Archive for October, 2009

I’m always on the lookout for inexpensive, chic bags that I can bring out to crowded bars and carry on inclement weather days.  I know from experience that there’s nothing worse than getting cheap beer spilled in your favorite designer purchase. Normally, I get my fix during my trips to Asia, where I shop for stylish bags on the cheap at night markets.  Recently however, I spotted my new wallet friendly bag from the Need Supply website, aptly named the Palermo Bag, presumably after socialite, Olivia Palermo.  Regardless of how you feel about Olivia Palermo on The City, like all MTV reality stars, you have to admit that she has some seriously beautiful hair and a very covetable wardrobe, and this chic bag looks inspired by her sophisticated, polished style.

I love the relaxed, rectangular rounded duffel shape of the Palermo bag, which has a similar look to the Sofia Coppola for LV bag that I blogged about a while back.  You can hold it easily by the handles, and it’s about 16 inches in height and 10 inches in width, making it the perfect proportion to handle a multitude of items.  It also contains 2-3 zipped compartments, with a pretty floral lining, and 2 buckled straps on the side for design. All of these stylish elements belie its $68 price tag.  At $68, it is also made out of faux leather, but the faux leather also makes it a lighter bag to carry.  It comes in either dark brown or black, and is an ideal bag for the colder months ahead.

The summer after my senior year of college, like many other young Americans,  I spent the season in Europe. Having long been enamored with Audrey Hepburn films, I was eager to recreate a little Roman Holiday for myself. So I packed up a backpack, picked up a map and planned to spend my last days of freedom wandering Western Europe.

Since that summer and since I began my life as a professional woman, I’ve had the opportunity to travel to many places across Asia, South America, the Caribbean and even back to Western and Central Europe. While I have enjoyed each and every one of my trips, stayed at more luxurious properties and dined at finer restaurants, nothing has yet been able to replace the exhilaration and pure joy for life that I felt that summer, sleeping on overnight trains and getting lost in coastal towns.  It was on that trip, that I fell in love with traveling. (more…)

This year I’ve become obsessed with creating the perfect smoky eye.  I can’t even pick my favorite shade – I love the classic black one, but I also really enjoy playing around with colors, like using dark purples or even blues or greens.  It’s just fun.  I already own a few of Sephora’s smoky eye kits and really like them all, so when I saw the new Brown Smoky Eyes Palette, I knew it had to be mine.

Like the other palettes, it comes with four shades of eyeshadow – Natural Beige, Dark Brown, Light Chocolate, and Metallic Gold – an eyeliner in Coffee, and a Lash Plumper Mascara in Black.  You get everything you need in one small package, which is great because it means no 20 minute searches when I can’t find the specific shade of shadow that I’m looking for.  (Things tend to disappear in the black hole that is my makeup drawer).  What’s also nice about the palette is that it comes with instructions printed right inside, so all you have to do is follow their detailed step by step instructions to create the ideal brown smoky eye.  (Although I do suggest using your own brushes because they’ll be much easier to work with).  The palette is especially handy for travel, since you can just toss it in your bag and go.  That’s a lot of bang for your $38!

Last week I was interviewed by a Times reporter regarding the new FTC regulations set forth for December 1 regulating that bloggers must disclose free products or any pay-for-play that goes on. The article is published in today’s issue in the Style section as well as online at NYTimes.com.

Following the publishing of this article and the flurry of media attention on the issue recently, this is a good time to address the new regulation and how it pertains to The Daily Obsession. (more…)

Sometimes, it feels like the recession hasn’t really affected the chic set. My inbox has been bustling throughout the last year of with news of  luxury hotels opening around the world and here in New York City,  newly opened hotels (The Standard, The Jane, The Crosby St Hotel) have been some of the most indemand hotspots and event spaces.

