Zagreb Fashion Week

Croatia, a beautiful country full of history, incredible architecture, gorgeous men, and mouth watering food.  But what about the fashion trends???  Zagreb is the largest city in Croatia and host to Zagreb Fashion Week on Martićeva 67/2 kat.  This yearly occasion features astonishing talent from all over Croatia showcasing some eclectic design techniques and beautiful hand woven textiles. 

The city of Zagreb is the lively central hub of Croatia, full of zest, museums and culture, universities and archeological digs, sports arenas, major highways and economic growth. It is fitting that Fashion Week takes place amidst this buzz.

Ines Zrnc Gregorina is on Facebook and you can view her collections and see what spunky designs she spits out season after season.

 

Irena Berišić Turk offers a more subtle but wearable collection for those cool seabreeze nights out.

Iva Šimunović has a new take on the fashion tee

The Italian label, Stefanel, was present at Zagreb Fashion Week and put on quite the show with the cool European designs its famous for.

Ivančica Pahor (video below in Croatian) also presented the collection of light hues, taffeta gowns, crinkled cocktails, flirty skirts, sequined gowns, bejeweled bustiers, tinkerbell dreams and the shorter the better.

Many designers appeared on the runways in Zagreb and all equally as impressive.  Truly a magical fairy tale set in a far away land in the middle of the Adriatic.  View more on Zagreb Fashion Week and its talented designers.

Are You a Bush Tucker???

Bush Tucker is an Aussie term for the variety of grubs, herbs, vegetables, insects, fruits and spices native to the country. Aboriginals have been dining on the countries fare for centuries. They dine on huge, fat, white grubs, roo tail meat, quandon (peaches), lemon myrtle (citrus tree), macadamia nuts, emu, bunya nut (woody flavored), Bogong moths (roasted and crunchy), berries and their cooking styles are not fully known.

There are some bush tucker treats I would like to try like eucalyptus oil and eucalyptus oil creme, which is good for flavoring most foods and the creme used for great skin, the quandon peaches and a few of the different nuts. I will not be trying a kangaroo tail or crunchy moths, however. But here are tons of things that are absolutely on the top of my list….

Vegemite is a dark brown yeast concentrate spread left over from brewing beer mixed with various spice and vegetable extract which had a great source of vitamins.

Pavlova is a large, fluffy meringue cake with cream and fruit. This dessert has caused much controversy among Aussie’s and Kiwis over who created the dessert first. Named after the famous Russian ballerina, Anna Pavlova who visited Australia and New Zealand. Pavlova is usually topped with berries, pomegranates, kiwis and other delicious fruits.

Lamingtons are small square sponge cakes coated in chocolate and dried, shredded unsweetened coconut flakes.

Weetbix is a flakey-wheat biscuit breakfast cereal which looks a lot like Shredded Wheat. Breakfast of Champions.

Tim Tams are a yummy chocolate biscuit with cream filling and you can dip it in coffee which we all know is an Aussie pastime.

Chicko rolls which came from the Asian influence and similar to the spring roll

Milo is similar to hot chocolate and in powder form and often used to sprinkle over ice cream

Pie Floater which is a meat pie which floats in pea soup

Oysters which is a great aphrodisiac :)

Yabbies are crayfish and great in pasta

Of course, the surf n turf, a wonderful mix of fried meat, seafood, slaw, fries and served with a salad

Whitebait fritters are small white little bait fish cooked whole and fried

There is a very distinct sense of Asian influence infusion from the Polynesians, India, Thai, Lebanese, Papua New Guinea and other Asian traditions which reinvent the typical Australian cuisine. Spices such as Thai sweet chili sauce, coconut milk, ginger and lemongrass play such a major roll in changing the Australian palette.

If anybody has any other recommendations or special favorite let me know.  Always love trying new things.

Bay Bugs a tiny crustacean similar to a lobster

New York City....Come on And Raise Up!!!!!

Thought you got enough of fashion week, couture shows, models, high high heels and runway trends??? Not so fast.  Mercedes Benz Fashion Week New York is fast approaching.  Fall 2010 looks hit the runways on February 11 - 18,  2010 and this time the venue is changing.  No longer held at Bryant Park, fashion week will set stage in a new location, Damrosch Park at Lincoln Center on the Upper West Side between West 62nd and 65th Streets. 

Lincoln Center is home to some of the most influential organizations in the world including Juiliard School, New York Philharmonic, School of American Ballet and the Metropolitan Opera to name a few.  This is a gorgeous new venue and a great time for Fashion Week to step out of the comfort zone.

 

Maybelline still remains the official make up sponsor of New York Fashion Week taking the place of M A C Cosmetics and you can follow the link for last seasons coverage and the upcoming Fall 2010 behind the scenes looks. 

