The Internship Files: Day 4

Finding thread to make skanes

This week has been crazy for everyone as we prepare for the LA textile show in the Calmart next week. We are also busy preparing our next color forecast! Today at Design options I helped find the colors that are going in the next book and make skanes (sample spools of thread). I also helped find names for the new reports. Brainstorming names to go with the cover photo can be challenging but I love being creative. Next week the owner Fran  Sude is giving a seminar on color at LA textile week. I'll be helping out at the seminar all day. Check back next week to see how it goes!

Oscars best dresses!

I've rounded up the best photos of Oscar night from Instagram!

Natalie Portman is always so elegant!

Love this unique silhouette reminiscent of the 20s!

I always love a little sparkle!

The Intern Files: Day 3

Today at FBI I helped catch up on all the work after MAGIC. It was a crazy trip and there was lots to be followed up on. First I helped add all the new names to the email list. Then I went through and answered all of the missed emails we got while we were gone. I also helped organize all of the papers and business cards we took home from the show. I felt very accomplished at the end of the day when we were caught up on everything. The FBI fashion show during LA market week is coming up so check back next week for more info!

Spotlight: Palais Garnier the Paris Opera

Paris is home to many beautiful architectural works and the Paris Opera is no exception. Designed in the late 1800s by famed architect Charles Garnier (who also designed the Royal Opera of Monte Carlo) for the King of the 3rd republic it took over 14 years to build! The beautiful Opera house stands centrally located in Paris with many American restaurants including Chipotle, McDonalds, and Pizza Hut, right around the corner. In case your craving a high calorie, high sodium, cheesy American plate. Which, I might add, you will NOT find at any Parisian restaurants. The Baroque style building stands tall in the center of the street with the Gold statues decorating the top of the building, creating the perfect backdrop for a #selfie! As you walk up the front steps there is a large monument with a golden bust of Charles Garnier. Also a popular picture destination. What many people don't know however is that if you look closely at the bottom of the monument there is an engraving of Garmier's original blueprints for the Opera house.

The inside of the opera house is full of rich history including the huge chandelier that inspired the famous Phantom of the Opera scene. Apparently it is rumored to have fallen during a performance although no one knows for sure. 

If you wish to learn more about the history of the Palais Garnier they do offer tours on Weekdays. You can book your tour on Parisopera.com. I chose to go for a live event instead of the tour which I thoroughly enjoyed. As I walked into my red velvet coated box seats complete with curtains and a coat hanger I really did feel like royalty.

 I had amazing views of the giant stage (the biggest in the world at one time) as I watched the enchanting performance of Hippolyte  et Aricie by Jean-Phillipe Rameau.

 At intermission I headed out to the glamorous Kings reception hall designed specifically for the King to host his guests in. Lavishly decorated with baroque paintings covering the ceiling as well as Versailles style chandeliers I can only imagine what types of Party's were held here.

 The Paris Opera is a must see for anyone visiting Paris, even if you're not into Opera. There are still many historical and artistic wonders to be discovered in this beautiful monument. 

Restaurant Review: Mediterraneo on the Pier

A post shared by SierraClair (@cerisesdumatin) on Feb 14, 2016 at 6:10pm PST

Mediterraneo is a hip young tapas restaurant on the Hermosa beach pier in the Southbay of Los Angeles CA. The tapas menu is not the traditional Spanish cuisine but instead filled with healthy and delicious options from Mediterranean cuisine. The mostly outdoor seating offers views of the pier for people watching while you enjoy each course. Don’t worry about getting chilly it is Los Angeles after all and the restaurant has heating lamps. The menu has so many great choices making it hard to choose. First I enjoyed the restaurants version of a bread appetizer with pita bread and hummus. It was filling and healthy. I finally decided on the meatball, fried mac and cheese ball, and side of spring veggies. The small plates came and the meatball was absolutely delicious in richly flavored marinara sauce and the fried mac and cheese was very interesting. It was very cheesy with a few noodles mixed in. The spring vegetables were sautéed in some delicious sauce making them extra fresh. I was too full to try any dessert and it was such a healthy meal I didn't want to ruin it with dessert. This cute restaurant offers the perfect beach atmosphere as well as health conscious options. I loved being able to go out to dinner even while I was dieting. The ambiance makes you feel like you really are in the Mediterranean. I definitely recommend stopping in if you are looking for a nice beach dinner on the pier.

