Going on a date for Valentine's Day? Treat yourself to this: our new Momiji V-Neck Top in chocolate and fuchsia stretch mesh will be stunning for your evening out. The brown trim on the sleeves is reminiscent of kirigane (rectangular cut gold leaf) on Japanese lacquer. Click on our latest web feature :: LARGER VIEW :: to see the beautiful details of this piece. And the brown sequin flower pin is removable so you can choose which part of your outfit to highlight. Need suggestions on a skirt? Try it with the Bamboo Denim Skirt first. Then stay tuned for more lovely skirt ideas. Please note: the LARGER VIEW feature will soon be on every detail page on elaineperlov.com, for your shopping pleasure.

Momiji V-Neck Top, available now on elaineperlov.com, $84


Stay tuned for many more Valentine's Day Treat ideas, and check out previous posts too:
valentine's day treat #1
valentine's day treat #2

1. ate breakfast (actual breakfast pictured above: pb toast and coffee. how do you like this coffee cup? my friend just gave it to me. it is accurate down to the raised seam, but it is ceramic, not paper.)
   
2. wrote a blog entry
3. got involved in looking at too many websites while looking for pertinent links
4. searched blogger to see if my blog has been indexed yet
   
5. searched "perlov blog" and found mine and a few others that talk about me. neat
   
6. searched "elaine blog" and found this one
7. thought about writing to all elaines who have blogs just to say, "hey my name is elaine and i have a blog too!" but didn't.
8. tried to find out how i can get stats for my blog
9. checked my web stats when i couldn't figure that out
10. banned myself from the computer
    
11. set the egg timer and got to work
    

Will this happen to you and your blog?

If you find yourself in the D.C. area before February 11, your must catch a great show at Irvine Contemporary featuring works of Brooklyn-based artist (and my friend) Bede Murphy. You will be jealous to know that I have quite a few of his paintings. His latest work was recently featured at Scope, Miami, one of the hot international contemporary art fairs running concurrently with Art Basel Miami Beach. You can come over some time to see his earlier works, or check out his latest called "The Namedropper Series." Not to be missed!

Irvine Contemporary, 1710 Connecticut Ave, NW, 202.332.8767
above: Bede Murphy, Image White Out, mixed media on panel (detail)

The firecrackers will go crazy this afternoon in Chinatown. It is the Year of the Dog. How does that bode for Roosters? I will have to look that up. So while not a great day to go buy your tofu (at 6 cakes for $1 made fresh every day!!), it is a great day to go have bubble tea and some dinner. My picks for that are the Peanut Black Milk Tea, iced, with tapioca, at Green Tea Cafe, 45 Mott St, 212.693.2888. This place is the best -- tastiest bubble tea, great teahouse atmosphere down to the cool Tang Dynasty-style stools you sit on, and most hustle-bustle excitement. And for dinner, try the Hong Kong-style XO Cafe, 96 Walker St, 212.343.8339, with quite an extensive menu including great dim sum served all day. Try the watercress dumplings! Happy New Year! Here is a 10% discount with your Metro Card, valid through February 15.

This is a strange fact that came to me via e-mail today. In the Boston area, nearly 1 in 20 households are millionaires. Well that explains all the luxury condos going up every 3 minutes in the city. I mean really. It was getting a bit ridiculous. Here is a site, if you are in the market, to choose your new super-designed gracious living millionaire quarters. Click on the links at the bottom of the page. The Glass Factory?? And if you are new to the area, here are some tips you might want to study about the natives before you go. This one cracked me up. It is called, "Interacting with the Bostonian" and actually, I find it rather accurate. Be sure to scroll and read them all.

Have you ever seen so many kinds of hummus, lentil dips, baba ghanoush and other spreadable yummies in your life? You must explore this wall. Eli's, 1411 Third Ave (btwn 80th and 81st).

Yesterday was a most exciting blog day for me, especially being so brand new to this form. First of all, heavyweight bloggist, Jodiverse linked to my new blog! (And by heavyweight, I mean in writing acumen, not her actual weight, because she is quite fit and petite.) And, the Executive Vice President of Royal Elastics wrote to me and signed my blog!! I mean how good can one blogging day get? Yes it is the little things that keep me going in my creative pursuits. Thank you so much, and keep your comments coming!

