Want a scene to bronze in?

You can find it on the roof of these fancy shmancy clubs and hotels:

The Soho House – If you can find a dear friend (or at least a one night stand) in someone with a membership to this über exclusive British import, you can access their famed rooftop pool. Rub elbows with celebrities, or at the very least, their publicists.

Le Bain – On the roof of The Standard lies a bed of high tech synthetic grass, on which you’ll find giant plushy waterbed poofs and beautiful people.

Le Parker Meredien – For $50 a day you can use this just-south-of-the-park rooftop pool and all of the hotel’s amenities. A touch pricey, yes, but free of screaming children and pisswater.

The Gansevoort & The Gansevoort Park – Uptown or down, get free entrance and steep drinks. Lovely views, but beware – the BnT crowd has discovered (and invaded) this gem. ***UPDATE*** They don’t let the questionable crowd in on Sundays. Only beautiful people with slippery morals.

More of a free spirit?

Park your beach bum at any of these NYC Parks, Piers and other Public Places:

Central Park – Duh. But check out these key layout spots: Sheep Meadow or The Great Lawn. Or find a giant slab of rock face and bunker down, they make surprisingly comfortable beds.

Clinton Cove - This stretch of park at Pier 95 at 55th st on the West side. Tan with a water’s view and real grass beneath you.

Christopher Street Pier – River view tanning in the West Village, but the pier is made of wood, so perhaps bring a beach chair for prime comfort.

Bryant Park - Midtown crash tan in the middle of work. Grab lunch at Hale and Hearty or Le Pain Quotidien and bake in the sun.

Battery Park - Find the sun in the Financial District and a view of Lady Liberty.

High Line – This train track turned eco-walkway has parts lined with lounge chairs and stunning water views.

Master Moocher?

Call every single one of your Manhattanite friends and inquire about the state of their rooftops. What? You can only access it by climbing out a window and up a ladder on the fire escape? Sounds great! If you’re lucky, you’ll find a friend at 300 Mercer – UHmazing rooftop.

Or you could call on us at FashionIndie. We do have a nice slice of Manhattan rooftop….

AND… If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it.

Clockwise from top:

Juicy Couture Stripe Floppy Paper Straw Hat $78 – Look fabulous, and protect your skin and eyes from dangerous UV rays.

Kayu Bamboo Sunglasses $180 – Earthy and chic. Plus, for every pair of glasses purchased, Kayu sponsors one sight-restoring surgery.

We Are Handsome Printed Bikini $159 – If a two-piece swimsuit is your thing, this print gives a taste of the county on the coast.

Roxy Pack It Up Backpack $24 – An adorable and easy way to keep track of your things on the train to Rockaway.

Unlisted by Kenneth Cole Pop Art Sandal $39 – The perfect sandal for both the beach and the boardwalk.

Momentum Dive Watch $110 – Keep time without getting sand in your iPhone.

L*Space Stardust Fringe Monokini $130 – If a one-piece swimsuit is your thing, this monokini is the coolest I’ve seen this season.

Peter Thomas Roth Ultra-Lite Oil Free Sunblock SPF 30 $26 – Red, leathery skin is sooo not hot. Protect ya neck with sunscreen, you’ll still get a tan.

VOLCOM Stone Time Towel $36 – The bright, geometric print on this beach towel is super easy to spot from the ocean.

Now that you know what to wear, what is all the hype about the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk? Joining the famous outpost Rockaway Taco are Brooklyn favorites like Caracas, The Meat Hook, Roberta’s and Vinegar Hill House. For all the vegetarians out there, Babycakes and Veggie Island are also joining the party.

Good food right on the sunny beach -  I guess we don’t have it so bad here in NYC this Memorial Day Weekend. For more information on the Rockaway Beach Boardwalk food stands, visit Brooklyn Based. If you have questions about any of the beach essentials mentioned above, tweet at me @CrystlMeatballs.

You come from an eclectic, non-traditional family of artists. What type of art did you grow up around?
My grandfather revolutionized the interior design industry. He was one of the first people to bring colored wallpaper to California during the late 1960s and 70s. My cousin was in the music industry and has written songs for Whitney Houston. My grandmother was an illustrator, my mom’s first cousin’s husband is a well-known sculptor and she is an amazing painter who began her craft at 50 years old. Hillary Clinton asked her to paint a portrait of Chelsea when they were in the White House. My entire family gets together in Ojai, CA for Thanksgiving, and it’s like Woodstock revisited – with all these artists together, it’s the best energy and love you could ask for.

