Beach Books: On the Line is a great catch

When we are looking for great beach books for Spring Break or summer, or that beach getaway in our mind, we want compelling characters, a page-turning story, juicy details, steamy emotion, and enough romance to keep it real. ? On The Line, by Jackie Nastri Bardenwerper, fills our checklist perfectly... but really is so much more than just a juicy beach read. Piper, the main character, truly loves the beach. It is her home and is her essence, and because the author understands beach living and is aware of the real tensions that exist in living in a tourist destination, each of the characters were real to us; we understood them and were rooting for them. Good beach books help you pass the time and let you get lost in another world, we were hooked after a few chapters when we met Logan, the handsome newcomer with a few secrets, but who already knew about Piper's fishing skills. Is he too good to be true? What secret is he hiding... and why do strange things start happening on the island? There are so many stories within the story, but Jackie is a masterful storyteller and so skillful that we didn't realize how she was reeling us in. All we knew was that we couldn't put the book down. Which, by our very strict standards, means On The Line? is one of our beach books of the season!

Synopsis from Amazon:

Sixteen-year-old Piper Wesley has always been better at hooking fish than guys. But with her best friend Benny by her side, she’s never minded. And besides, her fishing skills have made her a celebrity in her hometown of Islamorada, an island paradise in the Florida Keys. So when a slump in tourism threatens to sink her family’s fishing charter business, Piper recruits Benny to help her win a major fishing tournament and the $25,000 grand prize. It seems like a perfect plan. Put her skills to use, win some money and help her parents weather the storm. Except that now Benny cares more about hanging out with his girlfriend Marina than helping Piper. And he keeps disappearing, usually after something suspicious happens on the island. Add in Logan, a Michigan transplant with a growing interest in something other than Piper’s fishing, and it looks like practicing for the tournament will be anything but easy. Leaving Piper to wonder how she'll win. And who will be there when it’s over.

?

The Pretty Little Liar's Effect

Are you exhausted today? Do you feel like you've been on a roller coaster ride of emotions lately? We don't want to oversimplify things, but if you watch Pretty Little Liar's Season 2 Finale last night: you have! You have waited patiently to find out who was "A" and last night (spoiler alert) found out that "A" was Mona. Within those last 10 minutes of finding out that Mona was "A", we also saw a crazy car chase, and didn't know who was going to come out alive, saw Hanna almost kill Mona, saw Mona go off a cliff and didn't know if she was a live or dead, watched Spencer be angry with Toby when she realized that he really did love her and, after a few moments of anger that he tricked her, that also she loved him, were reunited with Dr. Sullivan, saw Emily's mom tell her that Maya is dead, saw Mona being put away, and realized that there might be a whole "Team A". What a roller coaster ride of emotions.

Do you know how exhausting and draining watching an action-packed show after a full day of school and after-school activities can be on you? And, on top of experiencing a tidal wave of emotions, you were likely tweeting about it. You already had a long day at school, maybe had quizzes or test, maybe had friend drama, probably had sports or after school activities, and you don't have much down-time or time for reflection. Your brain and body have so much to process in a short amount of time so you actually may have felt a little stressed when you watched so much drama in such a short period of time. Typically, 3 things happen when you experience short term stress: your heart rate goes up, your breathing gets faster and you have a burst of energy (this came in handy when you were a cave-woman and running away from a lion or bear!). (Source:? CDC). But, this also makes it harder for you to go to sleep, so your body may have take some time to relax before you were ready to fall asleep last night. Which means you may not have slept as well, and you may be more tired today.

It's not tv that makes you stressed, it's a long day with no breaks, plus all the drama, emotion and excitement you experience while watching an energetic show like PLL that activates your stress levels and creates energy in your mind and body, especially if you haven't had a chance to calm your body and mind during the day.? ? So, how do you get a good night's sleep after not having a chance to calm down during an action-packed day? Our suggestion, if you have a big test, or a lot of homework, is to save the electronics for later and focus on studying first. If it's a show that can't be missed, then use that short-term stress to your advantage and return to studying after the show to calm your mind and body. Use that newfound energy wisely by studying if you need to, and then focus on calming your mind and body so that you can get a good night's sleep.? Turn off electronics, read a calming book, drink warm tea, journal, or anything that calms your mind.? For more ideas, check this out.

And let's be thankful Pretty Little Liars doesn't return until after final exams (June 5), but wow, what a night of PLL, it didn't disappoint!

Sophie and the City

There are very few fairytales that we would recommend to such a savvy group of teens, but then again there are few that mention Tory Burch, Ralph Lauren, and Balthazar on the first page! The Super Adventures of Sophie and the City is a fashion fairy tale for ALL ages. Seriously, who wouldn’t want to spend an afternoon at the Met Ball, going to Fashion Week, and traveling to Egypt, all with a fashion fairy godfather? Sophie's story is based on the real-life adventures of sophisticated insider and author Kelly Florio Kasouf, which made it extra special since we got a kick peeking into her life with her magnificent Dad. We especially love her live interview on the Super Adventures of Sophie? iPad? App. Kelly and Sophie are ultra chic fashionistas who are also so down to earth that each of them is the kind of BFF every gal needs! So look for her on Twitter @SophieandNYC and read on for some great stories about Kelly's inspiration and top teenage moments!

