Fashion Week, the first sign of spring in New York (no crocuses or ground hogs for us), has finally arrived. Though the weather remains horrible, the tents have bloomed in Bryant Park, and models and fashionistas clamor about in springy chiffon and stilettos. For the fashion-obsessed, like me, who are not lucky enough to get front row seats, there are some great ways to track next season’s trends online. New York Magazine is the ultimate resource for runway photos and behind-the-scenes info. Slide shows, organized by date, popularity, or alphabetically by designer, provide views of every look that comes down…

The glittering hearts and heart-stopping roses from our second annual Bloggers Bash may be gone, but the memories will live on! Tuesday’s event brought together more than 25 blogs from the architecture, design, sustainability, home and fashion arenas to mix, mingle and make out…well, there was no making out, but we had a romantic “make out room” just in case, in keeping with the silly spirit of our Valentine’s Day theme! Thanks to all who attended. We had a great time sipping the party’s signature pomegranate “love potion” and noshing on heart- shaped grilled cheese bites and the like from…

Yes, yes…the rumors are true: I have a thing for calligraphists. Well, to be more accurate: I love the art of calligraphy.  I really think it’s pretty incredible how angle, contour, and stroke can turn the written word into a stunning visual art. This may or may not explain my childhood habit of practicing my signature (I had dreams of Hollywood, baby!). Beyond my fledgling autograph, wonderful examples of calligraphy can be found in the portfolio of Jerise Fogel.  Based in Manhattan, Fogel displays her art on a variety of canvases—from greeting cards to bedroom walls. To view more of…

Although our office is in Soho, a mecca for celebrity sightings in NYC, I’m often too distracted (or, lately, too cold) to bother looking to see who’s around me. I usually find out what I missed when I read the next day’s Page Six. But this week was different. Things started off with a bang when the V+P staff was treated to a taping of ABC’s The View. Sitting about 15 feet from the tiny little stage, I got to watch the View ladies in action. (And yes, that bickering is real!) But the real treat for me was seeing…

As I continue to settle into NYC, I’m always keeping an eye open for things to do “on the cheap.” Of course, it’s even better when they’re free! That said, my wallet gave me a high five after I found a free art exhibit in northern Manhattan. Where? At The Cornerstone Center, a Washington Heights gem. A cute stone building built in 1928, it’s a community center nestled uptown that often features art collections from local artists for free public viewing. At the moment, Cornerstone has teamed up with NYCSalt, a photography non-profit that serves inner-city teenagers in New York…

Shortly after we moved into our new apartment, my husband and I welcomed a new addition to our family: Ernie, a Shih Tzu puppy. Ernie’s arrival created a serious décor dilemma. I had spent over a year selecting the perfect furniture, fixtures and accessories for our new home, and most dog beds seemed tacky and cheap. Plus, after weeks of searching for an appropriate place to lay his little head, he’d gotten used to some pretty fancy digs. An extensive search turned up some incredible options, but be prepared to spend more for couture doggie décor. Ernie’s now living it…

So everyone knows Sin City is a hot bed for glitzy, shiny, over-the-top hotels, casinos and nightclubs. But when I hit Vegas for the International Builders Show last week, I got a chance to check out the newly completed City Center — a conglomerate of modern design and architectural displays unlike anything Vegas ever has seen. And for all the hype, it really is spectacular. Set back from the Strip, the grand entrance to Aria, the newest mega-hotel that opened last month, is breathtaking. Waterfalls greet visitors to this 4,000+- room hotel that also features 16 restaurants, including two by…

The end of the story is that it was the best subway “ride” I’ve ever had. I loved it. The beginning: last weekend, a couple friends and I started tossing around ideas for a cultural (or at least, atypical) Saturday afternoon. Both criterion were met when I came across a reference to the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn Heights, NY. Perhaps it’s my rural upbringing that makes me wide-eyed over public transportation. It might also be the reason that I love learning about New York’s urban development. At any rate, I found my Metrocard, donned my striped engineer cap,…

Lately, I’ve been trying to incorporate Middle Eastern and Indian dishes into my repertoire at home, and the recipes often call for hard-to-find ingredients. Amchoor powder? Tamarind concentrate? I’ve never gone home disappointed from the world’s greatest spice shop/exotic grocery/deli, Kalustyan’s. Located in New York’s “Curry Hill,” Kalustyan’s stocks an astounding array of spices and sauces, coffees and cheeses, olives, dried fruits and nuts and prepared dishes and desserts. The experience begins on the street, with an incredible, spicy aroma that wafts from the entrance and draws you inside à la Pepé Le Pew. If you can make it past…

If you’re headed to Las Vegas this week for the International Builders Show, as I am, and you’re on the lookout for a dining option that is neither a buffet nor an offshoot of a NY or LA hotspot, hop in a cab and proceed directly to the Peppermill. Part diner, part cocktail lounge, it’s a 100% Sin City original, from the vaguely psychedelic, Planet Pandora-inspired décor of the dining room to the “romantic flaming pool” of the Fireside Lounge. Chow down on a tasty chicken quesadilla and banana split (c’mon, indulge–it’s Vegas, baby!), then slip next door to quaff…