I’ve read the SATC 2 reviews, darlings, and I don’t entirely disagree. We’re not talking Oscar material here - it’s supposed to be a fun escape.  In a nutshell: we get to see the girls in their New York habitat before Smith Jared (looking hotter than ever) hooks Samantha up with a potential PR gig that gets the girls an all-extravagances paid trip to Abu-Dhabi. You had me at personal butler, champagne and macaroons.

Carrie bumps into Aidan (in what I swear is the same Middle Eastern market where Indiana Jones had a sword/gun fight in Raiders of the Lost Ark); a dreamy Dane strikes Samantha’s fancy; and Charlotte and Miranda have a heart to heart. There are some LOLs along the way - but unfortunately they’re peppered with too many cheezy, forced double-entendres.

Now back to The Prestons‘ Posh Pad! Check out this dining room, with a peek into the kitchen…

Look at the chic and cozy living room…love the table.

Love this sunlight-flooded corner….

His and Her closet.  Cute and cute.

I thought the story of Carrie and Big trying to find their footing in their new marriage was sweet and one of my favorite parts of the movie. This picture of Carrie propped up on a pretty blue ottoman (where can I get one?) is from one of my favorite scenes in the movie.

The clothes on SATC 2 were a bit of a let-down with the exception of a few cute Carrie concoctions:

Last but not least, I’ll leave you lovelies with some SATC 2 eye candy for good measure.

Who knows if there will be a SATC 3? In the meantime, all you die-hard fans - there’s always TBS.

Lately, a trend-gone-wrong that has stopped me in my click-clacks – and, if I weren’t a lady, would leave my jaw hanging – is the shirtdress. It may as well be renamed the “dress-shirt” – as in, dress that shirt up with some pants, please!

When you get it right, a simple, clean-cut shirtdress is a chic staple every girl should own. My pretty picks: Ralph’s timeless number in rich buttery biscuit and Shoshanna’s prim perfection in geranium.

The cherry on top? Pockets! Frocks with pockets make me smile & want to toss my Burberry hat in the air à la Mary Tyler Moore.

A shirtdress is also the perfect answer to that daily nagging question, “What on earth will I wear today?” as you stand in a closet stuffed with clothes and shoes. Girl, you know it’s true.

Buyer beware:  there’s a sea of wannabe shirtdresses out there just waiting for you to slip-up, so a discerning eye is critical. Don’t be fooled by cheaper fabrics that are ill-fitting and cause those unsightly in-between-button pulls. If the fabric looks and feels cheap, it probably is!

A hint that a dress is well made? You guessed it: frock pockets. Just knowing they exist makes me feel 110% sassier.

The tip du jour?  The shirtdress is a dress styled with the details of a shirt. Not a shirt to be worn as a dress. So if it looks like you’re channeling Tom Cruise à la Risky Business - call me a relic, call me what you will, say I’m old-fashioned, say I’m over the hill – you should probably put some pants on.

Shecky’s knows what a girl wants: fashion from talented designers at discounted prices; delish cocktails; latest beauty treatments; and Shecky’s popular swag bag. Of course the icing on the cupcake is sharing it all with your girlfriends!

Cocktails were flowing – and sloshing & splashing around  – as we tried to navigate the crowd while juggling our drinks, shopping and swag bags. Cheers to anyone who managed to stay splash-free throughout the evening!

There were scads of accessory and jewelry vendors this year, but a couple that really caught my eye were Katie Thompson’s KT Collection of handmade jewelry…

…and one of my favorite boutiques, Fornash. Thanks to the inspiration, creativity, and stylish eye of owner Stephanie Fornash Kennedy, clients and fans will always be delighted with colorful, beautiful and classy pieces.

One of my primo purchases this spring is this lovely lucite chandelier necklace. It makes any outfit party-ready, à la Holly Golightly.

My chic friend Carolyn snapped up this darling wicker clutch perfectly suited to her classic style.

They were a little light on the clothes this year which was a tad disappointing for this frock-loving girl, but the designers on-site were a delight, especially LaKisha Cameron and her pretty Marzee collection.

