Daily Stuff

Festive Table at Shreve, Crump & Low

Scott Kearnan — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:11:00 GMT

According to an unattributed statistic recently posted as my friend’s Facebook status, about 75% of annual weight gain occurs between Halloween and Valentine’s Day. And since it’s on the internet, it must be true.

Honestly though, I think most of us can attest, based on more reliable personal experience, that we’re about to experience a slew of holidays that seem geared toward over-eating and over-drinking (not to mention over-spending). This is the time of year when cornmeal muffins give way to muffin-tops and too many Christmas hams have us on three-alarm oink alert. But on the plus (-sized?) side, ‘tis the season for peace, joy, family, and freaking fabulous dinner parties: hence Festive Table, Wednesday night’s event at Shreve, Crump & Low (440 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.267.9100). The evening brought together seven local interior designers to stage creative, ornate, and occasionally quite conceptual table settings. They were given free reign to use anything in the Shreve store (though many chose to integrate personal pieces, too), which means those of us scratching our heads over how to make our own holiday place settings pop can, assuming we scratch together the dough to upgrade from plastic Solo cups and paper plates, recreate their ideas in part or whole.

The night also served as a fundraiser for the Boston Living Center, a multi-service agency that supports more than 2400 members living with HIV/AIDS. The theme of the event was pretty appropriate for the BLC, considering that one of their largest endeavors is to serve hot, healthy, and free meals — about 40,000 meals every year, in fact — to members, many of whom are also low-income. Wednesday raised around $3000 for the Center, based on ticket sales, a silent auction of personal consultations from each designer, item sales (10% of purchases went back to the BLC), and purchases of the store’s famous Gurgling Cod Pitchers. If you weren’t able to attend, there’s still one important way you can support the BLC (and it doesn’t cost a damn thing): volunteers are still needed for the Center’s annual Celebration of Life Thanksgiving Dinner at the Hynes Convention Center on Tuesday, November 24. The event, emceed this year by WCVB’s Liz Walker, provides traditional turkey dinners and entertainment for more than 1000 guests. To find out more and learn how you can sign up to volunteer, click here.

In the meanwhile, check out some of the designers’ table settings below. Who knows... their creativity might inspire ideas for your own Thanksgiving parties ahead. At the very least, here’s hoping they inspire a reminder — as you think about blissfully digging into that bird, then drifting into that post-turkey doze — that many of us have a lot to be thankful for this year. Just not our waistlines.

Designer Dennis Duffy (Duffy Design Group) has a thing for wings (as we discovered when we rifled through his stuff a few weeks back), but he went Om for the holidays to find spiritual inspiration in his setting. Miniature Buddhas flecked his Eastern motif, which included one of my favorite pieces of china: the Royal Crown Derby "Chelsea" Accent Salad Plate ($150). The autumnal colors were tied together by an impressive centerpiece from Twig (769 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.292.8944). Due to the shoddy photographer (i.e., me), you can't see it here — but suffice to say it involved a thick tree trunk blooming with red, orange, and gold flora. Woven throughout, curiously enough, were random strands of shining fiber optic wire. The effect was, well, radiant.

I couldn't blame designer John Berenson (John Berenson Interior Design) for having spring on his mind, even if his garden-themed setting may seem more appropriate for an Easter dinner than a Thanksgiving or Christmas one. He filled the stone table with butterflies from Baccarat ($150) and a green, purple, and gold color scheme. Two nesting birds served as salt and pepper shakers (Grant Dawson Gold Warbler Salt & Pepper, $195), and I had to love Berenson's attention to detail. He even thoughtfully served up green jelly beans on a golden leaf-shaped candy dish. I was eternally grateful, given the presence of white wine in my right hand and lack of dinner in my stomach.

I heard from several designers that platinum and purple is a hot combo right now, and Michael Barnum (Barnum + Company) made that clear here. His translucent table was in full bloom (love the tiny bud bowls placed atop the china) and boasted great stems. Stemware, I mean. Especially the Baccarat "Vega" Rhine Wine in Amethyst ($220).

Though he started by pursuing a more traditional look, designer Michael Ferzoco (Eleven Interiors) told me that he eventually ditched it to go "young and modern" instead. Here's the result. Since it was a comparatively smaller four-top, his sleek setting didn't have the same scope as some of the others, but it was nice to see a presentation that would look perfectly at home at a young professional's apartment, as opposed to at Mom and Dad's dinner table. The small bowls from Scott Potter ($65) were among the more affordable offerings, and I dug the pops of color and vaguely Mediterranean (Moroccan, maybe?) aesthetic.

Following the contemporary stop-over, our progressive dinner heads back to traditional territory. Personally, this setting from Paula McCusker (Theodore & Company, Benn Theodore Incorporated) wasn't my bag. It's someone's, to be sure — but that someone owns half a block of Beacon Hill, can afford the admittedly classy Buccellati Sterling "Torchon" flatware (5 piece, $1175), and would be shocked to find that I would sooner show up to the dinner party nude than in Nanny Reds. That's not an offer, thank you very much.

Speaking of what to wear to the Vineyard, here's a fantastic sea-inspired setting from Anthony Catalfano (Anthony Catalfano Interiors). Besides seizing the opportunity to make fitting use of those Gurgling Cods, Catalfano included some more affordable china: the Wedgwood "Nantucket Basket" 5-piece setting is $85 at Shreve, a steal compared to some of the others (ssh... the neighbors don't need to know). The starfish accessories were a nice touch, and I loved the centerpiece, a huge seashell overflowing with seaside flora.

From the ocean to the jungle, we arrive at my favorite of the evening: Eric Steven Jacobs (ESJ Designs). His uber-themed tabletop had incredible detail, from its Mariposa Bamboo Chargers ($108) and corresponding flatware ($47/set) to assorted Herend elephants stomping throughout. Even the chandelier overhead was adorned with huge fans of palm. Jacobs was festive, sure — but he clearly had a lot of fun. And isn't that what the holidays are all about?

What's Your Beauty Secret?

webmarketing — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:39:00 GMT

Our first annual Beauty Awards issue has hit the streets, and it’s filled with tons of inside info about the best places, people, and treatments that will have you feeling pretty and pampered. But we want to hear your beauty secrets, too. Give us the scoop on your favorite salons, stylists, makeup artists, or at-home primping tricks, and you could win a STUFF goodie bag packed with beauty products from Shu Uemura, Benefit, Lush, Nars, Urban Decay, Pür Minerals, and Juice Beauty. Email your tips to contest@stuffboston.com to enter.

