For someone who swears that she doesn’t have a shoe or bag obsession, I seem to have an awful lot of shoes and bags. They cover the floor of my ample closets in my bedroom and in the hallway. I think they must be mating and multiplying like rabbits, because at the end of last winter, I gave a big collection of footwear and totes in various states of disrepair to my kind cleaning lady. Luckily she’s approximately the same size and age as I am, and doesn’t seem to mind the slightly out-of-season fashion that I palm off on her…or that the soles of my right shoes seem to have worn down faster than my left. I think it’s because I carry way too much stuff in my pocketbook. This so-called charitable act saves me the hassle of lugging my cast-offs to the nearest Salvation Army Center. I could just throw them in the garbage, I guess, but I’m all for the three R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

When I was invited to a wedding in Tampa, Florida, recently, I wasn’t worried about picking the right accessories to go with my new summer dress. I figured that I could find something in the dark recesses of my closets. A couple of days before my departure, as I was deciding on what to bring down south with me, I realized that I seemed to have an abundance of black leather footwear, especially in the boot variety. And my ownership of any semblance of a cute purse or baguette consisted solely of a Hello Kitty cotton drawstring bag bought at a 99Yen store in Tokyo. The wedding was going to be on the beach at a country club, and I’d make the wrong kind of fashion statement if I turned up wearing black boots with my Japanese dollar store purchase slung over my shoulder.
Looking to put some damage on my credit card, I trotted off to Chuckies on the Upper East Side (1073 Third Ave at 63 St.) in my orange flip-flops. The bright window display with its flirty assortment of shoes and plastic flowers confirmed that this was going to be an easy one-stop shopping trip. The problem, it turned out, was deciding on what to get from this shoe candy store. The store’s philosophy is to start trends, not follow them, and I was greeted with an array of choices of sophisticated pumps, sexy sandals, airy slides, practical low heels and nose-bleed high heels…there was something to satisfy every mood.

Trying on shoes at Chuckies is like playing dress-up when you were a kid. There are so many different styles and looks to glide into, with brands like Jimmy Choo, Dolce & Gabbana, Miu Miu, YSL, Stella McCartney and Emilio Pucci. They even have their own, slightly lower-priced line of Chuckies shoes, which were started a couple of seasons ago. My favorite were the unusual SKY shoes with buttery leather and fun platform heels, a little impractical to wear on the beach for the wedding, but entertaining to try on nonetheless, as I pretended to be taller than my short self. The store’s two big comfy sofas that look like they’re covered with old denim jeans are perfect for kicking off your heels and slipping on new ones.

For over 15 years, this cozy store has catered to the shoe and handbag fetishes of Madonna, Britney Spears, Jennifer Lopez and Kelly Ripa…celebrity clientele who probably have closets bigger than the size of an average NYC apartment. If you’re looking to bring some “bling-bling” into your life like these celebrities, Chuckies has a new line of handbags that definitely caught my eye. Designed by the store’s creative team, headed by owner Richard Erani, these are hand-made of creamy calfskin crafted in Italy.

Chuckies’ quirky bags are big enough to hold all your essentials, most of them having the versatility of going from the day into the cocktail hour. And they beg to be noticed with their luscious trimmings. About half of the line has Swarovski crystals embedded into the leather, the most extravagant of which are the black Chloe bag, and my favorite, the pink Lucky bag. The Gloria boasts a zebra pony print, while the two E’s (Emma and Ella) are made from luxurious mink fur. You have a choice of white or black mink for the Emma bag. As fur was seen in a lot of the Fall/Winter Collections, these bags may fulfill your fluffy hankerings if you’re a little wary of being totally enveloped in a fur coat.

After narrowing down all the shoe options, I finally wore a sweet pair of sandals that were encrusted with turquoise to the wedding. And feeling mischievous, our table only took photos of our feet with the disposable camera that was on all the dinner tables. Imagine the bride and groom’s surprise when they develop that roll of film!

CHUCKIES
1073 Third Avenue at 63 Street
Open: Mon – Sat, 10:45 am-7:45 pm; Sun 12:30- 7:00pm
Tel: (212) 593-9898
SALE until July 5
Forty to sixty percent off shoes from YSL, Marc Jacobs, Stella McCartney and others.

Before you hit a store, go online, walk through a flea market, etc., keep in mind the basic rules of fashion before you drop those dimes.

Some experts say that there are a zillion fashion rules that you must live by and observe throughout your life. There’s only two rules that you really should live by: one-stay away from white hose and pumps-you’ll look like a nurse. Secondly and most importantly — be fearless. Don’t be afraid to mix things up in fashion and in life. If something looks good on you, works for you and makes you happy-do it!

You can mix up inexpensive and pricey pieces and look wonderful. You can express yourself through your clothes; you can be anything you want to be. Here’s a fashion example for you-Recently went on a date and I wore a pair of Mudd jeans, Miu Miu heels, a Zara tank top and over that a Castelbajac cowboy shirt open as a jacket. Everything meshed together and looked great. One of the secrets about throwing different things together is to make sure the finishings are well done. What’s a finishing? It’s the way an item is hemmed, sewn and detailed. An inexpensive pair of jeans if finished well can take you to the East End as easily as it can take you to the dog run. Conversely an expensive item that is shoddily finished isn’t worth buying because it won’t have legs; it’ll just fall apart on you. So, always take a look at the workmanship of an item and be fearless!

We all love a bargain; I mean do you really want to pay retail? Thought not! Sample sales happen every day and not all of them are zoo experiences. Yes, you can wait patiently for Daily Candy to send you a huge list of them or you can sign up for daily emails for sample sales where you get incredible deals and not feel crushed. Here’s a list of people who churn out great sample sale information for you.

