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Best Fashion Week Parties: LuLu*s Style Studio 2015

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On September 10th, talented fashion experts, writers, artists and photographers all gathered together under one roof at the exclusive Lulu*s Style Studio to celebrate New York Fashion Week Spring 2016. The event was truly a one of the best Fashion Week parties I’ve been to in years. And that’s no surprise — Lulu*s does a great job of providing their customers with only the best brands and top styles, so it makes sense that their event would be a classy upscale venue. We were flattered to be invited this year to view the latest in fashion and new products.  Take a look below at some of our photos!

LuLu*s has a lovely selection of products and I personally shop there for clothing, accessories, shoes and beauty products.  Well-organized and easy to navigate, LuLu*s expertly curated website will save you both time and money. The quality of their products is consistently solid. As someone who frequently shops at the top fashion houses (Bergdorf’s, Neiman Marcus, Saks, and many of the shops on Madison Avenue…the list goes on and on) I can tell you I enjoy my shopping experiences with LuLu*s. My best purchase so far is a dress I bought from LuLu*s about a year ago– it looks and fits better than one I own made by a famous bandage dress designer. That should come as no surprise if you’re a savvy consumer and know how and where to shop. Great retailers understand the importance of carefully selecting the best products and styles for their customers and that’s exactly what you’ll find at Lulu*s.

 

Lulu*s Style Studio was a super event.  Held at 404 NYC, the space was magically transformed into a sea of relaxing turquoise lighting, music, and fashion. In writing this article, I felt it was necessary not to over-look the great job done by those who planned the event and supplied the beverages and decorations. We created a small gallery of atmosphere photos to showcase the gorgeous decor:

Products featured for NYFW Spring 2016 included:  NYX Cosmetics, Diama Sparkle Prosecco (see their gorgeous faceted bottles), LÄRABAR® whole food bars, LAQA&Co Cosmetics, LVX Luxury Nail Laquer, Shea Yeleen who created fresh handmade Shea Butter, Sigma Beauty blending brushes, White Crow, Others Follow and Black Swan Women’s Clothing lines, Show Stop Shop Show Stoppers double stick tape, Bodyography Cream Shadow in Glimmer, Shea Moisture Superfruit Complex line, The Balm cosmetics, Smith’s Rosebud Salve Balm in a tube (check out their amazing lip balm tube collection!), Rhythm, Amika hair care products, Woodzee Bamboo Toothbrushes,  Mink Pink.

Guests enjoyed an evening of elegance and artistry, including personalized custom sketches by celebrated illustrator Brooke Hagel. After doing a little research, I discovered she is the illustrator for “Chloe by Design” and also has a beautiful Etsy shop called “Brooklit” where you can view her artwork and request custom orders.

 

 

And as if the evening couldn’t get any better…all guests were allowed to go upstairs to the LuLu*s Style Studio Gifting Lounge and select an article of clothing to take home with them. Clothing racks were divided into different sections so you could go directly to the one that matched your personal style. Black Swan Clothing invited guests to play a bubble gum machine contest. Winners were rewarded with an item of their choice. A few fashionistas couldn’t wait and wore their clothing item straight off the rack; several received compliments as they walked around.  This year, the racks were packed with a wide selection, ranging from couture gowns to sweaters, faux fur vests to delicate bustiers. Also featured were casual and outerwear in a vast range of colors and materials (see photos).

The Gifting Suite area featured unique products; knowlegable company representatives were available to provide information and answer any questions we had about their product lines.  Rosebud Perfumes Co. supplied guests with tubes of Smith’s Rose & Mandarin Lip Balm and their versatile Rosebud Salve. I chose the Rose & Mandarin, simply because I’ve never tried it before. Normally, I tend to avoid products with scents but I decided to open the tube and see.  I was pleasantly surprised. The balm applies silky smooth and has a very subtle scent. I’ve heard that Smith’s Rosebud Salve works well for dry cuticles so I tried some of the Rose & Mandarin and it worked almost instantly. So love this. Plus it’s great that it comes in a convenient tube. The orange cap is clever, easy to find in a cluttered bag.

NYX Cosmetics brought in a team of talented makeup artists & treated guests to free makeovers. Watching the makeup artists at work was incredible, I wish I’d taken before and after photos because the results were truly amazing (I guess that’s why they’re called artists!). Guests were also treated to a candy bar plus an NYX eye shadow of their choice. I selected a gorgeous shade of bronze from the Prismatic Shadows line called “Bedroom Eyes.”

