And they're all created by women, natch!
Read moreHow to Tie a Silk Scarf
The accessory that's changing my look, and thoughts on channeling your high school style (both the good and the bad!).
Read moreA Classic Fall Top
The perfect sweater for when the cool weather hits, plus, serious thoughts on Ferris Bueller's famous quote.
Read moreReal Gals Part 6, Emily Collins: Interior Designer, Avid DIYer, and Native Oklahoman
Emily talks about her first apartment with her now-husband in New York City (it was tiny!) and how a storm nearly derailed their wedding, plus, she gives her tips on working closely with a boss/friend.
Read moreInterview with Hannah Richardson, up-and-coming singer/songwriter
Hannah is the sweetest, smartest, and most inspiring. She talks about her experiences being bullied, her favorite TV shows, and the quirky thing about her that hardly anyone knows!
Read more10 Things I'm Loving Right Now
The easy-to-find-in-your-bag lip balm, the singer I'm crushing on, the coolest face mask (literally), and more!
Read moreA Beachy, Sunshiny Poem For the Last Day of Summer
FIRE ISLAND: MID-SUMMER
Soft waves today; feathery clouds;
apricot horizon; frothing
wake of a water skier
shivers in the cool breeze.
A plover lands atop a sand-castle parapet
while I, in my lounge chair,
write a poem about the joys of summer.
Sudden noise from a boom-box
jolts me and the bird
from our respective perches.
Toes digging into the sand,
we head for the water's edge
where we bury all complaints
for the tide to wash away.
—Rosalie Calabrese
(Published: Third Wednesday, 2013)
You may remember Rosalie as the star of the first part of the Real Gals series, which is a collaboration with the nonprofit GlamourGals. Rosalie is a brilliant 78-year-old New York City–based writer, and it's such a joy for me to read her poetry and to now have the chance to share it with you. (When you read the poem, can you smell the ocean breeze, hear the sound of the boat pulling the water skier, hear the waves crashing, and see the bird standing at the water's edge? I love that "Fire Island: Mid-Summer" truly evokes the senses, and our imaginations, as we read!) Here's a bit more about Rosalie.
The best part of summer to her: "I love sitting on the beach, mesmerized by the motion of the sea."
Her favorite season: "I like summer the best, although spring and fall are nice. Notice I didn't say winter. Brrr. What I like most about fall is the changing of the leaves."
Where she was when she wrote the poem: "I wrote it at home, but the inspiration came from watching that bird at the beach in Kismet on Fire Island."
A book she's loving: "I'm currently reading What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt, and I'm totally engaged in her depiction of art, the art scene, psychoses, medical history, and telling a fascinating story of interpersonal relationships all at the same time. Very impressive."
Thank you so much, Rosalie, for sharing your beautiful poem. If you'd like to read more poetry by Rosalie, you can sign up for her newsletter by emailing her at rcmgt@yahoo.com.
Photograph by Tom Schelling.
The Perfect Fall Flannel Shirt: Look 2
My love for this Uniqlo flannel continues for round two: the dressy version.
Read moreThe Perfect Fall Flannel Shirt: Look 1
All the sunshiny flannel vibes. (Yes, it's a thing!)
Read moreReal Gals Part 5, Mary Hall: Twin, Native Kentuckian, and Big-Time World Traveler
This month's Real Gal talks boarding school, having a twin sister, and her epic 30th birthday plans.
Read moreThe 6 Big Things I Learned in My 20s
The top lessons I've learned in the past decade, plus super on-point (and very funny) life advice from my new roomies, Kristin and Kaitlin.
Read moreHow to Survive a NYC Heat Wave Without A.C.
I moved to a new apartment two weeks ago and must have been delusional when I thought I could go the rest of the summer without an air conditioner. Boy, did I underestimate the power of a heat wave in New York City.
"It's only another month or so I'll have to get through," I said to my friends and family, hardly believing what I was saying, but pretending it was no big deal. Of course I could handle it!
Well, I handled it. Just barely. This past Sunday, I spent most of the day surrounded by fans (the loud, whirring, breeze-making kind, not the people-who-adore-me kind), trying to adjust to the intense heat and humidity. I learned a few things in the process. Here, how to get by when the temps are in the high ’90s, there's no A.C. in sight, and even an iced coffee won't suffice. (Madness!)
