May 2010
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You Know You're In Maine When...
You can buy a shrink-wrapped lobster in a deli for six bucks.
Original Article
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CoverGirl Summer Makeup Launch
Head over to NadineJolie.com to read all about CoverGirl’s Summer Beauty Launch, including my reviews of the line’s two newest products: Simply Ageless Serum Primer and Liquiline Blast Eyeliner.
Original Article
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Meet My Favorite Restaurant...
…definitely in Maine, very possibly in the world.
I’ve been going to Barnacle Billy’s every summer since I was about five (my very first boyfriend, Paul, was a waiter here), and as far as restaurants go, it’s pretty much everything I’m looking for. Cozy and warm inside (there’s even a fireplace for cooler days) and a rustic outdoor deck with a spectacular...
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En Route to Ogunquit
For my birthday, Kendrick decided to surprise me with a weekend in Ogunquit - where I spent time every summer as a little girl, and where we got married (at Clay Hill Farm). It is actually my favorite place in the entire world: at present, I’m sipping coffee and looking out on the Marginal Way (a long path that winds down the seashore towards Perkins Cove) from the terrace of our...
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Bridal Shower Idea
From reader Martha:
Have each shower attendee bring an antique teacup and saucer of their choosing; when the party is over, the bride will be left with a beautiful, unique collection!
Original Article
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Reader Question: Lauren
Q. I just…read your post about disclosure, and I just wanted you to know how much I love the blog and that I think you’re doing a fabulous job! I think one of my favorite things about Ramshackle Glam is that you don’t try to be an expert. Lord knows that there are soo many blogs out there written by people claiming to be experts on this that and the other thing!
So it’s...
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Garnet Hill Bedding
When I lived in Los Angeles, my bedroom had bright blue walls that matched exactly none of the bedding that I owned. I decided to try out a country-livin’ vibe to mix it up a little (for the past few years, I had skewed towards DKNY Home’s modern romantic look), but when I went hunting around for a quilt, I discovered that most of them were (way, way) out of my price range. Finally I...
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My New Glasses!
My much-loved ’80s-style pair of ridiculousness has, as my mom would say, “had the biscuit,” so the other day I traipsed over to 86th Street in search of an optical shop. At Kalmus Optical (217 East 86th between 2nd and 3rd; 212-737-7874) Mr. Singer, the optometrist, gave me one of the most thorough eye exams I’ve ever had (none of that in-and-out, perfunctory LensCrafters...
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For Your Next Special Occasion...
…I highly suggest going to Nobu. There’s just nowhere else like it.
My recommended menu:
- Green tea with a side of Matsuhisa (sake/cucumber) martini
- Yellowtail jalepeno
- Rock shrimp tempura
- Squid “pasta”
- Kobe beef sliders
- Black cod miso (not pictured)
- Arctic char with crispy spinach (not pictured)
***
How to make a Matsuhisa martini:
1. Mix...
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Hot Dogs
Since it was about five zillion degrees yesterday, I decided to take a quick breather from the afternoon dog walk to plop down in Carl Schurz park and get some sun. Before heading into the park, though, I stopped at a deli to grab some water for Lucy and Virgil. In the summertime, it’s super-important to always have a water source handy when you take your dogs for a walk (these are great,...
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Matzo Brei
Former NYT food critic Ruth Reichl’s memoirs, including Garlic & Sapphires and Comfort Me with Apples, are some of my favorite reads ever. That said, I don’t often try out the recipes she includes in them - they’re really just not the kind of stuff I usually make (Dacquoise, Miang Kam, etc). When I read her recipe for what she calls her ultimate comfort food, Matzo Brei...
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Off to Bday Dinner!
I’m heading out now to my bday dinner at Nobu w/Kendrick and my parents. Have a great night…and thank you for making this birthday the best ever :)
Freshine dress, Nella Allen seahorse necklace, Rachel Roy earrings.
xoxo
Original Article
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Internet Week / Women in Tech-Media Panel
On June 7, I’ll be speaking at an Internet Week event on Women in Tech-Media (hopefully I’ll be a little less nervous than I was last time). If you’d like to attend - and please do; I’d love to get a chance to meet as many of you as possible! - click HERE to register (it’s only $5).
Original Article
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B5 Media Event
Last night started out at La Palapa, where Jenn and I discovered that during happy hour, this quite large and delicious thing costs only $4.
