Friday Favorites

Lately, I'm really loving...

Wearing my hair au natural.

Light cotton dresses to beat the heat. Picked this one up at Target.

I've finally discovered Lululemon, the yoga mecca. Lord help me. (And yes, these shorts are among what I've bought. Perfect length!)

Everything Clif Bar. Recent favorites include their new crunch bars and the minis, to stash in my tote. I don't like going anywhere without a little snack in tow and at 100 calories each, these are perfect.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

The Age of Aquarius

Today I was wearing my Alex Woo Little Signs necklace and it dawned on me that I didn't even really know what my sign means. Sometimes I call 1-800-555-TELL to get my horoscope (it's free) but I never really pondered the true essence of Aquarius.



So I looked it up.

According to Essortment... Aquarius is symbolized by the water bearer. Their ruling planet is Uranus and their element is air. Aquarians are very dependable and honest. They are very honorable and when they make a decision, they stick by it. They are very considerate of others and their opinions. They are a definite individual, sometimes to the point that they have difficulty working with others. They are very independent with a very active, sometimes overactive, imagination. Aquarians are most often attracted to Gemini, Libra, Pisces, and other Aquarians.

I gotta say, that sorta sounds a lot like me. From being a water baby right down to the people I'm attracted to.

What's your sign?

The Nana Diaries

This past weekend I visited my beloved Nana in Florida. She lives in Sarasota, a beautiful, beachy city on the Southwest coast of the state and there are few better ways for me to relax than to escape there for a few days.

Nana and I spent our days eating, shopping, and playing rummikub. I also had the pleasure of taking a dip in the pool and sitting in the sun every morning. We had the best time. Many of you got to enjoy her quips via my #nanatweets on Twitter. Nana is one of the funniest and feistiest people I know. I'm pretty sure I inherited all of my sass from her. And I think if my not-so-secret desire of starring in a Bravo reality show ever materializes, I'll have to work her into the contract. Jill Zarin's mother gives great advice, sure, but my Nana is a hoot.

I only took two photos while I was there...

Dinner at Bonefish Grill.

Brunch at the Ritz.

...but found a lot more than that of little JGIWC. Here's my favorite:







What can I say? I love to go and I hate to leave. I feel so blessed to have a grandmother as wonderful as mine, who is constantly teaching me and inspires me every time I see her. Nana, I showed you how to use the internet (again) so I sure hope you're reading this! I LOVE YOU! Thank you for being YOU!

Floridays

Currently sitting in terminal 5 at JFK, enjoying egg whites, my iPad, and the comeback of sophisticated travel.

Off to Florida for a few days! Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

P.S. I wrote back to those of you who have email addresses attached to your user name, but to everyone else - thank you so much for the kind comments. You all brought that biggest smiles to my face. I am speechless and so touched.

Please update your address books!

My new email address is tag@jgiwc.com!

Why I've been holding back

At a recent yoga class, the instructor asked us if we could have one thing in great abundance that would make our life significantly better, what would it be?

I wished for faith.

There are often times when I want to spill my guts here - the way I used to - but it's hard. I feel stymied. I know my posts lately have been shallow... but only because in a recent post that went just a tiny bit deeper, I referred to depending on girlfriends for dinner dates and was met with a comment informing me that I'm still single because I'm a 'heifer'. (Their words - not mine. I wouldn't dream of using that term to describe anyone.)

And of course, a number of loyal friends and readers rushed to my defense, for which I am so grateful. The good always outweighs the bad. Always.

I know that being a writer means putting myself out there and opening myself up to constant criticism. And I believe it's worth it. The first comment I ever received on here was negative (and extremely offensive). But look how far I've come. And I know that the internet is for two things: porn and complaining (thank you One Tree Hill). Yet somehow, I am still taken aback every time I receive malicious feedback. I can completely understand why people wouldn't enjoy this blog - but I will never understand why they can't just stop reading and move on rather than taking the time to write mean, spiteful things. The pen is mightier than the sword and by publishing this on the internet - I know I'm asking for it. That knowledge doesn't make the insults less hurtful, unfortunately. I wish it did.

Jewish Girl in Wasp's Clothing is a labor of love and the gift that keeps giving. I just wanted to let you know that it may take me a little while, but I'll get back there.

Thanks for being patient with me while I wait for a little faith.

At long last, Tour de Teddi!

The housewarming party is over, the new art is hung, and I'm finally ready to share my humble abode with all of you!

I live in a studio that's around 300 square feet. I have arranged the photos below to take you on a 360° tour. Enjoy!




The shelf in my front entryway. The porcelain elephant is actually a Jonathan Adler Christmas tree ornament.




The jewelry box is from Pottery Barn (its actually monogrammed on top) and the monogrammed print is Jack and Lulu.




My wardrobe holds sweaters, shoes, and gym/yoga clothes.




La touche finale! My dad hung these on the wall for me today. Click the photo to enlarge. I love this combination... Owls for Kappa, my initials, Miami postcards, a few of my favorite quotes, and the middle piece is just pure perfection. We found it this afternoon. This must be the place. So indicative of both my life and my home right now.




The couch and pillows are West Elm. The throw is Burberry.




The tray is Preppy Cards and the candle is from Anthropologie. (I only burn candles that smell like food. This one is angel food scented... yum!)




I don't have a traditional desk, so this does double duty. It serves as both a dining surface and my little writing haven.




