Summer Shirts from J.Crew

It seems that, at the moment, everybody loves J.Crew. Even the Obamas. A few years back, I had the privilege of meeting the man responsible for the company's turnaround from plain vanilla mall store to destination of chic, Mickey Drexler. Fascinating guy. I was working at their store in the Hamptons, and he popped in for a visit. He's quite hands on, and was very interested in hearing opinions from salespeople and customers alike about the product and what could be done differently.

Anyway. They have some great mens's shirts right now, which, paired with some great white jeans, give you that casual Hamptons summer vibe. The first, pictured below, is their linen-cotton camp shirt, $98, in cool dusk. Even the color sounds perfect for dinner alfresco at Sunset Beach. The epaulets remind me of that cobalt blue Ralph Lauren number that twink icon Zac Efron was wearing in GQ this month, but this one seems much more wearable.

Next up is this chambray specimen, also $98. Say what you will about the whole workwear trend, but I feel like blue chambray has a certain classicism about it that's got definite staying power. Just please, don't wear it with blue jeans. Every few years someone comes out with a horrible proclamation that says it's okay to wear denim with denim as long as the colors don't match (ie dark jeans with a light denim shirt). I don't approve of this practice; I still think it makes you look like a farmer. I love the way this color looks with stonewashed khakis or white denim.
Then we've got this blue irish linen shirt, $79.50. I really think linen might be the perfect summer textile. The more you wash it, the softer it gets, and I love the way it wrinkles just so. Looks great with a tan. This particular shirt reminds me of a version Brunello Cucinelli did this spring, but J.Crew did it for about $400 less. Simple, classic, elegant, and not breaking the bank.
Grab a shirt in the city, hop on the LIRR's Cannonball, and you're ready for Hamptons cocktail hour.

Posh Platters

One tricky thing about entertaining? Finding an attractive place to corral all those cocktails and canapés. Fortunately the retailer iomoi has a solution. Their lucite trays are practical (wipe clean!) as well as customizable with a monogram or name. And their choices of backdrop are perfect - colorful elephants, monkeys, florals, and bold graphic designs - lending a sense of vintage Palm Beach glam to the pieces. The "Mustique," pictured above, is one of my faves - looks like a groovy Goyard trunk. Also cool? "Horse Knocker:"


The "Pagoda:"

They also have glass coasters, perfect for a hostess gift when you're crashing a pool house in the Hamptons this summer (Molly, take note). The "Graph" pattern:

The "Sandy Cay:"

And while their prices aren't exactly recession friendly, these personalized entertaining pieces are built to last until the next recession.

iomoi.com, trays, $100-650; coasters, $95/set of 4

Guilt Groupe

For as much as I love members only discount shopping sensation Gilt Groupe, it seems to have a few inherent flaws. Sales start daily at 12 noon (EST) and last for about a day, with blue chip designers like Ralph Lauren, Christian Louboutin, Valentino, Badgley Mischka, and their ilk well represented. Unfortunately, because it has become so popular, it is nearly impossible to grab your size in the item you want. This frustration makes the item all the more desirable, and buyers frantically click away, hoping that the customer who currently has the size will relinquish it after the 10 minute hold limit is imposed. Then, the sense of pride in winning the item takes over, and one immediately buys it. And yet, you usually end up with an item which, at 11:58 am, you had no need for. I've seen this happen to both myself and my friends, this frenzy of winning an item (like on eBay) that eventually subsides and turns into guilt. Or buyer's remorse. Or, plain old debt.

Phew. If this still sounds interesting, click here to snag an invite. Just be warned.

And perhaps you might also be interested in a pair of size 9.5 lace-ups that I "accidentally" bought the other day...?

Clear as Crystal

With spring in full swing here in DC, the April showers seem to have brought with them the first bloom of tulips, daffodils, hyacinth, and their ilk. Why not bring a little bit of that inside to add a pop of color at home? Fresh cut flowers are an easy way to liven up any tired table - just grab a bunch at your local grocer, farmers' market, or snatch a few from outside. While the vessel that you display them in needn't be extravagant, one of my pet peeves is vases that look left over from an FTD bouquet. Target to the rescue! One of their lesser known designer lines comes from Riedel, purveyors of pricey stemware and crystal. But not at Tar-zhay. I recently found a few gorgeous deco-style vases on sale, including the large "Balloon" vase pictured above. These sturdy crystal pieces are pretty without being too fussy, and they're cheap to boot. And with Mother's Day just around the corner, one of these vases, filled with her favorite type of flowers, would make a perfect gift for mom.

