The Auction You Won’t Want to Miss

April 12, 2018April 7, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

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This sapphire and diamond ring by Cartier, Paris is expected to fetch between $125,000 and $150,000

You all know, just by browsing through my previous posts, that I love sparkly stuff. So it should be no surprise that I let out an audible gasp when I saw that Sotheby’s is having a fine jewelry sale on April 19th at their New York location.

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This diamond bracelet will likely fetch more than $20,000 when it is auctioned

It’s a work day for me, and I can’t justify a New York day trip this month. But just know that I’m at the auction … In spirit.

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This bracelet by David Webb is an equine enthusiast’s dream

Lots are estimated as low as $400 and as high as $150,000+. I think this will be a fascinating sale, simply because the price points are so wide-ranging. This may attract a varied group of jewelry collectors and appreciators.

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This Tiffany & Co. brooch is expected to be on the lower end of the cost spectrum with high bids estimated at around $600.

My favorite piece is this pin by David Webb. The cat’s coy, over-the-shoulder expression is what drew me in. It’s an unexpected rendition of the typical feline brooch. Instead of looking fierce, stoic or languid, this kitty looks inquisitive and alert. She looks more like a curious housecat than a fearsome predator.

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The cat that stole my heart

The auction is broken into two sessions, with the first session starting at 10:30 AM, and resuming with the second session at 2:00 PM. The event will happen on April 19, at Sotheby’s New York location (1334 York Avenue). As far as I could tell, this one does’t have the option for online bidding. If you can go, just know that I’m living vicariously through you!

(All photos courtesy of Sotheby’s)

life curation

Living Your Best Life: 5 Tax Tips for Divorced and Separated People

April 11, 2018April 6, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

As a (sort of) recent divorcee, I have been navigating my finances and getting a sense of how to responsibly handle my money in this new phase of my life.

Once upon a time, I worked for IRS as an international tax auditor. I reviewed the tax returns of people living abroad as well as foreign-born individuals that lived and worked in the US. So, suffice it to say, I’m pretty comfortable with tax law.

That being said, I still wasn’t quite prepared for what life would look like as a person preparing her taxes for the first time post-divorce. It’s been about 6 years since I left IRS, so I wanted to make sure that I had the most current knowledge of the tax code, and I wanted to ensure that I was making good decisions now and in the future as I go forward.

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So here’s my little guide for getting a good handle on your tax situation as a separated or divorced person. Some of the tips are also good for anyone (I’ll put my “applies to anyone” advise in parentheses after each applicable tip). Keep this guide of 5 tips (I even threw in a bonus for everyone, so it’s technically 6 tips!) to help you approach your taxes in a clear, orderly, empowered fashion.

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Relax about the process. Seriously, nothing good comes from worrying. So take a deep breath and know that YOU CAN DO THIS! Pace yourself and give yourself time to really absorb what you’re learning. Don’t worry about committing it all to memory: no one does that! Just get familiar enough with how to search the IRS.gov website and you will be fine – really, you will! (This applies to everyone. Taxes have a “logic” that begins to make sense to you when you take your time. Don’t worry about learning it all).
Order return, account, and wage/income transcripts for the entire period of the marriage. These documents are free and can arrive to you within two weeks, or you may also request to view the transcripts online. The main transcripts you’ll need are 1) return transcripts, showing what was reported on the tax return for a given year; 2) account transcripts, showing the summary of account activity during a given year (especially helpful if you paid tax as opposed to getting a refund, or if the refund was “offset” [reduced to pay for a federal or state obligation, like delinquent child support, student loans, unpaid income taxes, etc.,); and 3) wage/income transcripts, that show all of the income received during a tax year, as well as mortgage interest paid, student loan interest paid, debt cancellations, etc.,. You want to review these documents to make sure that all of the information is correct before you file your taxes. These are good documents to include in your financial binder, too (This is a good practice for everyone. Order the documents, review them, and make sure that everything is accurate).
Get Publication 504 and READ it! This publication is voluminous but it covers everything that divorced and separated people need to know when preparing their taxes. This is especially helpful for parents, as custody agreements and divorce decrees may have special rules for handling how the parents will file and claim credits and deductions related to children.
Take advantage of free tax preparation software that is available through Credit Karma. I’ve used it for the past two years and I’m very pleased with how well it works. If you’re nervous about preparing and submitting your taxes, then play around with the Credit Karma software (but don’t submit the document: just print it out) then get a trusted tax professional to review it. Have that professional tell you if you missed anything, or have them explain how certain rules, credits and deductions work. (Credit Karma is free to everyone, so check out the software and see if it’s something that will work for you).
Know that you can always amend a return. If you mess up, you can always correct it! The form for amending taxes is Form 1040X. Correcting the taxes can be time consuming, but if the change is significant enough, it’s worth it to initiate the correction on your end as opposed to having IRS open an audit. Audits, by the way, aren’t the super-scary event that most people paint it to be. However, it can take a long time to resolve (depending on the auditor) so it’s always best if you are proactive and amend an incorrect return. (Again, this applies to everyone).

