cheap chica - alias premium denim

our querida fashion contributor liiana vazquez founder of the cheap chica's guide to style just uncovered a denim treasure for you...

It’s easy to find an amazing pair of jeans when you’re shopping for Paige, Rock & Republic and even the infamous Rag & Bone…but they’re completely OOOB (out of our budget) because these designer brands will cost you well over $150!

But you don’t have to spend whole lot to get that designer fit…for all the women out there who are jean obsessed (myself included) and are always looking for the perfect fit, I just found a pair that you’ll totally love!

I recently got to test drive a pair of jeans by Alias. Like most of us, the Alias designers were sick of spending money on premium denim and decided to take matters into their own hands…and create a line that’s affordable for all of us!

The jeans were very comfortable, they had a nice medium weight and the rise wasn’t too low…but if your anything like me, you’ll have to make a trip to the tailor, because these jeans are just a bit too long for someone who’s only 5′2″.

Overall, these jeans fit well and I love the fact that they’re made from high quality denim, but that they only retail for $40! The only downside is that the jeans only come in one style, but I’m super anxious to see what else they have in store for all of us designer denim junkies on a budget!

alias denim

you. argentine bbq. malbec. and a fabulous summer evening!

we don't really need a specific season to indulge in argentine asado and a gorgeous bottle of malbec but summer is a great time to experiment by making a simple chimichurri, a traditional dipping sauce of herbs, garlic and vinegar. chimichurri is used as a condiment to enhance the flavor of grilled meats, but also works well on chicken or vegetables.

here’s one iteration of the recipe, created by pablo ranea, executive chef at the restaurant francis mallman 1884 and azafrán:

ingredients
1 teaspoon of chopped garlic
¼ cup of chopped parsley
1 chopped scallion (the green part only)
2 teaspoons of chili flakes
2 teaspoons of chopped thyme
3 ½ ounces of wine vinegar or lemon juice
3 ½ ounces of extra virgin olive oil
salt and pepper

directions
mix all ingredients in a bowl, adding the olive oil last. chill in the refrigerator for a minimum of 2 hours for integration of flavors. a full day would be better.

so here is the plan: make the chimichurri sauce. grill a few pieces of churasco (skirt steak.) serve a bottle of an exquisite malbec, Don Miguel Gascón, a simple mixed green salad and dulce de leche ice cream and you can feel as argentine as evita!

we feel a jaunt to dominican republic will soon be in the works!

lions den (leonera)

lion's den/leonera
a film by pablo trapero
(argentina, 2009, 113 min. in spanish with english subtitles)

Watch the trailer!

Sent to prison for allegedly killing her lover, Julia discovers she is pregnant and is sent to a high-security maternity ward to serve her time. Julia’s only concern now is her son. Her fellow inmate Marta becomes her ally; her mother Sofía, her opponent. One attempts to teach her how to be a mother; the other wishes to take over rearing the child. The film, shot in a real prison with inmates as extras, shines a light on a little known aspect of prison life: motherhood behind bars.

IFC Center
323 Sixth Avenue at West Third Street
(212) 924-7771 / www.ifccenter.com

yet another reason to heart nyc - restaurant week summer 09'

from july 12–31*, enjoy special three-course, prix-fixe $24.07 lunches and $35 dinners at participating restaurants.

click HERE for participating restaurants and to make reservations.

nycgo.com

mondays just took on a new appeal - free mojitos

source: raredaily.com

free mojitos are on the menu for mondays. bacardi is teaming up with the crowne plaza times square's bar to tempt you with two hours of comped mint and rum fueled revelry, every monday from 6pm to 8pm, throughout the summer. consider it a reward for getting through the first day of the work week.

broadway 49 bar & lounge at the crowne plaza times square

1605 broadway (at 49th street)

midtown west, (212) 977-4000

cpmanhattantimessquare.com

listening - eva ayllon's "toro mata"

just in time for sultry summer nights, we discovered “queen of afro-peruvian soul, eva ayllon!”