Please don’t buy me a book for Christmas. Instead buy my book, Burning Furiously Beautiful, in large quantities and give it out as gifts.
Burnside published my Gift Guide for Writers. Enjoy!
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Holiday Gift Guide for Art Lovers
3 Dec
Well, I suppose it’s that time again. Time to start thinking about what to give everyone for Christmas. That’s what every commercial and store window is not at all subtly hinting at anyway.
Burnside published my gift guide for art lovers. The guide shows how you can support independent artists through your purchases.
Here are a few additional ideas:
- a beautiful coffee-table art book
- a subscription to an arts magazine, such as Juxtapoz, Art in America, The Thing, or ArtForum
- a membership pass to their favorite local art museum
- a biography of an interesting art figure or a nonfiction account of artists’ lives. For example, Martin Gayford’s The Yellow House tells the story of Gaugin’s and van Gogh’s time sharing a house in France and Sue Roe’s The Private Lives of the Impressionists explores the lives of artists who were ridiculed at the time but whose works now hang in museums around the world.
- if the art lover is also an artist, consider notebooks, portfolios for their work, classes, studio space, and art supplies
If money were no object, what piece of art would you like to own? I’d love to own work by Ray Caesar, Robert Frank, Franz Kline, and Adam Wallacavage.
Prepping for Hurricane Sandy
28 Oct
Just got word that the MTA is shutting down at 7 tonight for Hurricane Sandy. Doesn’t make much difference to me. I’ve been stuck sick in bed for two days. Yesterday, started out well enough. I went to Barnes & Noble and got a Pumpkin Spice latte and Dutch Apple cheesecake and then braved the grocery store. Grocery shopping in New York City is always a nightmare with too many people and tight aisles, but yesterday was nuts as people were preparing for the storm. It was like trying to shop the day before Thanksgiving. I bought ingredients to make broccoli soup from a recipe out of one of the cookbooks I edited and fortunately made it before I got to feeling too sick so now I don’t have to cook at all. I can just sit in bed and watch a million episodes of Color Splash, my favorite interior decorating show, and dream up my perfect home.
Are you prepared for Hurricane Sandy?
If you’re like me and totally unprepared for any sort of emergency and don’t own a flashlight, shame on you! By now, all the flashlights are gone. Even finding candles in the drugstores is getting hard. Get creative. Barnes & Noble* sells a wide variety of battery-operated reading lights. Just because it’s for reading, doesn’t mean you can’t use it to find your can opener if the lights go out.
While you’re there, pick up the Barnes & Noble* ereader the nook if you don’t already have one. Charge it up pronto and download some books. If the power is out for a long time, you’ll have plenty of reading material. My book recommendation is Jack Kerouac’s Dr. Sax — perfect for Halloween.
It’s still a good idea to have some candles on hand. If you can’t find any at the drugstore or grocery store, that’s okay. Class it up with some scented candles from Bath & Body Works. I picked up the Cranberry Woods and Lemon ones during their 2-for-1 sale.
Speaking of scents, if we don’t have access to water that means you won’t be able to shower. I suggest some perfume or body splash to keep you smelling fresh. I’ve got Bath & Body Works‘ Plumeria body splash (which always makes me think of my Hawaiian friend from undergrad).
Now you may not be able to wash your hair but you can use an oil-absorbing dry shampoo. I’ve used the TRESemme dry shampoo with mixed results. That said, I do favor their regular shampoo and condition. And, they don’t test on animals.
Another great animal- and eco-friendly company is The Body Shop, where I’ve been shopping since middle school. I love the Tea Tree Oil line, and today stocked up on their cleansing wipes in case I won’t have access to water to wash my face.
While at The Body Shop, I also picked up anti-bacterial hand sanitzers in my most favorite scents satsuma and pink grapefruit. I normally advise against these sorts of anti-bacterial hand sanitizers because I fear using it will lead to the creation of a resistant super-bug, but hey, you’ve got to have clean hands somehow if there isn’t good old-fashioned soap and water. Plus these ones smell amazing, unlike some brands that smell like rubbing alcohol.
If you wear contacts, keep your stylish glasses in an easy to locate place. In fact, make a to-go bag of all your critical necessities (medication, keys, cash, etc.).
Now in terms of food, non-perishables does not have to mean SPAM! There are lots of great foods that are either non-perishable or that don’t require cooking. Go Greek with canned domathes, Kalamata olive spread, raw almonds, honey on bread, and sesame candies.
How are you staying storm stylin’?
*I work for a subsidiary of Barnes & Noble.
