Ben & Jaehee : a Pint of Italian Flavor
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Ben and me at Va Beh’ Brooklyn.
Tuesday, 6:45 pm at Bam for Woody Allen’s “To Rome with Love“, Then A dinner. A typical date night to anyone yet we don’t get to do this so often. So I was quite excite to see Ben!
I heard mixed reviews on this film, but in general I throughly enjoyed the film. A perfect Summer movie. The scenes totally brought me back to my second home, Italy and it got me all missed Emi and Gael who are in Italy for the moment, and it put me in those sexy fun filled summer traveling vibe. Ahhh Beautiful Rome! Then there’s always Woody!
And after many laughs and roaming around Rome, here we are at a small Italian restaurant in Park Slope, Va Beh’ for little bites.
You can see a grand view of new Sport Arena, Barclays Center Brooklyn from the inside of the restaurant and I have to say, it’s quite interesting. I do think this area is turning out to be way more handsome than what I expected.
The signature detail of the Restaurant will be this white marbled wall at the Bar area. This totally brings me back to Italy. The Current cities. It reminds me of those bigger cities in Italy. Milan, Rome… The owner of the place is from Milan if I am not mistaking. The most of small appetizers like crostini, panini and cold cuts are all prepared right in front of you at this open bar.
And my favorite detail of the restaurant!
The Built in ever flowing wine fountain! House wine, chilled Prosecco that is in place of White wine for summer and Aqua Naturale and Frizante. I just Love this Idea! Brilliant! Va Beh’ also offers a fine list of various Italian wine.
Yes they are for Ben and Me!!
OK. Start with Classic! Crostini al Pat’e di Fegato! Perfetto!
You will enjoy quiet yet right amount of details at the restaurant. Everything seems just about right and cozy.
Busy Cucina.
Paper wrapped Oven roasted Orata. After share of Crostini and delicious Arugola salad, here’s our main. Peeerrrectly cooked juicy Orata was one of the best one I ever had! Capers, lemon and touch of cherry tomatoes. All boned but head on. My kind!
Grilled Zucchini as Contorno. (side) Yum Yum Yum.
And homemade Ravioli with Salmon and light tomato sauce. It was one of special dish for the night. I have to say, Orata was the winner!
And… I Bel ragazzi, friendly Va Beh’ staff.
Super airy, fluffy, melt -in-your-mouth Va Beh’s Tiramisu!
Happy belated Birthday Ben!
We were the last few till the end. Leaving feeling full and happy…
For little taste of excellent homemade pastas and all other Italian good eats,
Va Beh’ 446 Dean Street, Brooklyn 718)678-4200
Ben, happy belated Birthday again and Cheers to our good times, Love you!
Cool Films for Hot Summer Nights!
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1. 10:30 pm, Summmer by Jules Dassin
2. IL Divo by Paolo Sorrentino
3. Blow Up by Michelangelo Antonioni
4. Before Night Falls by Julian Schnabel
5. Mother by Bong Joon Ho
6. Diva by Jean-Jacques Beineix
7. White Ribbon by Michael Haneke
A scene from Diva
Enjoy!
When Fashion surpasses Art: Savage Beauty, Alexander McQueen, Met
Filed Under Architecture, Art, Book, Culture, Design, Events, Fashion, Film, London/England, Music, NYC, Travel | 1 Comment
The Alexander McQueen exhibit: Savage Beauty at Metropolitan Museum of Art, NYC
I have been dreading to go to Met to see Savage Beauty as whoever went to the exhibit said, “It’s so popular you need to be in the line for so long like hours then it’s too crowded that it’s hard to see all in detail!” But regardless, I knew it was going to be amazing. ” Exhibit will make you cry!” that’s what I heard a lot too. I was lucky enough to get free private access to the Museum this Monday through a friend at the museum as the Museum is closed on Mondays. But due to the high demand of this show, Museum had introduced ” Met Mondays with McQueen” starting from June 6. And it will cost you hefty $50.00 entrance fee but I highly recommend it otherwise not sure how you can say you really saw the exhibition with all that big crowd. And very nice audio tour ( narrated by Andrew Bolton, Sara Jessica Parker, Philip Treacy and more!) is on the house with this special Monday tour I believe.
