It seems like these days, to get invited to a fashion show, your name has to be P. Diddy, Ashton or Paris. The non-gentry set gets a glimpse of the seasons hottest runway fashions by perusing the pages of magazines such as Vogue and Elle. While this does enable one to get an idea of industry trends in the world of couture, there is nothing quite like watching Eva Herzigova live, strutting her stuff down the catwalk, dressed to the nines in designer duds.

How about if you, the common folk, were invited to an all-star fashion show where you could grab a sneak peak at one-of-a-kind looks from fashion legendary icons such as: Roberto Cavalli, Halston, John Varvatos and Escada (plus dozens more)?

Our favorite rum company, responsible for many a delicious daiquiri and pina colada, Bacardi, is hosting a “Bacardi Big Apple Goes High Style” fashion show, where twenty award-winning designers present their take on the color green, in honor of Bacardi’s new apple-flavored rum. Hmm, is it too early to enjoy an apple martini? It must be noon, somewhere, right?

The show is free and open to the public, which is a rarity with the way this city thrives on its velvet-roped events, which are always manned by two massive bouncers. Even better, your presence makes a difference! For each guest, Bacardi will donate 5 lbs of apples to City Harvest, New York’s only food rescue organization. In addition, all the designs will be auctioned off to benefit various charities, so you really have the opportunity to play up your altruistic side and score your charitable brownie points for the month.

While Mr. Combs might be sailing his yacht around the French Virgin Islands, you might get a glimpse of another VIP such as Life and Style’s Cynthia Garrett or Queer Eye for the Straight Guy’s Jai Rodriguez.

No promises, but a hunch tells me you might even be able to sample Bacardi Big Apple Rum. Throw some free drinks into the mix and this promises to be an extravaganza much like those that J.Lo attends 7-night a week. Go on, call you friend in Chicago and brag.

Monday, May 2nd – 6pm
Time Warner Center (second floor)

(To become a regular series, so get that printer fired up and place HH prominently on refrigerator, cover up your nephews homemade b-day card if you have to….)

My secret source to the sexiest lingerie this side of the Atlantic? Daffy’s. It is a little-known fact that they import tons of sizzling hot French labels and sell to America at a fraction of the price. On a lucky day, you can score matching bra and panty sets from high-end European designers such as Felina, Le Femme, Leigh Bantivoglio and Le Foglie. I’ve even been on site while they’ve been unloading tons of Calvin Klein, Mary Green and Rampage merchandise…. From corsets to camisoles, garter belts to g-strings, Daffy’s is a jackpot.

So just say NO to Granny panties. Your boyfriend will thank you. And you will thank me.

At locations city-wide.

I should have been a dentist with my proclivity towards people with fresh breath, white teeth and a great smile. But I couldn’t imagine hacking four years of dental school, hence I pursued other avenues of interest that didn’t require a masters degree. Still, I’m an ardent fan of good oral hygiene and pride myself on my devotion to a thorough brushing, flossing and fluoride-rinsing routine.

Unfortunately, I’ve realized that many of my fellow contemporaries don’t necessarily share my obsession with fresh, minty breath and pearly-white teeth. In fact, I am often thwarting the advances of those who talk a little too close, with breath a little too stale. Usually, I find myself cornered by an acquaintance who has consumed garlic bread for dinner and onion-flavored ice cream for dessert (if there is such a thing).

I once even broke up with a guy because his breath was a little fishy. At first, I thought it was a ‘fluke,’ based on our dinner of fresh seafood at City Crab. But soon enough, it became sadly apparent that I would have to endure the ‘catch of the day’ scent – or shall I say ‘catch of the date’ scent every time we went out and soon grew tired of life by the ocean.

Fortunately, for anyone afflicted with a similar neuroses, I am advocating the newly launched “Breath Palette,” a line of flavored toothpastes and mouthwashes invented in Japan and now available in the States. A more evolved way to brush your teeth, Breath Palette’s fruity and exotic flavors turn a daily chore into a daily treat.

With 32 flavors to choose from including “Sweet Salt” (I would guess this to be the perfect remedy for pregnant women who covet m&m’s and pickles as a midday snack), “Pumpkin Pudding,” “L’Espresso” (and I thought people needed a mint to RID themselves of coffee breath) and “Monkey Banana” to name a few. Because variety is the spice of life, you can be adventurous and pick a new taste sensation every day of the month until you hone in on a favorite.

