Posts: 49

1. 

   Sensible Summer Advice

   17.Jul.08, 15:09 IST
   
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   This is not my typical advice column, but I feel moved to share these words. With global warming destroying the earth (not so) slowly, but surely, and UV rays beating down on us harder and heavier than ever, there are some measures we must take to stay and remain healthy, comfortable, and fashionable in the summertime and thereafter. In a nutshell, here they are.
   
   Sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen:
   I cannot say it enough. Skin cancer is more prevalent than ever and people are getting it at younger and younger ages. I personally wear sunscreen on my face every day of the year. I like Fallene Cotz for the face and they have different formulas for all facial skin types -- sensitive to oily.
   
   If you have a fair complexion or not and are heading to the sun, please get a sunscreen with  30-70 SPF protection. I like Alba Botanica Lavender 30 SPF and Neutrogena 45 and 70 SPF Ultra Sheer Dry Touch.
   
   Furthermore, please don’t lie out in the sun with a silver reflector aimed at your face and roast yourself at high noon or at any time for that matter, besides in the midnight moonlight. I don’t care how you rationalize it and how much you believe your skin can handle it or how olive or dark your skin is. The sun is a ball of fire that will burn your skin like a pig on a spit. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
   
   I know this may sound like “obvious science” but seriously it makes me crazy when I see people on the beach or in the park putting on SPF 4 tanning oil and with no umbrella on top of it.
   
   Flip flops:
   Yes for the beach or poolside. Yes if you are on a rocky beach or lake. Yes to flip flops if you are running to the store, the mall, or to the laundromat. Yes if you live in a beach town -- I know it can’t be avoided. The most comfortable and cutest flip flops I have ever worn are Havaianas.
   
   Please, I beg of you, don’t wear them out to dinner that is not on a beach, patio, and porch or beach or waterfront restaurant and don’t wear them in place of a  “sandal” or other footwear in any city and especially NOT to a nightclub. You may get stepped on (brutally) by a high heel or procure glass in your foot and find out the hard way, but whatever it takes -- I told you so. Oh, and I will personally call the fashion police if I see a flip flop worn in NYC when it is weather inappropriate, aka 50 degrees and below.
   
   Water:
   Finally, and importantly, drink lots of fluids, especially water. You sweat it out in the heat and you’ve got to replenish.  If you are summer boozing make sure to drink a glass of water for each glass of alcohol. I can’t stress the fluid intake importance enough in general, and I am sure many a 96-degree fainting on the street could be avoided if the person had only drank some more water (maybe?). Our bodies are made up of mostly water; blood alone is 80 percent water. Let's try and keep it that way, shall we?
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays

2. 

   HIgh Flying Fashion

   17.Jul.08, 14:50 IST
   
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   Oh travelers, there are so many of us everyday, for whom any care about how we look goes in the toilet, myself included. Being half tomboy, half drag queen in my nature, for plane rides, especially a long one, I wear comfy jeans, a soft T-shirt, a hoody, and a scarf, and usually a pair of sneakers with socks, and I am good to go. I do not understand how people can wear flip-flops on a plane. My toes would be frostbitten.
   
   I really do -- I envy the ladies who get all done up for the plane.
   
   When I see the jet-set woman in my mind, I picture today’s fashion to be caught in the time warp of Jackie O, or I imagine what Michelle Obama would wear on a plane. Those two make it look easy: the perfect 'do -- straight from the salon, perhaps a little pill-box hat, a Chanel suit, and four-to-six-inch stiletto pumps. Oh, and don’t forget the perfect little gloves and purse, of course, that match either the suit or the shoes. I imagine (and have also heard) that Dita Von Teese travels this way today.
   
   Cathay Che, MOLI’s travel writer, has much more of this ladylike travel sense than I. We flew together recently and girlfriend was in a Tocca dress set and little Coach mules/slides, me in my uniform of T-shirt, jeans, Converse hoody, and scarf. Do what you need to be comfortable, however it works for you. The point I’d like to drive home here is, whether you dress up or down, please don’t wear flip-flops. Flip-flops are for the beach, for beach towns, and for pedicures. Not for wearing on planes.
   
   And then there’s Skymall. (Sing to the tune of "And then there’s Maude.") Have you seen it? A fascinating catalogue found in your seat back pocket on nearly any flight, filled with things you never knew you could want or knew existed. The #1 winner is the life-sized Bigfoot statue, but there are some brilliant fashions to be found in its pages, such as adult-footed pajamas for summer called Jumpin Jammerz (pictured), with fun colorful prints for the adult baby in you. Other absolutely hideous creations include the  “travel vest,” one of the most unflattering garments (if you can call it that) I have ever seen: box shaped and ill fitting, complete with a passport pocket. In the photo, the model also has ill-fitting pants on to offset the ill-fitting vest. It's so ugly they don’t have it online. I think it should say: "Travel Vest. One size fits all, water resistant, and durable, with many pockets. Box-like shape helps to offset your camel toe.”
   
