The interior of the shop mimics the packaging of the hot chocolate

I had to stop at MarieBelle in New York City because I consider hot chocolate and good design to be two important food groups. How was it? To be honest, the experience made me feel a little bit like a stalker. Let me explain. I’ve had the MarieBelle hot chocolate before and enjoyed it tremendously. I adore the pretty tins and packaging of the hot chocolate. So, if I can order the hot chocolate and have it whenever I want, why go to the shop in New York City? (This is where the stalker part comes in). Well…I guess I wanted to pay my respects. I wanted to see the place that I have ordered from remotely. I wanted to know what it would feel like to step inside the hot chocolate tin. Is that so wrong?

A peek through the front window at MarieBelle

And, I loved the shop. The blue and chocolate brown colors were beautiful and the pops of white, gold, and red worked well to add verve to the décor. I liked that the shop felt simultaneously old fashioned and modern. I loved that all the shelves were covered in chocolate.

So many kinds of hot chocolate to try! Aztec is their signature - but don't stop there!

Is it worth the visit? Definitely! If you are a visitor to New York, a small gift of MarieBelle hot chocolate is a special treat for anyone at home. Or, enjoying a cup of their hot chocolate in the shop can be a much needed restorative break from a day of shopping, working, or just being.
I walked away with some hot chocolate (for myself and a gift) and tea (gift). For the hot chocolate I am giving as a gift, I chose the Aztec hot chocolate in the tin. For myself, I chose the unsweetened hot chocolate in a refill bag. I do appreciate that MarieBelle offers the hot chocolate in refill bags – it is an earth-friendly option.

I loved the use of clean white on this wall and the 3-D effect of the wall treatment.

So, I am now stocked with delicious hot chocolate for the winter. But after visiting the shop, I am now craving a wall stenciling project. Hmmm…I may just need to revisit Royal Design Studio and use the inspiration from these pictures.  Or perhaps a 3-D wall treatment of some sort?

When you go

MarieBelle New York
484 Broome St.
New York NY 10013
212-925-6999

I love this stenciled wall at MarieBelle. The blue colors are a great compliment to the chocolate color used elsewhere.

The chandeliers make you feel like you are in a glass of champagne

I loved the bubble shaped lights and the low lighting – it was relaxing and sophisticated (although it made it a little tricky to read the menu – but this sophisticated woman used her cell phone back light to review the menu).   If you plan to go, check the schedule because some nights of the week there is a DJ or a jazz band.

Cheers!

The selection of champagnes is extensive – including those by the glass – which makes it a fun opportunity to try new champagnes.  I tried a Ruinart blanc de blancs which was refreshing.  As an alternative, you could also select from their extensive list of champagne cocktails.  The dining menu is short but has some reliable standbys, like cheese plates and mini burgers.   But the bottom line here is champagne – it really is all about the bubbles.

When you go:
Flûte Gramercy
40 East 20th Street, New York City
Tel. 212.529.7870
Hours
Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday 4pm to 2am
Thursday 4pm to 3am
Friday and Saturday 4pm to 4am

Champagne bottles are stored in traditional riddling racks

Kate Spade boutique signs in Palm Springs

I have fun following a people and brands on Twitter. I especially love it when someone is sending bite-sized updates about an event as it happens or a project as it is in the works. Kate Spade New York is one of my favorite brands and I loved reading about the process of setting up the boutique in Palm Springs as it was happening.

The minute I walked in I felt like I was in a favorite friend's house.

This past weekend, I had a chance to see the result of the hours of searching Palm Springs vintage and thrift stores. I checked out the Kate Spade boutique on El Paseo (technically in Palm Desert, but just a few minutes from Palm Springs).
The store is a marvel. I wanted to take it in as a whole as well as investigate all the details simultaneously. Since I knew that trying to do both things at once would make me hyperventilate, I slowed down and investigated the store.

Vibrant vintage chairs add energy to the interior at Kate Spade in Palm Springs

The use of color and the incorporation of furniture, props, and merchandise were completely engaging. I felt like I had stumbled into the apartment of my best friend who was also my style icon and we could chat for hours and try on clothes. I resisted that temptation, lest I cause alarm in the store and annoy the staff.

The scale of the wall paper makes the modern lights seem delicate.

Even if you have a Kate Spade boutique where you live or if you have the website bookmarked and visit daily, it is worth it to visit the Palm Springs store. The incorporation of local pieces adds a lot to the store. It is a subtle way to make the brand which has New York in its name, relevant in Palm Springs. The edited styling is inspired and gave me a few things to think about as I mull over some interior design updates for my own home.