 

 

Next I tried the latest from Bodyography – their Cream Shadow in Glitter. I’ll admit I’m a little biased as I’m a big fan of cream eye shadows and have written about them before. Many eye shadows are one-dimensional containing only a single color choice. Bodyography’s Cream Shadow offers a multicolored palate that allows you to select and blend different shades and tones. And there’s a subtle amount of glitter that works well with the cream shadow base. By selecting specific shadow sections, the overall result produces a beautiful but subtle shimmering effect.

 

Shea Moisture’s products are always great; they use certified organic Shea Butter and their products are already very popular. Two lotions we love were at the party — the SuperFruit Complex and the Fruit Fusion Coconut Water  Energizing Body Lotion with Imbe Oil & Aloe. Both products are highly rated, check out the many glowing five star reviews online.

 

There were so many great products, many of which I’ve already tried and love. I did discover one new item however– The Mary-Lou Manizer® by The Balm Cosmetics. It comes in a really cute package; it’s shaped like a sleek mini-box, has a magnetic closure and opens like a book. The inside of the box contains an illuminator — a multipurpose all-in-one highlighter, shimmer and shadow that can be used for contouring also.

 

Another great find was the Shea Butter station by Shea Yeleen. Guests enjoyed watching the expert mixer select and combine shea butter & customized scents by hand. Shea Yeleen specializes in selling high quality unrefined shea butter products. Shea Yeleen was founded by Rahama Wright while she was serving in the Peace Corps. One of her goals is to help women in West Africa earn a living wage via shea butter cooperatives. Shea butter is  known as “women’s gold” in Sahelian Africa; Shea Yeleen strives for economic equality for women as part of their mission. More information on Shea Butter Coop Programs is available on their website.

 

 

 

Later in the evening, guests waited eagerly on line for a chance to win great prizes at the “Spin To Win” contest.  One by one, they took turns at LuLu*s famous spinning wheel while sipping on Diama Prosecco. Meanwhile, we listened to the uber-talented DJ Kristaval spin one great track after another. The music matched the event, perfectly selected and timed; it made us want to get up and dance and elevated the overall ambience.

 

 

Thank you Lulu*s and all of the great sponsors and participants who created one of the best events of the year!

 

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Latina Favorite : Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Cream Eye Shadow

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Best Beauty Products : Eye Shadows : Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eye Shadow in Beach Bronze 16

After a great deal of research, we purchased this product from Sephora and were very impressed with its performance and versatility. Currently available in 19 shades, “Beach Bronze” and “Shore” were the two shades most popular at our local store; there was one jar of Beach Bronze remaining so we snapped it up and tried it.

 

Company’s Description

“Bobbi’s best-selling and award-winning formula uses new polymer technology to provide superior adhesion to eyelids. It dries down to a matte veil of color that won’t budge, smudge, or crease and can be used as an all-over color or highlighter and layered for extra intensity.”

 

 

The product comes in a glass jar with a small opening and tight screw cap which reduces drying out, although the small opening may pose a slight challenge during product removal. To avoid bacterial contamination of the cream, we used an applicator to remove the product from the jar.

Beached Bronze 16 Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eye Shadow in Beached Bronze:

The shade Beach Bronze 16  is flattering and may be worn alone or layered with other shadows and works well with multiple skin tones. It has a subtle amount of glitter that brightens the eyes without creasing, making it a great product for women of all ages. The matte shades (such as Shore and Cement) offer great base colors– simply mix the cream shadow base on the back of your hand and add whatever shade you prefer and apply the mixture directly onto lids. Cream shadows have the advantage of ease of application and improved control of the degree of color intensity with resistance to smudging and creases while brightening the eye area, a quality popular with all age groups. Another benefit is the shadow’s staying power across all types of climates and conditions, making this a great year round product. For Latinas seeking a natural radiant look with a touch of glamour plus impressive crease-free staying power in warm and humid climates, Bobbi Brown Long Wear Cream Eye Shadow is a must-have product.

 

Summary: Bobbi Brown’s Award Winning Long Wear Cream Shadow is impressive. Its velvety smooth formula applies with ease, removes easily, and lasts for hours without creasing or smudging. Beach bronze is a gorgeous warm color flattering to a wide range of eye colors and skin tones with just the right amount of gold shimmer, perfect for day or night.

Update: August 1, 2015: We personally tested Bobbi Brown’s Long Wear Cream Shadow during the hot summer month of July and it performed flawlessly. No creasing, fading of color or smudging.  It worked well on multiple skin tones, with or without a tan, under a variety of conditions.

