The Preppy Picks - Cheers to you!

Many of my good friends have birthdays in August, so you know what that means... I'm about to embark on a gift-giving extravaganza. In honor of their peridot pleasures, I'm making somewhat of a cheat sheet for this weeks TPP. Even though most of these friends aren't necessarily preppy, everyone loves a preppy present. Especially from their favorite JGIWC. Especially if it's cocktail related.

This week's inspiration comes from my dear friend MMM. She gave me a nice bottle of wine and a fleur-de-lis wine stopper for Hanukkah. It was perfect; something to share and something all for myself. Plus, I think of her every time I cork a bottle of vino, which is just the way she would want it! What a great gift idea; I hope she doesn't mind if I borrow it.



I love this monogrammed wine stopper from Monogram Chick. The price point is perfect and with seven different fonts and two types of wood to choose from, there's something for everyone.

My dear friend AMH recommended The Pink Monogram on her blog. I found the most beautiful monogrammed red wine glasses over there.



An absolute steal at $48.

(Also available in white wine style.)

Not all of my pals are wine gals. Luckily, my friends over at Preppy Parade have lots of great "Cheers to you!" gifts that are not exclusive to grapes.



Is it just me, or is it near impossible to find great cocktail napkins that are non-disposable? Stop your search! I found the perfect ones over at Preppy Parade. With 12 different fonts and 21 different thread colors, the combinations are endless! These will pair well with a nice bottle of top shelf spirit.

Have a friend who likes to play bartender?



This embroidered bar towel just may be the perfect thing. Not a Jimmy Buffet fan? Hey, it happens. (Though I sure do know plenty!) Preppy Parade offers two other adorable options.





If you have something else in mind, the lovely T over at Preppy Parade will take requests for custom orders!

Speaking of the lovely T, I want to take a minute to share some beautiful gifts she sent me!

The disk below my badge reel is a monogrammed pocket mirror! Preppy perfection!

The JGIWC does Super Saturday

Every summer, Nova's Ark Project in Water Mill hosts Super Saturday. It's a fundraiser for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund and essentially the biggest 'Garage Sale' in all of fashion. Over 200 prestigious designers come out and sell their items for deeply discounted prices. Ticket prices this year were $450 for 17 and over; $150 for 5-16 year olds; and children under 5 are admitted free. You are only guaranteed a goodie bag if you buy your ticket early on. (This year they ran out of goodie bags several days before the event but continued to sell tickets nonetheless.)



The event is entirely outdoors with tents designated mostly for bar and food. It was unbearably hot, but the bottles of Voss and Grey Goose cocktails helped some!



A word of caution to future Super Saturday shoppers: Strike while the iron is hot. (Literally.) I fell in love with an Alice + Olivia dress and couldn't make up my mind. When I went back to buy it an hour later, it was gone.

I did, however, get this fabulous Marc by Marc Jacobs dress:



Celebrity sightings:

Tommy Mottola (Touch my body! Not really. But I love your ex.)
Molly Sims (Adorable!)
Oprah's pal Gayle (My mom spotted her. I wouldn't know who this woman was if I fell over her. I'm sorry. Clearly not an Oprah watcher.)
Christy Turlington (Beautiful!)

Getting gifts for giving to charity certainly aren't necessary, but I'm sure not complaining. Here's what my goodie bag looked like after swapping with Mom, Dad, and the Baby Fashionista:



100% of all proceeds go to the OCRF.

East End Girls...

Here are some fun photos from my recent trip to the Hamptons!


The baby fashionista and I lunching at Cittanuova.


One of my favorite places in all of East Hampton. Best donuts in the whole wide world!


Typical TAG!


J. Crew at the Beach... how typically witty.


Sisters on the beach!


SO JGIWC.


Sand dune!

More to come. :)

The rumors are true...

My beloved AEG of Adventures in Argyle is joining me in the Big Apple!



I couldn't be happier to be reunited full-time with my favorite gal pal. The search for Todd and Alan (the male equivalent of us: a Waspy Jew and a Preppy Catholic) lives on!

The one and only Kappa Prep over at Monograms and Manicures tagged me to do the below Meme. Not only is she a sorority sister, but she's also a fellow Texan!

