A Style (R)evolution - Part 1: More is Better, Right?

This weekend, I plan on paring down my closet.  Again.  As in, easily the third major reduction since we moved back to the States about 6 months ago.  And it got me thinking about my style evolution, because if the eyes are a mirror to a person's soul, a closet is a mirror to a person's style, no?

It wasn't too long ago that I was of the "more is better" variety when it came to clothes, bags and shoes.  I could blame the US consumerist-instant-gratification culture that convinces us to keep keepin' up with the Jones.  I could blame my shopaholic mother who has never passed a sales rack, a knick nack, or a multi-pack she didn't like.  (Hey that rhymes AND it's true!)  Or I could blame my pathological compulsion for matching sets of everything, in every color - which you can guess easily leads to mass accumulation.   Coulda, shoulda, woulda... Fact is, I ended up with a lot of stuff.  Stuff I spent a lot of money on, which I wore occasionally, and which more often than not, left me feeling with I-have-nothing-to-wear-itis.

When we lived in California, we redid the master closet for maximum storage using the Container Store Elfa System.  We bought matching wooden hangers at IKEA and clear plastic shoe boxes, and sorted everything by type and color into a veritable rainbow of wearables.  When guests came over and we gave them a tour of the house, my favorite reaction would come from this closet. All the women would oooh and aaah and all the husbands would grumble and try to pull them away before they got too many ideas of their own.  That reaction left me feeling, dare I admit it, a little proud.  Everybody loved my big beautiful closet!  Clearly my life choices had all been correct, since they led me to this proud moment of external validation (yes, there is some sarcasm in there.)

My closet in California: shoes, tops, jackets, skirts on one side.

Purses and accessories on a rack at the bottom.  Pants and long skirts on the left.

Central island storage for casual clothes.

(These photos don't even include the guest closet where I kept my dresses and seasonal coats. Ugh!)  I remember someone once asked how many tops or shoes or purses did I really own.  I had no idea, so I later went back and counted.  Somewhere upwards of 50 shoes, 75 skirts, well over 100 tops... on and on.  At the time, it didn't sound like more than one person could reasonably wear, it just sounded plentiful and splendid!  I loved clothes, and I spent a lot of time shopping for them, taking care of them, and figuring out how to wear them.  I generally left the house looking well put-together, and often got compliments on my matched ensembles.

What was not readily visible, however, was me, ironing until 2am on a Saturday night, to keep things neat and tidy and together.  Or me, standing in my underwear for 20 minutes near tears because I was late for a meeting but couldn't figure out what to wear.  Oops.

Still, I could have continued on this path had it not been for the fact that we moved to Europe.  We expected our new place in Europe would be small, that it may not have walk-in closets or (gasp!) any closets at all.  But being a short train ride from Paris would certainly make up for any of these incoveniences, so I was willing to make some sacrifices even when it came to clothes.

We put about half our things in storage, and that included my closet.  I had to pare down to just the "essentials."  That's when I found that I didn't have very many essentials at all.  Sure, I had about 8 pairs of black pants, but none that I would feel good about wearing reliably.  I had a pair for high heels, a pair for flats, ones I could wear on fat days, one for skinny days and high heels, one for evenings but only in spanx with that special sparkly top, a pair with the worn hems that I couldn't part with, and several bought on sale that looked cheap though unworn.  You get the drift.  They all went into storage, along with a lot of other stuff.  The high heels I couldn't walk in for more than a few minutes, the bags that matched just those one special pair of shoes or skirt, the stack of shorts I never wore but held on to just because I might wear them some day.

We knew we would be in Europe for a couple years or so, so it wasn't like I was saying goodbye forever.  It's not like the things would get out of date (I am a pretty classic dresser anyway).  They would just have a rest, while I would trot about Europe, and then we would be reunited in no time.  Looking back, this was probably the kindest way to break my bad habit, because I didn't feel any pang of guilt or loss as we closed up the last of the boxes.

Little did I know then that I was saying goodbye to those old clothes and my old way of shopping and dressing too...

