This year was a very sweet one for us.

For the past 4 years we have dealt with many family issues. My Dad passed away, Mom’s short term memory has been stolen from her. We sold the family home, I retired after a 43 year career in fashion and we now have Mom in assisted living where, after finally giving in to it, she has made a “best friend” and is doing exceptionally well.

I feel like I can finally exhale.

My husband and I decided it was time we could travel again. In June we were off to Europe for a few days in Italy and then a Mediterranean cruise with stops in Italy, France, Monaco, and Spain.  We traveled with our close friends Carol and Tony and had a wonderful time. It felt so good to be back in Europe again after being away from it for a couple of years. The following month we had a reunion vacation with my close friends of 45 years in the Finger Lakes in NY and did some serious wine tasting. In August there was also long weekend in Richmond with my closest friends. Tom and Al did a great job of entertaining themselves while the four of us talked endlessly. There was another winery trip to Williamsburg, Va in September.

But the crown jewel in our months of travel was to take the family to Disney for 10 days starting the week after Thanksgiving. This was such a memorable trip. We got to have some good family time together and to see our grandson experience Disney for the first time. Seeing the Magic Kingdom and Buzz Lightyear  and Woody up close and personal through the eyes of a 2 1/2 year old was so very sweet. We hope that it will stay locked in his memory of “firsts”. It certainly will not be his last trip to Disney.

And now it is time to say so long to another year. It was good for us personally but a very challenging year for our country. My hope is that we all will step up to the plate and keep our country on track. It is more important than ever to participate in any way we can and not take the stance of “it wouldn’t matter what I do” because it does.

We all need to be hopeful for the future. How easy life would be if we could all just get along!! And, it really is true…all you need is love…and Disney!

Happy New Year!!

I think the last days of summer ’16 that lingered through October have finally come to an end. There is a chill in the air and I am looking forward to fall dressing  and  bringing out the sweaters and scarves.

The items guaranteed to update your wardrobe are boots, bags, scarves and jewelry.

BOOTS.  Ankle boots continue from last year and are bigger than ever. There are styles out for every taste and age. There are biker styles and active wear looks with  buckles and ties and wedges and rugged looking soles.There are also beautiful leathers and suede (and faux!) with interesting zipper details and lots of heel heights including block heels and wedges. There is certainly something for everyone in this category. Gaining popularity this season too are high over the knee boots. Very classy on the right legs!!

BAGS. Small bags are making a statement this season. There are mini bucket bags, short strap shoulder bags, and a variety of shapes in crossbody bags. You can find bags now that come with a handle strap and also have a shoulder strap that is either attached to the bag or can be attached. I love to see this option because it gives you more mileage or, as I like to say, the value of the bag increases because the price-per-wear goes down! Of course, I can come up with any excuse to buy another bag. There is also mixed media in bags this season. There are flap bags in prints and there are appliques, floral stamps, and funky over sized hardware.

SCARVES. I love to wear a scarf so it makes me really smile when it is a good scarf season. This add-on can really transform your look and make the most simple sweater take on a new joie de vivre.  This season you will see many ways to wear a scarf.  The scarf becomes a bag accessory. Neckerchief size (22″ square) is best for this. The scarf can be a casual drape. Just drape it around your neck. The best size for this is an oblong. The scarf can be an easy tie. Just tie it once at the neck. The best size for this is a bias cut scarf. The scarf can be a chunky knot. Wrap the scarf around your neck then tie the ends up high for a chunky look. Best size for this is an oblong. The scarf can be worn as a belt. Best size for this is an oblong or  a bias cut. And of course, the scarf can be  bow-tied at the neck for a real french look.

JEWELRY. the biggest statement in jewelry for the season is bold choker necklaces.  I read somewhere that the thought here can be, when it doubt, shout it out! Over sized earrings are front and center too. Another item from an Milan based label, Attico, is an ankle cuff. Currently out are styles in velvet or satin with a buckle or embellishment. This will probably translate into something affordable that we’ll see in the spring.

