My Christmas List: R. Nichols New Prints

Seriously. Search this blog for "R. Nichols" and you'll get approximately 1 bajillion listings on the fabulously fashionable stationer. I am obsessed. Because he's witty and ridiculously talented and always has the perfect card (or luggage tag or mug or magnet) for every occasion, and also because he's kind and hilarious and wonderful and includes lollipops with purchase.

But for Cyber Monday, he's upgrading his gifts with purchase a bit: you get a free 11" x 14" print with any $100 purchase.

I'm getting this one:Because I'm easily dropping $100 on his D.C. Holiday card collection.

My Christmas List: Walter Isaacson/Steve Jobs

One of the things that is uniquely Washington: our huge love for book parties. Political, Chick-Lit, Historical: it matters not. We (royal, city-wide we) love a signed book on our shelves. My treasured signed books include Tom Wolfe, Candace Bushnell, Jill Kargman (complete with a dedication to my sister and I!) and Zadie Smith, who signed my dog-eared, much-read and loved copy of White Teeth with the inscription "Stop reading books in the bath."

So, chances are, you were going to buy a copy of Steve Jobs for somebody. Father, brother, self, techie aunt. But on Sunday, Walter Isaacson will be at Barnes & Noble Georgetown starting at 4pm signing copies, making you the coolest person to the above-mentioned list this holiday.See you there--I'll be the one the the gigantic stack.

My Christmas List: H.Bloom

They are a client. But I am totally obsessed.
When we first met with H.Bloom, the (surprisingly affordable) floral subscription delivery service, they explained that part of their target market is people who love flowers, who buy flowers every week at the grocery store, and are never quite satisfied with their purchase. In other words: me.

The difference between H.Bloom and said cellophaned flowers sitting next to the produce in those sad buckets: HUGE. Their Arrange Your Own collection ($29--INCLUDING DELIVERY) includes varietals that you'll never find on your own, and is enough for about 2-1/2 arrangements. And there are weekly online videos to teach you how to make them look amazing.

Their Classic ($35), Contemporary ($48) and Exotic ($65) arrangements are beyond beautiful (there are others; those are just my favorites).

So for Christmas, I think my gift for myself is going to be an Arrange Your Own subscription every two weeks, and then a Contemporary subscription in alternating two week increments. I'll look like a genius, old-money hostess. You'll be jealous. End scene.

My Christmas List: McQueen at The Met

The best gift I gave to myself this year was a day off to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at The Met. It was a glorious New York summer day; it was the first time in a long time that art has brought me to tears.

Meanwhile, two women in our office with apparently MUCH better karma headed up the final Saturday of the exhibit, and while buying the exhibit book were asked, "Are you going to the book signing?". They followed the pointed finger of the docent which led them to a private, 300-person signing with Anna Wintour and exhibit curator Andrew Bolton. So lucky. So jealous.

ANYHOO, the greatest under $20 gift you can give to the fashion lover in your life: the McQueen at the Met 2012 Wall Calendar.

$16.95 plus shipping ($15.25 for MET members), with 25% off if you buy a second.

My Christmas List: Lady Gaga at Barneys New York

There are so many very fantabulous things for the holidays this year, some client-related, some not, so what the hell, thought I'd post them here.

First up: Gaga's Workshop Stiletto Stocking from Barneys New York:

There have been 12 days of Gaga online at Barneys.com leading up to their huge Gaga holiday rollout on the 5th floor of the store (she'll be at the store-on 60th between Mad & 5th-tomorrow night to open up the workshop); this is definitely the best gift in the lot. I got mine yesterday: it's vinyl but is quite awesome, and 25% of the proceeds benefit her anti-bullying charity. $65 with free shipping and giftwrap.

District Sample Sale

tickets on sale today, 10am at www.districtsamplesale.com. This is the season we cross the $200,000 mark of donations to our charities (which now number NINE!). Hope you can join us!

Pimpin'

So tonight, I'm kicking these off my feet and we're heading out to see The Pimps of Joytime at DC9. Which, in addition to perhaps being the greatest named band of all time, is also just about the most funkalicious.

