In honor of my birthday (and the fact that orGLAMic.com turned two this month) I want to bring you some of the best jewelry companies – because when in doubt, jewelry always does the trick! Ranging from luxury items to everyday wear, all of these jewelry pieces are eco-conscious, which makes their sparkle even more alluring.
Celebrity favorite Gemma Redux combines vintage chains and natural gems for another take on hip, fashion-forward jewelry. If you want to be in the company of Blake Lively, Ginnifer Goodwin, Cameron Diaz, and Molly Sims then this orGLAMic line is for you. But the company also offers custom one-of-a-kind pieces for those of you that would gasp at anything less. The Sophie Bracelet, pictured above, is the perfect orGLAMic accoutrement to an all-white Mikonos-inspired summertime ensemble.
There is no denying it – diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Brilliant Earth allows consumers to build their own rings, earrings, and more, with recycled metals and conflict-free diamonds, assuring that your choices are both eco-friendly and chic. We like to keep it simple here at orGLAMic, so these solitaire diamond studs make our heart flutter, but your imagination is the limit with this responsible jeweler.
Ruff&Cut purchases raw materials from socially responsible sources and each item arrives with a certificate of specific origin. This orGLAMic jewelry company offers a great variety, including a line designed by Hollywood favorites, Me&Ro. Made of recycled 18-karat gold and diamonds from Pride Diamonds in Sierra Leone, this Boulder Cluster Ring would be a staple in any orGLAMic wardrobe, from office to yacht.
For those that want to add a rock-n-roll touch to their wardrobe, Venice-based Sid Vintage jewelry does the trick. Designer Nancy Barrett scours flea markets around the globe and repurposes her finds to create orGLAMic bracelets, earrings, and necklaces that add an edge to any outfit. The chunky bracelet above, from the Cold As Ice collection, gives boring old costume jewelry a run for its money.
Made in the United States, Alex and Ani is known for its unique expandable bangles among other intricate pieces. All of the pieces are made using eco-friendly, recycled materials. The Flaunt Expandable Wire Set could be considered upscale bohemian and would look great with any easy, breezy, orGLAMic beach ensemble.
For more “sustainable luxury living” go to www.orGLAMic.com
Leave it to Chanel to design a double-C emblazoned bocce set. The sport, most played by the Euro set, has ancestry in the Roman Empire but can thank the Italianos for developing it into its present form. The luxury fashion house has always had a knack for producing lust-worthy sporting goods—there’s already an inflatable raft, hand-assembled bicycle, three-wheel scooter, fishing rod and reel, and more in the mix—so it’s no surprise Mr. Lagerfeld found inspiration in this leisurely activity.
Released just in time for the “bocce” season, the wicker and leather basket is embellished with Chanel’s infamous logo. The jack—official lingo for the smaller ball in this sport—is typical in form, but the actual bocce bowl is a sleek spherical orb featuring ever more Chanel branding.
So, while our idea of fun might not involve throwing balls around an asphalt court, this chic basket has enough allure to tempt us into a game. We may not be experts, but it never hurts to look the part.
Available by contacting your local Chanel boutique, or check it out at Chanel.com.
Via FWD
In 1874, Roger Sullivan (known as R.G. Sullivan) began a small cigar showroom and manufacturing facility in Manchester, New Hampsire, at 724 Elm St. At the time, he was manufacturing what was then referred to as “clear Havana” cigars (indicating the filler tobacco was Cuban) under the brand name Little Star Dust. Eventually Mr. Sullivan changed the name to 7-20-4, commemorating his address on Elm Street. Around 1909, Sullivan bought a seven-story building on Canal Street in Manchester and opened the 7-20-4 factory. By 1925, the 7-20-4 line was world famous, claiming to be the largest manufacturer of 10 cent cigars in the world, producing some 80 million pieces per year.
In 1964, after Mr. Sullivan passed away, the family finally closed the factory door. The brand ownership changed hands a few times over the years, until Kurt Kendall, proprietor of Twins Smoke Shop in Londonderry, NH, took ownership. Kendall, who now operates three tobacco shops in the area, had a fascination for tobacco memorabilia, particularly that of the famous local brand and factory 7-20-4, collecting everything from ashtrays to signs, to eventually the trademark, giving him the right to produce and sell the cigar.
