Following a delicious brunch with friends at Pulino’s on the Bowery, I headed off to see the much-lauded George Condo, Mental States exhibit at the New Museum.

Part of the East Village art scene since the Eighties, Condo is perhaps most widely known for painting the explicit sexual cover image on Kanye West's album My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.

Condo’s unique style of painting, adopting the techniques and methods of old masters to depict subject matter that springs largely from his imagination, is worth more than a casual glance. His portraiture of invented characters cleverly evokes complex and precarious mental states, reflecting “the madness of everyday life”.

Next stop was Jon Snyder’s ice cream haven, Il Laboratorio del Gelato at 95 Orchard Street, where we sampled the famed honey lavender gelato.His lemon is as close to ice cream heaven in a pot as I’ve ever encountered. Thank goodness I’m not based nearby, this place could be dangerously addictive.

Monday morning it was business as usual, back to my 6am workout with David Kirsch, if only he would open a gym back in London I would be way more motivated. Still, his new all natural protein bars are at least now making eating healthily while on the go a cinch.

Adam at 678 Hudson Street

Caught up with Adam Lippes over lunch at Soho House, NYC and then had him first walk me through the delights of his spring collection at the Hudson Street Adam store, and finally his autumn/winter 2011 collection back at the showroom. I was very happy to hear that he has added Browns as an additional UK stockist this season. Expect to become much more familiar with Adam's eminently wearable designs which are now revealing his true craftsmanship and eye for detail, learnt at the side of Oscar de la Renta.

The latest Nars/Baron collaboration

Next stop was Bleecker Street in the West Village, where I spent way too long admiring Francois Nars' sleek new flagship boutique at number 413, cleverly designed by art director Fabian Baron. I love the video catwalk show footage embedded in the mirrors and the wooden fireplace and mantelpiece housing many of the vintage books and movies, that inspired so many of Francois' shade names.

Perfect presents abound

Marc Jacobs' Bookmarc store opposite on the corner with West 11th Street was my next refuge. It is so well-curated you can easily select perfect literary and photographic tomes sure to please even the most jaded of fashionistas.

Spring has sprung

Bonpoint at No 392 always has window displays that make me smile; the wire-framed girl with ribboned pigtails in a field of poppies perfectly captured the essence of that breezy spring afternoon.

Possibly the hottest store in town

Last stop was editor darling, Alexander Wang's vaunted store in the former Yohji space at 103 Grand Street in Soho. Get there fast - amid his fur hammock and Carrera marble fixtures hangs well-priced signature sportswear and coveted bags and shoes that are flying off the shelves.

The face of Chinese herbal beauty

That was the end of my roaming, it was time to return to base at 99 Greene Street and get ready to join Wei Brian, creator of Wei Beauty, who was hosting a cocktail party for a delegation from US-China Partners.

In the Waiting Room at The Dog Hospital, Croydon, 1935

With so much of London Fashion Week focused around Somerset House, I managed to spend a delightful hour on Friday mooching around the National Portrait Gallery.
 

Find time to check out German banker-turned-Thirties society photographer, Emil Otto Hoppe's portraits of the rich, famous and rising stars such as a 16-year-old Margot Fonteyn. 
 

Policeman Overlooking Swimmers and Sunbathers at Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park, London, 1935.
 

It was through Hoppe's street photography that I really got a sense of his love of London; his 1935 swimmers and sunbathers at the Serpentine Lido struck a chord as I pass this very spot on my early morning run around Hyde Park, his smile provoking young "Pearly" portrait is fabulous.

The Pearlies, Master William Dennis Simmons, London, 1922

 
However my absolute favourite is his depiction of a bandaged Welsh terrier waiting for veterinary assistance (please see the picture at the top of this post).

On a final fashion note from the Gallery's permanent collection, I never cease to marvel at Tim Noble and Sue Webster's gothic projected silhouette portrait of Isabella Blow (1958-2007), so cleverly made up of taxidermy animals, wood and fake moss. This reflection on beauty, death and fashion succinctly mirrors Blow's own lifelong preoccupations.

The Head of Isabella Blow, 2002