Pinkberry is Here!

Sometimes here in the DC we are a little late to the party in some trends.  While we have several local frozen yogurt chains like Fro-Zen-Yo and Yogiberry, and even have gotten the New York mainstay, Red Mango, we have never been treated to the likes of the frozen yogurt mecca known as Pinkberry.  Well that wait is over!  Pinkberry opened this week at Fairfax Corner!!!

The location is the first in the DC Region.  There is also talk that the chain has signed a lease for space at a downtown location! 

The Fairfax shop will serve six flavors: original, pomegranate, coconut, chocolate, mango and a rotating seasonal flavor.  I cannot wait to make a trip out to Fairfax!!

A Little More Lilly

Even in this age of email, Facebook and Twitter, there is still something special about a handwritten note.  So, I always keep a stash of personalized notecards for thank you notes and times when I want to send an old-fashioned letter.  I found these Lilly Pulitzer notecards on the site, The Paper Cottage, and I could not resist adding them to my collection. 

Between the Lines

Juice Bar

Bees Knees

I cannot wait to use my new notecards!

Sweet Dreams

Along with my devotion to shoes and handbags, I am a bit obsessed with sheets.  While my tastes tend to run in the realm of Ralph Lauren, I always have my eyes peeled for a new and exciting duvet ensemble to brighten up my bedroom especially on these dark and dreary days.  In my internet travels, I spotted a Lilly Pulitzer bedding set that is made exclusively for Garnet Hill called Spotted In Bloom. 

This set consists of floral flat and fitted sheets, pillowcases printed with dots and a reversible comforter that goes from floral to dots.  There are also added touches of pink (my favorite) throughout and Garnet Hill will even provide free monogramming! 

A perfect ensemble for a day bed!

Or a guest room!

Or the Master Suite! 

The District

With all the hustle and bustle of our daily lives here in DC, sometimes we take the city's beauty for granted.  My friend, MJH took these wonderful pictures of the monuments this weekend and was kind enough to let me share them!

The Lincoln Memorial was built to honor the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln.

The building contains a large seated sculpture of Abraham Lincoln and inscriptions of two well-known speeches by Lincoln, The Gettysburg Address and his Second Inaugural Address.

The Epitaph above Abraham Lincoln.

The view across the Reflecting Pool.

On the shore of the Tidal Basin is the Jefferson Memorial in honor of the Founding Father and 3rd President of the United States, Thomas Jefferson. 

On the panel of the southwest interior wall are excerpts from the Declaration of Independence. 

The view from across the Potomac.

Sleeping In

Someone doesn't like Mondays:

My New Favorite Iphone App

I have to admit that purchasing iphone apps does tend to get addicting.  Last night I was looking for a new app to add to my collection and I stumbled upon an amazing one.  It is called 3initials and it allows you to embellish your iphone with a monogram!  It is very user friendly and you can easily personalize your wallpaper with your initials and monogram.  You can change the font style and color with just a few taps depending on your mood!

Since my phone cover is pink, I opted for a white background with dark pink and green lettering for my monogram.

I love that my phone has that personalized added touch!

Rainy Days

Today is unfortunately the start of a stretch of chilly and rainy days here in the DC area.  Since it was not raining that hard, I pulled out my new Sperry Cormorant Rubber Slip Ons that I picked up this weekend at the Boat Show.  These rain shoes are perfect for those days when the rain is light and you encounter the occasional puddle.  They are super comfortable and have great traction for navigating those wet Metro esclators. 

On Gossip Girl last year, Blair Waldorf wore these fashionable Sperry Pelican rain boots while feeding the ducks in Central Park with Dorota:

And look at these adorable (and pink) snowboots:

These would look great with a Burberry trench:

These don't even look like rainboots:

It looks like Sperry might be giving Hunter a little friendly competition!  Maybe this rainy weather is not so bad afterall. . .

 

I'm a Gleek

After much pressure from my friends, I gave in and started watching "Glee" faithfully each week.  Now, I can proudly declare, I am a Gleek.  Last night's duet episode was one of my favorites and I was especially blown away by the last number. 

