Amanda Lepore and my friend YOZMIT/Miss Yo, in NY!!!

Miss YO Hits Amanda Lepore's Birthday in NY!!!

Cleavage Darling: Amanda Lepore and my friend, Miss Yo, at Amanda Lepore's Birthday Party

One of my oldest friends---and former FIDM school mate from AGES ago (I'm not tellin')---moved to the Big Apple about a year ago (after stints in Los Angeles and Paris) and has now become part of the fashionable NY nightlife "glitterati". I miss my Miss YO (as I affectionately call her but she goes by Yozmit, her stage name) and our going-out days. She was a muse and a source of inspiration during my "early days" when I was breaking into the Los Angeles fashion industry.

Vintage Nikolaki: Rita Verreos (in Nikolaki gold silk gown), Nick Verreos, and Miss Yo (in black veil and gold "crown"), and model in Nikolaki

In fact, she came to each and every one of my early fashion shows and even opened my Fall 2002 NIKOLAKI "Morocco" Collection with an incense-burning catwalk that people still remember to this day!

Yozmit is doing amazingly well, where she is known for her performance art and dance pieces she does for various organizations and putting on fabulous theatrical shows. In fact, several months ago, she even performed in front of Madonna and Justin Timberlake (I know!) at Madonna's VIP after party.

Beret Queen: Yozmit at Amanda Lepore's Birthday Party

Well, I was so jealous when she sent me these photos of her at Amanda Lepore's Birthday Party last week, celebrated, where else? New York City of course. I wasn't invited (I'm too old and far too not-so-fierce to be part of that "In" Crowd), but Yozmit was there, soaking it all in.

Lips and Bust: Yozmit, Birthday Girl and Amanda Lepore-- Amanda Lepore's Birthday Party NY

Yozmit wore a fitted khaki jacket with Edwardian sleeves, a gold sequined beret, denim mini skirt, a tie-front striped blouse and a fur coat (or was it part of her purse?). Miss Lepore, on the other hand, was giving you CLEAVAGE darling (quelle surprise) in a very fitted silver and black PLUNGING neckline dress. Those nails look DEADLY Miss Amanda! Love them! Hope she didn't scratch my little Miss Yo.

Nick's Birthday Bash!!!

Better Late Than Never...

Or so they say. Two months ago, (my Birthday was February 13th) I held a very "special" Birthday Bash/Housewarming at my brand new Downtown Los Angeles Loft/Studio. I invited all my friends and then some. In all, we had about 200 RSVP'ed, which had me a bit worried about a 1700 sq. ft. space holding all those people. I was waiting for the fire truck, with some hot L.A. Firemen to all of a sudden pull up in front of my studio. Alas, they never did. I hired the cutest bartenders to handle the bar , prepared a "Nick Playlist" of fun tunes, and raided Costco (I'm so classy!) for hors d'eourves . One of my greatest of friends, Greg, surprised me with the most delicious cake from Mrs. Beasley's (Thank God he did not put all the candles that should have been on it!).

The party turned out to be a success (at least that is what my friends told me days later when I inquired if they had fun or not). Unfortunately, because it got so crazy and packed so quickly, somehow amongst the fun, both David and myself forgot to take out the digital camera from the study drawer, in order to capture the whole celebration. Two of my friends , were smart enough to have brought cameras and began shooting away. Muchas gracias to Miguel Angel Reyes and Didi Simon for being my "official photographers".

They captured some of the guests in party mode, including my Diva model, Amara Wilson, giving you French Caribbean Chanteuse with a red carnation in her hair. Looking fabulous was my old friend, Yo, looking 1940's Working Girl, wearing a fierce snood. John Wade stopped by to wish me "Happy Birthday". Other guests who did not make the photographer's viewing range were my friend, former "Miss Universe" Brook Lee and her hunky husband, Tory, "Entourage" actor Rex Lee, as well as countless others. Now I am beginning to sound a lot like Andy Cohen in his BravoTV.com blog!

The best surprise of the night was when my friend from UCLA, Monika, walked in with another friend of ours, Lisa, whom I had not seen in years! She is now a doctor , living in Oregon and made a special trip, amongst other reasons, to come surprise me at my party. When she walked in, I almost dropped a whole bottle of tequila on the floor! It was wonderful spending my "special" birthday with her, as well as all my treasured circle of friends.