Clothing Line – www.clothingline.com and sign up for their emails. They’ve had sample sales form men, women and children. Some of the brands they’ve had sales for include Tocca (sigh, sigh), Diesel, Kooba, Alice + Olivia and the list goes on. Sales are held at 261 W36th Street, second floor. Between 7th and 8th Avenues.

Top Button/NY Sale – www.topbutton.com will send you emails about sample sales, blow out and clearance sales for everything from house wares to spas. They’ll even let you know about great sales on the web.

Lazar Shopping – www.lazarshopping.com will send you emails about sample sales, fabulous sales in stores and an occasional (mailed) invite to an event. I’ve gotten a few invitations for private showings that had free food and drink. Yum! Yum!
Here are two excellent discount websites that I’ve just got to share with you!

Shop Bop – www.shopbop.com is a nifty website that has discounts on Juicy, Blue Cult and other fashion must haves.

Edress me – www.edressme.com. Wow! Loads of yummy discounts on clothing from designers like BCBG, A.B.S., Plenty and other hot brands.

Let’s get off the ‘Net and back into the joys of stores. You must, must, must I repeat must go to the Bronx. No, I’m not crazy – the shopping district on Fordham Road is to die for! The Shopping District is one long strip on Fordham Road and spills a bit onto the Grand Concourse. You’ll find incredible deals on almost everything for the house as well as clothes.

It’s very easy to get to; by subway or train, you can take the D or the 4 or Metro North to the Fordham Road stop. For car directions, I’d suggest using an online mapper like www.mapquest.com or www.yahoo.com.

There are so many shops there that I can only give you the highlights. You’ll have fun discovering “your stores” on your own.
Need linens? Check out Legacy Home Fashions 2510-12 Grand Concourse, open Monday thru Saturday 9:30 to 7:30 PM. Sunday 11 AM to 6:30 PM. Egyptian cotton sheet sets start at $19.99 for twin. They’ve got everything from linen sprays $7.99 to shower curtains $10.00 and up, to rugs.

The Goodwill Thrift Shop at 52 W. Fordham Road (718) 733-2458. Open 10 am to 8 PM Monday thru Saturday, Sunday 11AM to 6 PM. Is a cornucopia of brand new and nearly new clothes. Brands sighted were Polici, Iceberg, Theory, Mavi, Banana Republic, Anne Taylor, Ralph Lauren, Armani Jeans, I.N.C. Nordstrom and more. While some of the clothes are higher priced, the basic unit price for some of clothing is as follows; pants $4.99, Jeans $6.99, Blouses $4.49, Mens suits $16.99, Ladies suits $11.99, kids clothes $2.49 – $3.99. Every week they run a 50% off sale on different colored tags. You may not know this, but they always get brand new household items and clothing from Target that are heavily discounted.

When you walk into El Mundo Gigante, 1-9 Jerome Ave (corner of Jerome and Fordham) (718) 367-8596. Monday thru Saturday 9:30AM to 7:30PM, Sunday 10 Am to 7PM-You’ll think you’ve walked into the motherlode. Not only can you pick up Colgate toothpaste for $1.99, a Goldstar 5,000 BTU air conditioner for $102, you can pick up Diesel jeans for $40.00, FUBU two for $35.00, Rampage lingerie sets $6.99, Ralph Lauren thongs $4.99, Fendi tees 2 for $25, Armani Exchange tees $9.50 each and shoes! OH MY GOD THE SHOES! Most shoes are $12.99 or two for $25.00 and the brands-Anne Klein, Glory Chen, Anne Marino, Tommy Hilfiger, Ralph Lauren, L.E.I., Charles David, David Aaron, Carlos by Carlos Santana, Rockport, Life Stride, Steve Madden and more. I saw a pair of Coach espadrilles for $40.00. They were the highest priced shoes on the rack.

When I walked into the shop there were four bins full of clothes. The handwritten sign above said “Macy’s 2 for $10.” Women were standing in the bins pulling out merchandise. Brands included BCBG, Shelli Segal for Laundry, I.N.C. and more! It was insane. Everything from XS to 3X. Some stuff needed zippers replaced, some stuff was fine and some would be great dishrags.

There are so many steals that I can’t write them all, my fingers would fall off in the process. El Mundo Gigante has a shop in Manhattan-I have no idea if this is a good or bad thing-located at 3300 Broadway between 133 & 134 Streets (212) 234-6387, same hours as the Bronx shop. There I saw Lilly Pulitzer, Ralph Lauren, Aqua, BCBG dresses and separates for $17.50. Jantzen swim separates $5.00 2 for $10.00. YEE!! Many of the Bronx bargains are the same as the Manhattan ones, but I felt that the Bronx shop had a better selection of shoes.
Be warned-El Mundo Gigante doesn’t have dressing rooms, but they will let you return the items.

Hankering for Milly, Marni, Tocca, Lilly or J.Lo and you don’t want to pay full price? Check out Right On 124 W. Fordham Road (718) 367-5110. Hours 10 AM to 8 PM Monday thru Saturday, Sunday 12 to 6:45 PM. Really cute corset purses are $12.00. A Nicky Hilton styled 7 bag was $15.99, Copies of the above mentioned designers and more range from 10.00 and up. There was a terry cloth strapless tube dress that looks just like you know who and it was only $10.00, on sale from $12.99. Playboy Jeans $19.99. J.Lo inspired jumpsuits $19.99. All the latest trends are in the shop; from eyelet to pucciesque prints. They carry shoes, plus sizes and having a dressing room. They even do layaway-so if you want an excuse to keep coming back to them?

