Obsession: Peruvian bags for city streets

There's nothing in the world that excites me more than a classic, rugged, well-made leather bag. There's something so old-school and everlasting about the idea that has me completely obsessed with labels like The Madly. The label comes from designers Jake Quellman and Melanie Dizon (who used to have her own eponymous bag label), and has a strong collection of rugged leather bags, backpacks, totes and briefcases inspired by the duo's strong sense of wanderlust.

For spring 2011, the designers traveled through Peru for inspiration & are coming out with a number of pieces made with a limited-edition fabric called The Nomads, made by cooperatives in the Sacred Valley of Peru. The result is a chic collection of pieces that encompass everything a city girl longing to be hiking through the Andes could ever yearn for.

xx J

The carol marie etagere at Henri Bendel!!!

XOXO

We were super excited for last week's episode of Gossip Girl when Georgina was wearing the carol marie silver tangled multi chain necklace & we were even more excited for this week's episode when Vanessa was wearing the jewel & multi chain necklace! Two weeks in a row on one of our favorite shows!!! Watch out upper east side, here we come.
XOXO

Georgina in the cm tangled multi chain necklace in silver

Vanessa in the jewel & multi chain necklace in crystal

Yes, we were so excited that we took a photo with the TV...

Fall time in Beantown

Every year, when the air gets crisp, the kids start school & it becomes boot & jacket weather again, I know it means one thing - it's time for my favorite weekend of the year. I love fall & there's no better way to celebrate it than with my annual trip up to Boston to visit close friends & have our traditional apple picking adventure. Apple picking, cider donuts, hay rides, changing leaves, pumpkin patches, apple pie. It doesn't get any better than fall in New England. We topped it off this year with a trip to the most amazing flea market I've ever been to. Antique wooden furniture, pressed glass china, art with old gilded frames and vintage jewelry and clothing better than you could ever find in grandma's closet. I'd make the trip up to Massachusetts just to indulge again. My little secret as to where it is...

xx J

Apple picking & feeding farm animals with the kiddies.

I love a hay ride.

YAY! We made it to the middle of the hedge maze!

My favorite find at the flea market.

Maybe I could use some pointers...

Weekend Review

No rest for the weary. We spent the jam-packed weekend working hard on new designs for cm and dividing and conquering to catch up with friends, celebrate birthdays, and enjoy the city.

On Saturday, while J was at the Big Brothers Big Sisters "Race for the Kids" with her little sister, H had brunch with a friend and then stopped by the new fashion exhibit at FIT “Japan Fashion Now.” After a brief evening catch-up with each other, we split up again that night for birthday parties.

J headed out to Brooklyn to celebrate skeeball style at Full Circle Bar while H celebrated a friend's birthday in the city over drinks at Merchants Cigar Bar in the Upper East Side and ended the night meeting up with friends who were visiting from Seattle.

On Sunday, J met up with a friend to walk the Brooklyn Bridge and explore the new Amsterdam Market down at South Street Seaport where the old fish market used to be. Local and sustainable businesses join there to peddle their honey, bread, vegetables, wine and cheese. They had a brunch of delicious pork sliders, jams, scones, pasta and lobster rolls galore.

We ended the weekend with more work on cm. Get pumped for the fall 2011 collection...

3.5 out of 5 apples on the Big Apple weekend review radar.

xx H&J

J with the birthday girl at Full Circle Bar in Williamsburg.

Walking the Brooklyn bridge!

New Amsterdam Market

Pork sliders. Yum!

Shopaholic signing!

The best selling author Madeleine Wickham, also known as Sophie Kinsella, recently made a trip out to New York City for a shopping and signing event celebrating her most recent release in the Shopaholic Series, Mini Shopaholic. A friend & I are huge fans (having read all books written under both pen names) and couldn’t miss the opportunity to meet one of our favorite authors and hear her read from her newest novel.

The event took place at the Limelight Marketplace in NYC and was set up as a shopping event (I mean, the book is part of the Shopaholic series...) with cupcakes and sponsorship by the website Big City Moms. I was able to purchase a hard cover copy of the book and have my copy signed by the author!

xx H

H in the beautiful new Limelight Marketplace.

Madeleine Wickham reading an excerpt from her new book, Mini Shopaholic.

H & friend Q with Madeleine!

Lingerie & bikers. There's nothing I love more than a stark contrast when it comes to fashion. Even better when you add in beautiful cuts & draping like Marios Schwab showed for Spring 11. Love it.

xx J