Back in the Swing of Things..

It's always fun being asked to go extra frilly on floral arrangements, it's a style I know well and looks great for babyshowers. Local dahilas, French ranunculus, blushing bride, Dutch tulips and a few pretty prink spray roses were the choice for a bellini themed baby day. 

My friend who is quite the design authority, a true modernist at heart, says arrangements with mutiple floral varieties make her dizzy, to which she prefers simple clean arrangments, I too can understand that aesthetic.

A clean, graphic, structural juxtaposition to the organic colorful nature of most flowers. Fashion & flowers go hand in hand and the Spring fashion shows are those which I look forward to most being riotous with color.

But other ideas piqued after attending the Hervé Léger Spring 2013 show. This was a clean change from the usual look, a more grown up approach and one I look to incorporating through more structured, muted palated arrangements. All of it brought to mind Alexander Wang's show last year.  

So stay tuned as I work on sharpening a softened edge. 

Los Angeles

Prim Princess Grace has been something of a haunt of mine since girlhood and with a quick switch of plans our anniversary was spent at a place she once called home, the newly rennovated Hotel Bel-Air 

But something changed that night loaded with drink during a midnight swim through that thunderous storm. 

A better undertanding of Marylin occured. 

Then again during check out a crest fallen moment was spent flipping through this book, Three Legends: Norman Mailer / Bert Stern: Marilyn Monroe  

"Marilyn Monroe, who lived at Hotel Bel-Air on and off for more than a decade during her marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller. Only six weeks before she died in 1962, Hotel Bel-Air served as the location for the famed three-day Bert Stern photo shoot; he prepared for the event by putting plenty of Dom Pérignon 1953 vintage Champagne on ice and spraying suite No. 261 with Chanel No. 5. Vogue magazine published eight pages of the shoot the day after Monroe died." -The Hollywood History of Hotel Bel-Air LA Confidential Magazine

Yellow Calla & Painting By Artist Gary Lang, Interior Design of Bel-Air Hotel  Alexandra Champalimaud & David Rockwell

Obviously the book is breathtaking, as is The Bel-Air and ultimately her life. If a grand happened to be laying around asking to be spent surely it could be on this TASCHEN BOOK

************************************************************************

• Architectural Digest The Hotel Bel-Air's Second Act 
• Los Angeles Times Art review: Gary Lang at Ace Gallery Beverly Hills 
• TASCHEN Three Legends Monroe by Mailer & Stern 
• V & A Grace Kelly Photograph by Erwin Blumenfeld 1955
• David Atkinson Handmade Map of Bel-Air Hotel 

...Springs Eternal

March 20th marks the first day of spring, but I like to think the preparation for Valentine's day as its true celebration. Sherberty hues of peach, buttery yellows and pinks will turn more chrimson with red as we approach the 14th.

painting albert moore entitled reading aloud 1883, Vogue UK febuary 2012 patrick demarchelier, model arizona muse 

 

Sandro Spring 2012, Mike Clark Whitney Biennial 2012, Eva Ziesel, Philip Lim Spring 2012

* My Dries Van Noten Heels

& bouquet 

Bouquet of the Day with a Sprinkle of Céline

You can't tell from the pic below but those my fellow fashion fiends is a floor full of Céline.  

The NY flagship which has been taunting us for months is opening tomorrow Thursday, January 26th 

Now if only this flower girl could ditch her canvas shopper and shelp my schtuf in these beauties.

Rubbing those hands together for a good year and for a employee(ish) disount? Come on recession lets be done with you!

London: An Anglophile's Delight

Not many flower posts to report as we are in the doldrums of winter here in New York and anyone with the means to enjoy weekly flowers is probably down in Palm Beach or warming their toes fireside on some snowy slope far from here. Although, I would like to point out that now is the time flowers are needed most.

