Last Gasp

Now that September's here it's totally sinking in that summer (sadly) is just about over. Although I'm super excited for fall: new clothes, pumpkin flavored ANYTHING & crispy weather...I'm bummed. So in a pathetic attempt to cling to summer I'll be playing my Summer '09 Playlist repeatedly until September 22, 2009 at 5:18pm (first day o’ fall). Maybe even beyond that.

The playlist consists of the songs I found myself playing over & over these past few months. I love how you can listen to a song and remember a certain time of year, person, event etc. This eclectic mix of old & new fav's will always remind me of Summer ‘09 :)

Coconut Girl - Brother Noland

The Ocean - Led Zeppelin

Summerboy - Lady Gaga

Sunday Morning - No Doubt

It’s A Good Day - Peggy Lee

Hot Pants (I’m Coming) - Bobby Byrd

The Greeks - Michel Colombier

Tennessee Jed - Levon Helm

Twenty Five Miles - Edwin Starr

I And Love And You - The Avett Brothers

My One And Only Thrill - Melody Gardot

Volare - The Maguire Sisters

40 Day Dream - Edwin Starr & the Magnificent Zeros

InVestigating

I usually write about fashion trends I thoroughly enjoy. Not the case in this post. I'm reluctant to accept the vest as a likable trend. In my opinion vests are silly. I’ve never been able to take them seriously as a wearable item of clothing. Probably because most of my vest associations are comical...

Ferris Bueller wearing a white t-shirt and knit leopard print vest. With a baseball jacket. God 80’s fashion was TERRIBLE! Only Ferris had the personality to pull it off that atrocious look and remain so darn likable.

Back To The Future. A 1980’s Marty McFly walks into a 1950’s diner. He’s wearing an obnoxiously puffy vest. With a button up shirt. AND a denim jacket (again TERRIBLE!). The cook promptly says to him “Hey kid what’d ya do, jump ship?”

And a great quote from Mean Girls. Such a hilarious movie! In one scene the mean girls discuss their wardrobe rules to obey. If they don't obey the rules they are banned from the cafeteria lunch table. The queen bee Regina is about to be banned and arguing the wardrobe rules aren’t legit. Her drone Karen is pissed.

Karen: Those rules were real that day I wore a vest!

Regina: Because that vest was disgusting!

Finally, I asked my Dad. Because he's the only regular vest-wearer I know, that makes him my go-to guy to uncover the allure of the vest. Here’s how our phone conversation went:

Me: Hey Dad, you still wear vests, right?

Dad: Yeah I have about four. Two that I wear for work and two suede vests, one black and one brown.

Me: So clearly you’re a vest fan. What do you like about them?

Dad: I like a vest because if your shirt sucks you can still look good.

Style words of wisdom from Mike Cicalese everyone.

There are a variety of vests out there, not just in Mike’s closet. Fur and faux fur vests are supposed to be super hot for fall. Celebrity stylist and author Rachel Zoe (whom I love but most people can’t stand!) will be debuting her line of fur vests on QVC very soon. Denim vests are also quite prevalent. They are so 80's to me I just can't accept them! But below are some vests that don't make me violently ill:

Corduroy vest, Old Navy $24.50

Leather vest, Express $88

Nylon Lace, Urban Outfitters $68

So will I be purchasing a vest anytime soon? Don’t hold your breath. But never say never.



Step Aside Mr. Hines.

Ah, brownies. So simple yet so delectable. Did you know that the brownie dates back to the late 1800's? It's said that the first brownie was invented (like many other enjoyable American snacks!) at the Chicago World's Fair. A high society broad named Bertha Palmer attended the fair & coveted a dessert that was small and easy to pack in a picnic lunch. She made her request known to a chef at the famous Palmer House Hotel and voila, the brownie was born.



I've made many a boxed brownie in my day, but never from scratch. After realizing how simple it was I decided to give it a whirl. I had heard that adding espresso powder to the batter heightens the flavor of the chocolate and gives the brownies a wonderful richness. It's true they were delicious, far superior to boxed brownies! I'm now a from-scratch brownie convert.

