Valentine's Spoiler Alert Pour Homme

Babe either already possesses, is soon to receive OR is about to have a full fledged campaign waged upon him for why he should have the items listed below in my Valentine's pour homme suggestions...

J. Crew cashmere v-neck sweater in purple, the color of royalty. That's what ya get when you refer to your wife as "Queenie"...

Babe has already devoured this book and I have it on deck. That is, I did until my dad who was reading it felt obliged to turn to me on the beach every twenty minutes or so and give me a book report. So it's more like I'll be re-reading it...

Oooo and find of the month, courtesy of my très fashionable friend, and ex-G'town neighbor, Alexandra, the Ledbury shirt collection for men. This southern duo have done their due diligence when it comes to the art of shirt making. I'm eying up the work shirt in blue gingham for Babe...

As well as the dress shirt in pink royal oxford...

...with color contrasting french cuffs for a lil conservative flash. Can not wait til they come out with a women's collection!

The Wiley Brother's hoof pick belt as modeled by Maxminimus in his Heathrow Airport mug shot...

And, as part of my continuing political education I recently purchased Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story DVD. Per usual, Babe intercepted the package whilst I was sunning it up in Mexico and, now we have both enjoyed it. Boy that man had charisma in spades. Not to mention, what had to be the best head of hair in DC...

Hmmm...wonder which item's gonna take some campaigning on my end? Maybe a sneak attack's in order...

Kindness of Alexandra Lee Small for reporting in with the fabulous Ledbury find. Templeton, George, Babe and I really miss Beau and Capote and you. NYC dinner date at Ippudo in a couple of weeks? You wear your grandmother's white rabbit again and I'll wear my Nana's mink...XXOO

If I Can't Eat, I'm Gonna Have To Lift The Shopping Ban

Emma and I are wrapping up the final (Allelujaaahhh...) day of our two day fast and are fading rapidly. We both snoozed pretty hard on the beach today and I also plan on hitting the hay early tonight in anticipation of breakfast. Kashi Heart to Heart with fresh strawberries and skim milk never looked so good...

Fortunately, I had a couple of friends send some distracting goodies my way. From Joanie of Belgian Show fame came My Mother's Clothes. Hmmm...maybe I should start thinking about cataloguing my own duds just in case. Ya never know what could end up in a book or the Met a la Nan Kempner...

And, from my good friend of Ledury Shirt fame, Alexandra Lee, came The Hermès Scarf, History & Mystique...

Did I tell ya'll about my dream you could check out Hermes enamel bangles at the public library? Somehow my subconscious got it's "Hermès" and "book" wires crossed in a most disappointing way...

Kindness of Joanie DiNardo and Alexandra Lee Small for such fabulous distractions from starving myself fasting. And yes, ADG, my butt IS fasting regardless of the fact that the drink has the word "shake" in the title. Water and powder do not a shake make...XXOO

Here We Go Again...

Our little prince, Templeton, had an emergency vet visit yesterday for suspicion of a uti (what IS in this G'town water???) and then spent a very looong night throwing up from the antibiotic hourly all the way through til 6:30am. Consequently, mummy and the boys spent the day lazin about trying, once again, to make up for a sleep deficit.

Thank goodness daddy flies in tonight cuz mummy is about to crack.

I think it may even be possible to sleep through BMOC's nonstop incoming emails and 3am calls from India I'm so exhausted. Maybe, just maybe, I can beg off from the traditional "will you please drive me to the office at 7am" Friday. This way I can be nice and rested for my big weekend of dinners, the Lilly trunk show and my trés exciting Grey Gardens premiere.



Remember..."The hallmark of aristocracy is responsibility" Little Edie Beale

So don't forget to set the DVR to HBO 8pm on Saturday night!!!

We've been practicing our Little Edie all day in anticipation.

Must remember to get the fur out of storage in time...

Kindness of Alexandra, for giving me Grey Garden fever, and Templeton and George, for being perfect Bouviers.

Bill Cunningham New York

Juuust when my Valentino and September Issue highs have started to fade...

Bill Cunningham New York venue, found. Date, noted. Road trip, planned...

Kindness of my September Issue dates, Amy Fahrenkopf and Alexandra Lee Small, who will be recruited, yet again, for another evening of Five Guys and E Street Cinema cupcake smuggling. Better start working on that St. Regis sweeeet ressie. Ohhh Baaabeee..XXOO

Art In The Hand Is Worth Two On A Museum Wall

Exactly what I expect the floors of Willem de Kooning's studio to have resembled...

A de Kooning, I can not yet afford. But, a swanky Lauren Merkin multi splatter Eve clutch, quite doable...

Thanks to Whitney at Pink and Green Pup who alerted me to the Daily Candy discount code "candy30" which saved me Babe nearly fifty dollars. I have no idea how long this discount is valid so giddy up!

