The Ride: RIVA

This July, whether your sea of choice is The Adriatic or The Mediterranean, your island Sardegna or Formentera, your ride of choice should come from none other than the venerable Italian house that has been building custom yachts for its clientele since it was established on Lake Iseo in Sarnico, Italy in 1842.

Have a closer look at Riva's storied history, and peruse some of the current and future collections

at:

http://www.riva-yacht.com/en-US/home.aspx

La Vita di Lusso

La destinazione successiva: Forte dei Marmi, Lucca - Toscana

How to Eat Carbohydrates: A Scientific Approach

Figure it out for yourself, fatty!  Arriviste is a skinny betch.

xoxo

Crave: The New Gym Bag

Going to the gym is no excuse for having poor taste in accessories. If you're going to perfect your body, look good on the way there.

If you can't afford it, perhaps you should think twice about showing your face at all.

xoxo.

Bag by CÉLINE

Destination: Cabo de Gata, Andalucia

Much of Andalucia, in the south of Spain, will do no more than throw dust on your white Tod's loafers. Toss those olives out the window.  There is a small stretch on the Eastern side, however, that is worth charting private helicopter or driver to reach.  It is a small natural preserve near the town of Almeria, called Cabo de Gata.

The untouched Mediterranean sea in this region boasts an unusually high algae count & mineral content.  This means it is very, very good for your skin. (Pay attention.)  You won't be pestered by peasants or poor local fisherman, either.  Just you, the sun and the sea.

Pack yourselves a small salad.  You can't possibly eat another piece of jamon wearing that skimpy Hermès bathing suit.  You still need to fit through security at Barajas.

What to Wear: Verbier

Leave the North Face jackets to the plebeians who flock to Vail with their rental skis and day passes. An arriviste wouldn't dream of skiing anywhere so pedestrian. This year, on the powdery slopes of Verbier, Swizerland, we'll be wearing Thom Browne's latest collection.

The Fall line debuted last week in Paris. To view the entire collection, visit:

http://www.style.com/

Artist's Profile: Cy Twombly

In 1962 Cy Twombly (born 1928 in Lexington, Virginia) painted a work that illustrates many of the abiding engagements of his practice. Untitled is divided into two zones by a horizonal line about two thirds of the way up. Across the bottom edge of the canvas, Twombly has scribbled a textual fragment gleaned from the poet Sappho: "But their heart turned cold + they dropped their wings." The phrase, suggesting a hovering between higher and lower realms, conjures up a distant classical realm, even as the grappling, awkward hand renders the words materially present.

Cy Twombly has long been an Arriviste favourite, revealing through Abstract Expressionism a non-linear approach to poetry through painting & sculpture. Often calling upon Roman mythology, his graffiti-like scribblings create a visual terrain in which his words can settle and exist. Chaotic, visceral, alive.

To learn more about the artist and his work, please visit www.cytwombly.info

The Rider: Arriviste Essentials

Gwyneth Paltrow in Emma, an Arriviste essential.

Arriviste is going on a world tour. Berlin, Paris, Sicilia, Lisboa...anything is possible. Although I could forward a list of demands longer than James Joyce's Ulysses, I prefer to keep to the essentials (as good help is so hard to find).



Life would be undignified without the following...



1: Power Plate. For in-room workouts
.

6: Diptyque Figuier Candles

1: Hermes Cashmere Blanket

1 Bottle: Rodin Olio Lusso Body Oil

2 Cases: Ars Poetica Vulcano Aglianico. You may have to fly to Basilicata to source this wine. Contact your private wine agent.

2 Cases: Sanfaustino Mineral Water from Umbria. The best-tasting water on earth.

Thanksgiving: An Arriviste Survival Guide

Chanson du Jour: "La Musique," YELLE

Cliquez ici!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFlREop_Ufw

"Turning the Pages of OK! Magazine Is My Cardio."

Do you relate to the above title? Do you arm yourself with a pile of gossip magazines to peruse while barely breaking a sweat on the elliptical machine (yet making a big show of huffing and puffing)? Chew on a Lara Bar and consider this: if you're able to truly focus on what you're reading, you're probably not working very hard.

The East coast's descent into cooler weather is no excuse to become lazy (and flabby). In fact, boosting your workout will provide the energy and endorphins you'll need to make it through a winter full of pedestrians in Annie Sez sweaters and Chico's caftans. And if you're headed to a warm and sunny destination such as Rio, well, your tight & lean figure is just a beach bonus.

Interval training refers to the method of training that employs short, concentrated bursts of higher intensity movement for a fixed period of time, followed by a return to a moderate rate of cardio. Coupled with weight training and plyometrics, this fitness method forces your body to move in unexpected ways, therefore challenging your muscles in a new fashion.

Result: a higher metabolic rate, resulting in fat & weight loss in the same, or often less, time than you're spending on that tired old Precor.