Don’t forget to add a touch of faux fur somewhere this season. Could be a vest, a collar on a sweater or outerwear, or you might just add a small touch as an accessory dangling on your handbag. And of course, a must have is a fabulous pair of sunglasses.

Wear what you YOU want.  Make it your own and have fun with it!

Our most recent road trip was to Williamsburg Virginia to spend some time at Wedmore Place at the Williamsburg Winery. What a great experience it was. Getting there was not a great experience! It rained for the entire trip and there were multiple accidents which caused us to arrive after dark. Not a great place to arrive without daylight. The inn is ON the vineyard property and there is very little lighting. Without a GPS we would have wound up who-knows-where.

The inn and winery are privately owned by the Duffeler family. The history given at the hotel says that it all started in the 70’s. Patrick Duffeler was associated with a Geneva based investment group that had a participation in an old winery in Beaune, the capital of Burgundy. Consideration was being given to the acquisition of a building in the center of that medieval city. A large portion of that building was to be transformed into a small upscale hotel designed to be part of the international association of the Relais & Chateaux. During his years of heading the Marlboro motor racing sports program, Patrick traveled the world and stayed in a variety of hotels. He became well aquainted with Relais & Chateaux and their uniqueness for quiet surroundings, private ownership, good fare and comfort. The story goes on to say that the investment project did not happen and the group was restructured and Patrick accepted a position as CEO of Fragrance Selective.   Along the way a decision was made to return to the US. The family settled on 300 acres in Virginia in 1983. The Duffelers and their son moved onto the farm which was 3 miles from the restored Williamsburg. The goal was to create a winery and to develop a country hotel reminiscent of old European properties. The first planting of grapes was 1985 and the Williamsburg Winery released its first wine in 1988. After this came the development of the “country hotel”.

Wedmore Place is located in the middle of the farm,  as it is a place of quiet surroundings, “far from the maddening crowd”. It is quiet and peaceful. There are many antiques  from all over Europe. Stone that was also imported. The guest rooms are designed to reflect different cultural heritages.

The building near the inn is where the wine is barreled in oak or steel or concrete “eggs”. They also filter and bottle here. There are tasting rooms and tours given throughout the day. The wine was really quite good and we came home with a case to enjoy. There is also a place for lunch, The Gabriel Archer Tavern, but we opted to drive to Colonial Williamsburg for lunch.

The dining experience was exceptional. The restaurant is the Cafe Provencal. The chef is very talented and creative. The meals were the kind that you wished would not end. The small restaurant is open to the public for dinner. A continental breakfast is served to guests. The croissants melted in your mouth.

I loved walking around the inn looking out at the courtyard with its stone walls and fountains. I felt like we were somewhere in France. The fact that it rained the entire time we were there only added to the romantic ambiance.

I would recommend a visit to the Williamsburg Winery. And we would definitely recommend dinner at Cafe Provencal.

This was the only indicator of where you had to turn! 

 

 

 

 

 

The front entrance to the inn                                               

The court yard and pool area

The library

Wow. September already!

There are so many trends being thrown about for Fall 2016 that if I went into each of them you would think that no one wants the responsibility of  taking a stand. I have read lots of reports and opinions on this season’s trends. This is what I see as the best of what you will be seeing at most of the stores and the best for what you can look for to update your wardrobe.

One of the biggest trends in apparel is the loose and  comfortable multi layer looks. For lack of hearing a name for this category I will call it Street Lounge. These pieces have all the comfort of loungewear, but they are also worn outside. I would love to think that I am one of the women that editors talk about when they say “she comes home from a busy day and changes into a fabulous looking lounging ensemble”. I don’t know any women who do this.  It would require that you have multiple wardrobes. There are many designers and apparel companies who are joining in the race to get their market share in this category that lounges AND heads out of the house.  On the shopping channels you have Logo by Lori Goldstein on QVC (who I think has been working this category successfully for the longest period of time.) And there is Lisa Rinna with the Lisa Rinna Collection which is also doing well in this category. Now QVC has added Cuddl Duds which is a fabulous comfort line and the best priced in this category. A more expensive line is Barefoot Dreams. Both of these companies have their roots in sleepwear/loungewear.  There is also AnyBody which is a QVC private label.  It is well priced and adorable, but in my opinion should stay inside your home.  On HSN you can see Lisa  Kline’s line of “loungewear that’s meant to be seen”. Lysee is another one of the designers working this category for HSN.  It is so much easier for home shopping to sell this kind of merchandise because they have the luxury of grouping the styles and selling a lifestyle. In a department store many of the components would wind up sitting in various places in the store. Components in this category are leggings, ponchos, vests, tanks, tees, and cardigans. All in soft fabrications, mostly knitted. I am a really big fan of this category because it completely suits my lifestyle right now.

