Your Chinese New Year Celebration - Asian Flavors and Style

Peking Duck House & Ping restaurants on Mott Street in Lower Manhattan

This year Chinese New Year is February 19th! The Year of the Sheep, I really like the way Asian style and flavor permeates everything. Just like fashion, cooking is an art form so it is no small surprise to see Chinese restaurants and markets mingled in along side dress shops nearly the whole length of Mott Street in Chinatown. The two just compliment each other so take a cue for Your Chinese New Year Celebration!

Panda Clothing Shop at 24 Mott Street selling beautiful Mandarin style jackets

Your Chinese New Year Celebration

So this Chinese New Year, try immersing yourself in the culture with a beautiful satin or silk top/dress, something jade and an array of delicious Asian foods for yourself and your party guests.

 I'm wearing this lovely Black Cranes dress by Joseph Altuzarra for Chinese New Year

The Black Cranes Dress by Joseph Altuzarra has four flying cranes embroidered in gold thread. The dress has satin tuxedo lapels and a gold zipper up the side. Joseph is known for his plunging necklines and high leg slits so this dress does not disappoint there! The belt shown in the photo is not included so try a wide banded wrap style to replicate this look. Part of his capsule collection for Target, this structured black dress is my choice to celebrate Chinese New Year.

Structured Black Cranes Dress by Joseph Altuzarra for Target.  PHOTO: c/o Target

Try new flavors and textures! Steamed dumplings with an array of traditional Asian Sauces.

Hosting your own Chinese New Year Party can be as simple or as ambitious as you like. You can make some delicious heat and eat: steamed dumplings, egg rolls, pork ribs, hot wings, chicken fried rice and more. All of these are available in the frozen food section of most grocery stores.

You can also go the other route and simply order Chinese takeout or do a combination of both! There are no rules here, just go with what you like and is easiest for you. As an example, my college friend Jean Chen taught me how to make Egg Foo Young using a Wok. Her family owned a Chinese Restaurant near Princeton, NJ so she knew her stuff! So certain Asian style dishes I can make on my own and others I prefer to order out.

Spice is Nice!
Whether you decide to make it from scratch or order takeout, you'll always want to have a few traditional Asian spices and sauces on hand to take that meal over the top. This will give your Chinese dishes an authentic flavor and delicious complexity. I like Lee Kum Kee of Hong Hong's array of fantastic, restaurant quality sauces and condiments. If you are just starting off, these four sauces should be in every cook's kitchen who wants to cook Asian style:

My Four Essential Sauces and Spices to enjoy authentic Asian cuisine.

Garlic Hoisin Sauce (thicker and more complex than plain soy sauce)
Minced Ginger can also be used in a marinade
Plum Sauce which goes so well on crispy egg rolls, chicken and pork
Shrimp Paste of which a little goes a long way. Very concentrated but essential to many seafood dishes

Some Like it Hot
If you want to add a little kick to your menu, you've got to try this new Sriracha Chile Ketchup. It is SO delicious without being overly spicy and hot. Just enough kick for: Hot Wings, Ribs, Shrimp, Pork. See the entire line of restaurant quality sauces from Lee Kum Kee online.

NEW! Sriracha Chili Ketchup

So bring it all together for Chinese New Year. It's like getting a restart on 2015. You can learn to prepare some new dishes and try different cooking techniques such as steaming using bamboo baskets. A great way to prepare vegetables, stuffed dumplings and fish that's low in fat but big on flavor. Eating with chopsticks also slows you down, helping you to eat less. Try it!

Bamboo Steamer Dumplings: (L-R) Plum Sauce, Shrimp Paste, Minced Ginger and Garlic Hoisin Sauce

Joseph Altuzarra Black Cranes Dress - Mine
Asian Sauces c/o Lee Kum Kee

Holiday Entertaining Made Easy - Christmas and New Year's Brunch

Cedar Lane Omelet with Smoked  Alaskan Salmon

Holiday Entertaining need not be a lavish affair but you can make it extra special by serving your guests a lovely Christmas or New Year's Day Brunch. I can remember when I was growing up in Northern New Jersey, my parents and I were always invited to the most beautiful holiday brunches.
The host would appear sipping coffee in her silk robe and pajamas...now that's MY kind of entertaining!

