Mussels at Home

I went to a birthday lunch for a dear friend yesterday. All the guests were vaccinated and it was, for each of us, the first time dining in a restaurant with a group. The awkwardness of reemergence was a hot topic and it’s real — I felt completely out of social practice. However, good food and great friends were the perfect excuse to get back out there.

Like many, I cooked at home almost exclusively this past year, but I did not make mussels. They’re one of my all-time favorite dishes, and when on the menu, I order them. They were an extra treat yesterday since I haven’t had them in ages. Even though I’ve posted on mussels before, I’ve yet to make them myself. There’s a simple recipe in Soupology that looks easy and delicious.

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Scent Collecting

To justify multiple purchases, i.e. the same bag in three different colors, I think of myself as a collector. I know, I know. But consider this: I’ve been searching for a new signature scent (get loads of samples before you commit, was the best advice) and realized that maybe having more than one, like a perfume wardrobe, could be modern. This is coming from someone who doesn’t own a lipstick and hasn’t really worn a fragrance in 20 years. To date, I’ve found two that I love —  Carthusia Mediterraneo and Louis Vuitton’s On The Beach — the start of a perfume collection.

Flying In Style

Jodi Peckman’s homage to the golden age of air travel, Come Fly With Me: Flying in Style, will hopefully inspire a bit more effort in presentation when traveling — the vintage celebrity snaps are memorable. Before I go anywhere, I need a new carry-on. My Louis Vuitton wheelie is the first iteration and was designed to roll in just one direction. And, after my last flight to Paris, I’m getting noise canceling headphones, stat. Packing a favorite scent for the hotel room is brilliant and something I should’ve been doing all along.

Master & Dynamic headphones, Aviteur suitcase, Diptyque room spray.

Fashion From The Past

Vogue predicts that there will be a surge of interest in vintage Gucci — pre-Tom Ford era 1994-2004 — thanks to the upcoming film House of Gucci. The film is based on the infamous Italian family from the ’70s to mid ’90s. So, to get a jump on this trend, I dug deep into my closet and unearthed my first Gucci bag. Mother let me pick out a bag on a trip to Rome in 1978 and I chose the one above. A camel hobo, unsurprisingly. Since it’s firmly in my never-changing wheelhouse, I’m going to drop it at Leather Spa and let them do their magic. Will I carry it again? Very possibly.

The bottom three are from the early ’90s. They had bamboo handles, which I removed the moment I purchased them and looped the messenger strap instead. I wore these to death and I’m not sure any amount of TLC can revive them.

Walk The Talk

If you’ve ever wondered if I buy the items I post on, here you go:

After I admitted that I’m color challenged, Heather Clawson aka Habitually Chic recommended that I start with a blue shirt. This Ann Mashburn Boyfriend Shirt fits shockingly well. I always thought a button-down should be boxy, which I now realize was idiotic. And, Heather was spot-on, blue is fab. I’ll never have to stress about an evening look thanks to this Totême shift paired with Chanel heels — so easy. I’ve been wearing the Maison Mayle coat non-stop this spring, and the Hermès clogs in black and beige just make me happy.

Classic Bits

All images April Vogue UA

A simple barrette with a Prada raincoat, Van Cleef & Arpels Alhambra pendants with a turtleneck, and a Chanel bag — these classic bits never get old.

Scent Search

Thanks to comments from SueM and Susan, I’m off to do some perfume exploration. I have an appointment today at Scent Bar to try a few of the above.

Easter

I am the Easter bunny in my house. Filling baskets is a tradition that I enjoy, however, I can’t buy the candy too early or I’ll eat it all. I sent a box of sweets to my older daughter two weeks ago just to get it out of the house and she ate the chocolates upon arrival — like mother, like daughter.

The crocuses and snowdrops are up promising a beautiful spring. Easter makes me feel hopeful and thankful — here’s to a new chapter, a renewal.

Happy Easter!

Random Bits

Images: Courtesy of Cartier, April Vogue Paris, Irina Shayk in April Elle photographed by Chris Colls and styled by Alex White.

After yesterday’s post, I pulled out my Cartier Tank Americaine. I haven’t worn it in well over a year and it needs a new battery — plus, my Rolex could use a rest and a feminine watch looks good right now. The grounds of Philip Johnson’s iconic Glass House reopen April 16 and I’m going to head over and wander. My daughter and I loved the Alice Neel: People Come First exhibition at The Met and I’ve preordered the paperback reissue of Alice Neel: The Art of Not Sitting Pretty. And, this version of the Louis Vuitton NéoNoé is just really good.

Wear Now, Wear Often

I am rerunning this post, which was first published in June 2015, because it’s more relevant today than when I first wrote it. For the past year I’ve been sitting on a few new purchases and, as soon as I can, I’m going to pull them out and wear them — often. 

My favorite recent piece of advice, which came from a few readers who commented on Shopping Rules, is to not “save” things. They suggest that the things we love most should be worn the most often.

I’m a “saver”, and the downside of saving things is that by the time I pull them out, I don’t always love them as much as when I first bought them—they no longer feel fresh. I purchased this hobo over a year ago and can count on one hand the number of times I’ve worn it. Ironically, it’s my favorite bag, and yet, I carry it the least. That’s going to change, pronto.

P.S. I’m wearing the above bag today.