As a kid, you have to have cool people to run around with. I grew up with a cousin who loved to play outside, was (thankfully) an expert on keeping me out of trouble and always gave good advice. Fast forward to the present, where she’s teaching women all around the world how to be successful in their business market. That advice-giving never stopped!

Annika Martins will tell you like it is, which is why I love her so. She is delightfully down to earth while tackling issues that are normally sensitive or hard to deal with, and she has a great sense of humor. Homegirl is an avid video blogger - you can check out her videos on her website, and she tweets, too!

Also, if you are in the market for vegetarian/vegan food, Annika knows what’s up.

Since Annika and I grew up together in the Caribbean, it came as no surprise to me that her birthday band pick conjures up some tropical themes. And frankly, kids, it’s cold here in NYC, so I’m glad I got to look at some warm weather goodies!

I give you Annika’s picks… get ready to get your groove on.

Business woman du jour and general bad-ass, Annika Martins.

Vagrant Isle: So, you have an unlimited budget and a warehouse-sized time machine, should you need it. Who do you hire to play your birthday party?

Annika Martins: I actually prefer birthdays to be super low-key quiet affairs with a very small guest list. For me, wild raucous parties are best on random Tuesday nights when nobody saw it coming, so envisioning this hypothetical birthday extravaganza took me a second. In the end, I was inspired by my recent love affair with the burritos at Hot Beans Vegan in Kensington Market, so I’ve decided to make it a Latin night. Gypsy Kings opening for Buena Vista Social Club. Volare!

Vegan burrito from Hot Beans Vegan. Hellz yeah.

VI: I suppose I should have told everyone off the bat that you live in Canada, because I know I’m a little depressed that I can’t get that burrito. Speaking of locations, where are we having your party?

AM:  It’s gotta be in the Caribbean and on a beach, so let’s try Gibbs Cay (an uninhabited island just off Grand Turk). Tiki torches, white couches and one lone hammock strung up between the coconut trees way down at the other side of the beach. The dark side.

Gibbs Cay. Oh, word?

VI: I googled Gibbs Cay and lost about five minutes of my life looking at pictures of the beach there. Approved. So why these bands?

AM: Beyond the burrito reference above, their music (even the faster stuff) slows me down and that’s the vibe I prefer when celebrating birthdays. Plus, who doesn’t enjoy hanging out with old, drunk men? (Yes, that was a totally PG statement).

I could hang with these dudes.

VI: Very good point. What kind of things come to mind when you picture your party?

AM: Red hibiscus flowers. Everywhere. The other things that come to mind (rum and cigars) I don’t do, so while I don’t object to my guests partaking, I’ll instead focus on making sure the gents are decked out in fresh guayaberas with matching fedoras.

And now, a little Annika-birthday inspiration:

To wear: 

Planning an outfit for humid weather is always a little difficult, (“Will I be sweaty? Should I hide my Monica hair under this hat?”) But never fear, we have you covered.

Like Annika said, dressing for the gents is fairly simple and Latin inspired! Guayabera-style shirts have derived from Latin America, Cuba and the Philippines (if you want to learn a little about them, here you go.) I really like them styled with a straw fedora and some khaki pants:

• Cubavera has a great selection of men’s guayaberas. They have all sorts of prints and materials to choose from, but my favorite is the classic white, short-sleeved shirt.
• Khaki pants are kind of a staple anywhere you go, but I liked the ones at Banana Republic, especially because you can trust the craftsmanship.
• I loved the straw chambray trilby hat from J. Crew. It’s a nice, no-fuss fedora that has a lovely striped element. Plus, it has a non-douche vibe, unlike most fedoras. Listen, you all can’t be Justin Timberlake.

What a carefree hat.

For us ladies things can be just as easy. What’s better for a beach party than a flowing dress and some espadrilles?

• Into prints? How about this dress by T Bags?
• Simplistic gal? Alexander Wang is for you. (Plus, you can pair it with a pretty belt!)
• On a budget and like jeweled tones? I found this really cute dress at Alloy (who knew they were still a thing?)

Alexander Wang maxi dress.

I love these wedge espadrille sandals by Hunter, which are on sale now in Piperlime’s web store! The buckle is super cute.

Hello, lover.

To party there:

So many things come to mind when you think of a nighttime beach event. It all boils down to the decorations - and the bevs!