Riedel Vivant vases, $10 - 20, target.com

A Palm Beach Institution

Photo: Palm Beach Grill


The Palm Beach Grill is one of the few things on this tiny toothpick of an island that everybody can agree on - the old guard stalwarts and the young transplants; the Jews and the WASPs; the moldy old money and the parvenu arrivistes - mostly because the food is simple and delicious. The restaurant is actually a somewhat tweaked Houston’s, but the PBG is known as such because of the restriction on chain restaurants in Palm Beach proper. Had the restaurant been named Houston’s, I can’t believe it would have been nearly as popular with the moneyed locals. And popular it is. In season (that would be late November until late April) the place is booked solid a month in advance. A friend said her parents have a standing reservation for every other night at the place, which probably isn’t an exaggeration. Even the bar area, which is really just an extension of the dining room, usually has it’s own waiting list stretching to an hour or more.

The energetic dining room, open kitchen, and great menu are a welcome respite from the other culinary options on the island: upscale Italian, with varying degrees of success (Bice, Renato’s, Amici, Trevini, the list goes on) and bland country club food that one would expect in a country club town. Once you get a reservation or score a seat at the bar, dig in to a grilled artichoke with house-made remoulade ($12) or a chicken Waldorf salad with bacon and egg ($15) before your main dish, which could be anything from a silver-service hot dog ($12), the delicious and moist rotisserie chicken ($18) or a center cut filet ($35). Dessert offers the usual options, but ask for the tres leches cake. It’s an off menu item, but when they have it, the sweet milky concoction usually sells out fast. Service is delightfully free of the usual PB ‘tude; the servers, clad in Ralph Lauren oxfords, are affable and eager to please. Next time you’re heading this way, it’s probably a safe bet to book a res at “the Grill” before you book your plane ticket. Just don’t call it a Houston’s.

Palm Beach Grill, 336 Royal Poinciana Way, (561) 835-1077

Bakon Egg and Cheese

Ever since hearing that Bar Pilar in Logan Circle carried a Bacon Bloody Mary with their brunch menu, I've been meaning to make some bacon-infused vodka of my own. It's not exactly an easy affair, so I was pleased to hear that soon it won't be necessary. Enter Bakon Vodka, an aptly named savory vodka with the (dubious) distinction of being the first bacon flavored hooch. Right now, it seems it's only available in the Pacific Northwest, but there are plans to bring it nationwide in the near future. While I haven't been able to sample the stuff, I can only imagine that it will be quite good in a bloody...

Bakon Vodka, available this summer, bakonvodka.com

Hoppy Easter

Happy Easter Sunday to all...it was another gorgeous day in Florida. I decided to dig out the customary bunny tie for Sunday brunch at the Breakers. Linen jacket, Ralph Lauren; tie, Hermès; shirt, A. Sulka & Co.; pocket square, Brooks Brothers. Paired with white linen pants and brown slip on shoes. Now, off to the beach to work on my tan.

Saturday Cocktailing | St Germain and Champagne

I served this delicious cocktail at my last New Year’s Eve party, and it was quite a hit. This bubbly concoction is perfect for special celebrations of any type, be it a birthday, anniversary, or just a regular hump day (that would be Wednesday...keep your mind out of the gutter). St. Germain is one of my favorite new spirits and can really be added to anything, giving even the most mundane G&T that extra kick. Recipe as follows:

1 shot gin
1/2 shot St. Germain elderflower liqueur
Champagne
Sliced strawberry

Fill a champagne flute with the gin and St. Germain. Top off with champagne and garnish with a strawberry slice.

A word to the wise: these drinks are delicious and go down easy, so be sure not to over serve yourself (or your guests). Unless, of course, that’s the goal. For those seeking a lighter refreshment, you can leave out the gin and add 1 full shot St. Germain.

Bermuda Breeze

One of my favorite old-school fragrances with a distinctly Palm Beach feel is Royall Bay Rhum (yep, it's actually spelled like that). Imported from Bermuda, the label describes the tonic as a "secretly proportioned mixture" containing "oil of Bayleaf and the purest menthol crystals," whatever that means. Also available in Lyme and Mandarin (that'd be lime and orange, in case you're not getting the Royall spelling), it's exactly the kind of scent you want to splash on after a long day in the sun. While Brooks Brothers has carried it for years, you might also find it, as I did, at a vintage drug store, its trademark wax-sealed paper packaging nestled between the shaving soap and Mason-Pearson hairbrushes. Dab some on, throw on a linen shirt, and get that island spirit going (even if you're landlocked).

Royall Bay Rhum, $39.50, available at Brooks Brothers.

