With her business partner Jeremie Kittredge, Simmons has turned City Grit into a humble and inviting Southern escape on Soho’s Prince Street, where most of the meals feature a heaping spoonful of the namesake grits. City Grit also serves as a pit stop and welcoming beacon to up-and-coming chefs on the food scene who are either releasing a new cookbook or have been featured contestants a TV show like Bravo’s Top Chef.  Some of the past featured chefs have included Tylor Boring, Lee Anne Wong, Dave Santos and Ian Knauer.

Each night is a different experience in City Grit’s cozy 70-seat dining room. Though tucked away in an old school house, the 5-course dinners transport patrons to Japan, an upstate farm, a five-star restaurant or even a table down south depending on the night’s theme. Dinners ranges from $45 to $95 with a selection of wines and beers. Next time you are in the mood for an inventive spin on a southern favorite or want to discover a new chef on the rise, stop by City Grit.

City Grit
38 Prince Street
646-580-5720
Citygritnyc.com

–Samantha Davis
Follow Samantha On Twitter @SavorbySam
Visit Samantha At SavorBySam.com

Tender, grilled calamari is spicy, tossed with greens and chickpeas. Eggplant parmagian is just how my mother makes it, not complicated by breading, but rather simply arranged in a cast-iron skilled with flavorful tomato sauce and fresh mozzarella. Tomato braised veal meatballs were moist and succulent, a wonderful variation on traditional pork or beef meatballs. One of the most hearty and fulfilling entrées on the menu is the ricotta gnocchi with summer beans, parmigiano in a pesto sauce. The gnocchi is homemade, light, and fluffy. Another popular choice is pappardelle with spicy marinated pork shoulder and pecorino.  Wrap up on a light and refreshing note with rhubarb or coconut sorbet served with decadent mini chocolate chip and oatmeal cookies.

Donatella
184 8th Avenue (between 18th and 19th)
Donatellanyc.com

1. Couture shapes. Simons’ strength at Jil Sander was modernizing classic couture shapes. Expect this to be a focus of Simons’ work at Dior.

2. Color. Simons has a particularly strong sense of color, something he will likely bring with him to Dior. His Spring 2011 collection for Jil Sander exploded in pink, kelly green, and lemon yellow to wonderful results, and shifted fashion towards color.

3. Refined minimalism. Don’t expect Simons to pile on the embellishments just for the sake of piling on the embellishments. Expect his Dior look to be a refined version of minimalism.

4. Daywear. Simons isn’t just an eveningwear designer (in fact, some of his best looks have been daywear). Expect pitch perfect day suits and shifts from him.

5. Back to the archives. The classic Christian Dior “New Look” and pinched waists and pouf skirts have been a mainstay of Dior for decades. Expect Simons to freshen up the archives.

–Leah Bourne

Follow Leah Bourne On Twitter @FromtheFrontRow

While many artists and galleries returned to traditional media, there was also an abundance of HD video and LCD sculptural installations. Artist Gregory Scott, who was represented in last year’s Armory Show, seems to have predated the major movement with his installations made of archival digital prints, oil on panel and HD video. The result is uncannily realistic moving images trapped inside the screens and sculptures that encapsulate them.

While Scott’s pieces impress, the subtle and surreal works of Timotheus Tomicek (video above) presented by the Jenkins Johnson Gallery were some of the best of new video works on display recently, blending technological innovation with classical imagery. While some video works like those of Tomicek are essentially LCD screens set into frames, many artists incorporated video screens and projections in multimedia installations, like the German artist Marck (video below), the birdcages of American artist Troy Abbott (pictured at top) and the unique video sculptures of Ken Matsubara from the MA2 Gallery.

The aesthetic appeal of technology was also evident in the increase of pixelated images and fragmented graphics. Many artists directly utilized the pixel, like in paintings by Berlin based artist Peter Buechler (which were on view at both SCOPE and Volta), works by Jean-Francois Bouchard, Nick Gentry (pictured at bottom), Korean Shin Chi Hyun, and mixed media pieces by Andreas von Gehr. Gallery nine5’s Michael Murphy (pictured below) notably elevates the visual impact of the pixelated image, utilizing a complex understanding of perspective to create sculptural installations that break apart and come together dependent on the viewer’s perspective.

