Dancing in the rain

Hello my lovely and loyal readers! Thank you so much to all of you who left kind compliments yesterday. You sure do know how to make a gal feel loved!

I just wanted to share a few photos before I wish you all wonderful weekends!

Yesterday evening I stopped by a charity event for Room to Grow at the Lilly store. Their mission is to build a strong foundations for babies in poverty. Part of the proceeds from the evening's purchases went towards the organization. I ran into pal, sorority sister and fellow book club member LG.


I wore my Nadja dress with a cardigan from Spring'08. I almost passed on this because I initially felt it was a bit old ladyish, but now it's one of my favorite LP pieces!

I had a few items to buy and was glad that I was able to make it to the event and help contribute toward the cause.


After stopping by the party, I hightailed it to Tribeca for dinner with my mini supper club. We meet once a month to try a new restaurant. Last night we ate at Harbour, a seafood restaurant that is decorated to look like the inside of a ship. I found the menu to be unique and the food itself to be very inventive, mixing items and tastes in a way that I had not previously experienced. I was extremely impressed with the attention to detail. The meal included gratis amuse-bouche, pre-dessert, and cookies with our check. All in all I was pleased. The table next to us was a couple that had just gotten engaged in Central Park, and that's always fun and heartwarming to see.

The title refers to one of my all-time favorite JGIWC posts. I said a long time ago that I need to learn how to dance in the rain while waiting for the sunshine. And given the weather and my attitude as of late, I felt that throwback was an appropriate mention today.

I'm off to begin my weekend by meeting Sunshine in the City for lunch. A big thank you to all of you readers for your continuous support. It means more to me than I can ever possibly express or than words could ever possibly justify.

Life is short. Order the specialty cocktail.

Last night I met my dear gal pal BEH for drinks at Whiskey Park. I pulled out one of my summer favorites, a Betsey Johnson novelty dress I bought two years ago. The weather wasn't quite comparable but I couldn't bare to contain my tanned legs in jeans. Part of my new outlook on life: Why not? As Rose recently said on Golden Girls 'Today is the first day of the rest of your life!' (And then Sophia said, 'Terrific. If I'm lucky I'll live to be 7.')

A few small philosophies for today:

Never thought the words would escape my lips, but you can have chardonnay any day. Have the seasonal drink that you can't order anywhere else. Live a little.

Maybe everything in life changes - friendships, places, situations - except for people. Maybe the best we can do is accept, adapt, and move on.

Find the perfect lipstick/balm/gloss. Search high and low. Find it and commit yourself to it. Don't ever waste another dollar on a different color or brand. I found mine last week, purchased it yesterday, and today I'm going to throw everything else away.

And finally, IF YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING NICE TO SAY, DON'T SAY ANYTHING AT ALL! Good lord! What's with all the negative energy going on in our blog world recently? I know there are people out there who can't stand me and for the life of me I do not understand why they spend their precious time perusing my blog and writing rude comments. Anyone? Bueller?

Anyway, this week's Preppy Pick is Bar and Books. I went to the Beekman location with Miss AEG a few weeks ago. They make one mean Pimm's Cup.

Have a preppy and morally correct Thursday!

New hair, new me!

Thank you all so much for the kind compliments about my hair! I got a request for a close-up...



I know it's not great - but it gives you an idea of how choppy it is. I LOVE it. I got it cut at Bumble & bumble - it was my fifth time getting my hair cut there since moving to NYC and I've always had a great experience. The girl who cut it is also an educator at the B&b University. (And yes, she thinks it's silly that they call it that too). I also got an inquiry about what B&b products I use. I love the Creme de Coco shampoo and conditioner - they smell incredible. I also like the Alojoba set, but the shampoo does not lather which takes a bit of getting used to. I use the Does It All spray while flat ironing. I still need to pick a product to use prior to blow drying, but I haven't quite settled on that yet.

I've never had hair this short. As I have previously stated, I am a minimalist when it comes to jewelry. I wear the Cartier Love studs to match my bracelet. I've 'hid' behind my hair as long as I can remember so I rarely bothered with earrings more elaborate. But being in London and constantly watching fashion risk-takers stroll by me on the street inspired me to try something new. I bought 3 beautiful new pairs of earrings on my trip. I will be sure to post photos as I wear them.

A few other pairs I'm lusting after...


I've been wanting these for years. Someday...




Like this Kate Spade set. I love all big earrings that resemble flowers. These have a nice pop of color. (And in case you're interested - KS just added adorable new rings to their jewelry collection...)




Big fan of this J. Crew pair. The price is very budget-friendly and yellow is my favorite color.


Would love to hear your opinions on ear candy and how to lock in my locks!