Entering Grey Gardens

And speaking of the crazy rich (or perhaps the merely crazy), much buzz is being generated about the upcoming debut of Grey Gardens, a movie based on the lives of Edith Bouvier Beale and her daughter Little Edie, the recluse aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy. The Beales of Grey Gardens have been in the news in the past few years, notably for Christine Ebersole's star turn in the 2006 Broadway musical version, Grey Gardens, an adaptation of the Maysles' brothers 1975 cult classic of the same name. The film follows the transformation of Little Edie (Drew Barrymore) from Maidstone debutante to fallen heiress under the auspices of her controlling mother (played by Jessica Lange). In the crumbling Grey Gardens of the 70s, cat food is called paté and the resident raccoons are seen as welcome playmates for the hordes of stray felines. Check out the preview below - seems like the ladies live up to all the hype. (And if you think Barrymore's overdoing it - check out a video of the real Edie to compare.)



Grey Gardens premieres Saturday, April 18 at 8pm on HBO

Under the Royal Palms

I'll be on vacation for the holiday weekend in Palm Beach, Florida, which has the distinction of having the most Rolls-Royces per capita of anywhere else in the world. More to come from the land of G&Ts and go-to-hell Lilly pants...

Saturday Cocktailing | The Negroni

Since my last visit to Rome, I've been a big fan of Campari, the ruby red Italian aperitif. When sipping a Campari and soda with an orange, it just feels like you're living la dolce vita, whether you're on a veranda in Southampton or a sweaty studio apartment. So I was pleased to discover the Negroni, a bitter cocktail that perfectly whets the palate before a night of rigatoni bolognese and several glasses of Super Tuscan. Warning - this drink is sort of an acquired taste, so don't come after me if you're not smitten from the first sip. Recipe as follows:

1 shot Campari
1 shot gin
1 shot sweet vermouth (the red one)

Pour ingredients over ice. Stir until very cold (this is key, otherwise it tastes like warm cough syrup). Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a thick lemon zest. Enjoy.

Accessories from J.Press

I love J.Press. Outside of certain Boston-New Haven-D.C. circles, they fly under the radar, which is totally fine by me. I usually skip their sack suits and pleated trousers (a favorite of U.S. Congressmen, but too bulky for my taste) and head right for their accessories. They have a great selection of repp ties and bowties in a variety of school colors, fabulous blazer badges for various Northeast colleges, cotton gingham pocket squares, braces, and colorful watch bands. Notably, they are the official purveyor of the "Chuck Bass Scarf," a crazy silk dot patchwork number. If you don't happen to live in one of the four cities where they have retail locations, there's always the online option. Pictured: a cotton madras bowtie ($49.50). Pair it with a seersucker suit, white cotton oxford, and bucks and you've got the perfect outfit for the Virginia Gold Cup or the Foxfield Races.

J.Press, stores in NYC, New Haven, Washington, and Cambridge, and online.

Vintage Varsity at Georgetown

I found a bunch of these historic photos of athletics at Georgetown, my (soon to be) alma mater, and thought I'd share. There's somtething about these spiffy sports uniforms that's so distinctly American... This one's an 1890 team photo of the crew team, which was the first Georgetown team to adopt the blue and gray colors of the now unified Union and Confederacy. The rest of the school followed suit shortly thereafter.

Here's one of an early Georgetown mascot, a Boston bull terrier that preceded our current English bulldog, "Jack," facing off with UVA's mascot, who seems to be cowering in the shadows. I can see why - 1911 Jack looks pretty fierce.
This is our first basketball team, in 1907. We look pretty scrawny...not to mention pasty. The coach in the middle with the pompadour proves that the questionable fashion associated with sports professionals has a long, storied history.
Gotta love the combo of the classic varsity sweatshirt with Adidas running shoes. The guy on the left went on to be All-American in track 3 times, and President Reagan's first judicial appointee.

Hoya Saxa.

Photos collected from Georgetown University: The College History Series by Paul R. O'Neill and Paul K. Williams.

Slick Silver Swizzle Sticks

(Try to say that 10 times fast.) Unless you're Daniel Craig, “Shaken, not stirred” isn’t always the best way to order a cocktail. When the elements are entirely alcohol, or with fizzy drinks like a Ketel One and soda (my personal favorite), a brisk stir over ice will do just fine. So I was delighted to happen upon these cocktail spoons last weekend at one of my favorite consignment stores, the Christ Child Opportunity Shop in Georgetown. Christ Child is a high end consignment and thrift store on Wisconsin Avenue that specializes in antique silver, art, jewelry, and crystal, but the store carries myriad interesting objet in a variety of price ranges, like Revere silver bowls for $20 and ladies' mink coats for $150. The spoons' hollow silver bamboo stalks double as straws and have the added bonus of a little charm (baby buddha, pagoda, fan, etc.), helping to identify your drink after you've had a few too many. I once absconded with a similar cocktail spoon from Little Branch (please, don't tell...it's hard enough to get into that place).

Christ Child Opportunity Shop, 1427 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC, (202) 333-6635