CURIOUSER NEW YORK

This is how I picture love, lust, passion and... creative symbiosis . I wanted this kind for so long too! Always a room for perfection...

I love when I can just stop by a store to look for one thing - [and for someone else...] - and leave the store with a few new finds that I did not expect to get at all...For myself . I thought I spotted Karl Largerfeld 's collaboration with H&M store the other day. I was quite surprised to stumble over what looked like VERY KARL LAGERFIELD - VERY CHANEL clothes, shoes and accessories at an H&M store on Fifth Avenue . I thought I could recognize his signature style, but it wasn't. Although, it did look like HIM... Oh la la...

Shakespeare and Company is one of my favorite hidden treasures in Paris. It's hidden in the Latin Quarter of Paris. It's a true paradise for a true book lover, or as I call that person - a book worm...

I usually don't do this. I don't post any commercial information - unless this is part of my life, my choices... I usually don't advertise anything either - unless I'm mentioning a place, person and/or activity that I really like and accept as part of my life... And last, but not the least, I don't do any polls on my blog... That's said, however, this time around is different because the matter I want you to get to vote is part of my life - and this is how...

January and February are usually the months when I start contemplating my international escape - that is, of course, after I set my mind on an warm place for sun, beach and ocean in between... I'm no stranger to the feeling that somehow, somewhat it's that time of the year again when I need to plan my next trip abroad, even if I just came from overseas a few months ago, and usually, but not always, I keep coming back to my beloved Paris... Perfect place to people watch...

Hunter boots. A driver mens cap. A leather short coat. An over-sized scarf... and - a cigar. Can you be more classy than that?   Yes, you can!

It's a tradition of mine.  For many, many years I've spent living in and/or visiting New York City, one of my favorite things to do has been - window shopping. And not just any window shopping - window shopping at the particular - [I'd say - iconic, historic] - stores of the city. These have been always - Macy's on 34th Street and Saks 5th Ave , Louis Vuitton (see below) and Bergdorf Goodman on 5th Avenue.  Once in a while I'll check the Bloomingdale's on Lexington Ave. and 59th...  That's why, of course, I've been looking forward to check out the winter 'holiday' displays at Bergdorf Goodman when I moved back to the city. I was indulging with the idea of what they might do this year. Every year prior my return to the city they never ceased to amaze me with their window set-ups. I always wondered who was behind their window displays. Later I've learned that they've always had a rather talented team of decorators to wo...

Is there, really, a right away to dress in winter? I, honestly, applaud to everyone who can even in the coldest times maintain style and fashion.  I, personally, am always cold. Alwaaaays! And that makes it for a non-fashionable statement in the city that gets snow, rain and below-zero temperature.  Up to when the first breath can be seen outside, I manage to style up just fine, but when it becomes crucial for me to stay warm and not feel like a walking goose-bump alert, I realize that at this point, there is not real sense of me being too stylish at the expense of my health and sanity. So, I succumb to my anckle length parka, wool beanie and leather gloves with extra padding. However, while I might give up an idea of wearing overalls that would make Daphne Guinness proud, I refuse to be less fashionable down below...

A constant debate among the stylists and make-up professionals - plain ( naturale ) make-up vs. dramatic. Natural lips vs. dramatic red lips? Eye shadows vs. natural (light beige or sans any) eye lids? Blush vs. natural blush - [that is if you get any natural blush - I know people who do not get any natural blush even during the cold times...]

Yesterday New York finally got the much awaited for first snow! Instantly it became a hit among the New Yorkers who roamed to Central Park for some fun day out in the snow. The sliders were right on hand, the park's slopes were all ready for the fun crowd... I couldn't miss it as well, so I took my camera out on the city - I had to be a part of this fun!

Hello, My name is Jamie Beck. I am a photographer and I live in New York City. I collect vintage cameras and old typewriters... This is how the bio reads of the latest sensation in the photography world of fashion -  Jamie Beck , who is, really, a true artist. Beck's images are so spooky, it's beyond being wonderfully amazing. It's unbelievable how digital art and cinematography is changing the way we see commercial photography. I can't stop looking at these images...

For each designer, there's an audience. Some like it Versace 's way, some Roberto Cavalli 's Hollywood glam, some - Mark Jacobs '   polka dots. I have my own favorites...

Well, I'm nervous now... Nervous, because I've never seen it 'live' and blown-up... Despite the common belief among many of my friends, who think I should be feeling rather comfortable in front of a camera - I'm not, really... I'm a rather shy person. I'm better behind the camera, rather than - in front of it. And the only time that I was actually comfortable is when I was working with my friend, Brian Glover... who just emailed me saying that he wants to work with me again.

