Kristin van Ogtrop's Blog, page 368
February 11, 2011
The Best Of NY Fashion Week Day 1: BCBG, Lyn Devon and Steven Alan
The first day of NY Fashion Week was exciting to say the least. The tents at Lincoln Center were filled with editors, bloggers, and fashion enthusiasts alike--eagerly awaiting the lights to dim and the objects of our Fall-wardrobe-desires to come strutting down the runway. And thankfully we weren't disappointed..
Max and Lubov Azria, the husband and wife team behind BCBGMAXAZRIA, have done it again...and again...and again. Their Fall 2011 collection did little to stray from their past collections. However, who says they should? Their talent and overwhelming success in creating a signature look for their BCBGMAXAZRIA girl is something they shouldn't be tampered with. Nevertheless the team has found ways to freshen up their designs to keep us coming back for more. This collection was defined by asymmetrical lines, drop waist maxi dresses, long hemlines, thin turtlenecks for layering and pops of vibrant color (mustard, poppy and cobalt blue).
I think I fell in love with the sophisticatedyet playful clothes by Lyn Devon in the spring of 2009 when we shot her and her mother for our "Style Influencers" feature in the July 2009 issue. Her pieces then and now speak to my preppy alter ego (aka Julia) that loves Smythson stationary, playing tennis, anything J.McLaughlin and Sperry Top-Siders. But the relaxed shilohettes, mix and match prints, and drawstring details let you know that this isn't the preppy girl you love to hate. She's cool...laid back...and down to earth. We love her and we most definitely love this collection.
Ralph Lauren may be the king of Americana fashion, but I think Steven Alan is rapidly making his mark as the prince (with a little more downtown street cred). Alan's Fall 2011 collection was a well curated lineup of ultra wearable designs that are classic yet edgy (hello leopard). Tailored suits, coats, shirts and trousers remain the foundation of the line, but statement pieces like a bold stripped skirt, long polka dot dress and brilliant red velvet skirt suit are what really get us going. Right?
Images from Style.com. View the complete collections HERE
What is your favorite look?
Go Back in Time with the Top 100s by Year App
Remember how much better the music was when you were growing up? Regardless of when you grew up, the music was just better then, wasn't it?
Well, you can easily take a trip back to your favorite year with the Top 100s by Year by Bing. Currently free (but even worth the $1.99 when they start charging), this app streams the top 100 songs from each year starting with 2010 and going all the way back to 1947.
Simply select your year, and the songs will shuffle through just like a radio station. There's an occasional "bing" in between songs, but you tune it out after awhile. You can also easily click through to purchase the song if you come across one you really love.
If you don't have an iPhone, don't worry, you can do the same thing on the site nuTsie Top 100s Radio. (They are the ones who developed the app for Bing.)
Have you tried this app or website? What year is your favorite to listen to?
3 Ways To Pamper Yourself This Valentine's Day
Whether you're going out or staying in, there is no reason not to treat yourself with love. Even if it's just for 5 minutes, I've picked out three little things you can do to indulge this Valentine's Day.
If you only have five minute to spare, lather yourself in SteamCream's lavender and almond oil infused cocoa butter. The calming scents and creamy texture will give you an immediate sensation of relaxation. They have designed this themed WrapAround design special for Valentine's Day.
To Buy: $18, Steamcream.com
If you have fifteen minutes to spare, shower yourself with roses by using Fresh's Face Mask. Made with real roses, this ultra-hydrating formula will leave your skin kiss-ably smooth.
To buy: $55, Fresh.com
If you have thirty minutes to spare, head to the nearest nail salon and get in the Valentine's Day spirit with Essie's Turning Head's polish. Even if it's the only touch of red you sport all-day, it's just enough to keep your beau on his toes!
To Buy: $8, Aveyou.com
What are your plans for this Valetine's Day?
Hope you all have a wonderful and relaxing weekend!
What's Most Important for Happiness on the Job?
What factors have the greatest impact on happiness on the job? According to a new study by the web site CareerBliss.com, money doesn't even rank in the top three.
CareerBliss evaluated more than 1.6 million data points from 200,000 independent employee reviews in multiple job categories to determine what keeps some people thoroughly engaged in their careers while others hate their jobs. The top three factors were present in a majority of reviews:
1) The actual work: The specific tasks one must do on a day-to-day basis.
2) The way one works: How much control one has over his or her daily tasks.
3) The people one works with: Their relationship with co-workers.
