With the International Contemporary Furniture Fair in its final throes, I’m here with a report from the inside (V+P has been stationed at Javits for the show, proudly representing Dornbracht and Turnstyle Designs) on what, in my opinion, is the finest, fab-est furniture fair in the US. There was a great buzz at the show, and the excited, always-stylish crowd swarmed booths for a look at everything from hyper-modern dollhouses to startlingly beautiful wallcoverings to Endangered Species erasers. The thought of my polar bear slowly disappearing as I use him to correct mistakes brings tears to my eyes. There seemed…

Living on the Upper East Side, I walk through construction daily and have watched the toll its taken on local businesses. But the folks at Maloney & Porcelli, located on 50th between Park and Madison avenues, really have turned around the unfortunate construction outside their restaurant for the betterment of New Yorkers, with the advent of the “Construction Club.” The tongue-in-cheek website is encouraging the construction to be completed on time with offers of an open bar for every milestone completed. For instance, there are roughly 34 days (at the time of this posting) until the foundation is scheduled to…

I’ve never purchased Broadway tickets without hearing rave reviews from friends, but a month ago I heard Sean Hayes and Kristin Chenoweth would soon be asking “What do you get when you fall in love?” I knew right away that the answer would be a night out to see Promises, Promises. My friends and I started our Broadway night out the right way: with finger food.  You can’t go wrong with anything at Empanada Mama, where the menu boasts fillings from Colombian-style beef to tuna and jalapeño. Situated in Hell’s Kitchen, the empanada emporium is only a few blocks’ walk…

This week, V+P saw the fabulously colorful results of two years’ work at the Benjamin Moore HUE Awards, an over-the-top event celebrating 2010 Recipients Diamond & Baratta, Ghislaine Vinas Interior Design, Envision Design, Your Color Source,  Allen + Philp Architects/Interiors and Eikona Studios. Besides toasting the worthy winners, we took in the sights at The Museum of Arts and Design and restaurant Robert, dined on delicious hors d’oeuvres, and hobnobbed with the stylish, design-minded crowd. The venue was gorgeous; The company was exceptional; and the entertainment was one-of-a-kind. It was an amazing night- we can’t wait for the next one!…

One of my favorite moments in the musical Hairspray is when Link tells Tracy, “You look beautiful behind bars,” and she responds, “…it must be the low-watt institutional lighting!” So, this post is devoted to the second most important thing at a restaurant: the lighting. (The most important thing is how cool the bathrooms are, right?!) At Brooklyn’s SEA, the scene is set with its huge disco ball, casting white circles all over this modern, club-meets-warehouse Thai restaurant. The food is nummy, the music is rockin’, and the dance party really gets started at dessert time. Go for the banana-filled…

There may be no business like show business, but for those of us who aren’t working in theatre: there’s no business like…the business card business. Today’s creative minds are transforming the uninteresting white rectangle into innovative, 3-D, stand-out-from-the-crowd cards…and the very important first impression you make can literally be an illustration of your company’s operations. Take, for instance, this card for a yoga instructor, where your fingers complete the yogi’s stretch: I’m also in love with this card for a handmade furniture company- it would also make a perfect addition to your childhood dollhouse: On those doggone days when you…

Recently, I spent an unusually large portion of the weekend sipping cocktails (and boy, did my head ache!) at two NYC hot spots;  speakeasy-style Employees Only and hotshot chef Zack Pelacchio’s new digs, Fatty ‘Cue.  I’ve never been big on mixed drinks, but the master mixologists at these places may have changed my mind with some straightforward classics (Employees Only) and exotic concoctions (Fatty ‘Cue). At the world’s coolest bridal shower, (see below- I really do spend a lot of time at these things) Employees Only’s bartender, Dushan, took us through the cocktail basics- gin martinis, old fashioneds, Pimms cups,…

Happy Earth Day! Today is the perfect time to tell you about a fantastic “green” project that I had the opportunity to get a sneak peek of this week: BRIDES Magazine’s Newlywed Nest. The eco-friendly show house is located at Village Green (311 E. 11th St.), a new luxury condo that’s seeking LEED Gold certification – the first of its kind on the Lower East Side. The Newlywed Nest is perched in a triplex at the top of the ultra-modern building. There, esteemed NYC interior designer Inson Wood proves that eco-friendly design can be stylish and affordable, employing Ikea furnishings…

I’m just back from a whirlwind tour of Israel, a trip my husband and I planned to coincide with our nephew’s Bar Mitzvah. Besides the rites of passage, we toured the Golan Heights, took a dip in the dead sea (and a wrap in the smelly, sulfur-scented mud) and explored the tunnels below Jerusalem. It was an amazing trip, but the highlight was a visit to one of the world’s ancient wonders- Petra. We’ve all got stone on the brain with Coverings coming up next week,  but it’s not just the timing that makes the Petra stand out for me….

The other day, I was talking to a fellow blonde about the perils of maintaining the look. And by perils, I mean serious coin. That’s when she introduced me to the wonder that is Lifebooker.com. Available for the lucky ones who live in NYC or LA, Lifebooker.com is an incredible resource for discounted services from hair cuts and color to massages, teeth whitening and laser hair removal. The way it works is simple: Register to be a member of the site (which is free) then start browsing for the services you’re interested in. A list of salons providing those services (and…