Kindness of my dear friend and old G'town neighbor Alexandra Lee Small. Babe has amassed quite the Ledbury collection since you brought them to my attention, so I think it only fair that I get to benefit from the your great taste too...XXOO

Julie's Christmas Wish List Guest Post

Getting Julie's list out of her was like pulling teeth. She only had one item that she was really lusting over and, beyond that, was mostly focused on gifts for the girls. Like a quick draw artist, I'm the best in the west when it comes to reeling off my own wish list and it took all of my list slinging abilities to pry these items out of my sister...



Extracted at the eleventh hour of wish list wrestling was a trip to NYC with Emma and Hilary and tickets to see Jersey Boys...

And here are the lusted after Frye Harness boots that have already been lifted from under the tree and packed for a weekend in Baltimore...

The North Face Metropolis coat for cold recess duty days...

A cult fav in the beach house, Kiehl's Creme de Corps...

And, my sister's crack, Kérastase Mousse Nutri-Sculpt, which she stocks up on like canned goods in a bomb shelter...

The Louis Vuitton Alexandra wallet...

Apparently, one can never have enough Under Armour skorts...

A wheeled one suiter from T. Anthony in blue...

And, the requisite earmarked for Mexico item, Calypso's seersucker Antoine jumpsuit. One for me too please...

Kindness of Julie for allowing me exercise my wish list whisperer abilities...XXOO

Bionic Four Legged Prep

Poor Oscar was minding his own beeswax, taking a well deserved catnap in a British corn field, when a combine came by and relieved him of his lil back legs...

But, in a feat of veterinary and feline wonderment, he survived and now boasts a swanky pair of prosthetic hind quarters which helped to restore his normal gait...

And, probably a wee bit of kitty swagger I'm guessing. Those Brits...

Kindness of Oscar's nuero-orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Noel Fitzpatrick for putting so much value on one small furry soul. And, my dear friend Alexandra Lee Small for making my heart sing with this incredible story...XXOO

"R" Is For Oysters

Poet Anne Sexton saw the dozen oysters before her arranged on the plate like numbers on a clock, like time, and she looked from her father's satisfaction with his "clear as tears" martini and platter of oysters to her own plate of "twelve eyes...running with lemon and Tabasco." Like all difficult experiences, the first swallow was disconcerting, "a large pudding" going down. But by the time that 'one o'clock' and two were eaten, there was laughter and "I was fifteen/and eating oysters/and the child was defeated./The woman won."

Anne Sexton, "Oysters", from The Book of Folly


The absolute best part of fall is that we get into the "R" months and my favoritest food in the whole world, oysters (any way), are in season. Oyster recipes will become a reoccurring theme here and to kick things off I thought I'd start with a short tutorial on proper shucking. My Nana always had a raw bar at family gatherings with her faithful helper Rosie shucking for us but, I'm not so spoiled that I can't hold my own with the best of them at any oyster roast. Time to sharpen the ole skills cuz the Urbanna Oyster Festival in Virginia is November 6 and 7 and I have BIG plans for a weekend of oyster gluttony...

I never turn my nose up at any oyster cookery, being the ardent oyster lover that I am, but I prefer my raw oysters (Chincoteague please!) on the half shell naked in all their salty glory, minus a generous squeeze of fresh lemon and a dollop of cocktail sauce. For those less inclined to the briny taste of sea I shall suggest an accompaniment of Mignonette Sauce and a glass of Pouilly-Fumé. If you are of the same school of thought as Prescott here, at least go for the glass of Pouilly-Fumé...

Mignonette Sauce

1/4 cup finely chopped shallots
1 cup red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons freshly ground white pepper

Mix thoroughly and serve well chilled

Kindness of fellow oyster aficionado and friend Alexandra Lee Small for alerting me to the "must attend" annual mollusk event...

Many Thank You's To Go Around

Merci to all my readers for the overwhelming amount of birthday well wishes, cards, gifts and shout outs...

Merci to Babe for my shhhwanky and much coveted beach towel and, also for commissioning the Hermes fairy to make an additional deposit under my pillow...

That makes available TWO slots on my perpetual wish list...

Merci for my pretty pink and green cake birthday breakfast and for thinking ahead to how confusing it would be for my readers if it read "Happy Birthday Babe". Little do they know we are both "Babe", "Dil" and "Fil" (and all variations of the three)...

Merci for my Black Salt birthday dinz and for taking care of me once I was drunk off the combo of Bellinis and Tylenol Cough and Cold...

Merci to Amy and Alexandra for all the champers and goodies day two of the festivities...

And, last but not least, a belated merci to Jill Olson of Tickled Pink and Green and Kara Hagan for alerting me to Summer is a Verb's mention in Houston's social glossy Paper City. I've been hoarding the copies generously sent to me for a future powder room papering project...

