Kay Meeks-A Southern Belle’s journey to a sucessful New York Fashionista!

So the whole thing started on my way out the door at the Plitzs New York Fashion Week Show. I was running late to meet a friend. As I was jetting out the door – this woman walks by in the most stunning gown ever! She looked so glamorous I literally just stopped and had to talk to her. I saw her look back at me with this look like “why is this girl staring at me” lol so I asked her if she is a model. She said she is but today she is interviewing people for TV. That’s how it all began! We started chatting and this is where a friendship as well as a professional connection began!

This is the photo I clicked of her at Plitzs!

Kay Meeks is a multi-talented and graceful woman you cannot help but admire! As she was telling me all the creative entrepreneul things she partakes in my  mind was racing and I knew I needed to interview her as well as introduce her to my people

 

Hat available on Meekswear.com

Growing up in a tiny town in North Carolina called Bunn, with a population of less than 345 people (!!!!!), Kay was girly and loved fashion. She was also a trend setter! In fact, one time in the 6th grade, she took a black colored pencil and made it into eyeliner! Even though she got punished on a daily basis by her mom, she still continued to wear it! In middle school she made a pocketbook from a Merita Bread bag with yarn and she also started cutting up her jeans even before it became popular! The world of fashion had been calling her since she was young and she was destined for a life!

 

 

She moved to New York City four and a half years ago to pursue her dream of working in the fashion world. It all started when she replied to a modeling ad for a runway show in Jamaica, Queens. Luck was on her side and she got the gig! This is where her career in the modeling world started! From that one show, she got flooded with offers! As her career in modeling was flourishing she also did films, music videos, hosted broadcasts and so much more! This is a true success story of a small town southern belle, who came to the big, bad city and landed her first ever modeling assignment at age 38!!!!! She is an inspiration and proved that it’s never too late and nothing should stop you from chasing your dreams!

Slaying in Meekswear!

 

Meekswear earrings

Modeling a choker from Meekswear

Meekswear – the “Carol’s” glasses

Kay also owns her own brand of fashion wear. Meeks Wear is Kay’s very own, unique, stylish and trendy fashion wear line. She’s got a variety of products from quirky sunglasses, stylish watches, dazzling watches, cellphone covers, custom designed eyeglass frames and extremely unique clothing with creative designs and catchy quotes!  She adds a touch of her very own individuality to each of her pieces and all are so cool, creative, colorful and fun! She models many of her styles on her instagram and loves it when her customers send her pics of them modeling her gear! Everything on her site is pretty affordable as well, so you can go crazy and buy, buy, buy!!!

She decided to take things one step forward and take a fashion design class. She saw that there was a very affordable class down the street from where she lived, so she decided why not! During the class, Kay had been scrolling through instagram when she discovered the account of the most stylish elderly women she had ever seen! The one and only Baddiewinkle! She became obsessed with this woman and her impeccable style! There was one outfit in particular Kay saw and had to have!!! She hunted everywhere for this dress and asked everrryyyone!!! When she finally found it, she realized the dress also came with a pretty price tag. This didn’t discourage her at all though! She decided she was going to make her own unique remake of that same dress but switch it up with her own unique flare! She got to working, sketching, researching and choosing fabric. Nothing was stopping her from recreating it with her own personal touch! She tirelessly put her work in and created the most fabulous remake of Baddiewinkle’s red lip yellow dress! Her teacher saw ambition, creativity, style and talent in Kay that she herself had not discovered!

Kay modeling her fabulous rendition of Baddie Winkle’s Yellow dress!

Meekswear.com – search “yellow dress”

The talent doesn’t stop there! What’s amazing about her journey is that she found the fashion design class, which I might add was a $10 class and a few blocks from her place in the Bronx, with the intention of becoming a couture gown designer but found her talent to lead her to become a buyer for her own business!

#OOTD – Heading to her first Fashion Design class

All smiles in her design class!

