Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Comfy, Cozy Fall

The last of the Monarchs
I can't believe it's the middle of October! I've flown back and forth on JetBlue so many times that I'm never sure where I am when I first wake up.

Although it doesn't quite feel like fall in Manhattan Beach (I'm definitely not complaining about all the palm trees), Boston is definitely showing its true colors: reds, orange, and yellow of all the leaves starting to change. It's too pretty, and the crisp air has been cause for a wardrobe change.

Tailored coats and jackets are my favorite with leggings and boots. This pink Ralph Lauren blazer was a steal - my Mom and I were at the outlets and found this gem marked down from $900 to $100. It's a little too tailored for California's hippy chic, but maybe I could pull it off with tortoise shell Ray Bans. Wearing it here with Silk Road Pearls Pink Coin Pearls with Glass for $45.


Matching pink Sam Edelman flats give it an edge with the pretty pink spikes


And this herringbone jacket from Banana Republic (another snag with Momma Meade) is perfect for fall. These Corso Como boots from the Nordstrom sale are already getting tons of wear.


What are your favorite pieces for fall?

Monday, October 3, 2011

Just Your Style

As you found out last week, Silk Road Pearls has been doing some high profile custom work for clients like Lehigh University. There's more to come - things just move slowly! In the mean time, if you have a custom job you'd like done, we'd be pleased to help!

Silk Road Pearls's first wedding design

Little Ellie belly is too cute not to feature
From the new homepage on the Silk Road Pearls website, you already know we do custom colors for weddings, outfitting both brides and bridesmaids. But if you need a gift for family of the bride and groom, look no further than Silk Road Pearls.

Just recently a fellow Pi Phi ask to design a set of baby-sized pearls, a very sweet gesture for a niece arriving next spring! Push presents don't have to be expensive; they can still be beautiful and special with a personal touch in the design.

We're happy to accommodate your needs! Just email us at SilkRoadPearls@gmail.com with a little information to get us started:

- What the time frame for the gift/design is
- What colors you had in mind
- How many strands
- The length you were looking for

It's just that easy. Our favorite jobs are the ones where we have to get a little creative, so don't hesitate to ask!

Monday, September 26, 2011

40 Anniversary Pearls

40th Anniversary Pearls available for purchase.
Sorry for the delay in posting - I'm enjoying getting wrapped up in living in Manhattan Beach!

But this is worth the wait: Some of you may know that Silk Road Pearls was honored to provide the gift at an event kicking off 40 years of women at Lehigh University. I know that doesn't sound like that many years, but it was amazing to be in the company of so many successful female alumni from all years.

My Rent The Runway dress for the event.

The 40th Anniversary Gift at the kickoff event at Lehigh.
These 40th Anniversary pearls can be purchased for $45. Brown earrings can also be purchased for $10. And a special treat for Lehigh alumni - 20% of the purchase price will be donated directly to your local alumni club!

Matching earrings available for purchase.
The Marching 97
Celebrate!!

Due to high demand, these lovely strands won't ship until November. But make sure you preorder - these limited edition pearls are going to be perfect for fall!

Linderman Library

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Paint it Black

The changing of the seasons means trading in your shorts and flip flops for leggings and boots. And I have to echo Vineyard Loveknots's recent post that color virtually disappears from your wardrobe as this change rolls through.

It's terrible, and I'm very guilty of black on black on black.....on black. Here's my most recent version on my last JetBlue flight from Boston to LA:
Time to break out your trench coat!
Sam Edelman shoes are very Coco Chanel






Angelina Jolie seems to be the most frequent offender of this monochromatic style, but East Coast and West Coast alike make it work.

 
For as much as the Kardashians are a trashy indulgence (drinking every time the girls utter a 'like' has briefly crossed my mind, but it would be trainwreck city), their style is generally fashion forward.



Sorry for slacking off on blogging! Next week we'll be revealing a special purchase for Lehigh alumni. For now, be sure to enjoy YAR if you're back on campus this weekend. PS - that's where the Tall Guy and I met three years ago!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Lemons into Lemonade

Although this is an extension of Silk Road Pearls, I've been hesitant to include personal experiences. I don't want this to be an outlet for whining. But after this, the first of many plane rides back and forth from Boston to LAX on JetBlue, I felt compelled to write about an experience I had today.

