Author: nenasnotes

FASHION NOW: SPRING 2018 REVIEW PART 1 NEW YORK FASHION WEEK

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imageMad for this quote….how true….fashion is everywhere and fashion weeks are popping up all over the world.  We still look at the four, what we consider, at least at the moment, major markets….New York, London, Milan, and Paris.  New York began last week and we end in Paris early October.  From what I have seen thus far we are in for a very exciting Spring 2018 season.  What I will be reviewing, probably a couple of times a week, will be the trends that I see happening along with a few of my favorite designers.  Take note that my seeing news and excitement doesn’t necessarily say I “like the garments” I am reporting the excitement of the upcoming season.  And, please, oh please, let’s not discuss age or body image, if you like a look it can be adjusted to your time in life and your figure!

Let’s look at some of my finds….

How convenient that Zac Posen presented his Spring 2018 collection at the same time his documentary, House of Z,  is available.  If you missed my review please check my archives, I posted it on Friday, September 8th.  Zac chose not to do a formal show, actually a show at all, instead he has produced a look book filled with amazing styles.  I have chosen a couple to highlight here.  You can see the amazing embroidery, the incredible detail (the first is an ode to his inspiration designer, Charles James).  The entire collection is timeless and seasonless.  The last piece, a remarkable ball gown is, in my opinion, a masterwork!

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Jason Wu’s youthful but ageless collection featured stripes which showed up in several collections….let’s keep our eyes open for that as a trend.  imageimageI am so excited to share the news that the Jason Wu fragrance is exclusive at Saks Fifth Avenue and I was given a bottle to add to the Nena Ivon Archives at Columbia College Chicago.  The bottle is based on his iconic handbag…see image below of both the bag and the fragrance….that is my fragrance and it’s box in my photo.  Not only sleek stunning packaging and bottle but a delicious scent!

imageimage From the sublime to the whimsical….an around the world fashion adventure with the creativity of Desigual.  Reminds me a bit of the Kenzo of years ago.  Lots of color, pattern and ethnic touches.  A case in point, that Fashion doesn’t need to be classic all the time!

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Speaking of whimsey….there is always Jeremy Scott who is celebrating 20 years in fashion, his collection is always tongue in cheek and this one continues that tradition with a new twist on his old favorites.  He is the darling of Katy Perry, Madonna, Riannah and other celebrities.

imageWatch for very bright almost neon colors in many of the collections.  Love the Doc Martens with this look.

imageWill denim always be with us….yes, yes and yes, in one form or another.  Before you go crazy, you don’t have to do a mini skirt the look can be adapted.

imagePhilipp Plein began his show with a performance by Dita Von Teese, the stage had “strippers” gyrating throughout the presentation….interesting to say the least. He showed both women’s and men’s garments some including leather as details.  These two pictures are showing two of the trends in the early collections, pastels, and denim.image

At the same time this show was going on Alexander Wang was doing not one but two shows with his models on as party bus they first appeared on a street in Manhatten then in Brooklyn, the shows were all over the place.

imageDoes she look famiiar….it is Kaia Gerber, Cindy Crawford’s daughter…she opened the show.  Her first catwalk was in Raf Simons Calvin Klein show.

imageNo need to introduce this young lady to you.  A fabulous little black dress.

A big surprise for me was the Calvin Klein collection by Raf Simons….the two photos below are very against what we think of as the Brand….but I feel very refreshing and very new….lots and lots of color and interesting silhouettes. Love the color combinations of the gloves, shoes, and bags….thoughts of how to update your established wardrobe.

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Tom Ford back in the game as the sexy designer guru….a dynamite collection.  Before you come after me….lose the shorts and look at the sensational hot pink power jacket and the color combination…perfection!

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Two of his evening pieces with beaded sleeves one in neon yellow and the other in pastel dusty pink…the way to look at any special black tie event.

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And, of course, the color he is known for, black, this, to me, is the essence of the little black dress.  One of my favorite looks so far.

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Victoria Beckham just gets better each season (when I worked with her she couldn’t have been more professional nor delightful, a total joy!) A bright red statement.

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imageShades of lilac but with depth in the color.

imageGreat layering and color combining.

imageAnd another LBD, fabulous with lilac pumps.  By the way, she has gone back into the jean scene.  Her first foray was when I worked with her.

The king of the special occasion dress and one of the first designers to use all size models in his shows, Christian Siarino….can we all remember him and his “fierce” attitude on Project Runway….he is an extraordinarily talented young man and I adore his high-end garments always shown with his Payless shoe collection.  Really the way women dress, combining high and low and old and new….imageContinuing my theory of stripes as a trend.

And four of my favorites from the collection….with pastels, brights, black and prints… all part of his progression.  Just gets better and better.

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Can’t wait to see what the next week brings…..stay tuned!