Dirty Water TV and STUFF Magazine

webmarketing — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 21:28:00 GMT

NESN's Dirty Water TV partnered with us to cover Boston Fashion Week 2009. If you missed the premiere last night on NESN, you can check out video below on all our after parties and all the hottest fashion shows. It was a week full of fun and we love re-living it! Here's your Fashion Week fix to tide you over til next year.

Spooky Soirees and Spellbinding Shindigs: STUFF's Halloween Event Round-Up

Cameron Sperance — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 17:14:00 GMT

Halloween is right around the corner, and here at STUFF, we appreciate any holiday that offers a chance to dress up, drink up, and get down. While we can't be held responsible for outdated costume choices that result in frightening fashion faux pas (hey, you in the Sarah Palin get-up: 2008 called, and it wants its costume back), we do consider it our duty to inform you of the options for tricking, treating, dancing, and drinking around the Hub on All Hallows Eve.

•   Arts at the Armory, 191 Highland Avenue, Somerville, 617.718.2191 | October 31, 7:15 p.m. to 10 p.m., Halloween with Devil Music | Way to stay classy, Boston… er, Somerville: the Devil Music Ensemble is providing a live score (or would that be an undead score?) to the classic 1922 vampire film Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror, directed by F.W. Murnau and starring Max Schreck as the decidedly unsexy Count Orlac. Chris Brokaw opens. For tickets ($16 in advance, $19 at the door) and more information, visit artsatthearmory.org.
•   Boston Center for the Arts, 539 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.426.5000 | October 31, noon to 4 p.m., Howloween | Celebrate the one day out of the year when it is entirely apropos for your pooch to howl to no end. Lectures and demonstrations will teach dog owners proper care for their four-legged friends, and a pup costume contest will follow. Cocktails along with treats for both humans and canines will be provided by The Beehive. For tickets ($7), call 617.426.1522.
•   Faneuil Hall (multiple Faneuil Hall bars) | October 31, 2:30 p.m., Halloween Crawl | Proving once again that the bro-scene of Faneuil Hall can involve charity as well as chugging, Crawl in Boston is staging a Halloween bar crawl to support Birthday Wishes, a nonprofit that gives homeless children birthday parties. Costume-clad crawlers will start at J.A. Stats (99 Broad Street, Boston, 617.357.8287) and work their way through some of Faneuil Hall’s most popular watering holes. The event costs $5 (plus the cost of booze at the bars). For more information, visit crawlinboston.com.
•   Gypsy Bar, 116 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.482.3399 | October 30 and 31, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., Uninhibited Halloween Weekend | A party so nice, they’re doing it twice! The Theater District haunt is hosting two nights of $500 costume contests and devilish debauchery that will be sure to leave you and your friends looking more than ghoulish the morning after. Cover is $10.
•   Great Scott, 1222 Commonwealth Avenue, Allston, 617.734.4502 | October 30, 9 p.m., The Pill’s 7th Annual Halloween Show | Head over to Rock City to hear sounds so much like those of British music greats, it’s downright eerie. Local acts will be getting into the Halloween spirit by dressing up as some of their favorite bands, covering classics by the likes of Radiohead, The Clash, and The Smiths for you and your friends to croon along to amongst all those Allston hipsters. Tickets are $10 at the door, and you can find more information at thepillboston.com.
•   Halloween Bike Ride, Green Street T Station, Jamaica Plain | October 31, 8:30 p.m. departure | Are you worried about the terrifying effects of too many treats on your waist line? Dress up yourself and your bike and meet at 8 p.m. before heading out on a fourteen-mile costumed ride through Boston and Cambridge, complete with a specially outfitted stereo bike that will provide sweet tunes as you battle some of Boston’s hills. Think of it as a free Halloween dance party on wheels — or as a workout regimen that won’t evoke any frightening memories of Jane Fonda and leg warmers. Find more information at halloweenbikeride.net.
•   ImprovBoston, 40 Prospect Street, Cambridge, 617.576.1253 | October 30 and 31, shows at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m., Gorefest VII: The Worster Seed | Rather than spend the night screaming at some sorority slasher flick on TV, why not head across the Charles and spend the evening screeching with laughter? Kids (especially twins) are often the creepiest characters in horror films, and the troupe at ImprovBoston is setting out to prove that twins hailing from Worcester are as frightening as you can get. Warning: you might get a little messy from all the blood squirting from the stage, so alert your dry cleaner! For tickets and more information, visit improvboston.com.
•   InterContinental Boston, 510 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, 866.493.6495 | October 31, 9 p.m. to 1 a.m., Captain Morgan Halloween Party | Head over to RumBa, the waterfront hotel’s chic rum and champagne bar for this second annual bash. There’s no cover, and along with a DJ and rum-caramel apples (keep the kids away from those!), there will be prizes awarded for best overall costume and best pirate costume. Arrr, matey! For those who want to remain marooned on party island, the InterContinental is offering a special “Shipwreck Package” starting at $199 throughout Halloween weekend so you and a special someone can stay the night and be showered with rum drinks and VIP access to RumBa’s Halloween party.
•   Kings, 950 Providence Highway, Dedham, 781.329.6000 | October 31, 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., Michael Jackson Costume Party | If you’re out in the ‘burbs and don’t want to brave the terrifying traffic into the city on Halloween night, then why not pay homage to the one-gloved wonder at the new location of the popular sports and bowling bar? Dress as the late King of Pop, and you’ll find yourself a contender for free tickets to the hotly anticipated Michael Jackson’s This Is It. And if moon-walking is right up your alley, compete in the “Thriller” dance competition once the clock strikes midnight. No cover.
•   The Lansdowne, 9 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 617.247.1222 | October 31, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m., Halloween Ball | Fenway is scary enough when the Yankees are in town, but this new neighborhood gem is going to make it downright spooky with its first Halloween Ball. Wear your best costume and win prizes as local band Bear Fight and a DJ deliver music for you to howl along to.
•    Liquor Store, The Alley, 25 Boylston Place, Boston, 617.357.6800 | October 30 and 31, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., Bull Riding Costume Contest | Some may think trick-or-treating is the norm for Halloween, but the folks at Liquor Store think All Hallows Eve is best celebrated by dressing like a naughty nurse (or, well, naughty anything) and riding the mechanical bull. There will be a $500 prize for the best costume on Friday and Saturday, but you have to ride the bull to be a contender for the cash — so liquor up and really frighten your friends with your rodeo moves. It sounds like a new Halloween tradition has emerged! Cover is $5.
•   Machine, 1254 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.536.1950 | October 31, 9 p.m to 2 a.m., Bloodfeast Halloween Dance Party | Proving that Halloween doesn’t have to be entirely about trickery, the fabulous Fenway club will host a party benefiting the New England Society of Professional Journalists scholarship fund. $15 gets you a goblin of a good time with goodies by Karmaloop, a $1000 grand-prize costume contest, and four DJs spinning electro, industrial, and more.
•   The Middle East Upstairs, 472 Mass Ave, Cambridge, 617.864.3278 | November 1, 7 p.m. to midnight, 6th Annual Mass Morgue | Refusing to costume its independent, hipster soul, the Middle East Upstairs eschews Halloween for a goth-friendly Day of the Dead instead. Expect an eclectic mix of horror-punk, deathrock, metal, goth rock, and more, not to mention belly dancers and someone called “Pete the Human Floor,” at a night that would leave both Marilyn Manson and Morrissey proud… and maybe a little confused. Either way, it’s a chance to use that costume one more night! Tickets are $10 in advance at the Middle East box office, $12 at the door.
•   The Red Fez, 1222 Washington Street, Boston, 617.338.6060 | October 30, 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., Tobie’s All Hallow’s Eve | The popular event producer behind Boston’s diva-licious Tribute Thursdays will transform this South End Middle Eastern restaurant into the hottest gay destination of the night. Along with gorgeous men and an almost guaranteed Madonna medley, specialty cocktails will be served to you and your fabulously costumed friends. No cover.
•    The Roxy, 279 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.338.7699 | October 31, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., Thriller Halloween Party | For those seeking a little south-of-the-border flavor with their Halloween festivities, The Roxy is the place to be. Latin hits will be churned out by three DJs, and $1000 will go to the best costume. There’s a $10 cover before midnight, $15 after.
•   Splash, 150 Kneeland Street, Boston, 617.426.6397 | October 31, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., SPLASH-O-WEEN | Add a little South Beach flair to your Halloween when the trendy Miami-style lounge throws its first Halloween party, complete with Bacardi cocktails, a DJ spinning some of your favorite jams, and free billiards. And if you have the best costume, you will win $1000 — some of which should be used to sample the bar’s new Pumpkin Paradise cocktail. No cover.
•   Tequila Rain, 145 Ipswich Street, Boston, 617.437.0300 | October 31, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m., Halloween Costume Bash | It’s Halloween, Spring Break style, at this Fenway haunt, where the $500 prize will go to whoever’s got the sexiest costume. A psychic tarot card reader will be on hand to let you know if you’ll survive the next bump and grind session out on the dance floor. Cover is $5.
•   Vinalia, 34 Summer Street, Boston, 617.737.1777 | October 30, 8:30 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sinners and Saints Halloween Bash | Vinalia will host this annual Boston bash, which boasts complimentary body painting and more $1000 in prizes for the best sinner, saint, and overall costumes. Tickets are two for $25 on bostoneventguide.com or $25 each at the door.
•   Vox Populi, 755 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.424.8300 | October 31, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m., Ghouls and Goblins Galore! | Kiss reality goodbye for the night and come dressed in your most creative costume, as it may just win you $500. Of course, you could find out whether you’ll win ahead of time with some help from the in-house tarot card reader and then do the Monster Mash as a DJ spins some tunes. Cover is $20 and includes complimentary cocktails by Bacardi from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