Last Year, The 40 years of YSL Retrospective at Paris was amazing, beautiful and unbelievable. But still it stayed in fashion. Beautiful clothing with impeccable workmanship in beautiful setting. But Savage Beauty definitely felt closer to an art exhibit. McQueen’s fashion surpasses countless Artists’ art out there today. And I like to pay a huge credit to Mr. Andrew Bolton, the curator of this exhibit and Costume Institute who handled many years’ yearly gala. I had a privilege to work with him personally on a small project related to the last year’s Gala, American women as Gap was major sponsor to the exhibit.
And Mr. Bolton, you’ve had beautifully executed Savage Beauty to translate Alexander McQueen’s dark, strong, complex and bold approach to his artful inner world. The rooms were perfectly McQueen. The lighting, the materials of the wall, the music and utterly dark and chick showcases and the stage. I absolutely loved it. The Colors in the room, runway clips, the most amazing head and shoulder pieces, the materials of the setting… I could go on and on about this. It felt beautifully expensive and perfectly regal but also completely modern and dare futuristic. Just like who Alexander McQueen was.
The entrance! Red tinted microscopic glass pieces and ostrich feather dress on the left and the infamous Razor clam shell dress on the right. It kills me. I highly recommend you to get the Audio tour. You get to hear stories behind from actual people who worked on or worn the actual pieces.
The first room, ”The Romantic Mind”, is dedicated to the tailored and mostly jacket pieces. Lots of these pieces were landed by the actual owners for the exhibit. McQueen’s Savile Row in London’s tailoring experience is showing through these pieces. Only showing a few pieces here.
The washed concrete wall and naive wood flank is familiar contrast we see everyday now but again it works beautifully against McQueen’s impeccable hard tailoring.
The second room, “The Romantic Gothic” filled with aged mirrors.
This guilded golden glass showcase is absolutely to die for and the amazing McQueen’s work…
“The Cabinet of Curiosity”, a room dedicated to many of McQueen’s amazing Accessories and their relationship to related items. This room truly made me fill like I was in a Art exhibition.
My heart deeply aching…. The Spine corset with a tail.
Approaching to the Fan dress. Just like those delicately cut out Japanese wooden fan.
Yes, She’s turning.
There are ton more in this “Closet of Curiosity” room. I kept going back in there. It was hard to end myself and move on.
” The Romantic Nationalism”, McQueen celebrates his root, London. He was very proud of the city where he came from.
“The Romantic Primitivism”
” Romantic Exoticism”
“Romantic Naturalism, the last room”
I only have a few pictures from the Savage Beauty in this post. You need to see All in person. It ends on August 7. So hurry up!
It was truly one of the most amazing exhibitions I have seen. Not just McQueen itself but the whole package, it is a great exhibition. Also excellent website.
And NEVER TO MISS, click on THIS to watch clips of McQueen’s runway shows.
Ultimate Summer Party: MoMA PS1, NYC!
Filed Under Architecture, Art, Culture, Dance, Design, Events, Family, Fashion, Film, For the Weekend, Friend, Music, NYC, Queens | 1 Comment
Awesome Breezy Entrance at MoMA PS1. Warm Up Ps1: the Ultimate Summer Party for NYC!
