And so I tweeted about it and discovered that other women felt the same way – it’s true, I discovered a true need in the market place, and so this is what I’m supplying: an adult club for women; The Wingwoman Club. A club for women who want to have a little fun, meet men, or help their friends meet men (or other women – doesn’t matter to me). Will it work? Who knows. But at least we’ll be getting out there with one another and having a good time. If you want to join the Wingwoman Club, start by filling out the questionnaire below…

…the city rumbles from the Cloisters to Battery Park City. Tonight, New York City is louder than a kindergarten music class. Thunder booms down busy avenues as lightening strikes the tips of sky-scrapers and hale crashes on top of air-conditioners clinging to crumbling windowsills. A perfect night for watching The Neverending Story.

I will be at Nicole Romano’s event during Fashion’s Night Out and you better be as well. Seriously – get all dressed up, wear some killer jewelry (or pick some up at Nicole’s store), enjoy some free wine, and be filmed for the designer’s upcoming Japanese fashion documentary.

Want to know more about Fashion’s Night Out, read my recent articles (here & here) on it for StyledOn…

Everything from Rihanna’s tuxedo suit in the Umbrella -ella, -ella video to the little mod dress Jessica Simpson wore on The View are on sale and can be yours if the price is right.

In addition to the celeb favorites are a bunch of amazing dresses (including the one shown on the left, which I am getting), tops, blazers, pants, skirts, and the most fabulous retro-inspired swim suits that you can find. There are even pieces available from the hauntingly beautiful fall ’09 collection for purchase.

Abaeté Sample Sale
117 Crosby Street (between Prince / Houston in SoHo)
12 pm noon – 6pm

Tell Anly I said ‘Hi’ and buy as much as you possibly can – trust me, boys love Abaeté. Xx

The latest GAP|CFDA Designer Collection hits stores tomorrow and I’m hoping to score at least one of Vena Cava’s easy dresses along with Alexander Wang’s motocycle jacket - well, wish me luck because all pieces are retailing for under $100, which means they’ll go quickly.

And FYI: GAP creative director Patrick Robinson and guest designers Alexander Wang, Albertus Swanepoel and Vena Cava’s Lisa Maycock and Sophie Buhai will all be appearing at the Manhattan 5th Avenue flagship store (at 54th Street) for the official launch of the collection at 10:30 am. Not in New York? Don’t worry – the collection hits other stores on June 17th.

Delivering maximum sex appeal, Brian Atwood’s sky-high heels are to-die-for. And for one day only (this Wednesday, 6/10, from 8am-8pm), you can get them at rock-bottom prices. Trust me ladies, is one sample sale you probably won’t want to miss…

Opening tomorrow at noon, this new H&M in the Lucida (at 86th & 3rd) will be the first location to open above 60th street on the east side and I can’t wait to have one closer to home. They’ve already rolled out the red carpet and there were girls on the street today passing out magazines and cheerfully reminding people to come to the grand opening tomorrow.

Since upper east siders are a little more prudish with their fashion choices than the downtown kids, I’m hoping that maybe this one will be the place where I’ll be able to snag the highly prized pieces from those always hard to get designer collections…Anyway, I’ll be there tomorrow – right after visiting 1 of the 4 local Starbucks.

I’ve always had a major soft spot for Vivienne Westwood‘s designs. So flattering, so powerful, so sexy. And now is the perfect time to begin or add to your wardrobe:

Vivienne Westwood Sample Sale
What: At Vivienne Westwood, draw raffle tix ($5-$1,000) before shopping the collection — now up to 70 percent off.
Why: Because if Carrie Bradshaw can wear Vivienne, so can we!
When: Thurs. & Fri., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Where: Scatola Showroom, 544 W. 27th St., b/t Tenth & Eleventh Aves., 6th flr. (a trek sure, but probably worth it)

…and if you want to jump on the bandwagon early, shop Rebecca Mikoff’s studded selection alongside the best dresses and swimwear from Abaeté and a selection of Torn by Ronny Kobo at a big, fabulous, joint sample sale:

Wednesday, May 6th – Sunday, May 10th
10am – 8pm
33 W. 17th St. (btwn 5th/6th ave.) NY

Shop the sale early for the best selection and please, no fighting this time around ladies. Xx

Shop Ted Rossi’s semi-annual sample sale this Thursday and Friday to take advantage of huge savings on their ultra-addictive python, leather & crystal pieces. And with bangles and cuffs starting at $20, and leather clutches from $80, how could you afford not to go?

