Rodarte@Pitti

I am of course a huge fan Rodarte so I was super excited when I heard that they were the guest designers at Pitti Uomo, the worlds most important menswear trade show held in Florence twice a year. The concept is that they invite an "out of context" international designer that prepares a capsule collection for Pitti. What the Rodarte girls presented is literally art as fashion.

The installation itself its beautiful, an abandoned industrial building redesigned to house the exhibit, and the 10 dresses are breathtaking.

I believe that they are the only American designers that produce such couture-like quality garments.

After Pitti, the dresses are actually heading to the permanent collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

hiAMsterdam

Just spent a long weekend in Amsterdam to celebrate my 22nd birthday. I have this tradition that I do not do my birthday at home anymore... it always turns out to be such a hassle! My solution: go international

For my 20th it was Paris, my 21st Verona/Milan and now Amsterdam! Can't wait to see where ill be next year...

Amsterdam is a beautiful city, so charming and unique! There are almost no cars, everybody rides around on bikes like mad men, and oh yeah, they have all those famous cafés.... (however a law is being passed to prohibit the sale of soft drugs to tourists by 2012!)

Being in a... lets say lazy.... mood, I basically wore the same thing everyday and I plan on continuing to do so in Geneva as long as the rain persists. I have these amazing harem sweatpants from Zara that until now I only wore as pajama pants, but no more! They are just so damn COMFORTABLE! And they went with the laid back cool kid look I was going for haha. Paired them all the time with my beige espadrilles from Lyon, some sort of scoop neck or henley top, my leather jacket (notice the leather is starting to be nicely worn!), a beanie and of course sunglasses. Gotta protect your sensitive eyes!

Anyways, try to go to Amsterdam before the end of the year, if you can't well you can always stare at hookers like you would monkeys in a zoo!

Photos by Chelsea Hughes

I miss New York.

My favorite city in the World is New York. I just love it. It has everything, there is always something new and I always have a fabulous time. I am currently craving to be in New York. Its like crack to me. Crack that I haven't had in more than a year! Talk about withdrawal! Last time I was there was for New Years Eve 2010 and it was amazing, ate great food, drank too much and had fun with friends I love. However, I still haven't experienced NYC since I turned 21 last year (not that it was ever a problem, my name was Aaron and I was 25... and medicare cards are a good way to confuse people). Last weekend, Audrey and Anna were going to New York for a girls weekend and asked me to give them a few recommendations on what to do, where to eat and where to party. People seem to always ask me what to do when they travel and I love it. Of course I sent them a list with way too many things to do in such a short time frame, and of course it made me all melancholic and missing New York.

Here are places I would go if I could be in NYC right now.... I'll try to go to by the end of summer or for Canadian Thanksgiving.

Fist of all, I would have brunch at my FAVORITE restaurant, Café Habana in Soho. It's tiny, hot and delicious. Authentic Cuban food, such as the delicious grilled corn pictured above, really friendly service and great people watching. You might have to wait for a table but it's worth it! Best of all, it's really cheap by New York standards. Afterwards, I would head to the New Museum on Bowery just down the street. 

Café Habana, 17 Prince Street.

I am DYING to try out Beauty & Essex in the LES. Owned by Chris Santos, the same guy who brought to us the fabulousness that is Stanton Social, it is probably one of the most entertaining places to go to these days. The entrance is thru a retro-chic pawn shop and the interior is decked out with giant chandeliers and other lovely things. Another pro (if you happen to have a vagina), there is a FREE champagne bar for ladies! Reservations are essential unless you want to eat at midnight.

Beauty & Essex, 146 Essex street

Post dinner, delicious cocktails should be in order, and thank God New York is pretty much the epicenter of gourmet cocktails. These guys take their shit seriously, bartenders having fancy titles such as "mixologists".

I would love to try Death & Co. I think their cocktails would really pack a punch. And the "mixologists" look pretty delicious too.

