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Archive for March, 2011

The Trouble With Hats

So here’s the trouble with hats:

If you want to take one on a trip, this means that unless you are ninety-five years old and own a hatbox, you have to wear the thing while in transit.

And you will look ridiculous while traipsing through airports at five in the morning.

You may even want to hide your face.

(This, by the way, goes double for moving. I always end up carrying three things on my person during that final car trip to our new place: dogs – which now count as two things, I suppose – my dried and very delicate wedding bouquet, and all of my hats.)

There are, however, very good things about hats.

For example, I think that my H&M one, while very dorky, is also very fabulous, and my plan is to wear it constantly this summer.

Another good thing:

My party trick!

Observe:

Hat Party Trick! from Jordan Reid on Vimeo.

(OK, maybe not the best trick in the world.)



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March 31st, 2011 | Love | 9 Comments »

Personalize Your Rental Apartment / A Charmed Wife

Remember my friend Lily from the Rent The Runway post? Well, today the lovely lady behind A Charmed Wife is here with some rental apartment personalization tips (for a few of my own, click here). Thanks so much, Lily!

- Jordan

9 Ways to Personalize A Rental Apartment (Without Losing Your Security Deposit).

While Jordan is on vacay (drink a rum punch for me, J!) she asked if I’d pop over and supply a post about something “home” related. Given that I am the world’s biggest homebody (true story: I was born at home, home-schooled through eighth grade, and now I work from home), I jumped at the chance to talk about my favorite topic.

My husband and I bought our first apartment a couple summers ago, and I have spent at least part of every day since working on it (with no possible end to the projects in sight). And while I’m proud of how my spackling and drain-unclogging skills have improved in the intervening years, sometimes I look back and long for the simplicity of our old rental apartment where we had a building super to do those things for us. Before this, we spent five years in a rental apartment, which had a lot of quirks we had to learn to live with (we had a galley kitchen with literally no counter space – and I mean that “literally” literally).

But what I discovered during those years was that just because you live in a rental doesn’t mean you can’t personalize and decorate it to your tastes. With a little imagination, and a little elbow grease, any rental can be made to feel like it’s yours (even if it technically is owned by someone else). And while some of these ideas can be little pricey, they are worth the investment because almost all of them can be removed, packed up, and brought with you to your next rental. So get to it, and make yourself at home.

9 Tips…after the jump!

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March 31st, 2011 | Lifestyle | 7 Comments »

Best Of / Beachwear

My favorite bathing suits, to help kick off the season:

Retro & Romantic:

Anthropologie Long Soak Bikini Top ($68) & Bottom ($68); Cyn & Luca Lace-Up Swimsuit ($119)

Classically Sexy:

Express Soft Leopard-Print Bandeau Top ($19.92) & Bottom ($19.92); Victoria’s Secret Very Sexy Bandeau Top & Ruched-Waist Bottom in Cobalt ($38 for top; $30 for bottom)

Sweetly Patterned:

J. Crew Calais Floral Bandeau Top ($50) & Side-Tie Hipster ($46); Old Navy Brown Dots Bandeau Top ($16.50) & Hipster Bottom ($16.50)

And Some Perfect Cover-Ups:

Clockwise from top left: Billabong Striped Cover-Up ($49); Anthropologie Florid Waters Caftan ($148); J. Crew Pinstripe Toluca Tunic ($74); Coconut Pearl Cover-Up ($138)

And…OK…Some Accessories:

Clockwise from top left: J. Crew Woven Straw Fedora ($39.50); Anthropologie Woven Baubles Necklace ($128); Blue Suede Gold Chain Wrap Bracelet ($29.99); Squared Off Cat-Eye Sunglasses ($14)



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March 31st, 2011 | Play | 2 Comments »

Seven Mile Beach

March 29, 2011



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March 30th, 2011 | Love | 1 Comment »

Personal Wedding Gifts

Q. Hi Jordan!

I remember you responding to a reader question about getting wedding gifts outside the registry and you said ‘Meh…not unless you’re really close to the Bride and Groom.’ I totally agree with you, [but] here’s the thing – I am REALLY close to this Bride and Groom. I played matchmaker to my brother and best friend, and voila! 3 years later, they are getting married!

