NYC for NYE….HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

I just came back from an amazing trip to New York City. It was my first time in the Big Apple, some local friends showed us around and it feels like I got a great sense of what the city is about, so THANK YOU so much C, K, J, D and S!

We started our week in Williamsburg in Brooklyn in the Radegast Hall & Beer Garden  and accidentally got drunk during the day. We then headed over to the Lower East Side and had dinner at Freeman’s ), the Artichoke dip was to die for! We checked the MoMA – the collection was simply impressive, though I thought the museum was way too crowded to completely enjoy it. After we went for some shopping in SoHo, we had great lunch at Savore, a great and cozy Italian restaurant which we found by accident where I literally are the best pizza in my life. No surprise I found out later that the place has already been mentioned in the Michel guide. The shopping marathon continued at Bergdorf Goodman. I bought a pair of Manolo’s which were 50% off like most of the shoes at this time! I was in SHOE PARADISE!!! During our stay, we also “saw” the amazing “Sleep No More” show, which is a modern, interactive theater show in the old McKittrick Hotel – but words just aren’t enough to describe this experience. If you get the chance you H-A-V-E to see the show (check out this short excerpt of a Gossip Girl episode, called “Sleep No More”, which plays in the McKittrick Hotel).

We got a great deal through a friend at stayed at the beautiful Waldorf Astoria, so we could reach 5th avenue, Madison Avenue, Central Park and  Times Square by foot. Other great dinner places we went to include the Pastis (in the Meatpacking District) and the Balthazar (in SoHo) – both serve French and international cuisine.

We actually managed to find another great beer garden in New York, the “Biergarten” in the Standard Hotel, which made us feel not too far away from home. All in all, a perfect trip.

I will definitely have to come back to New York soon.

Times Square

Rockefeller Center christmas tree

Waldorf Astoria New York

Waldorf Astoria New York – Lobby

Grand Central Station

Blue Sky in New York

Sun is shining in NYC

Sun is shining in NYC

Bleecker Street in SoHo

SoHo

Shopping in SoHo

Savore restaurant in SoHo – best pizza in the world

Standard Hotel Biergarten

Central Park

Central Park

my friend S

Manolo Blahnik sale at Bergdorf Goodman

Korean Karaoke at Korea Town NYC

p. diddy style in the hotel room 😉

NYE in NYC

Munch in the MoMa

NYE rockstar party

NYE outfit

art in the MoMA – looks like balls

NYE at Waldorf Astoria NY

love it

MoMa

a very blonde NYE

 

Favorite Blogs… Part I – The Classics

Here is a small collection of blogs that I regularly read and find inspirations from.

NOWNESS (http://www.nowness.com/)

This LVMH blog covers all contemporary culture and lifestyle topics that I love – from Art, Music, Gastronomy, Travel, Design, Fashion….So many inspirations in one place.

GARANCE DORÉ (http://www.garancedore.fr/en)

Beauty, Fashion, Lifestyle and Travel… Garance Doré started her blog in 2006 and since became a brand in the fashion business, writing articles for the French Vogue and visiting fashion shows all around the world. I enjoy her unpretentious style and insights into the fashion world. 

THE SARTORIALIST (http://www.thesartorialist.com/)

Beautiful pictures, street style fashion: Scott Schuhman shoots regularly in New York, Paris, Milan and has published a book called “The Sartorialist”.

LES MADS (http://www.lesmads.de)

One of the most read German fashion blogs, with many insights about the German fashion scene and events in Berlin, Cologne, Munich…. Belongs the Burda Group. Only in GERMAN!

Kidult – street art or vandalism?

Lately, the Christian Louboutain shop in Paris was being attacked by Kidult. The same kind of attack already hit fashion brand Céline in October 2011.

Picture via streetart.net

Picture via allcityblog.fr

In my eyes this form of “street art” is pure vandalism… What do you think? And which luxury brand will be the next?

 

Colette Carnaval, Paris

On Saturday and Sunday, you should all join me in the gardens of Tuileries for the 15th anniversary of the Colette department store. They arranged a big celebration with dance classes, concerts, celebrities and many other surprises…I am sure this is gonna be fun!

Check it out below!

“Pour fêter ses 15 ans, colette crée un rendez-vous unique au-delà de ses murs pour fédérer ses amis, clients et afficionados autour d’une fête diurne aux multiples activités, exclusivités et surprises! Une kermesse géante pour les petits et les grands, avec des attractions inédites! Des cadeaux à gagner, des jeux, des avant-premières, des concerts et des superstars! Musique, mode, beauté, design, food, sport, ciné, ce sera le rendez-vous exceptionnel à ne pas manquer!

Entrée libre, de 12h à 18h, face au 206 rue de Rivoli, 75001, métro Tuileries. De nombreux goodies seront disponibles en exclusivité pour le carnaval.

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To celebrate our 15th anniversary, colette has created a special event outside of the store to unite our friends, customers and aficionados around a festive day with lots of activities, exclusives and surprises! A giant carnival for kids and adults, with never-before-seen attractions! Gifts to win, games, previews, concerts and superstars! Music, fashion, beauty, design, food, sports, cinema, it will be the most exceptional event not to be missed!

Free admission, from 12 pm to 6 pm, in front of 206 rue de Rivoli, 75001, metro Tuileries. Many goodies will be available exclusively at the carnival.”

www.colettecarnaval.com

Colette carnaval on Facebook

-5° C, Sun is shining…Winter in Paris

So I didn’t see this coming anymore… December was rainy and around 10° C in Paris and I thought I will have to wait until next year to see Paris in winter…. but there he is, more beautiful than expected! Parisian people seem to be quite overwhelmed with these temperatures (they might drop to -10° C next week… and it might be snowing!!!) but I really enjoy it.

This week-end, I plan to go to the big vide-dressing event Violette Sauvage ( 74 bld Richard Lenoir XIème) and I hope I can satisfy my passion for fashion there!

On sunday, I will try out a new, American-style brunch location, which is supposed to be famous for their cakes and which was also recommended by David Lebovitz:

Merce and the Muse in the 3rd arrondissement ( 1bis rue Charles-Francois Dupuis; 75003 Paris)

(picture taken from http://www.60by80.com/)

My experiences…. will follow next week! BISOUS!

EDIT: Just to give you a small update on my brunch-experience: The place is really small and cozy, my friend and me even had to sit on the stairs for a bit to wait for a free table. The staff was really nice, english-speaking and you feel very welcome. The brunch we had, the “mini”, was okay (hot beverage + bread + butter + marmelade, more like an ordinary breakfast) but a bit pricy for 10 €. Very delicious was the lavender milk we tried (lavender tee with hot milk)! All together, my friend and me spend 3 hours there and will find our way back soon…