Alexander McQueen, Harpers Bazaar

It’s no secret I have a passion for scarves. Whether it’s from Canal Street in New York City or a boutique shop on the Via Condotti in Rome, my wallet knows no limits when it comes to the comfort of a scarf. From my cashmere pashminas to my Gap special, scarves hold a unique place in my life – they are the security blanket I reach for on a long flight, or the wrap I seek on a cold night. But, but it’s my Alexander McQueen scarf that is the most special.

The devastating loss of Alexander McQueen rattled the fashion world and rendered me speechless. I remember the day I bought my first McQueen…

I was in London on a business trip with my co-worker and fellow McQueen-fiend friend, The Missus. In fact, it was this friend who first introduced me to McQueen, and this friend who was with me when I made my first McQueen purchase. We arrived in London on a Saturday and after a quick nap and a cup of coffee, we went straight to Harrods. We made our way through the Jo Malone, Anya Hindmarch and Mulbury, passed the tea and chocolate shops and found our way to the McQueen accessories. We dug through the coveted skull scarfs until we found what we wanted. I held up the black and purple silk skull scarf and proudly declared it mine. Within minutes I was checking out, claiming my VAT tax and wrapping my McQueen around me. To this day, that scarf is in every suitcase on all my travels, because you just never know when you need to spice up an outfit with a few skulls.

At 40-years-old, Alexander McQueen was a designer who knew no limits. He was a stylist beyond our wildest dreams – he pushed the envelop and made people rethink they way they approached fashion. He was known for taking risks and creating controversy.  He made skulls sexy.

His life was cut short but he’ll forever live on as one of the most influential designers of our time.

Audrey Hepburn had a fabulous dialogue in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s“:

"Breakfast at Tiffany's"

Holly Golightly: You know those days when you get the mean reds?
Paul Varjak: The mean reds, you mean like the blues?
Holly Golightly: No. The blues are because you’re getting fat and maybe it’s been raining too long, you’re just sad that’s all. The mean reds are horrible. Suddenly you’re afraid and you don’t know what you’re afraid of. Do you ever get that feeling?
Paul Varjak: Sure.
Holly Golightly: Well, when I get it the only thing that does any good is to jump in a cab and go to Tiffany’s. Calms me down right away.

A quick stumble upon her favorite spot and she was cured of the ‘reds’ – a lesson we can all learn from. What calms you down? Where do you go when you have a case of the mean reds? Rainy days and Monday’s are often blamed for the mean reds, but an hour out of your day might be a simple cure. (more…)

Red Rocks at Dusk: Sedona, Arizona

It started off as a simple getaway: three days in Arizona, one of which would be spent at the Hilton Sedona spa, the other two days would go-with-the-flow, mood depending.

I arrived in Phoenix early Friday morning, Aug. 28, and spent the afternoon driving through Camelback Mountain and enjoying the scenery. That evening, I met one of my favorite people, the owner of SingleMindedWomen.com, for dinner.  We dined on steak, drank wine and reminisced like old friends who hadn’t seen each other in years… a wonderful way to start your vacation.

The next morning I was on my way to Sedona by 8 a.m. The sky was a clean slate of blue, the heat was just peaking at its morning high and the radio was programmed to some of my favorite stations. Me and my rental KIA SUV were off down I-10 toward Flagstaff, next stop: Sedona.

The two-hour drive was desert-like, and no surprise: driving through Arizona leaves a lot to be considered, unless you’re into cactus. Turning off the road on Rt 189 to Sedona, the landscaped the changed and immediately I was drawn into the Red Rocks. Many have said that the Red Rocks produce a power unexplainable to man, but embraced by all: I think it’s entirely possible. Within seconds, you’re captivated by the beauty and history of the rocks and without hesitation, an entire day has passed without checking email, text messages or searching for a cell phone signal. Instead, the day is spent exploring, intrigued and interested about your surroundings. Before you know it, you’ve hiked 3.5 miles, burned thousands of calories (thanks to the Arizona heat in summer) and captured some of the most breathtaking landscapes in the US. (more…)

“Life is a journey that must be traveled no matter how bad the roads and accommodations.” ~Oliver Goldsmith

Life is a journey… and birthdays are a time for rejoicing, reminiscing and reflection. Each year I step back, look at what the year brought me – the rewards, the mistakes, the opportunities – and  look ahead to the new year. I have my good friend The Missus read my numerology report and provide me with some thoughts for looking ahead.

According to the legend of numerology, starting Saturday I’ll be in Year 3, which I’m told is a very social year. Year 3, she says, is where all my hard work will pay off. It’s about forward movement in my career and my personal life. Doors will open, and some doors will shut, but the doors I choose to walk through will be ones that pave the way for the year.

As my birthday approaches, I’ve reflected on the past year look and I look ahead into the new year. This year, I’ve embraced my lux side, and I’ve loved every minute of it. (more…)

Can money buy happiness? The answer is personal, but for the purpose of this blog post the answer is a resounding “YES!” Women’s Health Magazine offered their top five ways to buy yourself a good mood, and the concept got me thinking – what are some of the best luxury items you can indulge in to add a little happiness to the close of a long week?

