This City Mouse Is Now A Country Mouse

At least until Murray Hill has power again. Conditions on the 21st floor became downright Third World without power or plumbing. I made one last romp down and up the stairs to drop trash in the basement since the trash chute was bolted shut. The super didn't want the compactor to get backed up since there was no electricity. Then I packed up my laptop and defected to Easton, Pennsylvania.

A few observations:

McDonald's tastes so much better in the suburbs.

Whatever stress hormone kept me moving and grooving up and down all those flights of stairs officially ran out the minute I got out to the countryside.

The greatest feeling in the world is a shower after two days of pioneer living in a highrise. I now smell like flowers and rainbows. And it is right.

I also have Val, the sweetest little stray I ever took in, even if he did give everyone in sight ringworm.

A Whole Lot Of Inconvenience Going On

Manhattan, at least south of 39th Street, has no power. I live on the 21st floor of a building. I have made two trips already today to go up and down for supplies. Followers of this blog know that I like running and exercise, and all that training comes in handy around floor 15, when I am panting and wishing for a death that never comes.

This is me, with my new best friend, my Dora The Explorer flashlight. It was the last flashlight Walgreen's on 36th Street had in stock two days ago. It goes with me everywhere. I love her.

Apologies for not wearing any make up in these photos. But we're in a state of emergency, and I mentioned my numerous romps up and down the staircases. For some reason, I seem to be the only person I see going up. Everyone else is always coming down.

Electricity is the ultimate commodity these past 24 hours, and East Side residents, such as myself, wander like meth addicts looking for a fix. (I've seen people charging devices outside of buildings, attached to utility outlets.) A deli on 41st Street and Park had power strips set up, in the hopes that we would buy some snacks while we waited for a charge. Well played.

Now I am at Bar & Books, where I snagged a table before the joint became packed. I will be leaving soon, full of Pimm's Cups and electricity. I still need a shower. Help?

Best Photo From The Hurricane

Taken by my friend and former Columbia classmate, Stacey Young.

Empty Grand Central

Manhattan is pretty much a ghost town now, since the subways are down, New Jersey transit is closed the bridges and tunnels are on the brink of closure as well.

There are a lot of bored and restless New Yorkers today, waiting for something to happen. Anyone who was here for Irene won't be terribly jazzed if this all turns out to be nothing more than a giant rainstorm. Sure, we're prepared, but no one likes the weatherman who cries wolf. And there's been a lot of that when it comes to hurricanes and New York City.

I love photos of empty New York City. I found these on Gothamist, who always manages to find great photo collections.

View from the 21st floor at about 8:00 a.m. We'll see if this changes at all.

P.S. There was a lot of internet buzz yesterday about grocery stores in Manhattan being total madhouses with people stocking up on artinsanal cheeses and multi grain bread. At the risk of sounding smug, I don't understand why anyone would wait until 3:00 in the afternoon to stock up on hurricane items.

I happened to be up early on Sunday and went to D'Agostinos as soon as it opened. It was certainly busy at 8:30 in the morning, but there was plenty of water, cilantro hummus and fresh fruit to go around. My point: Early bird always gets the worm, or in New York City, the last case of Evian.

So True.

Follow Sloane Crosley on Twitter. Funny stuff.

Angry Birds Halloween

If this Hurricane/Tropical Storm Sandy has any teeth, it looks like Halloween could get rained out. Luckily, the Angry Birds people have put out this little cartoon for when we're holed up in our highrises.

Hope Everyone's Having A Great October!

Source: greenweddingshoes.com via Pauline on Pinterest

I Approve: Art & Crafts Style

I'm not one for arts and crafts, but these coffee cozies rock.

My favorite saying en francais.

Source: smashingmagazine.com via Erin on Pinterest

Pink Wedding Dresses Are Gaining Respect

The buzz these past few days has been about the dress Jessica Biel wore to her wedding to Justin Timberlake last weekend. It was pink, and she is the third celebrity in under a year to year a pink dress. (Reese Witherspoon and Anne Hathaway also wore some shade of blush when they walked down the aisle.)

Over at SheFinds, we did a post about the dress as well as pink dresses that you can shop now. Designers have been more aggressive with color in wedding dresses the past few years, and it seems to be trickling down from the runways.

Jessica Biel Wore A Pink Giambattista Valli Wedding Dress. Shop Look-A-Likes Here


[Image:People magazine]

13 Wedding Trends You Should Say “I Do” To In 2013

Last week was the Fall 2013 Bridal Market, where designers show off their designs for the coming year.

