'Tis the Season

The Holiday season has officially begun.  All Christmas merchandise is out in stores and shoppers are checking off items on their lists. People are gathering for festivities, and so what can you wear that will keep you comfy and warm?

A knitted Winter sweater over a plaid shirt. Top it off with a velvet jacket and patchwork pants.  This outfit is a must-have for any party this season.

Complete outfit can be purchased at my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/rginart

Halloween in the North East...

So this Halloween I decided to be The Swedish Chef from The Muppets.  For those of you who don't know nor remember, he is the character in the picture to the right.

The Swedish Chef was a puppet character in The Muppet Show.  He plays a parody of television chefs and really made me giggle growing up.

Halloween in the North East is so much fun.  People roll down the hills, there's scare crows every where and the place to be is Sleepy Hollow, N.Y. for the Jack o' Lantern Blaze.

Hundreds of pumpkins are carved, lit, and put together to create these intricate pieces of art.  If you are ever in N.Y. in October this place is a must see.

Have a Happy and Safe Halloween!

Look of the Day- End of October

We're towards the end of October and November is just around the corner.  Along with Fall colors, Pastels are huge this Autumn/Winter.  In this outfit I mixed grey's with pastel pink and mint green.  

Look of the Day:

Pastel Pink Capelet

Long Sleeve Mint Green Fox Shirt

Pleated Grey Mid-Length Skirt

Grey Suede Ankle Booties

All items are available for purchase at my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/rginart

Spuntino

Spuntino is an Italian word that means bite or snack.  It also is the name of a wonderful Italian restaurant down the street, who's name suits it so well.  You see, their concept is to serve small plates to be shared with those you dine with, or if you dine alone it can be a quick "bite or snack."

The inside is kinda dim and the dark wood furniture makes it cozy.  The kitchen is in the back and open, so you can see the action that goes on as chefs create their magic.

So there's a lot on the menu and I chose:

 Spaghetti with veggies, garlic and olive oil, 

Broccoli rabe with pork,

and a

Sangria.

I give this restaurant 2 thumbs up! I was so impressed by their great tasting food and the portions were perfect and fulfilling.  Will definitely be back.

Saturday Look in October

Finally it's cold enough to take out our turtlenecks and buy even several more!  Turtlenecks, as you may know, are very big this Autumn/Winter 15/16.  It's part of the whole 1970s trend that's in fashion  now and goes very well under another trend, capes!  In the picture to the left, I style the cape with a beige turtleneck under a jean dress and in the picture to the right, over a yellow angora wrap dress with a yellow belt.  The complete outfit in the right picture can be purchased in my Etsy shop called rginart.  Keep warm!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/rginart

Look of the Day- Early October

It's already the 2nd week in October and temperatures in N.J. have only dropped slightly.  What to wear on days like this?  Autumn trends that won't make you feel stuffy, like a short sleeve capelet.  

Look of the day:

-Grey Knitted Capelet

-Brown Houndstooth Pant

-Bordeaux Boots

-Felted Wool Clutch

Complete outfit can be purchased at my Etsy shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/rginart

Fall Foxes

The fixation for Fall Foxes continues...

...So much that I had to get a t-shirt. Mixing stripes with houndstooth can be tricky but is possible.  Make it work by choosing different proportions.  For example: the stripes on this sweater are way bigger than the houndstooth printed skirt.  That way both prints don't clash. Add a shirt with a pop of color and a warm autumn image and you've got yourself a fun outfit for October.

I incorporated foxes in my art as well...
           
                                      Card                                                                    Gift Tags

Handcarved Fantastic Fox rubber stamp in sepia ink for greeting cards and gift tag stickers at my Etsy shop. https://www.etsy.com/shop/rginart

New York Fashion Week

Today marks the last day of New York Fashion Week. A week to celebrate fashion in the fashion capital through fashion shows, street style, and shopping! Yesterday, I spent the day in NYC to join the festivities and boy was it fun :)

On the bus to NYC wearing a multimedia jean/plaid tunic (Anthropologie), pleated pants (Betsey Johnson), calf haired shoes (Anthropologie), and a bolo tie (Etsy).

At NYC, first and far most, I had to check out Milly's sample sale.  There was a great turn out of people and I was lucky to find these two handbags (I had to have both!):

Tweed for the Fall, and a fun print for the Summer.

Next stop: The Arc, Skylight at Moynihan Station, where Designer, Naeem Khan, showed his collection.

 

                                           

Golden yellow and black was the biggest color combination trend.  Wear it as a robe, an overcoat, or a sporty dress!

Last stop, The Trattoria  Bianca restaurant, inside The New Yorker Hotel, for delicious and affordable dining.

Chicken wrapped in Prosciutto, stuffed with spinach and cheese, with asparagus and potatoes on the side.

Headed back home with a full tummy and happy to be living so close to NYC, where I can just jump on a bus and be in the mecca of fashion in just 15 minutes.

The Perfect Fall Outfit

We are almost in mid-September and you may be asking yourself, "What is the perfect Fall outfit I should have in my wardrobe this year?"

Here are a couple of trends you should be looking out for as we approach October:

-Olive green
-Studs
-Plaid
-Block heel shoes
-Dark handbag that screams, "Halloween!"

All these items can be purchased at my Etsy shop:
https://www.etsy.com/shop/rginart

Baking Healthy for the Fall

The Fall is a wonderful time to start baking.  So why not bake healthy? I found at the local grocery store a box of Pillsbury Sugar Free Quick Bread & Muffin Mix- Deluxe Cinnamon Swirl. It's easy to make and takes only 18 minutes to bake, just follow the directions on the box.