It is a Monday and the timer is back. 30 minute intervals. A very detailed to-do list. A scheduled swim at noon to give me a short me-time exercise break. What more can I do to motivate on such a dreary rainy day? A haircut? That might be just the thing. I suppose the answer is stop writing this and get back to work!

I just saw some amazing Thai- and Vietnamese-inspired desserts by Pichet Ong, pastry chef at Spice Market and 66, just 2 of Jean-Georges Vongerichten's high-profile restaurants. I love the decor of 66! And Pichet's desserts are so clever and complex. Elements that piqued my interest: ovaltine mousse & vietnamese coffee sauce. I am sure that 66 will be impossible to get into on Valentine's Day, and the prices a bit pricey at "$$$$" (and lately small ethnic places in Queens are more my speed), but maybe a trip for a drink and a dessert at the bar is in order in the coming weeks before the holiday. He is just so talented!

66, 241 Church Street at Leonard St, 212.925.0202
photo from pichetong.com: Mango Kulfi

Order the Shot of Chocolate with your sweetie on Valentine's Day at City Bakery (nyc, 3 W 18th St near 5th Ave). It takes like chocolate mousse! (Julia Child's recipe, to be exact) The place is quite spacious with nice big windows, and even has balcony seating. Plus it is conveniently located near a few great paper stores and one unique florist that you might want to browse. Take a walk further west and explore after your choco-treat. My suggestion: start indulging in this one today, just to get into the spirit of things.

These stackable lunch boxes are great for bathroom storage, and they are a fraction of the price of the products that are made to be bathroom storage. With airtight seals, these shiny stainless steel canisters keep your barrettes, eyeshadows and other sundries out of sight, safe from humidity, and easily accessible. You can find them at larger Chinese food markets or stores in Chinatown that sell kitchen supplies. About $4 or $5 dollars each.

Wait until you see what I do with bamboo steamers in the kitchen!

A staghorn fern.

I have always thought of the bromeliad as the vegetarian's mounted moose head. Click on this link and tell me there is no similarity! Pictured above, this curious air plant is even called the Staghorn Fern. Rejoice tofu lovers! Now we too can do the hunting lodge decor in style. gee.

And here is a quick how-to. And take a look at this great plant resource.

I am in love with design*sponge!

It always interests me to learn about new partnerships, acquisitions and brand extensions in the fashion industry. I thought I would share my list of companies that surprised me when I found out who owned what. (or a more cumbersome sentence) Here is a good site that will keep you up to date on brand profiles. Use the pull-down box at top right. So far so good on Tsubo. Still independent!

Royal Elastics. Acquired by K-Swiss for $3 million in 2001.
Cole Haan. Owned by Nike!! No, it is not just the G Series.
MAC, Aveda, Stila (to name just a few) owned by Estee Lauder.
Gucci Group owns many high-end fashion houses.
LVMH Moet Hennessey owns the rest, including 34% of the Gucci Group.

Isn't there an Angela Adams or a Hable Construction acquistion just around the corner? I smell it. Afterall, they both did the design for the new lobbies of all the W Hotels (owned by Starwood). That was quite a deal to broker!

L.A.M.B. seems to be contracting with my favorite sneaker company, Royal Elastics. (see inset at left) Drat. Now my well-kept secret will be overrun by teeny-boppers. Well here is one and another one I currently love, neither a L.A.M.B issue. No, no thanks. You know, the more I think about this, the more I don't like it. I saw this brand in 1998 when I was doing a trade show, and it seemed to be a nice small company that not many knew about. I loved their fleur de lis tiny logo and stretchy elastic slip-on easy fit. I still have a hard time finding it in stores, which is not necessarily a good thing. It just means more for me when I find it. (hee) I want R.E. to be a lovely but indie boutique brand, with a few styles sold at Saks. (Hey, that's what I want to be!) But alas, mass market here they come? We'll see. Here is more of the story. Under-the-radar, I'll say. Oh well, I'm off to figure out where in NYC I can buy me some anyway. Anyone have store tips? Please let me know by adding your comments to this post. This style for men is kind of nice too.

