This week, I’ll go into more depth of exactly how I did it in my other outlets, but for now I wanted to provide you with the coveted shopping list! Even though things come together “In just one day!”, I take a lot of time selecting just the right pieces when decorating each room. I work with great companies and always look for a mix of vintage, quality, high end and toss in electronics and a few trendy/budget pieces that won’t break my heart when they break or go out of style like last year’s Prada..

If you want to score some of those fab pieces from the show, here you go!

FURNITURE:

Sofa and chair are the Reid Sofa and chair from American Leather

Loloi Rug is the Charlotte  in Peridot (softest rug I ever felt under my feet!)

Bar cart, side table and vintage Murano and brass decor are all from One Kings Lane

Side Tables are from Ikea

Ottoman is from Home Goods

TV Console is vintage

DECOR:

Pillows are all Courtney Cachet for Peking Handicraft (of course!) They are available nationwide. The complete line is available on the Designer Pillow Shop

TV Picture Frame is from Media Decor

Wallpaper is from Brewster Home

 Kenneth James’ Suzani by Eijffinger®: Pink Ethnic Stripe  and the Kenneth James’ Suzani by Eijffinger®: Arboretum Gold Geometric Trees Both are available at Jankovic in NY and Brewster Wall Coverings

Overlay fretwork are all from Overlays

Remote Shades are all from Lutron. They are the Serena Shades in Monaco. I SWEAR by these!! You should have them in every room..

Lamps are vintage from One Kings Lane

Bamboo bench is vintage

Spray Paint is Rustoleum-the only true gold spray paint I will use

HP Touchsmart Computer (this was way cool!)

Sonos Paly 5 Music System

Touchscreen Universal Universal Remote is by Logitech

On this gorgeous Sunday in New York-or wherever in the world you are-I hope you enjoy your day with whomever brings you joy and and a few good laughs. I’m off to take Brooke to her first lacrosse game!

Thank you and God bless.

XOXOXO

Courtney

Vanity Fair Oscar Party

As we close in on the Grand Finale of the magic that is known as Awards Season, we anxiously await the fashion, the speeches (drunk and awkward are my faves) and the party pics. But, do you ever wonder what goes on and those dance floors? I know I do..Well, this year Spotify has leaked the soundtrack to the exclusive Vanity Fair Oscar Party – straight from DJ Mateo and compiled into a playlist on Spotify.

Oh my goodness..So, if you’re throwing your own glam gathering or it’s just you and your BFF’s in sweats, ponies and a pizza-you can still party like the celebs on Movies biggest night of the year!

Check out the Spotify playlist here, and rock out to classic party tracks from Madonna and Prince as well as classics from Frank Sinatra and Aretha Franklin.

Who do you want to win this year?

XO

Courtney

Oh, brother… here she goes with her chirpy positivity and “you can do it” attitude straight off a cheap framed print. I can’t stand people like her, all cutesy smiles and energy and hyper. Why is she so freaking hyper all the time? She doesn’t know shit. Who the hell is she, Oprah? She’s just a Lucky Bitch.

Luck is a funny thing. Those who have the good kind, believe they are lucky. Those who have “bad luck”, think of themselves as unlucky. I believe I have extraordinary luck. I am reminded of this every day. I’m not a self-help guru or some Oprah-like person that has The Secret to All Good Things. I have experienced heartbreak, loss, overwhelming sadness and life-threatening illnesses I pray you never have to go through. And still, I look at my life as one overflowing with good luck. We all have the same story, it’s just how you choose to tell it. Tell it to yourself every day, live it, feel it, and breathe it. It is only when you change the way you view your own story, you can change the direction of your life. Seems pretty easy, right? It is, you just need to practice. So how do you do it? I don’t know the exact answer, I just know how I do it.

Always Be Ready
There are opportunities at every corner, but you have to be ready to grasp them. The same opportunities are available for all of us, but the lucky ones see them and pursue them. Be open to meeting new people and taking chances. This is key. People always say, “You were in the right place at the right time”. That’s crap. It’s all about being in the right state of mind.

