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Jonathan and I took a 4th of July
weekend road trip to the Post Ranch Inn at Big Sur and Sea Ranch. We had attempted to stay at Post Ranch 2 years ago, but were told not to
come (as we were on our way) due to the forest fires that season.
We didn’t recognize much evidence of those fires on this trip—the Post Ranch Inn’s setting is spectacular to say the least. The California modernist structures
cling to the edge of a steep cliff that drops off dramatically to the Pacific. 
(1. Road testing the Mercedes-Benz C63 AMG and our Fall 1 Roamin' Romper and Scribble Zebra Essential Tote, 2. Road to Point Sur lighthouse, 3. Jonathan @ Pfeiffer State beach, 4. The Scribble Zebra Essential Tote-with me everywhere this weekend!, 5. Vintage Safari Jacket, Scribble Zebra Essential Tote and Excursion Shorts from Fall 1, 6. Pincushion Proteas @ Big Sur Bakery, 7. Inside the Point Sur lighthouse, 8. Fresh and local salads @ The Big Sur Bakery, 9. Kevin talking with his hands. The Sea Ranch...(Shev and me are rapt listeners)
We did some reading and relaxing, yoga class in a yurt, had massages and
took advantage of 2 amazing restaurants - the Post Ranch Inn’s own restaurant,
Sierra Mar, and the nearby Big Sur Bakery and Restaurant. Sierra Mar is
high end wining and dining in a room with an incredible view of the sunset, and
the Big Sur Bakery is just the opposite, a hip/funky cabin next to an old roadside
gas station - but fantastic local food and service. We visited Nepenthe - famously established in 1949
overlooking the Pacific - another cool modernist building - with the Phoenix gift shop next door
selling everything to remind you of Big Sur in it’s hippie heyday.
We toured the Point Sur lighthouse and hung out at Pfeiffer State Beach.
On 4th of July we hit the road to the Sea Ranch in the very perky C63 AMG lent to us by Mercedes- Benz,
who is sponsoring our upcoming swimwear runway show (7/15) in Miami at the Raleigh Hotel.
Thanks for the car, Mercedes-Benz - a huge improvement over a Hertz rental!
We spent a couple more days at Sea Ranch with friends Kevin and Shev. We discovered
how to grill oysters -6 minutes on the grill - wow, were those good-drank lots of California red wine,
and did the usual sea ranch trail walks with the ocean on one side and an unofficial architectural tour
on the other. The weekend flew by! But we’ll be back to both places…
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The cover of Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings’ CD “100 Days, 100 Nights” has a photo of Sharon wearing a vintage gold lame cocktail dress against an orange backdrop. This is what caught my eye several years ago, at Colette in Paris of all places. I had never heard of Sharon Jones, and by the vintage look of the photo, I assumed this was a reissue of a ‘60s record. I bought it without knowing anything about the band—I just liked the cover image. I loved the music too—funky R&B fronted by Sharon’s powerful vocals and backed up by the amazing Dap Kings.
 Back in LA, my husband Jonathan, who is a photographer, was doing a model casting at his office in Silver Lake. There were “Trina Turk casting” signs taped up so models would know where to go. Sharon’s publicist, Judy Miller from MotorMouthMedia, happens to have an office in the same building. She saw the signs, came to the casting and asked if anyone could put her in touch with Trina Turk—Sharon needed some clothes! Jonathan said he might be able to make that introduction since he’s married to TT. We thought the random connection was cool.
We pulled a bunch of dresses for Sharon, and have been keeping her in Trina Turk since. Our size 12 fits her like a glove. She’s wearing the “Palmas” dress on the cover of the newest CD “I Learned the Hard Way”. She’s worn TT for her last 3 shows in LA, including last Saturday night at the Wiltern, where she and the Dap Kings rocked the house. She reminds me of a female James Brown. Sharon loves to call audience members up on stage to dance and share the limelight with her. She has a penchant for selecting slightly nerdy guys who can’t really dance, yet are thrilled to be up there. It’s hilarious and charming. We love Sharon! 
