I am in Miami now, on my way to Rio, Brazil for a vacation. I was watching the news and talking to a friend in New York. The reporter was talking about the blizzard in New York and so I asked my friend if it is that bad and she replied-No. In the past few weeks, I've been asking myself, how much of this economic crisis is Media made? How much of this hype is created because the newspapers and TV news need to be relevant and play on our fears while selling ad space. It reminds me of one of those Hollywood movies where a made up war is directed by a Hollywood director that was hired by the government.
I wish us all a wonderful 09 with improved global economy, better consciousness and awareness and a lot of great laughs. Amen.
Let's go back a month. I was in Miami for Art Basel, This is my third Art Basel and I think the one I enjoyed the most. The highlights:
Design Miami in the Design district- a show presenting different brands and designers Swarovski,Zaha Hadid, Audi, etc. The venue, was beautifully designed and created for this purpose and will travel for other exhibits.
Naomi Campbell's photo exhibit-the producers created an outdoor area, under a bridge in the design district. The exhibit walls were covered with moss, and the constructed wood floor was cut to accommodate a fish pond-quite the investment and a nice touch.
The Mondrian Hotel-designed by Marcel Wonders, the ground floor is like a design Alice in Wonderland, gold bell chandeliers, bars covered with a lit installation of shower curtains, cabanas made of xxl scale arches of artificial hedges (30 feet high or something like that) even a vending machine featuring Jean Paul Gaultier designs, gold hand cuffs and designer mints. Marilyn Manson was there for dinner and the bar scene was hot.
The convention center-Although not so packed, I think the right crowd was there without the filler crowd. I connected with the selection of art much more than I did in past years. The VIP lounges were very invested, The Ruinart table chandelier was wonderful and the Zaha Hadid "light fixture" is beautiful, I want one for my apartment! (I think they quoted me above hundred thousand euro. not this year.
During Art Basel, My company, Shiraz, catered parties for Holly Hunt (celebrating 25 years in business), a dinner party for Audi on a yacht, a boutique re opening for Louis Vuitton in Boca Raton, and more (15 in total), in New we produced an editor event for I can't believe its not butter (decorated with muffin topieries made our of the product), holidays parties for Apollo Real Estate and
Givaudan and many more, here are some of those images:
Sunday, December 21, 2008
The media wants to become relevant using our fear
Sunday, November 23, 2008
A quickie in Dallas-Ft. Worth and the newly renovated Fountainebleau hotel
I travelled to Dallas for a quick visit and got to enjoy a very interesting restaurant in Ft. Worth, which is about 35 minuted drive from Dallas. The area in Ft. Worth is called the Stock Yards and the restaurant is called the Lonesome Dove. The restaurant's interiors look like an old western saloon and some of the guests were wearing big cowboy hats, yeehah! The chef, Tim Love, apparently won an Iron chef match and the food was great.
www.lonsomedovebistro.com
For gay outing, the Round Up, which is a gay bar/club was highly entertaining, I had such a smile on my face the whole time and even learned how to "Two step" by a handsome cowboy. Again, looks like a western saloon, starts with country music and goes down and dirty with current music.
www.roundupsaloon.com
And last for that trip was White Rock Park, where in a perfect fall afternoon was my dream location for a quiet charming read. It is right by Lakewood in Dallas and worth the trip.
I'm enjoying Karim Rashid's book: design yourself (published by Harpers Collins) Besides being a fan of his work, Karim's philosophy is inspiring and already helped me in finding design solutions with a project I'm working on. The book is styled in an unconventional way that makes it prefect for New York ADDies.
I'm in Miami, working on Art Basel events. I'm going to spend ten days and go back to New York 
after Art Basel. Last night, I went to see the newly renovated Fountain Bleau Hotel and its gorgeous new interiors and pool side areas, as well as the stunning new club, LIV. The crowd was beautiful, the girls were floating down the steps in stunning gowns but then getting my car, when leaving, from the valet took 30 minuted, oh well.
