Archive for August, 2009

Rafe Loves… Rachel Sheedy

Monday, August 31st, 2009


Raison d’Etre: Good Lord, if I knew the answer for that I wouldn’t be so nutty!!!

Job: Talent Agent, Don Buchwald and Associates

Live: Tribeca, NYC

Happiness: My cat La’Pu

Brunch: Capsouto Freres and I always order a souffle’.

Drink: Sunset cocktails at the Tugu Hotel in Bali.

Eat: I miss my nanny’s knishes!!!

Escape: Bali!!!

Read: A really good script!

Listen: Radiohead and Rock’n'Roll!

Watch: I love movies of all kinds! I can watch 5 in a row and frequently do at festivals.

Indulge: “SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE” , I cry every time I watch it.

Shop: Barneys and if I’m feeling like the hunter I go to Century 21.

Fashion Splurge: I have a weakness for YSL and can never have enough Dolce.

Aspire: No one has walked my path, I aspire only to be myself and be extraordinary at it.

Charity: Children and animals have the greatest innocence and the purest hearts…they need to be protected and cherished.

Dream: Of true love and peace in my life.

Accessory: I name my handbags and my favorite right now is my Rafe black patent tote bag. It fits everything, I swear! I call her “Bon” because she was my Bon Anniversaire present right before I left for the Cannes Film Festival.

Rafe Loves…Reggie Jacinto Barrientos

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Raison d’Etre: The ‘I love you mom’ greeting each waking moment.

Job: Winning the mega-deals for my clients. I’m a lawyer.

Live: I live for vacations!!!!!

Happiness: Long weekends with my family and having friends stay over in my house

Brunch: One that can last at least two hours

Drink: The bar in my red kitchen stuffed by Felix to the brim with all kinds of alcohol like there is no tomorrow.

Eat: Founti Agadir, 117 Rue Monge, Paris

Escape: Paris

Read: I don’t have any magazines because I sleep instead of read.

Listen: Lighthouse

View: Disney movies with my kids, most recent is Ice Age 3

Indulge: Two and a half hour massages every week

Shop: Outlets in the US!

Fashion: Prada or Rajo Laurel

Aspire: Carolina Herrera

Charity: Begins at home – my staff is my extended family

Dream: To retire at 40 (hmmm…. Not doable, maybe at 45)

Accessory: Love my Rafe bags. Each one of them is unique from the clutches to the work totes. They’re very organized inside so I have place for everything and they never go out of style so they’re worth the investment!

Thursday Socials

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Can I tell you…about Thursdays in the city. New York’s best social events are always held on Thursdays, always has been, always will be. I don’t know why but it is. So a few months ago, on a crisp Spring Thursday, my friends designer Peter Som, writer Rima Suqi and I decided we’d party hop.First stop was Shinique Smith’s opening at Yvon Lambert’s gallery in Chelsea. I met Shinique a few years ago through my girlfriend and museum curator Christine Y. Kim and we instantly hit it off. She’s funny, warm, thoughtful and a prolific artist. Her work has been steadily gaining momentum and was recently among the chosen few at the Rubell Family Collection show entitled “30 Americans” in their gallery in Miami.Shinique’s mixed media style referencing pop and urban street culture through collage and painting has made her a rising star in the Art World. This show was entitled,“Ten Times Myself”. I was blown away by the show…her pieces were exuberant, powerful and energetic. Her work blurs the lines between sculpture and painting seamlessly.Art openings always draw in an eclectic crowd and it’s great for people watching. As we were heading out, we bumped into fashion editor Emil Wilbekin wearing his Rafe satchel. I love an unexpected Rafe sighting!Next up, we headed all the way downtown to Crosby Street, on the edge of Soho and Chinatown to the Super chic design store/gallery De Vera. On this insider street address, you’ll find Derek Lam, Jil Sander, Ted Muehling and Opening Ceremony. It’s a destination but it’s worth the trek. Federico de Vera is a good friend and an insanely talented jewelry designer, curator and collector of objets d’art.His store is like a mini museum of the most exotic artifacts from around the world and he has impeccable taste. His store is filled with exquisite examples of deities and Philippine saints, vintage Venetian glass, Japanese and Chinese lacquerware, and updated Georgian and Victorian jewelry.Federico’s own jewelry designs are to die for. The guest list was an impressive mix of architects, artists, interior designers, editors and fashion designers.Can you imagine my excitement when Pierre Hardy walked in? If you don’t know who Pierre is, you should! Can I tell you…he’s major! On top of designing his own collection of shoes for men and women, he also designs Balenciaga’s women’s shoes and Hermes’ fine jewelry and women’s shoes. He’s a designer’s designer.I told him I had several of his shoes and he was so gracious about it. Listen, when somebody adores you like I do him, how can you not be thrilled?! When I meet people who are so effusive about their love for my designs, I’m always flattered and humbled at the same time.All those cocktails leave me hungry and it’s impossible to eat at these events…as much as I try to nibble. So Peter and I dashed to the Lobster Shack up the street for a proper meal while Rima stayed to mingle some more. That was a fun night. Note to self: Thursday Socials are always great!

