I have nothing to wear

We’ve all been there, it’s between 7am and 9am and we’re trying to get ready for work. We stare at our closet, hoping that something pops out at us. For some, it’s nice and neatly organized, for others it is a moment of sadness as you realize that no matter how hard you try, your closet will always look slightly disheveled.   Sometimes my closet feels like the scary monster I don’t want to open the doors to, since I know that what will face me is the ghosts of clothes past, the final sale items I never wore, the past season pieces that seem out of date or the newest shiny items that I’m trying to get use out of.  A women’s closet is really quite the reflection of who she is, her style, her color choices and the daily chance to put yourself together gives many of us creative expression we seek and don’t get from work.   I’m not sure who creates the pressure itself, as it’s really quite silly. Who REALLY cares what you’re wearing, who is really judging your outfit. But for those of us who dress for ourselves, it’s the feeling of when you get it just right, that you crave and when something is a little off, that it bugs you all day long.

I look at outfits as a mathemetic color equation. There must be some coordinating colors, not too matchy matchy, it must mix uptown with downtown, it must look polished but cool.  If there is a color in a top, I love to pick up that color elsewhere.  Or just fuck it and wear all black, a tried and tested fave.

I sometimes dream of being one of those people with a perfect closet, filled with 5 perfectly fitting white tops, 5 black tops, tons of great jeans and some soft cashmere sweaters.  But then if you’ve ever met me, you’d find me wearing some sort of crazy flower print dress or some colorful Hermes scarf, and then magenta leather shoes. I adore color, I adore prints. Yes they are harder to match, and more trendy, but when you make it work, it’s not boring.

One of my goals is to completely re-org and start fresh. Just get rid of everything one day, donate it to charity, and get a whole new wardrobe.  How fun would that be?!

That brings me to my quest — what do I wear this weekend? I’m kind of feeling peplum, a lot. It’s so flattering. It just really really is, and feminine.

Here are a few of the finds:

 

Top shop top and skirt

Peplum Frill CorsetHigh Waisted Denim Look Skater

Or a white lace peplum dress $40 at Dorothy Perkins 

Cream lace panel dress

Strapless Rose Print dress $19

Embroidered high low peplum top (Love this)

I love this pretty aqua $17.80

Polka dot peplum 

Let me know if you end up buying these so we don’t show up to the same party wearing the same outfit, k?!

 

Kat ya later 🙂

NYC Restaurant Of The Week: Comodo

On Saturday, I braved the rain and went to have brunch with a small tidy group of 10 in the West Village. 8 adults, and 2 kids.  The food was superb, to say the least.  I was so happy that we didn’t get into our first choice (Buvet) for brunch, and aside from me falling with Liliana in hand from a high chair stool), and Liliana get tomatillo sauce all over my white pants, and her cute outfit, and sitting on a backless stool holding a 28 pound bebe, it was all overshadowed by the food.  I caught her and we’re fine, except for the embarrassment and small pool of tears from both of us so, I’m going to post the menu below so you can see how yummy it is!

Look at this bloody Mary with BACON on it. Hanging there and making me question why every bloody Mary doesn’t have a bloody bacon strip on it.

bloodymary

58 MacDougal St
New York, NY 10012
Neighborhood: South Village

(646) 370-4477

PAO DE QUEIJO BASKET WITH TOMATILLO JAM   9

RAJAS MEXICANAS Y QUESO FUNDIDO  10

TACOS BMT
Bacon, smoked mozzarella and green tomatillo sauce 9

FOUR C CHICHARRON
Chipotle, chorizo, chuleta on toasted chihuahua cheese 12

‘QUINOA’ MEAL
Classic oatmeal using quinoa instead of oats 12

SWORDFISH CEVICHE
With lime, ginger, celery juice, sweet corn and corn nuts 15

BRAISED COCHINITA & BACON TORTA
With avocado, mozzarella and onions 11

DUCK CONFIT CHILAQUILES
Tortilla chips topped with duck confit, cotija cheese, fried egg 16 11

PORK BELLY HASH CILANTRO PASTA TOPPED WITH POACHED EGGS   15

MOLLETES
Toasted cinnamon raisin bread, refried heirloom beans, avocado, Oaxaca cheese, fried egg, serrano ham 17

STEAK AND EGGS WITH BACON FAT HOME FRIES   25

COMODO BENEDICT
With avocado and chipotle cream sauce 14 (add chorizo for $2)

‘CALENTADO’ DUCK FAT FRIED RICE
Mixed with duck breast topped with a fried egg 14

CHURROS & CHOCOLATE  9

Tooth Fairy Confessionals

Those who know me, know I am a cab taker. I really take way too many cabs, and my bank account punishes me for that constantly. Public transport is fantastic, aside from all the reasons its gross and weird and smelly, but then again so is a cab driver at times. You really can’t win, so I choose the path where I can look outside and see the wonder of the city.  One of the major benefits of taking cabs, is the cab TV!! Yes it’s annoying at times, but sometimes, I get nuggets of comedic brilliance from Jimmy Fallon and Steve Harvey. Two of my faves!!
Here’s one bit that Steve did today on tooth fairies, and how our beloved children write to them. See notes below.  My favorite is the third.  I can only picture this cute little boy or girl taking an eyelash as barter for a tooth. How logical!  This is the type of kid I would hire one day at an interview.  Missing something in your report?  Offer up something else, improvise!  It’s clear that all the kids want the bills, and I sure did when I was a kid, but I think us parents can use this as an opportunity to get our kids to write down what they want, and articulate!  Love these notes.  How much money would you give your kid for their tooth?

toothfairy1 toothfairy2 toothfairy3

How do you introduce your kids to God?