For a more in-depth explanation of interval training, read this piece from The New York Times:

http://http//www.nytimes.com/2007/05/03/fashion/03Fitness.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1

See you at Ipanema Beach, fatties!

xxxo

Une Écharpe : Tie One On

In the United States, the lowly scarf is often an afterthought, relegated to the bottom of the accessories closet (you DO have one of those, correct?) to be dug out once the weather turns bitter.

If you've ever purchased a scarf from a street vendor, or God-forbid referred to one as "a muffler" (See what I did there? I'm judging you!), pay close attention to the video found in the title of this post.

From a piazza in Firenze, a gentleman demonstrates how to turn una sciarpa from dowdy cold weather-accessory into sartorial glitter, taking you from domestic to international first-class.

Why remain State-side?

*Click on title to view the video demonstration.

Video courtesy of www.thesartorialist.blogspot.com

La Dolce Vita: Holiday Italian-Style

The season is upon us, and if you've been following along, you should be flaunting your beach body from the shores of Nantucket to St. Tropez. I'm not here to speak of calories. Watching one's calories is what one does throughout the Fall, Winter, and Spring. The Summer is purely about pleasure. And there is one country that has spent centuries perfecting the pursuit of leisure and pleasure. (Can it be any coincidence that Marcello Mastroianni, Federico Fellini, and Sophia Loren all hail from here?)

Vacation: verb ex. The Italians Vacation Better Than You Do

Ragazzi, it is a lifestyle, and like any lifestyle, it requires committment. The science of summering is an art, so begin by using vacation and summer as verbs. Verbs require action, and below I will outline the basic tenets of summering well. Read on...

Tanning

If you're fortunate enough to have a complexion the colour of gilded Roman coins such as I (so lucky!), you may move ahead to the next section. If, however, your "tan" is more akin in colour to the boiled crustaceans that the Nicoise are so fond of, read my previous post outlining the basics of tanning. It is important to use an SPF of 30: allowing just enough sun into the dermis to be kissed with colour, without looking like the victim of permanent microdermabrasion. Also important is the use of an apres-sun moisturizer. While the sea water is excellent for the skin, the salt and sun will leave you parched. Try In Fiore's body oils for soft skin and a sexy scent:

http://www.beautyhabit.com/product7367.html

Food & Wine

You've been a disciplined little beast all year long. This is your reward. Italy has some of the greatest cuisine in the world, so enjoy it. Begin the day with a caffe macchiato, shying away from heavy, milky drinks such as lattes and cappuccinos. If you must eat breakfast, be decadent. Gelato is an absolutely acceptable (and highly encouraged) breakfast staple.

You may notice that la spiaggia begins clearing out at 13:00. Follow suit and find a seaside trattoria or ristorante for il pranzo. Order a bottle of acqua minerale frizzante: the high mineral content and natural effervescence are fantastic for your health and digestion. Order wine by the bottle: the best ones are not served al bicchiere. Try a crisp Falanghina, or an icy-cold, fruity Orvieto Bianco.

To eat, begin with the bruschetta, which will likely be made using the gorgeous San Marzano tomato, widely considered to be the greatest tomato in the world. Follow with a plate of cozze, mussels steamed in butter and garlic, finished with freshly chopped parsley and mint. For a pure taste of the sea, the only pasta to order is the spaghetti alle vonghole, spaghetti with clams. A true coastal staple, the al dente pasta is tossed with butter, olive oil, and steamed clams, and finished with white wine and fines herbes.

While eating, be sure to revel in the smugness that you so richly deserve. While your dining-mate (let's call her Helga) dabs furiously at her sweaty brow, nervously eyeing the pool of butter

collecting at the bottom of your plate, be sure to slowwwwly swirl your spaghetti on the fork, before dragging the entire mound through said pool of butter. For extra effect, tear off a large piece of bread (oh, the carbs!) and mop up as much of the remnant oil & butter as the bread will soak up.

Skip dessert at the restaurant and instead find the best-looking person you can, saunter up to them, smile and ask where to find the best gelato in town. If your game is on, you'll be escorted there on a Vespa. Trust this.

The Young Man and the Sea

As important as what ones does at the beach, is which beach and sea one chooses. I prefer the Mediterranean for its high algae and salt content, both of which are excellent for the skin. Don't treat this decision lightly. Choose erroneously and you may wind up on the Italian version of Jones Beach. I know. Deep breaths. This is why you read my blog.

An excellent choice for the well-heeled (read: me and soon, perhaps YOU!) is Portofino. Situated just far enough from the tourist meccas of Tuscany to keep the Beckys and Diannes away, this is Italian Riviera life done to the nines. Keep in mind that it is important to have a yacht on which to base yourself (also, in which to stock your Beluga caviar and Dom). If you don't have a yacht or an invitation to one, good luck scrambling amongst the jagged rocks in a futile (and funny for those of us pointing and laughing) attempt to find a stretch of beach on which to toss your carcass. If Valentino sees you, you may be instructed to don black lace and join the old widows who spend their days scouring the cobblestone streets, so that the rest of us may wear our loafers unscuffed.

