Priscilla the Parrotfish greets visitors entering the Zoo with a splash of color. / MyLittleBird photo.
Chompers the Shark makes an appearance (just in time for Shark Week!) / Photo washedaway.org
Meet Seamore the Sealion! / MyLittleBird photo.
A sculpture of a massive whale skeleton hints at the very serious and often fatal results of ocean pollution for marine life. / MyLittleBird photo.
This fish is entirely made of sandals. More than a few had bites taken out of them…plastic shoe pieces don’t make a very healthy snack. / MyLittleBird photo.
Flash the Marlin’s head was made of shoe soles, a comb, a hat brim, and more recyclable plastics. / MyLittleBird photo.
Lidia the Seal is named for the variety of plastic lids that can be found on her body. Cute name, serious issue. / MyLittleBird photo.
This extra patriotic sea-star comes with a sign warning visitors to be careful if they plan on using fireworks this summer. Some fireworks contain plastic pieces that can end up being launched out of reach, and damage the surrounding environment. / MyLittleBird photo.
Octavia the Octopus’ home includes a cooler with discarded soda cans. Metal cans mean sharp edges and danger to nearby animals. / MyLittleBird photo.
Sebastian James the Puffin looks a little stern, don’t you think? He knows how dangerous plastic debris can be for ocean birds, who often mistake trash for food. / MyLittleBird photo.
Zorabelle the Rockhopper Penguin says hello. / MyLittleBird photo.
THE NATIONAL ZOO has a few new sea creatures floating around, but you won’t find them behind glass or metal. DC’s most popular day trip has partnered with non-profit Washed Ashore to exhibit sculptures of marine life — made entirely of recycled plastics taken from the ocean.
The 17 sculptures, placed throughout the park, are massive, brightly colored examples of just how bad ocean pollution has gotten, and the danger it poses to marine ecosystems. Although the sculptures could easily be characters in Pixar’s new Finding Dory — Flash the Marlin, Octavia the Octopus and Seamore the Sea Lion to name a few— they actually represent the species most endangered by ocean pollution.
But Washed Ashore is determined to turn the tide. Founded by environmental artist Angela Haseltine Pozzi, the organization works to improve the environment both in the field and by educating through their art. Imagine a piece of trash — soda bottle cap, sandal strap, plastic sand toys, toilet seat, you name it — it is picked up by a volunteer in a community cleanup, washed and sorted, and becomes a part of a specially designed piece constructed by Washed Ashore staff, volunteers and students. Since the organization started in 2010, they’ve transformed trash from more than 300 miles of beaches to create more than 60 sculptures that travel to zoos, aquariums and other institutions around the country to raise awareness about ocean pollution.
The Zoo exhibit makes an extra effort to engage visitors. Signs around the sculptures invite visitors to touch (albeit gently) and interact with some I-Spy-type play (e.g., find the pink comb, the boogie board, the dog leash, etc). The signage is fun, but the sculptures are a feat by themselves. The size is impressive enough (a 12-foot-long shark, an 8-foot-wide octopus), but as you move closer to examine patches of color and body parts, they reveal a fantastic world of detail. It’s impossible to ignore the amount of meticulous planning that must have gone on behind the scenes.
Anyone who has visited the Zoo knows it’s a sprawling, hilly maze, and I definitely passed Flash the Marlin about three times before I realized I was walking in circles. But if you’re braving the labyrinth for the Giant Pandas, these eco-friendly and educational sculptures will certainly brighten your trip.
— Emily Harburg MyLittleBird summer intern Emily Harburg last posted a story on books about books.
NO LONGER a phenom, pop-ups have become an established way for retailers to dip a toe into the shopping scene. Georgetown and 14th Street have been particularly popular areas of town to test concepts. Kit & Ace, touting its lighter, looser fits in wash-and-go fabrics, began with a wardrobe rack and table at Union Market before settling in Georgetown (there’s another in Bethesda); Shinola started with a small space in 2014 at 1534 14th St., NW, before a grand opening in 2015 farther up the street. Vintage and retro-clothing e-tailer ModCloth is on a five-city tour; its Georgetown temporary brick & mortar shop (in the space once occupied by Urban Chic) goes through June 25 .
Not everything succeeds. West Elm opened a pop-up on M Street several years ago but then closed and never opened a permanent location there. The sister company to Williams-Sonoma and Pottery Barn has branches in Logan Circle and Tysons Corner.
From left to right, Cuyana’s slip silk dress ($260), crepe de chine camisole ($135) and open-back silk top ($195).
From left to right, straw tote ($175) made in Ecuador and mini cotton bathing suit coverup ($95) made in Turkey.
Although the San Francisco-based clothing and accessories brand doesn’t have plans to open permanently, its motto of fewer, high-quality pieces has resonated with customers. The Georgetown pop-up at 1249 Wisconsin Ave., NW, has extended its stay until July 31. (It opened on April 15 and was expected to be gone by May 22.) According to a spokesperson, “they’re staying because of strong customer support!” The most popular products include baby alpaca oversized sweaters, long-sleeve silk shirt dresses and silk tees.
Founders Karla Gallardo and Shilpa Shah want their customers to feel a connection with their brand. “The pieces themselves reflect the culture of the country where it was made and the skill of the craftsman. All our cashmere scarves are made in Scotland from Scottish cashmere, by a family-owned supplier. Our capes are made of baby alpaca, cut and sewn in Peru, and the alpaca itself comes from Peru, too.” To make items more special to their customer, Cuyana (which means to love in an Andean language spoken in parts of South America) will monogram them.
— Janet Kelly Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird. She last posted on fashion exhibits you should catch this summer.
The Museum of Modern Art will mount “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” in December–but not this year: December 2017. This will be its first major show devoted to fashion in 44 years.
WHAT WE WEAR says a lot about how we want the world to see us. And this summer, in museums from Paris to Pittsburgh, fashion exhibits have a lot to say about what we wear.
“Manus x Machina: Fashion in an Age of Technology.” Through August 14. Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue, New York
Curator Andrew Bolton blurs the distinction between couture and prêt-à-porter, arguing “the hand and the machine are equal and mutual protagonists in solving design problems, enhancing design practices, and, ultimately, advancing the future of fashion.” More than 170 haute-couture and ready-to-wear ensembles are deconstructed to examine their hand/machine DNA. Showstopping example: Karl Lagerfeld’s 2014 Chanel wedding dress, constructed of a moldable scuba knit (created for a model who was pregnant at the time). The pattern on the 20-foot train was hand-painted with gold metallic pigment, machine-printed with rhinestones and hand-embroidered with pearls and gemstones.
“#techstyle.” Through July 16. Museum of Fine Arts,465 Huntington Avenue, Boston
The Met’s “Manus x Machina” explores the relationship between hand- and machine-made, while MFA’s #techstyle focuses on how technology is changing fashion. The exhibit includes fabrics patterned by lasers, leather jackets that change color according to heat and light, and ready-to-wear garments that slide off a 3D printer. Be sure to see designer Iris van Herpen’s “Anthozoa” cape and skirt . She collaborated with MIT designer and assistant professor Neri Oxman to produce the 3-D-printed “barnacles” on the garment, which was among the first of its kind on the Paris runways in 2013.
“Isaac Mizrahi: An Unruly History.” Through August 7. Jewish Museum of Art, 109 Fifth Avenue, New York
Isaac Mizrahi is an origina—fashion designer, artist and entrepreneur. He was a rising star in fashion, then lost his business and, among other things, produced a movie and was one of the first to have a successful collaboration with Target. Today, his main gig is designing his line for QVC and selling it on TV. The exhibit tracks his career with clothing, costumes for the theater, the opera, original drawings and behind-the-scenes photographs.
“Refined Irreverence,” a dual exhibition from The SCAD Museum of Art in Savannah and SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta, is the first museum showing of Herrera’s work. The designer, who launched her first collection in 1981 at the request of Vogue editor Diana Vreeland, is known for favoring white shirts and her feminine, elegant styles. The exhibit includes runway looks from her collections and red-carpet gowns worn by Michelle Obama, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga, Tina Fey, Renee Zellweger and Lucy Liu.
