Karmen Pedaru in a Fur, Exiting Louis Vuitton

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

Love the high-low mix of a fur coat and cap toe biker boots on Karmen Pedaru, seen here exiting the Louis Vuitton show in Paris.

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Totto Ramen

Posted on January 18, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

In a city full of ramen restaurants, Totto Ramen has become an essential stop on the NYC ramen tour. Opened just a couple of years ago by by the owner of Yakitori Totto, this Tokyo-style lunch spot on far West 52nd draws a crowd into the narrow space, where the din of the open kitchen spills over into a room full of diners hunched over bowls of steaming noodles. It’s a little crowded, it’s a little chaotic, and that’s just as it should be.

Interior, Totto Ramen

Noodles are what gave ramen soups their name, but for me the key element is the broth. The milky pork broth of Ippudo’s tonkotsu ramen was a revelation when it landed in New York on Fourth Avenue. The broth, with its super umami taste and velvety mouth feel, remains one of the big draws at this perennially popular restaurant.  Continue reading →

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Kasia Struss in a Tweed Coat

Posted on January 17, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

As tempting as it may be to envelop yourself in a sleeping bag-like coat every day this winter, cloth versions like Kasia Struss’ are a better choice whenever the weather permits. Here she leaves the Donna Karan show in a tweed coat with a rose in hand.

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Brown Suit and Orange Tie, Madison Avenue

Posted on January 13, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

Here’s another great menswear look in honor of the men’s shows going on right now in Milan. Just as ladylike attire made a huge comeback this fall for women, bespoke suits and tailoring are essential looks in menswear now.

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Photographer in a Southwestern Print, Outside Donna Karan

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

One of fashion week’s most stylish photographers mixes a red Southwestern print jacket with a black puffer coat, tweed scarf and studded biker boots, and it all works beautifully together.

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Scarpetta

Posted on January 12, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

To paraphrase Yogi Berra, nobody goes to the Meatpacking District anymore. It’s too crowded. This is one reason we haven’t gotten to Scott Conant’s Italian restaurant on West 14th Street until now. When it opened five years ago, New Yorkers were outnumbered in the Meatpacking District by touring Sex and the City fans, and the resulting atmosphere was decidedly unsexy.

Spaghetti with Tomato and Basil, Scarpetta

But that’s the good thing about January: Everybody leaves, and suddenly the city’s not so crowded anymore. There was even an available 8:30 reservation at this critically-acclaimed Italian spot in the Meatpacking District on a Saturday night. It was like the ’90s all over again.  Continue reading →

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Layered Look, Outside Ralph Lauren

Posted on January 11, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

January fashion – or lack thereof – has had me craving a look at some of last winter’s NY Fashion Week outfits. Many of these, like this preppy layered menswear look with a trapper hat, are still pretty inspiring.

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Catherine Baba at Lanvin

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

On the opposite side of the style spectrum is stylist Catherine Baba, who really has a flair for drama. She wore a pale pink silk dress with Chinoiserie accessories: a tassel necklace and earrings and a straw hat for the hot weather. The jewelry looks like Eddie Borgo but the design is slightly different. Baba may be about fashion, but she’s not all about labels.

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Lunch: Little Muenster

Posted on January 6, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

There’s something timelessly appealing about a grilled cheese sandwich eaten on a dreary winter’s day, especially when you’re eating it in a warm dining room with a view of the cold street. 

Grilled Gruyere, Goat Cheese, Leek and Pancetta Sandwich, Little MuensterYou could go to your local diner for grilled cheese, but unadulterated American comfort food is so comforting, it could put New Yorkers to sleep. Why not improve on the original while keeping the spirit the same? That’s what new grilled cheese shop Little Muenster sets out to do on the Lower East Side.

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Virginia Smith in Classic Workwear

Posted on January 5, 2012 by Marcy Swingle

Amid all the fantastical outfits of Paris fashion week, it’s the classic work attire that provides the most useful inspiration. Virginia Smith wore an off-white silk button down and tailored trousers to the Lanvin show. The accessories – python print clutch and polished brown leather boots – are what makes it fashion.

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