When I wrote “The most and least fashionable cities in America” for Bundle last week, I had no idea what a stir it would cause. Mention on the L.A. news and L.A. Times? Hundreds of Twitter comments? Pickup on MSN Living? Who knew that cities would take their fashion ranking so seriously?

Check out some of the Twitter comments here.

Here’s what the “Today in L.A.” show (NBC) had to say:

“The most fashionable city in America is not Manhattan or Beverly Hills or Miami. Bundle.com, which analyzes spending patterns, says the unheralded fashion capital is Irvine. The average household shops at top-end designers at least twice a year, and malls like Fashion Island and South Coast Plaza give them unprecedented access to the best clothing.”

Up next on Bundle: “The most fashionable towns in America.” Will town dwellers be as passionate about their fashion ranking? Can’t wait to see the comments!

Sunset view from the Mondrian South Beach

TRAVEL REPORT:

Just returned from a great week at the Microsoft Global Summit in Miami. Spouse program highlights included lunch at the Versace mansion on Ocean Drive (now “The Villa by Barton G.”), and shopping at Aventura Mall, the number two most visited mall in the country according to Travel + Leisure.

We also visited private Fisher Island, which, according to the 2010 census, had the highest per capita income of any place in the United States in 2010. Not surprisingly, Fisher Island residents Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi showed up at the beach bar: Steffi Graf has an estimated net worth of $30 million, and Andre Agassi has an estimated net worth of $175 million, for a grand household total net worth of $205 million. This amount might seem huge, but pales in comparison to the resident Russian oligarch’s net worths, which reach well into the billions.

Photo by Casey Serin

Just the idea of your tax refund might make you smile, but how you spend it should keep the corners of your mouth turned up. Making prudent but fun decisions with your refund is key—for example, it’s unlikely blowing a wad of cash at a casino will provide lasting happiness. On the other hand, there is plenty of advice about using any extra cash to pay down debt or save for a rainy day. While we do believe these are top priorities, we also believe there are other ways to invest in yourself that will provide enduring happiness. Here are some gifts that keep giving.

Check out my Bundle slideshow to get inspired about how to make the best use of your tax refund. The slideshow will be promoted on our new content partner’s site, MSN Living.

According to Merriam-Webster, a foodie is “a person having an avid interest in the latest food fads.” It stands to reason that, since the Mac set keeps up with trends, they would also be foodies. But are PC users more food-forward than we think?

Find out! Read my article on Bundle.com.

Sea Horse Ranch, Half Moon Bay, CA

TRAVEL REPORT:

Colorado (my horse) had attitude and a Napolean complex, but we managed to get along–save a few times when he just flat out stopped, even when I gave him a swift kick in the side. Wish I could begin every morning with a horseback ride on Half Moon Bay beach!

View from our room at Seal Cove Inn, Half Moon Bay

Ananda in the Himalayas

My “Facials Around the World” article appeared in Organic Spa Magazine’s March-April 2012 issue. Reading it over again made me wish I were at Ananda in the Himalayas getting a Tibetan-inspired facial.

2011/2012 was the first year we didn’t go to India to visit relatives, and I’m definitely feeling the effects of missing out on that annual cultural experience. When I return from India, I feel somehow transformed, and ready to approach my life in New York with fresh, open eyes.

Here’s to hoping there’s a trip to the East in the near future . . .

Astrid Lindgren Room, The Maidstone, East Hampton

TRAVEL REPORT:

When I told a friend we were heading to the Hamptons for President’s Day weekend, she exclaimed, “The Hamptons in winter?!” But I love going to popular travel destinations during the off-season, when you can really get a feel of a place. An added bonus: prices are infinitely cheaper.

We (Jaidev Sachi, and I) are enjoying our time at The Maidstone. Our room is named after one of my favorite childhood authors, Astrid Lindgren, who wrote Pippi Longstocking. The entire hotel is Swedish-themed, and it’s only fitting that, being a writer, I’m staying in a quirky room named after one of Sweden’s most famous authors, and the creator of such an unconventional, assertive character as Pippi.

(My husband agrees with this assessment).

Just now, we’re relaxing in The Living Room restaurant (which even has a dog menu!) by the wood-burning fire, drinking a Priorat . . . Is it possible to book a permanent room?

(Sachi says “Pretty Please?”)

Hemingway’s home, built in 1851 and occupied by the author in 1931. It was purchased by the uncle of Pauline Hemingway, Ernest Hemingway’s wife, for the couple.

TRAVEL REPORT:

It’s been less than a month since I returned back home to NYC, but I’m still pining after my Florida adventures, especially our visit to Key West. If only I had house like Hemingway–surely, great writing would abound!

(And a few six-toed cats to keep me company . . . )

A sleeping six-toed cat, a descendant of Hemingway’s original six-toed cats, which have free reign of the property.

You are given a white mask–which you are told must be worn at all times–and a playing card. When your card is called, you are invited to enter. Welcome to a world unlike any you’ve ever experienced, housed in an eerie, dark hotel, populated with unseemly characters who narrate an erotic, bloody story without words . . . but with elements of Macbeth.

Gossip Girl might have popularized Sleep No More with its special November 14, 2011 episode named after the show, but Sleep No More has been going strong for months (The New York Times and The New Yorker wrote reviews in April and May, respectively). Rumor has it that the show is only running through January 2012, so get your tickets now!

About:

Completed in 1939, the McKittrick Hotel was intended to be New York City’s finest and most decadent luxury hotel of its time. Six weeks before opening, and two days after the outbreak of World War II, the legendary hotel was condemned and left locked, permanently sealed from the public. Seventy-two years later, EMURSIVE has brought the Grande Dame back to life. Collaborating with London’s award-winning PUNCHDRUNK, the legendary space is reinvented with SLEEP NO MORE, presenting Shakespeare’s classic Scottish tragedy through the lens of suspenseful film noir. Audiences move freely through a transporting world at their own pace, choosing their own path through the story, immersed in the most unique theatrical experience in the history of New York.

TRAVEL REPORT:

At the 6th Annual “Days of Croatian Cheese” festival held at Gligora Dairy on Pag Island on 22 October 2011, we were invited to partake in a tour of the dairy, led by Director of Operations Šime Gligora, son of founder Ivan Gligora. Šime explained the cheese making process, which begins at the reception of milk from local Pag Island farmers. After processing, the milk is pasteurized to remove additional negative bacteria. The milk is then transferred into cheese vats, where the heart of production takes place: Rennet is added to aid the coagulation process, and the mixture is blessed. After the mixture has had time to set into a curd-like consistency, it is molded and pressed into cylindrical containers. The young cheese is then immersed in brine for one complete day, and is set out to dry before being transferred to the basement “cave” for ageing, and later, packaging for sale.

Read the full article on Croatian Chronicle Network.

Read about Gligora cheese on Taste of Croatia.

And check out my blog, P.S. from Pag.