The Joy of Socks

I will admit it, I have a sock "thing." Call it juvenile, but I have a predisposition for tall brightly colored socks, especially the ones by Jcrew. Not only do they have the largest variety of colors and patterns, they also have knee socks that are the perfect thickness for wearing with skinny jeans and boots. In a nutshell, I love these socks! Why wear white when you can wear maritime blue and navy argyle? And while I do love colorful socks, I draw the line at argyles, stripes, and dots; kittens and Christmas trees need not apply…

These boots are made for walking...

After walking two miles in my black-heeled boots, I realize I'd rather do it in someone else's. My feet ache and my shoes definitely look worse for the wear. The front point is gutted and the heel caps are so worn that every step I take sounds like I'm wearing something of the Tin Man's instead of my trusty old Banana Republics. These boots have seen me through years, but the time has come to upgrade.

And upgrade I shall to the black Loeffler Randall Emmy D-ring Elka Boot. At three inches tall, the heel is the perfect height. The ankle buckles are a sophisticated take on biker-chic and the toe is the right blend of round and pointy, which ensures maximum wearing potential. Not to mention, wearing these I'll be running circles around my old boots...

The Fantasy Bag

In my fantasy world, I've mastered that whole irreverent French girl thing. My hair has the editorial undone-done quality, I’ve found the perfect flat slouchy boots and I’m carrying this navy Jimmy Choo bag. Ok, so I know that it's a lot to hope for, but I love this bag! It's the right mix between bohemian and sophisticated, while the navy is an unexpected twist on a neutral. The "Adele" is a statement bag without screaming it, and nothing could be more French than that.

Never Enough Ice Cream

I once received a subscription to an ice cream of the month club, enclosed was a card that said, “To the girl who has everything, but never enough ice cream.” For three glorious months I’d salaciously rip open the box and imagine myself indulging in an especially creamy dulce de leche or a refreshing strawberry or even an exotic toasted coconut. Anyone who knows me knows that I have an unnatural love of ice cream, so just imagine my delight at having a truly original ice cream experience in my own metro-Detroit backyard. Ray’s Ice Cream, located on Coolidge Highway in Royal Oak, MI, is a refreshing alternative to an ice cream world dominated by Baskin Robbins and Coldstone Creameries. Founded in 1958, this is a full service fountain. Glancing around the parlor I can actually imagine guys in letterman sweaters sharing banana splits with their twin-set clad dates. While its old school setting is nostalgic, it is Ray’s consistently fabulous ice cream that has kept this gem of an ice cream parlor around for decades. You’ll find classics such as floats, malts and sundaes on the chalkboard written menu, but why not venture into their world of molded ice cream? The artisans at Ray’s are able to mold ice cream the way candy makers mold marzipan. You can choose from an array of flowers, fruit, holiday motifs, sailboats, and animals or if you’re feeling adventuresome, a semi-nude; just allow 7 days for all orders with more time for large orders and the holiday season. You don’t even need to be a metro Detroiter to enjoy Ray’s Ice Cream as you can place an order on their website.

If molded ice cream seems a little intense for the everyday ice cream enthusiast, just stop by for one of their heaping scoops. Even I, a self-proclaimed ice cream maven, have a hard time finishing a single scoop. Why not indulge in a bowl of Chocolate Malt Crunch, or tuck into a cone of Fat Elvis, a peanut butter and banana concoction. While every flavor is unique and fantastic, nothing can dissuade me from a scoop of Cotton Candy, a seasonal fluffy pink ice cream punctuated by a rainbow of candy coated chocolate chips. I admit that I’m the first to be skeptical of any pink ice cream that isn’t strawberry, but Ray’s creation is like no ice cream I’ve ever put in my mouth. The ice cream base is smooth and sweet and against all logic the chocolate chips don’t overwhelm the rest of the ice cream, instead adding a needed crunch to the otherwise milky ice cream. No matter your ice cream MO, this ice cream fountain leaves me wishing that I could stomach more that a single scoop.

Ray’s Ice Cream
4233 Coolidge Highway
Royal Oak, MI 48073-1698
1-888-549-5256
www.raysicecream.com

Square cut or pear shaped...

Ever since the Tiffany silver craze, I appreciate unique jewelry. That's not to say I'm all about macaroni necklaces or wearable sculpture; I just enjoy pieces that feel special and individualized. I found just that at GEM, a Bucktown jewelry boutique that creates in-studio pieces and features both local and international artists. Walking into the well-edited store, I can imagine wearing almost every piece there, from one-of-a-kind pink tourmaline and diamond earrings that look like Indian heirlooms to the simple gold and gemstone stacking rings. I’m immediately drawn to a beautiful agate necklace with a delicate beaded chain. It manages to be both elegant and organic, and I can’t help thinking what a distinctive staple piece it would make. Perhaps the best thing about GEM is that the pieces are affordable! That’s not to say that things can’t venture into the thousands, but it is nice to know that a fantastic black diamond stacking ring is only $200 away.

GEM
1710 North Damen Ave.
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 384-7700
www.gemjewelryboutique.com