Fifth time's a charm

I think this may have been my favorite trip to London yet. I don't know whether it was my new hair or my new lease on life, but something felt right. Here are some of my favorite photos from the weekend.



Tea at the Dorchester. One of my favorite outfits. My dress is Theory, my cardigan is Topshop and my pearls are Carolee.





Tea at the Dorchester. Isn't she precious?





Tea at the Dorchester. The sunflower cupcake was my favorite.





Our traditional phone booth photo. My top is a great Phillip Lim knockoff... from Topshop!





One of our favorite London traditions, Yo! Sushi.





Hotel lobby. Beaded dresses. Mine is Once Upon A Time.





My babylove.


London is lovely, but I'm an American girl. So happy to be home. GOD BLESS THE USA!

Bon Voyage!

Journaling in London in 2007.

Goodbye, readers! I will be back next week with stories and photos of my trip across the pond!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

Re-cap of the Monday night madness

You know I don't want to, but I have to.

In Gossip Girl, all's well that ends well. That last moment with Blair and Chuck made sitting though the whole damn season worth it.

In One Tree Hill, the show that proves that White Men CAN Jump, NATHAN SCOTT GETS DRAFTED TO THE NBA! To be honest, this would have been the perfect SERIES finale, but I read that One Tree Hill has been picked up for a seventh season so as far as I know this was just the SEASON finale. But if my sources are incorrect and this was really the end, I got everything I hoped for and really have no complaints.

Being the NBA freak I am, I watched the scene where Nathan tells Haley the good news twice. I got a little teary-eyed myself!

Brooke Davis finally found love, and outside of the Scott family! AWOO-HOO!

Alright. Bachelorette. Swore I wouldn't watch it. Was never a Jillian fan. Rooted for Melissa since Day 1. Had a good laugh over "Hot Tub Harris" and liking the guy from Dallas (of course). Can't not watch. Not as excited as previous seasons, but this should be entertaining.

Speaking of Melissa, as always, I fast fowarded through Dancing with the Stars as to only watch her dance. Didn't think her first dance was great, but her freestyle blew me away just as I knew it would. Will be tuning in tonight to see who wins. I hope she has a bright future after this competition is said and done.

Final thoughts? Brooke Davis is still my hero and Jason Mesnick is a moron!

Cheerio Pip Pip

I'm going on an abroad adventure in just a few days and thought I'd share a few of the things I'm bringing along to lovely London.

Classic Chanel bag - Perfect for toting around the bare necessities.

Cartier Pasha watch - My left wrist staple. Mine has the stainless steel bracelet.

J. Crew ballet flat - Superb for skipping around Sloan Square.

Tocca Stella solid perfume - Sweet-smelling and no-mess.

Bobbi Brown face brush - Comes with its own carrier.

Nars Belle du Jour lipstick - The ultimate creamy nude shade. I don't do colored lips.

Bumble & bumble hair powder - I'm getting my hair cut there on Wednesday, and this is the perfect way to make the blowout last an extra day.

Bliss Best of Skintentions travel-sized moisturizer - Got this as a GWP from Sephora.

Samsung digital camera - How else would the Baby Fashionista and I take our traditional photo in front of a red telephone booth?

Kate Spade photo envelope - I like to take photos of loved ones with me when I travel.

Frederic Fekkai travel hair brush - I go almost nowhere without this.

Trish McEvoy Even Skin Portable Foundation duo - Love this. Makes my skin look near flawless.


Things that aren't in the collage - my Gap leather jacket, lots of paperback books, a pen and small journal, my sorority fleece travel blanket, iPod, and underwear. Can't forget underwear. Not again.

Have I ever mentioned that I'm the world's worst packer?

A Preppy Pick: Paperless Post!

I give all the credit in the world to the lovely CJM for finding my new favorite website, Paperless Post.



Paperless Post allows users to create custom online invitations and announcements. New members automatically receive 25 stamps. Users can choose between classic and modern and a number of backgrounds, fonts, and motifs. Additional stamps can be purchased in bundles and never expire. This is one of the most creative, fun, and user-friendly sites that I have come across in a long time. Combined with my recently redone studio apartment, I cant wait to host fabulous soirees this summer.

P.S. We all know that I'm snail mail's biggest purveyor, but now that postage just went up to $.44, this is a fun way to save both money and paper.

What I have done today

• Whined.
• Avoided laundry. (This gal is my laundry soulmate. We always have awful pile-ups at the same exact time.)
• Quoted numerous lines from last Saturday's SNL. Claaaaasic Timberlake. 
• Put $50 in my piggy bank.
• Bought a treat for my sweet.
• Updated my Kate Spade calendar. 
• Tore two days off of my Peanuts desk calendar. Slacker. Today Woodstock is standing on a birdbath.

