It’s been a busy (and FABULOUS) Wedding Season, and what better way to unwind than a good, old fashioned music festival in the desert?  It! Girls, Sofie and Jennifer are heading off to Palm Springs, California for none other than the world famous Coachella!

Packing for a music festival can be very tricky; we want to beat the heat of the California desert while maintaining our It! Girl style! Here are a few of our must-haves:

Sofie’s List: {1} Tribal print Mara Hoffman bikini {2} My favorite hand-me-down Giorgio Armani sunglasses from the 1970’s (thanks Dad!) {3} Ombre neon nail wraps by NCLA {4} This totally fab SFK+Meredith Wendell camera strap for my Olympus SZ-10 {5} Red Bull Zero to dance the night away {6} Alice & Olivia for Target carry-on bag {7} Neon Dolce Vita sandals

Jennifer’s List: {1} Beats by Dr. Dre Pill Speaker to keep the music going 24/7 {2} Shiseido Sun Protection Liquid Foundation {3} Free People Georgia Dress {4} My favorite Skull Bangles from my Bestie {5} See by Chloé canary crossbody bag {6} L*Space fringe bikini for pool party hopping {7} Dolce Vita wedges

Cali, here we come!

xoxo,

Sofie & Jennifer

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Annie Falk, Daphne Nikolopoulos, Patrick Park, Aime Dunstan and Jerry Rabinowitz

Patrick M. Park recently opened his magnificent Bear’s Club estate in Jupiter, FL, to fete Palm Beach Entertaining authors Annie Falk, Victoria Amory, Aime Dunstan and Daphne Nikolopoulos, along with photographer Jerry Rabinowitz. More than 200 revelers rounded out the guest list, including Park’s fellow hosts featured among the pages of this must-have tome.

It! Girls Sofie, Lindsey, Aime, Lena and Jennifer

Entertained by a Mariachi band, a pianist and a poolside Latin band, guests enjoyed cocktails and a lavish dinner buffet in celebration of a book that is taking Palm Beach and New York by storm. Guests included Kathryn and Leo Vecellio, Dorothy and Sidney Kohl, Christine and Bill Aylward, Mimi and Leigh McMakin, Talbott Maxey, Camilla and Bruce Helander, Briana Beaty, Julie and Howard Rudolph, Crissy Poorman and Douglas Luce, and Gloria and Joseph Stolman.

Park Estate

With a foreword by internationally renowned chef Alain Ducasse, PALM BEACH ENTERTAINING ($45, Rizzoli New York) offers unprecedented entrée into the exclusive world of Palm Beach, renowned for its lavish lifestyle and grand parties. This personal invitation into the private homes of Palm Beach’s most-celebrated members of society shows how to bring high style to your own gatherings at home. More than twenty hosts open their doors, revealing their secrets for entertaining along with one hundred of their most tried-and-true recipes. And it is all done in the spirit of giving—the net proceeds from the book benefit the Children’s Home Society, a charitable organization with a proven network of adoption, early childhood development, and family support services.

Palm Beach Entertaining

Books may be purchased online at www.chsfl.org/palmbeachentertaining, by phone at 561/868-4300, and at Children’s Home Society of Florida, 3333 Forest Hill Blvd., West Palm Beach, FL 33406.

Annie Falk with the mariachis!

About Children’s Home Society of Florida: Created in 1902, Children’s Home Society of Florida is the oldest and largest statewide private not-for-profit provider of services to children and families in Florida. The Palm Beach Division, established in 1964, serves more than 18,000 children and families in Palm Beach County each year through a full spectrum of programs that include adoption, child development, dependency case management, emergency shelters, residential group homes, parent education, counseling, mentoring, and more. CHS’ headquarter is in Winter Park, Fla. with nearly 100 locations and more than 1,800 staff members dedicated to providing child-focused, family-centered care. For more information about CHS go to www.chsfl.org or call (561) 868-4300.

PHOTOS BY LUCIEN CAPEHART PHOTOGRAPHY

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Author Hilary Ross and It! President and Creative Director Aime Dunstan

Being that we adore all things glamorous, it’s only natural that we ran out to the book store with wallet in hand the moment the lovely Hilary Geary Ross released her latest tome, “New York New York,” ($85, Powerhouse Books) featuring photographs from renowned British shutterbug Harry Benson. Offering an insider’s view of New York society and scenes from the days that defined chic, “New York New York” is a must-have. We caught up with Hilary recently at one of our favorite shops in Palm Beach, Leta Austin Foster, and chatted her up about the city that never sleeps.

“I met Harry years ago in the late 80s when he photographed me along with famed dress designer Christian Lacroix walking down the street with Blaine Trump and Kimberly Rockefeller in New York City,” says Hilary, a noted society columnist. “More recently, we got to know each other better in Palm Beach where we all live and often dine together.”

The idea for the book, she says, was born out of one of those little dinners with Harry and Gigi (his wife and collaborator ) and Hilary’s husband, billionaire financier Wilbur Ross. ”It was a joy to work with Harry as he is a true professional: talented, punctual, prepared and remarkably imaginative. He has the natural ability to put people at ease with his perfect manners and self effacing charm.”

