Lei Ann...Off Duty

*floating on a ferry between NY & NJ*

went to NYC this weekend for a very, very quick visit.  nothing related to fashion week either!  no IFB conference, no shows for me this season :(  however, my parents happened to be in the big apple *plus* a friend who just moved to jersey city has been wanting us to visit her *plus* it was the weekend before MDH’s & my 7th wedding anniversary soooooo, it just all came together for a fun getaway :)

one of the best things to happen on this trip (other than walking around with my parents in times square) was staying with a good family friend in new jersey.  she lives mere steps away from the ferry that docks at the world trade center & even that was a less than 10 minute boat ride!  my world is overturned now that we can actually go to NYC & not have to stay *in* the city & pay outrageous hotel prices or bum floor space off of pals who live in less than 400 sq feet!  she has a gorgeous HUGE apartment with at least 12 foot ceilings, 2 beds & 2 baths!  also, she’s the kind of friend who loves company & we never feel we wear out our welcome.  plus, we’re good guests & buy her dinner & help her put ikea furniture together…so you know :)  even though i look upset on the boat ride back (it was a long & weary day), i’m truly ecstatic!!!  hahaha!

wearing: plaid dress (baclaren district, manila) || ebay gold collar necklace || pucca backpack || dollhouse sneaker wedges (via marshalls)

*holiday party with former president bill clinton!*

FINALLY…here’s why i was in NYC for such a quick visit this past weekend…got to meet the former POTUS himself…BILL CLINTON!!! what?!?!  i can still hardly believe it myself!!!  it took place at the beautiful dream downtown hotel in the meatpacking district. 

so, if you follow me on twitter, you probably saw all my stress tweets from last week.  since i was invited to the NYC holiday party for the clinton foundation (disclosure: MDH’s employer), i was going *nuts* over what i would be wearing!!!  i finally decided on this full length zac posen for target gown that i bought sooo long ago & never thought i’d have an occasion to wear, but lo & behold, it sure came in handy at the right time!  however, i was so stressed because i had to hack 5 inches off its complicated fishtail hem & only had a time span of 2 days to do it O.O  i sure had some project runway moments there, but i finished it!

so, it was kind of a typical work party…free wine, passed apps & like eleventifrillion people clamoring around president clinton & trying to get a picture with him.  oh wait, ok, maybe not a typical work party…hahaha!  it was just fun to be in the same room with him & even saw chelsea briefly during the event, but i spent most of the time chatting with MDH’s work colleagues that i’ve met before, making friends with new ones & generally having a goody ol’ time.  then, just like that…the ball was over, time to take my pretty gown & glittery shoes & shake it on home (which in this case was my friend’s midtown apartment).  all in all, a GREAT night ^_^

*norwegian hearts cape*

funny…it seems i can’t go to NYC without packing some type of cape. this particular weekend, the weather called for fairly warm (50s) weather, so i decided against a heavy winter coat which i was glad. this cute little cape was plenty warm with the layers i had underneath :)

our last afternoon in NYC was kind of a lazy day. spent a good part of the morning getting cupcakes & walking the dog around so that he would be nice & TIRED for the drive home. then we went to eataly for lunch. it seems to be my favorite go-to place lately, although it was crazy busy (what’d i expect?) and the seafood restaurant was the only dining area that didn’t have a 45-minute wait. luckily seafood is MDH’s favorite food. i ended up ordering their raw tasting item & the raw fish special. funny…for 6 pieces of raw fish, i think i (meaning MDH) paid waaaay more for “italian” sashimi than japanese sashimi…hahaha! it was all tasty though…more ceviche style, drizzled in olive oil.

after loading up on foodstuffs at eataly for the drive home (focaccia, sparkling water, candy, etc.), we picked up a friend who happened to be in the city & wanted a ride, got some soup (i get hungry on even the shortest of car rides…teeheehee) & made our merry way back to new england!

*she wore blue velvet (to eat lobster)*

the hubs, the pup & i jaunted off to NYC for a day. even with japan weighing heavily on my heart, i actually felt relief to be away for the weekend and not be inundated with more & more devastating aftermath reports of the earthquake & resulting tsunamis.

we traveled down for one of MDH’s best college buddy’s 40th birthday party. we stuffed ourselves with 6 courses (salad, antipasti, garlic bread, pasta, lobster & birthday cake) at a restaurant on city island in the bronx.  there were never ending goblets of red wine. i relived fun times with friends i had not seen in years. i marveled over little babies i met just mere months ago who were now walking & (in true NYC fashion form) wearing the most adorable leather bomber hoodie jackets!

where ever you are in the world, i hope you are blessed with a roof over your head, food in your belly and the warmth, love & comfort of family and friends. pray & wish well for those who are not so lucky tonight.

(for full details of my outfit, please visit swapperazzi.com)

last IFB conference recap & other random photos (i.e. what i learned in NYC during fashion week)

~ always dress fashionably no matter the situation. you never know when you’ll be approached by a photographer wanting to snap your pic even when you’ve literally gotten off the bus from boston to NYC, dropped your stuff off at your friend’s apartment & hadn’t even eaten lunch yet!

~ always good to see a familiar blogger friend face when making new ones ^_^

~ a certain statue in the time warner center has a golden peen (tee hee hee…how old am i?)

~ also, the TWC has TV screens imbedded in the mirror in the women’s restroom. geez, do we need technology *everywhere* we go? have we no privacy anywhere? hahaha

~ thai tapas & a refreshing blue drink (& a glamourai necklace) make everything better

~ IFB conference after party at the chelsea room & hey…i can take one of the hold-away-at-arm’s-length self portrait kinda photos without cutting my own head off!

~ when you dress for warmth & your only form of outerwear is a ubiquitous & ginormous red cape, you get tired of outfit photos really fast

~ eataly was everything i had hoped it would be! get the winter salad & lasagne pesto. i wish i could have tried everything else :d

~ watch out for roving elmos, cookie monsters & disney characters in times square. they act all cute with you in pictures, but then hit you up for a “donation”

~ finally, not saying that anyone would confuse me & chiara of the blonde salad (with a big congrats on the bloglovin’ award win…i totally voted for you!), *but*…predominantly black, red & cream outfits (leather pants no less…well her…i’m more pleather) with studded bottom tote bags & crossed legs pose while hanging out at the fountain at lincoln center? i dunno…she might be copying me…bwahahaha!!!

taking fashion to the streets photo via their FB page

photo of chiara via her blog, the blonde salad

all other photos taken by me or naomi mirando

finally here in NYC! so far, my friend, naomi, & i have survived the bolt bus ride, endured the miserable windy, numb-your-fingers-even-with-gloves-on cold (sorta), had lunch at bouchon cafe, walked around columbus circle & the time warner building (where i got my picture snapped by a street photographer & the chance to win a $500 shopping spree) & made a quick photo stop at the now quiet, but soon-to-be bustling with fashionable activity, lincoln center, home of mercedes benz fashion week.

this is only my second time in new york during fashion week & the only advice i can give is…in this bone-chilling weather, where it’s practically dangerous to have any parts of your bare skin exposed to the air…it’s really *NOT* the best time to wear your newly shredded DIY sweater…hahaha! o.O