   There is also a blanket with sleeves called a Slanket so you can cuddle up and still use your hands! Now that’s a handy blanky. Still, I encourage you to go for your own comfort, or throw comfort to the wind and take a chance with a fancy little outfit. Camel toe included or not.
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.

3. 

   The Hee Bee Gee Bees

   17.Jul.08, 14:48 IST
   
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   I am well aware that things change and nothing stays the same, and I like progression in fashion and design, and things that are good. However, I can smell when something isn’t right in the fridge and in the world.
   
   When word got out about the John Varvatos store going in the place where CBGB was, some were relieved. Even I, for a moment, thought, Okay, at least it’s not another NYU dorm or a McDonald's, and felt a wee sigh of relief.
   
   I am aware this is not new news, but I hadn’t personally seen it with my own eyes until recently.
   
   Before the store opened the "art director" contacted me asking if I had any old Lunachicks flyers or posters I’d like to "donate to the cause" of the store opening and John really wanting to keep the spirit alive and he’s such a big rock 'n' roll fan, you know he has Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper in his campaigns, on and on. Awesome. But...
   
   "Donate?" I asked. "Just give away posters, which are never to be made again -- the sweat and blood of my career -- to a multi-million-dollar corporation? I don’t think so, it’s not like this is a charity," I said, "but if you would like to purchase one, we can talk."
   
   "Okay," he said, "no disrespect." So I photographed some posters and emailed them over and never heard from him.
   
   So that’s the back-story.
   
   The other back-story is that I grew up going to shows there, starting at age 13. When CBGB closed there was still graffiti in the bathroom that I did back then.  Lunachicks played our third show ever at CBGB and continued to play there for many years.
   
   P.S.  I have donated to plenty of charities.
   
   Months later, I went in with a friend just after going next door to what was the CBGB gallery, which is now the Morrison Hotel Gallery, which also could have been a lot worse. They had and have an amazing show of Bob Gruen’s photos through the years, from John and Yoko to Ike and Tina to Kiss and, of course, the punk era of early CBGB: the Plasmatics, Dead Boys, Joan Jett, the Ramones, the Clash, the Sex Pistols, and on and on. Bands that made punk music what it is and was and will be.
   
   Next, we went in to the John Varvatos store, and I instantly felt like someone punched me in the stomach. There were vinyl records for sale in the front, and pieces of the old walls under glass, with all their layers and layers of flyers and graffiti. Yet it seemed stylized a bit. I felt like I heard the spirits screaming, the angry echo of a band going on yet the ghost of that howling, "This is wrong." Framed posters of my peers' bands line the walls up to the high ceilings. JV Converse sneakers sit on the table in the front. Black clothes on racks line the walls; JV combat boots with studs on them are displayed to try on as well; and tattooed male model boys are there to help you. What was the bar is partially the check-out counter.
   
   We continued walking through, pretty astounded at the whole thing, when suddenly I realized I was standing where the stage used to be. Where I grew up, where my career in music began, where I was safe and where I felt invincible. And now it’s all over. And you can buy an over-priced black piece of clothing to prove it.
   
   And this was this symbol to me of the real end. Of the reality of homogenization and gentrification of NYC. Though Kmart has been on 4th Avenue for a while now, it never pretended to be anything, but Kmart.
   
   I also know that the John Varvatos store being there and preserving what was is better than a lot of things that could be in that space, and in a way I am glad. What makes me sad is what it represents: Someone who wasn’t there when it happened, taking what was cool and real and turning it into their own profit.
   
   I‘ve heard John Varvatos is a really nice guy, and I believe it. Still, he is profiting off of many people’s dried sweat and blood spattered on the walls of his new store. I wonder if you can feel the noise when you go in there. Please tell me your experience.
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.

4. 

   Eco-Friendly Wallets

   17.Jul.08, 14:47 IST
   
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   Having lost my wallet and everything in it, I am on the hunt for a new one and decided it should be eco-friendly without question. I am actually amazed at how many eco-friendly wallets there are out there. Many more than I had expected.
   
   Of course there are hippie-friendly hemp wallets, if you are into that sort of thing. Not in my bag, at least not in beige. Vy and Elle (play on words for vinyl, get it?) make wallets from recycled billboards. Apparently billboards are made of PVC vinyl and usually get dumped into landfills. Feh! According to their documentation so far, Vy and Elle have recycled over 100 tons of billboards into wallets and bags, which are durable and waterproof. I say that’s eco-fabulous.
   