Restoration Hardware have great down feather slippers, which they call foot duvet. For home, great as self indulgence after a long day at work. The slippers are $20 and come in different earthy tones.Thse foot duvets can be a great holiday gift.
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Fall theater, Stacy London and some new product I discovered
I am very pleased with the election results and was very not pleased with the results of proposition 8. It is inevitable that as in many other countries around the world, the United States will recognize gay marriages. All the funds that are channeled to support this cause or fighting against it could have been so useful in so many other ways in this challenged economy and perhaps the Mormon Church should consider using them to aid their supporters rather than fighting this so vigorously.
.
And to more cheerful subjects, My friend Mario Burrel visited from L.A, Mario used to be a member of the cast on Rent and enjoys theater much. Together we went to see Billy Elliott. The show is fantastic, great music, choreography, set, and cast. This show is a must see
In the beginning of this month I was involved in two events: a dinner party for 120 guests for an organization called outstanding in the field. This organization produces dinner parties around the world and bringing in local farmers and local produce together with local star chefs creates a net work to support local produce businesses. The dinner party took place in 620 loft and garden with notable guest like star chef Mario Batali and Tom Collichio, the event was sponsored by Absolut.
The second event was a holiday gift fair, an event to present new holiday gift options to editors. The event was hosted by Stacy London and featured some great items like scent diffusers by Enfusia, a car that drives on your wall by F.A.O.Schwarz and many more.
Need Brunch Location?
By walking around looking for a place to have brunch a few weekends ago, I found a charming spot, called Lunetta, the dishes are well thought of to the details, the outcome is delish and the atmosphere is very nice.
Lunetta
920 Broadway
New York, NY 10010
Digg! src="http://digg.com/img/badges/100x20-digg-button.gif" width=100>
Sunday, November 2, 2008
How I love Halloween and getting ready for election night
Dressing up for Halloween and hanging out with my friends, the experiences, the laughs, the pictures, it all makes me feel so fortunate about my life. The experience makes me appreciate my freedom, my ability to live life as I want it, at every moment. I started dressing in costume with my friends Marc and Michael three years ago, we were naughty school girls, then geisha and now disco divas. This Halloween started with the getting ready in my office with MAC Pro make up artists making us look pretty, then dinner at Elmo (http://www.elmorestaurant.com/), a subway ride to a private party on Central Park West (we couldn't find the Limo, really) and a limo ride with a major stop and photo shoot in Times Square. Highly reccomended, mucho liberating.
I'm very excited and also nervous about the election on Tuesday. I believe that Obama has the awareness and ability to change things in this country, which is much needed. A lot of my friends are having Election night parties. Here is my suggetions for Tuesday:
Hill Country - A Texas barbecue and live music restaurant, the enviromet is designed to look like a western barbecue joint and the food is authentic. fun experience!
36 hours in Toronto-I went to visit my friend Peter Fentum in Toronto for a short weekend. The flight takes 55 minutes and while landing you can see the city's skyline. Toronto is quite a charming city, very different areas, very clean and handsome. I recommend to take the ferry to Toronto Island which is a park on an island across from the city. The ferry ride allows you to see the city's skyline, the island has a very pretty small beach on the lake.
Recent music I listen to includes the British singers Adele and Duffy. Adele's debut album "19" is sexy and romantic and features the hit "Chasing Pavements". Duffy's "Rockferry" is romantic as well, reminds me a bit of Dusty Springfield and the 60's era and is great for having as background music when entertaining.
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
We are all aware of the dismal economic situation. One truly cannot avoid the headlines. One way I read into all this is the call to slow down. I feel like the universe is calling us to re-evaluate our priorities, and to remember what’s real and important in this life. My friend who works for Martha Stewart told me that in these hard times Americans tend to get back to basics and spend time at home, cooking, with the family. As an optimistic and spiritual person, I find this process to have, in the end, a positive effect: slowing down will allow us to have the capacity to be more aware, in all the major areas of our lives.