We found them in the middle of Snowmageddon, when our killer band we hired from Austin to play for an amazing launch party on our client's rooftop had to cancel once all their flights were cancelled (as well as everyone else's everywhere). In the absolute chaos leading up to that night (I was snowed in at our client hotel for two days: Eloise, plus Dark & Stormies), we came across these guys, and I danced around my room for two days of pure glee (plus Dark & Stormies). They couldn't make it either in the snow. But someday I will hire them to play just for me, perhaps for my birthday. Love.

So anyway. Go. Tickets are $10, I think $12 at the door.

Art Worth Dusting For

My office is covered in R. Nichols artwork. At our entrance is a 55" canvas called "Shopper"; my personal office has two of his signed DC pieces; my birthday invites are always R. Nichols. I even cook from The French Women Don't Get Fat Cookbook.* The fact that he's one of my BFFs does not take away from the fact that he is the coolest, most fashionable, most fantastic artist ever. Just ask the stationery people at Neiman Marcus, where I've seen normally genteel women in near fisticuffs over them (nevermind the time I nearly came to blows with a rather famous DC socialite over a few of his works. Preeeety sure she still hates me to this day for it. Awes).

So next week, on July 28, when Nick's original artworks go on sale here at noon sharp, I suggest you get there at 12:00:01, lest your favorite piece be gone (such as his special DC piece--he's based out of L.A. now, but grew up here). And trust me, go it will.

Here's your special sneak peek:





*And fine, that's a lie of fair proportions. It does look lovely on my cookbook shelf, however, next to Be My Guest, The I'll Take Manhattan JL Cookbook, RSVP and, of course, Silver Palette. All equally beautiful, all equally dusty. Not unlike this blog.

The Front Row

In case your invite didn't arrive today...

Gossip for you...

Bliss Spa in DC opens July 8. Four treatment rooms, so if you want to be one of the first, you'll have to book EARLY (reservation line isn't open yet).

Christian Siriano will be here on May 15, as a VIP guest for Bethesda Row's style event called The Front Row. Good luck scoring a VIP ticket.

Speaking of, the event will be featuring fall fashion previews, style-focused book parties, trunk shows, designer appearances, and beauty events, from May 14-16. It's going to rock.

Harriet Kassman's 40% off clearance sale still has some goodies left--worth the trip to get a current season Armani suit for almost HALF.

Bruno Grizzo is coming to Hu's Wear on May 13, he of the fabulous Brazilian line.

That's it for now!

District Sample Sale: March 18

We're so excited about coming back to Georgetown for our fifth event! Hope to see you there!

5 Random Things About FB

I went to visit my hometown this weekend. It's a small (yet incredibly picturesque) little Jersey town about an hour from New York and Philadelphia, equally populated by farmers and commuters.

The pizza and bagels were worth the trip alone; the necklace I scored from a little store called Wears & Wears for $39 was the icing on the cake. And that was before I got to spend three days curled up with my three bestest friends that I've known since grade eight. That was just beyond compare.

Anyhoo, we went to a reunion of sorts, the kind that have been happening across the country apparently, courtesy of Facebook. I hadn't been back in about 15 years, so I wasn't even expecting people to remember me at all. We ended up having a great time, closing down our little redneck bar, rehashing memories with people from our collective past; sitting around the same tables around which we all used to sit, just with 80's hair.

So back to Facebook. It's such a weird sense of familiarity it gives, as we now know a whole new level of the mundane about each other, and we now chat with people instantly and quickly, and about so many random things. And the bonding it gives isn't all a complete facade. But there are a few stereotypes that seem to have been created as a result:

1.) Kissyface(book): That's where flirting with your ex or crush over FB IM crosses the line. Playing with fire, that one.

2.) FaceBFF: When you reconnect with someone you weren't that close to originally and become instant soulmates due to FB. You're pretty sure you never had a conversation with her EVER, and now she's telling you about her marriage and how much she can't wait to see you and she IMs you twice a day.

3.) Facebleh: When you see your FaceBFF in person and you're like, well, "meh."

4.) Facebuffoon: The guy (it's always a guy, usually a right-winger) who friends everyone in your elementary/middle/high school and tries to become the stud of your class. But it's 20 years later and you just don't want to have everything you do commented upon ("Hey girl! Lookin' good!"--UGH) and reviewed by the masses. Defriend immediately.

