Instant Access - 8/13 - 8/28

Hello from Shoe World!

I'm sorry it's been sort of quiet around here.  We've been dealing with car repairs, work, 12-hour-each-way car trips, earthquakes and hurricanes!  How are things in your world?

But there are still shoes, right?

I needed to get in these two beauties before winter takes away all my wearing opportunities - Christian Louboutin Very Prive in cork and neon green suede Manolo Blahnik BBs.

Manicures are still happening too -

Cute polishes from Lé Métier de Beauté - above is the Bergdorf Goodman custom polish Lavande and below is the new copper, Silk Road.

My first attempt with a flower! Sally Hansen Ice Queen over Sally Hansen Lavender Cloud.

Within all the crazy times we did find time to go to this great architectural salvage place.  I'm in love with these pastel sinks.

These shades would be great in a powder room...

We ended up with these light covers.  They are going to be painted and go in our upstairs bedrooms.  Finished pictures someday soon, I hope!

We made the drive to Chicago to visit family.  Car trip means I can use some of my favorite luggage like my vintage American Tourister Tiara case... holding shoes, of course!

The pups came with us.  They are great car companions, even on a 12 hour trip.

Hope you made it through the crazy weather okay.  Now, back to posting.

Poochie

Be Prepared

As a Florida Native, I've lived through many a hurricane and tropical storm.  So, rather than talk about shoes or clothes, I'm going to share a few personal tips.

1. Never leave your pets.

Our last year in Florida we had 4 hurricanes go through our area in 6 weeks.  Category 3s.  We did not leave our pets.  We lost power.  It was a pain.  I still would never have left, because many shelters still don't allow pets.  This is my personal POV but I would never leave my pets to fend for themselves.  Especially seeing all of what happened in Katrina.

Here is a Pets and Disaster checklist from the Red Cross.

Here is a list of places you can evacuate to in NYC for the storm from the ASPCA.

USE THEM!

2. You should save water and have food.  Fill up your freezer now with containers of water.  It will help keep it cold should the power go out for a bit and you can drink it later.

3. Batteries, candles, flashlights, fans - yep!  But be careful with the matches.

4. If power goes out, assume water from the tap is not safe to drink.  Water treatment stations are probably without water too.

5. You can still cook on a gas stove (possibly) even if the electricity goes out.  Stay safe too!

6. Texts go through easier than calls.

7. Do you have a battery operated radio?  How will you know what is going on if the Internet and power is out?

8. Towels are multi-purpose

9. No power or water?  May want to consider the old adage "if it's yellow, let it mellow...".   You'll only get so many tank refills.  JUST SAYIN!

10. Make friends with your neighbors.  You can pool your resources and help you cook and eat all the food that's about get spoiled.  If you fridge goes about 50 degrees for any significant amount of time animal-based foods will be risky. Great time to go vegan!

Need advice?  Let me know.  The hours before the storm are the most boring part.  There is only so much the TV stations can say that they haven't said 50 times in the last hour.

Le Sigh - Manolo Blahnik Erratic Mary Janes

Sometimes there is a shoe so good, so perfect that you just can't help but be smitten by it... as I am with the Manolo Blahnik "Erratic" mary jane.

This is, to me, the perfect shoe for Fall.  The spindly, sexy heel (same as on the Blahnik BBs), the gorgeous peacock teal (one of my favorite colors), the mary jane style and the scalloping detail.  

How many tights do I envision wearing these with?  How perfect would this be with black, brown, grey, hunter green?  How much do I want these?

Answer to all: A LOT!

Le Sigh!  I need to track them down.

Manolo Blahnik "Erratic" Mary Janes - $775 (and running out) at Bergdorf Goodman

Manolo Blahnik on the Street

Keeping with yesterday's Sesame Street fun, Lara from My Milkglass Heart alterted me to SJP's appearance on the show. While we're learning about "pairs", we're subtly being indoctrinated to the best shoes of all... Manolo Blahnik, of course!

Sesame street... so fashionable!

Can I be the Queen of Six?

I was on the Sesame Street sight looking at this adorable video of kids speculating about a Renoir painting (check it out!) and couldn't embedd the video, so I went to YouTube.