I knew I had seen it before being a closet Barbara Streisand fan.  The original version aired on October 4, 1963 on Judy Garland's weekly variety show on CBS.  It featured Barbara singing, "Happy Days are Here Again," while Judy sang, "Get Happy."  The performance went down in musicial history and earned the then 21 year-old Barbara Streisand an Emmy nomination.  The Rachel and Kurt version was spot on right down to Rachel's sailor top and Kurts silver suit. 

I can't wait until the next episode featuring songs from the "Rocky Horror Picture Show"! 

I Love This Bag

This is the new Coach Kristin Leather Hobo:

While I was at Nordstrom the other day, this bag caught my eye.  It is the perfect size to tote around everything I need and even has a front snap pocket to hold my Metro card.  The leather is buttery and smooth and the straps give you two options of wearing it as a shoulder bag or longer as a messenger bag. 

When I first saw it, I had mistaken it for a Tory Burch handbag.  However, at a price much lower than the bags in Tory's collection, you have some spare change to put into a new Tory wallet! 

Lilly, I Cannot Resist

I made a special visit to The Pink Palm in Bethesda this weekend to pick up my new Tess turtleneck and could not resist a trip over to the sale racks.  What started as a quick look turned into two new purchases.  

I totally fell in love with this dress and had to have it.  It would be great for brunch, drinks by the pool or paired with a light sweater for a casual dinner.  The cotton is so soft and the ruffles add a special touch. 

I also picked up this adorable Blossom dress.  What I really love about this dress is its shape.  It is fitted up top and "blossoms" out into inverted pleats that add fullness to the skirt.  It also has slanted slash pockets at the front hips which are useful for storing a lip gloss and even a pocket mirror for quick touch ups! 

I am sure these two dresses will be the first things in my suitcase for my Christmas holiday trip down to Palm Beach!

Gone Sailing

Off to the United States Sailboat Show in Annapolis, Maryland.....

Fringe Benefits

I used to have a pair of white Minnetonka moccasins when I was in junior high and I loved them so much, I practically wore the soles out.  Well, when I found out that one of my favorite stores, J.Crew, teamed up with Minnetonka to create an exclusive moccasin just for their shoppers, I could hardly contain my excitement. 

I immediately rushed into J.Crew and snagged a pair in black.  J.Crew describes them as, "an ultrasoft fringed moccasin with matching suede laces, an unlined suede upper and a lightweight, pliable rubber sole."  They come in black and light brown. 

I wore them yesterday and they are one of the most comfortable shoes I own.  I am sure they may end up like my white Minnetonkas from junior high!

The Fall Classic

It's October, so that means that the major league baseball playoffs are in full swing.  However, this is a sad time for me because I am a New York Mets fan. 

It's been a few years since the Mets have played in the postseason because as I like to point out, lately they have found new and exciting ways to lose games and sabotage their chances of making the playoffs.  It is hard being a Mets fan.  It is even harder when you are married to and live with a Philadelphia Phillies fan.

It's no secret that the rivalry between the Mets and Phillies is said to be one of the strongest in the National League. 

The Phillies Phanatic made his debut on April 25, 1978.  He has violent tendencies and is described by the Phillies marketing department as an overweight, bird-like creature with clumsy feet, an extra long beak, a curled up tongue and a "slight" case of body odor. 

The Phillies Phanatic has also had some brushes with the law.  In 1994, he caused back injuries to a man when he hugged him too vigorously.  They ultimately settled for $2.5 million dollars.  In 1988, he famously provoked a fist fight with former Los Angeles Dodgers manager, Tommy Lasorda during a game after attacking an effigy of Mr. Lasorda on the field.  

So, despite my husband's best efforts to convert me to Philllies fandom, I remain true to my Mets and hope for a better season next year. 

Well, at least New York has the Yankees......

These Boots are Really Made for Walking

Simply Soles is an adorable shoe store with locations at the Shops at Georgetown Park and The National Harbor.  The business is owned by Kassie Rempel, an entrepreneur and former CPA who founded the company at her dining room table.  Simply Soles carries a wide range of designers from Tory Burch to Kate Spade to Bruno Magli to Lilly Pulitzer.  They also sell some fabulous accessories at prices within everyone's budget.  I especially love the store's website and make it point to be a regular internet visitor when I can't make it to the store.  Today I came upon an amazing pair of boots that I decided I must have.