Capes, capelets and Ponchos continue to gain momentum this year. You will see styles for outerwear and ones that are suitable to wear inside, all day. Fringe comes into play perfectly for capes and ponchos.

If you need a coat this year look for a trench coat. They will be everywhere in both long and short lengths.

Asymmetric cuts and uneven hemlines continue on skirts, tops, dresses and jackets. And now you can add asymmetric shoulders which take the cold shoulder to another level. You will see single shoulder dresses and open shoulder sweaters. Showing off the shoulders continues into fall.

Leather and Suede (as well as synthetic substitutes) will be BIG and will cross over many categories. Velvet and velour will be seen. Tufts of faux fur will be seen as trims for hoods and lapels. The most fun is in the colors.

Denim. That’s all I’ll say. Nothing else needs to be said.

TREGGINGS. This will be THE pant silhouette for Fall. WhoWhatWear tells us that it is the next step from a legging. The material is thicker. It is slim, but not skin tight. This is a cross between trousers and leggings. This is  showing up everywhere from H&M to Topshop, J Crew, Zara and Rag &Bone.

That’s my overview to get you started.

Next up will be my Haute Pops for shoes, bags, scarfs and jewelry.

 

Yes, it is that time of the year. All of the fall merchandise hits the floor at my favorite stores. My favorite shopping channels start with broadcasts of what you absolutely Must Have for a perfect fall season!!

The biggest kick off for me is the Nordstrom Pre-Fall sale. There are many items selected from new fall offerings that are put on sale prior to the actual fall season. When the catalog for the sale hits my mailbox  I start to feel the excitement. There is usually one item that knocks me out and I know I have to pick it up. Since I am a “regular” I get to purchase the sale items before they actually go on sale. This year took some extra planning on my part because we were leaving on a trip the day after the presale started. But, I worked it out to get there the day before we left.  The item is a light weight denim zip front poncho from Treasure&Bond. Regular price $98.00, sale price $59.90. What a steal! When I got to my local Nordstrom  I looked for it and could not find it. I asked for assistance. It had sold out.  The sales associate told me she would get it from another store and ship it to me. Phew! that was a close one. The next morning I checked my emails before we left and there was a note from Nordstrom telling me all the other stores were sold out too. I figured this was either a very hot item or the manufacturer was late in getting their full order shipped to the stores. Lucky for me it was also in their on line catalog and they had stock. I am the happy owner of this denim poncho purchased at the pre-fall price. Now I can’t wait for the temperature to drop so that I can wear it.

There was also a good selection of neck wear in some new looks for this season. The skinny scarfs are back and looking fresh. There was a rayon ombre loosely woven fringe scarf made by Collection XIIX that is now part of my accessory collection. I saw a triangle sueded fringed item with embroidered ribbon trim that looked great and I did like this look that was popular many, many years ago. Nordstrom had it for $48.00, but I thought this was a bit steep. But, lucky me. I went into JCPenney next and there it was. The exact same neck piece selling for $28.00 and on sale  for 20% off and I had a Rewards Coupon. Made my day!

Another department that I stopped where a friend is the department manager, was kids’shoes. Such high fashion for the little girls. Hot items for the pre-season sale were boots by Stuart Weitzman and Michael Kors. There are biker boots and wedges just like mom will be wearing. But my favorite one is a pair of mary janes. One foot has the head of Minnie Mouse, the other foot has Mickey Mouse, and when the feet are next to each other the characters are puckered up for a kiss! Wish I had a little girl in the family.