Thursday Socials

Wednesday, August 19th, 2009

Can I tell you…about Thursdays in the city. New York’s best social events are always held on Thursdays, always has been, always will be. I don’t know why but it is. So a few months ago, on a crisp Spring Thursday, my friends designer Peter Som, writer Rima Suqi and I decided we’d party hop.First stop was Shinique Smith’s opening at Yvon Lambert’s gallery in Chelsea. I met Shinique a few years ago through my girlfriend and museum curator Christine Y. Kim and we instantly hit it off. She’s funny, warm, thoughtful and a prolific artist. Her work has been steadily gaining momentum and was recently among the chosen few at the Rubell Family Collection show entitled “30 Americans” in their gallery in Miami.Shinique’s mixed media style referencing pop and urban street culture through collage and painting has made her a rising star in the Art World. This show was entitled,“Ten Times Myself”. I was blown away by the show…her pieces were exuberant, powerful and energetic. Her work blurs the lines between sculpture and painting seamlessly.Art openings always draw in an eclectic crowd and it’s great for people watching. As we were heading out, we bumped into fashion editor Emil Wilbekin wearing his Rafe satchel. I love an unexpected Rafe sighting!Next up, we headed all the way downtown to Crosby Street, on the edge of Soho and Chinatown to the Super chic design store/gallery De Vera. On this insider street address, you’ll find Derek Lam, Jil Sander, Ted Muehling and Opening Ceremony. It’s a destination but it’s worth the trek. Federico de Vera is a good friend and an insanely talented jewelry designer, curator and collector of objets d’art.His store is like a mini museum of the most exotic artifacts from around the world and he has impeccable taste. His store is filled with exquisite examples of deities and Philippine saints, vintage Venetian glass, Japanese and Chinese lacquerware, and updated Georgian and Victorian jewelry.Federico’s own jewelry designs are to die for. The guest list was an impressive mix of architects, artists, interior designers, editors and fashion designers.Can you imagine my excitement when Pierre Hardy walked in? If you don’t know who Pierre is, you should! Can I tell you…he’s major! On top of designing his own collection of shoes for men and women, he also designs Balenciaga’s women’s shoes and Hermes’ fine jewelry and women’s shoes. He’s a designer’s designer.I told him I had several of his shoes and he was so gracious about it. Listen, when somebody adores you like I do him, how can you not be thrilled?! When I meet people who are so effusive about their love for my designs, I’m always flattered and humbled at the same time.All those cocktails leave me hungry and it’s impossible to eat at these events…as much as I try to nibble. So Peter and I dashed to the Lobster Shack up the street for a proper meal while Rima stayed to mingle some more. That was a fun night. Note to self: Thursday Socials are always great!

Rafe Loves… Trina Albus

Monday, August 17th, 2009


Raison d’Etre: to love, to travel the world and to inspire others

Job: Technology Consultant. Founder & President of Six Trees
Technology (www.sixtreestech.com), a boutique web consulting agency.

Live: Union Square West, New York City

Happiness: love, good music, delicious food, best friends & family

Brunch: My absolute favorite was Ranchero Eggs at Deborah in
the West Village that recently closed! I was so sad. Now Five Points in NoHo is my go-to spot.

Drink: Really all it takes for me to like a bar is a cocktail
with fresh ginger. The newly opened Standard Grill in the Meatpacking District has an amazing cocktail called the Penny Drop.

Eat: Supper (NYC), La Sandwicherie (Miami), Mott (Buenos
Aires). The best meal I ever had was last year at the Clos de Chacras winery/restaurant in Mendoza, Argentina.

Escape: Faena Hotel in Buenos Aires in the summertime or my
family’s house in Greenport on the Northfork of Long Island.

Read: Wired, Allure

Listen: Bands I am obsessed with at the moment: Passion Pit,
Friendly Fires, Miike Snow, Ladyhawke, La Roux, Frankmusik

Watch: La Vie en Rose, Monsoon Wedding, Cinema Paradiso.
And because I’m a techie (but not a Trekkie): the latest Star Trek at the IMAX was quite amazing.