I was inspired by “Flavor Zero,” described as a “mouth conditioner” that normalizes pH balance and is used by chefs and sommeliers to cleanse their palate, so they can taste the true flavor of food and wine.

And in case you’re wondering, brushing with #14, “Indian Curry,” won’t make your breath smell like Lamb Vindaloo – the flavor lasts for a few fleeting moments before being replaced with a light menthol finish (buyers caveat: I won’t say I wasn’t craving some Samosas and Naan after test driving this particular fragrance).

All natural and sugar and alcohol-free make this sensorial experience reminiscent of Violet’s three-course dinner gum at Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory.

Most important, you need not worry about end-of-night kisses with future suitors. A dose of “Fuji Apple” is a pleasant surprise any day over an indelible fear of Halibut.

www.breathpalette.com
*Available May 1st

It’s Monday, 1PM, and you just finished that fiscal earnings summary for your boss. Phew!

At 3PM sharp, you’re scheduled to head up a major boardroom meeting with a client in from overseas and you are seriously considering canceling that lunchtime facial despite how desperately you need it.

From late nights at the office to stressing out over your unruly workload while at home, your face is showing signs of wear-and-tear. With a pimple here and a new wrinkle there (which you swear didn’t exist last week), your Olay bedtime beauty ritual just isn’t cutting it anymore. Whatever is a busy worker bee in the big city supposed to do?

Reserve 60 minutes of your precious time, ideally when the Big Cheese is on a conference call, duck out the backdoor to a haven of serenity, your personal rendition of a “Zen palate,” head to Skinklinic – a tranquil oasis in the heart of bustling midtown jungle. The minute you enter the premises, wandering through a lush green entryway in similar design to a Japanese tea garden (Koi fish excluded), you’re immediately overcome with a soothing sensation, stress unleashing itself as if you were chanting your first set of ohm’s in yoga class.

As you are greeted by the friendly staff, offered bottled water (because we all know the first step to beautiful skin is proper hydration), you fill out the requisite questionnaire. Drink: Yes. Sunbathe: Yup. 8-hours of sleep at night? Not even close. Ample fruits and vegetables in your diet? Does the OJ in your Screwdriver count? Yikes. Into the treatment room you go.

Personally, I was a candidate for a glycolic peel to even out my skin tone and generate cell turnover – sounds scary but certainly efficient – and was reassured by my skin practitioner that it was going to be piece-o-cake easy.

Ten minutes later, I can surmise that was an overstatement. With a few quick swipes of a cloth (one to cleanse, another to treat, finally to soothe and protect), I was done. I was just settling into the chair, daydreaming in the recline and badda boom: Finito! No painful extractions, no mask to apply, in-and-out, like the burger joint in California.

Upon leaving with an arsenal of products that would work to enhance the results of the glycolic peel, I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror and magically looked like I had returned from a week at the Canyon Ranch Spa – rested, healthy, and most importantly, youthful. Maybe the bars will start asking for my ID again?

2:45 PM. Sneak back to the fluorescent lights of your cubicle, take one last run-through of your presentation and when you nail it, let those boardroom stiffs wonder who the good looking-impostor is at the helm of it all…

Skinklinic
800 b 5th Avenue
212-521-3100
With locations in Greenwich, CT and Las Vegas, NV
www.skinklinic.com

I’m a Cali girl and proud of my west coast roots. People from the Golden State just have a certain je ne sais quoi (or are those Parisians? Whatever.) and rarely have I crossed paths with a fellow Californian that I didn’t like. While I’ve adapted well to my current life in the Big Apple, I still have a hard time referring to a “hike” as a subway trip to midtown and unfortunately, “dining al fresco” has now turned into takeout seven nights a week. Much like the Beach Boys, I spend a lot of the winter California Dreamin but in NYC’s defense, it’s a great place to live. AND if I use my imagination, I can spend a rewardingly sunny day at Long Beach and pretend I’m in Malibu. Maybe this summer, I’ll even learn to surf.

Speaking of surfing, I was doing just that on the internet the other day when I discovered a line of amazing necklaces that pay homage to those of us transplanted here from our native state.

Aptly termed the California Necklace, the 14-carat gold cutout of the state pinpoints your exact coordinates with a diamond, so there’s no confusing the Valley Girls of the South and the Granolas up North. With a design this radical, even those from the other 49 states might be inclined to show some California Love and represent with Governor Schwarzenegger. Maya Brenner even has a bi-coastal necklace with the same Cali silhouette plus an Apple symbol, a perfect union of two of the best places to live in America. Brilliant, no wonder she won the Rising Star award for jewelry design from Fashion Group International.

