What is it about white dresses?

Is it because we have to wait until summer to wear it? Or because worn in any city, a white dress looks chic? Maybe it's the epitome of feminine wear? Whichever it may be, the white dress is one of my favorite closet items.

This dress would be perfect to for a first date

To meet the parents

For those summer days where you've only had three hours of sleep before work

For the girls who just can't part with the neutrals

For a day full of shopping, sand grazing, and sunblock

For last minute brunch plans

Unique neckline

I couldn't imagine this looking less than terrific on anyone

Baz Luhrmann's The Great Gatsby

For those of you who have read The Great Gatsby, you either like one of the heroines or the other. Do you sympathize more with waif-y, melodic, blonde and sensitive Daisy? Or the strong, dark, androgynous Jordan?

Subtly sexy flapper, with a bright orange Lanvin clutch (Jordan Baker)

This pattern reminds me of the movie poster! And a matching clutch. They both play with geometry so well! (Jordan oooor Daisy, what do you think??)

Got a flapper esque top, or prefer to play down? This skirt will make your outfit, Jordan Baker

A light-as-air dress, and with these shoes, you can feel as fabulous as Daisy Buchanan

MARCHESA's take, which DEFINITELY has Daisy written all over it

A clutch to go with those? (Jordan Baker!)

..........Because don't we all have $2000 and an invitation to a Great Gatsby's themed party? :) 

Just splurged on...

In the inevitable situation where I am invited to a Spring Garden party.. I'll be ready

Cutest thing I've read all week:: EB WHITE!

In the Spring of 1951, E. B. White was accused by the New York chapter of the ASPCA for not paying dog tax on his beloved canine companion, Minnie. True to his eloquent wit, he responded with this letter of uncommon mischievous charm, found in the anthology Letters of a Nation:

12 April 1951
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
York Avenue and East 92nd Street
New York, 28, NY
Dear Sirs:
I have your letter, undated, saying that I am harboring an unlicensed dog in violation of the law. If by “harboring” you mean getting up two or three times every night to pull Minnie’s blanket up over her, I am harboring a dog all right. The blanket keeps slipping off. I suppose you are wondering by now why I don’t get her a sweater instead. That’s a joke on you. She has a knitted sweater, but she doesn’t like to wear it for sleeping; her legs are so short they work out of a sweater and her toenails get caught in the mesh, and this disturbs her rest. If Minnie doesn’t get her rest, she feels it right away. I do myself, and of course with this night duty of mine, the way the blanket slips and all, I haven’t had any real rest in years. Minnie is twelve.
In spite of what your inspector reported, she has a license. She is licensed in the State of Maine as an unspayed bitch, or what is more commonly called an “unspaded” bitch. She wears her metal license tag but I must say I don’t particularly care for it, as it is in the shape of a hydrant, which seems to me a feeble gag, besides being pointless in the case of a female. It is hard to believe that any state in the Union would circulate a gag like that and make people pay money for it, but Maine is always thinking of something. Maine puts up roadside crosses along the highways to mark the spots where people have lost their lives in motor accidents, so the highways are beginning to take on the appearance of a cemetery, and motoring in Maine has become a solemn experience, when one thinks mostly about death. I was driving along a road near Kittery the other day thinking about death and all of a sudden I heard the spring peepers. That changed me right away and I suddenly thought about life. It was the nicest feeling.
You asked about Minnie’s name, sex, breed, and phone number. She doesn’t answer the phone. She is a dachshund and can’t reach it, but she wouldn’t answer it even if she could, as she has no interest in outside calls. I did have a dachshund once, a male, who was interested in the telephone, and who got a great many calls, but Fred was an exceptional dog (his name was Fred) and I can’t think of anything offhand that he wasn’t interested in. The telephone was only one of a thousand things. He loved life — that is, he loved life if by “life” you mean “trouble,” and of course the phone is almost synonymous with trouble. Minnie loves life, too, but her idea of life is a warm bed, preferably with an electric pad, and a friend in bed with her, and plenty of shut-eye, night and days. She’s almost twelve. I guess I’ve already mentioned that. I got her from Dr. Clarence Little in 1939. He was using dachshunds in his cancer-research experiments (that was before Winchell was running the thing) and he had a couple of extra puppies, so I wheedled Minnie out of him. She later had puppies by her own father, at Dr. Little’s request. What do you think about that for a scandal? I know what Fred thought about it. He was some put out.
Sincerely yours,
E. B. White

from brainpickings.org

"Westvulle"

Just because it's Sunday night!

