Not cool Lady GaGa...not cool.

Lady GaGa has officially cancelled her two sold out DC shows on Thursday night at the 9:30 Club for what? None other than American Idol. Poor manners GaGa. No word yet on if she will reschedule or if there will be refunds.

Anyone out there live in Ottawa??

If so, do me proud and attend this event. Seriously, how cool. Motorcycle gloves optional? Love it!

"Change Clothes and Go"

The First Lady decided to join her hubby on Air Force One this morning heading to London for the G20 conference. On the way to the airport Mrs. O was seen in this Thakoon tulle-tweed coat below.

A coworker and I began to muse over the thought, "does Mrs. O change in flight? maybe putting on some comfy PJ's? I mean it is a long flight and all..."
Play a little Jay-Z "Change Clothes" and Ta-Da!


Mr. and Mrs. Obama landing in London. Mrs. O donning Jason Wu's chartreuse silk short sleeved dress with a shawl. She certainly knows how to deplane in style (I could learn a thing or two from her...)
Photo thanks; The Cut

Come one, come all to Commedia dell Media!

This Friday, April 3rd the National Press Club will seek to put the "fun" back in fundraiser with Commedia dell Media. The evening will be a night full of comedy, hosted by WTOP's "Man About Town" Bob Madigan and featuring an impressive list of journalists set to attend. Some of the DC journos set to put their comedic skills to the test include; Mark Hosenball from Newsweek, Anna Mulrine of US News, Matt Cooper and David Corn of Conde Nast, Mike Walter of WUSA, and Delphine Schrank of the Washington Post.
If the promise of comedy and cocktails weren't enough to lure you the proceeds from the event benefit two great causes; Reporters Without Borders and the Eric Friedheim Library located at the National Press Club.

The event begins at 7pm at the National Press Club Ballroom, at 529 14th Street. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door.

How far is too far?

Washington Post fashion critique, Robin Givhan has settled back into life in the District. In Sunday's Washington Post, Givhan penned, "You Just Can't Be a Slave to the Runway Everyday."
Givhan addresses a point; at what price do we pay to keep up with the fashions of today? Everyone from the Aspen-goers to your typical family household has embraced the dreary fact; the economy is bad, very very bad. With this acceptance comes an influx of advice from stylists on how to be "fashionable" on a budget; everything from designer threads a Target to do it yourself home projects.
Givhan suggests that sometimes its best to forgo current trends and stick to the basics, those classic staples and cloths that actually have a purpose. In reference to Audrey Hepburn's little black dress, Givhan's rule of thumb is: "If it was stylish enough for Audrey Hepburn, then it doesn't need to be reinvented."
I appreciate Vogue's feasible shopping suggestions as much as the next girl, and I love a good "steal." However, right now I think its time to resort to the basics, keep it simple and classic. If you are someone who simply must shop, perhaps use this as a time to update your basic closet staples?

The Romper

I love this Sunner Florent Romper. The two toned romper is ideal for casual spring days. The back detailing is fantastic!

Yeah, a new album from Yeah Yeah Yeahs

The Yeah Yeah Yeahs new album "Blitz" drops tomorrow, be sure to check it out, especially the track "Zero". The album is a vastly different approach for the band, filled with heavy usage of synthesizers creating a pulsating and vibrant sound. The band recorded the entire album in remote West Texas, channeling their artistic roots in the surreal atmosphere.

Not only is Karen O and goddess of rock and fashion, but she has recently scored Spike Jonze's highly anticipated film, "Where the Wild Things Are." Uhhh.. how cool?!?

Click here to listen to Yeah Yeah Yeahs single "Zero"

Also, click here to check out the trailer for "Where the Wild Things Are."

