Dance, Dance and the Size 22 shoe

Party people, party people. Over the past few days I got a chance to release some stress with one of my passions in life... Dancin'!!

My 2 highlights were:

Catchin up with one of my favorite Dj's Rich Medina who broke it down and turned it up on the Brooklyn side for the "Booklyn Bounce" party at Deity on Atlantic Ave. The dance floor was packed and full of energy as usual when Rich is on the decks. Always the perfect mix of funk, soul, hip hop and house to keep me movin. I danced my ass off! For those who haven't been yet, Deity is one of the most recent hot spots to pop up on this side of the East River. Its a Nightclub with 2 levels that blend Ancient Mythology themes with modern aesthetics. Lots of Stained glass and Organic materials. The Dj booth upstairs has a great back drop(see pic with horns). It was an enchanting space to walk into. They've also got a fair collection of spirits for a nightclub where I found myself sampling their finest tequilas on hand. As I was sampling I bumped into cocktail mixologist and Brand Ambassador for Uluvka, Colin who also resides in Brooklyn. We keep talkin about getting together for a cocktail and somehow end up at the same places having cocktails. Its a small city sometimes.

This Past Tuesday I made it out to the institutional APT where my good friend Khairi on behalf of Puma hosted the latest "MY FAVORITE THINGS" party. There we were blessed by one of the most prolific producers in the music game, DEGO from 4 HERO. Dego had the lovely Vanessa and I dancing to a gamut of music on the dance floor from Hip Hop to House to Broken Beat to Salsa to Rhumba and back again! Woo, it was hot on the dance floor! Good music does wonders to the footwork and for the soul. Upstairs is where we encounterd the Size 22 Puma Clyde sneaker who made a guest appearance and to take photos with guests in the private booth. Special thanks to StudioBooth who set up an area and projected all the wacky shots of the guests and the Clyde sneaker as they were shot. Check the pics, it was a fun time.

Dancin and sweatin and sweatin and dancin!

This Friday I plan on more dancing and working on my salsa game. Looking to take a class and then work on it at S.O.B's for their friday night salsa concerts. Its tons of fun and there are some amazing dancers there.

The Beat goes on...

At your service,

The Boulevardist

Thank You...

I finally installed a counter to get an idea and see if any of these stroll reports actually reached anyone. I appreciate you taking a second to click.

Now can I get a count of you who would be interested in joining me for a small gathering in about a month? Feel free to either comment or email me at tomasmoves@gmail.com.

At your service,

The Boulevardist

V Magazine party at Chelsea Piers

Last nights party was the perfect follow up to the previous in my search to experience the randomness fashion week has to offer. I had the pleasure of attending the Visionaire/Vman Magazine ice skating party last night at the Chelsea Piers. My crew and I had a blast! A very attractive crowd of models, fashion industry folks, press, fashionistas and a few sprinkles of celebrities were in the house hob-nobbin while some took to the ice giving everyone a chance to rub elbows and maybe even take a spill in front of Zac Posen, Anna Wintour, Michael Stipe and even Kanye West who seemed to have been all over fashion week apparently staking out his next look. I got a chance relive my childhood ice skating days with the crew and would in the future think twice about trying to take pics while skating. I ended up one of those taking a spill but not to be embarrassed since the ladies I slipped in front of thought it was a cute fall.

After getting my fill of skating and practically losing all circulation in my feet from strapping the skates on too tight, I turned them in and headed straight for the bar. There they were generously serving some new Belvedere vodka that had a bunch of added ingredients such as ginger, guarana and tea. Added to that was red bull and grapefruit juice which was a recipe for craziness by my cocktail standards but hey, I was just ice skating next to a 7 foot tall drag queen with a pink beehive so somehow the drink doesnt seem that crazy after all. Strolling through the crowd, I got a chance to mingle in and met a few interesting people along the way. One guy who I chatted with briefly sported an all black outfit and had on an interesting black hat with ears. My thoughts, "wow, that is a very stylish bat". Fashion can be real funny sometimes. As we started to feel real nice from the cocktails, we made our way to the dance floor where I found my flatmate the "Galactic" Angel rockin out at the Dj booth that was definitely pumpin thanks to the crazy dance flashbacks spun by Wolfie who flew in from Vienna just for the event. There we danced our crazy asses off til the lights came on.

Crazy party made for crazy times.

