Vintage Value Venture - Make Mine Mid-Century

The heat is on...
well almost with Summer just around the corner
and for summer nights in Beverly Hills you want to be outdoors
preferably sipping cocktails in your poolside cabana
amid the Mid-Century decor at the Mosiac Hotel

and since orange is the color of the season,
you might as well go all out in this vintage orange cocktail dress

1960's  Beaded Orange Cocktail Dress from Couture Allure $125

How amazing is the back of this dress

I remember my mother wearing low backed dresses like this waaay back in the day

Naturally a vintage handbag is in order

Vintage Dyed Cobra Clutch from VintageSkins.com $220

and keep it comfortable, leave the heels at home

and choose summer sandals instead

these from Kate Spade even have Mod-ish ball thingys...very 1960s

Kate Spade Fawna Sandal from Nordstrom.com $285

Vintage Mid-Century jewelry?

well but of course...

the big bold coral ring from 1960's Beverly Hills master jeweler to the Stars, William Ruser

Mid-Century Ruser Coral Ring in 18K from Beladora.com $3850

and some fab carved coral and diamond earrings

Mid-Century Coral and Diamond Earrings in 18K $3850

Don't you wish that Summer was here already?

Playing With Polyvore - Lovely In Lavender

Looking Lovely In Lavender Jade by belle de ville featuring diamond jewelry

Can you tell that I've been too busy to blog this week?

Playing With Polyvore - Spring Evening On Mulholland Drive

This Spring by belle de ville featuring sandal heels

Playing With Polyvore - Dreaming Of Italy

Summer 2011 On The Amalfi Coast

How To Wear Estate Jewelry - Tahitian Pearls For A Gray Rainy Day

I was hoping to see a real spring this week
all sunshine, pastels and daffodils
what I got instead was cloudy skies, rainy days and cold temperatures.
So this week instead of cotton and silk, it's back to a wool sweater by BCBG Max Azria and a multi-colored tweed skirt by Jigsaw and pearl jewelry by Beladora2.com.

I love this lariat necklace. The pearls are big and the design is modern.

Multi-Colored Tahitian Pearl Lariat Necklace in 18K $1450

Here's the close up

And classic pearl and diamond stud earrings
you can never go wrong with them

Black Cultured Pearl and Diamond Earrings in 18K $495

And the the pièce de résistance the black cultured pearl ring
I love the way that the pearl is set in between the open diamond bands

Black Culture Pearl and Diamond Ring in 14K $495

For someone who has a basic wardrobe full of charcoal gray and black (like I do), I think that gray and black pearls are the perfect accessory along with a Cartier watch in stainless steel.

What do you think?

Elizabeth Taylor - The Big, The Bold and The Buxom

There has been plenty of posting in the past about Marilyn Monroe and her buxom figure
Elizabeth Taylor was built in a similar way

She was certainly zaftig by our standards.

I wonder, could a woman with her figure have a career in Hollywood today?

Camille Paglia has written a wonderful article on the gorgeous Liz Taylor
Paglia on Taylor, a Luscious Ripe Fruit
Camille Paglia considers the "volcanic" Elizabeth Taylor -- and all the unworthy starlets who could never match up

Go and read the rest of the article.

Elizabeth Taylor RIP

They don't make movie stars like this anymore.

Wendy B gave us a great post today this very appropriate quote by Elizabeth Taylor today.
“I’ve never thought of my jewelry as trophies. I’m here to take care of it and to love it, for we are only temporary custodians of beauty.”

and

Christina also had an amazing post with stunning photos of the last of the Hollywood Icons.

Uptown Downstairs Abbey

So much to blog about, so little time.
So I shall send you to The Adventures of Tartanscot blog by Scot Meacham Wood
for Uptown Downstairs Abbey

Trust me, if you were a fan of Downton Abbey and Absolutely Fabulous
you're gonna love 'Patsy' and 'Edwina" in this Masterpiece Theater send up.
Go to Scot's blog and watch the videos of this well made spoof.

Rainy Day Reading

Peter Singer's interview in the WSJ Mega Banks and the Next Financial Crisis

Little Augury for lovely lavender and Winterhalter portraits

It's About Time for portraits by French Neoclassical painter Adelaide Labille Guiard and lots more amazing art

and this story about how the most infamous mistress in China filled her bank account with billions as the men who made her rich languish in jail.

Around Town - A Small Birthday Bash At La Sandia

My girlfriends and I have a tradition of celebrating each other's birthdays by going out to dinner.  Last night we had a great dinner party for my glamorous friend Lillian at La Sandia restaurant located upstairs at the new and improved Santa Monica Place.
You can't be a native southern Californian and not have an appreciation for fine Mexican food. It's nurture food for me because I've been noshing on it my entire life.  But strangely, here in Mexico Norte, or rather Los Angeles, great Mexican cuisine is actually difficult to find.  Mostly we have chain restaurants and taco stands. Fortunately, with Mexico City raised and Culinary Institute trained uber chef Richard Sandoval, we now have La Sandia.

Margarita's and freshly made guacamole were the first course....naturally. Followed by  shrimp ceviche and quesadillas and then entrees of traditional dishes of chile relleno, carnitas, soft tacos, etc.,
and of course more margaritas.

Dessert was a delicious trio of traditional Mexican sweets stepped up a notch with a sparkler.

La Sandia is now my local go to place for margaritas and quality Mexican food.

Hopefully, the next Richard Sandoval restaurant that I try will be Ketsi at the Four Seasons Hotel in Punta Mita.

I can dream...

How To Wear Estate Jewelry For Casual Friday

Every once in a while I break down and adopt casual Friday attire.  This morning I had errands to run so cargos, flats, a sweater and a long scarf were the only reasonable choice.

Staying with my green theme of the week, I decided to pair sage-y green with vintage jade jewelry from Beladora2.com.

Here's the carved jade pendant on a jade bead necklace, jade earrings, vintage jade ring, modernist jade ring and my favorite, a carved jade fu dog charm on a gold link bracelet to ward off evil. 

OK, so I'm not that photogenic

But I like my casual outfit and vintage jewelry

better than what is being showcased in the window down the street at the Chanel boutique

Why, no really why, is Chanel showing high waisted elastic cuffed short sweatpants thingys in gold lame type fabric with a fake gold fringe belt and an oversized print top?

Who wears these things individually or together in one outfit?

Who?