Stay tuned for A Style (R)evolution -- Part 2: Blame it on the Purse

Day Trip to NYC

Last Saturday we spent a jam-packed and rather thrilling day in NYC.

We took the train VERY early from New Jersey to be at our first destination, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, bright and early.  In particular, we were there to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit, which I'd heard rave reviews about (along with accompanying tremendous crowds).  Luckily, we made it just before opening, and were about 20 or 30 people from the start of the line to enter.

Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty, runs through July 31st.

We didn't take any pictures inside the exhibit, but a great overview beyond what I could describe in this blog is available here.

Even if you are not a fashionista, you could easily find something to intrigue you at this exhibit.  It's a retrospective of his collections, from his early days on Savile Row to his last show before his death in 2010.  Curated to about 100 of his designs, it captures some of the otherworldliness which his shows submerged the viewer.  the theatricality and magic that his shows could provide.  Rather than just a clothing designer, McQueen was an artist who expressed himself through clothes.  Only when you see the pieces in person can you see the level of workmanship and tailoring in addition to the artistry.  Somewhere between graceful and grotesque, McQueen pushed the notion of dichotomy to beautiful heights.  (One of my favorites: http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/ensemble-girl-who-lived-in-tree/)

After touring the McQueen exhibit, we wandered around a bit more and stumbled upon a section dedicated to medieval Iberian pottery, housed in a beautiful period Spanish patio.  It reminded me very much of our last trip to Sevilla.

Spanish Patio

We also enjoyed a brief stay in the sculpture courtyard.  It's a great place to rest your feet or sketch one of the many marble artworks.

Sculpture Courtyard

Next, we headed to Chelsea, to make a requisite visit to the Alexander McQueen boutique.  I am in love with his knuckle clutches and military inspired jackets.  Like so:

LEOPARD PONY KNUCKLE-BOX CLUTCH

$2,095.00

Buy at Alexander McQueen

MILITARY WOOL FROCK COAT

$2,395.00

Buy at Net-A-Porter

As is to be expected, exceptional craftsmanship = expensive.  Sigh.  Maybe when I hit my goal weight... hmmmmmm.

After a light lunch at the Chelsea Market, we tool a brief stroll up to High Line Park.  Once an abandoned elevated train track destined for demolition, it was transformed to a beautiful park high above the city streets by community activists.  It runs through Chelsea and the Meatpacking districts and makes for great people-watching on a sunny day.  

City view from High Line Park.

It's easier to catch a breeze from above!

Planting beds and seating make the space linger-worthy.

With the afternoon still ahead of us, we decided to hit Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, which was absolutely hopping with life.  

The Washington Square Arch, on the park's northern edge, had a public piano located underneath.  

Notice the lovely little old lady clinging to the side of the piano on the left; she stood there mesmerized by the music.
We were transfixed by her.  May we always find pleasure in the simple things!

Above, the sky just sparkled the perfect cerulean blue.

Below, an artist worked on his sand art mandala.  

People frolicked in the fountain.
(I didn't know you could do that!)

And one lone man frolicked with his pigeons.
(Um, I didn't know you could do that either! I am pretty sure he was feeding them or he was some kind of pigeon whisperer.)

Gratuitous flower shot.

It's a bit blurry but I tried to capture the big fat bumble bee which had landed here.
It was bending the blossom with its heftiness.

All that activity made us thirsty, so we headed over to our favorite Greenwich Village bar, Bar'rique, for some refreshing cocktails.  Try to score a seat by the open windows, and you will have infinite conversation fodder.

Bar'rique - 264 Bleecker Street Between 6th and 7th Ave.

By then, it was time to head over to Buddakan for an early dinner.  So early in fact that we ended up having most of the restaurant to ourselves!  Don't be intimidated by the chic decor and dramatic staircase entrance to the main dining room, this place serves some very good food at reasonable prices (for New York).