It was a great pleasure and if I may add, an honor to have had the opportunity to speak to Kay over the phone the other day. I believe we meet people and people are brought into our lives for a reason! I could have, and almost, kept running out the door that evening without stopping but I stopped and I am very glad I did!

“Keisha” oversized sunglasses

Meekswear.com – Puff Ball wooden earrings

All accessories can be found on Meekswear.com

“Savage” top & Faux Fur Crossbody purse available on Meekswear.com

I met an amazing woman who is a role model, inspiration, multi-talent, hardworking, intelligent and extremely friendly new friend! Aaannnddd btw – I bought the red lip yellow dress tooooo!!! It’s being shipped. Watch out for a selfie on my instagram as soon as it arrives!!!

Meekswear.com – “Don’t Worry Be Yonce”

Meekswear shades

Meekswear Watch

Meekswear Cellphone cover & Hat

Meekswear Cartoon Top

Shout out to Kay Meeks!! Keep moving forward!!

Check her out on her instagram: Kay_Meeks

Also here’s the link to her website!! Go on and shop til you drop!!! If you want to purchase the same yellow dress that I did, just go to the search bar and search “yellow dress”.

https://www.meekswear.com/

 

–Karen Bahri

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Couture Fashion Week New York

This past weekend I had the pleasure of attending the New York Couture Fashion Week Shows 25th season at the Crown Plaza hotel in Times Square. I was there Saturday & Sunday evenings and saw some amazing collections and performances, front row and center!! I definately learned a lot and the experience broadened my ignorance of what fashion shows, runways and models are like.

At such prestige an event, I realized we are all human, and professional runway models walking a ramp are human and error no matter how much experience they have – just like the rest of us! I saw a few models slip, but continue on as poised as ever. I don’t blame them. Tell a man to walk in 6 inch heels on a slippery catwalk in a lengthy, uncomfortable gown with lights and cameras flashing at them in every direction. Ohh yeah, and a crowd of people too! I also noticed, and this might just be in my mind, I always figured models are supposed to be super tall and super slim. Tall, they were all; but I noticed a handful of girls that weren’t exactly skin and bones. They were far from “fat” but their bodies just seemed normal skinny. I’m not sure if that was just me or if the standards have changed for models; if so, that’s great! There are enough social pressures for younger girls these days!

I had to have my moment too haha

Proud that Zee TV was an official sponsor

Again, having a moment! haha

Anyways! As much as I want to tell you about ALL the designers and show you ALL the pics of every model wearing every outfit in their collections, we would be here all day! And you know me by now, so you know I definitely have all those photos! I’m going to highlight for you my 3 top favorites! These are in no specific order, they all are marvelous in their own unique ways!

 

DESIGNER: Houda El Fechka Eddiouane (Morocco/Netherlands)

Houda is a Dutch Moroccan haute couture designer internationally well known for her stunning expressions of femininity, romance and elegance intended for both Moroccan and European women alike, as well as all women globally.

Her statement pieces are appealing to the eye with stunning & exotic elegance. Integrating skillful cuts, luxurious materials with immaculate results which are often marked with an elegant Moroccan touch, her talent for combining assorted influences with perfectly graceful style has been capturing the world of fashion.

I was really drawn to the Moroccan touch in her pieces and that, for me, is why she made it to my top 3 list! Chic, ethnic, exotic and elegant. The music during her show was a mix which ended with a very soothing French melody that I really enjoyed.

DESIGNER: Ruchika Kabra (India)

Ruchika Kabra is a graduate of the National Institute of Fashion Technology in India, where she was recognized with the Most Creative Collection Award in Textile Design. Following this, she came to New York to study Fashion design at New York’s Parsons School of Design. Her evening wear collection won her an honorable mention while she competed with 29 selected designers at FIT & Parsons.