Here are the rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you and post the rules on your blog.
2. Share 5 songs you are embarrassed to admit to others that you like and tell why.
3. Tag 5 random people at the end of post and include links to their blogs.
4. Let each person know they've been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

This is tough as my music taste is extremely eclectic and I don't really apologize for any of it. However, here are 5 of the cheesiest songs I love that I may or may not be embarrassed over.

1. 1-2-3 by Gloria Estefan It was a toss up between this and Reach, which was the theme song for the 1996 Olympics. We did it in sign language as the opening number for our big end-of-the-summer production at the University of Miami theatre camp. That is one cheesy song, but so is this. It reminds me of growing up in Miami, sitting in the backseat of my parents' Mercedes, driving over the ocean on I-95.

2. I Can't Wait by Hilary Duff Yes, I was a slave to Lizzie McGuire. Yes, I bought a bootleg copy of The Lizzie McGuire Movie on Canal Street days after it debuted in theaters. Yes, I went to her concert last summer and loved every minute of it. YES, I AM A NERD.

3. Salaam by Sheva We used to sing this in BBYO. It's sung in Hebrew and only has two lyrics.
They are:
Od yavo' shalom aleinu
Ve al kulam.
Which translates to:
Peace will come upon us
and on everyone.

4. You are Everything by The Stylistics I had to include a Wonder Years moment on this list. From the episode "Double Date", this is the song that plays when Kevin and Winnie each ditch their respective date and search frantically for one another on the dance floor. They go to the cliff (standard makeout place) and are clearly still so in love, even though they have just broken up. Kevin is so riled up that he kisses her on the eye instead of the mouth. She then kisses him on his eye. Meanwhile, I'm sobbing like a baby.

5. For Once in My Life by Stevie Wonder This reminds me of the end of Exodus. Ari: "I drove to work in an $80,000 Mercedes, I'm driving home in a prop car from the 'Fast and the Furious'." Then he drunkenly dances with Mrs. Ari outside of their house; it's one of my favorite Entourage scenes of all time.

I would like to tag...
Summertime Beauty
Hello Darling!
Vineyard Girl
Rhymes with Cori
Magnolias, Marriage and Manhattan

A few other important pieces of news...

The lovely people over at Tailor New York wanted me to let you all know about coupon code "luke631" and a 30% private sale with free shipping and a free belt all summer long with every purchase!

The first NYC Bloggers dinner will take place two weeks from tomorrow. If you're in the area and would like to join in the fun, please email me at jgiwc.tag@gmail.com.

I received a pair of Princess Peach earrings in the mail yesterday and there was no note in the package. If you sent me these, please email me at jgiwc.tag@gmail.com so that I can send you a proper thank you!

I'm back from the East End! Photos and stories starting tomorrow.

The Preppy Picks

In honor of my pact to send more mail out in July (it's still going strong!) I've chosen to feature these return address stamps from Monogram Chick



I've seen these stamps before, but I've never seen this many choices. I love the first one because it has fleur de lis, and I love the design of the second one. I think I may have to invest in one of these. The stamp is easy to store and takes ink refills which Monogram Chick also stores. The price is reasonable and the choices are endless! This website has a plethora of other fun, preppy items, many, of course, featuring what else... monograms!


One of the many ironies of my life is that I love to entertain but I'm not much of a cook (not to mention that my apartment is somewhere around 400 square feet). I need primo products that can mask the fact that I'm an amateur hostess (for now).


Enter the Cutting Board from Petit Boutique Online. This does double duty as a chopping block and a serving platter, which works great for this NYC resident. My cabinet and counter space is at a premium, so I need all the multi-functioning pieces I can find! This is beautiful and the monogram on the lower right-hand corner is the perfect finishing touch.


One last summer blast?



I know, I know. The time has officially come to begin purchasing Autumn clothing. I was in a state of horror while shopping in J. Crew several days ago; their summer sale section was down to a single wall and Fall was out in full force. However, I'm a firm believer in purchasing a few great last minute things at the end of each season to go out with a bang. After seeing the store in Southampton had closed, I was sure that this little gem had gone out of business. I'm happy to report that I was wrong. For this top and more, visit Tailor New York online.


Also, Vineyard Vines is having a great online sale.

I'm off to the Hamptons, readers! I will be back Monday with lots to tell.

Have a wonderful weekend!

A declaration of love. (And independence.)

I was officially TAGged me to do the Alphabet Meme!

