Brunch 11.10.2013 - Actually Making Good On "We Should Get Together Soon!"

FIG, Santa Monica

Hello Kittens!

Lately, I've been seeing more and more people starting to vilify social media.  There are many reasons why people are starting to take part in social media fasts, but a longstanding gripe has been that many of the friendships and relationships are merely surface level.  Personally, I've never truly agreed with that sentiment.  We live in an age where social circles are far-reaching and the demands of people's day-to-day lives don't make it possible to stay in touch with everyone in person, over the phone, or via personal emails (can you imagine how much time you would be spending with your email account?!?).  Social media makes it easy to keep up with people who you value, even if that means you haven't seen them in years.  

I personally love social media for the ability it affords me to continue fostering relationships from afar.  And while I don't actually have the time to get together with everyone on my Facebook newsfeed or the means to fly across the country to visit with friends who no longer live locally, that does not mean that I don't care about how they are doing or that they matter to me any less.  I will be the first to admit that I have thrown the "We should get together soon." around a lot.  Not that I don't mean it - I do.  I wish that I could get together with everyone I've said it to, but many times, it simply doesn't work out that way.  So, I was super excited when my friend Karin and I were actually able to make it happen.  Yes, we had to plan it a month and a half beforehand, but we finally met up last Sunday - the first time in about two years!

While I posted about how the day ended, I didn't share how the day started...with Karin and I having Brunch!  We had decided to meet up for the most important meal of the week and while I was open to driving south into Orange County where she lives, I was very excited when she told me that she needed to be at LAX to pick up her husband at 2:00.  That meant that we'd be dining in my neck of the woods!  I started searching the West Side for Brunch places that looked good and came across FIG in Santa Monica.  FIG is located inside the gorgeous Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows.  

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I have been to the Fairmont Miramar twice before for work-related activities, but didn't realize that FIG was located inside until I followed my GPS and pulled into the driveway.  Once you drive around the beautiful tree, there is simply no way to forget this place.  Located at the corner of Wilshire and Ocean, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, it's absolutely stunning!

This tree, a Moreton Bay Fig Tree (I wonder where the restaurant got its name....) was planted in 1879 by the original owner of the property, a Senator John P. Jones.  It now measures 80 feet high and 120 feet wide!  That's a big tree!  This might look familiar to those of you who have seen the movie Calendar Girls.

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The hotel is beautiful and the restaurant is equally upscale and chic!

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FIG is just off of the fabulous lobby of the Fairmont Miramar that the who's who of Hollywood have graced over the years.  Greta Garbo lived here for more than four years in the 1920's, Jean Harlow lived here in the 1930's, and Marilyn Monroe took residence in the 1950's...not a bad pedigree.  But it's not just glamorous ladies of the silver screen that have taken to this place over the years - I'm betting many political strategies have been discussed in these rooms.  First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, President John F. Kennedy, President Bill Clinton, and even Charles Lindbergh (not a President, I know) have stayed here.  And I'd bet money that all of them, at one time or another ate at FIG.  Why?  Because it's fantastic!

Let me start talking about Brunch by acknowledging that what I'm about to say is sacrilegious.  Karin and I decided to meet at 10:30 because breakfast is only served until 11:00 and the Breakfast menu was far superior to the official Brunch menu that replaces it at 11:00.  So, in this rare instance (probably the first instance ever), I chose breakfast over Brunch.  By admitting that, I risk having my Mistress of Brunch designation stripped from me in a rather violent manner.

One of the things that drew me to FIG was not its location (I didn't realize it was in the Fairmont Miramar until I got there), but the fact that the menu is created around local, seasonal ingredients.  That was something that was beautifully illustrated with my Fritatta Verde.  The fritatta was simple - filled with asparagus, broccoli, herbs, and topped with a divine Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa.

It was delicious!  Although it needed a bit of salt, which was easily remedied with this ADORABLE mini salt tub (I have no idea what to call this little thing, so just go with it...).  But seriously, how cute is this???

Karin ordered the Santa Monica Breakfast.

 Judging from how clean her plate was at the end of the meal, I'd say it was pretty tasty.

From my MANY Brunch experiences, I've found that while people tend to want savory dishes, they at some point eye the sweet side of the menu.  So, the best course of action?  Order a sweet plate to share.  And FIG had a FABULOUS option.  The Hazelnut Waffle with Frangelico-Banana Compote and a Nutella sauce.