Once he settled on a Honduran factory in Danli called Tobacos de Oriente, which is owned and operated by Nestor Plasencia, Kendall says that he went to work developing the blend, formats, and packaging in order to “bring this great American cigar brand back to the shelves of American retailers.” In April 2009, the new 7-20-4 line was launched, and Kendall’s dream was finally realized. Available in five sizes, the cigars use filler tobaccos from Nicaragua, Honduras, Mexico, and Columbia. The binder is Costa Rican and the wrapper is Mata Fina from Brazil. The cigars range in price from $6.75 to $9 each and are wonderfully medium bodied with a full, rich flavor.
You can learn more about the 7-20-4 brand, as well as Kurt Kendall and Twins Smoke Shop by visiting www.twinssmokeshop.com or by calling 603.421.0242.
My strong Italian mother did what she knew how to do best and instilled the fear of God in me, old school style. For this I am eternally grateful because I did not become a statistic.
The truth is that 20 percent of high school students and six percent of middle school students are smoking cigarettes. Today, tobacco is responsible for one in five deaths in the U.S. In my household, smoking will always be frowned upon and never even an option because health is everything.
With technology making anything possible, there is now a product that claims to be a “healthy version of smoking”. It sounded too good to be true, so I investigated, and in my opinion, it is.
I thought only in Hollyweird people walk around with battery-operated cigarettes, but I quickly realized that it was not a prop and people all over have become fans of this crazy contraption.
The Electronic Cigarette claims to be cheaper, healthier, more convenient, and even looks and feels realistic. It is run on a lithium battery that contains a nicotine cartridge and creates a vapor that looks exactly like smoke. There is no second-hand smoke and the smoker gets the hit of nicotine that they desire without the tar and tobacco; however, nicotine is an alkaloid that constitutes a portion of the dry weight in tobacco.
In an electronic cigarette, the nicotine is delivered by way of a vaporized propylene glycol/nicotine solution. To me, that sounds rather freakish and that is where my concern lies. The unanswered question is, what are the long-term effects of sucking on a lithium battery that still contains the addictive ingredient nicotine? There is an uber concentrated amount of nicotine to keep the smoker satisfied and thus becoming addictive. When the FDA tested the ingredients in two of the leading cigarette makers, they found toxic chemicals such as anti-freeze amongst other cancer-causing agents. This sounds like the lovechild of Einstein and a marketing genius. Just say no.
Until next time my friends, visit www.raylenebartolacci.com. To health and wellness, Salute.
If you haven’t been to Stephan Pyles’ latest foray into international cuisine, now is your chance. Samar, arguably one of the best new restaurants of Dallas, is kicking off their “Samar Under the Stars” event tonight from 8-11 p.m., the al fresco late night happy hour to be held every Wednesday night now that the weather permits. Half-priced hookahs (yes, they have those), $2 off wines by the glass and specialty cocktails, and a glass of Sangria for only 5 bucks are on the menu for the evening, and together with their wicked cool tented patio and view of the new Arts District, this could conceivably be the most happening hump-day locale of the Spring.
Personally, I’m grateful for this. Since their opening night, which featured a harem of belly dancers and a steady flow of their Samartinis, the only time I have visited Samar (the Arabic word for “pillow talk”) was during one of the most blustery and freezing nights January in Texas had ever seen. At that time the patio was a joke, and all I could do was wistfully dream of warmer climes, sipping Sangria on those lounge chairs. Now that this fantasy can be made into reality I can’t wait to go back for their tapas-sized portions of Spanish, Eastern Mediterranean and Indian dishes. The idea is to encourage eating with conversation, so keeping the pint-sized portions coming throughout the evening is ideal. Try the Pimentos De Padrone, “blistered” green Spanish chiles with sea salt that have the perfect balance of spice and smoked flavor, and from India, the Rosemary Garlic Naan with Tamarind-Chipotle Chutney.