Paper luminaries always make for a fun and romantic mood at the beach. If you’re looking to get more creative or hands-on you can try flying lanterns. They’re not as eco-friendly as the paper luminaries (although you can buy ones that are), but here’s a tutorial on how to make them, just don’t aim for the coral reefs!

Pretty!

You should also get your hammock on. And you guys, Ikea makes one that’s less than $100 and won’t leave rope marks in your legs!

Ikea Hallo hammock, which has a few fun color options!

You will also need a beverage in hand whilst relaxing in the hammock, and per Annika’s party rules, one with rum! Who doesn’t love a fruity mojito? I found some recipes on Wholesome Cook’s blog that looked pretty delicious!

Delicious looking photo courtesy of Wholesome Foods blog.

There’s also a pretty amazing fresh strawberry limeade recipe on Our Best Bites if you want something that’s non-alcoholic. By the way, this is the “Best Vegan Burrito” recipe in the world, if you’re hungry…

Annika, this sounds like one amazing and relaxing birthday party. It certainly helped me get through this chilly day! So my lovlies, get your beach on and get your party on. And don’t forget this, you know, for before the sun goes down. 

x

Once upon a time (also in college), I met the wonderful Brandy Hanyak in our Theatre program. Brandy knows and appreciates ALL things nostalgic, and can probably tell you what’s what about any Shakespeare play you bring up. Not to mention, she’s a pretty bad ass actress! She also has a Twitter account that I highly recommend following - she’s got some great zingers!

Like me, Brandy has eclectic taste, so I wanted to get her in on this to mix it up! I give you Brandy’s birthday band picks… put on your drinking pants, your kilt and make sure you have your bagpipe at the ready!

Read More

Once upon a time in college, I was lucky enough to have one of the funniest people alive as my roommate. Although our college roomie years are behind us (“Wait, there are TWO Kims in here?”), she is still the most hilarious woman residing in New York City.

Cue, Kim Morgan Dean. Ladypants is an award-winning actress and just completed a season with Greenbrier Valley Theater in Lewisburg, WV. She played a crazy range of roles there - from Juliet to a Winter Wonderette. She also has a delightfully funny Twitter account, which she told me she will force herself to update more now that I’ve called her out on the interwebz.

Kim reveals to us her ultimate musical party guests… make sure you shine your shoes, kids, these picks are classy.

The lovely KMD.

Read More

I’ve never been a big fan of throwing a big birthday party for myself, but if I could have any artist or band from the history of the world play my party… I’d think about it. 

And hence, our new theme is born! Keep your eye out for new posts about ultimate birthday party bands soon, featuring some of Vagrant Isle’s pals, as well as yours truly.

We want to know who would play your birthday party! You’ve got an unlimited budget, and a warehouse-sized time machine if you need it (hey, those amps aren’t going to teleport to your party themselves). Leave us a comment or let us know on Twitter!

x

I am a self-proclaimed pack rat. Luckily, I’ve had two international moves in the course of four years that have forced me to take an inventory of my possessions and edit them down. (Do I really need this t-shirt that I’ve had since my freshman year of college? No…)

The new year is a great time to get organized, and what better place to help you with some guidelines than the Mecca Of All Things In Order: The Container Store?

But what about all of the cute shit you want to organize with? I’ve got you covered.

Monsieur Postman mail organizer on Modstock.

ISSUE: Holy crap my apartment/flat/house/nation-roaming RV is too small to hold my stuff!

SOLUTION: Edit down. Store smart.

The Container Store has a great little set of guidelines to help you maximize your small space. I especially like their idea of using stackable shelves! I recently saw some really neat ones at Target from their itso brand. They’re cheap, sturdy and can be coordinated with a lot of pieces from the line.

This cube will save your life!

ISSUE: My kitchen is a hot-ass mess. My utensils are all over the place, I have too many spices and I accidentally stabbed myself with something in the knife drawer. Also, what’s that thing growing in the fridge?

SOLUTION: Hanging racks. Spice racks. MAGNETS! We’ll get to the farm in your fridge in a minute…

• Hanging racks are great - I have one from Ikea mounted next to the stove that a few essential cooking utensils hang from. It also holds my recipes. Word of caution: it may look cool to mount the rack on the back splash above your stove, but be on guard when reaching for something over the meal that you’re cooking…

“I hold errythang!”

