Grand Central Secrets.

After coming across this on one of my favorite blogs, A Cup of Joe, I just had to re-post! So want to know a secret? Grand Central has an AMAZING whispering gallery. Here's how it works...

You walk to the corridor outside the famous Oyster Bar & Restaurant. You'll see four low arches, built by a father and son back in 1913...
If you and a friend stand at diagonal corners of the arches (so you're the farthest apart you can be), and whisper softly, you'll be able to HEAR each other--as clearly as if you were whispering into each other's ears!
It's like magic!
"The voice actually follows the curvature of the ceiling," says urban historian Justin Ferate. It's called "telegraphing."


P.S. Cup of Jo Guide to NYC, including a secret playground and secret restaurant.

I can not wait to try this!!

S’moretini Shooters

Here to convince you that you need yet another trendy, insanely-flavored bottle of booze. I do what I can.

I know what you’re thinking. “Does marshmallow vodka really taste that different from that whipped cream vodka you already insisted that I buy? Or how about the cake batter vodka that I went out and bought immediately in order to drink a cake martini for breakfast?” Well… not technically. Sort of? I don’t know. I don’t have super powered vodka tasting taste buds or anything.... or maybe I do. But I bought some anyway, just to try.

S’moretini Shooters

makes 1 (2 ounce) shooter, easily multiplied

1/2 ounce marshmallow vodka (or vanilla, whipped cream or cake flavored vodka)

1/2 ounce Godiva chocolate liqueur

1/4 ounce Bailey’s Irish Cream liqueur

3/4 ounce cream/half and half

chocolate syrup or hot fudge

graham cracker crumbs

vanilla frosting for glass rimming

mini marshmallows

Dip the rim of you glass in a bit of frosting, then dip into graham cracker crumbs. Pour about 1/2 teaspoon chocolate fudge into the bottom of the glass. Combine vodka, Baileys, Godiva and cream in a shaker (or water bottle with lid) with ice and shake for 15 seconds. Pour into glass. Top with mini marshmallows skewered on a toothpick.

For 8 shooters or 2 martinis, you will need: 4 ounces of marshmallow vodka, 4 ounces of Godiva chocolate liqueur, 2 ounces of Bailey’s and about 6 ounces of milk. Measurements obviously may change depending on your own preferred tastes.

Note: if you don’t have any leftover frosting for glass rimming, I think something sticky like maple syrup or agave will work.

happy monday!

This might possibly be the best video I've seen portraying New York. I follow a blogger, pret-a-voyager, who posted this AMAZING video. It reminds me how much I love the city I live in and where I am from. Sometimes I take advantage of all of the possibilities at my fingertips. A few months ago I shared a cab with a girl who had never been to New York City. As we approached the skyline, it was astonishing watching her face glow. It was beautiful, and again, made me realize that I live in one of the best cities in the world.
It's interesting to watch this video through the eyes of someone who has never been to New York, who is experiencing it for the first time.


I'm excited for all the GOOD things to come :)

I'm excited because every day I'm falling in love with life. And I just love my life madly.

finally friday!

and i'm outtie! enjoy your weekend! xoxo

happy hour thursday!

Fall has arrived in earnest, and although I miss though warm days of summer stretching into Fall, there is a certain je ne sais quoi about the combination of raindrops & falling leaves. But those raindrops often bring along with them a damp chill that only something presented in a warm mug can dispel. More often than not, it’s a coffee 'with a little kick' that gains my undivided attention.

Coffee With A Kick:
3 tablespoons each brandy, Kahlúa, and crème de cacao
3 cups freshly brewed coffee (Stumptown is a personal favorite of mine)
4 tablespoons whipped cream

Divide brandy, Kahlúa, and crème de cacao between two mugs (this recipe is perfect for sharing!). Add half of coffee to each. Top with whipped cream if you like. Serves 2 in a matter of moments. Enjoy!

Clinton Street Baking Co.

When husband & wife team, Neil Kleinberg and DeDe Lahman, opened in April 2001, their only mission was to make the best baked goods in the city, hand-mixed in small batches. But soon the locals stumbled in, and murmurs of Neil’s simple yet delicious omelets, sandwiches and soups moved people to cluster — then crowd — the block. New York Magazine voted Neil’s blueberry pancakes best in the city (twice!).

The lore about our brunch lines we cannot deny ... but try us at dinner, when the lights are dim, the crowds calm, and the food is “anything but ordinary,” says the New York Observer. Okay, and yes: We serve pancakes after dark.

I am lucky enough to manage a building directly across the street from Clinton Street Baking Co. I am also lucky enough to avoid the long lines when I randomly go there on a weekday. But the best part is that my super who manages that building will randomly surprise me with my favorite chocolate chip scone, like he did today! Its already gone... Opps! :)

Chocolate, anyone?

 To me, nothing says winter festivity quite like a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows. I treat myself to one most afternoons through the winter, and today’s board in shades of chocolate + cream captures the cozy taste of seasonal cheer I savor with each steaming cup. Wouldn’t this make a lovely palette for a holiday dinner party? Letterpressed invites with creamy calligraphy, a table set with rustic wood accents, and a s’mores bar (what else?) in front of the fire stands in for the dessert course.

images via Camille Styles

newly obsessed...

Not only is this model gorgeous, the dress is stunning! I can not wait to find a party to rock this at!

images via Shopbop

finally friday!