The ACE hotel seems tiny in comparison with the hills and sky in Palm Springs

This past weekend, I attended the kick off of Palm Springs Modernism Week.  It was the perfect event for me.  I love mid-century modern architecture and style and I love the indoor-outdoor relaxed living of the 1960s Palm Springs cocktail aesthetic.  I love clothing styles that take cues from that time period yet are completely current.

The best espresso in Palm Springs is found at the foot of these palm trees

Although the weather started out with rain, it cleared up to be a beautiful weekend.  I was happy to visit my favorite café in Palm Springs: Koffi Coffee.  Fully armed with a honey-vanilla latte, I headed into the show.

The decorative pieces were not for the timid

The Modernism Show at the Palm Springs convention center held many vintage furniture dealers, a number of vintage clothing and jewelry booths, some architecture booths, and a handful of non-profit preservation groups.  I enjoyed walking the trade show floor and checking out how the furniture vendors staged their booths.  Some were very well done and provided me with decorating ideas.

I loved these aqua chairs.

I was really thrilled to attend a lecture given by Trina Turk.  I love the Trina Turk design style which takes its inspiration from the California/Palm Springs lifestyle in the late 1960s and early 70s.  Ms. Turk gave an interesting presentation on the influence that architecture has had on her design style and brand.  I really enjoyed hearing from the designer about the development of her brand, her inspirations, and how she worked to translate that into the Trina Turk retail spaces.  Ms. Turk spoke of Kelly Wearstler, the interior designer who developed her Palm Springs and Los Angeles boutiques.

Please sign me up for the Trina Turk lifestyle. Beautiful clothes, gorgeous home textiles, and a zippy golf cart are on the menu!

I wish that Ms. Wearstler had been on the speaking agenda over the weekend.  I would have loved to have heard her speak.  She has designed some of the signature locations in the updated Palm Springs.  Do check out her website – her portfolio is stunning.  Also take a look at her blog My Vibe My Life – one of her latest posts has a sneak peak of a jewelry collection she is designing.
In addition to Modernism Week activities, also had fun shopping in Palm Springs and Palm Desert.  I browsed a number of vintage stores and saw a number of inspiring pieces – but did not take anything home.  I loved getting ideas.  And, it has given me some inspiration to take on the job of clearing out things I don’t use, in order to better see the space and borrow some of the decorating ideas I spotted.  I also stopped in a couple of my favorite stores: Trina Turk and Kate Spade New York.  I wanted to see the Trina Turk store again and look at some of the design elements about which Ms. Turk spoke.  I was impatient to see the Kate Spade boutique in Palm Desert in the El Paseo shopping district as I had enjoyed the Twitter feed from the KSNY designers who were in Palm Springs to open the store and were picking up local vintage items.

Palm Springs Modernism Week made for a fun weekend trip.  It added a punch of excitement to my own take on my interior and exterior living space and I am excited to put some thought and energy into sprucing up my home this Spring.

Two of my favorite cuff bracelets - bold mixes of plastic and metal. Bracelet on the left by Karen Millen. Bracelet on the right unknown from Studio 1220

I admire children who will wear their Halloween costumes in August.  I do the same thing, albeit in a slightly more subtle way.  At least I hope it is more subtle.  When I have a tough day or a challenging day ahead, inevitably I gravitate toward a cuff bracelet.  I think it is the similarity to a gauntlet – or more simply, to Wonder Woman’s unbeatable gold cuff bracelets.  There is something about wearing a cuff bracelet that makes me feel like I can deflect any hit that the day might bring.  I do, however, resist the temptation to wear one on each arm.  (Although it is tempting).

A red leather upcycled cuff with mustard trim by NiftyCurly

One trick with cuff bracelets is ensuring they aren’t so easy to slip on that they will slip off when you least expect it.  A cuff needs to be somewhat snug to get on.  Otherwise, the bracelet will fall off.  And if you use your hands when you talk, it will fly off.  This can be damaging to bracelets.  On the positive side, it would also result in people keeping a safe perimeter around you.  On a very challenging day, that kind of distance may be welcome.

I think these deep purple leather gloves by Coach are gorgeous. I love the four snaps at the side.

I’ve had a recent mini-obsession with gloves. I think they are an under-utilized accessory. Certainly in cold climates with snow, people wear gloves. But I think there is merit to the idea of wearing them beyond wet and cold days. Almost everywhere I go, I see dispensers of anti-bacterial goo. I hate the gloppy gel and the alcohol content destroys your manicure and makes your nail polish dull.  Gloves help you avoid touching germs in the first place. It seems a more efficient approach to keeping yourself healthy.

These soft gloves show off their shape when on. The four buttons at the side are sweet and a subtle touch since they are the same color as the glove.

