Tradition

I am currently nestled in the cozy upstairs of my grandmother's house with a mug of herbal tea. The rain is pattering outside, my relatives are chattering downstairs. The whirlwind of cooking has yet to begin. What with the dreary weather and the absence of a camera, my thoughts on this Black Friday turn to... my holiday wishlist! Per usual, it mostly involves clothes.

After spending many hours on the 80s Purple website, I have fallen in love with just about everything there. Along with this fantastic jumper, this slouchy tank dress and groovy colorblocked tee have caught my eye.


These dark, romantic, high waisted skirts from Forever 21 are calling my name...

... as is this unbelievably terrific sequined crop top. Black and cropped and covered in sequins equals pretty much the perfect garment. Plus, it's so Topshop - never a bad thing in my books.

I have recently become very fond of the idea of lacy, delicate undergarment-style dresses. While these chemises from Anthropologie actually are undergarments, I envision layering them with tights, boots, and oversized cardigans to combat the imminent winter weather. The one on the left has the prettiest silhouette.

Totally unrelated to fashion, but possibly at the top of my wishlist, is this famous book of photographs by Robert Frank. I have seen the series of eighty-three pictures at several different museums, but to own the whole collection would be a dream. If you ever get a chance to see an exhibition of his, I would highly recommend it.

What items are at the top of your wishlists? I am very curious.

In exchange for making mocha mousse cheesecake, my grandmother has promised to cook her delicious latkes as an appetizer for Thanksgiving dinner. I cannot wait! Latkes and present exchanges... we do quite the nice job of combining Thanksgiving and Hannukah traditions.

And, I believe this is required... I am thankful for my bed, my friends, my health, stars, books, music, the smell of summer nights, poetry, Paris, beautiful photographs, sequined clothes, coffee, rain, and all my readers. Happy Thanksgiving!

'Tis The Season

D&G silk blouse, Kova & T lace bodysuit, Karl Lagerfeld velvet dress, La Perla satin and lace basque, One Vintage lace maxi dress, Christian Louboutin shoes, Newbark leather slippers, Tory Burch satin sandals, One Vintage lace dress, One Vintage silk dress, Fendi silk blouse, Lanvin satin platforms, Stella McCartney dress, Erickson Beamon headpiece, Diane von Furstenberg velvet dress, Hanky Panky bandeau, One Vintage metallic blouse, Marc Jacobs velvet dress, Sonia Rykiel sequined blazer

These are the sorts of things I am dreaming of wearing this winter: luxurious fabrics like velvet and lace, shades of black and cream and gold and shell pink, glamorous flats or sky high pumps with nothing in between, romantic dresses with a quality of New York City in the forties, nary a pair of pants in sight... lately I have been strongly attracted to dresses, rather than trousers or skirts. My quest for the perfect sequined blazer continues undeterred!

I really like this time of year, when autumn is quickly dissipating into the first cold flush of winter and the temperature from day to day is completely unpredictable. The leaves are falling rapidly and the time has come to add that down comforter to your bed. It's usually cold and windy outside, but not so bad that any chill cannot be remedied by your coziest slippers and a giant mug of hot chocolate.

I do miss the freedoms and adventures of summer - particularly of my month in Paris - but I am excited for the coming season too. I always enjoy Thanksgiving, partially because my extended family has a magnificent tradition of exchanging Hannukah gifts over our Thanksgiving feast. This year I am making mocha mousse cheesecake with an old recipe that belonged to my grandfather.

I am also extremely excited for New Year's Eve. It's definitely my favorite holiday, partially because I can imagine how crazy and fun it will be when I'm older. Normally our New Year's festivities include multiple cakes, sparkling cider, making silly toasts, and holding hands for the countdown. This year it coincides with my dearest friend's sixteenth birthday, so hopefully we will be doing something extra celebratory!

(Net-a-Porter, La Douleur Exquise, For Stars Will Rise Again)

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention - I got into Arabian Nights! I am so excited to participate in another play. What are you all looking forward to this winter?

P.S. You might have noticed (but probably not) that I deleted a pile of my oldest blog posts. I would assume that nobody will miss them, and I think it gives the blog a little rejuvenation.