We could write sonnets about our favorite season Autumn. What's on the docket for a quick Fall getaway is taking the car up to the Hamptons to revel in the ghost-like ambience that takes to the streets come October, long after the maddening crowd of Summer has shut its doors to return to the City. We love meandering around the quaint villages, checking out the pottery and sales racks at Steven Alan, resting on Rugby's bamboo furniture next to the acoustic guitars, gawking at the wild turkeys along the backroads, and then staying indoors at night to listen to the rain as we prepare dinner. Homemade bruschetta, cauliflower soup drizzled with truffle oil and (dare we flatter) some of the best lobster rolls we've ever eaten.
We recommend stopping in for drinks and a quick bite at The Living Room inside the Maidstone Inn on the East End, where the bar serves up a tasty, little house concoction called a pumpkin martini made from organic vodka then dusted with nutmeg and cinnamon. The iconic Inn was redone by Swedish hotelier Jenny Ljungberg. But her style of Scandinavian design has nothing to do with minimalism. Instead you'll walk into a rich, gem-toned painted room cozily furnished with an eclectic, colorful mix of vintage-inspired upholstered loveseats and chaises. Look underneath the window bench and you'll find vintage boardgames too. Perfect for wiling away the hours when it starts to get stormy.
Outdoor shower at the Surf Lodge, Montauk Private cottage and surfboards, Montauk Rugby store, Easthampton Wild turkeys,Southampton Dinner, Southampton Warming up, Southampton
After hunting high and low for the perfect bowtie we ended our search at last. Stumbling upon David Hart and his irreverent sense of humor (smiling frogs, bullet bras, sci-fi robots, sock monkeys, et al.), as salient as his style, we think we've found a kindred spirit. In other words, Mr. Hart has a place in his heart for all things hand tailored, made in New York, and for materials imported from all over the world. He also knows that we were not born with bowtie-ing skills (hence video below). He reveres the old guard- Adrian, Poiret, Chanel- and he has a blog that boasts a digital collection of all things vintage.
Each of his ties are hand tailored in New York City and offered exclusively at Bergdorf Goodman. Here are some pieces we couldn't resist, followed by a peek at his Spring 2010 collection.
We've watched JACK SPADE for quite some time now. They have a passion for developing bags and accessories that are functional and that improve with age while maintaining their sense of style. It's comforting to browse their little shop on Green Street. We could sit in that ripped leather couch all day, just to escape into an oversized closet of beautiful men's sweaters, flannel workshirts and mackintoshes, all housed within the walls of a paraphernalia-filled den seemingly decorated by an imaginative, adolescent boy circa 1950's. They've recently taken their service to function and their love of literature to the next level- digitally. Headed by JACK SPADE'S vice-president Cuan Hanley (former protege of Paul Smith), they've designed cases for Barnes & Noble's newly-launched nook e-reader, utilizing those same materials- waxwear, dipped canvas- that make their brand so recognizable and beloved.
‘…My mind misgives, Some consequence yet hanging in the stars.’
For ten episodes now we’ve been dragged inch by agonizing inch to the top of the rollercoaster and last night’s episode has us teetering on the precipice, white knuckles gripping our seats, just waiting for that stomach-shattering plunge into oblivion. Tragedy, revenge, the disintegration of the family – if I keep returning to Shakespeare in my head when I write about this show, it’s no coincidence.
The Color blue? The color is black – deep deep black, make no mistake.
An award to honor Don’s humanity? Tish tish boom! Mr. Weiner. The oxymoron is so blatant it hurts a little. It’s actually difficult to watch him with Miss F, so eager as he is to project some kind of innocent nymph-like fantasy upon her persona, quite literally turning her into the prancing May fairy she first appeared to him as – hippie star on her cheek and all. Blurgh.