I'm sure many of you can relate to being caught off guard and have been shocked when someone, a stranger or a friend, openly comments on your lifestyle or decisions. Having had a lot of exposure to the Amish growing up, I like to think I'm less likely to do this myself - but I'm sure there's someone in the woodwork who could attest to the opposite.

When a recruiter told me today, 'Well I hope he (Tall Guy) is worth it because you'll miss a lot of opportunities here in Boston by moving across the country,' I was speechless, embarrassed, and stripped of my confidence all at once. Only close family and friends would be told to allow for catharsis via text message.

VanityFair.com
But I knew I can't have been the only sorry soul to be the recipient of someone's unintentional insults. A few recent serendipitous quotes changed my mind: first the cover story of Vanity Fair - Angelina Jolie discussing her leap into the director's seat with the film 'In the Land of Blood and Honey.' She talked about having, up until this point, hid behind someone else's words in films she's been in. But the author, Rich Cohen, points out 'To get big, risk big,' something my professor for business turnarounds said yesterday  when he explained how some companies have managed to come back from the brink of failure (this is a secret obsession I'm sure will be of topic later).

Then as I was mulling the day later on this five and a half hour flight, I tried to distract myself with the movie Julie and Julia on my iPad (our iPad really); something about films that take place over long spans of time gets me, like Gone With the Wind or Big Fish. The movie featured enough butter-laced dishes that got me ready for a late dinner in Manhattan Beach.

Cooking while wearing pearls.

But I also saw two women - in different times but both in pearls - making the best of their not so ideal situations: Julia Child as an American new to France with little to do, and Julie Powell  new to Queens, NY and stuck in a career rut. Both were a little lost and took some time to find their stride, not without a few hiccups. Julie's husband remarks that for all that Julia Child made herself into, she wasn't always a world renown chef.

So with the Angelina article and the movie, I moved on from composing nasty emails in my head to writing this post, still with some hesitancy. The real kicker that convinced me this was actually a good idea to write about was a recent NYTimes article detailing some intimate thoughts of the late Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis while she was a resident of the White House. Although the article revealed some very off color remarks for our time, two things surprised me: President Kennedy had 45 minute naps he changed into pajamas for them, and he cried after the botched Bay of Pigs incident.

Always classic in pearls.

I've always thought of President Kennedy as this stoic, larger than life person. It was almost a sigh of relief to bring him to the level of the common man; knowing that if he could take naps and cry, then certainly I can - more importantly I shouldn't be so surprised to feel weakness or be unsure at times, and I shouldn't be so quick to judge others going through those emotions.

I work at not wearing my heart on my sleeve, but I also don't want to aim for perfection. So as my good friend told me, 'Tone down the lemon' on this blog (aka don't always be Suzie Sunshine), I too will not hide stumbles. It just takes a minute (sometimes longer) to realize how funny/ridiculous little things are. And to remember all the hard work you've done; even if others may not notice, I have enough faith in good karma to let it go and focus on things to be grateful for (yes it's a little lemon of me).

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Too Good To Be True: Missoni for Target

I don't really know what these are, but I love them.
Fashionista was key today to get the scoop on what items Target will be running of Missoni's exclusive new collection through the mega-retailer starting today.













With the great move to California on the top of my mind, I could totally see these adding a splash of color to a room:

These would be so great to spice up a bathroom.

Dessert on these plates would be a great ending!

How can I convince a guy that these are not 'too pink?'

Even this storage and organization oriented products are instant decorations:
An easy way to hide clutter.

And shoes of course....another secret weakness:
In the words of a 'wise' Playboy Bunny: OhMyGodIDied.com

Who doesn't love great accessories like these?
These scarves would be killer tied onto a purse.

And you know me - can't go without a halo!
Plus these travel bags make traveling a little brighter (who thought black suitcases was a good idea?).
These would make for great gifts!




With so many great designs, it's hard to pick a favorite! Which one is lingering in your head as a great find?

Monday, September 12, 2011

Lost and Found

We live somewhere with palm trees. Wow.
Sorry to be MIA the past week! With all the traveling and big events going on, I decided that wholeheartedly enjoying the experience was important.

It's like when you lose your cell phone (or just leave it at home): at first you panic a little being disconnected, but after a little while being off the grid feels like a secret indulgence. I did manage to get a few pictures which I'll be sharing this week.

