BARB JUNGR'S U.S. RETURN

BARB JUNGROne more time in 2010!  That's right BARB JUNGR fans, the "British Edith Piaf" is skipping across the pond once more before the end of the year in support of her latest album - THE MEN I LOVE.

Jungr sailed through a sold out schedule earlier in the year when she hit New York's Metropolitan Room that saw rave reviews from  The New York Times, Time Out, & audiences who were blown away!

This time around catch the most talented cabaret performer of her generation before it's too late, as Barb is here and gone in a flash!   Pre-order tickets to be sure you get the chance to see this unique talent in person.BARB JUNGR -THE MEN I LOVE - NAIM LABEL

NYC - JOE'S PUB - NOV. 28th

CLEVELAND - NIGHTTOWN - NOV. 29th & 30Th

ST. LOUIS - CABARET ST. LOUIS - DEC. 1st - 4th

SAN FRANCISCO - THE RRAZZ ROOM - DEC. 7th & 8th

 Click on the venue links to buy tickets now!

LIAR LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE - FALL 2010

CAMERON DIAZ IN FERRAGAMO FROM HARPERS BAZAARI swear it is true!   The Fall 2010 designer collections were full of - trousers, many of them full leg indeed.   While I've written about the Charlie Girl reference earlier this summer, I had to give a shout out to those beautiful pants that are in stores NOW!   With so many to choose from, three stuck out in my mind as I watched the shows.   So diplomatic I am - as here are looks from NY, Paris, & Milan! 

John Bartlett is a tried and true New Yorker.   With his downtown boutique, John has kept to his ideal of the men and women he designs for.JOHN BARTLETT - FALL 2010  Never one to follow a trend, John is more apt to reference a vintage issue of GQ from the 60's.   Always rugged, with an upscale finish - his collections have a sexy edge.   His trouser looks for the gals this fall were very Jodie Foster circa 1976.   JODIE FOSTER BY TERRY O'NEILL - VIA GETTY IMAGESVests and all! The pants a bit more fitted than Foster wore promoting Bugsy Malone.. but gave me the vibe.  John also has a passion for pets - being a tireless crusader for the North Shore Animal League and pet adoption.  He often hosts adoption days at his boutique in NYC.  His logo even incorporates his charitable spirit and beautiful dog - Tiny Tim!  To find out more about JB and his cause click Tiny Tim!

CHLOE is a brand that has a history with pants.   When Stella McCartney took over for Karl Lagerfeld in the early 90's, she brought with her from London, a master tailor from Savile Row.   This was the dawn of the mix and match - tailoring with soft and silky pieces.   The tradition continued with Phoebe Philo after Stella Left.  LINDA EVANS AS KRYSTLE For fall 2010,  designer Hannah MacGibbon softened the look.   Her pants are fuller and cut to move as you do,  with tone on tone silk blouses to match.   Think Linda Evans as Krystle Carrington in Dynasty.CHLOE - FALL 2010

In Milan, for his premiere Women's collection for Ferragamo, Massimiliano Giornetti hit the seasons trends right on the head.   FERRAGAMO - FALL 2010His tailored looks were a bit sexy, a bit tomboy, and a dose of 70's glam thrown in to mix it up.   His tailored pants hit a little higher and paired with lurex knits have a retro feel that is wearable.  FAYE DUNAWAY AS LAURA MARS Think Faye Dunaway in The Eyes of Laura Mars crossed with Diane Keaton in Annie Hall.

While I'm thinking of the Fall shows - I kept running into uber stylist Nicole DiMiceli all over town during fashion week.   She is a total chameleon that one!  One night sheSTYLIST NICOLE DIMICELI - KEEPING HYDRATED DURING FASHION WEEK will be sleek and glam in Winter White - then the next day she will be a totally curly bohemian, then the next sophisticated lady.   Nicole is always working on some big project - for some big client - usually no names - hush hush you know!  (You learn not to ask after a while).  Without naming names, let's just say - you have seen her work.  Keep up the glam work Nicole!  