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Q: What is it about sunglasses that intrigues you? "Sunglasses give you immediate personality! They're the only accessory (other than makeup) that you wear right on your face, you can change them in an instant, and they add so much style to your look." Q: Speaking of changing, you seem to have quite a few pairs! "That's true! I've been collecting sunglasses for years and have amassed quite an assortment. Some are or were new, some vintage, lots of different designers, including our own Trina Turk Styles. Current faves are my vintage '80s Laura Biagiotti frames with blue lenses, and the TT Barcelona style-it's sporty and looks great on guys too." (See photo above) Q: Is there anything that all of these pairs have in common? "I like a graphic shape and all of them have a sense of fun to them. I would never choose a pair purely for function! Form is important, and I tend to go for the glasses with subtle logos or no logos." For more info on the pix below, go to our Facebook Fan Page at Trina Turk on Facebook
Q: But do you have functional qualifications? "In LA and Palm Springs the sun is usually bright so I don't leave the house without at least 1 pair. They tend to accumulate in my car; you can usually find 5-6 pairs to choose from there. Some of the vintage pairs leave a bit to be desired in the fit and comfort department, but I'll wear anything to create a look." Q: Any advise for choosing a frame? "Don't stress over it too much. If you think they look cute on you then buy them. If someone gives you a second look on the street, that's a good thing. Don't be afraid to make a statement!" Trina Turk on Facebook
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In honor of Father’s Day, I’d like to introduce you to my Dad, Jim Turk.
His classic American sportswear style (and sometimes kimonos) still look great in these vintage kodachrome shots.
I’ve taken the liberty of drafting what I believe he would consider important points on living:
Jim Turk’s Guide to Life
1. Whenever possible, take the scenic route.
2. There is no such thing as coffee that is too strong
3. Sunbathe often
4. Never pass up an opportunity to chat up the locals, or anyone for that matter.
5. Crusty bread, cheese, fruit, wine and dark chocolate make a perfect meal.
6. At the holidays, abundant use of evergreen swags, branches and boughs is highly recommended.
7. You can never have too much reading material, therefore, always take the brochure.
8. Foreign languages are fun! (as are puns)
9. Point Lobos, near Carmel on the California coast is not to be missed.
10. Being called a liberal is a good thing.
Happy Father’s Day to my dad - the original Mr. Turk!
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We sat down with Trina to get an inside look at what's in her jewelry box... Q: Hey Trina - let's talk jewelry! You have a new line available. "Yes, I do! It’s really been fun putting it together,
and the response has been great."
Q: Everyone who knows you...knows you’re a big jewelry
collector. When did you
jump from being a collector to a designer?
"Well, I’ve actually dabbled in making jewelry for many
years. Before I started my
clothing Company I had a small business making new designs from vintage pieces,
but that was more of a hobby. Now
we’re working with a company that can pretty much execute any idea we come up
with. This is our third season."
Q: What made you decide to do your own line?
"A few things led to the jewelry collection. Our
customers told us what they wanted by inquiring about vintage pieces we had
used to style looks in our look books. We had already been designing a form of
jewelry for swimwear hardware and we have always sold vintage jewelry in our
stores that people really love, so it seemed like a natural progression to do our own line." 
Q: Do you have a certain criteria for what you collect and
is it consistent with your new designs?
"A graphic element always appeals to me -- dainty
jewelry is just not my thing. I
started collecting earrings in the early 80s; I went for bold statement pieces
mostly from the 50s & 60s. I’ve
always responded to color – whether it was glass beads, enamel, real or fake
stones. When I was in college working as a waitress in a Mexican restaurant, I had very short hair and wore big earrings. The customers referred to me as 'the
new wave waitress'." The first quality pieces I was interested in were Mexican
sterling. It was the late
1980s, I had moved to L.A, and was very into vintage dresses paired with
motorcycle jackets or vintage denim jackets. Mexican sterling was the perfect accessory.
We went to the Rose Bowl, Long Beach and PCC flea markets. I started to pay more attention to how
the jewelry was constructed – the metal qualities, the clasps, etc.
