I was so excited to be invited  this past Thursday  16th , to the first ever fashion show for Moms during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. Strut : The Fashionable Mom Show, organized by Denise Albert and Melissa Gerstein of The Moms, a multiplatform lifestyle brand, looking to showcase everyday fashion for moms with different styles, different jobs and different lives. Held at the Mercedes Benz fashion tents in Lincoln Center, it was a fabulous show and turnout. The gorgeous Mom of two , super-model Iman hosted the fashion show with models… mothers of all different shapes and sizes. Clothes came from top designers like Tory Burch and Michael Kors, maternity wear from Hatch and A Pea in the Pod.

Since becoming a Mom six years ago, I will admit , knowing how to get my fashion mojo back has been touch and go to say the least. There are  a few moments when I shock myself and will easily pull together a fabulous outfit. Those are far and in between. The problem I have is my every day fashion statement.  ’We need stuff that’s transformable and affordable, that real moms like us can wear every single day to all of the things that we have to do, whether it’s the grocery store, school pickup, back to the meeting, back to school,’ Melissa of The Moms, explained. There were blazers and jackets from Chris Benz to the Gap, bags Iman sells on HSN.com and dresses by Kors and Rachel Roy. The Moms strutted down the runway  looking chic for everything from school drop-off  to a hot date night. What a fantastic way to close Mercedes Benz Fashion Week !!!!!

* images courtesy of The Moms

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A Coney Island Love Story- A short Film by the talented Annemarie Lawless of  A Little Muse for Issue 7 ( debut next week) of La Petite Magazine . Featuring my wonderful son Jaden aka The Karate Boy and beautiful Tallulah. I could not find a better tribute to Valentine’s Day.

Have a Happy and Loving Valentine’s Day !!!

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Valentine’s Day is upon us once again. Lately I have been feeling very amorous with the Hubby, creating  romantic interludes on a daily basis. It has been quite fun re-connecting through these mini love adventures. Important after sixteen years together and hectic schedules with work, parenting and life. I have compiled  my Valentine’s Day Picks. I am very excited about taking The Epicurean Man to the Raines Law Room for Valentine’s day cocktails, I will make sure to post about that experience. I might even get him on some ice skates at the Standard Hotel skating rink. I have already consumed an entire box of Vosges chocolates a few days ago, you must run not walk to get these. Sorry Godiva but Vosges are the way to go for Valentines 2012. One can never go wrong with a box of anything from Tiffany & Co. Finally ,  this red tie shirtdress from Vivienne Tam, is perfection for a romantic Valentine’s day date… tres chic. I hope you enjoy my list below and please feel free to add some of your own in the comment  box below.

THE FEMININE: Tie shirtdress with cinched waist. A reminder that you’re the girl in this relationship. Classic is chic is charming. Inspired by vintage. AVAILABLE AT THEIR SOHO BOUTIQUE!  Vivienne Tam

The Standard Hotel,  has upped it’s fabulousness even more ,by opening their very own  ICE SKATING RINK! Hello… how freaking sexy is that!!! A skating rink right below High Line Park.  The skating rink all 3,000 square foot , is located right in front of the hotel. This is why I have this perpetual  love affair with New York City, there is always some new adventure one can get caught up in. And what would a sexy Hotel with a sexy ice skating rink be without their very own après-skate menu which consists of hot chocolate with marshmallows, whipped cream or crushed peppermint candy cane.  There’s also egg nog, hot apple cider, teas and cappuccinos. I am sure one can spike their hot chocolate or hot toddy’s with their choice of bourbon, brandy or dark rum! Romance Galore.The Standard Ice Rink

Raines Law Room

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Indian-born designer Naeem Khan founded his eponymous label in 2003, presenting his first collection at Olympus Fashion Week in 2005. His work is ornate, intricately detailed, and best known for red-carpet gowns employing handmade fabrics. The label is carried in more than 200 stores, including Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman, and Saks Fifth Avenue. Celebrities including Beyonce Knowles, Carrie Underwood, Eva Longoria, Brooke Shields and First Lady Michele Obama have all worn his creations.

