The Bermuda Perfumery in the old town of St. George’s is utterly charming. Founded in 1928, and housed in a 300-year old building made of cedar and coral stone, their same traditions and methods of making fragrances are still used today.

Tinctures are mixed and steeped in alcohol and various essential oils – including the company’s own Bermuda cedar oil – in the back of the building. Of course, new scents require years of trial, error and experimentation. Each fragrance contains between 50 and 100 ingredients. “Perfume is a symphony,” says owner Isabelle Ramsay-Blackstone. “It has a beginning, a middle and an end. So we’re patient. It takes a big commitment.” Once harmonization is achieved, each perfume is bottled and packaged by hand.

Beyond manufacturing all aspects of their perfumes on the premises, The Bermuda Perfumery offers afternoon tea for visitors in their botanical garden. Below, a setting for two. How lovely.

My favorite fragrance among their extensive selection is probably Fresh Water, a uni-sex perfume made of Bigarade Orange, Bergamot and Mandarine. But you might want to try their Fragrance Library, a box with vials of ten fragrances, to discover which one suits you best.

Bermuda travel vacation The Bermuda Perfumery fragrance

•  10 August 2012

I should’ve just done an entire story on Bermuda Shorts! Dang.

Bermuda travel vacation Bermuda Shorts fashion

•  6 August 2012

Little bird, pitchin’ by my doorstep. This pretty bird with the lime green belly is called a Great Kiskadee, introduced to Bermuda in 1957 to help curtail the lizard population. Even the birds are beautifully colored in Bermuda!

Bermuda travel vacation bird Great Kiskadee

•  5 August 2012

Long live the Queen! A look inside the Fairmount Hamilton Princess Hotel in Bermuda, where I’m staying. Among the hibiscus and oleander, on the shores of a picturesque natural harbor, The Fairmont Hamilton Princess Hotel is an elegant tribute to the old world splendor that is Bermuda. Inspired by Princess Louise, the daughter of Queen Victoria, The Princess is a symbol of all that Bermudians hold dear - old fashioned courtesy, quality and hospitality.

travel Bermuda vacation Fairmount Hamilton Princess Hotel hotels

•  5 August 2012

Suntanned and swizzled in Bermuda. Behold one of the country’s most beautiful beaches, Horseshoe Bay, in Southampton Parish.

Bermuda travel Horseshoe Bay beach

•  3 August 2012  •  2 notes

Pink Adirondack chairs in Bermuda. “Our buildings are pink, our sands are pink, our buses are pink. You’ve got to ‘Think Pink’ in Bermuda!” -Kevin, jovial taxi driver (wearing pink).

Bermuda travel Adirondack Chairs vacation

•  2 August 2012  •  1 note

Off to Bermuda! There is something so fabulously inappropriate about vintage travel posters. I just love them. This one’s by Delta, circa 1960. These days the island is served by AirTrain, American Airlines, Continental, Delta, JetBlue, US Airways, Air Canada, WestJet and British Airways, so getting there is pretty easy.

Bermuda travel art

•  1 August 2012  •  2 notes

I recently toured Helen Uffner Vintage with several friends and colleagues. In its 30 years, this full service, authentic period clothing and accessory rental house has contributed to over 1000 films, theatrical productions, TV shows, magazines, book covers, commercials, music videos and special events.

Helen, the business’s founder and sole proprietor, walked us through the aisles and aisles of men’s, women’s, and children’s vintage, spanning the 1850s through the early 1980s. I’ve always been interested in fashion as part of the zeitgeist: what clothing and styles are showing – or not showing – because of the times. Fashion is a reflection of society, whether it celebrates, subverts or upends the spirit of that particular moment. Helen shared great historical insight as we moved from one era to the next. For instance, dusters (coats made of of natural color linen, silk, canvas and cotton) were first worn by cowboys to protect their regular clothing from dust on the trails, but were later appropriated by men and women in the early 1900s to shield their outfits whist traveling in motor vehicles, since roads weren’t paved yet.

Ohhh look what we have here. There is something so delicate and sensual about vintage chemises. Behold these lovely pale pink bloomers, tap pants and camis I discovered from the 1930s.

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Helen Uffner Helen Uffner Vintage Clothing Long Island City New York fashion movies vintage

•  31 July 2012  •  1 note

I’ve been unfashionably lazy when it comes to work attire of late. It’s summer and sweaty-humid-hot in NYC and I haven’t been putting in the effort. This desk/accessory inspiration is just what I needed! Now excuse me as I get back to typing…

(Source: birdietobe, via wehavenostyle)

coffee fashion pastel typewriter magazines Marie Claire

•  30 July 2012  •  23 notes

Saw this Solange Azagury-Partridge ad while browsing through my archives. Such an unorthodox beauty and so well done. Also rather timely: the model is none other than Liberty Ross, wife of director Rupert Sanders of the epic Kristen Stewart cheating drama playing out in the media right now. I think I’ll just focus on the jewels.

Kristen Stewart Liberty Ross Rupert Sanders Solange Azagury-Partridge advertising campaigns models fashion

•  28 July 2012  •  1 note

Essential. Stay cool this weekend.

(Source: compliment Instagram)

water food

•  28 July 2012

I discovered Bendigo Frames a couple weeks ago on the streets of Manhattan and was inspired to write about them as a designer to watch. I just received a delivery in the mail from them: these sick purple sunnies that I raved about! Many thanks to Mirren Gordon-Crozier, the founder and designer behind Bendigo. Unexpected and totally appreciated.

Mirren Gordon-Crozier Bendigo Frames sunglasses summer fashion Rebecca Prusinowski

•  27 July 2012

If anything ever happens to La Luncheonette, I swear I will quit New York! This gem is in Chelsea, though not really part of it. Because when you step inside, you’re transported to another time and place in NYC, where regular characters share stories and a house tab, a husband and wife team prepare cassoulet and duck confit as an accordion player passionately serenades no one in particular from a dark corner. It’s the sort of place where you order a moscato and they top you off now and then just because. At the corner of Tenth Avenue and 18th Street for over 25 years, it’s a testament that love and good cooking can still stand tall alongside the gleaming glass highrises of West Chelsea.

La Luncheonette restaurant food Chelsea New York

•  25 July 2012  •  3 notes

Powering through deadlines with a late night negroni.

Campari wine and spirits negroni cocktails

•  23 July 2012

Behold today’s office space: my Sid Vicious beach towel, designed by Elizabeth Peyton for Works on Whatever (WOW).  I’ve written about them before, but they’re a collection of artist-produced functional objects commissioned by Art Production Fund. You can purchase this – and a variety of other cool towels by WOW - here.

Elizabeth Peyton WOW (Works on Whatever) art beach towel summer beach Sid Vicious

•  23 July 2012  •  3 notes