   I also just found out about (color me eco-stupid) a new material called Tope, which at first read I thought was a color, a different spelling for taupe, but it is in fact a new, animal-free material made from raw substances that are nontoxic; water, heat and cold resistant; chlorine free; non-plastic; and very durable.
   
   Dbclay of Portland uses this tope material on their cool eco-friendly wallet, whose designs cool photos and prints of bugs, razors, underwater life, lace, and more. Their prints are made with nontoxic ink too. They work with a bunch of different designers on their wallets and they also have a kit for you to DIY out of duct tape. It's wittily called myDuctbills, in black, pink, silver, or camouflage.
   
   Sleek and chic and perhaps my favorite, the eco-friendly wallet I want (pictured) is by Matt & Nat, of Montréal. Leave it to the Canadians to do it right. Vegan-leather wallets and bags, me likey very much. They are straightforward and sassy designs and the company did a drive for the Sun Youth organization in Canada where they hook you up with a gift if you recycle a cell phone with them. They also have a bag recycling program; if you want to give a “gently used" Matt & Nat bag back, they will donate it to the fabulous Dress for Success or Residence Project Chance. DFS’s mission is to promote the economic independence of disadvantaged women by providing professional attire, a network of support, and career development tools to help women thrive in work and in life. Residence Project Chance helps get young mothers a place to live while they attend university. How awesome is that? There are fun names for the M&N pieces, like Andre 3000 and Atari, Chi. They have "mod" and "metal" collections. It just makes me smile.
   
   If I had a credit card I would order one now. But I will have to wait till I get my replacement cards in the mail. You with the other kind of green in your wallets can order now.
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. 

   
   

5. 

   Good Vibrations

   17.Jul.08, 14:42 IST
   
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   Dear Theo,
   
   I've had a near 15-year relationship with BOB -- my battery-operated boyfriend. That's more continuity than I've had with any real man. I've heard from other women and noticed myself that as a result, it’s harder to orgasm during sex when there is a real flesh-and-bone man in my bed. My BOB is so strong, steady, and powerful, and you know, the real guys just aren't as ... reliable (!). Any tips on how to have the best of both worlds?
   
   Thanks,
   
   Ms. "Good Vibrations"
   
   
   Dear Ms. Good Vibrations,
   
   Many women, as you know, have long-lasting relationships with a BOB and many bring that BOB into their real live relationships. There’s nothing wrong or strange about bringing a toy into the mix with a human. Sometimes with a human it takes more time to get the chemistry happening, unlike with the BOB, where it’s a given. Human chemistry can sometimes happen in an instant, but often times it takes a lot more work. If you can, be patient with the human for he is not a machine.
   
   You asked about tips for the best of both worlds, so if you are dating, don’t be shy; bring your BOB into the mix. It will certainly be more orgasmic for you, and you deserve it. If the dude can’t handle it, well, he’ll have to work harder with your instruction to get things right (if you have the patience) or you can move on to someone else. Lots, and I mean lots, of women incorporate toys into their relationships I assure you; please do not be timid. It is your born right to get the most enjoyment you can out of sex. I understand if you feel a little uneasy about busting out your BOB in a brand new situation, but it can’t hurt to get the cards on the table. Plus, with a fun, open guy (long-lasting relationship or not), it will literally and figuratively only add to the good vibes. Go get yourself some extra batteries to have on hand and an underwater BOB so you're ready for some summer lovin'!
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every other Thursday, she answers your questions with her tough-love advice. Send your questions via e-mail or here on MOLI

6. 

   From Wench It Came

   10.Jul.08, 15:07 IST
   
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   Being in Munich, Germany at the moment, (and knowing MOLI has just launched in Germany) I was hoping to find some new hot frau wear, like the old timey brau haus frauen (beer hall gals) wore - like on the St. Pauli Girl bottle of beer. I found it in the company called  Angermaier. Not sure what the word means, but the clothes are fierce. Embroidered wench corsets over white and black tops, knee-high lace up boots, in black and red (zipper on the side for quick on and off). Sexy lederhosen for men and women. Your basic ‘traditional’ German wears with a modern fetish twist.
   
   The lederhosen I speak of are generally worn by kinder AKA babies and children and also formerly by Bavarian men - and are usually a sort of  brown leather shorts with attached suspenders further accoutrements are stylized embroidery. I have been keeping my eye out for adult lederhosen for years and the only ones I have seen have been for kinder.  The Angermaier Company has them in black as well as brown in different lengths and even full-length trousers for men. Along with the lederhosen for men are traditional men’s vests and blazers for men and women. Not my stein of tea, but there they are and someone must be wearing them.
   
