Missoni Cover Up, and Missoni Dress

Soon I will be sojourning to the beach for some much needed warm weather and relaxation.
Here is some beautiful beach clothing, for a dreamy beach vacation.
The coverup looks so Madame Butterfly to me. If it did not look so see through I would totally try to belt it and wear it to dinner. I am ghetto like that sometimes.

Have a beautiful day.
(photos from NetaPorter.com)

Milly Halter Dress and Seychelles Halter Dress

Both of these dresses are perfect for a beach vacation. The cool, gauzy fabrics and beautiful colors just scream to drink mai tais on an island in the South Pacific.
(photos from Netaporter.com)

Pucci Halter and Dress

This I could do. It is beautiful and soft, and Pucci. I really love Pucci. Always have.
This however, I could NOT do. I love the pattern and colors, but it is a bit too Twiggy in Picadilly Circus, circa 1964 to me. Although I would love to look like Twiggy in Picadilly Circus in 1964, I know I could not pull this dress off. This dress would not be flattering to my body. Short and tight scare me. I would totally wear this over jeans though. Sienna Miller would look GREAT in this.

(photo from netaporter.com)

Dennis Hopper and Owen Wilson

A few years ago Owen Wilson came on television. My husband had no idea who he was, but he stopped and said "Is that Dennis Hopper's son?". I was like "NO! That is Owen Wilson". My husband went on to insist that it was Dennis Hopper's son. Now I knew that was not true. However there are some freaky coincidences that just might make it true.

First off, they do look alike, and their mannerisms and voice are similar too.

Second off, Owen Wilson was born in Dallas, Texas on 11/18/1968.
Easy Rider was released in 1969 which means it was being filmed in 1968 in the area of Texas.
The movie was filmed from Los Angeles to New Orleans. Now I am no geographical genius, but Texas lies somewhere betwixt (I love that word) Los Angeles and New Orleans.

Third, they are both extremely talented. They are both writers and producers in addition to being great actors.

I am not trying to start rumors because that is not my style, but they DO look and act alike.
Plus in my humble opinion, Luke and Owen do not look very much alike. They could totally be half brothers. As I said not trying to start rumors, but more or less just musing out loud here on my blog.

What do you think?

The Mermaid Chair and Carthusia

I recently finished reading (well, not really reading-but listening on my IPOD) The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd. It was a sentimental journey about one woman's coming of age. The bulk of the book takes place on a small island off the coast of South Carolina.
A woman, Jessie Sullivan lives in another part of the country, but has to return to the small island where she grew up after her mother faces a health crisis.
There is a Monastery of Benedictine Monks on the tiny island. They have a wooden chair with Mermaids carved into it. The Mermaid Chair, as the title would hint, is a very important symbol in the book.

Now this is not a book review, so bear with me. Being a perfume lover, the first thing that I think of when I read about monks is usually Carthusia (the niche fragrance line with a beautiful history). It is one of my favorite lines, and I love the history.

Legend has it that in 1380, the Carthusain Monastery of St. Giacomo was taken unawares by the news of the arrival on Capri of the Queen Giavanna D' Angelo and so he made a flower arrangement wit the most beautiful flowers of the island. When the flowers were thrown away, the prior noticed that the water acquired a beautiful fragrance. That water became the first perfume of Capri.
The monks made the fragrances for years until more and more people found out about them, now they are manufactured by companies, but still with the precision of the Carthusian Monks.
There are some historical stories that rival the legend, but I find the legend to be more interesting.


The thing that struck me most about the book is the mermaid references. Mermaids were almost like the mascots of the monastery. I find this interesting because the logo of Carthusia looks very much like a mermaid with a tail made of floral and fana.
I have always thought the Carthusia ads with the mermaid were beautiful. Leave it to a perfume lover to find the perfume angle in everything. Maybe Sue Monk Kidd is a Carthusia lover, or maybe it is just strange conicidence, or maybe I am just a weirdo who is obsessed with perfume. I'll let you decide.

Some of the scents of Carthusia are:

Ligea La Sirena (my favorite)
Fiori di Capri
Mediterraneo
Aria di Capri
Uomo

You can find Carthusia fragrances at Aedes, Barneys New York, and Takashimaya.

