This Year's Toast

Wishing everyone one of you a happy and safe new year with at least a touch of romance.  

All Hallow's Eve

Coasters from Soho's Evolution

Cupcakes & Cashmere's Emily as Tippi Hendren from The Birds

Skulls in Lauren Santo Domingo's Apartment

Photographs by Tim Walker

The Eyes Have It.

Celebrate.

I've mentioned here before how champagne is my drink of choice for any occasion.  I always keep a few bottles in the fridge and especially love to serve it in a chilled champagne flute.  I came across the recipe from one of my favorite bloggers (and fellow Washingtonian) Apollinas for Pink Champagne Cake.  Swoon.  I hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!

The Cake

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 Tbsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. table salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

3/4 cup brut sparkling wine

1/4 cup milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

6 drops red food coloring

6 egg whites

The Frosting

1/2 cup shortening

1/3 cup brut sparkling wine

5 cups sifted powdered sugar

1/2 tsp. unflavored gelatin

1 Tbsp. cold water

3/4 cup heavy cream

Apollina's cake.  Gorge.  She imported the gold glitter from London.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two 9-inch round cake pans with parchment paper and coat with nonstick spray. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Cream butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer until mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Combine 3/4 cup sparkling wine, milk, and vanilla.

Add flour and wine mixtures alternately to butter mixture, combining well after each addition. Tint batter with red food coloring.

Beat egg whites in a separate bowl with clean beaters until soft peaks form, about 2 minutes. Fold egg whites into cake batter in thirds, stopping as soon as whites are incorporated. Divide batter evenly between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until a toothpick inserted in the center has only or or two crumbs on it, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans for 10 minutes, then turn cakes out onto a rack to cool completely.

Beat together shortening, 1/3 cup sparkling wine, and powdered sugar for frosting in a bowl until smooth. Spread 1 cup frosting on top of one cooled cake round. Place second cake round on top of the frosted round.

Sprinkle gelatin into water in a small saucepan. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes, then gently warm over low heat until gelatin dissolves. Cool to room temperature.

Beat heavy cream until soft peaks form, about 3 minutes. Add gelatin mixture to cream; continue to beat until stiff peaks form. Working in batches, gently fold whipped cream into remaining frosting.

Spread frosting onto top and sides of cake, being careful not to overwork. Refrigerate cake 1 hour with a large bowl over the top to

protect frosting. Use a spatula to gently swirl frosting before serving.

I Adore a Great Button-Down....

Sienna circa 2005

Erika Bearman, aka OscarPRGirl.

Charlotte Casarahi

Lauren Santo Domingo

Rainy Day Chic

I've been neglecting this blog for months now and can't believe that my last post here was in March!  I'm now settled in D.C. and love being back on the East coast.  Right now we are all hunkering down for Hurricane Irene and the first bands of rain are rolling into the city.   Enjoy some images of those who fashionably take on the rain.  Everyone stay safe!

Duchess Kate

Kelly Wearstler underneath her Zebra print Scalamandre umbrella.

Jean Shrimpton

Catherine Denueve in Belle de Jour

Another Hiatus.

As you know, I am getting ready to move to Washington, D.C. to begin a new position.  I m very excited and stressed about the move and really do not have time during the next few weeks to give the attention this blog deserves so I am going to take a break until I am in D.C.  I know I will fee reenergized and inspired once I'm all moved in!  

So many books.

Oscar and Annette de la Renta's home in the Dominican Republic

I am frantically trying to get myself organized to move across the country is three weeks and one thing that is going to take up several boxes is all my coffee table books.  Below enjoy some beautiful ways in which to display all your favorite books.

Hamish Bowles's Paris Apartment.

Carrie and Big's coffee table and books in SATC 2.

Kelly Wearstler.

I will need to resist the urge to just pile up all my coffee table books like Nigella.  Although her library is utterly beautiful.

Hamish's bedroom.

Hipsterhavens.com

I also like how model Jessica Stam has one massive book open on her coffee table.

Quote of the Day.

"This is America.  Pick a job and become the person who does it"

After my week off from blogging I have some exciting news...  I got a job in Washington, D.C. and am moving in three weeks!  I am beyond thrilled and so happy to be moving on from my current position.  Going after what you want fearlessly is the M.O. of this Mad Men character, Bobbie Barrett.  She was only in Season 2, but her drive left a mark on me and love the above quote of hers.   I'm glad to be back and excited about new beginnings.  Have a great week everyone.  

An Extremely Brief Hiatus.

February has been an incredible month for me in terms of changing my career path and working towards my goal of moving back east to Washington, D.C.  I have found that there are a lot of opportunities out there and I am so lucky to have so many friends willing to help me establish myself in a new city.   This week is especially hectic for me so I will be taking the week off from blogging and will return next Monday (If not sooner....)

Everything old is new again.

Georgia May Jagger (Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger's daughter).  From British Vogue.

The 70's are definitely making a comeback for spring!  I love this decade and am especially excited that we are returning to a wider pant-leg.  I am so sick of the skinny jeans!  Here are some images taken from and inspired by that decade.

Jerry Hall and Mick Jagger. 

Image from a 2004 photoshoot featuring Sienna Miller.  

Faye Dunaway

Marc Jacobs.

Studio 54.

Mick and Bianca Jagger after their wedding ceremony in 1971.  She was four months pregnant at the time and wore a YSL white suit.

Looks from Tory Burch's Fall 2011 Collection.

Burch's shoes for Spring and Summer.

Derek Lam. S/S 2011.

Alberta Ferretti. S/S 2011.

A 1970's photograph by David Bailey.  Even though it's black and white, can you tell who the subject is?  Grace Coddington!  There is a great documentary on David BAiley that has been playing on the Sundance Channel that you should try to catch.  I never knew he romanced Jean Shrimpton and married Catherine Deneuve!