There's a lot of good stuff in this magazine!

I was psyched when editor Carolyn Worthington of Healthy Aging magazine asked my to write the spring fashion feature for her magazine.  It would feature the Carlisle, Per Se and Per Se White Label collections that I work with every day.  These clothes marry well with my favorite theme, travel + style. It's fashion easy to love. The biggest problem my clients are having this season? Deciding what not to buy.

What I didn't anticipate was how much I was going to enjoy the rest of the magazine once it was published.  First, Sheryl Crow is on the cover.  I'm a fan.  Then there's an article on castles including the one in Downton Abby. I'm a ridiculous fan.  There's an article about a couple who reinvented themselves, horsey style.  Plus lots of food, wine and recipes and, oh, something on tai chi...

Check out Healthy Aging here.

Tango, Narni, Italy

Smack in the middle of Umbria, which is smack in the middle of Italy, is a small medieval town called Narni.  Narni hosts the Narnia Arts Academy, a cultural/artistic festival in July.  One unexpected offering in the "Culture and Leisure" program at the festival is Tango Dancing.  Ladies, imagine tango dancing with a handsome Italian in tight pants.  What's more, he's teaching you how to do it, no experience required.  But perhaps food turns you on more.  If so, you can take regional cooking classes at the festival as well.  Classes are held in local restaurants and medieval taverna.

The Culture and Leisure programs has offerings for one or two weeks and includes excursions to Rome, Perugia, Assisi, Spoleto and more. Every manor of accommodations are available and at prices way below "big city stays" for that time of year.

This medieval hill town is pumping with music, dance and art during the festival (actually, most of the year).  Stroll from one side of Narni to the other in about 10 minutes, do it at night, under the glow of street lanterns, with your real (or pretend) tango partner!

Side note:  Narnia is the Latin name for Narni and it is from this city that C.S. Lewis took inspiration for his book "Chronicles of Narnia," which has nothing to do with tango.

 

Hands Turned On

I'm sure you can relate to being lost in a foreign country and having trouble deciding if you’re excited, or terrified! There is a perfect T-shirt out there that shows and says just what to do–breath!  Hands Turned On has fitted Ts that say things like “Excitement Without Breath is Fear, “ “Ten Seconds To Center” and “Practice Extreme Gratitude.” These soft cotton tops come in sherbet colors and have handprints on them, which display where to put your own hands to practice self healing (or self calming) techniques. The shirts come with a nifty hangtag that guides you in performing energy healing/breathing practices that are unique to each shirt.

Renowned energy medicine healer Dr. Ann Marie Chiasson wanted to launch a product that would give customers easy access to the use of energy medicine anywhere! The shirts allow the wearer to jump into a healing practice without going to a workshop, class, healer or clinician. Besides that, they look cool, travel well, feel good on and spread a great message. The shirts are available online at the company’s website, www.handsturnedon.com.

Vicenza: the city of Palladio

MyStylist-Travel Advisory

Where to go:

Located in the center of the Veneto Region, Vicenza is an architectural dream-scape. Connect with a narrative history of architecture at its finest. Take in that which is Renaissance, Baroque, Neo-classic and more. This "theater-city" is a must on anyones itinerary exploring the region.

What to do:

Get a guide. Ours was Monica Facchini. Monica and her colleagues will customize a tour for a group from one to 50 people. The tour may encompass Vincenz's "Pallidio" city center, as well as several of the 16 Palladian Villas in the Vicenza provence.

The breathtaking Teatro Olimpico is a must see. This is the first modern public theatre built and used during the Renaissance. It screams, Shakespeare. Palladio's design direction was to build a theater in the "Roman Style." Mission accomplished, and how! Commissioned by the Accademia Olimpica in 1555, an organization which still meets in the theater, Oedipus Rex is one of many plays you can see at Teatro Olimpico today (from Spring to Autumn, plan ahead).

Palladio did not live to see his full design executed, the architect, Vincenzo Scamozzi realized the Olimpico dream. Scamozzi's use of architectural perspective, creating the illusion of seemingly endless streets on the stage is extraordinary. As is his use of trompe l'oeil throughout the building.