Daddies and daughters have a special bond... can you share some special memories? I was my dad's mascot! He was a giant teddy bear and could make any moment in life feel like a party and you were center of attention. Fathers and daughters have an instant unconditional love for each other. My dad was my best friend growing up and we always had adventures together from playing in a doll house in the backyard to pretending I was his boss when visiting the office. I remember the first time I saw the Nutcracker with my family. I sat on my dad's lap the majority of the performance because I was too excited to sit alone. It was the whole idea of going in to the city, picking out a pretty dress, wearing a special coat and being a part of a whole night surrounded by a show that took place where the Sugar Plum Fairies danced and pranced. I remember how special I felt when I was all dressed up and my dad said I was "his date." The second time I will never forget the way my dad looked at me like that was my wedding day. He cried when he saw me in my wedding gown for the first time. It was waterworks after that (and four days of partying with 200 of our closest friends!)

Sophie sneaks to the office with her Dad. Was that a fantasy of yours, or a reality? I went to visit my dad all the time at his office. As soon as anyone from our family would step into the office, everyone knew everything what was going on in our lives. From boyfriends to concerts to field trips! The big joke in our family was:? Dad do you talk about business ever or just us! It got embarrassing at times but he couldn't help himself. I remember seeing the Vogue closet for the first time and couldn't imagine a more perfect job. Then I found out what Grace Coddington (Vogue's Creative Director) did and I was hooked.

What part of your Dad's job as the former President and CEO of Condé Nast seemed most glamorous to you? He met the most talented people in every industry and worked with them too. It was the best of the best at Condé Nast. He ran the company like it was a movie studio and all of his employees were the super stars, even down to the mailroom clerks. He made everyone feel like they were a part of something bigger. He would tell stories of cooking with world renowned chefs, Paris Fashion Week, dinners with pals Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren, escorting Princess Diana to an event, the list went on. Hearing his stories of Oscar parties and Met galas was so incredible to hear about but at the end of the day, he wanted to know how my art project was coming along. I didn't truly understand how absolutely glamourous my dad's job was until I was much older, and in the industry.

What was your most memorable exotic trip you took as a child? We went to Italy because my dad was receiving an award from the Italian Government. We made the trip for the award into a vacation. Started off in Rome with tours of the Vatican then ventured down to Positano where we stayed at Le Sirenuse and took private helicopter rides courtesy of the Della Valle family over Pompeii and boat rides on JFK's personal yacht to Capri everyday. It. was. pure. heaven.

Can you tell us about Isaac Mizrahi: is he a friend of yours, what did he think of being the fashion fairy godfather? I met Isaac when I was 15. It was Take Your Daughters to Work day and Anna Wintour took me out to lunch with Isaac. We were sitting at Da Silvano and I remember Isaac asking me about turning 16. As a joke I asked, "Would you help me design a dress?" And he said YES! It was the most amazing experience that I still hold close to my heart. He taught me everything from inspiration, to muslin forms to fabric selection. I loved going to his studio for the fittings. It was amazing to see the form emerge. When thinking back about my childhood, he just seemed like the perfect fashion fairy godfather. Plus he looked amazing in Swarovski-encrusted wings.

<---Check out this page from Kelly's scrapbook with a younger Isaac Mizrahi and a stunning Sweet 16 dress by him!

Did you have a fabulous sweet 16 party ... can you tell us about it? My sweet 16 was not over the top like you see on TV by any means. It was at the Crescent Club in Bayville, NY and we had great food, a great DJ and awesome friends. Oh yea and a killer dress! :)

You mention McQueen, Chanel, Rodarte, Diane von Furstenberg, Vera Wang and others in the book? How did you choose them among so many fabulous designers? These designers epitomize the art that it is to be a designer. Chanel was a revolutionary and McQueen was a true artist. Rodarte (the Mulleavy sisters) I met when working at Vogue for a CFDA fashion show and their work struck a cord with me. When I saw Black Swan and their amazing tutus, I thought what girl wouldn't want to twirl all day in that confection of beauty! Diane is the American Dream and Vera Wang produces fantasy. They are all amazing and talented and awesome in their own right.

We are pretty sure you know all hot spots in NYC, what places would you recommend for a teenage Sophie? The Standard Hotel for ice skating on their little rink then hot cocoa rink side. I love Chelsea Market to pick up some pastries or hit up Fat Witch bakery for a brownie and a stroll on the Highline. For the best shopping deals, I love the young designers market which just moved to the Meatpacking District. ? You can get everything from photography to jewelry with the best prices. No need to hit up Canal Street for fake designer bags. Support and enjoy emerging talent here!

Do you recall a favorite party dress as a teen... the one that made you feel like a princess? I loved my prom dress senior year. It was navy blue Vera Wang. It was boat neck, sleeveless and cut low in the back. Very Audrey Hepburn. It was my Sabrina moment! The gown was long and in the back it opened with ivory satin. I felt like a tulip. That sounds really lame but I felt really pretty that night and I loved that I set myself apart from the rest of the girls by covering up a bit. Like Coco Chanel said, “the most courageous act is still to think for yourself. Aloud.”

Best teen fashion or beauty tip? If I could go back in time and talk to Kelly at 16 I would say, "WASH YOUR FACE BEFORE YOU GO TO BED!" Nothing says gross like blackened eyes the morning after a fun night out!

Do you still go to the Four Seasons for cotton candy and ice cream? Every birthday!

Thanks so much, Kelly, and we can't wait to see what future adventures Sophie takes! Think art deco glamour!