Author Archives: missmojito

Living the Low-Brow Style

Posted on April 16, 2010 | 1 comment

Miss Mojito enjoys a swanky cocktail or a sophisticated shoe as much as the next gal. But every once in a while, a girl just needs something comfy, casual and fun. Miss Mojito’s social calendar recently allowed for such indulgences on both the shoe and cocktail front.

It started several weeks ago at a local Richmond bowling alley, when I found myself enjoying these sporty bowling shoes just a tad too much. They’re retro, they’re cute, they’re comfy – what’s not to like!?

The next stop on my low-brow shoes and cocktails tour took me to Dave & Buster’s, a relatively new addition to the Richmond entertainment scene that combines Chuck-E-Cheese attractions with adult beverages. I went with a group of work friends to celebrate a birthday, and amidst the Whack-a-Mole and Skee-Ball we took some time to peruse the most extensive menu of tropical drinks I have ever seen. I sipped on a tropical mojito (natch), a crazy concoction of rum, mojito mix, pineapple juice and muddled pineapple. My friend had the real stunner, though. The Copabanana Colada featured the usual pina colada suspects plus the addition of banana and – get this – a red sugared rim. Maybe not the most sophisticated drink choices, but they were certainly fun and tasty!

Sometimes, it’s fun to take a break from the champagne, cordials, stilettos and other “classy” faves and indulge in some good footwear and cocktails that value the fun factor over sophistication.

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Nothing But Drama

Posted on April 8, 2010 | 2 comments

Drama was the name of the game for last week’s episode of Project Runway, which challenged designers to create a red-carpet gown for a post-pregnant Heidi Klum.

Dramatic Moment Number 1: Maya, one of my personal fave designers, decides to up and quit! This comes as a big shock to all parties involved this late in the game, and we’re all sad to see her go.

Dramatic Moment Number 2: Anthony comes back to take Maya’s place! After being ousted last week, Anthony makes a triumphant return.

Dramatic Moment Number 3: Heidi crowns not one but two winners. Emilio gets a nod for his coppery, shiny, strapless gown while Anthony gets kudos for his floor-length, flowing dress that very much resembles (in a very good way) a black and white cookie.

Not-So Dramatic Moment: Jonathan gets kicked off. Since he’s been on the chopping block for a number of weeks, it comes as no big shock, but I was a fan of his pretty and feminine designs.

In honor of Anthony’s return and his striking black-and-white design – which Jessica Alba will be sporting at a future event – I’ve picked out a couple of my fave black-and-white pumps for the shoe pairing.

Option number one is a classic, open-toe slingback from none other than Miss Kate Spade. Option number too is a  trendier pump, with a graphic pattern and sleek platform. Both, please!

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A Liquor-Free Cocktail

Posted on April 1, 2010 | 5 comments

Miss Mojito recently returned from a short trip to the great commonwealth of Massachusetts, where the skies were blue, the seafood was plentiful, and the cocktails were a change of pace.

Massachusetts introduced me to a new concept: the 10-month liquor license. I can’t figure out the rhyme or reason, but some restaurants have two separate licenses: a 12-month license for wine, beer and cordials, and a 10-month license for liquor.

That means that the 10-month license holders have to get creative with their cocktail mixing for two months of the year. How do you make a liquor-free cocktail? Good question – and one that Massachusetts restaurants have tried to answer using their most imaginative mixology methods.

Wine or sparkling wine typically provide the base of these liquor-free cocktails, while club soda adds the fizz and fruit juice and cordials give some oomph to the flavor volume. Also known as liqueurs, cordials are sweetened spirits flavored with anything from fruits and herbs to roots and leaves. To make a cordial, you start with an alcoholic base – brandy, rum, or whisky, for example – which you then either distill, infuse, macerate or percolate to change the flavor profiles.

The kir would be a classic example of a liquor-free cocktail: white wine mixed with a dollop of creme de cassis, a sweet, blackcurrant flavored liqueur. (Sub champagne for the white wine and you have yourself a kir royale).

For a cocktail that’s a bit more modern and on-trend, look no further than Domaine de Canton, the ginger flavored liqueur. I’m thinking a mix of Cava, a healthy splash of Canton, a good squeeze of lime and some candied ginger for garnish would hit the spot.

