Tasting Wine

16 Wednesday Jan 2013

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NY VintersNY Vinters

I love wine. Period. Maybe a little too much.

I have known for a while that I like Malbecs, Sancerres and Syrahs, but I didn’t know why I liked those particular wines. I tried reading a book about the sweet nectar of the gods to get a better sense of what wine is all about and to figure out what drew me to certain varietals and not others. Kevin Zraly’s Complete Wine Course is great, but you really need to experience wine firsthand to discover what you enjoy. You need to look at it, smell it, taste it, and taste it again (not necessarily in that order). I found a great Living Social deal for New York Vinters - a TriBeCa wine shop that specializes in wine education, tastings, and events – aka mecca.

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I took a class called “Cellar Seminar: USA vs. France.” It was a ton of fun guessing which Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Syrah were made in America and which were made in France (I guessed them all wrong). The pours were generous, the shop served complementary sparkling wine and delicious snacks, and the wines were fantastic. I also learned about body, tannin and finishes in the wine world, among other things. Well I at least learned enough buzz words to sound knowledgeable at dinner parties.

View from the Tuscan Winery

The experience sent me back to 2009, when I took a bike tour and wine tasting with my father in Italy. It was my first tasting and I couldn’t have asked for a better place to do it.

Very, very old wine barrels.

This past fall, I visited a friend in San Francisco. We spent a lovely afternoon at the Robert Mondavi winery in the Napa Valley. Full disclosure, I wasn’t crazy about the wine they served, but the vineyards were absolutely stunning, and the tour was comprehensive.

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Grapes at the Robert Mondavi Winery

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Barrel cellar at the Robert Mondavi winery.

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Sommelier at Robert Mondavi

I cannot wait for my next wine tasting – I learn something new every time!

Upholstered Dream Spaces

10 Thursday Jan 2013

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I am not usually a fan of red as a focal point in my apartment, but this particular headboard is spot on.

As I feel a cold slowly sneaking up on me, I can’t help but fantasize about being in my bed. I spend more time there than most people. I sleep, watch “my stories” on my iPad, work, write, even eat in there (sue me), so it is essential that it is a sanctuary.

My double-size Tempur-Pedic bed is one of the nicest things I own. And even though I’d like  to upgrade to a queen, I’m not quite ready to invest in a new bed. But when I do, I intend to go all out. Ideally I’d also like to get Frette sheets, or some other fancy brand that I don’t even know about yet, but with my boundless bed usage, these less expensive sheets from Bed Bath and Beyond are my go to. They are incredibly soft and luxurious for the price!

One thing I’ve always wanted is an upholstered headboard. Here are some looks that inspire me, along with some ideas on how to care for your sanctuary, courtesy of One Kings Lane.

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Not a fan of the bedding, but love the dramatic black headboard against the white wall.

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I am a true fan of dark gray walls. I love the juxtaposition of the orange headboard against the dark wall as the focal point of the room. I also adore the vintage dresser.

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Part of the reason I love Mad Men so much is because of the 1960s fashion and decor. The show has inspired me to search for vintage mod pieces for the home.

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I am not sure if I could ever commit to having this much magenta in my room. However, with the white and black contrast, this room works. Especially love the large, simple mirror.

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Urban Outfitters has an affordable option, that just happens to be in my favorite color!

Dark Wood Floors

27 Tuesday Nov 2012

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I was recently posed with the question: if you had an unlimited budget, how would you decorate your home? It’s funny because, while I love decor and scour magazines, blogs, etc all the time, I live in a New York City shoebox and definitely have a limited budget, so I’ve never allowed myself to dream big. I was at a loss for words. All I could come up with was that I love the look of black-washed floors against white walls or equally dark walls. It’s something that has always stood out in my mind as a luxurious and bold touch. I also now realize that I need to dream big when it comes to my decor ideas – more posts to come! :)

Courtesy of Belle Maison

I love how this room contrasts the bubble gum pink with the dark floors and grey couch. Would I recommend this look in a couple’s bedroom? Probably not, but it’s a gorgeous look for a woman’s study or bedroom. The lamp really brings it all together.

