Wanderlista

AFTERGLOW

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ASSOULINE GOES SOCIAL

Last night at the gorgeous ASSOULINE outpost on the mezzanine at The Plaza Hotel in New York, the famed publishing house founded by Prosper and Martine Assouline, announced its first foray into social media contests with the promotion of one of its newest titles, In the Spirit of St. Barths by Pamela Fiori.

The legacy of St. Barths, an island synonymous with Caribbean elegance and chic, is celebrated and shared by the author through interviews with locals and regulars, many of them bold face names. I love Fiori’s quote, “…the sand has been compared to baby powder, sifted flower, and even cashmere…” The sand does really feel like cashmere. Especially when you’re having a barefoot lunch at La Plage (my favorite steak tartare), and your toes are toying with the sand floor.

J’adore St Barths. It’s the most unpretentious yet fabulously glamorous place there is. I’ve fallen in love there…and then back again.

In conjunction with the debut of this new tome, ASSOULINE is launching an online competition through their Facebook page, asking the question: “What are your three essential getaway pieces?” (For me it would be a Dea Rosa satchel from my Spring/Summer 2011 collection, a pair of flat K.Jacques sandals and a Missoni bikini).

The first-prize winner of this contest will receive a fabulous trip to St. Barths, replete with round-trip airfare and ferry travel from St. Maarten for two; a three-night stay at Le Sereno (featured in the book and one of the most magical places on earth), including breakfast for the duration of the stay and dinner for two guests; and a complimentary Mini Cooper for use throughout the vacation. The second prizewinner will be awarded The Ultimate Getaway Bag, packed by luxury goods retailer Vivre.com. And one lucky third prizewinner will be given a collection of ASSOULINE’s In the Spirit of series (Capri, Venice, Aspen, Las Vegas, and Saint-Tropez).

Like them on Facebook and enter the contest today!

Follow them on Twitter @AssoulinePub.

The ASSOULINE store at The Plaza Hotel, New York.

Mimi Crume, VP Global Communications for ASSOULINE, me and ASSOULINE Founder Martine Assouline looking on as the contest launched on Facebook.

In the Spirit of St Barths, $45. Buy it here.

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A suite at Le Sereno.

I love this pool…

Dea Rosa satchel…my #1 travel staple.

Greek and the City: John Varvatos

I was having breakfast at my morning gastro-go-to in Tribeca, The Odeon, with Gregory Pappas, founder of the Greek America Foundation. He wanted the pancakes, but opted for a healthier choice. “I have this idea,” he said. “OK, pitch away,” I said. So it was there, over The Odeon’s steel cut oatmeal (which is divine by the way), I stayed trued to my Greek roots, and naturally obliged when he asked me to write a series of interviews with influential Greek Americans for his website. (I also happen to be Greek America Magazine’s new lifestyle editor, where I oversee the Agora section of the magazine and other lifestyle-related topics including fashion, film and culture.)

Enter: “Greek & the City,” a new column that will appear weekly featuring a series of profiles on prominent Greek New Yorkers (and those with a close connection to the city) curating their favorite things about New York and offering insight for the 1000+ guests who will be visiting the Big Apple for the various Gabby Awards-related events during the weekend of June 3-5, 2011. The Gabby Awards are an annual event put on by the Greek America Foundation and are inspired by the idea of “Greek America’s Best and Brightest Stars” highlighting the top achievement awards for Greek Americans.

I’ll be sharing the interviews with you here. Here’s a bit from the inaugural interview, John Varvatos:

GREEK AND THE CITY WITH JOHN VARVATOS

The first John Varvatos piece I ever purchased was a deep campari red shirt for a boyfriend at the time that needed an edgy red carpet look for the LA premiere of his film. He’s obviously now a fan of John’s line and a lifetime follower. So when I decided who to inaugurate the “Greek & the City” series, John was a natural. I knew his work. I loved his look. And as a designer myself, I was inspired by what he’s done for menswear. There are two John Varvatos boutiques in New York City—one in fashionable Soho, the other in edgy Bowery in the same storefront that once housed the iconic punk rock club CBGB. I love John’s blog, “JV’s Fun House” at: www.johnvarvatos.com/jvs-funhouse

Discover John’s favorite restaurant, hotel, and his other NYC musts in the full interview here.

