Living in New York for the past four or five years, I have grown a strange fondness and simple appreciation for scaffolding. It protects us from the rain, provides shelter for the homeless, and gives the city character. Look down any street and you’ll see it everywhere.

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.

With every new magazine I flip through, piece I acquire, person I meet, collection I see, book I read or song I listen to, my styles evolves in new ways. I’ve gone from girly to grown up, overdone to overly simply, flats to platforms to pumps, and everywhere in between.

In high school I was the girl who wore sweaters with feathered collars from Contempo Casuals in the humid Hawaiian climate. During freshman year in college, I studied Animal Science and lived in Abercrombie & Fitch.

At the end of my sophomore year, I discovered that I enjoyed thinking about things much more than simply memorizing facts and I moved my major to Political Science and my minor to English - I also took a job at Neiman Marcus where I got my first real taste of designer fashion. I was reading Milton, trying on Dolce, and buying too much Prada.

At some point, BCBG became my go-to store for everyday trendy pieces, but when the general manager (who I loved shopping with) became the store manager at Ralph Lauren, I followed her.

Then I watched Sex and the City; I bought a pair of Manolo Blahniks and started experimenting more with fun fashion.

Since moving to Manhattan, my style and taste has evolved tremendously within a relatively short period of time. Within several months I went from being an intern for a bunch of grungy publicists to the pr manager for Abaeté, a feminine, sexy, sophisticated contemporary line. I ended up wearing Abaeté for nearly three years straight (which I’m not complaining about, by the way, I love it all actually), but believe that only since deciding to become a full time writer and entering a more creative chapter of my life (and believing that I too had something worth saying), has my style truly become something of my own.

But it isn’t all about me. My style is also heavily influenced by the weather, the world, my child, my friends, the break-ups, the new men, the other girls on the streets.

Recently, I’ve developed a deep appreciation and love for Helmut Lang, Jil Sander, and other collections that exude a sexy, non-fuss sensibility and confidence. I’m not a cute girly girl anymore - I’m a strong, smart, sexy woman (or at least I hope I am). Femininity, for me, has definitely evolved.

Sometimes we forget that Manhattan is an island, but it is…and last night I almost fell off of it. Ok, ok - not really, but I did go to yet another event waaay over on the west side at 645 W. 42nd Street, this time at espace and it was worth the trek.

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…

Last night we went to Vig 27 to celebrate the fact that my favorite co-worker and dear friend is finally freeing herself of working in pure hell. Tomorrow she’ll be on a 22-hour flight back to Australia before taking a vacay in Brazil and then possibly settling down in London. Well New York, now we have one less smart, sexy, funny fashion girl. Great.

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.

One of the best things about New York is the constant change.
One of the worse things about New York is the never ending construction.

I woke up to the sound of pipes banging loudly right outside my window. And now, at work, there is jack hammering or something happening on the roof next door.

Another thing that goes with the steady construction are the steady comments, looks, and whistles from construction workers - which is something that I must admit I have a love/hate relationship with. Everyone likes a little attention and comments like “Wow - that’s my wife right there!” are always amusing, but sometimes things go to far and innocent girls wearing heels and cute outfits are called bitches for not responding to a barrage of unwelcome comments.
Its all lovely really, just lovely.

Several years ago I moved to new York with nothing but 16 boxes filled with tissue-wrapped shoes and clothing. When I first moved into my studio in Hell’s Kitchen the only thing I had for entertainment was my Mac. I watched season after season of Sex and the City, until one fine day when I got hold of Woody Allen’s movie Manhattan.

Manhattan is so ‘New York’, although a very different one than I experienced with SATC; There’s no Dior Saddle Bags. No G-Spot. No Valentino ‘lipstick’ skirt. Just Woody Allen, a young girl and the city. I’ve now seen Manhattan over 10 times and enjoy it a bit more with each view.