   Some of the dresses look like they came right off of Snow White, Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella – before or after she passed out in a barn, castle or brew hall, or ate a bad apple. (The Neuschwanstein Castle in Salzburg that Walt Disney based the Sleeping Beauty castle on is not far away from Munich - only two hours). Maybe this is actually the real Never-Never Land?
   
   There is a gothic looking silver-grey corset with a modest (for this collection) long skirt. The ‘sexiest’ outfit is a beautiful emerald green embroidered wench dress with a see-through lace baby doll top underneath and a sheer black apron (pictured). Meow. Fabrics for many of these pieces are satin and silk brocades, some have aprons, and some of the models look like Paris Hilton.
   
   I will say that this is quality stuff at least from the looks of it and they have full outfit sets for men and women as low as 169 euros each, complete with shoes. There are fancy accessories and belt buckles, and, of course, clothes for kinder.
   
   I have to wonder, is this ultimately based on a beer hall waitress fetish? Is it for those obsessed with Disney Character /MILFs? I guess that’s for you to decide.
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.

7. 

   Hats Off to Toulouse

   08.Jul.08, 15:04 IST
   
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   I found more, a lot more, in Toulouse. I feel like a bit of an ass jumping the gun like that last week, but hey, live and learn, right?  As I live, I am learning and what I’ve learned, to no surprise, is, the longer you stay in a place if your eyes are open, the more you learn about it.
   
   I discovered a pair of vintage stores called Groucho that has way better stuff than Le Grenier D’Anais (sorry L.G.D’A). The Groucho store on Rue Cujas has fab selections of vintage jeans, coveralls, T-shirts, blouses, shoes, and boots, and the other on Rue Peyrolieres has a lot of designer vintage couture, like Chanel, Givenchy, Valentino, and more. Upon entering, I noted a black, beaded, fringed flapper dress in mint condition for a whopping 1,500 euros (gasp). It was hung high up so even my grimy hands couldn’t touch it, and you can see why. They have lots of Victorian undergarments, hats, jewelry, bags, and nice shoes as well.
   
   Kilostock on Rue Peyrolieres is a large and somewhat overwhelming thrift/vintage/costume shop with racks from floor to ceiling amass with blouses, T-shirts, and tops for five euros, a bin of scarves for one euro a piece, as well as really intense prom dresses from the '80s and '90s, kids' clothes, military wear, wedding wear, and, from the ages, a plethora of cute sunglasses, sneakers, and shoes. There are bins of hats, wigs, and ladies' bags. It’s a place that you have to have the patience to dig through.
   
   Nearby, I found a hat artisan (chapellerie) called Idée En Tête (pictured) also on Rue Cujas, and I was losing my mind it was so great. There was a hat that looked like a  foamy cup of cappuccino on a plate; headbands with flowers and feathers, some with veils attached; and a pillbox hat with bizarre arty, wiry, seemingly floating swirls hovering above it. She also had tiny hats (my favorite). The artisan herself makes hats to order so there are various hat accoutrements around for you to pick through (feathers, flowers, etc). I saw a woman coming from a wedding wearing one of these the next day. It was three shades of pink and at least three textures as well. Tres jolie!
   
   Sun Bell Store, another store or I should say stores I discovered, though not vintage, has three locations on Rue Cujas: a women’s clothing store, a men’s clothing store, and a men’s shoe store. Again everything was on sale. In the men’s store, they have Cheap Monday and Fred Perry and lots of Euro brands. The shoe/sneaker company I found and like a lot is called Shmoove.
   
   So I learned my lesson: Don’t jump to a conclusion till you dig in deeper. And speaking of digging in deeper, another thing I found is that all the homeless young people here have dogs -- off the leash dogs. Off the leash makes me crazy, I get so scared for them; I don’t care how well trained they are, they could get hit by a car -- god forbid. Still, the Toulouse homeless must-have fashion accessory is a dog -- off the leash. I am seriously not being facetious, it’s a just an observation. I guess they're  keeping the "loose" in Toulouse.
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.

8. 

   Lady in Red, Part Deux

   08.Jul.08, 14:59 IST
   
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   We all love an ongoing drama. Lady in Red wrote to THEOlogy back in December ’07 and, lucky for us, has written again for advice.
   
   Here’s a recap of the first letter:
   
   Dear Theo,
   
   I got involved w/a friend of mine when he was in a bad relationship. He finally broke up with this girl after being with her for two years, and he moved away.  When I told him how I felt about him, he got defensive. Can you go from having great sex with a friend to having a relationship, giving it time, etc.? He's 11 years younger than me. And I realize he probably has some growing to do, seeing as how I'm 37.
   