“Uniformity.” Through November 19.
The Museum at FIT. Seventh Avenue at 27th Street, New York
Uniforms have influenced fashion since the 1800s. Designers frequently incorporate the metallic braiding, gold buttons and epaulettes of military dress into their clothing collections. Who can forget Michael Jackson’s elaborate gold-braided jacket? And, as for stripes, they’re everywhere this season. The exhibition focuses on four categories of uniforms: military, work, school and sports. Within each category, historic uniforms are juxtaposed with the high-fashion clothing they inspired from the likes of Chanel, Thom Browne, Comme des Garçons and Sacai.
“Killer Heels: the Art of the High-Heeled Shoe.” Through July 13. Frick Art & Historical Center, 7227 Reynolds St., Pittsburgh
Intricately decorated cork platforms of 15th-century Italy, 19th-century Manchu women’s pedestal-like shoes and today’s sky-high stilettos are on display in this exhibit of 150 historical and contemporary heels on loan from designers, the Brooklyn Museum costume collection (housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art) and the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto. All attest to our fascination with high heels as fashion statement (risky, sometimes), symbol of power and conversation piece.
Spiky stilettos, architecturally inspired wedges and just plain unusual designs figure in the selection from Balenciaga, Manolo Blahnik, Salvatore Ferragamo, Zaha Hadid, Iris van Herpen, Christian Louboutin, Alexander McQueen and Roger Vivier.
“Undressed: A Brief History of Underwear.” Through March 12, 2017. Victoria & Albert Museum, Cromwell Road, London
Just as pajamas have morphed into streetwear, corsets, bras and crinolines, once traditionally worn beneath clothing, are now moving from behind the scenes to the front and center of attention. According to WWD, corsetry has gone from “restricting undergarment to statement-making accent.”
“Undressed” displays more than 200 objects from the 18th century to the present along with advertising material, photographs and films, reflecting changing attitudes about what’s public and private.
“Fashion Forward, 3 Centuries of Fashion (1715-2016).” Through August 14. Musee des Arts Decoratif, 107 rue de Rivoli, Paris
Three hundred clothing items from the 18th century to now highlight key moments in fashion history—a greatest hits, if you will. Period decorative arts, drawings and photographs provide context for the fashions: A silk and taffeta robe à la française from around 1760, a 1909 Callot Soeurs evening dress, a silk lamé coat by Jeanne Lanvin, Dior’s revolutionary Bar jacket from 1947, an Alaïa 1996 hooded sheath dress and a hoodie and long skirt from the most recent Vetements collection. While the show, sponsored by H&M, proceeds along a time line, curator Pamela Goblin points out the constant echoing through the ages. “It’s nice to see how things permeate decade to decade, back and forth,” she says.
“Items: Is Fashion Modern?” Dec. 10, 2017-April 1, 2018. Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), 11 West 53rd Street, New York
Is MoMA trying to cash in on the attention the Met has gotten from its blockbuster fashion exhibits? In early April, MoMA announced that late next year it will open an exhibition called “Items: Is Fashion Modern?” This will be its first major show devoted to fashion since 1944. In an early April blog post, the woman behind the upcoming exhibit, curator Paola Antonelli said: “Items will consist of a selection of 99 garments and accessories that have had a strong impact on history and society in the 20th and 21st centuries, and that continue to hold currency today.”
Think the white T-shirt, Levi 501s, Casio’s digital watch and the little black dress. But we’ll all have to wait until late next year.
— Janet Kelly Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird. She last posted on gifts for Dad.
MY FAVORITE THING about summer is reading. Having the chance to really dive into a book is a luxury (pool seating preferred, but not required). And my favorite thing about reading is books. That may sound like some kind of riddle, but I’m enchanted by the very power of a book to be read, to absorb the reader and be absorbed, and keep a place in the reader’s mind long after it’s finished. So really, what could be better than a book about books. I mean, it’s like a chocolate cake with chocolate icing. This is a theme that’s popped up in some of my favorite reads (blame The Princess Bride, the original book within a book). So to fellow bibliophiles who are looking for their next adventure, check out these novels, starring writers, readers and books themselves.
This lyrical whirlwind of a book revolves around author St. John Fox, his wife Daphne and Mary, his imagined muse…who may or may not have come to life. Helen Oyeyemi’s work often includes hints of fairy tales, some of the first stories we ever hear as children. Here, the tale “Bluebeard,” he of the locked door and the murdered wives, appears in flashes throughout the pages, in many different guises. Told in part through Mr. Fox’s own developing drafts, this novel offers many, many stories for the price of one. Fiction and reality don’t just meet, they flirt, date, get married and procreate. And the result is Mr. Fox. Fair warning, the book feeds on ambiguity and no small amount of confusion on the part of the reader. But if you can roll with it, there’s a lot to enjoy.
If you’ve ever struggled with the book vs. Kindle dilemma, this might capture your interest. The novel tackles the encounters between the past and present, between traditional media and technological advancements. It takes place in a dusty San Francisco bookstore, with a strange owner and some even stranger patrons. But it quickly develops into a tale of tech-y detective work, with algorithms, processing and even some big-gun computing at Google headquarters. Electronics speed up the ride, but the true key to the mystery lies in the heart of the books themselves.
A mysterious letter, a “literary apothecary,” a bestselling author with writer’s block, and a journey along the Seine with a boat full of books. In Nina George’s novel, Jean Perdu hides his own heartbreak by “prescribing” books to troubled customers. The premise of the right book being the perfect medicine is a lovely idea that will resonate with readers. Perdu’s journey exists outside of his books, but they are what carry him (and readers) along the way.
Nicholas Duhamel’s wildly popular first novel turned his life upside down. The only problem is, he can’t seem to write a second. He escapes to a Mediterranean island to work, but instead finds himself obsessing over his own tumultuous past, and unravels a family secret. It’s a fairly standard tale of self-destruction and self-discovery, but seeing how Nicholas, as a writer, twists his own life to fit into his story adds an interesting angle to the book. De Rosnay intentionally crafted an unlikeable main character, and at times it’s nearly unbearable to swallow Nicholas’ pettiness. But moral judgments aside, the book is an example of how we all create our own stories to cope, and what happens when we are forced to reconcile our versions with the truth.
— Emily Harburg MyLittleBird summer intern Emily Harburg recently wrote about meal-delivery subscription services.
Tasty barbecue from Hill Country downtown won’t disappoint Dad–or anyone else.
Among its offerings, DC Sharp carries an original Bob Kramer Meiji Kiritsuke, $18,000. Other Japanese knives can be had for much less.
Alton Lane takes measurements with a full-body scanner before you place an order for a custom-made shirt.
Golftec lessons will improve the swing of the average dad duffer. / Photo iStock.
Dad can make Starbucks-like coffee at home with this fab Nespresso milk frother.
Backgammon and chess on one board. Convenient and space-saving. Thanks, Restoration Hardware.
Encourage Dad to cook by buying him a Big Green Egg.
This gecko-shaped letter opener from L’Objet.com adds a sense of style to a hum-drum task.
A diminutive cocktail shaker from Alexandria’s The Hour.
Get Dad a personalized puzzle from Liberty’s puzzle masters. / MyLittleBird photo.
OKAY, WE KNOW this is a tad last minute—sorry. But there’s still time to dash out and get something fabulous for Daddy Dearest or whoever the main man in your life may be.
And, we’ve got a great list of possibilities:
My main man loves good barbecue—ribs, in particular, so when it came time to celebrate his birthday, his thoughtful son ordered up a barbecue feast of ribs, brisket, sausage and turkey from Texas’s Salt Lick BBQ. A lot closer to home, though, is Hill Country (410 Seventh Street NW). Take your dad there for dinner or order the mouthwatering meats and sides of corn pudding, baked beans and corn bread to take home. Hill Country’s caterers can arrange for things like picnic tables, chairs, gingham table cloths, picnic china, even rock and blues music. See the Hill Country website for further information.
