…Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, bright copper kettles and warm woolen…ahh, what the frig is all that about? I wouldn’t know a copper kettle from a copper penny. As a busy Manhattan girl-on-the-go, I get my hot tea in a paper cup from Lenny’s, usually with a flat bagel on the side. And whiskers on kittens? They itch, not to mention that those little buggers shed everywhere.

If you really want to know about my favorite things, just ask! Oh, you did? Alright, then, keep your pants on; I’m just warmin you grumpy Monday gals up…

I decided to write about more of the little things in life (and some not so little) that make the ride all the more pleasant. For example, I enjoy brunch, and I enjoy gardens. So where, in a city that is paved from stem to stern, can a girl and her best buddies go to get food and flowers? Well, one of my favorite things is to head north to The Cloisters. This uptown branch of the Metropolitan Museum of Art is located at Fort Tryon. The ride by subway is just under 45 minutes and then a short walk from the station. Once you make the trek, you’ll find yourself surrounded by stunning gardens, facing a castle-like Museum that is made up of Medieval cloisters imported from France. Each of the five buildings is filled with artwork and artifacts. And, while you’re there, you must indulge in a spot of lunch, or brunch, or just wine.

The New Leaf Café is a great spot whether it’s spring and you want to enjoy the blossoms and blooms around you at Fort Tryon Park or it’s the dead of winter and only a hot cup of cocoa will really thaw you out after that hilarious adult snow-ball fight (the kind where you mostly fall down and laugh and hardly manage to land a single shot at your best friend’s backside). Backed by Bette Midler’s New York Restoration Project, the restaurant is housed in a restored structure from the 1930′s and though the décor is sparse, it is extremely inviting. Besides, the view from the restaurant is all you really need. There’s also a terrace for outdoor dining. The menu is somewhat limited but always seems to have something for everyone, and if the food isn’t rave-worthy, you don’t notice because it’s just such a damned pleasant experience all the way around. I recommend you make reservations, though. There is a live music schedule which includes jazz on Thursday nights, but I’ve been there on the weekends for a jazz brunch, so make sure you check with the restaurant if you want to plan accordingly. Net proceeds support NYRP’s ongoing work in the park, which means, in addition to enjoying a your meal, you’re helping to keep the park in tip-top shape.

The next on my list of favorites is Bokhee. No, it isn’t a new kind of Indonesian Tribal Dance class at Alvin Ailey. It’s a store on Third Avenue where you can find the most gorgeous tunics and beaded flats. If you love the look but don’t want the same Trina Turk or Tory Burch that you’ve seen every 7th Ave fashionista sporting this season, Bokhee is the place for you. They also carry a wide range of sizes from xs to xl. Bokhee also has great sales, so while you’re in picking out a stunning kaftan to wear with your Manolos to that pool party in the Hamptons, you can pick up a great little embellished skirt for next to nothing. They also have beautifully embroidered pashminas and hand-dyed sarongs that will have the other girls wincing in envy. You’re going to love Bokhee…oh and, you’re also gonna love moi for the tip!

Bokhee New York 1077 3rd Avenue New York, NY 10021
www.bokhee.com

The last little bit of love I’m going to spread around today is actually the kind of goodness that you give away. I have always been a person who believes in charity. I attend charity events, call in to telethons to make a pledge, walk for cures from Muscular Dystrophy to Breast Cancer. Oddly enough, I never really considered being a donor on an ongoing basis. Then one evening, a few months ago, I was watching television (and by evening I meant 4 a.m.) and saw a piece on St. Jude’s Hospital and all of the good works they do for children. I decided then and there that I would become a donor. So for the past several months I have been giving to St. Jude’s with an automatic deduction from my checking account. Honestly, I never even think about it. It’s a nominal amount. They suggest $20, I believe. I chose to give $35 each month. I never miss it a bit. I budget it in, and it’s done. Then each month I get the little thank-you note from them, and I gotta say, it feels great to know that I am participating in some small way in helping others.

I still do the same old things I used to do to raise money and awareness for charities that I believe in, because when it comes to things that I really love and that make me feel good, supporting a charity that I believe in is at the top of the list. I encourage each of you reading this to consider doing the same. It doesn’t have to be a large amount. Just something. If we each do something…cumulatively, we can change the world.