Cherry Blossom Festival

Welcome in Cherry Blossom fever! This time each year DC comes alive with excitement as those famous little flowers begin to bloom. While the peak bloom period has been revised to April 1st-4th, the official bloom period is March 28th- April 11th.
The Cherry Blossom Festival spurs local restaurants to capitalize on the influx of DC visitors. Eateries/bars such as; Art & Soul, Hook, J. Paul's, Mie N Yu, PS7's and Zengo will all be taking advantage of the excitement by offering cherry blossom themed cuisine and cocktails.Below: Mie N Yu Cherry Blossom cocktail

Can't get enough of the Cherry Blossoms? Check out the Washingtonian.

Also don't miss the annual Cherry Blossom Parade as it marches down Pennsylvania Avenue to Constitution Avenue, led by grand marshall Alec Trebek.

Hail Lady GaGa

Okay, so to tell the truth, I wasn't sold upon first hearing Lady GaGa's music. And I definitely wasn't bowled over with her shenanigans...but I must admit, upon closer inspection I have found a true appreciation of the crazy blond. At first, I found the whole thing way too overdone (the gloves, blondness, sunglasses etc, etc) and any time Perez Hilton becomes obsessed with someone, I make sure NOT to follow suit...but now I admit, I find her charming.
NY Mag recently interviewed Miss GaGa, here is my fave quote; "The assumption is that my eccentricity is not who I really am, but it is." She leans in, to clarify things. "I have lost my mind," she says."

Lady GaGa is set to play in DC at the 9:30 Club this Thursday(2 shows). Tickets sold out months ago (and in 2 nights at that) so good luck getting in.

Bravo to Brabo

I had long anticipated my first venture to Brabo, the new restaurant in Old Town from restaurateur extraordinaire, Robert Wiedmaier. The Washington chef is known for Marcel's and Brasserie Beck. Wiedmaier truly capitalized on the Old Town dining experience by cultivating, not one, not two- but three separate dining experiences. There is the main dining experience at Brabo, the more casual and cocktail conducive Brabo Tasting Room, and soon to open Butcher's Block, focusing on take out orders and cooking classes.
Last week I finally made it over to Brabo. The atmosphere is soothing, modern and sophisticated. I snapped the photo below of the wild mushroom and foie-gras ravioli, also sampling the roasted farmhouse chicken (fantastic!) and the pork shank. I highly recommend the mussels!
For more information on Brabo, click here for the Washingtonian's review complete with menus.
And be sure to check out the dining experience at Brabo- its well worth the trip to Old Town, I promise.

Spring Sport: the game is on!

This spring, Alexander Wang presented us with this sporty combo. The mix of neon, mesh and jacket puts me in full blown spring time mode.

The Bowtie!

I'm crazy over the BOWTIE!
I'm liking the surge of women in male threads; from the power suit, structured blazer to the bowtie.
The other day, Cassie and I got into a discussion as to how the trends of women in menswear and nerd chic have jumped across the pond and landed in the States.

Photo from the Sartorialist.

A Spring Renewal

Spring has sprung in the south, which certainly reminds me that there are perks to my time here. Spring offers a natural renewal. I see the spring as a time to start over- to start fresh and reevaluate. Every year as the temperature warms and the sun finally begins to shine again, people seem to come alive, as if having been dormant during those chilly winter months. The surge of positive energy sends everyone outside to enjoy the weather creating an influx of backyard barbecues and parties (in Alabama its crayfish boils and pool parties).
The flowers in Alabama are particularly unique; the pinks, purples and whites all work to sweeten the air. I took advantage of the weather and snapped a few pics along the way.

What. A. Cool. Shot.

This fantastic shot of bustling Chinatown was taken by DC Flickr user Nivad.

Happy weekend!

According to Cassie: Weekly Input

cassie, kate & the incredible bob:

been there..

tried this..

must now try this.... 

