I haven’t even finished telling you about all the great products I learned about in New Orleans and it’s time to announce the next great event! If you’ve been a follower of Kitchens for Living for a while, you’ll remember my visit to fashion week in September of 2010 courtesy of Brizo Faucets. They continue to host a select group of design bloggers (known collectively as The Blogger 19) each season, on a trip to the Big Apple. They get to preview what’s in the pipeline for Brizo products AND to attend fashion designer Jason Wu’s runway show. I love fashion, in fact my first career was in fashion merchandising. I find a strong connection between fashion and design and Jason Wu really gets that. He has collaborated with Brizo for many years in a very mutually beneficial relationship. The next great event will be a reunion of Blogger 19 alumni July 16-18 in Memphis. We’ll be taking and exclusive, behind-the-scenes tour of both the Brizo factory and St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital. I'm really looking forward to both. If you’re bored at work and you want to get your inspiration vibe on, check out this video featuring Jason’s latest collection as well as his take on his relationship with Brizo Faucets.
FASHION WEEK, BEHIND THE SCENES
I'll never forget attending fashion week in September 2010 courtesy of Brizo Faucets. It was an honor, to say the least, to have been invited to become a member of the illustrious "Blogger 19". Brizo goes way back with fashion's Golden Boy, Jason Wu. Since 2006, the two have joined in a unique collaboration, showing the world that high style can be achieved both at home and on the red carpet. The partnership began with Brizo's sponsorship of Jason's Spring 2007 Collection during Fashion Week in New York City in September 2006. Jason designed a dress exclusively for Brizo that was auctioned off in 2007 with proceeds benefiting DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). Jason's involvement with Brizo now includes his own Jason Wu for Brizo Collection comprised of lavatory faucet and accessories for the well appointed Powder Room.
I attended the Jason Wu Spring 2011 show, got to learn a little about Brizo and met many fabulous bloggers who I am honored to have been included amongst. As an alumnus, I'm the lucky recipient of all the latest Brizo/Jason buzz. So for your enjoyment today I present a little eye candy, photos from Fashion Week held last week in NYC. All photos courtesy of photographer Jayme Thornton. If you'd like to view the rest of the photos click here
2012 DREAM
Last night I had a dream. Before I share it, let me back up a bit and set the scene. One of the nicest, no actually the BEST thing that has come out of this blog for me is to have been chosen by Brizo Faucets to attend Fashion Week in September 2010 as one of the "illustrious" members of the Blogger 19. This was followed by a trip to Toronto in January 2011, as a member of the Blanco Design Council, to attend IDS (International Design Show). I not only became acquainted with cutting edge state-of-the-art products but also with many talented folks in the blogging community.
Now Modenus, a go-to site for design dreamers as well as professionals, is sponsoring Blog Tour 2012. Veronika Miller, who I had the pleasure of sitting next to at the Jason Wu fashion show is the mastermind behind this venture. They are currently selecting the blogger line up for some new design adventures. All this must have been lurking in the outer recesses of my mind when I went to sleep. To sleep perchance to dream!Hubs and I arrive at a hotel and check in. We are down in the lobby where I discover that a great meeting is about to take place. It's an advance gathering of potential candidates for the 2012 Blogger World Tour! Lo and behold, in walks in the King of Kitchen Bloggers, Paul Anater along with Nick from Cupboards, who I've never actually met. We all fall into a big group hug and I am swept into the event. Wow. All "potentials" are handed a "blog critique" and mine is pretty complimentary, actually. Paul leads the group which now also includes Erin Lochner of Design for Mankind. As the meeting unfolds I begin to see how unprepared I am. Yikes! I'm dropping pens, struggling to keep up when it occurs to me that I need to take pictures and blog about this! I must go to the room and get my camera. (It never occurs to me to call Hubs and ask him to wait for me even though he's being really good and waiting for me on the sidelines.) I feel the big brass room key in my pocket. I pull it out and it says 27. (I dream a lot in numbers.) I locate a very helpful bell hop who helps me figure out what floor that's on. He consults a chart which tells us that 27 is actually 7151 which means I'm on the 7th floor. Now I can grab my camera and get back to the group. The bell hop senses my sense of urgency and puts me on the closet elevator which is for freight. Did I mention he's wearing a hairnet?Everyone knows dreams are meant to be exploited for shameless self-promotion. So there you have it, just a lil wish for the new year. If I don't get that I'll settle for health, prosperity and another great year for Kitchens for Living where my dream is to motivate, inspire or help you create your own DREAM KITCHEN. Happy new year!
LET'S HEAR IT FOR NEW YORK!
Ok so I promised a run down on the first modern kitchen, which is exciting but I have something MUCH BETTER to share with you this beautiful Friday! I am going to New York for fashion week courtesy of Brizo! (You remember Brizo from my August 26th post, don't you?) Turns out a group of us bloggers are invited on an all expense paid trip of a lifetime to the BIG APPLE during, wait for it, FASHION WEEK! We will be attending, not only Jason Wu's fashion show, but also the following cocktail party and viewing of The Showtime House. Spanning three exclusive condos, this second annual multimedia showhouse creates modern living spaces- featuring Brizo products- designed by notable designers and inspired by these award-winning , original Showtime series: Nurse Jackie, Dexter, Weeds, Californication, The Borgias and The Big C. I invite you to come on the journey with me starting NOW. The countdown starts today.
Between now and when my plane takes off on September 9th I will introduce you to the other fantastic bloggers and report all the juicy details of the big event as they unfold. Since I just can't seem to get JZ and Alicia out of my head I'm going to share it with you too. So click here, hit that "full screen" button, turn up the sound and celebrate this little bit of luck and sing along with me!
"...these streets will make you feel brand new. Their lights will inspire you. Let's hear it for New York!"