Before the self-taught artist started painting professionally, she studied business and practiced medicine. And while she says she has always possessed a natural affinity for painting, it wasn’t until just two years ago that she firmly set foot into the art world. Fueled by her desire to cultivate her lifelong hobby, Dahiya left her career as a physician to focus on painting.

Her bold move has allowed her to publicly share her work. In April 20, 2009, her painting “Not just DNA” was featured and auctioned at the Green Garden Gala charity event hosted by HealthCorps. Also as a board member of the artist run, non-profit organization TOAST, which supports and promotes artists living in Tribeca, she participates in its annual four-day event in which the artists open their studios to the public.

Her recent exhibition at Kaffe 1668, a cafe in Tribeca, caught the attention of George King, president of Global Capacity, a telecom information and logistics company. He was immediately drawn to “Creativity”, a large-scale work bearing a solitary, glittery navy-blue amorphous shape floating on a luminous orange and hot pink landscape. After buying the work from Dahiya, he placed it in his office and was thrilled by the enthusiastic response  it received. “The reaction to this from the people in the company has been so positive. This painting gives back to people,” he says. “It’s energizing. It’s strong.”

Dahiya wants her paintings to simultaneously attract viewers and connect with them on a deep level. “They’re supposed to be calming. They’re supposed to center you, ground you,” she says. “And I also just want them to be fun.” Bright, vivid colors pulsate and radiate off her canvases and overlapped layers of paint create a dynamic three dimensional effect that is a visual feast for the eyes.

One painting entitled “Two People” (shown above) is a poignantly tender and raw depiction of how two different individuals affect and influence one another in a relationship. Thick orange, red, yellow and brown streaks steadily climb up from the bottom of the painting until they converge with two diagonal lines of blues, purples and greens streaming down from the two top corners of the canvas. “The person on the bottom is an introvert or a calm person. And the person on top is maybe an extrovert,” says Dahiya. “Whatever it is, they’re diametrically opposite.” At their meeting point, the warm and cool colors mix and seep into each other to create an intricately multilayered, iridescent surface.

Dahiya constantly experiments with new techniques and has developed several distinct signature styles. For some of her works, she mixes stone and other found-materials with paint to create a gritty surface that pops out on the canvas. In others, she uses heavy pours and flowing drips that recall Jackson Pollock’s action paintings. Her most recent work “Good and Evil”, a mélange of small, stone-riddled squares and fluid, curving white lines haphazardly arranged atop masses of red and black acrylic paint, melds the two styles into one. But through each different style, she still aims to convey a universal theme or emotion. ”Every painting tells a story and expresses something.”

Her earliest work, “Life” (shown above), is a reflection of the countless, and often unexpected, encounters and discoveries  we make throughout our lives. Meandering lines of gray paint and stone break up the vibrant blue backdrop into sections and Dahiya fills several areas with certain colors and textures to represent specific parts of life. A blazing orange and red patch placed in the center is the heart of the work as it represents close relationships. Adjacent to it is a smooth, glossy purple and pink segment that depicts passion. Another area that is peppered with small black and white pebbles evokes a tumultuous moment or a challenging obstacle to overcome. “On a baseline level, life is hard,” says Dahiya. “It’s not peachy but it’s beautiful. It’s not easy but overall, life is worth it.”

Through her art, Dahiya intimately examines a broad range of subjects and universal themes that center around the human experience. Her powerful, emotive paintings don’t just skim the surface; they get to the core of what makes us who we are.

To find out more about Dahiya and her paintings, check out her website at www.neeradahiya.com

Twice each year in January/February and June/July, NYC restaurants open their doors to impress your taste buds at a fraction of the original cost. Restaurants offer either a three course lunch at $24.07 or a three-course dinner at $35 and some offer both. It’s an opportunity to indulge in high end food that’s usually not in your budget.

During summer restaurant week 2010, I went to Cipriani Club Restaurant on Wall Street. Both the restaurant week and original menu’s were available. I was expecting the least expensive items to be on the set menu, however, there was a great mix of plates. The waiters were very friendly and accommodating. No request was too big and they offered to go through items on the menu.