   -Lady in Red
   
   Dear Lady,
   
   That’s a hefty age difference, which can most certainly work, depending on the person. Casual sex segueing into a relationship can also work. Yet I have a feeling this guy may have some oats to sew. Are you aware that you could also end up as his "rebound," which isn’t likely to last? To put it bluntly, if he was cheating on his last girlfriend with you, he will most likely cheat on you too. Could you handle that? I say smoke ‘em while you got ‘em. Enjoy the sex, and find someone for a relationship who isn’t a cheater.
   
   
   
   
   And here is Part Deux:

   <p>Seven months later, July 2008 </p>
   
   
   Dear Theo,
   
   Okay, here it is. I'm writing again because I am ready for the harsh truth. Or I am trying to be ready for it. I am seeing the 26-year-old guy once again and the sex is still great. He moved away and now moved back, but he is still seeing the "rebound" girl that he met while he was away. She moved back with him, but doesn't live with him.  My friends tell me not to ask him about her, but I believe honesty is a good thing. (Some of my friends are also not supportive of my seeing him).
   
   I am not certain where this is going, but I need some advice.  I still like him and realize that he may not be being honest with her either.
   
    -Lady in Red
   
   
   
   Dear Lady In Red,
   
   I think you have come back to me because deep inside you know you are being self destructive, but at the same time you are having a good time so why stop, right? I don’t know how much this hurt you the first time, but only you know if you can take it. I will say that often when good friends disapprove, it’s something to pay attention to. Remember, your friends will be there for you when he is with the new rebound girl or whomever else he is sleeping with. You can ask him anything you want, and he may answer with what he thinks you want to hear. Or perhaps he will tell you the truth and you will filter out what you want to hear. Or maybe he’ll be truthful and you will too, who knows? All I can say is the sex better be worth the shit storm that may arrive later. I hope that you got the truth you were looking for. It’s your choice to take my advice or not, but you asked for it. Most importantly, use condoms.
   
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every other Tuesday, she answers your questions with her tough-love advice. Send your questions via e-mail or here on MOLI.
   

9. 

   Nothing Toulouse

   03.Jul.08, 15:01 IST
   
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   Unlike in Halle, Germany, people in Toulouse, France, have a lot more style. It's a real city, with an eclectic mix of fashion. There’s a definite Moroccan flavor, a little Paris, a little Florida, and a lot Toulouse in the melting pot of fashion and people here.
   
   In Toulouse right now in every store, there are sales (soldes in French) from 20 percent to 70 percent off. They are everywhere. From Sonia Rykiel to C+A to the side-street cheapie store, soldes, soldes, soldes. But with the dollar at a lovely all-time low here, even a fantastic sale is not necessarily a deal for us New York people who, in our minds, convert everything into dollars. We, the fashion obsessed, must find the fashion finds wherever we go.
   
   There is a Wednesday market at the Capitol (Town Hall) Square here, but similar to many NYC street markets, it had a lot of same-y same stuff, albeit in a Toulouse way, such as genie-style pants and shorts. Yes folks, the MC Hammer low-crotch genie pant is in full swing here. There were generic tables of cheap jewelry and sunglasses, but as cheap as 5 euros seems for a shitty pair of sunglasses, when I can get them on the street in NY for $5, it just doesn't do it for me.
   
   Then the thrift store search began. The overall best one I have seen so far is Le Grenier D'anais, which means "the attic of Anais," serving you clothes for women and men from 1900 to the 1990s, including men and women’s accessories, gowns, costumes, coats, wedding dresses, uniforms, costumes hats, shoes -- you name it. Prices are totally fair and it makes more sense to spend 20 euros on a dress here, where you can get quality sweet duds closer to, if not totally, one of a kind, especially when compared to any of the MC Hammer pants at the market. I am going to go back to Le Grenier D'anais and continue my search, since the very sweet gal working (she was wearing an antique white slip as a dress) kicked me out (nicely of course) because she was going to lunch. Lunchtime is one to two hours here and meal times are taken very seriously. I would never want to stand in the way of a lady and her lunch.
   
   Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every other Tuesday, she answers your questions with her tough-love advice. Send your questions via e-mail or here on MOLI

10. 

    Only One Day In Berlin

    26.Jun.08, 15:12 IST
    
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    Sunday, bloody Sunday and all the shops are closed
    Ahh ... Berlin.
    
    A city teeming with energy and life. I get one day only to go there. I have been in Halle, Germany, performing with Big Art Group in the Theatre Der Welt – Theater of the World, a festival that changes cities in Germany every year with shows from all over the world. This year, 18 countries are represented. Halle is a small city, and we're thirsty for a big one.
    
    A small group of us decided to take one of our only days off to see Berlin.
    
    Going from the Halle Hauptbahnhof (central train station) to the Berlin Hauptbahnhof, do buy your tickets in advance and you will pay about half of what we did on the day of. It cost a grand 34 euros each way from Halle, which is in East Germany, to Berlin on the fast train with no connections (one hour and 20 minutes). This is a steep price that could have been avoided had we purchased tickets the day before. And I was warned, so I can only blame myself. The train from Halle had no air conditioning on top of that, which was not fun as it was a 90-degree day.
    
