A Weekend in Boston

Just when I was about to hit "Publish" last week a "Warning" sign popped up and claimed that the our blog had been LOCKED by blogger spam-blog prevention robots and that until it was verified that this was an actual blog, we cannot publish anything. I was flabbergasted! What IS this?? Blogger really needs to rethink this strategy of theirs. I hope this is only a one time thing. We were beginning to worry that our blog will NEVER be verified. Thank god it has! FINALLY. But yes, in case you were wondering, that is why we haven't been posting for the last week.

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Deciding to take advantage of my excess mileages, status as a part-time senior (read: minimal school work) and free housing before my friends graduate in May, I went off to visit Boston this weekend since I've never been and it is definitely on my list of places to go.
My first stop (since I was living there) was Tufts. I absolutely love the collegiate feeling of the campus. Everyone had so much school spirit! The Tufts mascot, Jumbo (left) was everywhere. Now I'm really sad my school does not have a mascot.... Another point of interest is the painted canon (right), sorry I forgot to take a larger picture of it. It is tradition for Tuft students to paint this canon and then stay overnight to guard it while it dries. From this close up picture of many many layers of dripping paint, you can see how many Tufts student has carried on this tradition. One suspects what the original size of the canon might have been. When we went that morning, the paint was still wet.
The next stop for us on the T was Harvard Square. I'm afraid I didn't know the Harvard campus very well and got tired once we reached the quad with the library/cathedral and took a picture with John Harvard. And no, I did not touch his feet... it is rumored that it has been peed on many times. Later on I found out that I missed paying tribute to the first computer ever made and some other Harvard sights as well, but oh well maybe next time. I did walk around the area though, and it was very quaint and cute.
Then we hit Quincy Market (left), which for those who don't know is a big long food hall (like those in a mall) in a pretty, classical looking building. The area around it was also very interesting. Cobbled stone and lined with restaurants, I imagine it would be really cute on a nice day. There was also a restaurant named after "Cheers" (the TV show from many years ago that Fraser was in) there complete with a gift shop. But I hear the original one, named the Bull and Finch, is actually near Boston Commons.
Then we walked over to the North End, which I guess is their waterfront (think The Rocks & Darling Harbor in Sydney and Fisherman's Wharf in San Fran). Compared to the bustling waterfronts of Sydney and San Fran though, this one was a bit quieter (prob because it was a gloomy rainy day). But it was lined with adorable lamp posts and gorgeous townhouses and the effect was just wonderful. Its so nice to walk along.
Near that area, is Little Italy, which has a lots of delicious Italian restaurants on a series cute little streets. After dinner, we stopped by Mike's Pastry and tried their canoli's. It was really good. And the place was bustling with people. My friend claims that she thinks that the canoli's taste even better than some of the ones she's tried in Rome!
The next day, we hit the downtown area. We went to Boston Commons, the MA State House (left) and then strolled along the elegant streets of Beacon Hill (right: the prime real estates of Boston).
We passed by the park (left: sorry I forgot the name) and onto Newbury street (of course) and stopped by for lunch in one of those cute little cafe's there (right). I'm SO glad that Saturday morning was such a nice, sunny day.
After lunch, we went to do our touristy thing at Copley Square, taking pictures of the Boston Public Library (left) and the Trinity Church (right).
I especially LOVED the Boston Public Library. It was surprisingly gorgeous, with a lovely peaceful courtyard (left), an beautiful mural stairway (right) and a room that had a huge dome ceiling, rows and rows of tables with little green lights on them and lots and lots of people studying there (again, I didn't catch the name). But once you walk in, you are instantly accosted by a sense of awe, as if you've entered a sacred study sanctuary. It was so sacred that we didn't dare make a peep or a camera click before we hastily left, in fear that we'd disturb any of those intently studying there. I've never professed to love a library, but I love this one. It actually makes me want to study!
One of the most interesting shops I visited in Boston was Johnny Cupcakes on Newbury Street (*gasp* not fashion related!). Upon seeing Johnny Cupcakes, I insisted we go in, because as most of you know, I LOVE dessert. But once we entered, I immediately looked for the cupcakes.... and saw none. Instead there were only t shirts being sold in baking trays and freezers.. where the cakes were supposed to be! Then we caught "story" of the store, which began with, "I started this as a joke." We had a good laugh.