 

FASHION NOW: HOUSE OF Z

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Before I talk about the House of Z, there are a couple of things I wanted to mention, of course, the hurricanes both Harvey and now Irma that are devasting vast areas not only in the States but the Caribbean and now the earthquake in Mexico.  Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone in their paths.  Another sad note, Pierre Bergé died at the age of 86.  The person who made Yves Saint Laurent a household name and gave us unprecedented art and antiques and the new Yves Saint Laurent museums in Paris and Marrakech.  We must thank him for giving us beauty in so many forms, RIP.

On a happy note, New York Fashion Week is in full swing and the Collection that caught my eye is Calvin Klein, designer Raf Simons has turned the Brand around and Spring 2018 is chocked full of color!  More on NYFW in upcoming posts.

Now for this post….my first “movie” review.

imageI had the pleasure of being invited by Brooks Brothers Chicago (Zac is the creative director of Brook Brothers) to attend a reception at the Michigan Avenue store and a screening of the House of Z a documentary on Zac Posen.  The film premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival to rave reviews. You can watch the film on www.vogue.com/houseofz

The film traces the designer’s life, from childhood to 2014, and his beginnings with his mother and sister at 20, in 2001, at which time his premiere collection was met with great enthusiasm from the press and stores.  It goes through the major ups and the major downs when no one wanted to know him…ego does get in the way of many creative people.  It doesn’t hold back on anything, the details are not glossed over, which I found refreshing and at times very sad.  It is the story of triumph, failure, and triumph once again…only in America, which I believe is true.

My opinion of Zac Posen has always been a positive one, he is extraordinarily talented and I feel his early success was too much too soon.  Not unusual in our industry but in many cases if a desinger goes into a decline they often don’t come back.  Fortunately for all of us Zac most certainly has come back and with a bang.  He, of course, kept in the public eye and became even visible with his participation on Project Runway. Always the darling of celelebrities walking the red carpet and once again with the press. The Collection that is featured as the “comeback” show is his Fall 2014 Collection and is presented in his atelier, it is an ode to Charles James who he feels has always been his inspirational designer.  Watching THE blue dress come to life and how many hands and hours it takes is fascinating, charming and nail biting. The only other fashion designer documentary that I have seen that resembles this is Isaac Mizrahi and Unzipped, which I thought was so sad…and look at Isaac now into so many things, including one man shows…he will be at the City Winery www.citywinery.com/chicago on September 29th!!  I found House of Z to be gritty, honest, with major doses of what goes on behind the scenes of not only creating clothes but into the heart, and yes, the soul of the designer.  Bravo!

imageIsn’t this amazing….

Did I work with Zac, yes, I did.  Saks Fifth Avenue Chicago hosted him at a benefit for Steppenwolf Theater www.steppenwolf.org at a show at the Murphy Auditorium www.the-murphy.com an absolutely gorgeous venue.  My production team from Ravenswood Studios headed by Deb Gohr built a runway out from the stage and painted it to look exactly like the wood on the stage everyone thought it was part of the room. Backstage was right next to the audience and very, very tight quarters…trying to keep 20+ models quiet is always a challenge but all went off without a hitch and was quite a stunning show.  We featured the Fall 2008 collection that spring, I always liked to do the collections as close to the actual time they are shown during market weeks rather than in season when everyone has seen them especially true now with most of the designers either live streaming and everyone in the audience immediately posting their photos and/or videos on Instagram.

imageTwo of the looks from the Zac Posen Fall 2008  Collection.

 

 

COLLECTIONS: SMALL BOXES

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I have always been a fan of boxes, large and small.  Since I live in a tiny apartment and love to collect, I have to think small (as you know most of my space is devoted to my fashion book collection along with other books!).  Many of my pieces, which I will share in a future post, are very small and many of them reside together on the top on one of my chests.  All of them are memories of where I got them or who gave them to me.  You will find treasures at the monthly Randolph Street Market, www.randolphstreetmarket.com  who is one of the sponsors of nenasnotes and has been from the beginning of the blog, (the last of the seasonal outdoor markets will be on Saturday and Sunday, September 23 and 24, the indoor Market is year round!)  I took the above photo at the last market and placed my selection of boxes on a vintage carpet all are from Greg Johnson’s booth in the Ballroom on the Second Floor of Plumbers Hall. Greg’s selections of fabulous items are always a joy to see and his knowledge is amazing.  I love talking with him.  For some unknown reason, I didn’t take close up photos of the round Mille Fleur box nor the hand painted porcelain Sampson Paris rectangular box.  Let’s look at the other individual pieces.

imageI am mad for Asian pieces and this one is a gem….a rectangular Cinnabar box from the 19th Century with black lacquer inside.  The carving is, in my opinion, and I’m, most certainly not an expert, exquisite.  From Webster’s Dictionary:

  • Cinnabar red sulphide of mercury, occurring in brilliant red crystals, and also in red or brown amorphous masses. It is used in medicine

  • Cinnabar the artificial red sulphide of mercury used as a pigment; vermilion

 

imageThe top of the 1920’s Chinese enamel stamp box…does anyone use stamps anymore, hopefully, on lovely handwritten notes, I always love that personal touch, don’t you!

imageA beautifully carved Mother of Pearl box in different shades of the shell.  Stunning piece.

imageimage I didn’t take notes on this but it is obviously an old hand painted tile set into a carved wooden box.  It is shaped and gives me the idea that the tile was originally on a foot stool or a neck rest!  But then again, I don’t profess to be an expert,  just like what I like.  On that subject, do make the acquaintance of each dealer, you will learn so much and they truly love to talk about their treasures. Keep in mind your friends tastes and what they collect and stock up on gifts when at RSM and ALWAYS buy it when you see it and like it…it may well be gone in the minutes you walk away to make up your mind!!!  Haven’t we all done that……

imageWhen I was visiting my friend Barbara (I have shared some of her other collections with you as well as a couple of her recipes in past posts) I mentioned that I was doing a piece on small collectible boxes.  We got busy and gathered hers together on her marble coffee table.  Barbara is a world traveler and always brings back treasures for her collections and as gifts (over the years I have been the lucky recipient of many objects).  Let’s explore their stories….

imageThe first is a Russian Palekh hand painted black enamel box she got on a trip to Russia.  I love the primitive look of the painting,

imageimageThis beauty, we named it “Mother of the Pearl” major giggles all around…..is Limoges and my mother, Ruth, got it at Field’s AFar, many, many years ago it was a house gift from us.  In my opinion, it is an unusual piece and the interior is in an iridescent white totally resembling a shell.  Love it.

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imageTwo hand painted Herend Porcelain pieces from one of her trips to Hungary.

imageAnd Barbara’s Cinnabar box from her trip to Hong Kong.

All photos taken by me with my iPhone 7

From Barbara’s Recipe Box

SHRIMP AND VEGETABLE SALAD

1 large avocado

2 cups pea pods

1 pound cooked, shelled and deveined shrimp, sliced lengthwise

8 oz. can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered

Romaine lettuce, cut into 1/2 inch slices

Dressing:

1 cup oil, including 2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 1/2 Tablespoons minced parsley

1 1/2 Tablespoons minced chives

1 Tablespoon minced shallots or green onions

Salt and pepper to taste

Peel avocado and cut into bite-size pieces.  Simmer pea pods 2 minutes, then rinse in cold water.  In food processor or blender, combine all dressing ingredients.  Process until blended.  Marinate shrimp, artichoke hearts, avocado and pea pods in dressing.  Refrigerate 3 hours, turning occasionally.  Blend in lettuce in desired quantity just before serving.  Nena’s note…it is a delicious recipe and can be served year round.  You know me, you will serve with a lovely white wine and crusty French bread.  Enjoy!

 

 

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS: THE ADDRESS

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imageI have been waiting for this book to come out for months, having enjoyed Fiona Davis’ first book The Dollhouse and anticipated a good read, I wasn’t disappointed!  I usually don’t like plots that go from one time to another, this one begins in 1884 and then travels to 1985, this is done in different chapters.  In this case, it works extremely well and brings the story to contemporary times.

We begin at a luxury hotel in England where our protagonist, Sara Smythe, is head housekeeper and sees a little girl balancing on a window ledge, rushes to save her (which she does), the father of the little girl, Theodore Camden, is so grateful he offers Sara a position at the soon to be opened Dakota, in New York where he is one of the architects and project manager.  She thinks the offer is not sincere but because she saved his daughter.  Shortly after Camden, his wife and children return to New York, Sara receives a ticket and travel expenses to join them.  Without much hesitation, she boards her ship and sails for New York and her new life….by the way, all this is in the first few pages of the book!

When she arrives at the Dakota she is stunned by the size, the beauty of the structure and the location, in the middle of nowhere, remember this is 1884.  Sara finds herself as managerette (don’t you love this title!) and totally in charge of basically everything.  She is very much up to the task and the new apartment dwelling opens beautifully.  Naturally, she lives in the building as does Theo and his family.

We then meet our other protagonist, Bailey Camden, a modern young woman who is an interior decorator and has just been released from rehab where she was treated for alcoholism and drug addiction.  Her boss has taken care of her rehab expenses and promptly fires her.  Her “cousin” (are they really cousins!!!!???) and friend Melinda, is rehabbing an apartment in the Dakota with the idea of making it very modern much to Bailey’s chagrin.  As part of their agreement, Melinda allows Bailey to live in the apartment during the renovation along with the promise of her fee when Melinda turns 30 in a few weeks and receives her substantial inheritance. If you have ever been in the building you know it is tradition personified and still considered a prestigious building, it is a stunner.