Think Dad needs better-fitting clothes? Well, a made-to-order, bespoke tailored suit from Savile Row tailor Kathryn Sargent will set you back about $5,000. (Sargent will be at the Jefferson for appointments June 17 to June 19, and November 18 to November 20.) If your pockets don’t go that deep, here’s an alternative—an Alton Lane (1506 19th Street NW, third floor) custom-made shirt ($99-$265). Warn Dad beforehand that he’ll have to enter a booth where a full-body scanner will take his measurements.
The best way to stop the complaining about the dull-knife situation at home is to get your guy a hand-forged Japanese kitchen blade at Union Market’s DC Sharp. It’s the only Japanese kitchen knife boutique in the Washington metropolitan area and one of the few businesses in the country that practice Japanese-style knife sharpening. Expect to pay at least $120 and on up for these precision-cutting tools.
He has a love-hate relationship with golf? Get him a package gift at Golftec, which is offering Father’s Day specials. It starts with a swing evaluation and include a series of lessons (five for $315) with a GolfTec personal coach, a club fitting and video-based practice. Hope for significant improvement.
The gadget guy who loves his Starbucks cappuccino will be pleased to make an at-home version with light, creamy hot or cold milk froth, a breeze to achieve with Nespresso’s Aeroccino ($99). There’s a new, more expensive version for $119.
So Dad won’t have to choose between two compelling games of strategy, Restoration Hardware’s handcrafted wood and leather box has a chess board on one side, backgammon on the other. $245, or $183 if you’re enrolled in RH’s membership program.
A combination of grill, oven and smoker, the Big Green Egg enjoys a cult following. My friend’s husband is a believer. If your dad fancies himself a barbecue master, gift him with the Egg. The 15-inch medium size sells for about $650. Dozens of local hardware stores stock the Eggs.
Opening bills is never fun. But a letter opener with a sense of humor like this gecko-shaped one will make the chore not as odious and add an attractive decor element to a desk. $120 at L’Objet.
Appeal to the James Bond in every man with this art deco silverplate 2 oz. jigger. Shaped like a mini cocktail shaker, a corkscrew nests inside the jigger’s top. $350 at Alexandria’s Hour Shop (1015 King Street), dedicated to all things cocktail.
Classic wooden jigsaw puzzles from Liberty are works of art—and devilishly hard. Made with quarter-inch maple plywood and top-notch archival paper and inks, no two pieces in any puzzle are alike. Whimsy pieces, which comprise 15 to 20 percent of the total, are cut in the shapes of recognizable objects—characters, animals or complex geometric shapes. Maybe too late this year, but the company will create a custom puzzle of an image—e.g., a family photo—that you provide. In the meantime, how about this Rainbow trout for $95?
— Janet Kelly Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird. She last posted on Rizik’s Renovation Sale.
We’re sharing this post from PrettyGossip, a site where a beauty-obsessed woman shares things she has tried — cosmetics, treatments, procedures — to make her feel pretty. PrettyGossip is pretty honest about the products she tries. She acknowledges that she sometimes receives samples of new products for review, but she tells the truth (at least her truth) about them.
SMASHBOX’s BB WATER is one of those rare products that I’d recommend for all skin types. The product hydrates and contains no oils or alcohol! Works great for dry, combination and even oily skin. BB Water also primes and has buildable coverage so even if you have acne scars or troubled skin, you can use this product. It’ll fill pores and blur imperfections all while feeling feather-light on your skin.
PACKAGING:
As the name suggests, BB Water is like water. To perfectly complement the watery consistency, the product is packaged in a bottle with a dropper built into the cap. Simple and straightforward. I really like the dropper because I’m not contaminating the product in anyway.
SHADES:
I purchased BB Water in Light, a warm light beige. I could have gone with Fair/Light too, but chose the darker shade since we’re headed into summer and I’ll get more color (hopefully!). With eight shades, there’s a shade for everyone. I’m considering buying Light/Medium and using that around the outer parts of my face for a very natural contour.
Feels like water that hydrates without being greasy or oily. BB water sits nicely over my moisturizer and is feather light. Perfecto!
APPLICATION:
The formula is super easy to work with. Be sure to shake well before using. There are three ways you can apply this product.
Beauty Blender: Drop about 5 drops onto a damp beauty blender and tap tap tap away.
Fingers: I use the dropper to place drops directly on my face then use my fingers to to gently pat and blend. I use about 2 drops on each cheek, 1 drop on my nose and about 2 on my forehead.
Cushion Sponge: This is my preferred method because my fingers stay clean; it’s fast, and I get even/precise application. I place 4-5 drops of product directly onto my face then use the cushion sponge to stamp the product evenly on my entire face. You can use more or less, but I use about 2 drops on each cheek, 1 drop on my nose and about 2 on my forehead.
COVERAGE:
The coverage is sheer to light, but buildable to a medium coverage. I like how BB Water evens out redness and hyperpigmentation while blurring out any pores and imperfections. My skin looks healthy and beautiful without looking like I have makeup on.
WHEN MY SHOPPING-SAVVY pal Kamer called me this morning and told me Rizik‘s was having a huge sale, I hesitated for maybe a minute before heading downtown, wet hair and no makeup notwithstanding.
Were they going out of business? Turns out, “No,” said salesperson Sue Ellen Lewis, but the 108-year-old grande dame is closing as of August 1 (reopening in spring 2017), to update the space and expand the store’s selection.
In the meantime, everything — clothing, handbags, scarves, belts, wraps, jewelry, furs — is now marked down, some as much as 80 percent, the rest, 30 percent. Among the high-priced apparel labels I spotted were Fabiana Filippi, Gerard Darel, Les Copains, Max Mara, M Missoni, Moschino Boutique and Piazza Sempione, which were mostly 30 percent off. There were boldly graphic scarves from Christian Lacroix, structured leather handbags from European label Rodo, an adorable sable shrug (originally $6,375, now $2,650). The steals to be found were on the lesser known labels. I snagged a Pucci lookalike summer dress by Italian designer Averardo Bessi for $82, which was originally $410 and a blingy choker for $123, once $410. An absolutely fabulous collar necklace in sterling silver with sparkling gems was reduced from $1,200 to $250. And, prices on gloriously multi-colored must-have summer wraps were substantially reduced.
The sale was advertised (through a mailer sent to customers) to begin June 15, but anyone who happened to see the up-to-80 percent-off sign in Rizik’s window or happened to be in the store (one woman said she was there because her daughter had a wedding-dress fitting) were taking full advantage of the price drops already in full force. So, hurry in before the deals (there are fewer small sizes) disappear.
— Janet Kelly Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird. She last posted on Lancôme’s new foundation.
You can be with some perspective and some pointers.
Sure, temperatures into the 90s combined with humidity make the city feel like a terrarium at times, but D.C. is a great place to be hot. Museums are cool and exhibits plentiful, the city’s tree canopy is at 36%, not too shy of the 40% goal; theaters offer matinees; cafes and restaurants abound with indoor and outdoor seating, and hotel lobbies tolerate idlers checking mobile phones.
Summer just requires a little strategizing.
Growing up in D.C. in the ‘70s and early ‘80s in a Capitol Hill row house without central A/C, I froze homemade popsicles in Tupperware molds, played in sprinklers and gulped water from the garden hose. My friend Leslie and I bought Coca Cola and nacho cheese Doritos from the corner store, then sneaked into the campy Skyline Inn pool (now a swankier Capitol Skyline Inn).
As a teen, I swiped my face with Clinique Clarifying Lotion stored in the refrigerator after swatting tennis balls at the Garfield Park court. A server at Georgetown’s iconic Thomas Sweet, I stayed cool dishing up cones and sundaes. I’d scoop a pint of ice cream at closing time to share with my dad when he picked me up at midnight in the family’s red Rabbit. Days off, I rode what were then much-less-crowded, cleaner and cooler Metrorail cars anywhere and nowhere with friends, or alone with a book, treating the system like a private jet.
