Polish Bar Brooklyn

Last night, Polish Bar of Brooklyn’s Prospect Heights store celebrated the latest fall collection by some of the best nail polish brands including Essie, OPI and Zoya. If you’re not familiar with Polish Bar, it is a very chic nail salon with twin stores in Clinton Hill and Prospect Heights. The event included drinks for relaxation, sweets for your soul and free mini manicures to pamper your hands. Guest were prive to choose manicure colors from the new fall collection.

To my delight, most attendees where dressed to impress. Some of my favorite fashionistas including the “Lady in Purple” who sported a chic eggplant colored Rachel Roy jacket over a periwinkle H&M dress. Crafty purple lipstick was a combination of Dior’s #680 over purple eyeliner. The hipster dual was also stylishly attired in laid back harem pants with red lip stick and a black blazer over my “recession proof” cut off jean shorts with readers.

The décor at the Prospect Heights PBB salon was equally fabulous. Be sure to pop into one of the Polish Bar of Brooklyn locations. I recommend the brown sugar pedicure treatment on the comfortable pink velvet chairs. To commemorate their 4^th year anniversary, PBB is offering 20% off all services.  Please note: services must be booked online to receive discount. Check out Polish Bar of Brooklyn’s website for more information: http://www.polishbarbrooklyn.com/   

Reopening of GoldBar Fall 2010

Tonight was the grand reopening of Nolita’s Gold Bar which is known for pretentious parties for all of NYC’s many ethnic groups. Gold bar has a great décor. Compliments to the club designer Robert McKinley for the gothic gold assets including the gold skull walls and gold chain curtains. I am always transfixed by the haunting and surreal artwork on the wall.

The opening was pretty tamed and quiet compared to the usual scene of last season. The crowd, keeping with the Fashion Week trend was fashionable. As far as style, no one really stood out besides a few well-dressed men including a swanky dressed male in a red rain jacket and tastefully combined scarf. He was unfortunately not a New York native but actually a Miamian (not that there’s anything wrong with that; I’m just bias). The open vodka bar was well appreciated by patrons (well those who actually knew that the bar was open). The crowd thickened as the night progressed. I’m positive that come late fall and winter, Gold bar will be back to its usual tight door policy with all the beautiful people inside hobnobbing. As far as the grand reopening, it fizzled. 

GPS Tracking Devices and Privacy

In an unusual ruling, implemented by nine western states including California, government officials can now creep into your private home and implant GPS devices on your vehicle. The legal ruling allows agents to invade your habitats minus any judiciary reasoning. Any unfenced or gated properties are subject to tracking device implantation, which follow your movements for an indefinite amount of time. In these states, if you can’t afford to gate your residence, expect your privacy rights to be violated by law enforcers for whatever reason found fit, furthering the gap between the have and have not’s.

Some of you might already be providing this information to individuals if you have the popular retail GPS systems or On*Star devices on your vehicle, which tracks and stores your daily whereabouts. Do you really want your ever moves tracked and recorded? More importantly, is this not a violation of our 4^th amendment? Should the government be allowed to trespass on private property minus any reasonable cause or warrant? At what point is this seen as a form of totalitarianism? When is bigger government seen as too much governing? Anticipate two things in the near future: the expansion of the ruling in other states and a hopeful appeal against the clearly breach of reasonable search and seizure laws.   

Taylor Swift...Huh?!? Kanye West's self proclaimed Asshole...Really?!?

Seriously, I can't take anymore of this. Its been a year since the whole Kanye West "I've been drinking too much Hennessy at the VMAs and how the hell is Taylor Swift gonna win best female video over Beyonce. I'm just gonna go on stage and let the world know she don't desire it!" I personally was quiet entertained and we all know that it catapulted Taylor Swift into real stardom. No one outside of country music knew or cared about her but after Kanye West, Americans couldn't stop talking about sweet innocent Taylor Swift and that angry black man Kanye West. Taylor's 2010 VMA answer performance to Kanye West was...hold on a second I'm yawning...boring! What was she talking about? I had to put on the closed caption to read the word. "You're an innocent; you're still growing at 32; we can be friends" yadda yadda. Was she talking about Kanye being an innocent as in he's a child or was she talking about herself "I'm America's sweetheart Taylor Swift; I'm an innocent" Either way, I don't care and I'm completely over this celebrity stunt.

