Where has the time gone! The No 1 ladies are very busy at Mk Event Studio. We have a beautiful new office space as well as some very interesting events in the works......

On November 4th we will be in Rye, NY at the Apawamis Club at an event called Fusion of Flavors, a celebration of Latin inspired cuisine featuring small plates prepared by area chefs.

This is a fundraiser for the Don Bosco Community Center (DBCC) in Port Chester, NY. DBCC is a fantastic place. Since 1928 they have been serving the young people and their families, the elderly, the poor and needy and the immigrant of the Port Chester community.

Fusion of Flavors is a special event conceived to raise funds for a new and exciting venture-the Don Bosco Culinary Institute - Cafe Alma. This new culinary arts center will expand job training opportunities for the teen, young adult and adult population of Port Chester.

"We've been cooking for our kids and feeding them healthy meals for years! I believe it's time they learn to do the same for themselves and others." Fr. Richard Alejunas, SDB

So if you are in the area and want to help support this great cause give us a call!

The evening will include an amazing wine tasting, with the opportunity to purchase your favorites and a portion of those proceeds will go to the funding of Cafe Alma! A fantastic musical duo called Swirl will entertain and there is a culinary themed silent auction.

Stay tuned for updates on our other upcoming events!!

The Swell Days of Christmas

Swell (verb, noun): to increase in size or volume as a result of internal pressure.

Let's face it, the holidays are here and there's no turning back. It's time to trim the tree (more on that later..) and deck the halls, and try to bring that "festive touch" to our homes, our bodies, our lives.

In my efforts to spruce it up I came across some helpful, some pretty and some downright twisted takes on Christmas.

1. Take The Time to Tinsel. This woman clearly doesn't have enough tinsel going on with her tree. Note the ashtry. Enough said.

2. Bake, then Decorate. With a little manual dexterity and a trillion sprinkles, you too can turn the ordinary into the extraordinary. Who wouldn't want to nibble on these culinary marvels?? Another tip: extra sprinkles do great double duty as random body sparkles.

3. Make Misseltoe Your Mission. When else do we have an obligation to kiss a certain special someone? When you arrive at a holiday party make sure you get your bearings on the misseltoe ASAP. If your host has somehow forgotten this incredibly important holiday touch, then take the matter into your own hands with some scissors and a little pachysandra.


4. Keep Calm And Carol On. 'Tis the season to sing! Join in with the crowd and start with a few oldies but goodies. My favorite this year so far seems to be "Good King Wenceslas". Trust me, no one will know you're having trouble hitting the high notes.

5. Pretty Does It... I am going to attempt to re-create this gorgeous holiday arrangement and table setting. It may take more than a few trips to the Food Emporium, Michael's and possibly Home Depot if the going gets rough, but I'm pretty sure I can do it and feel...well...swell.

6. Bring on the Bubbly! Now that the tree is trimmed and the carols are cranked it's time to put on a holiday bash! There's always someone who's game to stop by for a bit of the bubbly and that's the true spirit of the season!

Merry Christmas!

Paint-By-Numbers: Discovering Our Inner Picasso

An interested fellow I met not too long ago posed the question "tell me something about you that I don't know?" Before I could stop myself I blurted out "I am an accomplished paint-by-numberist!" This wasn't exactly what I think he wanted to know (his loss quite frankly) but I felt a certain sense of release in having just "outed" my hobby.

I took up paint-by-numbering years ago to pass some long winter evenings at home, and I highly recommend it. You can pick one up the next time you're in a craft shop or don't hesitate to grab if you spot an oldy but goody at a flea market. Even easier, check out the selection online at paintbynumberkits.com. Who's to say that we all cannot create artistic wonders with a little mixing, dabbing and stroking and A LOT of persistance! Be warned though, PBN's are not for the faint-of-heart and can take weeks, even months to complete and just when you think you're going blind...you might be.

