A Decadent Chocolate Feast in A Mod Mini Dress

Although many love to believe that women in fashion don’t eat; for the most part that couldn’t be farther from the truth.  (Seriously, you should see how fast the catering disappears backstage before a runway show.)  Plus, let’s be honest – we ladies love our chocolate.  So it makes perfect sense that Belgian chocolate and ice cream brand, Magnum has a close knit relationship with the fashion industry – starting with Karl Lagerfeld as it’s spokesperson back in 2011.  It also makes perfect sense that at 5pm on a Wednesday night, the brand had no trouble filling seats for a dinner party hosted by James Beard award winning chef, Andrew Carmellini in the private dining and wine cellar of his gorgeous NoHo restaurant, Lafayette.  The occasion?  A celebration of Magnum’s latest collaboration between Carmellini and fashion designer, Christian Siriano to create “The World’s Most Fashionable Dessert.”

Although I’d received notice of the event via email weeks before, one week before the party, I received by messenger a giant bar of chocolate engraved with the details of the party.  “Now THAT’S an invitation”, I thought to myself as I broke off a corner and popped it into my mouth.  Being a full-fledged foodie, as well as half Belgian – I really can’t say no to a lavish meal punctuated with chocolate.  Even better when the meal itself is locally sourced and mostly organic… Lucky for me, chef Carmellini knew his crowd for this fashion-meets-food event and whipped up a meal filled with just such guilt-free ingredients.  Organic carrot soup, wild black bass from Long Island, and fava beans from an organic upstate farm called “Buried Treasures” were just a few of the delights that warmed us up for the main event: The Dessert. Double caramel with champagne mango and pineapple, coconut cream and basil: the chocolate “lace” trimmed bar is as much a mouthful to say as it was to eat… At one point I remember chef Carmellini gesturing to the plate while explaining something about the importance of champagne mangoes, but to be honest I could barely hear him through the symphony of my senses as I focused on the decadent flavors in front of me.  It’s a good thing (and definitely no accident) that the meal leading up to dessert had been fairly light, because from my left to my right and all around my table, not a single scrap of the bar remained on anyone’s plate.  In fact, one eager guest even snatched up the display dessert that Carmellini had used to explain the dessert to the crowd.  Seconds anyone?  Yes please.

CLICK BELOW for more photos & wardrobe credits

[WARDROBE CREDITS]

Lime green mini dress with pearl detail: DARLING

White leather & pearl purse: CHANEL from BELLA BAG

Black patent leather heels: ALAIA

White, blown glass ring: TRE

Cateye sunglasses: KAREN WALKER

xx

Natty

Where I Went & What I Wore for a Spring Feast at Laduree Soho via Guest of a Guest

If you have a sweet tooth or have ever been to Paris, then you know that Ladureeis the Parisian equivalent to New York’sMagnolia Bakery. That’s not to say that the cozy downtown bakery known for its cupcakes is much like Laduree’s elegant, historical house of tea and sweets (renowned for their mouthwatering macaroons), but both are ubiquitously worshiped for their specific, sugary specialties. In fact - much like a Manolo Blahnik sample sale, lines of chic locals and curious tourists often wrap around the block at both Magnolia and Laduree.

So when New York finally got its own Laduree, on the Upper East Side a couple of years ago, we clicked our heels and got in line. This year, the storied maison de macarons opened a second output in the former Borolo space in SoHo. At long last! Now downtowners can also delight in a delicate, 3-tiered pastry after brunch, or snatch up a box full of rainbow macarons to bring to a dinner party. But there’s more to the luxury bakery than confectionary treats. Two ornately appointed dining rooms (and soon a lush garden) offer everything from high tea, to breakfast, to lunch and dinner!

As a Francophile and macaron-o-phile, (did you know that macaroons are GLUTEN FREE?!) I knew that I had to experience Laduree’s latest location immediately - if not sooner. And what better occasion than Easter to indulge in pastel pastries?! Luckily, my friend and dessert aficionado, Elizabeth Minett, had the same MO, and was the perfect accomplice for an afternoon of decadence. Click through to see what we wore to this sweet, springtime feast!

[CLICK HERE] For full post on Guest of a Guest

Where I Went and What I Wore via Guest of a Guest - Part 1

"From sun up to sun down, our Fashion Correspondent, Natalie Decleve, has been all over town capturing the best of NYFW for Guest of a Guest. Whether she’s attending runway shows, interviewing designers and celebrities backstage, or snapping street style – she’s always in the mix. So what does she wear during a week of see-and-be seen activities?"

[CLICK HERE] To view the full slideshow on Guest of a Guest, and see just where I went and what I wore!

PLUS - for more behind the scenes looks and where I went and what I wore, follow me on InstagramandWeryoo!