High praise–so lovely to receive!

As one who recently gushed over a number of boutiques and restaurants throughout  Ireland, it was fun to be on the receiving end recently when currentVintage was mentioned in several other web blogs.  It’s certainly grand to get national press, ahem, ( Lucky, Food & Wine) and recognition on high volume websites (Concierge, Indagare, Frommer’s, Self), but it’s particularly gratifying when freelance writers or individuals just like what you do and shout it to the world.  It’s also fine if they just mention you in passing—they were here and they took note.
Anyway, we just got the nicest write up on a very cool blog called “Corks + Caftans”.  The blog is written by a couple, Rob & Carey, and captioned “He loves wine; she loves fashion.”  They each post fun and interesting pieces, a lifestyle mix of useful wine & travel notes, fashion references and intimate anecdotes.  I have been reading their blog off and on for sometime and concluded that I would definitely like to hang out with them.  Thus,  I was especially delighted for Carey to write a little piece on currentVintage.

“If Corks + Caftans were an actual store, I think it’d be reminiscent of this lovely shop tucked away on a cobblestone street near the harbor at 4 Easy Street. The vintage selection is so insane… I almost bought a baby blue sequined tunic with a scalloped hem and am still kicking myself for this lapse in judgment. Walk among carefully selected accessories, dresses, racks of wine, fur-collared coats… it’s like being at Willy frackin’ Wonka’s.”

Corks + Caftans blog

Back in the summer, we were featured in the Food & Wine magazine blog by editor Jen Murphy.  She asked me to come up with some wine and summer fashion pairings and opened her post with this:

“It takes talent to match just the right wine with a dish. Some would also argue that it takes talent to match the perfect handbag or heels with a dress. That makes Elisabeth English, the owner of Nantucket’s Current Vintage, super-talented.”—Jen Murphy

Elisabeth English on Food & Wine

Another fun 2009 post featuring currentVintage was this one from The Fashion Examiner Blog Spot.  I was amused by their take on cV and the profile provided…

THE VIBE: Part Palm Beach vintage with some luxe items thrown in partnered with some select wine offering such as Sofia Coppola’s wine spritzers.

HIGHLIGHTS: the vintage Lilly Pulitzer cocktail and patio
dresses and the pink bug eyed sunglasses.

ON SALE: An adorable sail/architectural print sheath dress for under $100

WE BOUGHT: a cute brown pull on skirt with an embroidered mushroom cap for $35. The owner joked, “You just bought the cheapest thing on the Island”.

BROWNIE POINTS: The relaxed vibe and friendly owner who let us linger for close to an hour trying dresses on.

I also got a huge kick out of the title of this blog post from travel writer, Cathy Che, entitled “Preppy Nantucket: Alienated by Lilly Pulitzer without Irony”.  Che appreciated the natural beauty of Nantucket, but lamented the lack of originality in style and diversity on island. As I much as I revere the real Lilly Pulitzer, we could hardly be called preppy here at currentVintage, and fortunately, Che seemed to get our brand of cool:

“There are a few edgy shops like Current Vintage (refurbished Lilly Pulitzer and other chic vintage dresses plus fine wines) and Posh (fine handcrafted jewelry)”

“Preppy Nantucket: Alienated by Lilly Pulitzer without Irony”

The last blog post I’ll mention had particular significance for me, because it turned out I knew the author, although she did not know that she was writing about me!  Rebecca Chapa, an accomplished sommelier and wine educator, has a wine consulting company called “Tannin Management…Taking the Bitterness Out of Wine”.  She has an extensive restaurant wine background, working at Montrachet, Nobu and Tribeca Grill in New York, and as the first sommelier at Jardiniere in San Francisco, earning a “Best of Award of Excellence” from the Wine Spectator for their list.

Although a wine professional, Rebecca understands that wine can be enjoyed without fanfare.  Her blog, www.rebeccachapa.com, explores wine, spirits, travel and culture.  It was through the blog on “Nantucket: Off-Season” that I found her post mentioning currentVintage and realized that we used to work together at the Brotherhood in the early 90s!

“They have an amazing selection of lesser known cult wines including Scholium Project!  Pretty cool to see that someone here
knows what they’re doing.”—Rebecca Chapa on currentVintage

As one who loves to champion the elements of the currentVintage lifestyle, from winemakers to designers to destinations to bloggers, it’s nice to give and to receive.