A. Attached or Single? The latter.
B. Best Friend? My beloved AEG, the author of Adventures in Argyle. She is the only person who understands the importance of my crazy family, mac and cheese at four in the morning, and my extensive underpinnings collection. She gets me. She is truly my other half.
C. Cake or pie? You all already know that I eat cookies every single day of my life. It seems cruel to make me pick one. At the end of the day, I love cake (especially in the form of cups - there is currently a big pan of Funfetti sitting next to me) but being the Southern girl I am, I do appreciate a good pie.
D. Day of choice? I love Thursdays and Saturdays the very most.
E. Essential item? BlackBerry.
F. Favorite color? Yellow.
G. Gummy bears or worms? Worms coated in sugar.
H. Home town? Miami, Florida.
I. Favorite indulgence? Pinkberry. Really, anything sugary. I don't have one sweet tooth - I have a mouth full of them.
J. January or July? Don't make me choose! My birthday is in January and my half birthday is in July.
K. Kids? One day! And my dad has already promised to buy each of my children their first pair of Gucci loafers. He probably meant when they're 18, which is when I got mine, but I had a little something different in mind.
L. Life isn’t complete without? My incredible family. They are my everything.
M. Marriage date? Still waiting for the Mensch in Madras, my friends.
N. Number of brothers and sisters? My baby fashionista. She's 15 and the best gift I've ever gotten.
O. Oranges or Apples? I'm sorry Florida; I choose apples...
P. Phobias? FIRE. I always jump backward at that point of the Benihana meal. It gets me everytime.
Q. Quotes? "Go the extra mile; it's never crowded." And anything that Ari Gold says.
R. Reasons to smile? I have too many to count. That's a reason to smile in of itself.
S. Season of choice? I live for Summer.
T. Tag 5 people:
Book Worm Britt
So Cheap Chic (both AMH and Polka Dot)
The Prep-E Girl
Rhymes With Cori
Mom to the Screaming Masses
U. Unknown fact about me? I have every single episode of The Wonder Years on VHS except the one when the neighbor is smoking pot in the basement, because that one is almost impossible to find.
V. Vegetable? Artichoke, Asparagus, Carrots, Snap Peas, Zucchini. I really wish mushrooms counted because they are pretty much an entire food group to me. I literally can eat them out of a bowl (and have).
W. Worst habit? Overanalyzing.
X. X-ray or Ultrasound? I'm not really sure.
Y. Your favorite food? Aside from everything I've listed above?
Z. Zodiac sign? Aquarius. Water woman.
Z. Which zoo animal is your favorite? Elephant. I hope to ride one someday.

The wonderful Book Worm Britt has presented me with an award! It is now my duty to pass it onto three wonderful bloggers whom I feel are deserving, so without further ado...

Adventures in Argyle
The Preppy Vegan
EuropaFox

Thank you all for providing me with fun reading material! Each of your blogs brightens up my day.

I received my Christmas in July swap last night, and I couldn't think of a better way to top off the already great day I was having. I may or may not have the best partner in the whole wide world. So once again, without further ado...

M is for MONOGRAM!


E is for ESSENTIAL!


R is for RED (PINK for this JGIWC) and GREEN!


R is for REGIFT!


Y is for YOU WANT ONE FOR YOURSELF!


Thank you, E! I am over the moon and so lucky to have you as my partner!

I have to end this post with a small anecdote. During my senior year of college, I was lucky enough to secure an internship with a highly regarded literary publication. I was a poetry editor, which meant rifling through hundreds upon hundreds of submissions and only being able to pick several. One of my first weeks on the job, I sat at the kitchen table and cried, my tears staining the poems. Rejecting 99% of that work was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, and I worried in turn that no one would every truly appreciate my writing the way it is meant to be appreciated.

To everyone who reads Jewish Girl in Wasp's Clothing... Thank you, thank you, thank you. Words cannot do justice to express how much your support means to me.

I LOVE MY READERS!

XXX
TAG

Brunch with The Lunch Belle

You've all heard me talk (read me write...?) about my dear friend The Lunch Belle. She writes a fabulous food blog based on her dining experiences in New York City. Last week, she invited me to join her for brunch at Icon in The W Hotel. I had several reservations at Icon in the recent past that had coincidentally all fallen through, so this proved to be the perfect chance to try the restaurant that I was so curious about with one of my favorite people!