In the home department I always find some items that are must-haves for  gifts. The barware was really good and we picked up a gift for a friend. LED Marquee Letters are on sale again this year ($35.00 per letter). They were a very big decorating item last fall too. Another item I saw was Readers Digest Books ($8.90 for the presale, $15.00 regular price).  The covers were decorated with artsy motifs such as initials and hearts. Why didn’t I think of this when we cleaned out my parents’ home and disposed of hundreds of these books!!

LOVE the start of the fall season. Next I will share some of the trends for fall 2016.

 

 

Fall 2016 is raring to go! The colors for the year were Serenity (light blue) and Rose Quartz. The colors for Fall 2016 give a nod to the colors from that palette. Pantone has given us 10 colors to define fall 2016 and they look fresh and very salable to me.

Riverside is a strong blue that is cool and calm. “…to be more exact in the definition, just take any navy or cobalt blue, blow some cigarette smoke on it and you will get what the Pantone Color Institute has contrived to call Riverside” (Fashionisers). This color works for all skin tones as denim always does.

Next in the palette is Airy Blue. This shade is closer to the Serenity blue we have seen this year. This beautiful shade of blue will combine well with Riverside as well as the Lush Green and Warm taupe and Dusty Cedar. Many designers are working this color to set a tone.

Sharkskin is a gorgeous gray. Both bright or muted colors sit beautifully with Sharkskin.

Aurora Red is bold, warm and wonderful.  It “gets the metaphoric blood of the palette pumping” (Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone). This color exudes confidence. It will make a glorious lip color for fall. I bet bags and shoes will be everywhere.

Warm Taupe is a very organic, pleasing neutral that goes with all of the fall colors. You will see lots of coats, leather and knitted pieces in this beautiful neutral.

Dusty Cedar is the fall nod to Rose Quartz. This is a dusty toned pink that is very warm.

Lush Meadow is a rich green color like foliage. It is vibrant, sophisticated and elegant.

Spicy Mustard is a splash of spicy zesty yellow. Very exotic. This color “bounces elegantly off other colors in the palette” (Leatrice Eiseman, Pantone). This color is showing up head to toe as well as in prints and accessories.

Potter’s Clay is a brown/rust with orange undertones. It is very earthy and a strong foundation. Think leather, suede, boots and outerwear.

Bodacious is the last color and the palette exits with a vibrant personality. This color is a pinky purple. Bodacious lends itself to vibrant combinations. Think about how gorgeous this will be in satin or velvet. It will be also be showing up in tweeds and lace as well as sporty dresses and fur!

Have fun  with all of the colors presented for fall. Let color express your individuality.

This month we met a group of friends for our summer reunion which was held at the Finger Lakes. What a great place to vacation. There are all kinds of things to do. Lots of boat rides and activities on the lakes, viewing a bunch of falls (all of which were dry when we were there because of a drought and they did not start “falling” again until the day we left after there had been some rain!) The wineries are fabulous and the New York Finger Lake wines are really coming on. All in all it was a fabulous trip.

And on one day I got all of my creative juices flowing! Our first stop was at Note Fragrances.  Note is a perfumery where you can make your own scent. Last June I wrote a blog titled A Woman’s Good Scents. In it I discussed my love for fragrance and my interest in the fragrance notes. This place was made for me.  Here one can go through scent families and the note classifications. I was able to “discover your scent story”.  First you sit down and go through the various categories of scents: floral, sweet and spicy, earthy/woody, herbal, citrus, fresh and clean, fruits and berries. Then you decide what notes should be: top notes are “the first notes you smell”, middle notes are “the heart of the fragrance”, base notes are “the depth and longevity of the fragrance”. Then I got to work.  Knowing all of the scents that I like (and like me!), I selected each scent. Mark told me the best way to test it out was to dip the stick into each of the scents and clip them in a holder they use and fan out the sticks. Then you fan away and see how you like the result. Both my husband and I liked my combination and I was ready to turn it over to Mark to blend. Your personal scent is registered and numbered with them so that you can reorder as needed. I named it “Elaine’s Mix” .  Not terribly original, but I will remember it. Here is my scent Top Notes: bergamot and sweet orange; Middle Notes: lemongrass and chamomile; Base Notes: sandalwood and amber. I was so excited with my creation. Note Fragrances is located on the East Shore/Seneca Lake, 5930 State Route 414, Hector, NY. Well worth a visit if you like fragrance and are looking for originality.

