Last Friday, the BF and I spent the night in NYC en route to a wedding in Hyde Park, New York. We had a wonderful time taking in the sights and smells of the city. We toured the Metropolitan Museum of Art and had cocktails on their swank rooftop garden which features a breath-taking view of the city. From the roof, you can even catch a glimpse of those magical penthouses of the Upper East Side…a girl can dream, can’t she?

The Met's Rooftop Garden

Must be nice!

For dinner we took a taxi to the West Village and had dinner at La Ripaille, a charming French restaurant with fabulous food and service. For dessert we walked to the famed Magnolia Bakery and stocked up on cupcakes: banana, chocolate, and butter cream. We headed back to midtown, ate a few cupcakes, and checked out the bar scene.

Our hotel in midtown Manhattan

On Saturday we did a little shopping and even stopped by the Mothership a.k.a. Tiffany’s flagship store. Sadly, I didn’t buy anything. We also cruised through Coach, H&M, Channel, Bloomingdale’s, and Burberry before hitting the road. It was a whirl-wind trip but I had a blast. Hoping to go back soon!

I love Halloween, it is my favorite non-summer holiday. This year, I am going as a Valley Girl Vampire. Here are a few preppy ideas if you still need a disguise.

• Toga! Toga! – Beloved costumed straight from Animal House. Tommy Bahama sheets optional.
• Audry Hepburn ala Breakfast at Tiffany’s
• Sailor – Everyone loves sailors, the preppiest of costumes. Grab a striped shirt and your boat shoes and you are all set!
• Michele Obama – Super preppy role model
• Spy – Great excuse to stay warm and wear your Burberry raincoat
• Valley Girl – 1980s style
• Private School Student – Wear your old uniform, even better- wear your old gym uniform! This only works if you are past your high school days.
• Lacrosse Player – Everyone loves a lacrosse player!
• Your Parents – Hardcore Preps
• The Shopaholic – Carry a bunch of shopping bags from Bloomingdale’s, J. Crew, and Tiffany’s

I can’t believe that it is already October. It seems like just a few days ago I was gearing up for the summer heat, now there is a definite nip in the night air. That being said, there are a few things to be excited about–mainly Halloween, my favorite holiday. What other day are you allowed to parade around the streets in costume, cackling like a witch while drinking glow-in-the dark cocktails? and did I mention the candy! Oh, do I love Halloween.

Secondly, you can now put out the pumpkins without fear of being tacky, but please wait until the evening before Halloween to carve them.

Lastly, it is a great excuse to throw a wicked costume party, togas optional. Stayed tuned for more Halloween fun including my top ten preppy Halloween costumes.

I have always been a fan of camping i.e. packing one suitcase for a weekend at the beach. As long as you have some bikinis, a couple of cute Lilly dresses, a few polos and shorts, you are all set. There is nothing better than a long weekend at the beach. The scent of salt air mixed with coconut-scented sun block is the basis of many summertime romps.

Trendy twenty-something prepsters spend their weekends navigating the murky waters of summer shares. On the weekends, you can spot them in preppy beach towns, such as Dewey, trying to enjoy their 1/32nd of a beach house. The main attraction of a summer share is seasonal access to preppy watering holes such as the Bottle & Cork, a cute place for hobnobbing with DC’s future lawyers and politicians. Summer is not complete unless you hook-up with at least one aspiring lobbyist.

This morning I read an article in the New York Times announcing the end of the era of Manhattan’s exclusive clubs. The days of being scrutinized by doormen are over; comfy bars with relaxed door policies are now the rage. I can’t say that I am sad to see these elitist clubs go.