Those who know me, know I love LA.  I call it LALA land because I always have a blast in LA and although NYC is my home, I not so secretly would love to have a foot in LA–or at least a toe.  When I found out that Condé Nast Traveler was throwing a birthday fete for The Leading Hotels of the World, I was keeping my fingers crossed it would happen in my LALA land—and, luckily for me, it did!   So, Oscar and his leading lady, The Leading Hotels of the World, both turn 85 this year and I was thrilled to celebrate their joint birthday party high atop the beautiful rooftop of Mr. C Beverly Hills.

It was a perfect night with the stars out in full force, both in the sky and in the ballroom.

The movie themed bash had multiple screens featuring 85 films in 85 Leading Hotels (my favorites are Goldfinger, Casino Royale and Ocean’s Eleven), there was a fully-loaded concession stand, a vintage popcorn machine (popping away), a photo booth and an over-the-top birthday cake (which I had to help move to a pedestal minutes before the party started–fortunately without dropping it!).

Over 200 guests came to celebrate the birthday bash!

 

Among the leading ladies were Naomi Watts (fingers crossed for her on Oscar night!), Eva Longoria, Minnie Driver, Michelle Monaghan, Giada de Laurentis and Katie Lee.  Happy 85th Birthday Leading Hotels and best wishes to you too Oscar!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are so many perks of living in New York City–the list really is endless.  At the top of my list is our accessibility to the arts–particularity Broadway.  I try to see as many productions as possible and while some are more serious and some are more humorous, I do find that all productions are important to the city and add to the complexity of what makes New York, New York.  I had the immense pleasure of seeing Jessica Chastain in The Heiress and loved her performance, along with everything about the production–the cast, the sets, everything was brilliant!  So, I was very excited that I was able to have The Leading Hotels of the World collaborate with Harry Winston to put together an intimate dinner to honor Jessica and her outstanding performance.

Stars of the fashion, music and the entertainment worlds all looked forward to congratulating Jessica on her debut.  Among the guests that came out to support Jessica were Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Patricia Clarkson, Christina Ricci, Dan Stevens, Nina Arianda, Gayle King, Hilary Rhoda, Brian Atwood, Fracisco Costa, Georgina Chapman, Katie Lee, Kyle MacLachlin, Andrew Saffir, Olivia Palermo, Johannes Huebl, Rachel Roy, Thakoon Panichgui, Zac Posen and Stefano Tonchi.

 

 

 

 

The chic dinner was held at The Setai Fifth Avenue’s Ai Fiori restaurant and Chef Michael White (same chef as the acclaimed Marea on Central Park South–one of my favorites) prepared a special menu, and event planner Raul Avila transformed the already stunning dinning room into a modern day version of the famous stage set (filling the restaurant with red, magenta and pink peonies and massive arrangements of magnolia branches).

 

Candle light was glowing throughout and all the guests were so excited to see Jessica and congratulate her on her role. The Heiress cast is outstanding and includes Jessica Chastain, David Strathairn, Dan Stevens, Judith Ivey and is directed by Moises Kaufman.  The Heiress opened November 1st and is playing for a limited engagement of 18 weeks at the Walter Kerr Theatre.  Enjoy!

 

 

 

Photography by Billy Farrell Agency

Rachel Roy, designer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and mother, designs to inspire women to feel smart, confident and individual.

Originally from California, Rachel attended college in Washington DC. Upon graduation, Rachel pursued her passion for design, and moved to New York City to work freelance; styling magazine shoots and music videos.

In Fall 2004, she applied her sophisticated aesthetic to her own collection, RACHEL ROY, which debuted in department and specialty stores for Spring 2005. With striking silhouettes, a sophisticated color palette and inventive pairings which transition from day to evening, Roy has garnered editorial acclaim in publications such as Vogue, Elle, Harper’s Bazaar, W and Vanity Fair.

Presently, RACHEL ROY NEW YORK has grown to include four full collections each year, and in June 2008, created a joint venture with Jones Apparel Group Inc. in the hopes of expanding the wholesale business globally, introduce new product categories and open stand-alone stores in the United States and abroad. To date, the RACHEL ROY collections are available at Saks Fifth Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman, Neiman Marcus, Nordstrom and top specialty stores worldwide.

 

Time seems to stand still in Capri.  

I have been visiting the island for many years and aside from the new storefronts, the newer style, cute open-air taxi cabs and some extra-large mega yachts, the island looks the same as it did in the photos from the 1950′s with Jackie O and Brigitte Bardot strolling the slippery stone streets.  