The point is that it should be a relaxed get together as most of your guests (and yourself) have most likely been up late the night before. Still there are a few essentials that make for a memorable holiday brunch. Here's my easy tips to help pull it off:

Cookware, Chef's Knife & Herbs
Eggs are pretty much a given for a brunch menu so you might want to invest in some non-stick cookware, a good Chef's Knife and a few garnishing herbs. I've been using a Kyocera 3 Piece Non-Stick Pan Set and Ceramic Chef's Knife to prepare my holiday meals this season. I like the generous size of the pan set which is perfect for cooking larger quantities for guests, especially something like scrambled eggs. Even the smallest pan in the set is VERY deep. Clean up is a snap!

Kyocera 3 Piece Non-Stick Pan Set

The Kyocera Ceramic Chef's Knife is another kitchen must have as it is essential to preparing evenly cut meats, fruits and vegetables. It will literally cut your kitchen time in half as you won't have to struggle through your food prep. See both at Kyocera.com

Kyocera Chef Knife, Pan Set and Creekside Farms French Herb Wreath

Decorative & Savory Herbs-Creekside Farms French Herb Wreath
This French Herb Wreath from Creekside Farms, CA can be a fragrant addition to your brunch buffet as it is a lovely artisan arrangement of: lavender, marjoram, sage, Santa Cruz oregano, thyme and bay. The wreath will last a year and the herbs can be used fresh or dry. The French Herb Wreath ships nationwide so visit Creekside Farms to see it and more holiday varieties.

Cedar Lane All Natural Egg White Omelettes

Cedar Lane All Natural Egg White Omelettes
Now one of the easiest ways to serve your guests is to do a whole pan of scrambled eggs. However if some of your guests are watching their fat intake, these Cedar Lane Egg White Omelettes are an all natural and very delicious alternative. In the lead photo is the Green Chile, Cheese and Ranchero Sauce variety served with Alaskan Smoked Salmon. Microwave these omelettes on high for only 4 minutes and serve. Check them out at your local Wegman's, A & P or Stop and Shop. See all of their healthy entrees at Cedar Lane Foods

Red's Burritos served with Hampton Creek's Just Mayo

Red's Natural Foods Burritos
Burritos make great breakfast and brunch foods as they are easy to serve and eat. Red's are made with natural beef and chicken raised without antibiotics and taste most like my homemade versions.
Shown here are: Steak & Cheese and Chicken & Cheese Burritos served with a little sour cream and Hampton Creek's Just Mayo Chipotle flavor mayonnaise which has no egg yolks. I found these burritos at my local Wegman's in the Finger Food section! See more varieties of Red's Burritos at RedsAllNatural.com. Check out the Hampton Creek's Just Mayo varieties HERE.

Red's Burritos topped  with delicious Just Mayo Chipotle Mayonnaise 

Coffee, Tea & Scones
Scottish Scones are relatively easy to make as they have only a handful of ingredients. Still, these Barista Baking Company scones are pre-made to "Break & Bake" so no one need know they came from a package. They will just see them coming from your oven! Delicious yet traditional flavors like Blueberry and Orange Cranberry were our favorites. Each flavor comes with an icing packet which adds a lovely touch. See more flavors at BaristaBakingCompany.com

Scones served on Cheeky Plates.

Coffee & Tea to Go
One of the sweet things about doing a brunch is it allows guests to walk around and chat with the other invitees. You can make it easy by serving them with these Cheeky Paper Drink Cups with Solo Lids. They match the Chevron design on the paper plates which are also very light to prop on your lap. Fashionable, microwaveable and soak-proof. Check out all the Cheeky paper goods available now at Target Stores or online a Target.com.

Cheeky Paper Goods for your holiday brunch.

Tasty Nibbles
Holiday Cookies and Candies round out your brunch with tasty treats your guests can enjoy after the main course.

Lance's Limited Edition Season Favorites in: Sprinkled Sugar with Sweet Creme Filling, Chocolate Nekot with Mint Filling and Pumpkin Cheesecake are perfect because packs of 6 sandwiches stay very fresh. Put them out or leave them in the package in a bowl. They will disappear. See all the varieties at Lance.com

Lance Sandwich Cookies

Alter Eco Organic Sea Salt Truffles

Alter Eco Organic Sea Salt Truffles
These are Dark Chocolate Truffles made with coconut oil. Again, pour some in a candy dish and watch them disappear! Visit AlterEcoFoods.com online.

