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I'm home at last. Well, I've been home for a week now, but going back to routine took a toll on my time (and on my ability to stay awake... jet lag). Another thing that took time away for my dear blog was writing my first interior design/home decor column for an Israeli fashion magazine (squeal!). Oh, and applying for an interior design school, which I'll be starting this spring, if all goes as planned. There are much more details to be shared about both these news, and I will - giddily - share, sometime very soon.

In New York, I have met so many beautiful people, from the outside too, off course, but I am talking about the inside. This city is no doubt the best in the world, and while I haven't managed to squeeze in everything I planned (I probably wouldn't unless I had a whole year) it is safe to estimate that the inspiration and experiences I derived from this trip will last for months to come.

I will share my stories and pictures soon enough (probably on Monday) but meanwhile I want to thank the amazing group of bloggers whom agreed to jet set with me: Michelle, Christine, Arianna, Raina, Lindsay - I wish I could: a. Meet you, and- b. give you each a ticket to your dream destination.

As you may have noticed, Outfit With a Past is on hiatus, while some wonderful contributors are cooking up delicious posts for us. Check back and enjoy them in two weeks.

And one last thing: I missed you so much! How are my lovely readers doing? Are you excited for the new year?

p.s. i got home just in time to avoid the snow blizzards in nyc, but doesn't liv tyler seem to handle them with all the chic in this world?

 {photo credit: Doug Meszler/Splash News via people.com}

 

the jet set: starfish and sundresses

Hi everyone! Lindsay here from Starfish&Sundresses, a blog about design, style, and all the things on my never ending wish list! I'm so happy to guest blogging today and sharing one of my favorite destinations from a design perspective. Although it's completely aspirational, I instantly thought of the Guest House at Hibiscus Hill when Chedva told me the topic I'd be blogging about. 

Designed by India Hicks, daughter of legendary designer David Hicks, the Guest House at Hibiscus Hill has been a longtime favorite. I can't even tell you how many times I've drooled over the photos in India's book, Island Life.

Located on Harbour Island, the Guest House is equal parts beach chic and British colonial. I can happily envision myself sitting down to a breakfast of tropical fruit in the dining room lined with vintage nautical charts...

I'd have plenty of inspiration for posts when I returned home after sitting at this desk...

This serene bedroom has everything I could want and more for a restful vacation...

Even the details in the bathroom are perfect!

Are you ready to pack a bag yet? 

P.S if you're wanting more, the Cricket Pavilion is also available for rent and is equally fabulous!

the jet set: if the lampshade fits

Anyone who reads my blog If The Lamp Shade Fits knows I am Lady Gaga for Moroccan design.  The handcrafted furnishings,  the complex geometrical motifs, and the richly-colored textiles make for a most delicious decorous lifestyle.  I'm saving up my shekels for a Marrakech holiday and Riyad Al Moussika looks to be a dreamy destination.  Accommodations include airport transportation, three daily meals prepared by a Cordon Bleu-trained chef, and maid service.  Who's in for a girls-only getaway?

the jet set: arianna interiors

Hi everyone it's Arianna here from Arianna Interiors. OK so todays topic is choosing a travel destination that inpires me....If I have to choose a favourite destination it would have to be Italy. I'm always jetting off to Italy in the summer and Christmas, its where my parents come from and it truly feels like home. What is there not to feel inspired by? Everywhere you turn it's one immense inspiration after another. From the landscapes, the Art, the monuments, fashion, interiors and the food, I really could go on and on....

Here's a taster of what to feel inspired by:

1.A photograph that I took while in Sardinia, it truly is paradise! 2.A beautiful interior space by Leonardo Ancona in the heart of Puglia. 3.A photo I took during a romantic break in Rome. This city is totally mesmerising; 4.Another one of my photos of these beautiful valleys in Pisa during Christmas; 5.El Duomo, Florence; 6.A typical Italian food market, aren't the colours to die for? 7.A photo that I took of the Piazza in Siena; 8.A fashion show from Roberto Cavalli, I love these outfits and always find inspiration from fashion; 9.The Vatican Museums; 10.Another interior space with mediterranean décor from Leonardo Ancona; 11.Michaelangelo's Sistine Chapel; 12.A photograph I took while one of my walks on the beautiful Tuscan hills during Spring!

A big thank you to Chedva for having me and I hope you all enjoyed my post and found it inspiring in some way or another :)

the jet set: bijou and boheme

Goodmorning Belly's Button readers. 
I'm Christine from Bijou and Boheme, a blog about all things pretty in the world of fashion, art and interior design.