Magnolia's taste on a beer budget

Blazrs

Today I'm wearing a blazer for the first time in a reallllly long time. I've been slumming it with cardigans, and I forget how much more sharp your outfit looks with a structured blazer. It's like playing with geometry! I have yet to figure out how to do this with pants, which I believe comes with age.

This reminds me of a Yayoi Kusama print

Wish this came in more colors!

Something to wear in Barcelona


Today I'm not wearing a skirt, because winter has decided to come back to New York, but I think the best pairing for any blazer is a feminine skirt!

A cute spring skirt at $70!

A slightly more expensive, but more day time skirt in flora print

Such a dreamy skirt, for those who love white and blue in spring (ME!!!)

All of these skirts (and much more) are on sale

MCMC Fragrances

When I was working at a niche fragrance store in Soho, a customer came in to suggest carrying MCMC fragrances

I have yet to visit the studio, but this MAUI perfume sounds and looks absolutely divine!!! Can you imagine smelling like a hawaiian beach in New York's humid gross weather?

I'll be visiting with a friend of mine soon so I'll be writing about that soon!

Print Dresses

Why was I the last person to get the memo that print dresses are the easiest way to incorporate color? I shy away from bright color and loud prints, that "hurt like a hangover" :)

This dress makes me want to skip class to have a picnic

so artsy and perfect in it's shift form, apropos for a picnic after a day at the Met

a funkier dress

a punchy one

be the best dressed in your office

a sporty one

the one that inspired this post.

Last week

Guess what's in that grilled cheese sandwich and I'll send you a weeks worth of it.

Best blog today: Designskool.net

Gorgeous! 

http://designskool.net/

The fickleness of humans

I Do Not Love You Except Because I Love You

I do not love you except because I love you;
I go from loving to not loving you,
From waiting to not waiting for you
My heart moves from cold to fire.

I love you only because it's you the one I love;
I hate you deeply, and hating you
Bend to you, and the measure of my changing love for you
Is that I do not see you but love you blindly.

Maybe January light will consume
My heart with its cruel
Ray, stealing my key to true calm.

In this part of the story I am the one who
Dies, the only one, and I will die of love because I love you,
Because I love you, Love, in fire and blood.

Pablo Neruda

This attraction is dangerous...

I'm a snack fanatic. I do enjoy naturebox snacks, but there's just nothing else like a bag of salty goodness that will make your fingers filthy with grease and flavor.




If you like spicy and if you like salty, and if you have half a taste bud, these chips will rock your world.

BUFFALO WINGS IN PRETZEL FORM? I'm sold. 

Ketchup chips. Sounds gross, but SO GOOD.


And last but not least, an oldie but a goodie:





Do you have any chip flavors you'd like to share?

Some funny things about working in New York's Soho...

Not long ago, I was working at a small store in Soho and some unique moments have happened:

An African pastry chef working at Tocqueville came by a few times to bring us delicious handmade chocolates
A younger guy with eccentric frizzy hair came in once a week to buy bath salts
A mouse ran through my feet while customers was there
A guy came in to insult our logo and card design
A guy with a cello came into the store to play a solo for my co worker
A guy came in a few times to tell me I looked like his friend, who was a model, taking a picture of me to send to her. (Um, where do I get that deal?)
A guy came in, tried to tip me for giving him samples, and I freaked out and said I couldn't, and my boss came out saying I neutered him


Tell me, what are some funny things about your profession? I'd love to read them! 