Samar is located at 2100 Ross Avenue at Olive Street; 214.922.9922
Last week I told you about Dulce, one of the hottest shoe boutiques to grace Coral Gables’ happening Miracle Mile strip. I also mentioned that the new DulceShoes.net website would be here soon, and that was no lie. The girls have the site up and running, with an incredible inventory to peruse.
But that’s not the real news here. What I am writing about today is to showcase some of my favorite picks from the fashionistas. Check out some of the newest inventory that are must-haves for spring and summer:
Alexander McQueen summer peep toe bootie $1085
Corso Como flats with studs $180
Casadei Turquoise suede $730
Casadei camel suede/satin combo $900
Alexander McQueen black platform with patten leather $975
Sacco royal blue with gold ankle chain $750
Casadei hot pink triple platform with croc print $700
Casadei violet criss cross suede pump $780
Sacco suede black with large diamond $750
The world-renowned pianist Lang Lang performed at the Adrienne Arsht Center on March 29. The classical craftsman thrilled audiences with his elegant yet entertaining performance. Listeners in the Knight Concert Hall gave thunderous applause to the 26-year-old virtuoso, who was joined by the Schleswig-Holstein Music Festival Orchestra, which is comprised of the world’s finest young musicians under the age of 27.
Chosen to lead the musical prodigies was none other than the celebrated and coveted conductor, Christoph Eschenbach. Many in the industry revere his musical abilities as a product of a “wide-ranging imagination and the fearless taking of interpretative risks” (Playbill).
Check the Haute Living events page for more scenes for this evening: http://mia.hauteliving.com/index.php?page_id=5394&gallery_id=449
Noses sometimes get turned up at the idea of living in Los Angeles’ San Fernando Valley. I “fer sure” blame Frank Zappa for singing about those Valley girls and casting aspersions on the whole geographic area. Truth is, if you can handle the summer heat of Valley life, it’s a dang fine place to park your Uggs – and quite the little hotbed for celebrities.
The buzzwords for the best neighborhoods are “south of the boulevard” – a reference to the regions in the hillier areas south of Ventura Boulevard. Living in the Valley makes for an easy spit of a commute to the studios, which explains the industry’s interest in it. That, and the relative affordability. You get more bang for your housing buck and you can always get a Beverly Hills post office box for your mail if your ego won’t step aside for your wallet.
Right now, there is a plethora of Valley celebrity listings, including two local newscasters who live close enough to one another to pass the Grey Poupon.
ABC Channel 7 News anchor David Ono – winner of eight Emmys — has listed his Toluca Lake house for $2,395,000 (pictured above). It’s a classic 1936 one-story Southern colonial of 5,300 square feet with six bedrooms and seven bathrooms. There is a formal dining room, lots of covered open terraces, a grand pool that’s well-landscaped and an expansive family room with a wet bar. It’s listed by Prudential California Realty Estates Director Rick Chimienti, who works out of the Beverly Hills office but says that these days, the Valley is where the real estate action is.
Expect Ono to wind up with a weekend home at the beach or in Palm Springs.
Also on the market is the 1949 home of long-time Los Angeles broadcast journalist Harold Greene and his wife, Charlene ‘Chuckie’ Greene, who recently reduced the price of their four-bedroom, 3,912-square-foot Toluca Lake home to $1,850,000. Fans of Greene mourn his loss from the airways, part of CBS’ cutbacks that cost us our favorite anchor. We can still, however, visit his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
The home has five fireplaces and a leaded glass bay window in the living room. The chef’s kitchen includes two stoves, two dishwashers, a double oven and butler’s pantry with extra sink. Methinks the Greenes like to entertain. Funny, I don’t remember an invitation.
Greene reportedly owns a condo near the beach in North County San Diego and another home in Oregon. Sharon Barron of White House Properties has the listing.
Actress Brooke Langton and director-producer Randy Zisk just listed their Longridge Estates home in Sherman Oaks for $2,749,000. The pair expects to move to Malibu, said agent Chimienti, who has this listing as well.