Miss Mojito wants to know: What are your favorite cordials for cocktail mixing? And can anyone shed some light on the Massachusetts liquor licensing laws for me?

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In the Neighborhood

Posted on March 25, 2010 | 1 comment

Inspiration was the name of the game for last week’s episode of Project Runway. The designers paired off in teams of two to explore Manhattan and pull some inspiration from local neighborhoods, and were charged with creating a pair of outfits inspired by their assigned locale. I always like the inspiration challenge because it brings out the creative side in the designers.

Anthony and Maya pulled subtle inspiration from Chinatown. The geometric, origami patterns and color scheme hinted instead of screamed Chinatown, earning them the spot of runner-up.

Team Lower East Side was a mixed bag. Jay Nicolas’ ill-fitting pants-and-tank combo was a flop while Mila’s rocker-inspired look was a hit.

Amy’s been in the bottom two a bit too frequently for comfort, so we saw her demise coming with a peachy, voluminous top that, according to the judges, didn’t fit the bill for an Upper East Side ensemble. The judges panned her partner Jonathan’s intricate floor-length dress, but I thought the design was fun, unique and flattering.

Emilio and Seth Aaron received top honors for their chic, Harlem-infused designs. Emilio’s floor length, zip-up gown was the right mix of sophisticated and edgy, while Seth Aaron’s beautifully constructed jacket, pops of color and fantastic hat were totally covetable.

For a shoe pairing, I’d continue the color-popping theme and go with this burst of blue and silver from Seychelles.

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Transforming Hardware

Posted on March 11, 2010 | Leave a comment

Every season of Project Runway features at least one episode that is vaguely reminiscent of a fashion school homework assignment. These challenges typically present the contestants with unconventional materials – flowers, maybe, or garbage bags – and task the designers with transforming those materials into something fashion-forward. Last Thursday’s episode was no different. Let loose in a hardware store for half an hour, the designers went to work turning metal, rope and plastic into sometimes-chic outfits. Here are the highlights.

  • I love that, in addition to an outfit, the designers are tasked with creating a companion, stand-out accessory. My favorite was Maya’s fun, chic and totally current key necklace.
  • The unconventional material challenge inevitably produces results that look futuristic or techno (see Mila’s armor-style get-up or Seth Aaron’s futuristic dress), so it’s always nice to see a softer side – and that’s what Anthony pulled out. Unfortunately, the judges were looking for more edge than Anthony had to offer.
  • Emilio created a bikini. A string bikini. Made of washers and hot pink string. Michael Kors’ label of “cheesy” was too kind.
  • But even a taste-free string bikini was a greater success than Jesse’s Hershey’s-kiss-inspired, dirty-vacuum-bag reminiscent silver dress.

Two thumbs up to Jay’s winner of an outfit. It might not be my favorite pick style-wise, but he truly transformed his hardware materials into a pair of slim and sleek striped pants and a bold, graphic top.

For my shoe pick, I might integrate that same stripe pattern from the pants into the footwear. The horizontal straps on these Stella McCartney pumps are certainly stripe-reminiscent, and the toe is actually a super sleek midnight blue.

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A Quick Peek at What’s Ahead

Posted on March 3, 2010 | Leave a comment

As soon as the calendar turns to March, Miss Mojito gets a bad case of spring fever. And it’s a good a reason as any to turn our minds away from snow, wind and rain for a few moments to take a look at what the coming months will hold for us, shoe- and cocktail-wise.

Piperlime.com is pinpointing neutrals, cut-outs, wedges and platforms as key trends for spring. So what could be better than a shoe that embraces all four trends in one sleek shoe?! Here are a couple of pairs that fit the bill.

This pair by Emma Pink rings in at a moderately reasonable $98. I love the peep-toe design.

This pair by Hive and Honey, in a similar price range and style, boats a cool, ashy gray hue and a fun geometric design.

Endless.com is predicting that the woven look will feature prominently in the spring 2010 forecast, and I’d be willing to get on board with that trend with this cool metallic number by Michael Antonio. The weathered golden shade and the perky toe make for a very unique shoe. The gold pair goes for $74.95, but other colors are available at a discount.