Incredible. The guacamole ($3.85) at La Palapa leaves much to be desired, but after two of these, trust me: you won’t care much.
After La Palapa, we headed over to Kingswood for the B5 Media party (above, I’m with TheGloss.com’s Lilit...
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27 Years Ago Today
This is my mom and me at my 2nd birthday party, at Manhattan Plaza Preschool.
I love this picture - I look extremely worried that someone is about to take away my ice cream.
I also totally love Mom’s glasses, as you can probably imagine.
Original Article
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Last night...
…I dreamed that I was hanging around outside a Fashion Week party with my parents. We sat on folding chairs pushed up against a wall, waiting our turn while everyone else paraded in, my father radiating general disappointment in me and my life choices (which had conspired to land all of us sitting in the cold outside a Versace party). I felt something uncomfortable in my mouth, and reached...
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3 Reasons You Still Need A Business Card
Via Composure Marketing, 3 Reasons You Still Need A Business Card.
“In light of this digital age, people are asking “Should I still have a business card?” The changes in new media have people using digital business cards and connecting through wireless phone applications, but there many reasons to still use business cards to exchange information…”
Read the rest HERE;...
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Happy Tuesday!
Original Article
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Most Adorable Wedding Invitation Ever
My friend Natasha’s cousin’s wedding invitation is one of the most original things I’ve ever seen. Drawn in the style of the “Little Miss/Mr.” books, each page contained a different piece of information, from how they met to where the reception would be held (at least, I think it did - je ne parle pas Francais).
For another head-spinningly original invitation,...
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Sick Day Soup
Kendrick spent the entirety of yesterday in bed with a fever (I think I gave him whatever I had last week), only emerging to sort of halfheartedly watch Arnold Schwarzenegger films (totally loving the new James Cameron category on Movies On Demand) and force down some of the super-simple soup that I make whenever anyone, anywhere is sick. If you are similarly afflicted, it will cure you. I...
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Flashback to 1997
I bought these overalls at a flea market on Columbus Avenue when I was in high school; loved them then, love them still. Just a wee bit embarrassed to wear them in public.
Sure, overalls are at-home wear (or at the most, weekend-morning-at-a-diner wear)…but that doesn’t mean you can’t make ‘em look cute. Definitely button both straps (let’s banish the...
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Speaking Of Vanities...
Mine has been looking a little run-down lately (that’s what happens when you mix white surfaces with cosmetics), so this weekend I applied a fresh coat of paint to the top, and voila! Like new. (I’m touching up the black paint later today.)
I think adding a fresh coat of paint is such a lovely, inexpensive way to brighten up your home for the spring. After my success with the...
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Almost 1-Year Apartment Anniversary
I wrote the below post last summer, a couple of months after Kendrick and I moved from Hell’s Kitchen to the UES, and got to thinking about it last night because a) it’s been almost a year, and I’m still completely in love with our place, and b) it’s one of my favorite pictures of Lucy ever.
I LOVE my new apartment. The first two years after I moved back to New York,...
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I Am A Green Fairy
OK, I’m a convert. Gabrielle and I spent Friday afternoon taste-testing a variety of absinthe preparations (all using her homemade recipe), and I was pleasantly surprised to discover how delicious absinthe is. Gabrielle’s blend is refreshing, deeply herbal…almost like a mild, licorice-infused tea when prepared as described below. There’s a video coming in which Gabrielle...
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A Petit Milestone
Recently passed 1,500 posts :)
A few of my favorite posts from my first few weeks bloggin’:
The Day I Quit
Hello, Lucy!
Rosemary-Sprig Steak
With Dad and Alicia
Barnsdall Wine Tasting
Moving Day
United States of Arugula
Breakfast Burritos
My Saturday Schedule (So Far)
MSNBC Appearance (and Night-Before Nerves)
Pineapple Vodka Infusion
Now…nap time!
Original Article
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Dr. Vranjes Home Fragrances
A few days ago, I attended a fancy event at Bergdorf Goodman’s Bar III (did you know Bergdorf’s has a bar?! I didn’t…which is a good thing, because two glasses of Shiraz in I’m prone to breaking out the Amex) for Dr. Vranjes. To appease my obsession with having a beautiful-smelling home I usually buy room sprays or candles, because I’ve found that, alas,...