I started with a series of flower compositions, which I still love doing, but every now and then I drift into outdoor scenes. One summer during a soggy week at the beach I did a PBN-A-Thon of cowboys with my sister Beth to see who could finish first. Beth won! Now, truth be told my sister is a bona fide artist who normally doesn't need a map and color guide to create her canvases but I've detected lately that she's doing some pretty fantastic PBN outdoor scenes to put up in her VT home. Now, that's crafty!!

Hummingbirds, 2010

Splendid Roses, Summer 2010

Cowboy Painting Contest, Summer 2006. Beth's painting is on bottom.



One of Beth's recent masterpieces

My next conquest - A Tuscan Landscape

Another Opening, Another Show!

Yes, it's official, Fall is here as of yesterday and so comes the harvest of fantastic fashion, cultural happenings, openings of just about everything and anything....and with all that, amazing events! It can be overwhelming to think about just how to tackle this season so here's my list of some of my favorite happenings on the horizon.

Number 1: Take in an Aria! This season the Metropolitan Opera will be performing Wagner's monumental Ring Cycle. The Met season officially begins on September 27th but whichever night you choose, you'll be surely swept away by the orchestral magnificence of these not-to-be-missed performances and serenaded by gorgeous gowns and over-the-top people watching.

Watching all that singing can make you hungry so don't miss out on Number 2: The NYC Wine and Food Festival, which runs Oct. 7th - 10th at various venues throughout the city. Carnivores will love the Burger Bash and for the aspiring wine-makers among us, check out the My First Crush seminar. All in all, it's an incredible culinary road trip!

If you need to take it down a notch and just enjoy an amazing meal a deux, there's a lot of buzz around two restaurants opening in the coming weeks. My Number 3 is to plan on heading to both Lincoln at Lincoln Center and the John Dory Oyster Bar at the Ace Hotel on Broadway & 28th.

And then there's Fall's love affair with the movies....it doesn't get any better (or hipper) than taking in a screening at Number 4 -- the New York Film Festival which opens tomorrow and runs through Oct. 10th.

Exhausted?? Enjoy!!

Spotted!

I went for a drive around Montauk the other day to find a cool spot that everyone's been talking about this summer...Navy Beach. Mid-afternoon when the lunch rush is over and cocktail hour is not yet in full swing is a great time to stop in. You basically have the place to yourself! The beach menu brings seafood front and center in an inventive yet unpretentious way. Cebiches, shrimp cocktails and lobster rolls paired with parmesan fries and a cold beer -- delicious!

Now We're 'Taukin

SUMMER'S BEST EQUATION?

1 Week in Montauk + Earl

= Total Fun

Let's face it, summer is great just about anywhere with a few essentials in place. This year, after lots of great summers spent in the Hamptons I decided to uncover the scene in Montauk (the specifically UnHampton spot) for the first time.....and it won't be the last!

Here's how it worked: sun, sand, surf, family, Joni's, John's cones, big boards, rides, cool scenes, sunsets, Ditch Plains, Montauk Downs, Surf Lodge, clams, steamers, big catches, paint-by-numbers, paddle boarding, Shagwong, Ditch Witch, Lighthouse, Atlantic Club snack bar, Coffee 'Tauk and White's.

Waiting for Earl to show up

Navy Beach is a special spot

Surfing is the scene

White's Pharmacy has what you need

Striped Bass for dinner!

Profile Perfection

Although the art of making silhouettes has been around since the 18th Century, recently we're seeing it enjoying a comeback.....with a modern twist. The simplicity and elegance of portraying ourselves in shadow form makes these paper portraits irresistible....and just a little mysterious.

Today there are many silhouette artists making their living with sharp scissors and a lot of talent. One of my favorites is Karl Johnson who can your portray your favorite person or pooch in a modern rendering with just a touch of whimsy. Even better, you can hire Karl to come to your home for a Silhouette Party to create groovy portraits of you and your guests. Black attire is not required but it could just make this the chicest of chic gatherings.