StyleWhipped

"Time to Do Some Good" Continues...

Yesterday, my "Letter From the Editor" explained our awareness of "Random Acts of Kindness Week" and our continuing spotlight on charities we support throughout this week. Today's is compliments of our Bridal & Party Planning columnist Danielle Aspromatis. Danielle has chosen the Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown, NJ to highlight. Danielle has personally volunteered at this ahead-of-its-time organization, and wanted to share with you one of their important missions:

Community Soup Kitchen of Morristown, NJ: This organization has a "healthy choices...healthy lives" program that is geared toward providing food for people in need that have dietary concerns such as high blood pressure and diabetes. Through monetary donations and donations from retailers such as Whole Foods, fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grain products are given out. This organization stresses that nutritious food, and not just food in general, is important for those in need. Please visit www.cskmorristown.org.

Thank you for checking it out!

~ Alison & Danielle

Rebecca Gordon - The Art of Brunch

I spent yesterday afternoon at ellabess enjoying a bloody mary competition with my friends and about 100 other people, mostly hipsters (hipsters apparently have a love for the classic brunch cocktail. Who knew?). Tasting ten or so bloodies felt like the right thing for me to do given my love of brunch and given the bloody mary is best consumed at brunch. I consider myself skilled at more than a few things, but one of my most impressive life skills is brunch.

I always know what to order (at a diner I get two poached eggs, whole wheat toast and potatoes well-done; at a fancy restaurant I get eggs benedict, hold the bacon, hold the hollandaise, sub the muffin for whole wheat toast; at home I make my own poached eggs and toast. If you are paying attention you will notice I basically eat the same thing for brunch regardless where I am. Why mess with perfection?) and, I won’t name names, but I have somehow worked it so that I rarely have to wait at one of the busiest brunch spots in New York. The one part of brunch I am not expert in is the bloody mary.  The reason for this relates to my preferred seating status at the unnamed brunch spot.  A few years ago, I was at brunch with Todd and we wisely ordered drinks before we got to thinking about food.  I had been on a long run that morning and was feeling like I needed a little protein ASAP, so I decided it made sense to order a white russian (with skim milk, of course. Didn’t want to ruin the benefits of the run).  This is not the typical brunch order* and the bartender gave me a strange look before making the drink.  During the course of our brunch, Todd and I happened to overhear a conversation between the bartender** and the hostess that I am not entirely comfortable repeating out loud, so there is no way I am writing it down for you. Let’s just say it would definitely make for an R-rating in a movie and I still blush when I think about it.  The bartender and the hostess realized we had overheard them and we all shared a little laugh.  This conversation combined with my strange drink order meant that the bartender remembered us the next time we came in.  So seats were cleared for us and a white russian with skim milk was in my hands before I could really order.  If I have learned anything in my life going out in New York, it is this: if a bartender remembers your drink, go with it.  This may lead to a free round, but more importantly it leads to not having to wait as long as other customers for a drink.  And at a crowded bar, this is really valuable. So, again, go with it. Even if the bartender remembers your drink, but it is not actually your drink, I still recommend going with it because the benefits outweigh the negative of drinking a drink you may not have wanted.  In many cases, bartenders move from one great place to the next and this means you end up with status at multiple locations without even trying.

Following this rule means years and as many bartenders later, I prefer milk with a splash of kahlua and vodka – even on the days when I don’t really prefer it.

I’ll see you at brunch, just not with a bloody mary.

~Rebecca

*It really should be, milk and coffee are classics at brunch and a white russian basically looks like an iced coffee.

**Yes, we were eating at the bar. I highly recommend this for a party of two at any meal.

Jennifer Corcione: Practice Makes Perfect for Buika!

While I may know more about music than the average listener, there are still moments that I listen to something new and have my world turned upside down. Sometimes by an artist that I know and love…other times by someone new. Today, we focus on the latter and case in point: the moment I was asked to write about Buika and her guest vocalist performance at Carnegie Hall.

This show marked the first performance in the US featuring Buika as a guest vocalist with famous Cuban pianist, Chucho Valdés. Prior to this show, both Buika & Valdés collaborated in 2010 on El Ultimo Trago (The Last Drink), resulting in a Latin Grammy for “Best Traditional Tropical Album.” When asked about working with Valdés, Buika was happy to share her enthusiasm.  “It is an amazing experience,” said Buika. “I feel very accomplished to be performing with the great Chucho.”

