Snow Day

Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week begins here in New York in 3 days, but thanks to the snow storm that blew through today, it was a day made for L.L. Bean duck boots and giant roll neck sweaters. Frankly, that's the direction my fashion sense takes anyway regardless of how many inches of wet flakes have fallen.

Since the sidewalks of the UWS are our runway - and Maddie-pup always looks chic in her furs - I bundled up in my long down parka and the two of us trekked over to Central Park to make the most of the snow with some afternoon hijinks. We spent several hours exploring and enjoying the silence that seems to fall over the city when the usual traffic sounds are muffled with snow.

M.P. absolutely looooves the snow and her favorite activities for enjoying it fall into three major categories:

1. Snuffling her nose in it (whatever it is that she smells down there is between her and the snow bank.)
2. Rolling around in it, all the better if it’s the dry fluffy kind.
3. Bounding over drifts to reach a fresh unbroken expanse.
4. Posing as a willing, but not terribly obedient model.

After all that playing and fresh air I now have a very sleepy pup on my hands and we're both happy to be curled up inside. Hope you're staying warm too.

Surviving the Polar Vortex

My nose is cold. So are my fingers and toes. The holiday lights and decorations have been packed away and the world has returned to its regularly scheduled programming. It’s time to face reality and accept that we’re in the middle of plain old winter.

Welcome to January in New York, friends where for days at a time we dip into sub-freezing temperatures that make it an act of willpower to get out of bed and walk the dog.  I’d like to pretend that the three years we spent in Texas made me ‘soft’ and took the starch out of my Yankee constitution, but the truth is I’ve always been a sissy when it comes to the winter.

Since our return to the Northeast I've had to dust off my tried and true solves for beating the winter blues. These are my recommended strategies for those times when hibernation just isn’t an option.

Bright Colors. Perhaps this is obvious, but when it’s grey and dreary outside it lifts my spirits to wear something other than black. Coral is one of my favorite colors and I wear it a ton when the weather is warmer - it just feels like summertime to me. As a result, my wardrobe is full of sherbet colored clothing which conveniently pairs well with more wintery shades like charcoal and navy.

Design: Laura Messersmith; Product Images: Deep Coral Scarf (Similar), Brilliant Coral Pom Pom Hat, Nail polish in Sunday Funday, Smoky Coral Belt

Citrus. Something about winter makes me crave fruit, especially citrus. Perhaps some latent instinct to eat something grown in a warm climate? A desire to detox from a lingering holiday-food hangover? Whatever the explanation, grapefruit, lemon, and orange are the name of the game when January hits and I'm always on the look out for ways to incorporate them into a recipe. I have a feeling that this Grapefruit and Toasted Almond salad is going to be a new favorite in the dinner rotation.

Grapefruit Salad with Toasted Almonds 

Mental Vacation. Naturally escaping the polar vortex had crossed my mind, but when an actual trip isn’t in the cards then letting movie magic take me somewhere warm is the next best thing, preferably somewhere Mediterranean. For me The Talented Mr. Ripley is the perfect blend of mystery mixed with scenery, but here are a few more options carefully selected by The British Film Institute in case Gwyneth, Jude and Matt aren't your glass of limoncello. Enjoy!

The Talented Mr. Ripley; Image

Life on a Movie Set

NYC Aerial No.2, Image by Kaitlin Rebesco

Turn just about any corner in New York and there’s a significant possibility of happening across a film crew or photo shoot. At this moment, in fact, the trailers for a primetime TV show are camped out on the street where we live. As a child of the 80s my fingers are crossed for a Tom Selleck (Magnum PI, anyone?) or Donnie Walhberg (New Kids!) sighting during my evening walk with Maddie…

Only Google knows for sure, but I’d wager that NYC is the most photographed and filmed city in the world. Certainly it’s got to be in the Top 5, right? Backdrops galore: cobble stone streets in the Meatpacking District, serene lakes in Central Park, bustling taxis and tourists in Midtown – and I haven’t even mentioned the iconic Empire State Building, Brooklyn Bridge, or Statue of Liberty. I can’t blame the film directors, Instagram-ers (guilty as charged), and fashion photographers either – it’s just so darn picturesque!

With all of these images floating in the back of my mind I usually feel like I’m in the middle of a movie even when I'm just running errands or riding the subway. This being the Upper West Side, 90% of the time it’s probably something of Woody Allen or Nora Ephron variety, which is about my speed. Give me brownstones, coffee shops, and the menagerie of strollers and dogs. No Taking of Pelham 123 or Goodfellas for this girl, thank you very much.

I’m curious to see as time goes on and we put down roots here whether that feeling of discovery will change or dissipate. Will I stop noticing the details? The angels in the architecture? In my heart of hearts I hope it doesn’t. I hope I never get complacent about all that New York has to offer. I hope I never lose that sense of wonder that this amazing city is where life has taken us. 

A Drop of Golden Sun

The sidewalks of the Upper West Side make for great dog-watching. Grab a cup of coffee, camp out on a bench for a few minutes and you’ll see an amazing variety of furry pups pass by. Gigantic great danes, hand-bag sized yorkies, bounding vizslas, stately bulldogs, vigilant terriers, and our golden girl: Maddie, the self-styled mayor of the block.

All Images: Laura Messersmith

Maddie-pup’s daily activities break down something like this: 75% brainstorming blog ideas (read: sleeping), 8% warmly greeting every person & dog she meets, 7% soliciting snuggles, 5% monitoring Central Park’s squirrel population, 3% begging for Honey Nut Cheerios, and the remaining 2% mischievously pulling the stuffing out of her toys. Not a bad life, especially when the occasional Shake Shack french fry comes her way from a soft-hearted picnicker.

I’m surprised sometimes by how happy-go-lucky Maddie is, because her days weren’t always so comfortable. Three years ago she was found on streets of Dallas – she had no tags, no microchip, no collar and apparently no owner searching for her.  Blanche DuBois-style she had to rely on the kindness of strangers who, thankfully, delivered her into the care of a local rescue organization.

After we adopted her I realized that offering a home to a dog that needs one is a gift. It’s a gift to the dog, certainly, but Maddie’s presence has been a gift to our family too. She brings a bright spot into every day life and reminds me to enjoy the simple things.

So, I do. I enjoy her inquiring nose over the side of the bed in the morning, her playful prance when she knows it’s time to go for a walk, her soft ears (perfect for stroking.)  I enjoy the gift that is Maddie-pup. Just ask my Instagram feed.