To follow Oscar Correcher on Instagram click, http://instagram.com/oscarcorrecher/.
Category Archives: NYC
F.A.M.E NYC PHOTO GALLERY PRESENTS OSCAR CORRECHER
To follow Oscar Correcher on Instagram click, http://instagram.com/oscarcorrecher/.
Nicki Minaj Premieres “High School” On MTV
Hate her or love her, Nicki Minaj certainly has the right to crown herself the “Queen of hip hop”. She has completed feats that no female rap artist ever has and the 30-year-old “Starships” rapstress is only two albums in the game. Personally, I like to refer to her as the Joan of Arc of hip hop. But I digress, yesterday she premiered her new video for “High School” on MTV and I don’t know about you FAMERS, but this ain’t like the high school I went to. The video also featured some racy scenes between Minaj and Lil Wayne.
So without further ado….
Photo: Young Money
Video: YouTube.com
F.A.M.E NYC Photo Gallery Presents Oscar Correcher
F.A.M.E NYC Photo Gallery is a daily exhibition of the work of a NYC based photographer. Each day (or night), I will feature a photo of New York City shot by the photographer. I knew when I wanted to begin this series with the work of Oscar Correcher. I absolutely love his work. He is a wonderful photographer with a beautiful personality. Whether he’s shooting a fashion spread, his dog Dali or just taking random shots, his works speaks to the soul.
To learn a little more about Oscar, check out F.A.M.E NYC’s interview click, https://famenycmagazine.com/2012/04/02/the-splendor-of-the-lens/.
To follow Oscar Correcher on Instagram click, http://instagram.com/oscarcorrecher/.
Dating F.A.M.E NYC Style
Spring 2013 is here and despite the flip-flopping weather, it appears not to be going anywhere soon. Spring always brings with it an air of romance and New York City is a great place to have a fling. If you already have a significant other, NYC can certainly assist in keeping the spice alive in your relationship and offers a smorgasbord of things to do, places to stay and gastro pubs to pack on calories ( that you can work off later). A relationship novice only chooses holidays and other special occasions to show affection, but if you want the flame of your love to burn bright you had better stoke to those fires more often. Date night in New York City is play land of possibilities. So to all my love-struck FAMERS, this piece is for you. I’m going to share with you my top five places to go, restaurants and hotels to create an awesomely romantic date any day or night.
SIGHTS TO SEE
Empire State Building – Hey…it worked for Carey Grant and Deborah Kerr and Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan; it could work for you and your mate. The observation deck of the Empire State Building is indeed a place to spark romance. Standing in the heavens with the city all around you can render a “top of the world” feeling. There is no better time to grab your lover for a kiss or to drop to one knee for a sky-high proposal.
Metropolitan Museum of Art – The Met was the first date for Pierce Brosnan and Renee Russo in the remake of The Thomas Crown Affair. Crown was a billionaire; he could take his date anywhere he wanted, but for all the rest of the 99 percentile, The Met can provide a modest date. Priceless works of art, the ability to travel to different eras in history all for a small nominal fee. Who needs a time machine? Afterwards, you can take advantage of the closeness of Central Park and spring for a horse and carriage ride. If you want to put a twist on the old horse and carriage idea, rent a luxury vehicle and cruise the park and city in opulence.
Meat Packing District – In a city filled with trendy spots, the Meat Packing District remains one of the trendiest. You could take your honey-bunny on a shopping spree. If you are planning an evening date, go clubbing or go on your own private bar crawl. You could add a little role play and play the “sexy stranger” game at each new lounge or club you go to.
Times Square – Times Square is the heart of The Big Apple. Just the luminosity of the place delivers 120 watts of electricity to your body. You can take your beloved to dinner and a show, take in a little shopping or just sit and watch the show New York City provides via the traffic, street performers and passersby.
Hayden Planetarium – When I was a girl, I saw a laser light show set to The Beatles music. The Hayden Planetarium has been one my favorite places in the city ever since. Part of the American Museum of Natural History, the Hayden Planetarium has been a New York institution since 1935. Create some rockets in flight and a little afternoon delight, take a date into the stratosphere and canoodle under the stars.
RESTAURANTS
Mari Vanna – Russian food and old world romance on the east side. Oh, and did I mention they make their own Vodka. The décor is charming. Even if Russian cuisine doesn’t necessarily strike a chord with your palette, I guarantee that you will score points with the venue as well as the food, which is very comforting. And if all else fails, you can get your mate drunk – nostrovia lovers!
The Lamb’s Club – Located in Times Square, The Lamb’s Club is an experience that rivals any on Broadway. Taking American cuisine to the next level, Chef Geoffrey Zakarian and partners have created a cool, yet opulent spot to dine before or after a show. The menu has a wealth of great selections and scrumptious drinks. Make sure to make it a 24-karat meal and order the Gold Rush (my mouth is watering just thinking about it).
