Summer may be on its way out, but I am definitely not giving up wearing my favorite white jeans anytime soon. I just replaced my previous much-loved pair of 7FAM skinnies (I just looked, and they appeared in about ten posts!). I'm loving my shiny new pair and have been wearing them too much to hand them over to the tailor just yet for hemming. The upcoming weekend weather forecast is promising highs of up to 90, so I am looking forward to savoring the last bits of summer while I can.
Our third day in New York began right by our Airbnb apartment in Chelsea on the High Line, an old elevated train line on the Lower West Side of Manhattan that has been converted into a public park. The High Line is one of my favorite parts of New York City, and it was great to be able to see it from our apartment window (see pics from my visit there in the fall here).
We took our time walking down the High Line to its southern end in the West Village, stopping for people-watching and taking in the city vistas. There were also all sorts of pretty wildflowers in bloom that were a nice contrast to the urban landscape.
Our last full day in New York was a hot, humid one, so I decided to try a messy side braid to keep my hair from getting frizzy and sticking to the back of my neck. I am a little out of practice with French braids, but this style was pretty easy to do, and since the end product is intended to look messy, I didn't worry too much about imperfections.
On our second day in New York, Sean and I set out for Brooklyn for some classic diner fare, people-watching, and a little boutique shopping. Unlike the gorgeous sunny weather we had our first day there, it was cloudy and a bit hazy, which quickly turned into an afternoon drizzle that sadly prevented us from getting many pictures of our surroundings. We did, however, manage to find a few minutes of decent weather for some outfit photos.
During our travels, we happened upon a lovely little shop full of the prettiest smells. We spent over an hour sampling perfumes and chatting with Eric, the proprietor at Twisted Lily Fragrance Boutique. I love things that smell pretty about as much as I love things that look pretty--although the latter is much easier to blog about--and Twisted Lily did not disappoint in either sense. I'm relatively familiar with niche perfume houses, but they had quite a few brands that were pleasant new discoveries for me. Eric impressed both Sean and me by picking scents for each of us just based on descriptions of a mood or genre we liked. If you're a perfume aficionado, I'd definitely recommend a visit here should you find yourself in New York.
Last weekend, as part of my Style of Summer campaign with David Yurman, Sean and I flew to New York for a few days. I hadn't been to NYC since beginning my blog a couple years ago, so it was so much fun to revisit some of my favorite spots in the city.
We rented a great apartment through Airbnb, similar to what we had done a few months ago in Paris. It was in Chelsea, right on the High Line--I'll post a few pictures from that area later this week. On our first full day out, we headed for the Upper East Side to visit the DY Townhouse and do a little shopping.
For a day of walking and sightseeing, I chose a light, comfortable jersey skirt and my new favorite crop top. Similar to the black midi I wore in Paris, this skirt travels really well, and it was a perfect weight for the hot, humid weather in the city. My white Sperry sandals were a great choice for walking long distances given the weather--the footbed is thicker and more supportive than the typical summer sandal, and the skinny, adjustable straps make it easy to stay comfortable even if my feet get a little swollen in the heat.
As we were walking around, I noticed there were so many pretty little flower shops everywhere! I loved all the corner delis with their little grocery sections and big displays of flowers out on the street.
We stopped by Laduree for some macarons and little macaron-topped sorbet cups, then we took our snack into Central Park and settled in near the sailboat lake, where it was about ten degrees cooler than it was on the city streets. There are a bunch of small remote-controlled sailboats on this lake, and you can rent the controllers and sail them around. It was so nice and peaceful to sit by the water and watch the boats go by.
We stayed up on the rooftop as the sun set (with what seemed like a good chunk of the rest of the people in Manhattan!), then headed back to the galleries to see some more art before the museum closed. Our day ended back toward our apartment, at Eataly, a huge, authentic Italian marketplace with amazing restaurants and food products all under one roof.
Stay tuned later this week for more from my visit to NYC!
Sean and I love to pack up a bottle of champagne and take Stanley to the park on a summer evening. Once Stanley runs off some energy--he loves tearing around in circles and chasing us through the grass--we settle in to drink a glass of champagne and watch the sunset.
This summer, I've partnered with one of my favorite jewelry brands, David Yurman, to document my summer activities and travel for their Style of Summer project. Over the next couple weeks, I'll be sharing photos of some of my favorite places, my travels, and the David Yurman pieces I've selected to accessorize my summer looks.
My summer always begins close to home, at a little Colorado lake where my family has a house and a boat. We soak up sunshine, swim, barbecue, and take turns waterskiing all season, and I try to get away from the city to this lovely spot as often as I can.
When I put together a look for lounging lakeside, I try to keep things simple, but still put-together and feminine. I decided to accessorize my easy, nautical looks with delicate 18k gold pieces with elegant diamond, pearl and morganite accents.
I am a fan of layering delicate necklaces to accent a summery look--these pretty little pieces look light and airy, but they still make a statement.
I loved the slim gold versions of David Yurman's classic cable bracelets (of which I own several). They are especially pretty when accented with pink morganite and pave diamonds, and the proportions are just right for my frame.
I paired dressy stud earrings with my more casual looks to give them a little extra elegance without too much fuss. I like that both of the pairs I selected transition easily from summer fun to the office.
Outfit 1: Dress: H&M | Sunglasses: Karen Walker | Shoes: Charles David | Bag: Longchamp
Outfit 2: Sweater: J.Crew | Shorts: Abercrombie | Shoes: Steve Madden | Bag: Longchamp
All of the pieces I've listed here, plus a couple more that struck my fancy, can be shopped on my page on the David Yurman site, which has been stocked with all my favorite pieces. Follow along with me on David Yurman's Instagram and on my feed, too, as I share more of my summer adventures (including a fun getaway to New York City!).
I hope you are all having a wonderful summer so far!
Saturday post today because I had a much-needed lazy day yesterday--I spend lots of time our at our pool, cleaning our house, and relaxing with some books I've been meaning to pick up for weeks. The Fourth was lovely here--not too exciting, but it was exactly the kind of day I was hoping to have.