While I was there I found these blasts from the past...

Queen of Six (OMG! The kittens!)

Alligator King - 7

King of Eight

Ladybug Picnic - 12

These were some of my favorite Sesame Street segments of all time. Smart and fun. Why isn't there more of this good stuff instead of all the crummy kids programming now?

Here's Looking at You

I can haz Google Eyezzzz????

Christian Louboutin Déjà vu

$1595

Managing Media

I know that things have been a little quiet around here.  We went off for a mini-break (it means true love, you know) and then on the way back my car had an ominous warning light come on which lead to my car being in the shop for days.  That, plus getting back to work and catching up has left us a bit frazzled.

In the midst of all of this time off and time back, I've been feeling the desire to make some changes in my life.  Some long term goals, some immediate needs - basically everything from where and how we want to live in 5 years to finances and a wardrobe overhaul.

No biggie.

And all this while, I feel like I'm drowning in a sea of content (books, movies, shows, articles for work and personal) to keep up all the social media sites I need to manage for my job and for the site and for personal.  Because this is my job as well as my hobby.  And even if I don't use every site personally, I need to understand the technology to help educate my agency and clients.

And frankly, I'm getting a bit overwhelmed.  Let's break it down. How I use it, how I value it and how can we make it all easier. What's expected to be shared and what can I just keep for myself. These are in a "my priority and preference" order.

Disclaimer - I heavily back up all of these online tools with their mobile apps or access them via my iPhone & iPad, equally if not more so than on my computer.

Twitter - @ShoeDaydreams

Twitter is frankly #1 to me.  I'd give up everything else before I give this up.  I love all the information I learn on there, the companies, brands and publications I follow and all of the friends I keep up with there.  I talk about them with my husband and probably interact and keep up with these people's lives as much as my offline friends.

I generally have the main Twitter site open in one browser tab, select people posts texted to my phone and keep Hoot Suite open in another tab to track the multiple accounts I use for the multitude of streams I manage.

But for fun I keep Trickle open on my iPad next to my computer so I can have the Tweets scrolling by and then jump on one that catches my eye.

Blog - www.ShoeDaydreams.com

The blog is what got me started in this whole madness (now multiple blogs including The Daily Coop) but there times when I think it may stop.  Will I do this forever, probably not, but I like having a forum for sharing thoughts, inspiration and ideas.  It's not about opening certain doors as it is about connecting with friends. That's what keeps it going.

I have 2 computers and the BlogPress app for the iPad so I really should be writing more, right?

Facebook - Poochie and Shoe Daydreams pages

Facebook... I was coerced to join.  I do this to keep up with the folks not on Twitter.  Sadly, there are some folks I know who I'm trying to get on to Facebook just so I don't have to email them.. and those that I wish would actually get on email.  Yeah, really.

Flickr - PrincessPoochie Photos

I like Flickr, but as with YouTube, this is all about cross-utilization of content for me.  Gives an extra traffic and stats boost.  I don't want to know what it's doing for some of my followers (Flickr, home of questionable groups, you know)

Tumblr - Living in Fashion Exile

I actually like reading Tumblr more than adding to it. There are some great sites on there, especially for activism, politics, feminist issues and news.  I wish I had more time so I could keep up with it as much as I like.  The visuals shared on there are great too.  I add to it but mostly through Istagram and reposting.  I'm no Tumblr star I guess.

Instagram - @Poochie

I know there are those that are over Instagram but I love it.  It's fun and gets me to take more pictures with the camera I have out all the time.  I really should almost stop carrying around my real camera.

I usually check it out on my phone but Instaview is great to keep open as well for a quick glance at what's going on.

Pinterest - Shoe Daydreams

Sites like We Heart It, etc., are not my favorites mainly because it seems like a bunch of unsourced images posted up my teen girls... but I think Pinterest will be a bit different.  I don't plan on doing tons on here but so far I'm using it to remind me of stuff I'd like to DIY, to buy and images to save instead of in my huge Inspiration folder.  I just started on there so maybe this will evolve. The Pinterest app is pretty easy to use too.