(photos from Amazon.com, and Aedes.com)

Golden Globe review to come....stay tuned.

I think this just might be my favorite look of the evening.
Evangeline glowed! This color is stunning.

*edited*
Ok so here it is more than a week after the Golden Globes, and it is old news now. Sorry I did not get to my opinions in a more timely manner, but life sometimes gets in the way of blogging.
Even though I am a day late and a dollar short, I will give a few thoughts.

Jeremy Piven looked great, and I wish he would have won,

Steve Carrel is a genius, and I am glad he won. Shout out Second City!


Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis need Crest White Strips.

Isaac Mizrahi needs to go back to Target and stay off the red carpet.

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick looked great.

I was sad to see Hillary Swank without Chad Lowe, but her dress was gorgeous.

Reece Witherspoon ALWAYS looks like a seven year old flower girl in a bad chapel wedding. The whole Kirsten Dunst Chanel debacle not withstanding.

I still want to see Brokeback Mountain.

Why did noone ask Charlize Theron about Stuart Townsend? Where was he?

Marcia Cross looked beautiful, but the other Housewives made me yawn. Why the hell does Eva Longoria wear that awful fake hair all the time?

Ok enough of that. I promise to start posting more regularly.
Splendid day to all!


(photo from Sky.com)

I love Brian Atwood shoes......

Brian Atwood is my new favorite shoe designer. His designs are so artistic and utterly femme fatale!

These shoes remind me of summer in New York City. Stumbling and hobbling through The Meat Packing District. Stumbling and hobbling because the streets in the Meat Packing District are cobblestone/brick/something NOT stiletto friendly. Stilettos, a cocktail, and the Meat Packing District almost always equal a twisted ankle. Oh but the memories you will have. Memories made even sweeter by a pair of Brian Atwood shoes.

Beautiful!


(photo from Saks.com)

Brian Atwood Ashland Shoe

(photo from Footcandy.com)

Brian Atwood Lydia Shoe

(Photo from Footcandy.com)

Lost in a world of reality.....

Let's get one thing clear--I love reality TV shows. My Tivo is littered with them. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed like I cannot keep up with all of them because they are EVERYWHERE.
I am addicted to Survivor, Big Brother, The Biggest Loser, Project Runway, Trading Spaces, (even though we need Paige Davis back) Wife Swap, The Apprentice (Donald Version), etc etc etc. And PLEASE do not even get me started on Starting Over. I love Starting Over. However--I do not love Fear Factor. I must add that I REALLY wish they would bring back Extreme Makeover (face and boob edition, NOT home edition)

I think part of it might be that I am an only child and I never played sports, so I never learned competition. Most of my cousins lived in other states or other countries..so I was even cheated out of cousin rivalry. Reality TV is most often a competition. These people are fighting for money. People do some crazy things for money, or quasi fame, or just attention even. On Starting Over they do not compete, they just try to fix themselves. Before you poo poo Starting Over, let me just ask you--where else can you find whores, auctioneers, and lawyers all with phobias and ADD and a litany of other things that makes for some damn fine television?

I sometimes fear that all this reality TV is not healthy, and it is the dumbing of America. I do not just watch reality TV. I watch educational, international shows too (shout out Rick Steves and Anthony Bourdain).

Last night I fear I hit a new low. I was watching Dancing With the Stars on Tivo and after Drew Lachey danced and they showed his brother Nick beaming with such true pride--I. Actually. Teared. Up. WHAT? Drew was so nervous and he did so well (the judges loved him) and Nick ,(bless his heart with the marriage falling apart and all)stood up and clapped with abandon. Nick was so proud of his brother.

I was overcome by a combination of so many things I long for in life...Competition, sibling love and pride, dancing ( I begged my husband to take dance lessons with me and he won't), the lithe lean bodies of the pro dancers, and sparkly dresses! I was awash with emotion over so many things.

I think I need a formal intervention. But for now I am going to watch Oprah.

Thoughts and prayers to the miners and their families in West VA.