I want to get them a great, special, personal gift, but money is tight (I mean, when is money not tight?!? Do you ever get questions that begin with “I have limitless funds and…”?!) I want the gift to be special, because both of them are so special. Maybe spend between $100-$150, if possible. I decided to Etsy it up, but I guess I don’t have the same skills as you because I got nothin’…so I ask…WWJD, What Would Jordan Do?

-Kristen

A. Hey Kristen!

How cool that your brother and best friend are getting married…that’s SO exciting.

OK, so ordinarily I think that it’s best to stick to the registry (plus a small additional gift if you want to do something more personal)…but you’ve got a totally special case.

My favorite personalized wedding gift is a reproduction vintage map of either the town where the couple met, the town where they live, or the town where they’re getting married. If you put it in a gorgeous frame, that should fall right within your budget constraints (but FYI, if you get it matted and do all that fancy stuff, the price can go up very quickly).

A lot depends on how well you feel like you know their taste – for example, would you feel comfortable getting them a piece of art? I love Larry Carlson’s work; he does digital photo and mixed-media art, and his stuff is pretty reasonable (I bought a gorgeous piece – it’s hanging in our kitchen – at the Union Square Greenmarket for $75).

Also, how crafty are you? You might want to consider something like a hand-knit blanket or a personalized wooden chest (they can keep everything from blankets to photo albums and mementos to baby things in it). You can get beautiful wooden chests on Etsy if you’re not a woodworker, and of course there are tons and tons of cozy, hand-knit blankets for sale – just be sure to pay attention to their color scheme.

You could also do “A Year Of Dates” – come up with one special thing for them to do every month for the first year of their marriage, and arrange it for them. This can be anything from a picnic in the park to a concert to a night at a video game parlor…it doesn’t have to cost you a fortune if you get creative, and I bet they’d be blown away. It’s best to be flexible re: time for most of the events, so that they don’t feel obligated to work their schedules around the dates – for example, you can give them a coupon for a homemade picnic lunch on any weekend in May, and then when they tell you when they’d like to go show up in the morning with a loaded picnic basket and send them on their way.

Let me know what you decide to do!!

-J

Image via.



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March 30th, 2011 | Play | 9 Comments »

What I Went With

Nails:

Secret Stash on fingers, Russian Navy on toes. I ended up doing both my manicure and pedicure myself, so I had to use shades I already owned. Next time: Bright Tights! Love that color.

(FYI: Unfortunately, sand and Russian Navy do not go together particularly well; the color got pretty dusty and dull within a couple of days. But no matter! The aforementioned sand covers up my toes nicely.)

Books:

Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea

My Horizontal Life (yeah, two Chelsea Handlers – been wanting to read those for awhile)

High On Arrival (whoa; that’s why I look so serious in the above picture)

__

The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo (I decided to buy the other two once I finish this one, since Kindles don’t require extra trips to the store)

The Hunger Games (just started)

The Help

Summer Sisters

One Day

Handle With Care

(The line separates the ones I’ve read so far from the ones I haven’t.)

P.S. Kindles are officially the best invention on the planet.

Thank you so much for all the recommendations!!! I’ll be trying out lots more of them over the next few months. We have many beachy days ahead of us.



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March 30th, 2011 | Play | 6 Comments »

Philly Day Trip / Happy Life In NYC

I used to travel to Philly occasionally to watch Kendrick’s band perform, and I always thought it was a really underrated day-trip-from-NYC spot. Thanks so much to Philly native (and new blogger) Lauren for offering to show us around!

- Jordan

I am so honored to be guest blogging for Jordan! I adore her blog and it’s part of the inspiration behind mine. I am a native Philadelphian turned New Yorker, so there is nothing I love more than going back to my second home in Philly.

Here are my ideas for a day or weekend trip there. Enjoy!

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March 30th, 2011 | Lifestyle | 1 Comment »

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