Suggested Reading: Top 100 Napkin Folds and 150 Best Dips & Salsas

If you are new to entertaining or have hosted parties for years, here are two books you might like to check out:

150 Best Dips & Salsas Plus Recipes for Chips, Flatbreads and More by Judith Finlayson and Jordan Wagman - Robert Rose
The title speaks for itself and this is by the authors of 750 Best Appetizers.  Crowd pleasing favorites like Spinach and Artichoke Dip and Roasted Onion Salsa are all laid out in a very straight-forward method. Easy to follow too.

Top 100 Step by Step Napkin Folds by Denise Vivaldo - Robert Rose
If you've ever wanted to WOW your guests with beautifully folded napkins at their place settings, this is the book for you. More than 1,000 photographs, this spiral bound notebook format allows you to prop it up at the table and follow along. Going from simple to elaborate there is something for everyone's table in this book.

Find both books online at www.RobertRose.ca

Bavarian China - Mine
Brunch Foods prepared and styled by me and provided by the respective companies listed herewith.

Fashionable Holiday Entertaining Made Easy - Dinner Plans

Holiday Entertaining is a SNAP with my helpful tips. Designer Ray & I at Christo Fifth Ave.

Yes, the Holidays are officially here but you don't have to panic. Whether you are cooking your first holiday dinner at home or visiting with friends and family, here are some sure fire ways to pull it all off in style!

On Location Holiday Entertaining
If you do not have enough seating space or are unable to cook and serve an entire holiday meal at your home, consider hosting your banquet at a restaurant. Most establishments allow your to bring your own spirits and you can even choose to have your guests served simply cocktails or coffee and dessert. This is a lot less of a hassle for you and they can go to Grandma's if they want turkey and all the trimmings! The main thing is that you still get to play the gracious host and spend some quality time with friends and family.

Can't cook? Make reservations! The Lighthouse Restaurant-Chelsea Piers, NYC

Entertaining at Home? Let Guests Help Themselves
I admit that I love cooking and host a traditional holiday dinner at my house for nearly every special day starting with Thanksgiving. I've learned to take the pressure off by setting out chilled Sewansecott oysters and clams, deviled eggs, cheese and crackers, coffee, tea, etc. for guests to help themselves too while I tend to the turkey.

Healthy Holiday Snacking-Lance Whole Grain Cheddar Cheese Crackers 

Tea, preserves, Hum Bugs and biscuits by Crabtree and Evelyn for my guests

Share the Wealth-Ask Guests to Bring Side Dishes & Dessert
If this is your first time hosting a holiday dinner, there is nothing wrong with asking your guests to pitch in. You can even use little chalk boards as shown here to show the name of the dish and who made it. Again, laying everything out buffet style allows guests to help themselves.

Serving guests buffet style

Put your self in charge of that turkey or ham and ask guests to bring: candied yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, a tossed salad, etc. You can even ask them to bring their favorite pie or dessert. This will allow you to focus in on just ONE job without having to worry about multitasking.

My Apple Crisp: Pies like these can be brought in by guests. 

Have an Open Bar
It's always good to offer wine to go with those cheese and crackers. Your guests can help themselves to premixed drinks, cocktails and delicious wines if you make them available buffet style. You might want to try Lo Fruit Organolicious Real Fruit Blend Beverage in Mango & Pomegranate Mojito and Acai-Blue naturally flavored concentrates. These offer a low glycemic index and mix great in all sorts of drink recipes. Here's one from the Ultimate Bar Book The Comprehensive Guide to over 1,000 Cocktails by Mittie Hellmich:

 

Old San Juan Bar Recipe

1 1/2 ounces of Gold Rum
1/2 ounce Lo Fruit Pomegranate Mojito
1 ounce fresh lime juice
Garnish with Lime Wedge

Shake the liquid ingredients vigorously with ice. Strain off ice and pour into a chilled cocktail glass. Run the lime wedge around the rim, squeeze it over the drink and drop it in.