Subjects include Diane Sawyer, Halston, Truman Capote, Robert Redford, Neil Simon, Tom Wolfe, Norman Mailer, Spike Lee, Malcolm Forbes, Al Pacino, Lauren Hutton, Lena Horne, Andy Warhol, Yogi Bera, Jackie Kennedy, Gerard Butler, Cindy Lauper, Daryl Hannah, Mario Cuomo, Birdie Bell, Donald Trump, Brooke Astor, Yoko Ono, Woody Allen, and Michael Kors among many others.

History, photography and fashion buffs will adore 40 years of images from Benson. “One of my favorite photos was of Hugh Jackman with his wife Deborra -Lee in their Richard Meier duplex overlooking the river,” says Hilary. “The apartment was so glamorous — all white with dazzling views that took your breath away. Both Jackman’s were hospitable and charming. Can’t beat that!”

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Those of you who follow the It! Girls on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest may have noticed that It! Girl Aime has been sporting a new ‘do. Well, that’s me, and I was diagnosed with Lymphoma in July 2012. It was actually a welcome relief after two years of unexplained symptoms and a difficult pregnancy. But I am one of the lucky ones. Lymphoma, or Hodgkin’s Disease in my case, is one of the few cancers that is curable. My treatment was very straightforward despite the disease having been quite advanced, and after six months of chemo I am officially a survivor! My final treatment was Monday, Feb. 4, and I owe my life to Dr. Bobby Green of Palm Beach Cancer Institute.

In case you were wondering, the little ribbon to promote awareness for Lymphoma is lime green. Love the color, but you know pink always wins in the cancer gear category. But I digress…

As we It! Girls do a lot of fund-raising and charity gala planning in Palm Beach, our good friends at the Island of Palm Beach Unit of the American Cancer Society honored yours truly with the opportunity to share my story with the 500 esteemed guests of their 55th annual Palm Beach Gala. The occasion also celebrated the 100th anniversary of the American Cancer Society, so I was doubly honored to have finished the fight with the support of Honorary Chairmen Patty Myura and Patrick Park, Chairwoman Petra Levin, Junior Chairwoman Crissy Poorman and the fabulous team at ACS: Michelle Jaminet, Sarah McKenzie, and Dena Ross.

Check out the vid by executive producer Bill Horneck of Minds I Corp:

Today, Feb. 18, 2013, is my 31st birthday, and I’m celebrating with family and friends in New Orleans (stay tuned for a few posts from the Big Easy). I know for certain that aside from the medicine, a positive attitude and a strong support network are to be credited for my recovery. But equally so is my work. Celebrating life’s occasions for a living is such a special honor. And owning a successful and business is incredibly empowering (not to mention I LOVE going to work in the morning!). I am so proud of It! Weddings & Events, It! Event Concierge & Media Studio, It! Weddings Florida, and our latest venture, Soiree Palm Beach: A Boutique for the Well-Heeled Hostess by It! Weddings & Events.  And while I’m bragging, can we talk about the It! Girls for a second? These amazing women, each so unique and talented, are my inspiration. They work hard, play hard and love hard. And boy do I love them back!

Aime Dunstan and Lauren Lieberman

Thank you to Lauren Lieberman and Heather Holt at LILA PHOTO for the faboo shots! Love you girls! xoxox

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This past season, I was honored to have been invited by the inimitable Annie Falk to join the luxuriously literary Daphne Nikolopoulos, the sassy and chic Victoria Amory, the ever-stylish Katherine Lande and the spiritual shutterbug Jerry Rabinowitz on a fantasy journey through Palm Beach’s hautest homes, yachts and gardens.

Co-authors Annie, Daphne and I put pen to paper (ok, fingertips to keyboard) to share inspiration from hearth and home while photographing some of the island’s savviest hosts and hostesses for “Palm Beach Entertaining: Creating Occasions to Remember.” Styling place settings, floral arrangements, food photography and portraits along the way, we had a ball!

And what’s more, in the spirit of Palm Beach philanthropy at its finest, sales of “Palm Beach Entertaining: Creating Occasions to Remember” benefit Children’s Home Society of Florida. Reserve your copy today on Amazon.com!

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Be it for a destination wedding, honeymoon or just a weekend getaway, an It! Girl always knows what to hide away in her bag of tricks.

Maternity jeans by 7 for All Mankind, YSL Muse Oversized Tote, Dolce & Gabbana classic creme lipstick in Venere, Chanel sunglasses, DVF espadrilles, Magaschoni ruffled cardigan

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Yours truly developed this glorious concoction when perusing the aisles at the uber fantastic Super Saturday fund-raiser for the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund a summer or two ago in Watermill, NY (I also nabbed a gorgeous Carolina Herrera ball gown that’s now made an appearance at two Palm Beach fund-raisers and one Nantucket wedding – what what!). It’s a fizzy, fresh combo of light rum and natural citrus soda that will leave you feeling bubbly and ready to drink in the summer sun — but you better hurry, Labor Day revelers! There’s only a few weeks left before fall hits and it’s all cranberries and pumpin beers at the bar!
xoxo
Aime

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Balenciaga sunglasses; Large bow floppy sun hat by Jessica Simpson; Poppy fields coral high waisted shorts; Tropical jezebel tote by Kate Spade; Chanel mimosa yellow nail polish; Charlotte Olympia red carmen wedges

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Be it for a destination wedding, honeymoon or just a weekend getaway, an It! Girl always knows what to hide away in her bag of tricks.

Bathing suite by Victoria Secret, Beach Tote by Tory Burch, SunScreen by Australian Gold, Sun Glasses by Ray-Ban, Porkpie Hat via Fashion Roll Call

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