To. Die. For.

It was a FABULOUS Brunch in a fabulous setting with delicious food and amazing, beautiful company!

So Kittens, even if it's not convenient right now, I strongly encourage setting a date in the future the next time, "We should get together!" comes out of your mouth (or gets typed by your fingers).  You'll be so glad that you did.  Yes, I know it's not always feasible...but do what you can.  And if it just happens to culminate with Brunch, all the better!

Happy Brunching!
XOXO!!

A Fabulous Sunday Ritual...Finally!

Good Evening Kittens!

I had planned to post this oh, about eleven months ago, but I haven't been able to do so honestly until now.  Yes, I suppose I could have posted whatever I wanted and really, if it had been a complete fabrication, no one would have been the wiser.  But that's just not my style.  So I waited...and waited...and waited until I could do so honestly.  And the day has finally arrived!!!

(In case you didn't follow - that day is today.)

I'm not big on New Year's resolutions, but when I started The Vintage Project on January 1, 2013, I thought it would be fitting to have a Sunday Ritual.  I love traditions, but it seems that most are relegated to holidays or birthdays or other such occasions that come around quite infrequently.  That's not what I was interested in...we've all got plenty of those.  With the fact that I 'live my life in crisis mode' (a phrase coined by perhaps my most fabulous Lady, Stephanie), I've always wanted to be able to end my week in a truly fabulous, decadent, and relaxing way.  The prospect of having both a productive and indulgent weekend seemed like a pipe dream.  It was truly my Moby Dick.  I somehow never felt like I was able to fully come down from the previous week and my weekend enough to be recharged to do it again.

My story is not unique.  I'm not the only one with a lot of stuff going on or the only one that feels like they can never accomplish everything on their list.  But nonetheless, it's been driving me crazy.

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I'm not sure what happened this weekend exactly, but without planning it, I was finally able to have the Sunday that I've been hoping for the past eleven months!  The stars aligned and it was pure magic!

I had Brunch scheduled for Sunday and it was very probable that we would end up back at my place afterwards, so on Saturday, I slept in, cleaned the apartment, and got my nails done.

Sunday's Brunch was fabulous (most on that in my next post), but earlier than what has become normal for me as I was more impressed with their breakfast menu and they stopped serving that at 11:00.  Which meant there would be no dilly-dallying and that we needed to be punctual!  We finished Brunch at around 12:30, came back to my place for about an hour to finish catching up, and then I hit the grocery store to stock up on a pretty ridiculous amount of produce.  I was back home by 3:00.  Seriously?  Seriously.  I was shocked too!  Perhaps there is something to be said for getting up early...

A little while later, I pulled out a (I'm ashamed to admit) rather dusty mat, popped in a yoga DVD for beginners, and did a decent job of getting closer to the zen I seem to be continually searching for.  I recently purchased a few yoga classes in Playa Del Rey, but feel like I need to get myself acclimated with the basics before I take myself to a class.

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As I was well on my way to complete relaxation and decided to pour myself a glass of wine, light a few candles, and draw myself a hot bubble bath to really push myself to the bliss that I was so close to.  I shall post at some date in the future about the FANTASTIC little cubbyhole in my bathtub that a wine glass fits perfectly into!  It's pretty spectacular.

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Once my body felt like complete Jello, I pulled myself from the bath, slathered myself with lotion, and applied a mud mask.  If I hadn't still had to make dinner, I would have topped the very fashionable look off with some cucumber slices over the eyes, but if skipping the cucumbers is good enough for Lucy, then it's good enough for me!

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I poured myself another glass of wine, quickly threw together my Mexican-Style Quinoa, and enjoyed an incredibly peaceful evening knowing that I'd been productive (cleaned the apartment, ran errands, got my nails done, went grocery shopping) and also indulged myself more than I can remember doing in a very long time.  It was so incredible, that come hell or high-water, this will be happening every Sunday!  Alright, I'm open to slight variations as long as the day ends with me feeling as good as I did last Sunday....

We all have the tendency to put other people and other things before ourselves and it feels really good to put yourself ahead of everything else, even if for only a few hours once a week.  It's okay to be selfish.  Especially if it keeps you sane!  Do you have any rituals that you've established just for you?

