My Treehouse Featured on Refinery 29

"Whitney & Paloma, the free-spirited beauties behind Valentine NYC, are on a two-woman mission to revive romance by showcasing some of the most inspiring couples from NYC to L.A — often in their skivvies. Oh, and if that wasn't enough, the ladies design some killer lingerie, too.

Natalie Decleve, a stylist, fashion correspondent, and Lorde-lover like ourselves, turned her West Village apartment into a stylish, inspiration-filled hang-out. Click through for the pics!"

Click here to view post via Refinery 29.

RoomZoom's Launch Party: Date Or Roommate?

In many ways, finding a roommate is like finding a husband.  You’ve got a contract that binds and you share an address... so you’d better be darn sure you like the person!  Thankfully, now there’s an app for that.

Much like OKCupid or other dating apps, RoomZoom links like-minded roommates based on personality traits and lifestyle.  Hooray!  Now “Game of Thrones” addicts everywhere can spend Sundays together in front of the telly, while hoarders and neat freaks stay comfortably apart.  Genius.

Founded by my cutie petutie friend and Vanity Fair editor, Elien Blue Becque – RoomZoom is still in Beta, though it’s already growing rapidly in New York, Los Angeles and London. So clearly, a party to celebrate the app’s launch and mounting success was imperative.  Being the most social of social butterflies that she is, Elien hosted an impressive roster of her nearest and dearest friends for a Summer Solstice bash last week. Simbarashe (of Lord Ashbury) was in the mix – capturing every candid moment, while Juan Patino snapped portraits for the site of all of the gorgeous faces in attendance.   There were writers and musicians, editors and models, artists and art dealers… and little old me, just happy to be sipping rosé & nibbling dolmas with the eclectic mix of friends both old and new.

Maybe I was already channeling the endless stream of rosé when I chose my outfit for the eve: a flowy, hot pink Ramy Brookjumpsuit draped with a rose quartz BuDha Girl beaded necklace.  Either way, I didn’t need rose colored glasses to see the writing on the wall: if RoomZoom is anything like it’s launch party, it’s sure to be a smashing success!

[WARDROBE CREDITS]

Silk Jumpsuit – RAMY BROOKE

Quartzite & Pave Tassle necklace – BUDHA GIRL

Brushed Gold Bangles – VAN H

Blue Quartz Cuff – ANNA BECK

Round Blue Quarz Ring – ANNA BECK

Misc Other Rings – VAN H

Leather Foldover Clutch – CELINE from BELLA BAG

Tortoise Shell Wedge Sandal - GUCCI

6 Good n' Green Recipes to Celebrate St. Patty's Day!

St. Patrick's Day is this weekend, and whether or not you plan to dress like a leprechaun or go on an Irish pub crawl - the green-themed holiday is a great excuse to load up on your veggies!  In honor of the occasion, I've rounded up 6 of my favorite green recipes - perfect for hosting a healthy St. Patty's Day feast!

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SNEAKY SPINACH SHAMROCK CRACKERS [V] [VV] via Oh She Glows

-Serve with Edamame Hummus or guacamole

EDAMAME HUMMUS [V] [VV] [GF] via Pip & Ebby

-       Serve with Sneaky Spinach Shamrock crackers, cucumbers and/or celery.

-       Garnish with 4 whole edamame in the shape of a 4 leaf clover, or – if you have flat leave parsley lying around – stick that on top

BROCCOLI RAAB AND GREEN GARLIC QUICHE [V] via Rural Intelligence

- Delicious served at brunch or dinner!

GREENS & QUINOA PIE [V] [GF] via Vegetarian Times

- Chicory is the same as curly endive.  If you can’t find it, dandelion or another bitter green should work well as a substitute.

PARMESEAN SPINACH CAKES [V] [GF]  via Eating Well

- These are great dipped in a little hot sauce too!

SUPER HEALTHY GREEN SOUP [VV] [V] [GF] via Green of Quinoa

Happy, healthy St Patty's Day!

xx

Natty

NATTY [Life] STYLE: Gypset Gemini Travels to Tulum, Mexico

For my birthday this year, I decided to go all out to celebrate.  The theme: “Gypset Gemini” began with a big bash that included a tarot card reader and Mediterranean feast at a friend’s place in the city, and finished with a trip to Tulum, Mexico with my best girlfriends.

The term “Gypset” is a hybrid between Gypsy and Jetset - so Tulum was a perfect destination, with it’s eco-centric economy and rustic, bohemian charm…

Tulum is notorious for feeling more removed and relaxed than it’s noisy neighbors, Playa del Carmen and Cancun.  However – don’t be fooled by the thatched roofs and jungle backdrop.  This spot’s secret has been out for a while; and plenty of big city folk have since decamped to enjoy the simpler life - or just spend a few days off the grid and unplugged.  With this migration, comes a certain caliber of dining and shopping studded along the dirt roads and lush landscape.  Luckily, even those associated with celebrity restaurateurs (such as the insanely delicious Hartwood – owned by Peasant’s Eric Werner of NYC) are executed with such respect that they blend seamlessly into Tulum’s wild vibe.  That being said, I enjoyed every fish taco and michelada I had from the moment we landed; be it from a roadside stand, beach shack, or recommended dining “destination”.  So don’t be afraid to explore!