I'm so pleased to be here today and thank Chedva for asking me to post a little something about my favourite travel destination. 

If asked for my most treasured holiday location, it would easily be Prince Edward Island.

I've been going there every year since birth and simply adore it.

Having said that, this is not the locale I'm choosing to talk about here today.

Chedva asked for my favourite travel spot when thinking in terms of design.

Following this criteria, I choose Belgium without hesitation.

I spent part of my honeymoon there and fell instantly in love with its history, ornate architecture and artistic flare. Belgium enjoys a gloriously balanced sense of style that speaks to my sensibilities.

It's a little mix of antique baroque, Victorian grandeur and Scandinavian modern.

Perfection in my books.

Here's a little tour with some pictures I snapped while I was there.

This photo encapsulates how I felt in Belgium...welcome.

Entering its borders is like opening a door to history that still feels comfortable and warm.

The streets of Belgium's main city of Brussels, are lined with time worn buildings that have a cosmopolitan air about them.

Each shop and storefront is brimming with chic finds waiting to be discovered.

And don't get me started on the restaurants...so luscious.

The city is home to layers of history, stunning architecture and obvious beauty.

The ornate town square is gilded in gold and is a nod to centuries past.

And then there's Bruges...a more intimate Venice.

Water filled canals with wooden boats carry people between intimate restaurants and quaint shops.

One of the most magnificent places I have ever been.

It is serene and lush and so filled with charm.

Belgium truly is an inspirational place.

Both from a design and personal perspective.

I think what endears it to me most is how perfectly its citizens and designers have managed to mix modernity and history.

Belgium is a place where crumbling plaster can sit beside a house made entirely of glass and somehow look like it all belongs.

The result is an understated and unapologetic style that feels comfortably chic.

Thanks to Chevda for having me and for giving me the opportunity to share a little piece of design heaven here on Earth with you.

xo

the jet set: holley and gill

My name is Michelle Carangi and I’m the owner, editor and interiors lover over at Holley & Gill. I knew immediately that New York would be the topic of this guest post as soon as the lovely Chedva asked me to put one together while she was away there. Thank you Chedva for having me here and I do hope you’re having a blast!


I’ve been lucky enough this year to have had the opportunity to visit New York a few times and on every occasion it has knocked me for six. The first time was in the spring and my drive for creating was dulled by a string of trying events but once I had set eyes on its cityscape through the windows of the plane, my heart knew this was what I needed.


New York has the ability to capture every sense in the body and revive it. Your entire being is consumed by the city and all you can do is let it all happen. Exploring the streets with its cobbled roads, small cafes, designer clothing and furniture stores are all so entrancing that it makes you feel as though you could forever be inspired by every one of its boroughs.


I couldn’t feel any more refreshed, renewed and revitalized after visiting this city and when it's all over and I’m back in Montreal, the longing for another whirlwind back to the Big Apple remains a constant hum. If the opportunity presents itself to travel, you can bet New York is always at the top of my list.

start spreading the news

So, as you could probably guess, I'm in New York. But don't think I'm leaving you just like that. I've gathered a few of my favorite bloggers, and in the following days you can read all about their favorite travel destinations, from a design point of view. Also, my camera and laptop tagged along (couldn't let me enjoy alone, could they?) so I'll probably pop in every now and then.

And about the news? Follow my twitter feed to find out about them earlier.

outfit with a past: a bloomsbury life

If you're a long-time reader of this blog, you already know how I admire Lisa of A Bloomsbury Life. Her writing skills, outlook on life, beautiful home (which has oodles of personality to it) and of course her iconic embroidery art- I find it all so inspiring, and this outfit with a past post is no different. Enjoy! -Chedva

Okay, let's get something out of the way right at the beginning: Not all outfits with a past may represent you at your finest sartorial hour, but that doesn't mean that they don't have woven into them a lot of great memories.

Case in point: This black crocheted shirt was my favorite go-to piece of clothing for the summer of 1995 (and maybe a little beyond). I found it on a trip to London and it immediately became a staple of my wardrobe. At the time, I was living in a loft on 17th Street in Manhattan, filling my days as an advertising writer at Saatchi and Saatchi and my nights as a denizen of the downtown New York nightlife scene. As for the glasses, I was as blind as a bat and their dork-chic vibe formed a crucial part of my style armor. Growing up, my mother had always told me "Boys never make passes at girls who wear glasses" and I had rebelliously chosen the most statement-making pair I could find to prove her wrong.

