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!…

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…

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…

I’m no Miss Cleo, but I’m going to predict that up-and-coming fashion designer Alfonso Gaitain Vald’Es is going to be one famous guy. Mexican-born, Alfonso moved to the U.S. to study architecture, fine-tuning sketching skills that he would later apply to fashion renderings. He arrived in N.Y.C. a year and a half ago to study at the Fashion Institute of Technology, specializing in menswear design. In addition to stunning clothing designs, his drawing style is absolutely jaw-dropping. With the decidedly long, exaggerated arms and legs he gives to the models, he’s certainly created a signature style that speaks for itself…

Being a list person (I’m also into flowcharts, but we’ll save that for anther blog post), I’m going to share with you my pre-flight checklist before a recent “wedding weekend getaway” in Texas: 1. Something old: my weekend bag from Gant. It sports a canvas body, leather trim, and is perfect for flying—big enough to accommodate my fear of not packing enough socks, but small enough to be considered carry-on. 2. Something new: I downloaded La Roux’s latest album for the trip. The UK duo’s genre is something of a new hybrid called “electropop,” and when I listen to it,…

Last weekend I narrowly escaped the monsoon that sacked New York City for a few sunny, spectacular days in New Orleans. While the damage wrought by Hurricane Katrina is still evident, the city’s unique, irrepressible spirit is as alive and well as ever (how ’bout those Saints!), pulsing through the bars, restaurants and general merriment of this one-of-a-kind town. Here, some scenes and recommendations from the Crescent City. My traveling companion and all-around partner-in-crime, Shelby, first suggested the Terrell House as our home base for the weekend–and as usual, she was right on the money. Originally built in 1857 and…