Speaking of exploring… Besides lying in the sun and stuffing your face with the best guacamole of your life, there is plenty to do in Tulum.  Located on the Riviera Maya (at the eastern end of the Yucatan Peninsula) – Tulum is home to several archeological sites housing Mayan ruins that have been impressively preserved through the decades.  While we didn’t make it as far inland as Coba, we did enjoy Zama’s spectacular bluff side views that are responsible for it’s name, meaning City of Dawn.

Not to be missed is the unique, natural wonder of the cenotes.  Created by collapsed limestone bedrock, these sinkholes reveal crystal clear groundwater from deep below the earth - occasionally reaching as deep as 100km!  There are several in the area, but after a morning tour at Zama, we drove across town to the Gran Cenote for our Ariel-mermaid-style adventure.  Stalactites reach from below and above – and birds and bats alike fluttered above our heads while we swam around in the glowing waters.  Believed to have magical powers, many locals visit daily – and I certainly did my best to soak up a little extra birthday magic...

On the way back through town, we stopped at Charlie’s where we loaded up on authentic Mexican cuisine before picking through the local shops for treasures like woven hammocks, richly embroidered clothes and textiles, silver and brightly painted pottery.  My favorite scores of the trip included an embroidered muslin dress (which, I later realized was meant for a 9 year old and consequently had to be expanded in the armpits lest I resemble a quasi-moto-scarecrow while wearing it) and an impeccably crafted, tan/white cowhide bag.  Each for less than the price of it’s counterpart at Zara.

When the sun sets and bedtime looms, there are dozens of boutique hotels to choose from along the resort strip, but don’t expect to see a Ritz Carlton, Best Western or any other big chain hotels of any kind (thank God!).  With the exception of Be Tulum and a few others, most of them don’t have air conditioning, and some even limit their electricity to certain hours.  So for those of you who hate to sweat, or can’t function without a hair dryer – bring a hat, wear a braid or just get over it.  We stayed at the limestone stacked Coqui Coqui, famous for it’s lux line of essential oils and fragrance.  The vibe was whisper quiet and relaxed, with spacious rooms and a concierge girl so hip we wanted to befriend her.  Amansala is well known for it’s yoga and bikini bootcamp programs, and Ahau Tulum offers hip digs at affordable rates.

[TIPS]

[PACKING]  Don’t bring heels of any kind, jeans or even makeup.  Do bring gauzy, lightweight dresses, cover-ups, flip-flops, straw hats and bohemian jewelry.  Bras and bikini tops optional.

[SHOPPING] There are loads of chic boutiques all up and down the resort strip.  For the most local, inexpensive and specialty crafts – head toward the north end.  And of course, in town there are tons of beautiful artisanal creations mixed with cheesy souvenirs for next to nothing.  Don’t be afraid to barter!

[BRING THE BUG SPRAY] The jungle landscape and tropical climate are a heaven for mosquitoes...and a nightmare for bare legs and arms.  On the beach there’s generally no problem, but around sunset on the jungle side it's like a plague of locusts every single evening.

[WALK OR BIKE]  There’s no need to rent a car in Tulum, which is great news for New Yorkers who may or may not even have a license.  Cabs are plentiful and cheap, and bikes are simple to rent.  But it’s easy to go through an entire day on foot as majority of shopping, hotels and restaurants are conveniently located on one main strip.

Happy hippie travels xx

Natty

From High-Heels to Hiking Boots, Nevis Has it All

Never heard of Nevis? Neither had I… until recently. To celebrate one of my best friend’s birthdays, my 5 girlfriends and I were searching for a weekend getaway to relieve our over stressed, city spoiled senses. Something tropical and distant, but relatively easy to access from both New York and LA, somewhere we could warm our hearts and bodies in the sunshine while spending quality time with each other and not tons of other tourists. The answer? A tiny island located in the West Indies, right next to St. Kitts named Nevis. But while Nevis is unspoiled and remote enough to feel undiscovered - it’s also home to the incomparable Four Season’s hotel - which would be our luxurious home away from home for the 4-day trip. 

“We dubbed this ferry the “Speedboat to Paradise” as we sipped complimentary spiced rum punch while watching flying fish flit and flutter across the cerulean ocean waves...”

