Last week, I did a poll asking my readers, what they were looking for and I would do a post with some links. There were a bunch of great answers but I tried to stick to some summer items. One of the biggest requests was for a cute straw bag that could be used day into night. Please keep your requests coming, send me an EMAIL with something you are looking for or something on your wish list!!
- This is the best summer dress I found that covers all the bases, price, style and occassion. This dress is only $30, it is on trend, maxi dresses are so popular right now, and it can be worn as easily to work or out to dinner or even to a wedding.
- I have been asked for a designer bag that would work for multiple seasons. I love this color and saw it with a summer dress and also with a black turtleneck sweater and jeans. Its price point is high but it is a style that you will be carrying for years.
- Lots of requests for summer tablesettings, esp outdoor. I found these rattan chargers that are beautiful. You can use a solid melamine plate or even a cute paper one and your table will be all set.
- As far as new accessories go, bangles are always in style especially in multiples. These bangles are a jewlery staple that are seasonless.
- In my opinion this is the BEST looking storage basket.
- If you love the color of the Gucci bag but are looking for a lower price point, this wicker bag is adorable. I love the chain handle.
- This is the BEST self tanning lotion. It works in just 2 hours and gives a healthy glow!
- I am going to do a whole college post but this is the BEST storage box. It fits under beds and at the bottom of closets.
- I get asked a lot about the 2 set outfits that are also so popular. This one really caught my eye. I love the color, collar and the buttons. Its very retro looking!
- The next 5 bags are in response to readers askiing for a summer bag to go from day to night! This pearl disco ball is the best one overall. Its not that big but I can fit my Iphone. I have had this for a couple years now and I get a compliment everytime I use it.
- This pom pom fringe bag is perfection. I love the handles and the combo of the light pink and ratan is beautiful!! I might add this to my cart!!!
- If the pom poms are too much for you, here is a really cute style with just the fringe and soem stud detailing and its a great combo of the two bags already shown!
- Here is another pom pom style but I love the tonal color.
- If you are looking for something other than a natural color, this one is so chic.
- This is one of the most random items in my collages ever, but a reader from Dallas sent me this recommendation…if you take 2 of these odorless garlic pills once a day…the mosquitoes will stay away!!
Jewelry can be more than an accessory. Many of your most valuable pieces are not valuable because of what they would sell for but for what they represent. For many people, jewelry can serve as a reminder of an important memory, relationship, or a family heirloom that has been passed down to you and carries a great deal of sentimental value. No matter the reason your jewelry is something you want to take care of and protect from avoidable damage or wear. Proper care (including how to respond to repair needs such as what to do when a stone falls out) and cleaning techniques will help your jewelry last longer
Day-To-Day Tips
To help your jewelry last longer by avoiding common errors. You should never wear jewelry when performing certain activities that could expose your jewelry to potential damage. This includes exercise, sporting activities, and involved housekeeping or home maintenance projects. Exercise and sporting activities can cause physical damage and home projects could expose your jewelry to corrosive chemicals. You should also avoid wearing your jewelry in swimming pools as chlorine can damage your jewelry’s gemstones and metals.
Storing Your Jewelry
Proper care and storage can help your jewelry last longer, avoid scratching and scuffing, and retain its beauty. When you’re not wearing your jewelry it should always be properly stored in a fabric-lined box (such as a jewelry box) or wrapped in soft tissue to avoid friction. You should also wipe your jewelry off when you remove it before storing it as this removes sweat and the natural oils your skin produces. Finally, you should always put on your jewelry last as this helps you avoid exposing your jewelry to personal care products such as cosmetics or haircare products.
Cleaning Your Jewelry
When you clean your jewelry you want to avoid damaging the metal or stones. When polishing or cleaning your jewelry you should always use a soft non-abrasive cleaning cloth designed to be used on jewelry and other delicate items. Not all cleaning cloths are the same and some are not designed to be used on delicate items and can scratch your jewelry. Depending on the type of metal used in your jewelry certain chemicals can be harmful. Cleaning chemicals to avoid include salts, acetone, ammonia, turpentine, and chlorine in addition always read the ingredients of any cleaner you’re planning to use as many home cleaning products are also abrasive to jewelry. Full immersion in a liquid, such as water, should also be avoided as it can loosen gemstones and damage certain types of jewelry.
If You’ve Lost a Stone
Over time your jewelry can become damaged or simply wear down causing gemstones to loosen and fall out. Sadly, you likely won’t notice a stone has fallen out until you take your jewelry off. If you’ve had a busy day retracing your steps may be ultimately unproductive. Luckily, stones can be replaced by professionals and match the original stone in terms of look, cut, and fit. Plus if you were fortunate enough to find the lost stone it can be reset. If you have jewelry many insurance companies offer jewelry coverage as a separate option to add to your existing policy and some companies specialize in just jewelry insurance.
Final Thoughts
Your jewelry can be an important part of your daily life and something you wear every day. Like many of your most important possessions, your jewelry requires regular upkeep and care. By taking care of your jewelry you help it last longer and age better. In addition, a professional can help by providing regular cleanings that keep your jewelry looking its best and that use methods that are both safe and effective.
RECIPE COURTESY OF GIADA DE LAURENTIIS
Let’s savor the last weeks of summer. One of the best summertime drinks, that has become so popular, is the Aperol Spritz. It’s a refreshing bubbly cocktail that is served in the Northern part of Italy and tastes like summertime. One of the best parts is the color is that of a beautiful Italian Riveria sunset. Bon Weekend!!
1 1/2 ounces Aperol
3 ounces prosecco
3/4 ounce sparkling water or club soda
1 orange slice, for garnish, optional
Fill a white wine glass halfway with ice. Add the Aperol, prosecco, and sparkling water, and stir twice with a spoon. Serve with an orange slice if desired.