 So, now that there is a hint of Fall in the air, get yourself a pair of trousers to work the sidewalk for the months to come.   If you go the designer route, invest in a pair with classic details.   This way you are sure to have them for years to come.   If you want to go super trendy, head to one of the fast fashion Meccas like H&M or Zara - they will be knocking off the looks before you can say fall trendsl!   Click on the brand links above to find the store nearest you.

BANG BANG BOOK MARC

BOOKMARC BY NIGHT - 400 BLEECKER STREET PH: Jason JobsonMarc Jacobs is the designer that made Bleecker Street in New York's West Village a luxury shopping destination.   The combination of cool designer shops with those Magnolia Bakery cupcakes were a match made in fashionista heaven.MJ PENCILS, PENS, COMPACT AND BOOK MARK   When Sex & The City featured the bakery in the iconic series - things would never be the same.  What was a regular destination for the cool downtown scene quickly morphed into a must see for pop culture disciples from around the world.

Jacobs is a world famous fashion designer in charge of French mega-brand Louis Vuitton.  LV is the company that basically invented the designer monogram.   While Jacobs was known for his own signature collection in fashion circles, it was LV that made him a household name.   The bad boy of American fashion quickly grew into the much larger shoes he had leapt.  

MJ PENCIL BOX & NOTEBOOKBy his side from the beginning was business partner Robert Duffy.  Unknown to most outside the industry, insiders credit Duffy with many of the business decisions that brought Jacobs to the top of his game.   Without Duffy's determination and belief in the designer, the dismissal from Perry Ellis for creating a grunge collection for the runway  could have been the end of Jacob's career.   Instead, it was just the beginning.    Duffy parlayed this misunderstood creative outsider into a commodity that he was able to sell first to the Japanese, as Onward Kashiyama were the first backers for the Marc Jacobs label in 1986- and ultimately in the fashion capital of the world - Paris!   In 1997 Jacobs would begin working with Louis Vuitton.   Launching the RTW collection for the house and ultimately becoming creative director for the entire brand.

Bleecker Street is said to be another brainchild of Mr. Duffy.   What would spearhead the return to small boutiques showcasing designer brands was inspired by Duffy's desire to be able to walk to work from his West Village home.   Bravo Mr. Duffy!   Now the street is home to a wide range of designers from Ralph Lauren to Gant to Mulberry.  MARC JACOBS AND HIS NEW BANG

This week yet another Marc Jacobs store has opened on Bleecker.   This makes five store fronts on Bleecker and a total of seven in the West Village.   Obviously the concept works.   While another store might seem obsessive, the company has unveiled a new concept.   BOOKMARC is the first official bookstore from Mr. Jacobs.  While several of the Marc Jacobs boutiques have sold books in the past, this marks (not Marc's!) the first full scale book store.  The space at 400 Bleecker street has a proven track record as a destination for hard to find books.   Biography Bookshop was legendary on the street but went the way of most independent bookstores. 

The opening was perfect timing for me, as I was making a care package for a young girl who has just left for Paris for her first year at University.   I thought what better way to get her motivated to study than a box full of Marc Jacobs accessories! 

BOOKMARC BY DAY - 401 BLEECKER STREET W/ VINTAGE VETTE!Earlier this summer Marc Jacobs unveiled another....project - to say the least.   The latest fragrance from Jacobs named BANG hit the shelves with a flashy bottle that looks somewhat of a cross between a Thierry Mugler flask and a Diesel fist bottle.   To be sure the Men's fragrance launch did not go unnoticed, Mr. Jacobs posed nude for the promotional material.   Jacobs was a late bloomer so to speak regarding working out and the gym culture that is so central to many gay men.   I've written about his personal transformation on these pages in the past.   Once a skinny waif, Jacobs is know tanned, tattooed, and buff.   The promo shots weren't my favorite, but the fragrance is sure to be a big bang hit!

