drop dead gorgeous

I'm so in love with this Tom Ford window display at Bergdorf Goodman right now. It is an outrageously decadent portrait of delicious exhaustion.  

That's just what I'm feeling right now after a jam-packed, super fun Halloween weekend. The ridiculous snowfall and slush that hit the East Coast on Saturday did not dampen our spirits. Our Halloween party went on as planned and a surprising amount of party-ready friends packed into our downtown apartment for a crazy good time. On Sunday, I got a lovely surprise as my dear friend Zoe called me offering tickets to a soccer match between the New York Red Bulls and the LA Galaxy. Although our home team lost, I finally got to set eyes on Mr. David Beckham who still has some amazing juice in those hunky legs of his.

I am exhausted to the bone but deliciously so. It was a fantastic weekend.

living the spa life

Over the summer, I got to relive my beauty editor days to do a spa feature for Lifestyle Asia Travel. Oh those were the days, when workday "appointments" meant sampling this spa's four-hand massage and that brand's luxurious facials. Working on this article made me briefly rethink my decision to give up that pampered life to take on Manhattan ... but at the end of the day, I wouldn't trade the independence and never-ending surprises that come with my current life in New York for anything.

That said, it was pretty sweet to try out The Carlyle Sense Spa's $500 signature treatment, which comes with a luxurious facial using Sisley products and a soothing hand and foot massage.

The Surrey's Mala Mayi treatment ($300) was also a glorious treat for my then running-weary body.

If you're in the Philippines, this article and numerous other blissful reads appear in Lifestyle Asia Travel's October/November 2010 Spa & Resort issue. Grab a copy while they're still on the newsstands!

it's christmas on fifth avenue

Feels like it was just yesterday that I was watching the New Year's Eve fireworks over the Statue of Liberty. Tonight, as I walked down Fifth Avenue after dinner, I had to concede that 2010 is really almost over. The grand Christmas displays at Bergdorfs are already up.

The Christmas lights festooned with Fendi's signature buckle are up and twinkling.

And Cartier is all wrapped up with its signature red bow!

My ticket to Seattle's been purchased for Christmas and I can't wait to spend some quality time with my family. The year went by in a flash, but it's been one of the best years of my life and for that I'm truly grateful. Looking forward to a happy holiday season!

belmont stakes 2010

I can be pretty clueless about the mechanics and quite frankly am a tiny bit scared of horses, but I do love going to horse races! It's a great excuse to get decked out and drink all day. And of course, it's a total thrill to see those thoroughbreds thunder down the track.

Today I joined Zoe for the second year in a row at the Belmont Stakes. I was smiling from ear to ear because I FINALLY did not choke while putting together a horse-event outfit. I wore a straw fedora that I got from the Brooklyn Flea last year, a polka-dotted sundress from H&M, and my sparkly new sandals from Zara.

My fedora could not hold a candle to Zoe's fabulous feathered hat, which was born and gussied up in London:

What I love the most about Belmont Stakes (and horse races, in general) is the people-watching. I loved the total look this woman had, from the old-fashioned cloche to her little black gloves. That's dedication to a look, if I've ever seen it, because it was steaming hot at the Belmont race track today and you'd have to pay me to put on any more clothing.

It was pretty hot under my straw fedora and I found myself at some point wishing I'd thought about just pinning a gigantic flower to my hair like this girl. She looked very chic despite the lack of a hat, and I'm sure she felt much cooler than all of us.

We also ran into some total characters down by the paddock. You gotta love how they went for it. This couple was in matching bright green outfits, and the guy is wearing a coat and hat studded with pins. Clearly, they are total Belmont Stakes fans. 

I did not make out with any winnings this year. We all put our money on Ice Box, who ended up eating Drosselmeyer's dust. Oh well. It was still a wonderful afternoon of drinking Jameson-crans on the sly and whooping it up for some truly majestic animals.

Next up: polo at Governor's Island! Another great excuse to hunt down a summer straw hat ... 

Hope you're having a wonderful weekend!

it's fleet week!

It's that time of the year again when New York's streets are flooded with strapping men in uniform. I've never actually experienced fleet week before because I always seem to be going on trips right around this time of the year. But this time, I'm here for it, and I'm gonna make sure I get out and find me a sailor! I've always been intrigued by Fleet Week, particularly because of that Sex and the City episode where the girls invade the party and hook up with random sailors. I don't quite have such daring aspirations. A photo op wearing a sailor hat, maybe a drink with a sailor or two, and lots of giggles with my favorite Aussie and Frenchie are all I'm out for tonight. 

So what does one wear to go sailor hunting anyway? At first I thought of going the nautical route but they must be tired of seing navy and white stripes. Jodie and I thought it would be way cuter to do a  ladylike look harking back to those ubiquitous war movies where you see men in uniform paired off with women in feminine dresses and pincurls. I just ended up dressed in a pencil skirt and frilly secretary blouse, but I think these ladylike yet summery outfits by Lauren Moffat would be perfect for running around the city in search for men in white (Well, except those high heels. That would be suicide in Times Square).

