Wednesday 12th
How do nice girls grow up to be fashion mavens? You start ’em young-say, with ELLEgirl magazine! Tonight, the magazine has a bash in ABC Studios, on that catwalk we call West 44th Street, with music by rapper Eve (the one with the paws tattooed on her, uh, apples). If you’re craving seconds, back on the fashion front, Anna Sui (bohemian, “ironic”) exhibits her fall offerings today under the tents …. For the more intellectually inclined, tonight Victoria’s Secret launches a limited-edition book of photographs called Sexy , downtown at the Maritime Hotel; the launch is hosted by Gisele Bündchen , Heidi Klum , Daniela Pestova and Adriana Lima (soon to marry that wee rock sprite, Lenny Kravitz). The book focuses on the models’ appearance, you see, as opposed to the catalog, which is all about the lingerie …. No word yet on whether it’s a pop-up book.
[Eve concert/ ELLEgirl launch, ABC Studios, 44th Street and Broadway, 4 p.m.; Anna Sui, Bryant Park, the Tent, 41st Street at Sixth Avenue, 7 p.m., by invitation only; Victoria’s Secret/ Interview magazine party, Maritime Hotel, 88 Ninth Avenue at 16th Street, 9 p.m., 212-941-2926.]
Thursday 13 th
“He’s not as good as having a warm husband in your bed, but he’s better than a hot-
[ The Gift of Jazzy , the Cellar, Macy’s Herald Square, 151 West 34th Street, 6 p.m., 212-446-5108; Zac Posen, Grill Room, Four Seasons, 375 Park Avenue, 7 p.m., 212-935-4200, ext. 187; Fifty Fabulous Females, Diane Von Furstenberg Studio, 389 West 12th Street between Washington & the West Side Highway, 9 p.m., 212-529-7935.]
Friday 14th
We’d rather walk into the East River with our Burberry coat pockets full of stones than see another runway. But skipping the last day of Fashion Week is equivalent to leaving the game early to beat the traffic. So grab that clipboard you’ll pretend to scribble important notes on and schlep on back to Bryant Park to see Calvin Klein ( so minimalist you want to spank him! ), House of Field (uptown girl meets call girl) and Vera Wang (we’ve heard that men are proposing to their ladies with the phrase “Will you Vera Wang me?”, but we can’t prove it) …. Oh, and by the way, welcome to Valentine’s Day- everyone’s least favorite holiday , when men buy chocolate to get laid and women buy chocolate because they’re not. For those who are really pissed off, there’s an anti–Valentine’s Day protest party at Scopa restaurant, with a “best date/worst date ever” contest (beware standup comics sneaking in and trying out new ” material “), match-making games and a kissing booth. Pierre Salameh , co-owner of Scopa, called us from his apartment in Park Slope, where someone had just stolen his car. “It was a ’91 Dodge van,” he said. “It boggles my mind that someone would take a car that was only worth about $500.” About tonight’s festivities, “It’ll be a kiss-on-the-cheek kind of thing,” Mr. Salameh said. Bring Handi-Wipes.
[All fashion shows by invitation only: Vera Wang, 225 West 39th Street, ninth floor, 917-438-4813, 9 a.m.; Calvin Klein, 450 West 15th Street, 6 p.m.; House of Field, Mao Space, 260 Fifth Avenue, 8 p.m., 212-946-1704; I Hate Valentine’s Day Party, Scopa Restaurant, 79 Madison Avenue between 28th and 29th streets, 10 p.m., 212-686-8787.]
Saturday 15th
In yet another brave if doomed attempt to get the men and women of New York into functional relationships , the New York Aquarium throws a single’s social mixer titled “Sex in the Sea” (which, trust us, is a bad idea). The museum’s curator of education is Dr. Merryl Kafka. Any relation? “Yes!” she cried. “He’s my great-grandfather’s cousin. I do a good Franz Kafka imitation: I pull my hair back from my face and I look real serious and I look like him!” Now there’s a fun party trick! See more men -a whole sweaty mess of ’em-later on tonight at ” The White Party ,” the kinder, gentler brother of the now-infamous Black Party. “We’ve been outed by the [Leona Helmsley] trial!” said the not- so-out organizer of the event, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “The Black Party is the darker side of, you know, the spectrum. The White Party is more of a costume party instead of a leather party. It’s less gritty.” The party, usually held at Roseland Ballroom, is relocating to Capitale, originally the Bowery Savings Bank designed by Stanford White. “We’ve tried to make it more fashion-y and more downtown. Originally we wanted to call it the ‘Anna Wintour Party’ as a take-off of the ‘Annual Winter Party’ in Florida, but we thought it was pushing the point a little.” The dress code is “Alex in Wonderland”; the hottest accessory to bring? Heterosexuals-the new Hermès! “They’re totally welcome and encouraged!” he said. “They add to the positive energy. ”
[Sex in the Sea, New York Aquarium, West Eighth Street at Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, 7 to 9 p.m., 718-265-3448; the 2003 White Party, Capitale, 130 Bowery at Grand Street, 11 p.m., 212-674-8541.]
