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| My latest addition... Hermes Kelly Ghillie 32cm in Rubis Tadelakt leather |
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Decision Has Been Made!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Revlon Colorstay Longwear Nail Enamel
I hardly ever paint my finger nails. (Pedicures, yes, always, and with Chanel polish please.) But manicures are usually a disaster. If I can manage not to smudge them (I'm a fidgeter), they inevitably chip within 24 hours anyway.
I heard gel manicures are incredibly long-wearing, but after extensive research, concluded they were not my cup of tea. (I'm a germaphobe and like DIY at home treatments.) That's when I came across the new Revlon Colorstay nail polishes. They promise a whopping 11 days of chip free wear (with their corresponding base coat and top coat). Wow, I sound like an advertorial but I promise I'm not!
I figured it was worth a shot. I bought a $7 bottle of the stuff in Pale Cashmere at my local grocery store and went home and applied it to my kryptonite-like nails. Two coats, no base coat or top coat. Then I went about my business. That includes an oil painting class, a day at the pottery wheel, daily cooking and cleaning including tons of hand washing of cutlery, crystal and silk. (It's no surprise my hands usually look like I do hard labor for a living.)
Okay, so 5 - that's right FIVE days later - my first chip appeared. I actually ended up wearing the polish the rest of the week as it was pretty passable, and so went a full seven days before taking it off! That's like some kind of nail polish history in my house. Seriously.
It was so nice to feel pulled together and polished on my hands (usually I hide them), the whole experience got me pampering myself with hand lotion more, wearing rings more often, and even standing up a little straighter. Who knew a little bottle of nail polish could do all that?
I heard gel manicures are incredibly long-wearing, but after extensive research, concluded they were not my cup of tea. (I'm a germaphobe and like DIY at home treatments.) That's when I came across the new Revlon Colorstay nail polishes. They promise a whopping 11 days of chip free wear (with their corresponding base coat and top coat). Wow, I sound like an advertorial but I promise I'm not!
I figured it was worth a shot. I bought a $7 bottle of the stuff in Pale Cashmere at my local grocery store and went home and applied it to my kryptonite-like nails. Two coats, no base coat or top coat. Then I went about my business. That includes an oil painting class, a day at the pottery wheel, daily cooking and cleaning including tons of hand washing of cutlery, crystal and silk. (It's no surprise my hands usually look like I do hard labor for a living.)
Okay, so 5 - that's right FIVE days later - my first chip appeared. I actually ended up wearing the polish the rest of the week as it was pretty passable, and so went a full seven days before taking it off! That's like some kind of nail polish history in my house. Seriously.
It was so nice to feel pulled together and polished on my hands (usually I hide them), the whole experience got me pampering myself with hand lotion more, wearing rings more often, and even standing up a little straighter. Who knew a little bottle of nail polish could do all that?
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| From the revlon.com website. PS I know this would be more impressive with photos but I didn't think ahead because I figured it would be a flop. I'll post some pics next time I paint! |
The Boot Saga Has Ended
I have extraordinarily large calves (which I attribute to wearing heels during my more formative years because it certainly isn't from intensive sports), and these calves make it near impossible to find a fitting boot.
I have tried the typical solutions - the stretchy shaft variety (they shimmy down as I walk) and those labeled as "extra wide" (they don't fit either, and make me feel like a calve-giantess).
Then one day at Nordstrom's a kind sales associate, seeing my pain, kept bringing out boots until I felt like I had tried every one in the store. The closest one to fitting was a Steve Madden slouchy black boot in a size 12 (I am a size 10). They were not ideal, the style felt a little 80s and I was worried they wouldn't wear well. But I was moving to Europe in a month, and I had heard it would be even more difficult to buy shoes in my size there. They were a stop gap measure that ended up lasting almost 4 years of intensive wear. Who knew they would end up being the best cost-per-wear shoes I'd ever owned?
I have tried the typical solutions - the stretchy shaft variety (they shimmy down as I walk) and those labeled as "extra wide" (they don't fit either, and make me feel like a calve-giantess).