For more information on St. Jude’s and other charities, log on to www.stjude.org or www.charitynavigator.org

This last part of my ‘favorite things’ for today is dedicated to Kellie McLean, who passed away last week at the age of 10 after battling neuroblastoma for three years. For Kellie, and all of the children around the world who are fighting childhood cancer and other diseases, please take a moment to consider what giving back could mean to someone else.

Whether you have already given your locks or want to them long enough to do so, here are some pointers from Pantene’s celebrity stylist Danilo on how to best grow your crowning glory.

• Conditioner is a must after every wash!

• Never brush wet hair, a wide tooth comb is best for detangling.

• Wrap just washed hair in a towel for 10 – 15 minutes before blow-drying. Excess water necessitates more heat for a longer time – a recipe for damage!

• Checkout new products and tools that help to minimize damage.

• If you want volume try a root lifter instead of teasing, which lifts hair cuticles, making it vulnerable to breakage.

• 100 strokes a day is a myth! Brush too much and you again risk breakage. Regu-lar, gentle brushing helps distribute hair oils and keeps your hair healthy!

• Deep condition at LEAST once a week.

• You need to have your hair trimmed regularly. Try not to wait more than 8 weeks to have your split end and any damage removed so hair can remain as healthy as possible!

Follow these rules, and you’ll rival Rapunzel in no time!

Outsiders may accuse us of being rude, overly ambitious, or even arrogant, but they certainly can’t label Manhattanites as lacking in philanthropic mores. Like Little Women’s Jo, who selflessly cut her luscious locks to purchase a present for her beau, a group of women (and men!) gathered uptown to be benefactors to an earnest cause.

On Wednesday 25 April renowned hair stylist Mark Garrison hosted the first ever local salon cutting event for Pantene’s Beautiful Lengths Campaign at his Upper East Side salon. A free haircut at a quality salon? I hate to say it but that fact alone appeals to me, regardless of the charitable intent. Narcissistic city-dweller aspects aside, giving up your ponytail seems a small price to pay to bring a smile to the face of a woman dealing with cancer.

• Reminder
• Tonight at Bloomingdale’s on 59th – Second Floor
• 5:00 – 8:00 PM
• Cocktails and Great Gifts With Purchase
• Special guest Seun Lim of James Jeans

…and speaking of Bloomies and events you won’t want to miss:

On Friday, April 27th (No you CANNOT just spend the night at the store) join COSMOPOLITAN and CLINIQUE for their “Safe is the New Sexy” Campaign event at Bloomingdales. Dr. Catherine Orentreich, Clinique’s guiding dermatologist, will be on hand to promote the sexy side of safe sun care. Visit the Clinique counter from 12:30-2:30 PM for summer essentials, expert tips for a fake-it bronze look and the opportunity to receive a limited edition Clinique-designed sun hat with the purchase of any sun or self tan product.

Special Offer: Be one of the first at the Clinique counter to receive a special Clinique sun care treat to help you segue into summer … safely and stylishly! (offer good while supplies last…so plan on having a power bar for lunch and get your sexy summer self over to the Clinique counter at Bloomies!)

Laura Gellar

“Sometimes Late but Always Gorgeous” – that’s the Beauty News motto. Makeup maven Laura Geller agrees and thankfully, makes it easy for every girl who refuses to sacrifice beauty for time. She’ll be at Sephora this Friday demonstrating her signature Taxi Cab Touch-Up. This backseat beauty routine spotlights the guru’s products that will get you office or date ready in a mere 5 minutes.

Who: Laura Geller, National Makeup Artist Johnny Ottovino and their team

What: Call 818-669-2498 to secure a 15 minute one-on-one consultation

When: Friday, April 27th from 2-4pm

Where: Sephora, 711 Lexington Avenue (between 57th/58th Street)

Why: It’s a party, people! Enjoy a live DJ, a fabulously free consultation and a free goodie bag of Laura Geller bestsellers – oh my!

The newest generation of J. Sisters

When was the last time you contributed to a worthy cause? Or really spent time bonding with your Mom? As you probably struggle to come up with answers to these questions, think of the last time you had a pedicure. Ahhh, just last week? Well, if your tootsies already need touching up and you’re currently feeling guilty about the first two questions, there’s a way you can kill three birds with one hot stone massage.