Bonus tip: make sure your address is current! Sometimes IRS will send you correspondence to the last address of record, which may have changed since your last filing. Depending on how much your ex controlled the flow of information, you’d do well to update your address with IRS by filing Form 8822.

I’ve hyperlinked all of the referenced forms, websites and publications for your convenience.

art · life curation

The Next Art Course On My List

April 10, 2018April 7, 2018 Mstldelano1 Comment

I had such a positive experience with my previous ALISON course (Great Artists and Their Works) that I decided to try another. In the next couple of weeks, I’ll be diving into Color Theory for Artists and Designers on ALISON.com. I’m neither an artist nor a designer, but increasing my knowledge on the subject would be extremely advantageous.

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I reviewed the modules that comprise this lesson and I was impressed with the variety of color-related topics that will be discussed. This seems like a really good, brief “in-between” class to take while I figure out the rest of my educational plans as respects my future art-related career (I wrote about my short-term art career goals here). Besides, I like makeup too much not to get a better grasp on certain color concepts.

Yeah, today is a brief post. I’m working on the edits for the novel, as well as the art career stuff, so I’m keeping this short so I can pour my energy into those other things on my to-do list. That’s it for today – chat with you all tomorrow!

words of wisdom

Words of Wisdom: Alice Walker

April 9, 2018April 5, 2018 Mstldelano2 Comments

Happy Monday, my friends! What better way to start off a week than some words of wisdom?

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(from Thought Catalog)

Alice Walker is a writer extraordinaire, penning poetry, short stories and novels. She is also an activist: she coined the term “womanism”, which is feminism that centers on Black women’s experiences. Her poetry and stories have garnered her a Pulitzer Prize for Fiction and many loyal fans.

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(from Relatably)

Walker’s “The Color Purple” is a riveting tale of a poor Black woman’s journey to overcome abuse and oppression. She was a survivor and thriver in a time where women – especially women of color – found it especially difficult to get ahead in life. Her main character, Celie, learns to love and succeed in a world where the odds seem overwhelmingly against her.

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(from AgingAbundantly)

I’ve read “The Color Purple” as an adult, and I also watched the movie several times growing up. I didn’t appreciate the story until I read it. I was transfixed by Walker’s writing style: conversational and reflective. It was hard to put the book down: the story unfolds beautifully and at a great pace. Walker’s own journey to self-actualization has been inspirational to learn about over the past few years. I’m glad that I took the time to learn more about this remarkable woman.

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(from Pinterest)

Walker’s art inspires me. I hope she continues to create: our world continues to need voices like hers.

(from Pinterest)

May Alice Walker’s words encourage you today. I’ll talk to you all soon!

beauty

Review: IT Cosmetics

April 8, 2018April 6, 2018 Mstldelano3 Comments

I recently received a bag full of IT Cosmetics products from one of my grandmas. Why did she give me makeup? you ask. Perhaps you think that it’s because I love makeup and she would know how much I love it. Well, that’s only partially true.