** the "bob" above may very well be the best looking one we ever meet. (sorry if your boys a bob). just personally finished cutting my locks in accordance...and though not usually one to play the copy cat game, in hair affairs a moss do is a must.   gisele take note. 

bisous... cassie

although i imagined my first "blogged" thoughts to be quite pensive and catchy, appeasing my insomnia has taken precedence.  apologies. so here, thanks to my dear friend jordan, do i, cassie marie dean post for the very first time... and  with all this tossing and turning one must imagine gold with a touch of INDIGLO might help time go a wee bit faster.

sweet dreams...cassie

  

TO DO:

order mens TIMEX now.

Elizabeth & James

Love this white blazer from MK and Ashley's Elizabeth & James. Bringing back the Miami Vice 80s.

U Street's artistic side

I was perusing Brightest Young Things this evening, and stumbled upon some fantastic photos at the Hamiltonian of exhibition openings from artists, Lisa Brotman, Thomas Block and Michael Enn Sirvet. The Hamiltonian gallery lies in the heart of the historic U Street district and showcases DC's contemporary art scene. The Hamiltonian is in a friendly neighborhood on U, as fellow contemporary gallery Project 4 is close by. Check them both out.

Structured Grace

In the fast paced world of fashion, the dust has long settled post Fashion Week(s). In a sort of image overload, I find myself just now being able to process the pieces of art I witnessed and dig into what I really loved. Number one on my list is Balmain. This structured jacket is the jacket of my dreams. The bold statement is so cleverly crafted with great structure and attention to detail. This bold look is not for the faint hearted or fashion shy.

Artini Approaches

The Corcoran Gallery of Art’s 1869 Society's ARTINI is finally here! After a month filled with cocktail indulgences, ARTINI culminates this Saturday, March 28th. The event will offer samplings of all the fabulous Artinis put forth by the District's most talented mixologists, inspired by the Corcoran art students themselves. Can you say yum? If the promise of martinis wasn't enough, the event will feature a raffle (with absolutely stellar prizes!), music from DJ Heather Femia and special tours of the gallery's current exhibition, Maya Lin's Systematic Landscapes.

Welcome to Miss Cassie Dean!

Allow me to introduce my very lovely and fashion savvy friend, Cassie Dean. Cass will be offering her thoughts weekly, certainly adding a litle spunk to the District! Welcome darling and cannot wait for your additions!

How Eco-friendly are you?

Okay, now I am by no means the picture of perfection when it comes to being environmentally friendly, but I do attempt to make conscious efforts in my day to day living. A course I have been taking studies the Green movement in Pop culture. Upon discussing sustainability, I was introduced to this fun interactive game, Consumer Consequences. After playing the game, you are presented with a score estimating your personal impact on the planet. (my score was a 3.6 btw) Check it out, it's pretty cool. Interesting that our food/drink and shopping habits actually are two huge contributors to our personal footprint.
Another great site offers tips for simple steps you can do to become more Eco-friendly. Click here for the 50 easy steps.
A fun experiment I am currently doing is testing how going green can ease the pocketbook. I will keep you posted if I find any revelations, but I expect to see vast differences.

Don't forget this Saturday, March 28th is international Earth Hour. The phenomenon (begun in Sydney in 2007) will take place in cities across the globe and is pretty easy to take part in; simply turn off your lights at 8:30pm for one hour.
Fellow DC blogger, Capitol B offers some fun insight as to just what you can do to fill those dark minutes.

Lymelife

What is Lymelife? It is an exploration of suburbia...and no, not Desperate Housewives style but more along the lines of The Ice Storm or American Beauty. It stars Alec Baldwin, Cynthia Nixon, Kieran Culkin, Rory Culkin, Timothy Hutton, among others. Set in the 70's, the film showcases the true tragedy of the "American Dream," fantastically portrayed by the Martini family (how great a name) exploring the falsehoods in the idea of the "American Dream," and the pure panic spurred by the threat of Lymes Disease.
The idea of being trapped in suburbia has long been depicted in film, most recently (and fantastically might I add) in Revolutionary Road. Interview Mag recently interviewed Kieran Culkin on the upcoming film (must be said, one of my favorite flicks is Igby Goes Down...so I have a complete and utter love for his performances) Kieran resurfaces after a 7 year break from acting in Lymelife, and he doesn't stop there, with five additional flicks opening in 2009.

