California Style

I just got back from an amazing vacation in California, where my beloved and I spent a leisurely week driving down the coast (from San Fran to San Diego)! Highlights of the trip included a motorcycle ride through Sonoma, breathtaking views on Highway 1, and an amazing birthday dinner at Chez Panisse. The change of scenery and the laid-back, sunny vibe did my soul a world of good.

What I didn't expect was to be so totally smitten with California's effortless style. Relaxed, bright, and full of texture, everything felt fresh and of-the-moment. I came back East craving a complete overhaul of my home. Thankfully, small details can create major change and so I've pinpointed some of the style elements I fell in love with on my trip.

Black and Gold

This is a picture of the lobby at the Sheraton in Santa Monica. I loved everything about the decor.

Back in NYC, I found these black and gold lamps at ABC Carpet & Home. They're also hanging at J.Crew on 5th Avenue.

The base of this lamp from Restoration Hardware is made of mercury glass, but the lampshade's gold inlay casts a warm glow and creates the illusion of antique brass.

Succulents

There were succulent gardens everywhere, both wild and tame. They would look beautiful inside an apartment.

Natural Wood

The boardwalk at Pebble Beach.

I saw tons of wine barrel chandeliers on my trip. I love the modern feel of the one below from ABC Carpet & Home. You can find more traditional versions at Restoration Hardware. John Derian sells antique ones that will make you weak in the knees.

A stack of wooden cutting boards at ABC.

Texture

Artwork looks striking against the dark linen wallpaper. The textured fabric adds warmth and dimension to a room.

White-on-White

I saw tons of art displayed in white mat/white frame. This giant collection of black and white prints looks great against the seagrass wallpaper. You can find white-on-white framing at Pottery Barn, West Elm, etc. This is definitely the easiest and cheapest way to update the look of your decor.

Lacquer

Lacquer is probably one of my favorite design elements because it instantly updates a more traditional home. The glossy texture covered everything, from furniture to accessories. I bought the white tray from West Elm to store my jewelry. The ceramic bowls with gold inlay are from one of my favorite NYC stores, Ochre.

Fall Fashion Wish List

Fall fashion always inspires me to reinvent myself. My outfit intuition is a little rusty, thanks to my wardrobe of elastic waistbands and stretchy athletic gear. I find that you have to work those muscles as you would your abdominals, otherwise they atrophy. Every season I swear to myself that I'm going to recommit to looking hot, and every season I fizzle under the pressure of picking clothes out of my closet. I'm overwhelmed by the trends and plagued by indecision, which leads me to grab more of what I know (yoga clothes and sneakers).

The universe finally took pity on me and this season is proving to be the answer to my prayers. Magazines and shop windows are full of structured, classic clothes, the likes of which are already hanging in my closet! I'm already in fashion and I haven't even tried (thank God)! My Mom always told me to buy a few good pieces instead of stocking up on tons of cheap trends. Thank you, Mom. Here's a tour of my personal faves.

I've had this trusty black blazer for years. It looks fresh with the sleeves rolled up and paired with a chunky lucite necklace (just purchased yesterday from Anthropologie)! My Saint James tee is a staple in my closet; it looks good with everything and makes a statement without any effort.

I bought this lace skirt at a thrift store in Paris years ago. The A-line shape is perfect for this season (very Mad Men). Adore the chocolate brown sequin top, which has been sitting in the back of my closet waiting for some kind of fancy event so it can step out on the town. Low and behold, this season is mixing sequins with more casual pieces for an unexpected punch.

Love this twist on the classic button down...perfect for dressing up but goes great with jeans. The lace top is merciful on my atrophied outfit muscles as it goes with everything.

I bought the green tweed coat years and years ago and yet it always feels so current. I love the way it just hangs on me, like I borrowed it from Billy's side of the closet. The gray coat was an H&M purchase last winter, thanks to my talented fashionista girlfriend, Cleandra (thank you, my dear, for showing me the light)!

These Cole Haan shoes are beyond amazing. Every time someone stops me on the street to compliment my shoes, I say "Yes, they're fabulous AND they have Nike Air technology!" Run, don't walk, to Cole Haan and buy yourself any of their genius footwear. The purse was handed down to me from my Mom...the structured shape is perfect for this Fall.

Like every girlie-girl, I have a wish list a mile long of things I'm desperate to buy for the season (aparigraha, sanskrit for non-hoarding, is simply lost on me). Love these silk pants from Anthropologie; they're a relaxed (yet fancy) version of the skinny cargos everyone's going gaga over (and more flattering, I might add). I can see myself wearing this gray cashmere sweater from JCrew on a daily basis (perfect with black skinny jeans for a "I just threw this on but this is how I roll...draped in cashmere" look). Love the Annie vest, also from JCrew...makes any outfit look smart. I'm currently obsessed with Club Monaco's brown sequin Jodie skirt and see it with tights and black riding boots (or booties...don't even get me started...desperately looking for the perfect pair as we speak).

The best accessory of the season, though, is a great attitude. Work that impressive yogic posture and strut your toned quadriceps down Fifth Avenue. You see it all the time in New York: women embracing who they are and flaunting it to the world. I hope you have fun expressing who you are this Fall!

Ode to Olio Lusso

Linda Rodin turns out to be my long-lost soul sister. We both adore shelling, scouring the flea markets for treasure and red lipstick. I met Linda when I discovered her luxurious face oil, Olio Lusso, which has been a savior to my sensitive skin. The elixir is made up of 11 essential oils and smells divine. I'm eternally devoted. I had the pleasure of spending the afternoon with Linda in her eclectic and loving home for a glass of vino (screw top Pinot Grigio served in small vintage glasses) to chat about home, passions and (of course) Olio Lusso.

Opening the door to her apartment, Linda greeted me wearing a St. Jame's-inspired striped shirt and skinny jeans...her hair swept back, her face fresh and her lips bright. There's an effortlessness about her, which seems fitting given that this woman was a fashion editor at Harper's Bazaar and has been freelance styling for more than 20 years. Her home is colorful and airy and full of shiny objects ("Glitter is good!" she says). It's a veritable feast for the eyes, with trinkets and photos and objets d'art. "I'd rather be home than anywhere else. I'm not necessarily a lighthearted person--I think a lot--but I think life is beautiful and I want to be surrounded by beautiful things. I want to be inspired by what I see."



I asked Linda what inspires her and she immediately responded by saying "a fresh face!" Her visage is the example; Linda never wears makeup...just red lips. I was so inspired by this look that I bought Chanel lipstick (Rouge Coco #34) and copied her style for the ASPCA Bergh Ball. She also insists on a great pair of jeans (her favorites are made by UNIQLO). "Just be as natural as you can be. That's the credo of my oils...'Be the best you can be naturally.' "

And that's exactly what they do. Olio Lusso was developed on Linda's living room floor à la chemistry class and the results of her efforts were given to friends at photo shoots and runway shows until the word spread and she was making 100 to 200 bottles a weekend. "I really didn't expect this to become a business," says Linda, but she knew she needed to make her homegrown oil official. "My nephew helped me measure my recipe, pouring each oil into vials until we were able to replicate it perfectly. It's the same combination I've used since the very beginning." My devotion to Olio Lusso is bhakti at its best. Her oil has become my go-to elixir for a healthy, radiant glow.