I can’t believe it’s already the 14th year now MoMA PS1 is holding this music, dance, art installation that’s all happening in one gigantic outdoor party on Saturdays all summer long at this cool industrial area in Queens, NYC!!! When we all heard then MoMA was branching out a sister MoMA out to Queens: PS1 taking over formal Public School #1 on Queens, We all were bit skeptical even though there are a few prominent Art and Design institutional places like Noguchi museum in the same neighbor hood. \It felt bit out of the way compare to the mail one is on posh and touristy uptown in Manhattan. But PS1 had proved that was only a worry that we didn’t have to have at all after all. PS1 now has grown into a proud and even more rebellious and interesting little yet not so little sister of MoMA fueling Powerful Energy of New and Young Generation of Cool NYC peeps. And maybe even of the “World” as you will be surprised to see and hear how many international visitors at not just “Warm” but maybe more of “Hot” summer Dance parties that PS 1 is housing year after year. Every year PS1 holds a competition to design and doll up their envious grand schemed concrete and grabbled awesomely modern yard, and I personally like to thank to MomA doing this so as this is an absolutely a brilliant idea and also a another definite reason what attracts me and sure all other visitors to go visit PS1 as the yearly brand new Summer installation is something that you must not miss.
This year’s simple yet breezy and green installation is another winner that you want to see and I highly recommend the actual exhibitions that are going on in this beautiful formal public school space as it’s filled with much entertaining (I rather like to call it entertaining! ) Rayan Trecartin’s Any Ever : the short film series, and my absolute favorite of all, a screening of Alejandro Jodorowsky’s The Holy Mountain ( the screening ends on July 24th) which I ended up buying the DVD at the bookstore is another one you should not miss!!
The Warm Up Summer party at PS1 runs until the September 3rd with various DJS from around the world, So you haven’t missed much but certain exhibitions will do end at certain point, so if you are not sure what to do on Saturdays, pS1 Warm up party will be the perfect thing to do for this entire summer!
Now I like to share some pics from my visit to PS 1 Warm Up party this Saturday, July 16!
Yes the kid are welcome, but if you like to bring your little ones go early and live early. It get’s bit intense for the little ones later on. The party hour is 2-9 pm.
Hay Garden. No Smoking!
Real good seating this year. Not too obscure to sit down and there were plenty of these to mingle and chat.
Loving the fact they had brought quite an amount of trees this year.
Gael, no worries, I promise you I’ll take you here! The September 3rd, We will come back all together with Dad!
Yes, we will play ping pong too! Love you. Miss you Gael!
Loving the Crowd. The People. All together. Can’t help it!
DJs and Bands rotating all day.
Inside the Museum building. Entrance at Ryan Trecartin’s.
There were 6 rooms I believe set up in all different way with Head sets for you to use. Plenty of odd and fun seating were built for the audience. And comfy!
Hospital beds turned to mega seating.
I have mixed thoughts and feeling about Laurel Nakadate: Only the Lonely work series. Hmmm , If anyone likes to discuss about it with me, shoot me an email!
I adore PS1’s staircase murals!
Permanent collection: James Turell’s ” Meeting”, 1986
Visitors gaging and enjoying this wonderfully opened up room with natural light and air coming through.
Here’s the movie I was talking about. Crazy, beautiful photography, not normal, disturbing, funny, sick, calm, tripping and everything else. Alejandro Jodorowsky: The Holy Mountain, 1973 and couple more scenes from the film below.
The Book store.
The cafe.
7:30. Now it’s really crowded! Music’s pumping, people are dancing, being silly, whatever!
Ahhh Emi, I so wished you were standing right next to me!! I miss you Emi!!
With Adriana and Dani.
Good job Sir! The last DJ.
If you haven’t yet, go check it out!!!
From Pretzel to Prada, NYC!!!
Filed Under Culture, Design, Family, Fashion, Film, For the Weekend, Gael, NYC, Shops, Street, Tokyo/Japan | Leave a Comment
Regardless you are Japanese or not, many NYC peeps were there to support to raise every dime to help Japan’s Tsunami relief. Union Square, NYC.
Last weekend, Emi was busy working with Beppe shooting Alegri’s Spring Campaign. So it meant a day date with Gael for me!
