Monthly Archives: March 2010

Here’s another one from InTandem Magazine’s blog:

It’s September 11th and the weather outside, like our health-care system, is a dark, damp and frightful mess. But despite all the sadness and gloomy temperatures, it’s fashion week here in New York City! And, on day 2 of this momentous week, The September Issue graces us with its illustrious entrance into this weekend’s national box office. Instead of volunteering or doing something equally meaningful to commemorate 9/11, I’m doing my part to keep fashion glossies everywhere alive by pledging my $12 to Landmark Cinemas on Houston Street in NYC to view Vogue sensations Anna Wintour, ALT and Grace Coddington in all of her krazy kat lady glory give birth to an issue that broke advertising records but delivered less than spectacular content.

But it was yesterday at Micheal Angel at the Bryant Park tents that I noticed the Jainous-ness himself Derek Blasberg sitting front row.

He’s the new playboy on the scene and a contributing writer to Vogue. He probably pees on girls for kicks and giggles but I digress. (I tend to think that powerful men are into water sports)

Micheal Angel collection for SS10 was pure polish. Colorful florals on dark silks and sheers with shiny geometric embellishments on some pieces. All the dress reached far above the knee which gave the collection a sense of optimism. Hairstylist Thomas Dunkin coiffed the “perfect pony”, complimenting the lovely looks of the collection without overshadowing them.

Backstage at the show, just minutes before “first looks”, Dunkin graciously spoke to me, showing me how he “ponys” with the help of Sebastian Professional and a blowdryer. Using Sebastian products Microweb Fiber (an elastic texturizer for mallable, touchable texture) Thickefy Foam (thickener for natural volume), Halo Mist and Shine Define sprays, Dunkin tied the hair just below the eyes to create an elegant pony tail.

Finally, French speciality boutique Merci pops-up in New York City this season courtesy of The Gap. Merci Gap concept store will be open through October 5 so faire vite and allez vous-en! 680 Fifth Ave., at 54th St.; 212-977-7023.

The vintage hits from my InTandem Magazine blog just keep on coming. Posting from August 8, 2009 after having stayed at the Andaz and then had brunch at SLS’ Bazaar:

Driving down Pico towards the Sunset Strip in my husband’s grandfather’s (aka Pop Bergman) 1984 Chrysler La Baron, I finally felt relaxed. Sure, the car was on its last legs and we were forced to completely avoid any freeway since the blinkers were shot, but who cares–we’re out of New York for a month. To recycle Angela Chase’s take on High School to sum up New York City, living in the city that never sleeps can feel like a “battlefield for your heart.” But L.A is cool and in our fucked-up hoopie, I didn’t give a shit about anything.

So when we turned into the valet stand at the Andaz Hotel in West Hollywood, giving the parking guy the keys to our ride, oblivious to the contrast of our decrepit lemon against the beautiful bevy of Ferraris, Mercedes and Ducatis, we immediately fell right at home. For despite the fact that L.A is all about flash (on the road, we spotted a motorcyclist rocking an impeccably tailored Zegna suit, channeling an international playboy), it’s also about irony. So for a town jam packed with flash-tastic pomp and circumstance, L.A. is stuffed to the gills with implied discrepancies–and the Andaz Hotel perfectly captures the spirit of hollyweird in spades.

Located on Sunset Blvd, there are no check-in desks in sight, just a couple of trendsters standing in front of a large communal table, typing into laptops as if they are at the MAC store checking e-mail. I asked an attractive actress-type where the check-in desk was.

Attractive actress-type: “It’s right here.”

Turns out she worked there. She took her cell out from her black clutch (apparently all part of the uniform) and called Oscar who assisted us with our stay.

Andaz is a modern art enthusiast’s wet dream. After Oscar personally escorted us to our rooms (they are all about personal service there), he invited us to enjoy complementary wine in the front lobby that’s open to everyone visiting the hotel. (In the morning, there’s free coffee, pastries and clementines.) While sipping on Pinot Noir, flipping through coffee table books on L.A architecture, my eyes settled on the super sleek lighting fixtures and art installations adorning the front room. We then wandered upstairs to 2nd floor lounge where we found sculptures from a local high school juxtaposed against art pieces that I couldn’t identify but thought were fucking awesome.

Once upon a time, Andaz was the Continental Hyatt, preferred accommodations for 70’s rock stars and their groupies a la “Almost Famous.” The hotel was soon dubbed “Riot House” on account of the wild antics carried out by the rockers staying there.

Now, the balconies overlooking the Strip where people like Jimmy Page and Jim Morrison used to disrespect woman and snort coke, have been converted into luxurious “sun rooms”, extra spaces providing in each street side guest quarter where people can see or be seen as they attempt to light their nights on fire.