Let's raise a glass to small traditions that put a smile on our faces!  Even better if that glass can be raised while in the tub!

XOXO!!!

Kind of Obsessed with Caught a Ghost?

Good Evening Lovelies!

Like the first week of every month, the last few days at work have been especially heinous.  My reality has been long, long hours at the office staring at spreadsheets only to still take work home with me (super glamorous, I know).  Thankfully I've had some amazing tunes to get me through!

Recently, I discovered a band that, if I'm being honest, I've become kind of obsessed with.  I have essentially had their tracks on repeat for the better part of five weeks.  OCD?  What's that?

I find myself in the minority of my generation in that I am not plugged into the pipeline of new music, and for the most part, I'm okay with that.  An ex-boyfriend referred to me as an Old Lady many times over in reference to my love of old music (and cardigan sweaters).  There are many reasons why he is an ex, but the fact that he could not appreciate my love of jazz, blues, soul, and standards is merely one of them.  How anyone cannot appreciate the music of a bygone era is beyond me.  Yes, there are current bands that are producing some really amazing material, but most contemporary music (in my opinion) lacks the emotion and the soul that used to be commonplace.  That is not the case with Caught a Ghost.  They. Are. Amazing!

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Caught a Ghost, is "an old expression.  Musicians used to say you caught a ghost if you gave a good performance.  Like you were possessed."  That is how the genius behind this project, Jesse Nolan, explains the band name.  And the logic behind the name gives you some idea of what you are in for.  There is very little about this band that doesn't somehow tap into a very honest, beautiful, hip-shaking musical place.  There is a very strong influence, inspiration, and connection to Motown, but every aspect of their neo-soul look and sound feels true to themselves.  There are no gimmicks, there is no cashing in on a lie.  This is real.  And it's absolutely beautiful.  

I first discovered them when I heard a phenomenal cover of the Sam Cooke classic "You Send Me."  It gave me chills and stirred something inside of me.  And I was instantly hooked.  See for yourself.  Tell me you don't have a visceral reaction to it.  I dare you.

I played this track for my mother and she enthusiastically gave it her approval.  Since she is from the generation of the original, I think that's a pretty strong endorsement.  And now, in listening to Sam Cooke do this song, I find it somewhat lacking and honestly...kind of hoaky.  Blasphemous, I know!  There just doesn't seem to be much feeling behind it...something the Caught a Ghost version has in spades!

Understandably, after discovering this song, I immediately went to ITunes and downloaded everything I could get my hands on from this band (which admittedly was not much since their only EP was released in early 2013 and I'm sure I'm not the only one eagerly awaiting a debut album).  I downloaded their two singles and their EP, Nightworks.  Unfortunately, in trying to grab a link for you guys, it appears that the EP is no longer available for download anywhere - I am truly sorry to lead you on this way.  But there is some good news - you can still purchase the You Send Me cover and also the No Sugar in my Coffee single.  Which are fantastic!!!  (For the record, if I don't have sugar in my coffee, "it makes me mean, Lord, it makes me mean" as well.)

While you may not be able to currently download their EP, you can most definitely still find the videos on YouTube.  For some reason, I can't get the video for Hold Out to post, so you'll definitely want to look that one up on your own, or just follow this link that I thoughtfully placed here for you.  And to make things a little easier for you, here are their other videos.

Somehow

Time Go

Sleeping at Night

Connected

And while the music is fantastic and Jesse Nolan is undeniably incredibly talented, I would be remiss if I failed to mention the fact that he is also super dreamy and can rock a suit like nobody's business.

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I seem to have TERRIBLE timing as this band is currently on tour and played LA on October 26.  That's right, I missed finding out about the show by about a week!  And to make matters worse, by the time they tour again, I have the feeling tickets will be much more difficult to come by.  Good for them, not so good for you and me.

If you are anywhere on the East Coast, you might still be able to catch the last leg of the tour as they are currently in Birmingham and will end the tour in Washington, DC on November 16.  If you make one of the shows, PLEASE let me know how it was, and know that I'm super jealous!

Happy Listening, Lovelies, I hope Caught a Ghost resonates with you as it has with me.
XOXO!!

November Book Club Hiatus

Hello there Lovelies!

