Tag Archives: Greek American

I’m Giving a Free Reading Tonight at KGB Bar

2 Nov

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I’m reading at KGB Bar tonight! I’m super excited. I’ve been to a few readings here before, and it’s got a killer atmosphere. Not only that, but check out the impressive lineup:

With Professors:

Wang Ping

Miguel Algarin

Nancy Mercado

Carlos Manuel Rivera

Julie Patton

Everton Sylvester

At 6:30pm Professor Cornelius Eady reads and perform with his Rough Magic band’s guitarist Charlie Rauh and Concetta Abbate on the violin

And poets reading with or without acoustic musicians:
Carl Hancock Rux
Jeff Wright
Brian Omni Dillon
Ronnie Norpel
Susan Yung
Kate Levin
Sarah Sarai
Stephanie Nikolopoulos
R! on verse acoustic guitar & harmonicas

Und singing in German und mit monologue:
Leigh Martha Klinger

I’m listed as a poet, and I do in fact write poetry, but I was planning on reading an excerpt from Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road.” Specifically, I plan on reading about Kerouac’s Greek connection, his Lowell friend Sebastian Sampas.

The event starts at 6 and is free and open to the general public.

KGB Bar is on 85 East 4th Street (near 2nd Avenue)
New York, New York 10003

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Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” is now available as an ebook and paperback!

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We’re in Empty Mirror!

14 Oct

Empty Mirror published an excerpt from Burning Furiously Beautiful!

The excerpt is from the sections “The Sea Is My Brother” and “Schizoid” from the beginning of the biography. It begins with Jack Kerouac’s Lowell friend, a Greek American named Sebastian Sampas, going off to Camp Lee and then tells of Kerouac’s time in boot camp. During this time period, the young author was working on the book The Sea Is My Brother.

 

Want to read another excerpt?

Here’s one on the tragic life story of Kerouac’s father.

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Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” is now available as an ebook and paperback!

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5 of the Most Famous People and Things to Come Out of Lowell

9 Oct

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You already know that Jack Kerouac was born in Lowell and set many of his books there, but the Massachusetts town is also the birthplace of several other famous people and inventions. With Lowell Celebrates Kerouac going on this week, I thought it would be fun to explore 5 fun facts about Lowell:

1.  The first AOL instant message was sent by a Greek American from Lowell

2.  Remember the drink Moxie? It was invented in Lowell. You can buy it here and visit the roadside attraction the Moxie Bottle House in Union, Maine

3.  The son of a railway engineer, painter James Abbott McNeill Whistler was born in Lowell and there you can visit the Whistler House Museum of Art

4.  The brilliant Greek American photographer Christopher Makos is from Lowell

5.  Lowell is also the birthplace of Bette Davis

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Burning Furiously Beautiful: The True Story of Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road” is now available as an ebook and paperback!

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Greek American Fashion Week: Hair by Christo Curlisto

18 Sep

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If you want to know why the hair coming down the catwalk at the 2013 Greek American Fashion Week runway event looked so great, it’s because Curlisto salon did the hair.

Curlisto is a salon that specializes in curly hair but provides services for all hair types. As the salon’s website says:

Christo awakens his clients to the hair they’ve always dreamed of and could only hope to achieve. With his keen insight into the special needs of curly hair and his desire to allow his clients to celebrate their individual style, Christo’s philosophy centers on providing clients with the flexibility to wear their curly hair the way they want and choose to; that is why Curlisto was created….

Curlisto focuses on first nourishing the hair with ingredients that specifically remedy curly hair challenges. Each client’s curls are unique, with specific texture, structure, and wave. Curlisto methods of reviving hair with special treatments are the basis from which an individual’s particular needs are met. Cutting curly hair is an art….

The hairstyles at Greek American Fashion Week were indeed works of art. They worked with the models’ natural hair textures to create eye-catching hairstyles. Whether rocking unrestrained locks, perfectly coiffed bouffants, or elegant updos, the models had hairstyles that brought out their natural beauty and complemented their wardrobe.

