Miscellaneous V.

Pretty in Punk: A Peek at the 2013 Met Gala*s Prettiest Ladies

Tue, 07 May 2013 16:30:00 -0400

Museum Mile was bustling with limos last night as fashion’s leading ladies made their way to the Costume Institute’s exclusive opening gala for Punk: Chaos to Couture. While Sarah Jessica Parker wins the award for best punk-inspired look for donning a gilded mohawk designed by British milliner Philip Treacy, the rest of these beauties also looked stunning as they walked the red carpet in their couture ensembles.

Clockwise from top left: Sienna Miller in Burberry (glamourmagazine.co.uk), Kate Bosworth in Balmain (vogue.com), SJP in a headpiece by Philip Treacy (popsugar.com), Rooney Mara in Givenchy Haute Couture (washingtonpost.com), Gwyneth Paltrow in Valentino Couture (glamourmagazine.co.uk), Gisele Bundchen in Anthony Vaccarello (style.com), Emma Watson in Prabal Gurung (glamourmagazine.co.uk), Jessica Alba wearing an edgy ear cuff (redcarpet-fashionawards.com), and Beyonce in Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci (style.com).

This is what Cinco de Mayo is all about (at Barrio Chino, NYC).

Sun, 05 May 2013 21:23:00 -0400

This is what Cinco de Mayo is all about (at Barrio Chino, NYC).

A farmer’s market breakfast, with goods from the Union...

Sun, 28 Apr 2013 10:40:00 -0400

A farmer’s market breakfast, with goods from the Union Square Greenmarket.

Inspiration Board: Fashion Talks

Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:49:56 -0400

Clockwise from left:

Kate Spade “That’s the Last Straw” tote, $248. (katespade.com)
Solange Azagury-Partridge for goop “Rad” ring in 18K gold, $1,550. (goop.com)
Sophia Webster “Hold Me” clutch, $450. (net-a-porter.com)
Markus Lupfer “My Bad” sequined t-shirt, $196.18. (asos.com)
Quotation Marks scarf printed with E. E. Cummings’s “I Carry Your Heart,” $34. (etsy.com)
Lulu Guinness “One in a Million” purse, $85. (luluguinness.com)
Christian Louboutin “Love” patent-leather ballet flats, $1,595. (net-a-porter.com)
Hugo Guinness for J.Crew cashmere “Darling” sweater, $339.90. (jcrew.com)
ASOS “Bonjour” watch with mustache, $36.58. (asos.com)
“I Live in New York But I Love Boston” solidarity tee, $26.90. (backtobeantown.spreadshirt.com)

Happy shopping!

Artsy.net Offers a Preview of Works from the Whitney Art...

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 19:56:00 -0400

"Untitled (Girl's Side)," 2007, by Kim McCarty. $8,125

"Sandy Witch Collection - Now That I'm Sober?," 2013, by Harif Guzman. $40,000

"Untitled," 2012, by N. Dash $3,150

"Sage," 2013, by Jim Drain. $7,500

"Eroded Camera," 2012, by Daniel Arsham. SOLD

"Untitled," 2013, by Sanya Kantarovsky. $2,500

"Untitled," 2012, by Brendan Lynch. $5,000

Artsy.net Offers a Preview of Works from the Whitney Art Party

On May 1, the Whitney Young Contemporaries will host the Whitney Art Party, an annual gala aimed to raise money for the museum’s educational programs by showcasing and selling works by up-and-coming artists who are just beginning to see the twinkling lights of stardom. This year, the Whitney has decided to jumpstart the fundraiser by collaborating with Artsy, an art-centric e-commerce site. As of today, Artsy is offering a preview sale of the works that will be exhibited at the party.

Click here to start (or expand) your art collection.

Click here to take one step closer to hobnobbing with the who’s who of NYC at the Whitney Art Party.

A flower shop on Madison Avenue, Upper East Side Saturday, April...

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 09:12:48 -0400

A flower shop on Madison Avenue, Upper East Side

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Nothing says summer like a new pair of Jack Rogers. This season,...

Sat, 13 Apr 2013 22:45:48 -0400

Nothing says summer like a new pair of Jack Rogers. This season, the Navajo, a decades-old staple for elegant Upper East Siders like Jackie O., has been given a modern flair with bursts of neon pink, orange, and green. Can you guess which pair I bought for myself today?

Visit the Jack Rogers boutique at 1198 Madison Avenue, between 87th and 88th streets, to view the limited edition neon collection and indulge in a pair for yourself. If you can’t get to the store, go to jackrogersusa.com.

Bright Lights, Beautiful City

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:54:56 -0400

Temperatures reached 80 degrees in New York on Wednesday and to celebrate the warm weather, Alex and I dined al fresco on our building’s rooftop. Birds chirped cheerfully as we sipped Chardonnay, and dined on roasted wild salmon and spring vegetable risotto. As the sun set, the city lights began to twinkle around us, reminding me that nothing beats springtime in New York or cozy dinners with my soul mate.

Before Dawn in the Meatpacking...

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 18:24:00 -0400

Dad and I, ready to enter Weichsel Beef before dawn.

A corridor of carcasses

Where's the beef?

Hector's Diner, an MPD landmark and local meatpackers' hangout.

Hector's bacon, egg, and cheese on a roll, ordered just before 6 a.m.

