NEW YORK, NY – On Thursday evening, in the Gramercy Park neighborhood at The Players, WORDTheatre celebrated their 20th anniversary with short stories and musical performances.
Boston is officially on island time!
Coconut water brand Vita Coco and Captain Morgan have recently teamed up to bring the Caribbean to store shelves nationwide. As part of a multi-city “Tropical Takeover Tour” in celebration of Vita Coco Spiked with Captain Morgan, Jamaican rapper Sean Paul gave an exclusive performance at The Grand in Boston on Sept. 14.
The Grand was transformed into a tropical paradise with everything from palm trees and hammocks to signature Captain Morgan mixed drinks. The good vibes got even better when Paul took the stage to perform his top hits, including Sia’s “No Lie,” Clean Bandit’s “Rockabye,” and of course, “Temperature.”
Noteworthy guests of the night included 106 and Park host, Free.
Paul expressed his excitement regarding his partnership with the brands earlier this year in an exclusive interview with The Knockturnal. “In Jamaica we have a culture of rum tasting and drinking and when we do beach parties we usually put coconut water in our rum so it’s a perfect match for me,” the rapper said in June. “I love how it tastes.“
And Paul is right—this collab is so good that it will make you want to shake that thing. Made with real coconut water and Caribbean Rum, Vita Coco Spiked with Captain Morgan canned cocktails are available in three flavors: Piña Colada, Strawberry Daiquiri and Lime Mojito.
“It’s a way for me to spread a part of my culture as a Jamaican boy,” Paul continued, “and let people know how we do it.”
If you are 21+, visit captainmorgan.com to purchase your own vacation in a can.
NEW YORK, NY – From September 22 to October 1, the multidisciplinary design studio and showroom café Hudson Wilder in DUMBO, Brooklyn, will act as a sanctuary not only for contemporary home goods, but also for the curated art and design exhibit “Playing House”.
New York Fashion Week is back and active, as everyone gathered near and far to be apart of the many shows, press events and after parties. It’s a full week affair and on Saturday September 9th I had the pleasure of attending Leonardo 5th Avenues NYFW Runway show located at the infamous Spring Studios.
New York City on a rainy September evening, anticipation and excitement filled the air. I had the privilege of attending a highly anticipated fashion show at Spring Studios, a venue renowned for hosting some of the most prestigious events in the fashion industry. Leonardo 5th Avenue promised to be an unforgettable experience, and I was eager to immerse myself in their collection. Designers, Leonardo and Ana Sofia, debuted their RTW Spring/Summer 2024 collection on the runway with the rainy day, but the show must go on. Leonardo’s show was filled with so many unique attendees dressed to impress. As the doors to the hall opened, I made my way to the front row, where the runway extended like a glistening pathway. The stage was bathed in bright lighting, creating an atmosphere of anticipation. The pristine white catwalk seemed to stretch into infinity, a canvas awaiting the artistry of the designers.
The show commenced with a breathtaking display of creativity and innovation. The designer’s collection was a unique expression of their artistic vision, and I was captivated by the diversity of styles on display. From sleek and minimalistic ensembles to bold, avant-garde creations, every piece pushed the boundaries of fashion. The destructed tailored suits, paired with the models dark grungy black Smokey eye makeup, was the perfect combination of elegance and grunge. The models, with their impeccable poise and grace, glided down the runway at first in pairs of two. They walked with a vampire blank expression, sharp movements and confidence that brought the garments to life. The music pulsated in harmony with the designs, adding an extra layer of excitement to the spectacle. This is my first viewing of the brands clothing and I was blown away. The innovation of turning unisex suits into rockstar styled outfits is amazing. The collection was a mix of high fashion quality with street style inspiration. One model had a suit with a studded choker, long cape attached to the romper style suit and chunky leather high heel boots. This was a moment everyone’s jaw dropped in awe of this silhouette.
What I found equally fascinating was the backstage chaos that contrasted with the elegance on the runway. Hair and makeup artists worked tirelessly to ensure each model’s look was impeccable. Designers and their teams hurriedly made last-minute adjustments to the outfits, and the energy backstage was electric. As a fellow model, I saw a few familiar faces that are good friends of mine and other fabulous models I’ve shared a runway with. It’s always a proud moment to see models flourish and grow while being chosen to walk show to show throughout the chaos of fashion week.
The final walk, where all the models appeared together, was a spectacular. The audience erupted in applause, acknowledging the immense talent and hard work of the designers, models, and everyone involved in making the event a reality. Leonardo and Ana Sofia graced the runway with their presence and walked amongst a roaring applause in support and congratulations to their showcased collection. They took pictures, press gathered for interviews and others hurried to the next show.
Congratulations to Leonardo 5th Avenue. I am now aware of this brand and will be on the lookout for what is to come of their next collections and even interests in pulling one of their fabulous evening wear pieces. For more information about Leonardo 5th Avenue, check out their instagram and vogue runway pictures online.
NEW YORK, NY – With its origins stemming from the later half of the 20th century, Diner En Blanc (French for “dinner in white”), has established itself as an annual tradition in NYC since 2011.
We can always count on reality TV Stars to put on a good show!
Bombay Sapphire has partnered with Eater to bring the Locally Spirited dinner series around the United States featuring bespoke cocktails and sustainably-sourced menus.
During the last week of July, the Ballet Hispánico, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, and Dance Theatre of Harlem shared their passion for dance with the public through a free series of 20-minute performances.