For the frosting all you have to do is whip cream cheese and add honey for a touch of sweetness.

Top it off with crushed walnuts and the result is a yummy and healthy treat to baking in the Fall.

Welcoming September

After enjoying another Wes Anderson film, Fantastic Mr.Fox, I have created an interest for foxes this Fall.  It will be my first Fall in New Jersey and I just can't wait for the cool weather to kick in and be surrounded by Autumn leaves everywhere :)  September, as always, I welcome you right after my birthday, when the festivities begin!

VIvienne Westwood inspired by Mars & Venus

  

Vivienne Westwood is a British Fashion Designer who is one to admire.  Her clothes drape so nicely, flatter any body figure, and speaks loudly. Through out the years her collections have been inspired by politics, pop culture, and all forms of art.  This Autumn/Winter 15/16 her garments are reflections of one of her favorite paintings by Francois Boucher's "Mars and Venus surprised by Vulcan" 1754.

This Art piece tells the story of Vulcan who upon hearing of his wife’s infidelity with Mars, uses a golden net to trap them. Catching them together he invites the other gods to enjoy their humiliation, but instead it attracts new lovers for his wife; Neptune and Mercury, whose passions were aroused by the sight of her naked body.

Vivienne Westwood uses this painting on her swimwear, jersey dresses, and t-shirts this season. By using this print, she wraps an old master's work of art around the body, bringing history and culture to a wardrobe. 

Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's has got to be the coolest supermarket ever.  They are so unique, quirky and actually gourmet-like.  Who ever said you can't have fun with your food?

This week's small grocery list for healthier meals:

-Barrata, Prosciutto & Arugula Flat Bread (great paired with a salad)
-Portobello Mushroom Fries (yummy with grilled organic chicken)
-Organic Mac n' Cheezy rays (top it off with parmesan cheese)
-Sweet Potato Chips (have these instead of potato chips)

Enjoy!

Transitioning from Summer to Fall

This Summer was all about the Ikat print. It was everywhere, on culottes, hair bands, even notebooks!  The Ikat dress I'm wearing originally had sleeves, but with the hot weather, I turned this dress sleeveless.  So how do you transition form Summer to Fall?  Add Fall accents.  In my case, I added leggings and cowgirl boots.

These suede cowgirl boots are huge now and into the Fall. You can find them on Modcloth.com

Polka-dotted leaves stamp

 

Inspired from my trip to the gardens, I carved a rubber stamp that mimics the polka-dotted leaves.

The New York Botanical Garden

Currently at the gardens you'll find all sorts of Cacti and exotic plants from the desert and southwest Mexico.

Decided to dress accordingly: Ikat dress and cowgirl boots.

You can find several spots to dine at the gardens but they only have 1 actual restaurant that I highly recommend, The Hudson Garden Grill.  Reservations are a must, but if you happen to arrive 10 minutes before they close and if they're not too busy, you might just get a table. 

Pictures of the garden adorn the wooden walls that were actually recycled from trees that had fallen during Sandy's hurricane disaster. Blue and white gingham table clothes give the feel of a picnic in the gardens.

As an appetizer I had the scallop ceviche, drenched in lemon juice.  This dish was very refreshing for a hot summer day.

For my main entree I choose Huevos Rancheros.  It's fried eggs on a tortilla with a fried avocado slice.  Light and delicious meals to leave room for dessert.

Dessert: Tres leche with Strawberry ice cream over almond crumbs. Yummy!

I was very happy with my first visit to the gardens and look forward to coming again in the Fall, when I was told they'll bring out the pumpkins :)

This garden would've lived up to it's name if there were Iris'.  We are in mid-summer so I'm assuming they bloom in Spring.  

The rest of the garden was lovely.  Definitely a place to take a walk with someone or have a picnic.

This deer really scared me.  Miami has no deer roaming around so this was quiet a surprise. I took a quick picture and prayed it wouldn't chase me around the garden.  Little did I know deer are more friendly than I thought.

After 32 years in Miami, I move to N.J.  Who didn't see it coming?  Owning a car and voluntarily using public transportation is a sign.  Dressing up in layers by September, when it's 80 degrees outside, is a sign.  The stars were aligning towards the Northeast and so when I could, I took the leap. My flight left Miami, on an early morning March 31st.  I sat comfortably between two passengers.  To my left, a Jersey Boy....and to my right, Bonnie the Manhattan native.  I broke the ice within 2 minutes of our departure.  The pilot didn't do a good job and the take off was very bumpy.  Bonnie and I chuckled at how the flight attendant cheered us all on being good sports. And so, I introduced myself.  Bonnie was an elderly lady, born and raised in Manhattan. She was married to the man sitting across the aisle and owned a home with him in Westchester, N.Y. (FYI Celebs own mansions in Westchester, N.Y.).  I don't know what profession he was in, but she had worked for Capital One.  She spoke to me about all the places she had traveled using her Capital One reward points.  I told her all the clothes I'd purchased using my Capital One reward points. We love Capital One.  We also shared an interest in works by Nora Ephron, a writer, and one of the best and few women to direct movies. Her work is witty, romantic, and real. Bonnie and I continued talking through the rest of the flight and then, there was another scare.  The plane was landing and some people started screaming.  There were so many unfamiliar cultures on that plane that I wasn't sure if people were rejoicing or if something bad had happened. The compartments above our heads had opened and the luggage was falling out.  Thankfully that was it.  And apparently the pilot wasn't a good lander either.  But the important thing was that I had finally landed to my destination and my new home, New Jersey, the Garden State.