Kitten Lounge

Modern Romance Bridal Event

KittenCouture — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 20:01:07 -0700

Last night I went to the Millenium Hotel's Hudson Theater to attend the Modern Romance Bridal Event. Now before anyone starts spreading stories, I am not engaged nor does that seem on the immediate horizon; however, I know it will happen one day and I am a fan of various Bridal shows and in lieu of hearing from people on Twitter, those I have lunch with and more announcing their engagements, I felt that this was something that I wanted to know about. Now I have attended many bridal events which are bona fide tradeshows where there are booths of the same types of services that are run by various companies, I would find this very overwhelming and difficult in terms of just focusing on the moment,. I wasn't sure what I was walking into but I was very intrigued to not only attend the event but to also see the Jenny Yoo Collection which I am familiar with many of her dresses.

Upon entering, I knew that this wouldn't be a massive and impersonal show.. For $25, brides were able to come to the event with a guest and to sample various foods, beverages and an extremely select group of vendors from entertainment, spa, makeup and more. The best part, this was extremely intimate! There weren't large groups of people the entryway of the theater (which at one time had actually housed various Broadway productions prior to their purchase of the Millenium Hotel next door) allowed everyone to check in, receive their goodie bag and to meet with the vendors. This space was illuminated with lighting and large mirrors. I know I began thinking about having an event here as the mood was definitely in place. As you walked into the theater, you were welcomed with tasty sweets on the right and on the left various meats and appetizers. Both sides had bartenders and of course there were passed beverages and drinks as well. I was very pleased to enjoy the champagne. The theater not only had tables set in various motifs that were created by James Abel Events (I love the amber inspired table), but there was seating for the fashion show and on the stage the band played. This was very soothing and kudos to the organizers to hold the event from 6:00 - 9:30. Although the fashion show didn't start until nearly 8:00, it was nice to come early and to have ample time to talk to the vendors while also recognizing that some brides would be unable to come until later.

Most of the attendees had a guest with them (kudos to the fiancees that appeared) although I felt bad for those that were alone as this was definitely an event to begin honing in on the decisions of your wedding while also enjoying the atmosphere. Mental note: these events are the best to go to and I would prefer to not go alone - friends and family beware!

I could go on and on about each vendor but I focused on certain areas but if you have a question, you can contact me and I can pass on what I know/heard. Jo Malone attended this event and as I have always been a fan and tend to walk by their Flatiron location, I was pleased to learn that they have an interesting way of offering their services. Obviously, they are available to have the bride and their party come to their location to enjoy their services and they are also able to travel as well. This is a great way to get pampered and to enjoy one another's time. But the most interesting element that I enjoyed was learning about their Fragrance Combining. This service is where the bride chooses a particular scent that will be worn for the wedding and then her bridesmaids will have various notes of this scent with other items layered in. In this way, the bride has a signature scent and her bridal party has elements of it while being different from hers. She doesn't have to worry about competing or offending scents as it is complimentary. I loved this concept and was so pleased that the two ladies attending this booth were so knowledgeable about this. Pampering and a signature scent - fabulous.

This event also had a great blend between traditional versus having your own element within your wedding. The band played traditional songs such as "Just the Way You Look Tonight", "Night & Day", "What's Going On", while also putting in a Stevie Wonder song that had elements of Will Smith in the song. They were not only playful and welcoming but they showed their range as we listened to the different songs and heard from the male and female singers respectively. This was enjoyable as we had Tuna Tartar, Spicy Shrimp and more.

Prior to the fashion show, I was able to see Tarte Cosmetics offerings, Cake Alchemy, Jerry Kravat Entertainment and more. Our hostess for the night who I thought was very warm and shared many of her experiences as she had recently been married, introduced the Fred Astaire Dance Studio. This couple did two dances (shown in the video) with a traditional dance and then one that was a salsa for the first dance. Once this was completed, we were treated to the Jenny Yoo Collection which had wedding gowns and then vibrant hues for bridesmaids dresses. These are definitely not the dresses that I have seen in Bridezilla epidsodes where the adventurous bride strives to find the most questionable dresses. These are beautiful gowns that you could use for other dressy occassions and that are very flattering whether you're looking for long, short, strapless, halter and more. Of course no fashion show of dresses would be complete without showing the super cute flower girl!

I left this event thinking that there are no shortage of events that "assist" brides and their friends and families with the options available to them. But when it is my turn, I want to attend events such as this that have a select group of vendors, a small number of attendees and then having a staff that caters to everyone so that you can feel special leading up to your day.