Courtesy of gallery nine5

Taken together, these trends suggest that 2012 will be a year of increased refinement, with more thoughtful and inventive uses of technology, increased subtlety and exceptional technical skill replacing the assertiveness and commercialism that dominated last year’s market.

–Jennifer Sarathy

Follow Jennifer On Twitter @JSarathy

The show took place at Old School, a repurposed schoolhouse in Nolita, posing a viable alternative to the traditional gallery-centric art fair model. The space, which spanned three levels, was marked by the divisions of old classrooms, making it the perfect venue for the Spring/Break model where 23 curators created mini-installations reflecting upon the show’s larger theme of Apocalist. Apocalist, as explained by co-founders of The They Co. Andrew Gori and Ambre Kelly who were behind the fair, aimed to meditate on “real or invented global and personal assumptions of calamity.”

While a variety of media was on display, video installations throughout the venue proved to be the most compelling. Outstanding video-based works included Where Is The Black Beast by Simon Lee and Algis Antanas Kizys curated by Maureen Sullivan (pictured above), a dark and powerful film interpretation of Ted Hughes’ Crow that directly addressed the Apocalist theme. The installation involved the projection of old photographs onto four screens, creating an immersive and ominous space accentuated by a soundtrack of solemn narration and eerie music. Flashes of color images and dramatic black pauses punctuated the string of black and white snapshots, weaving a tale of creation and destruction like a cinematic Grimm’s fairytale.

Less overtly connected to the apocalyptic narrative but equally as gripping was Eva Sussman’s Waiting for an Icon (pictured above) curated by Maureen Sullivan. The site-specific work was comprised of two video projections in a dark room that acted as windows into the intimate world of the subjects she captured, speaking to the powerful lure of voyeurism.

Another installation by BoyfriendGirlfriend (pictured above) curated by Andrew Gori and Ambre Kelly also focused on human interaction. The work centers on a looping video of a couple that kiss and then slap one another in succession. On the walls that surrounded the the video, intimate letters from BF and GF revive the childhood passions and nostalgia for a dwindling first love.

Production still from the hierarchy of relevance, 2010, Richard T. Walker, single channel, HD Blu-Ray, color, sound, 7 min. 58 sec. Image courtesy of the artist and Christopher Grimes Gallery

Also taking a lighter approach to the apocalyptic theme, films on view in Amanda Schmitt’s Till dust gathers on grass introduced the green revolution as an alternative reaction to doomsday predictions. In Richard T. Walker’s The Hierarchy of Relevance (pictured above) the artist pays homage to the desert by recording himself playing musical instruments to the landscape. Equally as charming was Jennifer Sullivan’s One Week in Walden, a narrated account of the artist’s ‘escape into nature’ when she lived in a camper in her father’s backyard for a week. The films present the humor and sarcasm of the Neo-Romanticist movement, recognizing the naive idealism inherent in the desire to escape into a Thoreau-esque communion with nature.

Photo by: Sam Monkarsh

Despite the strength of such video-installations, a few object-based collections showed depth and maturity that held up to the emotional and visual intensity of the many films on display. The landscape photographs in Till dust gathers on grass, including selections by Grace Villamil and Pete Voelker, imparted a quiet and rare spiritual passion. The installation of Ruination/Restoration (pictured above), curated by Helene Necroto, Lisa Pomares, and Cecelia Stucker, housed several impressive sculptural works that divulged the curators’ unique and persuasive take on the show’s theme. Featuring six emerging female artists, the selection touched on the possibility of rejuvenation in a post-apocalyptic culture. Artworks like the anthropomorphic sculptures of Maia Ruth Lee are contemplative and allegorical, arousing images of primitive origins.

Look out for the return of the Spring/Break Art Show next year, it’s worth the trip. It might even revive your faith in the ability for artists and curators to thrive outside of traditional museum and gallery constructs.

–Jennifer Sarathy

Follow Jennifer on Twitter @JSarathy

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1. Altuzarra

Joseph Altuzarra, 2011′s CFDA/Vogue Fund winner showed that he really does have the chops with his fall 2012 Moroccan themed collection.

2. Balenciaga

Balenciaga Creative Director Nicolas Ghesquière said he was inspired by professional women this season. All I know is that I am dying for the leather sweatshirts with slogans like “Out Of The Blue,” which are sure to spawn wait lists.

3. Bottega Veneta

Tomas Maier took a body conscious turn this season. A black velvet bustier gown brought the show’s crowd to its feet.