Ms. Kabra’s latest collection is all about silk used in its natural form. The collection of exclusive gowns is labeled “The Royal Ecru”, fit for a royal, cementing a fashion moment. To make the collection even more mesmerizing, beautiful crystals have been added to create a royal touch, and coordinate well with the sheen of silk.

It’s obvious why I chose her to be on my top 3, I will always support our desi independent women and I love my India and our fashion! Colorful Indian silks and embroideries fused into Indo-Western couture is elegant , exotic, mysterious, classy and will never go out of style!

DESIGNER: Alexandra Popescu-York (USA/Romania)

Acclaimed artist-designer Alexandra Popescu-York made her sixth appearance at Couture Fashion Week New York with her Spring-Summer 2017 clothing collection entitled “Tour du Monde” (World Tour).

“Tour du Monde” is a capsule-type collection that never goes out of fashion. It is as timeless and stirring as the memories of one’s soul-enriching travels around the world!

A native of Bucharest, Romania, Alexandra Popescu-York is a New York City based designer and artist. She is a world-class power acknowledged by the industry’s best early in her career.

This collection was so bizarre in the most fabulous way possible! Eye catching, mood lifting and somewhat questioning (with the yearn to know what it’s all about). The music was thrillingly intense, as if it belonged in a horror movie! The beats resembled glass breaking and things crashing all over the place! So bizarre!  This woman is a true genius and shook up the crowd! Bravo!

Popescu-York’s humanitarian efforts have earned her the “Ambassador of Good Hearts and Romanian Culture” title. She is also a dotting wife and mother. Her sons Alexander Julian and Ralph have walked the Couture Fashion Week runway in the past, and they were an adorable and lively addition to her magic in this years show as well!

So those were my top 3 from the Couture Fashion Week New York shows 25th season! Stay tuned my fellow Kaleidoscopers! I still have sooo much more to blog about on the other collections which were amazing as well!! Feel free to stalk my instagram (or you know, follow me xo) to see more video clips of these amazing designers. There were definitely some eye catching moments better captured on video you don’t want to miss!!!

Instagram: Karenskaleidoscope

-Karen Bahri

Christmas/Hanukkah staycation at the Innside Hotel!

As 2016 comes to an end, I can safely conclude this has been the worst year of my life. I was telling a friend the other day after much thought, I don’t believe that just because a new year is approaching doesn’t mean it’s necessarily going to be a new start or a better year. Its not like things are going to magically glow like Disneyland 😐. I live in a world of reality and I just don’t think so.

Anyways, because certain travel plans backfired followed by new travel plans that backfired (my medium friend told me it’s due to the mercury retrogade. Google it.) I created MY OWN PLANS. Because I obviously cannot depend on anyone besides myself, I decided to book a staycation!

Since I’m the most indecisive human being on the face of the earth, this took me about 3 days of researching a hotel 😂😂…I finally made the plunge and booked The Innside hotel. I’m definitely glad I made this decision! The Innside hotel is a part of the Melia hotels & resorts . If you have been to Miami Beach, I’m sure you have seen a hotel called “ME”, which I learned is apart of this hotel family.

Meliá Hotels International was founded in 1956 in Palma de Malorca, Spain. That being said, there are a lot of Spanish guests at this resort! Holaaa! 😉 It is one of the largest hotel companies in the world and the largest in Spain in both resorts and city hotels! The company currently operates more than 370 hotels in 43 countries and 4 continents under its brands! So lets get straight into my weekend and my overall thoughts of this hotel!

Located on the border of Chelsea & Flatiron, which happen to be my favorite neighborhoods, the building is big & beautiful! They play nice jazz music as you enter and they have outdoor seating for their restaurant in the front. It’s got a see-through cover for these cold months. Upon entry you walk into this glamorous space with perfect lighting! Looking straight you’ll find some couches, to the right you have the bar/lounge area and to the left is reception. Front desk is very friendly and total New Yorkers, so that’s good for tourists! 😂 Check in was easy so lets move on to the next topic: THE ROOM.