Buddakan - 75 9th Ave, NYC

We shared several dishes, and it was more than enough for two.  The dim sum - Mushroom and Sugar Snap Pea Siu Mei were light but flavorful and in handmade wrappers.  The Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly appetizer was, well, my mouth is watering just thinking about it again so that should tell you.  For our main course, we had the Wild Mushroom Chow Fun and Black Pepper Beef.  I have never had more tender morsels of beef, ever.  A delight.  For desert, we also split the weeping Chocolate Cake with Jasmine Green Tea ice cream.  You will NOT be disappointed.  With drinks and tip, the meal came to about $130 for two.  So very worth it, we will definitely be coming back.  

Between the drama of the McQueen exhibit and the ambiance of Buddakan prepared us for the last and greatest adventure of the day: Sleep No More.  Sleep No More is described as an "immersive production" loosely based on Shakespeare's play Macbeth.  What's that, you say?  Imagine Stanley Kubrick's Eyes Wide Shut, but set it in the 20s and spray a light coat of blood over the whole thing.  Now place yourself in the center, and c'est ca -- Sleep No More.   

This is how it unfolded.  You turn up to a block of warehouses on West 27th Street.  On the door is a small brass plate that denotes the McKittrick Hotel.  This is the fantasy world created by the show's producers.  You enter a darkened stairwell and are led up to a "concierge desk" where you "check in" for your stay.  At this point you and your party are each handed playing cards of different suits and you are ushered along further dark corridors until you are expelled into a 1920s club scene.  At the bar you can order a cocktail, on the stage a sultry Jessica-Rabbit type begins to give instructions.  All the actors are in character and you are about to enter their world.  

They recommend splitting up from your group (hence the different playing cards) and I do believe that experiencing the show alone does increase the sense of disorientation and restlessness - but we did not.  I am a coward and I like to cleave my sweaty palm to someone familiar as we enter this very mysterious world.  

You are called up in small groups and each given a plain, almost bird-like mask to wear.  The rules are simple - once you enter, the mask stays on, and there is no talking.  You are allowed to touch the objects and rifle through the rooms at your leisure.  You will come across scenes being played out by actors, or see one lone actor roaming about.  Feel free to watch or follow, or explore on your own.  There are 6 floors and an unending variety of hidden rooms and passageways. 

The rooms range from a hotel front lobby, to Macbeth's master bedroom, to a hospital ward to a candy shop.  There are so many nooks and crannies to explore, and each one has been painstaking filled with artifacts, letters and objets that add to the storyline.  Photos and commentary via the New York Times are here.  (According to the New York Times, 200 artists spent four months working on these little details, and they pay off).  

We were there three hours, and it passed like a dream - or in some cases, more like a nightmare.  The scenes we stumbled across seemed to skip across time but you could put together a compelling narrative with a little help from Shakespeare.  Beware, there is blood, and violence, and nudity, and a lot of unexpected twists and turns.  If you are patient, a scene will unfold before your very eyes and reach a surprising crescendo in moments, only to dissipate like smoke.  Sometimes you and the actors are alone, other times you are surrounded by other audience members also observing.  The effect of the masks is both chilling and emotional, and keeps you at a voyeuristic proximity to the actors while distancing yourself from the other "observers."

In case you have any interest in seeing the show, I won't describe things in too much detail but I will share some hints:  Wear sensible shoes and avoid heavy coats or bags (they recommend you check everything but your pants basically) -- you will literally find yourself running to keep up with the action and the masks can get very hot.  Be wary of being the first off the elevator, and if a bald person invites you into a tight closet, be prepared to part with a bit of... something.  I won't say what.  

Due to popularity, Sleep No More has an extended run through September 5, 2011.  Tickets at Ovation Tix.

Le Weekend

I have been awol the past few days in preparation of and in the enjoyment of the most delicious weekend.  Friday I organized a special evening at home to celebrate the completion of a major work project.  It involved flower arrangements and hand-written menus, favorite foods and chilled cava and strawberries.  Needless to say, the evening passed most deliciously and it was very difficult to rise at 5am the following morning.  However, that is exactly what we did because we were due for a full day in New York City and had to make the early train.

