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There’s something appealing about heart-shaped glasses: they manage to be fun, sweet, dorky, and bold at the same time. They are equal parts “I am a child” and “I don’t give a damn” (because let’s be real, you can’t wear heart-shaped glasses if you take yourself too seriously.) Here are a few photos that make me want to wear my heart on my face:
KC&CO, Bessie
Happy Friday, my dears. Here’s the roundup of my favorite things from this past week:
1. Coconut and Lemon Cream Balls At first, I thought that these looked like grown-up Twinkies. A closer inspection, however, revealed that they are “moist coconut cookies scented with lemon and filled with a coconut and lemon buttercream.” (All photos are courtesy and copyright of Aran Goyoaga.)
In 1994, Todd Reed began making jewelry using raw diamonds. It takes an artist to make a diamond ring look edgy, and Reed definitely manages to pull it off. His pieces, which feature diamonds in an uncut, unpolished, naturally perfect state, are beautifully badass.
3. Kate Moss for Topshop (Autumn/Winter 2009/2010) The new Lookbook is out, and it doesn’t disappoint. I’m fascinated by the way that Kate Moss pulls together so many different dichotomies- allure and elegance, classic and contemporary, boldness and vulnerability.
4. Aurora String Glow Lights by bambeco These solar-powered lights gather energy during the day and turn on and off automatically (at dusk and dawn.) They come in a variety of colors and are made from hand-blown glass- how pretty!
Wanger specializes in wedding photography, and his photos are light, airy, evocative and, most importantly, never cheesy. All photos (including the one above) are copyrighted by Max Wanger Photography.
Have a happy weekend!
KC&CO, Bessie
Ohhh, my God, this little French girl is so cute, it makes me want to die. In the video above, she tells a fairy tale that she made up about Winnie the Pooh, a witch, and various forest creatures. Between her huge brown eyes, precious haircut, and the fact that she sounds like she’s spitting with every word that she says, she’s the most adorable thing I’ve seen in awhile.
A few things crossed my mind as I watched the video. This was basically my stream of consciousness:
I’d like to steal her. Wait, what? …I can’t believe she has a better grasp of French than I ever will, even after years of schooling. …Aw, was I that cute as a child? Oh wait, I had a mushroom cut for a few years and insisted on wearing a cowboy hat to school once in the first grade…it’s doubtful. …I miss the days when telling a story like this didn’t lead to weird looks and/or drug testing. Le sigh.
KC&CO, Bessie
The little black dress was pioneered in the 1920s by Coco Chanel, and its simple elegance has made it an essential part of every woman’s closet. Conservative or alluring, classic or contemporary, dressed up or dressed down- the possibilities are endless. My favorite LBDs of the moment demonstrate how versatile this piece is. Some of the dresses below are bold enough to stand on their own, while others provide the perfect backdrop for statement accessories. Which ones are your favorites?
top (left to right:) 1. Strapless Dress with Zip, Mason by Michelle Mason (Shopbop, $374) 2. Simplicity Dress, Catherine Malandrino (chickdowntown, $445 $237) 3. Nylon Tricot Scoop Back Tank Pencil Dress (American Apparel, $42) *Note: If you have the body and confidence to pull it off, this is possibly one of the sexiest dresses in existence. The simple front, come-hither back, and clingy fabric make for a seductive combination- not for the faint of heart.
bottom (left to right:) 1. Short Dress, Prada (YOOX, $662) *Click on the link and check out the adorable back on this otherwise minimalist dress. 2. Gisela Strapless Dress (Forever 21, $22.80) 3. Terasina Dress by Maeve (Anthropologie, $118) *Accessories could dress this adorable piece up (black tights, booties, and a colorful cocktail ring) or down (wide belt, flats, and a cardigan.)
KC&CO, Bessie
I have a habit of looking up menus online before I go out to eat, partly out of boredom but mostly because it makes me look forward to the meal. Over the weekend, I was browsing a menu when I saw “Urfa pepper flakes” listed as an ingredient. Out of curiosity, I Googled it and stumbled across a great new website. The Gourmet Project is a blog that follows one woman, Teena, as she cooks her way through every recipe in The Gourmet Cookbook- an anthology of more than 1,000 recipes from Gourmet Magazine. Teena began the blog in 2006 and has completed 1,013 recipes to date, with more than 250 to go. Readers can browse her creations by date, name, or Teena’s rating of the final product. Although the blog didn’t tell me what Urfa pepper flakes are (according to The Spice Specialist, they’re “small, dark flakes of Urfa chili pepper from Turkey with a fantastic sweet, slightly smoky flavor,”) it did lead me to a few recipes that I can’t wait to try when I get back home. Here are just a few, with Teena’s rating in parentheses (click photos for original source and copyright information.)