1. First, the denial: Insist that you'll be fine, that the heat is no problem for you. After all, you grew up without an air conditioner, you got this. #badass. Er, make that: #sweatybadass.
2. Decide to do laundry at the laundromat. Hang out a bit longer than necessary folding clothes to soak in that free A.C. (Cheating is allowed, obvi.)
3. Realize that the relatively simple task of making the bed with fresh sheets will result in you being bathed in sweat. Here commences the first midday shower (of many to come).
4. Resign to not lift a finger to turn on the stove. Do it anyway, and curse yourself when the kitchen becomes a true oven.
5. Use any excuse to stick your head in the freezer. Yes, I do need to refill all the ice trays three times. Maybe six? What if there's an ice shortage? I'd better stockpile.
6. Contemplate having ice cream for dinner. Then actually do it, meeting your friend at the local ice cream shop around the corner to slurp down four scoops in a HUGE cone. Come home covered in sticky ice cream like the true kid you are.
7. Shower again, of course. Have to wash off all that ice cream!
8. Put on your emergency, I'm-melting-in-this-heat outfit: the belly shirt you never feel comfortable wearing (outside of the beach) and the loosest shorts you own (i.e. the looser the clothing, the cooler you'll feel).
9. Put wet hair in a topknot and decide it's the only way you can wear your hair ever again.
10. Daydream of what air conditioning feels like. If only there was some cool air blasting on me right now!
11. Think about going to a coffee shop, but that means having to move, and changing out of the belly top... too much work.
12. When it randomly starts to downpour, run to the front door, filled with glee, and stand outside until you're soaked, never before this happy to see rain.
13. Walk back to your apartment incredibly slowly, after all, there's A.C. in the apartment building entranceway.
14. You sleep restlessly that night and cave the next day, enlisting your boyfriend to help you install the old, rusty A.C. from your last apartment, even though it doesn't fit in the window (the window is too wide). But you'll make it work (for the love of all things furry, you must!), so you use cut-up pieces from a cardboard box and duct tape to keep air from getting in or out. Then, the moment of truth: You push the power button, and Ahhhhh. There it is, that cold, delicious air. Whoever said living without A.C. is possible during a NYC summer? Not me!
Stay cool out there, my friends!
Xoxo, Heather
Photograph by Tom Schelling.
Cheers to the Weekend!
Hi, my friends!
Things have been a little crazy over the past few weeks (I moved from Brooklyn to Queens and then was on vacation for a few days), so I'm still very much unpacking boxes and reorganizing my life. Thank you for your patience while I've been MIA on the blog. Can't wait to be back and posting weekly again.
In the meantime, here's a story I did for MarieClaire.com that I'm especially proud of:
Back in April, I was watching a baseball game on TV with Tom and his parents, and my ears perked up when I heard a woman's voice commentating on the plays. I don't watch a lot of baseball, but I knew that that was a pretty rare thing. I had to know who she was, so I googled her right away. Turns out her name is Jessica Mendoza, and she's got a pretty cool story. Before being a commentator, Jessica played softball professionally for years, winning a gold Olympic medal in 2004 and silver in 2008. She started working for ESPN on the side as a softball analyst and when she retired from playing, she put her focus on her budding broadcast career, and here she is today, the network's first female baseball analyst. Boom! But I wanted to know... how did she get there? What kind of struggles has she had along the way and how has she overcome them?
So I pitched a story on her to one of my editors at work and got to interview Jessica (she's pretty much my favorite interview ever). Besides being supercool and down-to-earth, she shared what it’s like to be the first woman in her position at ESPN, along with her glass-ceiling-breaking career advice. Check out the story by clicking below!
Greece Photo Diary: Naoussa, Thessaloniki, and Athens
The sites, the food, the people, the shoes!!!
Read moreHappy Almost Weekend!
Catch up on the latest posts, like the Real Gals interview with Farrah (who travels internationally for her job and shares her tips for flying with just a carry-on), plus, the latest summer style stories and getting-more-organized tips!
Read more