This is usually the time where I reveal the new Book Club selection, but we're going to deviate from the normal program this month.

The Vintage Project Book Club has fallen a little behind.  And when I say The Vintage Project Book Club, I mean Bridge and myself.  With my schedule and the fact that Bridget, you know, got married, we've slacked a little bit when it comes to Book Club.

So we've decided that we are going to take November to catch up on Book Club meetings and finishing October's selection.  We will be back on track for December.  Join us, won't you?

Please Stand By!
XOXO!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN from Count Port!

Happy All Hallows' Eve Kittens!

Just wanted to drop in and wish everyone a safe and happy Halloween!  I LOVE Halloween, and while I didn't do any dressing up this year (for shame!), Port would not stand for not donning a costume on this very special night.

Isn't he handsome?

Port's got the looks and the brains.  He knows that I'll give him as many treats as it takes to get the right photo, so he took advantage of that.  Usually it's super cute, but in the cape, the shot of him licking his lips seems a tad sinister.

 And we couldn't conclude the session without adding a few props...

 Be safe out there tonight and remember - not all vampires are only looking to cuddle like this one.  Beware!!

Muahahahahah, Kittens!!
XOXO!!!

Pumpkin Risotto for Pumpkin Carving

Good Evening Kittens!

While I did not attend any costume parties this year, I did go to a pumpkin carving on Sunday.  My friend Brianne hosted a fall-inspired pot luck where we also carved jack-o-lanterns.  Such a fun time!  I haven't carved a pumpkin in years and while you will see, I am NOT the most creative carver there is, it was still a fabulous way to spend an evening!

First, let's start with the risotto.  I had come across many recipes for pumpkin risotto on Pinterest and very quickly decided that I would make one of them as my contribution to the pot luck.  After considering the reviews and then looking at how involved some of the recipes were, I decided on one that I found on foodandwine.com and made a few adjustments.

INGREDIENTS:
-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
-3/4 pound pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch cubes (about 1 1/2 cups)
-2 medium white onions, roughly chopped
-1 cup dry white wine
-1 1/2 teaspoons grated nutmeg
-7 cups organic vegetable broth
-5 tablespoons unsalted butter
-1 1/2 arborio rice
-3 tablespoons finely chopped flat leaf parsley
-1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
-salt and white pepper to taste, if you only have black pepper, just go with it

1.  Heat the oil in a medium pan.  Add the pumpkin or butternut squash and half the onions, stirring frequently.

2.  Cook over medium-high heat until the pumpkin is just tender.  Add the wine, nutmeg, some salt and pepper until the liquid is absorbed.  Remove from the heat and let cool.

3.  While the pumpkin is cooking, take the rest of the onions and chop finely using a food processor.  (I figured since I had to use it for a later step, and wanted a smoother risotto, that I would save myself the trouble of crying and chopping.)

4.  In a large saucepan heat the vegetable broth.

5.  In a large saucepan, melt 2 1/2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and rice.  Cook until the rice takes on a slight color.

6.  Add one cup of the heated broth, stirring continuously until the liquid is absorbed.  Reduce the heat and add three more cups of broth, one cup at a time, and continue stirring until the liquid is absorbed before adding more liquid.

7.  Place the pumpkin and onion mixture into the food processor and puree until smooth.

8.  Add the pumpkin puree to the risotto and mix well.

9.  One cup at a time, add the remaining three cups of liquid to the risotto, stirring frequently.  (As an aside, make sure you have a really big pan...I had to transfer pans half way through the process since the original recipe stated I only needed a medium saucepan.  Liars!)

10.  Stir in the parsley, the Parmesan, and the remaining butter if desired (I didn't add the additional butter, but might try it the next time I make this.).  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Perhaps next time, I will also add some rosemary!

While this dish can be kinda messy to make, it cleans up pretty good!

Also, you will want to allot plenty of time to make this dish.  I planned poorly and ended up running out the door the second this dish was done to get to the little soirée.  The other Ladies made an Israeli couscous salad with squash, broccoli, toasted almonds, and red grapes.  It was DELICIOUS!!!

Also on the menu were fennel, onion, mushroom, and goat cheese pockets.  Addicting!

Once we fueled ourselves, we set our sights on the pumpkins and the task at hand.

Step 1 - Make sure the bubbly is flowing.

