Bourbon, Baby.

My summertime goal of putting together my "at home" bar is going very slowly. Too slow for my taste, but quite frankly I haven't been spending much time at home! So I've had to get my Bourbon on elsewhere. The current trend for old fashioned classic bars is one I fully endorse and with a few really fine ones having opened up close to home, I couldn't be happier. Here's a few of my faves:

Sidecar: 560 5th Ave, Brooklyn. A gorgeous space with soft lighting, classic cocktails, and late night raw oysters. They've got the retro look down!

Clover Club: 210 Smith St. Brooklyn. My newest fave with a yummy drink menu. My cocktail was fab with Rye, Absinthe and a twist of lemon. The bartenders here are masters with each drink having it's own form of ice. Mine was a large round cube that fit perfectly in my glass.

The Campbell Apartment: Grand Central Station, NYC. Not close to home but I'm including this one because it is the real deal. This space has history and is not fabricated to be retro. The former office and salon of 1920's mogul John W. Campbell, has been refurbished and probably has lot's of stories to tell. I loved the leaded glass window behind the bar, and my Basil Hayden on the rocks. I went last night dressed in one of my favorite 1940's vintage dresses only to be surrounded by a faux LV crowd, but it was Midtown 2008 after all.

Vintage Item of the Week; Rompers

In case you haven't noticed, or live on the North Pole, it's HOT out! Wheww! So all of a sudden I'm in love with vintage rompers. Shorts and skirt all in one! Cool for hot days likes these, without being trampy. Check out my finds....

From top to bottom:

1940's Chartreuse and Orange Romper $49.00 Dakotas Vintage

50's Cotton Floral Sarong with Shorts $45.00 MarieMars

Green Daisy Romper $35.00 Miss Tess Vintage

Sailor Pin-up 1940's Flag Print Romper $24.99 (current auction price) Femme Fatale Vintage ( Yes, that's me, showing off way too much thigh. I LOVE that romper but my torso is too long for it. Lucky for you it's up for auction and not in my closet! )

I Love Lace!

It's no secret that I love lace. I've used it to make many, many dresses and tops and I am continually inspired by it. So now that I've been clearing out my craft bins I've decided to part with some great fabric remnants. I love these fabrics but I've made all I can out of them. They can be found for sale in my Etsy shop, The Sparkling Cocktail, for only $6/ yard! Included are two laces, and some metallic stripe silk chiffons. More remnants are to be listed soon, so stay tuned!

Summer Drink Recipes!

The vintage ice buckets I bought finally arrived! I bought one for me and one for my boyfriend (see my earlier post here). Sittin' at the post office, they were, with out notice sent to me that they were waiting to be picked up....arghhh! Anyway, now that the at home bar is slowly coming along, I am celebrating with a couple of new drink recipes that fit a vintage world.

My creation is the KIR LILLET FIZZ:

In the largest glass you can find (can you tell I need a drink?) mix 3 parts of Lillet Blanc with 1 part Creme de Cassis over ice. Fill the glass with your favorite Champagne or Sparkling Wine. Stir. Garnish with a lemon wedge.


My BF's creation is THE WILLOUGHBY (in his words):

Mounded lowball glass of cracked ice,
two parts dry white vermouth, five parts Tennessee whiskey ( I like Dickel No. 12 it is not very expensive but tastes great. Merle Haggard did a series of endorsements for them, need I say more?). Finish with a large pinch of finely grated lemon zest and two or three drops of angostura bitters. Stir in glass.
Sips brusquely at first but mellows as the ice melts and the flavors combine, let's you enjoy it's complexity as a slow narrative rather than a sudden snapshot.


Cheers!!

More High End Inspiration!

I'm still gasping for air after seeing the new Chanel ad campaign ( see my earlier post) and now I've come accross the Fall 2008/09 Christian Dior Couture collection. Somebody help me breathe! To see the complete collection click here.

New Auctions!

After a brief break over the July 4th Holiday, I am back on schedule with my vintage listings in my eBay store; Femme Fatale Vintage! It's good to be back. I've got some real pretty dresses up for auction now, like the 1940's pink floral peplum dress pictured above, and more to come in the weeks ahead. Don't miss out!

Dorian Leigh, 1940's Cover Girl, Dies at 91

What an elegant beauty! Click here for the NY Time article on her life.

Vintage Item of the Week: Basket Purses

Inspired by my own find, the pretty basket purse with strawberries, I decided to search for more wonderful vintage basket purses. They make the perfect Summer accessory and there are some adorable and unique finds to be found. Here are a few (from top to bottom):

Vintage Floral Bird Purse- Wickedpen How adorable is this? Wow!

Vintage 60's Plastic Basket Purse- Starlight Vintage I love the white! Very chic!

Strawberry Picnic Basket Purse- TheSparklingCocktail I love the strawberries. This is mine, for sale in my etsy shop. It could soon be yours!

GASP! New Inspiration!!

I haven't been inspired from current high fashion in a long time. This one made me stop dead in my tracks and gasp for air when I opened my August issue of Vanity Fair. Claudia Schiffer stars in the Autumn/Hiver 2008-09 ad campaign for Chanel and she and the ads are gorgeous! I love the half lace half opaque stockings and just plain everything about it... the mood, the messy brunette bob, the half moon manicure.... I'm in heaven!! Thank you Karl!

Takin' a Break

Happy 4th of July everyone!

I will be away from my computer and sewing table for a few days to take a well deserved break. I will return with some great new auctions for my eBay store, Femme Fatale Vintage. I have some great dresses I'm dying to post. In the meantime, I am hoping to soak up some sun, enjoy time with my family, and wear that damn bikini!!

Vintage Item of the Week: Bathing Suits

Last year I bought myself a new retro style cherry print bikini and it still has the tags on it! Living in this urban jungle, I often have more concrete under my feet then beach sand. However, this year I am determined to not let this summer sneak by with out wearing it, even if just once! Clearly, I am not in the market for a new suit for myself, but as I dream about the beach and pools, I can't help but look at the choices I could have, say the need for many bathing suits were required. I just LOVE swim wear! Especially retro inspired swimwear or the real deal vintage ones. Here's a look at a few that I've found; from top to bottom:

Sweet Coquette Maillot- custom sized two piece; $115 missbrache This is a vintage reproduction. It's actually a two piece that can be worn like a one piece. Perfect for tall gals like myself.

Vintage leopard print bathing suit; $80 House of Vintage I am crazy for this suit, I absolutely love it!! I just don't have the curves for it.

Seriously retro two piece bikini; $90 Harajuku This was a strong contender for me last year. I still want it. Yup, still want it!