In the last post, I left off with Dingle, the charming town ¾ of the way to the end of the Dingle Peninsula.  Having made our way from Dublin to Dingle over the course of a week, we had stayed in many nice places, eaten out 2-3 meals a day and were basically spoiled in the scenic sights department.

On a trip of this sort, things have to get progressively more interesting or the destinations at the start of the trip have an unfair advantage of being new and first, and therefore, remembered most fondly.  Well, Dingle did not disappoint.  The town is cute as it can be, even with nearly every single restaurant closed on a Thursday night.  We dined at the most beautiful restaurant, The Old Stone Bar & Grill, which I would recommend for drinks ONLY.  We ordered the mussels and some other small plates…not long after, we noticed a kitchen employee put his coat on and head out into the night.  When our mussels were served a bit later, they did not come with the usual homemade Irish soda bread.  No, we got a toasted hamburger bun.  It had pesto slathered on it, but it was still a boring white bun!

The cliffs at Slea Head and the rugged coast are breathtaking and the drive the next day, over the Connor Pass and to the flat sand beach on the northside of the peninsula was awesome.  The tide goes out nearly as far as you can see, so the beaches at lo-tide are fantastic.

While it was hard to depart the beauty of picture-perfect Dingle, the comforts of Dromoland Castle awaited.

Dingle to Dromoland:

We raced from Dingle to Dromoland, with barely a stop, in hopes of arriving in time for an afternoon walk with the hounds and some time at the spa.

En Route:

Visit the tiny village of Adare, home to a row of charming, if touristy,  thatch-roof cottages housing several boutiques.  The town was given it’s award-winning makeover by an Englishman in the 1820s, in effort to create the perfect village and has been attracting sightseers ever since.

Shop:

Rococo Shoe Room at the Rose covered cottage—Where the beauty on the inside even surpasses the outside! Drool-inducing array, including Spanish designeres Paco Gil, Pedro Garcia and Pura Lopez, as well as quirky American Beverly Feldman

Stay:  Dromoland Castle near Newmarket-on-Fergus

We were awestruck upon arriving at Dromoland—it looks as if King Arthur and the knights will be back any minute.  Worth a night for the opulence.  Our room was extravagantly appointed, as were the common areas.

Eat:

Dromoland is an all-inclusive deal, so our meals were taken in the Earl of Thomond dining room.  While we enjoyed the flourish, pomp and circumstance, the food was unremarkable.  I enjoyed the turbot, which seemed fitting, and was grateful they were not serving pheasant, having noticed a large number of birds and hunters running around the grounds.  Breakfast was a similarly lavish affair, and all that silver is fun, even when they are serving white toast with your dry omelet.

Drink:

An after-dinner drink in the intimate bar is obligatory—listen to the fiddle player and try to count the number of Staffordshire dogs that decorate the walls.

Do:

While you can golf, boat, hunt pheasant or visit the Falconry, we chose the Leisure Center in the club house next door.  Swim, jaccuzi, steam, sauna, repeat.  We were made to purchase little black stretch bathing caps for 5e to enter the pool.  We must have looked suspect, because no one else was wearing them…

Dromoland to Galway via The Burren:

Departing Limerick and entering Clare, I was interested to see how things had changed since my last visit, seventeen years ago.  O’Connell’s Pub in Doolin is still there, but so are dozens (hundreds?) of vacation homes and B&Bs.  I’m sure the music scene is still thriving, but tourism has hit this area hard.

Galway City is music central—so many cool pubs in such a small area, plus fab restaurants and great shopping.  What a wonderful town!  We were there for Game 1 of Ireland vs France World Cup qualifying match.  While super to be in a Galway pub cheering Ireland on a Saturday night, the 1-0 outcome was a bummer.

En Route:

Cliffs of Moher—the majestic cliffs are a must in any season.  It’s probably a good thing that there is now fencing and roping, although few seem to abide the “STOP: Do not Enter” sign where the path has been blocked off.  The Cliffs are so windy, it can be hard to stand up-right, and I wonder how many have ended up below in the cold Atlantic…I’d rather be a wuss than a statistic!