Courgette Restaurant & Bistro – Yummy is the first word that comes to mind when I think about this eatery, located on W. 55th Street. Courgette is French for zucchini, but it’s definitely not a vegan spot. This restaurant fuses Mediterranean, Italian and French cuisine to perfection, if you try one dish make sure it’s the Acquerello Risotto with wild forest mushrooms; it’s to die for. After you finish dining, take your date downstairs to Courgette’s sexy basement speakeasy, which boasts a state-of-the-art sound system and karaoke room.
Le Bernardin – Eric Ripert…need I say more? This restaurant is legendary for its chocolate dessert and seafood dishes. If you are doing a day trip or date that features all of NYC many iconic spots, include this place on your itinerary.
Château Cherbuliez – Speaking of iconic New York spots, no club was as iconic, historic or infamous as Limelight. This church turned club has had a few reincarnations. Currently, it’s The Limelight Marketplace, towards the back it turns into Château Cherbuliez. When it was Limelight, walking into this spot was like stepping into another world. That aspect hasn’t changed. Stepping into Château is like being whisked off to the south of France. The décor is impressive and has one of the largest outdoor garden spaces in the city.
HOTELS
Hotel Gansevoort – Meat Packing District – If one were so inclined, one could plan an entire NYC-themed date in the Meat Packing District. After a day and night of shopping, drinking, eating and partying, the Hotel Gansevoort the perfect place to catch a luxurious snooze or soak up some more of Chelsea’s ultra-trendy vibe.
W Hotel – Times Square – Dinner, a show, a few drinks, maybe even catch a light night comedy act. Why end the night at home? Have a nightcap at W and allow the views of the city to assist you in a night of seduction. It may not be a stage, but I guarantee you will be the star of the show.
Four Seasons – Book a room at this hotel and resort and that could be your date, period end of story. If the five star treatment is what you’re looking for, you and your mate will find it here.
Gramercy Park Hotel – This hotel is steeped in history. Afterall, the Kennedy’s stayed here. The Gramercy Park Hotel has seen its share of marvelous times and some seedy ones, but after the 2006 renovation it recaptured its former glory and has maintained it ever since. Artist Julian Schnabel and British architect John Pawson have created a masterpiece. It remains one of the coolest, chicest places to stay in the city.
Crosby Street Hotel – SoHo is one of the many artists’ neighborhoods turned chichi in NYC. Elegant and eccentric, this hotel serves a taste of London with a New York twist.
Daniel Craig Bonds with NYC
Martinis are a staple with 007 and so are luxury cars. Daniel Craig showed off the latest that Range Rover had to offer last night as he whipped the all-new Range Rover Sport through the streets of The Big Apple as part of a short film titled The Delivery, directed by acclaimed action director Jonathan P B Taylor. The film tells the story of a driver tasked with delivering the car through the streets of New York, over Manhattan Bridge to the car’s official unveil reception. Craig used his precision driving skills to maneuver through the closed-off blocks of the city, delivering the car live to a packed crowd.
New York is Range Rover’s biggest metropolitan market and the Range Rover Sport is Land Rover’s best-selling vehicle in the U.S. The all-new Range Rover Sport is the fastest, most agile and technology packed Land Rover ever. All-new high strength aluminum structure provides a weight savings of approximately 800 lbs. over the previous generation Range Rover Sport. It also touts a superbly crafted, luxurious interior and choice of 340 hp supercharged V6 or 510 hp supercharged V8 engines.
Photo: PRNewsFoto/Land Rover
ARIS Air Collection by Vancelette Signature
Clutch…wristlet…tote… hobo, bags make me (and every fashionista in world) happy. Old world artistry meets New York style with Vancelette Signature. Designer and artisan Rachel D. Vancelette creates accessories that beautifully combines hard and soft lines and are super chic – just like a New York woman.
Check out Vancelette Signature’s spring 2013 line at, http://www.vancelette.com/luxury-handbags-collections/air-collection.html.
Photo: Vancelette.com
F.A.M.E NYC Springs Ahead
Rain, sun, sleet or snow flurries, March 20 marks the beginning of spring. La primavera is the season that is generally associated with rebirth. F.A.M.E NYC is also going through a revival of sorts and I believe spring is the perfect time to unveil a few new changes to the site.
First, F.A.M.E NYC is getting a facelift – a new theme, same good written content. Second, I will be adding a couple of monthly features (details coming soon). In addition, there will be more visual content and more contests. As I have said countless times, thank you for sharing this journey with me. I am super excited to share these changes with you.
And to show how grateful and excited I am, be on the lookout for F.A.M.E NYC’s first spring contest.
HAPPY SPRING 2013!
F.A.M.E NYC Remembers Mayor Ed Koch
If there is any arena that has as much drama, comedy and spectacle as live theater it is politics. A politician has to be one part idealist, one part broker and two parts showman. And no man exhibited the quintessential politician or New Yorker like its 105th mayor, Ed Koch.
