Top of the Morning

Buttered "shamrock" toast with cinnamon and Irish Breakfast tea.

Behind the Label: Kate Spade New York

Kate Spade New York is known for sophistication with a playful twist. Vivid color, high quality materials, and whimsical yet chic design are hallmarks of the brand. The Kate Spade motto is “Live Colorfully”. This slogan, along with other cheeky phrases, can be found on some of Kate Spade New York’s handbags and accessories. The company was co-founded by Kate Brosnahan  and Andy Spade. The couple began by selling handbags in 1993. Kate was born in Kansas City, and worked as a Senior Fashion Editor for Mademoiselle before leaving the magazine to focus on the creation of the duo’s eponymous line. The pair married in 1995, and Kate Spade New York expanded their line to include a variety of accessories and women’s apparel. This year, in honor of the Chinese zodiac’s year of the sheep, they have released a fuzzy white sheep-shaped handbag.

Kate Spade New York Shoulder Bag from thredUP. www.thredup.com/

Do See/Don’t See: Saint Patrick’s Day Edition

Do See The Quiet Man (1952) John Wayne and Maureen O’Hara form a fiery partnership in a charming Irish village. Modern viewers may be surprised by some of the roughness displayed by Wayne’s character towards his wife in the film (he basically shoves/drags her through a long stretch of countryside at one point in the movie), but O’Hara gives as good as she gets, and though the film is dated the chemistry between the main characters still feels authentic. Good family viewing for couples or families with older children.

Don’t See Leap Year (2010) A “romantic comedy” starring Amy Adams who is on a quest to find her boyfriend in Ireland so that she can ask him to marry her sounds like the recipe for a good movie, doesn’t it? Bland performances keep this from being a winner, and the end result is somewhat like a stew which looks like it should taste really good, but actually has no flavor.

Do See Leprechaun (1993) A low-brow B movie to be sure, but this film contains so many fun elements (a very young Jennifer Aniston in the starring role, a hunky 80’s heart-throb as her love interest, and a maniacal skateboard-riding leprechaun played by Warwick Davis) that it succeeds as a guilty pleasure. Not recommended for children (that Leprechaun’s face will give them nightmares!)

Don’t See Troll 2 (1990) The link between this movie and Saint Patrick’s day is pretty flimsy, but it does feature menacing townspeople with shamrock shaped birthmarks and the color green is pervasive throughout the film. Some movies are so bad they are fun to watch. Other movies (such as this one) are so bad that they are unpleasant to watch. This movie is so awful that a documentary was actually created about it to celebrate its badness (Best Worst Movie 2009). By all means, watch the very entertaining doc, you will get clips of the film and learn enough about its creators and actors to give you a sense of just why this movie went so horribly wrong. But don’t watch the movie itself. You won’t be able to get that 90 minutes of your life back that you wasted in Nilbog.

Do See Darby O’Gill and the Little People (1959) A vintage Disney flick with a bond-era Sean Connery in the lead. Irish stereotypes abound, obviously. Enjoyable family viewing.

Don’t’ See The Secret of Kells (2009) A weak plot is the primary reason this animated kid’s film doesn’t live up to its hype. The Book of Kells actually is a historically and culturally significant contribution, but you would never know it by watching this movie, which fails to explain what the book was and why it was so special.

Visit my Wearin’ O’ the Green Style Shop at thredUP for some St. Patrick's Day fashion inspiration. www.thredup.com/ 

March 2015: In Like A Lion

When temps are still dipping below freezing, warm woolen goods are a classic way to combat the cold. Coat J.Crew, Scarf Land's End, Skirt J.Crew from thredUP www.thredup.com/, Bag Kate Spade New York, Gloves Ralph Lauren.