Indulge: I love beauty products and I tend to get a bit carried
away collecting them and playing with them. In an attempt to be more constructive, I started tweeting product reviews at www.twitter.com/bellevisage.

Shop: Barneys Coop, Sephora.

Fashion: 3.1 Phillip Lim, Alexander Wang, Vince,
Daryl K, Sigerson Morrison

Aspire: I love Gwenyth Paltrow’s style. She always looks so
polished and on trend…and gorgeous! She can easily flow from pretty-in-pink to all black and edgy, which not all people can pull off.

Charity: Camp Interactive (http://campinteractive.org) is an
organization that “empowers at-risk, inner-city youth through the inspiration of the outdoors, and the creative power of technology.”

Dream: To live and work in my many remote offices around the
world: NYC, San Francisco, Paris, Buenos Aires & Miami

Accessory: I love Rafe’s bags because they are well made, stylish and go with almost everything in my wardrobe.
With his totes, I can fit my laptop inside for a business meeting or take it with me for a weekend get-away. Rafe’s accessories are so versatile and fun!

Rafe Loves…Myrza Sison

Friday, August 7th, 2009

Raison d’Etre: To make a difference in women’s lives—these days, one cyber-nanosecond at a time

Job: Editorial Director, Summit Media; Editor-in-chief, SPOT.PH

Live: Makati, Philippines; Wherever life takes me

Happiness: Stringing words and pictures together for a living; being with Andrej

Brunch: M Café, the best!

Drink: Suzy Wongs at M Café by night!

Eat: Memorable eats: Sous Les Micocouliers in Eygalieres, Restaurant Mitch in Aix-en-Provence, Café Argentina in Lisboa, Café Zaza in Florence, Pipa in NYC; Osteria al Bacco in Venice, Taller de Tapas in Barcelona. In Manila: Chelsea Market & Café in Serendra, Verbena in Tagaytay, Indigo in Boracay

Escape: Tuscany, Provence, the Alentejo, Granada, and NYC!

Read: Italian and American Marie Claire, The Paris Review, Preview, Story

Listen: Ella, Edith, Billie, Nina, Astrud, Bebel, Lisa

Watch: Audrey Tatou and of course Audrey Hepburn.

Indulge: Ladurée macarons, caviar pie, truffle anything, bottled aligue—so bad they’re good! Scalp-to-sole beautification whenever I can squeeze it in.

Shop: Rafe’s website or at Harvey Nichols in HK, H&M, Topshop, flea markets and grand bazaars everywhere, and fabulous Manila designers.

Splurge: Trips around the world, good eats and experiences, rather than things.

Aspire: To dress like Bianca Jagger, write like Jhumpa Lahiri, cook like Nigella Lawson, take pictures like Ellen von Unwerth

Charity: Tapulanga and Rafe’s scholarship fund.

Dream: To write every day from a little cottage in the woods and just leave from time to time to go on book tours. As if!

Accessory: I love my Rafe bag because each one I wear says “me,” spot-on!

Super Kawaii

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

Can I tell you …about the Sakura Matsuri Festival. Every Spring season the Brooklyn Botanical Garden celebrates the Japanese tradition of Sakura Matsuri(cherry blossom festival). Hundreds of people congregate to join the festivities and see the flowers in full bloom from BBG’s 220 cherry trees. In a week or a week and half, the flowers will all fall.
In Japanese culture, the short lifespan and fragile nature of the cherry blossom makes it even more beautiful and precious. During Sakura Matsuri in Japan, throngs of people leave work early so they can picnic at the parks or whereever they can view these flowers. As early as 1912, cherry trees were planted in the USA as a gift from the People of Japan. In the last 30 years, the festival has become a much anticipated and celebrated tradition.In all my years of living in New York, I have never been to see the cherry blossoms at the gardens. Mom has been going for years and each time she invited me I had some excuse not to go. This year I decided to put an end to that.Visitors inspired by the theme and wore Japanese costumes emulating Geishas, Maikos and Ninjas. Manga obsessed kids were performing their favorite scenes in the gardens. Little girls got dressed as maikos and some teenagers indulged their Lolita fantasies dressing in super girly outfits in pink in homage to the blossoms. They all looked super kawaii!This is the 28th year of the Japanese festival, which features two days of taiko drumming, butoh performances, and samurai-sword demos among the blossoming trees. Other highlights include ikebana, manga, and origami workshops and demonstrations.The BBG itself is spectacular. Built in the late 1800s, it used to be an ash dump and was gradually developed into what it is today; the pride of Brooklyn representing the best in urban gardening and horticultural display. The Garden is made up of many exquisite and historic specialty gardens, including the Japanese-Hill-and-Pond-Garden, the Children’s Garden, the Native Flora Garden, the Cranford Rose Garden, the Alice Recknagel Ireys Fragrance Garden, and the Steinhardt Conservatory. While walking the Japanese garden I had a sudden feeling of Dejavu, like I was in Kyoto for a split second.I’m inspired by everything I see and I’m glad I went. The flowers were just so pretty and pink, especially when the petals start falling like confetti all around you and blanket the ground like a carpet. You can see how the colors of nature make their way into my subconscious and eventually into my collection. Aren’t these bags super kawaii!