I Love his sense of style, gorgeous designs and his passion for his craft. Below is Naeem Khan’s  video for his feature with Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week 2012

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I was so inspired by Tiffany’s ” True Love in Pictures “ campaign, I wanted to replicate this for my blog. A peek into a couple’s love story, a glimpse into their lives for a day, with my camera, taking snap-shots of their  romance. Claire Unabia, model, actress, philanthropist, producer, wife , mother and recently a dear friend of mine – graciously accepted my request to feature her and her Husband , Matthew James, artist and sculptor whose works have been exhibited around the world…. in my very own ” True Love in Pictures,” photo essay. They met in Hawaii as kids and below after my photo-diary, you can read their magical Love Story.

This would be my very first photo essay. I am not a professional photographer and although  it was a bit intimidating taking photographs of a renowned model, I quickly got past all the doubts and threw myself into this mini project. I am always looking for ways to feature the beauty of Brooklyn, it took me  some time to choose a neighborhood that would reflect the bohemian, passionate romance of Claire and Matt. It was a toss up between Williamsburg and Dumbo . I chose Dumbo because of it’s beautiful cobble stone streets, breath-taking New York City skyline , the beautiful glass encased Jane’s Carousel , Chocolatier Jaques Torres and  independent bookstore P.S Bookshop. Do I dare make that comparison again? – Is Brooklyn the new Paris ? It surely felt that way to me shooting in Dumbo this past Sunday.

It was a chilly, sunny Sunday and Claire looked ravishing , wearing a white frilly long dress ( her hubby Matt made a point to let me now, he choose that dress the day she bought it) , layered with a worn buttered cropped leather jacket, a vintage beaver fur shawl and a beautiful hat , she bought at a flea market in Paris. Matt accompanied her with his own taste of blue jeans, a sweater, wool coat and topped off  with a fun  hat. They looked so gorgeous and I had the best time capturing their playful and whimsical moments.

I hope you enjoy Claire and Matt’s  True Love in Pictures. I tried my best to do them justice. They are truly  an inspirational couple and their love story that follows …  is perfect for a Valentine’s Day post on The Adventurista

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Claire & Matt’s Love Story

Matt and I first met in fourth grade summer school: Math Class at Punahou School.  The same alma matter as Barack.  I had a huge crush on him.  He was so cool with his long hair and rebel rocker look.  He brought to class a fake thumb that he made and touched my hand as he passed it to me.  My whole body burned at the touch.  I went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror, “Oh my gosh, how can this hot guy like me?”  I was a scrawny, freckly, awkward girl with no style, it didn’t seem possible.  We sat next to each other and I thought it was love.  I wrote “Matt James” on the edges of my diary repeatedly in changing colors across two pages.

I did not go to Punahou but my brother did so I did not see him til a couple years later, except the time he walked by and I hid in the car.  I saw Matt sitting under a tree with my friend.  It was hard to tell the tan surfer boy was the same Matt but I was sure.  I said hi and asked him if he remembered me from math class.  He said “Uh, I don’t know.”  I was a little crushed.  Another year later we passed each other in the parking lot of Kahala Mall.  Our eyes locked and he would not look away.  I ran away blushing with my friends.  A little bit after in 8th grade he asked my friend for my number.  I was with same friends when she asked me and they said he was an Asshole so I said no.  The next time I saw him was in highschool at my best friend’s party.  I was so excited to see him.  I asked him if he remembered me from summer school, he said no.  The conversation died there and he didn’t seem interested in talking to me.  I concluded my friend was right he was a cocky Punahou guy with lots of other girls going for him.  I didn’t really think about him again.

