Since we started this blog nearly a year ago, we
have always looked for ways to incorporate our love of wine and food with
fashion. After all, what more could a woman ask for?? Well, we have some
exciting things in store for you in the near future and we kicked it all off
last weekend when we attended our first official fashion event as Vino &
Vintage. Of course, we would have loved it if it had been NYC Fashion Week, but
being from Philly, we figured Philly Fashion Week was a good place to start.
(Next year, look out for us in NYC!)
All of the Philly
Fashion Week 2013 events took place at the Crane Arts Building from Thursday,
Feb. 21st through Saturday the 23rd. We hate to start off our review on a negative
note, but they really need to find a new venue for Fashion Week. We were
surprised it wasn’t held somewhere in Center City and when we looked the
address up on the map, we were a little hesitant to attend at all. Not the best
of neighborhoods. However, the big event began on the first night with the "PFW
Accessories Party" and, well, who are we to say no to accessories?
We arrived a half-hour early to secure close (and safe!)
parking. Once inside though, we were again a little surprised… and
disappointed. The “red carpet event” that was promised consisted of a small
room with about 9 tables of local vendors (though the invite said 20) displaying their products. There was
a small strip of “red carpet” and a backdrop by the door to pose for pictures.
There was a DJ in the corner which was nice, but the music was too loud for the
small space and there was absolutely no area where anyone could even imagine
dancing in.
Considering this was supposed to be a party, we were looking
forward to some hors d’oeuvres and a nice glass of wine or bubbly being passed
around. No such look. The only things being offered were some samples of
Coconut Water at the Vita Coco booth. Huh? There was also no one to greet us
when we arrived. No check-in, no coat check, no
hospitality. It felt like the party had no host. Hey, it’s all in the small details. If the whole
event was directed more toward people involved in organizing Fashion week, then
perhaps they should not open it up to the public and media...or maybe charge a
small fee to get in and do it bigger and better! That’s just our opinion. ;)
All was not lost though. There were some very unique items and
designers in the small bunch. In terms of accessories, we did not feel there was
a lack of nice pieces and pretty or creative items. They were all actually very
good. We just expected MORE designers and other types and varieties of
accessories. Only 1 shoe vendor…say what?
We did score on a couple fabulous jewelry finds. Showroom 77 had some beautiful
pieces on display and for sale.
We bought this incredible ring for $15!
Perfect for accessorizing your wine glass! ;)
A few other accessory designers that stood out:
by Imani Bilal
Most clever goes to the
designer of Game Jewelry who makes her cute designs
out of Lego pieces.
There were supposed to be some live make-up and hair demos
going on though we never caught any. There was, however, a table where you could get some free gel manicures.
Highlight of the night (yes, we’re being sarcastic) was when
Miss Pennsylvania Teen USA made an appearance and posed for pictures on the
“red carpet”. Here she is with designer Kevin Molnar.
Well, after wandering around in circles looking at the same
stuff over and over again, we finally decided it was best to leave and get
something to eat…and a damn glass of wine! ;)
On to the runaway...
On the 2nd night of Philly Fashion Week, the
“Ready-to-Wear Runway Show” was held. Unfortunately we were unable to make this
event at the last minute.
*Designers/lines that were a part of this show: Dramatik
Fanatik, Ian Alexander, Alicia Pinckney, Shavonne Deann, Las Swimwear, Lady
Embellishment, Suede Square, Lili Daliessio, Anthony Eastwick, Walish Gooshe, Marina
Makaron Moscow
The 3rd and final night was titled “Couture
Runway Show”. We were so excited to see the high-end fashion lines from 10 National
and International Designers. Let us fast forward by saying that the fashion was
indeed unique and fierce (with only 1 or 2 disappointments). Some of our favorites came from Li Jon Sculptured
Couture who designed some unique and sexy outfits made of chains. Enjoy the complete slideshow of all of the
events, models, outfits and accessories at the end of this post.
*Complete list of designers/lines at the Couture Show: Li
Jon Sculptured Couture, Ayo-Lee Couture, Nicole Sauter, Ray Vincente, Todd Anthony,
Bishme Cromartie, Justin Farnham, Closet by Christobal, English Clientele, Lillie
Designs
While all the designers displayed endless amounts of
creativity and beauty, the night itself was a bit of a train wreck. If we had gone to the Friday show, we’re
pretty certain we never would have made it back on Saturday. The event just seemed
unorganized and again proved that a new venue is needed. The place was packed
with people and it got very warm in there. The runway show began about an hour late. There were not enough
seats for everyone and people were standing, looking for chairs, forming their
own rows, sitting on the floor….just wrong. As part of the press we were allowed to enter first and had some good seats set aside. The VIP ticket holders followed and seemed less than enthused with their gift
bag goodies. Finally the general admission ticket holders were allowed in after
spending almost 2 hours in the holding room where you had the option of a $5
beer or some funky punch drink from the tiny bar. There was a small table with
some food being served, but after seeing someone’s plate we decided to just skip it and eat later. The only plus
was that a couple of the vendors from Thursday night were there again and we purchased a nice nude lipstick from Backstage Cosmetix. We also scored yet another beautiful ring. Remember, accessorize that wine glass...wait, there was no wine. :-p
With Official Sponsors like PHL17, PECO, Wilhelmina, and Banana
Republic and tickets costing $40 or $150 for VIP, we just expected a little
more. Granted, a fashion show is all about the fashion. Though, we gotta ask...what was up with the Marge Simpson hairdo all the female models had going on???