For my appetizer, I had Chicken Lollipops. They were buffalo style with Maytag Blue. I usually steer clear of Blue cheese, but these were absolutely perfect in every way: size, taste, and texture.



Next to the Chicken Lollipops is a glass of the best strawberry soda I've had since Nintendo dabbled in carbonated beverages in the early nineties and manufactured Princess Peach Strawberry Soda for a very limited time. Does anyone else remember this?

For my entree, I had Brioche French toast with maple syrup and fresh berries. I could've eaten every last bite, but I allowed myself three of the four pieces...



...and it's a good thing, because we were then presented with the "ChipWich".



I am mad at myself for not finishing this dish.

Talk about top notch service! TLB had been invited to Icon to write a review for the New York Post, but I get the feeling that any regular Joe would receive the same outstanding attention that we did. The chef came out and greeted us; what a cute, nice guy and I have the sneaking suspicion that he is a MOT (member of the Tribe, my Waspy dears).

After brunch, we went outside to sit in the courtyard. I was momentarily transported to East Hampton.



Rumor has it that this is a hotspot for after-work cocktails. I do believe I will have to confirm this sooner rather than later.

Thank you, TLB, for yet another spectacular dining experience!

Presents = Preppy Picks bonus

Why am I always two days too early?



I ordered the Whisper lame Zoey tank to go with my white shorts with the silver embroidered elephants. Two days ago. As usual.

Does anyone else feel like sometimes the crewcuts designs are better than the women's designs? Does anyone else wish that they would hop on the Mommy & Me train so that us big girls can get in on the fun, too?

This week has been filled with presents! And most of them have come from the Waspiest Jew I know... ME!

The generous Preppy Princess sent me these towels in red with blue and white whale ribbon and white with pink and green whale ribbon. How fabulous do these look in my bathroom?



I ordered these placemats today. They'll be the perfect touch to my beachy abode.



Order here.

One of the cornerstones of the Preppy Picks is to feature smaller boutiques and online shops that I have discovered. I've been so happy to feature products from Preppy Princess, Preppy Parade, Maine Cakes and Cookies, and CB Stark. I am always open to suggestions for future Preppy Picks. If you own or know of a preppy gem, please send me the information! As fun as it is to gab about some of my favorite mass brands like J. Crew and Lilly, I really like to be able to give free press to some of the smaller guys. They deserve it the most!

I went to Anthropologie yesterday and found a few more Preppy Pick -worthy items. I can't wait 6 whole days to post them.

This will be perfect to drink milk out of.



These Beach Scene hair pins - a bumblebee, a startfish, and a clamshell - by Dominique Duval are the quintessential summer hair accessories.



Preppy lingerie? I live for it.




I think that's enough shopping for now. I need to save my pretty pennies for Restaurant Week(s).

Have a wonderful weekend, readers!

The Preppy Picks

In honor of the Christmas in July swap I'm participating in, I've chosen to feature these cards this week (even though it's about 5 months too early)!



Truth be told, it's always a struggle for me to find holiday cards that fit appropriately into my life. It's not easy to come across cutesy Hanukkah cards (though my dad did manage to find some last year - something to the degree of a Chihuahua wearing a yarmulke) and I don't feel comfortable sending Christmas cards. I usually do the standard Curious George "Happy Holiday!" cards, but even those are a little Christmasy. Enter The Preppy Princess' holiday cards. There is nothing religious about them and they are the perfect degree of preppy. I will be stocking up on these come Winter. Please check Preppy Princess for more superb stationary.


You knew it was coming sooner or later.



We all know about my tired and torrid love affair with J. Crew. I got an email from them yesterday (as I'm sure many of you did) stating that "Summer's Hot Couple" is the long cardi and the skinny pant. It's their "new favorite silhouette". New? Really?

It comes in 11 colors and is featured here in my favorite: Maize. Will be purchasing it in this color (and subsequently, several other colors once it is marked down). In stores tomorrow.


I was thinking recently how the market for cute work badge accessories is basically untouched.



Apparently, I was wrong! I am loving this preppy badge reel I found over at Preppy Parade. Personally, I have my badge on a sorority lanyard, but I'm wishing I had this instead. (Just don't tell the folks over at Key Source!)