Qui si sana means “here one heals,” in Italian, and Capri is the perfect place to do just that. While I love all the Morgano Hotels (Scalinatella, Casa Morgano and the Grand Hotel Quisisana), one of my favorite activities is simply sitting at the bar at the footsteps to the entrance of the “Quisi” after dinner and watching the Italians stroll through town.  Nowhere else in the world does one see such a colorful array of clothing on both men and women – Palm Beach doesn’t even come close! While red pants on men seem to be de rigueur, there is every shade of yellow, blue, orange and green…oh, and I almost forgot purple (that is, shades of pale purple, bright pink, watermelon, lavender, bright purple, and the list goes on).  That’s just the pants – there are also molto color options for cashmere sweaters and scarves and suede driving shoes – yes, tutti color options are open in Capri, and combinations of any and all are encouraged.

 

The same can be said for the ladies, but simply add more prints – Pucci, Missoni, and the like. This summer, the chicest of chic women are all wearing Faraone Mennella jewelry. Rather than just having color options in clothing, the woman strolling through the Piazzetta and up to the Capri Palace and then back down to the main thoroughfare in front of Quisi are all donning truly magnificent colorful pieces from my friends behind the company Faraone Mennella – Amedeo Scognamiglio and Robero Faraone.  Their beautiful new flagship boutique is located just a few steps away from my favorite restaurant Aurora, at Via Fuorlovado 23.  Their collections are beautiful and everyone is abuzz on the island over their new shop.  

 

 

One of the best things about Capri is that the stores are open late, so you can shop before and after dinner. My recommendation is to do your clothing shopping prior to pasta at dinner and reserve your jewelry shopping for after dinner.  I love Russo Uomo (right next to the Quisisana) for men’s clothing. I also love 100% Capri right across from Faraone Mennella.  Just about every Italian designer has a shop and naturally Brunello Cucinelli, Loro Piana, Kiton and Tod’s are my first stops.

A trip to Anacapri is a must, as is a visit to the Capri Palace. It’s absolutely beautiful and the entrance looks into the depths of the swimming pool. Very fun! Also in Anacapri are many quaint and beautiful stores selling locally produced linen clothing.  And now for the food…yes, the food.  For lovers of Italian fare, there is no shortage of delicious spots…in fact, that is pretty much the only option for dinner – Italian!  I had dinner one night at Villa Verde (very popular open air spot) and the waiter recognized half our table as regulars and started taking our dinners orders. I turned to my friend Amedeo and wondered if there were no longer any menus and he replied that he never needs a menu since all the restaurants in Capri have the same dishes – which is only half true. I love La Fontelina and Da Luigi for lunch (both swimming / lunch spots directly under the iconic Faraglioni rocks).  I also adore the newly redone Il Riccio for lunch which is the beach club below the Capri Palace (check out the dessert buffet!).  Il Riccio is also open on weekend nights for dinner.  No trip to Capri is complete without a trip to Da Paolino (set amidst a lemon grove turned ristorante).

If you haven’t been to Capri, you must go. Tutto bene!

We all understand the importance of our safety, and yet can’t help but roll our eyes as we go through TSA security…shoes off, belt off, empty pockets etc.  The movie ”Up in the Air,” depicted this perfectly; George Clooney had his routine down to a tee, including the easy removal of his shoes.

The need for the perfect travel shoe is critical for any savvy traveller.  Laces are a no-no and as much as I cringe while writing this, comfort is very important while traveling.  I was never a fan of Tevas or Birkenstocks and while I love Tom’s Shoes, I was recently introduced to Charles Philip slippers by one of the chicest men I know, Carlos Souza.  For those who don’t know Carlos, not only has he been a public relations genius for the Valentino company for many years, he is also a globe-trotting bon vivant who’s style is only outshone by his warm and lovely personality.

I received a pair of Charles Philip slippers from Carlos and was immediately hooked.  While Charles Philip does refer to these hand-crafted shoes as slippers, they are neither too delicate, nor too precious.  These slippers are truly the most comfortable shoes and immediately fit like a well worn glove.

The lining is ultra soft and the sole is sturdy enough to trek through even the longest of connections at any airport or through the maze of the Medina in Marrakech on my way to La Mamounia.  The styles are often crafted from shirting materials and are cobbled by hand in Shanghai. You will love them!

Happy traveling!

 

Rachel Zoe needs no introduction.  She is by far among the most powerful woman in fashion today and has revolutionized the world of styling and just doesn’t stop impressing me with her endless accomplishment. I often marvel at the growth of Rachel Zoe, Inc. and can’t keep up with her daily additions to her world. She truly has it all, a brilliant career, an adoring husband, an adorable baby son and the charm, wit and kindness to lure anyone into her world. She is the crown jewel in the crown that is Hollywood style and most importantly, I consider her amongst my closest friends.

While Rachel needs no introduction, she does need to travel and travel she does…below are just a few tidbits Read More