Confessions of a (Young) Old Fashioned Girl in New York

A whole radio show around fashion? Color me very excited to announce that I am partnered with Fashion BS Radio. So you will be getting updates about them here on OFG. I think you will enjoy their radio show as much as I do. Some of their fabulous guests have included Jason Wu, Philip Bloch, Nigel Barker, Bethany Frankel and many many others. Check it out!
Fashion BS Radio

Coat Conundrum

Well it's January and I'm not crazy about arctic weather so I've been dreaming of Tortola.. but I digress.
So this year I decided it was time to finally replace the black walking sleeping bag of a down coat from Eddie Bauer that my mother bought me in (I'm almost embarrassed to say) 1989. As a Californian my Mother was very concerned about me keeping warm when she I left for boarding school on the east coast-she used to joke that the definition of a sweater was something you put on when you Mother is cold.
Well this coat has been the mother of all coats-nothings going to get through and I nicknamed it a homeless person's wet dream. Besides being functional it is about a - 3 on the fashion scales and made me look liked a giant charred marshmallow who needs to lose 50 pounds. (ps I'm like a size 4). So I decided that I at least have to replace it with a puffer that's in my color palette-like brown. So search high and low I did. What I found was a full length puffer from bluefly.com and it's pretty sleek for that sort of thing. The stitching is slimming, the hood is lined in fur but alas it is not as warm as the black marshmallows which I'm dying to actually give away to the homeless. So I'm left wondering what to do since I thought this new coat would be the new holy grail of coats for New York city life. My 70's fur is fabulous (thanks again Mom) but it has no hood and isn't long enough for deep deep freeze. So please weigh in..do I keep the black marshmallow for those super cold days or give it to someone who really needs it?

By the way check out Bill Cunningham's piece on puffer coats: He's always on point.

Medicine Cabinet Makeover

As part of the greening process of my life..I have recently changed my diet for health reasons I decided to take a hard look at all of the products in my life. Everything is under scrutiny and review. Toothpaste, shampoo, moisturizer, facial cleanser, mascara, and the whole lot.
Without getting too technical here I used www.CosmeticDatabase.com to figure out what products were really worth their snuff and which ones were hype. See there are many companies jumping onto the 'natural' bandwagon in skin and beauty but few are delivering true organic, and non chemical products without harsh preservatives. Even within products lines there are some products which are better than others. For example there are some burt's bee's that are great and some that do not score so well from cosmetic database (0 being good). Pretty much everything in the drug store has a bad list of ingredients-forget Aveno! But Vaseline 100% petroleum passed with a flying zero. Here's a list of the new ones' which I brought into my life:
Juice Beauty Green Apple moisturizer sp 15
Korres Natural Mascara
Lush imperalis moisturizer
Lush fresh mask Ayesha
Pangea Organics Blood orange cleanser
Kiss My Face Exfoliating Cleanser
Tom's of Maine Toothpaste with no fluoride or SLS
Onurth French Lavender Relaxing oil
Aubrey Organics Rosa Mosqueta Nourishing shampoo
Burt's Bee's grapefruit conditioner

Good places to find healthy products-Whole foods, health food stores, and a few from Ricky's.

One's I plan to check out as they are online:
Belle's Botanicals http://www.belles-botanicals.com/
Herbalize http://www.herbaliz.com/
Non-Toxic http://www.nontoxicskincare.com.au/
I'm super excited to order BEE LESS VATA from Solavedi http://www.solavedi.com/

A sad ending for Casey Johnson

I am saddened to hear about the passing of Casey Johnson. I met Casey Johnson 10 years ago and sadly it was very clear to me that she had a drug and alcohol addiction. These are serious family diseases that can be arrested but not cured. There are very few families I know untouched by addiction. What some may not know is that Casey Johnson was on the short list as Paris Hilton's sidekick on the reality show The Simple Life. For reasons we may never know she didn't accept the challenge. I wonder if things would have been different for her. How easy it is in cities like New York and LA to make society and parties your whole life. Makes me wonder if you didn't have to work would you? And how would you stay sane?
Was it easier to be the poor little rich girl stereotype? Was she overwhelmed by the the daunting task of making something of herself while always being smaller than Johnson&Johnson? The movie Metropolitan explores these topics of children of the wealthy often feel they can never be as successful as their parents. Sadly in new york it feels as if we have more Casey Johnsons than Ivanka Trumps.

