WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE BAY AREA

On Nov. 1, don’t miss my annual "Nutcracker Market" show on KPRC Channel 2 at 6:30 p.m. We’ll give you a preview of the BMW Nutcracker Market benefiting Houston Ballet at Reliant Center Nov. 13-16. Here you can do all of your holiday shopping under one roof. Plus, our design experts Jan Creery and Laura Lancaster-Bates will take us to SunnyRoad to give you decorating tips to make your house festive and holiday fashions for your special occasions.

The 23rd Annual Nutcracker Market preview night has something new this year: The specially furnished Men’s Lounge. It is for all of those reluctant male shoppers out there including my husband, Dr. Aashish Shah. He is the first chairman of the event that includes BMW’s, courtesy of the Houston Area BMW Group, billiard tables from International Billiards and comfortable furniture donated by IKEA. Representatives from vodka and scotch companies will also be on hand with samples, of course! The preview night is Wednesday, Nov. 12, 7-10 p.m. Tickets are $100 and are still available by calling Patsy Chapman at (713) 535-3271 or go to www.nutcrackermarket.com

Admission to the annual holiday shopping extravaganza, featuring more than 300 vendors from across the country, are $10 at the door.

My good friend and Houston Chronicle columnist Clifford Pugh gave me the inside scoop on New York’s Fashion Week. Pugh told me that Marc Jacobs’ show created the biggest buzz! It not only featured cutting edge fashions, but it also attracted some major star power. "Hillary Swank and her husband Chad Lowe were in the front rows along with Vanessa Carlton" Pugh said. Michael Kors got the best reviews overall with his fabulous fabrics and az Pugh said he saw Brook Shields and Jessica Simpson. He said the show was not only beautiful but the clothes were actually wearable unlike a lot of the runway designs during Fashion Week. For the most outrageous show, "Baby Fat was the most out there with lots of feathers, leather, satin pants and head pieces" Pugh said. Houston’s own Beyonce’s Knowles attracted the most attention at the Rosa Cha’ and Marc Jacobs shows. The paparazzi could not get enough of her Pugh told me. He saw her several times with her mother and boyfriend Jay-Z. According to Pugh, although Beyonce’ and Jay-Z won’t confirmed they’re a couple they went everywhere together. The most surprising thing about Fashion Week Pugh added was the work. "Every show is on the hour, you are basically running from show to show," he said. The shows are only about 10 minutes in length and the models wear about 30 to 40 outfits. This was Pugh’s first time covering Fashion week, and he turned in a total of 10 stories, which I thought were absolutely fabulous.

Doctors Orchestra of Houston presents "Danzas Del Mundo" on Sunday, November 9, 2 p.m. at the Cullen Theater Wortham Center. Established in 2000, Doctors Orchestra of Houston is one of the newest community orchestras in the United States. Members of the orchestra are physicians, dentists, medical students, biomedical scientists and other allied health professionals as music lovers. For more information on the orchestra’s performance just log onto www.doctorsorchestra.org

The 4th annual Polo Italia and Risotto Festival was big hit. The event is always fun and festive. Every year, some of Houston’s finest chefs participate in the competition for the best Risotto.

Up next at the Houston Polo Club is a fundraiser on Sunday, November 9. The Polo match along with gourmet food, live music and auction benefiting The Window of Opportunity Foundation. The day’s dress code is Ascot costume or dressy. For more information give Sheri Roane a buzz at 713-622-7300.

The Bay Area Houston Ballet and Theatre is hosting its annual "Breakfast with The Sugar Plum Fairy" and Sugar Plum Market November 21-23 at the South Shore Harbor Resort. For the past two years, I’ve been the mistress of ceremonies at "The Breakfast with The Sugar Plum Fairy." It truly brings back childhood memories. It’s an unforgettable morning with the Sugar Plum Fairy and her Kingdom of Sweets Court. The special event includes a festive brunch followed by a Nutcracker ballet vignette. If you’re looking to do a little shopping, the Sugar Plum Market is back this year with more than 40 handpicked holiday vendors. For more information about these exciting events give the ballet a buzz at 281-480-1617.