And while I'm not able to post photos, I'm simply adoring the Lilly Pulitzer Autumn collection. It has a fresh look to it and I do believe it's their best Fall collection ever. While it's quite reminiscent of J. Crew, it has just enough print and punch to be original.

Oh, Lilly.

I love you truly, NYC (You are the only one for me...)

I'm pulling a Carrie Bradshaw and dating my city.

What I'm loving about NYC this week...

The Treats Truck.


This little gem (appropriately named "Sugar") trucks around Manhattan toting the tastiest treats this side of the Hudson. I recommend the Pecan Butterscotch Bar. My taste buds danced with delight. Check the website for schedules.


Butter.


The NoHo hotspot serves up amazing dishes and drinks, changing its menu frequently. This is one of the most spectacular-looking restaurants I have ever set foot in.


Blue Smoke.


Hands down, the best Southern food I've found in the Big Apple. Their mac and cheese is second to none.

(Another reason I'm loving NYC this week? The Tory Burch sample sale at which AEG and I purchased these tops.)


The Shoe Department at Saks Fifth Avenue.


Forget about the brilliant marketing scheme that encompasses this concept. (The Eighth Floor of Saks has its own zip code: 10022-SHOE. There were also limited edition stamps when it opened.) Those people know how to do shoes. And after a delightful lunch with my dad in Cafe Spa today, he bought me these beauties.

More to come. Restaurant Week starts Monday!

The third time's a charm

This morning, I did what I do most mornings. Hopped out of bed, ran to the air conditioner, turned it off, and got back into bed. It takes me awhile to warm up in the morning so I always try to give myself ample time to do so. I turned on the Today show, checked my BlackBerry, poured a glass of milk, and ate some Teddy Grahams. I was sitting in my morning daze, listening to Mike Murphy and Rachel Maddow bicker and thinking how lucky I am to live in this glorious city even though I constantly complain about its lack of gentlemen and Southern charm, when, out of the corner of my eye, I saw the Red Flash.

I retrieved my BlackBerry and re-opened my email. The new message was from Barnes & Noble, and it read:

This Week: Curtis Sittenfeld...

Well, there was more, but I stopped right there and let out a small shriek. Could it be? I'd been waiting years for this!

I leaped from out under the covers and was hit by the still-frigid air of my little apartment. I dashed to my desk to grab my laptop and darted back to bed. After logging onto the Barnes & Noble website, I was delighted to see that my suspicions were confirmed: The author of best-selling Prep has finally written another book.



I'm betting that most of you have read this, but if you haven't, RUN DON'T WALK to your nearest bookseller. I'm not going to lie; the cover art was the seller for me. (Not to mention the title. Clearly.) I honestly bought this book without knowing very much about it, and to this day I consider it to be one of the best things I have ever read. I feel that just about anyone on Earth can relate to the protagonist, and it's no easy task to create a character with that sort of depth. Sittenfeld's writing style is similar to that of what I aspire to for my first novel.

After finishing the gem, I knew I needed more. Luckily, I didn't have to wait too long for her second book, The Man of My Dreams.



I couldn't wait to get my hot little hands on this. The main character in The Man of My Dreams reminded me a lot of the main character in Prep. As I writer, I've discovered that you can't always have it all and sometimes a book is more about the writing than it is about the story. This book is more about the writing, which is beautifully poignant. If you appreciate that as much as I do, I recommend you pick this up. It's somewhat sad but I enjoyed reading it nonetheless.

I read Man of My Dreams as soon as it was published, in May of 2006. I have been waiting since then for Sittenfeld to come out with a new novel since then. It's been a long two years but I'm happy to say that her third novel, American Wife, will be released on September 2, 2008.



The review from Publisher's Weekly was less than glowing, but I have high hopes. Her work is nothing if not polished. The main character again sounds reminiscent of both main characters from her previous novels. You can read more about the novel here. I've already reserved my copy. I suggest you do the same.

P.S. To briefly return to my love affair with the city as aforementioned in the first paragraph...

Reason 738 I love living in NYC: When I was dropping my gym bag off this morning, I saw a girl wearing a t-shirt with our sorority letters. I asked her if she was a sister and then told her that I was as well. I quickly learned that she was in the same chapter as my pal MBL, whom I know through my Book Club. She sounded interested in joining, so I ended up giving her my card. Curtis and Kappa... all before 9 AM!
(Also Reason 175,132 why I love my sorority.)