What cocktails shall we enjoy whilst traipsing about in our neutral/wedge/cut-out/platform/woven shoes? I’m thinking something bright and bubbly, since a return to warm weather is most certainly a cause for celebration. This Strawberry Smash, which I found over at at sdnn.com, sounds like it’s full of notes of spring and originality. I, for one, can’t wait to partake!

Strawberry Smash
Makes 1 cocktail

  • 3 ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 6 leaves of mint
  • 1 ounce white rum
  • 1 ounce all-natural sour mix (see note)
  • 2 ounces prosecco

Add the strawberries and mint to a glass. Smash the strawberries and herbs gently with a muddler until the berries are a pulp and the herbs smell strong. Add the rum or gin if using and sour mix to the glass and give it a stir. Fill 3/4 full with ice. Top off with the prosecco. Garnish with a sprig of mint.

Note: To create my all natural sour mix, mix 1 cup lemon and or lime juice with 1 cup sugar in a medium non-reactive saucepan. Heat over a low-medium flame, stirring to dissolve the sugar. When cool, pour syrup into a sterile glass bottle and refrigerate. Keeps for up to 2 weeks.

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Shoes for a Cover Shoot: PR Recap

Posted on February 18, 2010 | Leave a comment

The Season 7 cast of Project Runway really seems to be bringing their a-games to the catwalk. And the judges are seeing that they live up to their potential with some truly excellent challenges. This week? Design a cover look for Hedi Klum herself to sport on the April issue of Marie Claire. Here are the highs-and-lows of last week’s episode to gear us up for this evening’s showing:

The contestants receive some guidance from the Marie Claire editor on how to create a cover look: focus on intricate details in the neckline; favor solids over prints; and don’t be afraid of color.

Some of my favorite looks didn’t even make it to the runway. Jay Nicolas’ floaty gown is super chic and original.

I’m surprisingly obsessed with Jonathan’s playful romper look. It certainly stands out from the other designs.

The loser of the night is no surprise: shorts, a shapeless
tank and a vest do not a PR winner make. I love the second-runner-up, though. Ben’s butterfly-inspired colorblock dress is fresh and bright, and I’m a big fan of the shape.

Anthony is the winner for his asymmetrical and brilliant blue cocktail dress. It’s totally fun and modern, but the shoes are a snooze-fest. Even though the focus of the cover will be on the dress, that’s no excuse to ignore footwear! My choice would be something a bit more colorful, like these purple Vince Camuto shoes over at Piperlime.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It’s the Little Things

Posted on February 9, 2010 | 8 comments

In Miss Mojito’s cocktail sipping and sampling, I’ve started to notice that it’s the details that make a difference between the good and the great. A frosted glass, perfectly crushed ice or a unique garnish can take a cocktail to that next level. Here are a few cocktail details that I’ve noticed and enjoyed of late.

Utensils, Please: On a recent weekend get-away to Staunton, I chose sangria as my drink of choice at  Zynadoa, an amazing eatery with a focus on the southern and the local. To accompany the sangria, the server gave me a darling and diminutive fork to fish out the juicy fruit left floating about in the glass. Perfect!

Salt AND Peppa: My favorite part of a cucumber martini I recently enjoyed was the topping on the glass rim, which received a quick dip in a bath of sea salt and freshly cracked pepper. Salt is a standard accoutrement in cocktail mixing, but the extra touch of pepper made it super-special.

Keep the Champagne Flowing: I was delighted, while partaking in a pomegranate bellini, to receive the leftover champagne from the small split used to pour the glass. The drinker can control the sweetness level by topping of the bellini with a bit of the extra champagne.

Foamy Forecast : While sampling margaritas at the new Ventana restaurant in Charlottesville, my favorite part of the cocktail menu was the foam toppings. My margartia, for example, came crowned in a foam of tangerine, lending an extra flavor punch.

Miss Mojito wants to know: What are your favorite little details that take a cocktail from ordinary to extraordinary?

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An Outfit Fit for a Potato

Posted on January 28, 2010 | Leave a comment

It seems like the folks at Project Runway should have come up with the theme of episode 2 ages ago. The challenge: turn a potato sack into a dress suitable for their models to wear to an upscale “industry event.” And boy, did the designers live up to the task! The vast majority of the bunch showed fabulous mixes of innovation and taste on last week’s runway.