While we don’t need to spend money we don’t have, it’s OK to splurge on ourselves once in a while. Take a moment to invest in your luxurious self with these simple luxuries:

70 Park Avenue Hotel room

Stay overnight at a lux hotel: Who said you have to leave town to get a vacation? Sometimes getting away just isn’t that easy, so consider staying one night in your hometown, outside of your own bedroom. Hotels are hosting major sales these days. Check out the rates at your local Four Seasons, Ritz Carlton, Kimpton or W Hotels. Chances are, the room rate is equal to dinner and drinks with friends on a Saturday night.

Treat yourself to the spa: Spa Week is coming up, which means 50% off spa treatments. Enjoy a lavender-infused massage or champagne facial from one your favorite spas. Get there early and enjoy a steam, sauna or just lounging around in one of the spa robes. If you miss Spa Week, contact your favorite place in your city and ask what promotions they’re offering – it’s likely you’ll get a steal on a mid-day appointment. (more…)

Avenue des Champs-Élysées

Everyone wants a little luxury in their life. From food to clothes to travel, there’s room for luxury in everyone’s life, but what you spend on luxury is what dictates your ‘luxury status’. I live by a “simple luxury” motto: I set a realistic budget for what I want, and get the most out of what I have to spend. This is most important when it comes to travel.

I travel on average once every six to eight weeks and my destinations span the globe. But I’m a picky traveler – I’ve earned my wings and I enjoy a little hotel luxury, an upgrade to first class, and a spa treatment when I have time. I get asked on a regular basis, “How do you travel without breaking the bank?” The answer is simple: know what you want, and ask for it. Here a few of my simple luxury travel tips that any traveler can put into practice:

Set a realistic budget. Cheap flights and hotel deals are better than they’ve been in years. But, if you set your budget to reflect the prices from six months to one year ago (when travel deals were still lower than market) then you’ll be pleasantly surprised with what you can afford and it’s likely you’ll come in below your set budget. (more…)

I was on my way to Europe last month – a trip that had produced the same amount of excitement as it did anxiety. We booked our travels to Paris, Amsterdam and Bruges with anticipation, but only a week after we paid the final amount due, my travel gal pal fell victim to the economy and lost her job. Unfortunately, travel insurance doesn’t cover job loss so we regrouped, repacked and focused on the trip at hand. We were going to Europe – everything else would work itself out when we returned.

I arrived at the British Airways counter at Logan International Airport to check-in with plenty of time to spare. As a traveler by trade and leisure, I’ve become a pro at packing. I can fit just about anything into a carry-on piece of luggage and I approach my packing with a simple philosophy: if I can fold it, I can pack it. My carry-on bag has traveled with me on domestic and international flights over the past year – it’s a lovely light-blue companion that is never far away. I reach into the overhead compartment and all of my belongings are accessible.

You can imagine my surprise when I arrived at the check-in desk and the attendant said, “Oh, that bag will never fit in the overhead compartment. We’ll have to check it.”

What? (more…)

Paris. Rome. Amsterdam. London.

Cities around the world that inspire one’s inner-sexiness and empower a single woman. From Buckingham Palace to Anne Frank’s House to Versace‘s hidden hideaway, traveling the world is not only insightful and educational, but also an important prescription for one’s own psyche. Learning a new language, immersing yourself in another culture or taste-tasting a new cuisine you might not even be able to pronounce is exhilarating and can help even the most closed-minded see the world through different colored glasses.

Even travelers need a break from it all. Airplane seats only recline so far, hotel beds are only so comfortable, and you can only watch foreign soap operas in three different languages for so long before they all start to sound the same. Enter: the new version of a vacation – the ‘Staycation’.

Most travel professionals will define the ‘staycation’ as a vacation at home, exploring your own city and finding new and innovative things to do around your home town. I define the ‘staycation’ as a Saturday in bed. (more…)

This email was forwarded by a good friend who needed a pick-me-up. It’s a lovely account of ‘growing older’ and 45 points to live by. Enjoy:

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

“To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me.It is the most-requested column I’ve ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more: (more…)

On my 8th birthday, my grandfather donned a blue and yellow styrofoam 10-gallon cowboy hat and strutted his way onto Honey Ridge Court to direct traffic for my cowgirl-themed birthday party. I was in dressed in a white cowgirl costume, complete with a sheriff’s star and boots, and anxiously waiting for Mom to put my hair in pigtails so I could join my party.

Tata had brought in the pony – he was white with a sandy-brown mane – and he was all mine, at least for an hour. Interestingly enough, some things haven’t changed.

“Now that Obama is in office, how long before he starts reversing pardons and repealing legislative orders?” I asked Emily.

“Very soon,” she said. “First he repeals legislative orders, then opens up travel to Cuba, then we can all have a pony.” (more…)