Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
I love Spring in New Orleans. The weather is as perfect as it’s going to get, the roster of festivals grows every year, and we get to enjoy balmy, beautiful evenings. But in order to maintain this idyllic mindset, you’ll need the proper clothes and accessories to keep that fun day in the sun from turning into a sunburned sweat fest. Continue reading »
Tigre (left) and Rusty. (photos by Christy Lorio)
You know those design shows where couples win home makeovers just by submitting a peculiar story? Well, I have a hell of story, and I’ve got the cats to prove it. Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
If you keep up with trendy Southern magazines they way I do, you might have noticed the diatribe in the latest issue of Oxford American by editor Marc Smirnoff, thoughtfully bashing his competition, Garden & Gun. In a nutshell, he calls G&G out for being a romanticized glossy for rich, white people. If you aren’t familiar with the publications, Oxford American touts itself as the “Southern magazine of good writing” and Garden & Gun is “the soul of the South.” Continue reading »
(Image via NOLA Fashion Week)
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Even though my career centers around fashion, I’ve never felt obligated to fall victim to every single fad that comes along. There’s a reason we cringe at old photos (although those combat boots and baby doll dresses I wore in the ‘90s are the thing now, but I digress).
Now, personal style? That is something else entirely, and so many New Orleanians have it. From the guy in the-three piece suit waiting to catch the street car on a Wednesday morning, to the girl who makes her own clothes, that’s what I’m interested in. Not what the magazines say are the hot new trend, not what the malls are churning out — I want to see the unique, highly individualized stuff. Continue reading »
Line dancing aboard the Carnival Elation. Yes, people apparently still do that. (Photo by Christy Lorio for UptownMessenger.com)
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Cruise ships are weird things, like a cross between a resort hotel and an airplane. It serves the purpose of being your method of transportation, lodging, dinner, and entertainment, all rolled into one. They are also vessels of pure gluttony and relaxation, yet it somehow maintains a sense of adventure.
I just got back from one, my first actually, last week. I was leery of going on a cruise, no doubt. About 8 years ago I found David Foster Wallace’s book A Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again: Essays and Arguments in a used book shop. In it there’s a detailed account (in an essay of the same name as the book) that perfectly sums up the cruise experience, albeit in the most cynical of ways. It’s a hilarious, accurate, and a damn good read. Since I can’t top what Wallace wrote, I’ll leave you with my travel diary to peruse instead. Continue reading »
"Guiding stars" now adorn the shelves of Langensteins, suggesting healthy products to shoppers. (Christy Lorio for UptownMessenger.com)
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Up there with quitting smoking one of the most common New Years’ resolution is eating healthier, which can be hard to do in this town. I live walking distance from no less than eight restaurants, and while I’m always down for supporting the local restaurant scene, sometimes it really adds up, both in the monetary and caloric sense. Continue reading »
(Images courtesy of LiaMolly)
If you’ve ever browsed the popular national women’s clothing store Anthropologie you may have stumbled upon LiaMolly, a knitwear company based in Uptown New Orleans. Having 20 years of experience working for large companies and start ups alike, Seema Sudan has been designing under the successful and profitable LiaMolly label for the past four years. Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
February 2010 — that happened, right? It was a stellar month for everyone, and especially for me. The Saints won the Superbowl, I turned 30 (OK, not that stellar), Mardi Gras was great, and I bought my first house — so much life-changing stuff packed into a three-week time span that I think I’m just now finally coming down from it. Continue reading »
I’m not really a gadget girl, I don’t need to rush out and buy the latest, fanciest phone, and I certainly don’t need to schlep around a camera, phone, e-reader, iPad, GPS, and whatever other portable thingamajigs are the must-have item according to the Sunday circulars. The newest fad to suddenly make my life so much less of a burden always seems somewhat, well, burdensome to me. However, I’ll be the first one to admit that I am kind of obsessed with my iPhone. I was a late adopter, if you will, only having just purchased one last year (and a 3G at that!). Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Tattoos. So many people have them nowadays, from the guy washing your dirty dishes at the diner to your doctor scratching out prescriptions. While body art still has rebellious connotations it doesn’t have quite the stigma that it used to, thanks to so many celebrities, athletes and plain-old average people getting more and more work done. Heavy helpings of ink are beginning to seem like the norm, making it feel almost mischievous not to get one. And while many employers aren’t keen on body art in the workplace the rules have changed drastically in the past few years as tattoos become more mainstream than ever. Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Black Friday! Are you excited? Did you camp out in front of an electronics store this morning? Are you already stressed about finding the perfect gift for every single person that you are in direct daily contact with?
I’m not, and here’s why: About 95 percent of Americans celebrate Christmas, regardless of their denomination. But guess what, I’m the 5 percent. Yup, there is no Santa pulling a reindeer in my front yard, no Christmas tree in my living room and instead of waking up early to open up presents I prefer to sleep in and enjoy the extra day off. Bah humbug? Suit yourself. Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Apparently, many of us dread switching hairdressers even more than breaking up with a boyfriend.
I recently switched salons — nothing personal, but I just decided I wanted a change. My haircuts were great but I felt like I was getting the same cut over and over again. Perhaps I wasn’t vocal enough in my need for something new but I got a gift certificate for services at another salon so I used it as an excuse to try a new stylist and I kind of felt guilty about about the switch. Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Remember when winning the science fair was a big deal? Remember when being a state spelling bee champ garnered your name in the newspaper? I grew up pre-Internet, back when MTV still stood for Music Television and it was where I’d sneak watching the latest videos from Nirvana and Smashing Pumpkins when I was really supposed to be doing homework. Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
Everyone wants to support local businesses, right? I mean, how can you not love that mom and pop store that’s been on the same corner for 20 years or the boutique business owner that remembers your name every time you come in? Personally, I want to spend my money at that new, tucked-away shop and my old favorites just the same and I always recommend new restaurants and quaint boutiques to my friends so they can discover these places as well. But if I have a less-than-stellar experience somewhere, chances are I’ll pass that information on as well. Unfortunately, not all establishments are made equal and some provide truly awful customer service. Continue reading »
Christy Lorio (photo by Leslie Almeida)
In the fashion world, designers constantly gain inspiration from various cultures and time periods, generally going unnoticed until someone steps out of line and heads towards the irreverent. Have your ever worn a kimono, kente cloth, or a pair of moccasins? If so, you borrowed an aesthetic and cultural reference from another ethnicity, intentionally or not. So what’s so inappropriate about a little cultural borrowing if we all do it from time to time? Similar to buying a New Orleans voodoo doll made in China, the differences between appreciation vs. appropriation are often blurry for those unfamiliar with the culture. Continue reading »
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