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Field Notes || Brimfield Antique Show

May 13th, 2012 § 1 Comment

Had a lovely time visiting the Brimfield Antique Show on Friday with Lani! Luckily, we had lovely weather to match. Unluckily, the week’s rain had kept away a lot of the other antique hunters for the better part of the week, resulting in a very crowded and lengthy drive in, but we didn’t let that get us down!

As to be expected of the Northeast’s (and perhaps the country’s?) largest antique show, Brimfield doesn’t really offer many deals. The Brimfield dealer is savvy, picky even. They know that somewhere, someone is wandering around in the fields that would be willing to pay their inflated prices, either because they don’t know any better or because they just don’t care about the cost. And for good reason, as the creative services and design teams of some of the biggest mainstream Americana brands (Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Fitch) regularly sweep through Brimfield looking for inspiration (and pay top dollar for it).

That said, going to Brimfield is still a lot of fun — there’s great food and even better people watching. There’s also some truly weird stuff out there. It’s definitely my favorite Brimfield pastime to play “Didn’t you tell me you needed _______?” In which the blank is filled in with the weirdest thing within sight, e.g, a Liberace pillow, a 5 foot-tall tea kettle, and the like.

Canadian yacht club plaques from the 1930s.

My Brimfield kit included:
wellies, a waxed cotton parka, and a Boat and Tote bag

The fonts! So good!

Butter dishes and Somersize. Best product placement ever.

Lani is excited for…

…some amazing lobster rolls.

Love my new leopard and zebra!
They join a thrifted elephant in my burgeoning apartment menagerie.

Behind the Scenes || QC Styles the Wolverine 1000 Mile Collection by Samantha Pleet Lookbook

May 4th, 2012 § 2 Comments

Big news!

A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of styling the Wolverine 1000 Mile Collection by Samantha Pleet Fall/Winter 2012 lookbook, and I am very excited to let you know that it will be released this upcoming Monday! I’m especially proud of everyone’s work on the finished product and can’t wait to share it with you next week!

In the meantime, your exclusive look behind the scenes:

Casting in Samantha’s atelier.

Getting ready for our first shot of the day with model Anna: (from left) Christina Vernon from Wolverine, photographer Mikael Kennedy, designer Samantha Pleet and Marshall Davis from Wolverine

Anna’s gorgeous vintage jacket is courtesy of Brooklyn Dry Goods.

Photo courtesy of BPMW

Me putting the finishing touches on model Victoria,
with gorgeous accessories supplied by The Shiny Squirrel.

Shoe-palooza! The entire collection is so gorgeous, isn’t it?
You can imagine my dismay at not being the sample size.

Hair by Kristin Sky Olsen.

Our amazingly talented photographer Mikael Kennedy, was a joy to work with!

Also of note, Mikael just returned from an epic trip across the country with fellow photographer Sean Sullivan, founder of the blog The Impossible Cool. Called Ramblers Bone, they documented their journey in breathtaking, wanderlust-inducing photographic detail that you must check out immediately.

Accessories by Ax + Apple, Elizabeth Knight Jewelry,
Species by the Thousands and Cursive Design; courtesy of The Shiny Squirrel

Binder clips are a stylist’s best friend.

Photo courtesy of BPMW

Me and Anna. Sidenote: Did you notice my straight hair?!

Marshall’s expert shoe-tying technique.

Shoot at the BPMW showroom.

Don’t forget to check back in with me on Monday for the lookbook reveal!
So excited!

For more information on the Wolverine 1000 Mile Collection
by Samantha Pleet, head here.

**UPDATE 5/7/2012**
See my post on the lookbook here.

Field Notes || Herb Ritts: L.A. Style at the Getty Center

April 30th, 2012 § 1 Comment

New York is a vertical city, and its skyscrapers are climbing ever higher (case in point, just today my next-door neighbor One World Trade claimed the title of tallest building in New York). All that height, especially in the canyons of the Financial District or parts of Midtown, can feel a bit oppressive at times to someone like me, who grew up in one of the most horizontal cities in the world. For comparison’s sake I could give you some facts and figures about square mileage and population — essentially: LA is larger, while NYC is more populous — but nowhere is this “horizontal-ness” illustrated better than from the observation pavilions of the Getty Center.

Known for its impressive views from the Pacific to Downtown, the Getty Center is one of the best places to take in the urban sprawl that is Los Angeles (if it happens to be a clear day). Designed by Richard Meier, the Center also houses a large portion of the Getty art collection and has been the setting for a marriage proposal or two…thousand.

Familiar vistas aside, I also made the trip to the Center to catch the Herb Ritts retrospective, L.A. Style. Best known for his black and white portraits of celebrities and fashion editorials, equally impressive are Ritts’ nudes and his exploration of the concept of gender. A compact exhibition, complete with large-scale prints, vintage magazines and a screening of his music videos (e.g., Janet Jackson’s Love Will Never Do (Without You), Chris Isaak’s Wicked Game), L.A. Style is an excellent collection of some Ritts’ most iconic images, taken in the 1980s and 90s.