Step 2 - Make sure everyone is dressed appropriately.

We all got to work on our pumpkins and it was magical.

I knew I didn't have time to get too intricate with my pumpkin as I was on a time crunch, so I went with a super simple carving.  I wanted to carve a version of the classic jack-o-lantern pail that we used for trick-or-treating as kids, but I forgot the teeth.  Sad panda.

I received a photo of how the girls' pumpkins turned out.  SO great!

And no matter how old you get, essentially everyone I know has proven that you are never too old to carve a jack-o-lantern.  Here are the three that Bridget and her husband carved over the weekend.

If you haven't yet carved your jack-o-lanterns, you've got a few hours left!  Get thee a pumpkin!

Happy Carving and Pot Lucking Kittens!
XOXO!!

Bruschetta and Orin Swift - A Damn Fine Combination

Hello Kittens!

It's been a while since we've chatted and I feel terrible about that.

In the ten months since this little blog's been bringing us together, this was the longest that I'd been away.  And I've missed you.  Honest.  Last weekend I was up in the Bay Area and when I returned from a few days in wine country, it dawned on me that I hadn't shared a very fabulous evening that I spent with a friend of mine a while back.  So, while I'm putting other fabulous wine-related things together for you, let's consider this a little appetizer.

I adore my friend Jason and do not see him nearly enough, so when he called me up one Saturday afternoon to tell me that he had a bottle of wine he wanted to try (do you see why we're friends?) and asked what my plans were, I didn't think twice about instructing him to come by later that evening.  Since the wine he had was Italian, we threw around the idea of picking up some dinner from an Italian place or making a full dinner, and I'm not exactly sure where those plans fell apart, but we ultimately decided that since we had all the ingredients between us, that we'd just throw together some Bruschetta.  And let me tell you what a fabulous idea that was!!

My first experience with Orin Swift was with The Prisoner which I raved about earlier this year.  I just recently found out that this label was sold in 2010 to Huneeus Vitners, but that Dave Phinney, the genius behind Orin Swift would continue to make the wine.  I had a little freakout when I went onto the Orin Swift site in search of this wine and couldn't find it.  I thought that perhaps it was no longer being made, but after a quick Google, I'm better now.  Just passing the information along in case you also had the same concerns.

Moving on...the bottle that Jason brought over was also an Orin Swift, but was a bottle of the Locations label.  In my opinion, the only winemakers that can hold a candle to the blending abilities of Dave Phinney at Orin Swift are those over at Thumbprint Cellars in Sonoma.  And this bottle of I-1, did not disappoint.  This bottle takes the best grapes from across Italy and puts them together to create something spectacular, as they describe on their site, "The result is a vibrant wine that captures the spirit of Italy with a touch of new world bravado."  I'd say they were spot on in their assessment!

While I decanted the wine and Jason waited patiently while I snapped a few photos, we got going on the Bruschetta.  Let me just say that I LOVE Bruschetta!  And I was all too happy to be able to grab some basil from my then flourishing balcony planters!  Something tragic has since happened to my greenthumb....but that's a story for a different day.

There are tons of Bruschetta recipes out there, but I really don't think that following a recipe is necessary.  As long as you've got the right ingredients, you can doctor to your own taste.  The ingredients are as follows:
-Vine ripened tomatoes, diced
-Fresh basil, chopped
-Garlic, minced
-Parmesan, shredded
(is anyone else as entertained with the fact that each ingredient has a different definition so far?  Well, that's about as much fun as we're going to get from that)
-Extra Virgin Olive Oil
-Balsamic Vinegar
-Salt and Pepper

Combine ingredients (the Parmesan is optional, though recommended) and allow for the flavors to marinade for a bit and serve on Crostini.

I attempted to make my Crostini, but this is not something that I've mastered yet.  If you feel you can master the broiler without burning your toast, you can try to make your own.  But if you don't want to spend a considerable amount of time scraping the burnt edges, you may just want to buy some.  Not that it's close or convenient, but the best Crostini I've ever had by far are those from Jimtown Store up in Sonoma.  Each time I go, I bring back at least one bag.  I can't say exactly WHY they are so good...perhaps they are sprinkled with a salt/pepper/crack mixture, but you're just going to have to trust me on this one.  Pricey (online, though in the store, way more affordable)?  Yes.  Worth it?  Absolutely!!