Moving on to Kanye West's debut performance which was equally a bore. I enjoyed the song much better than Taylor's and his red suit with long gold chains against the white stage was appealing to my eyes. Kanye toasted to himself "the asshole," to "the douchebag"...great stuff; at least he knows. Pusha T of the Clipse graced the stage w/ a few bars (sidebar I liked the pink blazer w/ pink t-shirt). Kanye lost me once the auto tones came in...booooo! Can we finally once and for all stop the auto tone mania, its painful. At least Kanye has a better PR team than that sad case Chris Brown.

As I said before, this episode has gone on for entirely too long. Kanye West is a talented asshole and Taylor Swift is a gifted pester. I wish them both the best. Now let's move on to the next celebrity disaster...

Downtown NYC Fashion Night Out

Fashion Night Out 2010 was a global celebration of fashion that took place from London to New York City to Brazil. It was the biggest most extravagant fashion party ever to take place. I decided to cover the downtown NYC section of FNO. I started out at Sephora’s Union Square store, which featured Madonna’s make-up artist Gina Brooke who “performed” at the store, representing Art Avant-Gared. There was a stage in the front of the 17th street entrance so Gina could execute her magic for the enthusiastic audience. Sephora’s Union Square FNO was pretty lame. No cocktail or gift bags for patrons but the DJ was spinning some alluring tones.
After a short stop there, I heading west to the meatpacking district to check out the many festivities there. Upon arrival, you could instantly feel the difference in the atmosphere. There were high and low end street vendor; some with DJs and enthralling activities, others with more subtle appealing attractions but nonetheless all with the same purpose to buy their products. Votre Vu offered organic mango drinks and chocolate infused with raspberries as you listened to advice from skin experts and took pictures with their Joan Rivers impersonator. The France pastry was delicious and the skin moistures hydrated and smelled divine without the strong over stench of artificial fragrance.

I briefly walked by the Maybelline stand, which offered free gift bags along with a free facial; I declined. While heading to Carlos Miele, I made a quick stop by Yigal Azrouel. The event was understated; the clothes edgy urban wear. They served a pleasant Pino Grigio, which I found quite enjoyable. From there, I headed to Carlos Miele, which instantly became my favorite event (at that point). The apparel was colorful and young. The Brazilian designer definitely incorporated his native upbring into the clothes. One side of the store was lined with bright colored and embolished red carpet dresses. The FNO inspired decore was a bite chessy especially the table of Vito Coco waters splashed over fake palm tree leaves. But the amazing authentic caipirinhas were to die for and kept me in the store well over my planned 30mins. Favorite pieces in the store was the beige silk handmade flower skirt, the gray cocktail dress with black and silver sequins and finally the bright multi color short red carpet ready dress; all adorable flirty wearable pieces.

I made a very quick pitstop at Rubin Chappelle's store. Unfortunately, Rubin offered “two buck chucks” to go with their $500 plus wardrobe, not classic. Moving on to the highlights of the night: Alexander McQueen store was packed like the hottest nightclub in the meatpacking district. Serving champagne out of the bottle, guests had a chance to win a Union Jack clutch and were encourage to shop, shop shop! I saw the most interestingly dressed shoppers at McQueens shop. Every inch of the store was lined with consumers. At one point, I was concerned for the safety of the merchandise. Thankfully, no incidents were reported. Next to Stella McCartney where the list at the door was so tight you would think it was a Diddy party. They served vegan hot dogs and Veuve Clicquot champagne. A bebop brand serenaded customers while they comingled with each other. Jean Shop featured Tequila tasting, live performances and free leather bracelets from Poor Cat. The store smelled of high quality leather and industrial style jeans. After fighting my way into Jeffrey’s, I was handed a glass of Moet and saw this fall’s most have shoe pick: Christian Louboutin’s spiked velvet flats on a very stylist shopper.

As the night progressed, the crowds became bigger and more animated. Diane von Furstenberg’s shop was a zoo. They were completely out of alcoholic beverages by the time I entered. I did have the great opportunity to meet the designer herself along with Olivia Palermo. It was too busy in the store to actually do any shopping. Last stop of the night was Scoop’s on Washington Street, which was officially my favorite FNO event of the night. Jaleel Bunton from TV on the Radio spun in store while South African brand BLK JKS performed out-front. BLK JKS performance was amazing. I spotted Melvin Van Peebles watching BLK JKS along side other onlookers. Lucky guest received free guest bags full of goodies. Van Leeuwen Ice Cream truck served free “scoops” of ice cream and Belvedere kept the party popping.

Fashion Night Out was the ultimate night for shopping, dancing, drinking and entertainment. FNO completely took over the entire city. No matter where you were you know something big was happening. By nights end, I was exhausted and inspired. The entertainment continues next week with Spring 2011 collection fashion shows from the same designers and more.