1. Challah French Toast (A-)
My favorite place to go for Sunday brunch has a Challah French Toast that I’ve always wanted to try.
2. Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad (A-)
This is a kind of odd combination of flavors but it sounds refreshing and delicious.
3. Baked Four-Cheese Farfalle (A-)
Okay, so this is actually a picture of baked macaroni (not farfalle) and cheese, but it’s essentially the same idea. Cheese? Good. Carbs? Good. Together, they’re glorious.
4. Crabmeat, Apple, and Mango Salad on Cumin Apple Chip (A-)
I recently had a sushi roll with lobster and mango that was absolutely amazing, and this salad reminded me of it.
5. Inside-Out German Chocolate Cake (B+)
Mmm…toasted coconut and pecans in a dulce de leche base, dark chocolate cake, and chocolate ganache. Teena didn’t list a recipe for this, but the Gourmet recipe can be found here.
KC&CO, Bessie
Hello, hello, hope everybody had a lovely weekend! Mine was filled with lots of highly anticipated reunions, moving, and rainstorms. The stifling heat and humidity here in North Carolina aren’t doing much for me, but here are a few adorable pieces that could chase away any rainy day blues:
top (left to right): Perch Crimson Umbrella by Tray 6 ($31) Quilted Swing Jacket by Burberry ($595 $239) Original Gloss Hunter Boots in Lava ($99)
bottom (left to right) Raindrops Keep Falling On My Tote by Kazulo Nomoto (Modcloth, $24.99) Dans Les Nuages Necklace by Oceanne (Etsy, $18) Blooming Cyrus Umbrella by Marc by Marc Jacobs (Saks Fifth Avenue, $58)
Thanks to Lydia for the photo at the start of this post. Click here to see the animated version (so cool) and be sure to check out her awesome music blog, sunset in the rear view, here.
KC&CO,
Bessie
Happy Friday, my dears! Here are a few things that have caught my eye this week:       1. Wolford back-seam stockings These appeared in the September 2009 issue of Vogue Deutch. Fashion is fun, again. 2. Zipper details that brighten up black pieces above: Double Back Zipper Leggings by David Lerner (Shopbop, $99)
Ponte Zipper Skirt by Silence and Noise (Urban Outfitters, $48 $29) Motorcycle Sweater by Juicy Couture (Zappos Couture, $298) Musical Debut Dress by LARok (Revolve, $278)
3. Making Friends With Black People by Nick Adams
L.A.-based stand-up comedian Nick Adams’ smart, humorous look at race relations in the United States. Adams’ attempt to bring all the colors of the Crayola box closer to racial harmony includes insider info such as this:
When you guys start using our words, that’s when we know it’s time for us to stop using them. Every time a white, middle-aged math teacher calls a student “dog,” black people all over the country are notified via e-mail.
4. The Fremont Dress (Modcloth, $49.99) This dress is adorable and available for an incredible price.
MTV’s newest gem follows Jazmin, a twenty-something aspiring fashion designer, as she creates the first collection for her line Li Cari. Behold, the trailer for the series:
Jazmin was recently interviewed by W Magazine:
“[The collection] is, like, really versatile. There are pieces that you could see on a 14-year-old girl or a 50-year-old woman…I think my biggest influence and inspiration would be Coco Chanel because just, like, the cuts and the fabrics and everything are so, like, my personal style. And so it’s so, like, exciting to see all of her work and how she started with hats, and when I was young I started designing, like, sketches of perfume bottles.”
Um…right.
6. You! Keep Calm & Carry On has had almost 200 visits since its start just over a month ago. I can’t thank you, my lovely readers, enough. If you like what you see, don’t forget to spread the word about the blog! Much love, and have a splendid weekend.
KC&CO, Bessie
I just got back from a trip to Washington DC, where I indulged in my favorite things- shopping (a sales associate congratulated me on buying “the smallest black dress in the store and, possibly, on the planet,”) food (highlights included lobster and asparagus risotto and blood orange sorbet) and art (I particularly enjoyed the Portraiture Now exhibit and the modern art colelction at the Smithsonian American Art Museum.) Here are a few photos from my relaxing afternoon at the Smithsonian:
Georgia O’Keefe, Manhattan, 1932 I liked the accompanying quote, “One can’t paint New York as it is, but rather as it is felt.”
Nam June Paik, Electronic Superhighway, 1995
A 49-channel closed-circuit video installation that featured flashing images on televisions outlined by florescent neon wires. It was meant to demonstrate the influence of television and film in our nation’s history.
