Petal to the Metal

I just got a bundle of flowers from flower subscription company Petals for the People who has expanded its delivery service to include Creative Parties in Bethesda and ArtSpring in Silver Spring. It was a bit daunting--at least 25 stems of flowers you don't usually see in the grocery store, all waiting for me to use my keen eye for design and dexterous hands to arrange. Um, where to start? I had roses, kangaroo paw, cornflowers, orinoco mums, monte cassino, salal and an aspidistra leaf. I checked out the Petals for the People blog and watched Sarah von Pollaro arrange them on the demonstration video. A snip of a stem here, there, some water here, a decorative petal here and wa-la--three different arrangements: large, medium and small. I opted for one medium and one large and came up with two arrangements bursting with color and 'verve'. The medium is pictured above. How'd I do??

It's all about the shoes, baby

Isn't it always all about the shoes? And thanks to the most fabulous Laura Bennett for inspiring this post. NICE is the best word to describe the elegant designer and author of Didn't I Feed You Yesterday: A Mother's Guide to Sanity in Stilettos and VIP guest at Bethesda Row's fashion bash Friday night. I am not the boldest girl in a room, and had to muster up some nerve to pull off my cold-call hello and take her pic. Didn't have to put all that effort into the "muster." She smiled and started chatting about fashion while pointing out the number of great shoes in the room. Having shot so many fantastic feet last year at the Front Row's Jimmy Choo booksigning event, I thought I'd do it again. There's nothing like an amazing pair of shoes to get those fashion juices flowing...Here are some from the pre-show cocktail party at Redwood.

Barbara D. Martin's 5-inchers from Gilt Groupe & Tinsley Mortimer's Fendis

Laura Bennett in gray satin and Jill Powell's wedges

One high, one low. Karen and Maddie Watkins

Those Fendis again and Amanda Taylor's dainty T-straps

On the runway.

...And more we loved

Friday Night Lights at the Front Row

We had a great time Friday night at the Front Row fashion show on Bethesda Lane and the cocktail reception at Redwood for special guests designer and author Laura Bennett of Project Runway and Tinsley Mortimer of High Society. I watched Project Runway when Laura was on and couldn't believe she actually had time to raise six kids AND design some of the most elegant clothes on the program. She blew us away Friday night not only with her elegance but her graciousness as well at the cocktail party. Plus she looked amazing in a silver beaded dress and satin pumps. Though we saw lots of great shoes, Tinsley M's Fendi pumps with see-through platform were a highlight. We loved the prom-goers in their gowns and tuxedos milling through the crowd to the restaurants. As the sun went down, the lights on the runway came on, the music thumped and the crowd, which filled Bethesda Lane, had a great time watching the models strut their stuff, modeling summer garb and a fall fashion preview from Bethesda Row boutiques, including City Sports, Wear It Well, Pink Palm, Ginger, Urban Chic, Luna, LouLou, J. McLaughlin, Waygoose, and Lucy.

Laura Bennett, Lindsay Buscher of Urban Chic, designer Lauren Leonard of Leona

Shannon Siriano

Paige Ralston Fromer and Rachel Cothran of Project Beltway

Tinsley Mortimer and Amanda Taylor

Jill Chamberlin Powell of Federal Realty

Jared Rager of Redwood and Gretchen Hitchner of Ginger

The paparazzi

Great view from Upstairs at Bethesda Row

The Runway:

Wear your Strength and Energy like you own it

Join local entrepreneur Tami Mensh of Unitee at Rockville's Lifetime Fitness today and tomorrow as she hosts a trunk show of her fun yoga wear from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Get $20 off two "Strength" and "Energy" racerback tanks by entering POWERDEAL online at shopunitee.com. Read about how Tami rocked the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame Concert at Madison Square Garden here.

Ready Set Go to The Front Row!

Photo by Abby Greenawalt

It's about time for a new blog post, and it may be time for a new logo, too. MoCo Scene's bannerhead is a scene from last year's Front Row extravaganza--a three day fashion spree in downtown Bethesda. The fete includes events in the stores lining Bethesda Row, and an outdoor fashion show complete with celebrities, models, lights, a runway and music. It was a ground-breaking event for us last year, and I'm thrilled we get to do it again. The week kicks off Thursday with special events at stores including Sassanova, Urban Chic and bluemercury. Thursday night Ginger boutique hosts the Washington launch of Arm Candy by Momzillas writer Jill Kargman (rsvp required). Friday night is the live outdoor fashion show with Project Runway's Laura Bennett in attendance (who also has just come out with a book). Last year we got to meet Project Runway's fierce Christian Siriano, his mom and sister. There are plenty more events continuting through Saturday at stores like Bella Italia, Wear It Well and LouLou. Click here for a complete schedule.