King Ranch or Bust

As we speak I am enroute to Kingsville, TX, for the wedding of one of my favorite friends at the King Ranch.  My flight is at 6am to make it there on time for the bridal luncheon; fingers crossed American Airlines has live TV onboard so that I can watch the Royal Wedding.  I have heard so much about her family's famous ranch, which is today the largest working ranch in Texas.  I can't wait to finally see it in person...

The wedding and reception on Saturday will be held at the ranch's main headquarters, above.  The save the date featured a beautiful watercolor rendering of the building. 

Friday night's party is being held at a museum in Kingsville, themed "A Night in Havana."  The groom-to-be proposed in Havana last spring, at the same hotel where her grandparents honeymooned.  Don't ask me how they got to Cuba, because I won't tell ;)

There will be a tour of the ranch Saturday before the wedding, I can't wait to see some cowboys in action!

This is a photograph of my friend's great great great grandfather, Richard King, who created King Ranch in the 1800s.  Her father and brothers are still very active in the ranch and its multiple businesses.  How wonderful that her family has this rich heritage to be proud of.  It will be a weekend to remember, and I promise to take lots of pictures! 

Cheap Thrills: April

Five little luxuries that kept me going this month-- each under $10...

Daily caffeine fix: $2.89

Roses: $6.99 at local bodega

Magnolia Cupcakes to celebrate a friend's birthday: $2.75 each

Manicure (to make the million times a day I still stare at that not-so-cheap thrill more fun): $8.00

A Sunday afternoon spent looking at my corporate-attorney-turned-full-time-artist friend's work: $ only the envy that she was brave enough to take such a leap!

Sometimes it's the little things... :)

Was Emily Schuman Shopping in My Laundry?!

I can only assume anyone reading this blog is as obsessed with Cupcakes & Cashmere as I am.  I wish Emily Schuman could appear in my closet every morning to style me.  She has a great way of mixing highs and lows, and her blog creatively shows how she syles her outfits, and her life!

I was so excited to see this outfit pop up on her FB page BECAUSE I HAVE THAT TOP!  I can't believe I bought something she bought before I knew she bought it!  It's from Zara (which some of my friends think is too common, but they can get over themselves because none of them are as stylish as Em), and I've already worn it a few times, most successfully last week to the office paired with a hand-me-down Trina Turk leopard print skirt from my mom, sky-high brown snake skin Guiseppe Zanotti's (a major score at a store-closing sale), and some knockout gold/turquoise necklaces and bangles found at Calypso/Forever 21/my mom's closet/a recent trip to Barcelona.  I normally wear mainly neutrals, so this shocked my colleagues, in a good way.  I guess you're rubbing off on me, Em.

Gifts for Preppy Babies

I am mid-way through what is likely to be at least a decade of buying a lot of baby gifts, between my Southern college friends who became mothers in their twenties to the rest of us who are stretching our carefree childless days as long as we can.  A good friend just gave birth to her second last week, a boy who was a delivery surprise.  Her  first was a girl, so I figured the little lad would need some baby boy clothing since hand-me-downs won't work.  My friend is an uber-preppy Greenwich housefrau who loves anything monogrammed...

So I was thrilled to find this adorable little outfit on Dolce Mia

I had his monogram done in the Raven style in orange.  It turned out fabulously and arrived two days after I made my order.  It was so darned cute I had trouble wrapping it up and sending it off, which may have scared the Prince, who is not exactly gunning for a honeymoon baby!  This site has really cute stuff at an amazing value-- I didn't see anything over $40!  Beyond monogrammed items, they also carry great smocked and knit ensembles:

Check them out!

Jack in the Bag

Wouldn't one of these bags be the perfect accessory for Friday's Royal Wedding?

Cheerio!

Thanks for the Introduction, Martha

Before Easter Mass on Sunday morning, I enjoyed some lazy time in bed with a latte and the May issue of Martha Stewart Living.  My favorite feature was about the home of a young family in Northern California. 

The magnetic paint on that focal wall above is genious! 

