Features

The Fall Factor

The Fall Factor

10 Easy Ways to Update Your Wardrobe

By Carla Canedo Cartier

Revive The 80s

Maybe the designers were longing for the care-free dancing days when they channeled 80s-inspired attire and the sparkle of the disco ball. This season is your time to shine with  this trend. From leggings and leather pants to mini dresses and sequin, your 80s fave is back. Betsey Johnson presented red-sequin leggings while Marc Jacobs even gave us the return of pleated jeans.

Go Mad For Plaid

The tried and true print is back. No, it’s not grunge this time and it’s not overly preppy either. This season’s take on plaid is feminine (yes, feminine) and fun. Think soft but not flannel! Our favorite: plaid on unexpected fabrics such as silk. The key is to make your plaid look girly. Find it with a touch of ruffles or femme colors such as pink. Pair it with a belted cardigan and skinny jeans for an instant hit!

Introduce An Architectural LBD

Update yourLBD with the added interest of architectural or asymmetrical accents. Many designers such as Lanvin, Roberto Cavalli, Bottega Veneta and Dries Van Noten offer options that add interest yet remain classic.

Feel Like A Goddess

Ladylike draping on dresses can  make you feel like a Greek goddess. And thanks to Balenciaga, Donna Karan, Derek Lam, Jason Wu, Givenchy, Christian LaCroix, Devi Kroell and many more, the options are limitless.

Must-have fall boots by Gucci

Try Over-The-Knee Boots

Yes, the shoe of the moment is an attention grabber, to say the least. But it’s also one of the toughest trends to tackle. But take heed—this look is not for everyone. Your legs must be shapely yet thin throughout. Gucci and  Louis Vuitton offer stunners for the daring. Our advice: If you do try it, look for a pair that folds down for multiple looks.

Go Rocker-Chic

Bring out your inner rockstar with a sexy black leather jacket. Hermes and Gucci offer updated options with just enough edge. The fashion moment: wearing your leather jacket over evening wear. Trust us—done just the right way, it can be trŽs chic! For the less daring, pair yours with skinny jeans and open-toe booties.

Belt Everything!

Show off that girlish figure no matter what you wear. The designers put the accent on the waist this season. Belts play a large role as the accessory must-have so invest in a variety of styles and sizes. Thin belts look best over cardigans and jackets. But don’t forget to add a belt to your suits and dresses too!

Chanel's Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon 75

Wear Red

The color of the season transcended into beauty. If geranuim-colored clothing is a stretch for you, why not try the trend on your lips or nails first? Remember, understated is the key for all other areas not accented. Ones to try: “Manicurist of Seville” from the Opi Espa–a collection or Chanel Rouge Allure Laque in Dragon 75.

Carry A Petite Purse

While it’s not time to completely discard your oversized bags, a petite version will update your look instantly. Jimmy Choo’s metallic Cosma bag or options by Christian Louboutin are right on the mark.

Turn Heads With A Bright Coat

Brighten a chilly day with a punch of color on your coat. It’s sure to put a little spring in your step. V

Out with the Old

How antiques are becoming the face of interior design…again

By Dara D’Onofrio

Out with the old and in with the new. It seems this tried and true statement is no longer what people are living by. Here, at such a pivotal crossroads in history, people are deciding what is most important to them, choosing what they want in their surroundings and for the most part, making significant changes.

Charlotte Swank, a resident of Palm Beach Gardens, was at that very crossroads when she made the move from a 3,000 sq. ft. home in PGA National to a 5,000 sq. ft. manse in Bay Village—a quaint and very chic neighborhood set in the heart of Palm Beach Gardens. Swank fell in love with the home the moment she saw it. In fact, just a few hours after seeing it with her realtor, she and her husband decided they had to have it.

Swank had tried working alongside interior decorators previously and found the process far too impersonal. When moving into her new digs, there was only one expert fit for the task ahead—Elena Johnson of True Treasures.

“Really what it boils down to, after almost 30 years in the design field, I saw the need from many clients to dispose of older items,” said Johnson of how True Treasures was born. “It’s a way of recycling,” she continues. “A lot of people come in thinking we are just an antique shop, and don’t realize we do consignment. Many come in to bring old items and find something new.”

The three-store antique haven known as True Treasures has been collecting the most exquisite and unusual antiques since 1991. One store is located in Crystal Tree Plaza in North Palm Beach, while the other store and an outlet (the area’s best kept secret) can be found on Northlake Blvd. in Palm Beach Gardens. For those seeking recycled nostalgia, this place is heaven—a treasure trove of the best consignments, antiques and collectibles from consigners, private estate collections and importers. Among notable pieces at True Treasures are fine bamboo tables by McGuire (these are the “Cadillac of tables” according to Johnson). Here, you can also find a myriad of fine porcelain and china sets from Asia.

Stores like True Treasures have become trusted havens for those seeking original pieces with a history—and a pretty price tag, too. Just as many people flock to the sale racks in department stores, this saving phenomenon hasspread far and wide and is becoming a trend for those seeking a new ambiance in their homes. “Some of it has to do with the economy, but a lot of it is that people see what is available in shops like ours, and people are very educated by media and magazines,” says Johnson. “They see what beautiful items we have here.”