At your service,

The Boulevardist

Richie Rich Show - Fashion Week 2009

Now I'm not really big on fashion week but when you live in New York and like to go out, its not a bad idea to see whats going on in and around the tents. So my one and maybe only show this season was the Richie Rich show in the Waldorf Astoria Grand Ballroom last night and I can say I really got a taste of some of the excitement, not to mention all the neon colors that are making a comeback.

Former Heatherette Richie Rich and old school club kid jester debuts his new line, under his own namesake. The collection may have been long in planning, but the show appeared to be quickly thrown together. I found it very amusing on the way through the Waldorf Astoria with its typically old money and very snooty clientele to watch the expressions of their guests as club kids, drag queens and yes, Ice T with Coco parade on by to the show. The looks were priceless.

The opening acts were a bit of a spectacle yet much more fun than your typical walk down the runway. It opened with a tin soldier announcing an opera singers rendition of "Send in the clowns" backed by a pianist, followed by ballet dancers in bow ties and tuxedo pants. Think chippendales do Swan Lake. Next Kat Deluna performs one of her dance tracks in somewhat of a flat performance. There was'nt a smooth transition between the Swan Lake performance to hers to get the energy pumping. Yet the dresses, pants and other garments were remarkably stayed with a strong mix of commercial (not in a bad way), trend orientated (sight the eighties) and editorial.

My favorite part of the show happened at the end when Pamela Anderson popped out in a gold bathing suit covered in glittering flowers and blew kisses to the crowd followed by Richie Rich on roller skates. It was pretty damn cute.

I just got word that I'm on the list for the V party tonight. I guess fashion week isnt over for me yet.

At your service,

The Boulevardist

Sunday Night Eats and Treats in Carroll Gardens

Opting to stay on my side of the East River, my crew and I made our way out to Carroll Gardens for some Sunday night satisfaction. Our first stop, one of my favorites was the converted Sicilian men-only club Brooklyn Social. This speakeasy style bar retains the look and feel of an old-time hangout (although they've relaxed the gender requirement). The old-time Brooklyn photos hanging on the walls and a beat up pool table in the back room also help give off the old Brooklyn feel most of us have only experienced in movies like Goodfellas. One of the reasons I love this spot is the cocktail menu, which consists of standard Italian cocktails such as my go-to cocktail the Negroni (Gin, Campari and Sweet Vermouth) as well as cocktails with Italian themed names such as the Fellini and my favorite for the evening, the Sicilian Fizz. With a crew of 6 we conquered the cocktail menu plus encores special thanks to Nino behind the bar who kept them coming at a steady pace as we dominated the pool table in the back as we waited for our table to be ready at our final destination for the evening. After 2 hours and too many cocktails to remember we joyfully made our way down to one of the hidden treasures of Carroll Gardens, Lucali's Pizza. Lucali having only been around for about 2 years now is well worth the wait and for reasons you'll have to find out for yourself. My take is first of all its rustic feel and ambiance, which is a perfect date spot for anyone looking to impress. The chef and owner who is also from the neighborhood takes pride and prepares each pie with the freshest ingredients available that day and hand grating the right amount of fresh mozzarella every time. He also stays true to the neighborhood and adds ingredients from the local Italian meat shops to each masterpiece. All placed in a wood burning brick oven, lightly charring it to perfection all in a matter of a few minutes. The result, a thin crusted, garden aromatic, pepperoni pungent, perfectly cheesed creation that makes all the difference in where I eat my pie.

Ahh, sundays are great.

At your service,

The Boulevardist

Pop Rally ft. Vik Muniz at the MoMA

In an effort to prove that the recession isnt completely destroying our spirit, I was thankfully called upon again by my friends at Sagatiba Cachaca(Brazilian Rum) to produce and manage the cocktail bars for the Museum of Modern Art's Pop Rally event. PopRally is a program of events at The MoMA and P.S.1 Contemporary Art Center that features collaborations with artists and musical acts, performances, film screenings, receptions, and special viewings of exhibitions at accessible prices. Past events include performances by Cat Power, Les Savy Fav, Patti Smith, Chicks on Speed, and PaperRad and friends. Last nights event was the closing party for video artist Vik Muniz (Brazilian, b. 1961), Vik Muniz is the ninth artist to participate in Artist’s Choice, a series of exhibitions in which an artist serves as curator, selecting works from MoMa’s vast collection to create an exhibition. Muniz has chosen a
rebus—a combination of unrelated visual and linguistic elements to create a larger deductive meaning—as the organizing principle of his presentation.