We were at the Union Square movie theater to see Johnny Depp’s Rango ( quite surreal for the 7 year old boy! ) then strolled through Union Square farmer’s market ( spring branches, tulips and all) and not to forget to donate for Japan’s Tsumani relief, then quick yummy Korean lunch at Manna! It was bit windy but beautiful as sun was shinning and quite lovely to have a small walk down to Soho. We also checked out great Prada store on Broadway as I wanted Gael to know ” What a great shop means” pointing out at amazing murals in the store, the fab transparent cylinder shaped elevator, fabulous Spring 11 line of acid Bananas and Monkeys that takes you back to the 70’s swanky sea side Castiglioncello or Porto Fino in Italy ( just imagine Sofia Lauren and Marcelo Mastroianni sipping on chilled campari preferably listening to her own song ” Soldi Soldi Soldi from Boccaccio 70″ despite their kicking Super modern Spring Campaign… And the fab custom jeweleries in bright colored resins of everything you can or cant imagine!! KidRobot is always a must stop as Gael just absolutely loves the place and he gets to pick a small something. Then stop at the corner of Prince street to watch a street band singing Motown songs as munching on pretzels then the last stop at Pearl river! When was the last time I was at the Pear River?!! As much as I love nick nacks and all that chachkis, Pearl river can absolutely satisfy you on a dime! Hopefully Pearl river will never close down as my beloved Canal Jean has long gone from Soho since when…? Ahhh I ssssso miss my Canal Jean filled with the best everything from vintage army pants to $10.00 wool coats! Hip. Cheap. And understated Massive Hit! I just found out that Canal Jean had re opened up on Nostrand Avenue in Brooklyn, so I must check it out and I hope it will not disappoint me… Anyway, it’s always a big fun to walk around and do “me and Gael thing two of us together” in the city. Go shopping, movies on a shared kids’ package, street food, fancy shops, spoil him a little with sepecial purchase then stop and watch oh so amazing break dancers on the street of NYC. And what else… oh and just chatting and catching up hand in hand and it just feels so right to spend some descent time with my little cool son on the weekend… Love you Gael and love you NYC!!!
And… the pics!
Proud Gael after a small donation for Japan.
Beautiful colors of bundles of hanging wool yarns.
Is spring here yet…????
Gael inside the Prada store, Soho.
Prada Spring 11 !
Watch this!
The absolute reason why you love NYC! Prince street.
At the shop, KidRobot, Soho.
And the NYC babes.
A street band, Soho.
MAC meets Wonder Woman, Spring street.
And… Mommy and Gael… Cheeeeese!
Black Swan!
Filed Under Fashion, Film, Speak my mind | 1 Comment
Darkness is New Cool. Darkness is New Sexy. I just knew this would be a fantastic film to experience some sort of ”New Thing” out there just seeing the poster of the ” Perfect Swan”, Nina (Natalie Portman) in her make up in this Dark, Spooky, Genius, Psychological and Sexy thriller, “BLACK SWAN” by Darren Aronofsky. It was fun time with my team and colleagues at the Gap and it was also a good excuse to get out our hectic office and kick off our for Holidays officially! ( You know what I mean? ) Patiently watched literally million trailers of other up coming films ( …not so great most of times) , and BLACK SWAN actually may have deserved all that openers. This Film IS Awesomely Amazing!
Completely consumed in her life as a ballerina, Nina (Natalie) the New Swan queen of New York City Ballet Company lives this quietly nervous and hair raising mysterious double life as the White Swan and the Black Swan. Is it real that she’s bleeding on her finger tips…? Is that real she really saw it? Did she really stab herself? She’s crazy! No She’s not! Is she? What’s going on? Is her mom crazy? No she just loves her. She’s maybe jealous of her? Does Lily ( Mila Kunis) wants Nina’s role? Who’s sleeping with who? What’s wrong with Nina’s body? What the heck is going on?!!!
I knew I was totally on this. But the director, Aronofsky’s masterfully controlled handle on Nina’s emotions and nerve wracking competition between Nina and Lily, and Nina’s that sliver of fragile will power to hold her self as the Swan queen can get you feel bit lost… But I think right there, that’s the beauty of this film. Many details in this film impose so many meanings but its up to the audience to figure out or “Dream” about how and what is really happening. But there’s no time to justify everything that’s going on the screen. The painfully interesting and strong story of this film leads the audience helplessly to follow the next up with nervous and great expectation. This uncomfortness to watch twisted and manipulate relations among pretty much everyone in this story definitely escalated my anxiety to the end, then I felt sort of Triumphant kind of feeling rising from my heart to see Nina’s success to conquer for her to be the ” Perfect Swan”. You know what? I am greatly happy for her!
