Luxe Life NYC - Part 15

Holiday Gift Guide 2017! Things Big, Small & In Between!

December 2, 2017

I recently went to an editor's holiday showcase at the Hilton given by Advance Public Relations and I encountered Gettysburg Coffee for the first time. The people at the booth gave me a whiff of a few different types but I fell in love with a particularly bold blend called The General. It has hints of caramel, mocha and vanilla…read more

Entertainment

Author Farah Oomerbhoy: Giving Back In A Big Way!

November 10, 2017

I was lucky enough to be invited to have lunch with Mumbai-based teenaged author Farah Oomberhoy who has achieved great fame and acclaim with her award winning The Avalonia Chronicles series which is published by Wise Ink Creative Publishing. So far there are two books in the series—The Last Of The Firedrakes and The Rise Of The Dawnstar—and the underlying…read more

Lifestyle

Check Out The New Sharper Image Pop Up Store at 4 Times Square!

November 10, 2017

Just in time for the holidays comes the Sharper Image popup store at 4 Times Square which is really the northeast corner of 42nd and Seventh. I appreciate the fact that this is a huge airy double story tour with a lot of room for shopping and playing. They encourage shoppers to use the sample remote control toys which they…read more

Beauty

Dr. Andrew Jacono: Helping Patients Look Their “Natural Best”!

November 2, 2017

It's refreshing to meet plastic surgeons with the gift of making patients look like themselves, only better. This is why I appreciate Upper East Side doc Andrew Jacono. You positively cannot tell that he has "done work" on his patients. I recently ran into one of New York's most famous cases of socialite bad plastic surgery--probably the most famous case…read more

Fashion

Wolverine: Going The Extra “1000 Miles” For Their Old And New Fans Alike!

October 30, 2017

Last week I was lucky enough to go out on the terrace of Wolverine’s offices next to Carnegie Hall to check out both their winter and spring "stories." There was a sneak peek of simple but stunning distressed black leather sneaker called The Original 1000 Mile Sneaker that won't be available until Fall 2018 but the big news for Spring…read more

Lifestyle

Treadwell Park: Great Casual Eats And Artisanal Beer On The Upper East Side

October 28, 2017

Treadwell Park (at 1125 First Avenue on the southwest corner of 62nd Street) brings in a youthful crowd who enjoy a non-rushed atmosphere where you can sit at wooden benches and play board games, Foosball, pinball or ping pong while they eat and drink. The former site of the Neeley’s BBQ restaurant, the space is huge and loft-like with wood…read more

Beauty

What’s The It Cosmetics #ITCCchallenge All About? Beauty, Hope And Change, That’s What!

October 27, 2017

For the past month, It COSMETICS CEO and founder Jamie Kern Lima has been inviting IT Girls and IT Guys everywhere to take the #ITCCchallenge by trying CC+™ Cream SPF 50+ and sharing their real results on social media. The best part is that for every post, a buck is donated to her LOOK GOOD FEEL BETTER campaign which helps…read more

Lifestyle

Fork Monkey’s Chelsea Market Tours Rock!

October 24, 2017

Fork Monkey currently has a Chelsea Market tour that is provided by one of the co-founders, Marta Wolaver, and is available to non-members for $69 for two guests (and free to members!). Called Secret Treats of Chelsea Market--From Savory Bites to Sweet Delights, you not only get an expertly guided tour of the legendary market but get to share four…read more

Lifestyle

The Leopard At Des Artistes: New York’s Most Romantic Brunch!

October 23, 2017

I am a huge fan of The Leopard At Des Artistes so I recently had to go check out their widely heralded jazz brunch for myself. The live musicianship is top notch but it takes a back seat to the the very special items on the menu and the stunning nude murals painted way back in the late 20s and…read more

Lifestyle

Lavatera: Brooklyn’s Best “Fast ‘N Fresh” Bistro!

October 19, 2017

I recently visited Lavatera Mediterranean Bistro at 88 Livingston Street in Brooklyn Heights and was floored by all the fast and fresh offerings. The prices are low, too—you can get a giant salad with many toppings of your choice for only around $10 and all sides are $4! The principal behind Lavatera is simple—you walk to the front where about…read more

Fashion

MCM Preview For Spring/Summer ‘18: They’re Rockin’ Some Bright Colors But Have Something For Everyone!

October 18, 2017

MCM is a fashion bag cult that started among jet setters visiting Munich hotspots circa 1976 and it has only grown from there. You might adore their sophisticated and timeless logo print leather but they have really branched out into an incredible amount of accessories (and not just classic satchel and toe handbags) in the past 15 or so years.…read more

Beauty

Bramble Berry Has Given Me DIY Beauty Mania!

October 17, 2017

Yesterday, I was lucky enough to do some DIY beauty with the CEO and Founder of Bramble Berry Handcraft Provisions, Anne-Marie Faiola, at the offices of her publicist 5WPR. Anne-Marie is a professional crafter, author of Live Your Best Day Ever (published by Forbes) and lives in Bellingham, WA with her family. I am amazed at all the great DIY…read more

Lifestyle

The ShopRite Grand Tasting: Gluttony For A Good Cause!