“Recession Proof” Summer 2010 Trends: Brooklyn Addition

Sadly, summer is officially over with Labor Day behind us. Though I am positive the wonderful weather will continue on well into October. It’s been a tough economical year for most. Whether your unemployed or underemployed, we’ve all had to cut back on our expenses and luxuries this summer. Each city has it on personality, which entails its on trends. Brooklyn being one of the most unique cities in the country, is well known for artistic and progressive individuals.  As a transplant Brooklynite, you can imagine that I’ve spent quiet a bit of time this summer exploring Brooklyn’s many neighborhoods. Let’s reflect on 2010 Brooklyn summer “recession proof” trends:

1.     Cut off pants: whether they’re your old boot cut or flared jeans (so bad!!) or a pair of chinos that need revamping, this summer cut off pants were all over. From polished cuffs to rugged unfinished edges, on guys and gals, the style looked great on anyone and for any occasion.  

2.     Let’s go Green! Bicycles were everywhere in Brooklyn, literally. In Williamsburg you could spend 20mins looking for an empty “space” to park your bike. On Park Slope’s 5^th avenue, there are sometime more bike commuters than cars. Crown Heights residents have noticed bicycle corrals throughout their neighborhood. Brooklyn is leading the way amongst the five boroughs with greener commuting and with Michael Bloomberg’s new bike lines (and more to come) throughout the city, expect to see this trend expand and continue. Mother Earth thanks you ;) 

3.     Staying Trendy…the Vintage way: If you don’t know, well now you know, Brooklyn has some amazing vintage boutiques perfect for those hard to find, one of a kind pieces. Summer past 2010, patrons on a budget, stayed current on trends by buying discounted vintage apparel. Expect this “recession proof” trend to continue on through the fall and winter. I spotted a couple of fall most have items on the racks at Beacon’s Closet including a classic pair of leopard print flats and a edgy military jacket. 

4.     Ray Bans: Yes they are designer glasses BUT they are an affordable pair of designer glasses that will always be in style. Retail price range from $99 to $145, which is a great deal when you compare them to other designer duds like Roberto Cavalli ($390) or Gucci ($325). I personally think that Ray Ban’s shades are timeless cool.

5.     Skippy Sneakers: They’re called Skippy for Skipper from Gilligan's Island who wore the sneakers on the popular show. Skippy sneakers are ked-like footwear; they’re cheap and versatile. They come in many colors and brands. I’ve seen Toms, Vans and Keds on passersby through out the fashion forward borough. 

10yrs later...Shyne

If you don’t know the story of Jamal Michael Barrow aka “Shyne,” I’ll give you a quick rundown: The son of the current Prime Minister of Belize might have suffered from either neglect because his mother had to leave him behind in Belize for a number of years during his early childhood while she made a life for both of from in New York or abandonment issues from his father who publicly stated that Jamal was an “unwanted” child. Either way, in 1998, Jamal was discovered by Clark Kent at a barbershop in Brooklyn. Shyne’s distinct voice sounded very familiar to famous Brooklyn rapper, BIG; that notoriety got him a deal with Bad Boy Entertainment and shot him straight into stardom. His quick “celebrity” along with the common misconception amongst rappers that being “gangsta” sells records, contributed to his early career demise. Just a year after being discovered, Jamal shot-up a popular club in Manhattan which left three people injured. He was sentenced to 10yrs in prison for attempted murder, assault and reckless endangerment. Shyne was released almost a year ago after serving 9years in prison and than was immediately deported to his native country, Belize

Before his unfortunate imprisonment, his lyrical style was pretty mediocre. I am curious to see if the time spent behind bars has helped improve his “skills.” So far he has released a couple of tracks to mixed reviews (/www.youtube.com/watch?v=aK7G2JOFW8E & www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bCEZWz728w&feature=related ). On February 2010, Shyne signed a multiple million-dollar deal with Def Jam Records; hopefully he will be worth the money. We’ll see this December 2010 when he releases his long awaited come-back album. Currently the deported Shyne is living in Belize fighting for his residency here in the States.

Check out the following images of Shyne. He has a new look. My reviews are mixed. I don’t hate the hair cut, though I am definitely not in love. He also lost a lot of weight which is interesting consider that he was in prison for 9years. I falsely assumed that men gained muscle weight in prison with all that free time. Also check out this link for footage of Shyne freestyling in Belize (www.youtube.com/watch?v=iezM4bLLN78&feature=related ) and be sure to pick up the new XXL September issue featuring Shyne.