Visit Bleecker Street - BOOKMARC, and all the Marc Jacobs shops you will find there!  Have a cupcake at Magnolia and venture south of Christopher Street to see OVANDO - the coolest flower shop in NYC!

PARK-ING ON THE WESTSIDE!

SUNSET OVER THE HUDSON RIVERNew York City used to be referred to as the concrete jungle, but anyone who has visited the Big Apple in the last five years knows that moniker is O-L-D.   The NYC of 2010 is a green, pedestrian friendly place with parks and public spaces friendly to tourists and residents.    So friendly in fact that for the first time in 50 years, couples having babies are NOT moving to the suburbs once that bundle of joy arrives.    No surprise considering that living in Manhattan puts everything at your fingertips - nature now included!PARK IN FULL BLOOM

The latest addition to Hudson River Park , just unveiled, as part of the staggering gentrification project happening under Mayor Bloomberg's leadership is Pier 62 & Pier 63 in Chelsea.   Breathtaking lawns, landscaped gardens and piers abound.  ACRES OF LAWNJust North of Chelsea Piers, the park unfolds out onto two newly created piers.  A carousel honoring animals found in the Hudson Valley region is one of the crown jewels of the park.  Think Hawks, Bears, & Trout -OH MY ( not the usual BEAR talked about in Chelsea mind you!).   Also on top of the list for many teens is the largest skate park in NYC, or any major city for that matter.   

While the space is overflowing with amenities like running paths, marinas, restaurants, etc - the true star of the Park is the Hudson river, and the amazing trees, shrubs, and flowers painstakingly planted for over a year before the park opened.   I'm sure one day it will be as big a tourist destination as Central Park itself.    CAROUSEL CRITTERS

If visiting for the first time, a great entrance point is 14th Street at 11th Avenue.    Walking North or South are equally enjoyable.ROLLING HILLS WITH CITY SKYLINE    In fact, the entire Westside from Battery Park to above 125th Street is now seamlessly connected.   As an avid long distance runner I can wholeheartedly confirm that! If you are looking for a true NY experience, walk the length of the Westside parks.   You will see the true meaning of the term "melting pot" as you cross from neighborhood to neighborhood.  ENDLESS LANDSCAPING FILLS THE PARK

TREES TREES TREESBravo to Mayor Bloomberg for his commitment to parks and public spaces and also his staggering Million Tree Project that has and will transform NYC for decades to come.

See you on the river!   To see additional photos and full size of photos shown above - click  PARK PICS.

BARB JUNGR & THE MEN SHE LOVES

BARB JUNGR'S LATEST ALBUMSome singers write their own songs and some work with writers who create songs for them.   The listening public usually has no idea who created a song, as what you hear is what you know.  

British chanteuse Barb Jungr is in another category altogether.  Ms. Jungr is a very talented singer who works with songs that have been recorded by major artists such as Bob Dylan or Bruce Springsteen and completely rearranges them.    To say Jungr "covers" a song really doesn't do her justice,  as that term refers to simply singing someone else's song.  Barb basically rewrites a song and truly makes it her own.  

There is a hint of the original song when you hear the chorus, but really just because you're familiar with the lyrics- not because it sounds the same.   No, Ms. Jungr gives you new little gems that are multifaceted and often have equal parts sparkle, as they do dark crevices that never existed before.  Jungr has been called the "British Piaf" and her work is critically acclaimed on both sides of the Atlantic.  

