during a recent laptop feng shui frenzy, I got rid of all the fashion news sites I had bookmarked. it was too much of the same concepts reworked just at different urls. then, on February 13^th, Lifestyle Mirror went live. and who could be better than daphne guinness as the inaugural cover. thank you.

when I come across the work of minimalist designers (or  maximalist, depending on your point of view), I vow that I will only wear black, white and grey. it usually lasts a week because it would be so restrictive like only eating chocolate ice cream. one of the best menswear a/w12 collections came from alexander plokhov. I first discovered his line cloak in the 2005 fashion documentary seamless (I still think he should have won over proenza schouler). cloak closed its doors not long after the film and plokhov went to versace for a three-year stint. returning to his namesake, his menswear is unrivaled. I shudder when it is labeled “gothic.” it isn’t gothic. it is well-tailored clothing that is modern and futuristic concurrently.

Having lived in their North Portland neighborhood for five years, wife and husband, Shannon and Eric McQuilkin, saw a need…. a need for a “drinking parlour.” In fact, I am in favor of anything involving fabulous cocktails and the use of the word parlour.  “The Box Social is an intimate, candle lit, creative space that appeals to those who want a well-built cocktail, a nice glass of wine and perhaps a light snack. It is a neighborhood joint for those who want to get out of the house, but don’t want to commit to ‘going out to dinner’” states Shannon.

From the street, Box Social has a modern glass and metal façade, but once inside, you are enveloped in the richness of the space (I suggest going after dark to feel the full ambience). Greeted by 16’ ceilings covered in fir wood, a mahogany wood bar, a massive trompe l’oeil mural of the downtown skyline, and even a taxidermy peacock keeping close watch. The staff was just the right amount of pretty with beautiful smiles and their service was attentive and welcoming. My cocktail of choice was Pink Bullets, which consisted of Sailor Jerry rum, raspberry shrub, ginger, and lemon brut. Real ingredients. While the focus of Box Social is the libations, I couldn’t resist the grilled cheese and tomato soup. May I have a standing order delivered each day, please? Delicious.

Bringing 20 years of restaurant experience to the table, Box Social is the second venture for Shannon as she is also the co-owner of Hawthorne fixture The Sapphire Hotel. It was hard to believe she has been in the business for two decades with her youthful glow and terrific personal style. “We want to be available to the neighborhood as an escape from home” says Shannon. I may live in the NW/Pearl, but I will surely return for an escape from my neighborhood at Box Social.

Photos by Jaycob DesRosiers.

I have a passion for bengal cats. they are an ideal mix of an exotic & domestic cat all in one. I am the delighted owner of one named maybeline odessa, or maybe for short.

i have a fastidious obsession with dental hygiene. even my dentist says i should have become a dentist. he recently turned me onto marvis toothpaste, which you can get at here from barneys. the silver packaging goes perfectly with my electric pink betsey johnson toothbrush.

last friday, the lovely people at Nordstrom invited me to watch Jason Wu’s A/W12 live from New York Fashion Week. one of his best collections to date referencing everything china. watch the show here: jason-wu-nyfw-live along with an interview with the designer. woo for wu!

Lady Gaga has undoubtedly paved the way for facial embellishments & accessories. I adore the anodized aluminum  & calf leather face bling from Austrian designer Andreas Eberharter under the label AND-I. His work more as sculpture than accessory.

Qualities you most admire in design : Sincerity.

Qualities you least admire in design:  Strategy.

Currently reading: Explicit  Erotic and Sex Collection – Chat Soleil Edition .

Favorite virtue: Love.

Favorite vice: Love and sex.

What inspires you? My lover and the desert, the beauty that surrounds me, Bill Tong, Constantin Brancusi and   Richard Serra.

Favorite fashion era : The Thirties.

Where is your favorite destination?  My bed and the ocean.

If you could travel in time backward or forward, where would you go? The Queen Margot era.

What is your most marked characteristic?  Sexual energy.

If you could come back as an object, what would it be? A sexual object.

What is your favorite drink? Water.

What can’t you travel without? My Visa card.

What trend would you like to see disappear? All trends.

Favorite look of all time: Black top with black jeans and black heels.

What is your current obsession or addiction? My lover.

If you could wake up tomorrow anywhere, where? On the beach in front of the ocean.

What is your most treasured possession? The love I feel.

Who is your favorite superhero? My fucking damned lover!

it’s seldom that a wall can be interesting, or even charming. I think this is the most beautiful wall in portland. the mosaic tiles captures western light radiantly. it’s like being inside a genie’s bottle.

yves st laurent a/w12 brilliance as shot by nat urazmetova.

the most beautiful car emblem ever. the classic jumping jaguar. meow.

nothing keeps me warmer, and happier, than my fur coats in winter. this week, i was attacked by the elements like random on the spot snow storms & torrential rain, but my piazza sempione fur vest kept me smiling & chic. my cat, maybeline still has reservations about my fur collection.

i’ve always dreamed of living in a glass house. i don’t have anything to hide.

the kekkila prefab garden shed… what finnish marvel.

spring seems like months away, especially after having snow, rain storms, and floods this week. it hasn’t crushed my spirits completely as i found myself this pop top by issey miyake. it will be an eye-catching addition to s/s12 blue hues.

me by J.

the ethereal & eternally beautiful Talitha Getty.

every few months, the M.A.C. store offers private makeup classes to a small group of enthusiasts. the cost is insignificant, which can be redeemed in product, compared to all the insider tips & tricks you learn from pros. i am anxious for spring & from the s/s12 collection: pure show liquid gold eyeliner, style driven eye shadow, fresh flare eye shadow, palladium cream eyeshadow, and melon pigment.

my mother taught me to always look up, not down toward the gutters, when walking down the street. my roving, street level eye spotted two windows that caught my fancy. above, film slides en masse at anthropologie. below, a stack of what i assume to be amplifiers at a guitar shop. the orange orange boxes stacked & popped.

 incredible image by steve mccurry. 1991 kuwait.

julius a/w12 gold panel leather skirt.

spiritual asymmetry.

I have featured the enso building before, but I just can’t get enough. architecturally, it is one of the most unusual buildings in my neighborhood. however, my favorite part is that the building faces west & captures lightly beautifully.

fashion is something that constantly needs to excite me & i seek things that are extraordinary. I am discovering the style of japanese cult labels like diet butcher slim skin.  these two looks may be from s/s11, but they are timeless. diet butcher has punk influences yet wearable with clean lines for the modern man.