Thursday Style Capsule

Hello...yesterday was a colorful day in NYC. Sis and I rode the crowded train from Stamford and met my [and Dan's] friend Celia at Grand Central for coffee and a bite.

We had to sit separately on the packed commuter car. I was arm to arm [fluffy white wrap sweater to suit jacket] with a handsome young executive, trim in his office uniform, slim gold wedding band.

Whenever I'm in that bustling train terminal, I think of the line I've long heard about a busy, crowded, fast-moving situation:

It was like Grand Central Station.

Haha, love that. I can say that with an accurate point of reference.

Celia grew up in NYC and still lives there, so she quickly gave me subway directions to Canal Street and showed me landmarks on the map for the short walk after that to 107 Grand Street in Soho for:
A LILLY PULITZER EVENT!

Perfectly pretty. But lucky for me, no money temptations, as I
was at a preview pop-up, not a store. Check PINK LINK.

It was a Pottery Barn/Lilly collaboration. I thought the email invite was for a press event--I'm often invited to those--but I think instead it's because I'm a member of The Key Rewards* [for Williams-Sonoma, PB shoppers]. I love Lilly, so I was going, no matter what.

The first 100 people on line for the 1 p.m. start received a large, luxe Lilly beach towel. I wanted one, but can buy it some day. I decided it was more important to catch up with Celia.

Lilly, a legend, sold her first colorful shift dresses 60 years ago to lucky customers at the Florida juice stand where she worked. Check these event details:

• The fresh-squeezed OJ....the basket heaped with oranges [I spied one with a Sunkist sticker]....the glass juice bottles personalized with Lilly in pink script. It was the best, sweetest juice I've ever sipped...pure fruit. I took two oranges with me, to soothe myself for missing the beach towel, and when I opened my tote, the most beautiful fragrance wafted out. I was transported from NYC street to Florida orange grove. My tote was super heavy to lug with those big spheres, and two glass bottles that I can proudly reuse--but it was worth it.
• Almost all of the Lilly staffers wore snug pure-white jeans, matching tops in a fresh tropical print and amazing Lilly sneakers. Some were also wearing white denim Lilly jackets with gold snaps. A few executives, such as the new marketing director, Sarah [sp?, I met her, nice], were wearing other LP prints. Their home offices are in King of Prussia, PA.
• Braid bar...but my girls were not with me, and my hair is too short.....the stylists were weaving in strips of Lilly fabric!
• Oh, so much to say......the new Pottery Barn line, which went on sale at midnight, is just beautiful. I long for the whole lifestyle...the house by the sea, the bedrooms fitted with Lilly quilts, baskets, sheets--the living room with upholstered chairs! So much to love.

I have to move on to my day.....enjoy yours.....long live the spirit of Lilly Pulitzer...the joy, the juicy colors, fun prints, pink, turquoise, yellow, green...lizards, laughter, Popover tops, the big boost of fun and femininity...lace trim, cute coverups, beach sandals, great totes...and now, even roll-on luggage. It's killin' me!

Pineapple Print sheets.

Table lamps.

$ MONEY SPENT OUT OF POCKET
[I'm not counting train to Grand Central, since Sis insisted on buying my $11 ticket, or the DeCamp bus from NYC to Montclair, $6.95, because Dan had a 10-ride strip of tickets.]

• Grand Central, Great Northern Food Hall, decaf coffee and roast beef on multigrain baguette, $14.15.
• MetroCard, $20.
• Le Pain Quotidien, Grand Street, decaf latte, about $4.50 plus 75 cents tip jar, $5.25.
• Bag of Original Bugles at Hudson News in Port Authority and I'm mad, because I was rushing to bus with heavy overnight tote, laptop and CPAP machine and sign said $1.99 and I noticed later that I was charged $2.49.

TOTAL DAILY SPEND: $41.89.

RUNNING TOTAL FOR MONTH AS OF MARCH 14: $1880.29.

SO FAR, THAT'S AN AVERAGE DAILY SPEND OF: $134.30.

MONEY THOUGHT: I love beautiful things, including Lilly Pulitzer clothing, accessories, stationery, home goods and now--quilts, towels, bedding, pool raft, etc. etc. etc. This is something to contemplate.

*Just the rewards program, not the credit card.