From the Intern Desk: A YouTube Guru for Your Halloween Look

Lingbo Li — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 18:30:00 GMT

It happens to the best of us: you find yourself reaching for the same dirty tube of lipgloss and stub of black eyeliner. Your teeth have been through three lattes too many. Your eyebrows look like caterpillars. You, in short, could use some inspiration from Kandee Johnson.

Who's Kandee? She's a Hollywood makeup artist who's responsible for keeping everyone from Playboy bunnies to movie stars looking enviably dewy. She can create cheekbones where there are none, erase undereye circles, and inflate lips with little more than lipliner and a dab of gloss. And if you don't exactly have the cash to keep a makeup artist at your beck and call, her expertise is available in the form of wildly popular YouTube video tutorials on how, once and for all, to banish that double chin with a few strokes of a brush. (Not that you have one, of course.) Now, if that's not magic, we don't know what is.

But with costume season upon us, you might be looking to make that Audrey Hepburn costume a little more convincing or figure out how Tinkerbell might best paint her face. (Just because the next ho down the block bleaches her hair and has a store of pixie dust doesn't make her Tinkerbell, you know.) We all need help with Halloween sometimes. You're not going to just suddenly transform into a sultry, flame-haired Jessica Rabbit with just any trampy dress and a cheap red wig. There's a little more art in it than that.

Which is why Kandee has come up with a series of tutorials (and she's taking suggestions) on how to transform yourself into an uncanny doppelganger of whoever you may want to be. At least for a night. You may love that fierce Cleopatra eyeshadow, but just remember not to OD on it post-October.

Here's her Geisha-inspired look:

A dramatic, Elizabeth Taylor as Cleopatra look:

An even-better-than-the-original Poison Ivy:

An eerily accurate and surreal Queen of Hearts, Tim Burton style:

If you love the '80s, an uber-colorful Cyndi Lauper might do the trick:

A Conversation with Patricia Yeo of Ginger Park

Louisa Kasdon — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:38:00 GMT

A big fish from a big pond, Patricia Yeo has graced Food & Wine covers and cookbook covers, and her restaurants in Manhattan, including AZ, garnered every foodie kudo. But her path to culinary success was anything but typical. After what she calls a six-day “Susie Homemaker” cooking course, she answered an ad for an entry-level cooking job with Bobby Flay — and this was after earning her PhD in biochemistry from Princeton. (Can you tell I’m impressed?) Yeo came to Boston in early fall to launch Ginger Park, arriving with one suitcase and an armful of summer clothing. She’s still borrowing sweatshirts from her staff, hoping for a daylong breather for a trip to New York to fetch her boots and her parka.

Why Boston? I’d been in a struggle raising money for a new restaurant, and I was exhausted. Boston was a way to take a deep breath and smell the roses. I needed more balance in my life. All I did in New York was work, and focus on my work. I needed to make time for my family and myself. When you own a restaurant (I was the chef partner in three in New York), you never leave. You take everything personally. Last night, when I was walking home from the restaurant along Appleton Street, I actually saw a guy stop and smell a rose bush.