We made a bee-line for Marzee as soon as we arrived. My savvy shopmate Dee scooped up a gorg saffron shift with ruffle trim down the side that looks like it came straight from Fashion Week. Be sure to visit the new Marzee Boutique in Georgetown!

My fab friend and sassy stylista, Sherry, scored oodles of goodies including strands of beautiful sterling and brushed silver filigree necklaces from La Bella Destino, and some glam gauzy tunics from Mad Clothing.

Although I was impressed once again with how well-organized the event was, I have one question, Shecky’s: when will you decide to have some nibbles for us? Some of those cocktails were pret-ty strong and we could have used some tasty cupcakes or other treats.

If you missed it, there’s still a chance to catch them in another city or when they’re back in DC in the fall. In between, you can get your fix at the Designer Lounge!

Girls Night Out, Shecky’s style – who could ask for anything more?

A harbinger of spring in DC, the cherry blossoms kick off the season on the National Mall as people from all over the globe trot to the Tidal Basin to see the blossoms. Under the most beautiful azure sun-filled skies, my mom, sister and I visited the Mall on Friday, where I was able to snap some pics.

The cherry blossoms may be the popular press darlings this time of year – but what about the other blooming treasures in the area?

Just off the beaten path on the north side of the Tidal Basin (between the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial) you’ll find the Tulip Library.  Since 1969 gardeners have been prepping the floral beds each autumn to hand plant over 10,000 tulip bulbs flown from Holland.

A family friend recently recalled visiting the Library as a child, and being confused when she couldn’t “check the tulips out.” I think she was on to something! In the meantime, you can check out these photos from Friday.

Not far from the Tulip Library, the Smithsonian Institution grounds are home to some of the best kept secret gardens. When my parents moved to DC several years ago, after visiting the Smithsonian Castle one day they accidentally strolled into the Ripley Garden.  Shortly after, I visited the garden with them and I’ve loved it ever since.

Tucked away by the Arts & Sciences building, this garden was the inspiration of Mary Livingston Ripley, plant scholar and wife of Smithsonian magazine founder Sidney Dillon Ripley. Fun fact: Mary first met Sidney when they were in the OSS. Her roommate at the time? A woman named Julia Child.

The garden is peaceful and serene with a fountain in the middle and benches scattered near the raised beds of flowers and plants. It’s hard to imagine the location was at risk of becoming a parking lot before Mary stepped in.

From the Ripley head down Independence Avenue to the Enid Haupt rooftop garden, another pretty and peaceful hideaway. Then be sure to visit the Smithsonian Castle, another favorite spot of mine, and grab a snack at the café.

Now slip on that cute sundress and some sunblock and take advantage of the sunshine! It’s time to get out there & re-introduce yourself to our gorgeous city.

Photo credits: The Medestrian, The Medestrian’s Mom.

A guilty pleasure of mine that helps me keep my “pink” edge is the weekly tabloids: Us Weekly, In Touch and Life & Style.

I prefer not to purchase issues with covers featuring boring train wrecks like Britney, Milkaholic Lindsay, John Mayer, Kate or John, or any other run-of-the-mill reality show personality.

I look forward to snaps of chic celebs – both on and off the red carpet – which these days usually includes pics of their beautiful bébés and trendy toddlers. Seriously, how cute is Harlow? Or Violet and her babydoll sis, Seraphina? I just want to squeeze their cheeks.

Precious Shiloh’s beauty shines through even though her mother tries to sabotage it by dressing her like a little boy lately. I guess her older sis Zahara gets all the cute girly frocks in the family now.

Meanwhile, Suri’s dainty ballet flats have been replaced with sassy-heeled shoes.  Be warned, Katie & Tom. If you keep indulging her every whim, one of these days her kitten heels are gonna walk all over you.  

One of my least favorite sections is “Who Wore It Best?”.  Here’s what miffs me (besides Jesse James): what if neither of the stars pictured wore it best? Just because a girl is famous does not guarantee she has fashion sense – just as a dress with a designer label does not make it stylish by default.

There will never be another Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly or Natalie Wood.  I’ve accepted the fact that these glamour girls – my silver screen style icons – are irreplaceable. (That’s a subject for another upcoming post.)

