Apartment Hunting in the City

Joanna and Mary Helen climb to
a possible new apartment! :-)

Recently a good number of my friends are taking the courageous step of moving into the city; and I am reminded of the many dramas that I encountered just one year ago.  Without a doubt the biggest drama was the stress of apartment hunting.  


An apartment is the number one priority when moving anywhere -  where else are you going to go at the end of the day? However it's a completely different experience when dealing with a large city such as New York. One must tread with caution because there are cons everywhere!  The best advice to those on the hunt it to do your research and know who you are working with.  

THE WORST: Peter Parker's dirty studio apartment...
with communal bathrooms.

 Here are some advice and basic FYI's that one should know:-Work the streets, literally! Take a day to walk a neighborhood you would want to live in.  Contact leasing offices or ads you pass by.  You can even buzz supers in the buildings.

-Go to a broker and ask for an apt in the OO list (owner's pay list)

THE BEST:
Monica's rent controlled 2-bedroom
apartmentin Greenwich Village

-Tell EVERYONE you know that you're hunting.  One of my friends found an apartment through a friend's cousin's boyfriend.  Make sure everyone knows you're serious.

-Rent Control - The act of the government controlling how much a landlord may raise rent.

The near-impossible.  A multi-story luxury penthouse apartment on the Upper East Side is everyone's wish. But so few of us are Gossip Girls. But here's hoping! :-D

Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty, only at the MET

"There's no way back for me now.  I am going to take you on a journey you've never dreamed were possible."-A. McQueen

On February 11th, 2010 the fashion world was shocked with the devastating news of British fashion designer Alexander McQueen's death.  McQueen was known for his dramatic representation of beauty and art through the medium of fashion. He was exceptionally skilled in his execution of impeccably structured suits and masterful drapery.


The Costume Institutes's "Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty" displays over 100 sensational masterpieces from this extraordinary artist.  McQueen draws his inspiration from observations in history, politics, movies, and nature. Viewers can feel the gripping tension from his graduate show "Jack the Ripper Stalks His Victims." The grotesque pieces drew inspiration from dark themed films such as "The Shining".  In contrast, his "Plato's Atlantis" collection was inspired by his many excursions in the under the sea whilst scuba diving.

As one journeys through each room of this exhibit, it's hard not to see how innovative McQueen's fashion shows were.  Each of his show works not just to unveil his latest collection, but also to tackle historical or political controversies.  This epic display of one of fashion's modern legends transports you into the very psyche where McQueen drew his many inspirations.  You better buckle up before you go in, because you're about to go on a very bumpy ride.

The exhibition greets you with this dramatic red frock from his Spring 2001 collection

Inspired by the chess scene in "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" McQueen's Spring/Summer 2005 show presented a live chess board, with models portraying game pieces.

While it was hard to boil it down to one, my favorite was this dress from his Spring/Summer 1999 collection. Watch the video below as model Shalom Harlow's white strapless dress is attacked by two spray painting machines. I am immediately reminded of the Jetsons. 

Fashion Snoop's Fashion140 Conference

Have you ever wondered how Facebook, Twitter, Blogger, Tumblr, and all these social networking sites are going to affect the businesses of tomorrow? Well, this is exactly what the Fashion 140 Conference aimed to answer.

The rain storm didn't stop more than 1,000 people from gathering at the Lincoln Center this past Wednesday for the Fashion 140 Conference.  60 of fashion's most innovative and influential people gathered in a panel to discuss the effects that social media has had in the fashion industry over the past few years.  

Some of the most notable speakers included Elle Magazine's Joe Zoe, People StyleWatch's Melissa Liebling-Goldberg, Gilt Group's Alexandra Wilkis Wilson, and so many more!

This fabulous event was sponsored by
Fashion Snoops, the on-line fashion
forecasting company.

The verdict? Social media is paving the way fashion is reaching people and how people are reaching out to fashion.  In the past, fashion designers would premiere their latest collection to an elite group of editors and potential clients. Only after about six months would the rest of the world be able to access new season trends and pieces via magazines or newspapers.  Nowadays, social media has allowed users from every corner of the globe to watch runway shows in real time and even backstage previews.  Competing in this virtual competition means that companies are learning to stretch its technology wings to reach customers in every website possible.

Hmm... for all the doubters out there, Twittering does help!

Elle Magazine's Creative Director Joe Zee, made infamous
by MTV's The Hills gave an inspiring and educational
lecture of how twittering led to many business opportunities
for up-coming designers and artists.

From virtual fitting rooms to shopping on Facebook,
the Social Shopping Panel discussed the transformations
of shopping.