We both went off to college on the mainland.  Until one summer back in Hawai’i I was invited to a friend Nick’s BBQ and lo and behold Matt was there.  I wasted no time to ask him, “Hey I’m Claire, do you remember me from 4th grade summer school?”  Finally he said, “Yes.”  He continued to tell me he was an artist and I was absolutely sold.  As far as I was concerned there was no one else at the BBQ.  We moved the party down to the beach and suddenly he disappeared.  I found him sitting in a car talking to another girl.  I was pissed.  They came back out, she was a visiting friend of my good friend.  I told everybody that I was leaving, I wanted to go swimming.  Matt said he wanted to go too and our little group of friends all went down to the shore.  It was nighttime at a beach with gnarly shorebreak, but we all stripped to our undies and went for a dip.  We decided to go to another beach with calm waters at the Kahala Mandarin Hotel.  We parked in the hotel and swam out to a raft in the ocean, flipping off and diving.  The Mandarin is a fancy hotel with dolphins and lots of security.  They quickly came and told us to beat it.  Still determined to go swimming we went to another beach.  This time we stripped completely naked and swam out.  The other girl was there and Matt was holding onto her.  That left me with my friends brother who was trying to touch me and I felt like screaming.

Eventually, we swam back to the beach.  All of the guy’s clothes were gone!  They ran out to the car with coconuts over their junk just as a cop car pulled up.  I don’t remember what the cops said, they probably just took pictures, laughed and drove away.  Luckily I have three brothers so I had extra guys clothes in the car.  Clean? Probably not.  We went back to my friends house to crash.  I was sleeping out in the living room on a couch and Matt was on the other couch.

We were laying there for awhile watching TV and I noticed he was just staring at me.  I asked him, “Are you okay?”  He said, ” I’m hungry.”  I responded, “Okay you want to go get something to eat?”  We went to Zippy’s down the road, then he realized the guys took his wallet at the beach with his clothes.  So I bought him an orange bang and saimin.  On the drive back to the house we talked and suddenly he leaned in to kiss me.  I bolted back, “Im not gonna kiss you, you were just with that other girl, what do you think I am?”  I told him I liked him as a friend.  However, back at the house we stayed up talking most of the night.  By the morning he had won me over.  He whispered in my ear.  I let him hold me and kiss me on the cheek.

After breakfast, I took him back to the beach to look for his clothes.  Amazingly we found everything of his and he bought me new slippers which were still missing.  We went to Cockroach cove where the scene “From Here to Eternity” was filmed of lovers tossing in the waves.  To escape the tourists we swam out to the rock cliffs and walked down to where the waves were crashing.  The perfect spot opened up to us: a little pool with a rock wall surrounding it.  It was like sitting in a big oyster while the waves dramatically burst onto the rocks soaking us from time to time.  It was majestic and amazing staring out into the expanse of ocean.  Up to this point I had refused to let him kiss me but the moment finally overwhelmed me and I gave in.  Our first kiss as a wave drenched us isolated by natural beauty was pure cinematic magic.

For the rest of the trip we spent all of our time together.  He extended his trip to stay with me, I met his sister naked one morning at his parents house, and we had more magical, spiritual adventures that made our love seem inevitable.  Matt returned to San Francisco, I to NYC and we dated one long year long distance until he moved to NYC.

Now I know that he really didn’t remember me from summer school but at least he finally figured out to lie!  It was a rough road but that is how you turn an elementary school crush into ten years of being together, marriage and having the best little girl in the world.

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The next couple of months I will be obsessing on anything French, English and Belgian. I am too excited about The Epicurean Man, Karate Boy and my Easter holiday in London, Paris and Belgium. To get in the mood, I am seeking out any adventures that encompass some part of these three countries. I had the pleasure of planning a surprise birthday lunch for my dear Mummy friend Tamara with a few of her close friends. It was a covert operation with her loving hubby ( we shall call him S) as my partner in crime. S and I had our hands full, trying to keep it a secret from Tamara, she is a whipper snapper and very smart at figuring out such things instantly.

A two hour lunch, during the week and somewhere fabulous and perfect for a foodie such as Tamara. Thinking along the lines of French, I choose Minetta Tavern in the West Village.

Minetta Tavern was opened in Greenwich Village in 1937. The Tavern was named after the Minetta Brook, which ran southwest from 23rd Street to the Hudson River.Over the course of its long history, the Tavern was frequented by various layabouts and hangers-on including Ernest Hemingway, Ezra Pound, Eugene O’Neill, E. E. Cummings, Dylan Thomas, and Joe Gould, as well as by various writers, poets, and pugilists.