Then one day at Nordstrom's a kind sales associate, seeing my pain, kept bringing out boots until I felt like I had tried every one in the store. The closest one to fitting was a Steve Madden slouchy black boot in a size 12 (I am a size 10). They were not ideal, the style felt a little 80s and I was worried they wouldn't wear well. But I was moving to Europe in a month, and I had heard it would be even more difficult to buy shoes in my size there. They were a stop gap measure that ended up lasting almost 4 years of intensive wear. Who knew they would end up being the best cost-per-wear shoes I'd ever owned?
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| Similar at Steve Madden.com here |
Last spring, a fatal tear developed in the toe that sent me on a boot search again. I went back to Steve Madden, but I didn't want the slouchy style again - though passable, it just wasn't my style. I decided to go bootless rather then settle, and figured the right pair would come into my life eventually. (Or I could just wait for old age to start atrophying my leg muscles a bit, yes I considered this as a possible option.)
In preparing my shopping research for my Argentina trip, it dawned on me that I should try my boot hunt there. After all, leather yardage would be plentiful and hopefully in sufficient quantity to swathe my calves. I decided to try my luck at Arandu, a shop with its own craftsmen dedicated to the styles and customs of the Argentinian pampas/ countryside. I liked the idea of being able to buy something not only locally made, but with an almost historical authenticity.
Upon entering the store, you are greeted with the warm smell of leather and the sight of a horse in full regalia:
Polo and cowboy related items crowded the shelves - it's clear this is a shop for active horse-people who will use and abuse their gear. Ralph Lauren may cater to the fantasy of this lifestyle, but this place is the real deal.
I am not a horse person per se - my motto is "Give me a horse with a strong back and a good disposition," - and I've only ridden twice. So I immediately felt out of place and was getting ready to leave, if it weren't for the extremely kind and enthusiastic sales people who quickly put me at ease.
I explained what I was looking for, with some difficultly, in Spanish (I kept saying I had enormous legs because I'd forgotten the word for calves!). The sales person I was working with knew some English so between the two of us there was a lot of hand gesturing and nodding.
On a back wall in a closet-like space, rows and rows of boots of all styles and colors line up like little soldiers. I sat down on a little stool and started trying various delectable styles on, but nothing quite fit. Getting ready to leave with slumped shoulders, the sales person asked "When do you leave Argentina?" "Not for a few days," I told him. "I ask, I think we can make them for you."
After some checking and consternation with other various people at the main desk, he came back to me to let me know that it would indeed be possible to get custom made boots. Their workshop is in the country and they normally have once a week deliveries, but they were willing to send the boots to me by taxi so they would be there in time for my flight.
With a great deal of measuring, consultations and considerations, the size and fit were recorded, as was the style and leather of my choice. The leather craftsman who would be working on my boot was rung up, and (this much I could translate from Spanish) was warned of my unusual calf sizing. She recommended modifying the style to be slightly shorter, on the advice that the proportions might look off otherwise. I left it in the hands of the experts, and thanked the sales associate profusely. He said the sweetest thing too - that he really wanted to make it happen for me, because his girlfriend has large calves and he thinks it's unfair she has such a hard time finding boots that fit. He didn't want me to leave Argentina disappointed.
In just two days - late on the night before our flight - a pair of handmade custom boots arrived miraculously at our hotel's front desk. Needless to say, there was quite a bit of prancing as I pulled on the boots over my pajamas to test them out immediately.
Here they are at home:
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| Hand-waxed cow leather, they have this burnished effect and a slightly red almost cordovan hue. |
I love the little details, like the interior boot straps, the number/signature of the craftsman who made them and the little metal toe taps. And of course the memory of how they came into my closet.
Monday, February 6, 2012
Hey, Cupcake
My mother considers anything made with meringue "diet" because (in her words, I swear) "it's only made of egg whites." Therefore I suppose I showed incredible restraint by only making six.
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| Chocolate, chocolate chip, filled with meringue and frosted in mocha rum buttercream |
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Juice Diet Gone Wrong
So, I have been carefully researching KitchenAid mixers for weeks on end, comparing models and features and pricing at a host of different stores. My trusty Sunbeam mixer was on the outs, and I have been lusting after a KitchenAid one for years and years... Such a serious decision cannot be made lightly, so we went down to the local Williams Sonoma a couple weeks ago so I could talk to some experts and paw the merchandise some more.