Vintage Beatles posters. We're big moptop fans in my family!




My bedding is Lilly Pulitzer and the elephant pillow is Jonathan Adler.




My vanity. The top opens up to reveal another mirror and makeup storage.




Some of my photographs and trinkets... and a framed card that says "Hello from the Hamptons".




A few more photographs and trinkets.




My kitchenette!




Monogrammed wine chiller, soap and lotion dispensers, and a dishwaster bottle. So much fun. The wine chiller is Nico and Lala; all others are Preppy Cards.




The elephant trivet is Jonathan Adler; the canisters are Orla Kiely for Target.




It was nearly impossible to get a decent bathroom shot - this is the best I could do. The tissue box and toothbrush cup are old school Lilly and the turquoise bath towels are Lacoste.




Bags, baubles, and closets!



It's a bit smaller than my old place but so much warmer. I absolutely love living here. It is a happy home indeed.

Playing house (and lots of cupcakes!)

Today, I have been prepping for the housewarming party I'm hosting tomorrow evening. When I moved into my first New York City apartment, I only had 3 friends here so I never even bothered. I'm so looking forward to celebrating my new home (and new beginnings!) with some of my closest friends and family. It's a teeny tiny apartment, so I'm just hoping that not everyone shows up at once!

I made it an 'open house' so that people can stop by as they please, and I imagine that many of my guests will either be coming from or heading to dinner. I'm serving a few of my favorite things...

Cupcake Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc

(I served this at my birthday party as well and it was a big hit! I buy it by the case from Marketview Liquor... so delicious and what a deal!)

Baked by Melissa cupcakes

(These are less than 45 calories each and absolutely delicious. These appeal to me more than any other cupcake because they're so teeny tiny so you can have a few and try a variety. My favorite flavors are chocolate chip pancake and cinnamon. Yum!)



I promise to post apartment (and party!) photos next week. Have a wonderful weekend!

Summer Staple

Every summer, I find a non-Lilly, non-Milly dress that's equal parts sweet and sexy. And then I proceed to wear it to death. The perfect dress for a date (not that I'm going on any), cocktails, a night out with the girls, a party... you get the picture.



Last summer, I lived in this Phillip Lim dress. So comfy and so chic. I found it on sale at Bergdorfs and got so much wear out of it. It ties at the back of the neck and has a bra like closure across the back. Fabulous. It no longer fits me properly so it now belongs to a good friend... I'm just happy it has a good home and that I'll get to see it once in awhile!



My summer 2011 dependable dress is this BCBG number. I'll be honest - it's rare that I pay retail for clothing. My parents are both in the fashion industry and I have a knack for finding designer deals so I've been lucky to acquire a lot of beautiful pieces for pennies on the dollar. I saw this dress at Lord & Taylor back in the spring and fell in love. I've done a complete wardrobe overhaul in the past few months and have gotten rid of the majority of my clothing. By the time I got back to Lord and Taylor to take the plunge, there were only two dresses left... luckily one of them fit! Frock fate. I did something I rarely do - paid full price - and it was worth every cent. I've already worn it 3 or 4 times and plan on wearing it tons more before Labor Day.

Do you have a summer staple?

What's in JGIWC's bag?

Today I'm wearing my Palermo GM. I love this bag. It holds so much and goes with everything. Here's what's in it.





Clockwise, starting at left:

Lilly Pulitzer umbrella This doesn't work very well, but it's cute and small and (sorta) gets the job done in a sunshower.
Vera Bradley lunch bag This is from college! I still use it for snacks and sandwiches.
kate spade flat pouch I love this newspaper print they did - so much that I also have the matching iPad cover and the clutch. This has all the essentials in it: lip balm, kate spade twirl perfume rollerball, bronzer, Smythson notebook, so on and so forth. Come to think of it, this should get a post of its own.
J. Crew cardigan Very lightweight and goes with a lot. I rarely go anywhere without a cardigan. This particular style is on sale and I'm thinking of picking up another color (or three).
Lilly Pulitzer Paley sunglasses These were gifted to me when I went to the Martha show. I love the pink detail and the bamboo shaped sides.
Kappa Kappa Gamma luggage tag There's no particular reason I'm carrying this around. It got tossed in my bag when I was moving and picking up the last little things around my old apartment, and apparently it hasn't come out since.
Prada Saffiano wallet Classic and the special texture of the leather makes it practically scratch resistant.
Vera Bradley eyeglass case Holds my DVF glasses which I wear for reading and computer work. I love cornflower blue.
Hamptons taxi card and train ticket to Southampton Waaaaahhhhh.

New beginnings and lovely labels

Settling into my new home has really kicked summer off to a great start. This will mark the fifth I spend in NYC, having spent the previous four in my last apartment. The new surroundings and feeling of a fresh start have all been welcome changes.

It's a work in progress. My art is waiting to be hung on the walls and my Wii is waiting to be hooked up. I have yet to find the perfect flower vase and would like to frame a few more photos. My housewarming party is in less than two weeks (!) so I'm confident I'll figure it all out by then.

In the meantime, I am now able to officially send mail from my new residence, thanks to these babies:

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Having these printed with my new address really make me feel like I'm home. Looking forward to shipping in style.

The mailing labels and return address labels are both from Preppy Cards.

How I spent the holiday weekend

HAPPY 4TH! GOD BLESS AMERICA!

Headed out East

Wishing you a safe, sunny, and spectacular 4th!