Q: So what are you collecting now? "The Mexican sterling lead me into modernist sterling. I’ve
been collecting that for many years and still love and wear my pieces by J Tostrup,
Hans Hansen, David Andersen, Torun, Bjorn Weckstrom, George Jensen and Puig. I have also learned to love gold;
hammered brass and colored stones are attractive to me as well. I am much less particular about
collecting in a specific category now. I’ll add anything that catches my eye to my collection."
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I’ve wanted to visit Austin, TX for years and finally made it! All my past visits to Texas have been work related—personal appearances mostly—but this weekend there were no obligations.
We took an early flight from LA and arrived before noon. I naturally had a list of vintage shops and we stopped at Room Service Vintage first. No major treasures, but I did purchase a white 1970’s donut phone, and Jonathan found a teeny Hawaiian shirt for an upcoming baby shower for one of his colleagues. We fell for the cute neon sign at El Patio, but the lunch didn’t live up to it—was that Velveeta I just ate? eeww. We checked out a few shops on Sough Congress including Uncommon Objects, a crazy assortment of vintage stuff, artfully arranged. Hotel St Cecilia was right nearby: “A secluded estate in Austin’s Sough Congress District. Named in honor of the patron saint of music and poetry, these accommodations take inspiration from the experimentation of 60s writers like William Burroughs, the daring and extravagance of the Stones in the early 70s and the defiance of convention embodied by artists like Miro and Warhol in the late 50s and early 60s” Quite a brief for a hotel, right? I took that right off their website. Somehow it worked….A large old house and several new structures are arranged around a meticulously landscaped central “courtyard” highlighted by amazing 300 year old oak trees.
That evening we walked across the river to Lambert’s for Texas BBQ. Delish!
We were feeling the affects of the early morning flight and didn’t stay for the live music upstairs.
Next day, more vintage shopping—Feathers was by far our favorite—feathersboutiquevintage.blogspot.com for lunch, we had amazing salmon tacos at Torchy’s—a taco truck on S. 1st St. That evening we saw “the bats of Austin”. Yes—every night, thousands of tiny bats that live in a bridge fly out at sundown to dine on tasty bugs while hundreds of people watch from on the bridge, on the shore and in boats in the Colorado River. I’m not sure if this is a year round event, but it was strangely interesting. A bit of a party atmosphere while waiting for the bats to emerge! Dinner at Wink— fresh, local, creative food in a non descript strip mall. www.winkrestaurant.com
Sunday was Easter so we lazed around in the morning, visited the Capitol building got some slices to go at Home Slice Pizza and headed off! My favorite part of the weekend was the Hotel St. Cecilia—I recommend it!
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San Francisco is the first city I fell in love with.
I was born there, but raised in nearby San Jose, which at the time was a rambling suburb still dotted with fruit orchards. Several times a year, my family would take weekend trips from our snug tract house neighborhood to the big city.
San Fran was thrillingly exotic in comparison.
We’d visit Fisherman’s Wharf, see the matinee of the ballet, wander the Japanese garden in Golden Gate Park, drive down Lombard Street, eat at The Iron Pot, cruise through the Haight looking at the “beatniks”.
When I was around 5 or 6, my sister Lia and I would get to spend the weekend in the city (no parents) with a family friend Jackie, who was like an aunt to us. Her Victorian corner apartment with curved glass windows seemed like such an intriguing place to live. It was over a bar called “Cloud Nine” and at night you could hear the music seeping up through the floor.
During the holidays we would walk for miles, up and down steep hills—visiting the big hotels to see their Christmas trees: the Fairmont (where we stayed last weekend, which is what sparked these memories) the Mark Hopkins, the St. Francis, the Hyatt and a florist called Podesta Baldocchi with gorgeous displays.
I loved the steep hills, the views, the cable cars, the traffic, crowds and the energy of the San Francisco then, and I still do.
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In the last few years I’ve made several trips to Miami for personal appearances, the Miami Swim Show, and to visit our new Bal Harbour store.