Lymelife opens in limited release April 8th.

Gwyneth turns designer

Lovely lady Gwyneth Paltrow is set to design a fall 2009 collection. French label ZOEtee's, known for their soft jersey-wear is collaborating in the project (said to be a mix of jersey, glam, tailoring and 70s). The collection will be unveiled next week in London. Surely Mrs. Paltrow will be consulting her gal-pal Stella McCartney for some designing tips, and Eco-friendly tips (BRAVO).

Welcome Back!

Washington Post's fashion critic extraordinaire, Robin Givhan, is set to return to the District. She is moving back to our city after a stint in New York in May to cover the First Family in the White House. We can anticipate a fashion column in WaPo Style section while she covers the family and the First Lady.
""Everyone has assured me that I’ll be able to get a dinner reservation at 9:30 or later and they may actually deliver food to my home," she said." (The Cut)

Yay DC!

Artery 717

This Saturday, March 21st, Old Town gallery Artery 717 will host "Private Arts: A Designer's Art Exhibition." The show opening and artist reception will begin at 7:30 pm and is located at 717 St. Asaph Street in Old Town.
The gallery is unique to the DC area, highlighting the underground art movement in an industrial and urban space located in the heart of historical Old Town.

Cheers to Marc!

Designer Marc Jacobs and partner Lorenzo Martone are getting hitched! The rumors swirling around the adorable couple were confirmed upon their arrival in Martone's native country, Brazil wearing wedding rings. Congrats!

Lady GaGa "The Fame"

Lady GaGa's mini movie "The Fame." Loving the street scenes.

Posto, the spot

Posto is a new edition to the rapidly changing Logan Circle neighborhood. This evening I stumbled upon the Washingtonian's recent review on Posto. I had the pleasure of checking out the restaurant about a month ago. The food is great. The atmosphere could use a little sprucing up however. The Washingtonian remarked it is so cavernous you think you are in a cafeteria, rather than an eatery. I take issue with the brightly lit up photographs which appear quite tacky, but the food does indeed make up for it.

Georgetown prep + Middleburg polo + a lil' funk=

I enjoy this look featured on Garance Dore.
Makes me think of a little Georgetown prep, mixed with horse country threads and a dash of funk. The bag also is clutch in this look. Great for DC pre-spring.

Spring is just around the corner...

With spring just around the corner (though, it may be hard to imagine) it's time to find spring time dresses. NY Mag "Shop-A-Matic" shows off an assortment of spring threads- 140 dresses to be exact with prices ranging from $23-1,400.

A musical weekend

This weekend is quite a good one for show fanatics out there in the District. This evening A.C. Newman, of the New Pornographers will be on the main stage at the Black Cat. Tickets are still available and are only $15. Also, tonight the Pogues wrap up their three nights at 9:30 Club, tickets are still available for $55.

The REAL reason why I am writing this post is because this Sunday heavenly sounds will descend upon the 9:30 Club stage. I am talking about Bloc Party. The Brits will play in a sold out house which breaks my heart, because I am dying to go!

Yes...I am talking about Maya Lin...again...

I was certainly not supposed to take this little photograph, but I figured no flash equals no problem. (quickly was corrected by Corcoran stafff)

Anyway...today I finally visited Maya Lin's Systematic Landscapes at the Corcoran Gallery. I had been talking this installation up for quite a while, and much to my pleasure, it did not disappoint! The three most notable; Blue Lake Pass, 2x4 Landscape (pictured) and Water Line.

While I had to fight a school field trip crowd for viewing space, the exhibit was not uncomfortably crowded.

My favorite portion of the exhibit was certainly Water Line. Constructed as a skeletal, topographic model of underwater landmasses in the South Atlantic Ocean. The all encompassing wire structure is suspended over head and sums up Lin's goal of putting the viewer IN the landscape.
Be sure to check out the Corcoran soon. The Maya Lin exhibit will be open through July 12th, 2009.

