Q. You’ve got a great wardrobe of well known designers, but do you include any up-and-comers in your collection?
A. I loved this question, and I loved it so much I dedicated an upcoming blog post to it, highlighting an up and coming designer that I own, and where I look to try to find them. I am happy to say that I owned Jason Wu before the First Lady wore one of his gowns at the first Obama inauguration, so it was quite thrilling for me to have found him before he got famous. I follow the CFDA Awards, and they are the best place to see who the industry believes is the “next big thing” in the industry. Also, there is a new TV series on the Ovation Channel called Fashion Fund. In the show, Anna Wintour (editor of Vogue magazine) oversees a competition between 10 up and coming designers who get to work with some fashion luminaries to see if they have what it takes – think Project Runway times 100. Every designer on that show is an up and comer, and I definitely take notice of their designs and try to find them online or in stores.
Q. How do you decide where to vacation?
A. Great question. I am incredibly curious about the world and seeing as much of it while I can. I literally carry my passport at all times, just in case the opportunity to use it arises and I must act quickly. Silly, but true. I read a lot of travel magazines and really love the American Express Destinations magazine. Both my husband and I read it when it hits our mailbox, and it often inspires us. I also have an incredible travel agent who is constantly telling me places that we must see or visit, which sometimes drives our decision (and her contact information is included on the “My Faves” section of this blog. But, frankly where we decide to go depends on what we are looking for at the time. My husband and I both have wonderful jobs, but they can be quite stressful and exhausting at times, so there are vacations that we want to take where we can just sleep, read and be pampered. Bottom line, not be scheduled. We both love the beach and being warm, and when we need to go somewhere and do nothing for a vacation, we usually hit a small beach resort somewhere. I am always on the lookout for a new one to try, although we definitely have some favorites that we go to year after year or on a regular basis. Sometimes, my husband and I want to go somewhere and really see something – see the world. For example, we took an incredible trip to Istanbul a few years back. We had been dying, dying to go and it did not disappoint. It was a long way, and we did sightseeing every day, but it was so worth it. And, sometimes we combine the two. We had always wanted to go to Sicily, as we had heard the food and wine were simply incredible. We took a great trip there this past fall. The food and wine did not disappoint. Seriously, some of the best we ever had. We did some sightseeing of the ruins of Sicily (incredible – I have a few photographs on he blog) and touring the small towns and shops, but we also had a couple of days where we just went to the beach or sunbathed by the pool and read a book. Of course, there are places that you just have to see, Paris, Rome, New York, San Francisco, etc. Sometimes I feel like there was Michelle before the first time she saw Paris, and Michelle after, as being there for the first time is certainly one of my favorite travels of all time. What is next on our list? Our annual trip to St. Barth’s. And after that, who knows?? But, I am working on a few things . . . I always plan my next trip within a few weeks of returning home from the last one. That way, I always have something to look forward to. Got a suggestion for me? Where is your next vacation taking you?