Saturday in New York was exhausting but thoroughly enjoyable.  It merits its own post, which I will prepare for tomorrow.  In the meantime, I will share with you a moment from our much more relaxed Sunday.  We rose quite late (alright, one of us later than the other, what can I say, I have the gift of sleep?) and drove out to buy cheese from our local organic dairy.  After hob-nobbing with the goats, we continued our lazy Sunday drive and hit a couple roadside stands and organic farms.  'Tis the season here in New Jersey, and summer tomatoes are in their prime.  We lunched on the tomatoes, still sun-warmed, with just a hint of good olive oil, salt and pepper, and crusty baguette.

Here is a view from one of the farms where we stopped.  Hope your weekend was delightful as well!

Diet is not part of my vocabulary...

... and unfortunately, it shows.  I enjoy food.  I think that part is probably already obvious.  It is not a reason for living, but it is a significant contributor to living well.  So it should be no surprise that my appreciation for food reflects itself in all aspects of my life, including my thighs.  And my backside.  And maybe a little around the middle... Sigh.

I am picky about food.  Like Remy said in Ratatoille, "If you are what you eat, then I only want the good stuff."  I have earned my plumpness honestly, with full-fat soft French cheeses, roast succulent duck, deep dark molten chocolate cake with whipped creme...  I am not a fast food eater,  and processed foods and frozen meals have never entered my kitchen or my mouth, ever.  So when diets call for cutting out Doritos and McMeals and SnoBalls, and encourage dieters to shop the perimeter of the supermarket for the fresh stuff, I think I am pretty much living the righteous life already.  What more could I do, give up butter?  Champagne?  Mais non!

As I have always been on the heavier side of the scale, I have learned to be comfortable with my weight.  Since clothes are also a big pleasure for me, it's meant finding the right silhouettes and designers that make me feel great.  But it can be limiting sometimes too, but don't we all have our own fashion limitations?  Sure, it would be nice to fit into the sample sizes at Rodarte's sample sale (that's a size 2 in case you are wondering), but I can find plenty of nice things at the Armani outlet in size 14 too.

Up until high school my mom prayed I would just lose that "baby fat" eventually, but it hasn't since panned out (I am now in my early thirties) and the scales have gently tipped upwards over the years.  I still fit into all the high end designers I love -- Armani, Valentino, Chanel -- albeit I generally take the largest size on the rack.  My partner thinks I am beautiful just the way I am.  My health is good, I am happy, so what more should I want?

Well, a lot, actually.  I want to climb the hill that goes up to our development without getting winded.  I want to feel more energetic when I get up in the mornings.  I want to see people I haven't seen in 10 years, and have them exclaim, "wow! you look great!" and actually mean it.  I want to stop getting carded when I try to buy alcohol (it's my darn baby face, and chubby cheeks are the main contributor).  I want to go on the family cruise to Hawaii next Christmas and feel good about being in a bathing suit.  I want to live a long healthy life, with as much opportunity to enjoy and savor and do as possible.

They say losing weight is one of the hardest things to do.  I have never known a "thin" me I can yearn for or visualize.  I have never known a different way to eat, or how to get daily activity.  This is going to be really, really hard.

So today I did something I never thought I would do.  I joined Weight Watchers.  It felt awkward going to the meeting and sitting there with everyone.  It felt like I was making a public confession that I needed help from strangers on a very private matter.  But I am doing it.  Because there are a lot of things I want, even more than fresh warm crepes slathered in Nutella.  Shoot!  Why did I just think of that?  How many points is it, anyway... hmm.

Fantasy Fourth of July Shopping

This 4th of July, I deliberately chose to stay away from the mall.  As part of my evolving philosophy on style and shopping (look out for a separate post explaining that whole affair), and I'm sticking with my resolution to buy only classic, quality pieces that fit gaps in my current wardrobe.  That means having a deliberate shopping plan of things I need (versus things I saw on sale and impulse-bought), so mall sales are no longer that appealing.