Pretty Girl has a few shops up and down on Fordham Road. The one we went to is at the corner of Fordham Road and the Grand Concourse. (718) 329-2736. Hours Monday thru Thursday 10 AM to 8 PM, Friday and Saturday 9:30 AM to 8PM and Sunday 10:30 AM to 7 PM. Pick up summer basics like tank tops three for $10.00, swimsuits range from $8.00 to $20.00. Adorable denim mini skirts $8.00. Cotton blend halter dresses that you swore were Trina Turk $10.00. Walk around the shop and swoon, you’ll see all the latest styles that you swore were some hotshot designer for like $12.00 and under! They also carry Ecko Red, Mudd and a few other popular brands. Styles range from Urban to girly Lillis. There are even cute two piece summer jammies that are two for $10.00.

My poor shopping buddy was exhausted and delirious by the 30th store. Did I mention the incredible deals with all those street vendors?? No? Oh gosh-belts for $3.00, sunglasses for $5.00. We decided that we had to eat. So we walked over to Arthur Avenue-it’s the Little Italy of the Bronx. Found a great open air restaurant where we people watched and expanded our waistlines. Check out the Arthur Avenue Café, 2329 Arthur Avenue (718) 562-0129. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their cappuccinos are all the dessert you need. All I can say about the portions is that they were bigger than our heads.

Who says looking glamorous should be expensive? Not Eyes. Lips. Face. also known as ELF. www.eyeslipsface.com has scrumptious, luxurious cosmetics that contain sunscreen, cornsilk and aromatherapy? $1.00 each! Insane I know! The line was developed by Scott Vincent Barba (President) and Joseph Shamah( CEO and founder). Scott has worked with Hard Candy, Neutrogena for Men, Shiseido and others as a marketing and product development whiz. Joseph is an international business whiz who decided that women need to have a quality line of cosmetics at an affordable price.

The line is based on problem/solution formulas. The lipsticks/glosses have an SPF 15. The pressed powder contains salicylic acid to heal skin. Most products are scented; the soothing lip gloss contains peppermint and eucalyptus-tastes wonderful and the scent is so calming. The packaging is adorable and having road tested the eye shadow, I can tell you that it doesn’t fade or crease. The eye pencils come with their own sharpener, you can’t get that with a $35.00 pencil.

Proceeds from the line support charities. In October 2004 (Breast Cancer Awareness Month) they will donate 20% of the proceeds from their Shimmering facial whip sales to WINABC (Win Against Breast Cancer) and create and donate special cosmetic care packages that WINABC will distribute to Inner City Hospitals.

Right now you can buy the Eyes.Lips.Face online or at selected Drug Fairs in New Jersey. A little later on in the year they’re going to be in stores all across the country. This is a cosmetic line that will revolutionize the way you look at cosmetics. Why? Because here’s a line that heals the skin, helps you look wonderful, terrific quality and it’s a buck a piece.

Funky Jewelry by Ellen DW is a cool trendy line of jewelry that can only (sigh) be found in street fairs. Her necklaces have wild medallions that look like they came from a 70′s jewelry box on either silk, cord or rubber chains – $2.00, Lucite rings $1.00, cuffs in a variety of colors, styles and fabrics $2.00. Everything from romantic to Pop Art. Send her an email at ellendw@yahoo.com to find out where she and her yummies will be next.

Okay, last month I promised you where you can find Ferragamo, Perlina and Furla purses for $8.00 . Thing is, if I tell you please leave some stuff for me.

Check out the Salvation Army, 69 Spring Street, Manhattan (212)925-1909. Recent sightings include Max Mara, Ralph Lauren and Versace women’s suits for $13.99, Gucci sandals for $8.99, Diesel jeans for $9.99,Miu Miu for $3.99. The stuff is every changing, so you may want to go more than once a week. Bring a friend-this way you can divide and conquer. No dressing rooms, so be prepared to try over your clothes or wear a skirt if you want to try on pants. Lots of great deals for men, house wares and kids too!

If you are like me, you are enjoying the sticky, sweltering summer heat of New York City from your rooftop. If you are lucky enough to be far away on a sandy beach, sipping some deliciously fruity concoction, watching the sunset through the palm trees; I do envy you. But, lo and behold, I have discovered a little piece of the tropics here in the Big Apple. Now is the perfect time to inject some bright, unexpected color into your cosmetic wardrobe. A vivid wash of teal mascara, or perhaps lemon yellow eyelids? Even icy blue (yes blue) lip gloss. It can work; it just takes a few tips, and a little know how.

A Quick How To…It’s as Easy as One, Two, Three!
First rule of thumb: pick one color, and one feature to emphasize. If you wrap half the rainbow around your eyes, you may end up on a box of Fruit Loops. Look for the sheer color formulas to avoid overkill.
Benefit Cosmetics launched the Shangri-La collection; a trio of sheer colors in violet, orange or hot pink, for lips, cheeks and eyes.

Shu Uemura Pressed Eye Shadow in Lotus, is a delicately shimmering rose eye shadow. It looks best as a soft glow around the eye. Use your favorite eyeliner brush to “fuzz” the color into your lash line, and blend. The Shu Uemura spring collection also features an electric yellow shadow called Papaya, and a smoky teal shade named Palm. Use each color separately and sparingly. They also introduced Sweet Lip Glosses, sheer, fruit scented confections like Mandarin Orange, Pear, and Rosemary, best served chilled over ice.

Number Two: Powder blush can look drab on summery skin. Try one of the many blush alternatives to keep skin looking fresh and dewy.

Too Faced Cosmetics launched a gel blush stick called Blush Bouquet. They’re four floral scented, perfectly pigmented cheek colors that melt into the skin. Choose from Rose Petal, (rosy red) Freesia Mist, (pinky peach) Tuberose Crush, (petal pink) or Hibiscus Breeze (deep berry). What could be more delicious than that?

If you desire something unscented and more pigmented, try a cheek stain. LORAC Cosmetics makes SHEER WASH, it’s a roll-on cheek and lip stain. The shades range from rose to bronze. The shade SHEER EMOTION is a very sexy “post beach” mahogany flush. Who says you weren’t in Ibiza?

