Tag Archives: cool

Randolph Street Market: Vintage cool, amazing deals and entertainment!

 

The Randolph Street Market Festival is home to the world-renowned Chicago Antique Market, Indie Designer Market, Modern Vintage Chicago and the Holiday Market. As seen in Travel & Leisure, the NY Times, Lucky Magazine and featured on TV news shows and web casts, the Randolph Street Market Festival is considered “a mecca of cool”, “the best hot spot for antiquing”, “the best Chicago venue for people watching”, and “the Barney’s of Vintage”. Celebrity designer Nate Berkus says, “I love this market…the quality is incredible!” As one of Chicago’s most happening monthly parties, Randolph Street Market has become the summer destination!

This European-style, indoor-outdoor urban antique market in the historic West Loop neighborhood features 200 select purveyors of high quality, amazingly priced “finds”, offering unlimited creative inspiration and hours of fun. Shoppers can find furnishings, vintage clothing, jewelry, collectibles, etc. Visit randolphstreetmarket.com for more information.

Find something funky at Lula B’s

Lula B’s is a spacious little antique mall in Deep Ellum touting “cool stuff for cool people,” and with good reason. Over 80 vendors specialize in items from the 50’s 60’s and 70’s and sell everything you need (and everything you didn’t know you needed) that’s vintage, retro, antique, collectible or just plain cool and funky. From farmhouse kitchen gadgets and designer clothes to vintage cowboy boots and vinyl, Lula B’s makes it hard to leave empty handed. A trip to Lula B’s is no “quick trip” kind of deal – make time to get lost amongst the brick-a-brack. As an added bonus, Lula B’s has expanded to two locations with another store in the Dallas Design District. Can we say oozits and whatzits galore?

The Stage: Live music adds to vibe here

The live music scene is abuzz in Miami and there’s no better area for a  hotspot like The Stage than the super cool hipster Design District. Housed in a spacious warehouse type venue, it’s wide open in here but at the same time intimate. Music lovers can sit or stand as close to the stage here as they like or relax on a comfy couch and take in the cool sounds that way.

The bar’s fully stocked here and is matching in its grandiose size after all  this place is 10,000-square-feet with a 200-square-foot stage. New Orleans was the inspiration for the design and performers include local favorite Joe Donato as well Atlanta’s Stokeswood and Arboles Libres.

The Stage is located at 170 NE 38 St., Miami, FL

Barbareeba

Babareeba Store Denver gets a good name at this stylish Highland shop featuring trendy togs and jewelry and classic vintage wear. Approximately 70 percent of clothing and shoes reflect modern fashions from well-known stores like Ann Taylor and Banana Republic, as well as designer brands from hip boutiques. The rest is high-quality vintage like Jackie O-style St. John knits that lend themselves to current tastes.

The MoMA Store

The MoMa store in Soho is one of my favorite places to shop for creative items. They offer a large variety of cool, quirky objects, from toys, books, prints, to jewelry, accessories, and home deco products. It is certainly one of the best stores to shop during the gift season, as there is something for everybody. However, I highly recommend it to those who simply want to spoiled themselves and buy something ‘cool’ at an affordable price. As you can probably guess, every object is very modern, and unique, being that an electronic watch, a plastic chair, or a croc woven rug. If you are only visiting New York, I recommend the MoMA store, as highly as I recommend the Museum with the same name.


81 Spring St
New York, NY 10012
(646) 613-1367

John Varvatos: Rock ‘n Roll Never Looked Finer

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One of the most popular and innovative male fashion designers of our time, John Varvatos, is rock ‘n roll meets high fashion. Taking over the infamous CBGB’s music club- that launched the careers of Blondie and The Ramones- John Varvatos is one of very few that could do the legendary music venue justice.

Most may know John Varvatos for his killer take on Converses, with the madly popular Jack Purcell and One Star styles, but his clothing makes men look effortlessly stylish. Every man can’t help but look two notches cooler in one of the distressed blazers, edgy leather jackets or skull cufflinks. All these cool clothes are hanging next to vintage album covers in a store where punk-rock music is always playing.

Known to throw concerts there from time to time- with free admission and free drinks- it’s no wonder John Varvatos is known as the rock star of fashion.

Burlesque Theater Meets Indie Rock at Johnny Brenda’s

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Johnny Brenda’s is a three-in-one combo that’s as cool as its location in up-and-coming Fishtown. The space resembles something of an elegant, historic theater meets burlesque club that showcases some of the coolest indie bands in Philly and the US.

