Affordable Pop Art

Has art and fragrance ever mixed so well?? Nope, I'm not talking about a contemporary aroma exhibit you might find at the MoMA where a painting of a coffee cup might smell like real coffee beans. I'm talkin' Andy Warhol and owning something for $100+!!

Bond No.9 is a fragrance line developed by Laurice Rahme, who decided after 9/11 that NYC was in much dire need to smell better, and deserved to! This is a true story that led her to develop and establish her line of creative fragrance, Bond No.9. Each release is inspired by NYC neighborhoods and has been named: New Harlem, Broadway, Central Park, etc. I personally find the "Andy Warhol Union Square" line to be the cutest and clever artist collaboration ever! Twelve fragrances, under agreement with The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, will be released and "Union Square" was named after the location of Andy's original art studio. The fragrance sports the famous Warhol flower artwork and the 1.7 oz. bottle can be yours for $135 at Saks Fifth Ave. For the avid Warhol collectors that have $$$ to stretch, get the 10 bottle portfolio set for $1500! Here's a chance to own a special Warhol.

The seductive scent of lily of the valley combined with blue freesia, golden amber, and animal musk is sure to please any Warhol-fanatic. Cute, classy and well designed, this scores high on my wish list!

Can I touch this?

In NYC and can't decide which museum to visit this summer? Make sure you check out the Jeff Koonz exhibit @the MET. The MET has a rooftop garden that's open to the public during the warm season (May - fall) and they're exhibiting three absolutely CUTE and HUGE Jeff Koonz objects!! Some of you may know this American talent as he's famous for his silver bunny object and pieces that look like gigantic inflated balloons, twisted into animals... or hearts in this case. Here are some pics from my recent visit. When I shared this with a friend, she asked "What's this golden thing?? I wanna touch it!!" Very cute! And did I mention the rooftop garden has a small food bar where you can even order a Mojito? It was sizzling hot in NY when I was there so I was sippin' Mojitos from 11 am, LOL!

http://www.metmuseum.org/special/koons_roof/more.asp

Yum, yum, yum!

As I'm no longer a resident of NYC, it's hard to plan my visits these days. Why? Cuz there's just too many new restaurants I want to try and not enough time! Noticing so many cool places sprouting downtown, I chose the new Duane St. Hotel in Tribeca this time, just a block away from Bouley. The hotel is modern & cute with good service so a total thumbs up start!

While we munched on Bouley bakery pastries in the morning, I've gotta say that the best bite in town this time was our 5-course tasting menu at the raved Degustation restaurant (East Village.) For $50+/person, the dishes are well constructed, creative and tasty! The fun part is watching the dishes prepared right front of your eyes. They only have counter seating that wraps around a tight spaced "mini-kitchen" where the chef and his team efficiently grill, whip and assemble. It was amazing to see how the talented 26 yr. old chef, Wesley Genovart, a Spaniard who worked at Perry St., whip up the marvelous and delicate dishes. Wesley kindly gave us advice on where to head for drinks in the neighborhood, which definitely topped off our memorable evening. The image is of the appetizer we had there. Bon appetit!

Who inspires you?

Since I'm heading out for a fffabulous Puerto Rico & NYC vacation next week, I'm in a Manhattan mode! When I lived there before moving to the West Coast, my best memories weren't about the revolving door of men who "didn't" show up. Yes ladies, SATC is a drama not a biography!! Nor was it the Zagat top-ranked restaurant dinners that filled my schedule at least half the week - yes this part, I feel like Carrie Bradshaw!

My treasured memory is my encounter with black and white photography.

After work I took classes at the NY Center of Photography for almost two years. I developed negatives in my teeny Manhattan sized closet that had some designer clothes, but not as many Manolos as Carrie. All because I stumbled on a beautiful photo by the famed Harper's Bazaar photographer, Lillian Bassman. Born 1917, she revolutionized the fashion industry in the 40's & 50's with her most elegant, experimental and romantic prints. I had to meet her but was she alive? Luckily, one day she was holding a lecture at the NY Center of Photography. Aren't these pictures breathtaking? I treasure the book she autographed for me that day and only hope I'll age with as much elegance as her.

http://www.nytimes.com/specials/ts/home/bass.html
http://www.staleywise.com/collection/bassman/bassman_exhibition.html