What inspired you to pick your major?

Per my last post, graduation is coming up. I've thought about some decisions I've made in these past 4 years and this one is one that I'd like to ask you guys!



Sophomore year was approaching and the deadline to pick a major was coming up.
I chose media studies, because it seemed safe and easy.

I chose classes that fit a schedule where I'd have to come into school the least; I favored work and internships over class.

One of them was : Greek and Latin Roots of English 9am-11am twice a week
I'm usually a pretty okay student, I take notes and I listen and I keep the phone away.
One day my professor was asking if we knew why "veteran" and "veterinarian" had the same root "VETER"
None of us knew, and he continued to explain:
When we fought with horses, they became the beasts of burden, and now that we have done away with the horses, and fight only with men, they have become our beasts of burden.


I MEAN
MIND BLOWN

That's why I chose Linguistics as my major. The evolution of language is beautiful, the uses of language endless! Pablo Neruda once wrote: Language is the laughter of the soul.


Please write in the comments what inspired you to pick your major?

My man, JLB

One of my best girl friends recently broke off a long relationship, and I sent her this to help her cope. But once I read it again, I think this is beautiful enough for everyone, even those not going through a bad time. 

You Learn

After a while you learn the subtle difference
Between holding a hand and chaining a soul,

And you learn that love doesn't mean leaning
And company doesn’t mean security.

And you begin to learn that kisses aren’t contracts
And presents aren’t promises,

And you begin to accept your defeats
With your head up and your eyes open
With the grace of a woman, not the grief of a child,

And you learn to build all your roads on today
Because tomorrow’s ground is too uncertain for plans
And futures have a way of falling down in mid-flight.

After a while you learn…
That even sunshine burns if you get too much.

So you plant your garden and decorate your own soul,
Instead of waiting for someone to bring you flowers.

And you learn that you really can endure…

That you really are strong

And you really do have worth…

And you learn and learn…

With every good-bye you learn.

-Jorge Luis Borges

I'm not ready!

It's that time of year again... spring is coming. So is Graduation, the end of an era. It's incredibly daunting! I can't believe 4 years have flown by. I don't feel ready for adult life! I loved going to school in New York City, the same city I grew up in, because I was able to go to school and work and intern at the same time, but I do wish I had a more "classic" college experience (sometimes).

"Be not afraid of greatness: some are born great, some achieve greatness and some have greatness thrust upon them" Shakespeare's Twelfth Night

Graduation coming up has made me reflect on my choices here. I chose classes I didn't think I would do great at : Economics, Political Science, International Law, African Politics etc.. and I was surprised how well I did with these subjects, which I believed were so incredibly out of my mental capacity. These classes were challenging, and so fun. You really do learn so much about yourself in these four years.

I worked at a store in Soho with roles and duties I'd never imagine having the pleasure of doing. I met a man over a decade older and fell in love. I've been to Miami, his hometown, (a city I used to revile for its trashy SoBe image) more times than any other city. I've interned with the greatest, most warm interns ever at the Museum of Chinese in America. I've babysat the realest real kids who just make me laugh so hard.

I've learned that I'm too quick to judge, I'm defensive and sometimes I'm a little too self conscious. I've learned no matter what, you have to rely on yourself instead of other people. I've read most of the canonical authors, but I have so many more on my reading list. Please don't kick me out of college and into the cold depths of adulthood, I'm not ready!

Mission Chinese- Cumin Lamb

Last week, I went to Mission Chinese in the Lower East Side, and had the yummiest lamb dish ever.

We ordered Lamb Meatballs, but this was mistakenly given to us, and it's probably the best mistake in a while.

Sizzling Cumin Lamb

Danny Bowien use lamb breast or lamb belly, sometimes even lamb ribs, but lamb shoulder works just as well.