You’ve seen Langton in Friday Night Lights and Life. Zisk produced 96 episodes of Monk.
The 4,474-square-foot home for sale has five bedrooms and four bathrooms on about an acre lot. It was built by architect Leonard A. Jones and has two separate detached guesthouses, including one with its own fireplace, Murphy bed, and private terrace. The main house has a formal entryway, a formal dining room with wainscoting and a living room with a fireplace and walk-in bay window. Yes, of course there is a pool. This is the Valley after all.
With the Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards just around the corner, we’ve heard some pretty unsettling rumors—check those out on fashionista.com. But rather than pointing fingers, lets take a look at the positive buzz surrounding this year’s nominees.
Conceived of to recognize outstanding talent and contribution to American fashion by all levels of industry professionals, this year’s awards are being held on June 7 at Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center—the new home of New York Fashion Week starting in September 2010. Nominees were announced on March 7 at CFDA president Diane von Furstenberg’s Meatpacking District Studio, and are listed below.
WOMENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Marc Jacobs
Donna Karan
Alexander Wang
MENSWEAR DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Michael Bastian
Tom Ford
David Neville and Marcus Wainwright for Rag & Bone
ACCESSORY DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Alexis Bittar
Lazaro Hernandez and Jack McCollough for Proenza Schouler
Marc Jacobs
SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR WOMENSWEAR
Joseph Altuzarra
Prabal Gurung
Jason Wu
SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR MENSWEAR
Richard Chai
Patrik Ervell
Simon Spurr
SWAROVSKI AWARD FOR ACCESSORY DESIGN
Eddie Borgo
Dana Lorenz
Alexander Wang
GEOFFREY BEENE LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Michael Kors
INTERNATIONAL AWARD
Christopher Bailey for Burberry
EUGENIA SHEPPARD AWARD
Kim Hastreiter, Paper Magazine
ELEANOR LAMBERT AWARD
Tonne Goodman, Vogue
FASHION ICON AWARD
Iman
SPECIAL TRIBUTE AWARD
Alexander McQueen
Just garnering a nomination is huge for both the seasoned and young American designer alike. Alexander Wang is a heavy contender against respected industry veterans Marc Jacobs and Donna Karan. And Jason Wu has our vote for the highly coveted Swarovski Award for Womenswear. On the men’s front, while Tom Ford is still reveling in the success of “A Single Man,” we foresee a major showdown between the dapper designer and up-and-comers Rag & Bone and Michael Bastian. But who will win the vote of the CFDA committee, remains to be seen. Stay tuned for updates following the event on June 7.
Via WWD
It seems that lots of East Coasters, with ties to both NYC and Miami, have bones to pick this week. First we brought you news of developer Craig Robins’ lawsuit against a Chelsea art gallery. Now we find out that Palm Beach billionaire William Koch is also opting to take advantage of the American judicial system by filing a suit in Manhattan federal court against Christie’s auction house.
Certain hobbies are reserved for connoisseurs of the luxury lifestyle, and we would count wine collecting as one of them. So would Koch. He spent more than $300,000 on four bottles of the lavish liquid, which he believed were once owned by Thomas Jefferson. Why would he believe such a grand claim? For two reasons: because Christie’s said so, and the “Th.J” engraving on the glass. Only problem is that Koch has done some prying and alleges that German glass workers living today have admitted to the engraving work. Christie’s has respectfully dismissed the suit and is eagerly anticipating proving its innocence.
Koch is not only suing for damages, but he is also requesting an injunction against the auction house to prevent them from unloading any bottles dating back to before 1962 without certified proof. This isn’t the first suit that Koch has filed in regards to the TJ vintages, so the saga continues.
Wine collecting isn’t the only haute hobby for this affluent mogul. (As an entrepreneurial chemical engineer, he founder of The Oxbow Group, which is consistently ranked in Forbes’ top 500 privately held U.S. companies.) He is such an avid yachting enthusiast that in 1992 he took home the Americas Cup.
Source New York Post
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San Francisco
March/April 2012