I'm seriously in trouble - I'm in love with Brian Atwood and ...his fringe shoes, Charlene! [Yes, my dear friends, I'm a lesbian - I'm in love with the 'lady' Charlene ...] I know, I know - from the first glance at this shoe, you'd probably call me 'Craaaazy', because it's so 'Uuuugly' ...but it's like with a Sphynx cat , you first think it's the ugliest cat you've ever seen, but then, once you touch it, hold it - you'd realize that it's kind of cute, actually .... Well, hello, Charlene.... However, my 'fringe' shoe affair hasn't just appeared out of the blue. It's been rather triggered by the saucy videos preceding the up-close and personal encounter with the shoes. Blame it all on Brian Atwood!

  Have you wondered why Emporio Armani is not in the hurry to present his Spring-Summer 2012 advertising campaign? Why, unlike the other designers, his ads are nowhere to be seen for the next season?  It's because he has been busy, way too busy in the East...

Wearing a hat is...an art! Wearing a winter hat - is twice an ART !  How many of you can safely say that you look - g oooo d - in your winter hats? I can bet you that - not many... Usually, in the cold seasons we give up the idea of looking stylish in hats. Some of us even give up a hope to look stylish in winter coats, when it's minus degrees outside. It just happens that there are not many winter coats AND hats out there that would make us as stylish as those Jimmy Chow stilettos and Burberry trench coats. Real fur - is not even an option in NYC - [or anywhere, where animal rights activists are very active] . Have you noticed how all the coats now come 'faux fur' this, 'faux fur' that - coats with faux fur trim and/or faux shearling coat? Let's just say that I do not believe in winter coats and hats fashion. I do believe in winter boots fashion though...

  Matching shoes, a bag and/or lipstick to an outfit - is one thing. You can always find a solution. But matching eye-wear to a face - seems to be an almost impossible activity to do.  On one hand, you want to get the shape of the eyeglasses that is in style and fashion - [a.k.a. oversize, round glasses per Chanel 2011-2012], but on the other hand - it's not necessary matching the shape of your face.  A dilemma of whether to be 'fashionable' vs. 'looking good' in your eye-wear is a constant battle of the human species - [yes, even men have this problem]...

OK, what has inspired me this time?!? Hmm... Basically, nothing 'too extraordinary' except - OH MY GOD! I want them, and I want them in black, brown, with fur trim, and in long and leather...

Due to some popular demand - [or as I called it "Can you please share some of your great finds in the city?" regular requests from my NYC and non-NYC friends] - I've decided that they were right, I should write about my finds. There is just no reason why I shouldn't talk about both great and - wacky - finds I stumble over in the great city of NYC... Here's one of my latest great finds that keeps on waking me up in the morning...

My Versace... Alright, now that I know Versace is a hit anywhere I wear it , I'm now very tempted to invest in Versace's Cruise 2012 collection, even though I would never ever go on a cruise - [yes, you can ask me WHY...]

As it gets colder we need layers to keep warm, but that can make it difficult to keep a sharp silhouette. I know I feel like a ball of clothes - [or rather, like a cabbage with all the layers] - in the middle of winter. Especially when you try to dress up for work in suits and jackets that do not even try to fit inside the winter coats, on the contrary - everything from the shoulder patches to the buttons refuse to sit well underneath, but rather make the whole ride to work very unpleasant. And judging by the people on subway, who look very uncomfortable in a coat, I assume I'm not the only one who feels no love from their suits underneath. That’s why I was very excited to finally find a jacket that seems to fit perfectly under all my winter coats. I might as well just live in it. So, why not have a tailored jacket underneath your parka?

Top by Christian Dior I love, love the digital age. As a matter of fact, I'm obsessed with the social and digital media, which comes with a territory as it's my profession. If you told me so a decade ago that I'd be using the expertise to make professional companies social and digital media savvy - I'd be very surprised by your predictions. But here I am - ten years later...dealing with the creative, social and digital media on a daily basis. Before the digital - 3D - age, we had flat photography with, perhaps, a bit of the 'effects' of 3D, but without the actual 3D. We saw fashion designs flat, models flat, and background flat, although I still love the works of the old schoolers - Annie Leibovitz , Peter Lindbergh , Steven Meisel , Helmut Newton ...But now it's all changing, and I'm not talking about the on-going battle with the too much of the photoshop retouching that sometimes makes the natural art look too unnatural and unnecessary...

You wouldn't be the only one to baulk at the idea of a 'new vitange', because, let's face it, quite often you catch yourself deja vu-ing when it involves today's fashion. You feel like you've seen it somewhere already and that the concept of the paring is something you've seen before.