Number Three: To balance the rest of your look, keep other features harmonized and neutral. If your eyes are glowing sea green or turquoise, keep the rest of the face neutral with a light cheek color and sheer lip gloss.

Lancôme has a wonderful selection of Lip Glosses called Juicy Tubes. The newest edition to the line is Juicy Tubes POP. When applied to lips they produce a cooling effect. They’ve got a shade of blue, called Icy Pop that turns lips taupey lavender. Delicious!

Whether you select lavender, fuchsia, mint, or banana, for the eyes, choose either warm tones (peaches or bronze) or cool tones (pinks or berries) to harmonize cheeks and lips. For example, bright eyes, with a soft pink blush, and pale pink lip gloss. Or neutral eyes, with stained bronze cheeks, and nude lip gloss. Bottom line- keep the cheek and lip coordinated, that way the features don’t fight each other.

Now, you are ready for the tropics; whether it’s East Hampton, Miami, or “Tar Beach.” Now where is that Good Humor Man when you need him? I need a Popsicle.

Pasties, g-strings, and lots of glitter – that was pretty much the uniform on a recent Saturday night here in New York City at the Roseland Ballroom. Picture hundreds of people crowded around a stage full of nearly naked Broadway dancers who were perfectly bronzed down to, well, we’ll just say “down” and you can use your imagination.

Ladies of Broadway get ready for the Carmen Miranda number

“Broadway Bares” is an annual event put on by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids (www.broadwaycares.org BC/EFA), which has being going on for the past 14 years. Just last year it raised almost $6 million to provide direct assistance for entertainment industry professionals and performing artists who are dealing with HIV and AIDS-related issues. But this is the theatre, not a bake sale, so you know it’s going to be fun. Everyone involved – dancers/choreographers/designers – volunteers their time, and the result is an enormous party with pounding music and a smoke machine on overdrive.

MAC Pro Team member Keri Blair defines a performer for “Rain Men.”

“Broadway Bares” began unofficially by a “boy in the chorus” named Jerry Mitchell when he and eight dancers from “Will Rogers Follies” put on a strip show at a NYC bar and gave the $8,000 in proceeds to Broadway Cares. A tradition was born, and performers now clamor to get down to their skivvies in front of God and country. There are two late-night shows, and over 200 performers were on stage this year. A program of those proportions needs some serious makeup, and that’s where MAC Viva Glam fits in (www.maccosmetics.com). For the seven years so far, makeup artists, this year headed by MAC Pro Team member Keri Blair and numbering almost 50, have donated their time to help the cause. MAC itself, aside from donating the products used, also contributed $75,000 to BC/EFA.

MAC artist applies liner to smoke up the evening

The crazy part is the hair, makeup, and costume designers don’t really all touch base until about three weeks prior to the event when the costume designers give the makeup and hair teams packets of research and inspiration they’ve put together.

Bryan Carmouche applies fake tattoos from Temptu for AntiGravity’s “Crotching Tiger, Hidden Dragon.”

AntiGravity performs

Makeup designers are generally chosen from MAC’s trainers or tenured artists, and this year they got to work with a Hollywood theme. Face charts are created, and each number has a captain in charge of the team working on those particular performers. There’s no dress rehearsal and the night of the show is generally the first time designers see their work implemented.

Face chart for James Bond number

It’s pretty chaotic backstage with guys and girls in various states of undress getting full body makeup. When asked what products they go through the most, Keri replied, “gloss, glitter, lashes, and lots of bronzer.” She said most everything applied stays through the two shows and all of it is done by hand – no airbrushing here. “We’ve gotten really fast at working and blending by hand. Airbrushing requires proper ventilation and electricity, and the venue we are in doesn’t work well for that.”

Jai Rodriguez sings the finale of the show

Stripping to songs such as “Singing in the Rain” to performances by “Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s” Jai Rodriguez belting out “Fame – Gonna Live Forever,” performers flew through the air, congaed across the stage, and shook their money makers throughout the night for a wonderful cause.

Entire cast bow

“The only difference between us and the animals, is our ability to accessorize,”
Olympia Dukakis – From the film “Steel Magnolias”

Never was there a truer statement in a movie. Now don’t think me trite, there have been far more poetic truths, but this has not one syllable of debate, it is true, true, true, too true. Of the rest of what separates us from the animals, I am lost. We eat, have sex, bear young, and fight much like animals. Some of us do a lot more than that to resemble our primate cousins. But we won’t discuss some of our husband’s unmentionable habits – ha! So mamas, there is no more important time to remember our ABC’s of accessorizing, than during our pregnancies. I’ll tell you, there were a few times in my labor room where the only thing that reminded me that I wasn’t in a jungle were the claret tips of my well-manicured fingers digging into the bleeding arm of my dear beloved, gorilla errh….husband. Welcome to sizzling hot July, dear sweet and growing mamas. Not to worry. We are going to learn how to stay cool together. Let’s start at the top and work our way down.

Your Crowning Glory
Ok, ok, mamas, now here we sit on one side of the fence or the other. Those that do and those that don’t. I do. Highlight my hair during my pregnancies, I mean. I have gone over and over it with my hairdresser, and she does not let the color touch my scalp, but tucks it neatly into the protective foils. There is also a keen argument as to whether a wash does any damage either. But if you are being extra cautious (I decided to never fly in an airplane during my first pregnancy), that is your right dear mama. If you sit on my hedonistic vain side, make sure to keep your color up during these 9 months. This is not the time to let the roots show and look flat and greasy. I just went into my dear Tammy and got a highlight update with some flippy layer ends for a fresh, summer look. But if you are staying conservative on the coloring, let’s have fun with hair accessories to distract from the roots. I think the darling look right now is the bandana on the head for mamas – it’s very urban-chic. Another option is a dramatic looking black headband, the really wide kind (add little silver hoop earrings to this look). What about a dozen colorful mini-clips? Or butterfly and flower hairpins? Whatever you do, give it a sexy, playful edge. Not too little girly. I have to voice my one complaint about a certain popular maternity look that makes us pregnant women look like little girls. We’re pregnant!!! We didn’t get that way sucking on a lollipop holding our teddy bears. Seriously, we mamas are women, women who’ve been having sex! So ladies, please, dress age appropriately!

