Demi, Hillary, Clive, Willie & Neil in New York

This has been a world wind trip to NYC the past few days - starting with our flight on the new Virgin America from LAX to JFK. Finally, flying can be fun again!

We kicked off our visit with the beginning of Fashion Week -- under the tent at Bryant Park with the Miss Sixty show on Thursday a.m. All eyes weren't looking at the fashion, but at the front row attendees - Demi Moore, Hillary Swank, Maggie G., Clive Owen - all looking gorgeous. Of course I forgot my camera (this would prove to be a common theme throughout the weekend!), so the NY Post obliged with not one but two photos from the show (one on the front page).

Of course the retro eighties fashions got me thinking about what I was drinking back then and Marc and I had a few good laughs over all the 1987 CA Cabernet that we stocked our cellar with at the end of the decade. It lasted us quite a long time with the last of the bottles - a Laurel Glen -  drunk only last year - much more than I can about the 80's fashion in my closet!

These women look fabulous. Especially Ms. Moore who gets the award for the youngest looking woman over 45.  We're hoping that it's all the red wine that she's been drinking and that it will do the same for us.

But the big reason that we came to NY this week was for Farm Aid yesterday on Randall's Island. We had the good fortune to be invited as guests of our friends who own Millstone Farms in CT which made the day really special. A backstage tour before the show - WOW Greg Allman - and a grand buffet of all locally produced foods set us in the mood for the headliner guests - Counting Crows, Allman Bros., John Mellancamp, Dave Matthews, Neil Young and of course, Willie Nelson. John, Dave, Neil and Willie did a great job reminding the 30,000 in the audience that eating locally grown food and supporting the family farmer is integral to our good health and the health of the Earth.

It's amazing that this was the 22nd year of this concert and that Farm Aid has raised more than $30 million over that time. The realization that words like organic and sustainable are on the signs and packaging in our local supermarkets now shows how far we have come and how far we still have to go.

I can't wait to get back to the LA farmer's markets for the last of the summer tomatoes and peaches!

So what did we drink at this hot humid day? Heineken light of course. Seems like this was a missed opportunity for talking about changes in the wine industry to more sustainable and organic growers. Maybe next year.

Happy Monday.

Julie