For grown-up girls in the 21st-century, work doesn’t stop when the weather’s hot. Each of us has places to be. In D.C., getting around means walking and bike commutes on concrete and asphalt — often in thin-soled shoes — taking breaks on park benches in the shade of trees or beside a public fountain. It means waiting in a bus kiosk with a bottle of water tucked in a tote.
Little girls and grown-up ones delight in thunderstorms and fireflies, juicy strawberries, sweet peaches and crisp corn. We like the breezy, feminine feel of cotton skirts on bare legs, linen dresses without slips and airy sleeveless tops. We pull up our hair in jeweled barrettes, powerful braids and swingy ponytails. Sunglasses, hats and scarves shade the eyes, nose and neck. Summer is textured fabrics in bright prints, chic black and classy white.
When I moved back to my hometown of D.C. last year, I brought with me tips gleaned from yoga study in California’s Central Valley, where triple-digit temperatures can begin in May and last through September, and summer’s more a state of mind than a season and you gotta know how to feel naturally cool.
For additional advice, I turned to Susan Jensen, D.C.-based traditional acupuncturist and massage therapist.
Add sliced fresh strawberries, mint or cucumber to chilled water and keep a pitcher handy for frequent sips.
Store a facial mist or toner in the refrigerator and spritz your face and neck.
Try a yoga cooling breath, shitali pranayama. Roll the tongue like a hot dog bun. Or softly place the tongue between the lips, resembling a macaron. Slowly inhale through the rolled tongue or over the tongue. Exhale through the nose. Try this 8 – 10 times. This breath directly freshens the back of the throat. Imagine you’re inhaling mist from a block of ice. (Bonus: Practicing this breath in a mirror may make you laugh, which will distract you from the mugginess!)
After being out and about, pause at a sink and run cool tap water on your inner wrists for a few seconds. Dampen a paper towel and dab cool water on the temples and back of the neck. This is great before a meeting when coming in from a walk or bike commute.
After invigorating your pulse points, take a minute and organize your body in yoga’s tadasana, mountain pose. Stand with feet under hips, legs comfortably apart. Raise the shoulders toward the ears and set them down slowly, like a descending elevator. Let the arms rest by the sides, leaving a little space in the armpits as if squash balls could nestle there. Perch the skull on top of the spine, ears over shoulders.
Breathe some more. While in mountain pose, notice the breath. Allow the hands to softly open on an inhalation and close on an exhalation, like flower petals unfolding in the morning and drawing in at evening. Count the length of the inhalation and the length of the exhalation. See if you can bring the portions into equal length, extending the inhalation or the exhalation as necessary for an equally balanced breath. Try this for 12 cycles and then resume your natural pattern of breathing.
Align with the rhythm of the season. Rise earlier to walk the dog or have breakfast when the air’s fresher. Plan a late evening walk. Remind yourself, Jensen says, to slow down and enjoy the warmth, fun, love and companionship that are part of the summer element/season/energy.
Accept and Appreciate. Sweltering summer days are part of life in the city and D.C. residents always find ways to adjust and enjoy whether it’s sitting on the stoop visiting with neighbors after the sun goes down, retreating to Hains Point, walking the waterfront or gathering with friends at a rooftop bar. So, stay out of air conditioning when you can (unless you’re escaping temporarily into a gallery!). Opt for lunch on a shaded patio or take your book to a park to read. “Maintain your cool rather than forcing coldness on or in your body with refrigerated air and iced drinks,” Jensen advises. “When you then go outside in the heat, all your pores are open to the heat which can ‘invade’ and give you a summer sickness. We call it a ‘cold,’” she adds, “but it can be either an invasion of cold in the air conditioning, especially from a draft, or it can be an invasion of heat when you’re all chilled, having to wear a sweater inside because of all the over-cooled air and then getting hit like a ton of bricks with the heat outdoors.”
When eating, think fresh. Celery, lettuces and other watery vegetables minimize stagnancy in the body, says Jensen. Avoid stews and slow-cooked foods. They hold more heat than quick-cooked or raw foods. Use judgment with spiciness. Hot food seems to cool some people in hot weather and makes others hotter. Alcohol in general is warming. White wine is less warming than red.
Fold forward. While you’re on the floor, take a break in a simple yoga pose called child’s pose, or balasana. Kneel on a blanket or rug. Sit back, bringing the bottom and sitting bones toward the heels. Fold the torso forward over the bent legs, resting the forehead on a yoga block, book, pillow or your folded hands. Or, from a chair, simply scoot forward to a desk or table, place folded arms on the surface and gently round forward, setting the forehead your arms.
Let go. When you’re resting, whether in child’s pose on the floor, at your desk or in an easy chair with a flute of crisp blanc de blanc, just chill out. Jensen advises avoiding things riled you. “In this election season (which has been more like an election eon than season),” she writes by email from where she’s finishing a sabbatical in France, “it’s easy to get agitated. Limit your time with the ‘news’ if that gets you frustrated or upset with no outlet for your emotions.”
Still can’t cool down? Take a brisk shower before bed.
While you’re attuning to the tempo and temperatures of summer, why not add a night of stargazing? The National Park Service’s Exploring the Sky program provides telescopes in Rock Creek Park for the public to use. The bright clear light from the closest of those stars takes more than four years to reach our eyes. That’ll put a few sweaty days in perspective.
— Alexa Mergen Alexa Mergen teaches small-group and private lessons in yoga, meditation and writing in Harpers Ferry, W.V. and Washington, D.C., and edits Yoga Stanza.
THESE DAYS, you can get just about anything delivered to your door: monthly makeup samples, weekly snack packs and even a selection of treats and toys — for your dog. And those who want one less reason to leave the house are no doubt thrilled by the skyrocketing popularity of meal delivery services (even The New York Times is jumping on the bandwagon, partnering with startup Chef’d). These companies provide regular deliveries of dinner recipes, ingredients included. Cooking and cleanup are still required, but without choosing a recipe and shopping for ingredients, expect dinnertime to run a lot more smoothly. And it prevents waste, too, as anyone who has ever stood in the grocery store aisle struggling to remember whether they already have that ingredient at home understands. And in the spirit of catering to convenience, we’ve boiled it down to the basics to help you decide which option to go with.
*Disclaimer: Because these are weekly services, there are some restrictions on how fast your first box will arrive. If you want to try an option, plan for next week delivery, not next day.
Price Breakdown: $12 per person per meal. 2 meals for 2 people is $48/week, 3 meals is $72, etc. Dessert can be added for $4 per serving. Free shipping on orders over $50.
My family has been ordering from Plated on and off since this past winter. When my siblings and I are home on break, it’s a great combo of restaurant-quality recipes and a built-in family activity. Although there are between two and six of us depending on the night’s activities, we use the two-person plan. Most meals can serve up to four, depending on how much you eat, and with a full house we’ll often make both recipes at once or supplement with a salad. We chose Plated specifically because it had more vegetarian options (any given week has seven recipe options, with at least three vegetarian) than Blue Apron, which is probably the most recognized brand. Plated selects a menu for your each week, but you can swap out recipes online up to six days in advance. No one in our family is strictly vegetarian, but we prefer lighter meals and the flexibility of not having to deal with raw meat. The recipes have been delicious across the board, and they really do provide you with everything, down to the tiniest pinch of spice. (Plated gets creative with their containers: some resemble hotel shampoo bottles, others fast-food ketchup cups). However, Plated has a consistent delivery problem. Although the boxes are supposed to arrive before 8 p.m. on the assigned day, they frequently come later, despite emails confirming delivery. As a result, we’ve had boxes sit outside the door all night. While the packaging includes ice packs to keep everything fresh, the inconsistency has been a pain in what is labeled as a pain-free solution to meal prep.
Sample meal: Cold Sesame Noodles, serves 2, 720 calories per serving, prep time 20-30 minutes (it took me around 20)
Price breakdown: $59.94/week for 2-person plan, which includes 3 meals for 2 people at $9.99 per serving. $69.92 for a family plan: 2 meals for 4 people at $8.74 per serving. Free shipping.
