Shop: Temperley London (aka, my favorite new store on Melrose Place)

On a little street called Melrose Place and through a little alleyway that screams whispers delicacy and fancy-pants activity, is LA's Temperley London boutique.

I met John, the store's enthusiastic, adorable and well-heeled manager, the other night and had promised to drop by. So I did. And I am so glad for it.

The bridal collection--to die for. To all my lovely girlfriends who have recently become engaged, you must visit. To all my gent friends who've proposed, go rent a tux instead of buying and invest the difference in your bride-to-be's Templerley gown like a good boy.

For the non-betrothed, there's the original ready-to-wear collection that goes from flowy to fierce. With gigantic belts to tie it all together in between.

And good news for those of us who are neither planning weddings, nor sitting on trust funds (because the price points here are nothing to scoff at)--there are rumors of a lower priced line from Temperley (ala the house's 2007 collaboration with Target) to come this Spring. And though we adore the real thing, we do love, love, love lower prices.

Temperley London

8452 Melrose Place

Los Angeles, CA 90069

Get Direction

323.782.8000

P.S. - There may (or may not) be an amazing sale starting in-store this weekend. Shhhh....

LA Times does weddings. Cause anything NY can do, we can do [too].

Everyone who knows me knows I love the NY Times' Weddings &  Celebrations section. Well, the LA Times is now entering my the arena of love and nuptials as well. Because 'Asking is hard. Letting everyone know is easy.'

For a limited time, place a free wedding, engagement or commitment announcement in the new Together section.

The RSVP Line: Soi-Meme, an eco-bridal salon.

Those of you who know me know that I'm second-most obsessed with weddings (Obsession No. 1 has, and will always be, babies). I'm not that into romance. And I certainly have no plans for my own nuptials anytime soon (unless you know of an eligible and willing bachelor that I don't). But something about 2 people...tying the knot...announcing their love before all their closest family and friends (which, incidentally, seems like a great deal of pressure)...well, it just melts my heart.

But weddings are generally also frivolous, expensive, and produce a giant, shit-ton of waste. Which is why an eco-wedding is so much chicer than not.

So, please join me this Saturday at Soi-Meme, a day-long eco-bridal salon, produced by my lovely lovelies at Pink Cloud Events.

Tickets are only $25 and include amazing workshops, complimentary organic beverages, hors d’oeuvres, great DJs, a resource guide and loads of giveaways.

Plus, if you register online now, you'll be entered for a chance to win a free 4 night stay at a private eco-villa resort in Tulum, Mexico by Azulik. (I expect, of course, to be your plus one on this trip if you get lucky.)

Soi-Meme
Saturday, August 29
11 a - 4 p
JACCC - 244 South San Pedro, Los Angeles, CA (Little Tokyo)

Terror strikes. Platform sneakers make a come back on Melrose.

I was shopping in Sportie L.A. tonight for some sneaks to tramp across UCLA's campus in this weekend (for Festival of Books. yay, plug!) and I came upon this eye-catching platform sneaker on an otherwise unimpressive and cluttered check-out counter. The sign--fastened on securely with a paper clip--boldly announcing:

Custom Made Platforms
Weddings
Special Events

And I wondered...did stores still add platform layers of rubber on to walking shoes? Hadn't this stopped after those awful years of misguided fashion in middle school? Someone surely must have alerted the footwear retailers across the country that no, this was no longer an acceptable 'fashion' practice. And then I panicked...would some girl--some girl who'd not gotten the memo--who'd spent the last 15 years under a very distant rock--see this sign and customize her very own platform bridal adidas?

I paid for my own, non-customized kicks before I could have my sense of style violated any
further at the register. But the image won't leave my head. The sneaker nightmare lives on.

Xs & Os: A downtown LA adventure in cheap nuptial bliss.

In the last couple of months, everything has suddenly become too expensive. People are cutting back on everything, and rightfully so.

I've even heard of couples cancelling weddings because of budgetary restraints. Well, happy couples--money shouldn't be an obstacle when it comes to publicly announcing your love. Instead of taking out payday loans in order to pay for the 7 layer wedding cake, consider a cheaper and  more, um, colorful option...

 In a lunchtime walk yesterday around my building in Downtown LA, I came across a strip of Broadway (between 2nd and 4th), in which you can literally complete your entire wedding day extravanza, from shopping, to grooming, to the reception.

Brides: within just a couple of blocks, you'll be sure to find the dress that's right for you...

And for your bridal party...

Grooms: The block has got a resident barber shop...conveniently housed within a knife store...
The Guadalupe Wedding Chapel provides a unique and cultural backdrop for your romantic ceremony. They also offer income tax services, perfect for early spring nuptials...

Nothing will please your guests' fine-tuned palates like a banquet of chicken and the fixings. This particular El Pollo Loco has got a touch of regality in its exterior detailing--a perfect choice for your reception hall...

For these budget wedding tips, what do I ask? Just an invite to the happy couple's big day!

xx * Jessie B. R.

Xs & Os: Smart people DO get married.

The Vows Video section of the New York Times Weddings & Celebrations section (which you should know by now to be a favorite of mine) often evokes a lackluster response from me. The videotaped stories are generally cute (think: baseball games, blind dates, wet kisses), sometimes even practical (husband loses wife, wife loses husband, widows find each other in last attempt at lifelong companionship). But usually not smart--no, no, not very smart at all.

Today's featured couple, however, has proven both smart (think: ivy leagues, masters degrees) AND clever [well, sardonic, really]. Rachel Natelson and Seth Fogelman--cheers to you; you have my blessing. Because, c'mon now, you know you were waiting on it.

Watch their sort of weird, sort of endearing video here.

Xs & Os: Marriage. If you fail, try, try again.

Every Sunday, I read the NY Times' Weddings and Celebrations 'news' online. It's within the Style section. Apparently love and marriage are stylish. I read the stories of couples--finding each other, falling in love, getting married--because I would like to follow this path myself one day. But the NY Times writers leave out the drama, the fights and the divorces. I generally prefer it this way.

Today, the highlighted Vows story discusses Jane Kallir and Gary Cosimini's wedding. It'a a second marriage, which is not uncommon for the Times to feature these days--tales of second chances are the new American dream after all. But today's featured couple has just married each other for the second time. At reading this, I first thought 'but that's unfair. they've had their turn with each other. leave it alone for someone who's not yet had a go. who's still single godammit.' But their story's actually quite touching--it's one about loving each other too soon, and then finding each other again when the time is right. Well, Jane and Gary--you have my blessing. Which is, I'm sure, what you've been waiting for.

Photo credit: NY Times