Another shop of interest was Black Ink (right) at Harvard. It sold a variety of very cool gadgets, games, kitchenware and gimmicks. I especially want the cute plates and the baking recipe box filled with Betty Crocker recipes! It is an awesome place to get people fun and interesting gifts.
50% of the reason why I wanted to come to Boston was because I wanted to try the desserts at Finale. Everyone I know whose been to Boston has come back and told me that I'd LOVE Finale. And so, on a rainy night, we went to the Finale at Cambridge. And I DO love it. The upscale decor and the gorgeous looking desserts got me instantly hooked. I wanted a cupcake, a cheesecake, a boston cream, a chocolate cake... I wanted everything. In the end, my friends shared a Fantasia (right)...
and I settled on a creme brulee (left) and a molten chocolate cake (right). Yes, I got both. And yes, I finished both too. Our server was very impressed. They're both the "signature" dish there and really, you can't take either home, what else can I do? After trying both, I must say, the chocolate molten cake was only so-so, but the creme brulee was absolutely DELICIOUS. Completely divine. I LOVE LOVE LOVE it. I also took home a cheesecake, a tiramisu and a Boston cream. The Boston cream was ok. But the cheesecake and the tiramisu was quite good. Not too sweet, with a rich milky flavor.

Over all I really loved Boston. It was just so quaint and collegiate- something I do not feel in my own college. And I'm already missing the creme brulee!!!!!!!

Bop Basics: New Styles, New LookBook

The word "basics" conjures images of tees and leggings, slouchy sweaters and clean-lined dresses. Basically, it's our wardrobe in a nutshell. We love each season's trends, but we really love the simple things in life. And that's why we adore Bop Basics. With vintage-inspired, softer-than-soft burnout tees, retro-chic tie-dye, and new slippery-slinky knits, we've got a brilliantly fashion-forward look for every day of the month. New Bop Basics styles have arrived, and you'll only find them at shopbop.

Chris Benz: The King of Color

One short year after debuting his collection at New York Fashion Week, Chris Benz is a star in the fashion world and a force to be reckoned with. Known for his bold eye for color and his easy, carefree silhouettes, Benz is making waves and living the New York dream, and he’s soaking up every minute of it from the stoop of his West Village tenement building.

shopbop: You consistently choose bold colors for your collections. What’s the inspiration behind your color palette?

Chris Benz: I really can’t say. I just try to use colors that feel right to me. There’s no mystery or mathematics to it, it just materializes for me. In that way, color is one of the best parts about design for me!

sb: Your stoop obviously plays a big role in your New York experience. How does it influence your designs?

CB: A stoop is such a New York manifest. It really is about seeing the street, and in my case, a very funny mix of West Village neighbors and drag queens. It’s about seeing people today, seeing how they are layering, seeing how real clothes are worn. I think there is a great decompression when you can sit and watch people, which helps alleviate the vacuum of fashion.

sb: Do you have a muse or a type of woman you are inspired by?

CB: I am always inspired by my friends, the kind of girls and women I think are chic. It’s usually the girls that are having the most fun.

sb: I've read in various interviews that you are inspired by fashion icons from the past. What current fashion icons would you like to see in your clothes?

CB: I like those reckless girls – the Vanessa Paradis, the Shalom Harlow – those ageless women that are a bit haphazard with their style, a bit sloppy, but always beautifully carefree.

sb: How does the process of conceptualizing a collection begin? And, how has your design aesthetic changed, if at all, since your first collection?

CB: I think that the puzzle of American Sportswear is really what we are trying to solve. It’s about color, proportion, fabric, fit, all of these variables that come together in a sort of clever way that still feels fresh and effortless. This has always been the bulwark of the collection, and I know that with the start of the design process each season, I rely on these smaller attributes to help move forward with the bigger concept for the season.

sb: You experienced a pretty swift rise to fashion stardom after you presented your first solo collection. How do you keep that from going to your head?

CB: Well, I suppose so. It’s a funny thing, just doing what you love to do and getting a good reaction for it. We are so busy every day, all day, that it’s difficult to rest or enjoy. My enjoyment comes from moving onto the next thing, the next season, the next color.

sb: The Los Angeles Times described you as “cool without really trying.” How would you describe yourself?

CB: I don’t know! I was pretty awkward growing up, and I think a lot of that sticks with you! I always relied on preppy to get me through the day. I’m more about feeling like the glass is always half full, rather than feeling cool.

sb: How do you feel when you see a woman walking down the street, in the airport, etc., wearing one of your designs?