Gorgeous Italian Poppies are at the market and with the thousandth thin petaled Rancunculus one can stare away a weekend with a mellow smile on your face. Flowers, yoga & bubble baths are mini insta-escapes especially this time of year. Throw in a bottle of Cabernet or tea for two and make a date to have your friend over to share your flowers. ok?

So with all of that said and the thought of,  "the grass is always greener..." I will expound on my euro getaway and tell you about the two places I love most in London (besides my two gal pals and their scrumptious children) On to the V&A and Liberty!

The ultimate delight the Victoria & Albert Museum, where one can learn and lust over the worlds finest objects. Admission to salivate is whatever you choose to pay as all museums in London are virtually free. The museum is not overly massive like the MET or the Louvre and it's oozing with inspiration, the jewelry wing alone will leave you with pangs of longing.

Snuff Boxes owned by Frederick the Great of Prussia ca. 1755

 Tulip Vase ca.1700 & Shell Work Vase 1779-1781 

The special exhibition wing, the only portion requiring admission (£11) is worth every pence. The shows combine fine art, decorative arts, architecture, fashion and music to give the ultimate time machine experience.

Only in England was I able to get through the writings of Proust one lucky little sister summer I had locked away in a perfect private park. The place breathes academia with those pert accents while my flat americaaaan voice fills in blankness with ums and likes.

After such restraint heading to Liberty appeases those pesky wants! Yes, we have Bergdorfs and Barneys here in New York but I would take Liberty of London over them all. Not that it has more of the fashions already seen, it's the wattle and daub 1920's structure that simply makes a shopper feel home. 

Besides the fact that this department store launched the Arts & Crafts Movement and the top floor has the most incredible haberdasher full of notions, trimmings & bolts of signature floral fabrics this place welcomes the DIY hobbyists to the chicest of buyers.

Cool canvas totes, paper goods galore and fine Italian soaps are sweet spring carry homes from a department store that nails the experience. 

My English girlfriends sister actually named her child Liberty, not certain if this was a homage to the department store but regardless in England names such as that or nicknames like Kitty are perfectly OK which makes this aspiring anglophile all the more excited. 

Let's swap! You want New York? I'll take London...well just for a little while. 

Berlin: part zwei

My husband chooses not to believe in jetlag, he's one of those Clark Kent type of guys. In referring to moi being a more delicate flower, I bid him farewell and the no jet lag idea was prescribed.

Reckless youth has a funny way of picking up where once left and jittery exuberance can fuel one through. Three days OK any longer whilst I would wilt.

Some boys have Vegas, I'll take Berlin.  

Staying at the über cool Michelberger Hotel in Friedrichshain, the heart of former East Berlin helped. The word Gemutlich is to mean cozy which is the perfect word to descibe this spot.  Similar to the Longman & Eagle in Chicago or The Ace, these guys are cut from the same cloth. 

Chilling at the hotel as the dj spinned reggae from Dillinger & Grace Jones I sipped on hefferveisen and watched as Berliners packed in for the headline performer from... Portland, Oregon? The singer was something not to be expected, but it put me in a good place the way songbird lullabies do. The crowd got into it too. 

With a fresh day ahead mission #2 was set out to be done. Visit the Berlin Wall:

Do you remember when the wall came down? The year was 1989 a distinct memory exists watching this on tv while the family huddled together dad explained the significance of this event. We watched the serious stuff, not this Hasselhoff crap,  although I do have a tinge of want for that electrified bomber and throw in that piano keyed scarf while your at it.

I visited Berlin for them

To put it plainly enough being in a place where many world upheavals have occured and to see the youth emerge from the rubble, this city has a voice, an audience and this subculture will emerge as the mainstream the day after tomorrow. 

I'm all about these scarfs from Vonschwaenflügelpupke too!

If that's not a mouthfull. 

Sadly I visited one week before Berlin Fashion Week, now that would have blown my socks right off.  

Bouquet of the Day

Marc Jacobs resort//spring handbags 

Do my flowers lure you into wanting one of these leather beauties? The colors were exceptional to work with, it makes one want a whole palate of these bags and clutches. 