In short, the Andaz in West Hollywood is a reminder to those that can truly appreciate L.A. for it’s accommodating nature. The staff is welcoming, the hotel bar and restaurant called Riot Hyatt is well-stocked and serves up delicious appetizers and desserts if you are not looking to spend the night but love to chill in hotels just as much as I do.

Another vintage posting I wrote for InTandem Magazine’s blog after having attended a Tacori event at Michael C. Fina back in December 11, 2009:

Last night, I attended the launch party for Tacori’s 18k925 collection at Michael C. Fina in Midtown Manhattan. A line of consisting of 18k gold, 925 silver and colorful gemstones, the baubles are priced high (between $400 – $3000) and are geared towards the young set.

But what belle of the ball, currently representing the young set could possibly pull off the task of shilling someone else’s brand for self-serving purposes? Enter Whitney Port of MTV’s The City, who while talking up Tacori, made sure that a couple of her designs were prominently displaced next to the colorful jewels. Cute frocks but unfortunately not the best accompaniment to the David Yurman-esque look of the 18k925. It all seemed like a PR company killing 2 birds with 1 party for their clients.

Whitney looked great in a white studded number and vintage heels that reminded me of a 1960s prom. She spoke to a few media people and took a few random facebook mobile snaps with guests and that was it. She spent the rest of the evening speaking only to her small group of friends. If it was Princess Diana or Jackie O., I bet they would have at least graciously smiled at everyone because that’s what a belle does. They knew how work the crowd, acknowledging everyone’s existence in the process.

So does Whitney truly represent this era’s definition of a Daisy Buchanan? With shows like “Jersey Shore” and “Tool Academy”, featuring Tiger Woods’ former mistress, gaining popularity, seems like there’s a new wave in our midst. It’s as if we’re done with obsessing over the hostess’ gown–we’re too preoccupied with the trashy crashers who got through security.

Even our own first lady (though I admire her for many reasons) is more apt to showing you how to plant rosemary in your garden than flaunt a fabulous gown at an Elton John benefit. She doesn’t seem like a schmoozer/connector which is vital to being a belle.

I know I’m rambling so I’ll get to my point. As we enter a new decade, the “belle of the ball” is over. Who knows what to expect in the new decade (hopefully not an apocalypse!) but I’m pretty sure that it won’t include a classy It Girl that deserves worldwide love and respect for her gift of throwing a great party. Our new 2010s heroine will probably be some reality TV star who loves to fuck in coat rooms and blows her nose at the dinner table. Get ready, maybe she’ll look like this:

I posted this in InTandem’s blog this past January:
I’ve been drinking way too much coffee lately. Thanks to our intrepid music editor Jenny Francois’s gift of a thermal carafe for my July ‘09 wedding, I can sip the hot, earthy goodness all day long if I wanted. But I need to get out of my dishelved office and start working off my Christmas break weight gain.

Lamé, sequins, studs and shorts are still in full effect this winter as the confusing economy continues to confound and the oldest retail company in the U.S, Caswell-Massey, prepares to open shop in NYC’s Limelight Marketplace this March 2010.

Renderings of Limelight Marketplace

According to the press release: The brainchild of fashion retailer Jack Menashe, Limelight Marketplace will transform a historic 163-year-old venue into a three-story “festival of shops,” with elaborate facades and varied designs that invoke the feeling of a stroll down a marvelous European street. Limelight Marketplace welcomes innovative retailers and entrepreneurs, providing a unique “turn-key” solution for start-ups and established brands looking for a presence in the New York City retail market.

So look out C.O Bigalow, there’s a new emporium shilling toxic, paraben-laden products coming to town!

BUT HAS IT HAPPENED?

Can’t find it on google. Maybe someone can let me know? Thanks!

Last week it was announced that Conan O’Brien will be taking his show on the road for an upcoming 30-city tour called “Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television Tour!.”

Posting below that I published on InTandem Magazine’s blog back in January. I still think that he should ditch the Fox late night show idea and go to HBO but what do I know, right?

According to this morning’s NY Post “the peacock ruffled Conan O’Brien’s feathers — and now he’s ready to fly the coop.”
Instead of giving Jay Leno the much-deserved boot in the ass, after it was determined in 2004 that he would retire, NBC has confirmed that Leno will get his old 11:35pm time slot back, demoting Conan O’Brien to an after-midnight schedule.

What the fuck?

Conan, officially the redheaded step-child of NBC, is now left with his balls blowing in the arctic-freeze, as lamo Leno gets his job back.
My advice to O’Brien: Run to HBO!

