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November 30, 2009

Ring a Ding, Ding!

Picture 16 This just in... Enter code HOLIDAY09 while shopping at Gorjana today to save (are you ready?) 25% on jewelry and handbags. In light of the other Cyber Monday deals I've seen, this one is very generous. (20% seems to be the norm out there this year). Enjoy!

Posted at 03:05 PM | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Finding Your Inner Chi

Picture 11 Recently I took note of a lack of "transitional" clothing in my closet. I tend to buy pretty, fancy items or - on the extreme end of the spectrum - fitness clothing specifically for the gym. While I do have an inventory of great jeans, I lack what I refer to as "in between" clothing. You know what I mean... clothes that can take me from the gym to Starbucks easily - but also make it possible to pop into a department store without feeling out of place. Clothing I can move in that doesn't look out of place around town. With this in mind I turned to Athleta for a few new pieces. 

After placing a monster-sized order I've whittled it down to a few key pieces. A tunic or two, a very chic pair of skirted leggings, some sweaters that could be worn anywhere and a pitch perfect pair of black bootcut pants I can easily wear to pilates class or out and about town without skipping a beat. In fact, some of the pieces were so pretty and well made that it took some adjustment in my thinking to categorize them in my mind. Several of the sweaters are so nice that they could easily pair with boots and designer denim for a everyday wear.

Honestly, some of the items would be perfect for travel. These are pieces you can pack in your travel bag and wear walking the streets of Rome and look like a native. They are chic, classic and many are made of wrinkle free fabrics. It's nice to know there are niche brands like this with pieces that help fit into the modern lifestyle.

If this isn't enough to inspire you to find your inner chi, maybe today's 20% off sale will motivate you. Happy Shopping!

Posted at 12:29 PM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

November 25, 2009

Paint By Numbers

Germont_017 Decorati added a new feature that I just adore! When you're drooling over any one of a number of professionally designed spaces you'll see a large gold button beneath the photo inviting you to create the look on your own. It simply says: Get This Look. Germont_008 This is one of those genius features that feels like it should have always existed. It's the culmination of of timing, tools and information into one awesome useful tool. Barasch_ii_03 Sites like Decorati and Designer Pages are aggregating so much quality design information that it's easy to feel sucked in my the pretty pitcurtes and insightful interviews. But with the addition of a simple call to action button like this, anyone can begin to unleash their inner designer. It converts us from bystanders to shoppers. The simplicity of the button (and the information that follows) reminds me that not everyone is as well versed at shopping online (or off). Most bloggers spend an unusual amount of time online and take in copious amounts of info through magazines and the like. I imagine most of you reading this blog do that very thing. But to appreciate a well appointed home, like these from Michael Rosenberg and take the first step towards achieving that look in your own home - that's empowering.Barasch_05

If it all feels too paint by numbers to you, realize that this is simply a step in the right direction for someone who appreciates fine design. Regardless of your taste level, price point or lifestyle, I think it's safe to say we could all use a little help sourcing items and finding the perfect piece. So go ahead... push that button. It'll be our little secret!

Posted at 08:52 AM in design, designers, interior design, observations, technology | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

What's Your Style Profile?

Consistent_connoisseur I don't know of too many things I enjoy more online than a great quiz. The StyleFinder Quiz reveals your shopping AND design personality combined. My results? Depending upon my mood I either arrive at Distinctive Designer or Consistent Connoisseur. (Both sound very glam, don't they?)

Here's the quiz's take on me this time around:

Consistent Connoisseur
When it comes to style, you’ve got enough for your entire entourage. You take some cues from the Paris runways and countless interior design magazines, but express your individuality through your unique style.

When on the prowl for the next big thing, you carefully select fabulous items that meet your exacting standards. A self-proclaimed power shopper, you aren’t shy about making your presence known in stores but prefer to stalk your prey without assistance. Once you zero in on your target, nothing can stop you from adding the latest conquest to your fabulously decorated home. Martinis anyone?

Sounds about right! While I can't take credit for the cool data it spews out, I had the unique privilege of being part of the team that gave the quiz a face. The cool idea and underlying information are all courtesy of Furniture Brands. You can thank them for the fun you're about to have. I'll warn you, it's addictive! Just eleven clicks in your unique identity is revealed to you. You can then tweet it, post to Facebook or add a badge to your site. I'm dying to know what your results are - so be sure to swing back by and share!

Head to the StyleFinder Quiz to reveal your style profile. And keep your eyes peeled for the facebook version to launch next week!