“How’m I doin’?” – the catchphrase forever synonymous with former Mayor Ed Koch – became as much as a slogan as “Where’s the beef” or “Who shot J.R.?” Yes kiddies, it was the 1980’s and New York (as I stated many times before) was a different city. When Ed Koch was first elected in 1977, I was a wee babe and the calamities that plagued NYC were of no concern to a toddler. Some say Koch saved the city; that is an opinion that I won’t agree with or deny but what I will share is memories of the Koch-era New York City that I remember.
The Guardian Angels – Now who remembers them? Red beret-wearing avengers ready to get involve, stop crime and ultimately get their behinds whooped. They added no real level of safety as they paraded up and down the streets but they were cool to watch, sort of like one of the gangs in The Warriors – lot of bark and no bite.
42nd Street – Who remembers the arcade? Yes, my 42nd Street is not like the one tourists flock to now. Times Square was a masala of theater and sin. After going to go see A Chorus Line, a visitor could then treat themselves to the myriad of sex shops and strip clubs that were in the area.
Graffiti – Everywhere, but good graffiti. It was an art movement; one-third of hip hop, a subculture spawned in the Bronx that has engulfed the Earth. It was inspirational and the bombers that risked jail and fines for a fleeting moment of glory became underground gods.
Nightlife – Truly legendary, the personification of the underworld meeting the elite, places like Danceteria, Trax, The Rooftop, Paradise Garage, The Mudd Club, CBGB and The Loft were alive with music, sweat, burgeoning artists and subcultures. The lifestyle described in Puccini’s La Boehme was pumping through the Big Apple like subway cars shuttling through the underground veins of the city. It was the height of a modern renaissance, the likes may never be seen again (damn… and I just missed it too).
AIDS Crisis – As La Boehme dealt with the scourge of tuberculosis, NYC (and the nation) was coming face to face with AIDS. Back then is was a silent killer and a modern plague that most people didn’t understand or want to understand.
Bernhard Goetz – Like I said, it was totally different time. When “The Subway Vigilante” (a moniker Goetz became known for) blasted four would-be assailants he became the ultimate anti-hero. Sparking debates on race, violence and gun laws, ole’ Bernie became a figure New Yorkers would not soon forget.
Yusuf Hawkins – His death was the last of three racially motivated attacks that happened in the city and may have been one of the reasons Koch lost his fourth mayoral bid to David Dinkins.
When I think of Ed Koch and the New York City of my youth I reflect on all these memories and more. For me Koch’s time in office could be summed up by quoting Charles Dickens – “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness….”
In the years following his mayoralty, Koch went on to become a partner in a law firm, a commentator, an adjunct professor at NYU, a judge on The People’s Court and hosted a movie review video show but it is his tenure as mayor that people will always know Ed Koch for. In small neighborhoods there is always a guy that knows everything about the neighborhood, old gossip, new gossip; he has probably lived in that neighborhood for decades, seen all the changes and knows everyone. Usually that fellow receives the moniker “the mayor” as he is looked upon as the aficionado of the block because everyone knows him. Well that was Ed Koch. He was born to be mayor of New York City, and he still was the mayor even when he wasn’t He embodied the city more so than any politician that held the office of mayor. He could be as electrifying as the lights in Times Square and had a presence as tall as The Empire State Building. In a city that breeds originality, Ed Koch was an original whose mold can never be recreated. With the deepest respect I say rest in peace Mayor Koch and thank you for being part of the New York City that made me.
12/12/12 Concert for Sandy Relief Top Event for 2012
December 12, 2012 was an auspicious occasion for myriad reasons. One of them being the 12/12/12 Concert for Sandy Relief in Madison Square Garden and it ranks as the top event that occurred in NYC in 2012. The enormities of Superstorm Sandy were catastrophic to say the least. The beloved Jersey shore…Brooklyn, Queens, Manhattan and Staten Island and its residents will feel the effects for years to come, but for one night the tri-state area stood defiant and proud, armed with the knowledge that not even Mother Nature could hold us down – we are too resilient.
The celebrities that donated their time for this event was mindboggling, between the legends that manned the phones and performed on stage The 12/12/12 Concert for Sandy Relief boasted more star power than those hovering in the Milky Way. Jon Bon Jovi and Bruce Springsteen showed the world just what it means to be “Jersey Strong”, Alycia Keys and Billy Joel represented The Big Apple with timeless musical gems and Adam Sandler represented us all with a big “Screw ya” to Sandy. Pair that with the likes of The Who, Rolling Stones, Sir Paul McCartney, Chris Martin, Michael Stipe and Led Zepplin and you have one concert for the ages, The Garden has hosted many legendary nights, but 12/12/12 was an evening that rocked the roof off the theater and will be a hard event to top.
Billions are needed to restore these neighborhoods to what they once were; the families affected by Superstorm Sandy still need our assistance. To donate please visit, http://www.robinhood.org/rhsandy, http://www.redcross.org/hurricane-sandy .
Photo: AP Photo/Starpix, Dave Allocca
F.A.M.E NYC Magazine 