Ennistimon, Lahinch, Doolin, Lisdoonvarna…cute little towns to drive through and scare up lunch en route to the R480 road through the Burren

The Burren—a fascinating, stark landscape; scenic drive to Poulnabrone, a simple, ancient burial site out in the middle of nowhere.  We zig-zagged the backroads to see as much as possible.

Stay:

The House Hotel, Merchant St, Galway—great location; Fun & modern décor.  Although the first  room we looked at was ug-ly, the upgraded larger room was fantastic and one of our faves.

Eat:

French Restaurant on Abbeygate?—casual, superb lunch

Nimmo’s—Cute, cozy and really good:  Butternut squash soup, risotto and a bottle of “Paddy” New Zealand Pinot Noir.  Super popular with locals and critics, which is nice

House of Thai—Fancy Thai; close to our hotel and perfect for a rainy Sunday night.

Butler’s—Decadent Hot Chocolate

Drink:

The Quays Pub—Our friend, Eithne, says it’s a must for a pint

Crane’s Bar—a 10 minute walk over the bridge from Quay St.  Great Trad music on Sunday afternoon and again on Sunday night, possibly every night

See & Do:

Walk!  Quay St and all the terrific shops around town

See the Swans on the Quay near the Spanish Arch

Walk to Salt Hill (2mi)—a pretty seaside promenade with shops and restaurants.   We gambled ((video roulette) in the casino for a little afternoon shelter and fun.

Galway to Sligo via Connemara:

We got up pretty early in the morning and prayed for good weather.  There’s no point in going to Connemara if you can’t see it and the area is known for fog and mist.  Luckily, although it rained, it was not deal-breaking and we persevered through the rugged mountain roads and lovely coastal towns, riveted by the sight.

En Route—

The Quiet Man Bridge—near Oughterard (Ook-ter ard).  The iconic John Wayne film was filmed on location in Connemara and you will find numerous references to it in any guidebook.

Roundstone—Cute, tiny town on the coast; we stopped for photos and a couple of bananas, since there had been no opportunity for a morsel of food between Galway and there, at least not at 8am.

Clifden—A bigger resort-town, with bakeries and restaurants.  I was devastated that the adorable store, LOVE Vintage, a kindred spirit, was not open:(

The Twelve Pins—We traveled back on N59 toward Galway, so we could take the R336 by Lough Inagh, to Kylemore Abbey.  The drive was one of the most scenic in Ireland, even in the rain—I can only imagine the lake with the towering mountains behind in the sunshine…

Kylemore Abbey—Arising out of the woods, the Abbey is that gorgeous castle you always see pictured next to anything mentioning Connemara.  Eleven elderly Nuns occupy the Abbey and they don’t miss a trick—there is a wonderful cafeteria/restaurant and a terrific gift shop on the grounds, selling jams, puddings, mohair throws and handknit socks.

Leenane—Made famous by the Martin McDonough play, “The Beauty-queen of Leenane”, driving along the Kilary Fjord on the way was beautiful.  We would have hit Westport, et al if it had not been pouring rain…

Sligo:

Aaaaaaah, Sligo.  After a long day of knuckle-baring driving, We arrived in the lovely neighborhood of Strandhill, greeted by our friends with a glass of 2000 Guy Charlemagne Grand Cru “Mesnillésime”.  And it only got better!  Irish hospitality is not lost on our American friends in Sligo, who wined, dined and tour-guided us for four days.  They own a killer wineshop, The WineBuff, and, due to their proximity to France and direct-import to Ireland, I swooned with envy over their selection and the prices.

See & Do–

Hike & Walk–Between the Harbor, ocean, lakes and rivers, there is a surplus of outdoor beauty and opportunity for hiking in the area.  There is an amazing cemetery and ruins on the airport property.  Beware of “The Travelers”–Fearless Irish gypsies who live in campers in various parking lots.  They seem to pick the best spots!

Shop–Sligo is an adorable town with some excellent shopping;  gourmet foods, artisan crafts and traditional Irish woolens & tweeds.  Mullaney’s on O’Connell St. was a delight.  If you ever make it there, budget at least an hour for a chat with John Mullaney, whose Father started the business a hundred years ago.  He is the epitome of Irish friendliness with a dose of blarney.

Seaweed Bath–See Box!

Eat:

Montmartre–a superb French restaurant in Sligo–who knew?!  Local Smoked Salmon, Authentic Lapin du Moutarde, cheese plates and a reasonable wine list.

