MK + GD Forever!
8 August 2011, 09:33
We’re married… & we couldn’t be happier! We don’t have all the pictures back yet, but couldn’t resist showing you a little sneak peek of our big day!
Photos by Chloe Rice!
|
|
Stripe-Tease With Samsung!
13 June 2011, 06:05
One sweltering hot day in May, I met up with Chin & Christina from Samsung’s Coast To Coast team to show them my neighbourhood…
The reason for our meeting? To celebrate the release of the Samsung SH100, a brand spanking new digital camera with WIFI! Yes, that’s right, you can take photos & instantly upload them to Flickr, Twitter, Facebook, or anywhere you like! (Genius!)
We started off at The Juice Press on 1st & 1st, for an shot of health before a sugar injection at Butter Lane. But of course, I had to show them Tompkins Square Park first. It’s one of my favourite places in the East Village.
This dog truly did have the most amazing balance! I was kind of terrified of him slipping off his little perch & choking to death — as you can see, he was essentially being held in place by a dog-sized noose! — but when the owner cycled away, his dog sat delightedly (& firmly anchored!) behind him. It was the cutest thing!
I’ve certainly gotten some good use out of this striped maxi-dress from Modcloth! On this super-hot day, I paired it with an oversized floppy hat from American Apparel, bracelets & rings from nOir’s Barbie collaboration, a bracelet from Tarina Tarantino & a watch from Betsey Johnson. (Wouldn’t this ring have been the perfect addition?! DROOL.) On my feet, I wore Aldo wedges.
...Or at least, I did until we visited the Rebecca Minkoff showroom! I tried on their Doll boots & fell deeply, instantly in love. Aren’t they perfect?
Then, full of cupcakes & juice, & aching for some air conditioning, we climbed back in the car & went home! It was a lovely day.
You can see more photos from our adventures here! Thanks to Samsung, as well as Chin & Christina for being such good company!
|
|
A Skull & Crossbones Romper & A Skirt From The 1950s: What I Wore That Made Betsey Johnson Look Up My Dress!
31 May 2011, 09:41
Yes, that is Betsey Johnson looking up my skirt!
A very Betsey Johnson day!
Last Tuesday was all about Betsey! In the morning, I attended Betsey’s accessories preview at The Rose Bar, & in the afternoon, I went over to her showroom to film a tour for you!
I wore…
Hello Kitty hair bow by Chubby Bunny
Betsey Johnson skull romper
Betsey Johnson lipstick belt
Vintage 1950’s pink floral skirt (bought on Etsy)
Black crinoline (hidden)
nOir x Barbie bracelets & rings
Spotted satchel from Zatchels.com
Tea & Cakes heels by Irregular Choice
I love, love, love this outfit. To me, it is the perfect combination of feminine with an edge.
The Rose Bar is so beautiful inside! It’s all pink & red with a chequered floor. I will definitely be back!
Betsey invited us to The Rose Bar to look at a selection of the upcoming fall/winter accessories, which will be in-store late summer. I love this sparkly bow-tie!
I took this with my phone, so I apologise for the graininess, but as you can see, there will be plenty of sparkle this fall/winter! The mannequin on the left is wearing another bow-tie, except this time, it’s made of small mirrored squares! So beautiful.
Well, who could say no to a platform leopard bootie? Not this gal!
Can’t get over this candy-coloured hat. Imagine how sweet it would look on your noggin!
Gala in her natural habitat!
Okay, THESE BOOTS ARE DIVINE. They’re just like high-heeled Dr Martens, except better! I need them in every colour. & Betsey, can you please make them in shocking pink?!
Thanks to Betsey & Factory P.R. for having me! I know where I’ll be shopping this fall… Like there was ever any doubt!
Photos by Nato Tuke, myself & c/o Factory P.R.!
|
|
EuroVirgo Travel Diary: A Romp Through Reykjavik!
23 March 2011, 12:42
The Blue Lagoon!
Way back at the end of 2010, when Nubby & I were discussing going away for a holiday in February, we ran through a lot of potential options. The one we were most keen on was a return to Las Vegas, almost our original stomping ground in a way! (It’s the first place we ever went away to together, & our memories of that fateful trip in 2008 remain very vivid & colourful!)
But one day I was doing some researching online, as I am wont to do, when I stumbled upon this amazing deal. I quickly emailed Nubby.
OH MY GOD. Just found out that if you fly IcelandAir to Europe — like Paris, Berlin, Stockholm, etc. — you get up to a week’s layover in Reykjavik FREE! We have to do it. I just checked prices & it’s only $550 return each!!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME.
She almost immediately replied, laughing at the ridiculousness of it all but agreeing that it was something we should definitely do. When I suggested that we visit Paris, she was all for it. Nubby had never been to Europe before & I was so excited to be her date!
After an incredible four days in Paris, we arrived in Reykjavik to grey, overcast skies & pelting rain. After a long, costly taxi ride from the airport ($130US, thank you very much) through a “volcanic moonscape” (I am not making this up), we arrived at our hotel in the middle of the downtown area.