Both stories have lives of their own but, of course, mesh together as well. We meet many characters along the way, learn about New York as it begins to become the City we all know and love by learning about its architecture, go inside an insane asylum (not my favorite part of the story, I felt it was a bit long), the glamour of the Gilded Age and the excess of the 1980’s New York scene.  My take away was how talented women, in any age, with the drive, the know how, skills and willingness to succeed do so.  A feminist story, perhaps, but more one of human nature, self-worth and lots and lots of intrigue along the way, romance, yes that too!.  Did I like the book, yes, indeed I did!

From the last paragraph on the fly leaf of the book….”A century apart, Sara and Bailey are both tempted and struggled against the golden excess of their respective ages—for Sara, the opulence of a world ruled by the Astors and Vanderbilts; for Bailey, the nightlife’s free-flowing drinks and cocaine—and take refuge in the Upper West Side’s gilded fortress.”

 

FASHION FLASHBACK: FASHION AND FRAGRANCE PART 1

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HURRAH, I’M BACK UP AND RUNNING…..SORRY FOR THE ABSENCE…ENJOY THE POST

 

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The Paris Exhibition of 1900 brought us Art Nouveau and a new woman was born.  A woman who wanted to be liberated (it did take a bit longer for that to happen, but the dye, so to speak was cast!)  Perfume, up to this point (fragrance has been with us almost since the beginning of time) was mostly floral, the established perfumer, Guerlain introduced a perfume which broke ground with an unusual name and innovative presentation,  It was called Voilà Pourquoi J’Aimais Rosine (That’s Why I Love Rosine).  It was the first artistic perfume bottle and resembled a vase with silk flowers concealing a stopper.

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“…fashion does reflect the whim of the moment.  Perfume, meanwhile, seems to withstand the test of time.  Nowadays all the great fashion houses possess one or several perfumes.  Not only because they project the image of the make abroad (perfumes represent 50% of all luxury goods exports) but also because the foreign currency they bring into France covers the colossal financial demands of the couture industry.  If in the 1920’s Haute Couture made possible the advent of the fashion designer’s perfume, today it is perfume which ensures the survival of Haute Couture” From The Book of Perfume by Elizabeth Barille

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The first Haute Couture Designer to feature fragrance was Paul Poiret who introduced his fragrance Rosine, named for his daughter, in 1912.  I wonder was she named for the Guerlain fragrance? Les Parfumes de Rosine was the first perfume and cosmetics company founded by a French couturier.  While traveling to Vienna Poiret met Gustav Klimt and the company of artists of the Vienna Secession Movement. This artistic community produced textile designs, fabrics, fashion, accessories and jewelry as well as painting, furniture, etc.  Poiret was inspired by them to create his own way of bringing art into everyday life.  In my opinion, he was the Ralph Lauren of his time, a lifestyle creator.  He felt by creating fragrances not only his established clientele but women who could not afford his clothes could have something “Poiret”.  Another part of his company was named for his son Atelier Coin and produced the boxes and packaging materials.  The over all company was named after his other daughter, Martine.

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imageI counted 58 fragrances from Parfums de Rosine!

 

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imageDenise Poiret with Rosine Poiret

imageThe Perfumery

imagePaul Poiret in his perfumery

In 1913 along with a new assistant, Ertè, he created costumes for Le Minaret and created a fragrance with its name and the bottle was entirely covered in tulle and gold thread.  Later in 1913 Nuit de Chine resembled a snuff bottle with Chinese characters on one side and French on the other.  It featured a molded glass ring with dark blue bakelite rings, the first time Bakelite had been used with glass.  When I saw the Poiret exhibition at The Met in New York several years ago, they featured some of the items from the Martine workrooms, furniture, rugs, etc. and several examples of the Rosine fragrances, I noticed on the information plaques that most were on loan from Karl Lagerfeld!

imageThe Perfume Salon

All the Rosine fragrances were innovative.  All were avant-garde and completely different from each other.  From The Book of Perfume: “Not only was he the first to produce his own perfumes but he also changed dramatically the creative potential for the presentation of perfume.  His innovations would be a source of inspiration for other designers for years to come.  The Rosine perfume presentations may prove to be the most enduring examples of Paul Poiret’s genius.”

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imageFour of my favorite Rosine fragrances.  All the above photos from Pinterest photo credit unknown.

imagePaul Poiret fitting a client.

I was given further information about who was first with a designer fragrance, Lucile, by the consummate authority on Lady Duff Gordon, Randy Bryan Bigham, who introduced her fragrances in London in 1907.  I explained that I was featuring Haute Couture designers (French) he totally understood and agreed with me.

imageRandy Bryan Bigham’s magnificent book on Lucile.

imageLucile, Lady Duff Gordon  Photo from Pinterest credit unknown.

imageLucile’s London branch label (FYI she had a salon in Chicago…more about that in another post!!!!)

imageA Lucile ad from 1919 the French Novelties was “code” for the fragrance and cosmetics.