Stay:  Ryall Arms—An invitation-only 5-Star resort in prestigious Strandhill, complete with two energetic dogs to walk and greet you every morning.  Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner with Wine inclusive. (just kidding)

Donegal

Driving around Donegal was a highlight—so beyond beautiful at every turn.  Donegal town is a great place to shop and there are numerous cafes, like the Blueberry Tearoom,  for an afternoon sticky toffee pudding after a day of touring.

See & Do:

Glimpse the awe-inspiring turreted stone castle of the Late Lord Mountbatten in Mullaghmore

Eat:

Solis at Loch Eske Castle—We were somewhat humbled when we pulled up in our Toyota, given there were two dozen Range Rovers in the parking lot.  The humility grew exponentially, as we entered the grand resort to see elaborate sailing yacht ship models on display everywhere.  It turned out to be a “Sunseeker” sales meeting in rural Donegal, to be attended by clients from all over the world.  Solis is a stunning luxury resort–if you can’t afford to stay there, you can enjoy a club sandwich in the bar, as we did.

Two things to note about Ireland:

Never believe a sign you read;  Whether it says “Hours”, “OPEN”, “Do Not Enter”, etc  It may say “private”, but it’s no harm to look around.  If it says open until 11, they probably stop serving at 9.  If it says, “Bathing caps required”, they probably are not.

Simple pleasures.  My best food memories are of hot soups on cold days served with warm bread, café breaks with homemade desserts, hot chocolates made with care…If the menu says “Arancini”, consider yourself warned.

Lastly, and this is true wherever you go:

The joy is in the journey.

As I wrote about Talitha Getty in the currentVintage newsletter this week, it was apparent that given the era and her brief life, she was spared the kind of ridicule that today’s iconic fashionistas have experienced.  Why, exactly, was she so admired?  What, exactly, has she contributed to the human race besides her beauty and wealth?  The answer may be very little, but so what?  I’m not saying that teachers, nurses and Greenpeace workers don’t deserve praise, fame and fortune; only that the stylish are interesting to me and I have no issue when they are celebrated and adored for making the world a more visually interesting place.  But Talitha died young and thus permanently beautiful, albeit in a very ugly and unglamorous (heroin overdose) way.  How cliché, yet still lovely that the legacy of a single photograph continues to inspire today.

If Talitha is the poster girl for 1960s Boho-chic, Rachel Zoe is the modern one.  I loved Rachel Zoe before she was popular.  She was on my radar for awhile and then, in 2006?, there was an article on RZ in Vogue or somewhere that featured photos of Rachel in various Halston Grecian column dresses lounging poolside in platforms and dwarfed in her awe-inspiring closet.  Her Boho-chic meets Studio 54 Glamour aesthetic was/is precisely my idea of cool and I have watched in awe as she has so successfully branded the look and made it practically Stepford in Hollywood.

Some say her style is irrelevant now—and some have been saying that for years.  But, guess what, it’s not.  I love it when the public refuses to roll over on a style they like (Carrie Bradshaw, anyone?).  Usually by the time a trend has hit mainstream America, fashion has long moved on, but sometimes, it just keeps coming back because people like it and designers have no choice.  I skipped the Sex and the City phase alltogether, but as long as young girls are still buying crinolines, I am happy to sell them.

Where Talitha had the benefit of being a beautiful & rich heroin addict pre-internet, Rachel has laser-sharp scrutiny 24/7.  Rachel’s suntan & cigarettes look is frighteningly unhealthy, yet perversely attractive.  I met her at a party of Sienna Miller’s a couple of years ago.  It was the Twenty-Eight-Twelve Launch Party on the roof top of the Gramercy Park Hotel, and there was RZ in a terrific little leopard vintage number.  I complimented her dress, she praised my palazzo jumpsuit.  I said I owned a vintage clothing store in Nantucket, she said that she wore only vintage.  At that point, when I should have had the sense to hand her a business card, etc, I proceeded to talk about anything and everything else, then eventually mosey on, having just met the most influential stylist on the planet and being too obtuse to make something of it…

That’s another reason I admire Rachel.  It is great to have great style, but style plus savvy is what really counts.  I don’t really care for the idea of the made-in-elsewhere line of “affordable” looks she has developed for QVC and I have yet to see her reality show, (although I would probably love it if I watched much tv), but I don’t blame RZ for trying to milk every dime of her celebrity ride.  She’s the first to admit she’s not saving lives, just being style guru to the red carpet and now, the masses.  Even if she is effectively over tomorrow, she’s more than made her fashion mark.  Personally, as a stylish-but-sans-savvy business woman, I think that is very cool.