Ok, I'm off to a Spanish class followed by the sailor hunt. Hope you're all having a great day! Wish me luck!

get that warm and fuzzy feeling

After a few days of almost summery weather,the winter chill is descending on Manhattan today. I got my wool winter coats from the cleaners today and received the new down coat I ordered yesterday. I guess you could say I'm over the denial and anger stages, and have now come to accept that it's winter again.

If there's one thing keeping my spirits up despite the plummeting temps, it's the idea of cozying up in a beautiful glamorous fur. This fox fur jacket by Pologeorgis at Saks is super cute and only $500.

Ok fine, for me and my rapidly rising credit card bill, "only" and "$500" don't really belong in one sentence together. But if you've got better finances than me, you gotta admit this is a good price for a fur. And here's a great deal to motivate you: from today, October 23 through Sunday, November 1, Saks on Fifth Avenue in New York will give you 25% off a woman's or men's coat, fur, or men's suit if you donate a gently worn coat or men's suit to One Warm Coat, an organization that has donated over a million coats to people in need. For more information, call 212.753.4000 or visit The Fur Salon on Two Women's Outerwear on Four Men's Suits and Outerwear on Six and Seven.

Talk about getting that warm and fuzzy feeling!

ikea delivery alternative

I remember reading about Ikea Delivery Alternative on Time Out New York awhile back and filed it in my memory for future use. When I realized that nobody I knew was willing to lug an Ikea wardrobe up my walkup, Ludette reminded me of this NY service. Their titanium package was exactly what I needed since I didn't want to take any more days off for apartment issues. For $110, Eric will go to Ikea, do your shopping for you, and deliver at a time and date you specify. (If $110 sounds expensive to you, this is actually exactly how much Ikea charges for 1-week delivery.) Packages start at $80, but the idea of not even having to go to Red Hook was just too tempting for me. And get this: for an extra $30 per hour, Eric can even build the furniture for you! Beat that, Ikea!

It took us awhile to work out the scheduling because things kept changing on my end, but once we eventually found a common date it was all smooth. Eric has become such an expert that last night he sent me an email telling me that the Ramberg wardrobe I wanted is not actually available even if it says there's one piece on the website. The Ramberg series had apparently been discontinued, so what wardrobe did I want instead? Awesome. When he delivered, he was relatively on time and boy was he quick. I was stunned at how fast one man hauled up all those massive boxes that individually weighed more than he did up my one floor walkup.

Definitely worth every buck.

Now, on to other problems:

a) How do I build that wardrobe? (Eric can't do it until July 18. Hint hint Linda ... heehee)

b) What do I put on my Ikea Stockholm coffee table (just $179!)? It's pretty massive and I don't know what to do with it. Right now I have two books, a votive candle holder and a glass of OJ on it. Need design help please!

how to ... dress up for the belmont stakes

Guess how I spent my Saturday afternoon?

We went to the Belmont Stakes! My friend Zoe has been going to Belmont for the horseraces since she was young, and invited us to share this very cool experience with her. She had lots of sage advise for us along the way, and we learned a few of our own too. For instance:

1. Wear shoes that you can stand in. Not shoes that you are "okay in" but ones you can stand for hours in comfortably and without grimacing once.
2. The first and most important race is the race to the train. Once "Belmont" appeared on the LIRR sign, all madness broke loose in Penn Station. But since we were prepared, I was literally the first horsie by the train door. This won us much coveted seats for the train ride to Belmont. This is another reason why comfy flat shoes are recommended. Imagine running to the train in heels AND ending up having to stand the whole way? Horrors.
3. It's a good idea to come to the paddock and see the horses firsthand before you place a bet (or so you can adjust your bets, if you don't like what you see).
4. Bring snacks, drinks and ice to enjoy yourself and save a buck (who wants to buy grilled sausages for $7?!?). If you're trying to sneak in alchie, best to have it in one of those plastic drinking bottles because they do confiscate alcohol at the door if it's conspicuous.
5. Pomegranate juice and blueberry vodka make a killer combo.
6. Do not place all your bets for a horse "to win." That's probably an obvious one but I was the clueless rookie who did this. Of course, we did take home a nice bunch of money when we won with our first bet, but thereafter it was not the best strategy.
7. Rompers are not advisable attire. The bathroom floors can get icky, and having to disrobe from your romper would be a nightmare!
8. Do wear a hat, if you suffer from style-envy like I do. I was dressed decently enough in a black tube dress, pink cardie and black flats, but I was ever so envious of the young fillies strutting around in brightly colored dresses with matching hats.

I was disappointed that I hadn't gotten decked out and was trying to plan my outfit for next year the whole time! What I wish I'd worn to the Belmont Stakes: either a very chichi white outfit, an edgy flowered dress, or very summery hues. There's always next year!