First I want to share these pictures from Catalina Island - we went there for a few days and it was an escape from an already fun moving trip. The Tall Guy had gone out there in middle school (he used to live in California before he got that Kansas twang) and I figured we were going to slum it a little the way we did on our first trip to Phi Phi Island in Thailand.


View of Avalon
Not a chance! Our scuba guides from Catalina Scuba Luv told us that the Island is owned by the Wrigley family - like the chewing gum and the baseball field in Chicago, IL. Wrigley populated the Island with staff to maintain his horses, but after building a casino it became a popular tourist destination just an hour off the coast (Or 15 minutes nowadays if you're going to be a baller and fly in a helicopter. That person probably wears a pager on their belt, and isn't a doctor.).

 

Needless to say we had a great time just relaxing and taking a few dives. There was a wave surge from Australia that arrived a few days early, so it made for a rough entry and exit with all our gear on. It was pretty cold, too - the water temp was in the low 50's, so a wet suit was totally necessary. 

From Thailand
More later about adventures in Manhattan Beach, Cleveland, and at Lehigh!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Last of the Best

Leaving Boston was tough, both personally and logistically: Hurricane Irene canceled flights in and out of Logan Airport Sunday and Monday. Needless to say, the airport was insane Tuesday morning. But thankfully we made it out to Los Angeles without much hassle. The Tall Guy even managed to fit his belongings into three large suitcases - I'd like to see anyone else do that!

To round up our 'lasts' for Mike's departure, we hit up only the best of Boston.

A trip to Neptune Oyster for some serious seafood indulgences:

Prosecco and the raw bar

A dozen oysters - all East Coast of course

The infamous hot lobster roll

Giant scallops
We also got down to the Seaport district again (we went last weekend to watch professional divers jump off the ICA building for the Red Bull Cliff Diving Series) to Legal Harborside.


We had a grilled octopus appetizer at Legal - not as good as when we had it down in the Galapagos but close! And I tried abalone, which actually tasted amazing!

Abalone shells are beautiful - they're usually used as soap dishes
A walk up to the top of the Bunker Hill Monument was also on the bucket list:


View of Downtown from the top of the Monument

And bar hopping from Figs in Charlestown for tasty apps (the mussels are phenomenal, as are the fried asparagus spears and the bib salad with bacon). Not to mention some ice cold red sangria:



We rounded out the night at Tavern on the Water for the full view of downtown Boston across the water, Dark n Stormies with Gosling's Rum, and their amazing panko chicken fingers and homemade ranch.

View of Downtown

The USS Constitution

Literally - Tavern on the Water



We'll be heading out to Catalina today, more on that later!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Way Back When: The First Day of School

Remember when your new teacher for the upcoming school year would send you a list of supplies? And planning your first day outfit was always a big deal - check out how cute the Tall Guy's niece look today for their first day back!


What new item would you sport if it was your first day back to school? I might wear this madras skirt like this one from Nantucket Brand - and I'm definitely packing it to bring a little New England spirit to California.


It's also the first day of classes for students at Lehigh University, but move in day was last week. Remember saying goodbye to your parents and settling in with your roommate?  And the dreaded unpacking: I lived in M&M - and true to form - brought too much stuff with me from Ohio.

But for this move tomorrow, we'll be packing sparingly: just Mike's clothes. Thank you again Jet Blue for having the first checked bag fly free!

Friday, August 26, 2011

Hunker Down - Irene is Coming!

In preparation for Hurricane Irene (track her here with this handy map The NYTimes put out), the Tall Guy and I have already moved our flight to move him to California. Thank you Jet Blue for waiving the $100 change fee and being on top of your game!

This Lilly Pulitzer print is fantastic - and way to team up with Gosling's Rum for the pattern! It even has the recipe for a Dark n Stormy drink on there!


And a great score from the Lilly Pulitzer sale this week: a Dark n Stormy skirt! Can't wait to wear this:


There's already been lots of talk of hurricane parties come Sunday. Besides classic New Orleans Hurricanes, we'll be drinking this tasty concoction called a Hurricane Jerry (thanks Boston Magazine for the recipe!).

Hurricane Jerry
2 oz. Sailor Jerry rum
1 oz. Bols triple sec
2 oz. mango or passion-fruit juice
1 oz. orange juice
1/2 oz. lime juice
Splash of grenadine

Shake. Pour over ice. Garnish with an orange slice if you want to get fancy.