. These hung from the ceiling on very large format paper, essentially wallpapering the upper fifth of the wall, all the way around the exhibition space. Most of you will probably recognize his illustrations from Nordstom's stylistic identity.



Even if you're not into fashion, you can appreciate this show. Toledo's designs are such works of art, calling them fashion, just isn't lofty enough. Displayed with some of her creations is a little diagram of the dress's pattern; both simple and complex the patterns help you figure out the idea behind the garment's structure. And she does love structure. Some of the gowns are 3D.

The show is free. With just one gallery, it's manageable. It breaths creative ingenuity and gives you license to dream about wearing fancy dresses.

Photo: The Museum at FIT, Irving Solero. Illustration: Rubin Toledo, Google Images


Vegas, Again, Encore


Steve Wynn's Encore opened in January coinciding with his 67th birthday. In June my husband was on assignment photographing the resort. While I was piloting the kids, Tom was rubbing elbows and working his elbows shooting the resort and the NetJets poker tournament event taking place there. Anyway, Tom was "living the dream," as they say in Vegas–pretty girls, fancy parties, swank bars, stylish pools, luxurious rooms–all that glitters...

Guys, when in Vegas (especially the Encore), wear a collared shirt, always and everywhere. Teri Agins of the Wall Street Journal gives sage advice about What to Wear for a Trip to Vegas and resort areas like it.







Plane Travel. Can it ever be glamorous again?

In earlier blogs I mentioned flying with a cashmere wrap, taking a travel tin of chocolates along with you, and sporting a functional, yet stylish carrie-on bag; all tips to make your flying experience a bit more enjoyable. Sadly, for many of us, I'm just not sure plane travel will ever really be glamorous. Lets face it, most flying is more Grey Hound than Net Jets. Kimberley Newport Mimran did tell me about one airline that is all that and serves a bag of chips, well a snack anyway. It's Porter Airlines. Self proclaimed, "flying refined," Porter Airlines does have a good formula. Their branding is cool, they are located in Toronto's City Center Airport allowing passengers immediate access to the city and they actually provide sophisticated service. The motto for this short hall airline is to "keep travel smart, uncomplicated and dignified." Sounds good to me. Kim designed Porter's uniforms and they are smart!

I picked up a few additional tips for plane and packing from Kim that I'd like to tell you about. I could have kissed her when she said, "You don't want to be wearing a sweat suit." Please, could everyone keep their sweat suits at home, even the Juicy ones. That goes for fanny packs too, even the Gucci ones. Kim says the goal is to, "Get off the airplane looking the same way you got on." For me, in summer this
usually means a comfortable dress or top and skirt. Angus Miller who is on my short list of debonair men, says he always wears a sport coat when flying because he indubitably (his word, not mine) gets better service. Perhaps we should ask Kim's husband and business partner, Joseph Mimran, founder of Club Monaco what his opinion is on what to wear in flight.
Mr. Mimran feel free to leave a comment.

Summer or winter an appropriate scarf is always good to have on board. Kim recommends lightly spraying your scarf with a favorite perfume–a comforting fragrance next to your face can take you away.

Photos, Pink Tartan. Easy choices for travel.

Make Good Choices...When Packing!


"You don't ever have to fuss with Pink Tartan." Practical, functional, design with style is Kimberley Newport Mimran's guiding principle for Pink Tartan. What does that mean for travel? Kim says, make it simple. A simple jersey knit dress can go from day to dinner. Depending on the inspiration of the destination, a flip flop for the Amalfi Coast verses a ballet flat for Barcelona, a flat sole is a must for comfortable travel.

A word about comfortable shoes (a travel shoes article is in my future), there are four brands I can recommend now that look appropriate, I wouldn't say they are all the height of style, but they work for walking: Geox, Aerosoles, Cole Haan, Delman. Delman is expensive, but very simple, smart and comfortable.

Kim explained that she, "hates a lot of stuff," getting everything into one carrie-on bag eliminates the hassle of wait time and forces you to make good choices about what you pack. "There is always your favorite piece of the moment to take with you and then there are key items in my collections that can take you everywhere." Kim told me about a skinny riding pant made of high performance technical fabric that can last at least three years that we all should own!

