Lux Lotus

On Taste

Meeting Wendy Perrin of Conde Nast Traveler at noon. I pored over the magazine obsessively as a child (my other amusing early memory, brought to mind when I ate a shrimp for the first time in 25 years the other night: the last time I had one, I was on a private plane with a platter of them on my lap thinking, "Is this really all mine?" Then I fell in love with marine biology and eschewed seafood 'til I ate oysters on New Year's). Shocking, I know. Later on, meeting Michele Filgate of McNally Jackson, who has been compared to Sylvia Beach at Shakespeare & Co. in Paris for her role in a Pulitzer winner, at India House. Shocking, I know.

LuxLoves: The Magic Atelier of Honor Dunn

Look Mother, I'm the Swan Queen. My custom headpiece by Honor Dunn, made in Los Angeles and shipped overnight to New York.

SoHo-bound

Off to lunch at Lure with Christopher Bollen, forthcoming debut novelist (Lightning People; Soft Skull, September 13), and an editor at Interview (see his conversations with Joan Didion, Gore Vidal, Patti Smith, Anjelica Huston, Norman Mailer, & many more).

On a First Class Evening

Forty year old port in the game room: "Wouldja fight that bear?" "If I thought I could win." Most fun in ages, since London? Dunno, maybe... Stories of meandering, hedonistic drives: Amalfi Coast, Monaco, Loire Valley, Côte d'azur, on the way back to the North Shore tonight; I promised him A Sport and a Pastime, next time.

Upstairs at the Square Turns Five

Upstairs at the Square, one of my core professional projects, is five this month! We'll celebrate this summer with musician Josh Ritter, whose debut novel is Bright's Passage, on June 28, and on July 5, with Sapphire, whose breathlessly anticipated new novel is The Kid, Imani Uzuri, who just raised a phenomenal $18,000 on Kickstarter for "The Gypsy Diaries," and DaVon Doane of Dance Theatre of Harlem Ensemble. With host Katherine Lanpher, at Barnes & Noble's flagship Union Square location. 7pm, FREE.

On Gowns, & Gadabouts

This morning I set out for a stroll because I thought I didn't have any plans until much later and I do my best thinking when I am walking around slightly familiar streets. I ended up at Century 21 and thought I might buy some ordinary clothes. Instead, I found a silk gown that I have no doubt the greatest night of my life will happen in, every time that I wear it, and reminded myself that, if I do feel overdressed, it's a cue to decamp in search of a more beautiful room. Speaking of beautiful, then I went to lunch by myself and I wished I weren't alone, and I almost never do and then Emma Straub texted me –– I had forgotten our lunch date at that very place and the timing was perfect and I don't know if I've ever been so delighted. And so I had the perfect charming company, and I was overjoyed! She's a writer, so's her father, and I like them the way I like the Sitwells, which is to say: very much.

Big in Stockholm

I was quoted in a Swedish newspaper! (Quoting a comment I once made to the New York Observer.) If only I were there again.

On Assumptions, Redux

8:08pm, at home. Measuring my head for the fairy crown maker.

Let's Go to the Jazz Age Lawn Party

It's official: I'm going to the Jazz Age Lawn Party on Governors Island this Saturday. Meeting up with my friend Melissa... And you? If you'd like to rendezvous at the ferry at noon, please leave a comment here and together we'll all stroll over in a stylish pack.

Image source.

The Lux Lotus Guide to Life: One Star Fashion

The woman who makes my gowns has been after me for months for pictures of them in action. So I gave her some. One Star Fashion is on Canal, at the corner of Orchard, in Chinatown. Reasonably priced, exquisite custom work. Closed Wednesdays.