Brownies

Ingredients:
8- 1 ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate
1 cup butter
5 eggs
3 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 9 x 13 pan. Melt chocolate and butter in a saucepan over low heat; set aside. In large bowl beat eggs, sugar and vanilla. Add chocolate mixture, then flour and salt. Finally add espresso powder and cinnamon. Pour into pan & bake for 35 minutes.

Are You Tough Enough?

When I envision a leather jacket, a variety of men usually come to mind. The T Birds in Grease. Arnold Schwarzenegger in Terminator. James Dean (who interestingly enough never wore a leather jacket in any of his movies - how about that!) And of course the Fonz- eyyyyy! Well step aside gentleman. This fall the leather jacket is huge trend for the ladies. Or should I say for chicks. Yeah that's more like it.

A leather jacket is much more than a disposable trendy item. It's really an iconic piece worth investing in. A couple of years ago I decided I needed one. After some shopping research I found out that duh - leather is expensive! Most of the jackets I had my eye on were in the $300-400 range. At the time too rich for my blood. So I settled on a faux leather biker-style jacket from Target. Super cute, you'd never know it wasn't real leather - shhh! I would love to buy a real leather jacket for fall but unfortunately it's not in the budget....so the plan is to rock my old faux friend for a while. But my eyes will be peeled for a good leather on clearance!

If wearing a leather jacket makes you feel like you should be stealing children's lunch money, don't fret. There are ways to wear this tough style without looking like a delinquent.




Pair with something sweet: A floral print dress, ruffle-y top and girly accessories all contrast fantastically with the toughness of a leather jacket.







Opt for brown: Black leather might be too much for the meek at heart. A lighter, buttery brown is less severe but still makes you feel like a cool cat.








Age appropriate: A blazer style is more a traditional take on a biker or bomber fit. This is a classic for all ages!






P.S. No lie...not five little minutes after I finished writing this post I received an email ad from Urban Outfitters titled "Leather Report" featuring their new selection of leather jackets, which are adorable! Check them out!

Eternal Summer

Summer is without a doubt the best season. What's there not to love? It's all about BBQ's, the beach, the hot sultry weather, sundresses, sandals & taking it easy! Although it's my favorite time of year, by mid-August I'm usually itching for fall (mostly so I can shop for new clothes!). But of course when the bitterness of winter rolls around I'm once again longing for summer. To curb that longing I’ve put together an Eternal Summer Survival Kit. These affordable little indulgences will give me my summer fix....all year round!

#1 The Body Shop Coconut Body Butter ($20 for 7 oz) : It smells like coconut suntan oil and is especially wonderful to use in the winter when your skin is at its driest. The thick, creamy texture and heavenly smell instantly transports you to warmer and more relaxing days.

#2 Bliss’s A Tan For All Seasons Self Tanner ($36 for 4.4 oz) : A vacation in an aerosol can. I’ve tried many self tanners and this the most natural-looking, easiest to apply AND best smelling out there. Pastiness be gone....forever!

#3 Yankee Candle Sun & Sand (about $20 for 22 oz) : If you light this candle, close your eyes and take a deep breath you’ll swear you’re at the beach. No lie.

#4 Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries and Shakes Cookbook (about $20): Summer grilling only? Nah! A juicy burger hot off the grill will be perfect after a tough day at work, any time of year. This cookbook has a great variety of out of the ordinary burger recipes (and fries and shakes). The Philadelphia Burger with provolone, onions & peppers is a tasty cheeseteak alternative.

#5 Red nail polish (less than $5) : I typically only bother with pedicures in the spring/summer months. But how lovely is it to look down at your toes and see a bright splash of color when outside it's dreary & cold? Not to mention red toes look fabulous with a tan (see # 2!). There are so many shades of red out there, but my fav is a cheapo drug store brand Milani in Feisty Flames.

Enjoy!

Sophia vs. Jayne

It just so happens this is another boob-related post. I didn't plan that. But recently boobs are EVERYWHERE. Over the past few months I attended a myriad of weddings. Exaggeration....five weddings. But five within a short period of time feels like a myriad. So anyway, while observing the female guests at said weddings, I noticed that there are 2 types of women. Those inclined to blatantly show off their bubbies (my new favorite slang for boobs – thank you Real Housewives of NJ!) and those who prefer to cover them up. And when I say “show them off” I’m not talking about moderate cleavage. I’m talking the bubbies are at full salute, in a big shiny display case. Clearly, this is not a ground-breaking observation. But I think it makes for an interesting topic of conversation.