Poor Barbie.  Not only is she now 50, she seems to be the scapegoat for just about every problem a girl child could have related to self-image, self-confidence, the need for a boyfriend and the desire for breast implants.  They say if the 11.5” tall Barbie was produced to scale as an adult, she would be 5′9″ and her measurements would be 36-18-33.  Her shoe size would be a size 3.  That doesn’t sound terribly realistic, but so what? The Drifters have been singing about a 39-21-40 shape for 40+ years.

Isn’t it possible to enjoy something without wanting it?  Can’t a kid play with a doll without wanting to be it? Isn’t the problem with our need to consume, with our need for perfection, with our pervasive envy and covetous ways?   Just because you like an ad for Kate Spade doesn’t mean you run out and buy everything Kate Spade–although, I do love an obsession…

My Barbie phase was fairly short-lived, but I still got a little thrill when I came across a photo of the Quick-curl Barbie in her pink & white checked maxi dress.  I had a Barbie town house, and a Ken and Francie.  But what I remember most was my neighbor’s hot pink velvet Barbie coat.  I had never seen anything so beautiful in my life.  It didn’t help that said neighbor girl’s Mother had a pair of grown-up modern velvet chairs in the same shade of Barbie pink.  That fixation has lead me to several pink velvet vintage coats through the years—and eventually led me back to the chairs.  Twenty years later, I called up Mrs. Neighbor out of the blue and asked her if she still had the velvet Barbie chairs.  She thought it was hilarious and eventually sold them to me.  They now reside in my store, currentVintage.

I hope kids don’t grow up to be mass consumers, shop at malls, eat processed foods and buy disposable clothing from Old Navy and the Gap, but I certainly don’t think Barbie is the problem just because Barbie is pretty and Barbie clothes are fun.  If Barbie is critiqued as a role model, kids could do a lot a worse than one with good posture, clean hair, that loves animals and has run for President twice.  I think the real issues are not whether she wears nail polish, but whether it’s organic.  Not that she is plastic, but why so many toys end up in our landfills.  Not that she is perversely proportioned, but how parents accept the way they look.  Choose your battles carefully;  Barbie has served in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines.

Our problems are a lot bigger than Barbie, although, when reading up on Barbie, I came across some pretty impressive stats.  In so many ways, Barbie is larger-than-life…

Some Barbie facts…

*Mattel is considered one of the largest apparel manufacturers in the world and has used around 105 million yards of fabric to dress Barbie.

*Neé Barbara Millicent Roberts, the first Barbie was launched in 1959

*Barbie’s hair is made up of seven shades of blonde, woven together to get that perfect golden look.

*Ninety percent of little girls in the U.S. (ages 3 to 10) own at least one Barbie.

*There are about 8 million Barbie collectors worldwide, most in their 40s.

*Every second a Barbie is sold, amounting to nearly 2 billion a year from over 150 countries.

*An original 1959 Barbie sold for $27500

*If all the Barbie dolls that have been sold since their introduction in 1959 were laid head to toe, they would circle the world seven times (can’t verify the math on that one)

*The Best-selling Barbie model ever was wearing a Pucci-inspired minidress and had hair to her ankles in 1992.

Watch “The making of a Barbie” & original “Welcome to the Dreamhouse” commercial

http://barbiestyle.barbie.com/history.aspx

Barbie as art…

*There is a Barbie Museum in a Union City, CA Industrial Park themed on the 1963 Barbie Goes to College soda shop and the 1964 Barbie Fashion Show play set.  It includes more than 2,500 vintage and new dolls.

*Situated in the Old Count’s Chambers of Prague Castle is the Prague Toy Museum, which houses a huge collection of old and new Barbie Dolls.

*The Museum of Play in Rochester (Strong Museum), has over 1500 Barbies.

*There is a Netherlands Barbiepoppen online museum

* David Levinthal’s 1998 Barbie Polaroids sell for about $12,500 each.