Herb Ritts: L.A. Style at the Getty Center
April 3 – August 26, 2012

The Getty Center
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, CA 90049
Open Tuesday – Sunday

The Grand Tour || The House Where Satchmo Played

April 29th, 2012 § 3 Comments

Most homes of a certain age in Los Angeles usually come with old Hollywood stories of former residents. This Spanish beauty in Westwood, owned by good friends of mine, is no different. Home to Spencer Tracy and his wife for a time, and host to an intimate concert by Louis Armstrong, this estate has a charmingly eccentric layout, complete with original tile work, exposed beams, hardwood floors, interesting built-ins and one of the only SoCal basements I am personally aware of.

A relatively recent purchase, the owners are still hard at work with renovations but I twisted some arms and was allowed to take a few photos of their progress thus far. I can’t wait to see the finished product.

Bird’s Eye

April 18th, 2012 § 2 Comments

Even though I did manage to snap these pictures on a business trip this week,
I have been chasing my tail a bit, so I hope you’ll excuse my recent silence…

A few tidbits I’ve enjoyed in the meantime:

Video treats: a very whimsical Hermès “Petit H”
and a snippet from A.Y. NOT DEAD F/W 2012 featuring Dree! Hemingway!;

Opinion: What Mad Men Shows About American Pop Culture
“The 40-Year Itch” by Adam Gopnik {via The New Yorker}

Endorsed: the ladylike naughtiness of the Mimi Holliday by Damaris
Sea Breeze lace thong {via Net-a-Porter};

Men’s style file: Dean at his best {via A Headlong Dive}
and Jackie Robinson off the field {via To Take the Train};

Aesthetics: a rumination on stripes {via Little Augury};

Travel: a Tuscan farmhouse I must. visit. immediately. {via Designtripper}; and

Just finished: Bright Lights, Big City — so NYC in the 80s, so excellent.

Back in two shakes of a lamb’s tail, promise.
xoxo. M.

Eastergram

April 9th, 2012 § Leave a Comment

Welcome spring!

A few photos from a lovely long weekend in New York.

Pattern mixing with abandon.

Bit of retro pin-up glam for Easter Sunday with two of my most favorite, exceptionally long-wearing beauty products: Oriana Fallaci eyes via Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-On eye pencil in Perversion (matte blackest black); a pencil with the precision of a liquid liner, and is black as night. It doesn’t budge throughout the day (or even through the night if you are a lazybones jones like I am – sometimes — and tend to fall asleep in your makeup) and is relatively easy to remove (with a bit of sudsing, you won’t need eye makeup remover). Red Lip via NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Dragon Girl (bright red); a truly vintage matte that will stick with you all day, with minimal maintenance.

Brunch at Bubby’s.

Sailboats in Central Park.

If you are just as addicted to Instagram as I am,
you can find/follow me at @quitecontinental

Field Notes || Argentine Polo Open

March 27th, 2012 § 3 Comments

Taken at the 2011 Argentine Open Polo Tournament on my trip to Buenos Aires. The fifth-oldest polo competition in the world, the tournament was first played in 1893. For more information, visit Asociación Argentina de Polo.

Tea with The Cambridge Satchel Company

February 15th, 2012 § 7 Comments

In the midst of the hustle and bustle that is New York Fashion Week, I was fortunate to spend a few hours over tea and scones at Alice’s Tea Cup on the Upper East Side with the lovely folks behind the ubiquitous Cambridge Satchel to learn a little more about the story behind the brand and their plans for the coming season.

Founder Julie Deane.

Probably like you, I initially noticed the Cambridge Satchel as it started appearing on the arms of celebrities and making the rounds on style blogs. As a girl who has a thing for businesslike bags, I was immediately intrigued, but when I realized the amazing range of colors that were available, I fell in love. When I had the chance to chat with Julie Deane, co-founder of the company, that love was sealed.

With just £600 of Deane’s money, and headquartered in the kitchen of the Deane family home, the Cambridge Satchel Company was founded so that the family could have supplemental income to send the children, Emily and Max, to a pricey private school because Emily was being bullied at school and was unhappy. With no background in how to run a leather goods company, what started out as 3 bags a week in 2008 has since grown to an outfit of almost 50 people in 2012, but has managed to retain the feeling of family at the foundation. Case in point: at tea I was very pleased to meet the entire family!

Mr. and Mrs. Deane, Emily and Max.

Domestic production is also very important to Deane. She initially started with a local British manufacturer, but after production difficulties surfaced, Deane decided that she could do it better. So she opened up her own factory. Done! Similarly, when her embosser got backed up with embossing orders for last Christmas, she found an identical antique machine and pitched in herself.