Miss Mojito has a confession to make. When I was just a tiny mojito, dreaming of what I wanted to be when I grew up, I spent several months convinced that I was destined to be a fashion designer. I’d sketch out designs of intricate, multi-layered dresses. Inevitably, one of those layers was always burlap. A particular favorite design when I was nine years old was a three-layer gown: a floor-length, satin, 0ne-shouldered dress, layered under a knee-length burlap dress layered under a burgundy velvet mini-dress. It might sound like a confusing nightmare now, but to my nine-year-old mind it was fashion heaven.

Needless to say I was delighted to see burlap make its way into the equation for this Project Runway episode. And I was pretty floored by the results! Here are some highlights and lowlights.

  • Several designers dyed their burlap with fantastic results. This is a technique we don’t get to see too often on PR, so it was fun to see the results.
  • I was surprised at how burlap can be at once fluid and structured. The runner-up winner, Amy, showcased an impressive mix of both, in an outfit that played up the organic side of the fabric. I love the burned look of the hemline.
  • The episodes are always more satisfying to me when there’s an actual client to please, not just the judges. A client with demands and preferences adds a small touch of reality to the challenges.
  • Lauren Hutton is a sophisticated treat of a judge. What an icon!

Designer Jay Nicolas is the winner, and you could have seen it coming from a mile away. While his design isn’t necessarily innovative in terms of color or silhouette, it’s a supremely chic creation that looks much more expensive than it actually is.

For a shoe pairing, I’d play up the mini-nature of the dress with a pair of sky-high heels. And since this design is a safe black, it might be fun to play with some color in the shoes.

These electric yellow suede platform pumps by Elizabeth and James (a brand of the Olsen twin fame) would be my first choice.

But, $350 not being in the mojito shoe budget, a vibrant blue in a more reasonable price range would be an excellent alternative. I like these Steve Madden’s with floral detail.

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A Little Leggy

Posted on January 22, 2010 | 3 comments

Miss Mojito would be lost without a wide and varied collection of tights and leggings to get her through the winter months. Some tights are perfect for work and some are better suited for fun; some leggings pair well with heels and some are perfect for boots. And believe me, it’s taken loads of trial and error to identify my personal faves.

Basic Black: I’ve been circulating two pairs of my Asset brand black opaque footed tights for over two seasons now without so much as a snag or tear. These are the frugal girl’s version of Spanx, available at Target for $14. They’re heavy weight, totally opaque and do a great job at smoothing and shaping.

For footless leggings, I’m partial to a pair from Express. They’re a great length and weight.

Fun with Colors: For on-trend, jewel-toned tights, Hue is my go-to brand. They’re available at a few local stores here in Richmond (Need Supply is where I buy mine), and also online. I love the way the vibrant colors pop against a great pair of shoes, like this turquoise-purple combination I tried out.

Shades of Ombre: Sister Mojito and I both flipped when we spotted this pair of ombre shaded tights. They start as black at the waist band and fade to a pale gray at the toe. Perfect when you want to insert a bit of drama in your leg-wear!

80s Flashback: I bought my black velvet stirrup leggings from American Apparel with a very specific purpose in mind. I was looking for a warm, heavy weight legging—something a bit sturdier than footless cotton spandex leggings—that would tuck smoothly into ankle and mid-calf boots. The stirrup seemed to be the perfect option, and somehow American Apparel convinced me that a velvet finish was the way to go. I’ve had tons of fun pairing these leggings with black lace-up boots and floaty dresses.

In Search of Some Texture: I love textured tights paired with an above-the-knee skirt and suede boots. The combo of different shades and textures can be so striking. My favorite mixes include a loden green, textured diamond tight partnered with a slouchy, beige suede wedge boot, and a pair of charcoal, chevron patterned tights with some pointy-toed, rust-toned boots.

Time for Bed: Due to a drafty old apartment, I often rely on my polartec fleece leggings to keep me warm at night. I highly recommend investing in a pair! My version came from JCrew in the mid-90s, but a quick tour of Google should point you in the right direction.

Miss Mojito wants to know: What role do tights and leggings play in your cold-weather wardrobe? And PS – if anyone has recommendations on how to take photos of your own feet without contorting your body most uncomfortably, Miss Mojito is all ears!

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