From the moment the girls and I deplaned at the St. Kitts airport, we began to unwind. We were greeted with humid heat and a smiling member of the Four Season’s staff - ready to whisk us away to the private ferry that would take us the 25 minutes across the water to Nevis. We dubbed this ferry the “Speedboat to Paradise” as we sipped complimentary spiced rum punch while watching flying fish flit and flutter across the cerulean ocean waves, leading the way to our destination. Up ahead - the dormant volcano that forms the island of Nevis, named Nevis Peak, reached into the clouds, beckoning us closer. As we approached, we spotted our hotel - nestled among the lush landscape and adjacent to a white sandy beach, which stretched as far as the eye could see.

 It wasn’t long before we’d swapped our leggings and Louis Vuitton luggage for bikinis, and plopped down side by side in the sand, frozen “Fruit Jam” cocktails in hand. We had arrived… A few hours of lounging and laughing, and eventually our tummies began to rumble. A short walk down the beach produced an oasis of local eateries - where we decided on an open air, oceanfront feast at Lime. After gorging on fresh seafood and “rice and peas” (the Nevisian term for rice and beans) we stumbled back down to the hotel and slipped sleepily into bed. I stretched my limbs across the crisp, soft sheets, nestled my head deep into the oversized down pillow and let the sound of the waves lapping at our window lull me to sleep before I could count to four seasons… 

The next morning found us refreshed and ready to explore. We began with a fresh breakfast buffet at Neve and our first view of the hotel grounds. Later, a few of us took a long and leisurely stroll along the coast and into Charlestown, Nevis’ capital, in search of local flavor. While the little town itself may not seem like much to some visitors, we found the storm beaten buildings overgrown with bright bougainvillea to be inspirational backdrops for a photo shoot. In fact, when we stumbled upon an abandoned beach bar along the way, the girls and I just had to pause for a few fun shots. Don’t you think this is what Calypso had in mind when they made this eyelet vest? Once in town, we uncovered a hole-in-the wall spot called Jamaicy’s for lunch, and as the owner/hostess/waitress spouted off the three menu items of the day; we knew we’d found what we were looking for. Moist jerk chicken and succulent salt fish for the price of an appetizer at Miss Lily’s in NYC? Yes please!

“We ditched our cork wedges and embellished sandals in favor of hiking boots, packed a backpack full of water and took a deep breath as we faced the steep climb ahead.”

On our sandy walk home we plotted our evening, which would be spent celebrating my dear friend’s birthday. The craftiest among us had smuggled streamers and balloons in our carry-ons - which we used to deck out the hotel suite for an island style surprise party! We folded origami paper into old-school fortune tellers (remember the kind you made in grade school?!) and scribbled in fortunes from the thoughtful to the absurd. We shook up cocktails of tequila with fresh mango puree (courtesy of the downstairs bar), and giggled the night away reading eachother fortunes like “you will find your true love on Nevis…but he’ll be an eccentric monkey wrangler.” But first… a big birthday dinner at Mango began the festivities. The waves crashed onto the shore just feet from our feet, and between the 6 of us we must have ordered almost the entire menu… from curried shrimp to grilled lobster and a seafood soup that made me swoon, every dish was as heavenly as the stars sparkling overhead. We toasted bottles of rose to friendship, to life and to the best of it all…

“4 hours and a short rainstorm later, we emerged back at the bottom of the volcano: looking like we’d been dunked in chocolate mousse, but victorious! ”

It was with that gumption, that we decided the next day to tackle the intimidating Nevis Peak! We ditched our cork wedges and embellished sandals in favor of hiking boots, packed a backpack full of water and took a deep breath as we faced the steep climb ahead. But we couldn’t do it alone. A hired a guide named Sheldon showed us the way through the rainforest all the way up to the cloud forest at the summit. He made it look almost easy as he swung his legs over boulders; leaping from rock to root. But as we dug our manicured fingers into the mud, cracking dirty jokes and not a single complaint along the way - Sheldon declared us to be “no ordinary city slickers.” 4 hours and a short rainstorm later, we emerged back at the bottom of the volcano: looking like we’d been dunked in chocolate mousse, but victorious! I awoke the next day with aching muscles, and decided that the best way to recover would be with a morning massage. Moments later, I was swathed in an oversized bathrobe at the Four Season’s spa. I was ready to indulge in 50 minutes of deep tissue treatment and a soak in the steam room that would banish any last bits of tension still lingering from the chaos of life back in NYC. As I shuffled around the ladies lounge sipping lemongrass infused water, I felt as pampered, lucky and thankful as could be. But like all good things, our terrific trip too came to an end… As we once again boarded the Speedboat to Paradise, this time in the other direction, we threw mental pennies into the ocean, wishing to return to Nevis as we watched the shore disappear in sight.

So, if you’re planning an end of summer getaway, or looking to escape the cold of another New York winter… consider Nevis, you won’t regret it.

WANT TO BOOK A ROOM? The Four Seasons has several amazing offers that make it easier than ever to vacation in style. Free nights, air credits and amazing packages. CLICK for more info and mention Natty Style when booking for an extra treat. ;)