Charms are old news, lockets are cliched, this is your new pendant to wear with pride…sorry Idaho, your version is still in the works…

http://www.mayabrenner.com

I have found a new perfect martini at the dimly lit Vig Bar. Judging a book by its cover, I ordered The Apricot Millionaire purely on name alone, so that fact that it was delicious going down was icing on my cocktail of a cake. After the guy from San Diego treated me to a second round, I got curious about the nectar and inquired with the bartender, who has given me the confidential recipe…and I am about to pass on to you the secret to Vig’s Saturday night success (OK, the DJ’s not half-bad either):

The Apricot Millionaire – House Cocktail, Vig Bar
3 parts Makers Mark
1 part Apricot Brandy
1 part simple syrup
3 dashes of lemon juice

Shake well with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into a chilled cocktail glass.
Print out recipe and replicate to impress friends and cute male neighbors.

I’m not going to try and speculate what can be found in the exotic “Lemonade 161″ or hard-to-pronounce “Kwakzalver.” You’ll just have to make the trip to Nolita and try them for yourselves.

The Vig Bar
12 Spring Street
212-625-0011

If you’re hooked on your thrice-a-week Daily Dose column like a carb-fiend is on bagels, you’re about to get a bakery’s worth of bread, so get that stomach ready to digest…

This oughta hold you over for the weekend:

We love Freebies
Calling all vegetarians, animal lovers and freebie fans! A favorite celebrity bath line, Body Bistro is giving away a free 100% vegan travel-size cleanser and elixir with the purchase of $50 or more, which you would be spending anyway on dear-ole’ Mom with Mother’s Day right around the corner. Treat her and yourself at the same time!
Exclusively available at http://www.mybeautifulplace.com/

Surfer Girl in the City
If you love sun-streaks in your hair, but a trip to Maui to for the real deal is a little…improbable, fake it at Minardi Salon, which if offering a pre-summer deal (25%off) on highlights with their top colorists Paula and Myrian, plus free consultation by Beth Minardi.

Call 212-308-1711 for an appointment

A Trip to CA Without Having to Board a Plane
When I have the chance to fly to LA, I tend to go a little credit card crazy with those super-hip, indie labels that us New Yorkers have little access too. The Golden State has their own rules when it comes to fashion and now, upper east side boutique, G.C. William teaches The Big Apple how to play the game. With hard-to-find designers, such as Evolve, Emerge, Bulga and Casting, this is worth the subway ride uptown, a destination travel bargain especially compared to the economical prices of Jet Blue!

1137 Madison Ave @ 85th Street

Hot Hair, Hot Party
On Monday, April 18th, Warren Tricomi, purveyors of beautiful hair, are celebrating the launch of their PureStrength hair care line at trendy meatpacking nightclub, AER. Enjoy complementary cocktails (8-10pm), a fashion show featuring the latest hair trends (9pm) and learn why good things happen in threes, per Tricomi’s 3-C system.

RSVP mandatory: http://www.warrentricomi.com/

Enjoy the bountiful feast!

I always wanted one of those fictional boyfriends (meaning I don’t believe they exist) who loved to give me a foot rub at the end of a long, hard day. In my wild imagination, this was the same Mr.Perfect who would routinely send me flowers on my birthday, for Valentines Day and some days, just for no reason at all. He would recommend spur-of-the-moment romantic weekend getaways to B&B’s in Vermont, shoot me daily emails alerting me of his undying devotion and profess his love vocally, publicly and regularly. I have always loved to daydream…

BUT, the foot rub fantasy part can come true (no flawless paramour needed) thanks to a traveling Reflexologist named Mary Wu, who massages and kneads those feet into a state of delightful oblivion. I had heard of Reflexology, but thought it was the reaction caused by a doctor hitting your knee with the little mallet during a general check-up. How wrong I was!

Reflexology is actually an ancient Eastern art dating back hundreds of years known to restore the body’s equilibrium. And I thought it was just that 4th glass of Chardonnay causing me to be unsteady on my feet! The benefits are immense, whether you’re carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, plagued by stomach disorders, arthritis or any number of physical ailments. Even if you just have a foot-fetish and no one to satisfy your urges, just call on Mo (her nickname). She makes house calls, so no need to stuff your toes into yet another uncomfortable pair of shoes and make the trip to a spa, she’ll arrive promptly at your door quicker than the pizza delivery guy. By the time she departs, you’ll throw out that Valium PX and have already booked your next appointment.