So many simple ingredients came together to make one spectacular night!

I hope you all have these types of experiences from time to time.  I consider myself fortunate that I do on a fairly regular basis.  Perhaps as I get older, I just recognize and appreciate them more.

Salud Kittens!!
XOXO

Brunch 09.26.2013 - Baby's First Brunch

Panini Cafe, Aliso Viejo

Hello Kittens!

October has already been incredibly busy and the next two weeks are packed to the gills as well.  Due to that fact, I've started booking Brunches for November!  I've had Brunch on the brain and realized that I did not share the Brunch that I had with Stephanie at the end of September.  For shame!

I was wondering if I could post about this at all since we took precious little Avabella out for her first Brunch with the Ladies (really, you can never start them out too young).  Stephanie has made the decision to keep images of her daughter off of all social media sites, and essentially any non-food photos of our Brunch were of either Avabella or one of us holding her.  Which makes them off-limit!

I then realized that I couldn't NOT share this spot with you and while I do have a few photos from the first time we ate at Panini Cafe, this one is going to be short and sweet, because when you have arguably the most adorable baby with you, taking photos for the blog are forgotten.

There are locations for Panini Cafe across Southern California, so no matter where you are, if you find yourself hungry, it's definitely worth your time to find the closest one to you and stopping by!  Stephanie and I have Brunched at the Aliso Viejo location twice and they definitely know their way around some eggs!!  And something to make you feel even better about Brunching here is that they serve only farm fresh organic eggs.  I've become obsessed about the chickens my eggs come from in the last few years, so this was a BIG plus for me!

The first time we visited was in 2010 and I STILL dream of how fantastic the smoked salmon scramble was...

Also their mimosas and coffee are guaranteed to put a smile on your face.  That's not an exaggeration.

This time, Stephanie and I both went with eggs again - and let me tell you how difficult it was to NOT order my smoked salmon scramble this time around!  I ended up with the Tomato Basil Scramble which was delicious.

Stephanie created her own scramble and while I'm not sure what she put into it, she was quite happy with it.

The food was excellent, the mimosas were tasty, the company was fabulous, and the littlest lady was an absolute angel!  Couldn't have asked for a better way to spend a Saturday.

I've updated my Church of Brunch page, in case you were having problems deciding on a location for your next outing with your ladies.

Happy Brunching Kittens!
XOXO!!

A Fabulous Victorian Halloween Wreath

Good Evening Kittens!

Sticking with the Spooktacular theme of October and all things Halloween - and the theme of this little blog, which is all things vintage and fabulous, I am very happy to share tonight's post with you!  I sit here, glass of wine in hand, with my laptop in front of me in my 'swanky' corner of the world (not my words, but I won't argue) on a rainy October night and think to myself that it's the little things - the small details - that are important, and often overlooked.  I won't go into the particulars, but my day at work was less than stellar, less than even acceptable in my estimation.  I'm not one to think that everyone's day job can make them blissfully happy, but I would think that it shouldn't beat you down either.  And that's kind of what happened to me today.  So, I left work after 7:00 and hit Walgreen's on my way home to pick up some 3M hooks.  Since I rent, I try not to put unnecessary holes in my walls and I thought these hooks with the fun command adhesive would be the perfect way to hang a wreath that I've had since last Halloween.  I figured after the day I had, something as seemingly trivial as hanging my wreath would make me happy.  And it did!

My style is darker than most and hints at a sophisticated Halloween influence all year round, but I stress the word 'hints'.  When it comes to actually decorating in your day-to-day life and also for any holiday, I think there is a fine line between classy and cheesy.  And when it comes to Halloween, the Victorian era is what you want to draw your inspiration from.  The goal is vintage, beautiful, and spooky...think wrought iron birdcages, dusty Ouija boards, crows, skulls, Apothecary bottles filled with 'poison', and black feathers.  Banish any thoughts of fake cotton cobwebs, plastic spider rings, and plastic orange anything!  Since I've just told you NOT to hit up most stores, where should you go?  The best place to go is Etsy.  Hands down.

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My friend Stephanie's annual Halloween parties take Halloween glam to a whole nother level!