Initially I called them and they gave me a free upgrade to a King room with a view! I verified that, and just because life in the past month has been everything bad…and worse…I just figured something had screwed up..so naturally I had my game face on 👺! But all was well, ain’t nobody screw up my king room with view upgrade, gurrrl! So up to the 15th floor I went! The hallway was SO CLASSY!! Full length mirrors next to every door!! What a girl needs!! The walls were a clean black so it was a nice contrast! I opened up my door to find a very open, modern, bright, clean, amazing room!!! Bathroom right next to the front door, huge room with flatscreen TV, minibar, wine bottle opener, espresso machine…..And…….a…… VIEWTODIEFOR!!! I had the BEST view of the Empire State Building!!! I was soo happy! Three days of indecisiveness turned out to be a great decision!

I think the only 1st world problems I complained about in my head was half the TV stations didn’t work and the room was pretty cold. I even had the maintenence guy come look at the thermostat but nothing. Oh well! Next time I’ll bring my portable heater!

That evening I ended up making plans and we started off at the hotel lobby bar and had a great convo with our bartender! Very friendly, cool staff! The hotel also has a gym and meeting rooms. Would have been nice if it had a pool or spa but hey, we can’t have it all! 🤔😄

All in all, it was very peaceful, I took nice videos, snapchat filtered way too much & a small amount of pics, it was relaxing and it was nice being IN the city. Even though I’m a ten minute train ride away, it still makes a big difference! So I totally suck! I took numerous videos & snapchatted nonstop, but not as many pictures, except for my view! So the website is below, containing photos. I am adding in the few pics I did take and will try to screenshot from my videos. Those will be blurry just FYI lol. I’ll try to upload videos but they take forever and seem to always crash But check the pictures out on the website! The hotel looks exactly the same! Happy New Years to all! And may you travel tons and your travel plans not get screwed up in 2017!

https://www.melia.com/en/hotels/united-states/new-york/innside-new-york-nomad/index.html

My perfect view! Blue & White for Hanukkah and Red & Green for Christmas! #blessed

Where Brooklyn at?!

For a Queens girl, Brooklyn is confusing. Like why do people around the world think its so cool? becausetheyknownothingaboutqueensletskeepourboroughasecret

So anyways, I felt like hanging out around the Brooklyn Bridge area, without actually going because it’s been so hot and you know it’s gonna be crowded so I didn’t want to get stuck!

I remember going to Borough Hall for a gig once and it was a cute neighborhood. There is a street called Montague Street filled with cafes and cute shops around there. I wanted to hit up that area and Brooklyn Heights since that’s the posh area – I’m sorry if I am mis-quoting areas. I do not know if Borough Hall is a part of Brooklyn Heights or its next door neighbor. Again, I am a Queens girl. Queeeeennnnsss makes sense!

So anyways I took the R train to Court Street. There was some type of festival of nations going on which was really, really cool!! You could tell there was a lot of effort put in because the costumes and dances were very well presented! (I will post them up on my youtube channel, watch this space – just trying to experiment and post random videos on there & see how it goes — I will link you all once I am ready to show you!)

I stopped to watch that for a while and continued on my way to Montague street. Once there, I walked in and out of some cute shops. My phone battery was slowly dying so I thought I need to go sit somewhere and let it charge. I found this cute little Italian bar and luckily there was a plug by where I decided to sit at the bar. The bartender was really cool! A young lad from Kosovo. Our conversation didn’t begin until we saw this eccentric couple dressed in African gear (him) and afro-hipster gear (her) walk out and some people asked them for a photo. Apparently he is some singer I have never heard of. My Kosovian bartender told me this area is money and there are a lot of celebs in the neighborhood. He mentioned another celebrity I have never heard of who used to come in to the restaurant, but stopped, because he would get mobbed by fans. Now he just orders delivery. I told homeboy how I was planning on walking over by the promenade by the Bridge and if that is worth it or not. He said yes. He told me from there to head over to DUMBO – yes Dumbo, there’s an area called Dumbo. Dumbo stands for “Down Under Manhattan Bridge Overpass”.