What to expect:

Appetizer: A relaxing Aromatherapy foot soak while Mo sets up shop including your special chair that gives a sensation of weightlessness.

First course: Foot scrub with pumice to soften the skin, followed by an antibacterial wipe down.

Main course: An hour of tension-relieving massage, from heel-to-toe, ankle-to-calf. Reflexology uses pressure points on the feet that correspond with different body parts/organs to ease tension and increase blood flow and circulation. There will be a greater emphasis on areas that need attention, which through months of training, Mo is able to figure out like a psychic with a crystal ball. Sometimes, certain parts of the foot are more tender than others, so expect a tiny bit of pleasurable pain while she expertly works out the kinks.

Dessert: A five-minute hand-massage, cooling foot spray application and a blast of endorphins that lasts all night long.

Delicious! And ever-more rewarding than your imaginary boyfriend.

For more information on reflexology, go to
www.universalreflexologyschool.com

Email for appointment: Motatoe@gmail.com

Rates: $80 for 60 minutes (locations anywhere in Manhattan)
Mention this article for a $10 discount

I went to my cousin David’s wedding this weekend and was invited to join the boys for an informal Bachelor party before the main event. Ten guys, a big bottle of Makers Mark, a deck of cards, poker chips and me. Did I feel out of place? Not at all. There were no strippers in sight and the guys warmly embraced me. If anything, I felt center-stage!

After some obligatory mingling, we got right down to business for some hardcore poker playing ala Texas Hold ‘Em. Just so you know, I am not a card shark. I go to Vegas not for the gambling, but for the nightlife, shopping and eating. I can drop a few quarters in a slot machine and go home happy. So when I was pressured into partaking in the game, I reluctantly agreed. I hardly know how to play poker, so there was some brush-up needed and a few practice rounds to get my game on. Once I was comfortable enough (again, all eyes on me:), we threw in money and it was each (wo)man for himself. Call it beginners luck, but I cleaned house, surprising even the groom-to-be, sweeping round after round and eventually taking most of the pot, which I felt a little hesitant over, thinking I should have donated it to his honeymoon fund. C’est la vie, Texas Hold ‘Em shows mercy on no one!

Coincidentally enough, when I was checking my email the next morning, I was thrilled to learn that my new found interest didn’t have to cease after the wedding weekend ended. There is a weekly Texas Hold ‘Em tournament held at trendy Flatiron bar and restaurant, Taj. A great way to meet new people, develop your card-playing skills and earn enough money to pay off that credit card debt, you’ll know where to find me on any given Thursday night. Hmmmm, maybe I *should* rethink that trip to Vegas…

When: Every Thursday
Where: 48 W. 21st St. (5th & 6th Aves.), Flatiron
Host: TAJ Restaurant & Lounge
What: Texas Hold ‘Em
Come press your luck and bring your best poker face for a friendly game of Texas Hold ‘Em. Music will be provided by Smooth G & Suhel Versace, and an open vodka bar will be held from 10:30pm-11:30pm.
For more info: Call 212.620.3033

When Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles tie the knot on Saturday, April 9th, you can toast the royal couple with a glass of the Queen Mother’s favorite cocktail (or tipple) made with Dubonnet and gin on the rocks.

Since its introduction in the 19th century by a Frenchman, Joseph Dubonnet, this wine-based aperitif has been a favorite among high society and especially with Britain’s royal family.

Widely reported as her pleasure of the day, the Queen Mother enjoyed a glass of Dubonnet and gin on the rocks before lunch, and she became synonymous with her favorite cocktail over the years. Today, the 159-year-old recipe for Dubonnet remains unchanged.

At the top of many mixologists’ lists of aromatic wines, Dubonnet is flavored with herbs and spices from around the world. It is aged for three years in oak casks to marry the flavors, resulting in its unique velvet texture and spicy sweetness.

Today, Dubonnet is sold throughout the world in both Rouge and Blanc varieties, and is the number one selling aperitif brand in the United States. Many call it a “super-classic” cocktail for its versatility. With an alcohol content of only 19 percent, Dubonnet is an ideal prelude to any meal throughout the year – on the rocks with soda – or with the Queen Mother’s favorite accompaniments.

As Joseph Dubonnet would have said, “A royal wedding deserves a royal favorite! Let’s all toast the happy couple.”

The Dubonnet Queen’s Cocktail
2½ oz. Dubonnet Rouge
2½ oz. Dry Gin

Shake royally.
Serve over ice with a lemon twist.