What’s your take on Boston versus New York? New York is very dog-eat-dog in the restaurant world, at every level. New York has very little of the community I see in Boston. Even the servers in New York are different. New York servers put up with more. In Boston, the staff needs and expects more handholding, more coddling. I don’t have kids of my own, but running a restaurant is like having many children… sometimes, many nagging children. [A server interrupts Yeo: “She is like a mother. Last week when I was sick, she made me a fresh ginger and lemon tea.”]

Tell me a bit about the menu and concept at Ginger Park. It is huge — thirty-four menu items. I get bored so easily that I have to change the menu daily. I love to cook, and I love to experiment. For example, I spent a lot of time growing up and going to boarding school in England, so it seemed natural to me to fill my pot stickers with fresh peas and mint one day, instead of edamame. I’d been thinking along the lines of this concept for years. Small bites of street food. After three bites, your palate gets jaded. Seven little bites, you are still excited. Also, when you invest $7 into a dish versus a $30 steak, you’re more willing to take a chance.

As far as the food world goes, what do you hate? I hate being burned by the bloggers. We’d been open less than a week and already had two scathing blogs by vicious bloggers. When I first went on my own after working with Bobby Flay, he said something I try to make myself remember: “When you start to do well, people will start to try to shoot you down.”

What do you love? I love food anthropology, the evolution of food. I love the idea that the reason the curry of Southern Thailand is a Mussulman curry is the influence of the Islamic palate. I have two women working with me in my kitchen — one is from El Salvador, the other is from Thailand. Neither of them speaks English, but when we were working together on tamales, they both knew what to do. Each had her version of a tamale, just with slightly different ingredients and flavors. Working first with Bobby Flay at Mesa Grill, it was an easy transition for me from Southwestern cooking to East Asian cooking. Both the Southwest and the Southeast Asian cuisine use the same flavors as mainstays — lime, cilantro, chilies, and cumin. It’s fascinating.

Confessions on a Dance Floor

Scott Kearnan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:10:00 GMT

Admit it: the traditional club scene seems a little smaller. Here’s a guide to big fun.

While prepping the “Nightlife” issue, we couldn’t help noting how that term has been redefined. Once upon a time (or at least, in the ’90s), the word immediately brought to mind a flood of obvious associations: the sight of flashing lights and fog effects, the sweet smell of dance floor sweat, the sound of unabashedly peppy music (probably produced by a small army of Scandinavian masterminds), and the taste of 3 a.m. Chinese take-out.

But in the ’00 era, “nightlife” has seemingly been pared down to humbler, albeit more refined, qualities. Nationwide, shuttered super-clubs were replaced by cozier ultra-lounges, and a lot of those banging Euro dance tracks were abandoned for the comparatively low-key grooves of Buddha Bar compilations. The landscape changed enough that when Tiesto, one of the world’s most prominent DJs, made a recent local stop on his new world tour, the only venue deemed fit to house a party that massive was Lowell’s Tsongas Arena. Boston, we should be a little beet-faced.

Blame a flimsier economy, a post-9/11 Bush-era malaise, or just our city’s pesky early closing times, but for a while it seemed we weren’t dancing the way we once did. Yet those of us who would rather dance the hours away than meekly sip martinis in a corner booth can still find some spaces that capture those big boogie nights of yore. Venu (100 Warrenton Street, Boston, 617.338.8061) and Rumor (100 Warrenton Street, Boston, 617.422.0045) have catered consistently well to the international crowds, and Gypsy Bar (116 Boylston Street, Boston, 617.482.3399) entertains enough high-profile out-of-towners to let it make a claim to VIP status (next up: celebutante Kim Kardashian headlines Gypsy’s anniversary party on November 13).

The Roxy (279 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.338.7699) is definitely ensconced as a stalwart piece of the club scene’s Old Guard. Its massive dance floor and proscenium stage are regal reminders that sometimes bigger is indeed better, as is its reputation as a go-to venue for DJs with marquee names and mainstream appeal. In the next month alone, there’s Sasha (November 5), Sander Kleinenberg (November 19), Deadmau5 (November 24) and David Guetta (November 25). One longstanding favorite that’s ending is the club’s popular Saturday gay night. Starting October 17, that night’s promoter moves EPIC Saturdays over to House of Blues (15 Lansdowne Street, Boston, 888.693.2583), a homecoming to the old location of Avalon, where Boston’s gay community partied hard until Lansdowne’s recent PG-13 makeover. But as last month’s Moby concert proved, HoB’s 53,000 square feet of space still make it a versatile venue for both live shows and traditional dance parties.

It’s easy to overlook Underbar (275 Tremont Street, Boston, 617.292.0080), tucked away in its subterranean locale. Stepping downstairs, there’s a sense that one has just discovered the Lost Atlantean Continent of Cool: blue walls, low white seating, and pillars adorned with seashells make the 400-person space feel like an underwater paradise. In a vote of confidence for techies, its sound system was designed for DJs by DJ Angel Moraes. Come up for air at RISE (306 Stuart Street, Boston, 617.423.7473), Boston’s only after-hours nightclub, where the weekend parties run from 1 a.m. to 6 or 7 a.m. Though there’s no booze, you may not care: the crowd here sees fewer casual clubber types and more in-the-know, true-blue dance devotees who can name drop international legends and cutting-edge ingénues with equal aplomb. On October 30 (or rather, the early morning of October 31), get spooked with Haunted Porterhouse, a Halloween party with resident DJ Steve Porter, who cut his teeth at RISE before going global and, most recently, taking over YouTube with that remixed “Slap Chop” viral video. File under: boogie fever.

From the Intern Desk: An Interview with MC Slim JB

Lingbo Li — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 19:24:00 GMT

Food writers have one of the most envied and misunderstood jobs in the food business. They are a line of defense against rude waiters, overcooked entrees, and appetizers that never appear, calling things as they are and somehow keeping their identities cloaked against managers desperate to work the system. Every time they slip into the plush seat of Restaurant of the Moment, they need to write up a tongue lashing — or a full page rave. Plus, think of all all those extra calories. This is no job for wishy-washy wimps.

I wish I could say that I had a long, revelatory chat with STUFF food critic MC Slim JB over French macaroons. But due to security measures more profound than those undertaken by undercover CIA agents, I wasn't even able to secure a telephone interview. "I try to limit the number of people who hear my voice," MC Slim JB explained in an email. Saddened, but sympathetic, I agreed to interview the mysterious writer on the trials of keeping anonymous by email instead.

MC Slim JB writes pieces for STUFF Magazine, a column on budget eats called “On the Cheap” for the Boston Phoenix, features for Boston magazine, and reviews for crowd-sourcing powerhouses Yelp and Chowhound.

