styled living simply achieved by Jacqueline deMontravel
Considering allergic pollens and all things British are currently in the air we find cause to drink–tea that is. From ceremonial to health, tea’s benefits have been touted for millennia. Foster the lifestyle by becoming acquainted with the variety of ways it can be enjoyed.
Blooming flower tea tastes as good as it looks. Try it cold too.
Once in the not so distant past all you needed to get a party going was a cake, clown and group of energetic kids. Now hosting a splashy birthday has fallen into the annals of team tryouts and college acceptance letters in the game of parental oneupmanship. As a possible safeguard against future teenage pressures, we find keeping it simple with a classic twist to be a successful model.
A homemade cake with a themed pattern and treats achieve a festive setting.
Forget the hot nanny, allergies kill the passion in a relationship. Sneezes that should come with an advisory warning, a dependency on Kleenex, teary eyes, coughing up questionable particles resembling the slime my son makes—it all places a moratorium on anything fun. So how to remedy your clogged head and enjoy the fundamentals of living once again? Take a natural approach and make an allergy calming tea.
Create homemade tea for a natural way to treat allergies.
From boxy bags to ornamental statement jewelry, Kate Spade’s camera-ready designs exude a time when women rolled their hair into chignons and really knew how to wield a cocktail shaker. All of my experiences with Katy came with a happy, ice cream licking thrill. She lit up a room and not simply because of her beauty and fashion sense that had a jolt of something special. As I once wrote in a profile about her for Country magazine, Kate was that fun-loving sorority girl you wanted to get to know.
Kate Spade pictured in her Manhattan showroom for Country magazine in 1999.
Despite her success Katy was approachable and generous. She openly shared her stories, giving her timeless accessories increased value. Sharp-witted, Katy did not hold back on the demise of manners, why we could not regard a more graceful time when lunch at the Plaza was an occasion to dress for–if a club sandwich speared with an embellished toothpick made an effort, so could we. Her empire exuded all of her Spade-isms, even the logo of an ace of spades showed her attention to excellence with classic presentation. Katy’s last venture, Frances Valentine named after her daughter, identified her trademark style with creative detailing that was less mainstream, more Kate. She will be greatly missed and we wish her family love and peace during this sad time.
I’ve been a bit spotty lately, and not from my lack of performance. After a brutal winter where I saw my skin for a few fleeting moments considering I was always swathed in warm clothing, being reacquainted with my skin has brought to attention a number of new blemishes. For years I have received the lectures from dermatologists to avoid the sun. Aside from living in a windowless home, they truly assume that I should never be outdoors no matter what the season. Since this proves to be a tad challenging, there are measures to take regarding proper skin protection.
Diet, vigilant sunscreen application, wearing sun preventive clothing and an attention to skincare should be part of the daily routine.
Most women’s summer collections exceed winter pieces and it’s not just because a bulky blazer equates to three sundresses in coveted closet space. Summer designs are looser, freer and more expressive than dressing for winter necessity. Memorial Day’s official launch to the season has also become less rigid, like the dated white pants strictly worn until Labor Day rule. Extend the season’s style because summer is depressingly short. We spotlight our favorite patriotic picks that have enduring style.
A bedroom corner receives a classic composition from the insertion of framed sailing flags in patriotic colors, which works in any season.
Put the mobile device down. Sounds similar to a counter terrorist expert trying to diffuse a madman and, in many respects, we have become a bit psychotic when it comes to our electronics. Take a moment, or days, to unplug for fear of an Orwellian outcome. How to break from our devices on summer weekends? Circle back to holidays spent pre emoticons and wind chime ringtones, where the simplest activities are the most rewarding.
If you must use a vehicle, get in the nostalgic spirit and choose a vintage model.
For those who consider spending half a day trekking mountain trails as more of a Hobbits-on-a-quest activity, a visit at Malibu’s The Ranch will have you think otherwise. This lush, back to the basics spa calibrates visitors to exhale more and take inspiration from nature to achieve an overall wellbeing. A sample itinerary could be cribbed from preschool activities with a monastic bent from its assortment of fitness programs interspersed with light snacks and naps. Set against the Santa Monica Mountains, the compound is seeped in earthy tones and glass structures made with sustainable materials that appear sprouted from the land. Its natural character relates to the outdoor, healthful lifestyle it supports. An open air kitchen, organic garden and rustic pool apt for a gathering of ancient biblical figures make the addictive hum of our devices less appealing. Here, spa design seamlessly intertwines with healthy living.
The Ranch’s decor takes its cue from the outdoors and vestiges from past travels.
You have to love the contractions of children–some kids actually need to gain weight, find meal time an annoyance that takes them away from their activities, and are oblivious to the diet/calorie counting world of grownups. Though healthy eating to gain weight naturally can be a challenge when you serve a nutritious meal and receive looks like they are about to eat a plate of dancing beetles. Eliza Savage, RD at Middleberg Nutrition navigates a healthy eating approach for young eaters.
A stealthy smoothie by adding such powerhouse ingredients as avocado and protein powder.
“Keeping kids on a healthy nutritional track can be challenging, whether you have a tantrum-prone toddler, picky preschooler or finicky grade school age child,” says Savage. “I recommend including children in food choices from the beginning, involving them in shopping and cooking (when appropriate), and exposing them to as many foods as possible.”
Fruit, avocado and nuts are snack stables for a healthy diet.
There is an irony to an alluring dressing room, a place intended to facilitate getting ready by storing your wardrobe with the organizational elan of a fashion savant. Yet this space designed by Marcia Tucker is so inviting you may not want to leave. It is pretty, modern and functional yet toned down from being overly girlish ascribed to divas with a penchant for feathered accessories and lingerie so delicate you have to import purified water to clean it. “The excitement of preparing for a weekend away, or a few nights out without having racks of clothes and overwhelming options, this space is artfully curated to enjoy the moments of getting ready and taking time to enjoy the process,” says Tucker.
Dressing room designed by Marcia Tucker, featured at the Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse, reveals that you do not need a tiara and vault of cosmetics for a modern, feminine space.