A white shirt is another must. I've heard this before, but her philosophy about the white shirt is a little different. She says to examine the way the shirt looks on your body. Make sure it is tailored, not boxy and that is of heavy, 100 percent cotton fabric. Like any really good men's shirt, you would dry clean this special shirt, ladies. The whole conversation plays into Kim's mantra of, "buy smart, buy better." I wonder if my Thomas Pink or Facconable shirts would pass muster with this gal from Niagara Falls...


Photos, courtesy of Pink Tartan. Top left, Kimberley Newport-Mimran. Right, Pink Taran fab cotton shirt and high tech travel pant.

A Day Downtown, Toronto

On Friday I had the pleasure of interviewing Kimberley Newport Mimran, designer of Pink Tartan. Thankfully, the Canadian Tourist Board accommodated my request of getting an insider's point of view of Toronto. I wanted the insider to be fashion and travel savvy and a native of Ontario. Interviewing Kim exceeded my expectations and I'm so pleased to be able to share some of her practical advice on fashion, packing AND travel.

When asked what her favorite family day trip would be in Toronto, Kim didn't hesitate–the ROM. The Royal Ontario Museum was also a favorite of James and mine during our media tour. Situated downtown, close to some of Toronto's best shopping and restaurants, a trip to the ROM is like traveling the world through time in one afternoon.

A visit to the First Peoples Gallery brought James and me upclose to Chief Sitting Bull's feather war bonnet. We marveled at the enormous collection of work by the pioneer painter Paul Kane. His depiction of life amongst Canadian natives reminded me of the Hudson River School painters–grand, bucolic and Mohican!

A visit to the ROM would not be complete without a stroll through the Age of Dinosaurs. There are some jaw-dropping specimens in residence here, a 90 foot Barasaurs skeleton, that's the one with the long neck and tail, tiny head. Say hello to several duck-billed dinosaurs, hadrosaurs, from Alberta. The Age Of Mammals on the same level houses mammals who rapidly diversified following the extinction of dinosaurs. Here you'll find your woolly mammoth. Note: The gift store has a great stuffed woolly mammoth that James really wanted.

As with any grand museum, there was so much at the ROM that we didn't see. Fortunately for Kimberley Newport Mimran, she's lucky enough to visit again and again with her eight-year-old, Jaquiline. When they've had enough of world cultures at the ROM, a trip to Holts Cafe at Holt Renfrew is in order. There, mother and daughter rest their feet and partake in a tartine made from world-renowned Pollane bread that's flown in from Paris daily. Isn't that chic?

After a rest up, Mimran suggests a trip to Indigo, otherwise known as Chapters Indigo. Right on Bloor Street, Indigo is a great big bookstore for exploring, reading, buying a toy or a snack. It is a great "bribery stop" after too much time spent in mommy stores. Kim mentioned that her daughter has gotten the reading bug and that she, herself wasn't much of a reader at Jaquiline's age. As Kim discovers all the great childhood reading out there stores like Indigo are, in ways more fun then ever before. I'm sure Kim is still augmenting her design and photography book collection that she uses for inspiration as well!

So there you have it: Designer Kimberly Newport Minram's Toronto Pick:
The ROM
A tartine at Holts Cafe
A book, music or toy at Indio

Check in with me next time for more travel and style advice from Kim.



Maid of the Mist

Isn't she fetching? Like the falls, a force of nature. I was hoping for a little Maralyn fix, visiting Niagara Falls. However, certain places don't live up to stylish dreams and when that happens, embrace the right now and enjoy the venue for exactly what it has to offer.

The falls are over-the-top, big, bold and ferocious, the King Kong of water falls. Its avenue backdrop is cheesy, touristy, outlandish and garish, to the point of laughable. My son loved it! His chosen souvenir, a jester hat, set the tone and the style.

When you go, and everyone should at least once, don't miss the Maid of the Mist. Dawn a full length blue rain poncho, included in your admission, step aboard, choose the top deck, and be prepared to enter Horse Shoefalls on the Canadian side screaming. It's a blast, literally. The Maid's been blowing visitors away since 1846! Imagine what people wore to Niagara then.

