Alison’s Blog:
As I write this I am sitting in the middle of the woods in Pennsylvania. My husband and I have what used to be a weekend house. When we were still living in New York, we went there every single weekend to enjoy peace and quiet. But once we moved to Florida, getting to the house became difficult. So we are here right now to sell it.
In the past, I used to write about what I was doing and where I was going in my Alison’s Blog section. There were editor events, parties, fashion week, and travel. But after the Pandemic and a move to Florida, my life is different now. Anyway, I thought I’d write about Fashion Week (since it is about to end in NYC right now). I also intend to make this website more personal again and share some of the things I’m doing personally. But I will also review products and things that help make life easier, more interesting, beautiful, successful, and fun, as always.
If you like this idea, why not give me a shout-out in the comments or on my social media and tell me?
A Different World:

Time for a quick Break in the American Express Lounge area, with Video hostess Cognac Wellerlane
This week one of my editor friends posted a photo of me and her with another editor at a makeup event during New York Fashion Week in September 2016. the photo above isn’t that one, but there were so many photos from that time.
It’s been a few years since I personally attended the runway shows. After 21 (or was it 22) seasons of exhausting appearances, I quit going. Although I had editorial credentials and photo riser access, it was easier for me to watch from home.
That is because the under-the-tent shows ae gone Now the shows are now spread all over the City. If you have a car and driver, I guess that’s another story, but walking or taking the subway from venue to venue became nearly impossible. Worse, the shows morphed into self-centered Instagram opportunities for girls in party dresses. I was there to see the designer’s dresses but editors seemed to take a back seat to anyone who could pay to sit in the front row and selfie themselves.
Aahh, 2016:
Back in 21016 New York Fashion week was a time to reconnect with colleagues you didn’t get to see that often. I cherish memories of sitting down in a lounge hosted by one of the beauty companies to compare thoughts with people in the business on the fashions.
I’m looking at social media and I don’t really see a lot of content from the shows. Maybe people are just tired of the hoopla. In any case, I can’t say that miss the circus of fashion week (not to mention my sore feet). But I do miss the camaraderie and that moment when the lights finally go out, and the music booms right into your soul as the first model walks out on the runway.
Advicesisters.com will also focus on fashion and trends, but now we are turning more and more to wearable fashion that is affordable, and relevant to the lifestyles of most of our audience. I will post more of this on Alison’s Blog so stay tuned.
Zoom Traffic Court!
One of the more bizarre things I have done recently is participating in Zoom traffic court. There were 42 people waiting to be heard over zoom including a bunch of people with lawyers in the courtroom. Listening to their stories, I couldn’t help but wonder how anyone is safe on the road!
The Sarasota police officers do a great job for the most part. And I am a good and safe and courteous driver. But one officer gave me a ticket that obviously had been pre-written with the “scene of the crime” at a totally different place than where I was pulled over. it was during “operation southern slowdown.” Yes he certainly had tickets to give away and I happened to be in front of his patrol car at the wrong time.
I have had a driver’s license for a long time and have never received a ticket. So I contested it this morning at a pre-trial hearing.
I had hoped that the judge would simply dismiss the ticket. However, he suggested I go to an in-person traffic court and contest the ticket. So, in October, I am going to go to court to plead on my own behalf, for the first time ever. Let’s hope the judge realizes that the ticket is completely erroneous and was unfairly given.
Alison Blackman