jewels. » my life

on the water

Julie — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:01:47 +0000

On Sunday afternoon Stan and I took an architectural boat tour around the entire island of Manhattan. It was so much fun, and we learned lots of history about the waterfront New York.

***the tour was through Classic Harbor Lines if you are interested, and led by AIA architects***

for the tiny dancers

Julie — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 13:43:23 +0000

A little does of J.Crew loving for your tiny dancers.

What are your weekend plans? Are you still enjoying the last moments of summer?

My Mom is en route for a visit right now. I am excited. We have lots of fun plans. First wedding dress fitting. The we will swoon our way through ABC Home, Urban Archaeology and a few TriBeCa boutiques. We plan on dinner at Lupa, lunch at SAKS and ABC Kitchen, and perhaps a little jazz at the new Silver Lining in my favorite building in my neighborhood. Take a look at it for yourself right here. I can see it from my apartment, and love the up-lit facade by night. Have a good one!

*tshirt here for $16.99

it’s been a while

Julie — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 10:50:33 +0000

ramblings

Julie — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 15:00:34 +0000

Summer has officially arrived in NYC. I am pretty sure we jumped straight from cold to HOT! However, late afternoon and early evenings are “perfect”. I have been spending most of whatever spare time I can scrounge up on my roofdeck. It is the most pleasant, beautiful and enjoyable place to be amongst the backdrop of an urban landscape. The views are stunning, the Empire State building and midtown to the North, the Hudson to the West, the Brooklyn Bridge to the East and the unique rooftops of 5 story buildings below! It is my escape. I spend most nights and some mornings up here. I do my quiet time here. I celebrate with friends up here. I share late night glasses of wine with my fiance here. And last but not least I try to get a little sunshine up here! Yesterday, God blessed me with the most amazing sky with the sun setting off to the West…

Though I wish I could spend every waking moment on my roof top. My glories escape, I still have real life tasks to tend to. Life calls…but let’s talk about the “high points” of the otherwise daily grind.

1. I ventured to the flower market last week to pick up a few orchids for our office. While I was waiting for them to pot them up in our glass containers, I browsed through the area.

Then as I was leaving I got this text from my Mom. And I “flipped”!!!!!! I found this fabric at at the D&D last September during Fall Market. I met the director of this company, who is from Sweden. I chatted with him about their new collection. All the while I was falling in love with this fabric. Weird I know, but textiles really get to my heart. You know, the weak at the knees feeling?? Well when my sister-in-law and brother found out they were having a baby, and were ready to decorate the nursery! I thought what a better choice than this fabric. It will transition through time. Not to be outgrown at age 2. Worth the investment. We did the panels in the room out of it, as well as these throw pillows. It is so sophisticated, but simply sweet with the soft, subtle watercolour texture! And just is case you are wondering. The crib is stellar, but it is off to the right. More pictures soon. This queen bed anchors the opposite side of the room. It was a surprise find from the Ralph Lauren Home sample sale in February. This was a lucky find on the last day, and last hour of the sale! And now with the nursery pretty much done, we are counting down the day for the new addition to our family!

(excuse the fact the bedding is missing, but it is en route as we speak!)

Change of subject, but must let me one of my visitors for this weekend (my sister) know that I went to Trader Joe’s and stocked up on organic pink lady apples just for you. You little apple-o-holic! Although I am not one to talk. I might of already eaten some from the pile?

And by request, sister, I will head to Duane Reade to get you “Aussie catch the wave” mousse + leave-in conditioner.

Maybe Aussie should consider a 3oz version, in addition to their 6.8oz option to make the airline, you and me ALL happy!

