Fruits, Glorious Fruits!

The Spring 2011 runways were chock-full of fruits galore, and I'm loving it. So cute, I just wanna take a bite!

♥, Azzara

Tuesday Tunes: Theophilus London

Hey so it's 11:47pm,  I still have a few minutes left to the day to make it a Tuesday Tunes post about this musical artist I'm digging.  Close call right?


Theophilus London (why do I keep wanting to call him Thelonious Monk?) is a pretty cool dude, based in Brooklyn, NY and is also part of Mark Ronson & the Business Intl.  His sound is very easy to listen to and I love how he can blend genres. 


This is the first song I ever heard by London and it's a good one...




He has a blog where I can believe you can download some things.

This song has also been on repeat all day...







London looks like a bit of a 80's throwback but he's definitely worth checking out.  Let me know what you think! Good night!

VvV Amanda

...that bring MAY FLOWERS!

Spring, I am totally ready for you.  I've got my shorts, my shirts, my tropical state of mind, and it's game time!  Bring it on!

VvV Amanda

Looking forward to APRIL SHOWERS...

Sunny San Juan

I just got back from a very wonderful trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico and had to share a few of my photos. We were staying in an apartment in the old city, which is just such a beauuuutiful place. Sun definitely puts everyone in a better mood, and the colourful buildings definitely don't hurt either. Some of the same bright colours seen recently on the runways (and on everyone's nails!) were all over the city; how can you not love it? I, for one, want to live in a house painted that peachy orange colour seen below. I even have a blazer to match!

Just a few minutes from our apartment was Fort San Felipe del Morro, surrounded by a park chock-full of kite flyers of all ages. Some of the kites really were incredible (one with wheels was quite a project to get off the ground) and it was lovely to see whole families flying them together.

We were also lucky enough to have the opportunity to visit Isla Vieques, which is home to some of the most gorgeous beaches I have ever seen. Other than just being delightful, this little stretch of beach also had the pleasure of being the site of my friend's first ever ocean-swimming venture (crazy, huh? she was great!).

All in all, a grand time was had by everyone. Unfortunately, it has made the return to Boston all the more chilly. I can't wait for the warmth to arrive! I bought a couple of tops, two dresses (one is a maxi dress!) and a pair of shoes, which I will definitely share soon. Happy Monday to all!

♥, Azzara

NEW STUFF

New prints and new jewels at LONG ARM PRESS

Get em while they hot. 

Oh, and 15% with the code LONGARMLURVE. 

Last weekend in photos

Rather than just telling you what I did last weekend I thought I'd show you too:

This is the staircase to the Opening Ceremony annex where we saw this and this and this...

more HERE...

Rue Magazine Issue #4

Rue Issue 4 is here!  The makers of this online mag are too cool.  Their dedication to showcasing the unique and independent is truly refreshing.  And it's so cheerful.  Can't wait to read it this weekend.  I recommend viewing it in full screen mode.  Happy reading and happy Friday everyone!

VvV Amanda

ACCES-STORIES with Hannah R.

Hi all! This is the beginning of a new interview series at Style Relish that we are very excited to start. Every once in awhile we will interview someone about their favorite accessory and how it is important in their life. Lots of share and tell! Who better to start off this series than my good friend Hannah. We went to college together in MA and she is awesome...check out what she has to say!

(Click photo for more info on Hannah's Picks)

Til next time!

VvV Amanda

Introducing: LONG ARM PRESS

So very exciting! I finally launched my own web store called Long Arm Press. Everything on the site is either handmade or assembled by me. If you have any feedback let me know as I'm new to this. Prints will be posted soon!

Also the other day I saw the Bill Cunningham movie, what a classy classy man. I highly recommend seeing it if it's is playing in your city. Who knew the blue smocks he wears every day are the same as the street cleaner uniforms in Paris?

We also stopped into this tiny Tibetan store that sold lots of wonderful colorful scarves and jewelry. I bought a bunch of bone (yes, real) pendants that I will be making necklaces and will be coming to the store soon. Spread the word please and have a great day!!

image/ Long Arm Press

VvV Amanda

Book Relish: on our radar

Here are a few of the many books I've been meaning to read. They are allllll on my Amazon wishlist waiting patiently for me although I'm going to try and find a lot of them at the library. I'm especially excited to read Steve Martin's book. I liked his novella Shopgirl a lot mostly because of the slightly flippant/ satirical tone he uses. Everyone describes him as a "renaissance man" with his banjo-playing, art collecting, acting, etc. It'll be interesting to see how he interprets the art world.

Also the Kiki Smith prints book I REALLY want to own. So many good photos of her work including paper works and some of her works on fabric. While we're on the topic of art, Carson Ellis is a great illustrator (I'd describe her visual style as "faded Russian fairy-tale" if that conjures up any images for you) and Beautiful Stories of Life seems promising.

What's on your reading list?

VvV Amanda

Bronx Botanical Garden

Hi everyone!