However, I could not ignore the piles of emails in my inbox alerting me to the fact that there would be some serious bargains to be had this weekend, so I decided to get my shopping fix by hitting the internet instead.  It's no secret that one of the delights of internet shopping is you can put as many things in your cart as you like, mull them over for days at a time, and then pull the trigger (or not) after you've had a good think.  It's hassle free, I never feel pressured by a sales person and don't have to get out of my pajamas, so what's not to like?  It's like fantasy football but with shopping.  Awesome.

Some of the ladies on PurseForum were in a tizzy about the Saks sale today, but I didn't find much, at least online.  But Net-a-Porter, on the other hand, did have quite a selection for me, and I ended up filling up my virtual cart with a number of interesting ponderables which I have been letting simmer for a couple days.  On my shopping list: a simple black cardigan, a white blouse, and a white casual t-shirt.  I am also pre-planning for winter, so I don't pass up good deals on tights.  I am also in the market for winter brogues, preferable Church's.  In my cart: a black cotton cardigan from McQ, a Ralph Lauren Black Label white shirt, an Stella Mccartney ivory t-shirt, grey Falke tights, and tan brogues - by Church's no less!  It was practically kismet, no?

Rather than pull the trigger right away, I let everything percolate a few days while running the danger that things might get sold out in my size.  I like to live life on the edge, huh?  Anyway, I've gotten to the point where everything that comes into the house has to be a "forever" kind of match, not a "just for now, until I find the real one" kind of stop-gap.  It was fun having all those things in my virtual cart, but how fun would they be hanging in my closet?

After a good deal of consideration, here is what I decided.  I passed on the cardigan as it was cotton and I am hoping for a wool or wool/cashmere blend.  Actually, I know my "forever" cardigan - it's a Chanel boyfriend style with discreet buttons.  Why buy a placeholder when the exact one I want is out there?  (Albeit currently out of my price range.)   The ivory t-shirt was dumped because it was not the white I really wanted, and the grey tights too because they reminded me of sweatshirt grey sportiness which is just not me.  Bye to the brogues because they were a summery tan whereas I really want a darker rain resistant color like black or dark brown.  Whew, it was like cleaning out my closet without any of the guilt!

So what did I end up with?  Your deductive powers serve you right, my dear Watson: the Ralph Lauren Black Label Delaney white shirt.  I am in love with this shirt.  From the pintuck detailing on the front to the sheerness of the fabric to the french cuffs, this shirt combines everything I ever loved about the previous white shirts I have owned.  This is the "forever" shirt I have been looking for.  I imagine this under a crisp blazer with an Hermes scarf at the throat.  Or more casual chic, over a pair of jeans and a simple camisole, maybe a gauzy linen stole thrown around the shoulders... ah, the pleasures of a classic white shirt!  Now I can't wait for the mail to arrive...

Ralph Lauren Black Label Delaney Smocked Cotton Shirt, was $555, now $222 from Net-A-Porter.com

Summer Barbecue (Indoors)

We had rain in fits and starts this 4th of July weekend, and although we planned to have enjoy a meal on our patio, we ended up taking the party inside.  But to keep the barbecue feeling alive, we did enjoy a festive lunch with my own version of "hot dogs."  These are a little fancier and a lot more flavorful than your typical Oscar Meyer (hey, I'm not knocking Oscar here, just sometimes you want to mix it up) but are quick and easy to do sans outdoor grill.  Grilling in the rain is just no fun, but eating this sandwich is.

Spicy Sausages on Challah Buns

6 spicy Italian sausages
6 challah buns
2 chopped ripe tomatoes
1 chopped sweet onion
1/2 small head of lettuce
mustard (dijon or spicy brown) to taste
salt and pepper

Set your oven to broil and in a non-stick cookie sheet set out your sausages evenly spaced.  With a sharp knife, split each sausage down the center to butterfly it and flatten down slightly.  This will help even the cooking and ensure the sausages are browned nicely all over.

Chop tomatoes, and toss lightly with a couple turns of cracked pepper and salt.  Chop onion and place in a separate bowl.  Wash and dry lettuce, arrange in bowl.