I also have a slight obsession with Ernest Hemingway, this bit of information ,that he frequented the Tavern, was all it took for me to choose this ” fabulous birthday lunch” worthy for Tamara. Keith McNally, Lee Hanson, and Riad Nasr have worked together since 1997 on three restaurants: Balthazar, Pastis and Schiller’s. In March 2008 they became partners in Minetta Tavern. Since then it has become one of the hottest places to see and be seen in. Did I mention it is also - 2011 and 2012 Michelin Rated.

The plan was set in motion, I took Tamara to the Minetta Tavern under the guise of a simple lunch date to celebrate her birthday. We entered  to be greeted by four close friends. She seemed very happy and we all had the yummiest lunch and cocktails, giggling and chatting about all sorts of things under the sun. The icing on the cake was when her hubby S, made a grand appearance for the birthday cake ceremony. It was such a spectacular lunch, for those two hours, we did feel like we were  in a fabulous Parisian restaurant …..in Paris.

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On Tuesday 24th, I attended the official luncheon and premier of the magical, dreamy short film HERE produced  by jewelry designer/actor/global traveler Waris Ahluwalia and Luca Guadagnino, the director  of  the Golden Globe- nominated film, ” I Am Love.”  The film commissioned  by The Luxury Collection Hotels & Resorts, is a cinematic  experience that  offers a glimpse into the hidden treasures of some of America’s favorite destinations. Starring beautiful Agyness Deyn and styled by designer Heidi Bivens, with hair and makeup by Nico Guillis , the short film was shot at three of The Luxury Collection’s most iconic properties. From the stately Equinox in Vermont, to the sun-soaked Phoenician in Arizona, and across the Pacific to the legendary Royal Hawaiian.

At the premier, which  was held at the fabulous Chatwal , a hotel also part of The Luxury Collection, I had the pleasure to talk with Ahluwalia  about what inspired him to create HERE. “ I wanted to make a beautiful film, HERE is love story and a treasure hunt, I looked for properties that spoke to me, across America, the landscapes, experiences and history. ”  The 15 minute film was shot so magically, I was fixated in it’s quiet beauty, I almost felt like I was there in the moment with Agyness as she journeyed to the three destinations following the clues to find her love. The brand’s mantra is ” Life Is A Collection of Experiences. Let Us Be Your Guide,”  and through the film HERE you explore the unexpected joys of a cross country journey. This sounds a bit  like out philosophy over here at The Adventurista –  ” The Adventurista is all about sharing simple, as well  as exceptional human experiences with her readers in the areas of travel, fashion , entertainment, leisure with family and friends and to a lesser extent love and relationships.”

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A new lunar year began today Monday 23, and according to Chinese astrology, it will be a particularly auspicious one : ” Of the 12 signs, the dragon is the only animal that’s legendary,” explains Ryan Wong, assistant curator at the Museum of Chinese in America. ” It’s a pervasive year icon in Chinese culture. Unlike  the Western dragon, usually  associated with evil and aggression, the Chinese one is benevolent, powerful and associated with heaven.”-

A rainy manic Monday, I woke up this morning determined to hit the subway and head into Chinatown to attend the 13th Annual Chinatown Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival. My fabulous Mummy friend Tamara was my partner in crime. Both of us armed with our camera’s, we jumped on the B train and headed to Grand Street in Chinatown.  A little rain could not stop us Adventurista’s, once at Sara D. Roosevelt  Park, we realized to get to where all the action was, we needed a press pass. A few smiles, and  politeness , the guard at the gate granted us entry. What gorgeous  colors, people, activities. The rain only made it  moody and romantic for me. I was so excited to capture some of this with my camera. I hope you enjoy my photo diary . The Dragon was front and center at the Firecracker Ceremony and Cultural Festival, as some of the 600,000 rounds of explosives that were customized in the shape of the legendary animal. -

Go to betterchinatown.com for more information on the 13th Annual Chinatown Lunar Year Parade on January 29th, 11.30 am -4pm Free.

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On Wednesday I had the most  fabulous time with my fellow blogger Judia Black, author of the amazing Blog enJoie – on our  joint blog post ” Food Crawl Through Clinton Hill” . This is our second joint blog post together, we had the most amazing time at 2011 Food Network’s Food & Wine Festival and were both very excited to collaborate once again.