Brian Reyes dress at Shopbop (on sale for $941.50), Kimchi Blue straw hat at Urban Outfitters ($28), Foley + Corinna bag at Bloomingdales ($445), J.Crew sandals ($155), Anthropologie earrings ($98)

Thakoon dress at Shopbop (on sale for $1,372), Urban Outfitters straw feather cloche ($28), Matiko sandals, Anthropologie earrings ($28), Tory Burch bag at Bloomingdale's (on sale for $367.50)

Brian Reyes dress at Shopbop (on sale for $1,256.50 ), Urban Outfitters straw cloche ($34), Celestina ring at Net-a-porter ($280), Fendi gladiator sandal at Neiman Marcus (on sale for $412), Longchamp It bag at Bloomingdale's ($340)

Yoga at the MoMa

I was cursing myself last Sunday when my alarm went off at 7:30 in the morning. What the hell was I thinking signing up for a 9am yoga class? I could still feel last night's pomegranate mojitos swilling around my veins. Ugh. But I committed to writing about the event for On the Radar, so I pried my fingers off my duvet and climbed into my leggings and Uggs.

When I walked into the 2nd floor atrium of the MoMa however, all exhaustion evaporated. I couldn't help but get bowled over by the 25-foot-projections of lush colors and hypnotic images on the walls, created by Pipilotti Rist. I unrolled my mat and took a spot by the wall and marvelled at how many people of varying inclinations had turned up. There were serious aficionados warming up with headstands, and there was also a guy near me who was so clueless about yoga that he didn't even have a mat. There was a husband and wife with a child of maybe 3 who they prodded through the downward dogs and warrior poses. New Yorkers of all shapes and sizes, all here for a moment of peace in this crazy city we call home.

It was an amazing experience to have these beautiful images wash over me as I did the asanas and finally stopped to breathe. Virayoga founder Elena Brower gave a wonderful class, made even better by her legion of assistants who wandered the floor and gave corrections to the students. This inner peace, this feeling of being one with the world was priceless. And hey, it actually was. It was free! But wow, I would've paid to be there if I had to.

When I walked out of the MoMa after the class, I was so at peace that even a jackhammer's pounding sounded hypnotic. (I'm not even talking figuratively here. I literally passed a construction crew pounding with a jackhammer and thought, "Oh. How nice.") This was the first time in 2 years that I walked through the streets of New York without rushing, without anxiety. It was amazing. I need more yoga and art in my life, for sure.

I heart Jeff Koons

Last Friday, I started off the long weekend by getting martinis at the Met Rooftop with friends. I finally had the gall to donate a dollar instead of the "suggested donation" of $20. That's thanks to the easygoing guy taking donations who suggested I pay what I feel is appropriate for a quick jaunt and drink on the rooftop.

In any case, I did donate further to the Museum by purchasing one of the Jeff Koons-inspired martinis: the Coloring Book, inspired by the Piglet-abstraction of the same name. The martini looks playful but it packs quite a punch! Those yummy cubes of colorful jello are swimming in a potent mix of vodka, tequila, triplesec, rum, gin and Sprite. Even the guys struggled a tad to finish their martinis.

Photo: Paul Bruno for the New York Post Page Six magazine

The Balloon Dog martini was much much easier to swallow. The mix of vodka, elder flower cordial and sparkling pear juice definitely evoked the lighthearted playfulness of this iconic Jeff Koons sculpture. Martinis and Jeff Koons are a great way to start off the weekend. See it before the weather cools down.

Where: Metropolitan Museum of Art rooftop, 1000 Fifth Ave. and 82nd St. Tel. 212.535.7710
When: Tuesday through Sunday through October 26, 2008 (weather permitting)

Summer Lovin': The Frying Pan

I just love how New York never runs out of surprises. Just when you feel like your nights out are becoming routinary, you stumble into something new and special, and your love affair with the city starts all over again.

I got all starry eyed today when I ended up in a pretty amazing spot that I hadn't been to before. The Frying Pan experience did not come easy. It was playing hard to get--made me go through almost an hour of traffic to cross over to the West side, then poured bucket loads of rain down in that very special NY way (You know, the kind that lures you out of your apartment with sunshine and then dumps a thunderstorm on your sundress-wearing butt once you're 20 blocks away from the nearest umbrella). At 6:15PM, I was over it. I just wanted a beer, goddamit. But then, as suddenly as the downpour began, the sunshine suddenly broke through the clouds. My co-workers and I hoped for the best and continued our journey to this much hyped (by Ludette) bar on a boat.

When I saw the red barge stenciled with the words "Frying Pan" bobbing on the Hudson River and bathed in golden sunlight, I got over myself real quickly. The place is just ADORABLE! And mind you, it was completely soaked and full of puddles when we went. I imagine it would be devastatingly charming on a perfectly sunny day. We took a table by the bow of the boat and dug into a bucket of Coronas and a couple of mounds of garlic fries--all of which added up to a mere $38. I love cheap food, but cheap food with an amazing view of the sun setting over the Hundson will have me bordering on fatal attraction! I fully intend on hitting up the Frying Pan a few more times before Summer ends. There are crab cakes and bratwurst's to be had before the air turns chilly. It's a summer fling I know I'll never regret!

Where: Pier 66 N. River West 26th St & the West Side Highway, New York, NY 10021 Tel. (212) 989-6363