I started watching his other films and love them all (even the ones other people seemed not so impressed with). That being said - I am extremely happy that Vicky Cristina Barcelona is opening today. I’m rather over Scarlett Johansson and have never really been into Penelope Cruz, but have a feeling I’ll be loving them after this movie. I’m also super excited that Javier Bardem is in this flick as well. I hope it has the dark edge of Match Point, the heart of Manhattan, and the biting wit of Mighty Aphrodity…anyway, check back for my review soon.

I enjoy a good cup of coffee (black, strong, and a bit sweet), but the guys at Cup of NYC really love coffee. The have listings and reviews of tons of coffeeshops in the city and even give you the scoop on who’s serving up free wi-fi.

Monday - July 21, 08 - Why do only older men wear bow ties? And why does seersucker look so good on them? As younger men grow older, will they dress in this fashion as well? These men in bow ties and seersucker are always reading The New Yorker.

Tuesday - July 22, 08 - So many women on the Upper East Side dress the part of a young Bunny MacDougal and I just don’t get it. Pearls, scarves tied in bows around ponytails of frizzy hair, Chanel-inspired jackets and spectator pumps…it’s all just a little too much and only makes these UES princesses look old and less marriageable. I can’t really think of a less sexy look…

My Saturday began at 4am. And by 5, we (my boyfriend and I) were down at the Apple store at 58th and 5th in line for an iPhone.

New York has a certain calm to it at 5am. The sky is a striking cobalt blue and the buildings seem at peace. All that glitters in the windows of Harry Winston and Bvulgari is removed.

After about 20 minutes in line, I left my boyfriend waiting there to look at windows of Bergdorf Goodman. As I crossed 5th, I wondered which window I was meant to begin with…

I decided to round down around 57th and look at the south windows dedicated to the contemporary collections on 5F. While peering into one of the windows, 2 men walked past me. “Thinking of getting one?” they asked, referring to the Helmut Lang and Alice + Olivia dresses on display in the window in front of me.
“No, not one of these,” I said. “Actually, my boyfriend is in line for an iPhone, so I figured I might as well window shop.” They laughed and bid me good night.

The main windows were fairly uninspired (compared to other ones I’ve seen as Bergdorf’s), but i do love the looks by Peter Som and Marni. A lace Prada number is also on display and each time I see more of the fall collection, I melt just a little bit more. The YSL dress in the window of 58th and 5th is by far the best.

When I got back in line, it had taken a new shape and we we’re now lined up next to FAO Schwartz. I looked at my phone - it was only 5:40. We hadn’t even been there an hour.

Most people in line were men, most were wearing polo shirts and simple t-shirts. I overheard two guys talking, mentioning that they had seen a “couple of chicks here with their boyfriends” and I thought it was so odd that they didn’t even consider that these ‘chicks’ would be buying an iPhone for themselves. In general, I don’t see gadgets as gender-specific at all - and as technology becomes more intertwined with taste and style, it seems to get further and further aways from  it’s dorky reputation.

For all of you who are constantly whining about having no clothes and needing to go shopping: now is the time.

• Pretty dresses, tops, bikinis, bags and more - all up to 75% off at BCBG
  
• Now through Saturday, get 20% off orders of $175 at JCREW with code SALEJULY
• Barney’s Designer Sale - Up to 75% off and they still have a bunch of hot heels…
• Last Call at Neiman Marcus - Save an additional 40% on already reduced prices
• The Sale Extravaganza at NET-A-PORTER.COM is still alive and kicking too

Honestly, if you just wake up before noon this weekend and get out there and shop, you’ll notice that most every single store is having a sale - all except for Apple, which is of course the one store I’ll be headed to for my iPhone

If you need a place to recharge or regroup, stop at Penelope for delicious food in a super cute environment - I went there for lunch this Thursday and simply adored everything about the place. I recommend the Arugula Salad with Warm Chicken Meatballs - so, so yummy.

I never thought this day would come. Yes, I love Sex and the City, but seeing the posters plastered all over every store window in Manhattan is starting to annoy even me. Just because a certain shoe or purse or jacket was in the movie doesn’t mean we’re all going to buy it. In fact, the whole point of fashion in SATC is about wearing what you love, not what others tell you to love.