LOCATION: 312 Bowery, New York, NY "THE HOLE"

New York City is coming hot off the heels of SuperBowl frenzy, and being the strong hold that it is, is not taking a break as it will now host its annual Fashion Week. Away goes the sea of mean-green and orange-crush hues, and make way for the more upscale and trendy fashionistas of the world.

And in just fashion, I was chilling on the comforts of my couch when I had received confirmation for a fashion-week-starting-event by Nokia and Vice. What had enticed me to write up my usual template for a last minute RSVP, was the notion that Kilo Kish was set to be on the bill.

The night's events took place at "The Hole", located in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It is a contemporary art gallery which also doubles as a party space if needed. The line to get in was actually quite fast which was a positive, especially in cold NYC weather. No hassle, and organized. Upon entry, there was the noticeable video displays going on the walls of the venue. Open bar, of course located to the left hand side of the venue serving Peroni beers and almonds for those who wanted to indulge (AKA me). The layout was actually quite simple. I had expected it to be a little more extravagant seeing as how Nokia is attached to the event flyer. It was the combo of "drink and dance" that would set the tone for the night's activities.

DJ Nelleke

Not too shabby as  DJ Nelleke (@theNelleke) was on the 1's and 2's and played a dope combination of tunes, utilizing an iPAD app, 12'' vinyls and turntables. Her set would hopscotch between the Wu-Tang hits, to transitioning within the Ruff Ryders Era, playing the harlem-shake-inducing "Who's That Girl" by Eve, to my current guilty pleasure "Hold On, We're Going Home" by Drake. She even played a celebratory "Oh Boy" by Cam'ron, who just turned 38 that very night. Safe to say, she held it down for the full duration of her set.

The Brains Behind The PRELUDE... Mary Benson

Then Mary Benson, the chic London designer known for her stained-glass and hologram like colorful patterns, came out to thank the crowd for coming and packing the venue.

What stood behind her was a light wall that was supposed to be interactive with the movements of those brave enough to give it a try. I, of course had my 15 seconds up on stage but failed miserably. What did kind of get me, was that it seemed as if the crowd was too "cool" to go up there and possibly make a fool of themselves. Only a handful of participants attempted to create a lightshow on the backing screen with their funky dance moves. So, I say kudos and shout out to "Drunk Photographer Dude", "Guy with Google   Glasses", and "Dude with the Fur Coat". They all deserved rounds that night.

Alas, it was time for Kilo Kish to grace the stage in her cool, calm, girl-around-the-way manner. She was rocking an outfit designed by Mary Benson her self. The funny thing is, unless you knew who Kilo was, or unless you weren't too inebriated to see her name dawned upon the ribbon-like prism on the back of her jacket, you probably wouldn't have taken her to be the performer. She walked amongst the crowd without the usual rambling and attention grabbing presence that one would usually get. I found this to be quite cool. And if you aren't up on Kilo Kish, she's an orlando-native-turned-brooklyn-girl-turned-underground-scene-darling who is an all-around artist. Her psychadelic/alternative/jazzy soundscapes mesh well with her soft-spoken stanzas. If you haven't already, you should check out "Homeschool EP" and her latest, "K+".

My boo thang Kilo performed a short set, which included one of my favorites "Navy". Backed by her DJ, Kitty Cash, they provided a cool little set to entertain the folks at the Nokia party. At the end of her set, she even invited people to come up on stage to dance along with her. Of course, some of her fans joined. But, it wouldn't be right if "Google Glasses Guy" didn't come in and join the party one last time.

And as she exited stage left (or right?), it was time for my broham Kevin Cabanayan and I to head back out into the blistering cold after a decent outing thanks to the folks at Nokia, Mary Benson & Kilo.

EMPANADA MAMA - Shredded Chicken/Reggaeton

Of course, being in the LES, we decided to grab ourselves some empanadas to cap the night off. I suggest, Empanada Mama which neighbors the world famous Katz Deli. They're open till real early in the morning, and provide a nice selection of empanadas. I recommend, the shredded chicken and the reggaeton.

-PASSPORT|kenny