CdM: Restaurant review: Hidden gem of las vegas Cortez room

Tonight I ate dinner at the Cortez room, a steakhouse in the Goldcoast hotel and casino. Although the Goldcoast is a little off the beaten path the Cortez room is definitely worth the trip. The Cortez room is an old style steakhouse tucked away in the corner of the casino and serves the best prime rib in town at very affordable prices. The ambiance of this retro steakhouse is great with the dim lighting and excellent service with staff that has been there over 20 years making you feel like part of the family. When you walk in, you are greeted by a friendly hostess and seated in high backed booth.  The waiter appears with a basked of warm breads and crackers and returns expediently with your drinks.  I always order my favorite Shirley Temple and the Cortez room does it with lots of cherries. Their food is delicious and each meal includes a side salad or soup and a baked potato leaving you stuffed. My favorite item to get is the Queen cut prime rib, always perfectly done, served with a gravy boat brimming with warm homemade au jus.  The salted baked potato is served with plentiful cups of sour cream, butter, and chives. But I would also recommend the scallops if you are in the mood for sea food; they are amazing in the special lemon sauce. Next time you are looking to try something new in an intimate dining setting try the hidden gem, the Cortez room.

Diane Von Furstenburg exhibit in LA

In February 2014 I visited the Diane Von Furstenburg exhibit in LA. Located next to LACMA in an old warehouse this was the last stop on the exhibits tour around the world. It celebrated the 40th anniversary of the wrap dress. As I entered the exhibit I was immediately greeted by giant posters of DVF and a history of her career in fashion on the wall. Then I wandered through the next room where portraits of DVF and her friends hung on the walls with stories of her many adventures in the fashion industry. I enjoyed reading about her career and the celebrities she had designed for. There were also vintage ads of the original wrap dress from the 70s. Seeing original prints from the beginning of this trend that is still a closet staple decades later was amazing. Next I headed into the giant open space filled with displays of every wrap dress you could imagine against the backdrop of constantly changing patterns.

Msuic played in the background as I looked at each of the dresses unique details. Some were for evening wear with jewels and beads while others were more every day and some were vintage with 70s patterns. I really enjoyed the exhibit and learned a lot abut the history of DVF and her incredible influence on the fashion industry. I hope to see more from DVF soon!

Restaurant Review The Red 8 at The Wynn Las Vegas

Update: This restaurant has unfortunately closed. 

After interning with FBI at MAGIC today which you can read more about here I headed over to the Wynn hotel for dinner to eat at my favorite Asian food restaurant in Vegas and in perfect time for Chinese New Year! It is called the Red 8 which goes nicely with the red theme of the Wynn interior decorating scheme.

The Red 8 has the best Asian food in Vegas with fresh ingredients and delicious flavors.

My two favorite things to get are the beef fried rice and the Cashew chicken. Served family style the dishes at the Red 8 are meant to be shared. The beautiful  decorations and modern ambiance make the restaurant look as nice as the food tastes. Located on the corner of the Wynn casino it is the perfect place to people watch as well. I love to watch all the well dressed guests go by from the Red 8's swirling steel window designs. Next time you are looking for a fun and delicious Asian cuisine I definitely recommend the Red 8!

Travel Review: Finding your aura in Sedona Arizona

This past week To get a little taste of adventure I headed over to the beautiful little desert town of Sedona Arizona. Sedona is a great place to relax and enjoy the beauty of nature. This cute little town is surrounded by the red rocks of Arizona and is also home to an ancient Indian village.

I felt like escaping from the city and had read reviews about Sedona. The town of Sedona is located in central Arizona. I booked a cute little cottage at a resort in downtown Sedona. The place had an artsy vibe and a cute shopping center with homemade pottery and beads for sale. The town is also famous for mountain vortexes, which the Indains believed had healing powers, that I took a hot hike to.  I climbed up the mountain through the red clay and took in the views from the top. The red rocks and desert landscape looked peaceful in the sunlight. The hike definitely left me feeling great, maybe it was the natural setting of the desert, or maybe the Indians were right and the vortexes natural powers healed me. I also visited the farmers market that sells incense and pretty tie dye skirts. One of my favorite parts was learning about the history of the ancient clay pueblos built into the mountainside. I also took a drive to the famous slide rock which is not far from Sedona. Slide rock is an natural water slide made with ice cold spring  water that has smoothed over the rocks under it over thousands of years. It was a crazy  ride as I dipped into the ice cold water but soon the shock began to wear off and I just got numb. Then I slid down the rocks  and tried to avoid the boulders along the edges. I made it out alive though and I think the ice water is also rejuvenating because I felt energized for the hike back to the car after. Another interesting thing about Sedona is the Javelina statues that are placed throughout the town. I turned it into a sort of scavenger hunt after I noticed the theme and found several interesting statues of Javelinas around the town. Some had on interesting outfits while others were made out of wood or bronze. Apparently Javelinas are a common type of wild boar in the desert of Arizona. I really enjoyed the trip and felt more connected with the desert nature than before. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a change of scenery.