Off to conquer the tasks ahead for today before wedding dress shopping tomorrow and Friday. WooHoo!

xoxo

rome

Julie — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 13:20:14 +0000

This time last week I had just arrived in the a place I hold near and dear to my heart, the ancient city of ROMA! I wish I could snap my fingers and appear back on the cobblestone streets right now. The trip was full of great friends, fabulous food (lots of pasta), red wine, ancient history, relaxation, cappuccinos and for me… A SURPRISE ENGAGEMENT!

a mom

Julie — Sat, 19 Mar 2011 22:39:44 +0000

This past week was the best week, and a small taste of the worst, in my life. The best part was my precious, amazing and awesome Mom was here with me all week. I had her all to myself. We stayed up late just talking, enjoyed our morning coffee together, she rode the subway with me to work, fabric shopped for some projects, got our make-up done at Bergdorf’s, worked out together, lunched at the yummy Saks cafe, played with the new Apple ipads, walked, and enjoyed special time together. The worst part of the week started on Thursday when I came down with the icky, crummy, darn flu for the first time in my whole entire life. My temperature was a steady 102 for two solid days. The biggest blessing was having my sweet Mom here to take care of me. She “google” to find me a doctor in Tribeca, since I’ve yet to need a primary care physician since I’ve lived here. She drug me to the doctor. She got my prescription filled, and she kept me well hydrated. She watched lots and lots of movies, and TV with me. This is the first time I’ve ever sent her home from a NYC visit well rested, and I mean well rested. For me, there is nothing like getting to be with my Mom. I thank my her for ALL the love she has showered me with over the years. I will never ever out grow the need for my “Mommy’s love”. When ever I start thinking about “growing up” I get kind of teary eyed. My sister and I sometimes joke about wanting to go to the fictional world of Never Never Land with Peter Pan and Tinker Bell. The memories of my “younger years” are so dear to my heart, and sometimes I just want to stop growing up. A few months ago, I was telling my Mom how hard I find it sometimes to want to “grow up”. She said, you know it can be just as hard as parents to let your kids go, as it is on you to “fly”…Moms would have it no other way than to just keep there little chicks all safe and sound in their nest all the days long, but that would not be healthy for any of us. I laughed and agreed, because all I could think of was the movie Failure to Launch. None of us really want to be 35, and still living at home. And then I remembered a musical book Mom gave me years and years ago, on a random Saturday morning, it was the song, I Hope You Dance. I thought about lyrics of that song, and remembered that was Mom’s prayer for her daughters lives…She gives us strength. She is the friend you can always confide in. She is a steady rock, and for that I feel so very blessed. And now I am getting teary eyed, so I shall digress…

What are your memories and favorite traits of your Moms? What does a Mom mean to you? Or if you are a Mom, how has that blessed you in return? For me, my Mom has inspired me to be selfless, loving and a simply always shine for Jesus!

happy st. patty’s!

Julie — Thu, 17 Mar 2011 12:47:23 +0000

Happy St. Patty’s Day!!

-From a happy girl because of the sunny filled weather forecast in NYC! It’s about time. Out for a fabulous “girls day” with my visitor for the week…Mom!!

a night of delight

Julie — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 05:11:50 +0000

I was really excited when I got this invite in my mailbox the other day. I am a big Architectural Digest fan, so sounded like a fabulous after work event. I knew I wouldn’t have to go along alone, b/c for the men that aren’t design lovers…Scotch is a pretty good incentive. Right? Well, doesn’t do anything for me. I digress…I was excited, and the cross town trek was well worth the fabulous evening.

First of all, I got to swoon over all of the fabulous and beautiful, little gourmet treats from the famed caters at Callahan Catering. Talk about creative.

This was just some of the tasty delights that floated around the showroom on lucite trays. There were also pomme frites, fish and chips (frites and cod in newspaper cones), artichoke “lollipops”, nori cigarettes with chicken and wasabi, tuna tartare ice cream cones, mini milkshakes, mini (like really mini) ice cream cookie sandwiches, and the list goes on…I was completely blown away at the presentation of all of these teeny-tiny appetizers and desserts. The presentation was knock your socks off amazing. Props to the people at Callahan.

