Every Day of The Night

My friend Liz made her triumphant return back to the East Coast, and we painted the town red. It's been a while since I left the house in the morning and didn't come back until well after last call.

 Started the day out in the garden with my little dog, Portia, enjoying the nice morning weather.

Top and Pants (yes, an "outfit") Ann Taylor

Blazer Cache

Boots Donald Pliner

Bag Alice and Olivia, came free with British Vogue I bought at Heathrow last summer.

Ended up doing a huge loop of downtown, stopped at Capogiro for gelato, San Pellegrino and espressos, then Dock Street Brewery to eat and watch a screening of Black Swan (still a very bizarre movie), then found ourselves at the Bellvue, with free range of the empty restaurant, which was already closed and set for breakfast.

Then we finished the night with souffle and absynth at Time.

Liz enjoying a Kentucky Blood Orange cocktail.

I love long, random nights pounding pavement in empty cities.

Cheers,
Renata

Summer Lovin'

Summer can't come soon enough. I hope I get to travel this summer.

Il Buco restaurant in Athens, Greece

 Juices from the Six Senses Sanctuary in Phuket

Citrus and manoes at Eataly in NYC

Oh yeah, and what I'm not looking forward to? Getting into Summer-shape....

Vintage inspired bikini from jemma jube

Ludivigne S from Swimming Pool

Here's to hoping it doesn't snow on the East Coast tomorrow as they are predicting! 

Cheers,

Renata

Wednesdays at the Oak Room

Every Wednesday at the Plaza Hotel, Brian Newman and his band of merry men play at the Oak Room. I stumbled in there quite by accident and didn't expect live music, let alone great live music. In fact, the hostess (who was like 7 feet tall, pin-thin and surely graces the catwalks biannually when she's not hostessing) brought us to a table waaaayyyy in the back and I got really offended and made her move us to a cushier table in the front. Little did I realize, our original spot was the perfect perch to watch the band, front row. Oops! Its ok, because we had some talking to do, and from where I sat (you may call it a Vantage Point) I got some amazing (in my opinion) photographs. I hope I caught the opulence, the certain je ne sais quoi, of the Oak Room and the playfullness of the Brian Newman Band. (Trivia - he's good friends with Lady Gaga and she did a surprise performance there last September!)

Cheers,

Renata

Sidenote - as I was reading this Vogue and listening to the Brian Newman Trio, I had no idea the two were connected. I guess in NYC, it's a small world afterall...

Guest of a Guest

My back and tattoo made it to Guest of a Guest, from last week's Furla/Vogue event. I'm famous now! (No.)

Photographed by Carla Phillips

Cheers,
Renata

Play the Ace

Stopped by the Ace Hotel for some drink pre-Vogue party. It's a great space, and the lobby is like the Thinking Man's Starbucks - So many scenesters with Mac laptops and plaid shirts and perfect bedhead sat at the rustic oak tables or worn velvet couches sipping cocktails or coffee. I loved the fresh flowers for sale in the lobby, the stairwells plastered with black and white news clips and bills. It was perfectly dark, chic, and alive. Definitely one of  my favorite NYC hotels to camp out in.

Dress BCBG, Harness made by Scorpion Disco. Wedges: Report, Watch Toywatch, Bag Furla

 My mom and Partner in Crime for the evening!



Cheers,

Renata

Furla Candy Bags, Real Candy, and Champagne, Amen

Last night was the Vogue/Furla party at the latter's Madison Ave store. It was jam packed with PVC loving fashionistas, and the candy flavored drinks were flowing. What a wonderful time!! I can now say I rubbed elbows with Jessica Stam (literally, it was crowded in there).

Jacket: random leather shop in Sicily

Dress: BCBG

Silver Harness: Made by me, I'll have more for sale soon

 Jessica Stam

Alison - We loved her structural yet effortless Milly dress, and the geek-chic glasses. One of my fashion winners of the night.

 My very own tried and true Candy Bag. Notice the bottle of Advil. Need I say more?



Great to see that Furla as totally rejuventated their entire concept. Furla is typically known for very classic, timeless styles with straight edges and sharp corners in black and neutrals, but they have gone a much younger route for their SS2011 collection, and I think that it's really a great turn of events for Furla. Almost everyone in the store last night was under 30, and they are clearly targetting a younger market, which I think is wise because they make quality, luxury bags at a slightly lower price point that it turns out people like me and you can afford! (the Candy bag is $195)

What do you guys think?

Cheers,

Renata

Jenni Kanye, I'm Too Poor to Afford You FML

Wow. Just stumbled on Cali-born designer Jenni Kayne's amazing creations. I'm rendered speechless.

Ok, no I'm not. (That has yet to happen, ask my boy or anyone who has ever gone on a road-trip with me - Dad, Philadelphia to Mexico?)

Although she is a native West Coast gal, her design concept this season seems much more East Coast Cool (Hamptons, specifically) Her pieces are so clean, simple, elegant, all could easily be worn by Gwyneth in The Talented Mr. Ripley. I would give anything to wear them!

Here are my picks, perfect for this Spring/Summer's color-blocking and neutral trends.

Ruby Aldridge at the SS2011 Presentation

A-Line Maxi Dress, Silk, $450.00 shopbop

Suede Open Toe Wedge Booties, $525, shopbop 

Zip Back Top, wool, $276.50 (on sale) shopbop

D'Orsay Flat in $350.00 shopnouvelles

From the FW2011 runway

Spring 2011, Striped Shirt Dress, $595, available on shopnouvelles

Resort 2011 (50's Barbie goes to the Beach, oui? 

Going Tribal, SS2009

Old Hollywood Glamour, SS 2009

SS2009 RTW - This is the maxi skirt American Apparel wished they made in 2009.

In conclusion, I'm in love (fashionably speaking) with Jenni Kanye, and want to be adopted by her (she's only 27, by the way, but she could adopt me as her younger sister...! Right??)

So clean, so simple. I'm over the layering and the wannabe's hanging outside the Lincoln Center wearing every piece of mass produced jewelry and studded headband and hobo overcoats and hairy shoes and whatever else makes them Tommy Ton-worthy. I think THIS is what's stylish! Less is more, bebes.

Cheers,

Renata