Pour a drink for yourself and spend time with guests!

Oysters Rockefeller at the bar.

Showing Off the Main Event-Presenting the Roast
So this is your time to shine! If you've followed my tips here, you will have more time for yourself and the roast turkey or baked ham. Take off that apron, slip on some heels and a pretty cocktail dress to bring your creation to the table...in style! Here is where you should invest a little in your cookware. I roast AND serve my turkey in a Mauviel of France Copper Roasting Pan.

Mauviel Copper Roaster with Rack
and Creekside Farms French Herb Wreath

It is so beautiful yet functional. I lift out the turkey using the rack and make the gravy right in the pan by de-glazing it over two stove burners. My no fail roasting method: Start by roasting your turkey breast side DOWN at 425 degrees for 1 hour. Take it out and flip it over breast side UP for the remainder of the cooking time at 325 degrees. Breast meat will be juicy and flavorful. 
Serving your roast is your Ta-Dah moment so bask in it!

Make the perfect presentation! Mauviel of France

Holiday Hair and Makeup by Ray - Top Designer, Christo Fifth Ave., NYC
Cookware & accessories c/o the companies mentioned here within.

Holiday Gift Guide: Trendy iCoffee and Capresso Presents for Coffee and Tea Lovers

iCoffee's NEW Single Serve Opus

Now trending is the single serve revolution and nobody does it better than iCoffee. They have brought their steam-stir system to a single serve machine that will make you think you've been served at Starbucks.

Single Serve Opus Dial-A-Brew

So easy to use that even I can make the perfect cup of coffee or tea on my first try. So delicious, we had a line forming for everyone in the office to try their favorite blend. The water reservoir holds enough for multiple cups and the dial-a-brew knob allows you to select how many ounces per cup you want, (from 4-12 ozs). Heats up very quickly too. Available at Bed Bath and Beyond, Bloomindales and Sur la Table nationwide. See it at iCoffee.com

Get a Solofill Refillable K3 Cup to go with the Opus

Get a Refillable K Cup
The Opus comes with a set of six delicious K cups of coffee and tea blends to get you started. However, you will want to gift this machine with an iCup Reusable or Solofill K3 Cup which I picked up at Target. This allows you to brew all your favorite ground coffee and even loose herbal tea to your heart's desire. Helps keep the landfills from unnecessary disposable K Cup clutter too.

Capresso On the Go Personal Coffee Machine

Capresso On the Go is the perfect gift for the coffee drinking jet-setter on your list this year! Dispenses up to 16 ozs of your favorite fresh brewed coffee into the included thermal container. The container has a cafe spout and is ready to roll.

Compact enough to take with you on vacation for that perfect cup of morning coffee and tea. Brew, grab and go to: work, your commute, the park, anywhere! Heats up quickly and has a reusable mesh basket that also takes coffee pods. New from Jura at  Capresso.com 

Organic Coffee & Teas
Add some Organic coffee blends like these from Teeccino and Organic India teas to a holiday gift basket. The Chocolate Organic Herbal Coffee is delicious and perfect for people who need to skip the caffeine. Non-acidic too. These are the best of the best and the java lover on your list will kiss you for them!


Solofill K3 Cup - mine
Coffee machines & organic coffees and teas c/o the respective manufacturers mentioned here.

Hair Salon Products for Pro Results at Home

You only need a few products to achieve soft shiny hair at home.

As the cooler, dryer air of fall into winter advances, we may find ourselves in an uphill battle to keep our locks healthy and shiny. One of the problems is caused by dryer air generated by indoor heating appliances. This included fireplaces which are oh so charming to sit by and roast chestnuts over. Your hair is also being baked!

So this is my short list of salon products I'm using right now that I've picked up during an appointment as recommended by some of NY's top hair stylists. Here we go:

Curlisto Haircare Collection
Developed by Christo of Christo Fifth Avenue in NYC, the man himself gave me the three smaller samples after my appointment a few weeks ago when his salon did my hair,nails and makeup for the ITNY's 2014 Benefit Gala
The Wall Street Journal and Women's Wear Daily have dubbed Christo "The King of Curls" as this celebrity stylist began his career at the tender age of 12 in his family's salon on the Greek Isle of Cyprus. His approach to curly hair is revolutionary, focusing first on nourishing it with ingredients that specifically address its unique challenges.