Posted at 08:34 AM in fabulousness, interior design, leisure, style, technology, venti favorites | | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

November 24, 2009

Good for the Sole

Pl684684-01vliv01 As you very well know, I - like most women - adore shoes. But in keeping with my "get one give two" method, the acquisition of one new pair necessitates that I get rid of two existing pair. I've always felt a bit guilty when I leave them at Goodwill. While there's not a thing wrong with this organization, it always seems that a shop that sells sofas and chairs can't possibly be the best place to leave shoes and dress clothing. Dress for Success sounds like a the right idea, but my apparel and accessories tend to be too fashion-driven to qualify for drop-off. They'd much prefer and armful of Ann Taylor suits a tasteful pumps.

Thanks to Piperlime I have just discovered Soles4Souls, a group hoping to change the world one pair of shoes at a time. Here's the skinny:

The idea behind gifts of shoes is nothing new to the Soles4Souls team, as they coordinated relief efforts for the Asian Tsunami and Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, netting over 1 Million pairs donated for these disasters. The team originally operated as www.katrinashoes.org with several churches partnering in the collection and distribution of footwear.

So if you find yourself wondering what to do with those underutilized shoes on the top shelf of your closet, take a closer look at this group. You may just transform a life with your gesture.

Posted at 07:01 AM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

November 23, 2009

Scent of Attraction

Yhst-16632634487019_2082_2453839328 It's hard for me to imagine my life without scented candles. I love a flickering flame, the mood lighting, the occasional waft of a subtle fragrance. Candles - and candlelight - enhance and alter a space in ways unlike any other object can. Knowing this, you can rest assured I'll by vying to win Allure's giveaway including a fantastic assortment of handpicked luxury candles. Think: Prada, Tocca and Fresh. Some of the more incredible scents available, in my opinion. Details at spaweek.com/promotions/allure.

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November 19, 2009

That's One Fab Slab

Image_products_stone_big_frontPicture 35 For a variety of reasons I'm obsessed with countertops right now. We'll be replacing ours this coming year and I am thoroughly enjoying the endless options in terms of pattern, color and edging. Am I a bullnose girl or a bevel babe? I'm thinking the Single O'gee is the finish for me. Granite, quartz... whatever. For a girl who loves having options, choices and variety...it's a dream come true.

{photos courtesy of Artisan Group}

Posted at 08:52 AM in interior design | | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

November 18, 2009

Piccolo Gelato

TR422 OT420_05 There is something fresh and fun about the season's "little big coat" we are seeing everywhere. Bracelet sleeves, shortened length with lots of volume on top. Particularly of interest are the punchy colors available. The pink above could easily have been inspired by a scoop of raspberry gelato eaten by the designer at a sidewalk cafe. These aren't the droll winter coats of seasons past. A far cry from them. It seems we've somehow freed ourselves of the dull palette of winter and reclaimed festive colors from the other seasons. These are mood-lifting pieces of apparel you'll look forward to wearing. Who wouldn't want a scoop of that?

Posted at 06:13 AM in coolfinding, fabulousness, fashion, Food and Drink | | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0)

November 17, 2009

Motion = Emotion

Lascauxbulls2 Typepad (the platform this blog and Life in a Sippy Cup reside upon) now offers a cool version of microblogging. Sort of like Twitter and Facebook, I can now post updates rather than post. I'll have to tinker with it to see how I'd like those shortened (and untitled) posts to appear on the site - but I immediately like the idea.

As much as we'd like to dismiss our tweets and status updates as random thoughts and data, it's hard to deny that collectively they often sum up our lives. I'm sure there are cultural anthropologists analyzing our tweets much like archaeologists studied the cave drawings at Lascaux. It's less about the micromessages and more about the sum total of thr parts. Both on an individual level and as a collective whole.

Taken on their own, our daily musings on twitter might be seen as personal observations and random thoughts. But take a step back and look at them over the course of a year. Take another step back and look at the thousands of mini-conversations and long-winded exchanges I've shared with those in my stream and you start to be able to draw a larger picture.

If this is all just a social experiment, I'm thrilled to be an active participant in the lab. But it's more than that... it's the current method of choice for sharing, exchanging, gathering and distributing information. Weather your weapon of choice is Facebook, Twitter or some other form of microblogging - you're sure to feel its effects on your life almost immediately. Unlike traditional blogging - where one can blog to an audience of one for a long time before they gather a following worth mentioning - microblogging puts you into the conversation almost immediately.

Where TypePad's newest addition to the tool set - Typepad Motion - takes us has yet to be seen. But coming from a front runner like Sixapart, I'm sure it's going to be a power player in the scene. Get detailed info here. 