Upon arrival, we received complimentary hot, freshly baked bread and Italian crostini. The food was absolutely delicious. As an appetizer, I had the fried calamari, which was cooked to perfection and served with tartare sauce. The pesto tagliatelle with home made pasta that I ordered as my entree made me feel as thought I was eating at my nonna’s house. Last but not least: the dessert! I found it hard to choose between the mixed berry flan tart or and the vanilla meringue cake. I went with a slice of the mixed berry flan and to my surprise, I received a huge slice of both, one of which was complimentary. It was the perfect ending to an unforgettable experience.

This year, restaurant week has been extended till September 6th. Make sure you check out the restaurants online first at www.nycgo.com/restaurantweek/ where you can look at the cuisine types, location, testimonials and importantly the menu. You’ll want to book early because these restaurants go fast! These places are in high demand during promotional seasons like this. And remember, the prices are set for the food only and it does not include tax, tip or drinks.

Cipriani Club Restaurant
www.cipriani.com
55 Wall Street
(Between William & Hanover Streets)
New York, New York 1000 ]]> http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/2010/08/30/nyc-restaurant-week/feed/ 0 http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/2010/08/17/quotables-where-do-you-get-your-inspiration-for-fashion/ http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/2010/08/17/quotables-where-do-you-get-your-inspiration-for-fashion/#comments Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:13:57 +0000 Danielle http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/?p=4896 “Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel

To snag a pair go to www.hendrickburn.com

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Article Written /Video Edited by Amity Paye

1. What are your deal breakers?
This is where you need to sit down and decide what YOU want from life and a partner. Think about important things like whether or not you want to have children and if it is something you are willing to give up to be with your
partner if he doesn’t. What things do you absolutely need from a relationship, physically, emotionally and mentally? Decide what you cannot live without.

2. Is he emotionally available?
If he is joking about how is isn’t a ‘relationship guy’ or that marriage is
just a piece of paper, that is your cue to leave. He needs to be able to tell
you exactly how he feels about you, the relationship and where it is going. If
he cannot seriously talk about it then he is not ready for the commitment. Find out his priorities and where he sees himself in five years. A man with a plan is ready for a commitment.

3. Does he have his act together?
Take a look at his life and daily activities. Does he have a decent job? Can he
hold it down? Does he plan for his future? Does he go out on the town every night partying? You need to distinguish if he has his life balanced and prioritized.

4. Does he put you first?
This doesn’t mean it is all about you but there are some situations where you can tell he genuinely wants the best for you and enjoys making you happy. It can be as simple as giving you the last chocolate, being your biggest cheerleader, making time to get to know and hang with your friends or remembering little important dates.

5. Does he love being with you?
You should both love just hanging out with each other. A relationship is a
lifetime partnership so it is a given that you should both prefer to spent time
with one another rather than others. If he always makes plans with his friends over spending time with you, something is not right.

6. Does he have a good relationship with his family? I have never known a saying to be more true than ‘watch how he treats his mother, that is how he will treat you.” Respect is a must! ]]> http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/2010/08/16/is-he-a-keeper-or-totally-disposable/feed/ 0 http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/2010/08/16/quotablesare-you-handling-money-in-a-illegal-way/ http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/2010/08/16/quotablesare-you-handling-money-in-a-illegal-way/#comments Mon, 16 Aug 2010 14:52:53 +0000 Danielle http://www.urbaneperspectivemag.com/?p=4834

” Money made through dishonest practices will not last long. -Chinese Proverb”

The designers at African Fashion Week will have you wearing mixes of materials, prints, patterns and colors so don’t be affraid to pair stripes with floral or bright pink with bright yellow this fall.

African Fashion Week trends for 2010 – Top Trends

Embellishments, Sequence and Detailing

Lace and Sheers

Ruffles and Balloons

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Urbane Perspective Media + Lifestyle had a chance to interview Almira Wilson the designer and president of Leonche LLC. In the interview, Almira highlights the trends in her collection, what inspires her, and how her African heritage influences her work.

UPML: Where are you from?

AW: Sierra Leone,West Africa

UPML: What is your inspiration?

AW: My mother and God

UPML: What made you decide to become a fashion designer?

AW: Since I was raised in America and grew up with a Sierra Leonean culture, I wanted to intertwine both styles into a new fashion experience.

UPML: What was your best experience so far on your journey to becoming a designer?