He said that area is money and nice to check out. He broke it down for me regarding the “popular” Brooklyn neighborhoods : Williamsburg is hipster, and Parkslope is yuppie, so no. Dumbo it was! Which I believe is in Brooklyn Heights? Or next to? I don’t know. I’m a Queens girl not a Brooklyn girl!!!

****************HOLD UP******************

Just asked a coworker of mine from Brooklyn. Brooklyn Heights and Dumbo are not the same thing! They are right next to each other – like LIC and Astoria, for those of you from Queens 🙂

Anyways. Here are some pics! After I walked the promenade, I went to DUMBO and there was a street fair going on (note my street market blog two posts ago!) which was REALLY good, and then I went back to the festival of nations. When I went back there were hundreds of flags and some music playing! Check it out:

VIEWS FROM THE PROMENADE :

 

DUMBO/STREET MARKET (I know some pics are sideways, I can’t get them to adjust!! Tilt your head!):

 

FESTIVAL OF NATIONS BY COURT STREET STATION/COLUMBUS PARK:

 

 

I’m back and so is rooftop season!!

Hey girll!!! And guys….

It’s been a while. If you scroll down, you will know why. I just want to say as hard as the last several months have been I appreciate the people who have stood by me and kept me company, made me laugh, hung out and made plans to keep my mind off things & spirit high.

Because of those people I have not gone into a depression that I could have easily, and still could easily slip into. Life tosses lemons all the time and we each have our own way of squeezing or dodging them. There still are times when I lay in bed thinking is this real? And why did this have to happen? But at least I know tomorrow is a new day filled with those who lift my spirit! Also, thank God for summer in New York City!!

Anyways!!! This is my travel blog, I want to add reviews on various restaurants, bars, shops, products, films as well to create some variety. This IS my KALEIDOSCOPE, remember 😉. I have done some travels, had some visitors and checked out some local places which I am excited to share with you so stay tuned!!!

Since it IS summer in the city, the rooftop scene is on high gear! I’ve been to a few good ones and a few mehhh ones this summer, and I’ve done my research since I had guests visiting this summer. In my opinion, Press Lounge is DEF the best rooftop in the city!!! I actually revisited 230 5th, which was the first ever rooftop I have ever been to in Manhattan when I moved here 10 years ago, and its still beautiful! Although the waiters are rude, they have an amazing peach Bellini! I still highly recommend it but I think this is a good one for daytime. Reason being, is they have this tropical decor  with palm trees on the roof. The inside is beautiful as well! Here are some pics when I was there to celebrate my dear cousin sisters birthday a few weeks ago. Photos include the inside bar and rooftop:

I was recently at the Gansevoort in Meatpacking and ehhh..the space is cramped. The set up is weird so there’s not a lot of room, especially on the actually rooftop part.

Some other rooftops that are “visitable” but I wouldn’t go out of my way are Upstairs at the Kimberly, Refinery rooftop and I think it’s called Pulse, in the Marriott hotel on 36th street between 5th and 6th.

Oh I also didn’t find Dream midtown amazing either. PRESS LOUNGE ALL THE WAY!!!!

Here are some pics from two different occasions :

 

 

 

Trains, Cars, Rails. How do you travel? The Daily Commute

So this morning was funny. Four metrocard machines, and ALL broken. When I say broken, I mean they all were only accepting cash not cards. I used to never carry cash but then someone once told me its always good to carry some cash here & there to be safe. So now, I usually do. This morning I needed to fill my metrocard, luckily I had a $10 on me. As a busy New Yorker these things frustrate us. In fact, the MTA has really been on my nerves the last few months! Within the past say 2 months, my metrocard has gotten “ruined” some how and unusable. What’s annoying was the first time this happened, I filled it the day before with about $30. The seconds time it had about $15. That’s a lot considering it’s wasted in metrocard la la land!!! They say you can “mail in’ your card and get refunded. Ain’t nobody got time for that!!! Plus someone told me they did that once and never heard back! UGGGHHHHHH.