Not tweeting, facebooking or updating anywhere? I think you're missing out. It's a life enriching experience and one of the best ways to connect with intelligent, interesting people. Whether you use it for friendship, crowdsourcing, business or personal reasons - you're sure to pull value from it in some way. When you sign up, look me up. I'm everywhere. :)

Posted at 02:15 PM in technology | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 12, 2009

You've Run Out of Excuses

Picture 15 Happy Shopping!

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November 10, 2009

Rhymes with Boom Boom

Picture 8 Interesting to see Heidi on the landing page of Ann Taylor. Is there nothing this supermodel is incapable of doing? Picture 11
While we're here... if I were choosing an Ann Taylor item I had to have... it'd be this nearly sold out jacket. Shame I wasn't lurking on the site sooner as my size is long gone. Heidi... if you're suggesting the "new Ann" is uber hip and super chic (and I think you are) I will need to start paying more attention to the brand.

Posted at 03:41 PM in celebrities, fabulousness, great people | | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

Globetrotters

Picture 107
Picture 108 Picture 109 Picture 110Picture 111 Picture 112It's November. Almost halfway through the month. The year is close to being over and I can see that we've fallen prey to "someday syndrome" this year. We've discussed at least half a dozen great vacations. Done the research, selected the hotels, planned the outfits... and then decided we were too busy. We keep putting it off until an easier month, a less hectic quarter.

Running a business is demanding... what with never ending meetings and projects. If you look at the calendar it's always full... but I have to admit to myself that's really our fault. It's time we blocked out some time for ourselves and sat in wonder of the world around us. Gained a bit of perspective. It's been a terrific year and it's time we sat back and reflected upon the wonder of life.

If I'm being completely honest I'll need to admit that my criteria for a vacation increases each time we delay the trip. So while I once might have been satisfied with a charming boutique hotel, now I'm in need of the luxe appointments and guaranteed fabulousness that only a St. Regis resort or Ritz Carlton can deliver. This particular resort (of the St. Regis variety) is on picturesque Kauai located in Hanalei Bay. If the stunning views don't woo you, maybe the chic interiors designed by David Easton will seduce your senses.

As for me, I think waking up to the glorious views - and not the glow of my laptop - will do wonders for restoring my soul. Well, that and a few seaweed wraps and hot stone massages overlooking the crashing waves.

I'm setting a plan in motion today: plan it, book it, do it. If there's something you've been putting off, wake out of that coma and get moving. Time waits for no man.

Posted at 07:13 AM in destinations, globetrotting, holidays, note to self, observations, success | | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0)

Rock, Paper, Scissors.

Picture 113
6a011279470c7b28a40120a6688043970c-500wi  In this example, paper always wins. See the rest on this story at Bobbin Talk.

Posted at 06:53 AM in art | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 06, 2009

Wrap It Up

Prod1644471 Interesting addition to the product lineup. For some inexplicable reason Restoration Hardware now offers Mongolian cashmere scarves alongside their furnishings. This makes for a pretty (albeit an odd) mix of product offerings. Who knows, maybe it doubles as a throw.

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Thy Will Be Done

Picture 74 Digging these Martin Grant necklaces at Barneys. Above is the "will" necklace. Lovely!

Posted at 06:34 AM in jewelry | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

November 05, 2009

Fantastique!

Picture 75 Mrs. Burch wants to send you to Paris.Grand prize winner will receive:

    * Round trip airfare for two to Paris, France

    * Three nights at the Hôtel Fouquet’s Barrière

    * Dinner for two at Le Diane

    * A pampering spa treatment for two

    * A $1,500 Tory Burch wardrobe

Details here. 

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Animal Attraction

Picture 67 Have you ever seen an item and wondered how on earth you can find yourself attracted to it? Such is the case with this faux fur Juicy Couture puffer vest. Let's back up a moment...when did I start trolling the Juicy merchandise lineup? This is now the second or third item I've pointed out to you lately that I like. Scratch that... this will be the second or third item that I want to own. But moving on... a puffer vest? It's not like I live in Montana where it snows six feet on my birthday ( in June). I'm a warmer temps girl with every intention of staying that way. So aside from a few fleeting fantasies of Zurich or Geneva, you won't find me on a snowy drift anytime soon. Picture 73 No...instead I can already see myself in line at Starbucks on a slightly chilly day (say... 50 degrees with no snowflake in sight) with my skinny jeans, boots and this (somehow) irresistable vest. Hooded. Fur-lined. Puffy. Vest. I can't explain it. But I've got to have it. I'm craving it. What's worse is that I've seen these people in line. Dressed as if it's an ice storm outside when the rest of us are enjoying unseasonably warm temps. Unless they're about to board a private jet for the Alps (and, no doubt some of them may well be), these fashionistas owe us an explanation and maybe an apology. Am I really ready to become one of them? Doesn't a puffy vest of this sort almost require you to wear UGGS or at least some form of fur lined boot? It seems to me that the two crimes usually go hand in hand. Can one really commit just one offense without the other following quickly behind? Is this puffy vest the slippery slope that will lead me to a closet of velour track suits and a flats? No... no... there shall be no UGGS in my closet nor any sign of a warmup suit - but this vest must be mine. It must. Inexplicably, it must be mine. 

