Pen & Paper: Connor Stationery

A little less than a year ago, I fell in love with the stationery brand, Connor. Featured in the Wall Street Journal in February 2012, Connor Stationery – sold at Barney’s New York – has made bespoke stationery for notables such as Manolo Blahnik, Vito Schnabel, Blake Lively, Anna Wintour and her daughter, Bee Shaffer.

Last February I bought the Snake box set of 12 cards and envelopes ($85). To this day, I only use it for very special notes due to the fact that the design is so intricate and unique. However, when I run out, my next box set would be one of the following…

“Bee” by Connor Stationery ($85)

“Sunflowers” by Connor Stationery ($85)

“Tiger” by Connor Stationery ($95)

“Medallion” by Connor Stationery ($95)

…so, if you’re feeling a little artful and would like to add a little class to your snail mail, check out Connor online or at the ninth floor of Barney’s!

 

The Octoberlist

It’s October 1st, which means a fresh start for the fall season! Every month, I try to set a list of goals for myself, whether they be educational, professional, physical, emotional, or material! That being said, here are some things I’d like to check off my list this month:

Finish The Wolf of Wall Street by Jordan Belfort

Run in Central Park from the 72nd St. traverse to 110th

Buy my mother an amazing birthday present

Put my money earned into my savings account

Get a television for my apartment

Go shoe shopping

What’s on your Octoberlist?

A Little Appreciation: Understated Tech-ccessories

Labels can be tricky when it comes to toting your favorite fashion brand, but some of us who like them like to keep it understated. A great way to show appreciation for your most beloved designers is with some great tech accessories. Here are some of my favorites:

Tory Burch Lizard Hardshell case ($60)

Kate Spade La Pavilion iPad Sleeve ($50)

Louis Vuitton iPhone 5 Softcase ($400)

Marc by Marc Jacobs Metallic Standard Supply          iPhone 5 case

Et viola: there is a way to use your labels in a functional, understated way, just like a true New Yorker.

Getting Lectured: Gabrielle Bernstein, “Live in the Know”

Gabby Bernstein

Author and motivational speaker, Gabrielle Bernstein, spoke on this past Friday night on how to “Live in the Know.” The lecture, having taken place at Middle Collegiate Church at 111 Second Avenue, drew an audience of spiritual young women looking for answers on how to live a more fulfilling life. At the end of her lecture, many girls got up and told their enlightening, lightening and, sometimes, painful stories. Some cried – it was a powerful experience.

Some tips Miss (almost a Mrs.!) Bernstein gave us were the following:

• Try to meditate for one minute a day.
• Pay attention to your energy, thoughts and words when you are out of alignment with your faith – whatever your faith or spiritual practice may be – versus when you are in alignment with your faith.
• If you bring an attitude of love to any situation, you will be more in the know.
• Leave the unreal and seek the real; the real thoughts we access through meditation.
• Know that there is a big difference between wishing and knowing.
• Start to have a clear vision of what it is you want to create. Hold it, see it clearly, and then let it go.
• Have the desire to have the intention to forgive.
• Train your mind to speak the truth in a committed language.

“The idea purpose of your life is that you are grateful: great and full. You are alive and you enjoy it.”

Image credited HERE

Getting Lectured: Ellen Marmur, Dermatologist to the Stars

Salon owner, Yves Durif, introducing Dr. Ellen Marmur

Last night, I had the pleasure to see Ellen Marmur speak at my monthly women’s group at The Carlyle Hotel. Ellen Marmur, trained at Mount Sinai and now with her own practice on 12 E. 87th St., Marmur gave ladies between the ages of 20 and 70 valuable advice for taking care of our skin. Here are some facts I found out about, that I didn’t know before:

• Anti-aging creams: they work! Yes, after conducting various tests on women between the ages of 50 and 65, Dr. Marmur found out that anti-aging creams do, in fact, work. However, be sure to dedicate yourself to one product (not “a million,” as Dr. Marmur puts it) because those creams do not go into full affect until 6 months after purchase.
• Discard your products after 12 months: Your products become useless after a finite amount of time, so make sure to clean out your medicine cabinet at least once a year!
• Beauty Basics: Dr. Marmur suggests that every girl have a moisturizer, a facewash and a cleansing cream. You do not need anything else.
• Pain: If a product stings your face, it is likely too strong for you and you should stop using it immediately.
• Body-check: Do a once a month body check to make sure you can detect any unusual spots or marks early on. The best medicine is to know your body!

For more information or tips, visit Dr. Marmur’s website at MarmurMedical.com.

Blue Jasmine: A Memoir

After seeing Blue Jasmine this past Saturday, I noticed a not-so uncommon thread between Jasmine and other New York women. Unfortunately, there are many ladies in Manhattan who do not work, lack education, but have hit – what some call – “pay dirt,” where they ride on their husband’s coattails, set for life (or so they think). However, if anything goes wrong – whether it be via divorce, fraudulent funds or any other white-collar crime – reality knocks on their door and they are forced to drastically change their lifestyle.

Although this may seem like a trivial problem for the rich and powerful, because they brought it on themselves, there is an endless debate that is always brought up when it comes to men and dirty money: did the wife know? Very often, women are blamed for their husband’s indiscretions. This is often unfair because if women like Jasmine are, as written above, uneducated, then how could they possibly know anything about their spouse’s financial stupor? I, myself, a young, educated woman living in New York City, know very little about economics. I’m sure if my significant other were conducting any illegal business, it would go completely unnoticed.

Unlike most of these women, however, Jasmine did know about her husband’s financial games and. Though, something else we must remember is that Jasmine is a very extreme case of this kind of New York woman. And, fortunately, it is very rare that this happens, even on a small scale. Nevertheless, we cannot fail to wonder why these modern-day Marie Antoinette’s take the blame for their husband’s errors.

Image credited to Cate-Blanchett.com

A Little Appreciation: Cat Bird NYC

There’s Net-a-Porter, Shopbop, and Polyvore, but now comes a site akin to the aforementioned dedicated solely to jewelry! Cat Bird NYC is a Brooklyn-based company and, as well as featuring their own brand name jewelry they also feature other brands, such as Grace Lee and Katrina Lapenne. Here are some things I love:

Digby + Iona Tree Stump Necklace
Catbird Tomboy First Knuckle RingLong White Swan Earrings

Check out more of these items and enjoy!

Images credited to Cat Bird NYC

Ear Candy: HAIM

Vivien Leigh: Aging Gracefully

Vivien Leigh is an actress I have admired since my first viewing of Gone With the Wind in 2012. Not only was I taken with her beauty, but I was also taken with her talent, her mathematical approach to acting, and her graceful aging process. Miss Leigh, although tortured by mental illness, managed to look as beautiful as she did in Gone With the Wind as she did in her last picture, Ship of Fools.

Vivien Leigh, 26 years old

Vivien Leigh, 35 years old

Vivien in her mid-40s

Vivien in her 50s

Images credited to Viv and Larry

Welcome to my world…