His discomfort with her coming out of the shadows and into reality – the arrival of her epileptic brother and her subsequent stalkerish move on the train – displayed the extent to which Don wishes to preserve the theatrical fantasy. The brother got it right, ‘he’s arrogant, his plans were interrupted,’ and woe betide anyone who deems to interrupt Don’s plans. Something tells me things aren’t going to end so well with Don and little Miss, and for once, it might actually be her that gains the upper hand.
Listening to Don wax lyrical about the emotional power of the telegram in his trademark honey tones was equally hard to swallow. ‘You can’t frame a phonecall,’ he proclaimed, which is quite handy for you Don, quite handy indeed. Paul and Peggy’s subplot this week was fine, but reinforces the issue I’ve had with her this entire season, where the business at the office has become a prop for the greater domestic drama that’s unfolding. Also, anyone notice how every meeting at Sterling Cooper lasts approximately 3 minutes? I wish I had had creative reviews like that.
Betty’s patience was rewarded - in a fashion - this week, as that locked drawer finally yielded its secrets, and wouldn’t you know it was the housewife’s friend, the washing machine, that handed her the key to the forbidden fruit. Personally I want to see Betty rain down the fires of hell upon Don’s head.
The final scene at The Waldorf was majestic, with Roger spewing niceties about a man he’s come to despise, praising Don’s ‘loyalty.’ Thanking Betty for ‘sharing him,’ oh god the irony, even Don looked like he had a hard time swallowing it as he stood up. Brace yourselves, it’s going to get bumpy. Quote of the week: Miss F to Don: “Do you feel bad about what you do?” Next week: Apocalypse.
Diligently construed by E. Nolan Photo by Carin Baer
The weather outside is telling us to stay in and take shelter with something old and familiar. We think we've finally got an excuse to do a board game marathon, and revert back to those early not to mention culturally crucial years. Hey, blame it on the rain.
This premature winter inspires take-out from Num Pang, the amazing Cambodian sandwich counter off Union Sq with the unique daily specials (if it involves duck and rhubarb, it must be et) and one of the best meatball sandwiches in Manhattan. Num Pang means "sandwich" or "bread" in Cambodian, and frankly these made-to-order sandwiches, served on a freshly toasted baguette with their signature chili mayo and house-made pickles, rival the similarly prepared Vietnamese samich. Thanks to those meatballs. And that duck confit. Ok, fine, the pork belly too. Afterwards we'll crawl under the blankets and watch Cinema Paradiso for the 67th time, hoping it rains all the way to Monday so we don't have to guilt ourselves into changing out of our pajamas to say hello to the outside world.
Who else could possibly deny the incontrovertible chemistry of those few years between 1994-1998 as shared between Johnny Depp and Kate Moss, following their fateful meeting at Cafe Tabac in NYC. As Kate described, "I knew from the moment we talked that we were going to be together. I've never had that before." That was the year one of our favorites, Ed Wood, was released, along with Don Juan DeMarco (a film we watched with our mothers). Kate was a year away from her 21st birthday and Johnny was (gulp) 30. These photographs bring us back to what was so cool about these iconic lovers. We were seduced by their dual-charisma as we gawked at their style of bringing together leather with plaid flannels, mod sunglasses, knit caps, forgetting to wash your hair (forgetting to cut your hair). These pictures remind us of young love in all its innocence and then everything that goes wrong because of it. As he stated years afterwards, "we did what was right, we walked away from each other. She went on to bigger and better things, and I went on and fell in love and had kiddies."
We have a "two fer" here: Just the other day we overheard the unforgiving statement (amid the squealing guitar of Danger Zone) that "the only thing the 80's got right was the music." We beg to disagree. The 80's also had British sitcom The Young Ones, which debuted in the U.S. on MTV (although TLF was forced to make this discovery the hard way on VHS). The show also featured musical guest stars Madness and rock gods Motorhead, the latter shown here performing "Ace of Spades." Revel in this time capsule and the perfection of Lemmy's gravelly vocal.