Clinton Hill  is a wonderful neighborhood I have been calling home for the past 13 years , best described by New York Times writer Suzanne Hamlin – “Sandwiched between Fort Greene and Bedford-Stuyvesant, Clinton Hill in Brooklyn might just be the quintessence of urban living in New York City. It is affluent and not so, seedy and grand, ethnically diverse, a magnet for artists, musicians and filmmakers, and  rich in architectural style .” Clinton Hill is also home to many culinary delights, and I always enjoy sharing them with you all on my Blog. Judia  suggested we do a post together about some of my favorite restaurants I enjoy eating at … a sort of food crawl through Clinton Hill. The plan was set in motion this past Wednesday. Our  food crawl through Clinton Hill took place during a two hour lunch period  in which we went to four restaurants I frequent regularly. How excited I was to  have Judia as my cohort on this food crawl, she had already seen photos of some of the yummy dishes from these places, I posted on Face-book.

Our first stop was a diner I wrote about previously on my blog called Clinton Park Cafe. This is a place I go to daily for my coffee, fresh squeezed orange juice and the most delicious breakfast items. During our food crawl, we wanted to pick out a signature dish each restaurant is known for. The owner Steve and his cousin Savvas have become such good friends of mine, the friendliest two you would ever meet. Steve insisted we have  for lunch the spinach pie, chicken greek salad and the pastrami sandwich with pepper jack cheese, horseradish mayonnaise , served with sweet potato fries. Judia and I were on sensory overload, it all looked so divine, smelt so good and tasted beyond delicious.

We said our good-byes to Steve and Savvas and like two giddy school girls sauntered to the next spot on our food crawl through Clinton Hill. Chez Oscar - A culinary bohemia, inspired by Harlem Renaissance & Paris bistros. Chez Oscar cranks out french cuisine, jazzed up by Brooklyn’s vibe and diversity. On the weekend this is the place to eat and be seen, the brunches at Chez Oscar are already legendary. During the week it is a little calmer and perfect for having lunch with a friend, business meeting, or alone reading a newspaper. Judia and I entered and naturally grabbed the table near the window, observing  the beautiful art-work that adorned the walls of the restaurant. One of Chez Oscar’s specialty lunch item is the lamb burger and frites, this is exactly what we ordered. The hostess invited Judia, a certified sommelier to go behind the bar to choose a good wine to accompany our dish. She made an excellent choice, a red wine named Cotes du Rousillion , they are made from Mourvedre, Grenache and Syrah. It was just a perfect match. It is always a good look to have a certified sommelier as a friend ( smile). We both enjoyed our lunch at Chez Oscar tremendously.

We were having insane amounts of fun, Judia and I on our food crawl through Clinton Hill. Our bellies full, we continued on to our next culinary destination- Putnam’s Pub & Cooker - Self-styled a “Pub and Cooker,” the large, saloon-type aesthetic at Putnam’s evokes the kind of smoke-filled halls of 19th Century New York. I have been obsessed lately with anything that evokes a ” throw-back vibe”. Putnam’s did exactly this for us. A beautiful bar, it looked like what a sexy saloon  would have looked like in the 19th Century… just more modern. I have been hearing through the grape-vine that Putnam’s Mac N Cheese with gruyere cheese and truffle was to die for. This  is exactly what we ordered and to go along with it, we decided to have one of their popular cocktails- The Sofie Bee ( Jim Bean Rye, Canton Ginger Liqueur, Lemon Juice, Honey and Creole Bitters.)  Judia and I both agreed there was only one word to describe the Mac n Cheese at Putnam’s… Sinful !!!

With huge smiles on our faces, we were ready for  dessert. Choice Market –  this Clinton Hill café and takeout shop has the boho vibe of a hippie hangout in a college town—which, with Pratt just a block away, it sort of is. Another spot I  frequent regularly for cakes, pies, fresh baguettes and salads, I knew this was the perfect place to take Judia for one of my favorite  desserts, their creme brûlée cheesecake. Decadent beyond words and  the perfect ending to a yummy adventure with my dear friend and companion, Foddie Blogger Judia Black. Please stay tune for Judia’s description on her Blog  enJoie about our ” Foodie Crawl Through Clinton Hill.” I hope you enjoy  the photographs I took on our food crawl as much as I enjoyed taking them.

