After a night in the plane, I crashed the White fairy tale Love Ball hosted by Russian super-beauty Natalia Vodianova andValentino at his Chateau de Wideville outside Parigi. That evening, once again he fashion world and jet-set mingled, they were a lot of princess dresses but only two real princesses (Mette-Marit of Norway and Clothide de Savoie), The MC was the fun Anne Hathaway. While guests were eating their potatoes with cream & caviar, I was backstage as the models were getting ready for the fashion show : NV had asked 45 designers to design a dress to be auctioned for Natalia's charity, Naked Heart,that provides playgrounds in Russia. The evening was produced by The inevitable and super-talented Alex de Betak, music by Michel Gaubert.

the set 

the show rehearsal

Odile Gilbert at work

Backstage

natalia's back  & patrick demarchelier

the line-up

at last cigarette before the show

natalia's finale

Michel Gaubert's Jill Sander's shoes

A day at rockaway beach

First came the surfers, now the hispters. 
On saturday, I drove to Rockaway beach with 3 girlfriends. I had been hearing and reading about that beach in Queens for some time. My friend David Selig, owner of Rice and N, opened his Rockaway taco in 2008 at 95th street and for the past 3 years it was basically the only place where you could find decent food (and the best fish taco!).
Summer 2011 :  David won a bid from the city's Department of Parks and Recreations to transform the three concessions stands on the boardwalk into a cool and healthy mini food-empire. The biggest concession is on 97th street and includes Rockaway taco, Baby cupcakes (a vegan bakery from LES), Veggie Island (vegetarian sandwiches and juices, a Thai, a beer bar. On the 86th st concession, Ripper's opened his grass-fed burger spot and attracts Brooklynites missing their favorite restaurant in Bushwick, Roberta's, a partner.
The surfers used to ride on 90th but it's getting a little too crowded so they moved their spot to 67th street.
I'm coming back in september. This is a real New York treasure !

the boardwalk

the line for the original Rockaway taco

at 95th, around the corner for Rockaway taco, Veggie island

the 86th street concession stand

stakeboarders on the beach

hipster from Queens !

David Selig, the culinary revolutionary of Rockaway beach

  

Meet the Bumbys !

At the Krug House party this week, I received " a fair and honest appraisal of my appearance" by Jill Bumby, the female half of The Bumbys. Self-proclaimed performance artists  Gill & Jill operate next to each other, wearing glasses and masks, hats or wigs (red this time). In front of them, an old fashioned typewriter. They glance at you, write, glance again, write again. The "assessment" last maybe 1 or 2 minutes (and I had to wait a good 20 minutes in line) and they are pretty good at what they do ! Here's what I got : "There's something very rock n roll about you. You're a secret weed smoker or something, you konw a few of the Stones. Your smile is like an atomic bomb of cute. You're not one of those women who never get a husband. In fact you've probs been married a long time. You're what's know as a catch. In not time if you play your cards right you could be hanging with Michelle Obama."