Today I went with my fam to the Bronx Botanical gardens to see the orchid show "on broadway" which was overwhelming but beautiful and worth the trip. I'm sure you're wondering what the "on broadway" theme entails and it most definitely involves piping show- tunes through the speaker system and configuring massive amounts of exotic flowers to resemble a musical set. Totally legit. There are so many different varieties of orchid that I didn't know about, some of which, if you look very closely, start to resemble human faces (you'll see what I mean in a sec). Here are some pics I took. We got there around 10 am right when they open and even though we were early it was still dang crowded in the conservatory There were people with major cameras and massive lenses (I think one guy even had a diffuser?) trying to capture the orchids on film. Needless to say, they are so beautiful and detailed that any picture will not do them justice and you'll simply just need to see them in person to get the whole feel. Anyway, here are some of my pictures but keep in mind the orchids are 10x more beautiful in person.

P.S.- As you look at em, try to imagine cabaret music in the background.

Orchids take center stage.

See what I mean about facial features? Kind of looks like a jolly man in front and a frustrated guy in back.

More photos HERE.

Business in the Front, Party in the Back

I love all these dresses that pack a punch in the back. You turn around and it's like WHAM BAM. Cutouts always add interesting detail when they're placed in the right spot, namely the back. I'm not about all those stomach and hip cutouts that I sometime see. EEK.

I'd wear any of these but esp. the floral tie-backs. Some of these are on sale so I'd snatch em up before they sell out. They'd be very good for spring otherwise you might get a little cold but nothing a good cardi can't solve.

PS- you can click on the photo to get routed to each piece!

Fall RTW 2011: Marni

Out of all the shows I've browsed for Fall 2011, Marni is my favorite. I love the different textures, subtle detail, and unexpected color combos. Most of all I love the relaxed shapes and the use of pattern. It reads like a downtown girl's version of what uptown should be.

Note the long sleeves and the baggy gloves.

Ugh, can I have that leather jacket? And who says navy and black don't work?

I'm not such a fan of coral/ salmon color but I think it really looks good here.

=

Same pattern, slightly different colored fabrics. Is that a detachable peter pan collar I see? Note how the collar matches the platform on the shoe- so subtle.

VvV Amanda

A dog day Monday

Wakka Wakka

I've always been a fan of moleskine notebooks. Here's the latest limited edition collection featuring none other than PAC-MAN. Pretty cool, or should I say... beep beep.

On an unrelated note, Bloglovin' now has an iPhone app which I highly recommend. It's a great way to follow your favorite blogs on one easy platform (ahem, Style Relish). Even if you don't have an iPhone you can still use Bloglovin' so you have no excuse!

VvV Amanda

Barney's Warehouse and Donut Plant

About two weeks ago I went to check out the annual Barney's Warehouse Sale. As always, it was located in a basement on the west side. The prices were okay if you're looking for designer stuff and want to spend $300 instead of $700 (eek). Needless to say I felt very claustrophobic in that fashion dungeon and I left empty-handed. Although, it was definitely an experience.

After the Barney's sale we hit up the newly opened Donut Plant in the Chelsea Hotel. I've never been to the original Donut Plant on Grand Street but I loved the donut pillows hanging on the wall. Not to mention the cute donut shaped chairs. When we were there they only had three types of donuts available so we tried on of each: passion fruit glazed, carrot cake, and ginger glazed. Out of all three the carrot cake was the best. The only downside to the place was that it was extremely hot temperature wise to the point where I started sweating in my winter coat, not attractive.

Mmm, baked goods.

VvV Amanda

Amanda's trip to Chicago

Hi all! Here are some snapshots from my visit to Chicago. It was mostly grey, raining, or snowing while we were there but still throughly enjoyable. The Art Institute was really fun- kind of the a Chicago version of the Met. Saw Seurat's La Grande Jatte, and Hopper's Nighthawks. Skjgdkjskgjsk.

The definite highlight was seeing Rick Bayless at one of his Mexican inspired restaurants, Xoco. SUCH GOOD FOOD. I want more of it right now. I had a steak torta (kind of a cross between and sub and a panini) and my mom got a spicy soup with meat and avocado. And to finish? AWESOME CHURROS. AH there are no words to describe the crimped dough tubes fresh from the fryer and coated in sugar. There was an option of melted chocolate or fresh vanilla soft-serve to dip them in but we opted to keep it simple and it was too good. Need about 15 more of them right now. Stat.

Also, finally saw The King's Speech. So good. I highly recommend seeing this movie! Geoffrey Rush, Helena Bonham Carter, and Colin Firth were all wonderful. My favorite part of the film was seeing the decor and interiors: the interesting wallpaper patterns, the shabby couches, and so many textures. Would it be weird to say it was a visual feast?

VvV Amanda

Matchbook Magazine: March Edition

Remember that online magazine I posted a few weeks ago? The awesome Matchbook Magazine that's totally free yet seriously fun to read? Well here's the March edition. Happy reading (I recommend flipping through in full screen mode)!

image/ Matchbook Magazine

What did you think? I love their layout and graphics. Wish there were more magazines like this!

VvV Amanda

VHILS Knows What's Up

I came across this video the other day, and was so intrigued that I had to post it. Portuguese graffiti artist Alexandre Farto, otherwise known as VHILS, has had his work shown alongside work by Banksy and you can definitely see why. I'm not entirely sure how he does this, but VHILS carves murals into the wall by setting off small explosions. Have no idea what I'm talking about? Check out the video below. Now that's art!

I'd love to know how he does this, so let us know if you find anything out. Check out his website for even more cool work! Happy Tuesday to all!

♥, Azzara