La Maison Kirzhner

Saturday evening was the annual holiday party at the home of my friends Ivy Kirzhner, shoe designer, photographer, and all-around creative soul, and her husband Alex, Grammy-nominated art director and superchef, whose skills as a hosting-with-the-most team I could only aspire to slowly learn. Soon, perhaps, and it'll be cemented on the day I could afford to build a dwelling place as beautiful and as indicative of my personal style as this is of theirs. Walking into their abode, decorated for the festivities in Ivy's splendid maximalism---tapestry, taxidermy, and pelt---was bit-by-bit creatively inspiring.

Their tree was decorated with bird wings,

and little storybook rabbits.

Ivy's Giambattista Valli patent leather slippers

and "Alexey Romanovich, Il Re della Cucina"

welcome you to the holidays at La Maison Kirzhner.

Here's what my eyes and lips feasted on:

a partitioned head, a colorful bird atop an old typewriter, bug specimens

a vintage Polaroid Land Camera

red velvet mini cupcakes

Turkish "cotton candy" and Turkish delight (note to self: layering bought desserts could be more interesting than serving them in sections on a platter)

Ivy's easy holiday cocktails: Prosecco with a splash of St-Germain, and the Orient Express: sweet tea, cranberry juice, and rose water

I wanted to be both dark and festive for the holidays, and perhaps a little bit naughty. I wore:

a Thom Browne for Black Fleece tuxedo jacket, a Uniqlo black oxford button-down, and a Brook & Lyn silk rope and Brazilian agate harness. (photo by Bob Shimosato)

a sparse but storied wrist party on Citizen Couture's Jason Jean: the most charming plastic bracelet inscribed with the words "What This Says Does Not Matter" from a gum ball machine at Art Basel, and a string bracelet he got conned into purchasing from a street-roamer in Milan

the Kirzhner's bundle of joy: a bunny named Bonkers

whose likeness you'll find punched into their party favors

In a city where event invites flood both your e-mail and Facebook inboxes, where time is of the essence, and orchestrating a thirty-minute coffee date feels like pulling teeth---sweet, intimate dinner parties where you can sit and converse and view your friends in sufficient light are such rare, rare gems. Ivy, Alex, and Bonkers, thanks for the wonderful evening, and to you, my dear readers, happy, happy holidaze.

Park & Bond Pops Up

Last night was opening night for the GQ at Park & Bond Pop-up shop in New York City. It's always interesting how the new media takes a step back and manifests itself within the realm of "old media", say, when Style.com came up with a print issue, and now, a leading menswear online retailer becomes brick-and-mortar for a limited time.

opening night for the GQ at Park & Bond pop-up shop

Park & Bond's expert editorials shown on screens scattered around the space

To make things even more interesting, the store features “GQ Selects,” a selection of products handpicked from the pages of the magazine by the editors.

flannel ties as far as the eye can see

ties, bags, shoes, and other accessories interesting merchandised throughout the spacious store

I think the days of pitting old media against new media are obsolete: all media is so intricately woven into our lives and it's most beneficial to think of creative ways of making them all work together. Having the goods normally sold online being interestingly merchandised in a physical store for a limited time, curated by an originally print-only publication now equally as strong in print and online is very much emblematic of the times.

the old celebrity: teen heart-stopper Chace Crawford of Gossip Girl

and the new celebrity: fashion industry maven and streetstyle blog sensation Nick Wooster

GQ at Park & Bond is located at 414 W. 14th Street, between 9th Avenue and Washington Street. The pop-up shop will be closed Monday and Tuesday, open from 11am to 6pm Wednesdays-Fridays, 11am to 7pm on Saturdays and 11am to 5pm on Sundays.

Dandy after Dark

I was turning a year wiser, and in honor of the great city of New York and of my dearest friends, I decided to resurrect an old Manila pastime of mine: throwing themed parties. I was fixated on the idea of the "Dandy after Dark"---the vision of the dandy tucking away his bright bow tie and donning something darker, ever so slightly loosened up, but still handsomely eccentric. I saw flowers, florals, bandanna pocket squares, and jackets seemingly made out of vellum paper; my friends' amusing takes on the theme made my two weeks of nervous party-planning worthwhile.

lights went dim at the SoHo Grand Club Room

All alone in the city, and bereft of my father's basement parking garage where I usually host my get-togethers, I turned to the lovely ladies at the Soho Grand Hotel to house my little soirée. The Soho Grand's Club Room was perfection: think fireplace, plush leather couches, leopard and velvet pillows, and alcoves, and friendly, snappy service---this is where the dandy would make merry after dark.

covered ankles by Crockett & Jones, exposed ankles courtesy of my winter foolishness

I was conversing with Deanne, but mine eyes were flirting with her Erickson Beamon neckpiece.

all jewelry c/o Occulter. from left to right: Kim ring by Langoliers, Taigi ring by BSPS, Bevel x The Cast skull ring, Solve ring by Langoliers, rose gold-plated hexagonal ring by BSPS

I wore a Black Fleece tuxedo, Thom Browne tuxedo shirt, DIY paper towel pocket square, and a large white rose on my lapel.

a Thom Browne tweed plaid jacket with Why You Mad alligator elbow patches on Austin, and a translucent polyester Thom Browne jacket on Brandon

vintage baggy jeans and Thom Browne saddle shoes on Yo Miyamoto

Yo's dandy take on Tupac, a leopard trucker, and a baby bouttoniere

mixed drinks, mixed hardware, mixed prints

tweed over denim and Chris' new 'do

an interestingly dandy take on workwear: a bandanna pocket square stuffed into a jean jacket pocket on Justin Bridges of Tucked Style

Classic and convoluted menswear converged, conversed,

and DANCED.

The ladies came decorated just as lovely.

the braid mohawk and the under-sized academic

the splurge at Alexis Bittar and Mom, get this bag already

green eyes and maroon lips on Sue

Manila lovelies Merryl and Marnee and my tight tight tight tuxedo shirt

DJ Sean Fight Cats' beats shook up our souls

and shattered the glass.

Thanks to all who added a spark to the conversation and shook a bone or two on the floor. And to the Grandlife darlings Lauren, Chenoah, Sam, and Yadira, much, much appreciation!

Until always,

Izzy

photography courtesy of An Unknown Quantity by Wataru Shimosato