Here is Randy’s information on Lucile’s fragrance:

“Poiret may well have been the first Paris couturier to have his own perfume, but he’s not the first famous designer to launch a line of fragrances. The British designer Lucile – in private life Lady Duff Gordon – featured a signature scent as early as 1907 in her exclusive London salon in Hanover Square. At that time, Lucile was known for what she called the “emotional gown,” a dress of varying tones of layered chiffon that was supposed to express the personality of each client. She gave each frock a romantic name, sometimes whimsical, sometimes sultry, and they appeared in the program for her fashion shows. One that received perhaps the most publicity was a pastel tea-gown called “The Sighing Sound of Lips Unsatisfied.” To go along with these dresses, she offered perfumes that were specially blended to complement each woman’s personality. Clients selected from a range of scents while ordering lingerie in a private showroom called “The Rose Room,” a delicately feminine oasis decorated like a boudoir. Not only were fragrances available there in bottles but they were sold as sachets to put among one’s lingerie; some were sewed into the gowns themselves. Orrisroot and heather were popular fragrances she used. Another scent Lucile sold at her New York branch in 1916 was called “Lilac Blossoms.” The New York house of Lucile also provided a French perfume called “Shamrock.” In addition to Lucile’s own line of perfume, by the 1920s she sold several scents made for her by Coty, Djer-Kiss, and Ciel which created its “La Rose Lucile” scent in homage to her. She advertised these fragrances as “French novelties” which included cosmetics, bath oils, and powders. She was especially known for a lavender shade of powder, available to all Lucile clients in the house’s fitting rooms. Vogue magazine recommended this for use not only on the face but on the neck, shoulders, and arms.”

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The Rose Room in Lucile’s London Salon where her fragrances and lingerie were sold

imageThe Rose Room in Lucile’s Chicago Salon where lingerie was modeled and fragrances were sold.

All above photos courtesy of Randy Byran Bigham

My deepest appreciation to Randy for sharing his expertise with me to include in this post.  Randy and I “met” on Facebook and have become lovely FB friends.  You will, most definitely, hear more from Randy in upcoming posts, count on it! I am most excited to tell you Randy has agreed to answer my nenasnotes questionnaire, look for his profile in upcoming weeks!

 
From Randy’s website, PastFashion.

COLLECTIONS: PERFUME BOTTLES PART 1

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I know all our thoughts and prayers are with the citizens of Houston and the other areas devasted by the hurricane and torrential rains.  While watching the heroic efforts by so many to help others we realize how much good there is in the world even in tragic times.  Perhaps not a time for trivia, but perhaps just the thing to take our minds to a subject that has been around for centuries and know that civilization will survive.

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Miniature perfume bottles in a shadow box put together by one of my assistants many years ago. The batting was added by the Columbia College Archivists. My perfume bottle collection is a part of the Nena Ivon Archives at Columbia College Chicago. My photo.

Sorry for the delayed postings…I have had some major tech problems…let’s hope they are resolved, shall we see…Tom H. I’m relying on you!

When I was in retail I had the privilege of attending many seminars on fragrances and launches of designer and unique perfumes.  During that time I collected many miniature perfume bottles, all tiny replicas of the full product.  I tried to keep all the boxes (you all watch Antiques Roadshow and they tell us to keep toys, etc. in the original packaging!) In some cases we received full-size bottles and I kept those as well.

Today’s post is about the bottles and packaging not the juice nor the history of perfume…we will get to those interesting facts in future posts.

Let’s begin with a most unusual launch we did at Saks Fifth Avenue, Chicago in 2005 with a personal appearance by the creator of many of the perfume bottles, we admire and wear, who created his own fragrance, Marc Rosen, and Shanghai. I had a lot of fun planning the launch and called upon my dear friend, Greg Hyder, The Peninsula Hotel, Chicago’s, Catering Director extraordinaire, to assist me by allowing me to use the charming wait staff from their Shanghai Terrace as well as serving their special hors d’oeuvres and a signature cocktail created for the event.

imageA must have for your fashion book library.

IMG_0287Marc autographed each bottle purchased….here is mine which is housed in the Nena Ivon Archives at Columbia College Chicago.

IMG_0286Marc Rosen signing my bottle.

