Gourdough’s has also been featured on Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations.  Foodies, you know what that means- it’s the real deal.

Back to the food.  Trends are sometime frivolous and unfounded.  However, I see now why bacon has taken the dessert world by storm.  Bacon makes it better.  And Gourdough’s does bacon and donuts the best.  I present to you, the Flying Pig.  Maple syrup icing topped with bacon- add a scoop of vanilla ice cream to make it super special and schedule an extra session with your personal trainer.

This is the best donut I’ve ever had in my entire life.  Ever.  Hands down.  Krispy who??  Please.  Happy drooling.

Fashionably Yours,

Nik

I asked friend and fellow blogger Annie Streater over at Streatstyle if she’d go on a vintage hunt around town, i.e. Dublin, Ireland (YAY!)  and report back what she found.  She graciously agreed and you are in for a treat!

Fashionably Yours,

Nik

I’ve lived in Dublin for two years, but somehow I haven’t yet managed to explore the vintage scene here. Apart from the odd flea market here and there, I never thought the city had much to offer, but a quick search on Yelp revealed a multitude of vintage and second hand stores dotted around the city. In fact, it seemed that many of the best ones were located in and around Dublin’s Temple Bar district, better known for its touristy pubs and restaurants than for its one-of-a-kind shopping. So with an open mind and a fistful of cash, I made my way down the cobbled streets to discover what wonders awaited.

1. Eager Beaver

( https://www.facebook.com/EagerBeaverDublin )

This isn’t so much of a vintage shop as a streetwear store selling emo hoodies and peusdo-alternative polka dot prom dresses, but they did have a thrifters’ corner with a small selection of vintage dresses and a rack of second hand overcoats, where I found a couple of gems. Monochrome printed dresses are my Achilles’ heel! This dalmation dress (€29) has a very flattering shape and could be worn to the office, on a first date, or for a night out with the girls.

I also picked up a long, gray wool coat (€30), something I’ve been seeking for a couple of years now. It’s a little on the loose side but I’m sure with a wide belt and a couple of layers underneath, it’ll become a staple of mine next winter!

 2. Lucy’s Lounge

( http://lucyslounge-dee.blogspot.com )

Located just a couple of minutes’ walk away, Lucy’s is a veritable Aladdin’s cave of real vintage gems, second hand high street items, and upcycled pieces, personalised in-store by the staff.

I spent close to an hour in here, and probably could have spent longer. The selection was mostly 70s and 80s, an era that doesn’t fit in with my personal style, but there were a lot of really cool things that I tried on anyway.

I loved the classic seventies style collar on this plaid dress, and the belt was a nice detail. It’s not really my style, though, and as much as I thought about how I could modify it (shorten the sleeves to cap, bring up the hem), at €25 it was a bit on the pricey side for something I didn’t love.

In the end, I left with two pieces: a zebra-motif cardigan (€12), and this gold mini dress (€10). This’ll be a great day-to-night piece, worn with a chunky black knit and lace up boots at the office, then transformed into a disco diva look with a pair of black pumps and a cocktail ring. Very Rachel Zoe, don’t you think?

3. FanciSchmancy

( https://www.facebook.com/pages/FanciSchmancy-Vintage/109511509104469 )

I forgot to get any photos of this place, probably because I was completely preoccupied once the owner, Paul, announced that everything was 50% off. The selection was almost exclusively 80s – a lot of colour blocking, shine, and power dressing. Most of it was too frumpy for me; I tried on a few long dresses, but ended up ditching all but one of them. This black dress is very simple, but I love the eye-catching neckline. I’m looking forward to wearing it with a skinny leopard belt and a bright red lip.

As I left the changing room, I noticed a very colourful bundle of cosy-looking fabric peeking out from underneath a pile of garments that had been set aside. I fished it out and to my utter surprise and delight, discovered a beautiful long wool coat with a fabulous green and purple print. It was so soft and warm that I was already set on buying it, but when Paul told me it was Diane Von Furstenburg and that it was €20, I couldn’t believe it – what a find! This will look great belted with boots, or worn under my other long coat, or heck, even just around the house as a cosy robe! It even has a cool DVF hologram sewn into the label.

With the 50% off, these two pieces came to a total of €32.50 – a great bargain! Paul also recommended a couple of other places in the area, including one which he described as having more of a “grungy” vibe – exactly what I was looking for!

4. Siopaella at 9 Crowe Street

( http://siopaella.com/ )

Definitely more my style. A great selection of 90s, 00s and current day vintage, set in a beautiful, well-laid out store. I could tell right away that I was going to find some good stuff here. Black sheer maxi skirts, velvet cropped tops, plaid shirts… even though I was too young to really live through the grunge era of the 90s, it didn’t matter. I was here now.