4. Céline

A pregnant Phoebe Philo staged an intimate presentation this season (only 50 guests were invited) where the coats were the stars. This fuchsia fur coat is modern luxury at its finest.

5. Giambattista Valli

Giambattista Valli took a graphic, modern turn this season. It was step to distinguish between his ready-to-wear line and his couture line — and one that paid off.

6. Haider Ackermann

Haider Ackermann is a draping master. And a color master — who else could make pumpkin look chic? Everyone is going to want to look like a Haider Ackermann girl come fall.

7. Jil Sander

Raf Simons said a tearful good-bye to his Creative Director post at Jil Sander this season. He continued to play with the idea of couture shapes with this collection. Expect these pieces to become collectors items.

8. Louis Vuitton

Marc Jacobs is very much a showman (with John Galliano missing from the fashion scene that is needed more than ever). Models de-boarded a train to show off the new Louis Vuitton silhouette — a skirt suit layered over cropped pants.

9. Prada

This was very much a “classic” Prada collection. Think bowling bags, embellishments and belted pantsuits.

10. Stella McCartney

Stella McCartney designs the kind of easygoing clothes that women die to wear. The embroidered floral prints are sure to be retail hits.

–Leah Bourne

Follow Leah On Twitter @fromthefrontrow

1. Eye candy! I couldn’t help going back for a second look at these incredible colored panels on driftwood by Olafur Eliasson (pictured at top) from Icelandic gallery i8.

2. One of two absolutely captivating portrait paintings by Melora Kuhn, presented by Galerie Eigen + Art, Berlin.

3. Thank you Gallery Hyundai for introducing me to Korean artist Choe U-Ram. One of his many kinetic mechanical works, U-Ram’s Unicus-Carum ad initium is one of the most unique pieces in The Armory Show’s contemporary section. For more of his incredible mechanical installations check out the artist’s website.

4. This Yayoi Kusama painting has a great vibe, one of several excellent works by the artist on display at the Victoria Miro, London booth.

5. One of only a handful of Asian galleries in the show this year, the Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI) booth features gorgeous works on paper by Teresita Fernandez from her “Night Writing” series produced by the artist in Singapore. See the artist discuss the works here.

6. Chuck Close’s The Ballerina (ca. 1962) at the Hollis Taggart Galleries booth was a pleasant surprise, offering a glimpse of the artist’s early abstract paintings from when he was a student.

7. This small Gerhard Richter painting is a drool worthy gem offered by Galerie Ludorff. The artist’s recent record-breaking auction prices don’t hurt its appeal either…

–Jennifer Sarathy

Follow Jennifer On Twitter @jsarathy

Regardless of the questionable accuracy and pointed branding of its curatorial vision, the show is highly successful. Joo and the exhibition triumph because of the diversity of the artworks on display and the wide breadth of media dispersed throughout the galleries.

Standout works include Danh Võ’s “We Are The People” (pictured below), composed of fragmented, disassembled copper panels from of a full-scale replica of the skin of the Statue of Liberty.

Benoit Pailley/Courtesy of the New Museum

Hassan Khan’s video, “Jewel” (pictured below), is another pleasant surprise. The looping video, installed in a central viewing room dividing the exhibition hall, fills the air with the pulsating sounds of Shaabi music composed by the artist. In the projection, two men dance facing one another, replicating a scene witnessed by the artist in the streets of Cairo to illustrate contemporary power structures in vernacular forms. The work is hypnotic, witty, powerful and understated, and is easily the most enjoyable piece in the show.

Benoit Pailley/Courtesy of the New Museum

Another striking video-based artwork, “The Trainee,” by Pilvi Takala (pictured below), documents an immersive performance by the artist. Working as a marketing trainee at the professional services giant Deloitte, the artist performs clever social experiments, secretly recording her exploits. One video shows her riding an elevator for a day and the attempts by her coworkers to understand what she is doing.

Benoit Pailley/Courtesy of the New Museum

Jose Antonio Vega Macotela’s multimedia “Time Exchange” works are also exceptional. The work is a long-term project conducted with inmates at the Santa Martha Acatila Prison in Mexico City. Speaking to social structures and modes of exchange, the project involves the artist exchanging his time with inmates. Vega Macotela takes the place of inmates in the outside world for a designated amount of time, while in exchange prisoners engage in tasks instructed by the artist. Vega Macotela’s pieces show an obsession with material objects that trace human activities.