Very cool “Modern Barbies” Art:
http://www.freakingnews.com/Barbie-Doll-Pictures–1940.asp

The Barbie-haters…

*San Francisco hosts an annual AlteredBarbie convention

*There is a Barbie-in-a-blender Day sponsored by barbieinablender.org

*Barbie is banned in Iran

Watch “Psycho Barbie”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fn8Wg21CuUw&feature=relatd

Check out the currentVintage newsletter featuring more great Barbie pics and trivia, plus wine and vintage fashion!

currentVintage Newsletter:  Barbie is 50 Edition

August began on Sunday, the 2nd at the Triple Eight “White Party” at the Summer House Pool. Cocktails, lawn chairs and beautiful people in all white completed the ultimate setting. That might have been enough for the perfect August Sunday afternoon, but we threw in a fashion show on the lawn by currentVintage and Cheryl Fudge and it became stellar.

Is it worthIt?  That’s the question you have to ask.  You have to be discriminating.

This past week was an eventful one for me, as per summer usual.  I flew to Boston to see Rent, threw a benefit fashion show at Jetties Beach, hosted several wine tastings and dined out too many times.

Often after a busy few days, when I am starting to feel a little weary, not to mention pudgy and broke, I wonder, Would I do that over again? Was it worth it?

In the simplest terms, most things in life can be classified as either “worth it”, or “not worth it”.  Worth the time?  Worth the effort? Worth the $? Worth the calories? Worth sharing with others?

Of course, what’s “worth it” to me often differs greatly with others, and with the public at large, but here’s how I spent my time last week and what I will and will NOT be doing again…

*Seeing RENT for the 4th time:
worthIt!
Original leading men Anthony Rapp and my (heartthrob) Adam Pascal are back in the show for a limited run in Boston.  Story is a little dated, but the music is timeless and the talent was there to pull it off.  Plus, I just really, really love that show!

*Waiting in line for Adam Pascal at Colonial Theatre stage door:
NOT worthIt
He was a no show, although Anthony scribbled on my playbill.

*Late Night dining at Sonsie, Newbury St:
Food: NOT worthIt
Pizza awful, salad fine
Experience:  worthtIt
Handsome Bartender Andy set up a blind tasting with 3 flights of wine…too bad wine list is pretty mediocre
Highlights were Tariquet rosé; 07 unknown Pinot Noir, 05 Charles Krug Merlot, 06 Two Hands “Gnarly Dudes” Shiraz

*Nantucket Tree Fund Benefit at Jetties:
worthIt!
Toes in the sand, beautiful models in currentVintage fashions, dancing to the AWESOME Third Bay Project all for $85.  No one will miss this party next year.

*Judith Ivey in “The Lady with all the answers”:
Double worthIt!
Tony-award winner previews her one-woman Off-Broadway show about Ann Landers for the Nantucket Comedy Festival—how lucky are we?  So proud currentVintage was a sponsor.

*Dinner at Town:
worthIt
Outdoor patio with comfy, loungy cushions.  Pear margarita = yum.  Papaya shrimp salad, chicken vindaloo, butter-soft steak, Nan & Papadums

*Dinner at Corazon del Mar:
worthIt
Another great margarita.  Sea scallop ceviche is orgasmic!  Also tasty are fluke ceviche, savory arepitas, short rib tacos, yucca “fries”.  Great music, rocking setting upstairs.

*Dinner at 21 Federal patio:
worthIt
Gruet sparkling rosé, portabello mushroom pudding, fried oysters & cherry soufflé for dessert!

*Sauvignon Republic Wine Tasting at currentVintage:
worthIt!
(Perhaps we’re a little biased here)
One grape, One producer, Three continents = an excellent opportunity in terroir tasting.  The knowledgeable and charismatic Carolyn Walsh shared insights, suggested pairings and offered guidance in nuance one would likely miss otherwise.  This was so good we will repeat it in August and possibly September.

*Various 6-8 Cocktail Parties:
NOT worthIt
It’s one thing if you live a summer of leisure, but the 6:00 time slot just doesn’t work for us working stiffs.  I would much prefer a dinner w/ friends than mingling, especially if said dinner reservation is after 8:00.

*Morning run on Washington St Beach:
worthIt!
Ok, it’s not very far, but running from the creeks to town along the harbor is unbelievably beautiful…and pretty easy.  20 minutes of cardio rewarded with a Juice Guys smoothie and a walk home = the perfect way to start the day and reminds me why I live on Nantucket.