Similar to the Crosby Thompson it's near perfection. 

this pop of tangerine on the Thompson Satchel yum! 

The bag I was most lured into was the one I did not photograph. It's mere existence is not on the web, but I will patiently have my eyes open and snatch it up when I can.  

Fashion Week Recap:

I am no fashion authority, but since the child age ability to dress myself thoughtful attention has extended in my attire. Disregard those dawn breaking mornings at the flower market or occasional lazy day. I've been told this effort has carved out an aesthetic when something is decidedly my style. Friends have pieces admiringly reflected as them, as I am sure you do too.

Style is beauty. Fashion, flowers & art are all able to fall nicely under this umbrella. ella ella eh...

This week of fashion overdrive and exhiliration of I waaaant... To be frank, in these times who can afford the clothes? While those attending looked excruciatingly fantastic many getting photos snapped and interviewed were wearing Zara and H&M, and not ashamed to say it. No kidding! After complimenting some importantly fashionable woman (with a 25" sized waist) she said me in a thick french accent that her orange dress was Lanvin for H&M. Mind the fact she was clutching an Olympia Le-Tan and diamond encrusted Rolex. But you know what it's all about? I'll tell you-  the accesories.  

shoes: Lacoste  clutch: Lacoste Bracelet: Miansai

Here are a pair of the kick ass heels from the Lacoste show, thrown out are the alligator sneakers lets show off those legs! These stems would go nicely with the limited editioned clutch I scored at the show, don't even ask how I got front row. What I noticed shouldered next to these editors and fashionable elite were the bangles and braceletes nearly up to their elbows in the simpliest most tailored attire. Afterwards I found myself in a premature birthday splurge with this bracelete from a local Brooklyn jeweler Miansai, a piece decidedly moi!

Hair: Adam Show by Odile Gilbert for Keratasse, Earrings by Elizabeth Knight, Brooch from Catbird

I looooved the hair at Adam Lippes show! This long hair simply roped together is having me double up on the prenatals simply to grow mine to that length again. The earrings I wore to the shows are by another Brooklyn local Elizabeth Knight, you might not see from the picture but they are cast frog legs holding up a champagne colored pearl. Very subtle to notice, fashion faces came very close to my ears for further inspection. The beaded brooch is something I picked up at my favorite jewelery shop Catbird, a gift for a very specail someone. 

Lastly were the lucite and chrome shoes at Philip Lim floating on a cyber technical fantasy! To balance out the sexes I would pair these with the tie dyed tie my friend & artist Sean Pluguese made for the shows. I'm all for this awesome geometric necklace I found at Madewell too. 

Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2012

 With the final gasps of summer and wafting fall winds approaching the spring/summer 2012 collections gave us a final toast of a summery season and an exciting look forward.

Fashion is hopeful like that.

Falling on the 10th anniversary of 9-11 the shows flexed the vibrancy and life the great city of New York is able to overcome, and no impending threat was to stop the fashion masses from the tents. 

Adam Lippes collection was the sweetest of them all. Fresh faced and light the peony, lavender and ivory silk embrodery embodies what Adam's collection is about, "...she appreciates the discover in the everyday and reflects it in her personal style." I could not agree more!

The wow factor bumped up when seeing the Lacoste collection by new Portuguese designer Felipe Oliveira Baptista. Typlically logo centric I spotted only one small alligator in the show. 

 From the end of that show on the collections turned conscientiously less off the rack. Such was the jarring fashion forward cuts of the BMX/motorcross inspiration of Alexander Wang. Seeing Terry Richardson & Courtney Love, along with Grace Coddington coupled with Lea Michelle (that chick from Glee) was nice too...hope the show shaved out some edge for that Lea. 

 

 ...and then to Y-3 yohji yamamoto which felt the most classic fashion underground being shown in Soho basement without the fancy check ins or for that matter any a/c. We were cramped but blown away with the addidas sneaks, skateboards and green hair. 