How did you come up with the pen name "MC Slim JB”? It dates back to when I was a punk-rock kid who had just glommed onto old-school hip-hop: Grandmaster Flash, Afrika Bambaataa, Kurtis Blow, et. al. My pals and I used to dream up stage names for ourselves: What would your emcee or deejay name be? As I was unlikely ever to rap outside of the shower, “MC Slim JB” went into a drawer. Purely on a lark, I dug it out years later to use as my alias on Chowhound.com. That's where editors at STUFF Magazine and Boston’s Weekly Dig found me, and invited me to write restaurant reviews professionally for them. I kept using it as I began writing for Boston magazine, the Boston Phoenix, and other publications. A random choice, but a lucky one: it protected my identity even before I considered how that might be useful to a restaurant critic.

Many high-profile restaurant critics are spotted no matter how hard they try to disguise themselves or make up pseudonyms. They argue that the restaurant can't really change its quality on the fly. If this is true, why bother with the anonymity? I think serious professionals should at least try to maintain their anonymity. There's still plenty a restaurant can do to make a VIP's meal better than the typical diner walking in off the street: the choicest cuts of meat, the most select produce, the most meticulous plating, the shortest time from the pass to the table, the most carefully made drinks, the most exacting wine service, the most attentive table service. “The biggest berries,” is how [former New York Times critic Ruth] Reichl puts it — she had a plate literally snatched from under her nose when the restaurant realized mid-meal who she was; it was returned a moment later with nicer fruit on it. A lot of little things like this can add up to a significantly more impressive overall dining experience: not a fair impression of what the typical diner gets.

Many food writers try to be discreet, but why the total veil of invisibility? Real restaurant criticism (as opposed to, say, what the Phantom Gourmet does) is a form of consumer reporting: you’re advocating for the customer, not trying to promote a restaurant — there’s a whole lucrative PR and marketing industry already devoted to that. The main reason to preserve a cover is that recognized critics tend to get special treatment: the restaurant does everything it can from a service and kitchen perspective to optimize the meal. (Reichl wrote entertainingly about this phenomenon in her memoir Garlic and Sapphires.) If I go unrecognized, my review is more likely to reflect the experience of the average Joe walking in off the street. My nightmare is that I get VIP treatment and write a rave review; when my readers follow my advice and get coach-class service and food, they wonder if maybe I’m an idiot or on the graft.

Has anyone ever come close to figuring out that you're a food critic? I think there are a number of restaurants and bars that know or suspect that I'm MC. If they're smart, they don't let on about it. It's better for them if I continue to believe that my cover is intact — that way, I'll think the great service and food and drinks I'm getting are just par for the course there.

How do you know if you've been spotted? If I get a bunch of comps at a place where I'm not really a regular, it makes me wonder if they're onto me. An overly warm, fawning welcome from a host or server I don't really know is a red flag.

Do you make reservations under your real name? I have a number of aliases I use to make reservations, but this doesn't make sense at places that know me as a semi-regular customer by my real name.

You must be a familiar sight to restaurant managers by now — how do they know you, and how do you hide your real mission from them? I imagine I'm seen by most restaurant managers as just one of many Bostonians who dine out regularly. Spotting critics is a higher-stakes game for the fine-dining establishments. I don't think many of the budget restaurants I review in my “On the Cheap” column for the Boston Phoenix are very much worried about professional reviewers. Many of them never even see the reviews (probably because I write in English): I go by restaurants I've given a rave to, and you'd think they'd post a copy somewhere if they knew about it, but they don't. I did make one owner nervous when he saw me snapping a pic with my phone: he thought I might be a health inspector. I told him I just keep a food journal, which made him feel better. The plethora of Yelpers and other amateur reviewers snapping pics everywhere makes it easier to take photos without drawing too much suspicion. But places in Chinatown particularly seem to hate photos being taken.

What's more fun for you — writing reviews for STUFF or Chowhound and Yelp? They all have their charms. STUFF lets me review fine-dining places and pays me for the privilege, and I get to do the annual Dining Awards [on streets now], which is really fun, my chance to recognize what I consider the best and worst of the Boston dining and drinking scene. Chowhound is a community I've been participating in for many years: a really smart, dedicated group of Boston diners who give me tons of great tips on places to try. Chowhound is also where I was “discovered”: editors at STUFF and the Dig read my posts there, and contacted me to review restaurants professionally for them. Yelp is its own thing: a mostly younger and less knowledgable group, but fun and irreverent, scabrous at times.

Are you worried that your friends might accidentally slip up about your identity? Yep: I've had friends loudly say my pen name or ask me questions about my food writing in front of bartenders and servers. And there are many other potential sources of leaks: perfect secrecy is impossible to maintain. That's why any restaurant critic, pro or amateur, should write as though their real identity will become known, because it will eventually become known. I don't write anything I wouldn’t say to a restaurateur’s face.

From the Intern Desk: The Bean Welcomes Ben Sherman

Dara Continenza — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 21:20:00 GMT

Aspiring to look like a mod urban equestrian? (Who isn’t?) You’re in luck, as this month, Newbury Street welcomed the United States’ fifth outpost of British outfitter Ben Sherman, following shops in New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and San Francisco. Smart move: few metros are as rife with plaid-loving, slim-cut-wearing, completely-unironic-cardigan-slinging Anglophiles as the Bean.

Once considered the “Mod God,” the man behind the label, born Arthur Bernard Sugarman, started sewing his fitted shirts and trousers in a tiny factory in Brighton. (No, not that Brighton, you dolt — the original in the UK.) During the ’60s, Sugarman earned his reputation by outfitting the twiggy types of both sexes on famous, trend-tastic Carnaby Street (i.e., the stomping grounds of the Beatles, the Who, and the Stones). The line has changed little since: there are bespoke-inspired blazers for men, mod shift dresses for women, and fitted plaids and skinny trousers for everyone. Smacking of Swingin' London and the British military — the RAF’s target-like roundel is featured on much of the apparel — Ben Sherman has always appealed to the sartorial Anglosphere.

Now hipsters like ourselves won’t have to trek to Manhattan to indulge in our whimsies. The Newbury Street shop is almost 3,000 square feet of English-flavored (or is that flavoured?) heaven.

Stocking both men’s and women’s lines, Ben Sherman Boston is awash with the understated neutrals, stripes, and plaids for which the label is famous. Punctuating the fashionable if staid palette are splashes of royal blue and chartreuse, mostly additions from women’s dresses. A swoon-worthy double-breasted winter-white pea coat ($289) adds a touch of business class to the argyle and jailer stripes, but not to worry: everything is structured — and tailored — to a T. A long, slender pencil skirt ($119) features oversized buttons, begging to be paired with a slouchy V-neck and sky-high pumps. Which I did. Happily.