Sunday 16th
Anyone else still reeling from last Sunday’s N.B.A. All-Star game, where Mariah Carey serenaded Michael Jordan with a warbly rendition of “Hero” at halftime while wearing a skin-tight-dress replica of M.J.’s Wizards jersey? They should put that moment in a museum, because you just can’t put a price on that kind of comedy. But in the meantime, something you will find at the Met today is the Legacy of Genghis Khan exhibit. After Khan pulled his tough-guy act and created the largest contiguous land empire in human history , the artists came out of hiding and got down to work and made lots of stuff-and now the Met’s got it. Today is your last day to see the 700-year-old tent hangings of silk and woven gold -and we’re telling you, it would look great on a couch.
[The Legacy of Genghis Khan, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1000 Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street, 9:30 a.m., 212-535-7710.]
Monday 17th
Teddy-bear liposuction? Of course -this is New York. Tonight, Broadway Cares presents “The Broadway Bears VI,” its annual auction of 40 teddy bears dressed in original handmade costumes, representing some of theater’s famous characters and autographed by the stars they represent. “These bears get more frequent-flier miles!” said Scott T. Stevens, who’s producing the event. “Ah, the life of a celebrity teddy bear .” The toys bear the likeness of such stars as Bernadette Peters, Paul Newman and the always enjoyable Bea Arthur. Hosting is Bryan Batt, better known as Lumiere (the candlestick) in Broadway’s Beauty and the Beast. “We had Richard Simmons host one year, which was a real trip ,” said Mr. Stevens. “I’d gone to a teddy-bear convention that year-as frightening as that sounds-and Richard Simmons was there because he has a line of dolls and …. ” Shhh, we don’t think we want to hear any more. For tonight’s bears, the designers can alter the furry ones however they’d like. “It’s rather astonishing,” said Mr. Stevens. “They’ll add makeup; they’ll do liposuction! Some of their figures are amazing! It is just insanity .”
[The Broadway Bears VI, B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, 237 West 42nd Street, 8 p.m., 212-840-0770, ext. 268.]
Tuesday 18th
Note to fashion designers: Whiskers belong on cats, not on jeans ! Please send this trend back from whence it came! Today, Showroom Seven (no relation to Seven jeans) has its much-anticipated annual sample sale. So what is Showroom Seven? With fingers cramping from all the 11-digit dialing we’ve been doing, we called co-owner Karen Erickson, who presides over hip labels like Orla Kiely and Imitation of Christ , and a clientele that includes Hilary Swank, Natasha Lyonne and Chloë Sevigny. “It’s a fashion democracy,” Ms. Erickson said. “Everyone’s in here together-the celebrities, the stylists, the regular shoppers. And the celebrities are usually really good about changing clothes in the big, communal changing room-it’s everyone else that freaks out!” Does brawling ever ensue? “All the time! Definitely! Or sometimes people are crying because someone else bought a piece of clothing they wanted. It’s standard for people to tie the arms of the clothes together to keep other people from taking them.” Hmmm ….
[Showroom Seven sample sale, 498 Seventh Avenue, between 36th and 37th streets, 24th floor, 10 a.m., photo ID required, 212-643-4810.]
wednesday 19th
As the civilized world came down with a bad case of the heebie-jeebies last week (no, not the orange-level terror alert, but rather the Michael Jackson TV interview ), it made many nostalgic for a simpler time, before there was King of Pop, when the snow-white-wigged King of Pop Art ruled a peaceful kingdom. The Gagosian Gallery is showcasing Andy Warhol’s drawings and related works from 1951 to 1986 – sketches of flowers, shoes and newspapers. Whoever thought the day would come when Andy Warhol would look normal and kind of cozy?
[ Andy Warhol: Drawings and Related Works 1951-1986 , Gagosian Gallery, 980 Madison Avenue, 10 a.m., 212-744-2313.]