Live An Active Life
You will not get lucky sitting home watching TV or always running on a treadmill with headphones on. You have to get out there, go to events, parties, social gatherings and talk to people. Be friendly, warm and genuine. Try different things, don’t always do the same thing.

Build A Lucky Network
Stay in contact with positive people and those you admire. Be a good friend, but also be open to meeting new people. The word “networking” has a slightly negative tone to it, like you’re always seeking out connections. Think of it more as expanding your life. Lose negative people in your life quickly but don’t pay any attention to them. Never pay any attention to them, it’s a waste of time and only brings you down. They’re already there, leave them there and wish them the best.

Do Good Things
If you don’t believe in karma, then you most certainly don’t believe in luck because they go hand in hand. You have to do good things for other people in order for good to come to you. You have to donate your money, your time and your spirit. You have to give when there is little public glory in doing so. You have to be nice, grateful and humble. It sounds so sappy, but it is so true. The more you give, the more life will reward you. You have to want good things for others. Don’t worry, there is enough room for everyone.

Don’t Listen To The Noise
The luckier you are, the better your life will be. The better your life gets, the more haters rise to the surface. They get so focused on “How’d they do that?” and clouded in jealousy, they never allow the good luck to come to them. You can’t let this bother you. You have to shrug it off and pay no attention to it. There will always be naysayers, there will always be those who try and bring you down. Don’t go for the bait and just keep doing your thing. Try not to be nervous.
I hope 2013 is your luckiest year ever. Happy New Year!

Now go kick some ass.

XO
Courtney

Bushmaster .223-caliber assault rifle

I live in a town not all that different from Newtown, Connecticut. One of many suburbs of Manhattan where people move to for the good schools and tall trees. Where the keys can be left in the SUV’s and your neighbor will get your kid off the school bus if you’re running late. There are thousands of towns just like this, dotting the outskirts of every city across our country. Where things like this would “never happen”. But of course, amidst the overwhelming sadness of this unfathomable crime, we know now that it could.

Once again, the issue of gun control has been brought to the forefront. With twenty elementary school children dead, it has never been more front and center. It has been reported, the alleged shooter, Adam Lanza was in possession of three firearms. A Glock and Sig Sauer handguns, as well as a Bushmaster .223-caliber assault rifle . All of which were owned by his mother in the home where he lived with her.
The Bushmaster is a type of semi-automatic weapon that was first used by American troops during the Vietnam War and which can fire up to six bullets a second. According to firearms expert Ronald Scott, a former head of the Massachusetts State Police’s firearms lab, the rifles can be obtained relatively easily by “people with the legal right to buy them,” but said the weapons are designed for combat. “There’s really no other use for them,” Scott said to The NY Daily News.

In spite of what the NRA or it’s staunch supporters want you to believe, a survey conducted by CNN/ORC International in August shortly after the deadly theater mass shooting earlier this year in Aurora, Colorado, found that 76% of those surveyed believe “there should be some restrictions on owning guns.”

76% of Americans. I’d venture to say that number would be significantly higher if the survey was given today. The first major mass school killing I remember is Columbine. Since then there have been over 30 school shootings to date. It’s not too early, it’s too late to have this discussion.

The time has come as a country where we must finally put our foot down and insist on stricter gun control laws and a nationwide ban on automatic assault weapons. It’s time to discuss second amendment rights that were written by people who owned slaves and oppressed women centuries prior to the invention of the AK47. With all due respect, meaningful change is just not going to cut it. We need immediate action. We owe it to the thousands of innocent victims getting killed every year in these tragedies that are escalating in numbers and breadth. We owe it the parents of those little children in Newtown, Connecticut. We owe it to our children, too. If not, we will all have blood on our hands and I don’t know about you, but I can’t live with that.

There will always be mad men. There will always be crazed gunmen who will go on a rampage. Psychos, sociopaths,whatever you wish to call them but there will always be mentally ill people who commit horrific and senseless crimes. But, can’t we try and make it more difficult? For example, a handgun would kill far less people than a machine gun right? A strict licensing process would too, no? How about really stiff sentences and the repeal of antiquated laws and amendments that have no bearing on today’s society? Aren’t they worth discussing?