A shout-out to my home state.
Harry Bertoia, Sculpture Group Symbolizing World’s Communication in the Atomic Age, 1959.
The huge metal puffballs in this sculpture slowly blinked on and off- it was hypnotizing.
Alec Soth, Florence, Paris, France, 2007 This portrait depicts Florence, a fashion model, naked and with a clean face in Paris during Fashion Week. Soth then shot Florence fully clothed, made up, and ready for the runway, but situated in the same rumpled bedding. Although I couldn’t find the second image (it wasn’t a part of the exhibit,) I thought it was a unique idea.
Martin Schoeller, Angelina Jolie, 2004
Angelina Jolie manages to look even more stunning at this incredibly close range. I have a total girl crush; I stared at this for a good minute before I realized that I was flanked on both sides by males. On my left were two ogling pre-pubescent boys and, on my right, a man in his late twenties who looked like he was fighting an urge to lick the portrait.
KC&CO, Bessie
I’ve done a fair amount of traveling this summer, and my time on the road/in airports has made me quite the energy bar connoisseur. Here are a few brief reviews of the brands that I buy frequently, with my favorite flavor in parentheses:
Larabar (Apple Pie) The self-proclaimed “original fruit and nut bar[s]” are “made from a magical harmony of fruits, nuts, and spices.” I thought that the “magical harmony” bit made it sound like Larabars are made by enchanted woodland creatures or something. Think the Keebler Elf meets Bambi. Anyways, I think “magical” is quite an over-exaggeration. Unfortunately, it was so tiny (four inches or so,) that it wasn’t a very substantial snack. My Apple Pie bars tasted like a blend between fruit leather and trail mix- decent, but not particularly delicious. This is possibly due to the fact that Larabars are raw, vegan, kosher, and free of gluten, dairy, soy free, and added sugar. My first reaction upon reading this was, “…what IS in it?” Well, the Apple Pie bar lists the following ingredients: dates, almonds, unsweetened apples, walnuts, raisins, cinnamon. Each Larabar counts as one serving of fruit according to USDA Food Guide Pyramid. I would rather have real fruit, but I suppose it might be a good idea to buy a couple of these to stick in your purse or car for a light snack.
Kashi Golean Crunch (Chocolate Caramel)
This bar has a lot of fiber but not much else. It has a strange aftertaste, kind of cardboard-like, but I liked the crunchy texture. The bar is less substantial than it looks because the popped kernels give it an inflated size.
Balance Bar (Cookie Dough) This bar is very dense, more filling than the previous two. It’s texture is soft and kind of grainy, reminiscent of real cookie dough. It has a slightly metallic aftertaste, which I’m assuming is due to the fact that it is packed with vitamins and minerals. It also has 15 grams of protein, which makes it a satisfying snack.
ThinkThin (Chunky Peanut Butter)
These are my favorite bars. They have the highest amount of protein (20 grams) for only 240 calories. Their vitamin and mineral content is also high, similar to that of the Balance bars. More importantly, they’re yummy and satiated my hunger for a few hours, which is more than I can say for the others. They have a slightly powdery texture, but it’s not particularly off-putting. Do avoid the ThinkGreen bars by the same company, though- they’re a scary green-brown color and their taste is similarly unappetizing.
CliffBar Mojo (Peanut Butter Pretzel)
The Mojo bars are very caramely, and tasted more like candy bars than the others. No aftertastes, fairly sizeable, but not as nutritionally rich as the other bars. They also have the most interesting selection of flavors.
Kashi Roll (Chocolate Peanut):
This bar consists of a chewy center covered in peanuts and crunchy pieces of cereal. Although the slightly tough texture of the center made it hard to chew, the overall taste of the bar was good. It’s nutritional content was similar to that of the Balance and ThinkThin bars. It was the most immediately filling, but the ThinkThin bar kept me full for longer.
What are your favorite on-the-go snacks?
KC&CO, Bessie
This isn’t particularly current but I still think that it’s interesting enough to post about. Last year, Colette (a boutique in Paris that’s not only a store, but an experience) featured a controversial exhibit in its first-floor gallery. The installation by Swiss artist Comenius Roethlisberger consisted of clear resin boxes which contained the suspended logos of luxury brands. The controversy stems from the fact that the logos were made of a mixture of powdered sugar and cocaine (hmm, cocaine and high fashion, something new and different.) The exhibit was entitled, Dearest Constellation, Sweetest Installation. Regardless of your opinions on the content, you can’t deny that that is an absolutely brilliant name. So, what are your thoughts- artistic genius or inappropriate?
KC&CO, Bessie  |
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