Final verdict = Five stars out of Five for Bobbi Brown’s Long Wear Cream Shadow.

 

Copy Artifacts, Jewelry & Your Face With Scanify 3D Scanner

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Remember the scene where Tom Cruise “peels off his face” to reveal Dougray Scott in the film Mission Impossible II? Such things may soon be the stuff of science fiction no more. SCANIFY is the high-speed, high resolution, handheld 3D scanner that allows you to quickly and easily capture 3D models of everyday objects for 3D printing. Showcased at the B&H opening night party for CE Week, Fuel3D provided live demos of their SCANIFY 3D scanner and the results were nothing short of amazing.

How does it work? According to Fuel3D, SCANIFY is the world’s first 3D scanner that combines Three Xenon Flashes & Two 3.5 Megapixel precalibrated stereo cameras with photometric imaging very similar to taking a photo with a digital camera. SCANIFY is fast — it captures a 3D image in just a tenth of second, in full color and with incredible detail up to 350 microns. SCANIFY’s design allows the user to easily transport it to locations where 3D scanning might be difficult or impossible, such as archeological sites, enabling accurate reproductions of immovable items so that they may be studied remotely. Numerous additional practical & creative uses are listed on their website blog section.

Consumers can purchase SCANIFY through WYNIT distribution and retail locations such as B&H Photo in New York City, NY. They can also purchase SCANIFY directly from the company at www.fuel-3d.com.

 

DFFNY Dominican Film Festival Closing Night Celebration

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New York, June 29, 2015 – The 4th Dominican Film Festival in New York City concluded with the US Premiere of  Yo soy la Salsa: The Life of Johnny Pacheco, a documentary that pays tribute to one of the most beloved and legendary artists of the Dominican Republic, Johnny Pacheco. Held at the Columbia University Medical Center Alumni Auditorium in the Washington Heights neighborhood of Manhattan, the film was enthusiastically received, as the audience applauded and cheered during many of the film’s great moments. The film included a large cast of salsa stars, including Johnny Pacheco himself, Marc Anthony, Rubén Blades, and Yanfourd.  Native New Yorker & multiple Grammy-winning singer Marc Anthony received several rounds of applause from fellow New Yorkers — he clearly has a very loyal local fan base who enjoyed his discussion on salsa music, influences and career.

Closing night theater attendees included: Andres Van der Horst, film producer; Cuqui Pacheco, wife of Johnny Pacheco; Ramon Pineda, regional director of Univision TV and Omar de la Cruz, director of the Dominican Republic Global Film Festival. The closing ceremony had many emotional moments both during and after the film, including a standing ovation at the end. Andres Van der Horst said that this project was started by the great love he had for salsa music and “if we were to say the three major contributions that Dominican Republic has given to music it would be merengue, bachata and Johnny Pacheco.” Ramon Pineda applauded the festival’s efforts to bring Dominican culture to the Big Apple; Armando Guareño, Founder and Executive Director of DFFNY, concluded with “see you next year for the 5th edition.”

Following the premiere, DFFNY hosted a private after-party held at 809 Restaurant,Bar & Grill located at 112 Dyckman Street. Guests enjoyed mingling with Dominican film industry leaders, organizers & participants.  The party was great fun; guests enjoyed drinks & treats provided by the generous sponsors as they celebrated closing night with enthusiasm & (of course) great salsa music & dancing (see photos below).

The Dominican Film Festival New York (DFFNY) is organized by Cinema Art Entertainment Productions, in collaboration with the Dominican Global Film Festival.  Now in its fourth year, its sponsors include the General Directorate of Film Dominican Republic (DGCINE), Columbia University Medical Center, The Chamber of Commerce of Washington Heights & Inwood, International Altera, Apple Bank, The Hispanic Federation, Delta Airlines, Councillor Hon. Ydanis Rodriguez, New York Presbyterian Hospital, Office of Tourism Dominican Republic, Univision New York, New York Unimas, The Armory Foundation, Univision Radio, Dominican Cultural Commission in New York, Latin Trends Magazine, Dyckman Beers, Emblem Health, amongst others.

The 4th Annual Dominican Film Festival NY  wass held at Columbia University Medical Center Alumni Auditorium

Seek Thermal Camera Winner of CE Week Technovation Award

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New York City, NY ─ June 25, 2015 ─ CE Week 2015 concluded this week after three incredible days of product launches, interactive exhibits, conferences, networking and live press events. Tech innovators showcased the latest cutting-edge technology at CE Week NYC in the Innovation Zone, an area specifically designed to highlight the latest in emerging technology, devices and tech startups. Three companies received CE Week Technovation Awards this year: Seek Thermal (winner), for its Smartphone Thermal Imaging Camera, BodiMetric (finalist), for its Performance Monitor, and Roost (finalist), for its Roost 9V Smart Battery for Smoke Alarms.

