The road less travelled, by Tina
Several years ago, my husband told me of a coworker who takes stock every 10 years of what she is doing with her life and where she wants to go next. I did the same not so long ago and decided that my law career had run its course. While I had a great job in a cutting edge area of law, my heart has always leaned toward a more artistic sensibility. I am fortunate that my husband has a great job that he loves, thus allowing me the opportunity to take a risk and find a more fulfilling way to spend my days. Coincidentally, it was 10 years ago that I last pursued my interest in fashion, writing a monthly column for a magazine and putting together fashion segments for our local CBS station. I did all this while still working at my day job at a big law firm. It was a crazy period but I learned that, in Chicago, there are few jobs that are truly in the fashion industry. Opportunity came knocking a few months ago, when a very good friend of mine (an über stylist) proposed a business that made a lot of sense. We decided to take all of the no-longer-needed couture clothes from his clients' closets and sell them in our own showroom, called VMR (vintage, modern, resale). We will not be on eBay or online. We will be on Oak Street! The point is to have an experience - the opportunity to work with an extremely talented stylist and have him (and me) dress you. We had our first photo shoot last month for Splash, a Sun-Times publication. I am excited about the future, nervous about the challenges in front of me, and I am thankful for the support of my family. I also have plans for Ellie D as well. Let's see how the next ten years pan out! Cheers!
Mark, me and model Jaslene wearing our Valentino dress and Prada coat
Me at the shoot wearing a Prada dress selected by Mark
CATEGORIES: Kids and family
Jenni Kayne’s Easter Brunch
Designer, mom and natural living guru Jenni Kayne recently highlighted the most lovely Easter get together on her beautiful blog, Rip + Tan. The party included a cooking class that resulted in a delicious vegeterian brunch, a beautifully set table with a rustic burlap runner, natural linen napkins, topped off with gorgeous white flowers with pops of spring green (my favorite). The little girls who attended the gathering received tiny flower headdresses made from daisies, mums and babies breath, and went home with natural egg dying kits. I love every detail, from the decor, the easy, relaxed atmosphere, to the food. Take a peek at the entire menu here for some inspiration.
I visited Jenni's store at the Brentwood Country Mart on my last visit to LA, and her designs, as well as the space, reflected her design sensibility at home: chic, natural with meticulous attention to detail. “Super-chic, easy to wear clothes,” Jenni says of her designs. “That’s what I do. Nothing tricky, nothing precious, just good clothes that work for you.” That perfectly describes her entertaining style. Take a peek...
All photos via Jenni Kayne's blog, Rip + Tan
CATEGORIES: Kids and family, Beautiful things
In-Flight Essentials for Mom
I have to scrutinize every item I plan to carry on when I'm traveling with my two children. Most of the space in my bag is devoted to the kids essentials, but there are several items I won't fly without. These are the products that made the cut (in addition to hand sanitizer), and will be added to my new travel pouch:
1. Rodin Lip Balm - to fight off chapped lips
2. Josie Maran Organic Argain Oil - to keep skin from getting battered by the dry air on the plane
3. Fat & The Moon Calm Kid Mist - delivers a calming lavendar and lemon balm-based spray in case of meltdowns...both the adult and kid version:) My daughter even sleeps with this next to her bed and uses it as a "nightmare spray". I used it one night when she woke from a bad dream, and it's worked like a charm every since.
4. California Baby Super Sensitive Everyday Lotion - for little hands and faces
5. Benefit Benetint lip and cheek stain - to add some rosiness to cheeks and lips
6. Ellie and Ellie Nuit Travel Roll-ons - to be sweet smelling without overwhelming other passengers
7. Yves Saint Laurent Touche Eclat - to brighten and camoflage dark circles and redness
Bon voyage!!
CATEGORIES: Kids and family
