Summer at The Carlyle

Summer in the City is special. Weekends are quieter, the streets are emptier and the park is one gorgeous oasis. Even though going to the beach or the country is always enticing when the heat is up, summer in the city can be very special and it becomes even more special at The Carlyle. The beautiful and extremely talented Alexis Cole is singing and playing with her trio at Bemelmans Bar this summer and do not miss her! Bemelmans Bar is bustling and rocking while Madison Avenue is in a deep sleep right now on the weekends! Alexis and Roxy are wearing jewelry courtesy of HD Jewels every weekend and we couldn’t be more delighted! See below for photos, letters from HD Jewels regarding the baubles and more information on when to catch Alexis and her trio. Go follow Alexis Cole on Instagram (@alexiscole) and don’t miss her and her trio performing at The Carlyle, ’cause summer will be over in a heartbeat!

Hello Alexis, You look so elegant tonight in your cream silk satin dress and are totally rocking your favorite earrings from @hd_jewels tonight too! The American diamond and gold “swirl” earrings from the 1950’s are as cool as bejeweled soft serve cones of ice cream and perfectly complement the gentle folds of your dress! They also add a knockout “Oscar” ready appeal to your evening set! Best of luck to you for a fabulous evening ahead and hope you have a wonderfully refreshing and “cool” night of entertaining…

Hello Alexis, You are looking stunning and tonight is your night to shine as Cleopatra! The Danish Egyptian collar design necklace is a series of elongated crystalline structure, turquoise glazed pottery tiles set in sterling by Brondsted of Denmark. It dates from the 1960’s and was likely inspired by the incredible jewelry and many artifacts discovered in the tomb of King Tut, first discovered back in 1922 in the beginning of the Art Deco era and later, this renowned collection of artifacts was the basis for a complete “King Tut” world tour in the early 1960’s. This sparked a renaissance of interest thereafter in all that was designed in the likeness of King Tut and his stylish life. This richly toned and dramatic splayed form “collar” should help you feel and “walk like an Egyptian”….. Princess! Roxy is also looking spectacular while sporting a necklace completely conceived of and made by both an artist and an athlete and not just any athlete, but a world class cyclist! This fully realized and three dimensional silver and copper hand made “Tour de Force” piece of jewelry is depicting the golden age of bicycle racing known as the “Tour de France.” In this competitive race to the finish line as it also is realistically depicted in the necklace, all eyes are on the cyclists moving ahead in the race with the central and largest figure turned around and cheering the rest of the team on. You and Alexis are definitely on the same majorly skilled entertaining team tonight and with the rain storms raging outside, anyone listening to your show will surely want to stay put and enjoy themselves the whole night through…

Hi Alexis, You look fantastically cool tonight and our shimmering Antonio Pineda jewelry added just the right amount drama for another hot summer evening of entertainment! The necklace you are wearing is by the celebrated Mexican/American silversmith, Antonio Pineda from the 1960’s and is an important modernist “Moonstone Collar” in sterling silver set with a multitude of large cabochon moonstones strategically placed to both catch and reflect the cabaret spotlights all focused on you! 🙂 To add a big loop of fun to the mix, we paired the Antonio necklace with a dramatic pair of large hoop and almost gyroscope-like designed sterling earrings also by the master and former “Mayor of Taxco,” Antonio Pineda! Wishing you a spectacular night just ahead…

Hello Alexis, You are looking spectacular tonight and it is exciting that it is a recording night for you too! It’s also an encore performance for one of your favorites of the jewelry group, the Marina B as in “B” for Bulgari white and yellow gold collar necklace! It is the perfect “Jazz Age” gold statement piece and especially nice to to add a touch of “La Dolce Vita” to your performance! The House of Bulgari was definitely in her blood being born into the Bulgari family but in 1978, Marina struck out on her own and founded both her own company as well as found her voice in jewelry, that being……”Modern, Inventive and always Bold” design! The dramatic Tiffany & Co. “Starburst” gold earrings also add just the right touch and “star appeal” to an already star studded night for you just ahead…

Hello Alexis, You are looking fabulous and completely “on pointe” tonight to sing some of your soulful tunes and despite the “Stormy Weather”, it’s always a Holiday according to Billie! 🙂 Keeping with the theme of the summer showers, another city famous for summer rains is the place your necklace traveled from way back in the 1940’s. It came directly from Venice on the Piazza San Marco and from the famous House of Nardi! It’s a classic over scale and oval-link necklace in rose gold and alternating satin finished rock crystal that also happens to be a link design Gucci became most famous for but much later and in the 1970’s! You have now joined the ranks of many international stars like Marilyn Monroe, Elizabeth Taylor, Grace Kelly and Barbara Hutton who were loyal clients of Giulio Nardi and who passionately collected and were frequently seen wearing his famous jewels! The European ruby, diamond and gold pendant earrings add a Surrealist note to your ensemble and display an asymmetric and witty twist that Salvador Dali infused in all of his jewels of the same time period and stylistic mode!