Off to clean. Tomorrow is Wii & Wine Wednesday!

P.S. I am SO happy to have had so many positive reactions to my last post. I promise to share more shopping secrets in the near future.

All's fair in love and shopping

It's sometimes ironic that this blog is titled "Jewish Girl in Wasp's CLOTHING" because I don't talk about clothes here all that often. I'm very fortunate to have a lot of big ticket items in my closet. What you don't know is how little I paid for the majority of them.

My name is JGIWC and I am a bargain-aholic.

It's true. I love a good sample sale. I live for Neimans Last Call. I get a thrill from digging through racks and piles to find that perfect Tracy Reese dress for 85% off. I hope you don't think I purchased my Chloe dress for the retail price of $1425. Oh no, no, no, no, NO!

The truth is I have never shared my secret because I was almost ashamed. I'm not sure why; perhaps part of me feels like I have somehow cheated the system. I have all of these beautiful clothes and I'm not suffering for paying the cost. But as aforementioned, all is fair in love and shopping. And I just can't hide my love affair with bargain hunting anymore!


A Milly dress I bought at a sample sale. Actual retail price? $330. Actually paid? $4.

Butterfly brain

Have you ever heard that expression? I coined it from a Babysitters Club Little Sister book in the 90s. The mother said that Karen (aww, Karen) had a mind like a butterfly: it was always flitting from one thing to the next. Today I have an extreme case of BB. (Most days, it's merely moderate).

I can't seem to concentrate on simply one thing because I'm simultaneously wondering what I'll wear to Buddakan tonight, if I should plan a Girls' Night Out at Bowlmor next weekend, and when the rain will stop. Where should I buy Mothers' Day cards? When is the next time I'll be in a bathing suit? Why can't I just hunker down and clean my apartment? To treat truck or not to treat truck?

I'm off to find the answers. Wishes for a wonderful weekend!

Preppy Picks - JGIWC's crib

Changing it up today. Instead of talking about what to buy, I thought I would share where the magic happens.



There it is! My desk. As you can see, many preppy elements pull this entire look together, from the Southampton wooden box to the Vera Bradley file folders. The picture inside of the black frame reads, "Writing is thinking in ink". Perfect, no?

Have a preppy Thursday!

I left my heart in Miami.

I'm sure some of you readers are far classier than I and left your heart in some place a bit more bon vivant, like Paris, but I left my heart in good ole crime-ridden, Spanish-speaking Miami.

As many of you long-timers know, I grew up a mere five minutes away from the very spot my parents met at on the University of Miami campus. The city is embedded in me; it is as much a part of my personality and soul as anything else. When my family left Miami 11 years ago, I promised myself that I'd return someday. I made good on that when I attended college in Florida five years later.

This past weekend, I got a bit nostalgic for my hometown when I was reunited with my oldest friend.


CRJ and I have been best friends since we met in kindergarten class at Beth Am at the ripe old age of 5. I could not imagine my life without her. She's an avid reader of JGIWC and is moving back to New York this Fall to pursue her dream - Columbia med school! I'm so proud of her and so happy to be able to look forward to many more fun times in the future.

The other reason I was strolling down memory lane is not as joyful; the Heat lost game 7 and got knocked out of the playoffs. And then Wade didn't win MVP. REALLY LEBRON JAMES??? Anyone? Bueller?

MM, turn your head away from the computer screen for a moment. DWYANE: I still love you. You'll always be MVP in my book, baby. I will follow you wherever you may go. Especially if it's to the Knicks in 2010.

Not good, GREAT!

After the success of my Medicine Cabinet post, I thought it might be fun to do a product review. Recently I have discovered Not Soap, Radio, a company out of California known for occasion oriented bath and body products. They have an array of bridal, sorority and vacation items for the consumer who appreciates fun packaging and quality over quantity.


One of things I love about Not Soap, Radio is that they make sorority beauty items that are of the same quality as their department store products. I'm sure many of you Greek gals can agree that this is hard to come by. While they have many fantastic items, the Sorority lettered mini lip gloss trio is among my favorite. They are flavored. The kiss test with my MM passed with flying colors! I also love the Sorority Beauty Book/face palette.



I'm also a big fan of the "I'm not here, I'm really lounging poolside at a beachfront resort." Bronzer palette. The sun in the middle has 4 different strips of color and blended together they produce a beautiful, subtle glow.


The wonderful women at Not Soap, Radio are offering a special discount to all JGIWC readers. Enter the coupon code WASP to receive 20% off of anything and everything on their website. Happy shopping! I can't wait to hear about what you'll order.