Weekend in NYC: Breakfast at Tiffany's + A Cosmopolitan at the Plaza

“Don’t you just love it?…Tiffany’s!” - Holly Golightly

A little something for Piper?!

169 E. 71st Street - Holly Golightly’s apartment building

Holly’s neighborhood on the Upper East Side

Eloise at the Plaza

Breakfast at Tiffany’s on the big screen at Silverspot Cinema at the Corners

Office at Tiffany's

August 27, 2015 {239/365} Office at Tiffany's

[Photo taken at Tiffany and Co. - 727 5th Avenue, New York, NY]

“Behind every attractive room there should be a very good reason.” - Sister Parish

I've been looking for ideas to arrange and decorate my office this year. This might be a bit much, but I love the vintage touches (the typewriter, the suitcase, the books), the pop of Tiffany blue on an otherwise neutral palate, and the inspiration boards. We spend so much of our time at work. Shouldn't it be a space where we are motivated to be creative and productive?

Tiffany's

December 16, 2014 Photo (350/365): #decemberphotochallenge Day 16: Outdoor Christmas Lights

I knew my schedule wouldn't allow me to capture outdoor lights today, but there's so much I love about this flashback photo. First, what girl wouldn't love a present from Tiffany's ("Come & fill my Christmas tree, with some decorations bought at Tiffany's")?  I also love the art deco architecture, the lovely fairy lights, the light dusting of snow, and best of all, the Tiffany-blue hue of the windows. This picture makes me want to go shopping in Chicago or, better yet, New York where I could channel my inner Audrey!

Audrey

May 4, 2014 (124/365): "Happy 85th Birthday, Audrey"

I love today's Google Doodle featuring my favorite actress, Audrey Hepburn! 

Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face, My Fair Lady, Breakfast at Tiffany's, The Nun's Story

... I love them all! Audrey was a WWII survivor, dancer, actress, style icon, and humanitarian who taught us that:

• "Nothing is impossible. The word itself says, 'I'm possible!'"

• "For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone."

• "I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles."

• "The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years."

• "As you grow older, you will discover you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others."

• "The best thing to hold onto in life is each other."

• ...and of course, "Paris is always a good idea!

How Charming!

February 17, 2013 Photo of the day:

"How Charming!"

The precise history of charm bracelets is unknown, but it is believed that they began as a form of amulet worn to ward off evil spirits. Early charms were made of bones and shells, and later rocks, wood, and gem stones. There is evidence of charms being worn in ancient Africa and Europe as religious and political symbols. Charm bracelets became particularly fashionable during the reign of England's Queen Victoria. The queen herself wore charms and gave them as gifts. Upon the death of Prince Albert, Victoria had charms designed to hold locks of her husband's hair. During the 20th Century, soldiers returning from war often brought charms home for their loved ones. These charms were made by local craftsmen in areas where the servicemen were fighting. Charm bracelets gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s when it became traditional for American girls to collect charms to represent milestones in their lives.

I love to travel, but I don't buy a lot of touristy trinkets. My photos and journals have always been my favorite souvenirs. However, I did buy a tiny white gold Figaro link bracelet was in Florence in 1994. Since then, I have added charms from many places that I have visited.

• Cana Island Lighthouse: An iconic symbol of the Door County shoreline near my godparents' cottage in North Bay, invoking childhood memories of wading out to the rocky island and fishing on its shores.
• 2000: A charm to mark the new millennium
• Basque Cross: San Sebastien or Saint Jean de Luz - 2008. Its four arms signifying spirit, life, consciousness, and form.
• Matador's Jacket: From Madrid's Plaza Mayor -1998.
• "Big Ben": Houses of Parliament charm from London - 2002.
• Sand dollar: Key West - 2006.
• Sailboat: My grandmother bought this tiny charm for me in 1987 when I was on the Marquette University sailing team. I wore it around my neck for years, but when the chain broke the year after my grandma passed away, I had the charm soldered onto my bracelet.
• Eiffel Tower: From my first summer in Paris in 1994.
• Plumeria: This frangipani blossom with the pearl in the center was purchased in Hawaii during our honeymoon in 2005.
• Dolphin: My mom bought this charm for me when my brother, she, and I swam with dolphins during the Christmas we spent in the Bahamas after my dad passed away.
• Gondola: Venice - 1994

Tiffany and Co. introduced their first charm bracelet in 1889 — a sterling silver link bracelet with a single heart next to the lobster claw clasp. This bracelet remains a best seller for Tiffany to this day. Mine was purchased at the Tiffany flagship store on 5th Avenue. The original heart is inscribed with my monogram. With the exception of a circular charm engraved with the town of Sturgeon Bay along with two sailboats (a gift from my husband), the rest of the charms have been added each time I return to New York. I have an iconic Tiffany blue box, a shopping bag, an Eiffel Tower, and a sailboat. 

I don't wear a lot of jewelry, but my charm bracelets are two of my favorite pieces. They are as personal as the memories that they invoke!