Before the Summer Winds Down, Hit the Beach Or Beverly Hills For Fun And Fashion

Summer is winding down, but there's still time to enjoy the fun fashions and getaways that the lazy days of August offer. Here are a few fun finds for the last vacation days of the season.

For a fresh look at the beach...head to the Vilebrequin line which has been around since 1971, but has focused mainly on menswear. Celebrities from George Clooney to Brad Pitt have been seen wearing their classic trunks. The company is now "turning [their] attention to the female form by reinventing its iconic looks for mother and daughter." The looks are a throwback to the 1970s with a modern twist from shorts to lounge-wear. Vilebrequin can be found globally at their retail shops including the newest location at the Malibu Lumber Yard in Malibu, California or online.

For those needing relief from summer sandals rubbing against your hot, tired feet...check out the Foot Petals line. They offer multiple "sole-lutions" to your footwear needs. For Dancing With the Stars fans, you can even check out the line by pro dancer Karina Smirnoff. It's a limited edition product line for every high-heeled need on or off the dance floor.

Smirnoff said, "I'm passionate about fashion — beautiful shoes are a must and Foot Petals is my secret to making everything more comfortable while staying stylish."

For a unique summer getaway…head to Beverly Hills, California for the city's centennial celebration called "Suite 100." Five luxury hotels have created suites that celebrate a different decade that will take you back in time. The event runs through Sept. 30, 2014.

The Montage Beverly Hills heads back to the 1940s in a film noir suite designed by Nina Petronzio. The Beverly Hills Hotel has the perfect room for any Marilyn Monroe fan with a  1950s theme designed by Adam Tihany. Mad Men aficionados will be shaking their martinis to check out the Beverly Hilton's '60s-inspired suite with some of the best food from the decade at prices guests haven't seen in decades.

For those wanting a bit of Studio 54 glam, L'Ermitage's 1970s suite is the perfect room for the Halston fan designed by Ken Fulk. The Peninsula's suite caters to the modern-day fan who wants Hollywood glamour and a private cabana by the pool. This is the most expensive room of the lot, but Cynthia Forchielli and Helen Glen's designs will keep you styled in comfort during your stay.


Photo Credits: Jen Lowery, Murphy O'Brien

New Orleans, Round 2

Me and Mdme. Gilot

Oh, what a weekend!  I travelled back to New Orleans after the city had me captivated after a work trip in March.  I went back to meet the artist who created the serigraph I purchased on my first trip, Madame Françoise Gilot.  She's the well-known muse and student of Picasso, mother of two of his children, author, and wife of (the now deceased) Dr. Jonas Salk.  That's a lot to pack in a lifetime, but it was an incredible opportunity for me to be in her presence as a guest of the Vincent Mann Gallery for her show: Françoise Gilot and the figure.

 

I smell lots of old Louisiana money in this room.....

There was an incredible energy in the room as collectors had travelled from different states to meet her, see the collection, and purchase new pieces for their portfolios.  In fact, I added another piece to my very, very small collection, but I was amazed at the credit cards flying at this show for some impressive amounts.  Oh, to be rich.  I saw one gentleman in seersucker suit and bow tie sign a credit card slip for an amount some of us earn in a year.  My mouth was agape.

The piece I bought, Mother and Child.  It is an artist's proof and I love that I managed to grab the piece before someone else did.  They were good sports about it too.  Ah, Southern chivalry lives on.  Below is the original.....

The original is even more divine, but it is way out of my price range.......

When it was my turn to meet Mdme. Gilot, I babbled about how I loved the first piece I bought and why I bought it.  She mentioned that the connection was ironic given the fact that the piece was created for a Beverly Hills event, so the piece actually went back home where it belongs.  I loved that thought even if I only dream of living in the 90210. She truly is a legend.

This might be my favorite piece entitled A Friendly Visit, so friendly that it cost $220,000.  

Afterwards, I headed off to Drago's to indulge in their famous charboiled oysters.  I missed the opportunity to eat there last time, so I was not missing it this time around.  I headed to the oyster bar and plopped myself in a stool in between two couples as we all dove into heaping mounds of oysters, butter, and cheese. I was in heaven.  The guys behind the counter were busy shucking oysters while we ate and they slipped me two raw oysters that were divine.  I also mustered up the courage to polish off a crab cake smothered in cheese (like any good NOLA meal) and then waddled back to my hotel.

 Drowning in butter, it's my charboiled oysters.....

Drowning in cheese, it's my tasty crab cake!

The evening was even better than I had imagined and I am so glad I made the trip.  I figured this was a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet Mdme. Gilot given the fact that she is 89-years-old.  I couldn't find anyone to travel with me, but I didn't let that stop me.  I came here, I feel at home, and I love this city.

Many thanks to Jill McGauhey for always making me feel welcome in the gallery and for introducing me to the art of Françoise Gilot.  I do have my eye on one final piece for a Gilot trifecta.