The web has been flooded with articles about her:
The Frisky

The Improper

Gawker

CNN

Movies of Grandeur

Sometimes I watch movies just for the costumes...ok well a lot of times I watch them only for that reason. But right now The Young Victoria is playing at the cinemas and it is not only visually stunning but a great story. I recommend it highly and suggest you visit the Clearview Chelsea Cinema if you are in New York City because they have a few costumes by Sandy Powell on display in their foyer. A wonderful escape into royalty and grandeur during this cold winter.
A good DVD option is the classic The Lady Eve
Happy viewing!

Bra-leluiah

I never thought I would tout Victoria's Secret...especially since they haven't paid me a dime but I'm going to. (BTW-all of my posts are strictly editorial)
As a small chested woman I have always been personally challenged when it came to finding a brassiere that fit me well and that I could stand more for than 20 minutes. The wireless ones always left me flat chested looking. I've tried so many and most of the time go commando because frankly it's more comfortable and I can't stand the thought of wearing a bra that is frankly slightly bigger than my actual cup size and that's my usual conundrum. For a while I thought I might be a AA but this has always been denied by 'bra experts'. So I finally broke down and tried the Very Sexy Push Up Wireless Bra with success. It is not only comfy it's giving me the best cleavage of my life. It just goes to show you that I should always follow the advise I impart on my clients-'TRY TRY TRY AGAIN until you find one that fits'.
I'm sure you know where to find them but they are having a sale right now. I think I may just order a couple more..
www.victoriassecret.com

A new era for women-glamourous till we die

Anyone else jumping for joy for the fact that 'older' are finally being portrayed in the movie as hot? I am! It seems that over 40 set is the new 30. You go Meryl, Julianne Moore in Single Man, Nicole Kidman, Sophia Loren, and Judi Dench in Nine. I laughed so hard during 'It's Complicated' but was even more delighted by the fact that Meryl just glowed her way through the whole movie. My Mom is a gorgeous woman over 60 and it's about time Hollywood stopped putting these women out to pasture.
Thank you.

Onurth for a new earth

Skincare handcrafted and made with the purest ingrediants. Synthetic free, organic, unrefined, and made in small batches. Music to my ears. I've recently gone through a medicine cabinet makeover shake up and this is one of the lines that is here to stay. I discovered them 2 years ago at the holiday market at Bryant park and initially bought at few items as Christmas gifts. But something amazing happened-the women who I gave these products too flipped over them and asked for them again. Now it's a holiday tradition and I have personally fallen for them too. The serums are amazing, the relaxing oil is by my bedside and I use just before bed as it's a delicious blend that includes my favorite scent lavender. My cousin swears by the rose hydrolat... I could go on and on. But please check out their story and philosophy on their website and support our local artisans making wonderful products.
www.onurth.com

The next 2nd 'other' livingroom

I simply cannot wait! A chic upscale cocktail lounge opening up a stone's throw from my atelier in the former post office by the people who brought us the Campbell Apartment?
Color me happy. Will it be inexpensive? No, but who cares. I really know how to pick real estate. First the Ace opens and now The Empire Room in the ground floor of the Empire State building. So glad my little nabe is getting swankified. I will have a great time 'taking meetings' in my new 2nd other livingroom-the Ace is still my number 1 but hey that can change.
Now if only I my date...I mean client could wear a tux...
Opens this month
350 5th Avenue
212.980.9476

Liddabit of sweets-lots of love

Nothing I love more than chocolate as my good friends know. So when I stumbled upon the lovely Liddabit stand at the Gifted market I was excited to taste some of their concoctions. I loved the chocolate sea salt caramels and hope to try more treats. So happy to support those following their passions.They are local-artisanal-seasonal and can be found at www.liddabitsweets.com or at the Brooklyn Flea every Saturday.