I grew up in Northern California, and my parents still live there, so of course I wanted to identify exactly which city this home is located.  I went to the website of the home's interior designer, Chloe Redmond Warner... and I'm SO glad I did. 

A shot of the same home's dining room.  They found the chairs in a catalogue and had them reupholstered to customize.  Lovely. 

Mixing two bold patterns totally works here.  Her website only identifies that this house is on the Peninsula (where my mom grew up-- I think the most sophisticated part of the Bay Area).  Brownie points to anyone who can get more specific! 

Anyway, linger on and see that this designer is versatile with a capital V!  She can design across so many different aesthetics-- how perfect that she's based in San Francisco where she has the opportunity to work in an abundance of architectual genres. 

The above home is in the Russian Hill neighborhood of San Francisco-- so modern in contrast to the traditional Peninsula home.

A blue velvet sofa???  Chloe, I think I might be ready to take this relationship to the next level...

Lovely rooms to brighten up a notoriously foggy city.  But it's THIS house below...

In my favorite SF neighborhood, Pacific Heights.  I want need those doors.  Perfection.

So Martha, thanks for the introduction, and Chloe-- I'll be watching!

Retro Bridal Luncheon

Bridal Pool Party featuring high heel sandals

Gucci high heel sandal
neimanmarcus.com

Wide brim hat
zara.com

Gucci square sunglass
nordstrom.com

French Connection French Connection Infinity Spot Lace Kaftan
fashionbeans.com




By this time Friday, I will be sipping a mimosa at one of my favorite fellow Countess's bridal luncheon.  It is being held at her grandmother's house on her family's legendary ranch in Kingsville, T.X., and the theme is retro poolside chic.  I cannot wait for the wedding weekend festivities to begin!

I'll be coming straight from the airport, so I'm doing my best to put together a look from my closet that goes from plane to pool without any stares... what do you think?

Easter Bunny Williams

I'd take any of the above from Bunny Williams' Beeline Home in my Easter basket!

Happy {Good} Friday

Holiday weekends always remind me and the Prince how far we are from our families-- too far for just a weekend on both sides.  The city is empty of its residents and only filled with Spring-breaking tourists, as evidenced by the fact that Karl Lagerfeld was walking down Prince Street in Soho last night, and I was clearly the only person who recognized him.  A fun weekend lies ahead nonetheless... dinner at my fave UES bistro with a very Royal fellow Countess this evening, getting my hair did tomorrow, Saturday night date with the Prince (wish me luck in an attempt to get him to Water for Elephants), and dressing up for Easter Mass on Sunday.  I've hosted elaborate Easter dinners for friends here in the past, but this year, it is just the two of us, so I'll probably keep the decor fairly simple.  But just for fun, I'll pretend I'm festooning my table like this:

Hoppy Easter!

Office to Cocktails

L Agence lace back dress

Manolo Blahnik patent shoes

Gucci heels

Yves saint laurent handbag

Derek lam handbag

ELIE SAAB chain jewelry

Hermes jewelry

Dorothy Perkins red jewelry

Kenneth Cole turquoise beaded jewelry

Yves Saint Laurent 'Rouge Volupte Pearl' Lipstick

CHANEL '97 LEATHER CHAIN BELT

Christian Dior - 1960s Dior Gold Tassle Belt




I am often dumbfounded by what some young ladies wear to my office... talk about being a "working girl."  I get that the long hours mean you may be going straight out to a date or party, but there's a way to do it appropriately.  I bought a simple black shift dress as a 21 year old intern, and it is still a go-to today.  A quick change of accessories and you're good to go, without running the risk of falling a few rungs down the corporate ladder for dress-code violations.  Leaders of tomorrow, look and learn!

Baby Henry Needs a Rug

My friend's baby boy arrived a little earlier than expected, and the nursery wasn't quite finished... He won't be crawling for some time, but I think he still needs a rug, you know, to stay grounded. 

His crib is outfitted in the Leo collection by Serena & Lily.  Do we go blue, or do we go orange? 

Thoughts???