I met Anita Devlin of We Heave Ho years ago through family and friends but I really really became enamored with her when she started her amazing organizing business, “We Heave Ho”. With each job, I was mesmerized by the before and afters. Anita is so helpful, understanding, and passes no judgment at all. And I love her motto, “decluttering brings clarity”!! Every single family that she works with is just so incredibly thankful and asks for more and more (and yes I have seen this first hand).
So, here’s where I come in…I probably get 2 or 3 requests per week for the name of an organizing company. Whether be a moving job, or a garage cleanout or even a packing request for a college dorm set up. I reached out to Anita and we decided to work together to bring my readers along with us on one of her jobs.
I knew that I really wanted to be part of a Laundry Room Makeover…basically, we went to one of her client’s houses and the laundry room was such a good size but the homeowners just were lost in the space. Anita met with the wife and got to know a little about the family, their needs and she measured and sized up the space and then hit Bed Bath and Beyond and Home Goods the day before we started the job. I wish I went with her but that is for another post!!!
Anita, her interns and I arrived at the home ready to go. She was armed with her organizing baskets, labels, hangers, bins..you name it she had it AND she even brought flowers and coffee cake for the family.
I broke up the day into 3 parts.
THE BEFORE:
THE DURING
AND FINALLY……THE FINISHED PRODUCT (4 hours later)
So whether you have a small job or a larger one Anita is ready for you. I would start by following her Instagram @weheaveho. She has the best swipe ups to buy all the wonderful orgazing products she uses., Trust me, you will love Anita as much as I do!
One last before and after….Anita you are WONDERFUL!!!!
With NYC’s rooftop season here, on behalf of the Times Square Alliance, I wanted to share the news of recently opened and reopened rooftop spots to cool off and enjoy a birds-eye view of the Crossroads of the World, which is already welcoming back New Yorkers and visitors to the neighborhood this summer.
- NEW: Located at 226 West 52nd Street, the new M Social Hotel Times Square recently opened this season and features their signature restaurant Beast & Butterflies, a secluded oasis perched above Times Square with a wraparound terrace and is open from 4 to 11 pm daily. M Social is also participating in the Times Square Alliance’s “Taste of Times Square,” a week-long promotion of local restaurants that offers a special three-course prix fixe menu until June 14. Instagram MSocialNewYork
- REOPENED: Located at 132 West 47th Street at the Sanctuary Hotel New York, Sushi Lab elevates the omakase experience. In addition to à la carte items, sushi enthusiasts can choose from the popular “Chef’s Selection” which includes 10 signature hand rolls ($60) or “The Lab Experience” of 15 signature courses ($120.) Reservations are required. Instagram @sushilab.nyc
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- REOPENED: Located at 6 Times Square on the 17th Floor, St. Cloud Rooftop at The Knickerbocker Hotel features views overlooking Times Square, stylish indoor and outdoor seating options, their Waterford Crystal Lounge, lush living walls of greenery, a F&B menu by Charlie Palmer, and much more. Instagram StCloudNYC.
As one of the most Instagrammed destinations in the world, Times Square includes 19,551 hotel rooms which make up 16% of the City’s hotel rooms, which is over three times as many as the next highest concentrated area around Grand Central. On average, the Alliance is now seeing 180,000 daily pedestrians in Times Square, welcoming more New Yorkers and visitors back to the Crossroads of the World.
After a sold-out show in early 2020 – Squeeze is returning to The Ridgefield Playhouse for two nights in their only Connecticut tour stops! The legendary new-wave band returns to The Ridgefield Playhouse stage for two nights with all of their hits – including “Cool for Cats,” “Up the Junction,” “Pulling Mussels From A Shell,” “Black Coffee in Bed,” “Labeled With Love,” “Tempted” and many more! Their first show on Wednesday, August 4, sponsored by Jill and Larry Mango, sold out quickly – but fans have a second chance to see the band on Tuesday, August 10 at 7:30 pm as part of the Pepsi Rock Series Powered by Xfinity. Founding members Chris Difford and Glenn Tillbrook have been compared to the likes of John Lennon and Paul McCartney as songwriters and performers. Don’t miss the chance to see this legendary and eternally hipster band LIVE! Make it a great night out with dinner and a show – visit TerraSole (3 Big Shop Lane, Ridgefield) for dinner before the show and get a free glass of house wine or dessert with your entrée when you present your tickets! Squeeze is a featured artist of media sponsor WEBE 108fm.
Squeeze disbanded in 1999 and reunited in 2007, releasing three new albums since then (2010’s Spot the Difference, 2015’s Cradle to the Grave and 2017’s The Knowledge,) as well as various solo projects from both Chris and Glenn. Aside from Difford and Tilbrook, Squeeze now features keyboardist Stephen Lange and drummer Simon Hanson (since 2007,) percussionist/back-up singer Steve Smith (vocalist for house music group Dirty Vegas) along with pedal/lap steel guitarist Melvin Duffy (who joined them for the 2019 tour) and Owen Biddle, former bassist for The Roots. During the band’s “Squeeze Songbook 2019” tour, two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foo Fighters founder Dave Grohl joined the band at the Bourbon & Beyond Festival in Louisville in September 2019 to perform percussion on “Black Coffee in Bed.”
For more information or to purchase a touchless print at home ticket ($130 – $150) go online at www.ridgefieldplayhouse.org or, you can visit or call the box office (203) 438-5795. The Ridgefield Playhouse is a non-profit performing arts center located at 80 East Ridge, parallel to Main Street, Ridgefield, CT and is committed to keeping the arts alive and available to all.