Having just attended or hosted or participated in or donated to 20 or so non-profits in the last month, I think I could be diagnosed with the debilitating condition we shall call “benefit burnout”.

Symptons are emotional and physical and include, but are not limited to:

*Confusion over what day it is
*Large drycleaning bills
*A drawer full of gift certificates for random services purchased under duress at silent auctions
*Alcohol poisoning
*Empty checking account

Seriously, I bet Nantucket is rivaled only by New York and Palm Beach in its volume of fundraising and charities, and I say this in the most complimentary way.  It is amazing how many non-profits are supported by this tiny island and its year-round and summer communities.  And a community it is, in no small part due to to the prevalent non-profits!

In the last few weeks, there have been benefits small and large for literally dozens of cultural, health and service organizations. The Nantucket AIDS Network celebrated its 20th Anniversary in Roaring 20s Style.  The Nantucket Artist’s Association hosted a “Surreal” Evening.  The Maria Mitchell Association held “An Evening with the Stars” at their observatory.
And on and on…One fete is more lavish and inventive than the next.

currentVintage is presently involved with THREE non-profit events in 8 days!  The “Flora & Fashion”  Show we did in the garden at Marilyn Whitney’s last Friday was a lovely evening;  instead of just another cocktail party, there was the added pageantry of a fashion show of summer looks on the lawn—everyone there was completely enchanted—something different and a wonderful way to raise funds for A Safe Place!

This week, we’re throwing a party for the Nantucket Tree Fund!
In memory of Martha Walters, a Boston and Nantucket legend and tireless tree advocate, we are staging a rock-n-roll fashion show with Cheryl Fudge and Blu.  There will be hearty apps & beverages and live music—at the beach! How do you beat that for $85?

My vote for the most creative goes to the Nantucket Arts Council.  They’re hosting a “Blind Wine Tasting” in a private home this Saturday, 07/25, and the winner wins a case of wine—6 bottles from the tasting and 6 collectible bottles from currentVintage.  The 50 people who get to participate will have an amazing experience and the NAC will raise $5000 in a few hours.

I am sympathetic of Benefit-Burnout, but that’s no excuse!  These organizations depend on summer fundraisers for a huge chunk (if not all) of their budget.  Only through generosity will the non-profits continue to provide their various services.  When you think about Nantucket without its gorgeous Elm trees, behavioral services or flourishing arts, it looks like a very different place.  I for one, don’t want to go there, so buy tix, show up, have fun and  SUPPORT LOCAL NON-PROFITS!!!

Last night (bratty as it sounds), I tweeted that I was forced to choose between a sunset cruise on a Hinckley picnic boat and a catered moonlit dinner on our deck.

As it turned out, I didn’t get to do either, but I did drop by a friend’s boat on Old South Wharf and have a glass of Ferrari Carano chardonnay before heading back to work.  Plan C was not half bad; in fact, it was great!  It’s a charmed life on Nantucket.
Just looking back at my calendar the last week or so makes me smile with wonder and exhaustion…
Attended Kathie Lee and Frank’s Spiritual Heritage luncheon at the Sconset Casino and met them after at the Chanticleer…dinner at 21 and American Seasons…photo shoot singing at the Club Car piano…filmed a currentVintage wine tasting with the Travel Channel’s Samantha Brown at Cheryl Fudge…a Burgundy dinner with summer friends on Old North Wharf…watched the 4th of July fireworks from the gorgeous yacht “Snowgoose”…

Of course, this scenario of a life of leisure belies the fact that I also worked 80 hours in 8 days, hosted two in-store wine tastings, restyled the store three times for events and trunk shows, and rang up wine and dresses like mad during what can only be described as “the first-four-consecutive-days-of-summer-sun-4th-of-July frenzy”.  Not that I’m complaining…How wonderful to have a deluge of $ instead of the deluge of raindrops!