Rumor has it that FOX is courting O’Brien, but with Letterman and Leno rivalry subsequently back in effect, a third talk show added to the mix just wouldn’t work. Plus, what would happen to FOX’s successful late-night programming of sit-coms like Seinfeld and The Simpsons?

O’Brien should leave network television all-together and do something daring like take on a 30 or 60-minute weekly series with HBO-sweetheart Ricky Gervais and The Office’s Mindy Kaling, featuring sketch comedy and the occasional musical guest. Maybe a bit like 30Rock with entertainment insider-y jokes but with cursing and male full-frontal (NSFW).

Just a thought…

If you’re like me, you enjoy a fine “Two Buck Chuck” wine from Trader Joe’s with your dinner, especially when company’s over, right? With one of the world’s most powerful earthquakes in a century battering famed wine making country Chile> on February 27, one question has prevades as country rebuilds itself:

Can Chile’s famous wine industry rebuild after quake?

Alfredo S. Bartholomaus says, “YES!”

And he should know. Born and raised in Chile, Bartholomaus is a successful pioneer of wines, who in 2001 and 2005 was selected as one of The Wine Advocates “Wine Personalities of the Year.” As a young man, Alfredo hitchhiked to the United States in pursuit of his dream to bring the wines of Chile to the United States. Today, Bartholomaus works with Winebow whose portfolio includes wines from Chile, Argentina, Germany, Alsace, New Zealand and California. In addition, they now serve as not only importers, but also marketers and producers.

According to Bartholomaus, the quake will not affect the taste of the product and most wineries will be able to ship their wines within the next few weeks.

Bartholomaus: “The Valley of Aconcagua, Casablanca, San Antonio and Maipo Valley had minor damages,” but adds that “the ones most affected are Cachapoal, Colchagua, Curico and Maule Valleys which lost about $250 million in wines–about 12 % of the National inventories.”

So drink up!

From Hermès to Kenzo, the looks were mostly brights, lace, furs and retro. Designers like Marc Jacobs for Louis Vuitton seemed to be referencing a “Mad Men”/Brigette Bardot era when women had hips, ass, boobs and dangerous curves.

Carine Roitfeld, editrix of French Vogue sums up Paris Fashion like this: “La Fashion Week de Paris se termine par une note Sixties, très daisy girl.” (Paris Fashion Week finish with a nod to the sixties, very daisy girl—referring to a 1960s controversial anti-nuclear war TV ad)

Miu Miu offered minidresses in black wool, or a wool jersey that had wide straps or prim collars closed with a big cord bow. The hems had a stiff flounce with a rounded quality, like the bell shape of a tunic over skinny pants with belled cuffs. Thankfully, I might have items similar to what was presented currently in my closet, which will save me thousands of dollars that I don’t have in trying to copy the looks in this season’s showcase.

According to New York Times, Cathy Horyn, “no collection dominated the Paris season quite like Alexander McQueen” who died on February 11, 2010 of an apparent suicide.

In regards to McQueen’s final collection, Horyn adds : “The 16 dresses and caped coats — each one different and all referencing 15th-century paintings or carvings — were exceptional because no one else thought to make such a personal and subtle connection to the function of art on human consciousness.”

There’s no stopping Jean Charles de Castelbajac from keeping the cool kids hopping with whimsical, often colorful creations textured with sequins, metal and leather. Ooh la la!

Todd Selby is a portrait, interiors, and fashion photographer and illustrator, whose project The Selby offers an insider’s view of creative individuals in their personal spaces with an artist’s eye for detail. Having began in June 2008 as a website, TheSelby.com, where Todd posted photo shoots he did of his friends in their homes, requests quickly began coming in daily from viewers all over the world wanting their homes to be featured on the site. The Selby’s website became so popular—with up to 35,000 unique visitors daily—that within months, top companies from around the world began asking to collaborate.

These joint projects have included a large ad campaign and web project with Nike 6.0, a solo show at Colette (picture above), an international ad campaign for Habitat, work for the New York Times T Magazine, and frequent contributions to Vogue Paris and Architectural Digest France.

Todd’s first book, The Selby is In Your Place, will be released in May 2010 by Abrams.

According to his website: “before working on this project full time, Selby worked as a translator and Tijuana tour guide to the International Brotherhood of Machinists, a researcher into the California strawberry industry, a Costa Rican cartographer, a consultant on political corruption to a Mexican Senator, an art director at a venture capital firm, an exotic flower wholesaler, a Japanese clothing designer, and a vermicomposting entrepreneur. Todd currently lives in New York City. His pastimes include eating four square meals a day, planning vacations, breaking his computers, and working on his tan”