Resident DJ MATT HAZE  (Slayer’s Club) spins hip-hop, soul, reggae, funk, cumbia, dub, Balkan, African, Middle Eastern and other sounds from around the world.

Special guests TBD!

Public Works SF

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Jennie says,

I used to be hot. Back in grad school I was called the “Babe of the Department”. Now granted, I went to Georgia Tech which buses in pretty women from Athens for the weekend. But, I was cute. Now it’s 15 years later and, well, I’m kinda fat, not obese, but squarely middle-class fat, and more importantly: unfit and out of shape. Yeah, it’s important for everyone to be fit and in good health, but especially for me. Genes are not on my side: I’ve already had cancer, for crying out loud. This Yom Kippur I confessed my sin of slovenliness and made a commitment to change during a very powerful Kapparot experience I describe here. Bottom line is that I made a promise to a chicken that I intend to keep. I’m turning 40 December 30th and I will be well on my way to fitnessful living by then. I’m in the busiest and most stressful part of my year right now and there is only one thing that will keep me exercising and prevent me from stuffing my face with chocolate gelt: publicly declaring my commitment to you all, dear readers.

Patrick says,

Back in the good ol’ days when I needed to lose weight, I’d go on tour with a rock band. There’s nothing like a healthy dose of cigarettes and ramen noodles to help you drop twenty pounds, and touring makes you much more self conscious because you spend every waking hour chasing after ladies. But I’m getting domestic. Can!!Can’s next tour isn’t until December and now that I’m engaged, I find my self sitting around on the couch with my dog watching The Office on Netflix more than pumping iron at the JCC. With my big speech in front of the General Assembly of Jewish Federations, my wedding, and my next Can!!Can tour only a few weeks away, I have all the reason in the world to lose this tire that HaShem (and a lot of my fiancee’s dairy-and-carbohydrate-rich vegetarian meals) have put on my gut. My goal is to lose nearly thirty pounds. Yes, I recognize that this goal is insane and that the only people who lose thirty pounds in a month are on the scarf-and-barf diet made popular by all the After School Specials that I used to watch as a kid…but I think by setting an out-of-reach goal, I’ll be able to make more progress, faster, than if I tried to be realistic.

—

Each week Jennie & Patrick will be checking in with their progress, updating their stats and pics, as well as reviewing a Jewish fitness fad. This Week’s Jewish Fitness Fad: Kabbalah Yoga Tune in next week for their fitness update and fad review.

The post The Jewcy Fitness Plan: Patrick & Jennie Get in Shape appeared first on Jewcy.

From beating housekeepers to wearing blood diamonds, Naomi Campbell has proven time and time again that she’s either crazy and/or a terrible person.  And what’s the best medicine for crazy people?  Kabbalah! Yes, the English model says that since around the time she plead guilty to attacking somebody (2000, her former assistant) she has been a practitioner of the mystical Jewish school of thought that several other batshit crazy celebrities have claimed to study.

The post One More Crazy Celebrity at the Kabbalah Center appeared first on Jewcy.

Some would say I actually drink this scent; while I ensure I never smell intoxicatingly over-scented (I hope!) by limiting my application to two sprays at a time, I do tend to go through bottles of it quite quickly. The mention of my having to throw out my bottled security blanket had me in a pre-coffee tizzy, in which I may or may not have proceeded to nearest airport restaurant where I attempted to spritz perfume into a salad dressing container like a raging psychopath. Once I realized that this endeavor still meant I’d have to dump the remaining three quarters of a bottle into the trash, I returned to the Hassidic rave that was the check-in area to check my luggage, my fragrance and my dignity. I recently discovered a product that could save me from undergoing a similar embarrassment in the future, and thus feel the need to share it with all of you. The Sen7 Fragrance Atomizer will not only ensure you do not find yourself spritzing your scent into to-go containers at five in the morning, but it may just enable you to take your fragrance on the go with you on a daily basis. 