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Curlisto was founded by Christo:

At the age of 12, Christo started his apprenticeship at his family’s salon in the Greek island of Cyprus. During his teenage years, he ventured to Paris and advanced as a young talent for his Parisian clientele. By his early 20s, Christo led a team of platform artists around the world to educate salon professionals. His passion for hair also led him to develop his own line of hair care products that are now widely distributed in Europe, Asia and South Africa. In 2002, Christo opened Christo Fifth Avenue Salon so he could expand his empire and service his A-list and royalty clientele.

Christo’s hair expertise has appeared on Bravo’s “Guide to Style,” TLC’s “Date Patrol,” PIX11, ABC, CBS, FOX 5, and Telemundo. His work has been featured in such print publications as The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Time Out New York, Vanity Fair, American Salon, Glamour, Teen Vogue, and Marie Claire.

Curlisto Salon is conveniently located in Midtown New York and offers a variety of services from cuts and styling to hair treatments. The salon also sells its high-quality hair products, for men and women, that extend beyond “curly” to “wavy,” “medium,” “tight,” and “coily,” in addition to “straight.” These products are great for curly Greek hair as well as other hair types. The website also features how-to videos so you can replicate the looks on your own. Thanks to Curlisto, you can have runway-worthy hair every day!

 

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Greek American Fashion Week Presents Stratton

18 Sep

The elegant designs of Stratton hit the runway at the 2013 Greek American Fashion Week.

Stratton’s sophisticated designs suit women looking for a tailored look. They are structured, well cut, and made from luxe textiles. They belong to those who favor the iconic styles of Jackie O. and Audrey Hepburn.

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Perhaps the most telling trademark of Stratton’s collection is the neckline—from boat neck to keyhole, high cut to spaghetti straps, the details are in the décolletage.

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In addition to his dresses, Stratton makes refined everyday wear. Though these pieces are a little more flowy, they still feature precise cuts and are in a classic color palette. This strappy number could be dressed up or down, for instance.

 

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Stratton Bouloukos graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and studied fashion design at Parsons in Paris and fine arts at Parsons here in New York City. He is a counselor at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT).

As the Stratton website says:

Season after season, Stratton’s design ethos has demonstrated how forward yet timeless creations of graceful, structured pieces can become progressive, modern classics. He produces his luxurious made-to-measure clothing line and handbags in the United States. Superior in both design and fit than ordinary ready-to-wear, each made-to-measure garment is constructed to fit the client individually. After her measurements are taken, they are then paired with an existing base pattern of equivalent size and altered to create a new pattern from which to construct the custom garment; the result is a well-fitted product, created in the client’s chosen textiles. The usual time-frame for made-to-measure clothing is approximately three weeks.

Following his success at Barneys, Stratton interned for four months with the international house of Carolina Herrera before landing a two-year stint at Albert Nipon as head design assistant. When the company folded, Stratton decided to once again venture out on his own. His Fall 1992 line of chic day dresses in sumptuous wools and silks earned him an article in WWD as a promising young talent. Henri Bendel and a few specialty boutiques carried the line. He then began generating a number of private clients who were seeking one-of-a-kind designs.

Today, his clients include high-profile names.

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Greek American Fashion Week Presents Angelo Lambrou

18 Sep

Fashion designer Angelo Lambrou was back again this year at the 2013 Greek American Fashion Week.

You may recall that last year, the event’s founder Maria Pardalis wore one of his designs at the show. You can read my full coverage of his collection from last year here.

As in 2013, Angelo Lambrou showcased his gorgeous wedding dresses. His designs are painstakingly detailed.

Take for instance, this dress. The bodice is intricate and tactile with 3D flowers. The back features a low scoop neck, with flowers sewn to the straps. The back is a particularly important aspect of a wedding dress, as guests, family, and friends have grown accustomed to watching a bride walk down the aisle and pay more attention to the back of a wedding dress more than they would the back of any other dress.