The Botanical Shampoo was lovely but what really got my attention was his Botanical Rinse. It really detangles and softens your hair like nothing I've ever used. So much so that I purchased a full sized bottle as seen here at my last visit to Christo's salon. 

The Deep Therapy Masque is also very good and reminds me of my favorite Mer-rouge Deep Conditioning Mask by Molton Brown - London. The Curlisto line is designed for curly hair but does not discriminate against straight. It is simply amazing and available online at Curlisto.com

Styling Helps

Nexxus Humectress Luxe Ultimate Moisture Leave In Spray is my favorite go-to after shampoo conditioner. My other is It's a 10 Miracle Leave In Plus Keratin which is great if you are going to flat iron or curl your hair as it is also protects against heat.

Bumble and bumble's Bb Tonic Lotion is great for bringing out the luster of darker hair shades as it contains Tea Tree, Nettle and Rosemary essential oils which are also good for your scalp's health. It's a rich mix of vitamins and herbs...so perfect for blow drying. I was turned on to this product by Commisso and Company of Port Washington, LI. 

Pro Tip: Just keep in mind that with these leave in products, a little goes are really long way. Most of us use far too much product which can weigh the hair down.

Natural Oils, Shine Boosters

dp HUE do Professional Oil Therapy
This product is an elegant blend of Argan oil, liquid shea butter with vitamins A & E. This is made for hair that is particularly dry or stressed. I like how it absorbs quickly and offers a rich shine. It also helps to speed drying time. It does contain Dimethecone as the second ingredient which is the only "con" I can cite however a little is all you need and the results are very impressive. Smells SO good too. Made in the UK. Visit dphue.com online.

CapriClear 100% Coconut Oil Spray
This is a very versatile coconut oil spray which unlike regular coconut butter, stays liquid even in cooler temperatures. Fractionated means this is coconut oil in its purest form without scent, color or preservatives. A little disappointing in the fragrance department because I really like the smell of coconut oil. All the same nothing beats this after a bath or shower as a super moisturizing and 100% natural spray. Made in the USA. Visit them online at capriclear.com

Pro Tip: To avoid weighing hair down with too much oil product, add less than a dime sized amount or half spritz to a boar bristle hair brush. You can even get them in 3 inch rounds for blow outs. The natural bristles are soft and evenly distribute the oil throughout your hair leaving it very soft and shiny. Natural boar hair is also more gentle on damp hair.

Picking up some more Curlisto Products! Christo of Christo 5th Ave.

My hair and makeup by Ray - Top Designer, c/o Christo Fifth Avenue
Pyrite Bracelets by Jaimie Nicole

NYFW Runway 500 Eye Makeup Designs Esum Brushes, Pur Minerals and Sephora's Makeup Forever

500 Eye Makeup Designs and some of my favorite tools to do it.

Kicking off Fashion Week, you can't help but envy some of the exotic eye makeup designs we see on the runway. Well, I've walked the runway and know how much a beautiful eye makeup application can do to compliment an outfit. So here are some tips and tools to add some pop to your eyes and wow to those brows:

NEW! 500 Eye Makeup Designs by Kendra Stanton
Kendra is a nationally renowned makeup artist with her work being seen on the covers of Fast Company, Los Angeles Magazine and the pages of Muse Magazine, Runners World and the New York Times. Just published in August 2014, Stanton's book offers everything from the more subdued everyday work looks to more artistic high fashion eye makeup seen on the pages of Vogue and Harper's. I really like the variety of designs and the choice to go a bit crazy for Holidays or even cos-play. 320 pages with a brief tutorial in the back of the which acts as the basis for all eye makeup applications. Book is available at FairwindsPress.com or Amazon.com and retails for $24.99