The Cat in the Hat
Did I ever tell you that although my name is Catherine, my husband’s nickname for me is Cat? So when I’m pregnant, this Cat is always in a hat. They are fun, they are sexy, they are extremely stylish. They add color. They make those damn people stop staring at your belly saying, “Anyday now.” (When you are of course 12 weeks from your delivery date.) I understand men, but ladies – what woman says that to another woman with even the remotest sense of compassion? Come on. Let’s stick together on this one (on a side note, don’t ever tell a fellow mama she’s huge…I have honestly come close to knocking out one of my dear “friends” for this). So tip your hat ladies and let’s find your favorite look – is it a simple Gap baseball hat? An Ann Taylor straw hat? Lynn Park at 51 Wooster St., has some terrific picks. The store’s phone number is 212-965-5133 and the website, www.lynnpark.com. Or just go to Herald Square on the A-C-E line and walk around a bit – as this is the red carpet retail of the garment industry you will find hat stores on every corner. However you want to go on this one, just make sure you give yourself a variety. I myself go for the straw hat look in a variety of styles ranging from plain to multi-colored, and from wide brim to a bucket look.

La Luna Bella
Your face mamas is your greatest asset at anytime – your eyes the window to your soul. So don’t forget that during these 9 months. Ok , ok, so the little one growing in your belly has managed to reach through your neck and puff it up a bit, making the cheekbones disappear. Let’s focus on what is left. Don’t, I repeat don’t let go of the makeup routine during this time. If your eyes are your best feature – then get out and buy yourself some mom-to-be treats with Estee Lauders’ Illusionist for daywear mascara, and their Magnascopic line for your evenings with Papa Bear. If your lips are the focus – paint them cherry red. Get yourself something in a brilliant ruby shade from Elizabeth Arden’s Color Intrigue Line. Racking up charges for makeup during pregnancy has never been so easy. Papa Bears are usually in awe at this point, and you have moved into sainthood status. This eases their tight grip on the monthly statements. I have a wonderful CD to get you motivated. Olu Dara – “In the World, From Natchez to New York.” The whole CD is fabulous, but the third or fourth song on this CD is a sexy song about a woman’s lips. You will go into your makeup kit and play in the mirror like when you were a young girl and then dance around the room in a pucker. Feeling fat and tired? Of course! Is that what you want to advertise on your face? Of course not! Your face is your beautiful moon under which the world sits and howls. Light it up!

The Audrey Hepburn Neck…..just kidding
This brings us to the gorgeous, slender Audrey Hepburn neckline and some decorating baubles. Ok, ok, you caught me again. Let’s really talk about that elephant footed-looking thing that now sits between your double chin and your new bursting breast cleavage – your pregnancy neck. It needs some pretty camouflage. So let’s dress it up with some costume jewelry. I went right to the Lord & Taylor counter on my first pregnancy and spent an hour buying red shells with tortoise, chunky silver chains, delicate flowers on chokers, etc. A lot of times you will hear fashion consultants speak about body types and how to lengthen the waist or the legs, flatter the butt, and so on. Well, the idea here is to move the viewer’s eye upward and downward, lengthening the torso vertically as much as possible as the growing belly widens us out horizontally. You will be surprised how someone will say “You look just gorgeous, just a beautiful belly, that’s all.” If those are the comments, then you have achieved the Mount Everest climb of maternity fashion, and mama, you are ready for the runway. Go check out Verve for jewelry on 353 Bleeker St., ph: 212-691-6516. There is also some fun stuff over at Geas Garden Jewels on 135 1st Avenue, ph: 212-358-1626, www.geasgardenjewels.com

Cinderella’s Glass Slipper
Now that we have covered the top part of our vertical illusion, we must go to Le Feet. This is the time to wear colorful, personality oriented shoes. Don’t stick with the safe browns and blacks during pregnancy. Even if you must wear a sensible shoe due to back or pelvic pain, wear a bright red sneaker! For sensible but fashionable, Skechers over at 3 Times Square is where I went (www.skechers.com). But for nights out, put on that sandal with flowers banded over the strap. Or if you are a die hard, black shoe donning gal, then wear a square heel for sensibility but make it a knee-high pull up boot to go with your Belly Basics black mini. The key here again is to draw the eye up and then down – stretch things out!

You will be thrilled with the effect. The other Manhattan list for shoes should include Prada on 575 Broadway, ph: 212-334-8840 and Sacco at 324 Columbus Ave, ph: 212-799-5229.

Ok mamas, I think you are getting the picture. First of all, look the best you can at this time. It will make you feel better, I promise. And then, work it like any other time in your life, move with it, not against it. If the body is moving horizontally, just like a ship rocking back and forth, move with it that way and then rock it back vertically. Sail your body like a beautiful ship, dressing it in gorgeous sails and flags that identify your personality best. I’ll leave you with a story from the attic. The other night I was out with my husband seeing the sexy voice’d Martin Sexton at Café Lupo’s in Providence near our summer place. Before the show, we went to eat at Hemingway’s downtown. Best shrimp on the entire East Coast. If you eat it and you don’t think so – I owe you dinner. We were sitting at the raw bar sucking down a 3 lb. lobster and Petit Filet. I was wearing my Belly Basics mini-dress with black leggings, 9West wide-band shoes with bright red toes, and silver baubles wrapping my neck. The couple politely interrupted my husband and I to tell me that they were shocked to see that I was pregnant because they hadn’t noticed my belly and “hadn’t I looked just gorgeous!” Now mamas I’m huge at this point – I’m talking you could put an entire drink tray on my belly and send me around that restaurant serving cocktails with my protruding belly button. Mmmmmmhhh…it felt like Martin was singing just for me that night…Signing off here mamas. Love to all of you and the little ones.