And to all those who keep saying “If only one of the teachers had a gun…” One did. She owned several, in fact. Her son used them to kill her, her colleagues and 20 children.

My six year old just ran into the room yelling that she lost her tooth. I’m holding back the tears.

Our hearts and prayers are with the people of Newtown, Connecticut.

The thing about Halloween is most of the costumes are hot and itchy and full of regret. Why not start drinking now to numb the pain. Because we all know those pictures live forever nowadays, haunting you on Facebook and Twitter and everywhere in between..

Luckily, there are a lot of fabulous Halloween cocktail ideas this year, too many to list at one time, so I’ll just trickle them in daily. Bottom line, if you’re looking to get a little loopy this Halloween, I have got a whole lot of  tasty liquid treats for you and your drinking buddies. Because whether it’s champagne or Schlitz (Heaven forbid) I hope you have a drinking buddy. After all, who will be there to Instagram you dancing in the corner in your Snow White The Slut costume? Clink, clink..Let’s start with tequila, shall we? This one’s easy, too! Brought to you by Patron

Dark Spell

1 1/2 oz. Patrón XO Cafe 1/2 lime
Chilled cola

In an ice-filled 10 oz. highball glass, squeeze half a lime and drop into the glass. Add Patrón XO Cafe and chilled cola.

Oh Snow White, you’re looking better already darling! Just don’t hurl on my new Brian Atwood’s or I’ll call those creepy dwarf buddies of yours.

XO

Courtney

Cocktails with friends and family on crisp evenings are always fun. Here’s a delicious recipe I tried this weekend. Enjoy and take 2 Advil before you begin, trust me…

XO

Courtney

BAILEY’S CARAMEL APPLETINI RECIPE:

• 1 ounce(s) Baileys Caramel Irish Cream
• 1/2 ounce(s) Smirnoff Green Apple Flavored Vodka
• 1 slice(s) apple
• 1 teaspoon(s) caramel

Directions

1. Add Baileys Caramel Irish Cream and Smirnoff Green Apple Flavored Vodka.
2. Shake with ice and strain into a prechilled martini glass.
3. Garnish with an apple slice and caramel.

When the temps begin to drop and the leaves begin to fall, a few things happen. You almost immediately start craving apple pie, roasted potatoes and pumpkin pie, right? I have been spending a good portion of time in the gym and out of the kitchen in my quest to get my Best Body Ever, and it’s not always easy. However, I refuse to allow Starbucks often genius marketing tools to derail my 15 pound thus far weight loss and sucker me into a coffee drink that has the caloric equivalent of an ice cream sundae or a Super Size Big Mac Meal. Call me crazy, but I’d rather save those calories for a foie gras baguette or a cheeseburger and fries from Five Guys, just saying.

The thing is, scents have a lot to do with what we like in general. The smell of the ocean, clean laundry, pine cones, food, etc..They remind you of the beach, the holidays, your home, etc.

So, I’m going to do you a favor. Here’s a recipe to get your house smelling an 850 calorie pumpkin spice latte. Because the nonfat, diet syrup, no whipped cream version sucks. What’s the point? Drink your regularly scheduled programming of morning coffee while this scents drifts through your home and let me know if it suffices.

I think it will. Give it a shot, here you go.

XO

• Fill a sauce pan with water and set it on the stove. Turn the heat on high so the water will boil.Add 2 tablespoons ground pumpkin pie spice to the water. If you don’t have that, add 1 tablespoon each of nutmeg, cloves and ginger to create your own (same exact thing)

  Place 2 to 4 fresh cinnamon sticks into the water. If you don’t have cinnamon sticks, just use ground cinnamon.

  Pour 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract into the boiling mixture. Turn the heat down to simmer once it has reached the boiling point.

  Simmer the ingredients for an hour to freshen your home with the scent of pumpkin pie spices.

