Sales Galore! + early returns on iPhone

Wow, I don't think I've ever seen more sales going on in one weeknd in my life! From Lord & Taylor to Bloomingdales, Saks, Macy's, Club Monaco, DSW, TeCasan...and on and on. THIS is a great weekend to go out and renew your wardrobe and possibly your entire home!

And the early word on the street from a Pacific Northwest stringer is that the iPhone lives up to the hype.

Kifka+Heller: The Dress that Keeps on Giving...

I have mentioned Kifka+Heller on these e-pages before. Designer Scott Stargardt designed and customized one of his best dresses for me and I busted it out at my friends' wedding last weekend. Not only was it 2-dresses-in-1 (chocolate on one side/wheat on the other), but apparently it was also made of some sort of "dude magnet" material. Or maybe it's just me ;) But I didn't have this many 20-year olds talk to me when I was a 20-year old, which was, of course, VERY recently.

While I would say the "wheat" side of the dress, which was what I wore at the reception, was more stunning...the photos of me at that point in the day were not so stunning. So you get to see the more demure side at the ceremony. Yes, that is me in between the Gaultier girl and the Flavio Castellani chick. And no I didn't wear flip flops all day. I wore the other deadly Christian Louboutin's that you sort of see in the other photo. They were HOT, but not so comfortable and not great to walk on grass with. Shocking, I know.

In between the ceremony and the reception, Gaultier girl and I stopped for a bite and while sitting on a bench outside of a clothing boutique, the owner rushed out and exclaimed, "where did you get those dresses!?" I thought she was coming out to yell at us, but she was so taken by the dress she couldn't hold back. And I was even still wearing the demure dress pictured above at this point.

So if anyone from the wedding has a photo of me in the wheat dress looking like the supermodel that I am (on Mars), send it along!

Zeze Flowers

There's almost no better surprise than a good old-fashioned flower delivery. Remember this, boys (those of you who are straight and read my blog, all 2 of you.)

I received this gem of an arrangement today, out of the blue. It's from Zeze Flowers at 938 First Ave. near 52nd St. According to New York magazine, it is a favorite of Bette Midler, Sting, and Sutton Place high society for nearly 30 years. This seems most fitting as I shall surely be joining those ranks in the near future.

Target: This Bag Looks Cool

From my favorite source to "borrow" from: New York magazine's Best Bets Daily

Leaf It Alone

BY FARAN ALEXIS KRENTCIL

Strong graphic prints stormed Italian runways, but if you can't afford a Marni bag, try a tote from Target. This cotton carryall makes a bold statement with your wardrobe, but not on your credit-card bill. And for those mornings when you have nothing to wear, pairing it with a plain black dress or jeans will instantly give you a look—many looks, in fact, as you strut past the guys on your street.

$16.99 at Target, 139 Flatbush Ave., at Atlantic Ave., Fort Greene, Brooklyn; 718-290-1109.

Fake Tan by Clarins

If you are as white as me, for example, if your name is Casper or Edgar Winter, you may want to consider picking up some Clarins Self Tanning Milk SPF 6. At $29.50 a bottle it's...OUTRAGEOUSLY EXPENSIVE. However, I have tried many self-tanning lotions, sprays and the like and have found Clarins to be far and away the best option. Since I am not the tanning booth type, and any adventure into the actual sun leaves me completely fried (including a back sunburn this weekend that I got while sitting in the window of a bar!), I have little option than to fork over my hard-earned wampum.

As with all self-tanners you need to be careful about turning yourself into an oopma loompa, but if you follow the Clarins' directions, better measure of success should be achieved:

For a more radiant and even result, exfoliate skin the night before. Apply a small amount of self tanner with quick, light sweeping motions (avoiding the eyebrows and hairline). Gently wipe elbows, knees and heels with a tissue, as these areas can turn a darker colour. Wash hands and nails thoroughly after application. Wait a few minutes before dressing.

Don't Go to the 3 Forty Grill in Hoboken, NJ

I attended a great fun wedding this weekend for one of my dearest and tallest friends. The weather was perfect, ceremony lovely, reception most enjoyable...and then there was the after party at the 3 Forty Grill in Hoboken.

This photo may have been the best thing about our experience there - never mind the mediocre $11 drinks and bartenders with major 'tude...how about the fact that the happy newlyweds had reserved a room in advance at the 3 Forty, and upon our arrival found out that almost the entire wedding party and about half of the guests were not allowed to enter the establishment. Why? Because they didn't have their IDs. Except that some people without ID were let in. There were no apologies, no accomodations...just a lot of NO. NO NO.