Super Kawaii

Wednesday, August 5th, 2009

Can I tell you …about the Sakura Matsuri Festival. Every Spring season the Brooklyn Botanical Garden celebrates the Japanese tradition of Sakura Matsuri(cherry blossom festival). Hundreds of people congregate to join the festivities and see the flowers in full bloom from BBG’s 220 cherry trees. In a week or a week and half, the flowers will all fall.
In Japanese culture, the short lifespan and fragile nature of the cherry blossom makes it even more beautiful and precious. During Sakura Matsuri in Japan, throngs of people leave work early so they can picnic at the parks or whereever they can view these flowers. As early as 1912, cherry trees were planted in the USA as a gift from the People of Japan. In the last 30 years, the festival has become a much anticipated and celebrated tradition.In all my years of living in New York, I have never been to see the cherry blossoms at the gardens. Mom has been going for years and each time she invited me I had some excuse not to go. This year I decided to put an end to that.Visitors inspired by the theme and wore Japanese costumes emulating Geishas, Maikos and Ninjas. Manga obsessed kids were performing their favorite scenes in the gardens. Little girls got dressed as maikos and some teenagers indulged their Lolita fantasies dressing in super girly outfits in pink in homage to the blossoms. They all looked super kawaii!This is the 28th year of the Japanese festival, which features two days of taiko drumming, butoh performances, and samurai-sword demos among the blossoming trees. Other highlights include ikebana, manga, and origami workshops and demonstrations.The BBG itself is spectacular. Built in the late 1800s, it used to be an ash dump and was gradually developed into what it is today; the pride of Brooklyn representing the best in urban gardening and horticultural display. The Garden is made up of many exquisite and historic specialty gardens, including the Japanese-Hill-and-Pond-Garden, the Children’s Garden, the Native Flora Garden, the Cranford Rose Garden, the Alice Recknagel Ireys Fragrance Garden, and the Steinhardt Conservatory. While walking the Japanese garden I had a sudden feeling of Dejavu, like I was in Kyoto for a split second.I’m inspired by everything I see and I’m glad I went. The flowers were just so pretty and pink, especially when the petals start falling like confetti all around you and blanket the ground like a carpet. You can see how the colors of nature make their way into my subconscious and eventually into my collection. Aren’t these bags super kawaii!

Rafe Loves…Eugenia Gonzalez Ruiz-Olloqui

Monday, August 3rd, 2009

Raison d’Etre: Life’s journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways totally worn out shouting “HOLY S…T! What a ride!”

Job: Director of Public Relations, Michael Bastian

Live: Gramercy, New York City

Happiness: A happy, healthy family. (And a good drink with a card game.)

Brunch: Barrio Chino, Lower East Side in NYC

Drink: Old King Cole Bar in the St. Regis, NYC

Eat: My mother’s kitchen, wherever in the world she cooks.

Escape: Akumal, Mexico

Read: I read them all…mens and womens.

Listen: How much space do you have in this blog?

Watch: Cinema Paradiso, makes me cry everytime.

Indulge: Lunches that last so long they turn into dinner.

Shop: Any flea market in the world.

Splurge: Chanel flats

Aspire: Bianca Jagger (in the good old days)

Charity: Salesianos de Don Bosco in Cd. Juarez, Mexico

Dream: Keeping the ability to dream. Oh, and having a drink while playing cards in the Old King Cole Bar.

Accessory: I love my Rafe clutch; the mint color and touches of silver, it works with any color of clothes you have on (because mint and silver do that, of course). Its big enough to fit everything but still works like a clutch. My all time favorite! Every time a friend seems me carrying it, they run to buy it for themselves!