Anyways, it just reminded me about how growing up in Michigan everyone drove. Most places within this country people drive. America is mostly suburban if you think about it. Some cities are better at buses. I went to college in Minneapolis which was a very bus friendly city. I bus’d it so much that ever since I’ve lived in NYC I swore to God I would never take a bus again LOL.

Its interesting how someone’s daily commute which is so normal to them is odd to others. Like if I got my dream job in Bollywood (lol but for real yo!) and had to move to Mumbai and take a rickshaw to my daily office job as I waited for my big break…I couldn’t imagine traveling on a rickshaw as my daily commute but people do it! I remember before I moved to NY I thought the subway was “fun” …LOLLLL. I actually know people in NY who cab it everywhere they go. Strange to me but it works for them. There are also water taxis to Jersey and Staten Island.

Personally, my favorite mode of transport is walking. I walk a lot and as much as I can. I don’t live far from work so almost always I walk home. Keeps me fit and to me, it’s the easiest, quickest and most therapeutic. Trust me, I’ve been called crazy but I brush it off, because I know at least I’m keeping myself healthy while the people who think its strange are the ones who don’t understand why they can’t lose weight or maintain it and feel gross all the time.

https://urbanful.org/2015/03/02/12-unconventional-ways-commuting-around-world/

It’s Halloween in the City!

No city does Halloween like New York City! HANDS DOWN! Halloween was invented (yes, invented) FOR the city of New York. And New York was designed for Halloween. New York’s Greenwich Village Halloween Parade is by far the largest city-wide Halloween event in NYC. Nothing you will ever see in your life is crazier!!! (here is the official link https://www.halloween-nyc.com/  ) I mean I guess elsewhere in the country and maybe the world, Halloween is meant for kids. I think its fair to say kids should be banned from Halloween in New York!!! hahahha (That laugh was evil)

It’s also safe to say that I’ve definitely had more fun hanging out on the streets than an actually party/club. The bars/lounges get sooo packed you cant even breathe!! And to spend a ridiculous amount for JUST the entry fee just to get annoyed because its so crowded you cant breathe – no. My first Halloween in the city we went to my friends party at a bar in Union Square (after the parade, of course) and then as we were “heading out” we found a drum circle in the middle of Union Square and started dancing in the street! So much fun!! This is the best holiday ever!! I think at this stage in life, I’m lazy to go all out with the costumes – but some people are soo create and original! As long as I have some ears or a mask of some sort and some glitter I’m good.

If you are planning a trip to New York and are open minded and not scared of witnessing craziness and the oddest of odd, Halloween is the BEST time to be here! Head downtown to the village for probably the craziest of them all! I will warn you though, the parade can get extremely packed. If you are claustrophobic, maybe you should reconsider lol. I’ve been stuck in the crowd many a times. I also remember one year my friends were on the other side of the street and the police wouldn’t let us cross over to meet them, so you have to be prepared for these things. Another year I was caught in a crowd unable to breathe or see any of the parade (btw never once that I have attended the parade was I actually ever able to like..you know..SEE the parade!! Its too crowded you cant get a good view.) and then some idiot decided to start a fight…omg..I still remember how awful that was!!! I think the best thing to do is be CLOSE to the parade but FAR enough that you don’t get killed lol.

Your guide to Halloween in NYC

Another year I worked a party that was hosted by Kim Kardashian.

Kim Kardashian dressed as Poison Ivy at Lavo

Celeb spottings – Kim Kardashian on Halloween

My mask that year

Another fun, memorable Halloween was 2008! That was probably the last year I went alllll out with my costume!

I’m clearly in my zone! Ohhh the good ol’ days!

Here are some more photos from the Halloween parade a few years ago:

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!!!