To the untrained eye, it may just seem like a week long event of staring at white dresses. Not the case. Each year, definite trends emerge from Bridal Market, and we did a big piece about it over at SheFinds.
13 Wedding Trends You Should Say “I Do” To In 2013
One of our favorite trends is the bustier wedding dress. You can check out our piece about it here:

Bustier Is The New Sweetheart Neckline

Ferris Wheels As Wedding Reception Trend

Source: Uploaded by user via OnlyBridesAU on Pinterest

I see a lot of wedding photos over the course of a day. One trend that keeps popping up is having a ferris wheel and other carnival rides at your wedding. This brings up a few questions:

1. Where are people getting married that they have access to a field that can accommodate carnival rides?

2. Does it distract from dancing, and everything else going on, reception wise?

3. This totally solves the problem of what to do with kids at a wedding.

4. What on earth does a ferris wheel even cost to rent? Does it come to a cross-eyed carny to operate it? Do you have to tip them at the end of the night as well?

5. Will the smooching on top of the ferris wheel photo become as cliche as the backlit portrait of a wedding dress?

I'm facsinated by this trend. I found six examples on mainstream wedding blogs and made them into the slideshow below.

Maybe Absence Does Makes The Heart Grow Fonder...

As far as I'm concerned, anything that CBS Sunday Morning puts on is genius.

Case in point: this morning's interview with Raoul Felder, the celebrity divorce attorney here in New York City. He's been in marital law for almost 50 years and towards the end of the video talks about what makes marriages fail.

His two cents? Too much togetherness is what kills marriages. People need to do their own thing, have their own interests and not be held back by their spouse. Not bad advice at all.

I Learn About New Music At The Burlington Coat Factory

Tonight I was in the Burlington Coat Factory in Union Square (this is how I spend my Friday nights) when the song below came on over the intercom. It's by Mat Kearney, who I was really into in 2007 when he first came out, thanks in large part to some publicists at Sony who always kept me on their distribution lists.

Then for some reason I stopped following him and his music, which is a shame because is he awesome and apparently has been on tour incessantly for the past few years. How do I miss these things?

'Here We Go' came out three years ago but it will worm its way into your ear. You've been warned.


Apparently he recently played the Red Rocks in Colorado. I seriously need to get back on the music PR lists.

Source: someecards.com via Laura Beth on Pinterest

Non Floral Bridal Bouquets Are Having A Moment

Flowers are one of the biggest expenses in a wedding budget, and unfortunately there is very little return on that investment. You hold them during the ceremony and for the photos and then, well, they die.

One wedding trend that I love is alternative bouquets. Carrying bouquets made of materials such as brooches, feathers and wire is not only less expensive, but it will last forever. I'm not talking about silk flowers that always look cheesy, I'm talking about bouquets that are actual works of art.

Check out this slideshow of 15 alterna-bouquets. Creatively it was one of my favorite pieces to research.

15 Awesome Non-Flower Bouquets

The Jazz Age Cometh

When BHLDN puts images like this in their e-blasts, how can I not spend almost half an hour looking at all their goodies?

Note that the woman on the left has the same haircut that I do. Ahead of the curve, kids.

A Little Autumn Art

Source: wanelo.com via Pauline on Pinterest

Wedding Disasters That Really Aren't

There are plenty of things that can go wrong at a wedding, and to a bride, it can all seems as if the world is coming to an end. At least in the moment. Ask a bride six months later if it was a big deal that her cake was yellow and not blue, and she will likely say 'no.'

I rounded up 10 situations where a bride could easily lose her mind and came up with solutions as well ways to avoid the headache in the first place. This piece was heavily crowd sourced from my recent bride friends. All the situations are real, as is the advice. So I know of what I speak.

10 Wedding 'Disasters' That Really Aren’t: Bad Bridesmaids, Bad Weather & More

The Cold Air Swoops In And All Of A Sudden I Have The Michael Buble Christmas Album On

It's Friday, I'm off to a birthday party and there's a gorgeous pink sky over Murray Hill. Perfect for a little unseasonably early Christmas music.

This may be my favorite Christmas song ever. It's never too early to start thinking about Christmas in New York City. No one does it better.


Here's that pink sky. When one lives on the 21st floor you spend a lot of time admiring the nuances of sunsets.

Zen And The Art Of Short Hair Maintenance

Right before the Life of Pi premier Erin C. made an offhand remark about how she liked how my hair went from dark to light. Oy. Since I'm not a fan of the ombre look, either intentional or unintentional, I realized it was time to go see Maria at the Davidov Salon, which is, quite literally, right across the street from my apartment.

I'm a big fan of short hair. Lately I've been telling anyone who will listen that this time next year short hair will be it, thanks in large part to The Great Gatsby movie. I'm just trying to get ahead of the game.

I will never understand women who are afraid to cut their hair or try something new. I've heard everything from "My husband would kill me if I cut my hair" to "My hairdresser won't let me." (What is he, your warden?) Given what we know about men liking variety, a dramatic new hairstyle would likely only help one's relationship, not send it spiraling into a death spin. New look = a whole new woman! Without actually being with another woman.

I digress. The point is that short hair takes a little upkeep, and not just at the salon. You do have to pay more attention to your face, since there is nothing to hide behind. That said, every time I lop off some hair, I get into long earrings. It's not in my fiber to shy away from drama, and I think big earrings add to a look that people already are going to notice. Some may call this attention-seeking behavior. I call it mojo.