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A few years back, I saw a gorgeous wreath made of black feathers at ZGallerie and for whatever reason, did not purchase it (stupid!), so I spent a few weeks last year searching for something similar at a number of stores with absolutely NO luck.  The problem is, everyone seems to really love the cheesy element of Halloween, so I struck out everywhere.  At a certain point, I gave Etsy a try and it did not take me long to kick myself for not checking there first!  I found a fabulous shop called Victorian Petals that sells handmade wreaths and all sorts of other fabulous stuff.  It was there that I found a wreath just as fabulous as the one I'd seen years ago!  While my wreath arrived rather quickly, I hadn't ordered it until well into October and it felt like it was too late to hang by the time it was in my hot little hands.

It's taken a whole year for me to get this up, so without further ado...my fabulous Victorian Halloween wreath!

I had originally planned to hang this on the other side of my door, but thought it was too fabulous and that someone might take it.  Also, why would I deprive myself of being able to look at this at every opportunity??  Seemed silly to me, so I hung it on the inside of my front door.

The combination of sumptuous black feathers and black satin ribbon is beyond glam!

What say you, Kittens?  Do you love this piece as much as I do?  Do you have any Halloween inspired items that you are absolutely in love with?  I'm on the look out to find other equally lux items this season, and I will definitely keep you posted!

I wish you a truly Spooky evening!
XOXO!!

Color of the Season - Vamp

Hello Kittens!

I hope your October so far has been fabulous!  As happens every month, I've spent the first week of the month working long hours, so I have yet to start enjoying the fantastic month of October.  Well, that is, until this weekend.

I know that in the past few years, there has been this nail art fetish thing happening.  And it's not something that appeals to me in the least.  While some might call it boring, I call sticking with non-bedazzled nails painted in solid traditional colors, classic.  And I have established some season-driven rules for myself when it comes to nail color.

The color that I've always associated with fall is Chanel's Vamp.  It's absolutely fabulous!  And yesterday afternoon, I went and got a mani/pedi using this color and it now officially feels like fall.  The shot below is a little deceiving because it REALLY makes this look like a brown, but look at this shade in different lighting and it looks completely different.  Oh Vamp, you're so mysterious!

Obligatory 'see how the shade looks on my nails and in the bottle' shot.  Please excuse my short chubby fingers.

Originally called Rouge Noir, this color was created in 1994 when a makeup artist mixed red and black polishes together for a Chanel runway show.  It was originally meant to be the same color as dried blood - an intense dark brownish reddish black, which doesn't sound like something that would appeal to many people, but it created such a buzz that they started selling the color and it flew off the shelves.  The premiere episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer series actually knocks this shade a little bit.  Airing in 1997, Cordelia is trying to establish how cool Buffy is and this exchange happens:
Cordelia:  "Vamp Nail Polish?"
Buffy:  "Um, over?"
Cordelia:  "So over."

In a certain respect, it IS very reminiscent of the 90's and that decade's obsession with goth and grunge, so it's not completely surprising that it was discontinued at the end of the decade.  Though after a few years, the demand was so great that in 2003, Chanel really had no choice but to bring it back  and since then, this cult color has become a classic.  And I'm SO happy about that!  Who wants to fall in love with a color only to have it discontinued?  That would ruin October just a little bit for me, and we can't have that.

Unfortunately, our Book Club Meeting picnic today had to be rescheduled, so I'm off to grab my first pumpkin spice latte of the season and run a few errands to truly celebrate fall - even though it's far warmer than it should be in October.  Welcome to L.A.!

Have a fabulous October Sunday, Kittens!
XOXO!!

October Book Club Selection

Good Evening Lovelies!  And Happy October!

While we are a little behind in our Book Club activities, I still want to announce The Vintage Project Book Club selection for October.

October is one of my favorite months.  Halloween, Oktoberfest, the change of season, Pumpkin Spice EVERYTHING!  But let's get back to the fact that it is this the only month where everyone embraces the darkside and vampires are EVERYWHERE!  We all know vampire lore and know to credit the picture of vampires that most of us have to Bram Stoker, but how many of us have actually READ Dracula?

I haven't.  And if you haven't either, here's your chance.

1st Edition cover

I have the feeling that the book club meeting for this novel is going to be FANTASTIC!!!  So, if you are looking to finally join the book club, I think this will be an excellent time to do so.

Happy Reading Lovelies!
XOXO!!!