I ordered a Blue Apron 2-person plan to see how their service compares. I didn’t choose vegetarian but was able to specify more specific dietary preferences (for example, no fish or no red meat). I received an email on the day of delivery telling me what the recipes included and when to expect the box—unlike Plated, this one came well before the 9 p.m. cutoff. Blue Apron also allows you to customize your menu up to six days in advance, although they have fewer options to begin with. Overall, the recipes were slightly more elaborate, which made things more interesting, but also harder to pull off. Our chicken steam buns (see below) tasted amazing, but were nearly impossible to assemble. But if you’re not worried about a little extra mess and hassle, your dinner game will be kicked up a couple notches. The packaging was largely the same as Plated, although Blue Apron provides labeled bags for the small ingredients that are easy to lose (spices, sauce components, garlic, etc.) Even better, these extra ingredients are adorably referred to as “knick knacks,” making it my favorite thing about Blue Apron’s service.
Sample meal: Chicken Steam Buns, serves 2, 540 calories per serving, prep time 10 minutes (it took me at least a half hour), cook time 25-35 minutes
Price Breakdown: $59/week for Vegetarian Box (3 meals for 2 option), $9.93 per serving. $69/week for Classic Box (3 meals for 2 option), $11.50 per serving. $79.95 for Family Box (2 meals for 4 option), $9.99 per serving. Free shipping.
Hello Fresh seems to have the most flexibility in subscription options. Their bestseller, the classic box, has options for 2 or 4 person servings, and you can choose 3, 4 or 5 meals a week. I spoke to Bethesda resident Jen DeMarinis about her experience using Hello Fresh. DeMarinis was able to customize a plan that worked for her family of four. When the classic box (3 meals for 4 people) started backing up, she planned to cancel their subscription and instead found that they offered a monthly option. Now, she gets 3 meals for 2 on the third Monday of each month, and stretches it to feed four with a salad or extra side. Plated and Blue Apron have a minimum of at least 2 meals a week, unless you manually cancel a delivery in advance, so Hello Fresh is your best bet if you want to add a meal service to the dinner rotation but not commit to it every week. While Hello Fresh has a specific kid-friendly family box, DeMarinis says that her kids will eat about half of the recipes from the classic box—for iffier dishes, she’ll often make the protein separately and leave out the extras. DeMarinis raised concerns about the decidedly non-eco-friendly packaging as well as misleading recipe times. “They’ll say a meal should take 30 minutes, but I swear it will be an hour and a half at least,” she said. “And no matter what, I feel like I’m in the kitchen forever.” But Hello Fresh does have some unique features to simplify the process, including a ruler featured on the recipe card for measuring and cutting ingredients, and labels on the proteins specifying which should be made first for maximum freshness. And DeMarinis’s favorite part? “I just have to pull out one box and everything’s there, I don’t have to search for my mayonnaise or soy sauce or whatever, everything is just there.”
And More…
I wasn’t kidding around when I said the options never seem to end. The selection I covered barely scratched the surface, and a Google search will turn up many more, all with their own cute culinary titles. Purple Carrot is a completely vegan option, for those so inclined. Terra’s Kitchen boasts paleo and gluten-free friendly options, and every recipe clocks in at 30 minutes or less. And then there’s Marley Spoon, which has the same meal plans as Blue Apron but is incrementally more expensive, for some reason. Happy cooking!
— Emily Harburg MyLittleBird summer intern Emily Harburg recently wrote about fashion at Bethesda Front Row.
Wear It Well: Central Park West White Linen Blazer, $168; Michael Stars Hilo Shell Blue Print Top, $128; A.N. Designs White Ankle Cuff Skinny Jeans, $120.
Lululemon: Free to Be Wild Bra in Blue; All Tied Up Tank in White, $48; Spring Break Away Short in Blue, $54
Calypso St. Barth: Paisley Purple Maxi Dress, $395
Calypso St. Barth: Vinata Dress in Atlantic Blue, $395
Luna: Feel the Piece James Sleeveless Open Knit Dress, $123
Luna: Parker Sequin Off Shoulder Border Top in Marmalade, $298; Maguire White Denim Mini Skirt, $198
DESPITE OMINOUS forecasts, the rain held off for Sunday’s The Front Row fashion show. Bethesda Row, downtown Bethesda’s faux-European cobblestoned side street, was temporarily transformed into a runway, where local retailers showed off their summer collections. Ticket sales for the annual event, sponsored by Federal Realty Investment, benefited the DC Newsbash Breast Cancer Charity.
Fox 5 News’ Laura Evans welcomed guests and opened the show, highlighting the novelty of seeing runway looks that you could actually buy. “There are few fashion shows where you can see and love the clothes and then go shop for them,” she told the crowd. Soon after, the models made their appearance, wearing looks from Bethesda stores, including J. McLaughlin, Lily Pulitzer’s Pink Palm, Luna, Bonobos and more.
After the show, guests had the opportunity to shop exclusive sales and offers from these stores. “Fashion Bingo” cards distributed when guests arrived encouraged them to visit as many stores as possible, get their cards stamped by participating boutiques and be entered to win a Bethesda shopping spree.
Danielle Bolger, marketing director for Federal Realty, said that the event was held on Friday evening in past years, but was moved to Sunday in order to put more focus on the shopping element. By moving the event time and adding elements like Fashion Bingo, the festivities became an all-day affair, with plenty of time after the show for guests to frequent the nearby stores. Bolger was happy with the change—”I definitely think people are buying what they saw,” she said.
— Emily Harburg Emily Harburg is interning at MyLittleBird this summer. Her last post was The Look for Less, on shopping smart at Old Navy.
THE COUNTER-INTUITIVE thing about makeup is that you’re not supposed to look as if you’re wearing any.
And that’s exactly what the researchers at mega-cosmetic brand Lancôme were going for when they came up with their newest foundation, Le Teint Particulier. The idea behind the launch was to create a foundation that closely matches a woman’s unique skin shade, eliminating the guesswork that traditionally goes into finding a match. Like clothing, this is made-to-measure makeup, which, according to Lancôme’s assistant vice president Catherine Lai, “melts onto your skin and is more like a veil than a mask.”
Lancome’s eight-pump machine for blending its custom foundation.
A few weeks ago, I got to test it. Ushered into a luxe Hay Adams hotel suite, commandeered by the Lancôme folks for a press preview, I met my “beauty advisor”/makeup artist. She did a brief assessment of my skin, noting that it was dry (no news) and that my skin tone was even (meaning it was the same on my cheeks as my forehead and my chin). Then she held a sort of wand to those three areas, which transmitted data into a computer that analyzed the precise color of my skin into a formula consisting of exact percentages of red, yellow, black and white pigments. That formula, along with a healthy dose of moisturizer (to combat my dry skin), was then fed into an 8-pump machine (like a souped-up soda fountain pump) that blends the colors and then dispenses the personalized potion into a bottle. Voila, my custom-made teint particulier with my name, complexion ID and the batch numbers noted on the sleek, silvery gray container.
Lancome’s Le Teint Particulier
When handed the mirror after the foundation was applied to my skin, my initial reaction was that it felt light and looked natural. So, for a reality check, when I got home, I asked my husband what he thought of how my face looked. (Prompt: I got makeup applied this afternoon.) Oh, he said, “I think it would be fine if you were going on television or something.” So much for the idea that this foundation is supposed to look like a veil not a mask. But I think the fault here lies with the fact that makeup artists tend to be overzealous about their trade. I experimented with it at home and got a much less plastered result.
Le Teint Particulier will be available early to mid- August at Nordstrom Tysons Corner for $80/ounce. BTW, I also tried Lancôme’s newly introduced Juicy Shaker lip gloss (available in 20 shades). You shake the adorable cocktail shaker bottle to mix the pigments and oil. Result: Nonsticky shine and a hint of color.
IF YOU’RE WONDERING why your college girls are flocking to Old Navy for more than just cheap T-shirts, here’s the answer. The styles may be too young, too short for let’s-say-mature legs, but they’re unarguably cool for casual summer days. We sent our own college girl, Emily Harburg, to investigate.