If I can't find them anywhere, there is always Tsubo... Cute, not-too- sneakery styles.

Oooh, or how about Medium? I like this style. I think I will bookmark this company and start watching what they make.

By the way, here were Daily Candy's picks for the Geisha-Inspired 2006 Trend Report for the Today Show. Get them while they're hot!

I love organizers of all sorts. Yes, I do have to stay away from the Container Store. Great features of these Drawer Towers from Staples: the drawers are see-through, deep enough to keep everything sorted (and dust-free), plenty of drawers (10 in all), a good price, plus the whole unit is on wheels. Very useful. As a business customer, you can get free delivery with purchases over $50. Treat yourself to a new organized work space! Iris 10-Drawer Tower

But not quite. I will take pictures when it is all clean. I can't wait! I am setting the egg timer for 55 minute intervals and sticking closely to my to-do list.

(A note on the timer: my friend Harriet brought this back for me from Amsterdam. As she puts it, she never meant for this cute egg timer to become my personal instrument of torture; but on the contrary, it is the only way I get things done some days! I love it. It is my little co-worker.)

Did you ever organize your space so much that you just sit there and look at how beautiful it is and then not work because you don't want to mess it up with projects? After looking at a friend's workspace over the weekend, it occurs to me that my workspace needs a bit of tweaking. She had a big wood bin on wheels at the side of her desk that seemed to contain projects in progress. I think I need a visual middle ground in my studio. I've got the before and the after pretty well sorted. All raw materials are labeled in bins that slide out, and everything that is necessary for bagging, tagging and shipping is at my fingertips. But now I need more devices for works-in-progress. For one, I need a bulletin board right in front of my face while I work, so I don't lose sight of big projects that need to get done in the next few weeks. Oh organization, how much time do I spend on thee? Here is a good website for tips to organize your brain that I kind of like.

Today was a lunch is fun -kind-of-day because I got to dine out with the vegetarian diva herself, the Jodiverse. (watch her site for the upcoming photos of our entrees!) We went to Curly's Vegetarian Lunch on 14th, and it was yummy. I love a place where you have the full menu at your disposal, where even the meatiest of dishes are made from the friendliest of tofu. We even had soy with our coffee. I unabashedly love tofu. My husband and I always love to tally up the soy at the end of the meal. Four of the six courses we had on New Year's Eve featured tofu in many fabulous forms: soft silken, fried, pressed sheets, and another form made to look like pork inside a pea shoot dumpling.

Anyway, at lunch with Jodi, I had a great dressing on my Tuscan Salad: carrot ginger. Now that is a good idea. I have been looking at recipes for dressings lately, because I recently discovered mesclun for only $1.49 per package at my vegetable stand!! Do you know what I used to pay for that at Whole Foods? No longer! And avocados always seem to stay at 99 cents. Brooklyn is heaven! So I made a great salad for dinner with mesclun, cucumber, hot house tomato, avocado, and roasted broccoli and tofu that I marinated in Indian "dry garlic chutney" and coriander. And then for the dressing, I made a yogurt coriander. It is my new favorite meal. The cost: $4.50 for two people! My neighborhood has great prices.

Tomorrow (Monday) is the day for my fame! Fingers crossed. The site is all updated and ready to go. Check out the new Geisha Collection Preview. You can pre-order the featured Geisha Top right now. I am excited. It should be a pretty big day. I am hoping. Tune in to the Today Show on NBC between 8am and 10am (if you are in the NY area; otherwise check your local listings) and watch Daily Candy's 2006 Trend Report. A certain designer (gee) will be featured in the Geisha-inspired story. Hee!!

I love New York so much! The fabric and trim possibilities here are endless! And the stores here can always do quantity. I love the promise of quantity. Right now, I am in my sampling stages, speculating on small yardage. But if a piece breaks big, gets some press, or sells well on the site and in stores, I have to be ready to produce, in quantity. I found some really nice things that are rich in pattern and color. The past few years, I have been making a transitional collection that debuts in early January, so you can get a few new things to wear right away, and save few special pieces for Valentine's Day. So as such, the fabrics are a little silky, a little sexy, and always with some red. Here are some sneak peeks. The red silk is so great up close. That will be a new color for the Winter Obi. Sumptuous on a black dress. I would say definite Valentine's Day material. The ochre silk will be a straight skirt with an asymmetric deep pleat in the front. I am working on a brown mesh top with a brown knit skinny band to go with the skirt. And the top will have some cool lingerie elastic that will transform the shape in some sculptural way. I have a stash of lingerie elastic that I got from a great source online. And I was thrilled to find that I have 2 colors that perfectly complement the silk! So anyway, stay tuned. I will too. I am eager to see how these things turn out.