What: Ted Rossi Sample Sale
Why: Python, Leather, and Swarovski Crystal Jewelry & Handbags up to 75% off
When: Thursday April 30th & Friday May 1st, 10am-7pm
Where: 15 East 30th Street, Suite 300, NYC between 5th & Madison Avenues (212.683.1726)

According to Bloomberg.com, Topshop (which opens in soho today) says it sells 40,000 pairs of shoes a week, and has more than 300 stores in the U.K. and 125 outlets in regions ranging from Scandinavia to the Middle East.

Excuse me? 40,000 pairs of shoes a week? 40,000? No wonder they’re setting up shop here! Paging all NY-based Carrie Bradshaws! Come on girls, we can certainly out do 40,000 pairs of shoes a week – even in a recession!

The store is also said to have 32 dressing rooms, which doesn’t sound like very many to me, but I suppose well just have to see how they hold up during today’s stampede.

Planning to visit the store today? Let me know what you think! Xx
Photo from AP Photo/Mark Lennihan

Arriving in a sexy, skintight Nicole Romano dress, I was ready to have a good time and after saying hello to a few people, headed right to the wine bar. After grabbing a crisp glass of chardonnay from Castello delle Regine (which BTW was wonderful) it was time to make the rounds and check out Nicole’s latest collections…

I was beckoned back to the front of the shop by the big baubles and slinky dresses draped on the mannequins. From chocolate-colored silk charmeuse tops, to the feather embellished cocktail dresses, Nicole’s newest crop of styles looked amazing and I was absolutely dying to try on each and every one!

What makes Nicole such a fun designer is that she has a very sexy style – the kind that makes men weak in the knees. Everything she designs is a bit edgy, super sensual, begs to be touched and played with, and seems to flatter a woman’s body almost too well. And her jewelry! Oh! I just love Nicole’s jewelry – and the new styles she showed during the event were spectacular! Talk about statement pieces! If you’re looking for big gold floral necklaces, multi-strand oxidized chains, long dramatic drop earrings, and huge rings – Nicole Romano is your woman!

After looking at (and lusting over) the collection, I ended up in an interesting discussion on the future of the fashion industry with ZOOZOOM‘s absolutely delightful Kelley Quan before catching up Nicole (who looked stunning) and congratulating her on the event. Other notable attendees include StyleCaster’s lovely fashion expert Carol Han, actress Bebe Neuwirth, celebrity chef Rocco DiSpirito, and the ever fashionable Lauren Ezersky. Click below for images of both Nicole’s RTW and jewelry, as well as a few party pictures from the event…

All pictures taken by Richard Bertone

LOVE’s premier issue may be sold out practically everywhere, but today I found a stack of them on the Upper East Side.

Hidden on 2nd Avenue amidst the T-line construction lies B.J. Magazines – a treasure trove of national and international magazines, including the aforementioned issues of LOVE.

Everything is super organized, displayed well, and the guy working today was ridiculously helpful (he’s even bring in one of the last remaining copies of the infamous Italian Vogue “black” issue from last year for me).

Anyway, if you’re looking for a hard to find issue, I suggest you try B.J.’s:
B.J. Magazines
1819 2nd Avenue at 94th Street
212.828.6272

Lately the only music I’ve been listening to is Lady Gaga (at the office and OMG do I like it!) or Weezer (on the subways), and I can’t tell you how refreshing and grown-up it felt to listen to Juilliard-trained pianists play in Carnegie Hall.

The pieces played were commissioned; the composers were present to explain their work; almost everyone present was significantly older than me. The music was really dramatic and unlike any piano music I had heard before – it was almost violent at times and what made this especially interesting for me is that the two pianists were actually married and I felt as if I was watching them fight, make up, make love, and then skip off happily into the sunset.

I have never had a deep desire to play a musical instrument, but seeing two professional musicians playing so passionately made me wish I could do the same (although I am quite positive that even with years of training, my fingers could never, ever move as fast as they need to).

This is a party where you get dressed up (the crazier the better), get your picture taken by David McIntyre, and then people vote on your look vs the other party goers at ZOOZOOM. Music provided by the Tall Firs, Revival Times and resident DJ $mall¢hange.

ZOOZOOM Fashion Wars
Thursday, Jan. 29th | 9pm-whenever
Ultra Lounge, NYC
37 West 26th St (6th & Broadway)
rsvp@fashionwars.com
Must be 21 | $10 Cover

I’ll be there in all my Prada, Jil Sander, Miu Miu glory. Be there or be in J.Crew.

HK (Hell’s Kitchen) | Midtown West
523 9th Ave. @ 39th St.
212.947.4208

Last weekend, before going to watch The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (which is absolutely beautiful), I had a gorgeous waffle that came overflowing with blueberries, strawberries, and slices of banana at HK. My lovely date Mary had an equally lovely plate of eggs benedict.