IMG_0288The exquisite packaging designed by Marc Rosen.

imageThe Shanghai Terrace servers. All the above photos are from the Nena Ivon Archives at Columbia College Chicago.

imageA photo I took in my library of some of the special bottles I still have.  The Norell miniature is from the relaunch of the fragrance that Neiman Marcus did a couple of years ago.  Same packaging a slightly updated fragrance.  Center is the iconic Chanel No. 5 which was given to me when I visited the Chanel apartment on my 50th Anniversary trip to the Haute Couture Collections, that shall stay with me awhile before going to my Archives, and the vintage bottle of Shocking by Elsa Schiaparelli. I did have the box but it was unfortunately destroyed…must find another one, that is the fun of the hunt for things you collect.  I am also looking for an original Lanvin Arpege.

imageSaks Fifth Avenue launched the Bob Mackie, Mackie fragrance in 1991, here is the relaunched signed piece in a limited edition for the Costume Council of the Chicago History Museum’s celebration in honor of Bob’s Designer of Excellence Award in 2015.

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One of the oldest perfume companies still in existence, Guerlain.  My mother’s fragrance, L’heure Bleu launched in 1912,  her bottle has a bit of juice and it still has the scent…it is Mom in a bottle!  My father gave her the entire set of product each Christmas until his death, I continued the tradition.  I think the Guerlain bottles are exquisite as are the fragrances.

imageMy bottle of my fragrance, Marilyn Miglin’s Pheromone.  I have worn it since its inception in 1978.  Marilyn’s story is a fascinating one, she went to Egypt to the research the oils, etc. used in ancient times and found many of the jars still held the scent…amazing.  I always get compliments on it.  As an aside, Marilyn was one of my small group of models back in the day! She was and is a stunner!

IMG_0334Kay Dobson. the Fashion Director at Saks Fifth Avenue, Chicago when I started and my second mother.  Joy was her fragrance of choice, here my bottle again a classic and one I will discuss when I do the Haute Couture designer perfumes.

imageTwo Jean Paul Gaultier fragrances, I don’t know where their caps are, that are going to my Archives…I just found them tucked away!  You note the bottles are inspired by the Shocking bottle, which was fashioned after Mae West’s silhouette.  Gaultier’s first fragrance bottle was inspired by Madonna!

imageThe packaging of fragrance and cosmetics is what draws us into the product…its all about marketing and appealing to our senses.  What I love about this piece is that it is housed in a square box, approximately 5″ x 5″ and opens to reveal a Chanel runway complete with the iconic Chanel mirrors, chairs set up for a fashion show and Mlle. herself with a mannequin on stage…I think one of my most favorite pieces in my collection…I think I will keep it for awhile!

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As always with my Collections posting I advise you to attend the Randolph Street Market www.randolphstreetmarket.com to see what you can find…this time Perfume Bottles.  Also, check your favorite stores for the classics even if you don’t wear them you can add to your vanity table.

More perfume bottles in the next Collections posting….in that post we will explore vintage collectible bottles, not by brand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEDNESDAY MUSINGS: FASHION IN FOOD…SOPHIE’S AT SAKS FIFTH AVENUE, CHICAGO

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Today’s post is another of my occasional restaurant reviews. I wanted to share my impressions on one of my favorites, 3 1/2 years old, Sophie’s. This little jewel is tucked away on the Seventh Floor of Saks Fifth Avenue, Chicago. The good news is that it has its own elevator that whisks you up to the Men’s Store where it is located.  But I would recommend you take the escalator so you can “browse” the floors (and think about adding to your fall wardrobe while doing so!!!) going up and down before and after your meal.

Let’s first discuss the name Sophie’s.  For those of you who have been following nenasnotes, you have seen several posts that have mentioned the restaurant and my December 2, 2016, post on its namesake, Sophie Gimbel.  Sophie Gimbel was one of the most important designers of the 1930’s through the 1950’s.  Do pull up the post I know you will enjoy it.

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imageThe two large photos are of vintage Sophie garments and are the first things you see when you enter the restaurant.  You can see in this photo, the bar where you can have a refreshing drink to enhance your shopping experience and/or a bite to eat.

I was invited by Chef Ron Aleman and Chris Dunstatter, Manager, to sample Chef Aleman’s new menu.  It changes 4 times a year and special items appear more often, well, needless to say, I didn’t hesitate to take them up on their offer!

imageThe restaurant, I was seated by the windows to the right.  It is a view like no other.  This space was formally the Beauty Salon at Saks, in my opinion, a waste…I can only dream of the events I could have done here!  Oh well, I’ll have to be content with eating delicious food instead!

IMG_0402My view…isn’t it perfection!!

Now for the food….Chef selected two starters and two entrees for me to taste and photograph as well as two desserts, one of which was a trial run.  I usually indulge in a glass or two of wine, I didn’t do that on this occasion.  I must mention, that the burger is one of the best in the City…I feel an upcoming post on my favorite burgers in Chicago!

imageMy first starter Marrakesh Watermelon Salad, red and golden watermelon, mint, crispy feta, on mixed greens with a balsamic reduction with an olive tapenade.  Truly photo op ready and more importantly totally delicious…and I am not a fan of watermelon nor feta, this dish completely changed my mind!