So you were very encouraged as a child to follow your dreams and do whatever your heart desired?
Both of my parents are entrepreneurs, so it makes sense that my brother, sister and I are independent. I wouldn’t say art was pushed on us, but we went towards it naturally. I spent most of my early days as a soccer player, competing on the early Olympic Development Team and in college as well. But somewhere in college, I decided I wanted to do something creative. I thought maybe I didn’t have the art gene, but suddenly, it’s all I wanted to do. I went back to school to study interior design at Parsons and took milliner classes at FIT. I secured an interior design job working with Bill Sofield, where I worked on everything from high-end residential to Tom Ford stores to the SoHo and Tribeca Grand hotels.

Interior design can be a very mathematical and structural craft. How did working in that industry influence your millinery?
I always say I make structurally interesting hats. Because I worked for an interior/architecture firm, I consider proportion, scale and how things move and look. I have the mind of an interior designer and the advantage of having worked with different materials. Unlike many designers perfecting their craft in the fashion industry, I came from people working with wood and ceramic. I am always asking how can I take these materials and techniques and construct them into something else, something new. That is my challenge, working with non-traditional materials.

Hats are almost becoming a lost dressing art. What made you want to go into the millinery business? Was it a lack of good product in the industry?
My aunt was a fashion designer in California and was always putting us kids in the fun hats she was making. Apparently, my great-grandmother was also a milliner in New York. My husband used to go to a milliner in the East Village, who we loved. I wanted to figure out how a milliner worked, so I asked if I could apprentice her, an unpaid position. Unfortunately, she rudely said no. It was very discouraging, but it motivated me to learn the trade and prove her wrong.

It came to the point where I was working long hours at the firm and was constantly stressed out. I asked myself “if I only had six months to live, would I be doing what I am doing now?” And I thought, “no, I would be working on my own. “ I looked down, saw all these hats I made and realized how much I loved making them. Selling hats to friends turned into selling them online. I just began selling at Charles Nolan, ABC Carpet & Home and will be in Treasure & Bond in the fall. But my big goal is Bendels.

Where does your inspiration come from on a daily basis? Do nature and people inspire you? What about the architecture of the city?
It’s so random. My husband and I travel a lot, and I spent a lot of time photographing anything I find interesting. I often find myself searching for things I photographed more than fives years ago and is relevant to my current project. I could be walking down the street, see something and think it would make a terrific structure or a cool color combination. People must think I’m a tourist because I walk the city with my head up. I see plants and flower arrangements and examine the proportion compared to the vase. I don’t make many large hats; I try to take the idea of a big hat and make it more me. I just styled women for the Frederick Olmsted Awards at Central Park and the Kentucky Derby with small fascinators and headpieces. I think small is the new big – fascinators are really in this season.

In the future, is there any other type of art you want to explore? What else could you design that the Satya woman would love?
I am a huge fan of dresses with pockets. Charles Nolan and I began our friendship over it – he always made them and I always love them. So I think next year, there might be a collection of vintage-inspired dresses and smoking jackets for women. I strangely like uniforms. Like the cartoon Daria, I work towards wearing the same thing every day. I want the same dress in a dozen colors and patterns to wear with black tights, black shoes and a jacket. I don’t like to think hard about what I’m going to wear. Comfortable, beautiful and chic is my motto. That is the Satya woman.

You can see more photos of Satya’s work and read her blog on her website.

Inspired by nature, the Fernandez sisters use citrus and floral notes to create rich and straightforward fragrances that can be worn on any occasion. Right now, I am wearing Jasmine Joy on one wrist and Citrus Charm on the other. Jasmine Joy reminds me so much of a spring walk in Central Park, minus the homeless people, with a blend of honeysuckle, jasmine and sandalwood. Citrus Charm is what I want my mornings to smell like with an energizing mix of grapefruit, mandarin and water lily. I’m totally hooked and not the only believer. Celebs like Mila Kunis, Jaime Pressly and Demi Moore are huge fans.

You can read more about Eau de Nous and shop on the brand’s website.

There are many things in life that someone would find hard to make look attractive…riding a bike in style would definitely fall under that catergory. Even though it’s already close to the end of summer, taking a stroll through New York City’s Central Park on a vintage bike and your favorite preppy stripped sweater or cotton button up seems like a pretty good end of summer adventure to check off of your list. This perhaps seems more fit for the style of hipsters but which ever or anything in between, riding chic will never go out of style.