Before Dawn in the Meatpacking District, NYC

When my family opened our restaurant in the Meatpacking District in 2000, our neighbors were meatpackers and animal blood stained the cobblestone streets. Over the past decade, most meat warehouses between Gansevoort and west 14th street have been replaced by lavish clothing stores, highrise hotels, and nightclubs. Every once in a while my dad likes to wake up before dawn to see how the local, persevering meat purveyors are doing. I tagged along on his most recent visit, this time to Weichsel Beef, on Tuesday morning, learning that the Meatpacking District’s butchers are a diehard breed who eat their breakfast at Hector’s Café and Diner.

Fashion Craving: Kitty Satin Slippers by Charlotte Olympia

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 16:57:05 -0400

Confession: I’m allergic to cats, but I love Charlotte Olympia’s purrty kitten flats. I just might have to go back to Bergdorfs and pick up a pair…

Alber Elbaz’s Invitation for this Year’s Masquerade...

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 15:31:00 -0400

Alber Elbaz’s Invitation for this Year’s Masquerade Ball to Save Venice

Lanvin is one of the sponsors of this April’s annual Save Venice Masquerade Ball at the Pierre Hotel in New York . To celebrate the occasion, Alber Elbaz, the fashion label’s playful designer and master illustrator, has created a whimsical invitation. On the card, fun-loving revelers dressed in black and white and wearing red masks party the night away beneath glistening chandeliers. It is one of the most exquisite invitations I have ever received.

For more information on Save Venice, or to purchase tickets to this event, please visit: www.savevenice.org

Homemade cupcakes, a surprise for my sweet husband in honor of...

Thu, 14 Mar 2013 14:05:00 -0400

Homemade cupcakes, a surprise for my sweet husband in honor of his birthday today.

For recipe details, please see the back of a Duncan Hines Moist Yellow Cake box …

It may be their old-fashioned outfits, or the fact that they...

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:03:38 -0400

It may be their old-fashioned outfits, or the fact that they seem to live in another time, but I love the Swiss Guards.

Hello. My name is Val and I’m a Carvaholic. I just...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 15:31:00 -0400

Hello. My name is Val and I’m a Carvaholic.

I just got back from an amazing four days of skiing in Jackson Hole. Some highlights of my trip include skiing pure powder while taking in breathtaking views of Wyoming, riding up the gondola with an avalanche dog named Grover Cleveland, aprés ski bloody marys at the Handle Bar at the Four Seasons, and live music (and margaritas) at the base of the mountain.

Chloe at Fall 2013 Paris Fashion Week, on oliviapalermo.com

Sat, 09 Mar 2013 21:23:00 -0500

Boy Meets Girl:

http://www.oliviapalermo.com/fall-2013-paris-fashion-week-chloe/

Celebrate National Margarita Day at Two of NYC*s Best Mexican Restaurants

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 11:46:00 -0500

Above left: habenero margarita with spicy salt. Above right: traditional lime margarita. At Barrio Chino many nights ago, with my dear friend Kris.

Happy National Margarita Day!!

Because you should never drink on an empty stomach, below are two of my favorite Manhattan restaurants that just happen to serve some of the city’s best margaritas.

Barrio Chino, 253 Broome Street
Grab a seat at the bar and share the Plato Mexicano with a friend while you people watch. If you like a little spice in your life, try the habanero margarita. If you prefer sweet to spicy, then order the hibiscus flavored one.
barriochinonyc.com

Rosa Mexicano, 1063 1st Avenue:
You can never go wrong with a spicy guacamole for two (prepared tableside) and the mole enchiladas. Order the restaurant’s signature, slushy, frozen pomegranate margarita and you’ll giggle your way right through a delicious meal.
rosamexicano.com

Salud to a fun night!

Above, bucatini all’Amatriciana: thick tubes of...

Sun, 17 Feb 2013 23:08:00 -0500

Above, bucatini all’Amatriciana: thick tubes of spaghetti-like pasta topped with a sauce of tomatoes, onions, crushed red pepper, pecorino cheese and pancetta. Here, a few shavings of pecorino serve as garnish.

A hearty, spicy pasta dish that originated in the town of Amatrice, in the mountains of Lazio, in central Italy, bucatini all’Amatriciana is most satisfying when consumed during cold weather months. It was only fitting that my father-in-law, Eric, prepared the dish for our family after a long day of skiing in New Hampshire during Presidents’ Day Weekend.

Carolina Herrera Fall 2013 Fashion Show on oliviapalermo.com

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 17:15:59 -0500

http://www.oliviapalermo.com/fall-2013-new-york-fashion-week-carolina-herrera/

Wolffer Rosé + lobster = a perfect Valentine’s Day...

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 20:40:00 -0500

Wolffer Rosé + lobster = a perfect Valentine’s Day dinner

I Heart Honor*s Fall 2013 Collection

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 14:09:00 -0500

Fashion designer Giovanna Randall is one of the girliest girls you will ever meet so it came as no surprise that her Fall 2013 collection, which debuted yesterday in Chelsea, is a refreshing mix of beautifully tailored, uber-feminine pieces. As models walked the runway, they flaunted pale pink wool coats, bright pink brocade trousers, and black and white ensembles, all embellished with pink heart shaped rhinestones or heart cutouts. The designer’s emphasis on playful heart motifs and the color pink were a breath of fresh air for fashion editors who are so used to seeing dismal shades of brown and gray on fall runways. My guess is that Honor’s fall collection was Randall’s way of saying Happy Valentines Day.

Above, a black, knee-length dress with heart cutout.