Even so, my heart remains hopeful that I’ll see today’s stars make exciting style choices and take fashion risks that pay off.

That’s one thing I love about fashion & Hollywood – and why I look forward to these magazines each week. There’s an endless opportunity to be delighted and inspired. If not, at the very least you’re guaranteed a few laughs.  

Now that’s entertainment!

Holly Golightly was wise beyond her years, realizing that a lady should never be without her lipstick. I personally never leave home without it, except to go running or to the gym.

My love of lipcolor began when I was a little girl. In between playing with my Barbies I remember playing with my Mom’s makeup.

I loved the scent of her Estée Lauder and Revlon lipsticks, especially Bamboo Bronze.  It still brings back memories today.

In high school I recall Pink Champagne, Pink Foil and Silver City Pink summers with my Sis at the beach, thanks to Maybelline and Revlon. College followed and Clinique, Lancôme and Chanel were a co-ed’s best friend.

I went through a red phase during my first job on Capitol Hill.  That’s when I discovered Chanel Quatuor with my dear friend, coworker, and fellow lipstick lover, Mara. It was unanimous consent: we were smitten with the scarlett lip-quad compact.

I embraced MAC in the early 90’s.  My favorite hues were Pink Glaze, Frou, Pervette and Wuss. Back then, my sister Liz and I would dash to Nordstrom & bring our “5 empties” to the MAC counter to be recycled, and in return receive a free lipstick of our choice!

For me, at least half the fun of lipcolor is in the packaging & design. There is something so perfectly ladylike about the click! of a Chanel lipstick case.

My signature color? Pink, of course! Today my purse contains an eclectic mix of luxury and drugstore brands, from Dior Fantasy Pink to Cover Girl Pink Tutu gloss.

What if you need to re-apply your lipcolor in public? Don’t fret! Miss Manners says it’s perfectly acceptable to do so, as long as you apply it in a quick, ultra-confident manner.

Channeling Holly Golightly, I have a small mirror on the wall by the door to check my pout on the way out. She had a tiny mirror affixed to the top of her mailbox, where she kept a spare lipstick for last minute touch ups! A girl after my own heart.

So what signature color will you apply before dashing out the door?

After a long snowy winter, it looks like spring is finally near! Little Miss Sunshine has shown up fashionably late but she was worth the wait.

Do you know what that means? It’s time to think about your spring wardrobe! This season we’ll be seeing white, lemon, turquoise, fuschia, watercolor pastels, and a whole host of Liberty-infused florals inspired by blooming spring flowers.

I confess, I’ll always have black in my wardrobe. Navy, too. For a fun little challenge I created a colorful, vitamin D enriched spring palette – one without even a smidge of black. How did I do?

Now to top it off, soak up these spring colors with some pretty gems from favorite jewelry designers Meagan Kurtz of ADMK and Rachelle Céline and you’re off to a sunny start!

I think you mean well. You seem like a very nice, kind-hearted girl.

What I need to know is – why were you on David Letterman last week, embarrassing yourself in front of the world again?

Not only did you say you still admire the “cute butt” of ex-boyfriend Tony Romo who carelessly dumped you  - but then you discussed intimate comments made about you in a recent interview given by another self-absorbed ex!

I know your intent was to promote your new show, The Price of Beauty, but have some self-respect! Let sleeping dogs lie — especially that dog-of-an-ex, the one formerly known as a talented musician.

Ken & CaCee pray she doesn’t date a loser.

Along with your loss of self-respect, you seem to have misplaced any sense of style you had. (I’m still haunted by the Mom jeans incident).

This is sad, because I know you have a head for fashion, as evidenced by your successful self-titled fashion line, Jessica Simpson.

Jess, you’ve got a lot going for you, yet you sabotage your confidence and happiness at every turn. You’ve let yourself be defined by the paparazzi for your poor romantic choices, not your savvy business decisions.

Sadly, as a society, I know we’ve moved far, far beyond proper etiquette and what is considered decent to discuss in public.

Is it too much to ask that we all – celebrities included – act like ladies and gentleman? I’m afraid so. That is a bête noire I’ll save for another post.

