My Massachusetts Life: Christine Spaziano
Christine is a native RI'er who now lives and works in the Boston area. She's savvy and stylish and I'm super excited to feature her here. Read on to find out more about all her favs and how her style has changed since making the move to MA.
Fredo Corleone and Me
People ask me why I named my dog after the most despised character in The Godfather. I am a fan of the actor who played Fredo, John Cazale. When I saw Fredo at the MSPCA – he looked like a Fredo to me, very cute and a little quirky. He bites my ankles and chews my flip flops. When I yell, he sits and looks at me with those huge eyes. He is quite the celeb – pictures on facebook garner many likes and in fact I have been told…more Fredo and less Christine. He strolls through the North End like a boss but will let any small child pet him and reward them with a kiss. One of the people at Mike’s Pastry gives him cookies – people wait in line for pastry, not Fredo. I am blessed that we found each other and he makes me laugh every day. I am still waiting for him to answer the TV when the Godfather is on.
Shopping and Style
As I have gotten older I have become more conservative and basic with my clothing. I spend 80% of the week at work so my wardrobe is mainly for work. For that I stick with J.Crew. They have my cardigans and black dresses that transition between all the seasons. I also have a few DVF wrap dresses that I have collected over the years. If you have never tried on a wrap dress, it is life changing.
I love to dress up the boring business look with scarves and jewelry. I have all of my grandmother’s costume jewelry, vintage bags and scarves. I love shawls and wraps in the fall/winter. My newest signature piece is a flower ring from the Alexander McQueen collection. I bought it when I was hired at The Boston Globe. I am always searching for vintage and Beacon Hill is a great place for that. Antique and resale shops line Charles Street.
I live in jeans, linen pants and Vince t-shirts all summer. I wait for the Saks sale in the spring, buy three colors and rotate. In Boston, due to all of the walking, you find women less in heels and more in flats. Many of us carry large bags, as we will walk to our destination and change shoes. In the fall I have to have a thicker heel on my boots compared to when I lived in Rhode Island.
When I do need a dress, I go to see Allison Banard. She has two stores in the North End of Boston that I have been visiting since I lived in Providence. Twilight is next to Prezza on Fleet Street, off of Hanover. Twilight carries great sundresses as well as those hard to find cocktail dresses we need for special events. Her second store down the street (right on Hanover) is In-Jean-ius. Far more casual but every type of jean you can imagine. She also carries these fantastic Cape Cod/Nantucket shirts that I am addicted to.
A friend introduced me to Rent the Runaway a few years back. I was a little hesitant. Who rents dresses? However, it makes complete sense. It's a great program and their customer service is stellar. Women are always buying dresses for special occasions and then, never wearing them again. Now you can rent them for less and send them back. Top designer names too.
Food And Restaurants
The one thing I miss in Providence is Julian’s. I have been going to Julian’s since he opened in 1994. My Aunt Teresa found it because they had healthy alternatives to the typical breakfast we were all used to. I keep trying to get him to open Julian’s Boston….no luck yet.
Prezza is my recommendation for you if you visit the North End. I found them years ago when I came to Boston one weekend. When I am asked where to go…..that is it. The food is always fantastic. Everything is made in-house. They also change the menu, often based on what's in season. They have zucchini flowers with polenta and figs stuffed with gorgonzola on the menu now. They also have some signature dishes like the corn ravolini with rock shrimp that is seasonal and featured every summer. Their wine list is extensive and their martinis can be dangerous. Their staff is amazing too
Skincare, Hair And Makeup
I am lucky and have good genes. I am also very vain…I suffered from acne when I was younger and loathe when my skin starts to look bad. The one line that I have used and seems to be tried and true is Strivectin. I use the stretch mark cream on my neck and décolletage every night. I was a tanner – yes I sat in the sun and used tanning beds until six years ago when I went cold turkey. (Now) All of my moisturizer and makeup has sunscreen. I also carry some sunblock with me when I'm walking around the city. I drink water all day and started taking biotin (10,000 mg) which has done wonders for my hair and nails.
I splurge and get a facial every few months. Biore has nothing on an aesthetician clearing out your blackheads. I recommend Diane at Exhale Spa in Back Bay and Lauren at Adara Spa.
I am horrible with makeup beyond the basics. So I splurge when I have a wedding or event to attend. When in RI I make an appointment with Ali Lomazzo Beauty. Ali and her team are extremely professional and talented.
Photo Credits: All photos courtesy of Christine Spaziano, except for: Julian's images (by Ashley Farney); Strivectin, Biotin, and J.Crew images (courtesy of Google Images); and Exhale Spa image (from their site)