AW: I love seeing great talent from designers that are not in the lime light come out to the main stream…showing a new sense of style that has never seen before.

UPML: How does where you are from inspire your collection?

AW: I love the warm and bright royal colors that Africa instills in their fashion. It makes me appreciate how a culture driven by the nature and rural environment that surrounds the people on the outskrts of the inner city can be brought intotheir garments.

UPML: What are the trends for your collection?

AW: The Leonche trend is fun and tasteful yet shows a couture twists of african fabrics, and european materials mixed with western style.

UPML: What is the current “must have” item for everyone?

AW: The cocktail cotton wax bubble dress.

UPML: Out of all the pieces in your collection, which one is your personal favorite and why?

AW: My favorite is the wedding halter dress.

UPML: Tell us something we don’t know about you.

AW: I am coming out with an African wedding dress line before next year.

For more information on Leonche please check out the website at www.leonche.com

Interview by Loud Pen

All women make conscious decisions daily to look after their hair, nails, skin and health, but a lot of women forget their most important bit. The vagina! It has a mind of it’s own (apparently) and needs close attention daily. It can be very temperamental, remember in Sex and the City when Charlotte’s vagina was depressed and on medication? She had never even seen her vagina because she thought it was “ugly”. Don’t let this happen to you, I am positive you do not want “vulvodinya” like Charlotte.

Just because you have a vagina, doesn’t make you an expert. Here are some pointers to make certain your vagina doesn’t get depressed:

• Wash her daily with a soap free product and make sure you dry well- Soaps with foaming agents cause irritation and dryness.
• Never douche – contrary to popular belief, douching disrupts the ph balance of the vagina, which can lead to bacterial infections.
• Go commando – best kept for nighttime. Going commando lets it breathe without being restricted.
• Take probiotic supplements  - These maintain the number of good live bacteria keeping infections away.
• Exercise – As with every other part of your body, your vagina needs exercise too. Make her tight and luscious with some pelvic floor exercises every now and then.

Ritz Clinging is the founder and creator of I Love My Muff products, which are for care down there. Clinging’s goal was to “create fabulously effective feminine care products that cater to the modern lifestyles of savvy, empowered and informed women of today.” Ilovemymuff.com has cleansing washes, pure sprays, soft lotions, refreshing wipes and kits for all women. I love my muff products are vegan and free of any parabens, SLS, synthetic colors and fragrances, which are suitable for all skin types.

Check out this interview where Williams-Webb allows us into her styling world and lets us know that fashion is a form of self-expression, and that we can look within and to the past to be inspired.

UPML: Can you explain to the Urbane Perspective readers your path to becoming one of the most sought out fashion stylist?

KWW: Wow! Well, when I moved to NY about 9 years ago to pursue a career in fashion, I planned to go to school to study fashion merchandising. However, those plans quickly changed when I realized how much it costs to actually survive in NY. I’d been working in retail which was good because it was the catalyst for my career in the fashion industry. While working in retail, I met several stylists and that’s how I began assisting. I assisted several top stylists in the industry, who taught me how to think outside of the box, pay attention to detail, and most of all, be humble. About three and a half years ago, I took all I learned and began my trek to becoming an independent stylist! Here I am, enjoying the path my career has taken and I’m still growing to get to new heights!

UPML: As a stylist, where do you draw your inspiration from?

KWW: I draw the most inspiration from everyday people, especially on the streets and subways in NYC. There’s hasn’t been a day walking the streets in the past 9 years that I haven’t seen something I liked or drawn inspiration from. I like to look at old and recent movies, television shows, books, magazines, designers to draw inspiration.

UPML: How do you separate yourself from other stylists in the industry?

KWW: I think that everyone has and should continue to develop their own niche when it comes to styling! It’s not just about styling. A stylist needs to have their own style, a great personality, and the willingness to get the job done! I’ve created a lane and a name for myself in the sports industry, which I want to continue to broaden and be as just as successful in other facets of the styling industry.

UPML: Congrats on successfully styling Carmelo Anthony for his wedding to the former Lala Vasquez. What was that day like?

KWW: It was pressure, stress, excitement and one of the most beautiful events I’ve ever had the pleasure of attending, all at the same time. Just when you think you have everything under control and it may run smooth, something comes up and sends you into a whirlwind! I think I should write a book just about styling mishaps!