On July 25th, 2023, Gotham, New York City’s first legalized cannabis and cultural concept store, collaborated with Bright Moments Digital Art Gallery, hosting an interactive event of digital art and experiencing the culture celebrated at Gotham. Gotham is located in a prime trendy area of the city, right between Soho and the iconic St. Marys Street. Gotham has two floors; the bottom is its cannabis and retail area, and the top is where the art gallery resides. I had quite the experience, so I am excited to share my journey with you all.
When I first heard of digital art and NFTs, it left a big question mark in my head: What exactly is it? NFTs have been trending and created for the past year and have been thriving ever since. NFTs are an outlet where artists, based on the faith of probability based on an algorithm, that technology will create beautiful digital pieces, easily shared on your phone and through the digital atmosphere. Now you may ask, “How does that work? How can technology create art?” Well, you’re in for a treat, because I have the answers. The artist Jimena Buena Vida’s collection is particularly intriguing because of the digital platform media she uses to create these vibrant pieces of artwork. Jimena Buena Vida is a Latino abstract artist who merges from computer science with modern art. Vida’s goal is to push the limits of traditional art and add a twist. She uses technology to allow the NFT’s algorithm to randomly choose based on probability, to create its unique piece. Each piece of art that appears on the digital screen or is sent to your coin-based digital wallet isn’t the same. They are all one-of-a-kind unique pieces. Jimena Buena Vida calls this collection “Epiphanies”. Vida’s collection aims to celebrate the unknown; these creations unlock different dimensions of possibility, chance, and the aspect of existence. Vida’s inspiration for this occurred in the post-pandemic world. Everything that we once knew has changed. How we adapt to the constantly advancing technology is our choice. I think it’s beautiful and very interesting to test the limits of modern art and technology. It’s quite a controversial conversation and topic, but the more research and experience I have myself with, these open my eyes to a whole new world.
Below are some sample pieces of Jimena Buena Vida’s pieces, they can be found on the Bright Moments Art Gallery on their website bright moments.io for more information. As stated above, Bright Moments is a digital art gallery that started in California, in Venice Beach, and is now in NYC inside of Gotham NYC. Gotham NYC offers a wide variety of cannabis items, such as THC and CBD, gummies, pre-rolls, and more. Gotham also offers fashion and lifestyle brands and is a great space to chill out and interact with the staff and crew and leave feeling “high on life” and relaxed. They offer so many varieties of self-soothing substances with top quality and natural ingredients. I am looking forward to indulging myself. The staff was so friendly and offered me so many things to try. I’m looking forward to coming back.
I had the chance to create my own NFT piece of art through this technology Vida uses. It happened within a minute, a blink of my eye, and I have my own NFT digital art on my phone. It can be transferred and sold through cryptocurrency, or I can cherish it on my phone for special eyes to view. NFT and the Art world are still going to have a bunch of controversy of “what is it” “how does it work” and if it’s trying to replace “organic” art, but I believe it’s a more accessible and transformative type of artwork. It doesn’t take away “organic” artwork but offers a more instant and expansive creativity. Congratulations to Jimena Buena Vida and her amazing collections, I learned so much about both these brands and the NFT Art world.
For more information about Bright Moments, artists and to view Jimena’s expansive artwork:
Go to www.brightmovement.io for more.
On Thursday July 20th, 2023 I made my way to the iconic St. Marks street, to where all the trendy grunge and classic NYC street style originated. Private Policy has been a brand to watch for quite some time, and they’re finally having their moment to shine. Grunge is an aesthetic you can run from or embrace, as it pushed the limits of fashion. Grunge incorporates a lot of distressed details, heavy jewelry, mesh, and the ability to create what you want out of statement pieces you may have. Private Policy as brand stands for inclusivity, bold personality and full fierce expressiveness of their consumers who wear their clothing. That is why, with this new release, it expands even more of their chic and spunky collection.
Co founder and designer Siying Qu
I had the pleasure of speaking with Siying Qu, Co founder and designer of Private Policy. She informed me that their newest collaboration is with Fun City Tattoo. They are the oldest tattoo shop in New York City, they have seen all the NYC icons and legends walk through their door and created a strong community and culture, which is what Private Policy also stands for, which is what makes this collaboration so special. It is a collaboration of two edgy and authentic brands coming together to bring the culture back mainstream in NYC. “We wanted to do something classic, black and white, and feature the designs by the artists, Diego, and have a Y2K but classic New York grunge moment. Our clothes incorporates a lot of utilitarian style, hardware, harnesses, and both of our vibes align perfectly” Siying Qu says. “The photo shoot we had was NYC themed, we brought it back old school New York with the basketball jerseys and that authentic downtown vibe in the park with the dresses and give it a real chill feel to it.”
Fun City had an amazing time with this collaboration because it incorporated a tribute to the original owner of Fun City Jonathan Shaw who is known for pushing the limits of fashion and ever further. Above is the collection and collaboration with tattoo artist and designer Diego on Private Policy’s clothing. The collection is up and available for sale, along side Private Policies previous runway collections and sample sale items. The pop up was such a fun event, the moment you walked in, you were greeted with a complimentary White Claw with mouth watering flavors, a carnival game where you can win a prize, and the stunning collection in the back. The collection was so soft grunge, edgy and unique. I wanted the whole collection to be my walk in closet.
Here are more pictures from the event:
Congratulations to Private Policy and Fun City for a beautiful pop up and evening, I am looking forward to what more they both have in store.