Ever conscious of budgetary constraints, Palladio requested that all statuary to be made from stucco. Napoleon had a mind to rip them off, but was dissuaded when he found out they were not real marble. Sometimes it pays to watch your lira.

What to wear:

As I mentioned in older posts. Italian women are fashionable and sexy. Live your Sophia Loren fantasy, put on a Ferragamo scarf, grab a Furla bag, drape on some gold*, wear a push up bra and let Vicenza celebrate your architecture. (But wear comfortable shoes!)

*Note: Vicenza is a leading European gold industrial area with over 1,200 firms crafting traditional to modern designs...all in gold...hum...

America, The Beautiful...Interiors

MyStylist Travel Advisory

Where to go:

The "new" American Wing Of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC opened this past spring. See the period rooms, twenty in all, and the reconfigured Charles Engelhard Court. The Court has long been a favorite take-a-break spot for museum goers. Now, housing a sleek/simple Cafe and plenty of lovely places to sit and "appreciate sculpture," it's even chic.

What to do:

Take the new glass elevator to the third floor. The first room, with low beamed ceilings and a tiny curtained 4-poster bed, is just what you might expect from the 1680's. Work your way down to the first floor meandering through the next couple hundred years. End up in an early Frank Lloyd Wright Room, 1912.

Note: The new touch-screen kiosks are really cool.

What to wear:

It was expected to be a blustery (Whinnie The Pooh word) day. But I was too warm in a cashmere sweater. I have a favorite Paul Smith light-weight, fall, long-ish, blazer. The idea was to wear the sweater underneath the blazer, which provided no warmth. The museum is rather warm, I suspect they're economizing with regard to temperature regulation. Come winter, the museum might be a little cold. MyStylist says dress in layers. One more beneath my sweater, allowing me to peel off the sweater, would have helped (don't I know this already??).

Where to eat:

For sustenance, ease and convenience, The MET's Cafe is quite good. But check out all the dining options. Some, really give you a, "Aren't I cultured and fabulous," feeling.

Just one block from the museum on the southwest corner of Madison and 83rd street is Vosges Haut Chocolat. What better way to wind up your outing than with an exceptional piece of "designer" chocolate? "Travel the World through Chocolate" is the motto for this little jewel box of a store. (Well, the company actually.) One slender table provides an intimate place to indulge your taste buds in chocolate the likes of which you've probably never tasted before. Chocolate with curry or paprika, champagne, or chillies, ingredients culled from around the globe all served up in tiny truffles (or rather big bars!), yours for the tasting!

Tuesday in the park, The High Line,

MyStylist–Travel Advisory

Where to go:

The High Line in New York City is a "repossessed" railway. Once above ground freight trains used the line to transport meat, agricultural goods and mail up and down the Lower West Side. Now, reinvented by a group of caring citizens, The High Line is a park oasis, a cultural groove way.

What to do:

Gaze, talk, lounge and stroll. Appreciate design. Love Manhattan.

What to bring:

1) Kids and friends of all ages. Truly, it is a confined above ground park space so kids can run. Taking a paramour would be fine too! 2) Your camera, to capture some extraordinary vantage points of urban loveliness. 3) Big reflective sunglasses, so you can check out the celebrities you'll see and still look like you don't care that you saw them. 4) On-line parking coupon

What to wear:

Comfortable shoes (No sneakers. Why, because I hate them.) My girlfriend had some black patin ballet flats with a little perforated wing tip design across the toe, cute. You're elevated, so wear an extra layer–soft sweater, wrap or urban sweatshirt. Also, New Yorkers do in fact wear colors, just not too many patterns. The High Line itself inspires subtle designs and natural fabrics. Braking this guideline, however, my son wore a Volcom sweatshirt that is anything but subtle.

Where to eat:

We grabbed a take-out Pastis breakfast, lunched at The Standard Grill.

Now that's a cool half-day in The City.