New fall eye makeup colors from Pur Perfect Fit Eyeshadow Trio

Pur Perfect Fit Eyeshadow Trios
New for fall, these Pur Perfect Fit Trios shown here are: Jet Setter, Bohemian Bombshell and Lady Luck. This Belgium formula describes itself as, "Luminous, long-wear colours that correct the look of lines and creases. Beauty - pur and simple."
I don't have serious lines but it's good to know that this formula will not make matters worse! Feels almost creamy when blended but it is truly a powder formula. Reminds me of my Bare Minerals Eye Duos, (my favorite is The Top Shelf). If you want perfect eye shadow application that doesn't crease, first prime your lids with something like L'Oreal's Miracle Blur and set with a silicon powder like Elf's High Definition Powder. Check the new Perfect Fit Trios out at PurMinerals.com

My Favorite Eye Makeup Tools - Esum Pro Essential 14 pc Set
If you are looking to move up to makeup artist quality brushes, you'll want to check out Muse Beauty Pro. You will need serious brushes like these to pull off the looks in the book. Some of my favorites from this pro set include:

S33 Medium Round Eye Contour Brush
B15 Angle Brow Brush
W21 Small Filbert Shader Brush
T05 Square Liner Brush
G09 Extra Small Scallop Liner Brush

Esum brushes are available at MuseBeauty.Pro

Make Up Forever Smokey Extravagant Mascara & Sephora Colorproof Liquid Eyeliner in Navy Blue
This season, navy blue is the new black so you might want to check out how to wear this with a subdued smokey eye. I like Sephora's Makeup Forever Mascara as well as their namesake Colorproof Waterproof Liquid Eyeliner. Always use an eyelash curler before applying mascara. What's hot now also are eyelash extensions. Add them in one by one for the most natural look with less mascara clumps and cleanup. Many spas like J n K at Commisso and Co. Hair Salon in Port Washington, Long Island offer this service so check around.

Sephora Colorproof Waterproof Eyeliner in Blue Navy

Boots Botanics Eyeliner Pencil
I received this is my BoxyCharm subscription box this spring. It is made with skin conditioning jojoba oil but the label says made in China! Boots is a UK drugstore brand and I have used this eye pencil quite a bit. I like that it comes with its own sharpener, similar to the Elf Eyeliner Pencils. The color does seem to stay put and if you pop any pencil in the fridge before sharpening, you can get a clean, tight line. Clean up of all this eye makeup needn't be a horror either. Very heavy eye makeup comes off easily with Lumene Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover. It comes from Finland and is made with 100% Organic Arctic Linen Seed oil and can be used on eyes and lips. Use this or gently massage some organic coconut oil over your lids and wipe gently with a flannel or face cloth.

Makeup Forever Mascara and Boots Botanics Eyeliner

Book and Eye Shadows c/o Fairwinds Press and Pur Minerals respectively

Pineda Covalin's Holiday 2014 and Resort 2015 Fashion Preview

Women's Silk Scarf and Carry All Bag

Soho, NYC In celebration of the opening of Pineda Covalin's new Soho store on Mercer Street, the media was treated to a feast for the eyes at Nespresso Cafe. Pineda Covalin hails from Mexico as the brainchild of two young fashion designers, Christina Pineda and Ricardo Covalin. This fashion house began in 1996 and is headquartered in Mexico City. Their textiles and designs use traditional Aztec and Mayan motifs while collaborating with other designers and jewelers including Swarovski and Jose Cuervo to name a few. 

Lovely silk scarves and jewelry from Pineda Covalin's latest Holiday and Resort Collections.

So here are some of my favorite selections from the Nespresso Cafe in Soho preview and the new Pineda Covalin store itself:

Filed under "Man-Bag" handsome leather 24 hr carry all.

Mexican Self Portrait Painter and wife of Artist, Diego Rivera Frida Kahlo silk scarf.

Pineda Covalin Ladies Handbags, and colorful clutches below.

Sculpture statue celebrating Mexico's "Day of the Dead"

Pineda Covalin's New Soho Location

Once again, this Holiday 2014 and Resort 2015 preview coincides with the celebratory opening of Pineda Covalin's new store in Soho. They are neighbors to Ivanka Trump and Phillip Lim's trendy studio. Here are some shots of the Mercer Street shop.

Pineda Covalin show plays on the wide screen above.

Flowing, cool resort wear.

Bags with Matching Silk Scarves

Bright colors and bold ethnic patterns abound.

Special thanks to the lovely LeAura Luciano of EverSoPopular.com for taking photos of me!

Visit PinedaCovalin.com online!