Hirshhorn After Hours

The Hirshhorn Gallery on the Mall will feature video artist Ricardo Rivera and the Klip Collective at Hirshhorn After Hours on Friday March 27th. Click here for ticket information.(You must purchase tickets in advance)

Check it out!

Happy St. Patrick's Day DC!

Now THIS is how you celebrate St. Patrick's Day! No joke, these green Jello shooters with Irish Whiskey were for sale in the Longworth cafeteria on the Hill according to Shenanigans. No doubt, some Hill staffers kicked off their celebrations early...

I hope everyone out there enjoys a green beer or two (or three..or four) tonight!

As for me, I will be enjoying a beer (or two) at favorite local Old Town establishments (and Irish for that matter); Murphy's and O'Connell's.

The Transition?

Miss Mary Kate Olsen rocks 80s glam with a 40s era spin. The fusion of romantic waves and the red pout signals perhaps a new phase for MK. At the Metropolitan Opera’s 125th Anniversary Gala last night MK said goodbye to Boho chic, at least for an evening.

Photo thx the Cut.

A drizzly Saturday evening in the District

Saturday evening I set out with my friend Ali to pre-celebrate her birthday at Zaytinya, Jose Andres's Greek, Lebanese and Turkish creation. Now, I am a HUGE fan of Zantinya. I love the atmosphere, I love being in Chinatown for the buzzing few blocks that it is...and the restaurant happens to be home to one of my fave dishes in DC: Hunkar Begendi (Turkish braised lamb shank w/eggplant-kefalograviera puree). Ali and I indulged with Greek spreads, grape leaves, great cocktails and even better entrees (the above and she chose the crab cakes, which she loved).

After a quick stop to pick up some friends, we (very shortly) visited the Capitol Club's Shamrock soiree and then just as quickly got lost and accidentally ended up near Ibiza nightclub before quickly fixing our situation.

Good to be back in the District.

* Update: On a humorous note, apparently Gloria Estefan was at Zaytinya while I was there. I got a kick out of that when I read it*

The Corcoran reopens with Maya Lin

I previously blogged about the reopening of the Corcoran with Maya Lin's Systematic Landscapes- well the day is finally upon us! On March 14th (this Saturday) the Corcoran will reopen its doors after a little face lift (roof work) and what better way to reopen with an exhibit from renowned artist Maya Lin? The installation from the contemporary artist "explores how people perceive and experience the landscape in a time of heightened technological influence and environmental awareness." Click here for more information on the exhibit and to watch a little video documenting the rise of Systematic Landscapes. This is one of my MUST sees of the weekend!

Antonio Berardi

So, I must issue a sincere apology for my lack of updates. I have been cursed with illness. In fact, I have fallen ill (flu/strep/ear infection etc) this SAME week for the past four years in a row...weird huh?
Anywho...here is my review for 212/BLOG on Antonio Berardi's Fall 2009 Collection straight from Paris.
Enjoy, as I load myself up with antibiotics and hopefully become 100% better for my much anticipated return to the District Friday!

Reviews for Sophia Kokosalaki & Lanvin

Click here to read my reviews of Sophia Kokosalaki and Lanvin for 212/BLOG. Above photo of Kokosalaki's show in Paris from The Moment.

COCO AVANT CHANEL

Now unfortunately this trailer is in French, but still, I simply cannot wait to see Audrey Tautou as Coco Chanel! The film opens in France April 22nd. (according to Fashionologie) It will open later in US. Enjoy!

