But then you have those rare individuals who strike out on their own, because no desk job really fits their dream. Chelsea Prince, founder of Chelsea Print & Publishing, is one such entrepreneur who has not only been wildly successful, but encourages our generation of twenty-somethings (and those who will inevitably follow) to pursue our dreams.

Her latest coffee table edition, Rock and Vine: Next Generation Changemakers, is exemplary of her passion and faith in our generation. Featuring wineries whose owners are all under thirty-five, she highlights the capability that we all possess to succeed if we believe enough in our own cause.

I was deeply flattered when Chelsea invited me to the New York leg of her book launch tour for Rock and Vine, as well as intrigued by her mission – so I decided to look into it a little deeper. Chelsea was kind enough to give her perspective on a few of the questions that popped into my head after meeting her in February.

Why publishing? When the print world is arguably on the decline, what motivated/inspired you to go into publishing?
Chelsea Print & Publishing, is dedicated to publishing beautiful coffee table-style books affordable to the modern reader. There will always be an appeal to hardcover coffee table books; they are as much a decorative accessory as something entertaining to read. And in a world where there are fewer keepsakes and more transient material, coffee table books will continue to
have value in society.

How did you get your start? Where did you find the inspiration to
strike out on your own?
I’ve always had the urge to create. When I was seven or eight, I sewed something similar to Beanie Babies – they were “Chelsea’s Colorful Beaners” – and sold them with friends at the bottom of my driveway as an alternative to the typical lemonade stand. When I was in college (studying journalism at Syracuse University with the intention of working in publishing), I worked at The Daily Orange and then started a social media company for interns called InternCircle. After college, I continued to hone my craft on the publishing path by writing, editing and working on the advertising side of publications, then started Chelsea Print & Publishing. I’ve always cared exceptionally about people, the stories of others and how to make things better for others…I channel that love and admiration of people into the books my company publishes and by donating a portion of the book proceeds to a related non-profit.

Rock and Vine features only wineries whose owners are under 35. That really speaks to your faith in our generation, and what you believe we are capable of achieving and creating. Are you going to continue that trend with future editions?
As former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, told me, “Your generation is the generation for change.” I have always believed this. Rock and Vine, profiles 11 changemakers primed to perpetuate and evolve the legacy of American wine. The wine industry, often thought of as staid, is really a relatively new US industry, and so there is so much potential for positive change. Our generation has the opportunity to learn from the generations past, and bring something new to the table. If you read through the chapters of Rock and Vine, it’s apparent that our generation is already making wine more approachable to the everyday drinker, and with new technology they are actively changing the way we drink, perceive and receive wine.

Who has been your biggest influence, or most admired role model?
My mother! Day in and day out.

Any words of advice or caution to the rest of our generation, or those to follow, who are trying their own hand at entrepreneurial pursuits?
Whatever you do, do it with all your heart. This isn’t a cheesy suggestion, it’s crucial advice for entrepreneurs. There is a lot of volatility in entrepreneurial pursuits; passion and commitment give you the gumption to begin a startup, and the fuel to continue through those ups and downs. I am reminded time and time again that nobody cares about your business like you do, so if you don’t fully embrace your idea and your business, nobody will.

You were in New York in February for the launch of Rock and Vine. Most memorable New York moment from that trip?
Watching people interact with the Rock and Vine book from the corner of my eye as I talked to others. Often groups of three or four would gather around the book, flip pages, and then engage in conversation. It re-affirms that the book is fulfilling its purpose: to inspire.

Rock and Vine was gifted to Stolen Says by Chelsea Print and Publishing. You can order your own fabulous copy from Amazon.com

Sunday was an exceptionally bright and sunny Mother’s Day – and so we thought it the perfect day to stroll through Central Park and take in some of the quieter bits of the town. Bethesda Fountain, The Mall (I still maintain that I’m allergic to all malls but this one), the Boathouse, Sheep’s Meadow – just a few of the corners we explored that day. I love New York in the springtime.

Ever the arbiter of style in the tiny town we grew up in, and always on the forefront of fashion and various trends, James always enjoys a trip to the big apple to visit his little brother. I was so caught up in catching up with him – I hadn’t seen him in a year, after all – and brunching with his grad school friends that I did not thoroughly document our outings. I did manage to capture one of the most important and, dare I say, memorable evenings of his trip, and possibly even this year. Gina, you see, had also made an internal and upward move in her career, and we had both planned to grab a fabulous glass of champagne to celebrate – so James and Jay tagged along to The Rose Club at the Plaza Hotel, and toasted to our newfound success.