IMG_0408Next was Focaccia Soppresata, fresh mozzarella, green olives, roasted tomatoes and truffle oil.  Chef’s version of pizza!  Amazing presentation and was very good.

IMG_0418And now the entrees…Pan Seared Chilean Salmon, with green beans, grape tomatoes, shishito peppers and truffle corn sauce.  I am a major lover of salmon and this was one of the best preparations I have had!

IMG_0411Not your usual Avacado Toast…isn’t it incredibly beautiful and tasted just as wonderful. I posted this picture on Instagram and it has gotten the most hits by far of any of my photos. The ingredients, toasted harvest wheat, a perfectly cooked soft boiled egg (you can see it tucked into the greens at the top of the photo) mixed greens, radish, marinated tomato salad.  Extraordinary!

IMG_0423Dessert was this lucious panne cotta on a cake base surrounded by a medley of fresh berries, a berry puree with a dollap of lightly whipped cream, not only gorgeous to look at but a delight to eat.

IMG_0428Oh, my goodness, the finale and at the time wasn’t on the menu….grilled fresh peaches with candied pecans and a scoop of ice cream….unbelievably good!

I do have to admit I only ate portions of each dish (why didn’t I ask for a doggie bag, I must have had a brain lapse!) but could have devoured each.

Do stop by and have a wonderful meal at a leisurely pace and a break from your shopping you won’t be disappointed and do let me know your thoughts after you visit. By the way, there is a private space to have a lovely gathering that holds up to 15 people.

Chef Aleman will share another of his recipes in a future post.

The food photos are all mine, the interior shots are from Sophie’s and others are from Pinterest photo credits unknown.

Here are a couple of summer drink recipes (I think they can be year round) from my recipe box.  I made these while visiting last weekend on our way to the eclipse (at home not during the drive!!!)

Nena’s Red Sangria

This recipe comes from the late Larry Dobson by way of Spain so very authentic.

1 bottle dry red wine

1 large orange squeezed plus 1 large orange thinly sliced

1 large lemon squeezed plus 1 large lemon thinly sliced

12 maraschino cherries with juices

4 jiggers brandy

4 jiggers Cointreau

2 Tablespoons sugar

Combine ingredients, stir cover and chill over night.  Spoon fruit into glasses pour in wine and top with a splash soda water just before serving.  Be careful this is potent!!!!

Tom’s White Sangria

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1 bottle dry white wine

1 lime sliced (additional for garnish)

1 lemon sliced (additional for garnish)

2 ripe peaches cut into wedges

3 ripe green apples seeded and cut into wedges

1 pear cut into thin slices

A hand full of seedless green grapes

3 shots of Calvados or pear brandy

3 shots of Triple Sec

Combine all ingredients and chill overnight.  Spoon fruit into glasses and pour wine over fruit, top each glass with a splash of soda water.  Enjoy, again potent stuff but really, really good,.

 

BOOKS BOOKS BOOKS: A TALENT FOR MURDER

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I really, really, really liked this book.  It is totally engaging, Andrew Wilson has taken a real life event, Agatha Christie’s disappearance, and woven a fictionalized account of what happened during those 10 days, which was never explained by Agatha. You would think Agatha had written it herself…she does most of the narration in the book.  After finding out her husband, Archie, is having an affair she is, of course, devastated, while at a London train station she is approached by a Dr. Kuns who has a plan to have Agatha commit murder.  How, you say, well he blackmails her by threatening her young daughter.  We follow several plots in the book all, of course, tie together.  From the fumbling police, to a would be reporter, to the murder victim to be, the doctor, Archie, etc.  We learn about poisons, of course, we do, don’t we in many of Christie’s own books. I found some of the characters to be engaging and others demonic and Agatha to be brilliant, resourceful and sad but most of all determined to carry out the demands of the demented doctor.  Lots of plot twists, lots of red herrings, all in all, a most satisfying read.  I understand there will be more on Agetha by Mr. Wilson, next up, A Different Kind of Evil to be published in March 2018.  He also wrote Blood Beneath the Skin, a biography about Lee Alexander McQueen, which I haven’t read but plan to do so.

Here is a bit more on the story from the Publisher:

“Discover the real-life mystery centered on the queen of crime herself: Agatha Christie. In this tantalizing new novel, Christie’s mysterious ten-day disappearance serves as the starting point for a gripping novel, in which Christie herself is pulled into a case of blackmail and murder.

“I wouldn’t scream if I were you. Unless you want the whole world to learn about your husband and his mistress.”

Agatha Christie, in London to visit her literary agent, is boarding a train, preoccupied with the devastating knowledge that her husband is having an affair. She feels a light touch on her back, causing her to lose her balance, then a sense of someone pulling her to safety from the rush of the incoming train. So begins a terrifying sequence of events—for her rescuer is no guardian angel, rather he is a blackmailer of the most insidious, manipulative kind.