Born & raised in Palma de Mallorca, Spain, Buika was immersed in style of traditional “cante” Flamenco, a style of music familiar to the area; this created an interesting musical influence, as Buika’s family originated from Equatorial Guinea. Later on, Buika would add her own twist on Flamenco & coplas, infusing jazz and House to her style.  

Yet contrary to popular belief, Buika did not start out as a singer. “I actually never dreamed about becoming a singer, I was a drummer,” said Buika. “It just happened that I was a very bad drummer and a really good singer.”

Her ability to sing with such soul and emotion brought Buika many opportunities to perform in various Spanish & American clubs as she perfected her craft. One particularly interesting gig included the chance to be a Tina Turner impersonator in Las Vegas, an artist that initially Buika was not really familiar with.

“I was in Vegas, I needed work and I found this job opening,” shared Buika. “At the time I didn’t even know much about Tina Turner.” While she may not have known much about Tina Turner, Buika performed as the iconic diva at The Luxor, Harrah’s & Gold Coast for about four months in Las Vegas.

Fast forward to now: with several albums, a Grammy and even two musical contributions to the Pedro Almodóvar film The Skin I Live In, Buika has decided to give back to the fans with a special contest! The winner, selected by their story that they share with the artist, will have a song written for them by Buika herself!  “[In current times], I think the greatest gift you could give someone is music,” said Buika. (Check out Buika’s website, www.buikamusic.com for full details on the contest!)

As I finished up on this mini Q&A, I was curious to know with all of her recent accomplishments, what was next? Another Grammy? Another movie? Maybe. But I think Buika's answer perfectly sums up what I have learned about her: “My only goal is to keep experiencing life; enjoying every day of this wonderful ride.”  

~Jenn

 

P.S. - I encourage you, my trusty readers, to please check out Buika’s website not only for the contest, but to take a listen to her music. It’s magical, filled with the beauty and emotion that jazz evokes. (And if you’re looking for any particular song suggestions, please take a listen to “Volveras”, “La Niña de Fuego”, and “Hay en la Luz”.  They’ve already become favorites on my current playlist!)

 

Rebecca Gordon: A Sexless Marriage

Since last Monday, I have been fielding all sorts of questions – What time is it? Can you have that to me by 5pm? Which way is North? Do you want a bag for that? But the one I will answer here is: How did you end up writing on this site?  It might not be the most interesting question (or answer), but of all the questions listed above, this is the one I feel best positioned to answer.

I have lived in the same apartment building for over 7 years. Not a big deal for most normal people, but this beats any other place I have lived as an adult by 5 years.  Taking the elevator with the same people year after year means you sometimes get to know your neighbors without actually knowing them – take Ellen and her parents:  After taking the elevator with her every weekday morning, I know where she goes to school, where they spend their summer weekends, that she hates shoe shopping (“That will change” I said to her once) and that she frequently loses the cap to her chapstick (this makes her parents slightly angry). Do I know Ellen’s last name? Or her parents’ first names? Of course not. Unless her parents are called Ellen’s Mom and Ellen’s Dad.  I am lucky to have a few friends living in my building and we frequently share stories about these people we know but don’t know – what is the deal with the family that rents four apartments on the top floor? Have you seen that jerk throw his car keys at the doormen and ask them to watch that his car doesn’t get ticketed? Why does that old lady sit in the lobby reading catalogs and eating salt directly out of a shaker?  Our collective bits of information have created a series of mini-biographies for these strangers. I never realized I was somebody else’s Ellen – until I shared a cab with Alison.

Because I hate waiting for cabs and I am not shy, I frequently ask people standing outside my building if I can share a cab with them. Even when people clearly have zero interest in spending time with me, they seem unable to tell me they prefer to ride alone. Again, I hate waiting for cabs, so I ignore their non-verbal cues and push forward with cab sharing (they should thank me for saving them money).  I did this on a particularly cold night in December a few years ago when I was headed to a Christmas party on the Upper West Side.  Alison (or friendly-stylish-girl-with-cute-dog as I thought of her before that night) was headed in the same direction, so we split a cab.  Once in the cab, Alison said to me, “so you live with your boyfriend…husband?” This was Alison’s moment to learn more about her Ellen. When I told Alison I live with my friend Todd and we are truly just friends*, she let out a little bit of a laugh and seemed extremely relieved. Apparently Alison and her husband had spent years trying to figure us out and had decided we live in a sexless marriage. They would see us enter or leave the building walking a few steps apart. Todd would not wait for me while I check the mail.** If we were in the elevator together we were definitely not standing next to each other, forget about anything like holding hands.  And then there was the week when Alison’s husband saw both Todd and me out on dates with other people in the neighborhood. Alison and her husband felt bad for us – we were clearly not in love with each other and were both so brazen as to cheat on the other within spitting distance from our building. They just didn’t know we weren’t married or dating or anything more than two friends who are living the dream of every 30-something by having a roommate.  If you could see our amazing apartment (check out the view in the picture) you would instantly understand and then beg to be our third roommate – but I am not sharing a bathroom with you until we share a last name, so you can’t move in unless you want to marry me or, at the very least, go on a few high-chemistry dates with me.

