It's All About the Food: Again....

By now you must think I am an aspiring food critic, but honestly, I just like the stuff, and today was a bonanza. My friend treated me to a belated birthday lunch and we decided to try the new kid on the block (and in my neighborhood even!). Wow. This one is sheer perfection: a 50's style and warm comfort, light and airy, and my kind of menu, great salads, a truffled pasta with shrimp, great service, and best of all, a venture by a friend. Will be back again and again and again, promise.

The Warmth of Friends....

Ok, so the circumstances may not have been the best (loss in their family), but it was so great seeing Sadie (who never looked cuter!) who was in from Washington (that's DC!) and her proud mom. You go girl!!! Expect to see Sadie on the campaign trail this summer for some lucky candidate.

New and Most Amazing: Cathy Waterman....

Only the tip of the iceberg:
There's much more on our web site...

A Face Only a Mother Can Love?

About to debut on his mom's charm bracelet, you gotta admit, pretty cute, yes?

A Magical Dinner....

We enjoyed the lovliest dinner at Giorgio Baldi's, which may become our new fave Italian restaurant. Small and cozy with over the top food and wine, and best of all, the company of Cathy & Eddie...

Inhale the Inspiration.....

The scent of a burning candle is the first to greet you (that is, after all the hugs), and there are piles of inspiration everywhere in Cathy's studio.


Best of all was kidnapping the most fab new pieces which will soon be on our site....stay tuned!

Signs You are in Los Angeles.....

Randy's Donuts is a beckoning beacon leaving the airport, and someday we will stop. But not today: a tasty veggie quesadilla and perfect capucino awaits me at one of my fave restaurants in Santa Monica: Cafe Montana. And then it's off to the studio which is the real YUM!!!

A Lucky Trip.....

We just had to kidnap some jewelry from Cathy Waterman's studio and have a visit, even if the trip was a quick one. Despite the Dallas weather, we departed on time, missed the torrential rains in L.A., caught a morning of sunshine, missed the next wave of torrential rains in L.A., and landed on time back in Dallas. Whew!!!!

A Treasured Visitor....

Her mom has a stash in her closet and someday so will she. The pink and red combo really caught my eye, as did Amelia's twinkle-toes.

Oh so pretty: Versace Couture....

These Versace couture dresses are on the way to L.A., according to Women's Wear Daily, Oscars or no Oscars. And they are soooooo dreamy. I guess I am in the market for an event.....and some serious nutritional eating too.
Hoping that the Oscars go on, and I get to see more of these.

Girl's Night Out with Charla Krupp

These are just a few of my shots from last night's party for Charla Krupp. Honestly, I was too busy visiting with friends and getting books for her to sign to take pics, since everyone needed just one more tip to not look OL but Y&H (yes, you'll have to read the book to decode, but you'd better move fast since it is on the Amazon and New York Times best sellers' lists). Charla is darling and a bundle of energy, especially fueled by the flock of A-listers (A is for Amazing) who turned out to meet her. And those cute little desserts? Visit www.cakeballs.com because they were disappearing at a fast clip. Stay tuned for the party coverage in our Scene@23 section, thanks to photo phenom Kristina Bowman. And thanks to Heidi Dillon and The Fashionistas, our beneficiaries of the evening.

Meet Charla Krupp .....

We are all in a state of excitement to host my friend Charla Krupp today at Ylang | 23. Her new book is my bible, honestly. She cuts to the quick and tells it like it is:

"If it's on your body and headed south, it needs to make a U-turn."

"Pink is the only lipstick color worth wearing; think Angelina."

The book is a wealth of knowledge from her years as a fashion beauty editor, and is highly recommended by moi.

Happy Birthday Natalya !

Food followed us everywhere in New York, even in this showroom where Natalya was celebrating with a delicious strawberry topped cake and lots of friends. Hard to resist, but we did.

Temple St Clair....

Our day would not be complete without stopping by to see Temple St Clair and Melissa. Despite the chilly New York air, we warmed to the sight of butterflies for Spring in Temple's new collection, which will be migrating to Dallas in late February. They are most divine and we can't wait to receive them. Oh, and congrats to Melissa for her promotion....you go girl!!!

Breakfast with Champions...

What a wonderful way to start the day: breakfast with David Rees & Ron Anderson at one of our fave restaurants in the meat-packing district, Pastis.
The simple French fare (baguettes, eggs, etc.) is divine, and the people watching, even early in the morning is the best. Look! There's Sam Mendes, director and husband of Kate Winslet having a power breakfast over there! Look! There's menswear designer Thom Brown dining in his distinctive trademark shrunken suit. Then it's off to the Ten Thousand Things studio where the real feast begins!

Another New York Moment....

Just driving along and trying to get from Point A to Point B in New York is a challenge, but the time flies fast when you encounter a pack of paparazzi and play the "Who is it?" game. In this case, it was Hulk Hogan, the large muscular arm in the window of the black SUV. Hey, anyone with a camera can play this game.

Time to Buy for Spring....

New York is always exciting after the holidays when it's time to buy Spring merchandise, and we are excited about our upcoming appointments. Despite a delayed flight (the norm these days), we're happy to be in the city. Stay tuned.

A Sad Homefront with Alysa Leaving for School...

WE. ARE. TIRED. There were last minute errands and lots to pack to get Alysa off and sad faces on the pups who I think knew what was going on. No worries, Spring break is around the corner.

Excitement at Ylang | 23.....

Look familiar? Already interviewed by Oprah, reviewed by the New York Times and Time Magazine, seen a few days ago on the Today show and in yesterday's new People Magazine, my friend Charla Krupp is everywhere, as she just published a book guaranteed to be every girl's best friend: HOW NOT TO LOOK OLD. And she will be my guest at Ylang 23 on Tuesday, January 15.

I love her take on getting just a little older:“Between you and me, girlfriend, aging sucks. But don’t worry; we can do something about it.”

And Charla is an endless wealth of knowledge about what to do. In our area? Just email me at joanne@ylang23.com for details. Can't wait!!!!!

Another Milestone...

Seems like only yesterday we were celebrating Jake's Bar Mitzvah and zap! Here it is a year later. Happy Birthday Jake! Muah! Mom

Congratulations, New Arrivals....

We weren't the only ones having an incredibly busy holiday season. Some of our favorite designers were welcoming new arrivals, and we cannot wait to meet them. Congrats to Robin Renzi for the arrival of baby Emma, Jeanine Payer for Will's birth, and Andrea Fohrman who welcomed Beckett. We are happy to report that all the Mama Bears and Baby Bears are doing just great. And we wonder how those nurseries are decorated, given their moms

Weather is Changing.....

Yes. All good things must come to an end and so has this glorious vacation with the most amazing weather. But the rain has moved in and we have moved on.....

Orange Bowl Invasion....

Our hotel just got invaded by the players and families of Virginia Tech, which is playing Kansas in the Orange Bowl here. Go Jay Hawks! Go Hokies (just call it the Battle of the Birds)...

Happy New Year....

Wishing you a wonderful New Year, and safe travels wherever you go. We Still making resolutions? So are we, but certainly top on our list in '08 is to continue to help those who are in need, including (yes)! those school kids who go hungry on weekends. If there is a similar program to North Texas Food Bank' Food4Kids in your community, we hope you will consider supporting it.