CURIOUSER NEW YORK

NYC hasn't been known to be very family friendly EVER. It's the city for young, ambitious, single people from around the world to come to pursue a career and enjoy the many entertainment perks of the city. However, in the last few years, the city has been warming up to the idea that not everyone wants to move to New Jersey or Connecticut to have a family. So, the city has been trying to accommodate those New Yorkers who do NOT want to leave Manhattan, who still want to enjoy the city but be able to have a family too. One of such neighborhoods is - the Battery Park City where we now reside. One morning I decided to check it out from a perspective of a feature parent-to-be...

Gentlemen, this is THE vision you'd all be attracted to...

I'm reading: Almost 30 years ago Paganne fashion house closed its doors due to the economic recession, along with many other fashion prominent houses. The brand became a legend, and only the most vintage lovers were tracking it down, gathering piece by piece from various exclusive vintage shops, collectors and fashion galleries, so that they could have a record of once worn by celebrities and fashionistas around the world print fashion brand.  And the blood flow in my body starts to sending me hives - the kind of hives that make your excited about something. I've been waiting for the release of this video for months. 

Last March I've learned that a legendary fashion house that used to be the 'it' to go to in Hollywood and among the most notorious fashionistas around the world - PAGANNE fashion house - is coming back after almost three decades of being 'silent'.   When I learned the history of PAGANNE fashion label, I was mesmerized by how exquisite - and mysterious - and customized the brand, found by Gene Berk, was back in the days. Celebrities wore it. Vogue and Harper's Bazaar featured it over and over again. But not only that, when I started digging in, I found many vintage lovers who up until today have been writing about PAGANNE printed dresses as if they were talking about an 'urban legend'. The fact of the matter is that PAGANNE has taken over the world of fashion back in the 60s and 70s. All the prints that were going into the design of these spectacular immaculate dresses were hand-made and customized and the fabric and the final dress were man...

At first glance you wouldn't have noticed her, but there's something in the way she put together the whole outfit - despite it's being mismatched, it still has some sort of an 'organization'.  I call it - the 'artistic' chaos, same as my mother always calls the way my apartment looks. My apartment could qualify for a good example for a chaotically artistic mess, which over the years became more artistic than chaotic, but I'm still attracted to the idea of 'chaotic' artistic mess... 

  Why do women love heels so much? What is it with the women and their heels? Of course, this statement - [and assumption that every women loves and wears heels] - neither applies to every single women, nor it applies to every single town/city. Since I've moved at least 15 times in my life and have visited and lived in more than 20 countries, I could attest that it's not the case. But as far as the New York City goes... it seems to be the case. Well, yes, gentlemen, we do love our heels . Why? There are many answers to it...

Perhaps it's just in time to say congratulations on another successful Pride Parade! It's been especially colorful in the city with all the rainbow colors and stylish gay singles and couples taking the streets to celebrate and be proud. When I spotted this group of girlfriends, I realized that jeans are no longer only limited to black and blue colors. There's, probably, not a single person in this time and age that does not have a pair of colorful jeans. There are some good colors available in jeans in many stores, like Zara, H&M, J Brand, Levi's, Uniqlo...What's more is that colors are not only for teenagers anymore. I love seeing older women and men wear colors. Perhaps it's the "European" talking in me. I just love how, for example, Italians are dressing - they are, definitely, not afraid of the colors.

Ah, braze yourself, dear New Yorkers. It's going to  be +36C (high 90s) degrees today, which means - it's all about being short, light, sleeveless and... sexy in a very professional way, of course.

The infinity dress by Donna Karan is back and it's ready to travel with you around the world. Damn, only if I could have three weeks ago!

Yes? No? Indifferent?

The Coffee Shop's Lump Crab Avocado Mango Arugula salad... The other day over a brunch at one of my favorite cafes in the city The Coffee Shop - [ remember The Sex and The City's girls' favorite place? ]  with my girlfriend - [we had the same - the yummy Lump Crab Avocado Mango Arugula salad and their signature mixed berry mojitos], we got into talking about, how a lot of women these days are concerned with the designer's brands and labeling themselves up. [ It was easy to do as the perfect outside seating of the Coffee Shop allows for plenty of people-watching... ]

... and it slowly turns into an evening gown . I wish we could all say that about our Friday outfits at work! Fridays in America are usually the casual days sans the sneakers and sweats, of course. On Fridays the office workers are usually allowed to wear jeans and casual shirts, just as long as it's still within the 'office attire rules' acceptance. But here is a thing, while most of us - especially the people who work in the corporate America - long for Fridays to wear the casuals, it's a double-end sword, because usually on Fridays one goes out right after work.  So, how can you stay casual and dressed up enough to hit all those fabulous lounges, parties, events?

  Keeping it all in the same color family... the browns. Do we still do the furry 'tail' on bags? I dunno. (By the way, it was 82C degrees outside that day...)

It's one thing when the pink color plays part in the runaways and it's one thing 'everything in pink' goodies - from pink mascara to pink bags and shoes - appear on pages of magazine a week or so prior the Breast Cancer Awareness month. It's another thing, when you actually become part of such 'pink' event and meet the breast cancer survivors - [those who fall in the 65% of the women with the breast cancer in USA who are able to beat the disease] - and the people who organize those events at their own time and money to benefit various organizations, hospitals, and individuals to fight the breast cancer. I've been always a strong supporter for the cause. I've participated in both fundraising events, charities, marathons, races, etc...And this year, I got an opportunity to do it in Washington, DC - to be part of the annual Pink Party DC .