At a time of reflection and atonment in the world, we also find ourselves at that very special and holy time in the Jew calendar, Yom Kippur. Yom Kippur is the day of atonement, and the holiest of the Jewish Holidays.The traditions calls for praying, & begging for forgiveness for our actions, while fasting for 24 hours. The holiday starts the eve of Yom Kippur (this Wednesday) with a meal (Hello, "Jewish" everything starts and ends with food) and ends the evening with a meal when we break the fast after sunset on Thursday. In Hebrew, people greet you with Gmar Chatima Tova, which means may you be written in the book of good, however, you can always wish your friends an easy fast or a good holiday.
ART:
I spent my Saturday afternoon walking through the Chelsea Galleries and was able to view and appreciate the following exhibitions:
Vik Muniz at Sikkema Jenkins on West 22nd Street: While I am a big fan of Mr. Muniz work, and I get the ingenuity of perfectly replicating the back of master paintings, I must admit I was not taken by the show (http://www.sikkemajenkinsco.com).
David Lachapelle at Tony Shafrazi Gallery on West 26th Street: Not a disappointment, but I didn't experience the same excitement I had with David's last show. It is a great visual experience as always (http://www.tonyshafrazigallery.com).
Robert Morris at Sonnabend, West 22nd Street: This is one on my "must stop by" galleries. Morris’ show titled “Twilights Mirrors Meteorites" as well as others on exhibition are visually intriguing (http://www.artnet.com).
FALL SHOPING:
A very talented stylist once told me that he gets all of his cashmere at J.Crew, and so I followed his advice and went to explore the cashmere sweaters and knits at J.Crew. The selection was great, with fashion forward colors, and great pricing for the quality.
RESTAURANTS:
My friend Rob Warner introduced me to this charming upscale Mexican restaurant in Chelsea. It is called Crema and is located at 111 West 17th Street between 6th and 7th Ave. The food was great and it was accompanied with very attentive service. There are three dishes that I tried and would recommend (Yes, call me fatso, or in Spanish, gordo!): Bean and cheese casserole (First course), fish empanadas, and carne asada tacos. The tacos and the casserole were fantastic.
CLUBS:
I went out dancing with my friends on Saturday at Mr. Black. The new location at 27 West 24Th (between 5th-6th Ave) reminds me of the old New York, 10 years ago when I moved to the city. The party was fun, crowed and complete with great music. I definitely recommend it!
UPCOMING:
This coming weekend starts the New York Food and Wine Festival. Imported from Miami, and produced by Southern Wine and Spirits’ Lee Schrager, this event should be very interesting for food geeks like me. They will be hosting events like “Chelsea Market After Dark Hosted by Food Networks own Bobby Flay”, “Wine and Dine NYC”, “Times Talks Featuring Alice Waters and Gerry Marzorati, A New Talk: Food”, “Meatpacking Uncorked” and much, much more! (http://www.nycwineandfoodfestival.com)
Go out there or stay in, and enjoy every moment of this precious life and the people you share it with!
Love,
Shai
Monday, September 22, 2008
Autumn is here. The weather is changing. Here are a few recommendations to keep your Fall filled with fun and excitement.
Enjoy,
Shai
Stop by the LA CARMINA Gothic Lolita Fashion Exhibit at F.I.T. – good for Halloween ideas!!
http://fitnyc.edu/aspx/Content.aspx?menu=FutureGlobal:Museum:Exhibitions
One time only, on Monday September 29th stop by Bryant Park to experience the sound of Brazilian American pianist Luis Simas. An eclectic performer, Simas displays his Brazilian influence in the American jazz, ragtime, and stride genres.
Fall can be the best time to venture out to the Hamptons when it is not so busy and the weather is very crisp. In doing so stop by Maison 24, a new design store in Bridgehampton. The boutique includes a mix fashion, furniture, art, jewelry, home décor items making an impact on their clientele introducing them to their perfectly chosen selection of products. http://www.maison24.com/
White Patchouli, which mixes the latter with various white florals and is in stores this September exclusively at Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth.