The New York Armory Show

The Armory Show: International Fair of New Art, is the preeminent barometer of the Contemporary art world.
Every year the show serves as a gauge as to what is going on in the art world, and this year is no different. The waters in the art world are quite turbulent this year, as the economy remains in a downward spiral. Art is often one of the first things to "go" in a bad economy.
One exception to this rule was the recent Yves Saint Laurant estate sale which netted nearly a half billion dollars. "$262 million in its first night of the three day sale of Yves Saint Laurent and partner Pierre Berge's 733-piece art collection." This included works by; Brancusi, Matisse and Mondrian.
Though this was certainly a positive sign for the art world, this may have just been an isolated event. As the Armory Show takes place this weekend in NewYork, March 5th-8th, many missing Contemporary artists signal a bad sign for the art world; including one of the Armory's founders Matthew Marks.
The Show was founded 15 years ago by Marks, Paul Morris, Pat Hearn and Colin de Land. Named after the 1913 New York art exhibit which introduces avante-guard art to America.
The Friday New York Times featured an article on the Armory Show titled, "On the Piers, Testing the Waters in a Down Art Market":
"The signs are literally everywhere in this year's addition of the Armory Show, emblazoned on prints, spelled out in lights, carved in stone: "Capitalism Kills." "Everyone is Broke." "Don't Cry." "Keep Calm and Carry On.""

I suppose only time will tell what will happen to the art world in such dramatic times. While many respectably have much more on their plates than to think on the state of art, art is still an intricate part of our economy and therefore an important test to what lies ahead.

Cherry Blossom Cocktails & Festivities

While the official Cherry Blossom Festival does not begin until March 28th, that doesn't mean we cannot celebrate in the mean time. The lovely people over at the Washingtonian have compiled a delectable list of Cherry Blossom themed cocktails. My favorites include:

The Gibson
The Japanese Cocktail—made with angostura bitters, brandy, and orgeat, a syrup made of almonds, sugar, and orange-flower water.
Mie N Yu
Georgetown’s Mie N Yu will be serving the Cherry Blossom, made with grape vodka, Fuki Cherry plum wine, and cranberry juice.
Equinox
Equinox has three cocktails: the Cherry Rum & Cola; the Cherry Pie, made with vanilla-infused vodka, white-chocolate liqueur, and Maraschino cherry juice; and the Cherry Sphere, a combination of sweet vermouth and cherry-infused vodka.

For more information on the National Cherry Blossom Festival running from March 28th- April 12th click here.

Also, keep in mind, the peak blossom dates are expected to be April 3rd-9th.

Daily Show meets the WH Press Corps

The Daily Show's John Oliver took a little tour of the White House Press Corps recently and it is simply a MUST see! Click here for the video. Helen Thomas is gold!

"Who will be this year's break-out star?"

"Will it be the boyish Jake Tapper? The chiseled Chip Reid? The guy who manages Flight of the Conchords?"

Two O's for the price of one

Two very powerful women join together for the April cover of O Magazine. The First Lady wears a Michael Kors coral dress with soft yellow Dear Cashmere cardigan. Mrs. Obama and Oprah are certainly doing Chicago proud.

Playground Jealousy

So those adorable Obama girls, Sasha and Malia, got a little gift Wednesday. Yep, that's right. A playground, right outside of the Oval Office. I had a swing set when I was little, and I was obsessed...but I gotta admit, mine wasn't nearly as cool. Darn, I wish my dad was president.

Shoes? More Like Stilts!

As I have wrapped up my official review of Nina Ricci for 212/BLOG (will be posted later) I simply must open up some discussion of those shoes!
Rumors swirling around whether Oliver Theyskens was technically "fired" and refuses to step down from the house of Ricci caused just as much buzz as these shoes! The towering wedge platforms hiked up the models into a new stratosphere. They are so ridiculously creative and futuristic. What do you think?

Balmain: I Die!

The Balmain Fall 2009 collection, though slightly repetitive, is fantastic in my eyes. I am in full support of sticking to what you do well, and Balmain's, Christophe Decarnin does it to perfection. He nails sexy and chic with signature blazers, parachute pants and super short dresses which sparkle with an abundance of sequins and crystals. And, seriously, how fantastic is Erin Wasson?

Photo thanks WWD