Courtesy of Houzz

This room depicts the quintessential modern architecture and decor that I have an affinity for. But if I were to make it my own, I would probably try to incorporate elements from other periods and schools of thought. There’s nothing like a good Eames lounge chair though.

Courtesy of Houzz

I love everything about this kitchen (except for the tableware, too bland). The refurbished reclaimed wood, the chrome finishes, the black floors, the cowhide chairs…swoon.

Courtesy of Houzz

I want to live here. Enough said.

Above The Knuckle Ring

30 Monday Jul 2012

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I was recently having brunch with a friend of mine who was wearing a simple ring above her knuckle. I’d seen it before, but for some reason this time I couldn’t get it out of my head. Fast forward one week – I was window shopping in my favorite section of the east village for vintage and unique pieces (7th and 9th Streets between 1st and 2nd Avenues) when I noticed a new(ish) jewelry store called Verameat. I popped in and discovered this little ditty that was (very) reasonably priced at $20. It’s gold-plated brass so I’m not sure how long it will hold up, but so far so good!

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The Bar Cart

25 Wednesday Jul 2012

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I’ve already decided that I will have a bar cart in my next apartment. It seems like a classy way to display booze – along with old fashioned champagne glasses and a mint julep cup full of flowers.

Here is a taste of the different looks I’ll be considering.

I will most likely be doing some sort of DIY version or flea market/antique look in gold, bronze, silver or chrome.

If I were to buy it new, it would probably be similar to one of the two below. The cart directly below looks a lot like the Restoration Hardware “Hanover Bar Cart” that is no longer available (unfortch!).

Common bar cart accessories (besides alcohol, natch) are trays, candles, decanters, ice buckets, glasses and mixers.

Silk Scarves

08 Friday Jun 2012

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Jackie

Every woman has at least one or two items in their closet that they are convinced will, SOMEDAY, get worn. For me, it’s multiple, multiple silk scarves. Instead of tossing them like every organizing guru tells me to do, my goal is to actually wear them. The plan is to channel the effortlessness of Jackie O while I pretend to be fancy in the Hamptons this summer.

What I love about what I like to call “the future” (the internet, smartphones, ipads, etc) is that I not only found amazing inspiration on how to wear these neglected accessories, but also guidance on how to actually tie them so I look like I know what I’m doing. There’s even an entire blog dedicated to tying silk scarves.

Courtesy of Glamour

And then there’s THIS…which really blows everything else out of the water.

Audrey Revamped

07 Thursday Jun 2012

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Courtesy of Ikea

Courtesy of Houzz

I feel like every 20-something woman (who lives near an Ikea at least) has seen and/or owned this print of Audrey Hepburn. I bought my own copy 5 years ago when I first moved to NYC and haven’t been able to part with it. I was thisclose to throwing it away about a year ago, but instead decided to see if there was anyway I could jazz it up and make it feel more original. I bought a tube of rose colored paint at Michael’s and went to town. This is what happened…It turned out much redder than I anticipated and the brush strokes are definitely visible, but I kind of love it.

Pestemal

06 Wednesday Jun 2012

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My winnings!

I recently coordinated an auction for a charity I’m involved with. One of the items was a pestemal robe along with two pestemal towels and a collection of soaps from Turkey. I had never heard of the fabric before but for some reason the items called to me. I just picked up the pieces last night and am already envisioning how I’m going to rock the towels as a cover up by the pool this summer!

Available at Marlowe + Wren

Looks like I’m not the only one obsessed.

Mint Julep Cups

04 Monday Jun 2012

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Courtesy of Onewed.com

Courtesy of CupcakesandCashmere.com

I love the idea of having fresh cut flowers around the house – no special occasion needed. But without any flower arrangement training, I find that my displays tend to look sparse. It would seem that I’d have to either pump them up with filler flowers or spend a bundle to achieve a fuller-looking bouquet – neither of which I want to do for a causal display. I recently saw a photograph of flowers in a mint julep cup and fell in love. A very handy solution to get a bigger impact out of a small amount of flowers. I bought an antique mint julep cup on etsy immediately, and until I receive it I’m surfing the web for inspiration!

Courtesy of thelittlehouseinthecityblog.com

I had to include this last one – I’m going to need more cups.

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