Hello Alexis, You and Roxy look picture perfect tonight despite the deluge of rain out there! Alexis, you are wearing a “yin and yang” theme sculptural necklace by the celebrated Paris designer, Catherine Noll. The necklace is split down the middle with one half ivory just like the piano keys that you will be tickling tonight and the other, see-through, polished and “clear as a bell” acrylic/lucite. In this statement necklace, Noll was influenced by the hand hewn and sculptural furniture of her famous grandfather, Alexandre and mixed that soul of the hand with a 1970’s suave and sophisticated flair. Catherine Noll also designed jewelry for some of the most famous couture houses in Paris including Chanel and Christian Dior! Your very “modern” look tonight is further accented with “button” earrings that were hand carved in ivory and “stitched” with yellow gold and are by the amazing and world renowned arbiter of jewelry style, Elsa Peretti! Against the steel grey shimmering silk top that Roxy is wearing tonight, we paired a vintage Gucci triple color enamel and sterling “Runway” elongated pendant necklace from the 1970s that totally has that “Mad Men” drama and sex appeal and makes a perfectly placed statement! Hands down, you will have another successful night tonight since anyone having a cozy drink at Bemelmans surely will choose to stay for your entire show over braving the elements outdoors…

Hello Alexis, You were looking totally fantastic tonight despite the rush and the Marina B as in “B” for Bulgari white and yellow gold collar necklace added just the perfect Art Deco Revival touch to your more formal black dress tonight! I’m so happy that we were able to select the perfect “Jazz Age” gold statement piece and especially to add a touch of “La Dolce Vita” to your performance too! Marina B. the designer of the gold collar was the granddaughter of Sotirio Bulgari who founded the legendary House of Bulgari. However, in 1978 Marina struck out her own and founded both her own company as well as her own voice in jewelry, that being……”Modern, Inventive and always Bold” design!

Hello Alexis, Both you and Roxy were stunning tonight and dressed in unique variations on a “noir” theme. To perfectly complement your black lace openwork dress tonight Alexis, we chose a 19th Century rose gold latticework choker set with velvet finish elliptical shaped onyx jewels divided by delicate rows of seed pearls and made by Riker Brothers who were located in Newark, New Jersey! Interesting in the 1890’s, Newark was the jewelry making capitol of America! Your earrings are also American but from the roaring 1920’s. They are “Night and Day” pendant earrings just like the lyrics of the famous Cole Porter song with very fine detailed bow motif clips at the ear with pendants alternating between baguette and round diamonds all set in platinum. The secret is one can detach the pendant for the day and clip them back on again for a little extra dazzle in the evening! Your “Mod” Italian necklace, Roxy, has its own built in roar! The Italian radical artist Gio Consli designed a very “Pop Art” pendant incorporating real tiger claws in gold with a genius clip on collar necklace. The overall look is clean and something a Halston model from the 1970’s would have been perfectly at home in too! It was a gorgeous day in the city today and may your evening of entertainment tonight here at The Carlyle be every bit as beautiful and soulful!

Hello Alexis, You look amazing tonight wearing all gold in an array of styles and designers but as they say great design always hangs together well! Your necklace is by the Parisian designer Line Vautrin who displayed both wit and humor in her work and is now a historically revered and very much “au courant” woman jewelry designer. The title is “Little Fish become Big Fish”, a charming anecdote to fame and fortune and keeping with the “Ocean” theme, your earrings are by the favorite of Greek jewelers, Ilias Lalaounis and are large and dramatic gold seashells for your ears. In fact, in between sets, you may even hear the ocean waves….. Your bracelet is a Florentine finish woven and dimensional crossover link design in gold by the famous French goldsmith, Georges Lenfant for Tiffany & Co. Paris and dates to the 1970’s. Roxy is channeling the uber-stylish Mexican actress and singer, Maria Felix tonight wearing an important “Modernist” necklace from 1960 by the celebrated Mexican/American silversmith, Antonio Pineda in a repeat sterling chevron motif and all strung on a black velvet cord with sterling sphere finials and it is paired with large and very bold gold and onyx classic “door knocker” earrings form the 1970’s. Surely if all those adorable characters in Ludwig Bemelmans murals would come to life, they would be heartily applauding your performance and music tonight too…