Here I am having a pre-party cocktail in a friend's "World Of Interiors-ish" carriage house in Nolita. As you can see, I decided that teaming the shirt with a black sports bra, a black cheerleading skirt and a pair of black bicycle shorts was the ne plus ultra of who I was as a person (I know, I know.)  Wearing underwear as outerwear was big in those days (thank you, Madonna) and I was a proud suffragette for the cause. I remember feeling so confident and empowered in this outfit. It was part flirty, part nerdy, part sporty and 100% me. That face on the left belongs to my husband-to-be Piero who put up with every crazy fashion choice I ever made with such grace and unflappability that I had no alternative but to spend the rest of my life with him.

After a cocktail or three, we ate cheap spaghetti on Second Avenue and wound up at a local watering hole on Elizabeth Street called the M & R Bar (sadly, no longer there). That's me on the right with my arm around my friend Jane and her boyfriend Ben. Piero has his back to the camera. This night is ingrained in my memory partly because of the great time my friends and I all had together and partly because I lost my passport under that table (it's probably on the floor somewhere). As I didn't drive in those days, this was my only form of identification and necessitated three long weeks of staying in until I received my replacement in the mail. 

A few years later, I commemorated the evening with an embroidery. It took about three months to complete. I appreciate this piece even more today than I did then because it's a tangible reminder to me of a certain heady time in my life -- back when I was living on dreams and ramen noodles, when New York City was the epicenter of my universe and when walking down the street in a see-through crocheted shirt and black bra was for one brief moment a fashion 'do.' 

("The Night I Lost My Passport", 1997, embroidery floss on linen, 11 inches by 16 inches)

 

 

studio tour: roni kantor's salon-like haven

Rothschild boulevard wouldn't be the place you'd turn to for a quick lunch-time search for a dress, or if you wanted the so-called mall experience. The Boulevard, one of Tel Aviv's oldest (it dates to 1910) is where you stroll with a dog or a partner, lounge at one of the many cafes or work at one of the law offices. Not really the obvious choice for a young emerging fashion designer like Roni Kantor.

As it turns out, this decision was a deliberate one.

"In the beginning, I held all the sales in my home, and I never had the intention to have it any other way. I liked it. Women would come, chat, try on fun dresses and accessories... But then so many people started to come - which we loved - and we had no room for all the inventory and the customers."

So you started looking for a store?

"If there's anything I wanted to avoid, it's the store feeling. I wanted the studio to feel like an extension of my home. A beloved place where you either hop to when you're in the area, or maybe come especially. You have a cup of coffee, try on a bunch of pretties and hopefully you'll walk away - minutes or hours later - with something beautiful, which will leave you wanting to visit us again."

{I fell head over heels for the celery green couches; there's another, bigger one in the other side}

I must say, the design captures the essence of what you said beautifully, who is the interior designer?

"I and my husband, Amir Ben Naftali," she says humbly.

That's impressive! And where did you find the gorgeous sofas and all the accessories and knicknacks that add so much character to the studio?

"It's all vintage, found at the curbside, thrifted or from the flea market. In this sense, it really does feel as an extension of our home, because our apartment is also decorated mostly with finds. Each piece has a special story to it, some of which we'll probably never know. For instance, my friend brought this Rothschild Blvd sign and I still hesitate to ask her where she got it..."

{the gorgeous screened porch, where Roni puts on her designer cap}

Decorating with thrifted furniture is still very unique in Israel, have you ever thought of branching out abroad?

"Of course I have, but I haven't found the perfect formula for branching out and maintaining the friend's salon feel that's so important to me. Maybe one day..."

 

In the time being you can visit Roni Kantor at her studio: 64 Rothschild Blvd. Tel Aviv, or online on Sense Of Fashion.

 

{photo credits: Dror Ben Naftali}

my style recipe

Nicole at Sketch42blog has posted her "style formula" and I thought it's such a fun idea! I've always been not-that-bright at math, so I'm going to call it my style recipe, and as always with my recipes there are no measures and no telling which flavor will prevail (but somehow it always comes out delicious- if I may say so myself):

Markham Roberts

Eddie Ross

Hillary Thomas

Angie Hranowsky

A big helping of gentleman's club, a dash of oriental (books are always my spice of choice), a pinch of world traveler meets granny, stir in some kid-proof and washable in happy colors and finish off with modern palette cleanser.

Et voila!

 

p.s. I'm participating in A Hasty Life's blog crawl, and you can too! Check out the details here.