Much to do in Markham, Canada

GoNOMAD has sent me on a press trip covering family travel in Toronto and my son, James, is joining me. It's been great to have him along. When asked how he rated where we are staying, James's comment was, "If it is a scale from one to ten, ten being the president should stay here, and one being a Motel 6, I'd give it a twenty." He likes it. We're in a two bedroom suite at the Homewood Suites by Hilton, in Markham, Ontario. James likes it for the same reason any nine-year-old would; indoor pool, fluffy bed, flat screen TV, your own kitchen and bath, putting green, homemade cookies. I think the decor and amenities are nice and serviceable, reflective of this brand, which prides itself on being the most upscale in the extended stay market.

In today's itinerary we're exploring an area outside Toronto called Markham. Included is a short hike through a rescued forest, visiting a working/educational farm right out of Charlottes Web, and lunch plus shopping on a circa 1800s main street.

York Regional Forest was a barren desert before it was rescued in 1924. Apparently farmers of the 1800s had cleared and farmed the land to extinction. The Canadian forest management came to the rescue in 1924 planting mostly red and white pine trees. Since then indigenous flora and fauna have moved in creating a dreamy forest canopy. We walked one short trail of 22. James gave it an A-plus calling it a "nice, quiet, relaxing walk where you can see old trees."

"We raise our own beef, pork and chicken. We're a working farm that provides education and entertainment to our visitors," says Jim Forsythe of Forsythe Family Farms. Doesn't warm apple pie from the country store, feeding greedy goats, navigating a corn maze, cuddling baby bunnies, taking a wagon ride behind a John Deere and visiting a storybook forest, sound like fun for kids, and adults too!? A down-home word is appropriate here–it was, swell. Teaching and entertainment is both a passion and a survival strategy for this 64 acre farm. The Forsythes have hit on a perfect combination of tradition, charm, education and real-life farming.

Lunching in what was once the site of a Model T Ford shop, we ordered some Canadian brew, ate, rested up, and then sallied fourth down Unionville's main street in Markham. Appropriately, Unionville is frequently used as a TV and film set location for the quintessential main street America. Today Canadian flags lined the street, yesterday it was American. James grew impatient while I ducked in and out of girly stores, absolutely refusing to set foot in a lingerie store hidden behind a charming victorian facade. I wanted to purchase a perfectly tame nightgown. He wanted nothing to do with it.

That will change one day.



Robin's Ribbon

At a Memorial Day party this weekend I was loving Robin's red and white ribbon. She wrapped it around her waist over a plain navy T and white a-line linen skirt. A floppy navy hat topped off the look. It was simple, patriotic and chic. The ribbon itself was medium width, sort of floppy and not overly perfect, which made the look even more charming.

I've also seen a plain black silk ribbon used to make a necklace out of a silver charm bracelet. Or try light pink or light blue ribbon with a gold bracelet, shown here.
Another girlfriend, Melissa, sported a red ribbon watchband this weekend. Apparently the watch came with interchangeable ribbons. She mentioned she got it at Gracious Living Design Studio, Pelham, NY. I thought it would be a fun idea to make your own band, perhaps using a vintage watch. Stick with more sophisticated colors, for me, no poka dots or green and pink stripes, bit too "Babs," if you know what I mean.

Always on the look out for creative and unexpected ways to enjoy girly things, like ribbons...

45 to 54, Buying Fashion, Online

There is a great article in the style section of the Wall Street Journal today by Christina Binkley, The Forgotten Market Online: Older Women. According to Binkley most online clothing shoppers are women over 35 but fashion sites seem to be targeting a younger age group. Binkley sites StyleCaster amongst others. If I were to poll my friends and clients, I'm almost certain they would agree that some fashion websites and blogs do make them feel like they are crossing a velvet rope, stepping into a night club resonating with house music, when they'd rather be having a quiet cocktail at The King Cole Bar, NYC.