Achieving Holiday Zen Zone

4 years ago I reclaimed Christmas as my own. No longer would I look to another to create my holiday joy. I decided to be in charge of my joy from then on. This year attending my yearly yoga retreat I noticed the cumulative effects of visiting such a place. I found less of a difference between the outside world and the inside retreat world. My diet is similar, my mental state overall zen, and I still enjoy a quick jaunt to the mall. Back in the city I was able to stay really focused on the task at hand-holiday cookie baking and last minute gifts. I found myself enjoying the tasks because I didn't feel scattered or overwhelmed. Now to keep this zen zone forever.....

R&R

I will be taking my yearly unplug for retreat and renewal.
I do not plan on blogging but hey you never know.
Back in a week to report back. :)
Namaste

Brooklyn Bowl the badass superstah

Hit the Brooklyn Bowl for a bday party the other cold and windy night. despite frigid temperatures the place was hopping and wait time was 4 hours. Luckily our birthday girl did some magic with the twins to expedite the experience. The trick with large parties there is to share bowling shoes. Yes, they limit the shoes they give out. It's $40 an hour per lane-this aint your laid back california bowling I grew up with. But seriously it seemed like our group was more into the idea of bowling than actually playing. It reminded me of when Remote Lounge opened up. A lot of people drinking, partying, eating, hanging just for the novelty of the experience. Blue Ribbon is doing the food and it's not on my current program but I'm sure they're making a killing. Fries with gravy and cheese???
And there's plenty or room and pockets to do everything but bowl-eat, drink at the bar, dance to the live band, or pose. It's a totally entertaining.
Just to be clear this is full on hipster land so expect to see all those cool kids doing what they do best-hanging with their crew....don't expect to make new friends it's BYO.
Brooklyn Bowl

Best new mini cupcake source in nyc

At a bowling birthday party in Brooklyn I brought mini cupcakes from Kumquat. They were such a hit I decided to blog about them. I got so many inquiries about them due to their unique flavors. I bought the assortment box and one of the cupcakes was topped with bacon. My top pick was the chocolate peppermint. I figure they are so small they've removed the guilt for the eating experience. So they bake in brooklyn and sell at the cool fleas in nyc. Right now during the holidays they are stationed at Gifted (check their site for days and times) on lafayette and 4th street.
If you want more info on this company you can visit their website or follow them on twitter.

Home Decor Style File

Agatha Helena
is very talented hair and makeup artist but also creative with the style in her home. Inspiring!
Here are some shots of some vignettes she created. The plants were to cover up an unattractive water heater and improve air quality. She's mastered the art of chic/cheap.
www.agatahelena.com

Donna Sonkin's Power Look for her Holiday Event

I've been working with Donna Sonkin and helped her determine her power colors and shapes. Here she talks about what she selected for her "Get Thin for the Holidays" Event December 8, 2009. Notice she wore one color head to toe to elongate the line and added color touches to show some personal flair. The orange red lipstick is a winner on her. The cut of the dress adds a touch of volume as pleats in the perfect spot. Enjoy! This version will play on mobile phones.

My top picks at Rubell Collection

david noonan

aneta grzeszykowska

cindy sherman

rachel harrison

rashid johnson

takashi murakami

'Beg Borrow Steal' show was a highlight of my Art Basel trip. What a difference between an art show and a well curated private collection. The Rubell's have done well for themselves and each purchase seems to be smart choice.
I was facinated by the photographs by Aneta Grzeszykowska more info: www.raster.art.pl/gallery/artists/grzeszsamga/grzeszsmaga.htm

Art Basel Miami the show

mathew monahan

luis gispert

david altmeid sold for 130k

"Like anything so far?
Too overwhelming to tell"

More like underwhelming.
Yes Basel is blue chip art and it is a huge show-impressive really. But I was left with the feeling of continuity. As if all of the artists were of the same sensibility, the same style, and almost interchangable. I didn't see a huge different between each booth. Galleries shoot me now...well Sylvester Stalone's booth which was crammed all the time was different no I re-frase UGLY. I'm just saying.
With the high price to show at this show blue chip art is derigeur to make money but I'm wondering if it's worth for galleries to avoid risk? Who suffers?
Some highlights which I enjoyed:
"SILENCE IS GOLDEN