For the Brit-obsessed fella in your life, a striped blazer seems simple but surprises with a butter-soft orange buffalo plaid lining ($199). Checkered grandpa sweaters in the same color pleasantly accost the eyeballs with their decidedly autumnal hues ($119), and a white-on-white paisley dress shirt with French cuffs is both tasteful and, well, mod as all hell ($69.50). The walls are lined with accessories, including leather messenger bags, belts, caps, and a charcoal lion-rampant-embroidered silk tie ($49.50), which this writer’s companion conspicuously fondled within 12 seconds of entrance and continually referred to for the remainder of the trip, along with the precise date and time of his birthday.

The space itself is nothing to sneer at. Two floors include a library crammed with false books, a pair of worn leather recliners (each bedecked with a Union Jack, natch), and a quirky wall of gray plaster teapots. Oh, and a vintage punching bag and boxing gloves, just in case you want to get your stiff upper lip all sweaty. We took a few swings before saying cheerio, but we’ll definitely be making return trips for this cross-the-pond style import.

Phenomena 2009: Bless By Bless Charity Gala at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum

Chris Faraone — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 16:07:00 GMT

It’s logical that Phenomena 2009 rolled through the Larz Anderson Auto Museum. Though the 19th century carriage house is an antique oasis in the most aristocratic sense, the Brookline marvel is also very much about fast cars, and aesthetic acceleration was one theme that certainly steered this year’s charity gala.

The booze and wine flowed so freely that it was tempting to jump behind some exclusive wheels (perhaps the Ferrari Indy car); had it not been for female attractions luring me the other way, I may have wound up in prison. For my freedom I can also thank chef Douglass Williams, whose Culinary Breakdown distracted me with a parade of fresh fish hors d’oeuvres.

Soodee owner Diane Agoun opened up the runway with a steady stream of liberated conservative fare, from flowing silk and ruffles to hot-red mini-skirts and tops that may or may not be transparent (use your imagination). Agoun should be applauded; purple, white, and silver haven’t mixed so amicably since… ever.

After Brookline authorities made a few dozen people play musical cars for no apparent reason whatsoever, Danvers fine-apparel boutique owner Lorraine Roy unleashed a fleet of girls in dapper sequined non-traditional maid-of-honor dresses that would make any bride murderously jealous.

And then emerged the headliner, Bless, whose BBB (Bless By Bless) is not to be confused with Pharrell’s painfully gaudy BBC (Billionaire Boys Club). Homeboy brings gear fit for the hard rock and hip-hop spectrum that is decidedly classy; still, the threads dripping off his models had old men popping boners in their tuxes.

Opening his marquee show with live shreds courtesy of Red Vinyl guitar player Eric Hatch, Bless wasted no time transforming the classic milieu into a nouveau-opera performed by hard-bodied, aggressive women who, in the spirit of Ton Loc and Robert Palmer, exploited the fact that there’s nothing sexier than chicks with guitars that they have no idea how to play.

Bless filled seasonal quotas and then some: leather skirts paired with delicate, half-zipped hoodies? Check. Gold ropes and thigh-high boots? Check, check. Suspenders on denim hot shorts? Oh yeah. I’m sure that it’s been said before, but Bless blessed the shit out of us.

All in all, Phenomena was a demonstration for women who are interested in luring significant others. Agoun can help on dates and at the workplace, while Bless will get you chased by Romeos who want to put your friends in something from Lorraine Roy.

Boston Fashion Exposé at the Charlestown Navy Yard

Maddy Schricker — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:36:00 GMT

Friday night marked my very first Fashion Week experience, so my excitement levels were through the roof upon arriving at the Charlestown Navy Yard for the ready-to-wear and sportswear shows at the Boston Fashion Exposé. After following the Harborwalk while taking in the picturesque cityscape across the Charles and making my way to that unmistakable white tent, I settled in amidst a swarm of dapper gents and their equally as stylish lady sidekicks.

A steady stream of fashion enthusiasts made their entrance while the photographers readied their cameras for some serious action and the DJ blasted a mix of upbeat house, hip hop, and pop tunes. Certainly showcasing a sense of humor and flair for the ironic, he even threw in Laurent Wolf's "No Stress," and I laughed a bit just imagining the backstage mayhem. Running about half an hour (fashionably?) late, the show started to get underway when the DJ played Kanye West's "Flashing Lights." Now that's more appropriate.

May Mon Aye's designs kicked off the show. The models, in all their tousled, bed-head glory, paraded down the runway in sassy underpinnings and fishnet stockings with black and white and red all over. The designer's keen attention to tailoring was evident in the plentiful corset tops with lace-up backs.

Lily & Migs soon followed, shifting the focus from lingerie to beautifully draped dresses with asymmetrical ruffles and flutter sleeves galore. Not all the pieces, however, exuded this particularly girly touch; many emphasized a more utilitarian feel with button and piping details. A brazen rouge jumpsuit even made its way along the catwalk, along with a gorgeous satiny olive bubble-hem dress.

Kyleah Toraye's line continued the satin trend with solid blacks and purples, frequently accented with a skull-and-roses design, adding a punk-rock touch to the oft-feminized fabric. Standout ensembles included an Arabian Nights-style off-the-shoulders blouse paired with breezy balloon pantaloons, and, for the extremely unabashed, a red ruffle-sleeved one-piece pantless number that could have come from Lady Gaga's closet.

Catalina Fashion conjured a more casual-yet-edgy atmosphere with "Forbidden," a line of predominantly black-and-white creations with a slightly gothic feel, consisting of shredded tees and leather tights aplenty.

Catalin Sullivan produced, in my humble opinion, the most consummately styled show of the night, with her perfectly layered, dreamy, ladylike looks that resulted in a sort of Marc Jacobs-cum-Luella hybrid. Though sticking with a subdued palette of abundant blacks and grays, she added wonderfully girlish touches that provided a refreshing dose of whimsy while still remaining sophisticated. I was most particularly enamored with the stretchy, knotted headbands in black and mustard that crowned the heads of a few of the models.

We may witness a revival in T-shirt appreciation thanks to Kortney Williams, whose line of singular, statement-making designs proved that a tee need not be a cause for style ennui. His collection channeled a home-sewn feel, with many a flower and heart applique. I specifically recall a sleeveless men's tee with a wittily placed patchwork broken heart.

After a brief intermission, the second half of the shows commenced with Sparklle Thames, who created a line primarily of corsets, playing with plaid and pin-stripe patterns and innovative structuring.