I LOVE EXPERIMENTING with new looks and refreshing my closet, but I’m neither sufficiently confident in my personal style nor willing to spend enough money to justify buying designer labels. Jeans and outerwear aside, it just doesn’t make sense to seriously spend on clothes that I’m not totally committed to, or trends that are wardrobe staples now but may be passé by the fall. Enter Old Navy. At some point since the days when the Gap-owned brand was best known for Fourth of July gear and ill-fitting khakis, Old Navy established itself as a go-to stop for well-priced and decently made versions of seasonal trends (my favorite pieces from three years ago have held up just fine). I tend to find straight-off-the-runway designer trends enticing but slightly intimidating, and Old Navy’s options are not only exponentially cheaper but usually less risky, and therefore more wearable (in the neckline, for instance). And best of all, there is almost always some kind of in-store promotion, offering further discounts. I did some summer shopping at Montgomery Mall’s Old Navy (currently 40% off all styles in store) and found some on-trend steals that hold their own against pricier options (see Old Navy choices in pix below on left and their higher-price comparisons below right).
The Look: Striped Swing Dress
I can already tell this dress will be a favorite once the heat kicks in. I had reservations about the new trend toward loose-fitting dresses, mainly falling in the “I look like I’m wearing a burlap sack” category. But lo and behold, this dress is both comfortable and flattering (and did I mention comfortable). The relaxed fit and soft material are a godsend for the days when you can’t move without sweating. The navy and white stripes keep things cool and classic, but there are plenty of color options available online and in stores.
Old Navy Jersey Swing Dress in Navy/White stripe, regular price $26.94, sale price $15 online, oldnavy.com
I’ve been on the fence about rompers for a while now, so I was glad I could test the waters without testing my budget. The cinched waist on the Old Navy look (below left) is comfortable and lies nicely without awkward pleating (which is not always the case with this kind of look). The button-up front and cuffed sleeves add some structured style, while the black-and-white floral print keeps things versatile. And it has pockets, which is always a welcome surprise.
Old Navy Printed Romper, regular price $39.94, sale price $26.50 online, oldnavy.com
T by Alexander Wang Poplin Playsuit, regular price $390, sale price $234, farfetch.com
The Look: Classic Work Sheath Dress
Sure, this dress will never be the most exciting object in my closet, but it’s perfect for an office setting (or in my case, endless interviews). It’s easy to accessorize — think “statement necklace” or a bright-colored belt. Most important, I love how it fits. It can be hard to find work clothes that don’t sacrifice fit for formality, and even harder to find them for the price of this Old Navy option (below left).
Old Navy Sleeveless Sheath Dress in Dark Heather Grey, $34.94 online, oldnavy.com
Theory Berry 2B Edition Dress, $295, bloomingdales.com
The Look: Lace-Up Gladiator Sandals
The gladiator sandal has been around for a while, but recently the lace-up look has been gaining speed. It can be hard to make this shoe work without looking costumey, but Old Navy’s (below left) manages just fine. The laces are easily adjustable, allowing for plenty of versatility in fit and and style. In the perfect neutral tan, this sandal adds a unique touch to any look, from cuffed boyfriend jeans to a fancier sundress.
Old Navy Ghillie-Tie Gladiator Sandal in Almond, regular price $24.94, sale price $14.96 in store
Stuart Weitzman RomanFlat in Amaretto Brown, $445, stuartweitzman.com
The Look: Shirt Dress
Chambray is one of my favorite trends around, although until now I’ve been limited to button-up shirts, which I wear religiously over just about everything. For under $40, though, I was willing to make the leap into the shirtdress. The light wash adds an effortless cool vibe, and the relaxed fit, like that of the swing dress, makes it easy to wear and style. For now I’m sticking with a belt (not included) but the possibilities are endless.
Short-Sleeve Chambray Shirtdress in Light Wash, regular price $34.94, sale price $20.96 in store
Old Navy’s fitted V-neck tee is a must-have. $5, oldnavy.com.
Everlane’s short-sleeve tee with chest pocket in a lightweight mercerized cotton for a sleek, refined finish. $22, Everlane.com.
Semi-fitted T-shirt with curved hem made from soft cotton jersey in a summery shade of coral. $25, madewell.com.
Eco-conscious Zady’s feminine v-neck T-shirt with just the right amount of drop and a slightly curved hemline. $36, zady.com.
Aritzia’s Rhetoric slim-fitting T-shirt in 100% organic cotton is lightweight enough for keeping cool or layering under light jackets. $45, artizia.com.
When the occasion demands a more sophisticated look, Aritzia’s pima cotton blend T-shirt offers a super-smooth fit with no side seams. $50, Aritzia.com.
James Perse T-shirts with fitted body, crew neck and curved bottom hem get good marks for comfort and style. $65, jamesperse.com.
The Saint James classic nautical shirt, a little oversized with sleeves that look great pushed up. $68, annmashburn.com.
A draped, lightweight jersey Wilt tee with wide trim along the shallow v-neckline. $88, shopbop.com.
DESPITE THE recent lack of cooperation from the weather gods, for the past month I’ve been obsessed about buying T-shirts. It’s the underpinning of my go-to daily summer uniform: a jacket and a white, black or striped tee paired with cropped jeans/pants or a skirt. That more or less covers me for a lunch date/meetings and (sans jacket) casual weekends. My requirements: a slightly fitted torso or a slightly slouchy one, a neckline that lies flat, a durable material that’s not see-through (must withstand the washing machine) and a price tag of less than $100, please.
Some history: If I had to rank my T-shirts in order of longevity and value, then that honor would go to a Gap navy-and-white striped short-sleeved crew neck that I’ve owned for the past seven or eight years. It’s a little pill-y, but I’m not quite ready to give it up. On the value end, my niece who was living with my husband and me for the summer after college left it at our house, and, sorry, Maggie, I kept it! Around the same time I bought a black James Perse T-shirt for about $35 (the price has gone up considerably) or so and was almost as pleased. In the meantime, I have bought plenty of T-shirts in all price ranges with not as much success. I was enamored with my Vince tee that I bought on sale two summers ago until it inexplicably got a hole in it several months later. I also loved my Saint James marinière, also purchased on sale, but it’s beginning to look, as the French say, “triste,” after only a few months of wear. And in spite of careful cold-water laundering, a Wolford sleeveless top that I paid big bucks for ($120) and don’t wear very often is starting to look frayed. (And I was so hopeful because their tights are simply the best!) My subsequent T-shirt buys at the Gap have been disappointing, too, with necklines that bulge and sub-par materials.
But not to be deterred, I’m on the hunt for new possibilities. My latest purchase is a $22 black, boxy Everlane Clean Edge Short-Sleeve T with side vents, chest pocket and a finished hem. I’m planning to wear it with slim white jeans and sandals. Last week’s Wall Street Journalstory put white T-shirts from Aritzia and Anthony Thomas Melilla on my radar, although at $85, the latter is bumping up against my price limit. On the other end of the price spectrum, one of my most stylish friends is a fan of Old Navy tees — “they come in so many different colors and choices of neckline.” My well-informed New York City shopper has put me on to a site called Zady, a “sustainability-focused fashion company.” Like Everlane, it’s transparent about its sources, and the price point is reasonable.
The photos above show some of the T-shirts I’ve worn and liked and ones I intend to try. But, dear reader, we would love to hear what you think. Got a favorite brand? Share it with us by e-mailing info@mylittlebird.com.
— Janet Kelly
Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird.com. Read more about Janet here.
She last posted on the jewelry business of Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato.
It Takes Two: Just Ask Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato
Thirty-something designer Lizzie Fortunato, left, and her twin and business partner, Kathryn Fortunato, right. / Photos by Jason Ross Savage.
Left, Gold floral drop earrings with blue stone accents, $195. Right, gold-plated brass 3-inch drop earrings with etched concho pendants and sodalite and black agate semi-precious stones, $335. Both at Ann Mashburn (3251 Prospect St. NW), annmashburn.com and lizzieforrunato.com.