One of the best parts about incorporating antiques into your already existing dŽcor is that you don’t have to part with the beloved items from your past. This appealed to Swank who has been antiquing for over 50 years and has consequently collected some astounding items in her life and travels. “She lived in Houston for a long time and she did not want to part with her past and the things she grew up with,” notes Johnson.

It is the eclectic mixture of old and new that makes the Swank residence so exceptional.

While every room in the house exudes luxury in its own way, it is the “toile room” that’s regarded as a favorite by both Johnson and Swank. Upon seeing the room, it becomes clear why. Named the toile room for the beautiful black and white toile wallpaper, the walls are adorned with lavish paintings—among them a striking portrait of Marie Antoinette that she purchased from Johnson’s boutique. Swank’s inspiration for the toile room came to her and she simply couldn’t shake the idea. “I think from looking through magazines: Antiques, Architectural Digest, Art Connoisseur, Southern Accents and Veranda. I just decided I loved toile. She [Elena] took me to a decorating place in Dania Beach and we didn’t find anything. But we both kept an eye out,” she said. When they came back to compare materials, they had both chosen the same beautiful toile—proof of how in synch they are on their vision for a room.

The room looks reminiscent of 18th century France during the reign of Marie Antoinette—the gilded picture frames, towering bookcase in moss green with gold edges and a small but cozy day bed, adorned with detailed drawings that she purchased in the quaint town of Fredericksburg, Texas.

Her love of Country French treasures carries throughout the home. In the kitchen, she tells me about her quest to find the perfect Pannier “There is no question about it. She knows what she likes and she likes to live/surrender by the things that she likes,” says Johnson. “Every little thing that you can think of—Charlotte has it.” Years ago, on a trip to New Orleans, Swank came across a Provencial spooled bread-holder that she thought was exquisite, but the price tag of $6,000 seemed steep. Deciding that she would get better quality and price in Provence, she embarked on a trip to the South of France. Four months later, as Swank was in Elena’s shop she found a very similar item—a Pannier, for a fraction of what she had invested in it.

“I think the point is, that if you wait long enough, it will come through her doors. You have to be patient,” says Swank. “Some people want to do a room in a week, and that’s not the way I’ve ever done a room. You don’t get pieces you love that way. For some people, it’s not important. They just want a pretty room.” While aesthetics are important when antiquing, it’s quality and history that often override superficial details. A rich history can be enough to make something beautiful in the owner’s eyes.

Her family room is full of sentimental items, both purchased at Elena’s store and overseas. Swank also shows extreme admiration for Asian furnishings and accessories. Her love of this style bloomed while her late husband, an importer of tools from Asia, was working overseas. They spent quite a bit of time in China and collected notable items that were thousands of years old. One example, is a statue of a horse dating to 220 A.D..

From Golden Koi fish bookends and sewing trunks with Asian motifs found at True Treasures, to sculptures and artifacts from China, this room is where East meets the West at the Swank residence. “My husband was going to the interior of China, and I wanted a tacky little Buddha statue. He comes back with an item that has been excavated! It’s an antiquity!” she exclaims. This aforementioned statue of a woman dates back to 906 A.D.

Like any true collector, Swank has amassed an impressive collection of artwork throughout the years. “Elena called me one day and said I’ve got a painting for you and I don’t want you to fall to the floor when you see it,” recalls Swank. “It was purchased in Paris. It still had its labels and all of its cobwebs.” This painting by Georges Rouault resembles a Picasso, adding a decidedly modern flair to her traditional residence. While apprehensive of its modern style over time it became a beloved piece.

The only pitfall to collecting antiques—not having enough room to store all of the wonderful pieces. “I’m retired,” Swank says jokingly, when asked if she will continue to collect. Swank’s storage areas are filled to maximum capacity, holding collections of detailed tins from all over the world, as well as trinkets and valuable figurines which she moves from room to room to keep the atmosphere interesting.

True Treasures has such an eclectic mixture of stock (receiving new shipments in daily), it’s nearly impossible not to find something customers will fall in love with. “We have so many items coming in, that if you come in often enough you will find your treasure.” V

Adult Summer Camps

Adult Summer Camps

Because summer vacation isn’t just for the kids anymore

By M.M. Cloutier

Jamming with a rock n’ roll band, swimming with dolphins, partying with chefs, orbiting to space, rubbing elbows with great minds—summer camp isn’t what it used to be. It’s better—and it’s for adults, too.

In our faster-better-more culture, grown-ups increasingly aren’t satisfied spending time “off” lying on a beach. According to the Travel Industry Association, more than 30 million U.S. adults have taken an educational trip to learn or improve a skill, sport or hobby in the last three years. Tens of millions more have taken an adventure trip during that period. Whether you consult the latest statistics or flood of anecdotal evidence, more and more adults are leaving their Blackberrys¨ and briefcases behind for a day, weekend, week or more to relish the celebratory world of what would seem an oxymoron: adult summer camps.