Michelle Idrovo's collection stands out as the most high-spirited and color-saturated, boasting a veritable rainbow of ensembles, including a breezy linen yellow-orange dress that made me long for eternal summer.

Lindsay Jones's most praiseworthy fabrications consisted of a series of white stone-furbelowed, lacy ruffle-tiered evening dresses. The collection shifted with more Aladdin-inspired white balloon shorts, superimposed with a shimmering floral pattern. My favorite piece was a sheer, flouncy peasant dress, and while I failed to see one coherent vision run through the collection, there were certainly individually notable designs.

Ty Scott produced an extensive streetwear collection, infusing urban style with that of the Far East, exemplified in a pretty kimono robe and chopstick-supported coiffures. If not for his apparel, Ty Scott certainly won the crowd over with his adorable black-and-white terrier pup, who made three cameos throughout the show.

Loza Maleombho's collection was another personal favorite, without a doubt. The ruffle trend ran rampant throughout the line, made all the more beautiful with a subtle tie-dye-and-scribble pattern that was unlike anything I've ever seen. The color palette ranged from blue and pink cotton candy combos to darker purple-navy-black mixes, and she boldly played with prints by pairing tie-dye with polka dots and tribal designs.

My first Boston Fashion Week event turned out to be a magical whirlwind of an evening. I left feeling optimistic that a few of these rising stars will soon be big names in the fashion world and that ruffles are here to stay... at least until next season.

The Emerging Trends 2009 at the Park Plaza Hotel

Anya Kanevsky — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:07:00 GMT

So I know you’re not supposed to count your chickens before they hatch. And, if I can turn my own phrase here, you don’t judge a flower by its bud. Or a butterfly by its caterpillar. I get all that. So for all those idiomatic reasons, I will largely turn a blind eye to most of the notes I took tonight at The Emerging Trends 2009 fashion show, because those designer dudes and ladies are, well, emerging. They’re new to this big, bad world of fashion, just learning how to balance on two well-heeled feet, and the last thing they need is the wagging of my trivial finger. So, of the 14 designers whose sartorial works paraded down the runway at the Park Plaza Hotel tonight, I won’t mention the ones under whose names I (quite literally) wrote WHAT THE F--- in big bold letters with many underlines beneath. Instead, I’ll do you all a favor: I’ll just throw out a couple key names, which you can then tuck neatly away in your brain into that cranial folder I’m sure you’ve got called “People to Watch.” Here goes:

Name: Caitlin Allen
Reason to Watch: Are you a Nantucket prepster looking to fill your closet with something a little more edgy than stacks of Vineyard Vines? Kindly point your Wayfarer-framed peepers at Allen’s collection of lightweight, country-club-bound clothes that do a twist on pastel prim (think: bright pops of color to complement the dewy hues, and playful rompers to offset proper blouses).

Name: Nadia Ivanova
Reason to Watch: This co-ed summery collection was cohesive, inventive, and made me want to hop a quick flight to St. Tropez (suitcase crammed full of N.A.I., her latest line). Plus, as our own Scott Kearnan pointed out in a Fashion Week post from earlier this week, “new and exciting” and “menswear” tend to be mutually exclusive. Scott, good news: Ms. Ivanova has got just the strong dose of menswear that your style doctor ordered.

Name: J’aime Lizotte
Reason to Watch: After several covetable body-con minis and mesh-inlayed frocks pranced by, this NY-based designer’s line closed out with what was maybe my favorite piece of the night: a black and nude bodysuit with sharp statement shoulders that was just begging to be tucked into a pair of denim skinnies (preferably mine, of course).

Miss Massachusetts 2009 hosted the swank soiree, but, pretty as she may have been, her bubblegum-pink Southern-belle pageant dress upstaged her good looks with an overwhelming bout of ugly. Hair and make-up on the models seemed to be the saving grace of unsalvageable fashion train wrecks, though some of the long-legged ladies couldn’t catwalk to save their lives. But hey — what are you going to do? If they could, they’d probably be in New York by now… sad as that truth may be.

And some of the night’s designers might also make it to those bigger fashion shows yet (read: Bryant Park), and we’ll be proud to say we had ’em here first if they do. As for the others… perhaps a couple more years in the cocoon will help. Or, I don’t know, a career change. Just a thought.

Fashion Fusion at FP3

Scott Kearnan — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 15:02:00 GMT

You never forget your first time.

And last night was certainly a memorable one at FP3, where Boston Spirit – New England’s bimonthly magazine for LGBT readers – hosted “Fashion Fusion,” its first show for Boston Fashion Week and a benefit for nonprofit AIDS Action Committee (AAC). Indeed, the spirit of philanthropy, community, and camaraderie was as much on display as the runway fashions, and though there was no shortage of style in the room (I hate to trade in Queer Eye stereotypes, but come on…), there was definitely a refreshing lack of self-seriousness. I am now a firm believer that no fashion show is complete without catcalls of “Work It!” from the crowd, and models trotting to remixes of “Fergilicious.”

Plus, as a former arts editor at Bay Windows, the region’s largest gay newspaper, and (notice: full disclosure ahead!) still a regular contributor to the pages of Spirit myself, it was exciting to see many familiar faces: from my old Windows publisher Sue O’Connell and the Spirit team, to South End real estate agent and former state representative candidate John Keith. There were also plenty of faces from the Greater Boston Business Council (an LGBT professionals group), The History Project, MASALA (Massachusetts South Asian Lambda Association), and of course, AAC. The evening’s beneficiary received 100 percent of the proceeds garnered by Spirit, and plenty of other folks stepped up to the fashion plate, too: hors d’oeuvres for the penthouse VIP party and downstairs schmooze-fests were provided by Barbara Lynch’s Sportello, G20 and Emerge provided hair and makeup, and BO LINE, a Norwell boutique and men’s custom shirt maker, donated 15 percent of proceeds from their collections on display.

In large part, those collections were featured on the models that strutted their stuff under an outdoor pavilion in the crisp fall air. The looks seemed to fall into two main styles which, for lack of better descriptors, I’ll refer to as “campus chic” and “disco fabulous.” The former, worked mostly by the men, paired colorful scarves, knit caps, stylish satchels, hooded jackets and fitted blazers to evoke, and successfully so, the image of grown-ups gone Ivy League. These dapper PILFs (Professors I'd Like To...) were a little personally distracting, as I happened to recognize most of them as former cover models for Out at Night, Bay Window's companion nightlife publication: Why does that blond one look so familiar, I asked myself. Ah yes, because he once did a Halloween photo shoot by "trick or treating" outside my front door in his underwear, with a pumpkin over his package (there were some perks...). Hello again, gentleman and scholar!