There is something about sadness, regret, and heartbreak that draws so many music lovers to listen to songs over and over again.   A universal attraction to the beauty of pain, and the sense of hope a great song can give you after just a few minutes.   As powerful as any medicine, a song can nurse you back to a state of mind where you can face the world.    In this sense, Jungr is just what the Doctor ordered.   BARB JUNGR & JASON JOBSON AT THE METROPOLITAN ROOM

I recently caught one of her sets at The Metropolitan Room in NYC.  The venue is a favorite of  jazz and cabaret fans and performers alike.  With 115 seats, the room is intimate enough to let the artist see the reaction of the crowd as a show unfolds.  After hearing Ms. Jungr live, I realize she is more than a singer - but a true performer.   On stage she has the power to take you up with a wind blown lyric,  and then drag you through the depths of a long lost dream with another.   Great performers have the ability to create this arc - Jungr has it in spades.

Let's all hope that some brilliant producer creates a one Woman show for Barb Jungr.   I can see her starring in a modern Rock Opera.  Think Tommy or Hedwig & The Angry Inch.  Barb Jungr would blow your mind with that type of material!  

How exciting and rare it is to see a performer that you know has amazing things to come!!   Keep listening to Barb Jungr - as great as her work is now,  I'm sure there is something huge just around the corner!   Click  JUNGR- to buy Barb's latest album released on NAIM label.

JOAN RIVERS - HOW'D YOU GET SO RICH?

JOAN RIVERS - ALL LAUGHSNo, I didn't ask Joan Rivers about her finances over dinner at the Friars club - but I wouldn't worry.   The undisputed Queen of comedy is as busy today as she was 20 years ago!  The second season of her hit show on TV Land Prime - "How'd you get so Rich" premieres May 5th.  Joan was all laughs talking about the experience, and how much fun she is having shooting season two.

Sitting at Joan's table is like being on the dais, all eyes are on you!  We were all at the Friars to honor one of Brooklyn's most famous entertainers - Lainie Kazan.  Kazan is known by audiences all over the world for her portrayal as strong willed mothers in Beaches & My Big Fat Greek Wedding.    Years before those roles, Kazan shot to fame as the worlds most famous understudy.   Of course she was the understudy for the one and only Barbra Streisand in the Broadway show  Funny Girl in the 60's.  JOAN & JASON AT THE FRIARS CLUB

During the tribute, Joan shared memories of performing at The Duplex in Manhattan back in the 60's.   These gals were young and hungry for fame.   Joan was already being Joan, and Lainie was wowing audiences with those golden pipes.    The whole evening was a treat - albeit surreal at times.   After all, when have you ever heard of attorney Gloria Allred, Actress Michelle Lee, & singer Leslie Gore on the same bill??!!   Michelle Lee thought it would be funny to drag her luggage up on stage - as she had mixed up the dates and just come from the airport.   It wasn't.    

What is funny is Joan Rivers' show on TV Land Prime.  Yes, TV Land has prime time programming and Joan Rivers is just the comic force to make it a destination for feel good, funny programming.  In HYGSR we see Joan crossing the country to meet people who are insanely rich - and most importantly - self made.  Often the rood to riches is from the smallest or at first glance silliest invention - last season we saw the college student who has made millions on the Snuggie!   But these folks are laughing all the way to the bank.   What comes through is the sense of happiness these people have from achieving something great on their own.   Really, it's Joan story as well.   Hard work and moxie has kept her on top of her game all these years.   Her comedy competition are girls 30 years her junior - and Joan is funnier.    On a more serious note, the documentary Joan Rivers - A piece of Work is hitting theaters this month.   The film was one of the biggest hits at Sundance this year.    The documentary shows just how much hard work goes into being so damn funny.   Don't miss it.