Here’s why I love Miami:
The Architecture!
Amazing mid-century buildings everywhere. Here’s the super cool Bacardi buildings downtown:
The original blue and white tiled building from 1963, and the later orange pedestaled addition from the early 70s. Love the exuberant tile and stained glass! And of course I love all of the Morris Lapidus designed facades, at The Fountainbleau, The Eden Roc, and The Promenade on Lincoln Road.
The Hotels!
I’ve stayed at The Sagamore, The Standard (great pool and restaurant by the inland waterway), The W (nice art) , and Shore Club among others. Favorites so far are The Raleigh and The Tides, but there are many more on the list to try. it’s close to Palm Beach-but that’s a whole separate blog for later….
The Vintage Furniture Shopping!
Favorite shops are Sabina Danenberg at 8300 Biscayne Blvd and M.A.D.E - across the parking lot. I bought a pair of white patent mushroom poufs on our last trip…maybe for a future store dressing room?
Bal Harbour Shops - The only Lanvin shop in the U.S.! A Roger Vivier shop! A Celine shop-(love those new Phoebe Philo designed shoes) and of course, Trina Turk. They love TT swimwear at BH.
Our Bal Harbour Boutique might have the least expensive clothing in the entire shopping center - but it’s working!
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I'm going to be on The Martha Stewart Show on
September 29th!
I'm excited! Jonathan and I met Martha last April when she visited Palm Springs.
A tour of architectural homes was arranged for her visit and she came to our house.
She and her entourage also did a little shopping at both of our stores there--
Martha bought herself a taupe jumpsuit (!) and Kevin
Sharkey (who works for her and has a long, complicated and
fabulous title which i cannot remember) bought a bunch of
books at TT residential. Anyhow, this visit led to me being
invited to be on her show, which will be all about Palm Springs.
We will do a mini-fashion show of "cocktails remixed" looks,
since cocktails are an integral part of Palm Springs.
Also, below see some photos of Martha Stewart from her modeling days. So chic!
We were out in the desert this past weekend, and a highlight
was going for a spin in JR Roberts just-arrived bright orange 1977 Gremlin X
which he bought on ebay. (pics below and on the facebook fan page)
This was after my first meeting as a board member of the Palm
Springs Modern Committee. PS Modcom is dedicated to preserving the
mid-century modern architecture of Palm Springs and the Coachella
Valley.
And one last thought--I was rooting for Kevin Dillon to win an emmy
for his genius portrayal of Johnny Drama on Entourage, but he didn't win.
C'est la vie. TT
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We went to see "The September Issue" on friday night.
LOVED IT! The Arclight Hollywood audience was audibly
and enthusiastically rooting for Vogue's creative director
Grace Coddington in the war of wills depicted between her
and editor in chief Anna Wintour. I'd love to see an issue
(or two, or three) of Vogue edited by Ms. Coddington!
After 20 years, doesn't she deserve it? Re AW: She's a
bob-shielded perfectionist on a mission with no time for
niceties. If she were a man, no one would care about her
brusque behavior. And wouldn't it be boring if she were
"really nice"? This is my first blog post! TT
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Her earliest creation:
Halter tops made from the same simplicity pattern. On double-knit polyester:
It was the perfect fabrication for learning to sew in 1972. First job:
At the local Burger King in Bellevue, Washington. The double knit polyester uniform with matching hat was so embarrassing. Weirdest pants:
The ones I made from a bedspread when I was 14. Why she likes thrift shopping:
You can learn a lot about how quality things are made. Early influences:
Nancy Drew, That Girl with Marlo Thomas and Mary Tyler Moore. They all had great style! First job in the fashion biz:
Design assistant doing endless spec sheets for Britannia Jeans. Where she learned to do printed fabrics:
Designing OP surfwear in the ‘80s. On celebrities wearing her clothes:
Of course, it’s great! It’s even more interesting to see stylish women who put our pieces together with their own things in unique ways. Her Description of a “Trina Turk customer”:
What's the opposite of a wallflower?
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trina on facebook |
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