From there we went to The Corning Museum of Glass. Here there are many exhibits of glass art, history and technology. We went to a live narrated hot glass demonstration which was fascinating. But, here comes the best part. My friend Julie and I made our own glass with the help of their glassmakers. We both made pendants. We each picked the colors we were interested in and then, like a real glassmaker, we made the piece melting it over an open flame blending the colors and determining the shape. So exciting! I can’t wait to get the piece I made. It had to cool for a 24 hour period and then they mail it to you if you can’t get back to pick it up.

In one day I got to experience two of my passions, creating my own fragrance and making a piece of jewelry. And then to be able to come back to our hotel (La Tourelle in Ithaca) and share my day’s experience with our friends over dinner made it to my “best days” list.

Life is good.

This summer we were in Italy, France and Spain. I thought for sure I would have lots to write about what was worn on “the street”. To tell you the truth, I feel there is more inspiration and interesting outfits seen in New York and New Jersey!

But, this was not a complete non-event. There were several items that I saw repeatedly and I thought I would share this with you.

Dresses, dresses, dresses!! Maxi’s were all around. Many were strappy or had cut outs in back. The look was good! Very flowing and a lot of white.

Stripes- everywhere-mostly black/white, navy/white. Stripes were in dresses, skirts and tee tops.

Lots of skirts with high/low hems. I have been talking about that as a big look here too.

Lacey short shorts- on the right legs this is a fabulous look

In shoes a popular look is caged styles. Heels, wedges, sandals and even a gladiator or two (why am I surprised since I was, after all, near the Colosseum!!)

Accent color for accessories was Yellow. Loved that. Very fresh.

One of the most interesting looks was in hair color. You see lots of red in Europe. A particularly good look was brunette chin length loose curls with deep red only on the tips of the curls. Looked really good.

Fashion is becoming so universal now with global coverage and availability. It is fun, though, to see how different countries interpret trends.

 

 

We had an absolutely fabulous trip this month. It was technically our long overdue honeymoon. We wanted to make this trip 4 years ago, but my dad’s illness changed our plans. It was now finally a good time to make this trip.

The trip started with 4 days in Rome, Italy. This was an appropriate start since it was on my last trip to Rome in 2002 that I made a wish and threw a coin into the Trevi Fountain. Tossing a coin, according to legend, will guarantee a return trip to Rome. I took my coin tossing very seriously because I had gotten a divorce and was throwing my coins with the added wish to come back again with the love of my life. And here we are!! I took Tom to Trevi fountain and we threw a coin in as a thank you for granting my wish!

Rome was alive with tourists from all over the world. Our first full day was spent at the Vatican. This is a must see for everyone. The art is spectacular. And for me everything the Vatican represents is important. We had a great guide, Massimo, who was fun and informative. We walked and climbed so many steps that my husband called the Vatican a spectacular stair-master!!  The next day we also did a lot of walking seeing many sights that Rome is noted for. We stayed at the Grand Hotel Beverly Hills which is located in a more quiet area near Villa Borghese.  We discovered some “neighborhood” restaurants that were so good.

Then part two of the adventure began! My friend (since the 7th grade!) Carol and her husband Tony joined us and we left on a Mediterranean Cruise. The cruise on Oceania’s Riviera left from the Rome port (Civitavecchia). The ports were Livorno, Italy (which was access to Tuscany- 2 hours drive to Florence and excursions to Lucca and other areas of interest), Portofino, Italy; Monte Carlo, Monaco; Saint Tropez, France; Marseille, France; Barcelona, Spain; Ibiza, Spain; Amalfi/Positano, Italy; and back to Rome. Wow!! We covered 1743 nautical miles.