Here’s how it works: Sen7’s Atomizer comes with a funnel piece, allowing you to spritz into something far more chic than an airport take-out container. Once you fill ‘er up, the Sen7 operates on the push of a button and is certainly far more sleek than my supposedly chic airplane luggage. Available online and starting just under $40.00, the Atomizer is equally ideal for men who also prefer to not smell like anything other than their scent when they leave the gym or head into a business meeting. Pick your favorite color in the Sen7 (it even comes in metallics!) and you can carry your scent in your purse for a meeting, dinner date or – to San Francisco. 

The post The Jewish Mother’s Guide to Style : Sen7 Fragrance Atomizer appeared first on Jewcy.

Their handbags are no different. While I would love to sit at my desk and regale you with advice of how splurging thousands of dollars on asilk, sequin embroidered Lanvin purse is essential and completely justifiable, I shockingly discovered (after much research in the field mind you!) that there are in fact cases whereeven I, a jaded professional shopper, prefer J.Crew’s more affordable product.Whether you are in search of the perfect amount of glitter for a bridesmaidsdress or some icing to impress your fellow mummies on the playground, these crystal and brass pieces have just enough depth and patina to exude anexpensive, luxe and exciting aesthetic. While they may not be as cheap as theblender you scored an exciting deal on at your local Target or the brisket yourbutcher is selling at a discount just in time for the high holidays, thesepieces are worth their mid-level price tag.

For those of you who channel your inner W.A.S.P during the holiday season, odds are you are already shopping for the perfect gifts for your loved ones and chunky knit sweaters with reindeers playing dreidel emblazoned on their fronts. And as traditional and nostalgic as said sweater traditions may be, opting for one of J.Crew’s exciting, seeminglydesigner creations may just score you bonus points in Judeo-Christian heaven,where I imagine these dreidel playing reindeer reside during Santa’s offseason.

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Borrowing: Similar to sites like Rent The Runway, I-Ella acknowledges that when it comes to formal wear or statement items, you may only want or need to wear once, there is no need to splurge. As an alternative, the site offers a borrowing feature where you, for a fraction of the price, can rent one of their featured items.

Swapping: Operating on the credo that one woman’s trash is another’s treasure, users can swap items with one another on I-Ella. This eco-friendly method of fashion recycling brings the second-hand designer shop you adore downtown to your living room and gives you peace of mind knowing your once beloved handbag from seasons past is now someone’s new found fashion obsession. *FYI: I-Ella charges a $5.00 transaction fee per person for facilitating each swap and donates 10% of each swap’s fee to a charity of your choice.

Selling / Lending: Anyone can put up items for sale or lend on I-Ella to make room in your closet for new purchases and clean house of things you once loved but no longer find inspiring and exciting. As the seller, you determine the price of your wares, but I-Ella suggests you aim for approximately 40% of the items retail price. While the site welcomes all items and tastes, the I-Ella team screens all items posted to the site to be sure each item meets their standards of quality. Quite candid about their curation process, the team notes their love for designer items, new items, quality vintage, art, books, and even menswear. Things they hate? “Alcohol, tobacco, drug paraphernalia, real estate, weapons, motor vehicles of any kind and anything that promotes glorified hatred, racial and/or religious intolerance and illegal behavior.” Pretty much, head to I-Ella to sell or lend anything you yourself would head to a site to buy or borrow as a fashion lover. Anything you would otherwise purchase through a dealer has no place being sold on this site that seems to be breaking ground in the style marketplace. *Note: In sales, sellers keep 90% of the buy price and I-Ella keeps the remaining 10% as their aforementioned transaction fee. Naturally, 10% of that fee will land itself with the charity of your choice.