Keep an eye on the sausages, they will be nicely browned in 10 - 15 minutes.  When thoroughly cooked, remove from oven and place sausages on a paper-towel lined plate to absorb any fat.

Split the challah buns and toast in the oven for one or two minutes on broil, then remove buns to a plate.

Each person can assemble their own sandwich but the idea is the same.   Slather one side with mustard (I like egregious quantities of it, so slather is really the right word in this case), and line the other side with lettuce.  Gently nestle a sausage in the center and scatter tomato and onion on top, to taste.  Now try to close it all up and take a big bite.  Repeat.

Serve with a side of good potato chips (like Kettle Chips) and refrigerator pickles (or in a pinch, Claussen's Dill will do).  Oh, and a nice Belgian beer is strongly recommended.

This recipe makes 6 sandwiches.  I will tell you right now *some* people can stuff 2 of these in their gullets in one sitting (ok, yes it was me, and while it was not my proudest moment, it was delish)... so I would say this serves about 3-4 people depending on appetites.

One final word - the secret to a deceptively simple sandwich like this is ingredients (well, isn't that the case with just about everything?).  The rich eggy dough of the challah, the juicy ripe tomato, the handmade sausage from my butcher -- it all adds up.  And whatever you do, please be a mustard snob and get something hearty and zingy to cut through the richness of the meat.  The pleasure of this sandwich is in the contrasts of crisp, tart, rich, salty, etc. and it starts in having a good foundation.  Enjoy!

Simple Berry Frozen Yogurt

It's getting increasingly warm and humid here in rural New Jersey, and whilst the air conditioner is set to a balmy 72 degrees, it's not enough to keep my mind off the heat.  We find ourselves craving cool summertime staples like crisp watermelon and creamy ice cream.  But, as there is a limit to the amount of chocolate ice cream that even I can (or should) stuff down my gullet after dinner, I made these frozen treats yesterday to mix it up.

Simple Berry Frozen Yogurt

1 16 oz. bag frozen strawberries
1 32 oz. bottle of kefir yogurt
1 large container of Greek yogurt (like Fage, 500 gr)
1 pint of fresh blueberries
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp orange blossom water
1 good pinch of salt

In the bowl of a large food processor, empty the entire bag of frozen strawberries.  Using the "pulse" option, chop down the strawberries until they are small frozen bits.  (Depending on the strength of your food processor or the size of the berries, you may want to let them thaw a bit first before processing so your food processor doesn't throw a fit.)

Add sugar, kefir and about 2/3 of the blueberries, reserving the rest of the berries for garnish.  Add the vanilla, salt, and orange blossom water (if using).  Pulse again until well blended.  Because my food processor capacity doesn't go much further, I emptied most the bowl contents at this point into my largest mixing bowl.  Now, inside the almost empty food processor, I put in the Greek yogurt, and give it a couple pulses, just to liquify it down a bit.  I find this helps with combining it with the rest of the kefir-berry mixture, but you could also slowly whisk in the Greek yogurt by hand without food processing it.  Now, combine the Greek yogurt and kefir-berry mixture into the mixing bowl and mix together until everything is well combined.

Because I wanted to have individual servings set up, I bought some clear plastic cups from Target's party section.  With a 1 cup measuring cup, I dumped one cup of the mixture in each up.  It makes about 12 cups total.  Into each cup, I added about 3-4 blueberries as a garnish, then I cleaned up any spills around the cup edges with a wet paper towel.  Cover in plastic wrap and set in the freezer, and they are ready to go!

Simple Berry Frozen Yogurt

Tip: As you can see in the shot below, the cup is only half-full.  So I cover loosely in plastic wrap, and after they are frozen, I can stack about 3 cups together to make room in the freezer.  The plastic wrap nestles down between each cup, so the bottom of one cup won't get messy from the top of another.

I like to eat mine semi-freddo, so I let it sit out on the counter for about an hour before eating.  It also means I have to pre-plan my snack a little bit, which cuts down on impulse eating straight out of the freezer!

Next I plan to try mango and pineapple flavors.  What other flavors do you think would work for homemade frozen yogurt?