Kindness of Southern Gent's friend who reported in with her sighting of me leaving G'town's Neyla restaurant Saturday night. Next time you just go right ahead and yell out your congratulations on the procurement of my much discussed beach towel. I would have been laid out on the sidewalk in laughter. Now, if you had approached our party to deliver your message more privately, it would have been YOU collapsed on the sidewalk. There was enough collective garlic breath in our group to drop an elephant...XXOO

New Year's Resolutions

Jenny B from Boston generously offered to host a giveaway for this pretty in pink 2012 Sarah Pinto Weekly Planner to whom ever I deem worthy...

I thought it très apropos considering it's that New Year's Resolution time o' year when every one's trying to organize their thoughts and goals...

For as long as I've known him, in the days leading up to New Years Eve, Babe starts working on his resolutions. He takes it all vuuury seriously...creating yearly themes...subsections to the theme...oodles of fancy bullet points...and lofty, yet obtainable goals. Meanwhile, I devote about two minutes during my shower to run through a few thisyearI'mgonna!'s in my head which all pretty much circle back around to me being thin, tan and rich...

Probably explains why eeevery December, Babe can whip out the previous year's goals and reflect back on how he hit every stinkin' mark and I STILL don't have long hair or teeter on the verge of anorexia garnering concern from all my jealous well meaning friends...

Okay, thiiis yeeeaaar...I resolve to be more like Babe. I'm going to time box my work, I'm going prioritize even if it means a few things fall by the wayside, I'm going to be, gulp, nicer, annnnd I'm going to spend more conservatively GASP! Well, let's try and take this one month at a time shall we...

Now this is a random tuffie buuut...this first person to correctly guess the writer/actor/funnyman Babe and I sighted walking in the Village last weekend, which, btw, I did not tweet, will walk away with this Sarah Pinto Weekly Planner. I'll give you a hint; he's rolling in it :)

*Every one, including family and bff's, is eligible to play with the exception of Alexandra, who was with us, and Amy, whom I bragged to told...

Kindness of Jenny B from the Bean for hosting this giveaway out of the goodness of her li'l ole preppy heart. Wishing you the very best 2012! XXOO

Interview With PVE

Below follows my interview with Patricia van Essche that she has posted today along with a sneak peek of my gorgeous new PVE Design header:

When did your fascination with summer begin? The minute I was old enough to understand that summer meant no school, short distance swimming, long days and Lilly Pulitzer galore.

Do you design a life around summer all year? If by "design" you mean fantasizing that I'm running along Gin Lane in Southampton on the way back to my summer cottage when in fact I'm suffering through 8 milers in 20 degree weather, well then yes, I believe I do.

What inspires you most about summer? All the best clothes, natch! Plus, everyone knows you look thinner with a tan. And, when it comes to tanning, I reached pro level a looong time ago.

How do you create a Summer is a Verb attitude during the winter? By sneaking off to my parents home in Ixtapa, Mexico midwinter for a dose of sun and surf. It's also an opportunity to test drive some of my newly acquired summery duds that I'm waiting to debut during the upcoming "season".

Favorite bikini? My two all time favorite bikinis were a white 96° and a lil black Gucci number that my sister Mandy and I both had. Très Bain de Soleil. I also had a thing for Head racing suits. Are they still around? Someone should resurrect those!

Favorite sunscreen? Skinceuticals SPF 30 for my face, neck and back of hands, since that's were a women first shows her age, and good ole Coppertone for the rest. Strictly for the scent mind you.

Favorite goggles and swim cap? I don't do caps. I usually had so much chlorine in my hair it was like a virtual cap. If I had a nickel for every old lady that approached me and asked what I put in my hair to make it so shiny, I'd have that cottage in the Hamptons! And, for goggles I'm loyal to Sweds, preferably in green or mirrored for summer.

Best beach towel? Oooo Hermes...Babe still swears he'd end up on American Greed one day as "the former CEO whose wife collected $500 beach towels". But, a girl can dream...

How do you handle a burn? Advil and a good margarita. Patrón Silver and Cointreau por favor. The Advil's for the burn and the margarita's to drown my nosunforyoutomorrow blues.

Kindness of Patricia at PVE Design for my beautiful new header. All that's missing is my little figure running past. Also, to Bryn Alexandra for my pretty pink font work. It takes talented and generous souls to put up with my aesthetic demands...XXOO

Persifor

I am quite the biz bee so, this week's post are gonna be short and sweet. Not, sweet as in saccharine but, sweet as in suh-weet...

Which was exactly my reaction when an ex Lilly corporate gal sent along a note bearing kind words and a link to "J. Crew and Lilly Pulitzer design alumn" Alexandra Thompson's just launched line, Persifor...

Now, that's the kind of street cred that gets the velvet rope dropped right quick 'round here. That and, the Kilpatrick Dress in Ole...

 Or, Swizzle Sticks...

Muffy meets Pam Anderson?

Well, come right on in Ms. Thompson. Drinks are on the beach house...

Kindness of Christina Fogli for the love and the Persifor scoop. My inner Baywatch Babe and outer C.Z. thank you...XXOO