Things I have already fallen in love with on I-Ella? A brand new pair of J.Brand Chinos, Chanel black jersey open-toed wedge boots, Chanel perforated slate grey brogues and a Proenza Schouler tie-dye dress – and those are not even the wares being sold by celebrities. Veronica Webb is auctioning off a mouth-watering Lanvin coat and starting today, Whitney Port will be auctioning off her wares from her closet, including some pieces from her line Whitney Eve. Whether you bid on once-worn items by celebs or swap a statement necklace for a classic gold piece, a visit to I-Ella will have you emptying your closets in exchange for brand new duds. Don’t fear that a visit to a shopping site will have you draining your wallet dry; in this wretched recession, I-Ella may be the solution to cleaning house and shopping simultaneously – all for the low price of a charitable donation.

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As The Boozy Jew, it’s not often I actually need an excuse to drink, but I’ll take them when I can get them, which is why I’m pretty pumped this Friday is Simchat Torah, the day we celebrate receiving the torah, but in actuality the night every year your uncle used to drop your dad off at the house completely wasted, smelling of booze and singing at the top of his lungs.  I once had a Chabad Rabbi tell me in college, “Hashem wants us to get drunk, he wants us to rejoice and celebrate receiving the torah.” “I’m not sure who this ‘Hashem,’ guy is,” I responded, “but sure, pass that bottle.”  In this spirit, here are some of my favorite liquors for drinking liberally.

Luksusowa Polish Vodka – My Ukrainian half cousin twice removed once told me, “never drink a vodka unless a Pole or Russian made it,” and this vodka is proof of that statement.  The name Luksusowa means luxury in polish and the vodka is made from potatoes, an actual rarity these days with so many “higher end” vodkas being made from a plethora of other grains.  It’s incredibly smooth and perfect for mixing or taking shots, chased with a half-sour pickle.  The best part is that you can find it almost anywhere for around $15 a bottle, and I promise no one will know that’s how cheap it is.

Bushmills 1608 Irish Whiskey – McArthur Genius award winner David Simon and “The Wire,” told me the only time you are supposed to drink Bushmills is at a funeral, but if you can get your hands on a bottle of their 400^th anniversary whiskey, I’d find an excuse every day to drink the stuff.  The distiller used Crystal Malt in this batch to add a toffee backnote to the whiskey, it’s just delicious, buy it now and drink it often, it’s about $40 a bottle.

El Mayor Tequila, Blanco – It’s not a party if there isn’t tequila around, but when choosing a tequila there is one important rule to remember, ONLY BUY A TEQUILA MADE FROM 100% AGAVE, or you’ll feel it the next day.  El Mayor is one of the best blanco tequilas I have ever had, a smooth tequila with just a hint of pepper that hits the back of your throat.  Blanco means the tequila has not been aged, but this one doesn’t need it, a perfect drinking and mixing tequila.  Usually you can find it for around $30.

The post The Boozy Jew: Getting Sloshed for Simchat Torah appeared first on Jewcy.

It seems the current cultural trend of Jews openly celebrating their love of pork, opening restaurants such as Traif in New York and Animal in Los Angeles has arrived in Israel. Jeffery Yoskowitz of The New York Times reported today that Israeli publishing house Keter Books has released the country’s first pork cookbook intended for an Israeli Audience.

Pork has been sold in Israel for years now, especially in Christian communities and more recently in the communities of immigrant Jews from the former Soviet Union, but this is the first book of its kind intended to make pork a household food staple for thousands of secular Israelis.

The book, titled “The White Book,” was written by 61-year-old retired Cardiologist and current food columnist for Haaretz, Eli Landua, and features 80 Mediterranean style recipes with the pig as the centerpiece. Dr. Landau told The Times, “This book was not possible 20 years ago,”

Dr. Landau said. “In 20 or 30 years, it (eating pork) will be a natural thing. I don’t think I will be around to see it.”

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Napoleon’s first tip: primer. Perdis sticks to his motto, “not to prime is a crime,” a clever yet adorable rhyme to remembering the key to a brilliantly smooth complexion. Encouraging women to think of their faces like paintings, this product is a base coat and acts to give your complexion a youthful glow. Perdis recommends his Auto Pilot Pre-Foundation Primer to have your makeup stay put from day to night and moisturize skin underneath your powdery and creamy cosmetics that otherwise clog pores and leave skin gasping for air. I was able to sample some of Napoleon’s other products that he used on the models in the tents that morning, and while they certainly did not make me look like a model, I’ve been using them ever since. And so, straight from the tents at Lincoln Center, here are some Napoleon Perdis products I think should land themselves on your cosmetic collection.