Our service was very good, although things seemed a bit rushed at most of the other tables. Some information you can use: the $12 unlimited mimosas, bellinis, bloody marys that you pay for at brunch can be enjoyed until 5pm, so feel free to stay at the bar and continue drinking well after you’ve finished your meal and given up your table to someone else. Not a bad arrangement at all.

Overall: A chic brunch place in sort of a crappy location that serves good food, which is actually a tad expensive for what it is. Definitely worth a go once – especially if you stay and drink until you’re cut off.

Now thru Friday | 10am to 7pm | 260 Fifth Ave between 28th & 29th Streets

If you don’t receive their emails, do sign up already: theirs are one of the few I actually open.

When I first moved to New York from Hawaii I found it extremely odd (and really exotic) to hear a slew of European languages being spoken in the subways, on the streets, in stores, in bathrooms. Needless-to-say, Chinatown was sort of a comfort. Korea-town, with Morning Glory, was better. And even though Manhattan is definitely my home now, I really felt like I was back in Honolulu last weekend when I walked into the insanely fabulous Japanese bookstore, Kinokuniya.

If you’ve ever wanted to find a hundreds of books on Japanese street style, both English and Japanese-language manga (as well as other anime-related paraphernalia), Japanese magazines galore, adorable children’s book and insane kumon workbooks (which will make you realize why Japanese kids are so much further ahead than our own), crazy toys, thousands of videos (including some of my personal favorites from Hayao Miyazaki including Howl’s Moving Castle, Castle in the Sky, and Spirited Away), fashion pattern books, and so much more, then you really should make your way over to Kinokuniya, but give yourself some time…

But there is more. Much more. In fact, there are three floors just full of ‘more’. A million cute pens and notebooks (which I’m such a sucker for), packets of origami paper, glittery stickers, even crystals to bling up your phone right next to a book featuring zillions of ways to do it. “Kawaii” to say the least.

And then I spotted the I Am Plastic book by Kidrobot and had to resist a sudden (and quite strong) urge to buy the fabulous visual history of the psycho designer toys that I’m so taken with. Anyway, my little trip into Kinokuniya was such a great break from my typical Manhattan and I’m sure will become a new hang out (especially as there is a cafe upstairs).

Want to go to? Of course you do! Kinokuniya is located right at Bryant Park (making it the perfect escape during fashion week) at 1073 6th Avenue, between 41st and 40th Streets. Mon-Sat 10am-8pm & Sun 11am-730pm. See below for a bunch of pictures inside the store (which I wasn’t supposed to take – oops!)…

We are a city of constant upgrade, constant change, and scaffolding is also physical proof of this (as are the trophy wives, botox ads on the subways, etc) – it is the skeletal system that keeps this Manhattan running.

Buildings always look naked once their scaffolding is removed and somehow I always miss these ugly exoskeletons when they’re gone – thank goodness there is always more going up. I can’t stand a squeaky-clean city.

PRADA Sample Sale
Saturday, Oct 18th through Saturday Oct 25th
9am to 7pm
609 West 51st St | 7th Floor | NYC

No appointment necessary. Lots of women’s clothing, some shoes, and a bit for the fellas…Credit cards only.

UPDATE: For news on the sample sale (what you’ll find, what you won’t, etc.) see here…

We ventured to the edge of New York to celebrate Nicole Romano’s Spring 2009 Collection, which included several pieces of ready-to-wear and more of her fantastic jewelry.

Nicole looked stunning (as usual), this time wearing one of her new dresses, a cocktail version of the gown shown below. Walking through the crowd, I heard plenty of whispers expressing interest in each of the dresses as well as the jewelry. The long tassel necklace was exceptionally eye-catching.

Nicole definitely gets sexy and the entire event reflected that casually sexy attitude. The wine was good, the crowd was good, and even Countess LuAnn deLesseps from the desperate Housewives of New York was there and interviewed Nicole for BetterTV. Click below for images of the collection and espace…

After drink-drink-drinking over ten cocktails and glasses of wine (each), talking too much about work, and then laughing so hard that we had to stop several times during our stumbling walk down Park Avenue from Vig 27 to Underbar, I apparently fell asleep at the bar while other people found hot models to make-out with. This morning I woke up still tipsy and wearing my entire outfit from the day before, 4-inch heels and all.

Anyway, I think Vig 27 might become a new favorite simply for it’s location and ease, but check it out for yourself – it’s on E. 27th St. between Park Avenue and Lexington, there’s some outdoor seating, a fireplace in the back (hello, second date place), and you can get a decent glass of wine for under $10.