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…

Although summer’s end is fast approaching, I only just made it to the Brooklyn Flea this past weekend and am so glad that I did!

Not only did I score an incredible Pierre Cardin dress (that I am absolutely rocking during NY Fashion Week), but also a ton of great little pins and brooches (paid a whopping $8 for 5 of them). I’ll definitely be heading back out to the Brooklyn Flea for some of those fabulous home decor pieces as well – there was one small table that I was this-close to buying.

Also spotted: Vintage Escada, Gucci, Bottega Veneta, old skeleton keys (which I’m obsessed with), antique door knobs, tons of jewelry, great beaded clutches, and even a DIY beer kit.

And while not quite the same as shopping in the also DUMBO-based, ultra chic boutique Zoe, the flea market has a wonderful charm to it. Its fun to bargain with people for a few bucks (if I save even $2, it’ll pay for another cup of coffee!), try on clothing that your grandmother probably threw out, and re-imagining your space filled with vintage posters from the 50s. I left with my head simply swimming in new ideas.

The Brooklyn Flea takes place every weekend in two locations and you really should bother to get out there: Every Saturday in Fort Greene (10am-5pm), and every Sunday under the Brooklyn Bridge on the waterfront in DUMBO (11am-6pm). See here for directions and much more.

(this is the reason why I open my daily emails from Daily Candy)

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)

I don’t know what I would do without my little assortment of super-chic Ted Rossi bangles & tomorrow, you can start piling them on too.

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)

Just wanted to say that I haven’t really read a book in a long time and after picking up Augusten Burroughs’ memoir, Dry, I don’t know why I ever stopped.

I’m absolutely loving this book and would suggest it to anyone, except perhaps my wife since she doesn’t drink and wouldn’t really be able to relate to this…but then again, who knows. Perhaps I’ll write more about it once I finish, but don’t hold your breath. Just go buy the book – or any book for that case. Just read something again beyond the ‘where to buy’ credits of ELLE or British Vogue.

I read Running with Scissors and Sellevision, but am enjoying Dry the most so far…

Although Fashion Week is alive and well (or, sort of – more of this later), I ended up at Carnegie Hall on Monday night for a duo piano concert.

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).

Apparently we can all see Confessions of a Shopaholic for free (which is actually a movie I am planning to see this Valentine’s Day with my girlfriends) – just go to Bloomingdales and try on a pair of Paige Jeans.

Don’t believe me? Trust Time Out New York…
See all of the good that a little shopping can do?

2009 is the Year of the Ox – although that should have been obvious as the ox symbolizes prosperity only through fortitude and hard work. Those born under the influence of the Ox or Buffalo are fortunate to be stable and persevering. The typical Ox is a tolerant person with strong character. Not many people could equal the resolution and fearlessness that the Ox exhibits when deciding to accomplish a task.

I, however, was not born under the year of the ox; I am a monkey and apparently 2009 will be a year of moderate progress for me – work will slow down allowing for more personal time and quality time with friends and family, which would be very much appreciated, actually.

Click below to see what this new year may have in store for you, but first, it’s time to celebrate the new year!

Here’s what to do:

• Give red pocket money (hóng bāo (红包)) – traditionally given from married couples or the elderly to unmarried juniors (when accepting red pocket money, do so with both hands); ideally the money given should be brand new, fresh, crisp, and right from the bank; the amount of money should be an even number
• Start the year off right with a clean house, but don’t actually clean on first day of the New Year (you may sweep away your good luck)
• Open your windows and doors to let the good luck in
• Wear new (red) clothing
• Put up decorations, especially those with the Chinese character ‘fu’ upside-down
• Watch dragon and lion dances – it is believed that the loud beats of the drum and the deafening sounds of the cymbals together with the face of the dragon or lion dancing aggressively can evict bad or evil spirits
• Learn to speak Mandarin – Part I & Part II
• Call you family and friends and wish them kung hei fat choi or sin-nî khòai-lo̍k (Happy New Year)
  

What to eat:

• Fish – the pronunciation of fish (魚yú) makes it a homophone for “surpluses” (餘yú)
• Dumplings symbolize good luck because they are in the same shape of ancient gold ingots from the Han dynasty
• Long noodles symbolize long life
• Candy – to ensure the next year will be a sweet one (gold or red-wrapped ones are even better)
• Tangerines – the name jīn jí is a homophone of “golden luck” or “gold and fortune”
• Sticky stuff – apparently this symbolizes cohesiveness of family and friends

Click below to discover what 2009 will bring to you according to your birth year:

Not that we really need a reason to dress up, but ZOOZOOM is giving us one with their next installment of Fashion Wars.

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.

After yesterday’s arctic chill (and working until just about 2am), I decided to skip out on my Saturday night plans of drinking and dancing. Instead, I stayed home, made gyozas with my wife, had a few glasses of wine, and started watching Mad Men (which I’ve been trying to get to for over a week now and am really enjoying thus far).

As funny as it sounds, making gyozas is one of the most relaxing activities I’ve done in a long time: Just sitting there on my living room floor, wetting the edges of small dough circles, carefully arranging the minced pork and veggies, and then folding the dough up into little packages with ruffled edges was remarkably enjoyable and calming.

We experimented with the style in which we folded the dough, the amount of meat we stuffed with; played with the amount of shoyu and salt we added to the meat. It was almost as fun as playing with make-up, but less messy. In the end, we were full and happy – all in all, not a bad Saturday night.

December 1st is an exciting date – not only is it Cyber Monday this year, but it is also the first day to start opening our Advent calendars.

Growing up, we had the same Advent calendar each each year – a cute fabric one that looked homemade but probably isn’t. My mom would fill every little pocket with Hershey Kisses for both my sister and I to eat each night leading up to Christmas.

The opening up of an Advent calendar is definitely one of the holiday traditions I plan to always uphold, but (as usual) I’ve been looking to find one just like my mother’s for years now and have never been able to find just the right one.

Advent calendars have been around since the beginning of the the 19th century and now come in a wide variety of styles from very basic to super elaborate and life-sized; In Gengenbach, a town in Germany’s Black Forest, the Rathaus (town hall)—which luckily has 24 main windows—is turned into a giant Advent calendar each year. Each window features a scene or painting by an artist, often an illustrator of children’s books.

Last year we bought our advent calendar from Starbucks (which we refilled with stickers and small toys for my son), but this year we discovered the greatest Advent calendar – the Lego one (we have quite a collection growing). See below for my Top 5 Advent Calendars for the 2008 Holiday season:

Natalie at Fashionista.com just reported that on December 2nd, the Earnest Sewn store on Washington will launch “Recession Proof,” a back-room installation filled with goods all for less than $50, including candles from Malin & Goetz, Dents gloves, Earnest Sewn scarves, Case & Sons knives, Moleskin notebooks, Barbour hats, 80%20 shoes, Shades of Griege shirts, Digby & Iona jewelry, Billy Kirk accessories, and pieces from the Quail.

They are holding three shopping events on Tuesday, December 2nd, Tuesday, December 9th, and Tuesday, December 16th from 7pm – 9pm during which you can get 40% off Earnest Sewn goods (and 20% off everything else) while you enjoy the free refreshments being served. And (if you can believe there’s more), they’re holding a canned food drive in conjunction with the Food Bank for New York City and New York City Cares, so you get an extra 1% off third-party merchandise for every can you bring in (up to 20% off) – so bring in 20 cans because it’s worth it!

Calling it Recession Proof is a little retarded (not pc, I know), but whatever – I’m addicted to their Harlan jean (and am currently wearing through a pair), so you can count on seeing me there at least once.