Stay tuned for more coverage and updated schedule information as soon as it posts because the invites are just pouring in already.

The Art of Hawaiian Hula

Hawaii has a stunning selection of textiles and dazzling audacious colors that splash across fabrics with effervescence and vigor.

First, there is the art and style of the hula (see video). If you can do that with your butt more power to you. Hula dancing, popular in most Hawaiian Islands, is a learned art form and the woven skirts just as intricate. Today a kumu hula is a skilled Hawaiian hula master trained to teach this style of dance, hand gestures and movement. In generations past the hula was an alluring ritual for the gods accompanied by chanting, beating of drums, ornate feathered rattles (uliuli), the slapping sounds of bamboo (puili) sticks and sometimes fire was incorporated into the dance also known as a luau.

The hula attire is notably the grass skirt made of tapa also known as pau which is a light, paper thin bark cloth that can be painted but very delicate with the same consistency as tissue paper. The lai is another very well known symbol of the hula and traditional dancers wear them around their neck, wrists and ankles. The lei is made of different colored woven flowers mainly the Hawaiian Frangipani and is now the traditional greeting in Hawaii to foreign visitors.

The luau, named for the meal itself luau, which was simply taro leaves, chicken, coconut milk and coconut milk, is one of the most significant celebrations in Hawaiian history and developed into a western past time. Traditional luaus were eaten on the floor, no utensils were used and fresh food was served. The food looked incredible but very simple and artfully served. There is moi (chicken), Kalua pua’a (roast pork), fish, Lomilomi (salmon), pulehu (barbecue), Poi (tara roots), Pipi kaula (beef jerky), pineapples, fruits, salads and you can’t forget the roasted whole pig on the skewer over the sizzling fire on the shores of the beautiful Hawaiian Islands.

The images shown are not my photographs and are the property of other various unknown photographers.

The Land of Milk & Honey.....and Mermaids???

Australian designer Gill Milligan started the Mermaid Sister label which turned into Milk & Honey in 2003. The concept behind Milk & Honey designs are smart but light, sweet, girly, breezy but full of zest and raw edge appeal. With collections with names like “Rapture” which was inspired by platinum blondes, 70’s, hippie chic and rock-n-raw it’s no wonder her collection debuted at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and was a major hit.

Her newest endeavor is the very successful label Toi et Moi recently launched in August. Milk & Honey is a very cute wearable collection but my favorite is Toi et Moi which makes rock n roll look effortlessly trendy.  It's a rough mix of Aussie talent and French night life appeal. 

What to Wear.....What to Bring!!! Traveling Abroad!!!

Australia's climate varies from coast to coast but the Gold Coast temperature is generally a fabulous 72-75º and Sydney offers the bay breezes which keeps the temperature cooler as well. So what do you bring on a trip around the world to stay cool, pack light and tight and have all the essentials?

Here is a sample of my packing list which is everything I will be brining with me on my trip. Too much??? I don’t think so considering I have reduced the size of my walk in closet to one large zippered bag. For a female that’s not doing too bad.

Let me know if you have any suggestions or tips.

Keys

Maps

Ipod /earphones / cords & extra cords

Small travel tissues packs

Hairbrush

Makeup / makeup bag

Calling cards

Gum and/or mints

Passport / IDs / e-tickets / birth certificate/Visa information/ccards / wallet

All vouchers confirmations and hotel & updated flight information printed out

Aussie currency

Deodorant

Small thing of lotion

Neosporin

Face wash

Washcloth

Tampons (just in case)

Toothbrush / small toothpaste / dental floss

Sunglasses

Journal

Pens

Laptop / all cords

Book to read on flight

Pair of flip flops

Convertors

Canon Camera / all cords

Hairdryer

Hair iron

Bathing suits (all)

Pajama pants

Light jackets

Raincoat

Dresses

Jeans

Shorts

Socks/Underwear/all Bras

T-shirts

Thin pants

Workout pants

Light zip sweaters

All heels

Skirts

Slacks

Tops

Australia's Ultimate Shopping Event - Girls Night!!!

Girls Night Out Events hosted in Brisbane, Gold Coast and Melbourne are equivalent to Fashions Night Out in New York.  Both comprised of tons of new fashion trends, makeup tips, cocktails and fabulous goodie bags.

I will be attending this event on the Gold Coast and sipping marvelous Australian wine, pink cocktails, tons of samples, free goods, treats -  did I mention anything pink!!! This is also a great way to meet people and maybe make some friends since I’ll be a newbie to the Australian shores. It’s a fun, chic way to enjoy the evening, the great coastal views and get the local insider tips on shopping, food and the Gold Coast area in general.

Keep checking the link, the new Girls Night Out schedule will be available soon.