I had the pleasure and challenge of recreating Sagatiba cocktails for the 350+ guests this evening. On the menu was the Classic Caiprinha, a Blueberry Caiprinha and "Sweet Heat" which was a chilled shot of the aged Sagatiba chased with a strawberry dipped in a cayenne and sugar mix. You've gotta try this! Special thanks to my stellar bar team who made our production seem effortless and I couldn't have done this without them.

At your service,

The Boulevardist

A New Chapter in Cocktail Culture

5 nights in a row of indulging in one of my favorite activities…Cocktailing. And so you know Im aware of it, the word cocktail will show up a few more times in this entry...cocktails-cocktails-cocktails.

Last week was dedicated to ushering in what I believe will be a new phase in the cocktail culture here in New York. Nirvino, a startup out of San Francisco promises to make the average diner and cocktailer more educated and involved when it comes to what they choose to drink. It also lets them share new information with their friends and develop new relationships with other enthusiasts. I had the pleasure of hosting a soft launch for Nirvino at Madam Geneva in the East Village. The guest list was a short but concentrated group of industry brand reps, mixologists, magazine writers and bloggers and of course fellow cocktail lovers. Having the event as Phil of Nirvino and I discussed, in a cocktail lounge that chose to create a simple concept with their cocktails (preserved jam cocktails in 3 different flavors served with either Gin or Vodka) to represent their unique style mirrored the fresh idea of the Nirvino vision and staying true to their core. We imbibed these delicious jam cocktails made with 42 Below Vodka (special thanks to Paul Franich) and also had custom cocktail ice spheres sent in just for the event. It was a great space with fun people and tasty cocktails.

As the week carried on we indulged in more of what the New York cocktail scene has to offer. Special thanks to:

*Esteban at Apotheke who gave us a 101, 102 and 103 on mixology as well as a flaming version of his Sweet and Vicious.

*Justin at Pranna would hosted us for a Pranna cocktail tasting Wednesday and then shaked up Cabana Cachaca cocktails for another Nirvino event. My favorite was the Winter Spice, a warm-spiced wine cocktail.

*Marcie at Madam Geneva who held down the bar for the 2-hour blitz of our 40+ guests

* "Sweetie" our server at Employees Only (she asked that I call her that), who was well versed in the cocktail menu.

I think I’m going to take a short break now...
...Okay, where next?

Puerto Rico

So before I go too deep into the future and into a post for this current week which was a turbulent ride on liquid slide, I think it would be best to reflect on one of the reasons why I love New York.

The feeling you get when you get back from a trip.

I had an amazing time on my seriously needed trip to Puerto Rico last week. So many little experiences and meeting new and creative people. I had a chance to be in a music video as well as help with a little choreography. As I started taking notes on what I experienced out there I decided the list itself had a certain flow that would be best left alone. Heres a quick list of some captured moments from my trip.


Puerto Rico…oh-woah

Palm trees
Cool breeze
Old cars
Warm air
Long hair
Short hair
Light skin
Dark skin
Big butts
Goin nuts
Breath opening
Eyes widening

Barrilito sipping
Medalla drinking
Pina Colada gulping
Beach walking
Papaya eating
birds whistlin
Skip Skippin
Step Steppin
1…2…1…2…
Check Checkin

Ocean dwelling
Sand digging
In the jungle
Really breathing
Waterfall exploring
With my back Leaning
Water pounding
Back loosening
Vortex inhaling
With my wings spreading
Lose control
Gain control
Puerto rico…
…oh woah

jaw dropping
fingers snapping
gum popping
looks locking
lip licking
hair whipping
drips dripping
neck sweating
Tempurature rising
Drum beating-
Horn blowing
Bass pickin
chest expanding

Right Papi
Aye Mami
Rasta beat
Conga beat
Salsa beat
Move your feet
In the heat
Pretty neat

Lose control
Take control
Gain control
Shake patrol
En espanol

Say soul
Feed soul
Breath slow
Walk slow
Trippin out
Without a doubt
This is what
Its all about
When you leave town.
And go
To Puerto Rico.

I want to thank Lea Muses and Naja Rosa Koppel for being such amazing co-pilots on this experience. I would have never left town if it wasnt for their invite.

At your service,

The Boulevardist