We stayed at the 101 Hotel & were delighted to discover that they had upgraded us! They put us in a Suite Balcony room, which was phenomenal & very big. As much as I would like to think that they upgraded us because of our winsome smiles & charming demeanour, I actually think it was more because I have a Tablet Plus membership! I was fortune enough to acquire one recently: a very nice person from Tablet HQ emailed & asked if I would like one. Of course I said yes! Our French hotel wasn’t part of Tablet, so the 101 was the first place I got to test it out. Our upgrade also included a free breakfast every morning, of incredible fresh fruit, & anything else you could imagine. Colour me impressed! I would say that if you do your fair share of travelling — & prefer to stay in boutique hotels than run-of-the-mill chain hotels — it is totally worth it. Everyone loves an upgrade, & free breakfast is a fantastic thing when you’re travelling!
We set down our suitcases, walked around the hotel room & decided it was time to examine Reykjavik! Nubby & I shimmied into our cutest outfits, slung our purses over our shoulders & set off like deranged explorers, on a mission to check out the main drag!
...Five minutes later we raced back to the room for coats, hats & scarves! (Pro tip: Iceland in February is COLD!)
Fine Icelandic journalism!
We had absolutely no idea what to expect of Reykjavik, & I think we were pretty surprised by what we found! I had heard that Iceland was insanely picturesque, very beautiful, with a raging nightlife & a small town feel. All of these things were true, but at the same time, I was quite amazed by the intensity of the small town feel! If you removed the Scandinavian design sensibilities (& the huge number of natural blondes!), you could almost mistake Reykjavik for a little town in New Zealand. It was extremely quiet & understated.
But at night! Oh, at night! At night, the locals come out by the carload, boozed to the gills, wearing next-to-nothing. Did I mention it was freezing? Snowing, even? No matter. Icelandic girls are TOUGH! They were out in the droves, wearing fashion blogger favourites (Jeffrey Campbell Litas, check! Tiny leather jackets, check!), flirting with boys & chain-smoking outside pizza parlours. Somewhere, Mary J. Blige floated from a pumping stereo system.
They party until 9 or 10 in the morning in Reykjavik. It sure is something!
Two of my favourite parts of Reykjavik were Barbara, a bright pink gay bar, & this little cafe (whose name I forget) which served the most amazing hot chocolate!
Barbara, of course!
These signs are too good!
After four days in Paris, Nubby & I were exhausted! Reykjavik turned out to be a fantastic place to chill out & relax before we headed back to the madness of the U.S.A.
Our big white bed was perfect for impromptu daytime naps, I used the big white tub (I’m sensing a theme here!) to soak my bones while watching Paris Hilton’s My New BFF on my laptop, & the 101 Hotel happily delivered the very best miso soup I’ve ever had to our room when we felt too lazy to move an inch.
Nubby enjoyed the bathtub too!
Of course, the best thing about Reykjavik — in my opinion — is the Blue Lagoon.
THE BLUE LAGOON IS SPECTACULAR. I think it is worth the flight! Truly!
To get there, you take a bus to the middle of nowhere, take a shower with a bunch of other naked women, & then run outside — yes, outside, in your bikini, IN THE SNOW — & get into the lagoon as quickly as possible. It is SUBLIME.
The Blue Lagoon is a geothermal spa created by lava formations, with the water ranging in temperature from 37 to 39 °C (98 to 102 °F). The water is rich in minerals, & is reputedly fantastic for your skin.
So basically… we splashed around in the Blue Lagoon, wearing mouse ears, in a blizzard. I’m not going to lie, it was effing GLORIOUS!
As we were driving there, I was telling Nubby that I thought maybe the Blue Lagoon would be grey that day. The sky was gloomy & overcast, & I figured the lagoon got its name from refraction of light — like how the sea is blue when the sky is, etc. I was so pleasantly surprised to see that it is BLUE all the time! It’s like fab turquoise milk. Man, it was so cool.
By the way, it’s not always snowing in Iceland! We just happened to be there in the middle of winter. (Very silly.) I’m sure that in the middle of summer, the Blue Lagoon is even better!
Colourful buildings… & snow!
Other than our adventures at the Blue Lagoon, & some quality time spent drinking hot chocolates, we used our three days in Reykjavik for rest & recuperation. In fact, we were so relaxed, we barely took any photos! We watched trashy television, we lay around in bed & of course, we talked & laughed endlessly — which is all you could ever ask for in a vacation!
It was a superb — even perfect — end to an absolutely stellar trip away with my BFF. We had the best time ever! I hope you enjoyed reading all about it… Now back to our regularly scheduled programming!
|
|
EuroVirgo Travel Diary: Colette, Fauchon & Chanel!
9 March 2011, 10:02
Mardi
Upon sticking our heads out the window at 7am, Nubby & I quickly came to the conclusion that a higher power was indeed looking out for us, & that we had been truly blessed by the weather! We had been expecting our time in Paris to be absolutely freezing cold, kind of like New York had been, but we were so pleasantly surprised! Monday had been warm enough to go without sleeves (!), & Tuesday was g- to the lorious.
