reading: elegance

Elegance: The Seeberger Brothers and the Birth of Fashion Photography is a handsome reference volume of bygone glamour.  Recommended a few years ago by The Sartorialist, I finally ordered it and it is gorgeous and inspirational...

paris: l'escargot montorgueil

We are creatures of habit. Every morning begins by tucking matched p.j.s under the pillows, making the bed and cutting an apple into eight slices. Saturday guarantees a Dutch pancake for breakfast.  And when we are in Paris, our first lunch is always at L'Escargot Montorgueil...

istanbul: balıkçı sabahattin

It was a cool night by Istanbul standards the evening we dined at Balıkçı Sabahattin, so the maître d' brought in large troughs of hot coals to the covered outdoor area of the restaurant where we were seated and stocked them with cedar wood and halved lemons and oranges. Soon the place had warmed up with the delicious smell of slowly burning wood and charring citrus fruits...

amsterdam: skins cosmetics

Upon entering Skins Cosmetics, a charming apothecary in Amsterdam's 9 Streets neighborhood, you are greeted by the scent of a hundred Diptyque candles and one of the dewy-skinned amazonian beauties that staff the place...

amsterdam: romeyn tailors

Romeyn Tailors on Utrechtsestraat is one if best men's shops I've visited...

amsterdam: hotel roemer

Hotel Roemer sits on a quiet street in between Amsterdam's Old South neighborhood and the historic Canal Belt. Convenient to the city center, the upscale P.C. Hoofstraat and the verdant Vondelpark, this small hotel is ideally located for getting to know both Amsterdam's touristy sites and the spots locals prefer...

wise words: tom ford

“I am tired of the cult of youth. The cultural rejection of old age, the stigmatization of wrinkles, grey hair, of bodies furrowed by the years. I am fascinated by Diana Vreeland, Georgia O’Keeffe and Louise Bourgeois, women who have let time embrace them without ever cheating. Society today condemns this, me, I celebrate it. … I imagine a man and a woman who had been together for a long time, faithful to each other and always incandescent with desire.”

-Tom Ford

new york city: tamago skincare

Tamago Skincare in the East Village is clean, modern and tiny. With its brightly colored modern furniture and Asian-inflected cheeriness, it sort of feels like you are getting a facial at Pinkberry. The services are simple and effective, staff is sweet and professional, treatment rooms in this new location are spare but cozy, and the prices can't be beat...

new york city: goat town

Maybe Goat Town isn't the most original new restaurant to open in New York City, but despite its silly name (a convoluted story about the owners' birthdays), abundance of plaid and Edison bulbs, and ubiquitous faux-rustic brasserie concept, it does serve excellent food and is a very welcome addition to the culinary alleyway that is far east 5th street.  In the three times I've visited so far, I've had...

amsterdam: van dobben

Serving satisfying Dutch comfort food in the simplest terms, Van Dobben is an Amsterdam institution.  Similar to American diners, Van Dobben has a long counter lined with turning stools and a staff consisting of middle-aged, kind-yet-gruff waitresses and one giant surly cook, complete with stained apron, back in the kitchen.  My favorite lunch here includes...

amsterdam: tulips!

It's tulip season again in Amsterdam.  I picked up these beauties...

purchases: knit turban hat

This was actually a gift from my sweet sister and I adore it.  She got it here from Etsy seller Dollface Deville. Slightly turban-y when worn with the gather in the center of the forehead, it's warm, soft and cozy.  The deep burgundy color goes with any coat- black, camel, gray, etc. and it looks great with my new sunnies.  More views after the jump...

new york city: the oyster bar at grand central station

This is the kind of place where you wouldn’t be surprised to see Don Draper sidle up next to you at the counter and order several martinis to accompany an oyster lunch...

paris: frederic simonin

We've found that in Paris, it's hard to find good food and a fun scene in the same place.  We've dined at some of the city's most celebrated restaurants and while we've rarely been disappointed by the food, the sedate, funereal atmosphere at these temples of haute cuisine leaves much to be desired.  Such was the case at Frederic Simonin...

purchases: ray-ban cats 1000

I bought them here.  They are perfect- slightly cat-eyed, pure black lenses and just big enough.  I've been wearing them nonstop...