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When I saw the neon Paris sign, I knew I found a magical gem in the City of Lights. An independent cinema with a lot of history right across the street from The Plaza Hotel and practically attached to Bergdorf’s…  it does not get  more New York than this. Since we got there a bit early, my Mummy friend Andrea and I walked over to the Plaza and took some time, visiting the book stores, the jewelry  shops. Always decadent, beautiful and refined, I had such fun taking photographs for the short time we were in the Plaza. It was lovely, yet we both could not wait to get back over to the Paris.

The Paris Theatre is such a treat amongst all the mega cineplexes out there. Walking into the Paris, it had a vintage field, an old world charm, romantic. Andrea and I felt like we had just stepped into  a Woody Allen Classic. The only theatre with a balcony, that’s exactly where we headed, plush comfy seats, we were in heaven. I can’t wait to bring my Hubby , The Epicurean Man here on a movie date night.

As if it could get any better, we were at the Paris to see one of the most talked about films and nominated for six Golden Globes… The Artist.

One of the most joyous and clever cinematic experiences in years, director Michel Hazanavicius’ THE ARTIST is already being hailed as an Oscar contender. A silent film shot entirely in black and white, the film follows dashing 1920s silent movie star George Valentin, played by Jean Dujardin in an exquisite performance that earned him Best Actor at this year’s Cannes Film Festival. At one of his movie premieres George meets Peppy Miller (Berenice Bejo), a beautiful young actress with dreams of stardom. With the arrival of talkies, George’s career starts to fade, while Peppy’s star begins to rise. John Goodman, Oscar nominee James Cromwell and Penelope Ann Miller deliver strong supporting roles in this wonderfully romantic and inventive film.

It was such an amazing film, and I can honestly say we did not miss the ” talking”. This was my first silent movie in a theater , it was magical. The actors were superb, the music score spectacular , I can see why The Artist won for Best Musical Score, Best Actor, and Best Picture. It deserved it all. Leading actor Jean Durjardin was amazing and his smile infectious. I am telling you all run don’t walk to go see the film “ The Artist”.

Walking out the Paris Theatre with huge smiles on our faces, Andrea and I were in the mood for a martini and I knew I had to think of a place that would continue that same ” old world charm” feel. The St Regis Hotel’s ” King Cole Bar” was the perfect choice for two international girls like us …Andrea is originally from Canada and I hail from Trinidad.

The King Cole Bar is located in one of the most beautiful and historic hotels.. The St Regis is a landmark and rightfully so. Walking into the St Regis was breath-taking, the marbled floors, oak paneling, everything was exquisite and were still only in the lobby. I was so excited with anticipation on what the bar would look like. Then we walked in to a larger-than-life mural of ” Old King Cole, a Maxfield Parrish work that stunned both Andrea and I, we slid into these gorgeous leather chairs gazing  at the mural in awe. The mural depicts a mischievous-face King Cole, surrounded by his fiddlers there and a servant boy bringing his pipe. A stately but very kind couple sitting next to me informed me that Parrish painted the mural in 1906 specifically for the St Regis Bar.

Andrea and I pondered on what would be our one and only cocktail, we are both light-weights and we also had to return to our little darlings and get back into instant Mummy mode. The bartender suggested the ” New York, New York” , basically a ” Manhattan” . The drinks are pricey, they start at $20 a glass, a few of them $29 a glass, but this is what one expects at such an establishment like The St regis Hotel. In my opinion , it was all  worth it. The vibe at the bar was very James Bond. Giggling like school-girls, chatting away about any and everything, topics like photography, fashion, movies, travel, family etc. It was such an amazing time, we could not be any different, Andrea and I , yet what linked us and made us so compatible is our love for adventure and spontaneity. She was the perfect movie and martini date . I tried my best to document our adventure with my camera, I also wanted to enjoy the moments. I hope you all enjoy my photo diary.

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