America the Beautiful
Hello gorgeous mamas! July is one of my favorite times of year. We Hoffmans open our beach house after the winter tenant leaves and throw down musty sheets, towels and quilts from the attic mmmmmhhh…I love that smell. The boys unpack their beach toys like it’s Christmas. But most importantly, we ready the house for our big Fourth of July celebration. Yes, we love America. All of it – the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly. The company I’m going to tell you about today ladies, Belabumbum, embodies the values of America I cherish the most: freedom and the spirit of pioneerism. God Bless America. God Bless Belabumbum.

From the Bottom Up
Belabumbum began with two dear friends, a dream for freedom and a wagon full of bravery. Our two American pioneers and founders of the company Alyssa Weiss and Heidi Rauch, met in college. From there, they set out on adventures to see the world. I imagine them in their hostel beds in Madrid, talking about what their visions of life looked like. Heidi became a dancer, and worked for the Organization of American States (the U.N. of Latin America). Alyssa became an actor, and worked for the New York City Parks Department. Just like their foremothers, they decided not to ever limit themselves. A quote that is used often in our house comes to mind, “Two can go where one alone cannot.” Although one had married and the other was globetrotting, the two stuck together to create Belabumbum.

Belabumbum La Mama La Mama
The concept of Belabumbum was a success. Women of America threw off their Carter’s hipsters, and stepped into mmmmmmmhhhh delicious. You have only to visit their website at www.belabumbum to see their wonderful selections of lingerie and swimwear. I could talk endlessly about so much of their product line, but doesn’t Paris Hilton’s choice to have Belabumbum forever immortalized on her wax figure at Madame Tussaud’s in Times Square say enough? I want to talk about their mama stuff. That’s right. That’s why I’m here sister mamas. To nudge you, nudge you right out of your husband’s oxford shirts in your seventh month of pregnancy.

Home of The Brave
You see, after Belabumbum was going quite well with its lines of lingerie and swimwear, Alyssa got pregnant with her first son. She looked around for a bit of Belabumbum in the popular maternity lines. Pllllllleeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaasssssssssseee!!! Don’t make me laugh. If there is ever a time in which even the sassiest of us lose our nerve, it is during our pregnancies. The Western World buys meat in cute plastic packages, pees on flower’d toilet seats and is aghast at a cover of a nude, pregnant Demi Moore. That’s right, mamas, admit it. We American gals can be quite prudish. Now I’m sure we didn’t get there on our own. There are generations of Puritans behind us. Get a little brave – here comes Belabumbum to empower us.

Belabumbum Extends Maternity Line This Fall
Go ahead and love that voluptuous pregnant you. The maternity line at Belabumbum is made for everyone. Of course, the most famous of the Belabumbum line is the Copacabana lace bra, which is available in maternity. They also have briefs, thongs, tulles, girl shorts, and swimwear. And, if you like what you see, then keep watching. Over the next year, the maternity line will expand to include baby dolls (see-through belly and no-show belly), camis, shorts, 3-piece sets, pants and robes. Oohhh la la.

The Big Show – Belabumbum take a Bow!
Just remember mamas, life is not a dress rehearsal. Pick your wardrobe correctly because this it – The Big Show! No pun intended. I was a very large, waddling low to the ground duck in both my pregnancies. But you should have seen me in a black chemise. I made Grace Jones take a seat. Thank you Belabumbum, thank you. You are brave and pioneering and everything American. Congratulations and sweet passage for Alyssa’s new pregnancy.

Land of the Free
And now, a story from my attic. I remember vividly (although it has been about 14 years) walking the streets of San Sebastian, Spain shopping the outdoor markets. Upon paying for my avocado, the vendor said, “You are American, yes?” “Yes, but how did you know, is my Spanish that bad?” I answered bewildered as I thought my Spanish was pretty good. “Oh,” he said gently, “it is not your Spanish, that is very nice.” “But you American women dress like men.” That has stuck with me always and I have made sure to never again borrow a boyfriend or now husband’s clothing unless I am freezing to death in a dark, movie theatre.

I give you this memory as a loving warning. What makes us so unique as Americans is that we are the Great Melting Pot. We have the whole world of possibilities to choose from and then give it a patriotic twist, make it our own. Do not choose a manly frock. Do not go gently into that good night. Rumba in with a little Belabumbum. Make yourself unforgettable.

Love,
Metro Mama xoxoxo

www.belabumbum.com

Photographs by John Penwarden*
(*except for the product shot, which was provided graciously by John Allan’s)

Answer: Head to the salon where industry experts can design a style that states success during the day, but screams show-stopping rockability by night. So when Jim Spengler, drummer for the New York-based rock band Acquiesce (www.acquiesce.com), came to Beauty News NYC with this quandary, we sent him to the one place we knew could easily solve the problem by making his first “salon” experience amazing while still maintaining a serious air of masculinity. For any man in search of a style change big or small, there is no substitute for John Allan’s (www.johnallans.com).

John Allan’s offers styling that makes a man feel right at home by surrounding him with elements that put him at ease…even when he’s being made over. It successfully combines the traditional feel of the old-style barber shops with the modern amenities of a full-service, high-end salon.