I think Nordstrom does a nice job of catering to older women who shop online, but really, can we just stop saying "older women." I like, stylish women with purchasing power, access, knowledge and confidence. My clients have all been over 35. They are mostly crunched for time, but they usually enjoy shopping and that is why "environmental" department store sites–sites that make you feel as if you are in the store or a spectator at a runway show, sometimes work well for them.

It helps, no, it's critical, to know just what you're after, before shopping online. That is something my clients discover though the styling service I offer at MyStylist. I also shop with clients as many stylists do. Once armed with a good list of purchases to optimize their wardrobe, clients may rely on a personal shopping service provided by a store or a good and honest friend. BUT, be wary of a "good friend." They are either good and not too honest, or they are honest and not too good! I really think it is best to higher an honest professional.

To blog about clogs...


Last week a client had a pair of light blue suede clogs in her closet. When she suggested them for a particular outfit we were working on, I thought she was joking. I mean shouldn't clogs be relegated to gardens, kitchens and hospitals? Hers were cute, but I thought she had them only to wear very casually as slip ons around the house or quick footwear to walk the dog. Eventually, I put together a stylish outfit that looked great with the unexpected addition of her clogs, I thought, okay, I think I need a pair of these.

I like the ones that are sort of fun without being childish or ridiculous. In last month's Oprah Magazine, The O Pick, featured patterned ones that almost fit the bill from Cape Clogs, but they're a little juvenile. They'd be great for my 12-year-old.
If I was feeling really playful and needing attention, they'd be great for me!

Who would have thought that Palm Springs would be home to Clogwild. This store gets close to the clogs I'm after, but I still would like them without the strap over the top, which to me screams, "I'm nothing but a clog."

Always looking for an opportunity to shop abroad, this clog musing makes me think of a romantic "pre wedding ring" trip I took to Amsterdam with my now husband. There were plenty of tourist stores featuring Dutch clogs or klompen. I didn't get any for myself, again, too silly. But I'd like to have another crack at shopping in Amsterdam. I think I'd stay at the same place too, The Seven Bridges Hotel, a 300 years old canal house, a sweet hotel which made me feel like I fell into a Vermeer painting.

Roar!


I'm seeing a lot of animal prints these days... Not so much on the streets, but in mags. I think it takes guts to wear them well, and some forethought. Here are some rules incase you want to head for the jungle. And I suggest you do!

  • Pick one thing, and only one thing, to wear at a time in animal print. Wearing more than one animal print can look like a safari gone terribly wrong.
  • Do not wear colored animal prints. If you can't find it in nature, you shouldn't find it in your closet!
  • Go easy on accessories. Choose bigger pieces that overpower the print, essentially putting a larger accessory on top of a smaller print, or vise-versa. You don't want both the print and the accessory to be the same scale.
  • Some things just don't work in animal print: pants, leggings, most knits, sheets!
  • Choose good fabrics, silks, leather–I like faux pony skin jackets, especially in Utah.
  • Be careful of the "Married to the Mob" look. Simple is always better. Wear your print without chewing gum or big hair...
Photo: WSJ, Ask Teri, Lafayette 148 New York

What to Pack, Hamptons

I recently was hired to help one of my clients pack for Rome. We had a great time delving into her closet in search of just the right pieces to use to create several outfits that would be perfect for her Roman Holiday. As with any client, I took pictures of the outfits and created a Style Guide for her. I normally don't go to quite so much trouble for myself, but before going to the Hamptons I decided to take some picture so I could illustrate this process on my blog.

It all started with a favorite accessory that reminds me of the beach. It's a vintage necklace made of shells that has a breezy color combination, which reminds me of spring...
Using this as inspiration, I put together several outfits. I knew I'd need comfortable touring clothes as well as a dinner outfit or two. It wasn't going to be too warm so I'd need some cashmere and layers–camisoles were in order. I absolutely needed comfortable shoes and I didn't want to look like I was trying too hard so I was going for casual, but nice with a touch of wealth (and I don't mean money, I guess I mean class, but I don't like that word).
Below is what went in the bag...




Bridgehampton



At my sons baseball game yesterday a fellow mom asked me about my spring break vacation. I told her we were in the Hamptons and she asked me which Hampton I would recommend she go to with her family to relax and hangout. Without hesitation, I said Bridgehampton. First off, it seemed really manageable, a little stretch of interesting shops and classic restaurants right on Montauk Hwy.