Naturally, being a hotel, the Rose Bar has a fair amount of out-of-town business – but tourist spot or no it still registers on Gina and my FabuloMeter (TM), so we made an evening of it. 2 rounds (and $200ish) later, the four of us were ready for a little nosh.

How do you follow drinks at the Plaza? With an $8 burger from Burger Joint, naturally. Tucked away inside Le Parker Meridien (another fairly fab hotel) on 57th street between 6th & 7th avenues, Burger Joint has been rated one of the top ten burgers in New York. Think of it as the New York equivalent of In-N-Out – limited menu, very affordable, and a dining room that is covered with signatures. Everyone from Madonna to li’l ‘ol me have scrawled their John Hancock on the wall while they waited for or consumed their made-to-order burger. Some New York fab with a touch of West Coast cool certainly makes for a lovely celebration.

James flew back to the real world to finish up grad school on Sunday – hopefully it won’t be another year before he hits this town again!

Crown jewel of the evening was the launch party for Rock and Vine, a lovely coffee table edition which highlights a few of the leading up-and-coming wineries – not the least of which is none other than Ben F., of The Bachelorette fame. Ben wasn’t present, but his wine label was and, personal disdain for reality television aside, it was of a delightfully agreeable palate.

Rock and Vine is the second title from Chelsea Print & Publishing – an independent publishing company that appropriately teamed up with Doc Hendley, and his Wine to Water initiative. Wine to Water is a charity that brings clean water to developing countries by providing local residents with the tools and education to build and sustain wells. He has some truly heart-wrenching stories of his work in Sudan, Cambodia, and other places around the world that hadn’t had sources of readily available, potable water.

You can read more about Wine to Water and its partnership with Rock and Vine here – and you can order a copy of the book there, as well.

Some photos of the evening:

Old traditions, like Stollen Bread, Christmas ornaments, and Bing Crosby fill my thoughts this time of year. New (to me) traditions like Bergdorf’s windows, hot toddies, and the 57th Street Star slip to the top of my To Do List. Holiday Parties fill my calendar, and, inevitably, I find myself spending many hours in the office wrestling my boss’ Outlook through the mail merge process to send out his annual holiday cards. But the long hours seem like nothing when I’m merrymaking at various parties, catching up with old friends and meeting fabulous new friends. It is the most cheery time of the year, despite the short hours of sunlight – I think we all try a little harder to make the cheer happen, and more often than not, we are wildly successful.
But enough nostalgia – it’s also a time when Wish Lists are in abundance! My birthday happens to be shortly after New Year’s, so I get the easy task of making one list each year, and my givers get the easy out of combining Christmas with my birthday. It works well for both ends, because those who so graciously choose to give have less to buy, and I end up with fewer unnecessary things that I may or may not use.

Hm. This sounds a bit grinchy – I don’t mean to be. I just tend to focus more on experiences with individuals rather than material items – sitting down for a drink with you at Robert and catching up over the view of Columbus Circle and Central Park means more to me than any gift you could buy. But without further ado: my Wish List. Now, last year, I told Darris that what I wanted for Christmas/the Jewish/winter holidays was a) a boyfriend and b) a pair of Hunter boots. I got 2 out of 2 – though not simultaneously. The Hunter Boots are still keeping my feet dry on those drizzly New York days. You can read more about them here.
This year, my Wish List is even shorter – and far less practical. This pair of Derek Lam cheetah-print faux hair slippers with tiny gold knot detailing are truly my outrageous heart’s desire. These, world peace, and a glass of montepulciano d’abruzzo and I’ll be the happiest clam in the pot.

image via target.com

These slippers are part of the Neiman Marcus for Target line – a fantastic pairing for which 15 designers created a couple of items each. It’s not too late to order online, or at your local Target, for the fashionista/o in your life (or for yourself, as the case may be). Some pieces that caught my eye are the Altuzarra Double Old Fashion Glasses, and this Rag&Bone sweater. Check out the full list of available items here.

What’s on your Wish List this holiday season?

Frank & Oak is an up-and-coming e-tailer presenting style in the format of an online magazine that tailors its editorials specifically for its clients. The style is outdoorsy, a little rough around the edges, and gives its wearers that rustic devil-may-care air with a sense of individual flair.