    We left Halle at noon. We arrived at the Berlin Hauptbahnhof, which is overwhelmingly huge and modern. It has a glass-paned roof and glass-paned walls and, with three levels and many escalators, it truly feels like the future. When we arrived there, we got on another train — the subway there has two lines, called the U Bahn and S Bahn.
    
    They don't have turnstiles like in the subway in NYC, but you must have a ticket, stamp it on the platform, and hold on to it, for if you are caught without it by the undercover train cops, you will be fined 50 euros on the spot. Also, be sure to get a subway map.
    We each got a day pass for six euros and hopped on the S Bahn to the Hackescher Market stop. We walked straight over for lunch at Mr. Wong (Monsieur Vuong) on Alt Shonhauser Str.
    
    Mr. Wong serves Vietnamese food and is usually packed, but since we went on a Sunday, it was very easy to get a table for six with no wait. On a Saturday, good luck, they do not take reservations. The meals are cheap and there are great specials and fresh fruit drinks and they have booze if you are in the mood.
    
    We had a fresh watermelon drink and, being a vegetarian, I had tofu and veggie curry over rice noodles and a delicious Vietnamese espresso afterward, which had a bit of condensed milk in the bottom of the glass. Yum. Lunch cost about 12 euros.
    
    In Mitte, we could only window shop because all the shops were closed, an important fact to remember if you are there on a Sunday. This made me very sad, since the same street as Mr. Wong (Alte-Schonhauser Str.) has some of the best boutique shopping in Berlin for a fashionista who can afford it, or a window-shopping fashionista who wants inspiration and might get lucky and find a sale.
    
    Directly across the street form Mr. Wong is Herr Von Eden: gorgeous suits for men and women, both formal and informal, with impeccable tailoring. Claudia Skoda Knitwear is made in Berlin and seriously the most beautiful knitwear I have ever seen or touched with my own hands. There is also Best Shop Berlin, which features an eclectic array of clothes with interesting shapes, patterns, and colors. That's just naming a few.
    Luckily, on Sunday, museums are open, so we hopped back on the subway over to the Hamburger Bahnhof museum of contemporary art. Four to eight euros for entry. We were there for two hours while we viewed Wolfgang Tillman's Lighter exhibit and looked at some of their permanent collection, including a room of Andy Warhol, which was fabulous.
    
    Suddenly it was 6 p.m., so we were kicked out of the museum and we were pooped. Time for a drink. Continuing on the modern art vibe, we went to the Newton Bar, named after photographer Helmut Newton, which has a life-sized photo of Helmut Newton's Nudes Walking covering one wall. It's a very glamorous spot. A glass of Roederer champagne, 11 euros.
    
    This was a costly day but well worth it.
    
    Then we zoomed over to Friedrich Str. to see Checkpoint Charlie, even though by now it was getting dark. Checkpoint Charlie, an important part of Berlin's history, was the checkpoint by foot or by car between East and West Berlin before the Berlin Wall fell in the late 1980s. It is a symbol of freedom for East Berlin and a Cold War memorial. There are graffiti-covered pieces of the wall up as memorials all up and down Friedrich Str. Right there is the Mauer Museum, but, alas, it was closed.
    After that, we went to have a bite and some of us stayed in Berlin, but a friend and I went back to the big old Berlin Bahnhof, thinking we were getting on an 11 p.m. train back to Halle, only to find we had misread the time of the train for the date and had to wait until 12:45 a.m. to get back to Halle. I tell you this so you don't make the same mistake. Still, a late train is better than no train. So to kill time, I tried about 10 different hand creams at the 24-hour apothecary in the station. I paid 80 cents to take a piss and finally got on the train, arrived back in Halle at a little after 2 a.m., and slept like a baby.
    
    Theo Kogan is giving MOLI View readers an insider's look at her world travels. Look for her regular column, appearing Tuesdays and Thursdays in the MOLI View's Fashion & Design.
    
    
    

11. 

    Size Queens Beware

    19.Jun.08, 14:55 IST
    
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    Miss Theo,
    
    Read my chicken bones and tell me … I'm built like a football fullback, almost 6 feet tall, but I was born with the IRISH CURSE ... I‘ve got a teeny weenie. So what should I do? Hide the salami? Or would you advise me to start small with a pepperoni? I'm a lonely little Jimmy Dean morning sausage.
    
    -- Jimmy Dean
    
    Dear Jimmy Dean,
    
    Firstly, thank you for sharing this question. I am sure we will help many other men with the same build.
    