Two places in particular captured our attention. Marders on Snake Hollow Road and Maison 24. Marders' address alone describes this enchanting gardener's paradise. The structure is an old
tobacco barn moved to the site years ago. The grounds are extensive and beautiful. Even if gardening isn't your thing, you can't help but appreciate the abundance of cool/useful/romantic stuff at this store!

Maison 24 has captured an unexpected niche out here.
Antique stores,and traditional interiors seem to dominate domain stores in the Hamptons and Maison 24 is groovy down. It reminded us of our good friends Brigitte and Andre
of flowmoderndesign in LA. An unexpected and welcome surprise in the Hamptons, Maison 24 was also fun for the kids to poke around in and the owners were open and friendly.

Feed The Budgies...



Several tiny pricks coupled with a weightless vibration for a split second, on the tip of your fingers... It's a budgie and he's eating from your hand. Go to Morton National Wildlife Refuge off Noyack road in Sag Harbor. Be sure to get bird seed at Crommers Market to feed the budgies. The hike to the beach is a visual salad of grasses, sand, sea, sticks and trees. It's beautiful, a real nature moment, one I'll always remember.

James, our the mussel man, tried mussels at almost every restaurant we went to. He gave, Dockside Bar & Grill in Sag Harbor, a second place to Bobby Van's of Bridgehampton who won the mollusk contest. Dockside has a groovy/cool wharf vibe, that I thought was very stylish.
Bobby Van's, well, for those prices, you better taste and feel like you're a guest at the Hampton Classic. We liked it but be prepared, there is a lot of swagger, seeing and being
seen.

Signs of the day...


Bohemia in the Hamptons

Thursday's agenda had us feeding ducks and swans at East Hampton's, Duck Pond just off of David's Lane. I've never seen a swan run across the water and hydroplane to a landing. It mimics jet propulsion and landing to a tee. We delighted in this activity and it's free! There is bionafied knight buried in the neighboring graveyard. You can't miss his elaborate resting place, a must see for romantics of all ages.



Next stop was Srings General Store. Here, Jackson Pollock traded one of his paintings for food. We ordered up some fancy deli sandwiches and picnicked in the field next to the store. Be sure to walk down to the water just behind the picnic area. You'll capture a beautiful water-color view.




Pollock-Krasner House is just up the road from the Spring store and we did a quick photo op there. Later in the year there are tours of the house and barn where Pollock "splattered" his masterpieces.





After lunch we headed for Louse Point. I think Susan explained this sliver of land best, "The Atlantic Sea collides with the Long Island Sound and gives a wild home to Black Cormants, Box Turtles, Sea Plovers, Osprey and more. Not many people know about Louse Point and it almost feels like a throw-back to the Florida Keys."

Hamptons Bound, Off Season


Armed with a list of activities, pit stops, and restaurant to try, we have ventured fourth Out East to Eastern Long Island, NY– East Hampton, if we want to sound tony, Wainscott, if we want to be very specific about which Hampton and sound local, which we do. For the next couple days I'll be postings some photos primarily by my photographer/designer husband, Thomas Bricker, that will give you some ideas about interesting things to do in The Hamptons when you can actually get accommodations and pay an off season rate.

Before I get started, I've got to give credit where credit is do. This insider's list comes from Susan Slover and Rosemary Kuropat of the design firm, Slover and Company. Not only does Slover and Co. sign my husband's paychecks, it is also a funnel for his exceptional creative talent and watering hole to gifted designers and savvy clients alike. Our friends Susan and Rosemary have offered us the comfort of their Wainscott home, a swank shelter artfully decorated and personally adorned with still lifes in every direction. And it is their LIST!


Southampton, The Parish Art Museum. Small museum,
small time commitment.
Be sure to check out the Roman Emperors in the garden and crown one of your own.


The Southamton Historical Museum, a half block from the Parish, this museum is a window through time into Southamton's yesteryear.
Stroll by chic, simple shops and spots flanking the museum in almost every direction.

Inside museum photos to follow...