HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME....HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME....HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR ZANDILE....

london - i could go on forever! but you get the point. it's my birthday. or rather - it was on tuesday, December 16th. i turned that odd age no one much cares about 26. as someone reminded me, i am now officially in my late twenties. ouch!!! that said, i decided for the first time (in as long as i can remember) to actually treat myself on my birthday. usually my plans are centered around dinner with friends, or a day with my boyfriend - and all these are well and good, but one often finds oneself worrying if the other person (people) is having a good time. so i wanted to celebrate solo and focus exclusively on myself. i came up with a day trip to stone henge (i know! that stonehenge) and a tour and over night in bath - both of which are located in western england. what a brilliant plan.  i absolutely loved seeing both places. i've been feeling a touch stressed and overwhelmed lately and these experiences just opened me up. stonehenge was amazing, as can be imagined. bath was absolutely beautiful! its literally a roman city in the english countryside. i stayed the night at barcelo country manor. i wasn't much impressed with my room, but the grounds and the food were simply amazing. i spent about two hours in the steam room ( i know - not healthy , but so relaxing). other highlights included: a proper british cream tea at the pump room in bath, a trip to the fashion museum, and my purchase of a faux fur vest - something i've wanted for  some time. oooh! i also got a chance to try the famous sally lunn's buns which are , firm and sweet. (ha, ha). it's a delicious sweet bread that everyone from charles dickens to the new york times has written about. really good stuff. i have hundreds of photos and may show them later, but for the sake of time, here are just a few for you to enjoy! xo, zb

AEEEYO BLAYNISTAS! A MESSAGE FROM YOUR BLOGGER!

new york - so are you over me!? my bad readers. but honestly, sometimes this blog becomes a casualty of my schedule. i just got back to new york. actually i have been back for a week, but looking for an apartment has me tied up and ignoring all deadlines. (so unprofessional!) but enough with the past, let's focus on the present: i am back! i missed you guys. so many personal updates, but let's save that for later and start talking about FASH-ON! xxx,z

GUESS WHO IS BACK!!?? DID YOU MISS ME!?

me and designer henry holland. please, please get into my yves saint laurent rive gauche blazer. she is a classic.

that is the fabulous arieta to my left. she is the press manager for river island, one of london's - actually - the u.k's largest high street stores.

these two just got added to my favorite people list: stylist ann look and journalist fabio immediato. met them during graduate fashion week and instantly fell in love.

maria is a fellow journalist and one of the few people who understands how partying is actually work. between sips of champagne and bites of mini-burgers, we were running around the london graduate fashion week after party interviewing folks and taking pics. loved hanging out with you doll!

london - ohmygah! so i just realized that every time i "come back" to blogging it's with a huge photo of henry holland. the london designer has become a regular aquaintance of mine since i am always covering every move he makes. the latest move was as a presenter at london's graduate fashion week. blaynista's what a week it was. i was totally, totally blown away by the work these students did. the photos above are from the last day of the event. river island, which sponsored the show, organized a nice get together of drinks and bites for guests.....but i digress...the point is I MISS YOU GUYS! i really do. even though i wasn't actually blogging, there were several points through out this week where i was making up posts in my mind and thinking of things to tell you. i'm glad to be back and will be posting furiously today and tomorrow so you are in for a fash-news-round-up treat. XO!zb

update: you can check out my coverage of the weekend online at aol styledash.

I'M COMING...I PROMISE!

london - aaaaahh, deadline drama. every once in a while, no matter how organized i try to be, my deadlines just pile up on me. right now i am working my way through a few. i haven't forgotten about you though my lovely, faithful blaynista. i'll be blogging shortly! come back in a lil bit! zb

CHECK OUT MY NEW STORY IN PAPER & AOL STYLEDASH

worldwide - so at first i thought i was blogging for a hobby, but it looks like i do this for a living! i just did a piece for paper online about an art exhibit for wolfgang tillmans AND a piece for aol styledash (my latest client!) on another art exhibit at the dazed& confused art gallery in london. check it out! paper story! aol story (k, link to this is coming asap). (east end it girl & designer cassette playa strikes a pose!)

ABOUT MONDAY....THE MARC JACOBS TALK

london - oy! i meant to blog about this earlier. but, remember that marc jacobs talk i tried to get into, but couldn't then was saved by my mates at school, etc? well it was fabulous. jacobs is a good looking guy, very direct and seemingly unpretentious. i don't know that i learned a whole lot from the talk, but it was brilliant to see one of our generations most noted designers in person. other bold faced names in the audience were designer richard nicholl, tammy kane (christopher kane's sister and business parter) stylist venetia scott, noted fashion journalist roger tredre and head of csm's legendary fashion program louise wilson.

a very dodgy shot of marc (second from right), key members of his design team and fashion writer sarah mower.

okay, but how much do you love my chanel-inspired jersey cardigan!? when i pair it with my new chanel tote and my chanel ballet flats you can't tell me nothing! (or perhaps you could gently remind me that i have no more $$ for school next term. but lets cross that bridge when we get there. yes?)

that's me in an up close with fashion writer sarah mower. chances are you probably don't know her name (unless you are a hard core fashion journalism nerd and i think there are only a handful in the world...) but you've definitely read her pieces. she was very nice and we talked a bit about an excellent piece she has right now in vogue u.s on changes at the gap. so spot on.

yes!!!! me posting in front of posters outside the show.

THANKS TO MY CLASSMATES I'LL SEE MY MARC!!!!

he's so foiiineee! (madeinbrazil.com)

london - do you reckon' my classmates knew i had a crush on marc jacobs!? either way the "sexy six," as we'll call them going forward, (there are actually seven of us in all including me) were thoughtful enough to put my name down for tix, so i won't miss his talk next monday! thanks so much girls! and congrats on that awesome, awesome, AWESOME presentation today. the world is soooon not ready. and they'll gag (with glee) when they get a look at your look. xo, zb

DISAPPOINTMENT TICKETS TO SEE MARC JACOBS SPEAK AT CENTRAL SAINT MARTINS SOLD OUT

is it odd that i find jacobs' sexy and attractive? here he is with his on again/off again boy friend, jason preston. (hugs to frillr.com)

london - don't you love how much of my personal life i throw in this blog? do you even care? i wonder...anywho, here i go again: i got up early this morning with purpose and determination. what for? to get a pair of tickets to see marc jacobs speak at central saint martins college of art and design in london. well, what's that saying? the early bird gets the worm. needless to say i am never the early bird and i darn sure didn't get the worm. what i got was a very nice student telling me the tix had been sold out. sux! if someone is reading this and doesn't want their tix...please do pass my way will you?