The humble beginnings of John Allan’s take place in Paris in 1979 when John Allan christened his career under the personal apprenticeship of Jean Louis David. During his next ten years with JLD after his training was complete, John Allan served as a stylist in Milan and later became the National Technical Director for the JLD Hair Salons’ U.S. expansion back in New York. Under his leadership, he set up the Jean Louis David Training Center in the flagship salon at Henri Bendel’s, where he taught cutting techniques and educated the staff on the newest styles from France. He also helped expand the JLD business to Beverly Hills, Chicago, and Toronto.

In 1988, John Allan saw an opportunity to enhance and improve an aspect of the salon industry that had been sorely overlooked: MEN. He decided to open a club dedicated exclusively to them, and the result received critical acclaim from the media, as well as his clients. This helped initiate a resurgence in the men’s grooming market, and John Allan’s impact has only been enhanced as time goes by.

For 16 years, he has been successfully dedicated to the men’s grooming market, elevating it to an art form that surpasses just a haircut. Instead the salon provides men with a full-service experience (detailed a bit further below) in an environment that features a club-like atmosphere complete with leather club chairs, pool tables, cigar rooms, and cool jazz tunes playing unobtrusively in the background.

These surroundings, plus the choice of a free beverage (high-quality cappuccinos or beer), was enough to convince our guy to place the future of his hair in the more-than-qualified hands of John Allan’s Technical Director Jesse Sweet. The process was a collaborative one. “I met with John Allan and Jesse Sweet a few days before my haircut,” said Jim. “We talked about how to cut my hair. They asked me about my music and my new job. After getting a feel for the band’s music and understanding that my position at Ntirety (an information technology sales firm) wouldn’t be too rigid with corporate attire as some other industries, they decided to cut several inches of my hair but leave just enough to keep it trendy.”

Jim was privy to a John Allan full-service experience, which incorporates a scalp massaging shampoo, conditioning treatment, hot towel, expert haircut, manicure, shoe shine, and for him, several Stella Artois.

Jesse used a razor to cut Jim’s hair, which gives it an edgy texture. He also cleaned up the side burns with some clippers. After all of the strands slipped to the floor, it was time for a bit of color. In addition to a shorter style, Jesse and John Allan had decided a dark shade of brown would suit Jim well, so Chocolate Truffle was applied to his entire head for about 20 minutes. This color was semi-permanent, which means it fades out as the hair grows. Instead of producing a big change, the shade seems subtle yet strong.

After the color was rinsed, Jesse proceeded to show Jim how to style his new hair. The flexibility of the cut allowed for an as-corporate-as-you-want-to-be Gordon Gecko look from “Wall Street” during day for face-to-face client meetings, which is easily achieved with some gel and a comb to slick strands back. It also encouraged a causal daytime style set in place with ease by using some gel and the fingers to work a part through the hair. For the stage style? Jim should spread some pomade evenly through his hair and style it as messy as he likes with his fingers. Jesse told Jim that “the more you sweat and throw your head around during a show, the better the cut will look,” which was good news for a guy who thought the prospect of looking like another member of the corporate line would be terrifying to him.

And what was the most amazing aspect of this transformation? Everything took place in under an hour.

The signature full-service treatment runs $65 at the salon, and full-year’s membership to the salon is encouraged and popular with clients as well for only $695. These memberships include all full-service appointments plus two gift certificates and a 10% discount on other services. Some of the other salon specialties include spa services such as a full body massage, relaxing facial, manicures, and pedicures.

Hair services, aside from cut and color, include highlights, relaxers, and beard trims. Shoe shine services range from shine and repair to golf shoe cleaning and spike replacement. In addition, the Midtown location has partnered with Savoia Custom Clothiers (he has a shop within the salon), a renown hand tailor who is a fashion and media favorite (appearing in over 40 publications worldwide), to provide clients custom made clothing possibilities. John Allan also recently released a new skincare line that includes products for the face such as face wash, scrub, astringent, face moisturizer, and eye cream, as well as shave specialties like shaving cream, post-shave splash, and balm. For the body, there’s a bodywash, the x-bar, a body moisturizer, and lip treatment. The line is being sold at Barney’s, as well as select Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom stores. John Allan haircare line, which features shampoos, conditioners, and styling agents, has already won rave reviews, so the skincare line is bound to be a success as well.

There are two New York locations for John Allan’s, with a third one soon on its way. A session at John Allan’s a great a gift for a lady to give her guy, or a guy to give himself. There are numerous gift certificate packages available, as well as corporate ones too.

John Allan Downtown 95 Trinity Place Tel: 212-406-3000

John Allan Midtown 46 East 46 Street (Between Madison and Park) Tel: 212-922-0361

Chances are you have attended at least one yoga class, so you know that yoga is like a massage from the inside out. And, it’s a great way to ease your mind and energize your body. So why not take your yoga practice on the road for a weekend?

Thanks to Practice Yoga, a studio in the heart of the Upper West Side, students can escape the humidity and the hustle of the city in exchange for peace of mind. From July 30 through August 1st, Practice Yoga will host a weekend workshop at the Menla Mountain Retreat. Nestled in the Catskill Mountains in Phoenicia, New York, Menla’s tranquil setting is perfect for a weekend getaway.

“You get the beauty of he Catskill mountains, the peace and the fresh air. The minute you get there, the serenity of the space just calms you. It is that stunning,” said Jennifer Walker, owner of Practice Yoga.

Practice Yoga instructors Pam Reece and Jessica Phillips will teach four workshops over the weekend. They will lead focused and intense restorative yoga and meditation, inversions, hip openers and twists, and back-bending classes. “Jessica and Pam will teach students how to go deeper in their practice,” said Walker.