We don't mean to disrespect anyone, we just want to keep it real. We are very grateful to have been able to attend the event. There's just a lot that could have been done differently to make the experience a little more fabulous for the guests. There was an official after party to close the event at the Sugar House Casino following
Saturday’s show, but we decided to head home instead
and crack open a bottle of wine. Toasting to a better experience next time! Cheers!
We arrived in Wilmington Delaware, another first for both of us. The hotel is beautiful. The décor, chandeliers, even the ceilings all have a very glamorous, vintage appeal…just our style.
Speaking of style, we had debated at length about what to wear. While Champagne
and Caviar has a ritzy sound to it, we definitely did not want to overdress. We
finally opted for the stylish blouse, blazer and black pants look. Nude and
black heels with some fabulous accessories complemented the outfits perfectly. ;) On to the food and drinks….JPG)
We entered the Hotel’s Christina Room and were promptly handed a
glass of champagne. However, we were a little confused on what we were supposed
to do next. People were crowded around the table in the center of the room,
which we soon realized was holding the caviar. It was difficult to get to, but
eventually we made our way. Unfortunately we are still unsure of which Caviar
we sampled and before we knew it, they announced that it was all gone!
Some people seemed in a hurry to get to their next event, one of the several
Gala dinners, which would explain the rush and why a few ladies looked like
they were dressed for a wedding. lol
All was not lost though. We got to sample all 4 Moët Hennessy
varieties: Rosé Imperial, Nectar Blanc, Nectar Rosé, and Imperial. Yum!.JPG)
Following the demo we enjoyed one of the musical acts and then a
presentation by wine connoisseurs Thys Lombard and Robert Joseph. We were
enlightened on wines from South Africa and plan on exploring them some more. We also
appreciated the message of forgetting the “rules” and experimenting with your
food and wine. What doesn’t taste so good to you might be an amazing pairing to
someone else. ;)
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The grand finale of the entire festival, the Master Chef Tasting,
also took place under the tent. In the 2 hours we had left, they had
transformed the Village to look like a beautiful dining hall. Little did we know
that a “tasting” was really more like a 7 course meal! Derrick Prince, Tracy
Kontos, Christian Collins, Dave Miller, Becky Reams, Suzy Singh and Jennifer
Behm, contestants from Chef Gordon Ramsey’s “Master Chef” competition on FOX,
cooked us up some delicious dishes and shared their experiences on the show. It
was fun to hear their stories and watch them interact with each other and of course, taste their delicious food. Master Chef winner Jennifer Behm hosted the event
along with Emmy nominated Claudia Gomez from Fox 29. 
The 2013 Philadelphia Flower Show took place March 2nd-March 10th at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia.
This year’s theme: Brilliant! A look
at the elaborate scenes and beautiful flowers and you felt transported to and immersed in the traditions and diversity of the UK. We
attended on a Thursday, expecting it to be a little less crowded. Boy, were we wrong. The beauty of Britain was
clearly a big hit this year! It was a little trying to get around the crowds and attempt to capture the brilliance on camera. If you have never attended a Philly Flower Show though,
it’s a must if you’re in the area. Here are some exhibits that we found
breathtaking (more pics at end of post):
We returned to the Flower Show on Saturday the 9th…this
time, instead of flowers, we were in search of wine! Yeah, that’s right, we
said wine. ;) Those who have attended the Flower Show in the past know that Fine Wine & Good Spirits has been a long time presence at the event. They offer wine
tastings and bottles for sale in the festival village area located in front of
the show’s main entrance. There are always
a few celebrity appearances at the show, as well. Well this year we had the
pleasure of meeting Ramona Singer from The Real Housewives of New York. Guests had the opportunity to purchase her
new line of Sangiovese-Merlot wine, as well as her Pinot Grigio ($12.99 each) then have the bottle(s) signed by Ramona and get a picture snapped with her too. It was fun to see and hear fans excitement at meeting her. We heard, "She looks better in person than on T.V.!" quite a few times. We have to agree.
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Considering this was supposed to be a party, we were looking
forward to some hors d’oeuvres and a nice glass of wine or bubbly being passed
around. No such look. The only things being offered were some samples of
Coconut Water at the Vita Coco booth. Huh? There was also no one to greet us
when we arrived. No check-in, no coat check, no
hospitality. It felt like the party had no host. Hey, it’s all in the small details. If the whole
event was directed more toward people involved in organizing Fashion week, then
perhaps they should not open it up to the public and media...or maybe charge a
small fee to get in and do it bigger and better! That’s just our opinion. ;) 
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