    Some say it’s not the size of the ship; it’s the motion of the ocean. Still, some as you know, do care about the size of the ship. I have heard women complain when men are too big as well, so know the grass isn’t always greener.
    
    When you’ve got a small package, you’ve got to learn to do other things with finesse.
    
    Work on your sensual touch and lift tiny barbells with your tongue. (Kidding, of course, but you know what I am saying.) Up your ante with your sexy, sexy skills. Take your time, do it right, and you can do it all night. Don’t hide who you are or put a zucchini in your pants; instead, embrace it. Love yourself through loving others with gusto. Don’t go overboard and become overzealous, as that can be a turnoff, but hone your skills and make the ladies forget that size ever mattered.
    
    Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every other Thursday, she answers your questions with her tough-love advice. Send your questions via e-mail or here on MOLI.

12. 

    Halle To The People

    18.Jun.08, 14:56 IST
    
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    I’m in Halle, Germany, which is in East Germany and was formerly Stasi-controlled. Halle is most famous for its production of salt and notably was home of the Baroque composer George Frederich Handel. This East German town still has a crushed feeling to it. Abandoned buildings, a dark aura, and mostly conservative fashion; workmen's one-piece uniforms abound. It feels pretty much like any small town USA, such as Allentown, PA. Do you get the picture?
    
    The things that stand out are the hairdos. The women are really into big hair, and I mean big, like early-1990s hair. Teased and sprayed high on top in a mullet-like shape, but with super light to super dark contrast dye jobs, whether it’s a white blond/black combo, or a sandy blond/dark brown combo, or dark maroon/blue-black combo. They also are very into a pink or purple/raspberry bang with the rest of the hair a dark or light shade of brown, black, or blond. The bangs are very severe, one straight flap of hair over the forehead.
    
    No one with these somewhat jovial hairdos ever smiles. Well, at least, not at me. The other fabulous thing with some of the women here is they look like retired porn stars. Take this past Saturday afternoon: a woman over 60, very painted, hair bleached white blond with bangs, chin-length bob, huge pointy breasts, sporting a low-cut, skin-tight black top with shoulder cut-outs (bra straps showing), tan pants, and red strappy heels. Love it!
    
    All the barbershops advertise with photos outside with fancy buzz-cut designs shaved into the side of a male model’s head or beard in tribal tattoo shapes. Yet I have only seen these cuts in the flesh once, and it was on a train in Berlin, and it was on a man who had a receding hairline. Ouch!
    
    So, Halle is inspiring me like being trapped in a New Jersey mall. Yet, I saw a woman with huge red hair and felt like I had seen a strange German-inspired Dolly Parton. Someone wrote and asked me why I didn’t cover the backwards clothes wearing of Kriss Kross, and I have to say, I wouldn’t be surprised if that made its second go-round in Halle.
    
    Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.

13. 

    Patricia Field, Payless

    03.Jun.08, 03:12 IST
    
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    I have been a fan of Payless for many years. There are all kinds of non-leather shoes, sneakers, and heels at very low prices. I like the fine things in life but I also like a bargain.
    
    I am also a longstanding fan of Patricia Field, who has done us all a huge favor and made a gorgeous line of Patricia Field shoes for Summer '08 with Payless. If you are a gal who likes glamour, in a high or low comfortable heel or flat, I suggest you run, don’t walk to Payless to scoop up her hot non-leather $35 hoof holders. I got the gold Heiress pumps and the gold and silver mules that are pretty much exactly like Pollys (a la Debbie Harry). (I also own quite a few pair of Pollys, maybe even too many.) Pat’s Payless line are all in metallics: gold, silver, and blue. There are Empress sandals, flats with rhinestones on them which come in silver metallic or blue metallic, and sparkly Princess ballet flats. There are also $25 Socialite clutch purses in gold or silver in a nice chunky size to throw all your night needs in -- keys, makeup, and even a deck of cards.
    
    Last night there was a party at the PF store on the Bowery across the street from the former CBGB. I will go into my take on what CBGB is now next week, but Wednesday night we celebrated the new shiny line and also purchased them.
    
    So many ladies and "ladies" -- and by that I mean drag queens and trannies and everything in between -- were there to support, be seen, have a drink, and get their hands on the new goods.
    
    During the party, they showed a video of a new female star from Tokyo they have been working with, who my friend said is like the Japanese Beyoncé. Patricia Field herself was followed by multiple video cameras and didn’t even get to the party till halfway through it because she was being interviewed. I love that woman. She is an inspiration, and I am so thrilled for her many successes as a stylist (Sex and the City, Devil Wears Prada, Ugly Betty, etc).
    