LINK LOVE:TRENDSPARK: Street Chic Bikes

At first her blog was called “la méchante” (the mean girl) but she switched to Eleonore Bridge because she’s clearly adorable.

How would you describe your style?

I love very feminine outfits, sometimes a bit childish. It’s because I consider fashion a game, I love playing with my wardrobe. I also have a lot of vintage things and accessorizes from my grandmother.  I also try to sometimes dress retro.

What sets you apart from the other style bloggers?

I don’t know… Maybe by not following all the trends, I don’t care if one day I’m wrong and have a “fashion faux pas” as we say in French, but who cares? It won’t kill me, I’d rather make mistakes than wear boring outfits.

I also take really good care of my pictures, I try to find beautiful places in Paris or in houses and apartments so it’s not just about the clothes: the place is really important.

How has your life changed since starting the blog?

I found my 2 lasts jobs through my blog and left my first career at L’Oréal where I was an interior architect. I now work a lot more but it’s great. I’m also learning photography for 2 years through my blog and I love it. I met a lot of really nice people from all over the world thanks to my blog.

Who are your Favorite designers?

Viktor & Rolf for their cartoon universe and Kenzo for the prints, and of course romantic and funny French designers like Sonia Rykiel, and Chloé.

Where do you like to shop in NYC?

When I went there I looooved Brooklyn and all the shops around Bedford (Williamsburg). The vintage stores are amazing there.

What do you like the most about NYC?
For fashion, I love being able to wear whatever I want, a mini skirt for example or a giant bow: nobody will care. In Paris, you would be like a clown and people would stare at you, fashion is not really fun in Paris, it’s really too serious. I love how New Yorkers dress up when they’re going out!

And of course, in New York I’m obsessed with the food, milk shakes and breakfasts and I really envy New Yorkers for their amazing Central Park!

What is your favorite item in your closet?

My leather jacket from Yves St Laurent, I bought it in a second hand store in Paris, it’s a unique piece from a fashion show. It’s perfect and has a story: the number of the outfit and name of the model.

Tell us about your love for Alice in Wonderland?

I loved the Disney cartoon and the strange world Alice discovers. It used to scare me when I was a little girl, but we all love fear! But this year Alice became a product and it’s just a shame…

What do you do for living (to make money)?

A lot of things, I used to be a furniture designer and interior architect but now I’m a web consultant, I write and take pictures for many websites, my job doesn’t have a name.

Pick 5 people, dead or alive, to have dinner with.

Lewis Carroll, Edgar Allan Poe, Helena Rubinstein, Jake Gyllenhaal and Audrey Hepburn.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

I don’t want to imagine, I don’t like when I know where I’m going. I like mystery, that’s more exciting!

We heard you have a wedding in the works, tell us about that?

You have five hours? No sincerely I can’t tell you about my wedding, it will be too long. I just want to say that I want people to have fun, that I love my fiancé more than people can imagine (we’re a 10 year old couple).

How will your blog change once you are married?

It won’t change, there will only be my wedding pictures:)

You often blog about other things besides fashion, what else fascinates you?

Photography, beautiful images. I can spend hours looking at beautiful pictures.

If you had one wish, what would it be?

Be happy, have fun and in good health for all my life!

Thanks Elodie.

Check out her blog here ( you can read it in English)

Thanks Fashion Week Daily!

In all due respect though, it is a damn shame what the economy is doing to fashion and the arts. Those in London, Paris and Moscow looking forward to the exhibit are fresh out of luck. For their sake, lets hope Chanel resurrects the project once things get a little brighter. 

Thanks NY Mag!

Chanel has just paid a steep price of $400,000 to The Central Park Conservatory, in exchange to take over our lives. Beginning October 20th, Chanel will have their own building in Central Park, to showcase contemporary art inspired by… Chanel. As much as we all love Lagerfeld, a huge building in the park, to glorify the classic line, is not necessary.

Art exhibits in the park are interesting but risky. Remember Christo’s orange gates throughout the park? It was wack, and a waste of money. Coincidently, this is also a waste of money, and predictably disappointing. While it may be inspiring and provocative, it will only cater to a very small appreciative audience. The dog walkers and cyclers will be infuriated. As for buildings, in the park, Tavern on the Green is all we need.