Now I don't know about you, but, a. this is not Kentucky, i.e. we are not engaged and underaged, so the likelihood that the wedding party was older than 21, and likely older than 31 was a pretty safe bet. And b. I have never been asked for my ID upon entering a wedding party. Have YOU?

This place sucks. On its Web site it even says, "for all of the anti-Manhattanites..." You got that sh*t straight.

However! We continued on to the city where we mingled at the bar at 60 Thompson and got our grooves back. In fact it turned out to be one of the most fun weddings on record, I believe most every guest would agree!

The House of Essex

Did I ever fess up about where I actually lived during the month of May? Well, here it is -- a photo taken from that temporary front yard otherwise known as Central Park.

If you ever get the chance to live in the Jumeirah Essex House - particularly for free - I suggest you take it. Although the joke was that I couldn't afford to live there - or in that neighborhood - for free. However, there is a great little pizza place out the back entrance on 58th St. that provided me with some reasonably priced and decent tasting meals.

The almighty Ascot

From today's Wall Street Journal. A reader asks Teri Agins if he should keep his ascots in the event of a fashion renaissance. I had a boyfriend who wore them from time to time. But he was English...

Style: Ask Teri
By Teri Agins
21 June 2007
The Wall Street Journal

[Fashion reporter Teri Agins answers readers' questions]
Q: For a non-fashion-conscious retiree with an abundant supply of ascots, what do you forecast? A resurgence? A terminal demise? Or should I use them to polish my car?
-- T.B., San Mateo, Calif.
A: Dapper actors Cary Grant and Fred Astaire wore their ascots with panache. But often, an ascot will elicit snickers, as did Thurston Howell III, the pretentious tycoon stuck on "Gilligan's Island." In 19th-century England, the thick-knotted wide silk tie secured with a pin and worn as formal day wear got its name from the hat-and-glove set at the Royal Ascot horse races. In America, ascots became the badge of old Hollywood and the yacht-club crowd as folded neckerchiefs worn inside an open shirt collar, usually with a blazer. Ascots never went out of style, but they never really caught on either, because men derided them as foppish -- or feared they couldn't pull the look off.
Indeed, ascots, like berets, belong on confident men who dress with individual style, such as designer Tom Ford, who wears a sliver of untied polka-dotted silk inside a white shirt collar. The ascot looks dashing when it just peeks out, as in the 1955 classic, "To Catch a Thief," when Cary Grant flashes an inch of printed silk from his crew-neck sweater. Ascots work best when an occasion -- such as country-club cocktails -- calls for dressy sportswear.
Ascots still sell at specialty retailer Paul Stuart, which says that at least three men a week come to its Manhattan store in search of ascots (but far fewer in its Chicago branch). About a third of the shoppers are in their early 30s -- often first-time wearers who are eager to practice "the art of how to fold and to fluff an ascot," says A. Sandy Neiman, director of merchandising at Paul Stuart. The ascots come in silk, cotton or linen blends. Navy with cream polka dots is the top seller.
Today's casual times beg for original flourishes. To the reader who obviously cherishes his stash of ascots, I say: Why not tie one on again?
---
Email questions to askteri@wsj.com.

Equinox Spa

I went to the Equinox Spa this past Sunday to use the gift card I had received from family friends. I am not a consistent spa-goer, but I have been to a few including Soho Sanctuary, Bliss and Mario Badescu. I tend to get facials, mainly, with the occasional relaxing bikini wax.

I was excited to check out what Equinox had to offer - they offer 10% off on all services to members, which I am. So I signed up for a short facial with a collagen eye treatment and a spa manicure/pedicure. When all was said and done it cost $207 (with tip). I guess I'm not cut out for this type of thing because that seemed pretty steep to me for what was fine, basic service. The people were nice, the services fine, but nothing really to remember. I would recommend the other spas I mentioned, with the Soho Sanctuary on top of that list.

Lands' End: Searsucker Sport Shirt

I bought my dad a green striped short-sleeved searsucker sport shirt for Father's Day from Lands' End, but I wouldn't give it to him until he said, "short-sleeved searsucker sport shirt" 10 times fast. He's still trying.

Meanwhile, it looks like they've sold out of the green stripe - but you can still get the blue for $24.50.