Not prepared to make a final decision, we went home so I could sleep on it. That night, I suggested we watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, a movie about the incredible benefits of juice dieting. Go ahead and watch it too, and if you're anything like me, you will be absolutely hypnotized into giving up solid food. For two days. At least that's how far I made it before I got a little shaky and started dreaming about crusty baguettes.
Turns out, it's just want I needed to push me over the edge to commit to the KitchenAid, which is now sitting prettily on the counter where the juicer used to be. And I am steadily working hard to put back every one of those seven pounds I lost on the juice diet (that can't be good right?) by heartily exercising my new mixer and just about every other gadget in my kitchen. I've gone on a cooking frenzy this weekend, which is precisely the opposite intended effect Le Juice Diet was supposed to have. Go figure.
Meanwhile, here are some things that I have learned:
1. I love beets, but I hate their juice. (And there's no amount of culinary trickery that can cover up beet juice flavor, even vodka*.)
2. If I were trapped on a desert island, I would faint and plead starvation in a matter of about 5 hours. (You would not want to be there.)
3. Relatedly, I am kinder on solid foods. (My spouse can testify).
4. I will never buy another bagel again. This is freedom.
5. Happiness is warm bread baking in the oven.
I give you a smattering of the past few days' cooking adventures:
BAGELS!
You can make bagels at home. Yes, that's right, bagels. Crisp, chewy, tender bagels warm from the over to your tummy. I didn't think it was possible, but it can be done. Straightforward recipe from The Sophisticated Gourmet.
SUSHI
Hot off the cocky high that I can make bagels, I decided I could make sushi too. I know, I know. Okay, five hours of slicing and prepping and fiddling later, here were the results. (Sushi rice recipe from Alton Brown.)
I think I need some more practice, but very fun to try and greatly increases my appreciation for the craft.
Various Mediterranean Mezze
POT de CREME
Now I'm off to make cupcakes with my new darling treasure... and then I'm done, I swear. These juice diets are the WORST!
* Vodka is not an element of the juice diet, but I had to try for experimentation's sake. Trust me, if you want a Bloody Mary, just go for the V8 from the store.
Not prepared to make a final decision, we went home so I could sleep on it. That night, I suggested we watch Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead, a movie about the incredible benefits of juice dieting. Go ahead and watch it too, and if you're anything like me, you will be absolutely hypnotized into giving up solid food. For two days. At least that's how far I made it before I got a little shaky and started dreaming about crusty baguettes.
Turns out, it's just want I needed to push me over the edge to commit to the KitchenAid, which is now sitting prettily on the counter where the juicer used to be. And I am steadily working hard to put back every one of those seven pounds I lost on the juice diet (that can't be good right?) by heartily exercising my new mixer and just about every other gadget in my kitchen. I've gone on a cooking frenzy this weekend, which is precisely the opposite intended effect Le Juice Diet was supposed to have. Go figure.
Meanwhile, here are some things that I have learned:
1. I love beets, but I hate their juice. (And there's no amount of culinary trickery that can cover up beet juice flavor, even vodka*.)
2. If I were trapped on a desert island, I would faint and plead starvation in a matter of about 5 hours. (You would not want to be there.)
3. Relatedly, I am kinder on solid foods. (My spouse can testify).
4. I will never buy another bagel again. This is freedom.
5. Happiness is warm bread baking in the oven.
I give you a smattering of the past few days' cooking adventures:
BAGELS!
You can make bagels at home. Yes, that's right, bagels. Crisp, chewy, tender bagels warm from the over to your tummy. I didn't think it was possible, but it can be done. Straightforward recipe from The Sophisticated Gourmet.
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| Dough is formed. |
 |
| Dough is boiled. |
 |
| Dough is baked. |
 |
| Bagel nirvana is achieved. |
Hot off the cocky high that I can make bagels, I decided I could make sushi too. I know, I know. Okay, five hours of slicing and prepping and fiddling later, here were the results. (Sushi rice recipe from Alton Brown.)