Below, a slideshow of a few pairs that I'm totally coveting. (Click on the photo and find a link to purchase them.) My affinity for green is apparent. (I did a similar post for SheFinds a few weeks ago, long before I realized that I was starting to look like a mop.)

The New York Junior League's Fall Fete Is November 9th!

The New York Junior League's Fall Fete might be my favorite event of the year. It's in the middle of fall, it's always at an amazing location and there are prizes to be won in the silent and live auction!

This year the event is at The Union League Club which excites me not just because it's three blocks from my apartment, but because I love the old world vibe of the club. Dark wood, pool tables and uniformed staff make me feel as if it's 1962.

I Can't Resist A 'Great Gatsby' Quote

Bottoms Up! Dress Up Your Wedding Bar

Everyone has heard the horror stories of going to a wedding and it turns out to be..cash bar!!

A cash bar is probably the worst thing you can do at your wedding, and there are a lot of bad wedding ideas. Today on SheFinds I made a slideshow of different ways to dress up the wedding bar. Check it out:

Bottoms Up! 15 Ideas For The Wedding Bar (None Of Which Involve Cash)

This Just Needs To Be Shared

I'm betting none of you ever thought to put playing cards together like this.

Source: flickr.com via Hannah on Pinterest

Alphabet City In The 1970s

This photo of Alphabet City in the 1970s is making the rounds on Facebook. I have no idea what block it is or what direction it's facing. Amazing what a difference a few decades makes. Parts of the Upper East Side haven't changed in a century, while downtown has had at least nine lives.

Valentino And Other Fashion Documentaries

This big news since Friday is that Valentino released a sketch of the dress he desgined for Anne Hathaway's wedding. You can read more about it here.

Last night the documentary about Valentino that came out in 2008 popped up in my Netflix. It follows Valentino and his partner, Giancarlo, during the year that Valentino planned his 45th anniversary celebration. Valentino comes across as a lovable genius, with five English bulldogs running amok. Definitely a life worth emulating.


Since I'm a big fan of understanding what you are buying -- and not blindly draping oneself in labels -- I found other documentaries about different designers. Definitely a good way to spend Sunday Funday

Halston
Tom Ford
Karl Lagerfeld
Jean Paul Gaultier(En Francais. Pas de subtitles.)

An Oddly Uplifting Facebook Video

It almost makes me forget about their convoluted privacy policies. Almost.

Nevertheless, the video is a nice sentiment.

Things That I Find: I Love You, I Know

Source: thefancy.com via Ryan on Pinterest

The thing about Pinterest is that it's turned me on to popular memes that I never knew existed. Case in point: the whole "I love you, I know" exchange between Princess Lea and Han Solo would seem to be just a few lines of dialogue to a Sci-Fi plebeian such as myself, but in the world of Star Wars, it's as ubiquitous as, "I am your father."

I started Googling and realized that "I Love You, I Know" has invaded the world of crafting as well. I found page after page on Etsy of everything from cufflinks to jewelry to place settings. Check out the slideshow below of just 10 items you can buy for the Millennium Falcon nerd in your life.



This is the scene in Empire Strikes Back that sparked it all:

Latest SheFinds Pieces -- Party Games, Stationary And Sparkly Earrings

Every day I write something for SheFinds. Sometimes more than one post. These are three of my favorites lately.

10 Bridal Shower Games So Fun The Groom Will Want To Come. Someday, somehow, this post will come in handy. And you will thank me then.

10 Thank You Cards That You’ll Actually Want To Write In. You don't need to be a bride to appreciate the importance of good stationary.

Bold, Exotic Drop Earrings That Have ‘Bride’ Written All Over Them. I'm a big fan of straying from anything that is too over the top bride. No need to wear pearls when you can wear rubies. (That's also a good motto for life.)

M Seeking...Everything?

Craiglist can get you anything from an apartment to a job to a mate, but could you rely on it for every daily needs?

I just discovered the trailer for Craiglist Joe, a documentary made by Joseph Garner, the writer of The Hangover and Zach Galifianakis. In it, Garner spends 31 days relying on Craigslisst for everything he needs -- food, shelter, etc.

I hope this ends up at The Angelika soon. I def want to see it.

Source: google.com.au via Pauline on Pinterest

Things That I Find: Zombie Cookie Cutters

Source: surlatable.com via Pauline on Pinterest

It's October, which means that everyone's starting to get their Halloween on. It's one thing to make pumpkin or bat cookies, but zombies -- talk about being on trend.

Sur La Table has lots of original nick nacks for Halloween. Definitely worth checking out.

More Music In The House. Always.

I love the idea of using muscical instruments as home decor. Even better if you can actually play them.

I was thrilled to see this video on Ramshackle Glam this morning. No matter if the piano is old and rickety and needs a solid tuning. Always buy it and deal with the sprucing up later.

It's October 1st! Officially Fall!

Source: parents.com via Pauline on Pinterest