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Lambrou also showcased high-sheen evening wear. In frosted plums, Concord grapes, and silvers, these dresses exuded the magic of a winter’s eve. They were sophisticated yet over-sized bows kept them playful.

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Angelo Lambrou is based in the East Village here in New York now, but he was born in Southern Africa to Greek-Cypriot parents.  He studied fashion in Johannesburg and London before returning to Botswana to start his own fashion line.  He worked with Miss Botswana in 1999 and designed all the contestants’ dresses for the 2000 Miss Universe competition; he dressed Patti LaBelle for the 2002 Grammy Awards and Maria Bello for the Secret Window premier.

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Greek American Fashion Week Presents Tatiana Raftis

18 Sep

Tatiana Raftis made her return to the Greek American Fashion Week runway event this year.

You may recall Tatiana Raftis’ feminine fashion from last year’s show, when she sent sequins, florals, and sheer fabrics down the catwalk. As the program for the 2013 Greek American Fashion Week states:

Since debuting her collection at the first Greek American Fashion Week in 201, Tatiana and her collection have been featured in various Greek American media, including NEO Magazine, The National Herald, GreekAmericanGirl.com and appeared on an interview segment on Kalimera USA talk show on NGTV.

The Astoria-born designer who studied fashion illustration and evening wear at New York’s Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) was back this year to show off her latest gorgeous designs: party clothes and evening wear.

Raftis’ skin-tight party dresses are guaranteed to turn heads. Her cocktail dresses are the ultimate in style for a night out on the town. If you like Bebe—the women’s retail store founded by Iranian businessman Manny Mashouf—chances are you’ll adore Tatiana Raftis’ latest fashion line. They are sleek, sexy, and youthful.

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Tatiana Raftis’ show featured looks that were sophisticated, daring, and ethnic. The program for the event, put it this way:

Thematically, Tatiana draws influence from her fascination with antiquity. She painstakingly channels the attention to detail, which characterized the fashions of classical Mediterranean cultures. Her creations make use of soft and hard textures, which empower femininity while providing a delicate allure.

These dresses are bold, statement-making creations that command a room.

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One of my favorite aspects of Tatiana Raftis’ new collection is her headpieces. The turbans are available at a great price on her Etsy shop!

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Update! Here are some additional photos Tatiana herself sent over.

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Love the daring cuts and intricate details. That last look is one of my absolute favorites!

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Greek American Fashion Week Presents Nikki Poulos

18 Sep

Nikki Poulos kicked off the 2013 Greek American Fashion Week runway event.

Nikki Poulos does retro right. The fashion designer’s eponymous ready-to-wear collection has vintage appeal with modern sensibilities. Poulos’ designs are all about bold graphic prints, feisty colors, and flirty cuts. They’re figure-flattering and sexy but never uncouth.

Take this punchy Palm Beach look for instance. The model has mile-long legs in these chic high-waisted shorts. The shorts are perfectly balanced with a conservatively cut shirt in bright stripes colors. Is it any surprise that Poulos is based in Delray Beach, Florida?

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Poulos is tops when it comes to bottoms. In addition to those killer-cute shorts, she has designed pants and a jumpsuit that ooze femininity.  Poulos pulls off the printed pant with a nod to the seventies.

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Her printed dresses offer something for everyone. Poulos’ maxis achieve that ideal balance between unfussy and stylish. Whereas the maxis may have plunging necklines, the tighter, shorter dresses—which have a Lily Pulitzer vibe—feature higher necklines, so that the right amount of skin is always showing. Right in the middle is the knee-length, button-down blouse dress, whose cut is reminiscent of the office wear of the fifties and sixties.

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Poulos is also a fan of stripes, and this little number is simply adorable. The boat neck collar, synch-tied sleeves, and belt are very gamine. The short scarf is quintessential fifties, adding a playful twist. (If someone finds the accessory too retro, they could swap it with a short red beaded necklace or a chunky gold necklace, but really the scarf does the trick!)