Death & Co. 433 East 6th street

Probably a New York classic by now, PDT (aka Please Don't Tell) is part of the whole "speakeasy" trend, but they really take it seriously. You have to call in the afternoon to make a reservation. They tell you at what time you can come and of course you feel blessed to have such a chance. Once you get there you walk thru Criff Dogs, their hot dog stand cover front with a lovely "Eat Me" street sign, and go into a phone booth, knock, and the back opens to reveal a true speakeasy. Weirdly enough, the ceiling looks allot like the one at Death & Co. but it is just such a funny experience to come here. And wow, the drinks are REALLY strong and REALLY good.
PDT 113 St Marks Place, (212)614-0386

Another classic, Pastis in the Meatpacking district is a beautiful French bistro that you may recognize from Sex and the City... But don't be fooled by its cinematic fame, the food is impeccable! Great for drunken brunch with Bellinis and Bloody Mary's, especially with a Nicoise salad or Chicken Paillard.

Pastis 9 9th avenue

I have been obsessed with going to one of the Momofuku group's restaurants ever since I heard about the opening of Ma Pèche (second photo). Chef/owner David Chang is a genious, bringing refined Korean food to america with the Momofuku Noodle Bar (first photo), Momofuku Ssaam Bar, Momofuku Milk Bar, and soon, Momofuku Toronto! I would go to any of his restaurants, I just ADORE Korean food, especially in a super minimalist modern space!

www.momofuku.com

Being in Europe for so long, I am absolutely dying for a good burger. I think I have found my meat soulmate: the Shake Stack Burger from the legendary Shake Shack. It is a delectable cheeseburger with a deep fried portobello and cheese nugget. There are multiple locations, but the best one would be the original in Madison Square Park right next to the Flatiron building.

www.shakeshack.com

Last but not least... I am really craving the spicy chicken wings at Spice Market. Giant, crispy and served with a side of salt & peppered mango, it is the ultimate chicken wing! And I a defs not a wings kind of guy lol.

Only Lyon.

Over the weekend a few of us internationals went to my friend's house in Lyon. My mother had told me it was nice but I did not expect to enjoy it so much! People always think that Paris has the best of French culture to offer, but in reality the FOOD in Lyon is in a whole other league!
Three words to describe the weekend: Eat. Drink. Sun.
We went out a whole lot since it was Lauren's 21st birthday, celebrations started before taking the train by drinking a bottle of bubbly at school. We went to an Australian themed club on a péniche, a club that has stock-market like fluctuating drink prices, an irish pub and a Bostom themed club. Hmmm I just realized how French people seem to love "exotic" themed drinking dens...
The weather was beautiful so we planned the weekend to have one day of visits and one day lounging by the pool... it was fabulous. Add 2 nights of going out until 4 am and you have a great weekend.

Charcuterie plate in a Bouchon Lyonnais. We ate so much French food: escargot, souris d'agneau (melt in your mouth lamb shank), salade lyonnaise (mmmm lardons), quenelles, chicken liver salad, beef tartare, tarte tatin, tarte aux pralines...

Stuffed.

Le Passage, a sort of super chic "speakeasy" type bar. I had a Royal Highball, seemed appropriate. 

- 4 oz Chapagne

- 1 oz Cognac

- Simple syrup

- Strawberries

Served on the rocks.

This INSANE apartment we chilled in one night, it was huge and expertly decorated if not a tad impersonal...

Pool day among rose bushes, lavender and a bountiful cherry tree (pick your own cherries to cool off... ). Wearing my tiny european bathing suit, so useful to tan!

I confess, I am a stalker.

Well I stalk real estate listings. Especially in Montreal, New York, and any other over the top listing I find. I also check out The Real Estalker and Curbed a few times  week. Until today I used to debate if I preferred a slick contemporary space or something with a little more character and history. I have now found my ultimate home and I can firmly say I like a little ancient flavor. I should have figured that out a while ago, since I love contrast, texture and classics. I have always dreamed of having a really ornate, ancient living room furnished with super contrasting and eclectic elements. Here it is, in Montreal, for a mere 3.5 mil:

Classic limestone facade.

