A Few of My Favorite Things

You may notice from the title of this entry that I finally figured out how to title blog posts. You simply type your desired title into the "Title" box - who knew?!

But I digress. What I really want to discuss is how much I love living on the Upper East Side, and Christmas, and more than anything, these two entities together. In this vein, I would like to share with you some images of my favorite store windows in the 'hood.

As a child, this is what I imagined Christmas to be like. Walking past Hammacher Schlemmer now, a little bit of that childhood wonder sneaks back into my heart. Everything is bright and happy, anything is possible, and Santa is real.

Dear Santa, this year for Christmas, please bring me a miniature, to-scale, 3-D model of Manhattan. Love, Diana.

Don't you love these colors in the Louis Vuitton window display? It's like a magical jewel box discoteca fiesta!

For some reason or another, I loved catching these wreaths laying idle before finding their home on the windows at the Plaza. Something about being in the moment of transition between autumn and Christmas season, I suppose.

A Plaza window already decorated, with a golden chandelier shyly peeking through the curtains.

And of course, Bloomie's - probably the first department store to jump all over the commercialization of the season. Now, call me traditional. Call me old-fashioned. But I simply can't jump on board with the neon colors of the "Happy," "Merry," "Peace" and "Love" poster-art-billboards or what have you. It does not make me feel cozy and tingly like the Hammacher Schlemmer window or quietly warmed like the Plaza wreaths. It makes me feel like a gaudy 80's Christmas scene.

Want more? Don't worry. The season is young and so are we. More to come!

Hi friends, and good morning, or middle of the night, depending on which way you view things. I can't sleep because I'm thinking about really important, heavy topics, such as my fall wardrobe. I've been debating for quite some time (2 weeks) whether or not I should purchase the following items:

1. a cape, such as the plaid ones offered by Ann Taylor Loft (read: affordable).

2. booties, preferably suede with a slightly folded-over top

3. navy blue puffer vest, and if it's from Ralph Lauren and has the crest-like label on the chest, so be it.

4. over-sized flannel shirt.

In debating these items, I have implemented the following fashion rule, which I would like to pass onto you. It is this: What Would A Boy Say? I am often confronted with items that I think I like, but then ultimately realize I only like because I see them mass-produced everywhere and the sheer volume of products has tricked me into believing they are worthwhile. In deciding whether an item is one of these or something that truly suits my style, the WWABS rule comes into play.

This rule has been effective since the fourth grade, when my older brother told me that my tres-chic neon lime nail polish made me look as though I had fungus, and I think it still works today.

Try it with me now. Think of a particularly hip and happening item you're considering purchasing. Now think of a boy. Not that hipster next to you on the subway, a real red-blooded American boy. A good way to deduce how appropriate this gent is would be to quickly estimate the ratio of knowledge of professional and/or college football to knowledge of mainstream and/or up and coming clothing designers.

Now think of said lad's reaction to said clothing item. For example, I might think that my plaid cape has a great silhouette and the colors are subtle and appropriate for fall. A Boy, however, will think that I got lost while tromping through the Scottish highlands with my clan searching for my grandmother and a big bad wolf stole my bagpipe. Taking this into consideration, I will not be purchasing a plaid cape.

The last two items on my list, however, I am mulling over via a different method. This is not What Would A Boy Say, but another, slightly less-popular game, What Would A Boy Do. I like this game because it generally results in my thieving of a boy's comfy oversize sweater and making it my own. I will, therefore, continue to seek out the perfect puffer vest and flannel shirt, minimizing the potential of a 12-year-old boy look-a-like contest by pairing them with feminine accessories and long blonde hair per usual.

Oh man, I can't even tell you how good it feels to get that off my chest. Now I can finally retire peacefully without the fear of fitful dreams of over-trendy fashion faux pas.

Good bye and good night lambs!

Fall is here, boys and girls, it is here. And with it, sub arctic temperatures (?). Anyway, I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share some shots of and observations on autumnal scenes around and about New York, New York, United States.

Last pumpkins standing.

Had I not been on my own and pretending to be a suave and blase New Yorker, I would have leapt about in these loose leaves all afternoon.

Tweedy Tweed Tweed.

And on every corner, a folding table (possibly used for rousing games of flip cup and beirut once the sun goes down - I know how we all love a dual-purpose piece of furniture) with scarves galore. "Real cashmere pashminas" for $10?!?!?!? WHAT A DEAL!