• Your grannie’s spice rack has evolved. Old fashioned ones are wonderful if you have lots of counter or cabinet space, but some spatially-challenged seasoners need a more practical solution: cue the Kamenstein magnetic rack, which can also be used for your home office. Don’t forget that spices go bad! The Seattle Times has a point, ya’ll…
• Same magnetic concept goes for knives, although I’m still a fan of the knife block, like this one that fits in a drawer… handy in the prevention of stabbed fingers.
• As for the smell… get vegetable bags for your fridge, you piggy! 

These will help prevent any Cloverfield Monster/zombies/ghosts that could spawn from the vegetable drawer.

ISSUE: I’m about to be engulfed by the cord monster! 

SOLUTION: GO TO THIS WEBSITE AND FIGHT THE BEAST.

ISSUE: I want my toiletries to look cute, but don’t want to buy a bulky storage unit!

SOLUTION: If you have a little counter space to work with, these stackable apothecary jars from West Elm are awesome.

Take THAT, runaway cotton balls.

ISSUE: My craft desk looks like everyone at Martha Stewart got in an art supply fight.

SOLUTION: Ask Martha Stewart for help. Pretty obsessed with the hidden office space tutorial… she also has a solution for your cord problems. I love you, Craft Goddess.

Photo courtesy of Martha Stewart website.

 OTHER CRAP TO HELP YOU:

• Sometimes the hardest part of organizing is learning to let go of your stuff. Secrets Of Simplicity is supposedly very helpful. The illustrations are pretty, too!
• Occasionally, I’ll get really excited to organize if I see fun and/or functional products. Knock Knock is awesome for that! I really like this take out menu organizer. 

 Don’t act like you don’t have that shameful drawer full of menus in your kitchen.

• Real Simple has a wonderful section all about organizing, including a Tips & Techniques section. This is a great website where you can inspire yourself to change your living style, as well as to help you get started if you’re a little bewildered. 
• Now if you live near an IKEA, you’re in luck. There’s a website to help make your newly purchased bargain home goods fancy! Inspiration From Ikea - please note: you will need Google Translate or an equivalent (or you know, be able to speak Swedish). If not, just look at the pictures.

Both lovely AND functional.

• Etsy has a great selection of storage/organizational items with a little character, as long as you don’t mind paying for shipping or organizing a pick up:

1. Canned food storage organizers - you could even paint these to match your kitchen or pantry’s theme.
2. Great jewelry storage options from Bluebird Heaven.
3. A pretty nifty wine rack…
4. And my favorite: chalkboard jars!

Perfect for those loose ends…

So there you have it, my little clutter bugs! Happy organizing, and mind the vegetable drawer.

x

Hi there, lambs. Well, it’s the new year, and we all know what that means… resolutions! I’m notorious for making resolutions and not keeping them, so I thought it would be fun to take a look at some common “annual promises” and see what we can do to keep them fresh and new.

What are your resolutions? I’m curious to know! Mine are quite simple: spruce up my coding (CSS and beyond!) as well as learning to sew. 

We’ll see what happens. Until then, happy resolution-ing, darlings.

x

Hello, lovelies! Well I disappeared for a minute didn’t I? I’ve been globe trotting - OK, that’s a lie, I’ve only been to one country outside of our fine United States - but now I’m back and ready to blog.

Keep yer eyes peeled! 

x

Now, just because a movie (that was a very good book first) can’t wear a hat, doesn’t mean that it can’t be a style icon.

There is something entrancing about The Virgin Suicides, isn’t there? It’s 1970’s style has a certain je ne sais pas about it - much like another tragically themed (albeit more 60’s) film, Valley Of The Dolls. I know quite a few bloggers have covered this film, but I just couldn’t resist…

Read More

First up on the style icon list is one of my favorite women of all time, Emmanuelle Alt.

Not only is she Editor In Chief of French Vogue (do you think she knows Miss Piggy?), but she has an effortlessly cool style that almost any woman can adopt and make her own.

Alt in her office at French Vogue.

Read More

Hello, Tumblr darlings! After two weeks of tradition, I thought it would be fun to break away from the traditional (ba dum bum) holiday themed posts that are popular this time of year, and take a look at some style icons!

For the next two weeks, I’ll be posting about folks who conjure up some wonderful inspiration - anywhere from the world of fashion, to the culinary arts, to graphic design. Who knows, maybe you’ll even find some fun presents to get for your friends/co-workers/family/wonderful blogger that you love (*cough*) in the process.

It’s gonna get mad stylish up in here. Keep your eyes peeled!

x