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| Fried rice with jalepeno (an asian-fusion style inspired by Casa Mun). |
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| California roll (back row) and two veggie rolls. |
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| Spicy tuna. |
I think I need some more practice, but very fun to try and greatly increases my appreciation for the craft.
Various Mediterranean Mezze
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| Clockwise - Roasted Eggplant Spread, Tarama, Spicy White Bean Dip |
POT de CREME
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| Little pots of chocolatey-goodness. |
Now I'm off to make cupcakes with my new darling treasure... and then I'm done, I swear. These juice diets are the WORST!
* Vodka is not an element of the juice diet, but I had to try for experimentation's sake. Trust me, if you want a Bloody Mary, just go for the V8 from the store.
Thursday, February 2, 2012
Winter Hawaiian Cruise
After a terribly long hiatus (sincere apologies!), I'm a bit back-logged with the posts I had planned. I have yet to do a post on shopping in Argentina (coming soon, with pictures!), in part because I have been busy traveling to more places, starting new art classes, and doing a major New Year's clean out of every nook and corner in the house. This means I have a lot of disorganized digital photos, paint and clay on a good deal of play clothes, and plenty of sorted piles destined for other locales.
Whilst I continue to get myself out from under the mess, I thought I would write up a quick packing post on our trip to Hawaii over New Year's. We spend 10 days including some alone time on Oahu before joining my parents on a cruise of several of the islands. This was an especially challenging trip to pack for because we were transitioning climates (East Coast winter to Pacific tropical), but also the number of days and varied activities. I had to break my rule and check a bag on the plane - the first time in years!
(Photos approximate the items as closely as possible - actual items described below.)
Winter Hawaiian Cruise by cestca featuring off shoulder tops
Formal Night - three-quarter sleeved dress with full skirt and off-the-shoulder neckline, Chanel WOC, Chanel bow pumps (not pictured) Alexis Bittar cocktail ring
Beach Wear - skinny stripe long sleeved t-shirt, white linen pants, swim dress, sunglasses, crushable striped sun hat (purchased in Hawaii)
Travel and Sightseeing Wear - Essentially I formed my outfits around the two scarves I packed, which were also used as sarongs/wraps/cover ups/travel blankets as needed:
- Hermes Brides de Gala silk 140 cm scarf in green
- Hermes Astrologie cotton 140 cm scarf in purple and etoupe
- Black and beige (not shown) linen pants (seriously, the best go-to linen travel pants ever!)
- White cotton stretch pencil skirt
- Beige linen skirt
- Black linen shorts (not pictured)
- Green silk skirt
- Green silk dress (not pictured)
- White cotton/linen t-shirt, black cotton t-shirt (not pictured)
- White silk/cotton sweater, white linen sweater (not pictured)
- Off-the-shoulder blouse
- Linen embroidered blouse
- Saint James striped t-shirt (aka old reliable)
- Etoupe cardigan in light merino wool
- Other shoes: Chanel two-tone flats, nude pumps and a couple pairs of flip flops
- Other bags: Hermes Marwari in etoupe, and Hermes jige clutch in gold (not pictured)
- Sporty clothes for a hiking trip (not pictured) - sports sandals, t-shirt, and rain jacket
All in all, entirely too many bags and shoes, but from a clothing perspective I got good use out of everything except that darned formal night outfit. With that exception, I found it to be the right amount of clothing for a frequently-changing-your-outfit type of trip. I washed out a number of items, and repressed linen clothing after each wear to keep myself looking neat and tidy. Doing it over again, I think I'd skip formal night (who wants to dress up when it's so balmy and tropical?), and cut down on irrelevant* shoes.
* Let's just say there was a bone of contention in our household over the number of shoes I packed. My spouse seemed to think two pairs of heels were excessive and one should stay behind; but I had visions of grand outfit changes each evening a la An Affair to Remember. I found the sports sandals to be silly and was willing to leave them behind instead. (We were hiking across a lava field, surely that could be done in bejeweled flip-flops, no?) In the end, we compromised and took a larger bag so I could both hike safely on rugged terrain and swoon about our carpeted cabin to my delight. And isn't that in part what vacationing should be about? :)
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