Face painting, cotton candy and sensual trapeze dancers? Sign me up! I attended the 29th annual Big Apple Circus gala at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park. As I was greeted by clowns and top-hatted gents, I began to wonder where else in this crazy, mixed-up city I could sip Checker Cab Blonde Ale and munch popcorn while watching children frolic around the big top.

Before the show began, Mayor Michael “Big Top” Bloomberg delivered a witty address, nearly stealing the show from the clowns themselves. A Big Apple Circus organization official announced that the night had brought in $1.7 million. Then the evening’s entertainment began, accompanied by a gourmet boxed dinner, including a chicken roulade, herbed couscous, salmon and an apple-date crumble.

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How do you describe L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon? I’ve heard “exhilarating”… “precocious”… “deluxe”… even “sublime”. And they’re all true. As for me, I’d happily describe the new restaurant in the same way as Goldilocks: Just right.

The French gourmand chef, who launched same-named restaurants in Paris, Tokyo and Vegas, opened his much-fêted New York City location at the Four Seasons Hotel late this summer. I had the pleasure of taking in lunch this past Wednesday. From start to finish, it was a treat.
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They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. And, as we know, every sexy lady likes to get gussied up in a hot dress. Now you can combine the two in a devilishly delectably way—an edible dress! Now I’m not talking edible in the fruit roll-up, stripper panties sense. I’m talking about a gourmet gown made of chocolate, the rich and mouth-watering kind that appeared on the runway at the 9th Annual Chocolate Show.

As soon as I entered Metropolitan Pavilion, I was greeted with a slice of extra-dark Cacao Reserve chocolate and a glass of red wine by Robert Mondavi. Though I am not a big fan of either red wine or dark chocolate, the combination was truly delicious. A sensual explosion, if you will. Spread across two huge rooms, the show featured more than 100 booths of the sweet stuff, from sweet white to bitter dark—spicy, fruity, filled with nuts, and everything in between.
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I hate to be the one to break it to you, ladies, but this life we lead is not entirely one of glitz and glamour. Many women around the world have never heard the names Manolo Blahnik or Miuccia Prada as their daily lives are more affected on a day-to-day basis by Hezbollah or Mao Tse Tsung.

Tuesday, I attended the International Women’s Media Foundation’s Courage in Journalism Awards, honoring some among us who literally put their lives and limbs on the line in pursuit of truth. The lunch reception was held in the majestic Waldorf=Astoria ballroom; 638 power-suited attendees sipped Sauvignon Blanc, savored salmon and sat enrapt as they honored four fearless women.
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Looking for a foolproof evening of intimacy with your new beau? May I suggest handcuffs and wine? This was the very theme of a party I attended on Saturday. The object of the night is to partner up with a fellow wino and finishing a bottle of your favorite varietal. The cuffs don’t come off until you’ve sipped the last drop. Kind of like Prison Break meets Blind Date.

For a roller derby virgin, a double-header all the way out in Long Island is quite a commitment. And let me tell you, it was worth it. From the knuckle sandwiches served pipin’ hot to a ragtag group of skatin’ ladies to the jeerleaders and their ragamuffin mascots - a life-sized banana, an 11-year-old, skateboard-wielding derby son called “Jail Bait” and, of course, a wily leatherdaddy with signs reading “I been bad” and “Submit” - the bout-on-wheels was always entertaining, if not always a thrill ride.