News of the latest hotel slotted to open in the city popped into my email this morning- The Strand, situated on 37th St between 5th and 6th, making it an easy stop for midtown business-doing fashionistas.  The hotel decor is a throwback to the Bogart Era with vintage fashion illustrations of the 50s and 60s decorating the guestrooms and common areas. (more…)

Last Friday, I had the privilege to attend the NYC Wine and Food Grand Tasting Media Kick off, courtesy of Shop Rite.  A much needed way to unwind after a stressful work week I tasted tons of yummy edibles and wine tasted my way through the hundreds of wine purveyors, but as I gather my pictures for an upcoming post, I wanted to introduce all of you to my favorite discovery from the tasting.  Feast your eyes on Kumquat Cupcakes, the newest in the line of cupcake trends to hit NYC.

Following in a similar vein as Baked By Melissa, Kumquat Cupcakes delivers bite-size scrumptious cupcakes in a variety of unique and delicious flavors, making them delicate savorables to be enjoyed like a petite bonbon or a rich truffle.  The actual size is shown below, and I estimate the size to be comparable to that of the little cakes in those 100 calorie Hostess cupcake packs, minus the dry and dull flavor.  Featuring plump moist sponge cakes with rich icing, each little bite is perfectly decorated with just the right amount of swirl of icing, to guarantee the perfect ratio of cake to icing, while being aesthetically beautiful to the eye.  It’s not surprising that Kumquat cupcakes are a perfect blend of style and taste, as founder, Keavy Landreth, has formalized training from the French Culinary Institute, Culinary Institute of America, and Parsons. (more…)

I always look forward to seeing what nail colors Chanel will create each season, and this fall, it’s their Jade Collection. Honestly, the picture here does not do the Jade shade any justice. Yes, it’s a vivid, minty color that looks really unique. But there’s also a hint of shimmer that gives this some added warmth and dimension.

Jade is a limited edition and is already sold out on chanel.com, but you can try your luck at Chanel boutiques and Makeup Studios. This is a definitely a must-have for Chanel fans or those of you who have been on the hunt for a perfect green shade. Of course, it doesn’t come cheap at $25, but Michelle at All Lacquered Up found some somewhat similar colors that may be less expensive, but not exact duplicates.

I know what some of you may be thinking–this lighter jade green for fall?! Same here, but then I saw the richness and warmth in this shade of green. Click to see how Jade ties in with Chanel’s fall collection. (more…)

This winter, I’m making a resolution that I should have long made: I’m putting down the Ugg.  I have to admit that I’ve never found the Ugg to be Ugg-ly, but have found them cute since the beginning.  I’ve faithfully loved my beloved Uggs through 6 winters now, beginning in College, and have gone through 2 pairs.  One Sand, one Chestnut pair, have survived through the various cold weather conditions: the 26.9 inch New York City snow blizzard of 1996, the snow slopes of Vail, Colorado, and the assorted various flurries and gray-slate melty slush puddles that are all over NYC sidewalks in Winter.

My Australian friends were appalled that Americans like me wore their Uggs everywhere, because they wear them specifically for beaches and after surfing, since they wick away moisture and water.  I’ve loved them for their pillowy comfiness (is there anything softer than that sheepswool?)  Unfortunately, there are 2 big problems with using the Ugg as a winter snow boot.  1.  The boots aren’t exactly waterproof, so occasionally, my toes wound up ice cold after accidentally stepping into a snow bank.  2.  As they weren’t designed for snow, the sidewalk salt and snow ruin the soft sheepskin.

This winter, I’m determined to find other cute, cold weather boots and I’ve found my top picks below: (more…)

One staple that should be in every fashionista’s closet is the perfect white, tissue tank.  I got mine from Division E and it will be the key item I’ll be repeatedly reaching for this fall.  I love it because it’s just the right length and weight, and so so comfy.  Ultra soft, tissue tanks are  a model’s uniform during the summers , but since I don’t have a model’s physique, I prefer to wear mine as a key layering piece for colder weather looks.  Two of my favorite ways to wear them (one for the office, and one for the weekend) are highlighted above. (more…)