CB: It’s always a very funny thing. I always think, “That turquoise (or red, or mustard) is so great! I have to remember that!”

sb: Nylon magazine described your Fall 2008 collection as “a sort of costume study of The Great Gatsby mashing up against Electric Kool Aid Acid,” which seems pretty fitting. What were you going for with this collection?

CB: My friend and I were in Paris watching all of these batty old women wearing clothes from all over, from all decades of the 20th century, and I was really into creating that aesthetic – very carefree, very haphazard, but all working together through fabrication, color, proportion, and ease. This is definitely our heirloom collection. A ’50s hat, a ’70s trouser, ’30s camisole... It’s all about mixing (prints, colors, textures).

sb: What’s on the idea board in your studio? What are you working on now?

CB: Full-speed ahead with our Resort 2009 collection… yes, 2009!

5 Fast Questions for Chris Benz

1. What’s the last book you read?
Hotel Babylon [by Imogen Edwards-Jones]

2. What’s your favorite New York restaurant?
Raoul’s

3. Who’s your personal style icon?
Johnny Depp

4. The one piece from your wardrobe you could never throw out?
Ralph Lauren boys’ blazer

5. Describe the “Chris Benz woman” in 5 words.
Effortless, easy, preppy, reckless, inspired


Shop the Chris Benz Spring Collection at shopbop!

On Your Mark... Spring's Off to the Races

The burning rubber, the checkered flag, the heat on the asphalt: We're feeling the need for speed. But while we're not exactly Indy or NASCAR girls at heart, this season we're embracing the style because the racetrack has inspired more than one fabulous spring look. L.A.M.B.'s doing leather jackets, while Anna Sui is decked out in checks. Rachel Pally has racing stripe fever, and Helmut Lang reinterpreted blacktop. Spring's off to the races and we're going along for the ride. On your mark. Get set. Go, to shopbop.

Le luxe selon Zadig et Voltaire...

Notre enseigne fétiche fait encore parler d'elle. Son succès "interplanétaire" est tel (plus de 25 boutiques en France, sans compter l'ouverture de nombreuses à l'étranger Espagne, Japon Corée du Sud etc...) que des velléités d'aller encore plus loin ont poussé Thierry Gillier, dirigeant de la marque a lancé pour l'hiver prochain une gamme plus sophistiquée baptisée "Zadig & Voltaire Luxe ".

« Nous avons de plus en plus d’acheteurs, ayant l’habitude de s’habiller avec des griffes de luxe, qui viennent chez Zadig & Voltaire, explique Thierry Gillier. Aussi, il nous fallait proposer notre propre image du luxe avec une création plus forte ».

Ainsi, une trentaine de pièces, conçues dans des matières luxueuses (fourrure , soie etc...)en séries limitées et proposées à un prix supérieur à environ 30% de ce que pratique l'enseigne habituellement, vont débarquées dans les boutiques dès septembre 2008.
Ce qui laisse envisager de futurs must-have dans nos garde robes. Au diable l'avarice, il va falloir composer avec cette petite veste du soir noire façon smocking sur laquelle un aigle strassé a été apposé dans le dos, cette petite robe dos nu courte pailletée or, cette jolie veste en peau lainée...

Encore une fois, la marque bobo à la décontraction raffinée, nous livre un bel exercice sur "l'art et la manière" de booster et d'insuffler un nouveau souffle à son enseigne.

Allez, plus que 5 mois...pour négocier avec votre banquier des agios à taux réduit !!

Favorite Trends from ELLE ACCESSORIES & shopbop

We know how important accessories are - we've dedicated an entire Spotlight to them, after all - and this season has more than a few fabulous options up its sleeve. We're highlighting our favorite looks with some inspirational help from the spring issue of the accents-obsessed ELLE ACCESSORIES magazine. Which one will define your spring? Find out in the Accessories Spotlight, only at shopbop.

Man Fashion: Paris Street Fashion

If you been to Paris, you should be amazed by Paris fashion, there is no doubt Paris is still the leader in term of fashion, either be designer's fashion, street fashion or fashion accessory.

So today I thought of sharing some of the men street fashion from Paris.






Photo: the Fashion Spot

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Tags: Man Fashion, Street Fashion, Paris Street Fashion