Natalie Portman’s magnetic powerful performance and her own perfection to control littlest emotions and details of her as Nina is mind blowing. I am also impressed with her dancing and sculpting her body and lines as the “Swan Queen”. It’s believable. She must have worked so hard on this. So I like to congratulate on her professionalism. I think she had greatly succeeded in this film.
And After I finished the film, I realized how genius it was that Rodarte’s quietly beautiful costumes for Nina had been. Nothing is in your face out -loud costumy costumes. They did not separate one from others in such a clumsy way. You know they are different but you know they are also one. It was the most smart strategy to allow Nina completely lived, consumed, confused and blended as herself as a Ballerina, ”Swan Queen” and also have her become the actual 2 opposite swans herself.
The Black Swan is the White Swan and the White Swan is the Black Swan. And Nina is the both. They are the one.
Rodarte
I just loved all of it. Go watch it! It starts today “Everywhere”. Tell me what you think!
14 Actors Acting: NY TIMES
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A Video Gallery of NY times Selected Classic Screen Types:
Directed by Solve Sundsbo, Music by Owen Pallett, Produced by NY Times Magazine
Talking LOve, Talking 70’s, Talking about you!
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I was born in 1972. The hippie free rebellious organic everything 70’s. So wish I could have tasted the middle of all, but I was only a baby! Completely feeling the 70’s vibe in the fashion air for the moment, here I have a few tears put together.
Io Sono Amore: I am Love
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Paris to Tokyo bound, back in September, tucked in a seat with a glass of wine and puffy eyes and legs. Feeling tired and desperately wanting to watch a good film. The perfect one for a long plane ride… Anyway, Browse and browse… and, Bingo! ”I am love!” ” Tilda!” I only had read two lines of review and saw couple screen shots a while ago. The title always stayed in my head though. It’s such a luxury now to even think of going to the cinema to watch films. I mean I am way too busy. I got no time. So, plane ride is always a chance to make up on a few for me.
The first few scenes of Milano beautifully covered in quiet snow starts the film with wonderful John Adams’ score. I feel a slap on my face, an almost pleasant wake up call. I sit up. I am really getting ready to watch this. I knew this would be going to be different from anything else. I believe Admas’ genius scores are one big part for this film to stay in it’s particular invisible boundary of bit peculiar and almost bit strange modern vibe regardless of its exact time setting ( I believe it’s the turn of the Millennium ), the classic wardrobe ( Jill Sander and Fendi) and the home of Haute Bourgeoisie of Recchi family almost gives a mid century vibe. There’s lightness and this beautiful beautiful light in this film for the whole time which I envy and completely felt in love with. And John Adams sure does his part to that. Kudo to the director of this film Luca Guadagnino to pull it all together in such an artistic way and Yorick Le Saux ’s magnificent Cinematography to die for. There’s a soft and free spirit of 70’s eyes to see the light in this film. It’s beautiful and organic.
There’s a huge influence of Michellangelo Antonioni’s Film-Making is in Io Sono Amore: The artful balance of Cutting and Intense camera work that patiently documenting little details around and within. Tilda Swinton shines with her powerful acting. She speaks so much in her silence. There’s sea of her emotion in her every little move. Her eyes pours all out.
Here I have a few of my favorite scenes from Io Sono Amore.
There are so much coming beyond this point. I didn’t finish the film on a way to Tokyo, so we got it through Netfilx. I highly recommend you to also watch the Director Luca and Tilda’s “Commentary ” on the special bonus track.
It’s a great new classic to learn what Cinema could do and can do.
Cheeky Spiders!
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My friend Tania posted this on Face book and I like to share this with you. Crazy!