There are some famous examples comparing these two types of women. Marilyn Monroe & Jackie Kennedy is the most obvious. Ginger & Mary Ann (Gilligan’s Island) isn’t a bad one either. But for this particular discussion I’m going to focus on Sophia Loren & Jayne Mansfield (pictured above). This is one of my all-time favorite photos. Circa 1957, it was taken at Romanoff's a famous Hollywood restaurant and features the two contrasting sex symbols in their prime. Sophia Loren, the sultry rising star of Italy vs. Jayne Mansfield, the Playboy pin-up turned box office beauty. Two very different dames playing poster-girls for two different types of sexy.


Sophia “The Lady” - Apart from her hilarious disgusted glare, she clearly has class. I love her jewelry, her hair & makeup....the whole package is perfection. And I love how she’s still gorgeous at 75! Side note: Sophia Loren actually has quite sizable bubbies, as you can see here:



But she knows how to show them off in a sexy, not tramp-y way.

Jayne “The Tramp” – She really was gorgeous. I love her glam, teased hair! But how can you notice anything else about her ensemble....her cleavage is ludicrous! It’s not really even cleavage, it’s beyond cleavage. It’s a full-on bubbie buffet! I can image how scandalous this was in 1957. If the neckline of the dress was about 3-4 inches higher she would have looked radiant, not ridiculous.

Just in case you were wondering which category I fall in....I’ve been a Sophia my entire adult life. Lots of cleavage always made me feel rather silly. This for a couple reasons: my bubbies are on the small side and I’m not about to strap on some type of “Miracle” bra to play tricks on everyone. And I lack that overtly sexy confidence. It’s just not who I am. I’d rather show off some goods that sparkle & shine as opposed to.....you know, my actual goods.

So do I look down upon girls who show a lot of cleavage? No, I do not.....to an extent. I think there’s the classy way to display the goods (show as seen in Sophia’s pic above) and an inappropriate way....the Jayne way! And I do not recommend the Jayne way. Especially if you’re attending another lady’s big day. If you’re at the bar or in the boudoir, by all means show them off! But leave something to the imagination. Please.

As Seen On TV

There's nothing that gets under my skin more than a seemingly adorable outfit ruined by a very noticeable imperfection. A cute pair of trousers that are too short in length. Someone's granny-panty lines staring you right in the face. Wearing a chunky beaded necklace...with dangly beaded earrings...and beaded bangles. But there's nothing I dislike more than exposed bra straps. This is one wardrobe malfunction I struggled with often. When wearing certain summer tops it's just inevitable the straps will show. Unless you constantly wear a strapless bra....but who the hell wants to do that? To try & solve this problem I to use a big safety pin to keep the straps from being exposed. But this method was both uncomfortable and constricting. Not to mention you could run the risk of the safety pin opening and stabbing you in the back. And that’s never a good look.

I'm sure many of you have seen the advertisement for Strap Perfect on TV. It’s the little circular piece of plastic with cutouts designed to keep your bra straps from showing. In the winter months when I first saw the infomercial, I scoffed. Who the hell would pay money for that? But by the time summer rolled around, I was having bra strap woes galore. While perusing the As Seen On TV section in Walgreen's one day I saw Strap Perfect for sale. Six “Perfects” for 15 bucks.....dare I? I’ve spent good money on far stupider things. Like the time I was drunk in a bar & gave the bathroom attendant $20 when she gave me a sob story about her dead beat baby-daddy. And that time I bought sandals that were 2 sizes too big while shopping in Capri.....also drunk. But in Walgreen's I was sober (and curious), so I gave them a shot.

In short, it ended up being a great purchase! The “Perfect” is easy to attach and very easy to adjust the placement. My bra straps always stay perfectly in place. I'll even wear it when I don’t need to, just to avoid the annoying strap slippage that can suddenly occur. Strap Perfect gets the Gina seal of approval and I recommend it to all. Who have boobs of course.

Tortellini Dreami

I love Rome. I love food. So I'm going talk about the amazing food that I enjoyed while living in Rome. I haven't been in Rome since fall of 2004 (insert pout-y face and waahhhh-ing here). I think one reason Rome is known as the Eternal City is because it leaves such a lasting impression on those who have spent time there. I know for me the culture & people of Rome will forever be tattoo-ed in my brain. And of course the food! Below are some of my favorite treats. A couple of them are a little obvious, but oh so good.