That cab ride meant that the next time Alison and I ran into each other in the elevator or the gym we did more than the usual quick hello or small talk, we actually had conversations and those conversations led to us meeting up for drinks for a few times and, you guessed it, becoming friends. The kind of friends who might look like they don’t have much in common, but actually do. The kind of friends who ask each other to write on their websites (except only one has a site, so here I am). 

Or to put it another way, I am on this site because my friend Alison asked me to write some of my silly stories for her fantastic site. You heard it here first.

~Rebecca

*Everyone is convinced we have made out at least once. We have not. Stop asking. It won’t ever happen. Seriously.

**I love checking the mail.  I wish mailmen delivered on Sunday and I fear the end of Saturday deliveries.

Love Potion No. 9

After living in NYC for almost ten years, I am still excited when an amazing new spot opens where I can go for cocktails with the girls, a celebratory dinner with my husband, or to impress a new business contact. Last week, I went to the Mondrian Soho, the latest hotel from the Morgans Hotel Group. I'd been meaning to go since it opened, but am so glad I finally made it. Morgans hotels have always been my favorites...from the Delano in South Beach to St. Martin's Lane in London, I am always a fan of the incredibly chic vibe they create.

The Mondrian has that same insanity in its decor (the lucite furniture you don't really see until you're actually sitting in the chair, the oversized everything in the lobby...), but is actually a bit toned down from its predecessors and is so, so lovely. The entrance to the hotel is found through a low-lit, vine-covered path, next to a little miniature garden area. The main bar (there is a "bar side" and a "restaurant side"), called Imperial No. Nine, is just breathtaking. With a ceiling entirely made of two massive skylights and some of the largest, most sparkly chandeliers I've ever seen, you are instantly transported away from Crosby Street in Soho and into a bit of a wonderland. The bartenders are friendly (what?!), the drinks are fairly priced (again, what?!), and I wanted to hang out in the double swing under the canopy all night.

I need to go tour the rest of the hotel (hint: if anyone wants to get me a gift, I would happily stay overnight a mere neighborhood away from where I live!), but in the meantime, I know I'll find myself there again and again. I can only imagine what those skylights and chandeliers will look like when it's snowing outside...

~ Alison

We're Baaaaaack!

For the past year, we have been super busy over here in the land of Stylewhipped, but we have missed sharing our musings with you! And since there is so much going on in the worlds of fashion and lifestyle, we decided we just had to come back. Stylewhipped is also about to be a part of a much bigger (like, um, reeeeally big) project, so we want you, our loyal readers, to be in the know before anyone else!

We're a little out of practice, though, so be patient...we'll have a few posts up each week for now, with exciting new guest columnists and special features being added all the time. So tell your friends to join our email list for the very best of everything "whipped"...

Time to get your style on.

~ Alison

A Stylewhipped Make-over...

Here at Stylewhipped, we whole-heartedly believe in the transformative powers of fashion, make-up...and the right lighting! We also believe that what you do for a living doesn't at all have to dictate your sense of style in your "real life." So when we chatted with Stefanie H., who works in law enforcement in NJ, she was more than game to let us give her a head-to-toe glam-over (gorgeous to begin with, she didn't need a "make-over"...she just needed some guidance on how to bring some serious glamour into her "off-duty" look!). By her own admission, her usual style is "simple and casual" and she was ready for a really chic, fashion-forward look.

On hand to help her achieve that were celebrity make-up artist Nathan Johnson (who recently worked on none other than Sir Paul McCartney...) and famed fashion photographer Sebastian Smith (whose work has appeared in high-fashion glossies all over the world). Oh, and yours truly (!) worked with some amazing designers and companies to sponsor the results you're about to see. We created two looks...one that would make Stefanie feel like the best-dressed woman at any cocktail party, and one that would make her stand-out among the fashionistas on any night-on-the-town in NYC. Shot on location at New York's top new nightclub La Pomme on Manhattan's West 26th Street, Stefanie was a natural in front of the camera and everyone on set had an unbelievable time...