The study closely tracks a deep body of psychological research. First, the work of psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, director of the Quality of Life Research Center at Claremont Graduate University in California, has shown the most engaged people have found "flow" -- a state in which one is so engrossed in a task that time seems to disappear. Flow involves a great deal of focus, immediate feedback on one's performance, and a sort of ideal equilibrium between being frustrated by a challenge or too bored. Flow experiences are key to happiness.
Second, a number of studies suggests that autonomy is one of the essential components of life satisfaction. A sense that we are guiding our own activity, and in a larger sense, our own destiny, is crucial to psychological well-being.
Third, relationships are perhaps the most important factor in well-being. The University of Chicago's National Opinion Research Center found that people with five or more close friends (excluding family members) are 50 percent more likely to describe themselves as "very happy" than respondents with fewer friends. When you can find true collaborators at work, it lifts the experience to another level (while back-stabbing can bring it to a new low).
In comparison, salary did not rank on the same level of importance in the majority of the job type categories reviewed, nor was salary ranked as an important value when measuring overall job satisfaction levels.
"Salary is always an important component of every job, however, the CareerBliss research shows that money is not enough to keep good employees happy," stated Heidi Golledge, CEO and Co-founder of CareerBliss in a press release. "Before accepting a new job, it is imperative to know a company's culture and truly understand what the new job entails." It's also key to find a position that matches your personality.
Finally, CareerBliss found that certain professions yield happier employees. Average happiness scores were highest in these ten fields: biotech, customer service, education, administrative/clerical, purchasing, accounting, finance, nonprofit, healthcare, legal.
What I enjoy most about my own job is that it engages my best skills and I have a lot of autonomy, which helps with life balance (I have three kids). On the downside, I often work alone from a home office, hashing out story ideas with my dog Sammy (who is an excellent listener, but a little light on the feedback). What factors are key to your happiness on the job?
Weird Science: When Sharing the Childcare Load Backfires
Conventional wisdom: When it comes to taking care of small children, women want more help from their partners. They want the load shared as equally as possible, right? And the dad who does his part will have a happier, more satisfied wife...right?
The surprising news: Parents who share care-giving actually experience MORE conflict with their partner than when mom is stuck doing the lion's share, finds a report in the January issue of Developmental Psychology. What DID lead to a smoother road at home was when dad spent ample time playing with his child. But when fathers started doing more concrete care-giving tasks—meal prep, baths, etc.—the couples in the study actually became less supportive and more undermining of one another. (Stuff like more critical remarks or attempts to 'outdo' one another.)
What?? I, for one, straight-up love when my husband helps out in any way, as well as enjoy when he plays with our daughter. But study
Do you find that more conflicts arise when daddy's on duty? Do you ever see yourself slipping into that "gatekeeper" role?
We're Looking for Answers for Our June Issue
Hola, Bookies:
This month, our friends down the hall on the print side would like us to ask you this: What is your favorite book series?
Tell us below in a sentence or two, and you may see your answer printed in the June issue. Thanks, as always, and have a great weekend, everyone!
Are you reading this via an e-mail or RSS feed? If you wish to comment, please click here.
Stephanie Ryan Art + Design
I heard from a former Blogging Your Way student of mine, Stephanie Ryan, today and her news blew me away! She is an artist from Pennsylvania who has a charmingetsy shop where she sells many of her sweet nature-inspired paintings and prints but, get this, Lenox picked up her designs and now she has an entire range of dinnerware available at Macy's! Here are a few photos from her new collection at Macy's to whet your appetite.
If you like what you see above, you can view more of her collection over on her blog HERE or visit the Macy's website and explore her line.
Here are some images of the prints and original watercolors that she sells in her etsy store. They are lovely, aren't they?
Stephanie touches the world with heart warming prints and patterns that bring nature in and are perfect for brightening the home with a very personal touch. I love her watercolors as prints and find them so soothing to look at, and I love her more motivational pieces that have inspiring messages on them. The more positivity around me the better, in fact art that lifts me up is a big theme in my own home -- I always buy artwork that makes me feel joyous and that is somewhat whimsical.
These patterns definitely put me in the mood for spring! March come quick!
(images: stephanie ryan)
February 10, 2011
Who Does the Cooking on Valentine's Day—the Guy or the Girl?
I hate going out to dinner on Valentine's Day. Restaurants create these "romantic" prix-fixe menus and charge outrageous amounts for them, you have to call weeks in advance to make a reservation, and really, with all the pressure around having amazing food and fantastic wine and impeccable service and the most romantic night of your life, I'd rather just stay in and have a nice, quiet meal at home.