Simply put, my grandma loves to buy stuff but rarely uses any of it. All of the products she gave me were brand new and unopened. She ordered the products from HSN because she loves shopping from the comfort of her television!

But, before you assume that I hit the makeup jackpot, let me show you the gag.

Yeah, none of the complexion products are in my shade. My grandma bought the products suited for tan skin (closer to her complexion) while I’m clearly on the deeper end of the color spectrum. But I’m still a makeup junkie so I’m gonna wear these products regardless of the color mismatch.

This post is both a review and a how-to. If you’ve found yourself stuck with products that are too light for you, this may help you get some use out of them. Who knows: you may be able to “mix up” your perfect shade once you get comfortable mixing stuff together.

That’s exactly what I did: I mixed IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Foundation in Tan with my summer foundation shade (L’Oreal True Match in N8 Cappucino). I applied the Bye Bye foundation as if it were a primer: it even made me a ghostly shade like some of my best primers do (LOL!) Then I blended the True Match right on top.

At the end of my day

*Tip: if you have a foundation that’s too light, mix it with your summer shade to find a hue that should be pretty close to your winter shade. I generally use a 25%/75 percent ratio (25% too light foundation, 75% summer shade). Your mileage may vary, but if you invested a lot in a shade that’s just a little “off”, this may help you save your money!

The resulting shade matched my chest perfectly! It also held up during the day, even though I didn’t use a primer underneath. Bye Bye Foundation is buildable, so if this was my ideal shade, I could make it go from light to full coverage easily.

Next is the IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Concealer, also in Tan. Again, I mixed it with my L’Oreal True Match, and it did a great job of concealing any discoloration under my eyes. Warning: use a light hand with this concealer. A little goes a LONG way, and it is very full coverage.

Both complexion products were lightweight on the skin and looked very natural, after I fiddled with the shade. I finished the look off with the Bye Bye Pores loose finishing powder in (you guessed it) Tan. I only applied that to my undereyes, and I used a light touch (I didn’t want that raccoon eye effect). The powder was nice: no heavy perfumed scent and didn’t settle into any creases. The color was also the perfect shade: not too yellow or too gray. I’ll be adding the powder into my makeup routine for setting my undereye concealer going forward.

I also tried the IT Cosmetics Hello Lashes mascara. I LOVED it! No clumping, defined my lashes and gave them a lengthened appearance, and it had a round tip that is good for applying mascara to the lower lashes. I have seasonal allergies, so it was nice to wear a mascara that didn’t irritate my eyes. Also, I did a light rub test, and the mascara DIDN’T BUDGE! No dark circles after a long day is always a win. This mascara is a keeper.

Hello Lashes Mascara making my eyes POP! (And a few particles of eyeshadow on my cheek)

The last product I tried is the Vitality Lip Flush in Je Ne Sais Quoi. Now this product is really intriguing: it looks like a clear balm, but when you apply it, it turns into a “flush” color: pinkish red that just looks like a lip stain with some sheen/shine. It reminds me of those color-changing lipsticks from the 90s, that were blue or green in the tube but turned to pink or coral when they warmed up to your body heat. It’s a cool product that I’d use again, especially on a day where I’m doing a “no makeup” look.

The Vitality Lip Flush in Je Ne Sais Quoi

I also got the Live Love Laugh Vitality Face Disc but the colors were much lighter than I could work with. The disc features a bronzer, blush and highlight that would be well suited for a lighter complexion, but looked pale and sort of flat on me. I may try to work the shades into my eye makeup routine, because it’s a LOT of product and I’d hate for it to go to waste.