“Chokers are having a moment,” says Lizzie. Gold-plated brass double rings adorn this Double Take light pink suede tube necklace from the spring 2016 collection. $290 at Ann Mashburn Georgetown, annmashburn.com and lizziefortunato.com.
Called the Polynesian Tassel Necklace, the design is a mix of painted porcelain beads, tortoise rings and a fleet of handmade tassels. $595, Ann Mashburn Georgetown and annmashburn.com.
Cuff bracelets that don’t completely encircle the wrist are also having a fashion moment. Gold-plated brass wire cuff with lapis teardrop stones in prong settings. $245, Ann Mashburn Georgetown, annmashburn.com and lizzieforrunato.com.
Wire cuff set with blue willow, black agate and jasper cabochons. $345, lizziefortunato.com.
The move to handbags in 2011 was a natural extension of the line’s mixed-media jewelry. Like this bold clutch with embroidered flowers on a chenille background. $398, Ann Mashburn Georgetown and annmashburn.com.
ON A RAINY (what else is new?) day last week, MyLittleBird met thirty-something twin sisters Lizzie and Kathryn Fortunato. They were showing their 2016 spring/summer jewelry and leather collection at Ann Mashburn’s inviting Georgetown digs. (The 80-piece line, which incorporates semi-precious stones, leather, brass, African glass beads and embroidery, is exclusive to Mashburn in D.C.) The sisters, who hail from Wilmington, Delaware, studied art and English and economics respectively at Duke University. They now live in Brooklyn’s Clinton Hill and work with a team of eight metalsmiths and seamstresses at their Lower East Side office, where most of the line is produced.
We talked to them about design, business, travel and sisterhood.
MLB: I know a lot of people who would shy away from working with their sister? What drew you together?
KF: I was working in finance on Wall Street and Lizzie was working full time on the business (she left her PR job in 2007 to launch Lizzie Fortunato in 2008.) After two years of designing, fulfilling and pitching, she knew she needed to hire a full-time operations manager. In 2010, I jumped ship. We work really well together because neither of us aspires to the other’s job. Lizzie heads up all creative and is the artist in the business. My focus is sales and operations — I like numbers.
MLB: Lizzie, what led you to jewelry design?
LF: I was always drawn to the process of creating. Growing up I made my clothes and would get resourceful: taking apart items in my closet or going to a home decor store with my mom and buying trim to add to a skirt. I love the idea of combining different materials in unexpected ways to create something “greater than the sum of its parts” and growing up, I was always thinking what can I find and combine to make my outfit unique? Jewelry was really a natural extension of this. I always loved beads and stones and it seemed like the possibilities were endless. The irony is I always thought making jewelry would be so much faster than making clothes (working off patterns didn’t come naturally to me and I remember making my prom dress took about three months), but now some of the jewelry I make is far more involved and goes through so many iterations I’m not saving that much time after all!
MLB: Were you inspired by anything in particular for your spring collection?
LF: Yes, there was this photo of model Daria Werbowy wearing a crown of flowers in a 2004 issue of French Vogue. What appealed to me was the mix of rustic and tropical.
MLB: What do you like to do in, er, your spare time??
LF and KF: We both love to travel. It fuels inspiration for the line and we love to immerse ourselves in other cultures, to be inspired by the architecture, craftwork and techniques in places like Peru, Guatemala, Mexico, India, Turkey, Japan. We both have recently moved to Brooklyn where we have a lot more space, so spending time with our boyfriends in our respective apartments — cooking, gardening, entertaining — is the perfect downtime from work.
MLB: Being in the fashion business requires you to look “dressed.” Do you have go-to daily uniforms?
LF: Levis and an oversize blazer. My current rotation includes a black Phillip Lim and an off-white double-breasted blazer from The Row.
KF: I love Apiece Apart; the brand specializes in neutral separates great for mixing and matching and easy dressing. I wear a lot of cropped pants and love a good vest on top —layers are an easy way to finish off an outfit. For shoes I wear Dieppa Restrepo loafers and then complete the look with a Lizzie necklace. My go-to is the leather and brass Double Take collar.
MLB: Any role models?
LF and KF: Our mom. She’s the hardest worker, most fun and incredibly stylish. She’s a classic beauty. And Ann Masburn is pretty awesome, too. Like our mom, she really is an example of how to have a family, a career and enjoy life, too.
WE ASKED YOU — our good pals and contributors — what you wanted for Mother’s Day. Here’s what you told us. (Oh, and we threw in a few extra gift ideas that we think you might like as well.)
Adrienne Cox, marketing strategist, is considering her options: “Alone time at the Mandarin Hotel?”
Mansur Gavriel’s much-coveted bucket bag.
“Aside from peace in the Middle East, a woman (you know who) in the White House at the top job in 2017 and a Mansur Gavriel medium bucket bag in tan, Nancy Gold, Philadelphia lawyer, wants a gift certificate to the best “get me gray gracefully” hairstylist in the country. With enough dollars on it to really help. I’m done throwing time and money away in a losing cause.”
“The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.”
“Being child-free this Sunday,” contributor Stephanie Cavanaugh says,“I would really like dinner in Italy, but will be content with a bucket of Popeyes and an Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt marathon, since there’s no other way to get my husband to sit and watch with me and it’s no fun watching by myself, even if all he does is sigh and groan.”
Freelance writer Catherine Clifford has a wish list (but don’t tell her family, she doesn’t want them to buy her presents):
Floral twill gloves, $38, shopterrain.com.
1. Facial scrub that doesn’t contain the little beads that kill fish. 2. Because I’ll never buy them myself, why would I when I have 87 old perfectly good T-shirts to sleep in: pretty or cute, comfy, NOT sexy summer pajamas, maybe like these or these. 3. Nice-looking, durable window boxes, (and a robot to keep them watered). 4. Attractive pots of mixed flowers for the front yard and door (and a robot….) 5. Elegant everyday wine glasses sized for regular humans, not giants or lushes (so, like, maybe 6-or 8-ounce?) 6. One-time or, even better, subscription delivery(ies) from H. Bloom. I’ve given people flowers from them several times. Gorgeous. Lastly, adorable, Altruette charms. Half of profits go to charity (each charm is linked to a thematically related charity).
Mary Falvello, who works in health care, is of this opinion. “A spa day is always good. I like The Pearl in Columbia.”
Christine Ledbetter, who edits arts copy at The Washington Post, says, “I want a day at the city’s best spa, with a blowout and makeup lesson after, and dinner at one of the top-ten restaurants.”
LittleBird Kathy makes it perfectly clear: “Someone to clean the house from top to bottom, every last inch of it. I mean wash walls, steam clean floors, scrub cabinets (inside and out), send carpets out to be cleaned, scour the bathrooms until they sparkle, wash and sanitize every last surface of each and every object, leaving not one dog hair or fur ball behind. Then I want to walk from room to room savoring the cleanliness and basking in the sparkle for at least 15 minutes before allowing the dogs and cats back in the house. Oh, and dinner at Le Diplomate would be nice, too.”
Silver bracelet from Tiffany T collection. $975, tiffany.com.
Contributor Alexa Mergen would like to “track down a (now) vintage 1980s 18k gold Omega watch in pristine condition to replace the one my mom lost way back when! I’d have Jay Strongwater design a custom box and ask Maira Kalman to draw the whole scene: the loss of the watch while walking to the bus, through the despair of realizing the loss, the resignation, the many unsatisfactory watch-replacement attempts to the resolution!”
Russel Wright dinnerware in melamine, food52.com.
Fundraiser Chris Singer is dreaming of “a personal assistant with great taste, style and energy to ‘run’ my life — to integrate my personal and professional lives so that all details are handled smoothly and on time. This would include regular wardrobe de-cluttering, personal travel arrangements, routine and personal care appointments, assuring that cards and presents are chosen and sent on time, entertaining and holidays planned in advance and that all details surrounding professional obligations are coordinated with my assistant at work. An energetic, meticulous logistical genius who is up on food, books, music, plays, movies that would appeal to me — a Hillary supporter, with a wry sense of humor, warm-hearted — all wrapped up for Mother’s Day!”