Snazzy Sundays: Work From Home

KittenCouture — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 12:07:51 -0700

I think that when it comes time to work whether you do it from home or just from time to time, you need the perfect space. I am a huge fan of this style of table! Available at West Elm, the Sawhorse Work Table has a glass top and sits on steel plated legs. This table is perfect to place within a studio, guest room or more. In addition, having a nice lamp on it which is also apart of the minimalist aesthetic as well. To add a bit of texture to the room, having a cubed bookcase which is accented with wicker baskets is a perfect touch and allows you to keep unnecessary clutter off of your desk as well.

Snazzy Sundays: The Laptop Desk

KittenCouture — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 09:51:40 -0800

So I am looking for a little feedback here. The whole reason why I have a laptop is for the ease of use no matter where I am. I love that I can sit in my kitchen, move to the couch and just take it out of my apartment when I am feeling a little cagey so to speak. My mom will come over and complain that I should have a little table or stand for it; however, I feel that it is cozy when it is in my lap! But it did get me to thinking and although they have beautiful cabinets where your laptop can sit, when you have the fabulously sized apartments in the city, who needs extra space taken up with those. At the same time, the little laptop mats seem more annoying and not so secure.

So I let my fingers do the walking and went to Ikea.com (you have to love that this is a space saver AND not going to break the budget) and found this cute little thing - a laptop table known as the DAVID. Now when I am just browsing I may not use this; however, there are many times where I have papers and books that need to be in my lap and having my laptop on something like this wouldn't be such a bad idea! Thoughts and ideas? I love the fact that that the height is adjustable and for all those that have a studio and a home office - you can now use this during those work hours and feel like you have a designated space for work!

Mingling Mondays: Last Week of Restaurant Week

KittenCouture — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 05:00:00 -0800

This is the last week of Restaurant Week! But this is a great time to hang out with friends since Feb will be a busy month. There's no reason to let the end of Jan come without having a great time. Fashion Week, Valentine's Day and vacation are all going on this month and this can be shared over lunch or dinner. With over 200 restaurants participating, there's bound to be a place of interest that you and your friends can go. Check out Open Table to see what time slots work for you. Then make sure that you visit this site anytime you need to make a reservation for this evening or next week!

Mingling Mondays: Enjoy the Best of NYC During Restaurant Week

KittenCouture — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 05:00:00 -0800

The city can be expensive and sometimes you have to think about whether you're going to buy the perfect dress to go to dinner with friends or whether you'll re-invent your wardrobe just so that you can spend more on the meal and drinks later. The best part about Restaurant Week is that you don't have to make such hard choices! You can buy something cute WHILE eating at places that you have always wanted to. Restaurant Week runs from this week through the next excluding weekends. If you want to check out a new place or simply want to revisit the place that made you skimp the rest of the week, check out Open Table where you can sign up for those that are participating for lunch and/or dinner. You can also make your reservations on this service during this week or anytime that you feel the need t make sure that you and your friends can have a great night and you'll seem like an expert.

Snazzy Sundays: I Love Ikea

KittenCouture — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 05:00:00 -0800

My entire department is not decked out in Ikea; however, there are certain elements that I am a fan of. This table top with legs isapart o f the Vika collection. My favorite element of this table top is the clear glass! This so essential for me as a designer when I am tracing. I can place light under the glass and trace my items easily. There is a bit of a ledge across the top that you can use to keep your utensils and other instruments in their place and still accessible!This table is perfect since it can remain flat;moreover, you can also tilt and adjust this as necessary. Growing up, I had a drafting table and this is something that could come in handy for architects and designers alike. The wooden legs are perfect for extra storage as well. What a great way to add this in to your home office!

Snazzy Sundays: Coffee Table Reads

KittenCouture — Sun, 16 Dec 2007 13:52:38 -0800

I love visiting others and seeing the books that they read. A bookshelf can be very welcoming in someone's home and is a way to understand someone that you know a little more. I love seeing interests that are beyond what I would have assumed from someone. Being well read is important and I am always intrigued to see what coffee table books are made available for the visitor. One of the books on my list this year is In Vogue which looks at the many looks that have made this magazine the icon that it is. This book looks at international looks and the photographers that captured them as well. With over 400 pages, there will be plenty of images to capture your attention. This a great gift for someone into photography, fashion or simply someone who loves being in the know. Available on Vivre.com this is a perfect way to add to your decor