Nubby said she wanted to see some of the major Parisian sights on Tuesday, so while she got ready, I got busy with Google Maps & plotted us a course of action. The plan? Our hotel to Colette to Fauchon to Avenue des Champs-Élysées to Arc de Triomphe to Tour Eiffel.
Finally, we were dressed (a little less extravagant than the days previously!). We headed out the door to the closest Métro (Saint-Sébastien-Froissart), & began our journey!
Rue Saint-Honoré was a great place to start our day. I have mentioned before (multiple times, actually!) that in France, their word for “window-shopping” is lèche-vitrines, which, translated, means “window-licking”. A good stroll around Paris will wake you up to why they call it this. The window dressing in Paris is amazing. The shops are beautiful—more like an experience than a rallying cry to shop! Shop! Shop! They really elevate the art of merchandising there. It is incredible & extremely bewitching!
On rue Saint-Honoré! Wearing: Black knit hat
Lip sweater by Markus Lupfer Leather skirt by Ted Baker Bird by Juicy Couture faux fur coat Black stockings Frye motorcycle boots Rebecca Minkoff handbag!
I want my house to look like this…
The main reason we wanted to hit up rue Saint-Honoré was so we could visit the infamous Colette. I had tried to visit last time I was in Paris, but it was closed! (I seem to remember consoling myself with a gigantic ice-cream sundae, instead!) This time, blissfully, it was open.
We walked around excitedly, oohing & aahing over the things we saw. Colette is interesting—it’s almost like a curated gallery of clothing than a “store” as we know it. Yes, it is very expensive, but it’s definitely inspiring.
I ended up buying a clear turquoise toothbrush (it’s really cool… I promise), & Nubby debated whether she should get €23 nailpolish. Wise girl that she is, she resisted the temptation!
As we were heading back, I saw a sign which said rue Cambon, & immediately recognised it as the site of the original Chanel store. So I dragged Nubby up the street & we posed underneath the Chanel sign, while a grumpy security guard gave us the eyeball!
I had my fingers crossed that we would see fellow Virgo Kaiser Karl, but it was not to be. (I like to think that he was at home, composing a symphony while reading a book, instead.)
Then it was on to Fauchon, a shop which sells food—but not as we know it. Inside, it is an orgiastic romp of colour & typography, with immaculately-decorated cakes & impeccably-presented sushi.
I don’t think I can do it justice by writing about it. Really, in the same way that the French have elevated the art of window-dressing, Fauchon has elevated the world of fast food. My pictures aren’t that great, but Luxirare took amazing photos when she was there. (Click that link!)
The best part about Fauchon, at least to me, is surely the fact that their colour-scheme is black & pink. Man, it was FANTASTIC! I wanted to buy everything! Remarkably, I was able to contain myself, & ended up with a magenta heart-shaped tin (j’adooooooore) & a small bar of chocolate, with the best wrapper design ever. Ever ever!
After we perused their incredible range of items, we went across the road to their other location, where you could buy food to eat there. Nubby ordered a cafe au lait & realised that not all French coffee will knock you on your ass, while I drank a tomato juice which was… sweet? (Weird.)
Fauchon was seriously amazing. A must-see!
Rosebud tea!
Upstairs, in their golden dining room.
We headed to the Avenue des Champs-Élysées after that. The Champs-Elysees is the avenue which leads up to the Arc de Triomphe, one of the most popular tourist attractions in Paris, if not the world.
It was a very weird experience! Walking along the Champs-Élysées is like being in any major shopping street in America. There’s a Disney store, a Gap, an H&M, a Sephora… it’s the same ol’, same ol’. As much as we like to shop, we felt a bit disillusioned—shopping at your old mall favourites is not what you come to France for! I’m sure there were no real Parisians along that stretch of road, kind of like Times Square in NYC.
The Avenue very long, about two miles in fact, & you can see the Arc de Triomphe at the end. Initially it looks tiny, but as you get closer, it starts to loom over you, & you forget all about the rampant consumerism on either side of you, & become transfixed & boggled by the immense size of the thing.
This is not to even mention the psychotic traffic which whirls around it at breakneck speed, 24 hours a day!
Can you see the teeny-tiny heads of people standing up the top?!
Next, we made our way to the Eiffel Tower. It’s so beautiful & iconic, so of course we couldn’t help but put on our mouse ears & take some photos in front of it!
By this point it was starting to get a bit chilly, & as much as we wanted to stay for the light-show (I love the light-show), we just couldn’t face it.
We took the Métro back to our hotel instead, & for dinner, we trotted across the road for French onion soup (well, you know, they just call it onion soup!) & a big ol’ plate of cheese. Mmm, stinky!
Man repellers? Sure. Happy? Definitely.
|
|
Read more about photo-diary...
© 2006-2013 Darling Industries