However, once a man - or more accurately, a boy –  blatantly disrespects you in the press – don’t you think it’s time to not dignify such things with a response?

In this case, perhaps the price of beauty is silence. It’s golden.

So knowing the style stakes are so high, it’s always surprising to me that some actresses can still manage to get it wrong. Of course there’s a few who get it right. These are the Oscars! I expect to be shown something pretty that wows me!  Here’s some highlights from 2010:

Demi Moore – I adored her feminine, perfectly draped, peach ruffle-tiered Versace. She gets my best-dressed vote! The only thing missing? Her perfect accessory-of-a-husband.

Sarah Jessica Parker – I loved her pale yellow, metallic rosette-encrusted Chanel gown. Along with her piled-high hair, it reminded me of something Holly Golightly would wear.

Rachel McAdams – was feminine and pretty in a refreshing watercolor Elie Saab frock in blue, green and pink.

Sigourney Weaver – always a lady, in beautiful crimson Lanvin.

Sandra Bullock – Her liquid silvery-gold embroidered Marchesa gown was elegant. Her hair and makeup with a bright fuschia lip was pretty, but the dress somehow washed out her usually glowing complexion.

Zoe Saldana –  Zoe’s Givenchy gown with a champagne beaded bodice that grew into an ombré explosion of shades of purple will no doubt receive mixed reviews, but she makes anything look prettier just by putting it on.

Vera Farmiga – usually I love ruffles but the tiered pinkberry Marchesa gown overwhelmed the pretty actress.

J Lo – always looks gorgeous with glowing skin and hair, but her Armani Prive pale pink silk organza gown was reminiscent of Kate Hudson’s Marchesa gown from the Golden Globes, but with a train coming out of her hip.

Penelope Cruz – always beautiful, but the Donna Karan strapless dress with ruched pleats wasn’t cutting it for me. The cranberry color blended with the red carpet and was a wintry choice for an award show that is typically a harbinger of spring fashion.

Kate Winslet – hair & makeup looked  pretty and the rest is a blah metallic 2-piece blur.

Miley – I couldn’t get beyond the posture. Shoulders back, Miley! Apparently her Jennie Packham gown didn’t come with instructions on proper carriage.

Suzy Amis – your husband is the self-professed King of the World and almost as rich – so why do you look like a disheveled grandma, at half his age? You do get points for your sustainable fashion, though.

Overall this year, there were only a few looks that truly wowed me. What did you think, lovelies?

Photo credits: Getty Images and Just Jarred

Then, try to visualize not one, but 5 floors of this art, each dedicated to artists hailing from California, New York, Washington DC, and the rest of the world, such as artist Aniekan Udofia of DC.

On top of that, imagine yet another floor filled with live painting and entertainment – last night it was music by DJ Sonny Cheeba and melt-in-your-mouth cuisine courtesy of Elephant Steps and Friends.

You’ve just entered G-40: The Summit, an artistic interpretation of the G-20 political summit. Over 500 artists under one roof in Crystal City for the entire month of March!  It’s sensory overload at its best.

Arriving at Plaza 5 last night, I was excited – there was so much to see! The space was so expansive; I had to stop myself from turning cartwheels.

I checked out the New York exhibit on the 5th floor and our DC talent on the 8^th floor. Both were full of colorful, inspired pieces.

Local Virginia artist James Walker gets his inspiration from photographs, stating on his site that “It all starts with photographs. I make pictures of everything. All the time.”

I loved this dreamy creation, “Aurora”‘ by Jessica Braiterman, part of the microWave project:

I’m looking forward to going back to see everything else I haven’t viewed yet. I decided to save California and the other artists from around the world for another day.

The location of the event is so convenient – just a pleasant short walk through the Crystal City underground from the metro.

There are even “breadcrumb” markers on the ground along the way with the G-40 logo directing you to the Summit. Parking is easy too.

Make a night of it! Grab dinner before or after the exhibit – take your pick of any of the great restaurants in the area.

G-40: just another hip, fun event brought to you by the Crystal City BID, along with Art Whino and Vornado.

See you at the Summit!

Photo credits: Stephen Elliot