Overall, I liked the line. The colors weren’t for my shade, but the products performed well, didn’t have any weird smells, and applied easily. I do have one critique for the product: I wasn’t a fan of the hygienic sealing on the foundation and concealer. The seal is difficult to remove (both because of the hard-to-locate perforation and small size of the sealing), which I normally don’t take issue with when it comes to cosmetics (better safe and hygienic than sorry!) But this was sold through HSN, whose customers are overwhelmingly older women, many of whom may have some vision and physical limitations. I’d guess that customers have difficulty getting into the products because of the wrapping. It would be fantastic if the company explored alternate method of sealing the products that isn’t so difficult for older hands and weaker eyes.

Other than that, I really enjoyed IT Cosmetics. Who knows: maybe I’ll try some of their products in my actual shade in the future! Shoutout to my grandma for giving me some new products to try!

life curation · style

More Information About Kibbe’s Body Typing System

April 7, 2018April 4, 2018 Mstldelano4 Comments

I mentioned how much the Kibbe System has changed my approach to shopping in this post. I even was able to find a Soft Classic role model that I can look to when selecting my garments. But I realize that not everyone is a Soft Classic, nor does everyone know what the Kibbe System looks like in action.

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However, have no fear! I have resources to help you best dress your Kibbe type. The same darling that first mentioned Kibbe typing (thanks again, T. J.!) also provided a link to what I believe is the most comprehensive YouTuber to explain the system. Aly Art, a doll-faced Russian fashionista, has graciously gone in depth over the course of multiple YouTube videos to explain the intricacies of the Kibbe System.

The videos address all of the Kibbe types, and discusses, in detail, the clothing, hairstyles and accessories that best flatter each type. Of all of her videos, I think this one is the best for people that really want to understand what Kibbe typing is, and how to easily identify your type even before you take the Kibbe test:

This video is really good for recognizing your Kibbe type by your facial structure (this really helped me!):

Be sure to check out some of Aly Art’s other videos for more explanations that can help you choose the most flattering garments for your body!

art

Smithsonian Highlights – April

April 6, 2018April 2, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

Hey friends! As you all know, it’s hard for me to stay out of the Smithsonian’s museums, because 1) I work right by several of them and 2) I’m addicted to art exhibits. I figured I would create a list of some of the Smithsonian’s highlights for the month of April. If you’re planning a trip to DC, or you are already in the area, here’s some of the must see/must do activities hosted by the Smithsonian Institute.

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DIANE ARBUS: A BOX OF TEN PHOTOGRAPHS exhibit opens on April 6 at Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM). Arbus is credited as being the artist that elevated photography into a “serious” art discipline. Her photos bridged reality and artistry, and SAAM has a exhibit for us to enjoy for the remainder of 2018.

Marlene Dietrich: Dressed for the Image : I talked about this exhibit in this post. It will be leaving National Portrait Gallery (NPG) on April 15, 2018. You won’t want to miss this stunning and stirring photos of Dietrich. For those that don’t know, NPG is housed in the same building as SAAM, so from April 6 to April 15, you can check out A Box of Ten Photographs then swing by Dressed for the Image without missing a beat.

GALLERY EXPERIENCE: SLOW ART DAY April 14, 2018, 10:30 AM–5:00 PM at the Hirshhorn Museum (and at pretty much every museum nationwide) If you can, stop by any art museum on April 14th to participate in Slow Art Day where, instead of rushing through the exhibits trying to absorb a little of everything, you can take your time and enjoy the art for the perspective-broadening experience that it is.

If this quick summary of the Smithsonian’s juiciest exhibits has been helpful, then I’ll be sure to make it a regular feature. Hope you enjoy!

life curation

2018 Goals – An Update

April 5, 2018April 1, 2018 Mstldelano5 Comments

Back in January, I outlined 3 goals that I have for this year. As a point of accountability, I want to share how things have been going with those goals, as well as the next steps to take in the upcoming weeks.