Gelato: Don’t confuse it with the water-ice/custard combo Gelati, it’s a completely different animal. Gelato is ice cream’s cooler, better looking older sister. It contains less air, sugar and butterfat than typical American ice cream. This makes for an incredibly dense and rich flavor that practically punches you in the face. But in a good way. There are hundreds of Gelaterias (ice cream shops) in Rome but I did have a few favorites:

Bar Pica, directly across from Largo di Torre Argentina (a popular Roman landmark) - My favorite flavor was Stracciatella, vanilla with long thin slivers of ultra rich chocolate running through it. Be still my beating heart.

Gelateria Alberto Pica, in Campo dei Fiori (a famous piazza in Rome) – The coffee/chocolate combo is as close to heaven as one can get without actually having to die.

Gelateria Miami (near the American University of Rome) - Spumoni, Pistachio flavored w/ candied cherries & pistachio bits – this was my lunch the days I didn’t have time to go home & eat! Heavenly!



Pizza: it’s said that Naples has the best pizza in Italy. Having tasted pizza in both Naples and Rome, it’s my opinion that Rome had the superior tasting pie. My favorite was the old standby Pizza Margarita. But I also enjoyed pies with fresh buffalo mozzarella and eggplant topping. I visited countless pizza shops all over the Rome and never met a pizza I didn’t like. With one exception – at a tourist lunch cart near the Coliseum, ew!







Rosemary & olive oil crackers: these crackers were light & airy, similar to Saltines, but contained rosemary and a touch of olive oil. I ate these w/ tuna fish practically everyday for lunch. Not what you would expect someone to eat everyday while in Italy, but very enjoyable! They sell rosemary & olive oil crackers here in the States, but nothing like those babies. I miss them.













And now my favorite. While in Rome I lived on a street called Vaile dei Quattro Venti and I was lucky enough to have an amazing restaurant right next door to my apartment. Bruno had truly delicious food. Their bruschetta was the best I've ever tasted, so fresh! When you bit into the toasty bread and sweet tomato topping the luscious olive oil would drip directly down your chin (aahhh remember that Jenn?). They also had a tortellini on the menu named after the street. It was a cheese tortellini in a light Parmesan cream sauce with fresh peas and chunks of smoky prosciutto. I was hooked. When I came home I searched for the recipe and found it! This recipe doesn’t exactly replicate Bruno’s recipe, but it’s pretty darn close.

Tortellini ai Quattro Venti

(serves 2)
12 ounces cheese tortellini
2 tablespoons butter
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 lb prosciutto*, sliced into thin strips
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan
3/4 cup peas (I use frozen)
Salt and pepper to taste

*Vegetarians can substitute mushrooms for the prosciutto if desired

Cook tortellini according to directions on the package. Save 1/4 cup of pasta water while draining and set aside. Melt butter in skillet and cook garlic for 1 minute. Add prosciutto and cook for 2 minutes. Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer. Cook until cream is reduced by half. Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and peas. Stir in reserved pasta water and tortellini and toss to coat.


P.S. It just so happens that I recently enjoyed this tortellini on my birthday at Tuscany, a semi-new Italian restaurant in Northeast Philly located on Rhawn & the Blvd. The cream sauce is a little heavier than both the above recipe and Bruno's, but was very tasty. And Tuscany was great; nice atmosphere, inexpensive & a BYOB (gotta love a BYOB!).

The Joan Hypothesis

I’ve developed a theory. I’ll call it The Joan Hypothesis. My theory argues that famous women named Joan (both fictional and non-fictional) are highly likely to A) be tough as nails broads and B) have great personal style. I'll give you some examples to prove my point.



Joan Crawford - Those eyebrows! Those shoulder pads! That ability to appear classy on the outside but be a deranged "Mommy Dearest".










Joan Collins - Again those shoulder pads! That great 80's coif! Engaging in cat-fights with Linda Evans while dripping in diamonds and designer duds! That’s a hard look to pull off.











Joan Jett - Again great 80's coif! Awesome leather ensembles! Being super pretty AND super tough....also a hard look to pull off.