As for How'd You Get So Rich, don't take my word for how hilarious it is - watch the opening credits for the show - if you don't laugh - don't watch.   I know you will be tuning in.   How'd You Get So Rich debuts May 5th on TV Land Prime at 10 pm.  To find what channel TV Land is in your area - click - MY TV LAND



AMERICANA SPRINGTIME

New York City is famous for so many things.   Broadway, Central Park, Wall Street, and of course FASHION.   Every major fashion house in the world has at least one boutique in New York.  AMERICANA PLAZA

At the height of luxury is a shopping oasis that lies 20 miles East of Manhattan on Long Island.  Americana Manhasset is a one of a kind outdoor shopping center.   Luxury boutiques arranged back to back single file style.   Designed by Peter Marino - the man who has shaped more luxury retail stores than anyone else in the world.   TULIPS BY THE MILEMarino is responsible for the look of Dior, Chanel, and Tom Ford to name a few.  In addition, Marino recently contributed to the most expensive SNAPDRAGONS AND VIOLAS IN MASSretail project in the world - City Center in Las Vegas.   Marino designed a portion of the Aria hotel & Casino.   There is nowhere else in North East where you can drive right up to an Hermes boutique.  

Every luxury fashion house has a boutique at the Americana.   PRADA WHITE WINDOWS Fendi, Gucci, Ferragamo, and Dior - they are all there.   Smaller than their NYC flagships, these boutiques have a charm and a sense of exclusivity in the intimate setting.  

While the boutiques might be smaller, the inventory is even more luxurious than your typical boutiques.    Due to the highly affluent area, companies stock the boutiques with the most expensive styles found in the collections.  

Plan an afternoon to visit the Americana the next time you are in NYC.  There are great choices for lunch and you can be back in the cityTORY BURCH OPENING NEXT TO HERMES before you head to the latest hot spot for dinner!

To see the map of the shopping center before you visit - click AMERICANA

FRIAR ROASTED FASHION CLUB

JOAN RIVERS & LAINIE KAZAN AT THE FRIARS CLUBJust when I thought I had seen everything in NYC, a friend invited me to one of the most unique nights out I've had in a long time.   The world famous Friars Club has hosted some of the funniest moments in comedy over the years as they Roast their own during the legendary tributes.    I was lucky enough to be invited to sit at  Joan River's table as the Friar's paid tribute to songbird Lainie kazan.   Lainie has a carrer that spans several decades.   Two of her most famous roles were playing head strong mothers in Beaches and My Big Fat Greek Wedding.   Her big personality landed her those roles, but it was her big voice that made her a favorite to any Broadway and Cabaret Club fans.   Joan was all excited about the upcoming premiere of the second season of her hit show on TV Land Prime - "How'd You Get So Rich?" - more on the show later this month.   FRIARS CLUB TOWNHOUSE

While I expected laughs by the mile at the Friars,  I didn't expect all the fashion!   As we made our way to our table in the Milton Berle room ( hey I was with the most famous celeb in the place - of course we were in the VIP room!), I felt like I was walking through Saks 5th Avenue.    To my left - Bottega Clutch, to my right Chanel quilted classic.   Ooh were those Louboutins?   Is that the new Ferragamo exotic clutch??  Yes and Yes!

JOAN RIVERS & JASON JOBSON Of course Joan looked like a million bucks - she always does.   Done done done.. I've never seen that Woman not camera ready!   She had just flown in from Las Vegas that afternoon and was out on the town!  

The biggest fashion surprise was to find a look from a really talented designer that you and your friends probably aren't talking about - Gareth Pugh.   MARGIE STERN IN GARETH PUGHThis British designer shows in Paris and has an avant garde approach to his collection.   Comparisons to Alexander McQueen started as soon at Pugh showed his first collection.   Since the announcement that Gucci Group will continue the label after McQueen's suicide, there has been rumors that Pugh is the possible replacement.

Super Chic Margie Stern was head to toe Gareth Pugh - accessorized with Joan Rivers jewelry of course!   Bravo to Margie for having the taste level to get Gareth and to put it all together.    This collection is for someone who doesn't need the logo recognition of the uber brand army.   Margie and I sat next to each other at dinner and she told me she discovered Pugh at a little boutique in Paris.   That's when you know you have style!

Laughs by the mile and a first rate fashion show!  What more could you want with Dinner?    I hope I get invited to the Friars club again soon!   

To see Gareth Pugh's latest collection visit - Style.com