 Our final stop in this fashion whirlwind was Tommy Hilfiger. Fitting for 9-11 night it was exploding with all American glory with Jimmy Hendrick's blaring and models strutting. The bright and cheerful energy came full circle with botanical prints & color block pops of bright raspberrys and yellows. 

TOMMY HILFIGER SHOW 

Of which no fashion week would be complete without being in the presence of Ms. Anna Wintour. 

Please excuse all these blurry photos, I do think they lend themselves nicely to how the whirlwind of the weekend has been. The final show will be Anna Sui which I am undeniably the most excited for!

Who Needs a Cocktail?

Before I submerge myself in four days of bachelorette debauchery in Playa Del Carmen I thought to leave you with an intoxicating elixir I have been sipping on on this summeriest of seasons. 

Behold the Gin Cherry Cordial: 

2 Shots of Gin *Breucklen Gin is ideal

1 Shot Cherry Cordial from American Fruits

Splash of Tonic

Crushed Ice

Garnish with lemon and grapes 

Before you sip make sure to spritz your face with Kiehl's Acai and sport a pair of Moscot Cranberry Drew shades 

All of these delicious items are born in New York 

I have also been graced with a blip in a Japanese Fashion Magazine! If any one of you can translate the paragraph one will be rewarded with a flower! Or a cocktail! * 

Bottom left in plaid shirt is yours truly... *this offer is limited to the NYC area, unless I happen to be traveling to wherever you are which really isn't too unrealistic...XX

It's New York Fashion Week Baby

...and the city is burning up with it. 
I saw the Norman Ambrose Fall 2011 Collection with Tassy on Friday. 
Sumptuous splendor is an understatement to explain these clothes. 

Decisions! decisions! Will it be the deep plum boucle coat with two toned fox collar & cuff paired with printed amethyst snow leopard dress?

Or the embroidered starburst camisole with boucle pencil skirt, metallic bronze snake belt & taupe cashmere cardigan??

The closest I will come to owning a piece of Ambrose magnificent wears is staring at these models & whispering the descriptions. I could literally pass the day eating up fashion vocab like a fine five star menu. 

In the very least I got to put this together for them. 

Lemlem: v. [Amharic] to bloom, flourish

Not sure what has spurred my need to include my purchases with flowers but... i guess i'm just so excited to share my little happy glimmers! Anything to get us through winter right?

To satiate my impending warm weather getaway I got this amazing tunic which if the weather wasn't 30 degrees I would be ripping off the tag and walking out of the store with it on.

What totally rationalizes my purchase is how awesome this designer, supermodel, actress and World Health Organisation's Goodwill Ambassador for maternal, newborn and child health is.  May I introduce to you Liya Kebede. Yep, Liya encapsulates womanhood perfection. Pretty sure the only thing we have in common is our first name, alas different spellings...  

Photo Cred: The New York Times Style Magazine

Harking from Ethiopa, Liya's line of clothing Lemlem mission is to revive and recognize the beautiful tradition of the cotton weaving practices from her native country, in turn build more economic independence. Let's give a holla to fair trade!

In conclusion, we too can be Queen's of Sheba and feel philanthropic! Oh and buy some flowers, that also makes you feel good.

Bouquet Of The Day

 

Dear Shabd Simon-Alexander, 

Your beautifully designed shirt greeted me in my overstuffed mail box today.  After an arduous day in the cold grey schlepping thorny branches to grumpy doorman your shirt said "hi! I'm all yours!"

This certainly has made my week.

Love, 

Lea

*Splurge! Get in on the fun! We can daydream about warm weather tropical getaways and how ravishing we will be in our technicolor tidal wave.  

Shabd

:::

 www.shabdismyname.com

Patching Things Up

A lot of times flowers do what words cannot say, this bouquet was one of those.

For added interest I put my new shoe in the shot. 

I'm so excited about my two feet in these, and what  Osborn Shoes is all about. Treat yourself to a pair, you wont regret it!