4–6 servings

Recipe by Danny Bowien of Mission Chinese Food in San Francisco, CA

May 2012
Ingredients

• 1 cup cumin seeds, toasted
• 1/2 cup coriander seeds, toasted
• 1/2 cup fennel seed, toasted
• 3 tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon (packed) light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc nam)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (not toasted)
• 4 pounds lamb shoulder, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 1/2 cups beer (Budweiser or any other pilsner works well)
• 4 cups beef or low-salt chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups cola
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 yellow onion, burnt over an open flame, finely chopped
• 2 jalapeños, burnt over an open flame, finely chopped with seeds
• 2 fresh bay leaves
• 1 garlic clove, smashed

Assembly

• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil plus more for brushing
• Kosher salt
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 3 red jalapeños, thinly sliced with seeds
• 1 pound ramen noodles
• 1 bunch cilantro, tough stems removed
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons black vinegar
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 green jalapeño, thinly sliced with seeds
• Chili Pickled Long Beans (click for recipe)

Preparation

Lamb

• Pulse cumin, coriander, and fennel in a food processor until you have a rough grind. Combine half of spice mixture, salt, sugar, fish sauce, and sesame oil in a medium bowl; add lamb and toss to coat (reserve remaining spice mixture). Let lamb marinate at room temperature for at least 2 hours and up to 4 hours.
• Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Working in batches, cook meat until brown, about 4 minutes per batch; transfer meat to a platter. Add beer; stir, scraping up browned bits from the bottom of pan. Simmer until liquid is reduced by a third, about 4 minutes. Return lamb to pot; add broth and next 6 ingredients. Bring to a simmer and cook, covered and stirring occasionally, until meat is very tender, 2–3 hours. Using a slotted spoon, transfer lamb to a baking sheet; reserve. Skim fat from braising liquid.

Assembly

• Heat a griddle or large cast-iron skillet until it is very hot. Pat lamb pieces dry. Brush with oil and season with some of reserved spice mix. Working in batches, cook lamb, turning occasionally, until smoky and fragrant but not burnt, about 3 minutes per batch. Transfer lamb to a large bowl. Toss onion and red jalapeños in a bowl with 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil. Add to griddle and cook until softened and charred in spots, about 3 minutes; add to bowl with lamb.
• Bring lamb braising liquid to a simmer. Add noodles, simmer until just tender, about 1 minute. Add reserved meat, onions, and jalapeños.
• Combine cilantro, scallions, vinegar, sesame seeds, ane green jalapeño in a large bowl. Season to taste with some of remaining spice mix; toss to coat. Divide lamb mixture among bowls. Top with the cilantro mixture. Serve Chili Pickled Long Beans on the side.

Read More http://www.bonappetit.com/recipes/2012/05/sizzling-cumin-lamb#ixzz2PEPrrP25

naturebox subscription

A few weeks ago, I was browsing my emails, and found DailyCandy deals

$25 for 3 months of NatureBox snacks!

I'm usually running from class to internship to work, so I don't often have time to buy lunch, so these snacks were perfect! I don't think they would last me a whole month though, they were super crunchy and addictive.

Healthy and Delicious Snacks - New each month!
http://www.naturebox.com
You can sign up too and save $5 by using code "HEALTHY" for a discount off your first NatureBox! If you sign up, I'll receive a referral credit too!

Charles Bukowski, Arthur C. Clarke, Annie Dillard, John Cage, and Others on the Meaning of Life

by Maria Popova (brainpickings.org)


“We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.”

The quest to understand the meaning of life has haunted humanity since the dawn of existence. Modern history alone has given us a plethora of attempted answers, including ones from Steve Jobs, Stanley Kubrick, David Foster Wallace, Anais Nin, Ray Bradbury, and Jackson Pollock’s dad. In 1988, the editors of LIFE magazine posed this grand question head-on to 300 “wise men and women,” from celebrated authors, actors, and artists to global spiritual leaders to everyday farmers, barbers, and welfare mothers. In 1991, they collected the results, along with a selection of striking black-and-white photographs from the magazine’s archives that answered the question visually and abstractly, in The Meaning of Life: Reflections in Words and Pictures on Why We Are Here (public library). Here is a selection of the answers.