Hello Alexis, you are so elegantly stunning tonight in your flowing sky blue chiffon dress! You also perfectly shadow the Jazz great Marian McPartland who appeared here at The Carlyle in the 1950’s and inspired your look for tonight! You are wearing a sumptuous “Belle Epoque” festooned and cascading necklace set with freshwater baroque pearls on delicately draped gold chains. Your earrings add an exotic touch from the mid-Victorian era and time of the British Raj in India and are both dated and inscribed to a Captain’s daughter in 1869. The have hanging pendants of book matched tiger claws, exquisite gold granulation and fine wirework throughout and each earring is topped with an “Essex” crystal jewel reverse painted with regal Bengal tiger portraits. No doubt you will “purr” wearing your big cat earrings and just like Marian McPartland did back in the 1950’s and as you seamlessly “float” through the evening…

Hello Alexis, You and Roxy are both in more formal black silk tonight and looking so very chic! The perfect elegant contrast for you Alexis, is the soft white of a very delicate natural seed pearl French “Belle Epoque” sautoir necklace (also known as a Bayadere) It is a myriad of the tiniest pearls that can be strung together and further set with two large baroque pearls and diamonds as the tassel mounts and a style and look that would have made Coco Chanel herself proud! The large European teardrop pearl, diamond, onyx and yellow gold asymmetric styled earrings ring in a 1980’s glamour update and perfectly complement your black, white and gold color combo! Roxy is also sporting an asymmetric design tonight with a tricolor wood and ivory sculptural necklace by the celebrated Paris Designer, Catherine Noll. She was influenced by the earthy hand hewn furniture of her famous father, Alexandre and mixed that soul of the hand with a subtle tribal refinement and became famous for designing jewelry for some of the most famous couture houses in Paris including Chanel and Christian Dior! Your very “modern” look tonight is further accented with “button” earrings that were hand carved in ivory and “stitched” with yellow gold and are by the amazing and world renowned arbiter of jewelry style, Elsa Peretti! Wishing you both a fabulous evening spreading all those groovin’ vibes!

Hi Alexis, The diamond and gold Boucheron, Paris wave necklace that you are wearing is a rhythmic jewel that shows the transition from the hard edges of the Art Deco Era to the softening lines and tunes of the 1940’s and is a beautiful complement to the American diamond and gold swirl earrings which are as cool as bejeweled soft serve cones of ice cream! Roxy is showing a bit more edge tonight with wearing a vermeil necklace by the renowned Danish jewelry designer, Rey Urban along with Age Fausing who have artfully created their own jazzy composition of purposely rough hewn segments of gilt-sterling in a repeat triangle motif. May Bemelmans continue with the same cool vibe it had last night for you both!

Hello Alexis, Roxy is wearing a vintage Gucci triple color enamel and sterling “Runway” necklace from the 1970s that totally has that “Mad Men” drama and sex appeal! Your stunning American diamond and gold “Drape” earrings are from the 1940’s and beautifully offset your diagonal neck line and will certainly add an “Oscar” ready appeal to your evening set tonight too! Best of luck to you both and wishing you have a wonderful night of brilliant entertaining just ahead……

Hi Alexis, You and Roxy look just fantastic tonight and our jewelry added just the right amount of color and high style for a hot summer night of entertaining! The necklace you are wearing is a rare “Carmen Miranda” multi-colored glass beaded cascade necklace by Miriam Haskell and dates form the 1940’s. Your earrings are vintage Munnu of Gem Palace from Jaipur high carat gold and fine gem quality fire opal “flower blossom” earrings. Roxy is wearing an important modernist “Ribbon” necklace in sterling and onyx by the celebrated Mexican/American silversmith, Antonio Pineda from 1960. The group shot is with a woman we met who makes jeweled crowns. She was at the bar and loved our music and wants to make me a crown. She said she just woke up one day with the idea of wearing one, and after making her own for a while, decided to create a business making them. If she comes through I’ll put a pic of the crown!

Alexis wearing a Line Vautrin, Paris (1913-1997) “Vertebra” necklace in gilt bronze from the 1950’s

Enjoy your summer and we hope to see you here at The Carlyle!