John Varvatos

Easing Into Spring.

Let’s get a head start on spring. The old saying goes: “If March comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb.” Being a Leo, I like to always come in like a lion, but that doesn’t mean putting up with this crazy weather anymore. That’s right, I’m officially boycotting winter. I’m done with tights, leggings and boots (OK, unless I’m going skiing). If it’s above 40 degrees, then that means my cage platform Louboutin shoes are coming out. Yes, that’s an open toe. 

Here are five tips to ease into spring:

1.    Embrace Spring’s New Silhouette: Add an easy long skirt to your wardrobe and pair with a crisp white blouse, cropped sweater, or a body-hugging Wolford top. You’ll not only make an effortless entrée into spring, but you’ll keep those legs warm too. American Apparel has a great long accordion-pleat skirt—at $62 it’s a steal, and, essential for any Wanderlista, it fits flawlessly into any weekender bag (see #5 - super cute with a bikini top lunching beachside).  Ballet flats or sky-high clogs complete the look.

American Apparel Accordion-Pleat Skirt

2.    Layer: My minimum amount of layers on a windy day typically hovers around three (not including outerwear). It’s an obvious one, but sometimes we forgot that more really is more. Toss on a cashmere cardigan over a fitted turtleneck and you’ll be warm enough in that leather motorcycle jacket you’ve been dying to wear.  Put that Moncler puffer in the back of the closet unless you’re heading to Cortina.

3.    Cab it: OK, we all love that NY is a walking city, but in the shoulder season (read: WINDY March), you can skip the two-a-day latte and spend that $10 on taxi fare.

4.    Spring Into Color Blocking: Spring runways were all about color blocking. Jil Sander, Gucci, MaxMara all showed it well, and it’s easy to mix high and low in this trend too. Think UNIQLO basics mixed with a key designer piece for extra punch. 

Jil Sander, Spring/Summer 2011

5.    Wander South for Inspiration: Like a true Wanderlista, there’s nothing better than exploring a new (read: warm!) locale. Jetblue now has non-stop flights from JFK to Turks & Caicos, so my choice is to head to Gansevoort’s southern outpost there. Flights are just under four hours, so you’re on the beach by lunchtime. My other fave is Pink Sands on Harbour Island (don’t miss fresh out-of-the-shell conch at Queen Conch on Bay Street). Travel super light and shop for essentials at boutiques like the one at Pink Sands (my friend Celia does the buying and has some great caftans and easy flat sandals) and India Hicks’ famed Sugar Mill for other fab finds.

Pink Sands, Harbour Island

Gansevoort Turks + Caicos

Mr & Mrs Smith Take Manhattan

Everyone always asks me for travel advice. Where do I find hotels? Where to look? What to look for? Finally, I can take myself out of the travel-agent game (I’m not one, but some days it feels that way) and just give one, simple answer: Mr & Mrs Smith.

With a name that’s a cheeky nod to the clandestine British check-in pseudonym, Mr & Mrs Smith is the world’s most trusted boutique hotel expert. Now, the company is bringing its style-spotting travel knowledge and bespoke booking service to the US with the opening of its offices in Manhattan.

With more than 700 recommendations (many can’t be found on other websites), for intimate, hip and sexy properties around the world, the carefully curated hotel collection is anonymously reviewed by artists, writers, entrepreneurs and bold names such as Stella McCartney, Dita von Teese and Cate Blanchett, who supply tongue-in-cheek, first-person accounts of their Smith-hotels stays.

Consider Mr & Mrs Smith as the cocktail party couple that always are in the know. The go-to friends that you call whenever you get on a plane. Need a sensual Southeast Asian locale off the beaten path? Or, how about a recording studio/hotel in Jamaica frequented by Gwen Stefani? What’s the right riad to stay at in Marrakech? It’s all here, painstakingly packed into one convenient (and gorgeously written) website.

And you don’t have to do everything online: they also have a cult-like following for their in-house travel team who are available 24/7.  No membership required (but they have them and provide great perks!), Smith will be your new obsession.

Riad Farnatchi, Marrakech

Geejam, Port Antonio, Jamaica

Mansion Vitraux, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Uxua Casa Hotel, Bahia, Brazil