For all of our (okay, my) enlightened moments, it's times like this I have to admit that there are primal forces at work beneath the surface. If this silly urge of mine is any indication, we're not so different from our animals friends after all.

If you're behind me in line for coffee anytime soon on a pleasant fall day, please resist the urge to giggle at my puffy vest. After all, no animals were harmed in the creation. Just a tiny bit of my dignity, that's all. 

Posted at 06:17 AM in eco-friendly, fabulousness, fashion, note to self, observations, style | | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0)

November 03, 2009

Snapshot...

Picture 50 Studying the work of photog Norman Parkinson...
Thinking about the reported efficacy of Caudalie's new Premier Cru Cream...
Smiling at the perfect fall weather outside my window...
Feeling grateful for health, home and - most of all - friends and family...

What's your snapshot?

.

Posted at 04:05 PM in life, observations | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)

Pssst! Here's the Skinny!

SigninImage Tomorrow The Skinny is launching. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, prepare to start jumping up and down thanking your lucky stars. Think of it as Rue La La or Gilt for skin care. Yeppers. That's exactly what I'm talking about. Imagine snapping up high end skin care such as Dr. Perricone products for way less than you'd pay at your local beauty counter. Mmmmm, hmmm... I thought you'd be excited! The invite only site launches tomorrow and the list of featured brands is expected to grow rapidly. So set your iPhone alarms now!

Posted at 03:26 PM in beauty, events, shopping | | Comments (6) | TrackBack (0)

StyleFinder Quiz

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Zurich, Anyone?

Picture 8 This coat makes me wish I had pressing business to tend to in Zurich. My inner Jason Bourne wants to set up a Swiss bank account simply to have an excuse to wear this shearling-lined coat. Admittedly, this is the very first time I've seen anything shearling that I felt I needed. Picture 21
But if we're going all "operation Treadstone" we might as well go for the drama of full length (after all, trained assassins never wear J. Crew. c'mon!). Which means that this Burberry gets my vote. Picture 23 Picture 24 However... the more I think about it, I'll need to be braced for a quick getaway. That means I'll need a shorter coat. Something I can run in to evade the authorities and evildoers. This Armani or this Prada should do the trick. (The prada being better suited to blending into crowds...but its longer length gives me pause).  Add skinny black pants, knee-high leather boots, huge sunglasses and a black X-Type Jag and I'm all set.  Picture 29 Once you're a safe distance from the action, enjoying your espresso in some dark tucked away cafe miles from Geneva, you can vamp it up in this McQueen biker jacket. Hiding smiling eyes behind your big shades. At least... that's how I'd play it.

Posted at 08:59 AM | | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

November 01, 2009

Long on Style

Picture 11 Petite jeans often pose sartorial dilemmas for those of us under 5'4". Designers often cut them ever-so-slightly too short. I find the comon 30" inseam to be... well, unseemly. For me, the elusive 31" inseam is the Holy Grail of lengths. It affords me the ability to wear 3.5" or 4" heels or platforms with just the right amount of shoe peeping out beneath the hem. If you're in the petite realm, you know all too well that 31" is not only rare but often impossible to find. Well.... stop your search. I ordered a pair of the AG Adriano Goldschmied "Angelina" jeans on a whim when they were on sale. Oh. My. Goodness. These are flawless. They fit my waist perfectly (which no denim ever does), they are just low enough to feel sexy, but not so low as to be dangerous. The inseam is actually 31" (even though some sites state they are 30"). The legs flare out "just so" and the fade on the thighs is just right. The weight of the denim is perfect for any season. Not too thick, and not too thin. These are in fact so wonderful that the only fault I can find with these jeans is that I only own one pair. And frankly, that's an issue I'm looking forward to resolving. Get yours here and here and here.

Posted at 10:24 AM in fashion, venti favorites | | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)