Google+ - Poochie Cooler

Google+... is it just me or is this still confusing as all hell or so redundant that I can't get into it yet.  I'm just not ready I think.  But, hey, I'm giving it a shot and getting spammed my Felicia Day, Wil Wheaton and Laughing Squid.

YouTube - PrincessPoochie's Channel

YouTube is, again,  cross-utilization of content.  If it's good, it'll be on the blog. Maybe vlogging will be a good application for a later project I have planned but right now it's not my medium.

Honorable Mentions

FourSquare - Poochie Cooler Shoe Daydreams

Who's still doing this a lot?  I was hopeful for more from companies but it's not evolving as much as I would like.  Right now the most fun is stealing the mayorship from someone I know.  Ha!

Spotify - Shoe Daydreams

Love it for me.  Don't really care about sharing my playlists etc. 

I also love Instapaper (so great for reading a web article I don't have time for), Flipboard iPad app, Zino for magazines and multiple paper notebooks to make all the lists I like to make.

How do you prioritize your media in this crazy age?  Anything I'm missing (please, I hope no)???

Excited for a Fluorescent Yellow Damask Cuff Bracelet

I'm so excited to have won this stunning Fluorescent Yellow Damask Cuff Bracelet from Rahya Designs via Miss Malprop.  I'm already picturing this paired with the tons of grey that I wear during the fall and winter.   It will keep the neon trend going and give me a much needed pop of color.

There is a lovely smoke grey version of this as well that I was really tempted to choose but I went with the bright instead.  Rahya makes a ton of other interesting pieces including rings and earrings.  Worth checking out!

Instant Access - 8/1 - 8/12

Sorry for the quietness around here, folks.  As you saw in my previous post, I was away for a little R&R at my favorite hotel in one of my favorite cities.

The special occasion?  My birthday!

I wore a crazy headpiece for the occasion. 

With a big poofy skirt and sparkly Manolos!

Because we were going away for the trip (and lovely spa time), my gifty-gifts were small but fun... two kate spade iPhone cases I wanted!

Oh, and delicious vegan truffles that were inhaled asap!

I pulled out my favorite luggage - my dreamy Dooney & Burke heart case and packed it with the essentials - books, pink playing cards, a swim suit, strappy sandals and a floaty mullet skirt.

When we got to Asheville, we found the most gorgeous new bookstore - Battery Park Book Exchange & Champagne Bar.

Vintage books, champagne bar and dog-friendly.  It really is perfection

The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa is really amazing.  Filled with history, gorgeous furnishings and a world-class spa.

And you can't beat the views...

Asheville is an amazing town for food, especially if you are vegan.  We ate at all our favorites including a new addition, Rosetta's Kitchen.  The vegan queso is truly delish as was the tempeh reuben that I had.

Did I mention the liquid truffle and the sipping chocolate with rose from French Broad Chocolate Lounge?

Hotel picnic!

It was an amazing few days.  Can I go back now???

I had some fancy fingers too - this is Deborah Lippmann's Glitter In The Air over Essie's Borrowed & Blue.

And the best "pretty pretty princess magical unicorn" pink glitter manicure - OPI's Teenage Dream.

I also rocked the messy ballerina bun.

But now I'm back to reality and dealing with boring stuff like car repairs and catching up with work.  But the trip isn't a distant memory yet.  I'm still lingering in the birthday fun vibes.

Hope you had a happy week too!

Spa Me, Baby

At the spa having massages and drinking mimosas.

Be back soon!

Cat and Mouse with Charlotte Olympia

I'm a fan of a good "theme" shoe.  From mouse flats and kitty print heels, to rainbows or spider webs, I don't mind my feet wearing a bit of whimsy.

Charlotte Olympia seems to be a girl after my own heart.  How can I resist a pair of sweet velvet heels with a kitten face???

I love love love the ears!

Kitty heels and mouse flats... would they get along in my closet?

Charlotte Olympia Velvet Cat Heels - $795 at Bergdorf Goodman. There is also a flats version on CharlotteOlympia.com and a cool red wedge with an ankle strap at Bergdorfs too.

EXTRA CREDIT -

I want to be a smoking hot like these Lady Ninivahs too!!!

Check out these (available by calling the BG shoe salon - 212 872 2750)...

Smokin!