The staff were super friendly, and it didn’t take long before a young lad offered to start a room for me. This is something that you don’t get in other stores here – it’s very common in the US, but it was the first time I’d experienced it in Dublin. With more items in hand, I settled in behind the curtain and was immediately charmed by the fish eye mirror on the wall; a novel way to maximize a small fiiting space. Here I’m trying on a grey cropped tshirt and black maxi skirt. I love this look – a great mix of the youthful carefree nature of yesteryear, and a nod to the modern revamped midriff trend. I’m hanging on to this one!

This store has great business sense, as they offer exchange within 7 days – something I’ve never seen before in a vintage place. They also buy, offering you 20% of the final selling price. Of your unwanted designer and high-end pieces. Alternatively you can consign and get 50% of the final price. With so many ways to change up your wardrobe, they definitely live up to their slogan: “recycling and restyling”. Along with that adorable cropped grey tshirt, I picked up a few more great pieces:

I’m not usually into florals at all, but the muted tones of this tshirt (€12) really appealed to me. Worn with denim cut offs or the all-purpose black maxi skirt, this piece can work all year round.

I’ve been keeping an eye out for a nice faux fur jacket for some time now, but most vintage store ones are unflattering or too haggard to really be worth it. This Pixie Lott piece (€58) jumped out at me, and is lightweight enough to wear during the day or on a night out.

One of my favourite finds of the day was this stunning metallic polka dot demi pleated skirt by J. Crew. It was only €26, which for something that probably originally cost at least €50 is a great deal. I’m really looking forward to wearing this with a black tank top and flat leather booties.

5. Om Diva

( https://www.facebook.com/OmDivaBoutique )

The last shop of the day was located about 10 minutes’ walk away, in the George’s Street Arcade. Amazingly, I’ve never stepped foot in this indoor market, despite it being right in the middle of one of my favourite areas of town. Om Diva is a small vintage basement with a sort of 50s Tiki holiday vibe to it. Pastels, sleeveless dresses and  floral prints galore.

The shop was beautifully decorated with retro lamps, vintage photos and even some plastic flamingos! I tried on a couple of printed dresses but as with Lucy’s Lounge, the aesthetic was not really my style, and so the prices were too high to buy what I didn’t adore.

I may have left this last place with nothing, but by no means did I go home empty handed. In total, 3 coats (o hai Irish summer!), 3 dresses, 2 tops, a cardigan and a skirt, all for less than €300. As it turns out, Dublin does have a great vintage scene, and a very eclectic one at that. This was just a handful of the city’s treasure troves, and after the success I had today, I’m sure I’ll be back soon enough to explore the rest!

Photo credit: Damon Dahlen, AOL

Fashionistas,

Though there’s not much time in a day, I do try to keep up with the most interesting fashion websites.  Of course there’s Bag Borrow or Steal, HauteLook.com, Gilt Groupe and many more.  But I recently read a Huffington Post article about Fab.com that’s worth sharing.

I didn’t realize Fab.com started as part of the larger website “Fabulis,” a gay men’s social network founded by Jason Goldberg and Bradford Shellhammer.  While the social network didn’t last, the website’s daily deals proved extremely popular and Fab.com was born.  Today, Fab has around 3.5 million members and shows no signs of slowing down, despite the apparent saturation of the flash sales market.  The site offers the ubiquitous trinity of fashionable merchandise- clothing, accessories and housewares- which cover a wide range of prices.  To learn more about Fab.com check out the Huffington Post’s article.  To sign up and shop Fab.com, click here.

Fashionably Yours,

Nik

Katharine McPhee (Photo: Vogue)

Lea Michele (Photo: gossip.whyfame.com)

Marion Cotillard (Photo: Washington Post)

WORST DRESSED

Beyonce and Florence Welch (Photo: Billboard)

Kristen Stewart (Photo: Now Public)

 WELCOME TO VINTAGE JUNKYS

Dear Fashionistas,

I had the immense pleasure of visiting Vintage Junkys in Colleyville, Texas this past month.  OMG.  Where do I start?  Vintage Junkys is that gem of a boutique that may not be as big as your typical antique mall warehouse, but every square foot is jam-packed with unbelievable  vintage treasures.  Most places merely have clothing and accessories; but oh no, add to that furniture, housewares, and even appliances- Vintage Junkys has any and everything a vintage fashionista could want.  Throwing a Mad Men-themed party?  No problem, they’ve got you covered.  Looking for mid-century modern furniture?  Got it.  Die-hard Marilyn Monroe fan?  This is your place.  Vintage Junkys is a must-see on any vintage shopping trip.  And guess what?  There’s a sale coming up this weekend!

“Sidewalk Sale, Saturday – May 12th! Come see us for classic cars, hot dogs on the grill and great prices!”

Be sure to visit and LIKE their Facebook Page as well!