These boots are by the lillybee line, which is designed by Kassie herself and adorably named after her daughter, Lily and her son who loves bees.  Kassie named these "Faith" boots after the singer, Faith Hill based on their (and her) range.  The really nifty thing about these boots is that you get two boots in one: you can wear them as a traditional riding boot with the shaft snapped in place or you can remove the shaft and wear them as a bootie.  They come in black and a beautiful cognac brown.  I think I may be in love!

Love to Thee Our Fair Cornell

Typically around this time of year, I start to feel nostalgic about my alma mater, Cornell University.  The fall is the most splendid time of year in Ithaca and I truly miss seeing the leaves change color in the rolling hills and breathing in the cool, crisp autumn air of upstate New York. 

Cornell has quite an impressive history.  It is the only Ivy League University whose official motto is in English: "I would found an institution where any person can find instruction in any study." -Ezra Cornell.  This motto was quite groundbreaking back in 1865 when Cornell was founded as it was one of the only universities that admitted qualified students regardless of nationality, race, social circumstance, gender or religion. 

Cornell is the home to the nation's first colleges devoted to hotel administration, industrial and labor relations and veterinary medicine and is the most educationally diverse member of the Ivy League.  Famous alumni include Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsberg, former U.S. Attorney General, Janet Reno, Bill Maher, Jimmy Smits, Christoper Reeve, Keith Olbermann and the fictional character, Andy Bernard from The Office. 

Cornell sits on top of Ithaca's East Hill and overlooks the town of Ithaca and Cayuga Lake.  There is definitely a reason the t-shirts say, "Ithaca is Gorges."

Cornell's lacrosse and hockey teams have always been very strong but this past year, the men's basketball team was the big newsmaker.  Last season, the team won its third straight Ivy League championship, set a record for the most wins in a season by an Ivy League team, recorded not only the program's first NCAA win but made it to the Sweet 16 and finished an impressive No. 17 in the national rankings.

I can almost hear hear the chimes:

Far above Cayuga's waters with its waves of blue,

Stands our noble Alma Mater, glorious to view.

Lift the chorus, speed it onward, loud her praises tell;

Hail to thee our Alma Mater! Hail, all hail, Cornell!

Ooh La Lilly

It's been one of those Wednesdays.  We all the know the kind.  The sky is still gray outside, it is freezing in my office and the day has just been slogging along.  Then I got the call: the new Lilly Pulitzer turtleneck that I ordered is in!

This instantly put a spring in my sluggish step.  Ever since I saw this top at The Pink Palm on Saturday, I could not wait to add it to my wardrobe.  It is perfect for these "not so warm anymore" Fall days and has just the right amount of oomph to brighten up a workday outfit or pair with jeans for a polished weekend look.  I especially like it because it has some stretch to keep its shape, is a bit more substantial than the tissue turtlenecks from J.Crew and has really cute ruching at the cuffs.  I just may not be able to hold out until the weekend to go and pick it up! 

A True Survivor

Since it is Wednesday, I decided that I would post about the tv show, Survivor.  Now, I am the first to admit that I haven't tuned into Survivor since Ethan Zohn was eating bugs in the jungle.  However, it quickly became part of my Wednesday night DVR lineup when I found out that I know one of the contestants. 

Kelly Bruno is the daughter of a neighbor of my parents.  My father and Kelly's father, Dr. Rich Bruno were great friends and spent a lot of time together.  However, Dr. Bruno was killed in the earthquake in Haiti this past January while he was chaperoning a group of Lynn University students to that country for an outreach mission to feed the poor.  In an interview with the Sun Sentinel, Kelly told the reporter that her father is her inspiration and "because of what happened to him, I appreciate every day."  

Kelly is an inspiration to all having overcome the obstacles put in her path.  She is not only an accomplished athlete, having become the second and fastest female amputee to finish the Ironman World Championships in 2007, but is a true survivor.  Go Kelly!

Porties, Again

After reading an article on Yahoo today titled, "POTUS Needs to Train Bo," I could not resist another posting about PWDs.  Apparently, Cesar Milan, a/k/a the "Dog Whisperer" disapproves of President Obama's dog walking skills and says that his habit of walking behind Bo is a big no-no in the doggie world. 

According to Milan, "If your dog doesn't learn how to follow, you'll never have a disciplined pet."

  
However, it doesn't look like President Obama's predecessor fared any better!