Here is Stefanie, before our big day (already looking naturally adorable...):

 

(All photos courtesy of Sebastian Smith)
 
Pulling dresses and tops from one of my personal favorites, Single Dress, I wanted to see Stefanie in pieces that would be able to be incorporated into her existing wardrobe but would up the glam quotient. For the "cocktail party" look, we chose a black jersey dress with a deep-v and animal-print satin inset in on-trend black & white. Paired with actually-comfortable black satin heels with a crystal-studded rosette detail from Me Too Shoes and an animal-friendly (super important to Stefanie) oversized, flower-adorned clutch from Amici Accessories, this look is so easy to wear. And what did our model think? According to her, "the dress was out of this world...comfortable enough to sleep in but gorgeous enough to wear anywhere...and already scheduled to be worn to an upcoming Christmas party!" And those shockingly comfortable shoes led her to exclaim, "beauty does not have to be painful! I could wear these all day!"

Our cocktail party-ready girl, all glammed up...

  
 
Up next, I wanted to create a look that Stefanie could rock on a night on the town, either with her girlfriends out dancing or to a fab new restaurant with her husband. The core of this outfit was a satin top from Single Dress in a tiny animal print toned down by neutral tones of champange and browns, and super dark indigo jeans from Mynt 1792 (the amazing new line from Project Runway alum Kevin Christiana). I finished the whole thing off with complimenting champagne satin shoes with a dramatic oversized bow from Me Too Shoes and another animal-friendly clutch from Amici Accessories in a deep teal that really pops. And Stefanie's reaction? She felt she could wear the top "day or night" and was so excited by "possibly the best jeans I've ever put on - they are so comfortable but so stylish!" The animal-friendly factor to the bags from Amici Accessories made them "the perfect addition...and without being micro-sized - I can actually fit more than just a lipstick."

So here she is, ready for a night on the town...

  
 
Now, no make-over (sorry, glam-over...!) is complete without some serious make-up. Before Sebastian Smith, our incredible photographer, could capture these beautiful shots, make-up artist, columnist, and Beauty Society Executive Make-Up Artist Nathan Johnson went to work. To accompany the "cocktail party" outfit, he created a smoky eye to bring some added sexiness to the overall look. You can create this eye all on your own using Beauty Society's "Smoky Eye Kit" (created by Nathan!), and can also achieve skin as luminous as Stefanie's with the simple application of Beauty Society's "Photo Shoot Facial Primer" with its incredible light-deflecting holographic molecules. Nathan also showed us how important it is to have your wardrobe and make-up work together, and created out-of-this-world edgy make-up with turquoise shadow that instantly picked up the saturated teal shade of the handbag in our "night on the town" look.

We are so thrilled with the stunning new looks that Stefanie got to go home with...so a huge thank you to all of our generous sponsors: Single Dress, Mynt 1792, Me Too Shoes, Amici Accessories, and Beauty Society. And to Sebastian and Nathan...you made an officer of the law into a supermodel for a day - thank you for sharing your talents with both Stylewhipped and Stefanie! Thank you also to my styling assistant, Danielle Rodman, who kept me on track and was beyond organized, and to the fabulous La Pomme nightclub...everyone needs to head to their amazing parties asap!

~ Alison

New Balance & Nordstrom...a great "pair"...

In a (very successful!) attempt to appeal to fashionistas who also want to be comfortable, New Balance Lifestyle is launching their newest sneaker style, the super-sleek and fashion-forward "410" today at Nordstroms all over the country. Available in three adorable color combinations, these are cute enough to throw on for a casual lunch date, light enough to toss in your totebag for your walk home from work (an entire pair weighs only 14 oz!), and because they are from New Balance, you know they're also good for your feet!

If you live near a Nordstrom, definitely stop by to check out the first time this silhouette will be available there. I guarantee you'll want at least two pair...and while the closest Nordstrom to us in NYC is at The Mall at Short Hills in Short Hills, NJ, here are the Nordstrom locations across the country hosting celebratory trunk shows throughout the day today (with fabulous gift bags and give-aways, no less!):

Bellevue, WA; Downtown Seattle, WA; Michigan Avenue, IL; Alderwood, WA; San Francisco, CA; Garden State Plaza, NJ; Mall of America, MN; Tacoma Mall, WA; Oakbrook, IL; Palo Alto, CA; Southcenter, WA; Old Orchard, IL; Montgomery, MD; and Somerset North, MI...

So go check out your local Nordstrom...I promise your feet (and your wardrobe!) will thank you!

