Call it the Luck O’ the Irish, or just my inherent affinity for Irish pubs, but St. Patty’s Day is one of my favorite holidays. So today I share with you the top five reasons to love St. Patrick’s Day AND my top five Irish watering holes in New York City. Why You Should Love St. Patrick’s Day too. 1. No Gifts: One of the few holidays that won’t stress you out standing in long lines to buy that sweater vest you know will be returned. 2. No Family Obligations: Finally, a holiday that doesn’t require you to hang with…

Target has given us a lot of discount designer goodies in the past, but in my opinion, it’s about to launch its most exciting collaboration yet. On March 14, the design-conscious megastore will introduce a line of preciously patterned, perfectly priced housewares, clothing and accessories with Liberty of London. For now, we’ll have to be satisfied by the video, and charming “Find Your Patternality” Facebook quiz, but mark your calendars… I’m gunning for a “Martha Grace” print bicycle. Visit www.Target.com/Liberty, or if you’re feeling sneaky, visit the IF THE LAMPSHADE FITS blog for a link to view the complete collection….

I’ve been on a business travel tear lately. While I may bemoan the flight delays and hectic schedule, I really do love it. From the cast of characters I meet to the unusual destinations, every trip is its own adventure. (And believe me, I have some stories to tell!) The more I travel, the more I crave stunning hospitality design. From beautiful art installations to sleek wall coverings and bathroom fixtures, exceptional design can completely transport us into another world, even if it’s just for a night or two. So when I read Travel + Leisure’s 2010 Design Awards, I…

Before my junior year of college, I was cast in the Black Hills Playhouse’s production of A Chorus Line. As singing, dancing, and smiling are among my favorite things (and, like Lisa—glitter, too!), the experience made for a wonderful and memorable summer. One unexpected bonus included working in the costume shop with “one singular sensation:” Travis Halsey. Also raised in a small, South Dakota town (put your hands up for the prairie!), Travis has gone on to costume several professional ballet companies around the U.S., and is currently with Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. In addition to Joffrey, he also does…

When I casually mentioned to Esther last week that I adored Olympic figure skating, she looked puzzled for a moment, and then laughed. “Oh yes,” she said. “The costumes are very sparkly.” Everyone knows I’m a magpie. If I can find a way to work glitter into a project (like the sparkly hearts dangling from the ceiling at our recent Bloggers Bash) I will. It takes every ounce of restraint I have to not show up to work covered in sequins and rhinestones every day. I know not everyone’s captivated by the Olympic costumes, but the following simply can’t go…

I first fell in love with pub crawls when I traveled abroad. It was a fun way to trot around a European city, meeting other travelers and enjoying myriad brews. The only way I can conceive of improving a pub crawl: making it a food crawl…and that’s just what’s happening this weekend (Feb. 27-28) at the inaugural “Taste of 7th Street” on the Lower East Side. It’s organized by Scoopst.com, a Web site dedicated to offering New Yorkers savings on all sorts of fun-ness. For less than the cost of two cocktails ($18), this mini food tour is offering up…

This seemingly interminable winter weather has me (and, I imagine, virtually the entire Eastern seaboard) dreaming of steamy, sunny climes…and fantasizing about a long-weekend escape. My favorite easy-to-reach, tropical destination? Playa del Carmen, Mexico. A bit over an hour’s drive south of Cancun, Playa boasts all of Cancun’s gorgeous beaches and festive flavor, minus the urban sprawl and Spring Break insanity…or the lion’s share of it, anyway. A popular hangout for stylish European sun-seekers (translation: it’s not yet completely overrun by Americans), it’s the perfect place to soak up rays during the day and slurp margaritas on Playa’s Avenida Quinta,…

The glittering hearts and heart-stopping roses from our second annual Bloggers Bash may be gone, but the memories will live on! Tuesday’s event brought together more than 25 blogs from the architecture, design, sustainability, home and fashion arenas to mix, mingle and make out…well, there was no making out, but we had a romantic “make out room” just in case, in keeping with the silly spirit of our Valentine’s Day theme! Thanks to all who attended. We had a great time sipping the party’s signature pomegranate “love potion” and noshing on heart- shaped grilled cheese bites and the like from…

Although our office is in Soho, a mecca for celebrity sightings in NYC, I’m often too distracted (or, lately, too cold) to bother looking to see who’s around me. I usually find out what I missed when I read the next day’s Page Six. But this week was different. Things started off with a bang when the V+P staff was treated to a taping of ABC’s The View. Sitting about 15 feet from the tiny little stage, I got to watch the View ladies in action. (And yes, that bickering is real!) But the real treat for me was seeing…

As I continue to settle into NYC, I’m always keeping an eye open for things to do “on the cheap.” Of course, it’s even better when they’re free! That said, my wallet gave me a high five after I found a free art exhibit in northern Manhattan. Where? At The Cornerstone Center, a Washington Heights gem. A cute stone building built in 1928, it’s a community center nestled uptown that often features art collections from local artists for free public viewing. At the moment, Cornerstone has teamed up with NYCSalt, a photography non-profit that serves inner-city teenagers in New York…