Goal 1: Publish some of my writing

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Technically, this blog is a way of publishing my writing, but I don’t heavily edit anything that goes on here, and I want to have a consolidated work (like a book). I mentioned previously that editing and publishing are tests of my discipline and focus, as I tremendously enjoy getting the thoughts on paper but don’t really enjoying reviewing what I’ve written. Here are the actions I intend to take before the end of the month:

Start on the 2nd round of edits for my novel
Complete 1st round of edits for my how-to book
Purchase a MasterClass membership to get additional writing assistance

Goal 2: More travel

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I’ve done one of my major trips – Nairobi, Kenya – but I’ve been eyeing a short trip to London sometime this summer (this ties into Goal 3). I also have a family cruise planned in October, and maybe (hopefully!) one more London trip in December. I’ve also been taking more roadtrips over the past several months, and next month will have me taking a trip almost every weekend! Anyway, here are the actions I intend to take over the next couple of weeks:

Make a decision on my London travel: whether I will do one or two trips this year
Start pricing my London and New York airfare and hotel stays
Reserve rooms for weekend trips in May

Goal 3: Dabble in an art career

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I’m not an artist, but I aspire to work in the art world, as either a consultant or a curator. I’ve researched a few opportunities to help me get a feel for the museum/auction world, but other than listing out those resources, I haven’t taken any other actions. That stops this month. These are the actions I intend to take in support of my future art career:

Reserve my space in the Christie’s course(s) I plan to take in New York this summer
Begin another online art course
Narrow down the opportunities I’ve listed to those most advantageous for the path I’m pursuing.

That’s all for my 2018 goals update. I’ll try to remember to post again at the beginning of June, to let you all know how much progress I’ve made. Talk to you all soon!

art · luxury

Why Private Tastes Run Public Art Museums

April 4, 2018April 10, 2018 MstldelanoLeave a comment

As an art enthusiast, I enjoy following the trends and learning more about the industry. Nowhere have I seen such a collision of creativity and business as I have in the art world. What I find especially fascinating is how art professionals make their mark or how they navigate these spaces during their careers.

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The Carpet Merchant of Cairo by Jean-Leon Gerome

I recently read an article by Felix Salmon explaining the unexpected termination of Museum of Contemporary Art Los Angeles (MOCA LA) curator Helen Molesworth. The article indicates that the firing was “controversial”, so the opinions about the termination are varied. However, the underlying reason why Molesworth was released may be discerned from data related to her time at MOCA LA.

Data analytics were used to determine the difference between curatorial choices made by Molesworth and selections made by previous curators. The data confirmed that, prior to Molesworth’s tenure, the museum’s special exhibits prominently featured art “market darlings”: the artists that patrons regularly purchased for their personal collections and that had sold well at auctions. Artists that commanded high dollar prices at auction ($10+ million gross) were frequently featured in MOCA LA exhibits. However, during the three years that Molesworth was at MOCA LA, only two of her curated exhibits exceeded the $10 million gross amount.

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The Moorish Warrior by William Merritt Chase

This is a simple matter of economics: patrons know that the value of their investments needs to be affirmed by museums. Museums and patrons have a symbiotic relationship: they mutually affirm the value of certain artists’ works. It’s important that art “market darlings” are heavily featured so that art investors can justify the valuation of their investment.

Here lies the problem with Molesworth: she didn’t feature art “market darlings” prominently during her tenure. Her emphasis on display diverse artists that weren’t pulling in high dollar amounts at aucton didn’t win her any fans with the old art vanguard, namely, the trustees of MOCA LA. In many ways, her innovation and commitment to smaller, lesser known, less commercially popular artists sealed her fate.

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The Daughter of Herodias Dancing by James Tissot

An additional point of clarity: MOCA LA has minimal government funding. Donors are quoted as providing 80% of the museum’s funding. This means that it behooves the museum to consider the personal tastes of their financial supporters. Molesworth’s choices didn’t endear her to donors, because her curatorial choices didn’t reflect the work of the “market darlings”. Her curated exhibits didn’t affirm the value of donors’ collections; she was inadvertently setting the tone for a shift away from the “darlings” and a move toward more lesser known artists. A death knell like this could have been catastrophic for the valuation of donors’ private art collections.