“You, Mrs. Christie, are going to commit a murder. But, before then, you are going to disappear.”

Writing about murder is a far cry from committing a crime, and Agatha must use every ounce of her cleverness and resourcefulness to thwart an adversary determined to exploit her expertise and knowledge about the act of murder to kill on his behalf.

In A Talent for Murder, Andrew Wilson ingeniously explores Agatha Christie’s odd ten-day disappearance in 1926 and weaves an utterly compelling and convincing story around this still unsolved mystery involving the world’s bestselling novelist.”

PROFILE: THE AMAZING UNIVERSE

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imageI’m not doing an official “profile” post today because I am in Southern Illinois to see the total eclipse….I am totally beyond excited for this once in a lifetime experience!

I thought you might enjoy the following article from The Guardian from August 15, 2017, we are taking turns reading it aloud (not the driver) in the car on our five hour drive (oh my!)  Be sure to use your special glasses and enjoy the total eclipse of the sun!

“‘Most spectacular thing I’ve ever seen in my life’: US readies for total eclipse

Tyler Nordgren, a physics and astronomy professor at the University of Redlands says eclipse watchers should be prepared for a multi-sensory experience

One of Tyler Nordgren’s illustrations of the eclipse. Photograph: Tyler Nordgren

Millions of Americans will look up toward the sky on Monday 21 August and watch stars shine in the afternoon, feel the day’s heat swapped for an evening chill and hear the sounds of confused birds and animals during the first total eclipse seen in the continental US in 38 years.

The spectacular event in six days’ time will cross a strip of the country occupied by 12.2 million people, with millions more expected to travel to the 70-mile-wide eclipse path, aiming to catch a glimpse of a sight that has captured the imaginations of people for millennia.

“I’ve spent my entire life looking at the sky as an astronomer – at the Milky Way, the stars, meteor showers – and this is the most spectacular thing I’ve ever seen in my life with my own eyes,” Tyler Nordgren, a physics and astronomy professor at the University of Redlands, told the Guardian.

Nordgren, who saw the total eclipse in Europe in 1999, said nothing compares to the multisensory experience a solar eclipse offers.

“The shadow of the moon moves over you, day turns to night for half an hour, the stars become visible in the middle of the day, the sun turns black and the most incredible thing – the sun’s corona: that million degree atmosphere that is invisible at all other times – suddenly you see the enormous crown, its rays of pale white spreading outward from the sun,” he said.

Map

The corona is only visible during an eclipse and will be watched closely by an army of scientists eager to take advantage of the opportunity to study the sun’s energy. Researchers will monitor the eclipse from the ground, air and space, and Nasa has invited casual observers to track temperature and cloud data on their phone to create a citizens’ scientific map of the eclipse.

The rare event is also bringing a torrent of visitors to cities located in the eclipse path. There are 200 million people who live a day’s drive away from prime viewing spots, and the US Federal Highway Administration has warned: “This isn’t your average travel weekend.”

That influx has inspired travel companies to take advantage of the demand on hotels and transport.

The travel company HipMunk found that compared to the same period in 2016, there was a 29% average increase in booking prices at seven cities in the eclipse’s path including Omaha, Nebraska; St Louis, Missouri; and Columbia, South Carolina.

Last week, car rental searches on Kayak.com for Portland, Oregon, which is an hour’s drive from a main eclipse viewing site, showed an “unusually high demand” in the city, with a 1,469% increase in car rental searches and no cars available.

eclipse science

Though solar eclipses are extraordinary and rare, scientists have been able to predict them since ancient times.

Babylonian astrologers recorded eclipses on clay tablets between at least 518 and 465 BCE and were eventually able to predict them.

Then for centuries, solar eclipses were regarded with terror. In May 1716, a London pamphlet warned that a predicted eclipse was “The Black Day, or the prospect of Doomsday”.

That shifted by the 20th century, when a journalist wrote in the Hartford (Connecticut) Courant: “Although the frequency with which solar totality occurs, and the scientific knowledge which has robbed it of the mystery and even the terror which formerly accompanied it, great value in astronomical circles is given to its recurrence.”

Nordgren, who wrote a book on the history of eclipses, plans to watch it with his family and friends.

He was a child when the last US total eclipse occurred in 1979, but missed it because he was hiding in his Portland home with the curtains drawn, afraid his eyes would be burned from watching the event. Nordgren said he realized afterwards that he had been “cheated out of a life experience”.

When he saw the eclipse in 1999, he was surrounded by scientists who were attending a conference in Budapest. He said he was excited this year to finally share the experience with his loved ones.

Nordgren said: “My hope is I have not oversold this to my wife.”

 

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Nordgren’s book on the history of solar eclipses…I for one will be getting it!