One of the few small venues equipped with a balcony, Johnny Brenda’s offers a performance space that’s unique from anything offered in Philadelphia. A world-class sound system send the music of Tokyo Police Club and Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth through the club with perfect quality (both of which played at Johnny Brenda’s before they made it big).

Should hunger strike half way through a show, there’s an eclectic menu made from fresh ingredients from local farmers and an attentive wait staff to the rescue. Keeping with the local theme, Johnny Brenda’s has an impressive selection of high-quality draft beer from local Philly brewers.

Eat Chic at Cafe des Architectes

Nestled in a perfect Gold Coast locale, the Sofitel Hotel is a hubbub of activity: business people staying, cool locals hanging, and enough gorgeous French people to star in a Sophia Coppola film. Within the hotel lies the delicious Cafe des Architectes with its partner bar, the aptly named Le Bar.

pic20No matter the day or time, people watching here is like eating candy: sweet and energizing. But of course, the people are here for the cuisine. After all, the chef, Martial Noguier was a semifinalist in the James Beard Best Chef of 2009 competition! He will also be starring in his television debut on the upcoming Glutton for Punishment on the Food Network.

His culinary skills have also lent a hand in making Cafe des Architectes a hotspot for Christmas and NYE dining. The five-course menu starts at $89 and goes up to $160 with wine pairings. From short rib tortellini to veal strips and center cut tuna – you will actually need and want to save room for executive pastry chef Suzanne Imaz’s delectable creations like the white chocolate coconut mousse!

Year round this cozy-chic eatery remains a hotspot for food, drinks and gorgeous patrons serving brunch, lunch, dinner and the worker-friendly executive 30-minute lunch. Merci Noguier!

Dallas Does Art… Finally!

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DSC00913adjustedThe long anticipated and well publicized Dallas Arts District is finally open! As one of the largest- if not THE largest- urban arts districts in the nation, it has put the Big D on the map as a major player in the art scene. The new Dallas Arts District in downtown Dallas is a sprawling 68-acre, 19-block area of performing and visual art utopia that brings an imaginative world of art this city has craved for for decades.

Incorporating over a dozen venues, the Dallas Arts District crosses all genres and functions to create a city within a city. From One Arts Plaza, where you’ll find a dynamic mix of corporate, residential, and retail space featuring some of Dallas’ hippest restaurants and bars to the Nasher Sculpture Center, highly regarded as one of the foremost collections of modern and contemporary sculptures in the world to the internationally renowned Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, where some of the world’s finest acts have performed. With a massive collection of new and old, classic and modern, the buildings themselves are masterful works of art.

And don’t forget the new ‘kids’ on the art block, the Margot & Bill Winspear Opera House and the Dee & Charles Wyly Theater, as they don’t mess around… unless, of course, it’s comedy.

17th Annual Monologue Match-Up Competition

The 17th Annual Monologue Match-Up Competition is one of the coolest local events. This annual competition features Chicago’s local theater talent going head to head with two-minute performances and some of Chicago’s most influential theater professionals acting as judges. With Chicago being a hub for theater, this local competition is sure to be filled with incredible up-and-coming talent.

Funky, Trendy & a Museum? Only at New Museum

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Not many buildings sport a rainbow “Hell Yes” on their facade, let alone an art museum. “New Art, New Ideas;” that’s the motto for the aptly named New Museum in the hip Lower East Side. Unlike most contemporary art galleries, the art here is so new that it includes YouTube videos(!) and art that’s a social commentary on current political hot topics like the Iraq War.

Not only is the art inside super hip and new, so is the building, that is like a modern Goliath among the aging downtown buildings. It’s actually the first art museum ever to be constructed from the ground up in downtown Manhattan.

Fitting to its artsy Bowery locale, the crowd here is more likely to be sporting Converses and Aviators than suits and ties. Before leaving, check out the seventh floor Skyroom that has a spectacular panoramic view of Manhattan from the Financial District to the Midtown skyscrapers.

Hammerstein Ballroom

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Musicians from the world of pop, rock and electronica all find their home in a seemingly unconventionPicture 51al setting: A vintage opera house that can holds up to 3,000. Hidden by a conventional midtown office-building, you would never know that some of the most significant groups of our time have orchestrated blow-out events, making the Hammerstein anything but an ordinary music venue in Manhattan. The ballroom opened in 1906 as a classical opera house. Then in 1910 it turned into a variety show house… followed by a conversion into a movie palace. During the Depression, it became a Freemason’s temple, and was then abandoned in the 70’s. Now, the Hammerstein is seat-free, allowing mobs in for general admission seating/standing.