Fashion Friday: New York From The Sky

Tugging on a mother's skirt. My mother had dozens of matching skirt and top combos and made me promise to never split them up. They belonged together, she said.  

This photo is somewhere in New York. Statue of Liberty, World Trade Center, and you help identify? You can see water in the blurry distance, so it doesn't look like the Empire State. 

Mystery Object #7: Copper And Gold

Copper and gold, what secrets do you hold? 

What is this object? First correct answer left in the comments will receive a garage grab bag! 

Also, Mystery Object #6 was indeed calculator paper, from our restaurant days at Numero Uno. We used it to calculate payout. MO6 was correctly guessed by Ardith-- Ardith, email me to redeem your prize! 

Ernest And Gallo Johannisberg Riesling, Vintage 1984

You'd hope to find fine wine vintaging in a 30+ year old garage. From our Italian pizzeria days, may I present to you Ernest and Gallo Johannisberg Riesling, limited release vintage 1984.

When the professional organizer came last week, I discovered a case of champagne and riesling. I took two bottles of each and gave the rest to Habitat For Humanity, who were picking up other housewares. They were really picky about what they'd take (like no unpacked dishes) but the two guys were cool with the wines. There was probably a blow out party at Habitat Gardena that night.

Ok at this second, I am actually regretting that decision. My logic was that we only had crappy wine at Numero Uno, so old crappy wine might be really gross.

However it is the only edible thing I've found so far. I'll let you know how the tasting goes. 

NYC Designer Models Garage Finds In Her Cool Chinatown Apartment

During Thanksgiving, shoe designer Ce Ce Chin came to stay at the seaside garage. Our mutual friend was getting married down the street and she needed a place to crash. I told her I've give her the master bedroom with a jacuzzi, but she probably didn't anticipate stepping into a giant house full of vintage everything.  

After the wedding Ce Ce shopped the garage walked away with a few finds, such as this white beaded top (above). She told me she calls it her Tai Tai top, which means "wife" or "lady of the house" in Chinese. What a great name for such a top!

The super cool Ce Ce is the creator of 80%20, her cult shoe line. OMG I am drooling over the geometric desert boots this season! Check out the profile of Ce Ce's small but way chic NYC Chinatown apartment on Refinery 29.

I love the way she's integrated the past with the present. What's most fascinating about her place is that it's the same apartment her grandparents raised her dad. It's been in the family for over 50 years -- you can imagine how rad the rent must be -- and still houses remnants of their family past. There's the pencil sharpener that her dad used as a kid, a build-in Acme safe in the wall, and antique Chinese medicine which she suspects belonged to her grandmother.