Road Trip: Lone Cyprus Tree
25 OctWe stopped real quick to see the Lone Cyprus Tree as we took a road trip along the famous 17-Mile Drive on the California Coast. It’s such a beautiful symbol, a tree enjoying the salty ocean air.
Here’s a little bit about the Lone Cyprus Tree from Wikipedia:
Chief among the scenic attractions is the Lone Cypress Tree (36.568738°N 121.965321°W), a salt-pruned Monterey cypress (macrocarpa) tree which is the official symbol of Pebble Beach and a frequent fixture of television broadcasts from this area. In 1990 the Monterey Journal reported that Pebble Beach’s lawyer, Kerry C. Smith, said “The image of the tree has been trademarked by us,” and that it intended to control any display of the cypress for commercial purposes. The company had warned photographers that “they cannot even use existing pictures of the tree for commercial purposes.”[3] Other legal commentators have questioned the Pebble Beach Company’s ability to invoke intellectual property laws to restrict others’ use of such images.[4]
We also passed the Ghost Tree, which is a cyprus that’s turned completely white, but I missed it as we drove by too quickly.
Road Trip: Pebble Beach Is Not a Beach
23 OctPart of my road trip down the California coast included a stop to Pebble Beach. As it turned out, Pebble Beach is not actually a beach. It’s a prestigious place to golf. I kept seeing everyone take photographs with this clock so I took one too. I have no idea why. I know nothing about golf and this clock means nothing to me.
Road Trip: 17 Mile Drive
22 Oct
On my road trip down the California Coast, we took the 17 Mile Drive. I’d never heard of it before, but everyone talked about it as if it were the highlight of the trip even though we spend a lot less time there. What I discovered was that California’s 17 Mile Drive is a stretch of road associated with luxury. Millionaires build mansions that overlook the Pacific Ocean. Golf is the sport of choice. The art scene is thriving among the cultured citizens.
Here’s a bit about the 17 Mile Drive from Wikipedia:
At the north end, a portion of the early route through Pacific Grove begins at the intersection of Del Monte Blvd and Esplanade Street. The famous portion of 17-Mile Drive then begins a few miles south of this point. The crossing of Highway 68 (Holman Highway/Sunset Drive) and 17-Mile Drive marks the entrance to Pebble Beach.
From the Sunset Drive/Pacific Grove gate, the drive runs inland past Spanish Bay, then adjacent to beaches and up into the coastal hills, providing scenic viewpoints. Travel along the road takes as long as the traveler likes, a minimum of 20 minutes south to Carmel without stops. Numerous turnouts along the road allow stopping to take pictures, or getting out to stroll along the ocean or among the trees. Visitors receive a map that points out some of the more scenic spots. In addition, a red-dashed line is marked in the center of the main road to guide visitors, and help prevent them from venturing into the adjacent neighborhood streets.[2]
The road provides vistas of golf courses including Spyglass Hill, Cypress Point and Pebble Beach. After reaching Carmel Way, and the exit to Carmel, the 17-Mile Drive then heads northeast to the Highway 68/Highway 1 interchange, where one can exit, or continue to loop along the higher vistas of 17-Mile Drive, some of which offer views from more than 600 feet above sea-level. The full loop will take you back to the Pacific Grove Gate at Sunset Drive — a distance of 17 miles.
The driver slowed down and pointed out various homes. I was not impressed. I grew up with parents who trapped us kids in the back seat while they drove around looking at the mansions in Alpine, New Jersey. I’ve seen beautiful, large homes before, and it just doesn’t impress me. Interior decorating and architecture are passions of mine, so it’s not that I don’t appreciate nice homes. And I’m by no means against luxury. I rather enjoy a certain lifestyle. I’m just not impressed by it.
Do you enjoy driving around looking at mansions?
In case you missed last week’s road trip posts:
everything on my trip went wrong
a cocktail recipe for what Jack Kerouac drank in Big Sur
writing tips from Big Sur writers
save the sea otters and sea lions
Greek American Fashion Week: Timothy George
21 Sep
The Greek American Fashion Week Show concluded with the Spring/Summer 2013 collection by Timothy George. Learning through apprenticeships at highly respected garment factories, George debuted work that was pure luxury. His designs looked expensive both in materials used and cuts.