Anyhow, less impactful for the guys was the disco fabulous look, comprised of oddly outsized shirts in shiny metallic fabrics with exaggerated cuffs and collars: on the other hand, the approach worked gangbusters for the women, who rocked fedoras and ‘fros atop shimmering vintage-style dresses paired often with chunky belts and accessories. Best of all, in addition to the pieces from BO LINE, the show integrated affordable selections from Boomerangs (716 Centre Street, Jamaica Plain, 617.524.5120 and 1870 Centre Street, West Roxbury, 617.323.0262), clothing-resale shops loaded with funky fashions, where all sales benefit AAC.

This first foray into Fashion Week was a successful one for its presenters, a deftly accomplished balancing act of elbow-rubbing, style-surveying, and do-gooding. Although it’s worth sharing that the act of navel-gazing is what garnered some of the evening’s biggest applause: when one male model made an appearance in a vintage leather jackets, sans shirt to better show off a 12-pack of abs that could stop an 18-wheeler in its tracks, the reaction from the crowd was more deafening than a rocket launch. Further proof that birthday suits never go out of fashion.

Sam Mendoza at the Liberty Hotel

Jacqueline Houton — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:46:00 GMT

SLIDESHOW: SAM MENDOZA 2009 RUNWAY SHOW

VIDEO: SAM MENDOZA 2009 RUNWAY SHOW

The event may have been named “Darkwave Disco,” but Sam Mendoza’s Tuesday night show at the Liberty Hotel was definitely more chic than le freak. The city’s most fashionable set gathered on the hotel’s fourth and fifth floors to see the local wunderkind’s latest creations, and after a late start, they were treated to more than two dozen looks in a mostly cohesive collection, one with more stand-outs than missteps.

The models circling the Liberty’s rotundas were largely clad in flowing, almost diaphanous fabrics in solid colors, mostly rich purples and deep blues, grays and blacks, with some pops of chartreuse and shocking pink, all paired together in interesting (and, with a few exceptions, appealing) ways. There were a lot of modern Grecian looks, with flatteringly asymmetrical off-the-shoulder dresses draped in a way that seemed loose and easy without veering into sloppy territory. High-necked halter dresses also made frequent appearances, focusing attention on the back and allowing for some understated sex appeal. Oftentimes these pieces had ties criss-crossing up the back, but two of my favorites kept it simple, one with just a single slim strap swooping from one shoulder down to the opposite hip, another leaving the back dramatically bare. Both these lovely little numbers made their wearers look red-carpet-ready. Several capes also fluttered by, and one in a delicately pale gray was elegant enough to put any little-red-riding-hood connotations out of your mind for good. Overall, the looks were light and airy yet body-conscious, a feat all the more impressive given the amounts of fabric involved.

Mendoza rocks a slightly rough-around-the-edges aesthetic, but there were a few pieces that looked a little unfinished. This was particularly a case with the evening’s lone look in a print, which included a jacket in a more structured fabric that demanded fastidious sewing. Pacing was also occasionally an issue, as attendees were sometimes left waiting a bit for the next model to strut by. The choice of music may have had something to do with that, but the heavy, downtempo beats weren’t enough to subdue the scene, especially at the end, when a grinning Mendoza ran around the rotunda with his crew. The crowd seemed buoyant, buzzed — and it wasn’t just the champagne. Watching the progress of a prodigiously talented and endearing young designer like Mendoza can be quite a high.

Rouleau for Women at the InterContinental Boston

Scott Kearnan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 17:41:00 GMT

Maybe I’m a little biased, but I’ve always believed men get the short end of the stick when it comes to fashion. In saying that, I don’t mean to reiterate that tired, sexist, antiquated notion that fifty percent of the population somehow lacks a gene for style to match their Y chromosome (whereas, or so the equally false assumption goes, fashion is somehow some innate gift of the feminine mystique). What I mean is that men are generally without the diverse possibilities and wide options afforded to women: you girls get to try out all the latest trends, be bold and brazen, sometimes show a little skin, and generally push the proverbial envelope if it tickles your fashion fancy. Alas, that same playfulness just isn’t afforded to men, unless of course, that man is lip syncing to “Like a Virgin” as the live entertainment on a cruise ship. Think about it: you don’t see paparazzi flashing camera bulbs at the male stars during movie premieres and Hollywood award shows. Who needs shots of a flock of identical penguins when, I don’t know, Sarah Jessica Parker is wearing some wonky bow on her head, or has a grandfather clock around her neck, or is walking down the red carpet on stilts, or whatever.

So imagine my surprise, while attending the Rouleau for Women reception at the InterContinental Boston on Tuesday night, when I realized how deprived women have been of the custom designs and tailoring that Alan Rouleau has been bringing to Boston men for 22 years now. The invitation-only reception introduced Rouleau’s first custom tailored line of clothing for women, and it was obvious that his female clients will benefit from the same detail-oriented craftsmanship and classy style that the boys enjoy. Although there was no proper fashion show in the reception’s 12th floor suite, a clothes rack displayed an assortment of crisp women’s shirts in a small sampling of the fabrics, cuts, colors and patterns available; a half-dozen models also circulated throughout the room to better show them off. Rouleau told me that one of the greatest challenges in creating tailored women’s shirts was maintaining a sense of femininity, but these creations certainly did: they arrived in pink, blue, and soft orange hues, and their lines hugged at the models’ waists even as their unbuttoned collars were frequently splayed wide to give a little show of neck. (See? There was a little something in store for the gentlemen guests, after all.)

But most exciting was the level of customization that now awaits women visitors to Rouleau’s Newbury Street showroom. Starting at $250, women of every size (or at least, 2 through 14) can select from 14 cuts, a bevy of a selection of cuff and collar styles, and as many as 80 different fabrics. The seemingly infinite number of possible permutations allows clients to assemble - under Rouleau’s guidance, of course – a custom designed and tailored shirt that is, quite literally, one of a kind. Although I enjoyed briefly chatting with Rouleau, given the absence of a show I think this debut for his women’s tailoring would have benefited from at least some kind of formal introduction, however brief (unless I missed some kind of glass-clinking, crowd-quieting, pitch speech by needing to duck out just before the reception’s final hour). But most of the guests seemed perfectly content to sip on Sensi wine, Cold River vodka, and nosh on passed hors d’oeuvres. It seemed the inspired but low key evening was, appropriately enough, tailored to their taste.