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Given the nautical stripes of this look, it’s not surprising that Nikki Poulos’ heritage stems from Kythera, a Greek island off the Peloponnese that was a naval crossroads.

Poulos starred on NBC’s “Fashion Star,” and her collection was included in the European spin-off of “Next Top Model.” She recently launched ‘nikki by nikki poulos’ on HSN. Her designs have been featured in the coveted Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue, Elle, Lucky, and Fitness magazines.

Fun fact: Poulos studied marine biology and worked in coral reef conservation:

In the 1990’s, Nikki was the designer and proprietor of ‘ecobaby’ an environmentally friendly babies and children’s clothing business in her native hometown Sydney, Australia. A love affair with the ocean led Nikki to pursue a career in marine biology and her Bachelor of Science degree and a scholarship opportunity brought Nikki to US shores. Working in coral reef conservation, Nikki juggled the dichotomy between science and fashion; ultimately her creativity lured her back to the fashion world.

I wish I could raid Poulos’ closet. I love, love, love her designs. Her nikki collection on HSN is actually quite affordable and adorable.

 

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2013 Greek American Fashion Week Overview

18 Sep

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Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week just wrapped up in New York City, and with it came the second—and highly anticipated—Greek American Fashion Week!

Greek American Fashion Week is presented by the Greek America Foundation, which was founded by Gregory C. Pappas to “promote, preserve and perpetuate the Greek culture, history and heritage in North America,” and the Committee for Fashion & Design was founded by Taso Pardalis and Maria Pardalis. Greek American Fashion Week is “a platform for talented, emerging, and established Greek and Greek-American designers to showcase their creations.” Some of the proceeds from the event go toward an annual scholarship to a Greek American student who is studying fashion design.

The runway show was held on Friday, September 6, at Studio450:

Studio450 is a penthouse duplex loft encompassing the 12th floor, enclosed rooftop room and rooftop terrace of 450 West 31st street. Located in the Hudson Yards, the penthouse features an all white room surrounded by large wrap around windows. The rooftop features a glass room and wrap around outdoor terrace. Both the penthouse and rooftop allow for stunning 360 degree views of New York City and the Hudson River.

On the left is Maria Pardalis, the host of Greek American Fashion Week. Doesn’t she look fabulous?! Her heels are killer.

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Fashionistas, models, and those in-the-know mingled at the show.

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Loi—the New York City owned by superstar chef Maria Loi—offered a delicious spread of mezze that included spanikopita and tiropita. Cocktails like “the Greek Greyhound” and a selection of wines were provided by Ya Mastiha and Nammos.

Here are Maria and Taso Pardalis with designer Timothy George at the start of the runway show. Timothy George showed his exquisite collection last year (see my coverage here), and this year came back as a mentor.

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The 2013 Greek American Fashion Week runway show presented the Spring/Summer 2014 collections of:

Hair was done by Curlisto.

I’ll be featuring each one today on my blog so check back soon!

 

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The Quotable Greek: I’ve Never Had the Right Words to Describe My Life

9 Sep

“Emotions, in my experience, aren’t covered by single words. I don’t believe in “sadness,” “joy,” or “regret.” Maybe the best proof that the language is patriarchal is that it oversimplifies feeling. I’d like to have at my disposal complicated hybrid emotions, Germanic train-car constructions like, say, “the happiness that attends disaster.” Or: “the disappointment of sleeping with one’s fantasy.” I’d like to show how “intimations of mortality brought on by aging family members” connects with “the hatred of mirrors that begins in middle age.” I’d like to have a word for “the sadness inspired by failing restaurants” as well as for “the excitement of getting a room with a minibar.” I’ve never had the right words to describe my life, and now that I’ve entered my story, I need them more than ever. ”

~Jeffrey Eugenides

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