October 16, 2017

The last two days of every New York City Wine & Food Festival features 130,000 square feet of good taste called The ShopRite Grand Tasting and is worth the $185 per ticket because it allows guests to: 1)Taste delicious bites from the best restaurants in NYC and beyond 2) Sample the best of Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits’ portfolio 3)…read more

Fashion

Vera Bradley Preview: What’s New For Spring ‘18?

October 13, 2017

I am a huge Vera Bradley fan because this famous line’s use of bright colors and flowery prints just always puts a smile on my face. They are a ray of sunshine in the fashion industry, which seems to worship black as the “color” that is the main focus. There is the occasional black piece in Vera Bradley collections but…read more

Lifestyle

T-BAR: The Upper East Side’s Best Steakhouse Has More Than Just Steaks!

October 11, 2017

I love T-Bar at 1278 Third Avenue (which is only a few blocks from my apartment)--it is my favorite neighborhood steakhouse and a place you can count on consistently great food. In its former incarnation as The Lenox Room (with the same owners) it tended to be more formal, while now it has the airiness of a downtown dining room.…read more

Lifestyle

Jung Lee NY: Yes, It’s My Favorite Table Top/Home Accessories Store!

October 9, 2017

I have ventured into the Jung Lee store several times in the past year just because it is a wonderland of chic table top items from around the world. Lee herself wonders the globe on fabulous buying excursions for the store and I recently got a tour of items that are being suggested for holiday gifting. If I had a…read more

Lifestyle

Skura Style: Turning Sponges Into An Art Form!

October 9, 2017

As a longtime journalist, I have never written about sponges and there is a first time for everything. The owners of the highly innovative sponge subscription service called Skura Style recently through a press bash in the magnificent Upper East Side townhouse of MSNBC TV personality Donny Deutsch—which resembles a giant four floor art gallery. Deutsch’s walls are covered with…read more

Lifestyle

Gruppo Italiano Goes To Il Gattopardo!

October 9, 2017

Gruppo Italiano is a wonderful organization that introduces foodies and “winies” to new products headed over to the US for consumption and guests always get to “meet the makers.” I recently attended one of their events at Il Gattopardo simply called “Taste Of Europe” and was excited to try all sorts of new wines but being a foodie, I was…read more

Fashion

Fashion Week For Spring ’18: My Favorite Moments!

September 15, 2017

NYFW is not what it used to be. While the shows certainly have all the glitz and the glamour, there is no one central venue and running all over town from one show to another requires the stamina of an Olympic athlete; that is why I only do a few events each fashion week! I admit that I enjoy the…read more

Beauty

An “Ahnesti-Ly” Great Haircare Line!

September 13, 2017

Everyone beauty maniac is after natural products these days, and I was lucky enough to meet Lorri Weison, the owner of the natural hair line called Ahnesti Haircare, at the recent Beauty Squared beauty press show in midtown Manhattan. Just like the brochure says, this line is truly a successful coexistence between natural ingredients and salon performance--and all products are…read more

Lifestyle

Jelly Belly: You Bet Your Beans That They’re As Delish And As Fun As Ever!

September 6, 2017

I have had an obsession with Jelly Belly for over 30 years now and have always been intrigued how (unlike most other brands of jelly beans) they are not overly sweet or possessing of that rough, sugary outer shell that puts the kibosh on me trying other brands! I have these every Easter and I am impressed with the hundreds…read more

Lifestyle

Chowing Down On The Carnival Sunshine (And Lovin’ The Wow Factor)!

August 30, 2017

I was lucky enough to be invited to a press luncheon for 35 journalists on the Carnival Cruise Lines' Sunshine when it was docked at the Carnival Terminal on the West Side recently. I have not been on a Carnival ship in over five years, so I was thrilled to take in all the sites on a private tour before…read more

Beauty

What’s New From Phyto? The Anti-Aging Phytodensia Line, That’s What!

August 28, 2017

I had the pleasure of having breakfast with members of the Phyto team recently--including one of their new team stylists, Janet St. Paul Paul of the Austin salon that bears her name. Janet is so in-demand that she travels to New York once a month to cut and style the hair of prominent New Yorkers who can't live without her…read more

Beauty

It Cosmetics For Fall 2017: They’re Always The “It” Brand With Cutting Edge Ideas!

August 24, 2017

I have always loved It Cosmetics--their aesthetic is one of sophistication but at the same time their items and packaging are simple and always easy to understand while others have gone off the deep end! I loved their extravagant launch of the fall line which included a presentation by CEO Jamie Kern on media night as well as a special…read more

Lifestyle

Cucina & Amore’s Quinoa Meals On The Go: I’ll Be Back For More!

August 15, 2017

Which food vendor at the recent press event called Snack Attack wowed me the most? It was none other than Cucina & Amore's quinoa meals on the go. Quinoa has gotten a rep for being boring but trust me that these mix and eat meals are anything but! The quinoa is cooked to perfection and placed in a sealed plastic…read more

Beauty

Jane Iredale For Fall 2017: Skincare Supplements, Red & Wine Plumping Lip Colors And Blusher With Staying Power!

August 15, 2017

I was thrilled to go to Jane Iredale's recent press event on the rooftop of the legendary Gramercy Park Hotel to launch be at the launch of her Fall 2017 line. This classy beauty business leader has a lot of new things up her sleeve ad she addressed the beauty blogger crowd about how she started her company and her…read more