~ Alison

Jeremy Argyle Weekend Sale!

A couple of weeks ago, I gave you a profile of my favorite new men's store, Jeremy Argyle. Normally, Jeremy Argyle's gorgeous, modern and super-wearable men's dress shirts are really reasonably priced at $128-$142. But this weekend, you'll be able to get them at an unbelievable discount of up to 50% off! That's right...this weekend only (Friday, July 24th - Sunday, July 26th), select styles in their inviting Soho shop will be up to 50% off. I highly (highly, highly!) recommend you check this one out!

The Jeremy Argyle store is located at 160 Spring Street, just east of West Broadway in the heart of Soho. You can also check out the brand online at www.jeremyargyle.com.

~ Alison

New Menswear Store Profile: JEREMY ARGYLE

A few weeks ago, I had the best time I've ever had visiting a new store. Was it the merchandise (insanely great men's dress shirts)? Was it the ambiance (a sleek purple-walled boutique in Soho)? Was it the owner (the friendly and super knowledgeable Brian Guttman)? Perhaps it was all three, plus that "unknown" factor that makes a brand approachable, attractive and successful. Either way, I was going to start this article off with "Boys, this one's for you" but in reality, this is a lifestyle shopping destination that women will enjoy just as much as the men!

Jeremy Argyle (derived from owner Brian Guttman's middle name and the street he grew up on in Montreal) is hands-down my new favorite line of men's dress shirts. With 36 styles at any given time and a new look debuting each week, Brian knew it was important when you only do one thing to "always present new product so our regular customers would always find something new when they came in the store." And with so many fabrics and prints to choose from...heavy cottons to summer-appropriate weights...stripes, checks, plaids and tiny tonal dots...in noticeable-but-never-loud shades of purple, pink, grass green, and various blues and whites...everyone is guaranteed to find (more than) one they love!

And there's more. Really. Prices range from $128 to $142. And when you factor in the adorable details like cuffs lined with their signature purple that shows when you roll up the sleeves, to the unexpected square buttons, the prices seem even more incredible. Coming from a prominent fashion family in Canada, Brian knew how much hard work it would be to create this line and store, but was determined to "have the brand well-positioned when the economy comes out of this rough patch." He also "learned that it is important to be hands-on in every step but also create a company culture that encourages everyone to be creative and incorporates the valuable opinions of everyone who is instrumental in the design and manufacturing process." Working alonside Parsons grad Jeana James on the design, Brian has created what I think is the perfect modern men's dress shirt.

Stylewhipped Guest Writer John David Robbins came with me to visit Jeremy Argyle, and from a guy's point-of-view, had some great things to say after wearing one of their shirts...

On fit...

"FINALLY!  A store dedicated solely to men's button-ups that aren't overly embroidered or wrapped in plastic so when you unwrap it, you realize it fits in the neck and arms but everywhere else is 5 times too big. I prefer their fitted style, but if you like your shirts a little more loose, they have a comfort style as well."

On style & fabric...

"Jeremy Argyle shirts hit the mark with any man out there. The variety of patterns are perfect or work and/or play, and can be dressed up or down.  And the fabrics are light and breatheable (perfect for a NYC summer!)."

On those unexpected details...

"Each style is personalized with special details. The square buttons on the cuff of each shirt are a perfect conversation starter!"

On the store...

"The store is designed for quick stress-free shopping. Walk in, find your fit, then pick your patterns.  It couldn't be easier!"

From a woman's point of view, obviously I was most impressed with the design and fabrics, but also understand that the "stress-free shopping" concept is so important for most men! And from a stylist's point-of-view, I want to pair these versatile shirts with everything from jeans for an night out, to a suit for an important meeting. I should also point out that while the shirts are sized in Small, Medium, Large and X-Large, they are completely true-to-size and beautifully fitted...not too tight, not at all over-sized. Just exactly modern and flattering (and what woman doesn't love seeing a guy in a great-fitting shirt?!). And the fact that Jeremy Argyle does one thing and does it amazingly well makes for an ideal shopping experience. Lastly, these shirts are not for 28-year-olds only...Brian mentioned the importance of appealing to "customers from their early twenties to late baby boomers...[which is why] we offer a great variety of designs..."

So whether you're a man browsing on his own or a woman buying a gift, this is the one destination you have to visit...I promise you'll be back over and over again...

You can visit the Jeremy Argyle store in person at 160 Spring Street between West Broadway & Wooster in Soho, or online at www.jeremyargyle.com.

~ Alison