Artworks in the installation include torn pieces of cloth preserved in wax. In exchange for Vega Macotela waiting for a blonde woman each Monday at 1 p.m. in a specific place in Mexico City, one prisoner, “El Guero” waited in the hallway where the prisoners who were about to be freed passed through in order to steal a piece of clothing from each one. He then had to dip each item in wax in order to maintain the essence of the cloth. Equally as intriguing are bags of “undisclosed contents” (pictured below) collected to map the flow of 1000 pesos through the prison, and Veronese’s The Wedding at Canaan composed of prison tattoos.

Jennifer Sarathy/ViewFromtheFrontRow.com

While many artworks in “The Ungovernables,” including these examples, can certainly be placed within a social activism framework, to identify them within a pointedly politicized context as the show suggests is to do an injustice to the conceptual, aesthetic, regional, national and personal diversities of the pieces and artists in the exhibition. Luckily, viewers will not be hard pressed to access more subtle themes and underlying contrasts in the exhibition. 

The Ungovernables

2/15/2012-4/22/12

New Museum

235 Bowery

New York City

212-219-1222

Visitors Tip: Don’t forget admission to the New Museum is free Thursday nights from 7-9PM!

–Jennifer Sarathy

Follow Jennifer On Twitter @jsarathy

1. Marc Jacobs And Those Hats

Marc Jacobs took inspiration from Colonial America, 1970s pimp fashion, Jamiroquai, Dr. Seuss and somehow managed to role it all up together into one amazing show. It goes without saying that the hats, designer by milliner Stephen Jones, are just about as major as it gets.

2. Red Doors And Smoke At Jason Wu

Ever since Michelle Obama walked out in a Jason Wu gown during her husband’s inauguration, Wu’s star has been on the rise. Big time. Nothing says I have made it in fashion though quite like a highly staged runway show set. Wu, whose Fall 2012 collection was inspired by the Far East, had models walk out onto the runway this season through giant red doors that echoed those in the Forbidden City. And there was some serious smoke machine action to boot.

3. Bigger Than Life Dresses At Marchesa

Marchesa’s show at the Plaza Hotel was as magical as ever (expect just about every one of these dresses to end up on the red carpet). This gown actually hit me as it whisked by me on the runway, and I didn’t mind one bit.

4. Sarah Jessica Parker Pulls A Carrie

At the annual Amfar Gala, which happened during fashion week, Sarah Jessica Parker stepped out in an ensemble that was quite reminiscent of her days playing Carrie Bradshaw — a Theyskens’ Theory leather jacket paired with a candy pink Oscar de la Renta gown. And it all came back to me why this woman is a style icon.

5. Manolo Blahnik For J. Crew

At J. Crew’s Fall 2012 presentation the brand previewed its upcoming collaboration with Manolo Blahnik. Sign me up for every pair stat.

6. Killer Outwear At Altuzarra

Joseph Altuzarra lived up to the buzz this season with his Moroccan inspired Fall 2012 collection. This statement coat was a standout.

7. Front Row Besties At Calvin Klein

Who did I sit across the runway from at Calvin Klein? None other than my girl crush of the moment Emma Stone and “it” girl of the moment Rooney Mara. It was the best front row star spotting of the week.

8. Supermodels Invade Alexander Wang

Alexander Wang always has a surprise or two up his sleeve at his runway shows. This season that surprise came in the form of supermodels Gisele Bundchen, Carmen Kass, Karolina Kurkova and Shalom Harlow walking the runway. And no one does the runway quite like a super.

9. Partying With Barbie

Fashion week parties can be stuffy — to say the least. You can often spend more time looking at who else in attendance, rather than actually having fun. Barbie’s Dream Closet event was an exception, as everyone managed to let their hair down to party with Barbie (and admire her closet of pink stilettos of course). I think the pink cocktails they were serving helped.

10. Anna Dello Russo, Enough Said

Think Anna Dello Russo was running out of wow factor front row ensembles? Think again.

–Leah Bourne

Follow Leah Bourne On Twitter @FromtheFrontRow

Show notes at Christian Dior.

Painted faces and matching rose hats at Alexis Mabille.

Giambattista Valli second couture show.

The model board at Armani Prive.