In addition to the tasty treats and endless scotch and wine, Mitchell Gold and Bob Williams were there to speak in person. They introduced their new Spring 2011 collection. They have a really great custom lamp program they’ve just launched. There are over 270 combinations of lamp design options in a palette of 14 colors. The fabulous editor of Architectural Digest was there as well. She is such a lovely woman, and has lead a really amazing career. The most interesting part of my evening was my hour long conversation with a 70-ish year old man. He is a native New Yorker, Wall Streeter turned designer, and full of fabulous stories. He spend much time in his earlier years in the presence of Philip Johnson and Paul Rudolph (an Auburn Graduate). He had some pretty interesting first-hand stories of both of these men. He is fond of the both the Harvard and Yale School’s of Architecture. He had a lot to say about the New York “way of life”, and definitely voiced his opionin (both good and bad) of how the city has evolved. And the craziest thing he told me, his first apartment was $40 per month, and that was expensive at the time. What? Are you kidding me. What happen to those deals? Now it’s like one-hundred times more. After the event, we hopped on over to one of my favorite, eclectic hotels in the city to grab a bite to eat. Oh, I should mention…though I talked a lot about the food. I only managed to sneak two of the teeny-tiny delights into my mouth. Between the conversations, there wasn’t much time to actually eat anything. So I was starving. 12 o’clock lunch was long gone. We hit up the Crosby Street Hotel for Burrata Mozzarella with heirloom tomatoes and balsamic fig reduction. It hit the spot, and of course I was mesmerized the whole time by all the fabulous little design details. Everything down to the pencils at the front desk are thoughtfully considered! I am seriously considering checking into this hotel for a weekend “stay-cation” someday soon. It’s 12:10am, and the 5am alarm clock is soon to ring. Lights out for me. Night!

images via: callahan catering

bfast

Julie — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 12:45:06 +0000

The whole chit-chat and “blahdblah” about breakfast being the most important meal of the day. You should NOT and DO NOT skip breakfast, etc, etc. Well folks, I am guilty I am one of those people who they are talking to. I know it is important, gets your metabolism started for the day and jogs your brain to get in its best a-game mode, but I sometimes forgets, do not quite feel “breakfast excited” at the wee hours of the morning before work, or just simply do not have time. But on the occasion that is not the case, this is the ultimate go to breakfast. It is a 3 ingredient quick-fix: all you need is some yogurt + an apple + a handful of plain oats:

Now that is what I call a yummy, quick-n-easy breakfast start to any day!

the weekend

Julie — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 22:32:17 +0000

Praise Jesus, there is sunshine in NYC! After the 50-60 mph winds on Friday that created “walking-style tail winds” I was in need of some sunshine and warmer temperatures. My weekend has been completely full of yummy food, fabulous company, great entertainment and a fabulous sample sale. Let me just recap a few of the high points. I had two (kinda 3, one’s in utero) lovely visitors, my brother and sister-in-law. They came to stay with me, and I was SO grateful for their company! Our weekend mission: catch up on eachother’s lives, check our unique baby shops and eat at organic, fresh and fabulous restaurants…Trying our best to avoid the typical healthy Auburn options, Panera Bread and Subway. This is pretty easy here. There are speciality restaurant for any and every food allergy, diet or desire. Back home Subway was a great option when you wanted something half way decent for your insides. Well, there is a Subway literally 50 steps from my apartment’s front door here. Guess what? I have been there ONCE, yes ONCE. Now as for Panera, I don’t think we have one. I kinda miss it

I digress, we ate our dinners here (yes, he won iron chef) and here (my absolute favorite!!) We got snacks here and here. And had a few other tummy fillers here and here. Do not worry, we did WAY more than just eat. We walked miles and miles and miles, and more miles. So I pretty much lost count. We visited the fabulous High Line Park, and soaked up the beautiful weather!! We went in and out of baby stores. Three of my absolute favorite are: Ralph Lauren Baby, Bonpoint (to die for French baby line), and ABC Carpet and Home baby and kids section. At RL Baby we got him a teeny-tiny sweater and matching blanket. And from the layette, this. Oh he is going to be so stinkin’ snuggly! And at ABC, these little hand towels were fabulous! After all the “baby ooo-ing and aww-ing”, we came upon a fabulous RL Home sample sale and scored big time. Prices were like 80-90% off. Furniture, accessories, you name it – straight from the showroom floors! Score

But honestly I have been saving the best for last, an entertaining and WET night at Fuerza Bruta. It is kind of an indescribable experience. It is an interactive, standing show. It involves walter, running, dancing, music, LOUD music, and well…I will leave the rest for you to expereince for yourself. It goes without saying we got a fare share of “flirting with adventure”.

image via [+]