The Museum at FIT

Yesterday I visited the Museum at FIT and saw two great exhibits.

Elsa Schiaparelli, Fall 1935

Fashion, A-Z: Highlights from the Collection of the Museum at FIT, Part One
The first of two exhibitions that highlight modern and contemporary pieces from the Museum’s permanent collection. More than fifty garments and accessories are featured by designers from Alaïa to Zoran, including work by Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel, Christian Dior, and Miuccia Prada. A Schiaparelli sari-like gown (Fall 1935 collection) and a pair of Balenciaga platform shoes particularly caught my eye.

The other exhibit at the museum was Daphne Guinness.

Daphne Guinness Collection

It features approximately 100 garments and accessories from Guinness' personal collection, including designs from the likes of Alexander McQueen, Azzedine Alaïa, Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel, John Galliano for Christian Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Rick Owens, Gareth Pugh, and Valentino. Guinness' own designs are also on display. This collection was a bit of a surprise to me. It didn’t expect to enjoy it so much. The collection had pieces that ranged from elegant to outrageous and it all worked fabulously together. 

A must see.

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Fashion, A-Z: Highlights from the Collection of the Museum at FIT, Part One

Now through to May 8, 2012.

Daphne Guinness Special Exhibitions Gallery.  

Now through to - January 7, 2012.  

Admission is FREE.

Location

The Museum at FIT is located at 7^th Avenue at 27 Street, New York City

(28^th St Stop on 1 train)

Hours
Tues - Fri Noon - 8pm
Saturday 10am - 5pm
Closed Sundays, Mondays, and legal holidays.

New York Cares Coat Drive

The New York Cares Coat Drive is still going on.

You may not know it but there are a lot of New Yorkers who have to choose between putting food on the table or purchasing a coat each winter;  18.7 percent of New York City families living in poverty.

From November 15th to December 31st, New York Cares collect coats citywide to donate to these families. Last year, 58,000 low-income men, women and children stayed warm during the winter season. Even with this incredible generosity, the drive was short of their goal - leaving 17,000 New Yorkers cold.

You can still help this year. Collections sites are all over the city. 

There's gotta be something at the back of your closet that you're not wearing........

Or, if you have the means, buy new coats to give away, and save by using a current Sears promotional code for coats.

Advertising in Manhattan

One of the best things about living in Manhattan is the advertising that is written and designed especially for New Yorkers. It has an irreverence that would never fly in other cities, but lands perfectly here. This city has a unique sense of humor.

One of my favorite advertisers is Manhattan Mini Storage. They advertise storage. How interesting can you make that? In Manhattan, where we live outside our apartments because home is the size of a shoebox, storage is a big thing, but its not an interesting, funny thing. Manhattan Mini Storage thinks otherwise.

Their campaigns are funny, irreverent, and instead of staying away from the two taboos- religion and politics- they dive in head first and keep it smart. 

When gay marriage was passed in New York state, Manhattan Mini Storage was there to comment.

 

Even passages from the Bible are used to make their point of how much a premium storage space is when living in NYC. 

With a year long campaign underway for the next presidential election, Manhattan Mini Storage is keep the atmosphere light, spelling out what we're all privately thinking.

They even ensure we New Yorkers don't take ourselves too seriously.

Their advertising makes riding the subway or hoofing across town a little more enjoyable. You can be guaranteed a chuckle, even if your not considering storage, yet.

NYCreates Craft Fair on UWS

NYCreates is hosting a Holiday Craft Fair this weekend featuring goods from New York City’s fine handcraft artisans.

Location:
West-Park Church, northeast corner of Amsterdam and 86th St.

Times:
Friday and Saturday 11 AM – 7 PM
Sunday 12 PM – 5 PM

Wireless Emergency Alert Test

This just in.....

Tomorrow between 10AM-3PM, New York City OEM and the federal government (FEMA) will test the Wireless Emergency Alert System, a new system that allows authorized officials to send alerts to enabled mobile phones.

Depending on the model of your phone and carrier you may receive TEST messages. These messages will look similar to a text message and be accompanied by audible alerts. For more info see attached, or contact your mobile service provider.

You can read more here https://attachments.sendwordnow.com/Attachments.aspx?token=fa6c5b3c-9f48-4774-8998-63134752cb7e


This is going to be interesting!!

Breakfast with Santa at the Staten Island Zoo

Breakfast With Santa At The Staten Island Zoo

Saturday December 17,2011

8:30am-10:30am

614 Broadway, Staten Island

Ever wonder what the zoo animals do during the holidays? Visit the Staten Island Zoo for a hot breakfast buffet, a tour throughout the zoo exhibits and a picture with a special guest — Santa!

Pricing & Ticket Info: $20/members, $24/non-members, free/children younger than 3

Click here to learn more. Pre-registration required; a paying adult must accompany a paying child.

The Cardinal's Poinsettia

Part of decorating the home for the holidays includes floral arrangements. My florist of choice is Academy Floral, near my home, on Broadway and 107th. 

On a recent trip, my daughter and I purchased a few red kalanchoe - not Christmasy, I know, but they add nice color - two poinsettia and paper whites. While we were at the florist, the team there had just finished putting the final touches on the Cardinal's poinsettia. Wah? Did I hear right? Academy does flowers for Cardinal Egan?! 

Hmmm, I think perhaps it was a gift for the Cardinal from a local parishioner. Although a lovely arrangement, I think the Cardinal's housekeeper would have ordered something larger than this arrangement; it just does't have the scale that the official residence requires.

While I'm sure the Cardinal's arrangement is flourishing, one my mine is not. It started to droop within hours at my home and now looks like this. 

I've no green thumb. There is only one plant in my home that has lasted longer than a year; we're all stunned that its made it for as long as it has. 

I welcome all suggestions and guidance in how to bring this poinsettia back to life.

Flu Shot

I just spent the last 5 days miserable with the flu. I have one thing to say to anyone reading this post... get a flu shot.

This is what I went through.... fever, chills, aches, cough and sore throat, and nausea. Yuck. AND, I was taking care of 3 kids while feeling this way. Yuck, Yuck. OK, enough self-pity, although most people are ill for only a few days – me - influenza sometimes leads to more serious illness, such as pneumonia. Influenza-related illness, including pneumonia, causes approximately 36,000 deaths in the United States each year. Here in New York City, influenza causes an estimated 1,100 deaths, and respiratory infections cause more than 2,000.

NYC.gov has got some pages dedicated to educating about the flu. You will learn everything you need to know to NOT get this illness. If you find it difficult to make an appointment with your doctor, then go to Rite Aid, Duane Reade or Walgreens. Duane Reade and Walgreens are competitively priced at $31.99 for the shot; Rite Aid is the most economical at $27.99 for Flu Shot - $39.99 for FluMist (for those who don’t like needles, you can get the vaccine sprayed up your nose) - $55 for High Dose & $64.99 for Pneumo shot.

Annual Christmas Tree At The Met

Annual Christmas Tree And Neapolitan Baroque Crèche At The Met

Saturday December 17,2011 - Sunday January 08,2012

1000 Fifth Avenue

Click here to learn more

Learn about the history of Christmas with the Met's nearly 40 year old tradition of displaying its beautiful Christmas tree and nativity scene. Silk-robed angels and lifelike attendants adorn the eighteenth-century Neapolitan nativity the scene and the magnificent candlelit tree. Lighting ceremonies and recorded music add to the festive display.

This is a fabulous thing to see and immediately gets you in the holiday spirit....just watch the guards who won't let you take pictures... Scrooges.