It’s a charmed life in a charming place.
Granted, Nantucket is a very special island of cultural history and natural beauty and that is what attracts the visitors and the media, but what is so wonderful is how many interesting and talented people adopt Nantucket as home or second home.  I don’t really know the Giffords, but I do know they have given generously of their time and money to many local causes and community events, not the least of which was the spiritual weekend I attended.  It takes real devotion to wear your religion on your sleeve and I found them to be genuinely inspiring and not the least dogmatic.
And how wonderful it was that the Travel Channel chose to focus on Cheryl Fudge instead of the usual Topper’s, celebrities and Gulf Streams?  Cheryl is my friend and a designer who fashions one-of-a-kind pieces out of recycled fabrics.  Her ‘Fashion Camp” is an inspired idea that brings out the creative best in kids and grown-ups.  The Travel Channel was here for two days, filming Samantha Brown on various adventures, including a ‘Sconset bike tour with my darling, Mark Donato.  The Fashion Camp shoot involved Samantha designing her very own preppy Nantucket tank while enjoying a rosé wine tasting by currentVintage.  What a wonderful example of the talent and creativity Nantucket’s artist’s and merchants have to offer?

Of course, it’s not a walk in the park for everyone here, and with population growth and economic recession come a host of issues the island has not had to face in the past…but I prefer to accentuate the positive. Sorry to rub it in, but I have to say that I am just so blessed to live in such a beautiful place with such an amazing community. Na-nah, na-nah, naa-nah.

There is no more awkward age than 7th grade.  The though of it still makes me squirm a little, more than 30 years later. I was that age in 1976 when Farrah was the pinnacle of pop culture.  Every boy in my class had the iconic Farrah pin-up poster and most of the girls had some sort of hair homage to her signature look.  Charlie’s Angels was the height of beauty cool and replaced The Mod Squad as my ideal for good-looking detectives with great outfits.
At 12 years old, it was impossible for me to imagine growing up at all, let alone becoming a sexy creature like Farrah.  It never occurred to me that she was ever in 7th grade; I just assumed that she had been born in a slinky red maillot.

There are young 12 yr-olds, completely unprepared for teendom,  and worldly 12 yr-olds, going on 20.  I was the former, still shopping in the kids dept, and fascinated by the 8th graders in their tight bootcut jeans and wing-back hair.  One year later, I would come into my own and start developing my personal style, which would include the ubiquitous Calvin Klein jeans, but in 1976-77, Calvin was not yet a household name, and Farrah was.

It is remarkable how a Tri-Delt from Corpus Christi could move to Hollywood, like so many aspiring actors, and hit it so big.  Farrah had her share of talent and success in tv and film early on, but it was the swimsuit poster of 1976 that cemented her fame.  And she wasn’t just the pretty face—Farrah selected that photo from 40 rolls of film (film!) shot that day and it was her taste and prescience that sealed her fate.

One thing I was right about in 7th grade is that I would not grow up to look like Farrah, although I finally, just last month, got my hair cut in “wings”.

for beautiful photos of Farrah:

http://tinyurl.com/l6×3sc

awesome YouTube tribute:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRtNeSOGkvI

Noxema commercial with Joe Namath:

http://tinyurl.com/pl7t2k

When is a designer a not a designer but a cheating copycat?
I “design” dresses using a 1950s pattern and modern fabrics.  I tweak the proportions for a modern figure sans foundations, but I’m not so sure it is “designing” so much as it is “re-imagining”…
The dresses are stunning, wearable and I am proud of the work nevertheless!

One day last summer, a film crew swept into currentVintage while following Hamptons personality and “Real Housewife of NY” Kelly Killoren Bensimon around Nantucket.  She is a real glamazon—tall, big-boned and tanned—and it was exciting for her to come in and make a fuss over the store, especially the dozens of cool vintage owl and animal necklaces we have hanging from our shelf (currentVintage has been owl-crazy for the last three seasons and people marvel at our collection).  She modeled several pieces for the camera and settled on a funky ruby-rhinestone-eyed horsehead medallion, which was fabulous.
What’s interesting a year later is the controversy over her new line of Owl jewelry.  It seems that Kelly and a stylist at Elle “designed” some Swarovski crystal embellished Owl pendants, only Kelly took the idea and ran with it and the mad stylist is now suing her.

I find it fascinating that:
A.  Someone can be sued over stealing an idea to copy vintage jewelry and
B.  That people pay $300+ on the Home Shopping Network for a mass-produced knockoff when the original one sells for $78 at currentVintage.

But maybe that’s why I’m not yet a famous designer or a real housewife of  Nanucket.

http://tinyurl.com/l4cwxf KKB Owl Scandal link