Prada’s Infusion d’omme is a men’s fragrance with a subtle scent perfect for the contemporary man. The many notes of this fragrance include neroli from Tunisia, iris palida, vetiver, cedar, and incense.
I hope as you enter into a beautiful fall season that you enjoy the sights, scents, and sounds in our fine city.
Love,
Shai
Shai Terner, Shiraz Florida - AOL VideoShai Terner, Shiraz Florida Video on AOL Video - DayBreak visits the X-Games and speaks with Shai Terner, President of Shiraz Florida.
Monday, September 8, 2008
Hi Everyone,
I am going to be doing something different here on the blog and will be introducing my immensely talented team at Shiraz to this platform. They will come to you with an inside scoop on the Fashion industry parties, bars and nightclubs, new musicians and venues, as well as treats for every palette giving you the latest trends and secrets!
I hope you enjoy getting to know my team as much as I enjoy collaborating with them.
Before I introduce you to Tammy and Dera, I want to tell you about a wonderful new tea brand that has just blown me away. It is Vivache Herbal tea that is organically grown from mountain top gardens and is free of pesticides or herbicides. The delicious tea comes in English Breakfast, Jasmine, Herbal Chamomile, Green Mint, and Earl Grey.
New York Fashion Week is in full swing and this weekend I was invited to the Mercedes Benz Star Lounge before attending the Rock and Republic show. The show's production was great, very young and energetic, the clothes, mostly in black and whites with a "club girl" vibe rocking “Grease” style stretch pants.
While it was the start of Fashion week it was also the end of an era with the final performance of Rent. My friend and hair stylist to the stars, John Barrett, invited me to join him to view Rent at the final performance. It was a very emotional and touching evening with the current cast in full swing celebrating the amazing relationship this wonderful show has had with every patron. Cast members of previous seasons even attended culminating in them all jumping on stage to close the show. Rent will be missed as it was a landmark production not only for the gay community, but all of New York and the rest of the world!
The performance was followed by the after party at the Piers which was produced by Devin Delano. As one beautiful door closes, another opens!
My executive chef in New York City, Tammy Fox is an obvious expert in fine foods and creating dishes that make a lasting impression. She has a new food trend she would love to share with you. Enjoy!
Savory Jam, A New Trend
There is much known assumption that fruits go hand in hand with snacks or desserts. However, for many years, Europeans have been cooking up a storm combining ingredients such as raisins, fruits, and preserved lemons with cooked meats since the beginning of their culinary traditions. Fruity flavors can be very versatile when it’s paired with savory foods. It can lessen the saltiness of the food and provide a touch of sweetness that gives food more of an appealing taste.
Here at Shiraz, we strive in bringing exquisite, new, and bold flavors to our menus. With our fire roasted chipotle tomato jam on a miniature open faced turkey burger to a sweet maple thyme syrup on a filet with crispy herb polenta, you are guaranteed an exciting combination of flavors that will swirl up your taste buds and open your minds to explore and inspire to new ideas.
Next up is one of the Shiraz Event Managers Dera Lee who is an expert in specialty cocktails, wine, and best places in the city to find them!!
If you are looking for a great date spot or just a place to catch up with friends I recommend this great little South African wine bar in Hell’s Kitchen called Xai Xai @ 365 West 51st Street. I recently visited there with my boyfriend and another couple and we had the best time. The service is attentive, the wine is fabulous, and the small “tapas” style dishes are very tasty. I recommend any of Pinotage and the mini “Bunny Chow” with lamb bredie. The South African cuisine consists of a unique blend of African, colonial influences and exotic spices. With Dutch, German, French, British, Indian & Malay accents their dishes reflect the warmth, diversity and simplicity of the local fare. http://www.xaixaiwinebar.com/
