I refuse to publicly admit how many episodes I binged on this weekend, but enough to say that I am intimately intertwined with this show. Suits is my new obsession - I don't know what took so long.
To Catch A Thief
Hello, weekend. At the moment, I'm having visions of Hitchcock's To Catch A Thief. Cary Grant. Grace. French Riviera. Mischief. Romance. Fabulous frocks and shiny cars. It doesn't get much better than that. Best wishes for a wonderful weekend!
The Shandy!
This Summer solstice provided a plethora of pleasures, however one in particular that deserves mention. Apparently, I am the last to know about the Summer Shandy, the delicious wheat lager-meets-Arnold Palmer amazingness. The summer libation is blissfully refreshing and better yet, Rhode Island's legendary Del's Lemonade and Narragansett Brewing Company have apparently teamed up to create their own. I can't wait to try it on my next trip home this summer!
Sunshine at Pitti Uomo
I loved seeing all the street wear photos of the colorful lads in Florence for Pitti Uomo. Men were clad in a rainbow of colors, strutting about in their pinstripes, plaids and pocket squares (and some seriously fab footwear). The shows got tons of warranted press and both Tommy Ton and The New York Times did a great job covering the fashion and events.
Summer à la Bruce Weber
Bruce Weber is one of my favorite photographers. It has been said that he is to fashion what Ernest Hemingway is to the literary world. Perhaps it's his hailing as "photographer of erotica" that strikes such a cord with me. His work is vulnerable and emotionally captivating, visually explicit, yet tasteful, youthful and contemporary. In the spirit of summer, I leave you with a collection of some of his work.
The Latest from Sotheby's: Like a Rolling Stone
Tomorrow, Sotheby's presents an auction titled "A Rock & Roll History: Presley to Punk" at 10:00 EDT in New York. The auction includes several pieces that tell a story of the culturally symbolic rock & roll story and the infamous characters that shaped such story. Among the objects, an autographed manuscript of the first verse of "Dreaming", signed by Debbie Harry of Blondie in 1980 (above). Its estimated worth is between $700-900 (lot # 22). Not doing it for you? Try the 1965 Bob Dylan autographed manuscript, "Like a Rolling Stone" estimated between $1,000,000 - 2,000,000 (lot #146). Happy bidding!
Girl Crush 2.0
Daughter of Caroline, Princess of Monaco, Charlotte Casiraghi is top on my list of girl crushes. The breathtaking brunette is an avid equestrian (perpetually clad in custom Gucci riding ensembles), new mother and International Best-Dressed beauty, who happens to also proactively utilize her intellect. In 2009, Charlotte colaunched EVER Manifesto, a sustainability think tank and publication. The company aims to educate and inspire fashion and design retailers to make environmentally sustainable choices, pointing to innovations in materials and manufacturing that can furnish ethical outcomes. She is (admirably) known for intentionally staying out of the spotlight, despite being muse to many high fashion designers and having royal blood.
The girl is the whole package...
Yearning for Yosemite
Architectural Digest editors selected a handful of hotels they consider some of the most idyllic in the United States. I must say, most didn't exactly wow me, (although it was nice to see the Ocean House at home get some adoration), but I did stop and smile when I came across the Ahwahnee. During my freshman year of high school, my Father took me on a cross-country Father-Daughter trip to Yosemite National Park, Carmel and San Francisco. Despite still having some awkward photos to reflect on, the adventure felt like a very distant memory until now. I distinctly remember my Mother's furry when it was revealed I drove the rental car across the state sans driver's license. I recall staying at the Ahwahnee with my Father and walking through every wing of the hotel soaking up every ounce of historic haven offered. I'd love to return to Yosemite one day. For now, this will do.
Sense & Sensibility: Bunny Mellon
Written by Charlotte Moss, this short piece in T Magazine reveals a rare interview in 2011 with the overwhelmingly private horticulturalist, gardener and philanthropist, Bunny Mellon. The conversation took place at Bunny's main residence, Oak Spring Farms, a 4,000-acre estate in Virginia. Although she maintained homes in Nantucket, Antigua, Paris, New York and on the Cape, this property was Bunny's main post particularly in the later years of her life before her passing this spring.
Influenced by the work of many French gardeners, Bunny is perhaps most well known for her contributions to multiple landmark gardens, including the redesign of the White House's Rose Garden. She lacked any sort of formal training, however as she explained to Charlotte, she had this insatiable yearning for her own garden at a very young age.
The article reminds us of the grace and passion Bunny bestowed for her craft in gardening. Below, I leave you with photographs of her Oak Spring Farms estate. 
A Tuscan Marvel
Welcome to Monteverdi. I read about this property a little while ago and my mind keeps coming back to it. Perhaps you can understand why after looking at the photographs - the mere sight of that 18th century copper soaking tub made me swoon! Located in the heart of Tuscany, a midway point between Rome and Florence, the property offers both private villas for rent and hotel accommodations.
The conceptual vision for the property, however, goes further than just offering handsome accommodations among an idyllic landscape. The idea, was to draw from the intellectual and artistic prosperity of the 15th and 16th centuries in Tuscany. As we know, scientists, poets, artists and the like were responsible for their contribution to the Italian Renaissance, and today, Monteverdi wishes to carry out that prosperity in a modern world on a smaller, intimate scale. Thus, the property is an oasis for arts and cultural events, often hosting artists and scholars to lead seminars and performances for guests. Interestingly, Castiglioncello del Trinoro, the 900-year-old village that the villa calls home, happens to be the site of the only privately sponsored archaeological dig in Tuscany. (Learn more here).
With an adequate supply of Chianti, I could camp out at Monteverdi for weeks!