XO

My team and I have really stepped up my game as far as global reach-which has always been a main focus of the Courtney Cachet brand, so I am (even more) happy and excited about each coming day. I’ll tell you about all of the cool stuff going on another day. Let’s talk clothing and jewelry now, shall we?

I found a bunch of very cool Art/Fashion events around the world I want to tell you about. So kick off your Loubis, get out your passport and LV weekender and save the dates…XO

MASTER OF COUTURE: LONDON

The British capital plunges into Valentino’s heritage this fall with an exhibition hosted by Somerset House. The show will be divided into three sections; History of Valentino, The Catwalk and The Atelier, and reveal 130 of the labels rare designs that have been worn by celebrities and legendary icons spanning the designer’s 50-year career. Interactive multimedia and previously unseen videos will provide visitors with a complete visual panorama of the legendary Italian fashion house, and also an educational window into the craftspeople and techniques behind the couture label.

Valentino: Master of Couture at Somersethouse in London, UK. November 29, 2012 until March 3, 2013.http://www.somersethouse.org.uk/visual-arts/valentino

IVY STYLE: NEW YORK

Beyond the Preppy Handbook (remember that??)..The Ivy Style exhibition  at the Fashion Insitute of Technology F.I.T in New York. I’m a closet prepster at heart and adore these looks for men and women. Also, fall looks are screaming this with layers and blazers.

The exhibit will be set in a university campus setting with one part of the gallery space will featuring a grass-covered square positioned in front of a Gothic-style building covered with ivy vines. Very cool, can’t wait to see it. It will feature the designs of Ralph Lauren, Brooks Brothers, Tommy Hilfiger and many more. Fitting, since they are the designers featuring those looks I just told you about. Love, cannot wait.

Ivy Style at the FITMuseum, New York City. Starting September 14, 2012.http://fitnyc.edu

VAN CLEEF AND ARPELS: PARIS

Van Cleef & Arpels is studded has a long and fabulous history of being worn by some of the most stylish women in the world with iconic looks, including the Alahambra four-leaf clover motif. This fall, Van Cleef & Arpels will show 400 pieces of jewelry dating back to 1906 through today. Looks Like I may need an excuse to hightail it over to Paris. Better put a call into my friend, Chris Norton at the Georges V…

‘Van Cleef & Arpels.L’art de la haute joaillerie’ at Les Arts Decoratifs, Paris. September 20, 2012–February, 10, 2013 http://www.lesartsdecoratifs.fr

ALICE SPRINGS: PARIS

The Aussie wife of Helmut Newton, Alice Springs, stepped into her own career as a photographer in Paris in the early 70′s when she replaced her sick husband on an ad shoot. Gotta love that. Haha. By the way, I love photos like the one above. Hot.

In this Alice Springs retrospective, there is 40 years of work covering photographs of advertising, fashion, nudes and portraits. Her signature style – black and white, intimate, sensual and close to her subjects, including numerous celebrities – characterizes her great work that is on show at the moment at the Maison Européenne de la Photographie in Paris.

Alice Springs, at la Maison Européenne de la Photographie,Paris. Until November 4, 2012. http://www.mep-fr.org

HOLLYWOOD COSTUMES: LONDON

Sponsored by Harry Winston, this will to be one of the major events of the fall.

Movie buffs and fashionistas alike will dig this..Dorothy’s dress from The Wizard Of Oz, Scarlett O’Hara’s green curtain dress from Gone With The Wind and Holly Go Lightley’s dress from Breakfast At Tiffany’s are among some of the costumes as famous as their movies that make up the Hollywood Costume exhibition set to run at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London from October 20 until January 27, 2013.

The retrospective is about the roles of costumes in movie scripts will spotlight the costumer’s creative process which begins with the script and ends on the screen.

MADAME GRES: ANTWERP

Madame Grès in Antwerp

I’ve been to Belgium a few times, but never to Antwerp. This an overview of the work of the Parisian couturiere Madame Grès (1903-1993) is set to open September 12.