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Hester Street Fair
I spent Saturday afternoon wandering around the Hester Street Fair (open Saturdays and Sundays from 10AM-6PM); highly recommended for great vintage buys (and lobster rolls!).
My favorite find was Corvus Noir, a company specializing in reworked vintage costume jewelry. I almost bought that piece in the middle, which they fashioned using segments from a whole bunch of different necklaces. Really...
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Essex Brunch
Saturday started with brunch a deux at one of my favorite spots, Essex (on the LES). It’s definitely a scene - and one of the louder places I’ve ever been in my life (very odd acoustics in that place) - but you can’t beat $18 for a fantastic meal plus three (!) Bloody Marys or mimosas. I ordered a juicy, drippy burger topped with cheddar and a fried egg (a strange little touch...
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Friday Afternoon Absinthe
On Friday afternoon, Gabrielle of TheSaintEve.com stopped by to teach me all about absinthe (she makes her own, and no, it’s not illegal…although it is disturbingly delicious). Video to come!
Original Article
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BetterTV / Hyperfactory Shoot
Just wrapped this afternoon’s BetterTV shoot over at 44 & X. The spot we were working on today was for a company called The Hyperfactory (a New Zealand-based mobile marketing firm), and focused on a fun new iPhone app that helps you find the perfect beer to pair with your dinner.
Above, two of the dishes that we taste-tested alongside the beers: 44’s spicy salmon tartar...
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Rioja Restaurant Week
“From May 13-27, explore the wines of Rioja at 25 restaurants across New York…” Click HERE to learn more!
Thanks to reader Rain for the heads-up.
Original Article
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Why You Should Volunteer If You Don't Have A Job...
By Martha Renken
At the ripe age of 23, with only one full-time professional job under my belt, I’m not exactly an expert on what employers are seeking. I don’t know the best resume template or what to say when an employer asks, “If you were a fruit, what kind would you be, and why?” But I do know this: if you’ve been out of a job for 6+ months due to the recession,...
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TJ Maxx Fall Fashion Event
This is me en route to a TJ Maxx/Marshalls event around 10AM. See how serious I look? That’s ‘cause it was a seriously rough day. (I kid. It was awesome.)
I started out at Aspen Social Club, where Carla and I hit up TJ Maxx’s Cozy Up For Fall event (yes, we’re looking at fall fashions already…sigh). Most amazing find of the day: a backpack that I want DESPERATELY...
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I Am So Totally A Cosmo Girl
Yeek!
I’m about to be see my name in not one, but two (!!) international editions of one of the formative magazines of my youth: Cosmopolitan. In case you can’t tell, I am excited.
To coincide with the release of Sex and the City 2, the Italian and Dutch editors of Cosmo asked a few locals for tips on what to do and where to go in NYC.
Here’s Italy:
And here’s...
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NARS Fall Preview
“…I can’t tell you about their fall line until it launches in mid-July (check back then!), but I can tell you that I had the opportunity to check out their new, limited-edition lip gloss collection…and it is perfection in a tube (well, five tubes). Each gloss is based on one of the line’s most popular blushes, and I just about levitated with joy when I saw that yes, my much-adored...
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Easiest-Ever Salmon Pasta
I arrived home from the Sophie Elgort event around 9:30, half-starving, only to find my husband in the same condition…and almost nothing in our refrigerator. We did, however, have the four ingredients I needed to make this ridiculously simple salmon pasta.
Just rub a large piece of salmon (1 piece is fine for two people) with a little good-quality olive oil (maybe adding a squeeze of...
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Sophie Elgort Studio Launch
Last night, Andrea joined me at the Sophie Elgort Studio launch at Alibi NYC Salon, sponsored by Sobieski Vodka and Hint Water. Re: the water, I have to say - not usually a big fruity beverage fan, but I loved it. Recommended!
Above, I’m with Justine McCarthy (fabulous publicist and founder of Simply Chic PR) and incredible makeup artist Bonnie Yoo, who (fingers crossed) you’ll...
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Australian Scent Giveaway!
Contest now closed. The winner: Ingrid!
Oh, I am all about the giveaways these days…but that’s because spring is here, and there’s nothing better than a few fun new products to help you feel gorgeous for the season. My friend Natasha works with a new company called Australian Scent (sold in Whole Foods and online), a family-run affair specializing in chemical-free,...