“A puppy!” says health public relations woman Jodie Klein, whose beloved canine bestie Max died several months ago.
—Janet Kelly Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird. Read more about Janet here.
Cole Haan’s ZerøGrand Oxford ($200, colahaan.com) combines comfortable, cushiony soles with stylish suede. For work or play. Shown here in Silver Cloud, it’s available in about 15 other colors.
PeeWee low-heel sandals from Stuart Weitzman have extra padding under the insole to cushion the bottom of your foot. (All Weitzman heels are graded to maintain a comfortable pitch.) Black patent leather says spring. ($335, stuartweitzman.com).
These pale pink loafers from Everlane are sold out. The good news is that this sleek, made-in-Italy versatile shoe comes in seven other colors. $170, everlane.com.
I’m a sucker for these menswear-inspired, high-gloss leather loafers with lug sole and tassel. Yes, they’re pricey. $475, stuartweitzman.com.
It’s hard to beat Aquatalia for durability and good looks, like this laser-cut leather slip-on with white molded sole. Also available in black or navy. $395, aquatalia.com.
Vince Camuto’s cut-out lace wedge sandal are an easy-to-wear take on the popular gladiator style. $129.95, nordstrom.com.
Adorable blue suede moccasin-like sneakers to pair with cuffed jeans or midi pleated skirt. $159, http://alessandragold.myshopify.com.
A summer vacation must, Blu Kicks canvas slip-ons are machine washable. Removable insoles with arch support, yay. Lots of fun colors available. $59, blukicks.com.
Aptly named the Transport Tote. Ideal for schlepping your paperwork to a meeting. Long enough to sling over your shoulder, but short enough to carry as a top handle. An inside zip pocket to stash keys, phone and wallet. $168, madewell.com.
Backpacks have come a long way. Take this one in shiny black quilted nylon. Practical and trendy for streetwear, back and forth from the gym or far-flung travel. $245, mzwallace.com.
Add texture to your ensemble with this raffia clutch for casual days when you don’t need to carry much. $89.50, massimodutti.com.
A handsome and roomy terra-cotta leather bag that comes with an adjustable shoulder strap. $99, zara.com.
This sleek cinch bag meets the requirements of even the strictest minimalists. $295, cuyana.com. And, Cuyana recently opened a pop-up shop in Georgetown (1249 Wisconsin Ave. NW). Stop in to check out their other offerings.
A feel-good, look-good purchase. This sisal, hand-woven tote is made from fibers from a plant that grows in Kenya. Profits go to support African families in economically depressed regions. $98, urbanoutfitters.com.
PAGING THROUGH a recent issue of a fashion magazine, I found this advice helpful: You don’t have to overhaul your wardrobe for spring and summer. Just update with some well-chosen accessories. Coincidentally, a couple of pairs of shoes /sandals and a handbag are just what my closet called out for. But I wasn’t prepared to pay the stratospheric prices so many designer shoes and bags demand. My goal was new shoes I could walk several city blocks in and a handbag to comfortably accommodate my cell phone, keys, wallet and a lipstick.
Hint, hint, a stylish bag could be just the perfect Mother’s Day gift for that special woman in your life.
See photos above for the options I found most appealing.
— Janet Kelly
Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird.com. Read more about Janet here.
She last posted about local Cleveland Park boutique Refine.
From ceramic cherries to vintage hats and handmade leather bags: There’s something for everyone on Etsy.
WE PRIDE OURSELVES on our shopping prowess, but Etsy, an artisanal alternative to mainstream marketplaces, has been somewhere we feared to tread. Last week, a MyLittleBird reader expressed our sentiments exactly: “Etsy is a foreign language to me. How do you sort through it without spending hours searching? How can you distinguish quality? Any shortcuts?” To answer her, we decided we had to tap our very own secret shopper, a woman whose talent for discovering the most stylish shoe, spring dress or cunning piece of jewelry from the least expected place is legendary.
Here are some of her hints for unlocking the Etsy enigma.
I’ve been buying through the site since 2009. It requires a lot of browsing. Occasionally I’ll see an item in an article I like and then look at the shop. Once you find a shop that appeals, it’s a good bet the owner’s taste is similar to yours. Some of the shop owners have a list of their own favorites, and you can find other shops through those lists. Also, once you buy a few things, Etsy algorithms start suggesting shops you might like. They are generally pretty accurate. I also check Manhattan User’s Guide, which sends out an email every day with useful information to city dwellers. The site sometimes goes “Etsy hunting” and has good suggestions.
If you’re looking for something interesting and particular, you can just search for it and after much browsing find a few good options. I bought a kimono robe in 2009 from Plum Pretty Sugar, a shop that has since really taken off. One of my girls is into whales, so I just searched for “whale” and found a few cool prints and an awesome stuffed whale. There’s a shop that makes just 1920s reproduction beaded flapper dresses! Or flower-girl dresses that look like clouds and sell for more than $500. Hair turbans. Cashmere underwear. Sandals handmade in Greece. It really is fabulous, and I love buying direct from the artist as opposed to made-in-China fast fashion.
My all-time favorite shops include:
MuguetMilan – a former model turned seamstress who has access to gorgeous italian fabrics (including vintage Valentino lace!)
Sycamorehill for vintage custom-stamped coffee and espresso spoons
Among my purchases have been a ceramic berry bowl, custom-themed cupcake toppers and party favors for kids, handmade vintage-style nightgowns, all sorts of hair accessories, pure linen from shops in Lithuania, loads of Harry Potter stuff (including hand-carved wands), handmade underwear, laminated table cloths and fouta towels from Turkey. Clothes occasionally don’t work out, you have to be really careful with measurements. But I’ve loved almost everything I’ve bought.
Once I’m interested in an item, I read the reviews. If there is a fair number of five-star reviews, and people like quality and responsiveness of the seller, I buy!
Congratulations to Shelly Ritornato, the winner of this drawing for a Sanctuary Cosmetic Center exclusive discount!! Thanks to all who entered the contest by sending us their e-mail. MyLittleBird appreciates your participation and your readership!
MAY COULD BE a very merry month indeed for some lucky LittleBirds. Sanctuary Cosmetic Center in Tysons, Va., is offering MyLittleBird readers an exclusive discount on two package deals : a light-based treatment for sun damage and a Botox series.
Prepay $500 each for three BroadBand Light treatments and get 50 percent off the third. (BroadBand Light triggers skin cells to produce more collagen, which results in diminished age spots and rejuvenated skin.) Likewise, prepay for three Botox sessions (priced at $350 for one area to $750 for three areas) and get the third session at 50 percent off.
All you have to do to enter to win one of these great package deals is send your e-mail to info@mylittlebird or send it to us via Facebook. Your choice. You will then be automatically entered into our drawing. We’ll announce our winner on Thursday, May 5. In time for a Mother’s Day gift!
— Janet Kelly Janet Kelly is the editor of MyLittleBird. She recently wrote about Refine Boutique in Cleveland Park.
around author St. John Fox, his wife Daphne and Mary, his imagined muse…who may or may not have come to life. Helen Oyeyemi’s work often includes hints of fairy tales, some of the first stories we ever hear as children. Here, the tale “Bluebeard,” he of the locked door and the murdered wives, appears in flashes throughout the pages, in many different guises. Told in part through Mr. Fox’s own developing drafts, this novel offers many, many stories for the price of one. Fiction and reality don’t just meet, they flirt, date, get married and procreate. And the result is Mr. Fox. Fair warning, the book feeds on ambiguity and no small amount of confusion on the part of the reader. But if you can roll with it, there’s a lot to enjoy. 
Mr. Penumbra’s 24 Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan (2012):
The Other Story by Tatiana de Rosnay (2014):
IF YOU’RE WONDERING why your college girls are flocking to Old Navy for more than just cheap T-shirts, here’s the answer. The styles may be too young, too short for let’s-say-mature legs, but they’re unarguably cool for casual summer days. We sent our own college girl, Emily Harburg, to investigate. 