George used beautiful French and Italian fabric. The most stunning fabric was a lightweight teal erupting with raised, soft-looking orange dots. This surreal and gorgeous fabric was used for a wrap blouse, a t-shirt, and a skirt. Pairing them with a high-sheen orange skirt or with a more neutral and plain top or bottom showed how versatile this otherworldly cloth could be. Other fabrics included softer ones, which were masterfully cut to bring a formality to their delicateness or were draped and billowed to promote their femininity. Other fabrics, on the other hand, were tough and high-sheen. With a high-end aesthetic, the collection reflected beauty, extravagance, strength, and femininity.
Timothy George is based in Midtown Manhattan.
Greek American Fashion Week: Angelo Lambrou
20 Sep
Of the four designers showing their Spring/Summer 2013 collections at the Greek American Fashion Week Show, only Angelo Lambrou debuted a wedding gown. The fashion show’s founder and emcee Maria Pardalis, who looked gorgeous in one of Lambrou’s dresses (see pic here), described Lambrou’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection as “African tribal bridal.” The all-white wedding gown made use of folds and folds of cloth, capturing movement and conjuring drama.
Another dress in his collection kept that billowy white skirt but swapped out the top for a polka-dotted red strapless top. It’s perfect for bride who wants a wedding dress with unique personality. It doesn’t have to be worn as a wedding dress, though. It could also be worn to a fancy summer soiree, say a moonlit cruise. An alternate version was that same dress but with a black bottom. This looked even more like evening wear. What caught my attention was the accessorizing — check out those fantastic statement necklaces!
In addition to the rollicking-waves dresses, there were also sleek evening dresses and smart daytime dresses. The sleek evening dress was classic, a true wardrobe staple. The daytime dresses had a retro vibe with stripes, polka dots, and thick piping. They were flirty in a campy sort of way. Very adorable.
Angelo Lambrou is based in the East Village here in New York now, but he was born in Southern Africa to Greek-Cypriot parents. He studied fashion in Johannesburg and London before returning to Botswana to start his own fashion line. He worked with Miss Botswana in 1999 and designed all the contestants’ dresses for the 2000 Miss Universe competition; he dressed Patti LaBelle for the 2002 Grammy Awards and Maria Bello for the Secret Window premier.
Greek American Fashion Week: ENOE ME by Lia Kastanidi
18 Sep
I’m one of those people who obsesses over fashion magazines from abroad, always requesting that anyone returning from Greece brings me the latest hot issue from the newsstand. If you happened to catch the May 2012 issue of Greek Vogue you would’ve seen the feature on ENOE ME‘s Lia Kastanidi in it. From the urban city of Patra, in the Peloponnese region of Greece, Kastanidi has been garnering a media attention lately — and with good reason!
Kastanidi showcased her 2013 Spring/Summer collection for ENOE ME at the Greek American Fashion Week Show. Making use of vibrant colors, flowing fabrics, and relaxed cuts, the solid-colored pieces in ENOE ME’s Spring/Summer 2013 collection had an urban desert vibe to them. They looked comfortable yet luxurious, bohemian yet sophisticated. Very downtown cool.
The ensembles in the collection evoke a casual nomadic flair. This may have to do with Kastanidi branding her company after her native land of Uenye in the Black Sea of Asia Minor.
Kastanidi studied at the London College of Fashion and New York’s FIT (The Fashion Institute of Technology), before returning to Greece in 2007.
Greek American Fashion Week: Tatiana Raftis Spring/Summer 2013
17 Sep
The first collection to hit the runway at the Greek American Fashion Week Show was one of New York’s own — the Astoria, Queens, born Tatiana Raftis, whose parents hail from Greece and Cyprus. Raftis studied evening-wear design at FIT, The Fashion Institute of Technology, here in New York, and her Spring/Summer 2013 collection boasted drop-dead-gorgeous gowns and dresses for formal occasions. Raftis’ clothing designs are statement pieces that are sure to turn heads.
Raftis’ Spring/Summer 2013 collection is for any woman who wants to exude femininity but still possess a bit of edge. Her dresses evoke medieval princesses who know how to yield a sword. They’re pure romance with florals, pastels, and sequins, and yet the jagged cuts and use of black suggest an intense passion to be reckoned with.
My personal favorites were the dusty lavender gown with the dramatic slit, which someone better snatch up for the next Oscars, as well as the sequined pink shorts, which were styled so perfectly with a white shirt and pink bolero so as to make the outfit look hot yet not overdone.
Tatiana Raftis provides custom orders for clients out of her Queens studio.
Yiasou!
Stephanie Nikolopoulos is a writer, editor, writing teacher, and speaker based in New York City.
She is the coauthor, with Paul Maher Jr., of "Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac's 'On the Road.'"
You can email her at stephanie_701 {@} yahoo.com
Stephanie Nikolopoulos 