Service, Style, and Sustainability!

 

 

What’s more fashionable than a chauffeured car? Cruising around town in a hybrid one. Stars like Sarah Jessica Parker, Blythe Danner, and Rachael Ray zipped around New York during Fashion Week with the help of OZOcar. This genius car service uses exclusively hybrid and eco-friendly vehicles including Toyota Prius, Camry, and Highlander models. The OZOcar story began in 2002 when founder Jordan Harris created a campaign to convince Hollywood’s top stars to abandon their stretch limousines for travel to the Academy Awards and ride in electric and hybrid cars. The campaign was such a success that his eco-friendly choice of car service was made available on a more permanent basis. Headquartered in New York where daily car service is a necessity, as well as a luxury, a need for a stylish car service with superior customer service and remain environmental aware was a tough niche to fill. The formula has been an instant hit with New Yorkers with an inventory of 18,000+ cars and growing! Now as you leave the cobblestone streets of your West Village apartment thinking there’s little green to be seen in NYC, take note that OZOcar has helped make urban living inherently eco-friendly.

 

Moi xoxo

 

Living Large

Who knew a book could make you happy! Throw out the Zoloft and flush the Prozac. Who needs that when happiness can be found through decor-good decor that is! Jonathan Adler, a home designer and potter extraordinaire presents just that with his book, My Prescription For Anti-Depressive Living. I’m a fan of tongue and cheek humor and Adler prescribes his own “manifesto,” cramming advice like “go outside and play” alongside photographs of the Adler designed croquet lawn at Le Parker Meridien Palm Springs. The book is a visual feast, jam packed with images of interiors and objects for the home, both those designed by Jonathan and those that have inspired him. Just as holiday cards and seasonal invites come pouring in, a white lacquered desk beckons next to his inscription, “give in to high-gloss glamour; every girl needs a perch to sort through invitations and notes.” Just what the design doctor ordered!

 

Moi xoxo

How to Give “Good Arrival”

The best vacation can be less than perfect without the best travel gear. Shopping for luggage isn’t exactly fun, but the best quality luggage for any trip is important. Luxury travel designer luggage, often made of leather, should stand up to the bump and scrapes of a trip, yet also attractive enough to make its owner proud.  Frequent travelers all have a trial-and-error period with luggage (no more LeSportSac for Moi!) before finding the best luxury luggage for their travel needs.  Here’s a few that I have tested that lead the pack~

• Swiss Army - Victorinox Swiss Army Travel Gear won first prize in the Travel Goods Association’s Product Innovation Awards. The Hardside collection is the most durable, hard-sided luggage around and is known to withstand the tests of time and travel.
• Tumi - Tumi collections include leather and canvas and nylon luggage and carry on bags, and are universally of a handsome design. The sturdiness of Tumi brand luxury travel luggage is of the highest quality. The Theorem Collection won the second prize of the Product Innovation Award from the Travel Goods Association. The Ducati Collection is especially rugged which makes it perfect for the androgynous customer.
• Louis Vuitton - This is the top luxury label, but this brand of designer luggage also holds up remarkably well. It’s a familiar sight among the luxury travel set, and with good reason: Instant recognition as owning a designer luggage set is important to some travelers. But the classic style is complemented by their sturdy design and well made shoulder straps and wheels. Not my favorite to travel with since the suitcase unpacked alone weighs close to 50 lbs. Pass! I will stick with my Louis handbag instead.
• Coach - Coach is famous for its high end, top quality purses and handbags. The craftsmanship that goes into those bags also goes into Coach designer leather, nylon and canvas travel totes and luggage. The Coach Signature line is as recognizable as is the Louis Vuitton monogram collection, with a somewhat less gasp inducing price tag. This is not cheap designer luggage by any stretch, but as the designer label goes, it is more affordable – yet also sturdy, well designed, and beautiful.
• Kenneth Cole - Kenneth Cole Reaction business luggage looks great, and adds a touch of class to business travel. In neutral tones of black and muted colors, this designer luggage line is professional enough for work trips, and sturdy enough for some mild adventure as well as luxury vacations. Kenneth Cole is a brand known for its simple and classic design. 

 

Happy Travels!

 

Moi xoxo

How to Be A Juicy Guest for A Juicy Party!

This holiday season, many of us will be invited to a dinner party or gathering. Some may even be staying overnight at a friend or family member’s home. A great way to show your appreciation for the work and effort put forth by the hostess is to bring a hostess gift. While they are certainly not mandatory, they are thoughtful and show good manners. These hostess gifts and ideas won’t ensure you will be invited back, but they will definitely leave a good impression and get you started on the right foot, so think outside the box of assorted chocolates, without splurging on time or money.

~Ditch the merlot. Swap out the standard bottle of wine for something more exciting: a bottle of amaretto or fixings for a round of banana daiquiris.

~Morning after gift. The truly thoughtful gift when invited to a major holiday party is an ice bucket stocked with a cooling eye mask, Alka-Seltzer, pain reliever packets, and a few bottles of fancy mineral water.

~Start dishing. When going to a dinner party, make the dreaded part of the after party more palatable with a bunch of pretty new cleaning supplies. Pile some dish towels, cleanup sponges, pink rubber gloves, and dishwashing liquid into a colorful bucket. If you want to be extra nice ..volunteer to help clean up!

~Film It. Bring along a disposable camera and a 4×6  album for recording all of the unforgettable moments that your hostess might otherwise miss.

Cheers!

Moi xoxo

Relax with the romance of old Mexico & cornbread!

 

I went to Mexico on vacation and stayed at Casa Luna Bed & Breakfast, a 18th century villa in San Miguel de Allende. In the morning, I woke up to the unforgettable scent of chocolate chip cornbread baking in the oven. The picture above is a table shot from the breakfast portal. Having a breakfast pastry that tasted like dessert was just what I wanted while on vacation. The unusual addition of chocolate enhances the moistness and roasty corn flavor. I remember my grandmother always telling me to be extra nice to the staff that waits on you as they are your entry way to the chef who willingly gave me his recipe. Serve with your upcoming Thanksgiving feast as a tasty treat!

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour 

3/4 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar 

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips

1 cup whole milk

1/4 cup canola oil

2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9×5x3 in loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in chocolate chips. Whisk milk, canola oil, and eggs in a seperate mixing bowl. Now add your milk texture bowl to your dry texture bowl and stir to blend. Transfer to loaf pan. Bake bread using a toothpick to check center of bread which will come out clean in about 35 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve cornbread warm or at room temperature. Recommended wine pairing~ a sweet white Riseling from the J. Lohr estate.

 

Moi xoxo

Dual Star

The Olsen twins are hoping to spread a little influence, and young readers will pick it up as quick as Barney’s picked up their fashion line, The Row. Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen published a coffee table book about fashion, titled “Influence,” that was just released in the Fall. The book includes exclusive photographs of Ashley and Mary-Kate from world renowned photographer John Rankin, and a wide variety of other never before seen materials and interviews from Mary-Kate and Ashley’s personal collections. The 21-year-old actresses wrote about photographers, artists and designers including Bob Colacello, Terry Richardson, Jack Pierson and Christian Louboutin. The book was given to me as a gift, one that I was excited to open as it’s filled with creative people who have inspired the Olsens and many I recognized myself. It’s a great introduction for reader exposure to respected artists, seasoned designers, and others who have influenced the twins over the past decade.

Moi xoxo