Deliciously quirky furniture choices.

Many a classic "design" chair. Ornate decorations made subtle. 

I love beanbags. Sitting on on right now.

Stunning LaCornue (second) kitchen.

A yard with character. I could throw a decent party here...

5 years.

Is halfway to a 10 year reunion...

I feel like everything has changed yet nothing has changed. Except my clothes are much more tailored. 

Its really time to get going.

Home sweet Home

Summer is here. School is driving me insane and the Swiss bore me. Hence I am really looking forward to being back home in Montreal and go to all my favorite hang outs. What I lack here is a good drink, a good coffee and good ethnic food. I am sick of cheese and endives! (well not really but you know, i miss my international cuisine and affordable luxuries!)

First of all, Baldwins. Everybody who knows me is aware this is MY PLACE to go. Any day of the week I know I will have fun here (except maybe certain Saturday's when the place is invaded by suburban folk). But even if the crowd sucks, the place is always gorgeous, the music amazing (mix of old school, some hip hop and a bunch of really cool hipstery new stuff, it usually gets more upbeat later in the night) and the drinks are the best in town. And the service is also great... but that is maybe because I have been going there for 3 years... sometimes thrice a week....

Buvette chez Simone. Wine bar, cold cuts, cheese. So fun all the time, much more relaxed atmosphere and beautiful people to watch! Their salads are also quite delicious, Audrey loves the greek salad with its HUGE slabs of feta.

Verses Sky terrace at the Nelligan hotel. I just discovered this spot last year with my friend Chloe and we spent many sunny afternoons drinking bubbly there, admiring her boyfriend working in the outdoor kitchen (best kitchen setup ever... minus the bees) and the stunning view. Try the "Piscine", a huge glass of Prosecco on ice with raspberries. Extremely refreshing, fabulous looking and gets you pretty tipsy!

McKiernan lunchonette and wine bar. In St-Henri a walking distance from Atwater Market and my apartment, super cute place to have lunch in a vintage-y setting with KILLER sandwiches and old school desserts (mmmm pudding chomeur). They also have an adorable terrace in the garden during summer months.

Mas Cuisine is a tiny fine dining restaurant in Verdun right around the corner from where I live. Chef/owner Michael Ross and his wife prepare EVERYTHING from bread to desert for the prix-fixe menu. It is my absolute favorite restaurant in Montreal, you can have an impeccable 3 course dinner for around 40$.

Chez Bong is my favorite asian restaurant. Its a Korean place on St Laurent in Chinatown. Try not to be too confused. It is in a basement with cedar planked walls and looks kind of suspicious, but all the dishes are super authentic and prepared by a little old Korean granny that smiles at you all the time. You can eat like a king for about 10$, which includes a chicken soup and all the traditional Korean kim chi side dishes. My absolute favorite thing to eat is the jap chae, a super slimy and stretchy sweet potato noodle stir fry. Mmmmm.

Café Myriade. Best. Coffee. EVER. Order a latte and don't you even DARE put sugar in it. (Award winning baristas, known as one of the best coffee houses in AMERICA.)

Fairmount Bagel. Cream cheese. Mmmmm. The best in the whole wide world, I don't care what people say, Fairmount bagels beat out St-Viateur because they are less dense and still have all the flavour (I used to be a St-Viateur fan but I was shown the light... and the place is much cuter, the experience of getting a dozen bagels is just so fun).

The urban chalet and rooftop pool at Imperial Lofts. Cannot wait to spend days roasting in the sun at Audrey's new place! Screw Hotel de la Montagne, this is way better, cheaper and closer to home.

Baldwin's : 115 Laurier Ouest

Buvette chez Simone : 4869 avenue du Parc

Verses Sky : 106 rue St-Paul Ouest

Mckiernan : 2485 rue Notre Dame Ouest

Mas Cuisine : 3779 rue Wellington

Chez Bong : 1021 blvd St-Laurent

Café Myriade : 1432 rue Mackay