The beauty of all of the architecture and cathedrals and art put your mind on overload.  Everything is so OLD and majestic in Europe. Then there was the contrast of Monte Carlo. You could actually smell the money! There were magnificent yachts docked there and there was no such thing as a normal car…everywhere you would see a Rolls Royce, Lamborghinis,  and cars that  I could not identify because they were zooming by.  The Principality of Monaco is still very much in love with Princess Grace Kelly. We visited the Prince’s Palace and the Monaco Cathedral. And of course, we had to stop for a wine and Monaco’s own beer (very good by the way). I wanted to go into the casino so that in any future James Bond movies I would be able to identify the location, but, they have a separate casino in the casino for tourists.  I was only interested in the real deal and since we were not interested in gambling we passed on that.

Each of the places we stopped had their own special personality and the weather in this region is glorious. Even though this region is a higher latitude than we are here in NY/NJ, the weather patterns are very different. Much less of their weather comes from the polar regions and they get trade winds that are milder than ours. This results in a drier and hotter climate. This gives way to palm trees, lemon trees and orange trees. Portofino, the second stop made in Italy, is a very picturesque spot. As you approach from the sea your eyes view multicolor villas all along the waterfront. This was once a quiet fishing village which is now full of boutiques, restaurants and beachside cliffs.

Stops in France were Marseille and Saint-Tropez. Marseille is France’s oldest city and a very busy port. The Basilique Notre Dame de la Garde is here. There are 200 steps to reach the Basilica. If we are ever back here we will choose an excursion that involves wine trails! And, I think I’ll remain loyal to Paris as far as French cities are concerned.  Saint-Tropez is another “playground to jetsetters, fashion models and millionaires”. This is the place where Brigid Bardot was “discovered”. Saint-Tropez played a major role in the history of modern art. Paul Signac “discovered this light infused place and inspired painters like Matisse, Bonnard and Marquet to come here”. Saint-Tropez remains an interesting site for painters. Quite a few very classy yachts hanging out here too.

This was my first trip to Spain and it definitely will not be the last. I fell in love with Barcelona. It is a gorgeous, lively city.  Barcelona is a province of Catalonia. It is the capital and largest city. This is the home of The Basilica de la Sagrada Familia.  This basilica began in 1882 and is not yet complete. This soaring basilica was designed by moderist Antonio Gaudi. It is simply incredible. The Poble Espanyol (the Spanish Village) is an architectural museum and a lovely place to walk around and  have lunch and shop in the boutiques. I plan on coming back to Barcelona and exploring the entire city. Our next stop in Spain was Ibiza. Ibiza is part of Spain’s Balearic Islands. The island is 8 miles wide and 25 miles long. In the summer months Ibiza turns into a huge scene for partying and dancing. They say 2 million young clubbers descend on the island to party. Disco is alive and well.

The trip wrapped up in Amalfi and Positano. I have to say, there is NOTHING like approaching the Amalfi coast from the water.  It is truly one of the most breathtaking views you will ever see. There are dramatic cliffs and beautiful scenery. We anchored off the coast and tendered to Amalfi. From there we motor-boated to Positano.  One of my favorite movies is Under The Tuscan Sun.  Positano is where she went to find Marcello (I think that was his name). I saw the apartment balcony where it was filmed.  Got in some shopping in both spots. Did I mention that lemoncello is produced in Amalfi? The size of the lemons are like grapefruits!  And the lemon gelato was delicious!!

Leaving the port, our ship had a very romantic departure. Bellinis were served on the upper deck and Andrea Bocelli and Sarah Brightman were singing “Time to say Goodbye” full blast over the loudspeakers!! Do I have to even say there were tears flowing down my cheeks?? We arrived the next morning back in Rome.

A Mediterranean cruise is one of the most romantic trips you can possible take. It enables you to see so many places and you don’t have to pack and get to the next stop. I recommend Oceania. It is a very classy cruise line…no midnight buffet…no roving photographer wanting you to to buy a picture he took of you!  I highly recommend the voyage and all of it’s experiences. Enjoy.