Allora. What are you waiting for? The Italians are already on their loungers, soaking in il sole.

Buon viaggio!

xoxo

A Model's Best Kept Secret

No, it isn't a finger-condom to prevent skin & nail deterioration caused by repeated purging.

It's this. Models and beauty editors have known about what I am going to divulge for years.

Rodin Olio Lusso Face Oil, in place of your moisturizer.

3 drops is all you'll need. Massage onto still-damp skin after bathing.

Available at Barney's New York, and online at:

http://www.beautyhabit.com/

Do this: Abdominal Pike

For those looking to tighten the abdominal area, cardio is Blair to your Serena.

You must trim excess fat off of the belly area in order for your ab muscles to show through. (That means you should not still be eating Thanksgiving leftovers!)

Friend #2, however, is an effective core exercise(s).

The abdominal pike, using an exercise ball, will engage your major core muscles, burning and tightening them with a simple, repetitive motion.

Start in a plank position (basic push-up) with your feet on top of an exercise ball. Engage your core, and pull (roll) the ball towards your chest, forming an inverted V with your entire body. Tighten your abs when you reach the highest point, and then slowly return to starting position.

Click on the title of this post for a video demonstration (with optional jack knife exercise).

Do you hear that? It's the sound of a thousand holiday calories screaming in pain.

It's summer in Rio, so prepare to suit up.

Drink This: Kombucha

Kombucha (pronounced kom-boo-chah) is a fermented tea, made with a particular strain of fungus. The tea is allowed to steep as the fungus grows. Once prepared, it is best served over ice.

There are countless purported health benefits, some of which are:

Better digestion

Metabolic support

Skin clarity

Actually, I'll stop right there. If keeping thin and clear skin aren't enough to sell you, you've come to the wrong page, my dear.

Several brands of kombucha are now available at le supermarche and health food stores, but the best brand, hands-down, is GT's Kombucha. Using organic ingredients, the kombucha is available on its own, or as Synergy, mixed with organic fruit juices.

As the Original formula tastes like a port-o-potty after a day at Lilith Fair, I suggest opting for the Synergy, in Gingerade, Mango, Guava, or Gingerberry.

One final, but crucial benefit: it can cure your prosecco hangover in a matter of minutes.

What are you waiting for?

xoxo.

Crave Worthy: Priorat

From Wikipedia.com:

Priorat is a comarca (county) in Catalonia, Spain. The central part of the comarca, "Priorat històric," produces the famous and prestigious wine of the Denominación de Origen Calificada Priorat. Wines from elsewhere in the comarca are denominated as Montsant. The area is also known for the production of hazelnuts.
Priorat had a steady loss of population during the 20th century, but has recently as of 2004 experienced a more prosperous economy, resulting in an end to this trend. In 2001, the population was 9,196, with only the capital (Falset) exceeding a population of 1,000.

This region of Southern Catalunya is producing some of the most intense, inky red wines you'll find anywhere in Espana. Indigenous varietals such as garnacha commingle with imported grapes of the syrah, cabernet, and merlot varieties, lending a minerally, jammy flavour and velvety mouth-feel.

Fill the Aston Martin (Alfa Romeo if you're Nasty) with a case of this wine the next time you make a trip to Majorca. (Save your white/rose riojas for Ibiza.)

Just be careful you don't overdo the jamon. It is still swimwear season, after all.

xoxo.

Song of the Day: Chanson du Jour

We are well into Vilebrequin season (http://www.vilebrequin.com/), so I hope you've been beach-ready for some time now.

If, however, you still need someone to pry that pain au chocolat out of your (fat) fingers, what is required is much more serious.

You'll need an overhaul of your outlook on fitness.

We want nihilistic. We want soul-crushing. We want teeth-baring.

This is your soundtrack.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdkmhquF60o&feature=channel

See you by la piscine.

xoxo.

Word of the Day: Epaulette

It's time for a little ecole. Since you probably fell asleep or passed notes during French class, allow me to point out what you've been missing.

From Wikipedia.com:

"Epaulette (pronounced /ˈɛpǝlɛt/[1]) is a French word meaning "little shoulder" (from épaule, meaning "shoulder"). Epaulettes are a type of ornamental shoulder piece or decoration used as insignia or rank by the military and other organizations. Colloquially, the word has also come to refer to some types of shoulder strap."

The epaulette can take even the most basic black turtleneck and give it that detail that takes you from the Bowery to St. Germain-des-Pres. (That last word is pronounced "pray" for my readers in Indiana.)

It seems that American retailers are finally beginning to pay attention to "insignificant" sartorial details such as fabric, cut, and finish.

Invest in a turtleneck and a short-sleeved button down with Epaulette detailing, and you'll be prepared for whatever life throws you. Whether it's Paris or Provence.

Ecoutez-moi bien.

xoxo.