From a style perspective – gloves can look so smart! I recently bought a few pairs to wear this winter. I felt that dark purple was the perfect color for me so I bought two pairs in purple. I found one through a contact on Twitter named @byPinkCadillac who has an Etsy shop Vintage Wear byPinkCadillac. These are soft knit gloves with sweet buttons just past the wrist. I also bought a purple leather pair from Coach that I think are just dreamy. The fit is divine and these gloves have snaps above the wrist that I adore.

I found these grey metallic gloves at Target. They have ruching at the wrist which keeps them from looking to precious.

I also picked up a dark pair with a slight metallic sheen. These have ruching at the wrist and were a bargain price. Finally, I have a deep wine colored pair that @byPinkCadillac (love her!) gave me as a sweet gift with my order. I love that these have an embossed pattern that looks almost like embossed paper. It is a subtle, but nice touch.  I plan to weave gloves into my outfits as much as possible this winter. I think they are wonderful accessories – and one can’t have too many of those.

Vintage Wear byPinkCadillac included these gloves with my order of the purple ones. So thoughtful! There is an interesting pattern in the fabric that looks like embossing. How could I not love them?

While it may not be fashionable to wear gloves like it was in the 1960s, I wager that they would serve a functional purpose today. Plus, they also make a great conversational prop. Who hasn’t watched black and white movies with scenes of women removing their gloves? The tone can range from suggestive to aggressive, but always the act of removing the gloves is center stage, even when it is being done as an unconscious activity mid conversation. I do believe that would be a great tool in my bag of tricks. But which ones first?

This cute letterpress card was included with my order as a surprise. I love letterpress surprises!

I already had so many reasons for loving Chicago.  It is such a beautiful, friendly, and exciting city.  But my love affair was pushed over the edge after I discovered Daily Sip Studios.  It is no secret that I appreciate and celebrate stationery (junkie?).  And, taking it a step further, that I become weak-kneed around letterpress stationery.  Learning that Chicago was home to Daily Sip Studios which produces gorgeous letterpress and other stationery was almost too much for me.  I nearly packed my bags and started to relocate.  But then I saw that I could order on line.

My order was sweetly wrapped with a bow!

I recently received a set of flat cards with a fun Louboutin-inspired black stiletto at the top that I had ordered.  The cards were personalized with my name which made them even more fun.  The price was a steal at $18 for a set of 12.  I’ve never found a price like that for personalized cards.  Unless I design them and print them on my ink jet printer myself.  Which would be horrible.  I have no talent for design – which is why I stalk those who do.  It is much more efficient that way and has a much better outcome.

Seriously? A combination of my love of shoes and stationery? Oh my!

The good and bad news is that Daily Sip Studios has a full line of cards, stationery, gift tags, and other printed products.  Do take a look at the personalized letterpress cards.  The designs are modern with charm and originality.  I’ve also developed a new crush on a set of Valentine’s that  are designed like a special delivery form with check boxes for Valentine-specific delivery instructions.  Creative, quirky, hip, and fun.  What is the bad news?  Well, it is all so tempting!  And I don’t know of 12-step programs for stationery addiction.

I envy these gorgeous letterpress business cards. Dreamy.

Champagne and chips with blue cheese

Have you ever tried a new restaurant that felt like it had been a part of the neighborhood forever? I recently tried Rose Wine Pub on 30th Street in South Park and had that exact experience. I immediately loved the cozy environment and the service and menu earned this wine bar even more gold stars.  It turns out, I had reason to feel like this place had been a part of the neighborhood forever; much of the wood used was reclaimed from an older home in the neighborhood.  Upcycling at its finest.

Small decorative items are a witty surprise among the wine bottles that line the walls

The interior of Rose Wine Pub is a nice blend of finished and unfinished materials, ranging from unfinished wood shelves filled with wine bottles and candles to a beautiful bar topped in smooth white stone (or concrete?). The mood is friendly and mellow. Rose Wine Pub is completely hip – and absolutely without pretentiousness. And I think that is one of the things that make this place cooler than cool. Another thing I adored was that Rose Wine Pub was a place for conversations. Patrons were not rushed and the interior design didn’t make it difficult to hear the person sitting across from you.

The cool white bar top is a contrast to the unfinished wood accents on the walls

When there, I went for the champagne; I am predictable. I enjoyed the rose brut and tried a cremant – which was nice. I was glad to see that they had more than one option for champagne by the glass. Too often she is the forgotten sister at wine bars. I sampled an intriguing item off of their list of nibbles: Blue Cheese Chips. This was a treat! Kettle chips had blue cheese baked on top and the salty goodness was delicious with wine.  I really enjoyed this and I love that this was a menu item I’ve never seen before. Rose Wine Pub also serves pizzas and other nibbles and has a good selection of wines and beers.