Boudoir Mist Spray Foundation: While Napoleon encourages women to be cautious with concealer so as not to overload the face with product, he is quite insistent on a proper and even base to the painting that is your face. His spray foundation is light and ensures that the foundation is applied evenly to the skin, without creating the cake-y build-up that heavy foundations tend to leave behind. If this product works for the models of New York Fashion Week, it can certainly work for me.

DéVine Goddess Lipstick : I am not really one for lipstick, I am more of a gloss and chapstick girl myself, but I have definitely enjoyed creating totally nude, fresh faced looks with Napoleon’s lipstick in San Francisco these past few days.

Color Discs –  Makeup savvy ladies know that the perfect eye shadow that brushes on evenly and smoothly is key to any eye look, be it simple or smoky. After being inspired by Napoleon’s look at William Tempest, I have been basing my eyes in his Trench Coat Color Disc for the past week. Later that same week, the Napoleon Perdis team shocked me again when they took their most colorful discs to Laquan Smith for a breathtaking demonstration of makeup artistry. Pick any color and odds are, it will inspire you as it does the NP team.

After letting me into his mind and his world as he explained to me how he goes about finding his inspiration for runway show makeup, I was dying to try Napoleon’s products for myself. After having these products in my life for just a week, I am now dying for you to try them as well. Napoleon explained that runway faces start with the collection. After previewing the clothes and deciding with the designer whether the look will be simple or dramatic, he lets his mind run wild. That morning, William Tempest shared inspirations of underwater adventures and sea coral, which only spoke too well to the Australian native. The result? A white washed face with a nude lip and coral highlights. Tap into the world of Napoleon Perdis, where without  a makeup overload, women of all ages and skin tones can feel beautiful from the outside in. Start with mascara, end with lip liner and remember, “Not to prime is a crime!”

The post Jewcy’s Fashion Week Guide to Style: Napoleon Perdis appeared first on Jewcy.

Thursday, September 9th: Fashion Week Day 1, Rosh Hashana Day 1

10:06am: Roll out of my childhood bed in the sunny Jewish suburbia of Englewood, NJ. Got to sleep late since I’m home for the holiday. Coffee mug glued to one hand, makeup brush to the other. I have to go through three cups since my parents only drink french-vanilla flavored drip (too sweet for my taste!). Getting ready for shul but treating my outfit like this prayer session is being held inthe main lobby of the tents at Lincoln Center.

11:30am: Take a seat next to my mother in shul  – the older ladies a few rows over are not into the length of the slit in my dress or the height of my 6.5 inch wedges… sorry ladies!

1:30pm: LUNCH! They better feed me some Jewish comfort food this weekend if they expect to wipe the thoughts of the Fashion Week events I am missing from my mind. I start to remember the cycle of Jewish holidays that last longer than one day: eat, sleep, repeat.

10:30pm: Finish dinner and family bonding over an exciting game of Bananagrams. Begin writing my ABC’s of Fashion’s Night Out for this here online publication.

2:32am: This task was definitely a case of biting off more than I could chew…

3:14am: Finishing that article felt like crossing the finish line of a mental marathon. Bed time.

Friday, September 10th: Fashion Week Day 2, Rosh Hashana Day 2

11am: Walking to synagogue, hiding behind my sunglasses. They are a veritable do-not-disturb sign at a time where all I can think about is how editors, bloggers, buyers and fellow stylists are taking their seats at Rag & Bone SS11. I have decided that if there is a God, he is bound to give me major heavenly points for how happy it is making my mother that I have managed to make it to prayers on time and dressed appropriately two days in a row.