Joan of Arc – The ultimate trendsetter. She made talking to God cool way before Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret, rocked armor centuries before Balenciaga did on the runway and (in my opinion) invented the bob haircut. Oh and props for the whole leading France to victory against the Brits & burning at the stake thing.









And now I come to my Joan du jour and the inspiration for this particular post......Joan Halloway!

Who you ask? She is not as well known as the other Joan's, but holds a special place in my heart. She is my favorite character on my favorite show Mad Men. If you have not seen the show, it’s fabulous! It’s all about life at an advertising firm in the early 1960’s. Season 1 & 2 are both available in DVD. Great story line. Greater costumes. Watch!

I’m crazy about Joan because she is indeed a bad ass broad and has great style. Refreshingly, she’s also not a waif (Christine Hendricks the actress that plays her was actually told to gain weight for the part – every woman’s dream!). Her curvaceous-ness perfectly compliments her saucy personality. She’s the office manager in charge of bossing around all the secretaries as well as the bedroom fantasy (and reality to a few) of the male executives. Her wardrobe consists of body-hugging silhouettes in bright jewel tones, killer jewelry and the greatest 60’s accessory, the ever present ciggie. Please note I do not support the tobacco industry:) Although Joan’s style is super sexy she never crosses the line to vulgarity. In one episode of Season 2, she reprimands a pretty young secretary whose top is not buttoned up properly. Joan tells her “I know what you’re doing. Your décolletage is distracting....I thought you where better than that.” Meow!

So what style inspirations can be taken from Joan without going 60’s overboard?

The body-hugging silhouette - in the form of a dark denim pencil skirt. Office appropriate with a bright blouse or patterned cardigan & round -toe pumps. Also very cute w/ a tank & flip flops for the weekend.

60’s style satchel handbag - in faux croc or a fun bright color...check out this site for a great selection of vintage bags.

Statement jewelry – be it a sparkly brooch, a bold gold earring or a chic pen necklace (but I think only Joan can get away with the latter).

Strawberry blond/red hair dye – If ONLY I could get away with red hair, but alas...


So there you go. Just try & prove my theory wrong I dare ya!

Quel surprise!

Lately I've been fascinated with the French. For those who know me, this might be a bit surprising. I was lucky enough to visit France twice; once when I was 14 and again when I was 24. I enjoyed both trips......to an extent. I loved visiting the Eiffel Tower, The Louvre, Versailles, etc. What disappointed me overall was the cuisine and the general attitude towards Americans. I did meet some lovely people and ate some delish food (especially the pastries!), but in comparison to my love affair with Italy....well it just doesn't compare. But I'll speak about Italy another time. Probably too much!

What sparked this sudden fascination with the French is the book All You Need To Be Impossibly French by Helena Frith Powell. I didn't buy the book wanting to be impossibly French. I've always I had a fascination with other cultures and how they compare to American culture. So I thought I'd give the French another shot. I'm glad I did.....the book was entertaining and enlightening! I don't want to give too much away, but it touches on many subjects: style, nutrition, fidelity, aging, work-ethic and overall lifestyle. It's a fun summer read. If anyone wants to borrow it, let me know :)

What I enjoyed the most about the book was (shockingly) the section on French women's style. The French would rather die than wear sneakers (I totally agree!), think matching sexy undergarments are a must (and spend ludicrous amounts of money on them), and prefer quality over quantity when it comes to buying clothing (something I am trying to master, especially in this economy ;)

The book is inspiring some possible (hmmm maybe more like probable) fall fashion purchases. They are classic French and super affordable:

1. A striped tee- White with blue (or red) stripes is quintessentially French and available practically everywhere. I spotted some cute ones on Urban Outfitters & Banana Republic's sites.

2. Red lips - I never think I can pull it off (I feel like a little girl playing dress-up) but perhaps I'll give it another try!

3. Something tweed - I actually have a Chanel-esque tweed jacket I haven't worn in years. I think I'm going to pair it with something a little more distressed like ripped skinny jeans to counteract the stuffiness of the jacket.

4. Perfume - From Agent Provocateur to Yves Saint Laurent there are tons & tons to choose from. It sounds silly but something about French perfume gives me that "je ne sais quoi" feeling :)