Dull, Depressing, Dismal, and Deadly!!! Miss Prescott forever!!!

Read my latest piece for The Huffington Post HERE…

Anything plus technology is better. Especially shopping. I think that one of the best ideas ever was the big box stores installing those scanner machines that let you check the prices of items before you check out. I feel like I’m getting a better deal on just about anything if I’ve scanned it myself at some point in the purchasing process.

In 2007, Target (as usual) took things to a new level by launching TargetLists – a system that lets you skip around the store making downloadable wish lists with YOUR OWN little scanner! You could then buy your picks online, send your lists to generous relatives, or print them out and hope for some extra cash at the end of the month.

These days 2007 is like twenty years ago. Scanners? Whatever. Retailers have broadened their gaze to include the paradigm-shifting reach of sites like Twitter and Facebook – platforms that have opened up entirely new ways for retail and fashion brands to interact with us. Nimble brands like Diane von Fürstenberg, Lacoste, Barneys New York, American Apparel, and iconic fashion boutique Colette in Paris have realized that daily relevance is key to retaining loyal customers with increasingly shorter-term memories.

 They communicate every few hours with thousands of Twitter “followers” by broadcasting new designs, sale announcements, and even talk one-on-one with brand fans. Diane von Fürstenberg sends out daily “tweets” about celebrities spotted wearing DVF. The ultra-politically conscious American Apparel reinforces its PC image by peppering their Twitter page with posts about fair trade and First Amendment rights. Even fashion demi-god Karl Lagerfeld maintains a Chanel-centric Twitter account where we get a behind-the-scenes glimpse into one of design’s most brilliant minds.

Some retailers have even brought the online experience into their stores. Eyewear veteran Sunglass Hut has recently launched Social Sun, an in-store, interactive photo booth that enables customers to see themselves in several sunglass styles at the same time, email pictures, and share images on their Facebook accounts for immediate yea or nay feedback from friends.

Do I really want to see pictures of my friends trying on sunglasses? Or know what’s going on in Mr. Lagerfeld’s head? Not sure, but I never thought I’d buy a luxury car – sight unseen – on eBay either. Let’s see where all this goes…

We’re excited to be helping our friends at Sunglass Hut launch Social Sun, their new in-store, experimental and interactive “photo booth.”  Social Sun enables customers to see themselves in several sunglass styles at the same time, allows shoppers to email these pictures to friends, share them on Facebook, or post on in-store flat screens for an immediate yea or nay from other shoppers.

The folks at Sunglass Hut approached us to bring to life the concept of “finding your cool” that Social Sun was born out of… and we loved the idea!  Cause, after all, you’re only cool if you’re your you-est you.  So we partnered with two people we think are about as cool as they can get, while being totally 100% themselves – NYC-based (female) graffiti artist Claw Money and Grammy Award-winning reggae artist Sean Paul.

Tuesday night we’ll be hosting a super-intimate event at the Sunglass Hut flagship store in Herald Square NYC to celebrate.  The event will feature a performance by Sean Paul as well as the release of 200 airs of limited edition sunglasses designed by Claw Money!  Stay tuned for more!

Forget chocolate, if you really want to flaunt your gift-giving savior faire it’s all about marzipan.  I love the stuff.  Whether it’s marzipan fruits or marzipan babies (after the jump) delight your lady with these and she’s sure to be impressed.   Then tell her how the malleable almond-based confections date back to medieval times and were presented to the king and queen’s guests after a banquet feast.  (Trivia is sexy!)

Normally these are served around the holidays but the little fruits are pretty irresistable year-round.

I love these pen drawings by Hope Gangloff.  The people are amazing but the still lifes are pretty crazy too.

Short and sweet. Lacoste makes the perfect summer high-waisted short I want to wear every day. Dash to your closest store or buy them online.

Unbelievable 1930’s footage of Havana, Cuba – birthplace of my DNA.  It makes me cry black coffee tears to think I missed this era.  A TOTAL TOTAL must see.

As I mentally prepare for our annual family trip to Wildwood on the Jersey Shore, I’m remembering how much I really really like carousels.  And how much I LOVE carousel horses.  I’d have a whole menagerie bolted into the floor in the corner of our living room if Matt would go for it.

A recent late-night internet rabbit hole took me into the depths of carousel history. 

Apparently the first carousels date back to the Byzantine Empire and were used by Turkish and Arabian horsemen for cavalry training.  The early carousels had no poles – the “horses” were chained to the ceiling and swung out to the side by the centrifual force of the spinning carousel (like those swings that go around in a circle that made Matt cry last summer)  And they were powered by real horses!  How awesome is that?  Almost beats Morey’s Piers.  Almost.

Below, a few faves…

Matt and Max Glazer (aka Business Class) are holed up in a very expensive casino suite making mindblowing music with these chicks (aka The Badda Badda Gyals)… Think Tifa will let me borrow that hair for a day???  (If I was a blond that is EXACTLY how I’d wear it.  Swear to God)