The Debutante Divorcée

We all love reality television for it’s voyeurism, dramatic and often nonsensical editing and of course it’s ridiculous capacity to elicit obscene behavior as it records. And since the dawn of monarchical rule people the world over have worshiped celebrity, to presume that a tabloid infatuation with TomKat’s Suri is anything more than a spin-off would be naïve. But with all the hype, what reality TV will never offer is access to the private lives of those whose elitism is entangled with their elusiveness. Plum Sykes’ novel, The Debutante Divorcée, is not a window peering into this world, but a hostess-adjacent seat at a privately catered dinner party in one of those stunning West Village townhouses that you have always dreamt of living in. The characters in the novel would not even waste their breath to proclaim The Real Housewives irrelevant. To top it off, Sykes’ novel is a delightfully crafted story full of wit, sadness and motion. SUCH a fun read.

Casa la Femme

Last night I ventured to the Mid-East—well actually just the West Village—to enjoy some cuisine, music and vibe of Egypt with my part Egyptian friend, Engie Hassan at Casa la Femme. Walking in I was delighted by the warm fruity smell of shisha and led to our table by the fireplace where we sat upon velvety seats fit for queens. The dinner was tasty, but far more thrilling was the entertainment—the gorgeous professional figure skater, make-up artist, ballroom- and belly dancer, Valerie; SUCH a sweetheart with the moves of a goddess. This venue would be great with a rowdy group of friends or on a weekend night.

'Creating Images' at Clic Gallery

If you find yourself in Soho, be sure to stop by Clic gallery at 424 Broome Street, where now on display is a selection of Victor Demarchelier’s photographs. Son of Patrick and dating Caroline Trentini, Victor is obviously a talent well in his own right.

Horizantal Stripes

On occasion certain trends can cause us to grow weary from the sheer inundation, regardless of pre-existing fondness. Though I am seeing them everywhere I look—in the past several weeks I and at least 2 coworkers have even sported them on the same days—rather than irking, the recent embrace of horizontal stripes somehow lifts me into a charmed realm a la Jean Seberg in Jean-Luc Godard’s Breathless. These stripes can be found anywhere from the traditional St. James and Petite Bateau to your local American Apparel, right next to some fluorescent nylon spandex. What could be more classic and American than that?

Fox & Fawn

Opened yesterday, this new Greenpoint outpost of the former LES shop carries a good mix of well edited thrift finds with a dash of designer vintage. While their initial collection is stocked in part by estate sales, Marissa--one of the owners, a pretty and laid back 20-something--explained that they're hoping to grow their merchandise through resale and trade with well-outfitted locals that abound in the hip brooklyn vicinity. Sadly, Robert Redford is not for sale.

Check them out at http://foxandfawn.blogspot.com/

Nicholas Hoult

You’ll recognize him as the kid from About a Boy, fall for him as Tony in British TV series Skins, and when you see him in Tom Ford’s Single Man or ad campaign, the crush will officially be cemented. On screen he is dynamic, charming and complex. Looking forward to seeing more from him for sure.

Dirty Chai Latte from Starbucks

Recommended to me by my intern, this off-the-menu specialty offers the sweet, spiced goodness of a chai tea latte without sparing the aromatic rich espresso flavor or its beloved jolt of caffeine. Definitely a must try.

Additional note: If ordering by name above makes you blush, you can also ask for chai latte with an espresso shot.