But there’s no need to be intimidated by the ten hours of yoga. Walker described the retreat as a “welcome all-comers retreat” – for newcomers and seasoned yoga students. The instructors will be able to modify for those who want to be more challenged or less, as well as for those who are pregnant. They both have a nice, easy-going sensibility, said Walker of Pam and Jessica. They are not intimidating, and “that is Practice Yoga’s trademark.”

When not in a twist, or bend, students can relax by the pool, go hiking, play tennis, or nap in a hammock. This will be Practice Yoga’s fourth retreat and the second one at Menla. “We’d like it to become our home-base for weekend retreats,” said Walker.

So, get out of the city and wake up your inner beauty. Your body will thank you.

“It is about the inner beauty,” said Walker. “If you are not beautiful on the inside, it’s harder to be on the outside.”

Check out the space at http://www.tibethouse.org/menla/ and find more details about the weekend workshop at http://www.practiceyoga.com. Call 212-724-4884 to sign up.

If you’ve ever been intimidated by the notion of going to a hip and famous hair stylist then you’ve never been to Edward Tricomi. Also known as “Edward Scissorhands” this hair-guru dry-cutting-master is all about feeling comfortable, confident and coddled…without any of the abrasive edginess you find surrounding other celebrated coiffures.

In fact, Edward is largely responsible for the cozy feeling you get when you step into their sizable and stunning W 57th St. Salon. There are gorgeous custom-made lighting fixtures and quirky little baubles everywhere. Edward designed the lighting and much of the decor. “Why not,” he told me. “It makes sense if you are creative. It isn’t like someone can only be creative in one particular venue.” Right he is. The salon is not only known for the comfort of its appointment but the relaxed manner in which the cheerful and only very slightly affected staff interacts. No primadonnas here. Not that I could see! Along with coloring master Joel Warren and Roxana Pintilie, Edward’s partners, he has seen to every detail.

The trio also have space in the Sports Club LA at Rockefeller Center and a chic full service salon in Greenwich CT. The Greenwich location is known for, in addition to the top-flight services of all of the Warren-Tricomi salons, their fantastic supplementary items such as accessories and jewelry, personal concierge assistance, customized bridal consultation and medical beauty procedures. The space has been called a salon-retail hybrid, offering clients the convenience of such services during their “down time’”at the salon.

As if this weren’t enough to make other salon owners pea green, in July 2004 Warren-Tricomi will open it’s fourth salon at the prestigious Raffles Hotel on Canouan Island in the Grenadines, Caribbean. The fifth WT salon is scheduled to open at the Argyle Hotel in West Hollywood, Los Angeles, CA, in December 2004. Apparently all that talent coupled with comfortable yet luxurious foiling equals big time success. Don’t worry though, it hasn’t gone to their heads! This dynamic duo is still committed to making sure that each client has the full spectrum of the WT experience.

One way to make sure that experience lasts is to pick up one of their signature brushes. Available at all WT salons as well as Barney’s in NYC, this brush is the result of years and years of experience. It was because of that experience that Joel and Edward came to regard the Brush as the most important styling tool and it has been their committment to excellence that drove them to creating a line of brushes made of the finest components and best natural bristle combinations to ensure peak performance. “The key to a great brush is the tension it creates when it grips the hair.” says Warren. “Additionally, the shape and design of each brush creates the proper tension needed to ensure a salon-quality look at home.” continues Tricomi.

Whether you want a rock-star cut and color or a stepford-wife picture perfect coif, you need only step into any one of the Warren-Tricomi salons to find the people, the presentation, the total package.

For an appointment at the Warren-Tricomi salon of your choice:
Call 212-262-8899 for the West 57th St. location, 203-863-9300 for Greenwich and 212-218-8650 for the Rockefeller Center salon.

Away with summertime naysayers! And phooey to those experts who would have you hide indoors for three months to “save” your beauty. Your great looks are not going anywhere but up, provided you take care of yourself – and that includes all the healthy benefits of fresh air, exercise, and yes, even the sun. Taken in moderation, and with topical protection from UV rays, the sun is your ultimate beauty ally. And for beautiful hair in the NYC heat, Beauty News recommends the sexy and utterly elegant Soleil products by Kerastase.

Kerastase is a name synonymous with “exclusive,” having limited the distribution of its advanced and intensive products to 1,000 salons and spas in the U.S. (only those considered to offer the absolute highest level of personalized service), and offering some of the most scientifically advanced hair products available. Kerastase was the first line to incorporate sun protection into hair products, and Soleil by Kerastase features this protection, while playing up all the fun of sun-kissed hair.

Soleil is designed as a three-step treatment for hair: Protection, Repair and Enhancement. But these are three steps are a breeze, and can be interchanged depending on your summer hair needs.

The Huile Genereuse is a softly fragranced oil that protects hair from the sun year-round. The Gelee Aqua-Proof, a light styling gel, maintains the look of sleek, wet hair while blocking UV rays from the scalp. Essentially, with Kerastase, “protect” means “apply delicious product that makes your hair look fabulous.”

When you’ve finished all your gallivanting on the beach, the Bain Apres-Soleil shampoos and revitalizes hair, and the Crème Richesse deeply conditions, minimizing the drying and fading effects of the sun on hair texture and color. Later that night, when you’re relaxing with iced tea/frozen margies…flaunt those natural (and salon-created!) highlights – with Serum Apres Soleil, a smoothing spray that picks up the brilliance of color-treated hair and imparts a delicate, citrus fragrance.

So remember: summer is your friend. Remember that winter that wouldn’t end, just a few weeks ago? That’s what I thought…So indulge, but do it safely, and make sure your tote bag is ready. SPF 30? Check. Big, foxy straw hat? Check. Kerastase 1,2,3 treatment? Triple check, for fun in the soleil.

Order online at www.hairandmakeupspa.com. Find the nearest salon carrying complete Kerastase: (877) 748 8357.