They’re becoming one of the most pervasive trends in summer travel and no one knows that better than Nancy Lapook Diamond, president of a Boca Raton-based company, NicheDirectories that runs a Web site called grownupcamps.com.

The site, currently the most comprehensive adult-camp directory, gets 100,000 unique hits a month—and Diamond expects its user activity may soon rival her company’s ever-popular flagship kids’ camps directory, which Diamond launched more than a decade ago.

“No sooner did we go online with kidscamps.com when we started getting e-mails from adults saying they wanted to go to camp, too,” says Diamond. “That interest has skyrocketed. As we say, why should kids have all the fun?”

It’s not exactly a surprise, then, that some kids’ camps around the country now are launching adult versions of themselves, including Florida’s Camp Ryno (“Rediscover Your Natural Obsession”) in Santa Rosa Beach, where adults soon will be able to enroll in extreme-sports weekends sprinkled with meditation and other activities.

But adults being adults and kids being kids, grown-up camps aren’t just like kids’ camps. First, it helps to play it a little loose with the definition of “camp,” since terms like “workshop,” “program” and “seminar” fall under the adult-camp rubric.

Second, accommodations and amenities typically are a far cry from tents, bug juice and mess halls. Finally, camp categories run the gamut, from hiking and canoeing to culinary, dance, sports, visual art, current affairs and more.

“Today, when people have time off, they’re interested in renewing a passion, sharpening a skill or learning something new,” says Diamond. “Some people simply want to recapture a sense of the camp experience they enjoyed when they were young or to participate in a camp-like experience they never had growing up.”

The easiest way to find an adult summer camp that suits your interests is to browse camp Web sites or search the Web with such key works as “summer camps for adults.” A plethora of possibilities pop up, which can be narrowed by indicating a state or category preference, among other things.

HERE IS JUST A TASTE OF THE MANY WAYS YOU CAN SPEND YOUR VACATION:

CAMP RYNO, Santa Rosa Beach, FL (campryno.com): The camp’s credo is to “inspire you to strengthen your body, enlighten your mind and enrich your soul. Live, laugh and learn extreme sports while becoming whom you truly wish to be.” For years, it has been geared toward teens with surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, free-diving, meditation and exploration of the area’s history and natural landscapes, but weekend-long adult camps are slated to be launched in a couple of months.

INCREDIBLE ADVENTURES, Sarasota, FL (incredible-adventures.com): It’s headquartered in Florida, but Incredible Adventures has day- and multi-day camps both in the Sunshine State and elsewhere. Florida-based adult programs range from three-day sharkdive adventures to a program at Kennedy Space Center. The space center adventure allows guests to embark on a plane for a fantasy trip through the galaxy that concludes in zero gravity “outer space” as you bounce around the cabin like human popcorn.

THE DOLPHIN RESEARCH CENTER, Marathon, FL (dolphins.org): Day- and week-long adult camps bring you up close and personal with dolphins. The center’s adult DolphinLab and “All About Dolphins Program” is a seven-day program that includes a blend of hands-on and in-water interactive experiences with dolphins, as well as seminars, observation time, snorkeling field trips, research and training workshops and more.

ROCK N’ ROLL FANTASY CAMP (rockcamp.com): The camp, where adults share the limelight with living rock legends, annually touches down on cities from London to New York to Las Vegas. The three-day experience includes small group instruction from celebrity musicians, playing and writing your own original song, rehearsing and recording at professional studios, and performing live to a sold-out audience at a major rock venue. Depending on your skill level, you may spend time singing backup vocals or playing tambourine.

NEW ORLEANS COOKING EXPERIENCE, New Orleans, LA (neworleanscookingexperience.com): Among other offerings, NOCE’s immersion cooking-class series includes two-, three- and fourday series in the company of a small, spirited and fun class each day with New Orleans chefs, followed by a meal and good cheer. Weekend and long-weekend culinary programs also are offered.

OUTWARD BOUND, Golden, CO (outwardbound.org): Outward Bound offers hundreds of adventure-based wilderness expeditions for all ages. Courses, as the camps are called, demand pushing your limits and working as a team. Adult summer programs include a week-long river rafting adventure in Oregon to face the challenges and rewards of the rivers. Campers also explore historical and cultural sites in the area — from Chinese miners’ houses to Native American pictographs.

IDYLLWILD ARTS, Idyllwild, CA (idyllwildarts.org): Every summer, hundreds of children, teens and adults attend Idyllwild workshops, week-long festivals and programs under the pines along hundreds of acres. Here they can pursue pursuing interests in creative writing, dance, music, theater and visual art—all under the auspices of some of America’s finest artists. Idyllwild Arts’ Family Camp is a huge draw each summer.

THE ASPEN INSTITUTE, Aspen, CO (aspeninstitute.com): The institute’s version of adult summer camp is its week-long Aspen Ideas Festival (aifestival.com), presented in conjunction with The Atlantic magazine. It brings those of us with curious minds together with an army of thinkers —from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright to actor, playwright and author Anna Deveare Smith. Activities include panels, debates, discussions and one-on-one interviews, with topics ranging from world affairs to innovations in education. Cultural events are part of the mix. V