Le Cabinet de Curiosites

 Stroll into a historical financial building in Tribeca and enter a macabre fantasy.  The New York Mercantile Exchange building is currently hosting an elegant, unusual exhibit presented by the Malborough and Steinitz galleries.

The unique show is the collaboration of artists, Thierry Despont, Manolo Valdes and Claudio Bravo.  The show is intended to be a multi-layered experience to evoke wonder in the viewer.  It features a mix of opulent antiques, like Napoleon Bonaparte's Empire table, giant preserved insects, fantasy creatures made of found objects, artfully arranged animal skulls.

Had I had to room to do so, I would have twirled around the floor, but the gallery was filled with the glitterati like Princess Firyal of Jordan and a Baroness...Maybe even aristocrats have a dark side...

The multiple rooms had the Gothic ambience of Victorian mystery and scientific whimsy of Steampunk.   Gilded, but aged walls.  Treasures with a dark edge.

The exhibit runs until January 31, 2012.  It is located on the 2nd floor of the New York Mercantile Exchange Building at 6 Harrison Street.  Admission is free and open to the public.

Snow White & The Huntsman Costume Style

I am totally geeked.  I admit it.  Along with millions and millions of fans on Twitter, I have to gush about how much I loved the new trailer for upcoming Snow White & the Huntsman movie.

It has an elegant, exciting, Goth/elegant looks to the production and costumes.  No surprise, my favorite costume designer, Colleen Atwood is behind the lush style of the wardrobe.  Charlize Theron, as the evil queen wears elaborate, sharp, intimidating ensembles that give new meaning to word fierce.  Kristen Stewart's Snow White is no wallflower.  She wears romantic, elegant period-esque gowns but transforms into a mighty warrior.

In an interview with MTV News, the designer describes . "Her costume evolves as the story unfolds," Colleen continued. "She runs away from a situation, and she's on the run for a long time, so as she's going, bits of it get torn away and it becomes a totally different animal by the time we get to another point in the movie. She has a couple other moments that are more 'costume' moments, but her basic costume—I think she wears it well, and I think it works really well in the parameters of the story."


Haven't seen the trailer yet?  Click here: 

Lolitas and Gothic Lolitas at New York Comic-Con

I love New York Comic-con.  It's like Halloween came early, but with better cosplay and outfits.  There was no shortage of Lolitas and their darker counterpart, Gothic Lolitas.  There were several panels that addressed the nuances of the style and brought out a bunch of fashionable fans...

Steampunk Haunted House

What kind of haunted house guest are you?  Blood and gore?  Guts and psychological torture? New York City has plenty of that (with or without the haunted house).  If you want a little elegance and steampunk with your Halloween outing, look no further than Third Rail Project's Steampunk Haunted House.

For its third year, the theme of the show is "Through the Looking Glass".  A nightmarish version of the Alice in Wonderland tale.  You are taken through a journey through three floors of a century-old playhouse.  The experience is a mix of performance art, dance, rusty clockwork and neo-Victorian elegance.

This may not be the most terrifying haunted house in the city, but I'll place my bets that this is the most stylish.

Halloween Guide: Dracula's Ball Philadelphia

So what are YOU doing for Halloween?  If you're looking for sexy, vampy fun, check out the Dracula Ball in Philadelphia.  The chic band Psyche Corporation and The Last Dance are headlining.  The organizers have wickedly themed parties every few months, but Halloween is their big one.  As you can see from past event photos, the dress code ranges from fetish, to Goth, to inventive costumes. 

Besides the performers, expect music ranging from 1980's to New Wave, metal to world music.  All genres of vampire are welcome (Bela Lugosi or True Blood?).  Costumes and Gothic garb is not required, but it just wouldn't be as fun!  

 People from all over the country and overseas make the journey to this event.  Philadelphia in general is a great city for wicked fun. If you want some good scares at one of the most spookiest places in the U.S. check out the (truly) haunted house held at the historic Eastern State Penitentiary.  Admire the wall of Dia de los Muertos dioramas with a strong margarita and great food at one of my Philly faves, El Vez.  

Are you ready? Get dressed and go!

(photos  by Dracula's Ball and Psyche Corporation)

Edgar Allen Poe Red Velvet Cake

The weather is cooling down and I am indulging my love of baking. One of my favorite food blogs just posted a wickedly good red velvet cake...

Perfect for any Gothic gourmet gathering, Heather Baird of the baking blog Sprinkles Bakes has created a visual masterpiece honoring the dark author Edgar Allen Poe...

Check it out at http://www.sprinklebakes.com/2011/09/portrait-of-poe-in-waldorf-astoria-red.html

Gothic Lolitas at Betsey Johnson Spring 2012

Betsey Johnson has always stood for girly flirtatiousness.  She had a darker, more rock n' roll edge for Spring with playful takes on skulls and skeletons.  A rib cage was embroidered for a trompe l'oeil effect on corset dresses, a rose adorned skeleton was used in jackets and dresses as well.  A fun skull print was used on a few separates.

Black lace, corsets and jagged embroidery were used to great effect in other Lolita-like outfits.  Flamboyant personalities like Johnny Weir, Beth Ditto and Nicki Minaj flanked the front row of this audience.