5.) Hatetagger: The girl (it's always a girl) who posts every great picture of herself, whether or not everyone else in the picture looks like crap. And always tags you (and everyone else), mainly so that she'll get as much exposure as possible. You'd defriend her but she counts her friends, and counts them every day, so she'll know it immediately and because she's a hater there will be hell to pay.

That being said, I've found some great people that I totally love keeping in touch with. Like you. Honest, I swear, you're none of the above. Really.

Tea for Four

So I've been a bit busy. Since my last post, I've been to L.A. twice, Miami once, and in my office about 80 hours a week. It's been a bit crazy. In good times, everyone wants to say they have a publicist; in bad times, they realize they need one. At least for now.

My thought has been to do a few recaps of my travels, as there have been some pretty exciting developments...

I was thinking about the fact that no matter what, I needed and wanted to write something. And somehow, while wandering and thinking, I made a left, and randomly found myself at tea with four people: one was a friend that I happened to be looking for, one was the legendary china designer Anna Weatherly.

She is just a gem and a half. And the amazing sweet potato petits fours were to die for.

Back in the day, I was quite the craftsperson: my first real job was for a craft publishing company, where you'd walk into the lunchroom and there would be a person knitting on the couch, a tableful of paints sprawled about (and me usually doing calligraphy on my lunch hour for extra money since my salary was a whopping $8.50 an hour).

Anyhoo, through her thick Hungarian accent, she enchanted us with some pretty great DC gossip, and then told us about what she sees as truly the end of the era of craftsmanship. Waterford is going under, Buccelatti Silver is seeing the last of their tradespeople (no machines there: it's a room full of men in their seventies, each with 50 years of experience under their belts, hammering away at each piece, inch by inch)-and did you see the article in today's Post about how brides don't think china is a necessity anymore? That can't be good for business.

So if you have a chance to see her, as she does a few personal appearances around town from time to time, definitely go, as she is a rare find in a world that's becoming less about art and more about just survival.

Breaking news!

I was all set to chat it up about the promo jar of Natura Bisse Diamond face cream that arrived at my office last week--that is literally the size of my head--but I just got word of the biggest sale ever:

The R. Nichols 5 and dime sale starts tomorrow, with everything $5.10, sold in packs of eight.

Dear lord. Get there while you can before it all runs out!!

My Hermes Tattoo

My life is a varied assortment of highs and lows (above and beyond any postpartum bitchiness I may or may not have inflicted on my BFF).

If you skimmed my closet it would be like, "Armani, Zara, Balenciaga, Target..." My current project, should it ever be completed, is crafting a macrame owl out of Pucci fabric. Vosges chocolates are a true passion, as is Cheez Whiz. I work in fashion (though it is DC, so "retail" might be a better term), yet have seen more Dead shows than you could shake a bamboo rainstick at. But somehow, it all works. Works for me, anyway.

Case in point: my Hermes tattoo.

It didn't happen on purpose. I was an 18 year old stoner who knew everything. I drew the above tattoo on a piece of paper one afternoon that may or may not have included a glass, a pin and a Yardbirds album, woke up the next morning, headed to Great Southern and ordered it up in the most painful place possible (yes, nothing but nerve and bone on that part of your foot there).

My much more proper sister (who if asked, will tell you that we grew up right next to Far Hills, though in reality, it was a farm town about an hour away) was simply appalled.

When my husband and I were married, I was a 24 y.o. stoner living in Northern California who didn't think we needed china or crystal.

Then about five years later, I found this:

...and fell in love. I've collected it piece by piece, and now proudly have service for three. If one person wants cappucino and one wants tea and only one wants a salad. It is Hermes (and looks lovely next to the framed poster from Oakland Mardi Gras '94).

After I had bought my first piece, a dinner plate, I flipped it over and found this:
...so, if asked, yes, it did hurt. And yes, it's Hermes.

Madame, your gown awaits...

Need a dress for the 20th? Of course you do.

Seriously: Put. That. Bridesmaid. Dress. Away. She promised that "You could really wear it again--definitely, I swear it."