My first crush...

Christian Bale... The Newsies.
Have a spectacular weekend lovelies!

happy hour thursday...

The Starlight Royale

2 1/4 cups freshly squeezed lime juice, plus extra for rims
1 1/2 cups gin
1/2 cup superfine sugar
1 bottle brut Champagne or sparkling wine
Fine sanding sugar for rims
Grenadine

Mix lime juice, gin, and superfine sugar in a 2-quart pitcher; chill until ready to serve (several hours). To serve, dip rims of glasses in lime juice, then sanding sugar, to coat with 1-inch wide band. Measure 4 ounces Champagne into cocktail shaker filled with ice. Add 3 1/2 ounces lime juice and gin mixture, and shake; strain into 2 glasses, and add 2 to 3 drops of grenadine to each. Repeat. Serves 12.

Champagne & Marilyn certainly do seem to match my Niagara Falls mood perfectly... or maybe Montreal?

Prosecco and Champagne Lovers...

Here's a trick: If you have a leftover half bottle of Champagne or Prosecco that's getting flat, and you want to bring the bubbles back, drop a raisin into the bottle. Any carbon dioxide that's left in the wine will stick to the raisin's ridges and release as tiny bubbles. Cool, right?

tip via Real Simple and image via A Cup of Joe

The Darby, NYC

I know what you’re thinking…a supper club from the unstoppable duo behind Butter and 1OAK Scott Sartiano and Richie Akiva? Break out the velvet rope, the DJ booth, the $18 drinks and Lindsay Lohan. Well, the Darby may be every bit as chic as their other ventures, but this restaurant is kicking it old-school, focusing on a menu crafted by Food Network star Alex Guarnaschelli and live entertainment to go with it. The décor certainly evokes the days of old, with classic carved moldings, oversized spindle-back banquettes and mercury glass finishes, while the intricately crafted cocktails will make you grateful that the speakeasy trend hasn’t died just yet. Curl up with your Bogart or Bacall, and savor the tunes of The Darby’s six person house band—which includes Q-Tip and Lady Rizo—belting out a mix of jazz, pop, soul and old-school. This place reminds of my old school Paris, my love. I can not wait to enjoy a fabulous dinner here tomorrow night!

finally friday...

and I'm outtie...

happy hour thursday...

With the return of lovely warm days & cool, crisp nights (that have me wrapping up in pretty scarves), I have decided that any old hot chocolate won’t do to warm my chilly hands. And play homage yet again to one of my favorite cities, Paris (the countdown is on until I'll be roaming those beautiful streets!)

French Brandy Hot Chocolate 

1/2 cup dry milk powder

1 1/2 cups grated bittersweet chocolate

4 cups whole milk

4 tablespoons Armagnac

Whipped cream or marshmallows for garnish

In a medium saucepan, heat whole milk over medium heat. Once heated, stir in the chocolate mixture & whisk until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth and hot. Pour 1 tablespoon Armagnac into each mug, then fill each mug with the smooth, hot chocolate mixture. Serve hot & garnish with whipped cream or marshmallows. Serves 4.

L' Space by Monica Wise

While in Vegas, I got to hang out with a pretty fun group of people at Wet Republic. One of the guys I was chatting with couldn't wait for me to meet his sister who was on her way (who apparently I'm a lot alike). She ended up being a really cool chick, sporting an AWESOME bathing suit that I just had to have.... And that's how my new obsession with L'Space began. Monica Wise creates some of the sexiest suits I've come across. The cut of the bathing suit is perfect, showing just enough skin.

love...

 

(This is just hot and the one I plan to purchase next... )

The suit I will be rocking on my next vacation... (and what made me love this company even more is L'Space donates $5 back to the African Wildlife Foundation for every suit purchased from their "Wild at Heart" collection)

Peels, NYC

I had an OMG moment this past Saturday afternoon. I had plans to go out to lunch (to The Meatball Shop if you were wondering)... but trekking to the Lower East side was out of the question due to the random snow storm we had (actually, I still wanted to go, my date refused :)) That got me to searching the Internet for a new place to eat (while enjoying my Buffalo Chicken Dip!). While reading a blog, I happened to stumble upon a restaurant named Peels. When I read that it was the same owners as one of my absolute favorite restaurants, Freemans, I was instantly calling for a reservation. Although I haven't been yet, I have a feeling its going to be fabulous!

Introducing Peels, a brand-new country diner from Taavo Somer, Will Tigertt and the Freemans crew, open right at this very moment.

Instead of dark wood in a back alley, Peels is holding court front and center on Bowery, with big picture windows, bright white walls and a long country kitchen-style counter top running the length of the space. There’s a mellow vibe to the whole operation: lazy hours will roll by as you marinate on a stool along the windows, at the counter or at the long communal table in the middle of the room.

They have an awesome bakery full of sweet and savory breakfast foods. This could also become my new favorite bakery.

Stomping through the snow in Sorel!

Its that time of year to start searching for a new pair of winter boots to trek to work in. New York City tends to be a bit rough during the winter months. The city is absolutely beautiful when it snows here, but getting to and from work is another story, especially for your shoes. Any true New Yorker knows they must own a great pair of winter boots (and rain boots for that matter!) I am a big fan of Sorel, not only because they are super comfortable, but they last several years, and are really affordable.

images via dilly dallas