2:04pm: Sitting down to lunch at a family friend’s house – brisket, curried cauliflower, kugel, gefilte fish, homemade challah. I am going to have to buy clothes in a size up after this weekend, which hurts double time when I consider the teeny tiny models strutting down Jason Wu’s SS11 show taking place right about…now.

9:32pm: Sipping homemade espresso martinis with a friend from high school. Trying to drink away my sorrows that this holiday has kept me from attending Fashion’s Night Out.

10:30pm: After one too many sips…”What’s Fashion’s Night Out?!”

11:00pm: The drunken Jewish guilt sets in that my parents may or may not disown me for my having to head back to New York smack in the middle of Shabbat. Being disowned does not sound like too much fun; then again, missing the handful of shows I have lined up for tomorrow sounds like death by Jewish suburbia.

Saturday, September 11th: Fashion Week Day 3, Shabbat

Outfit du jour: Leopard-print shirt dress, black rope belt, Cambodian bamboo bangles, gold and wood beaded chain necklace, opaque black tights, six-inch black suede wedges.

8:00am: Alarm goes off. Must pack up, shower and prepare for the long day ahead. NEED CAFFEINE.

9:48am: Trying to brush off the look of disappointment my father sent my way when he left for his third consecutive day of shul. Walked myself to the bus stop in suburbia only to realize there are no express buses running today. The only bus I could take to Manhattan will get me in too close to my first show of the day – Jill Stuart at noon. More annoyed with the fact that my parents live a mere twenty minutes out of New York which somehow turns into a two hour extravaganza on local public transportation.

10:00am: Make the executive decision to call in reinforcements – a.k.a. an exorbitantly priced car service – I ask him to meet me at Starbucks. He knows which one it is because – shocking, I know – there is only one Starbucks in my parent’s hometown.

10:19am: Iced-Quad-Venti-Skim-Latte in hand, I hop into my car and am back on schedule. I guess I am semi-chauffeured…

11:30am: Arrive to check-in at The Koch Theater at Lincoln Center for Jill Stuart SS11. The crowd attempting to form a line at the check-in desk resembles more of a mosh-pit than a fashion frenzy. After a not so nice back and forth with someone cutting in front of me in a semi-violent manner, I sighted six-foot-something, fellow stylist Andrew Mukamal who had just finished working on styling Kimberly Taylor’s SS11 Presentation. He informed me that the designer (whose parents are religious Sephardic Jews) scheduled her presentation pre-fashion week to avoid high holiday scheduling conflicts. I could not narrow down whether it was Andrew’s height or his fantastic handbag that was working to his advantage in the check-in line, but he managed to reach his seating assignment far before I did. I joined him just as some Kel on Earth fans spotted him and asked for a photo – could you blame them? He looked spectacular!

12:30pm: Front row at Jill Stuart: Kim and Kourtney Kardashian, Brad Goreski, Nigel Barker and Jay Alexander. Collection exudes some Chanel SS09 references…

12:53pm: Visit a friend backstage as he loads in for his 2:30pm Yoana Baraschi Presentation. Pop over to the Studio for what became one of my favorite shows of the season – Prabal Gurung.

1:24pm: Prabal Gurung is a GOD! One of my icons, Rachel Zoe, is seated front row.

2:16pm: Taking my seat at ADAM SS11. I am seated next to the buyers for Intermix; definitely interesting to see the difference in how they watch shows versus how I take the designs in.

3pm: Take a peek at Yoana Baraschi’s Presentation in the micro-venue IMG has appropriately named The Box at Lincoln Center.

8:20pm: Pop into the Whitney Eve Presentation at 1Oak before running to a friend’s birthday celebration in the West Village.

Sunday, September 12th: Fashion Week Day 4

Today’s Look: Camel knit high waisted trousers, vintage black blazer with leather lapels, black wedges.

1:45pm: Meet up with my friend, Sarah, at our local Starbucks on our way to Rebecca Taylor SS11.

2:30pm: Sarah, looking great in army green skinny cargoes, a black and white striped top and a leopard fur stole gets her photograph taken for a Japanese newspaper and a New York Times blogger as a street style highlight of the day!