I’m reasonably convinced that there isn’t anything Deane can’t do. She is simply a wonderful lady: ambitious, gracious, optimistic and charming. As we spoke, the word “unsinkable” kept leaping to mind, as she talked about obstacles she had encountered and how she had worked hard to overcome them. She is truly an inspiration for entrepreneurs and businesswomen everywhere.

It was especially lovely to meet Max, Deane’s son, who sported his own personalized satchel, which carried his mother’s business cards and some sort of portable video game system…which he used to show pictures of all of the different bags. He even had his grandmother’s favorite satchel memorized. It was like the second coming of Alex P. Keaton, but way better.

Max’s bag. Which I need desperately (with my own initials, natch).

But aside from the color discussions and cups of tea, the best part of the evening was simply spending a few hours with a completely lovely bunch of people who were excited to share their story and be in New York for Fashion Week. It almost felt like we had all been magically transported back to Deane’s own kitchen.

Be sure to visit the Cambridge Satchel Company.

I’ve got my eye on the music bags to use as a briefcase.
What color should I get?

Desired Destination: Siena

January 24th, 2012 § 3 Comments

Church of San Domenico, Siena.

With all the dispatches a few weeks back from Florence for Pitti Immagine Uomo, my thoughts couldn’t help but turn to the time I spent studying abroad in the same city. I loved living in Firenze, just off of Piazza Savonarola, in a tiny and charming apartment that originally served as servant’s quarters for a massive home owned by an old and aristocratic family. As I looked at the countless photographs of the peacocking at the trade shows, I couldn’t help but look past the — well-dressed, of course — men, to the city that was peeking around the edges, and remember what living in Tuscany felt like.

My latest Desired Destination is one of my favorite places in Tuscany: the tiny, medieval town of Siena. Approximately one hour south of Florence by car, Siena is noted for its sport, its fierce neighborhood loyalties, and its ancient history. The town is divided into seventeen contrade, or wards, each with distinct boundaries and identifiable symbols and animal mascots. While originally instated to provide military support and initially organized by trade, the contrade have evolved into extremely patriotic neighborhood associations: a resident of Siena will be baptized, married and eulogized, all within his or her contrade, and as you walk through the town, you’ll find the symbols prominently featured everywhere — as almost all contrade have declared rivals and allies, boundaries are very important. These rivalries reach a fever pitch during the Palio, a biannual horse race that has been run in Siena since the 14th century.

The symbol of Siena: Romulus and Remus with the she-wolf
Actually, this is Senius and Aschius, sons of Remus. (Thanks to Simon for the correction!)

“Legend has it that the city was founded by Remus’ sons Senius and Aschius who stole the statue of the she-wolf from Apollo’s temple. Senius rode a black horse, Aschius a white steed. Those colours form the city’s heraldic colour scheme black and white while the city emblem is the same as Rome – the she-wolf and breast-feeding twins.” Via.

Palazzo Salimbeni, piazza Salimbeni.
Headquarters of the oldest bank in the world, Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena,
which has been in operation since 1472.

Piazza del Campo.

The Palio is run in Siena’s historic center, the Piazza del Campo. Spectators fill the Piazza to the brim, with wealthier spectators enjoying the view from balconies above. With layers of dirt packed over the stone, the horses and riders must complete three loops around the Piazza as fast as possible. Complicating matters are the Piazza’s sharp turns and the fact that the jockeys must ride bareback – injuries are frequent and it is not uncommon for horses to compete and win the race after discarding their graceless riders. At each race, ten contrade are represented, alliances are tested and rampant bribery is rumored, in this ultimate competition for bragging rights and glory that is much unchanged since it was first run in the 14th century.

Spectators in the Piazza del Campo, 1947. Photos by Walter Sanders for LIFE.

Each contrade brings their horse into their church for a pre-race blessing.

Horse racing not your thing? Fear not. Siena’s designation as a UNESCO World Heritage Site assures that there is something for almost everyone, especially if you like art and churches. There are the beautiful secular frescoes in the Palazzo Pubblico and the amazingly elaborate Duomo di Siena to see. However, if you prefer to simply wander about the old winding streets, I wouldn’t argue. And definitely bring home some of the beautiful and brightly painted ceramics Siena is known for – contrade specific, of course.

For accommodations, turn to Hotel Certosa di Maggiano. Originally a Carthusian monastery built in 1394, the property changed hands and fell into disrepair until it was purchased in 1969 and eventually converted by Anna Grossi Recordati into the luxury hotel it is today. Surrounded by six acres of countryside and boasting one of the best restaurants in the world, chef Paolo Lopriore’s Il Canto, the Hotel Certosa di Maggiano is a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of Siena, conveniently located only one kilometer from the town.