The merchandise is only available to Frank & Oak’s online members. However, last week, they made a three-day appearance at the Mile End Shop on Crosby Street to showcase their new winter/holiday line from United Tailors, the in-house, higher end brand. Frank & Oak prides itself on providing style for under $50 – the United Tailors brand carries a slightly higher price point, and sources fabrics of a higher quality. Nick and I had both had a long week, and what we needed was to forget the 9-5 grind among the cashmere sweaters, woolen blazers, and plaid, plaid, plaid. So we hopped the 6 train to check out the latest of the lumberjack chic winter wear.

Take a look – and then head over to the FrankandOak.com and become a member!

While I was staying in Little Italy I thought I would take advantage of the location and give Jeffrey’s chukkas a little break by meeting him at Macondo, on Houston Street (between Allen and Eldridge). It’s a light, airy venue with your standard mexi-bbq fare. My fried eggs with chorizo were served over polenta to give it a Spanish flavor, but where Macondo really excels is their (unlimited) mimosas. Giving patrons a choice of blackberry, tangerine/mango, or guanabana/elderflower is such a refreshing alternative to the usual (albeit still delicious) OJ & Champagne. It was a perfect way to toast the end of summer and the herald the onset of autumn.

So I met her at the Rue party, and, after a few glasses of champagne, was tipsy enough to be talked into dinner and drinks in her hood. To be 100% honest, I was apartment sitting for Judy at the time so my trip “home” from dinner was not quite so daunting. Char No. 4, New American cuisine and whiskey bar. I can’t tell you where exactly it is…(wait, yes I can because there is this fabulous thing – perhaps you’ve heard – Google Maps) but it’s somewhere in Cobble Hill (196 Smith Street, Brooklyn, NY 11201), near the G Train. Yes, the G Train. It’s the shortest train ever but it leads to this americana chic place with thick-cut bacon, scallops, and a wide array of whiskeys that I had never heard of. (Except, as L points out, we took the F train. You can take the G if you want, but that’s a rather roundabout way to get…anywhere, really.)

I’m still learning abt whisky. I usually go with Maker’s Mark or Maker’s 46 but my assignment for the evening (as directed by Lindsay in an attempt to broaden my horizons) was to branch out and order one of those whiskeys I’d never heard of. On a suggestion by the bartender I selected an oz. of Rebel Reserve. Smooth, and with a bit more of the smokey flavor from the charred barrels that makes it bourbon, the Rebel Reserve was thoroughly enjoyable, served over a single ice cube. A great precursor to the thick-cut bacon and scallops Lindsay and I noshed on shortly thereafter.

Now, I’ve been promised thick-cut bacon by one too many bacon brand’s marketing team, only to be disappointed when I cook it up (either frying in a pan or baking in the oven) and have it still be as thin and flimsy as the regular stuff. I’ll admit I was more than a little skeptical when L suggested it for one of our shared items. Served with grilled peaches, almonds & black pepper-blueberry sauce, though, I was game to try. Plus, I thought the scallops would be a decent way to make up for my inevitable disappointment with the bacon.

I was not wrong about the scallops – light, citrus-flavored and served chilled – gives them a completely different texture – pretty amazing. Not wrong about those. I was wrong – dead wrong – about the bacon. They don’t play at Char No. 4. They offer you thick-cut bacon and you get 2 slabs of delectably marbled meat, half an inch thick. No f**king joke. Amazing.

I washed the savories down with the Kentucky Royale cocktail (made with bourbon, sparkling wine, cassis and a bit of orange) and then Lindsay walked me back to the G train (no – the F train).

Brooklyn – not so bad after all, it turns out. For more treats from the delightful borough, check out Lindsay’s Guide to Brooklyn. [While you're clicking about, you should check out Lindsay's personal blog also - it's about feeling beautiful which is, truly, a beautiful thing. ThatJeNeSaisQuois.com]

In any case, Kenneth Cole recently teamed up with Details Magazine and held a styling event last week (9/19/2012) at the 57th & Lex location. Featuring Six-Point Beer and virtual golf, this was a great opportunity to check out some of the new items just in for fall. Bloggers Corey James, Jake Hammel, and Jonathan Valdez were in attendance, as were several other up and coming social-medialites. Beer, golf, sweaters and wingtips – what’s not to love?