The timeless and ridiculously feminine designer created seamless garments by draping and pleating fabric directly onto her model, without using scissors and needles. The couturière to the names like the Duchess of Windsor, Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo was quoted as saying: “For me, working with stone or fabrics is the same thing.”- Madame Grès. There you go. Love her, no?

‘Madame Grès -Sculptural Fashion’ at MoMu in Antwerp, Belgium. September 12th, 2012 – February 10th, 2013 www.momu.be

Enjoy your weekend.

XO

Courtney

Here is a bedroom. Let’s take a look..

Wow, where do we begin? It feels like a nurse’s office at a Swedish grammar school. Honey, Ikea would’ve given you better stuff than this. Don’t you guys have Home Goods? You should. So, clearly Benjamin Moore’s PR peeps were NOT given a call. My son’s toddler bed from Pottery Barn blew this out of the box (no pun intended). The end tables look like something in a clearance aisle at Big Lots and that reading lamp..Really? Seriously? Those pillows are not conducive to an Olympian getting a restful night’s sleep. Taking these pillows into consideration, Ambien, Nyquil and Xanax should all be on the list of permissive meds for athletes.

Lastly, let us address the bedding. I’m thinking 200 thread count-tops. Would the Queen sleep on those sheets? The mattress looks like a cot from a Hampton Inn and we really need to find out who made that Bed In A Bag disguised as a quilt thing. I understand there are thousands of beds to dress, but they could’ve done a lot better. I’m not able to make out what it says,  but I’m assuming some Olympic slogan or tag line. Dude, what are you smiling about?

Now, I love me some turquoise/orange and pink but this is not what I had in mind. Something a little cooler..It feels like child bedding and not the good kind.

Let’s look at another room now. This is a good time to go get a warm beer. Trust me.

“Athletes are at the heart of the London 2012 Games and our plans for the Olympic Village will provide them with a home-from-home as they prepare for one of the biggest sporting moments of their lives,” said London 2012 chairman Seb Coe.

Mr. Coe, MDF coffee tables and scratch and dent seconds are not a good look for that Home Away From Home feeling. More turquoise and pink. At least they’re consistent. The strategic placement of the pillows is freaking hilarious. it was like, “Wait! Let’s pretty up the pillows befahw they take the picshuh!”. Dying..Um, you guys really need to get a little wall decor. Also, that coffee table horror is not conducive to Olympic Village hookups. Now we all know it’s a big ol’ shag fest in every Olympic Village. That said, did you not take into consideration the cuts, bruises and possible concussions our gold medal hopefuls might incur while bouncing around the room? A tufted ottoman would’ve been a much wiser choice.

This is a photo of the Resident Centre, I believe-pretty sure that’s Brit speak for lounge. The most styled room I could find which is not saying much. That 5×8 rug is like $199 at Marshall’s. Maybe less. The faux Adirondack chairs are an odd choice but the seat covers really take this to whole other level of WTF??? More particle board furnishings and for the love of Jesus, what are those blue things? Really weird stuff, guys.

Here’s where things get really interesting..

Before the majority of the almost 17,000 athletes and officials have even slept in these beds,  London 2012 organizers began selling them off, along with  tens of thousands of other pieces of furniture, fixtures and “accessories” from the Olympic Village.

The not much talked about fire sale includes more than 11,000 beds from athletes’ quarters, thousands of chairs from the over 5.000-capacity main dining hall, as well as everything from clothes drying racks to cushions. Just so we’re clear, they’re not selling athletes dirty sheets, underwear or leftover soap on Ebay. Bummer.

The company behind the sale is Ramler Furniture, which has the contract for sourcing more than 1,poo,poo products for the Village and assembling the-surpise!-flat pack furniture, have created a dedicated website to handle the sale –remainsofthegames.co.uk

Now I love my friends across the pond, don’t get me wrong. It’s nothing personal, but  London 2012 Olympic Village decor is well..bloody dreadful.

Hope my friends in Sochi add a little of that signature Russian bling in 2014. We’ll be watching..

XO