You Heard It Here First!

Star Trek

My run-in with Kim Kardashian AND Chanel Iman

And this time YOU HEARD IT HERE FIRST! - before even Perez and E! News!

Today I was walking around SoHo when I saw a big crowd of paparazzi crowded outside the Intermix on Prince Street ... so naturally I had to see what the commotion was all about! Once I was finally in (because it was as exclusive as Bungalo 8 circa 2000 - I'm talking a bouncer at the door taking 2 people in at a time) I knew why the scene was so crazy. Walking around, first I saw teenage supermodel Chanel Iman. In person, Chanel is, first-off extremely beautiful, but without the flashing lights of the camera bulbs, and the heavy runway makeup, she looks so young and innocent. However, knowing she is only nineteen years old, her sophisticated chic-ness definitely reminds one that she is worldly, privileged, and jaded. Additionally, I never cease to be amazed by just how thin these models are - especially the young ones like Chanel - prepubescent, so no curves: no hips, no muscles, just twiggy and towering, like a bare tree in winter. But nonetheless, Chanel Iman was definitely frail but fabulous.


When I saw this underage fashion icon, I assumed that she was who everyone was peeking in on, but she was only the opening act. The main event was sexpot Kim Kardashian of the reality series Keeping Up with the Kardashians on the E! network. She is one of those celebs who doesn't seem to have really done anything to become a household name, similar to her one time bff Paris Hilton, yet she is quickly becoming a force in Hollywood - she is an example of branding at its finest! She made it on the scene by being the daughter of the late Robert Kardashian, the famout lawyer who defended O.J. Simpson a few years back, but became more buzzed about when a scandalous sex tape of her and R&B singer Ray-J (Brandy's little bro and star of For the Love of Ray-J on VH1) was leaked to the public. Recently, Kim has appeared on the cover of Playboy, been a contestant on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, and has been in a long-term relationship with NFL player Reggie Bush. On this particular occasion, the Dash doll was wearing a black one-piece jumpsuit with black patent open-toe heels. What Kim is perhaps most famous for is her heavy-duty booty (half the reason I wanted to see her was to understand the actual size of this legendary rear-end in person,) but after taking a good look, I must say that while her bum is certainly not small, I probably wouldn't have noticed it if it wasn't a big part of her celebrity identity - she just looks curva-licious, but I guess by Hollywood standards her ass needs its own manager. I came so close to asking her to take a picture with me, but was advised by my friend Amaya to keep it cool...

! Major Scoop ! This Kard-ASS-ian sported a lightened-up version of her signature dark chocolate locks - the new hue is, in my opinion, a major downgrade! As a brunette myself, I often wonder how I would look if I lightened my hair a few shades, and the new tint of K.K.'s tresses is what I picture as my worst nightmhaire! It's that orangey color that happens when rich espresso-colored haired girls try to lighten up at home, it's the sun-in gone oh-so wrong! Thank god it's only a wig! As K. Dash wrote on her blog:

"I Went Blonde! - It's a wig! Did I have you fooled? I did a fabulous photo shoot this weekend... Chuckie Amos did the hair and transformed me with this blonde wig and they put this hair piece on! I haven't taken it off since, because I'm really loving the look. I've been wearing it around New York and everyone thought it was my real hair! It's making me want to dye my hair and maybe go lighter for the summer. What do you think? Should I dye it for real?"

Please no, Kim! and I answer without hesitation! Stick with the exotic beauty look you've got going with the luscious dark look you've always had ...

Any suggestions on how a brunette can change the tint of her tresses without looking like a confused carrot top?

Peace and Love,

la bohémienne

The Frozen One

16 Handles : worship-worthy fro-yo...

Ice cream has, arguably, always been my favorite food- plain and simple. Even when I am stuffed to the point of sickness after a big dinner, I seem to always find room for the sweet treat to top it all off. Growing up, the promise of a swirl ice cream (as I so fondly called it) after a hot day at the beach always got me out of the sand and into the car. However, as most of us grow up, the joy we got as a child after ordering a smooth soft-serve atop a sugar cone has begun to evolve into anxiety over the enormous amounts of calories, fat, and sugar in our beloved summer snack. Nonetheless, I could not silence my craving - but refused to stoop down to the boring taste of frozen yogurt, thinking all I could get was that tangy white stuff with a few blueberries plopped on top, like the varieties available at Pinkberry and Red Mango. I hated that for the price of a small cup with 1 topping, I could have gone to the store across the street and bought a whole pint of ice cream without having to walk the 6 billion blocks blocks to the stores... seems like way too much effort for a sub-par product!

I had almost sworn off the fast-food frozen yogurt eateries of NYC entirely when my faith was restored by a visit to 16 Handles. From the moment I walked in I knew the yogurt gods had answered my prayers: 16 different flavors of frozen yogurt stood in front of me, and, best of all, I could take as much or as little (ya, right) as I wanted because the whole place is self-serve! From Irish Mint, to Margarita, Cookies and Cream, to Blueberry, I could mix and match whatever sounded good, plus I could even add in non-dairy sorbets, and if for some reason I did feel like having the traditional sour variety of fro-yo, I could get that too with the European Tart flavor.


The greatness of 16 Handles didn't stop at the yogurt itself though, once I had created the perfect mix of heavenly flavors (so, basically a sample of almost every kind,) I got to move on to choose from several fruits to add, from classics like strawberry, to more exoctic varieties such as papaya and mango. Last, but certainly not least were the toppings - over 30 different fro-yo enhancers like cookie dough squares, chocolate chips, mini-marshmalows, candy bar pieces, various kinds of cereal and all the sauces necessary for the perfect sundae.

When I finished assembling my dessert, while I was excited to try my creation, I was anticipating the cost of such a hefty portion of deliciousness. All of my fears were assuaged when, after placing my cup on the scale, I found that the cost of this large helping of fro-yo, fruit, and candy embellishments cost less than a "medium" with zero toppings at most other places. The last test: taste. I took my first bite and could swear it was a spiritual experience (in the realm of food)! The yogurt tasted just like ice cream but in a smoother consistency. With the high levels of calcium, probiotics, vitamins and natural cultures, you can even almost convince yourself that you're eating healthy (or at least definitely healthier than you would be if you had gone to Ben & Jerry's) - even though it'll never taste like health food! So, in short, 16 Handles made me a believer in frozen yogurt, and as a result I find myself making the holy pilgrimage, perhaps embarassingly, a few times a week - but hey, with the low cost and lower calorie count, I can go every few days without committing a nutritional sin!

So, have you found your flavor savior yet?

Peace and Love,

la bohémienne

16 Handles
153 2nd Ave (Between Ninth and Tenth Street)
New York, NY 10003
212.260.4414



Mon-Thu. 12:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.
Fri-Sat. 12:00 p.m. - 12:30 a.m.
Sun. 12:00 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.