Friday, November 27, 2009

Finally, a bespoke suit for me?! (I)

I took a hard look at my closet and determined that I was in urgent need of at least one suit that would fit me really well. After seeing so many beautifully made men's suits on wall street, I realized that the suit options for women are pathetic: The best we can do are off the rack suits from designers such as Jil Sander and Gucci. Worse yet, at price tags of $3,000 and up, they are fused (the wool fabric is essentially glued with the canvas lining, as opposed to stitched to the canvas lining).

I went so far as to register at Styleforum.net, a men's fashion forum, to learn the ins and the outs about a good suit. I understand that a good suit needs to be fully canvased and with the right fit, so obviously I, a French size 34, can never find anything in America that will fit me right. And I'm not even talking about the construction yet.

Then I paid a visit to Jil Sander where the sales associate assured me that I can order my made to measure suit from the men's MTM collection. Hmm......I like the idea, but I'm not sure how I will look in a men's jacket, albeit to my measurements. Can I handle the shoulder pads?

So now, Seize sur Vingt is my last chance.

To my surprise, the shirts at Seize sur Vingt almost fit me. The arm length is just right (first time in my career) and the collar actually comes with collar stays!

I went through their fabric swatches and liked some of the Super 130s. After being assured that they will make fully canvased jackets for women, I made an appointment for next Saturday. Let's see how the measurement process works. I'm excited.

Sunday, November 01, 2009

Off topic, but I can't help - a review of our anniversary meal at Per Se

Since we splurged so much on a meal (comparable to a pair of shoes), I might as well review it on my blog...huh?

We had a great time at Per Se for our wedding anniversary. They personalized the menus for us with "happy anniversary" on the top. Sweet.

It was a nine-course, three hour meal, but we didn’t feel particularly stuffed. What impressed us the most was actually the vegetable dishes, because we both dislike vegetables and we haven’t found any restaurants that prepare vegetables like Per Se does. The veggies were absolutely amazing and we, as veggie haters, loved them.

The meat courses were fine, but less impressive. I can point out at least one restaurant that could make meat dishes better than Per Se. For example, I think that the Foie Gras could have been cooked slightly more thorough (although it was not the standard preparation they offered in the menu). The “Caesar salad”(basically a slab of lobster) though, was incredible. The lobster was the most properly cooked and the sweetest among all lobsters I’ve ever had.

The bread was delicious. The Parker House rolls were served warm (again, best we’ve had), but the rest were served room temperature. DH believes that the “proper” way of servicing French bread is room temperature, and I agree.

The dessert was fine, but nothing blew us away. The cappuccino though, was the best I’ve had. They’ve got a fantastic barista.

I didn’t drink wine (allergies) and DH asked the waiter to pair three glasses for him. He enjoyed them. Per Se uses some very exclusive small wineries from California and the results seemed surprisingly good.

The attention to details is certainly first-class. There was a little stool for my purse which was convenient. They remembered all the diet restrictions and offered alternatives. They are very patient and the waiter could be talkative if you want to chat.

Overall it was a very satisfying meal. But I feel that for people like us who do not like every single edible thing on earth, a regular 3-course meal will serve us better. In addition, it seemed a little comical to me when I see a giant plate with only a tiny bit of food in the center. (I guess that we are just less cultured to appreciate such sophistication.) Having said that, Per Se is a must-try for any foodie. We liked certain dishes, so we’ll return to the saloon for a la carte. But I’m not sure if we’ll go back for the nine-course meal: A nine-course meal takes lots of energy and dedication. Perhaps it was due to my exhausting week of work, I fell asleep in the cab on the way home. If we decide to return for the 9-course meal again, I’ll certainly pick a Saturday instead.

To make it relevant to a fashion blog, here is my outfit for the big night: I wore my favorite Sophia Kokosalaki dress. The dress was paired with Wolford tights with flower patterns and Balenciaga heels from this season. I kept jewelry minimal as usual with my watch, wedding band and my Chanel 2.55 reissue.