Seek Thermal Imaging Camera- Winner of CE Week 2015 Technovation Award

We were fortunate to be able to spend some time with the Seek Thermal innovators in the Innovation Zone & it is a really cool device! Measuring 1.6 x 0.8 x 0.6 inches and weighing 13.6 ounces, the device attaches neatly to your smartphone & feels sturdy & well-built. Combined with the Seek Thermal App, this little camera produced some pretty impressive images and videos on the iPhone demo (it’s also available for Android).

View images directly on your iPhone with Seek Thermal Imaging Camera & App

Seek Thermal compact thermal-imaging camera attaches to your Android or iOs smartphone’s charging port and displays a heat map on your phone screen via a downloadable app. According to specifications, the Seek XR can detect a range of temperatures from minus 40 degrees C to 330 degrees C, has a 206 x 156 Thermal Sensor and a waterproof case. Seek worked in collaboration with defense and aerospace leader, Raytheon, and Freescale, a leader in embedded processing solutions to develop a breakthrough 32,000 thermal pixel imaging chip. Based upon the principal of Infrared Thermography (IRT),  each pixel takes a unique temperature to create a composite image or video.  Priced at just under $300 USD (sold on Amazon), the Seek XR Smartphone Thermal Imaging Camera, is the first high quality thermal imaging device available at consumer price points. The Seek XR (Xtra Range) has identical clarity & resolution as the original Seek Thermal camera, but twice the magnification and a focus-able lens, allowing users to focus on targets up to 2,000 feet away or as close as 8 inches.

Seek Thermal Imaging Camera offers a variety of settings & options. Cooler areas (like the nose and scalp) appear darker.

The Seek XR Smartphone Thermal Imaging Camera has a variety of practical applications including identifying areas of heat-loss in your home or office, tracing water damage, and search-and-rescue efforts — it can reportedly detect heat up to 2,000 feet away and body shapes up to 425 feet away. The Seek XR has the distinct advantage of being able to work in total darkness, broad daylight, or obscured visibility conditions. It can also be used to identify wildlife and pets at night.   Winner of the CE Week Technovation Award, the Seek XR has a wide range of uses, making it both practical and very cool (no pun intended).

Seek Thermal Imaging Camera attaches neatly to your iPhone or Android device

The New York Times Travel Show 2015

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The 12th annual New York Times Travel Show was held on January 23-25 2015 at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City. The Travel Show featured nearly 500 exhibitors representing more than 150 countries and a lineup of travel experts, live entertainment and vacation discounts for solo travelers, couples, seniors and families.  Exhibitors from all over the world gathered to showcase the best and most innovative travel opportunities for the upcoming year. Here are some of the highlights from the show:

 

Beautiful people and places set the stage: models with brightly colored costumes greet passersby in the Caribbean Pavilion at the 2015 New York Times Travel Show.

Bright and beautiful umbrellas were on full display at the Thailand tourism booth where representatives handed out free umbrellas and entertained guests.  Around the corner, a Japanese Samurai dressed in traditional armor, was an intimidating presence.

 

Yet more daunting (and slightly controversial) was a live Peregrine Falcon (the fastest bird on the planet) at the SeaWorld Exhibit.

 

Also featured at the 2015 NY Times Travel show: VIP Travel Concierge Service was the star at Etihad Airway’s The Residence A380 which showcased their three-room suite (living room, bathroom and ensuite bedroom) in the sky– a private residence mirroring a private jet experience, including a gourmet inflight chef and private butler.

 

Luxury travel: Etihad Airways : Private living room complete with a butler and inflight gourmet chef : The Residence A380

 

 

 

Private bedroom in The Residence by Etihad Airways : ” the only three-room suite in the sky.”

 

 

 

The New York Times Travel Show is the largest and longest-running trade and consumer travel show in North America, featuring more than 500 exhibitors from Africa, Asia, Australia/South Pacific, Canada, the Caribbean, Europe, Latin America, Mexico and the United States. The Travel Show is open both to trade and the general public and attracts more than 23,000 travelers and industry professionals, 7,000 trade attendees and 600 travel industry media from all over the world each year.  Additional details may be found at The New York Times Travel Show.