This may seem like an odd question but lately I’ve been giving it a lot of thought.  Liliana is almost two, and I’ve scarcely used the G word since she was born.  I personally believe in G*d as the day is long, I know he/she is there, and gee golly goulash I am grateful!!! I tend to connect more when I am happy than when I am sad, strangely I find more to pray about when I just can’t believe my luck, rather than when I’m down in the dumps. Although… I’ve been there too. That awful papercut and you scream out, why me?! Tanya Harting style…

So back to Lily.. I went to Barnes & Noble yesterday and found two books to get myself started.  I’m completely obsessed with the first one. It has cute little sayings to bless your morning, your lunch, your sleep time, your growth, your house, your family. All things that kids SHOULD be grateful for but may take for granted.  I personally did not have a lot of religion in my life growing up, but I always had faith. Not faith in a specific set of rules, but faith that there was something greater than I.  What I’d like to give to Liliana is an even more special gift, which is some guidance to show her the right way and make her appreciate how lucky she is.  How do you introduce faith to your children?  It’s personal for each family, and there is no right and wrong. But I’m fascinated… and will continue to post as I find new ideas of how to do this in a interfaith family where no one is really “super religious” or in other words, doing much of anything.
Here are the books:

Baby’s First Book Of Prayers   and Noah’s Ark

babysbook       and  noahsark

Put a shelf on it

A good strategically placed shelf, makes the difference between sterile cold home and cute, homey, detail focused interior.  Something about shelves makes them the perfect display for something special to you, or a practical use of space.  I’m on the lookout for shelving for books, frames, keys and other chatchkis.

Here are some options I’ve pulled together:

1.  Ideal for kitchen, hallway or your kids room is a reclaimed wood chalkboard from Urban Outfitter

  • chalkboard

 

 

3.  Like some mystery? Put a hidden book shelf in your living room or bedroom for bedside organization:

 

invisible

 

4. For the country cottage look, try this piece $49 

rustic

 

5. Teak Spine Wall Shelf $189 

teakspinewallshelf

 

6.  West Elm L-Beam Wall Shelf $249

LBeamWallShelf

 

7.  If you have room for a whole wall of shelving $189 on Etsy

shabbychic

 

I hope these work for your home!  The only thing more fun than buying shelves, is buying all the beautiful things to put on them.

 

 

Victory Dance

I’m combing through this months Self magazine while watching Fashion Police (yes you are officially jelly of my Friday) and I found this inspiring bit and it made me smile big. Next time my friends do something awesome I’m going to give them a huge smack on the ass (yes that’s the kind of great friend I am).

“Do A victory dance or give a high five or a champs toast if that’s more your style. Celebrating your wins (a run in softball, a new account at work) may make your team more successful. The Centre for Human Movement Sciences in the Netherlands found that when soccer players threw up their arms after seeing a goal, their teammates were more likely to make another one.”

People perform better after they feel celebrated. Lets give our family and friends the atta’ boy they crave.

Sleep well lovies!!

Taste of TribeCa Tomorrow

I love nabe events. They make me remember why I pay through the nose to live in TriBeCa. Wait, why do I do that?

Here’s a fun one I will be going to tomorrow called the Taste of TribeCa. A mixture of my favorite things, community, food, kids and more!  It’s a culinary festival to benefit to neighborhood schools, P.S. 234 and P.S. 150. You can buy tickets here: http://www.eventbrite.com/event/5609466064?ref=elink

tasteoftribeca

taste2

Controversial Allure Cover, Zoe Saldana is 115 pounds

Zoe Saldana, Allure Magazine

A lady never shares her weight, unless she does and OK’s it being published on the cover of a magazine. Allure is getting some push back over publishing her weight. How is the reader supposed to feel?  Is 115 pounds supposed to be really thin, so one should think Zoe is stronger because of her frame? Personally I’m a little bit confused. If she was 130 pounds or 180 pounds, does that make her accomplishments and less special?  Small people are people, as are thin and heavier set folk.  Or are they just trying to get readers attention?  I think this does nothing positive for the many women who are much more than 115 pounds, and at first glance would see this and say, wow, I’ve got to head to the gym.

They’re defending their cover wording here

“I think it would have been wrong if they were lying about my weight. This is how much I weigh, it’s something I can’t control, it’s who I am. I’ve always been a very thin frame, I was a ballet dancer,” she explained to Savannah Guthrie during an interview on Today. “I don’t think it was to make an issue of my weight. I think it was to say for a lightweight person, I seem to be really strong-minded.”

Meh. I’m not convinced. What do you think?

What To Buy Your Toddler Now

Sometimes I go to Vogue for inspiration on what to wear, other times I turn to my 23 month old.  This is full toddler fierce.  Clearly my modeling coaching is working! Kidding. No coaching. Kids are just naturally stunning with no prepping. Isn’t that amazing?!  This picture made me smile!  I hope you like it. 

fashionkid1                          

Want Liliana’s look? 

Image 1 of trousers with plaiting at the hem from Zara Image 1 of polka dot print dress from Zara         Image 2 of Sandal with double strap from Zara                              

Image 1 of COMBINATION ETHNIC AND STRIPED PRINTED SCARF from Zara