Tuesday Travel Tip

Trade your camera for a set of paints!

If you are in the habit of taking pictures of your vacation with your iPhone camera and constantly uploading them to social media this tip is for you. Try to get off your phone or tablet for awhile and instead of snapping selfies everywhere you go grab a canvas and easel and paint your way through the town. In my travel review about my trip to Aix en Provence in France I described several places where artists gathered daily to work on their paintings including the flower market, the town square, and the church. You might enjoy working on your artistic skills and you will probably meet other artists. Most importantly you can enjoy the moment without having to worry about uploading pictures to Instagram because you will have your very own painting that will last forever!

The Bonaventure in Downtown LA

The Bonaventure is a historic hotel in downtown LA with a spinning bar at the top for beautiful sweeping view of Los Angeles. I decided to head over to the Bonaventure one summer night to check out the famous bar. I didn't make any reservations and there wasn't a wait so that was nice. I took the glass elevator from the lobby to the 34th floor and surveyed the hotel below me. I got a table by the window and put my purse down on the floor next to me. I looked over the menu at all the fruity drinks available. And then decided to take a picture of the view with my phone. When I went to grab my purse I realized it was slowly receding away form me. The bar had started spinning and it was taking my purse with it! I quickly grabbed my purse and got my phone out to take the picture.

I ordered a drink  called the California. It was delicious decorated with pineapple and cherries. The frozen pineapple strawberry flavor was the perfect thing to end a hot summer day. I decided to order dessert from their attractive menu. I finally chose the banana Crème Brulee. The delicious crème brulee with vailla whipped cream and chocolate shavings on top was the perfect thing to satisfy my sweet tooth. As I sat enjoying my drink and crème brulee I took in the 360 views of Los Angeles from the 34th floor of the  Bonaventure. After finishing in the lounge I headed downstairs to the LA Prime restaurant for dinner. I was quickly seated in a booth with a great view of the sunset and Los Angeles skyline. I ordered a Shirley temple of course and looked over the expansive menu. I decided to split the seafood appetizer for two with my friend. The appetizer came with all the best fresh seafood including Lobster King crab Prawns and oysters. The server was very accommodating and was able to replace the oysters with extra prawns when I asked for no oysters. The seafood platter came and was more than enough for the two of us. This platter is a great deal priced as an appetizer even though it is quite filling! After finishing my dinner I decided to wander around and explore the hotel. The Bonaventure hotel is a great place to visit in downtown. The historic hotel is famous for its location in the business district and revolving cocktail lounge. If you are looking for and hang out with friends this place is perfectly located in downtown LA.

Travel Review: A weekend in the Hamptons

The Hamptons, the famed summer getaway for only the most exclusive New Yorkers and now apparently reality TV stars. (Kourtney and Khloe take the Hamptons really?) Well I have a guide for the perfect weekend getaway to the Hamptons that doesn't involve any sibling rivalry or dramatic break ups. If you are planning a Kardashian free trip to the Hamptons this summer here is a list of the must see spots in South Hampton, Long Island.

First if you are coming from New York I recommend the Hampton Jitney. If you are like me and not a native New Yorker you've probably never heard of it. That's because this great and reasonably priced bus ride is a well kept secret in the city. It is definitely cheaper than taking a cab. Of course if you are a member of the 1% you could always just take your helicopter...

Anyways for the rest of us the Hampton Jitney is a quick and painless way to make the trip and they even serve those little travel cookies they used to give out on planes! Mmm. Please tell me I'm not the only one who remembers those?

To start I recommend stopping in town to look in all the cute beach shops on Main street including Hildreth's Home goods store. This cute little shop has great souvenirs including beaded pillows starfish soap dishes and much more. there are also many high end shops including Ralph Lauren, and Colettes vintage. After wandering the shops for awhile I ate lunch at the hip and trendy French Italian restaurant called Sant Ambroeus which many famous people have been spotted at recently. The food was delicious and it was fun to sit and people watch right on the boulevard. After lunch I headed over to the popular ice cream store called the Fudge company and sat and ate my ice cream on a bench in front of a Ferrari. Gotta love the Hamptons right? There were also many fun popup stores all along main street. Then you can walk or take the free electric shuttle to Coopers beach past all the beautiful and large cottages.

The beach is great during the summer. It is not too rocky or rough and I easily found a place to lay my towel down. However I would recommend wearing your bathing suit under your clothes because it is a long walk to the nearest restrooms to change. However there is a cute ice cream shop right on the beach when  you do finally make it down to the bathroom. After a fun and relaxing afternoon on the beach I headed back to catch the Jitney back to the city at around 6. On my way back to the train station I picked up a treat from The Golden Pear Cafe on Main street to eat on my way back to NYC.