I am going to try to write this quickly. Felsenmusick and (great)gal are coming over to celebrate his birthday over a panoply of pierogies. And they just phoned that they are nearby! Today I was in a creative frenzy, so of course that meant no food no bath no combing of my hair. But what a great productive day! I designed, sewed, photographed, styled, photoshopped, dreamweavered, databased, uploaded, reuploaded, oh and wrote snappy ad copy. My day for Big Fame has been rescheduled to Monday! I hesitate to write it here because I just don't want to have someone say, hay! you are not supposed to announce these things ahead of time, as I once was scolded for blabbing too early about my InStyle press. Who knew? If you don't tell, then no one will know....or order! So I leaked the info to my mailing list and to my stores. And I am happy to say, I have had a lot of advance action on my site. We already sold out of one lovely style on the Sale Page! And are almost sold out of another. This is great! So our guests are coming soon, better post this. Maybe I'll write more later. Yesterday was a pretty great day too. Lots of fabric shopping and great finds.

If you really wanted that Black Eyelet Tunic for yourself while shopping at the White Rabbit Lounge & Shop this past December, but felt too guilty because you had to buy presents, well today is your lucky day! We just put a new SALE page on the site (a new feature), and that same Tunic that looked so nice on you is now online, waiting for you to add it to your Shopping Bag! And why not use the Promo Code card I gave you for an extra 10% off too! Who is to say no? Not me. The same goes for all who loved the Fur Hoodie. 'Tis still the season to stay warm and fashionable. So why not treat yourself to something cuddly and cute with some of your new-found riches? 'Tis online and 'tis on sale!

I think we'll be adding a few more good deals to the Sale page soon, so stay tuned. All of these pieces are in small quantity, so if you like it, snap it up right away. We are expecting some heavy traffic on the site this Friday. I will tell you why a little later. :-)

Goodbye template, hello custom-designed blog! Hmmm, curiously enough, the colors I chose are the same colors as my kitchen. (cell phone gallery picture #4, at left. BTW: Yes! Those are Russell Wright stacking sugar/creamer and stacking salt/pepper. Nice, eh?)

I seem to go out for "coffee and" a lot more in New York than I ever did in Boston, perhaps because the pastries are so much more tempting here, all pressed up against the front window display begging you to come in and sample. Will it be the delicious giant marble cookie on the Lower East Side today? Or the mini eclair (only 75 cents!) at de Robertis Pasticceria on 1st? Or a trip to Artopolis in Astoria for some sinful work of chocolate art? This bakery is not to be missed, I tell you! There are some Artopolis mini confections available at the Grand Central Market; but for the full experience, you must go to the source. In addition to the beautiful tarts and cookies, they make a magnificent focaccia called "the Mediteranean" that in my opinion is an ideal hostess gift, or a dramatic centerpiece at your own dinner party. I will not tell you the price. You will just have to take the N or the W all the way to the end and be shocked and delighted all on your own. Be sure to take someone you like and share the full experience over a cappucino.

The other day, with someone I like, I ducked into a warm place to get out of the slushy snow and refuel. The coffee was delicious, the seating and eavesdropping quite good, and the "and" is now my new favorite. It is light and flakey, dusted with cinnamon and shaped like a giant pretzel! The dough has a hint of almond. And I think calorie-wise it is a nice light option, especially if you share it. I found it at Hot & Crusty on Lex and 77th. Next time I go, I will take a picture to show you. (please note: this picture has been added on January 6, after seeking out another Hot & Crusty at Penn Station on the way to buy fabric. Although it got a little crushed in my bag en route, I have reconstructed it here for your future enjoyment.) All I have to say is yum!