On Monday, May 7, the world-renowned J. Sisters Salon will host an exclusive Mother’s Day spa event to help benefit the NYU Hospital for Joint Diseases’ new inpatient pediatric unit. From 9:00a to 5:00p, special services will be provided for mommy and you, like mani’s and pedi’s, oxygen facial treatments, and Brazilian bikini waxes – (okay, so maybe there is such a thing as too much mother-daughter bonding).

Dolce & Gabanna leopard jacket from Kelly Lynch

What is it about celebrities that intrigue us so much? Why is it that I always find myself casually glancing through this week’s US Weekly while waiting in the grocery line? Maybe to see what Gwyneth donned at the Golden Globes or to flip though the “They’re Just Like Us” section (should I really care that Eva really pumps her own gas)? Whether it’s a Paris panty peek, JLo’s baby bump, or the newest rehab graduate, we are a nation that is celeb-obsessed.

For all of you girlies out there who can’t live without your People subscription and never miss a Joan River’s Celebrity Oscar Special, listen up. Jergens is hosting the “Beautiful Skin is Fashionable” auction to raise money for the Clothes Off Our Backs Foundation. What this means to you, princesses, is that from now until May 3rd, you can bid on some serious garb from your favorite starlets. The winner of the auction will also receive an array of Jergens products (the natural glow Firming Daily Moisturizer – my must-have for spring) to look tres magnifique in (or out) of your new threads.

Image by Matt Verzola

(In my best Pepe Le Pu voice): It is time to take yourself very seriously. Squint those eyes, suck in those cheeks, pucker up those lips, and parade around in that most fashionable Christian Dior dress. You are now entering the photogenic world of Cyrille Margarit. Enchante.

Ahh, yes. It was Monday night that Gotham’s art world cooed at the arrival of the famed French photographer’s latest project: digital images projected onto sheets of brushed aluminum. The exhibit (with free alcohol in tow – my magnifique reason for going) was held at Bruno Jamais Restaurant on the Upper East Side. The media were invited, which included Mr. Photographer and moi, and the Who’s-Who of Press-ville.

The two of us walked into a swarm of cameras and flashing light bulbs. The house music tempted our derrières to shake it til we baked it – but we wuz cool, we wuz cool; we made a concerted effort to look suave, floating through the crowd with our elegant glasses of champagne hanging from our limp hands.

Image by Matt Verzola

A book of Cyrille’s complete works laid conspicuously in the middle of a dark oak table, while several of his choice images lined the walls of the restaurant. Many of his New York shots, like the Chrysler Building and the Brooklyn Bridge, greeted guests at the entrance, while his celebrity and safari animal images hung out towards the back…

Oh, what to say about the art and the man behind it. The color red was a central concept in his exhibition, representing daring and vitality. His bio stated that he is the type of person who can’t sit down – always moving, gesturing, questioning, hosting. Thus, this is “the paradox of Cyrille Margarit,” a man determined to capture a moment frozen in time but unable to be still himself. (I IS SORRY, but when I read that while slurping up my third glass of bubbly, I wanted to laugh my Asian ass all da way back home.)

But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t. And why you ask? Because I had to get my people-watch on. There were old people, young people, and strange people. I caught sight of a mousey Asian lady who blinded me with her fluorescent turquoise dress and her yellow Dolly Parton wig, a hefty meatball of a guy with a twisty mustache and pimp dress shirt who looked like he belonged in a circus, and a woman who was the exact replica of the bride in Billy Idol’s “White Wedding” video – (yes, she even wore a veil.)

Image by Matt Verzola

What would we do without the first sprig of spring? The clear pools fed by melting glaciers? The wilderness of the Kalahari and the snows of Kilimanjaro? Well, the loss of these natural fading beauties might very well be a reality we’ll have to face if we allow global warming to continue at its alarming pace. So, what can you do to help? Plenty. Read on:

o Do you know if that if you recycle, you can save 1,000 lbs. of global warming emissions per year? If you shave just two minutes from your daily shower, you’ll save 342 lbs of emissions. And if you can take the train instead of a Boeing 747, do it!*