She lied.

So plugging a bit here, but here are some options in the $350-$750 range:

Saja: beautiful gowns, fun colors (though the black one with the studded neckline is my fave). Trunk show with 10% off through this week at Ginger. $400-$500 range.

Nicole Miller: cute dresses that you actually could wear again (unlike your liarliarpantsonfire bridey friend's taffeta concoction that ran you four and a quarter, not counting the shower). Trunk show with 20% off this weekend at Imagine Fashion Apothecary. $350-$600 range.

Teri Jon: Higher up on the price scale, but pretty gowns that wear really well and are very reasonably priced for their quality. Also check out the 50% off gown rack, all at Harriet Kassman. $750 range for Teri Jon.

Oh, and while we're on the topic: Nanette Lepore will be in town for inauguration weekend. Keep your eyes peeled for her famed curly locks dancing around town.

Today's Obsession: Chahhming, Dahhling

I have a charm bracelet. Specifically, I have a Links bracelet that is made to hold charms. I also have charms.

For a while, I liked the bracelet on its own, and I just never got around to attaching said charms (all received during my 30th birthday weekend party on Middle Road in Palm Beach, in the epicenter of what will forever be known as The Gravy Train Era. But I digress.). Part of it is that I already have a jangly bracelet: a Kelly watch, the locket of which rattles around with each step. Point is, you can already hear me from a mile away when I'm sporting it (helpful to warn when I had a staff back in my corporate days).

My sister also was somehow able to finagle my grandmother's gold charm bracelet, which is just rattly and wacky and filled with treasures, some from flea markets, some from the world over. So even though I like my lil' Links, it just doesn't compare. Again, I digress, this time with jealousy.

But now that Washington is--for at least the next month--the cool city, I may actually get around to attaching said charms to said bracelet, simply so that I have the excuse to buy this one and janglejangle it around. Also available in White House and Washington Monument charms, with prices ranging from $345 - $1035, all available in yellow or white gold. Custom commissioned and available exclusively at Charles Schwartz & Son at the Willard and Mazza.

Sneak Peak: R. Nichols Spring 2009

For Spring, Nick is going fabulous...
You saw it here first!

Cathy Alter at Ginger

Cathy Alter, the bestselling Georgetown-based author, will be signing her book Up For Renewal at Ginger this Thursday, January 8, from 6-8. Her book, which has drawn rave reviews from People magazine, The Today Show and Allure, traces the year she spent following the advice from glossies including Cosmo, Glamour and InStyle, and serves as a primer on everything from how to wrap a sandwich to understanding Jennifer Aniston's split ends fetish. It's a year spent making goals and keeping most, so if you're about to break your first New Year's resolution (and who isn't), this event is perfectly timed to serve as inspiration.

She is also the source from which blogger Robyn Okrant culled the idea to heed Oprah's advice for a year in her blog and upcoming book, Living Oprah, which has recently been in the news.

Cathy's launch party drew a slew of boldfaced names, so be sure to peer over your signed copy to see who else is in attendance.

Cocktails and cupcakes served.

Cotton House Mustique, Luxury Spa (SEO)

So while I've been catching up on blogging, I was also emailing someone here in town who is getting ready to head to Mustique, my favorite vacation place in the whole wide world. My husband and I have been talking about it lately, specifically, trying to figure out how to get back there. But with two small children, it's pretty impossible to take a vaca over 4 hours away and for more than 72 hours.

Then I opened up my blog email addy, which I haven't touched in months, and there was an email from the PR guy for the Cotton House, asking me to list it in a previous entry as "Cotton House Mustique, Luxury Spa" to help their SEO campaign. I've done it twice now in this entry, so they should be pleased.

Since I started working on my own two years ago, I've had zero vacation time. Literally, zero. I've maybe put my laptop down for 3 weekends total, tops. But the time has come. So while the Cotton House Mustique, Luxury Spa (3!) is off the table, we just booked a weekend in February for a close second that's stateside: Acqualina in Sunny Isles Beach. Best. Spa. Ever. And best vaca on this coast we've ever had.

It's not Mustique, but a weekend away in a warm place at a 5 star will certainly do.