Pulitzer Prize winner Annie Dillard:

We are here to witness the creation and abet it. We are here to notice each thing so each thing gets noticed. Together we notice not only each mountain shadow and each stone on the beach but, especially, we notice the beautiful faces and complex natures of each other. We are here to bring to consciousness the beauty and power that are around us and to praise the people who are here with us. We witness our generation and our times. We watch the weather. Otherwise, creation would be playing to an empty house.

According to the second law of thermodynamics, things fall apart. Structures disintegrate. Buckminster Fuller hinted at a reason we are here: By creating things, by thinking up new combinations, we counteract this flow of entropy. We make new structures, new wholeness, so the universe comes out even. A shepherd on a hilltop who looks at a mess of stars and thinks, ‘There’s a hunter, a plow, a fish,’ is making mental connections that have as much real force in the universe as the very fires in those stars themselves.

Legendary science writer Stephen Jay Gould:

The human species has inhabited this planet for only 250,000 years or so-roughly.0015 percent of the history of life, the last inch of the cosmic mile. The world fared perfectly well without us for all but the last moment of earthly time–and this fact makes our appearance look more like an accidental afterthought than the culmination of a prefigured plan.

Moreover, the pathways that have led to our evolution are quirky, improbable, unrepeatable and utterly unpredictable. Human evolution is not random; it makes sense and can be explained after the fact. But wind back life’s tape to the dawn of time and let it play again–and you will never get humans a second time.

We are here because one odd group of fishes had a peculiar fin anatomy that could transform into legs for terrestrial creatures; because the earth never froze entirely during an ice age; because a small and tenuous species, arising in Africa a quarter of a million years ago, has managed, so far, to survive by hook and by crook. We may yearn for a ‘higher’ answer — but none exists. This explanation, though superficially troubling, if not terrifying, is ultimately liberating and exhilarating. We cannot read the meaning of life passively in the facts of nature. We must construct these answers ourselves — from our own wisdom and ethical sense. There is no other way.



Frank Donofrio, a barber:

I have been asking myself why I’m here most of my life. If there’s a purpose I don’t care anymore. I’m seventy-four. I’m on my way out. Let the young people learn the hard way, like I did. No one ever told me anything.



Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke:

A wise man once said that all human activity is a form of play. And the highest form of play is the search for Truth, Beauty and Love. What more is needed? Should there be a ‘meaning’ as well, that will be a bonus?

If we waste time looking for life’s meaning, we may have no time to live — or to play.




Literary icon John Updike:

Ancient religion and modern science agree: we are here to give praise. Or, to slightly tip the expression, to pay attention. Without us, the physicists who have espoused the anthropic principle tell us, the universe would be unwitnessed, and in a real sense not there at all. It exists, incredibly, for us. This formulation (knowing what we know of the universe’s ghastly extent) is more incredible, to our sense of things, than the Old Testament hypothesis of a God willing to suffer, coddle, instruct, and even (in the Book of Job) to debate with men, in order to realize the meager benefit of worship, of praise for His Creation. What we beyond doubt do have is our instinctive intellectual curiosity about the universe from the quasars down to the quarks, our wonder at existence itself, and an occasional surge of sheer blind gratitude for being here.




Poet Charles Bukowski:

For those who believe in God, most of the big questions are answered. But for those of us who can’t readily accept the God formula, the big answers don’t remain stone-written. We adjust to new conditions and discoveries. We are pliable. Love need not be a command or faith a dictum. I am my own God.

We are here to unlearn the teachings of the church, state and our educational system.

We are here to drink beer.

We are here to kill war.

We are here to laugh at the odds and live our lives so well that Death will tremble to take us.

We are here to read these words from all these wise men and women who will tell us that we are here for different reasons and the same reason.



Avant-garde composer and philosopher John Cage:

No why. Just here.






The Meaning of Life is a cultural treasure in its entirety, and the screen does the stunning photographs no justice — do grab yourself an analog copy.




BrainPickings.org