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Study of a Moor in Blue by Edwin Lord Weeks

All his being said, I actually am in favor of MOCA LA’s decision. Museums that receive the majority of their funds from private donors are beholden, to extent, to the tastes of those donors. As a museum attempts to steer its collection and exhibits to align with the vision of the supporters, it makes sense to have curators that are also on board with that vision. I’m unsure whether MOCA LA expressed to Ms. Molesworth what they wanted from her in her role as curator, but I can hope that this was explained at some point. If not, some research on previous exhibits would have been wise: a cursory review would have revealed an affinity for certain artists. Molesworth could have gradually introduced artists with lower gross auction amounts while still curating exhibits that would be favored by the donors.

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The Old Blue-Tiled Mosque Outside of Delhi, India by Edwin Lord Weeks

The practical application in this case is this: when entering a new space, always do your research. The discussions among colleagues are great but the numbers don’t lie. Gather data and look for trends. See what the similarities are and plan accordingly. I don’t know that Molesworth could have completely avoided this – after all, she had to stay true to her own vision as a curator – but her research may have revealed that she wasn’t as good a fit for MOCA LA as she originally believed.

(This post featured art that had a Middle-Eastern/Indian theme. All photos courtesy of the Brooklyn Museum, as shown on archive.org)

beauty · luxury

Glass Skin Challenge – Final Results

April 3, 2018April 1, 2018 Mstldelano2 Comments

In a previous post, I talked about the Glass Skin Challenge that I planned to do in the month of March. I also mentioned small tweaks that I made in my routine during the month. I did this routine for a month and recorded my pre-experiment and post-experiment skin. Here are the photos of my results for the Glass Skin Challenge!

Before the routine:

After the routine:

I loved the results and, though my camera can’t quite capture the difference, just know that my skin has clearly improved. I’ve even been complimented on my skin, which let’s me know that the products are working. As a quick recap, my skin type is combination, sensitive and acne-prone. So I wanted to see if this routine a) made my skin too dry or too oily, b) aggravated my skin and caused additional sensitive issues, c) made my acne flare up, and, most importantly, d) made my skin look its best. I’ll list the pros and cons of the routine below:.

Pros:

It doesn’t take as long as you would think. It took me about 5 minutes longer to do this routine than my old routine.
You don’t have to literally do 10 steps twice a day. The most that I did during any singular skin care session was 8 steps.
It didn’t make me break out. All that product on my skin, and not once did I have a clogged pore or pimple.
It helped fade dark marks. The combination of consistent exfoliation and regular sunscreen usage seemed to make a big difference in fading the scars.

Cons:

You go through a LOT of products. You do have 10+ of them that you’re using, after all. The essence, which I used twice a day, seemed to really go pretty fast.
It can get pricey. My exfoliant (the Alpha Beta Ultra Gentle Daily Peel by Dr. Dennis Gross) was $88 for a 30-day supply, and, depending on where you get your essence (I used SCINIC), it may cost you $20-30 for a bottle that won’t last for much more than a month. My Caudalie toner wasn’t cheap, either, though I LOVED it and will definitely purchase again.
The exfoliant I used gave me the “Hollywood star”, super-shiny skin look. You know how some actors and actresses have waxy looking skin that has been botoxed and chemically peeled to the max? Yeah, I was starting to get that look. I’m glad that my skin has a bit more density to it: the look only lingered at night, after exfoliating. My daytime routine didn’t have me looking like a sculpture.

After doing the Glass Skin routine, I realized that some of the imperfections I tried to correct were actually small flesh moles that couldn’t be removed via an at-home skin care regimen. Also, I learned that overall brightness and clarity in a complexion can really make you look more alert and healthy.

While I can’t promise that I’ll adhere strictly to the regimen in the future, I am comfortable saying that I will stick pretty closely to the 10-step program and see if I can further perfect my complexion.