    I was standing there looking around at my friends, at new-to-the-scene queens, at a freaky, Long Island, middle-aged woman wearing a too tight-for-her-own-good dress, and at Tish and Snooky, who I am also fans of (they are the ladies of Manic Panic, who were in the band the Sick Fucks back in the early days of CBGB and who continue to bring us hair dye in every color of the rainbow). Also looking at my friends in the group, The Ones. I want to thank Patricia Field today, not only for the beautiful inexpensive shoes, but also for keeping the spirit of the NY I know and love alive.
    
    Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays.
    

14. 

    Witches' Kitchen

    29.May.08, 15:16 IST
    
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    Jana Martin wrote about of the ICFF last week.  I too went to the show at the Javits Center in NYC. It was truly overwhelming. After walking around about 3/4 of the show, I was stopped in my tracks by Studio Tord Boontjes Witches’ Kitchen (not to be confused with a kitchen witch). This is one of Artecnica, the LA-based company's ‘Design with a Conscience’ projects, which employ production methods that are human and environmentally friendly. It’s fabulous to see handcrafted objects that are created with so much imagination and thought about where they come from and who is making them. The materials are eco-friendly and sustainable, the whole process of creating these magic-looking pieces is socially and economically thought out and carried through. Therefore, not only were they fascinating to look at, but also super awesome in their production.
    
    Part Edward Scissorhands, part medieval temptress and warlock, this collection knocked my ruby slippers off. Black Columbian clay pots are painstakingly made by artisans in the jungle, who imprint fresh leaves into the clay, which makes a fossil-like imprint and no two are alike. The pots have interchangeable parts, so a pot top can be used as a serving dish, two pots can be stacked to create a double boiler with a saucepan, and a pot can also work as a casserole dish. They also wear well and the red clay well under the black will eventually come through a bit with time. Sounds bloody gorgeous to me. It’s also somewhat unbelievable looking at them that you can just throw these pots on the stove.
    
    Then the utensils: Medieval and evil-looking wooden utensils (pictured) carved by Guatemalan craftsmen named things like Extra Hands; two wooden salad tossing hands, and others that look like friendly torture devices, named spurk, dagger, point and spoonchela.
    
    Next, Kitchen Couture black cotton His and Hers (a.k.a Wizard and Witches) aprons and oven mitts, called gloves. These were the most Tim Burton-esque looking to me, with the patchy and crudely hand sewn quality, they also have a sense of humor about them, which makes the whole thing all the more alluring. If you are planning a nightmare before Christmas on 4th of July feast, or a midsummer night’s Hallo-weenie roast, this is the kitchen set for you. Just leave your toil and trouble and the door.
    
    Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every other Thursday, she answers your questions with her tough-love advice. Send your questions via e-mail or here on MOLI

15. 

    Is There A Doctor In The House?

    29.May.08, 15:14 IST
    
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    Dear Theo,
    
    I am writing to you because I am freaking out! I have been in graduate school for eight-plus years and I am getting my doctorate. I feel like I will not know what to do with myself, aside from getting a job. I feel like all my life’s decisions outside of working nonstop on my thesis might be all wrong. Could this be true? What do I do if they are?
    
    Forever Schooled
    
    Dear Forever Schooled,
    
    OK, you are probably already sitting since you are reading this, but please, sit, close your eyes, and take a long deep breath! Getting your doctorate is a huge accomplishment, seriously, HUGE! You are aware, I am sure, that this is something few people accomplish. You need to relish your own brilliance and perseverance.
    
    After such a huge accomplishment and eight years of working really hard with structure and so much thinking, give your brain a break! Look at it like this:
    It’s like you gave birth to your thesis and now you have post-partum depression. So, yes, all the questions come up: What do I do now? Who am I really? What do I want? Do I like my life?
    
    How about don’t think too much yet. Don’t make any major decisions today. Take a break! And I’ll go a step further with that; you deserve a vacation after all that schooling. Celebrate you! Have an un-birthday bash, or a Mad Hatter’s tea party.
    
    Wear only your underwear all day, allow your thoughts to slowly melt away. Go away somewhere where you don’t have to think about anything. If you can’t get away, go to a spa, get massaged, take even a weekend away if you can and try not to think! I am not saying not to listen to your inner thoughts, but to  simply acknowledge them. Try it like this: "OK irrational thoughts, I hear you, but I am not going to listen to you right now, because I have a fuck of a lot to be proud of, and frankly I am tired, so I am going to bathe in goodness and eat bonbons and get back to you later."
    
    And once you are truly chilled out, maxed and relaxed, I have a feeling you will be fine. If not, you can slowly take steps to change things. Just not today.
    
    Theo Kogan is the MOLI View's contributing editor for Fashion & Design. Her THEOlogy column appears Tuesdays and Thursdays. Every other Thursday, she answers your questions with her tough-love advice. Send your questions via