6:00pm: Rain is totally throwing off my plans for my evening ensemble, throw caution to the wind and wear a short skirt and suede despite the weather report for Erin Fetherston‘s show at Milk Studios.

7:15pm: Sipping a glass of champagne at my seat pre-show. There are orange gerbera daisies on every chair and the sounds of birds chirping being played to compliment her show’s theme, Birds of Paradise.

Monday, September 13th: Fashion Week Day 5

Today’s Look: Black pantsuit, gold chain necklaces, white v-neck silk crepe top.

6:30am: Caffeinating while getting dressed.

8:00am: Interviewing makeup artist Napoleon Perdis backstage at the William TempestSS11 Presentation at The Box.

8:50am: Sneaking a peek of the collection before running to work.

Noon: In Barney’s shopping for an upcoming commercial job.

3:30pm: Finishing the day with a shop at Bergdorf Goodman.

4:12pm: Jetting to Chris Benz’s Presentation.

5pm: Made it to Chris Benz with a half hour left in the presentation! Loving how sophisticated yet fresh his look is for Spring 2011.

6:23pm: Celebratory pomegranate margheritas at Rosa Mexicana with my friend Andrew, who helped produce the presentation.

8pm: Round two of margheritas with my dear friend Erin Phraner at MxCO on the Upper East Side. Erin is interviewing me for a piece she is working on about what fashion industry members eat during fashion week and what I think the perfect Fashion Week cupcake would taste like. I suggest saffron and high quality dark chocolate.

Tuesday, September 14th: Fashion Week Day 6

DAY OFF!!! Wishing I was at Rodarte and Vera Wang but loving the R&R.

Wednesday, September 15th: Fashion Week Day 7

2:13pm: Shopping at Bloomigdale’s for the commercial I am working on next week. Hoping to finish in time for Marchesa’s presentation in Chelsea at 3:30pm.

3:45pm: Hopping on the insanely long check-in line at Marchesa SS11.

4:11pm: Grab a glass of Moet and make my way around the presentation. These gowns are breathtaking, definitely classify more than most as wearable art.

5:30pm: Meet Amaya Maurie of The Cool Kid List at our equivalent of Central Perk, Think Coffee to debrief Marchesa and indulge in a Spanish Latte.

Thursday, September 16th: Last Day of New York Fashion Week

Today’s Look: Cloudy grey tiered asymmetrical ruffle skirt, black drapey cropped front top, black suede wedges.

10am: Prepping fitting for upcoming commercial. Color coding racks, unpacking messenger shipments, steaming, etc.

3:23pm: Head home to write a few pieces for Jewcy’s Fashion Week.

6:25pm: Stop at personal shopping client of mine to prep her for the Rebecca Moses SS11 show. We make quick decisions and get her into hair and makeup so that I can head to the Naeem Khan show.

7:02pm: Literally run to Naeem Khan due to how late I am. Show up within two minutes of the show starting incredibly out of breath. My co-workers and I get seat upgrades last minute since the weather as made it hard for many to get to the show on time. We check whose seats we have been moved up to – together we are Vogue, W, Elle and Harper’s Bazaar Korea.

7:45pm: Finish Naeem Khan’s show which was themed “Miami on my Mind.” Zip over to L.A.M.B.

8:15pm: Front row at L.A.M.B. – Debby Harry, Gavin Rosedale, No Doubt and designer Gwen Stefani’s children. The show’s music is so fantastic my friends and I are dancing in our seats.

8:45pm: Gwen does a full walk down the runway rather than the typical shy wave designers typically give their audiences. This show instilled convictions I’d formed as a serious No Doubt fan/child of the 90’s – Gwen Stefani is one.sick.bitch.

9:45pm: Toast the end of Fashion Week with friends and co-workers with a dry n’ filthy martini at Amber, a small sushi joint blocks from Lincoln Center. Exhausted, drained and looking forward to doing it all again in February for Autumn / Winter SS11.

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