VINTAGE JUNKYS

4201 Colleyville Blvd, Colleyville, TX 76034

Fashionably Yours,

Nik

Photo credit: Paul Morigi/WireImage

Fashionistas,

Recently, H&M’s new eco-friendly Exclusive Glamour Conscious Collection has shown up on a string of lovely actresses such as Michelle Williams, Viola Davis, Kristin Davis and Amanda Seyfried, according to a report by People Magazine.  While most red carpet fashion is far out of reach of many of us, the dress pictured above cost $299- not exactly cheap but certainly  more reasonable.  Take a look at the full line here- items start at just $5.95!

Fashionably Yours,

Nik

Mother’s Day is coming up and I wanted to do a lovely gift guide for you.  Being that my only child is the four-legged furry kind, I asked my friend and fellow blogger, Char (mother of two, founder of inspirational mommy resource blog CrazyBabyTalk), to create a Mother’s Day gift guide any mom would love.

Without further adieu, Char’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide:

“Today I asked my husband what comes to mind when he thinks of Mother’s Day.  His quick-thinking response was flowers; the standard go-to gift for beloved mothers on their special day.  Ever since my first Mother’s Day a few short years ago, my husband has brought both me, and his mother, beautiful bouquets.

Not being just a standard kind of husband though, he also ‘surprises’ me with a sweet sentiment of how much it means to him to have me as the mother of his children.  Last year it came in a little blue box and was handed to me by my toddling first born.  Pregnant with our second son, I already knew I would find inside the box a tiny key representing the newest addition-to-be.  The year before I had also received a little blue box and it contained a chain necklace adorned with one large key representing ‘us,’ adjacent to a tiny key symbolic of our one and only babe.

I cherish these keys because they represent something truly special between my husband and me.  What makes them so special is not that they came in a little blue box but because he put thought into selecting a gift with meaning; and a gift with meaning will make any mother smile – regardless of the price tag.

Because every mother is unique, I thought I would share with you a list of several gift ideas to help inspire you in your purchase of a thoughtful gift for the mothers in your life.”

1. The Earth Mother: “Family Tree” Necklace by Menuet Designs $32.50

2. The Luxurious Mother: “Miss Havisham” Encrusted Skinny Bangle in Rose Gold by Alexis Bittar at Nordstroms $195

3. The Poetic Mother: She Walks in Beauty: A Woman’s Journey through Poems by Caroline Kennedy at Anthropologie $24.99

4. The Preppy Mother: Cockatoos iPhone 4 Case at Kate Spade $40

5. The On-Trend Mother: Neon Edge Linen Scarf at Juicy Couture $78

6. The Expectant Mother: Custom Painted Sonogram Photo Frame by Paton Lane Designs $24.99

(photo credits: All photos copyright of the respective retailer.)

HAPPY MOTHER’S DAY!

Fashionistas,

Here’s another place to see and be seen in your most fashionable attire, while dining on the most decadent bites prepared by some of the culinary world’s most talented stars.  Guests at the Austin Food & Wine Festival include the Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, Marcus Samuelsson and Texas’s own Tim Love.  Be warned, tickets are a bit pricey, starting at $250 per person.

Fashionably Yours,

Nik

Dear Fashionistas,

Crissie Fuller at online blogging bible IFB (Independent Fashion Blogger) reports that Tumblr will start selling advertising units on the “Featured” section of the dashboard as soon as May 2nd.  Two years ago, Tumblr CEO David Karp expressly stated his opposition to advertising on the platform.  However, the site’s rapid growth appears to have dictated a change in attitude.  Though I’m new to Tumblr, I’m not at all surprised by this announcement.  This is the nature of Business: grow, make money, rinse, repeat.

What do you think?  Is this Tumblr’s way of selling out or a smart move?

Fashionably Yours,

Nik

When it comes to dining, I have a few items that I always have to try if they’re on the menu: 1) Eggs Benedict, 2) Chai Tea, 3) Crab Cakes and 4) Tempura Ice Cream.  God help me if they ever happen to show up on the same menu.  I’ve written about brunch in the past, and now I’d like to feature one of my favorite dishes offered for dinner: Shrimp and Grits.  An indisputable southern classic, and like most things, better with cheese.  Drum roll, please.

FERRE FORT WORTH

VS.

SOUTH CONGRESS CAFE

 And the winner is:

SOUTH CONGRESS CAFE

I admit, this was a close one.  Ferre is an exceptional establishment in downtown Fort Worth that consistently delivers great food and service.  However, what pushes South Congress Cafe over the edge is one component, the sweet and savory crawfish broth- it’s rich, yet light, and unbelievably good.  Heads up, this dish is a featured special, and not always offered.  When it shows up on the menu, I highly recommend trying it.  You won’t be disappointed.

Nik