Here's the question, though—who takes charge of the cooking on Valentine's Day? Is it the man's job to woo his lady with a home-cooked meal, or is the woman—most often the more experienced cook in the family—supposed to put together something special? From my experience, my significant others are usually the ones who cook me a nice meal. I've never expected it nor requested it, but since I do most of the cooking in relationships, it's a refreshing change to sit back and relax for one night.
What about you—does your guy cook for you on Valentine's Day, or vice versa? Or do you just take the night off, brave the mass of swooning starry-eyed couples and go out to dinner?
If one if you *is* cooking this year, here are some easy recipes to try:
Fondue
Frisée, Bacon, and Goat-Cheese Salad
Mini Pork Rack With Roasted Potatoes and Green Beans
Pan-Seared Steak au Poivre
Steak and Potatoes With Spinach Salad
Honey-Soy Glazed Salmon With Spinach and Peppers
And let's not forget about dessert:
Romantic Brownie Sundaes
Chocolate Espresso Mousse
Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses
Orange Soufflé
Chocolate Soufflé
(image: Beth Galton)
Weekend Brunch Idea Flower Pancakes via Not Martha
One of our all-time favorite new uses for old things here at Real Simple is using a cleaned out ketchup bottle to dispense your pancake batter.
Well, the lovely Megan from Not Martha has taken this idea one step further. Check out the amazing flower pancakes she made using a squeeze bottle to dispense the batter.
Click here to see the step-by-step instructions for these pancakes. Once you've tried the flowers, the other shapes you could make are endless. Maybe some hearts with arrows through them for a Valentine's Day brunch this weekend?
Thinking about trying this over the weekend? Let us know what shapes you're planning to try!
Related:
Shortcuts to a Romantic Valentine's Day
Cooking New Uses for Old Things
Temporarily Sidelined and Trying to Cope
Let me start by saying this: I am not a weekend warrior. I am not a marathon runner. I am fit, but I have never used the word "athletic" to describe myself even in my most active of years. A few months ago I started training for my first 5K. I was running in the snow at least three times a week and skiing with my husband and two boys every weekend. I was pushing beyond my comfort zone and challenging myself physically. At 41 it felt really good.
Until the accident.
I blogged here about my ski accident the week after it happened. At the time, I had no real understanding of the extent of my injuries and I was optimistic this would be a minor and temporary setback. What I have since learned is that my left knee is a mess: Torn ACL, torn meniuscus cartilage, sprained MCL and fractures in the tibia and fibula. I have only just begun the recovery process which will include surgery and several months of rehabilitation. I've been on crutches for almost four weeks already and logging a lot of time on the couch "resting" both knees. Even the so-called "good one" is feeling the stress from overcompensation.
And yet work and life must go on. It's hard to stay positive when you are stuck in the house 24/7. When I do go out, I worry about falling on ice and snow. I have a whole new appreciation for the physically disabled and find most public spaces are stretching the definition of "handicap accessible." Because I am self-employed I don't get the benefit of any paid sick leave or short term disability. I do, fortunately, get to work and write from my couch.
Being sidelined like this has taught me a few things:
--I spent a lot of time running unnecessary errands and shopping for fun. It's amazing the money I have saved by just staying home.
--Our family ate out more than we needed to. I never considered us a family that ate out a lot, but I see now that we did grab food on the fly more than I realized. The trips for burgers and fries or ice cream with the boys have pretty much halted. My waistline is grateful for that! The boys, not so happy.
--You can reclaim some precious time by ordering everyday items on the internet. Drugstore.com has become my new favorite online destination. If you've ever had to ask your husband to pick up pantiliners for you, you will understand where I am coming from on this.
--Grocery delivery simply should be available in every city. In the Boston suburbs I relied on my grocery delivery at least one week per month. I also had my hormone-free milk delivered from a local dairy. As far as I can tell there is no local grocery delivery service in Rochester, NY. I've been hesitant to try sites like NetGrocer.com but after my husband's three-hour trip to our local Wegmans the other night, I am reconsidering.
--An iPad is a bed-ridden gal's best friend. Prior to my accident, I used my iPad on trips. Now I snuggle up with her on the couch and in my bed. The battery life is amazing and she doesn't burn up like a laptop. I predict she and I will be spending a lot of quality time together after surgery watching movies together and reading e-books.
--Finally, don't be afraid to seek the company of friends. This week I got out for drinks and conversation with two of my new friends and it did so much for my soul. I also called some friends and family in Boston and asked if they'd like to come visit after my surgery. I knew they'd be happy to come but they would never have invited themselves. Now I'm eagerly anticipating their arrivals.
Have you ever been sidelined by an injury or illness? What are your secrets for surviving cabin fever?