DUCK TAPE IS SILVER"
The people watching on the VIP/Press preview during the day was phenomenal. The quality of the collectors were so high. Very well dressed in designer garb, jewels, leboutins, jimmy choos, ,limited edition louis vuitton bags, kelly bags, and much more. Women were better turned out than at fashion week. These women have the time, cash, and the style to dress. I know we are in a recession but in the first hour or probably even before the show started a bizarro piece by david atmejd sold for 120K-just pocket change for the Aby Rosen's of the world. There are sales being made.
I was anticipating the night time vernissage but it was the poor sister event-lots of flash but fake bling. Just goes to show you in the art world the REAL and VERY first view is the best.

Nina Loren Head Bling

Last night at GenArt's event I spotted this amazing head bling/hair art and met the artist. Nina Loren is based in Miami but she has a website of hand crafted jewelry. Check it out and order away. With the whole obsession with headbands, feathers, mini hats, this look is one to take off.
www.ninaloren.com
305-270-7747

GenArt-Stylish shakers

Still enjoying the BK (brooklyn) flavor of Genart's party at Aqua Art. Fashions were in full force. Performances by Overthrow and DJ's Ray Milian Off The Radar were off the hook. Art was so intoxicating they had a hard time kicking the art lovers out at the end of the night. Leave it to Ian Gerard to curate another great fete in foreign territory.Very stylish men at this party. My good friend Fritz who lives in Miami filled me in on his last 4 years as publisher of 'The greatest erotic art of today' a coffee table books which he's on version #3. He introduced me to a very interesting artist named Perego artofperego. He paints in this jacket and uses his hair as a paint brush.
This musician whose music can be downloaded at www.darkjet.com has unique style and flair for jewelry. He was filling me on the fact that his heart isn't even metal and I told him some style secrets are left unsaid.

WTF at the W

I thought I got on a plane and left New York!! Wait I did. So why am I hanging out at the bursting at the seams uber hot new W in South beach watching all of New York walk by? Art Basel week has not only brought collectors from all over the globe but the cool cats of new york who can afford to get away. Today at Pulse I saw a tall guy who I've eyed (but never met) at least 4 New York/Hamptons parties. So back to the W where my girlfriend and I are flies on the wall ie one with the the sofa-people watching through the night. There's a lot of coming and going and the killer high heels and BOOTS are astonishing. Art Nexus is having a party out by the pool and in the front bar it looks like cougar central-too much botox in that lighting for our taste. We awarded this young girl in sailors hat as top pick. Other notables were those in suped up legging versions-bedazzled and glittery, one in pink silk strapless pantsuit probably from the 70's.-belted and billowy, Naomi Campbell in a nurses hat type head piece, Farrell Williams of NERD in white t-shirt and jeans (what is it about famous people wearing clothes that look like nothing but cost a fortune???-like prada)

Fashion at Moca Miami Party

Overheard at Vanity Fair/Moca fete, 'F*% the art!' Apparently no dress code either.
Fashion wise this party is a mixed bag of art nuts. You've got the ladies who lunch and buy art all decked in designer cocktail dresses dripping in jewels and their token napping husbands, you've got the drag queen couple, woman in a Mohave desert print ensemble with tennis shoes and white socks, artists too cool to dress in white t-shirt (def not Hanes) and jeans, cute straight guys (although I don't have the pics to prove it) young hipsters doing the American apparel look, orange head trying way too hard with a sequin dress waaaaay too short, a woman wearing her dress inside out (not sure if on purpose), guy with panda bear head piece and very very small people. Very good bedroom lucite sex kitten heels.
It must be a good party..Shaggy the famous NYC party crasher is here.

Viceroy Decor Miami

You may have remember my posting about the Viceroy in Palm Spring. If you don't and you're just tuning into OFG you can access it HERE. Miami's version also designed by Kelly Wearstler is in downtown area. Uber fabulous but just doesn't have the bursting clientele. Like most condos/hotels in miami, new real estate projects are hurting. But when it catched up this place should be fierce.