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En Route to Sophie Elgort Studio Event
Wearing my absolute favorite new lip gloss in the world (NARS’ limited-edition Angelika, discovered at today’s Fall Preview event, which I covered for NadineJolie.com; write-up to come) to tonight’s Sophie Elgort Studio Launch at Alibi Salon.
David Lerner tank, Calvin Klein vest, Victoria’s Secret PINK bra (hello!), Frankie B. jeans, Urban Outfitters belt.
Original...
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Apartment Gardening
Via Yay! DIY: Apartment Gardening
“My kitchen window receives at least two hours of sunlight every day – so I put a small planter there with two basil plants, an oregano plant and a Venus fly trap (for fun) to see if they could survive. I’m forever buying bushels of herbs at the grocery store, using them for one meal and then watching as they go bad in the fridge. I wanted to stop being...
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$50 Gift Certificate at Anzie.com
Very wonderful news: Anzie would like to offer Ramshackle Glam readers a $50 gift certificate towards purchases of $200 or more on their website, www.anzie.com. Just enter promo code “RAMSHACKLEGLAM” at checkout!
Original Article
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Anzie Jewelry Press Preview
Yesterday, I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the press preview of Anzie’s 2010 collection…and I could not possibly have loved it more. I’m super-picky about jewelry - I’ve even, unromantic as it sounds, told Kendrick that it’s best to clear styles with me before buying me anything, because I don’t want him to spend his money on something I...
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Tony's Di Napoli
Last night, Kendrick and I were slogging our way home through the rain when we suddenly decided that we couldn’t go one step further without some pasta…and stopped into a totally random spot that we pass every single day of our lives, but have never before thought to try out: Tony’s Di Napoli.
I have no idea who patronizes this oddly sprawling restaurant, but people certainly...
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Look At How Sad Rainy Days Make Me
I feel totally bedraggled. And damp. Not quite this bedraggled and damp, though:
On rainy days, I have to dump the babies in the bath after Every. Single. Walk. And when you’re housebreaking a puppy, that’s a hell of a lot of walks…and a hell of a lot of baths. At least the stuff we use - Earthbath Coat Brightening Pet Shampoo - smells like lavender, which, as we know, makes...
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Mom's Pineapple Chicken
When I was a little girl, both my parents worked full-time, and so the cooking was more often than not the work of whichever young Irish girl was presently watching over me (our favorite in this regard was Veronica, who later became a chef; our least favorite was Nora, who was - in my opinion - the best ever, but who nevertheless went down in my family’s lore for her inability to make...
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Kendrick Cooked!
A few weeks ago, I had the following conversation with Kendrick.
Me (holding out potato): “Babe? Could you peel this potato for me?”
Kendrick (looking at potato as if it is UFO): “…How?”
Me (incredulous stare): “How…do…what?”
Kendrick (as if this makes perfect sense): “How do I peel it?”
OK. So we’ve established that the...
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Aaand...Sunday
Sunday consisted mostly of sitting on the couch, giggling and watching these two creatures do their thing. (BTW, that’s Lucy’s favorite place to hang, and her favorite position. She’s an odd one.)
Kendrick played with his new 3-D Batman video game, and I read a Stephen King novel cover-to-cover (Gerald’s Game, about a middle-aged couple who go to their cabin in the...
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Saturday: Food Festival / Maritime
On Saturday morning, Kendrick and I hit the 9th Avenue Food Festival. On our way there, we realized that this exact festival - on this exact day, three years ago - was the site of one of our very first dates. Basically, how our relationship worked was this: went on 1st date in NYC during Fashion Week, went on 2nd “date” (he basically moved in for the weekend) when he came to Los...
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Friday: Rossano Ferretti Salon / 44.5
Friday afternoon, I had the very tough task of stopping into the Rossano Ferretti Hair Spa (595 Madison at 57th Street) to sample their services for a freelance piece I’m working on. Pictured above, the black velvet-curtained VIP room (yes, at a salon) and manicure station.
After Friday night’s piano lesson, Mom treated Kendrick and me to dinner at 44 1/2 to celebrate a...
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Felicity's Caprese Pasta
I’ve made this recipe half a dozen times since reader Felicity sent it my way. If you haven’t tried it yet, give it a shot this week: it’s just about the simplest thing ever, and is the perfect pasta for a hot summer evening.
Tip: Use the best-quality ingredients you can find; good mozzarella and olive oil really make a difference with this dish.
Original Article