Hours: Sunday – Thursday 4:30 p.m. – 10 p.m.; Friday – Saturday 4:30 p.m. – 11 p.m.

If I were going to steal a vehicle, this would be the one. Full of cupcakes, of course.

Cupcakes are scientifically broken into three components as a measure of deliciousness: Frosting (taste and quantity), cake (taste and moistness), and access.  Corner Cupcakes represents the best of cake, frosting, and access.  By moving their cupcake bakery into a mobile food truck, Corner Cupcakes is a ‘neighborhood’ business in every neighborhood.  Corner Cupcakes is accessible for everyone.  By following their Twitter feed, I was able to track down their location today.  What put cupcakes in my mind?  I was thinking about stopping at the Sprinkles in La Jolla but saw the 25-person line and thought that I could do better.  And in my opinion – I did much better!
I found the white food truck accented with pink in North Park at the corner of 32st Street and Thorn and purchased a chocolate salted caramel cupcake with cream cheese frosting.  The cupcake was very moist and had a good chocolate flavor.  Normally, I just like the top of the cupcake as a means to eat the frosting.  Often the frosting is the real reason you are eating the cupcake and I’ve been known to eat just the top and leave the stump.  Corner Cupcakes chocolate cupcake was so good I would even eat it without frosting.  That is saying a lot!  And, the combination of the cupcake, frosting, and in this case, salt were genius.  Absolutely delicious.

On the left, a chocolate cupcake with cream cheese frosting. On the right, a chocolate salted caramel cupcake.

When you order, you can choose your cupcake flavor and choose your frosting flavor.  This means that the little cakes are frosted just for you – so you won’t have dried out frosting that has been in a display case.  You can also choose from a selection of suggested cake-frosting combination – as I did with the chocolate salted caramel.

And, when you go, be aware that the prices are about $1 less than what you will pay at typical cupcake bakeries.  These little cakes are $2.50 each, and if you by 6 or more, only $2.25 each.  Look on the Corner Cupcakes website for their weekly schedule and make sure you follow them on Twitter to get updates on their locations.

Mmm...so many ways to combine the cupcakes and frosting!

Cupcakes on display in the Corner Cupcake truck

My Linus city bike which I bought at Velo Cult in South Park San Diego

Honestly, my bicycle is such a flirt! Whenever I ride around town on my bike, I always receive kind compliments about her. She’s a looker, that’s for certain. Since it would be a shame to deprive the rest of the world of her presence, I’ve been riding about town, as the weather allows.

Last weekend I rode my bike to the farmers’ market – called the Mercato – in Little Italy close to downtown San Diego. The day was gorgeous which made for a perfect day to get there via bike. Biking was a great option, as parking is at a premium in Little Italy – especially on Saturday mornings when they have the Mercato. It was easy to pedal right up to the market and lock up my bike.

The Little Italy Mercato sign

Getting there was a little challenging. Of all the things San Diego has to be proud of, being bike friendly is not one of those things. The streets are in terrible shape, with pot holes, cracks, and other bike hazards. Additionally, bike lanes are a rare bird. But, I enjoy biking. I think that bicyclists make the best kind of neighbors as we are more likely to spot and shop at a local store than someone taking a car and sticking to the larger roads. I feel more connected to the city when I ride my bike. And, I’d like to raise awareness of making the community more bike-friendly. So to start, I plan to do more via bike. And, to be honest, I have become accustomed to the compliments about my bike and would rather not give those up. So, my interest in tootling around town is also self-serving. I am not going to lie.

The Mercato in action

Going to the Mercato was a perfect bike ride and activity. The market covers about 3-blocks which are closed to car traffic and includes produce, flowers, breads, fish and meat, specialty cooking oils, chocolate, and other products. I started the day with a quick detour to one of my favorite spots – Extraordinary Desserts on Union Street. I picked up a small mocha to fuel my tour of the market.

I was impressed by the quality of the vendors at the Mercato. The vegetables and fruits were beautiful. It was also great to see some local vendors who have shops I’ve been to set up booths at the Mercado. There were a good number of booths with ready-to-eat menu items and plenty of seating on the various corners in Little Italy. The Mercato was crowded, but it was pleasant. It is a great opportunity to check out Little Italy, including some great boutiques and shops just off of India Street.

After touring the market, I struck out to the streets of Little Italy. There are so many restaurants – I will be back for dinner. To the good people of Bencotto – please save me a table. I can’t wait to try your menu! After a bite for lunch, it was back on my bike for a ride home. I took quieter streets for the ride back and road up through Golden Hill, which I think is so charming. Overall, it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning and something I will do again.