Dinner with Friends

Including Him

Yet another...

 

 

I've mentioned before that my husband hates to go out but I love it so I never force him to go anywhere and I try to go out when he's working and I do adore when he agrees to join me.  Last weekend while my glam BF was away I planned to meet 2 friends (women actually) for drinks on Sunday afternoon. I was dumb and I didn't look it up in time and at 3 when we were supposed to meet at 4 was the first time I looked up the fact that PDT didn't open until 6. Oops.  After much discussion, we decided upon Essex, a charming bar inside the Essex St Market.  I wasn't really impressed with the market, it felt dingy and unclean.  But the bar has an elegance to it that I liked.  I had an espresso martini and I liked that you could taste the coffee in it.  My friend had champagne and my other friend had a minty gingery muddled thing.  We had a fabulous afternoon!  They wanted to go for an early dinner to which I agreed immediately.  Somehow  Chinese (my favorite!) discussion led to a Chinese/Mexican plan- somehow I found myself in a charming tapas place, called the Ten Bells on the lower east side.   We shared a patatas bravas, an artichoke gratin, goat in a tortilla with blood sausage and onions though that part I refused to eat along with octopus, and a few other pork things.  My husband called to say he was on his way downtown, where did I want him to pick me up. I asked him to join us and as he so often does he said no.  I just handed the phone to my friend who somehow talked him into joining us.  We had a wonderful time and he added smoked duck slices to the mix of dishes and the restaurant's version of pigs in a blanket (handmade sausage wrapped in pastry with a sweet spicy mustard sauce baked inside). In fact we had such a fabulous time together that we decided on another date for the middle of November!!!   We're thinking about Tribeca restaurants next and one day soon I have to ask him what she said to convince him to join us at all...

Braeburn

Another I had never posted

 

 

There used to be an elegant, glamorous restaurant (but the glamour was subtle and low key) called Voyage in the west village, and it was fairly inexpensive with lovely food-it was one of the few places I could easily get my husband to go to.  One day a year or so ago, while walking by I noticed it was closed and sadly had to break the news to my husband.  About 6 months ago a new restaurant called Braeburn opened up, which I promptly put on my list of places to go. For one reason or another I wasn't able to get there until Wed night. As soon as I turned the corner onto Perry St I knew that I was walking to where Voyage used to be!! I hoped it was good. 

It is in that new farmhouse decor that seems to be taking the city by storm...sigh...do you get my air of resignation...? I  am not a fan of fancy restaurants being so casual and rustic, because I am neither casual or rustic and because the food still tends towards the high end precise high style food that I love. I hate that the food doesn't really go with the look of the place. Ah well, they didn't ask me before they opened so what can I do...

 The food and the service was just lovely. I sat at the bar while waiting for my glam best friend to arrive, chatting with the bartender about whiskey. He was knowledgeable and interested in discussing my whiskey choices and even looked through the list I keep of what I liked and didn't like. I was able to taste the Laguvullin that I had been wanting to taste for a few months. I liked it a lot but still the Glenmorangie Lasanta is my absolute favorite.  My friend had a martini which he enjoyed, saying the olives were really good-he is quite the critique of olives around the City.

 The  maitr'd led us to our table and the wait staff was in plaid flannel shirts, which frankly makes me ill. I want to dress in at least a cocktail frock for dinner and this farmhouse thing is just so not for me.

I started with the panko encrusted poached egg with roasted asparagus and parmesan foam.  All the flavors worked well together and were good, the parmesan foam was spectacular, though I thought the panko crumbs overpowered the egg a bit I enjoyed it over all and am fascinated by how they managed it.  I'm guessing they poach the egg and because it's quite wet they can roll it in the toasted bread crumbs. Then I had a cheesy black pepper linguine which I loved (and in the appetizer sized portion so-the perfect size) for its richness with the hit of spice at the end in the back of your throat. My friend had the scallops which were silky and delicious. He then had the lamb which was full of divine flavors and textures-warm chick peas against the gorgeous meatiness of the lamb.  Dessert we liked least, he had an apple tart that was somewhat soggy- and I had a sour cream chocolate cake that wasn't what I expected (I expected a version of warm chocolate tart) which would have been good if it wasn't a bit overcooked (but had good chocolate flavor). 

Overall, we enjoyed it and I would enjoy going back with my husband for the short ribs on the menu as short ribs are one of his favorite things in the world.

 As a follow up, sadly now Braeburn is closed.

The little red dress

More that I came across that were never posted...

 

More often than not I see really dreadful outfits on my daily trip to work. Today I saw a lady who looked lovely in a rather chic outfit (the idea of which challenges me in this horrendous weather).

She had on a red cotton shift with a jacquard pattern of solid red dots (about 1-inch in diameter with circles around the dots, it was sleeveless but had interesting pleating at the edge of the armband and sewn down pleats at the waist band. She had terrific hair-very short and feathery all in shaded stripes of silver and grey and had on silver kitten heel strappy sandals. The only problem was that she had a big floppy almost black bag on, which, I know what you're thinking-when is a black bag ever a problem, but I wish the bag had more structure and was smaller. I would have also preferred it to be red.

More leftovers...

I came across this piece in my file but realized I never posted it...

 

 

I love Manhattan no matter the weather, season, time or neighborhood-it is my blood.  But there is something about the early morning and dusk that I love best. Maybe it's the promise of what's to come-the day, the night that lies ahead. Maybe it's the temperature of each-early morning in its delicious chill or dusk in its sultry warmth. Maybe a combination of both. 

I'm waiting for a good friend to come downstairs from her apartment, by about noon today it will get too hot for me but it is better than it has been- in the low 80's with no humidity than with humidity so I'm content. My friend and I are going to the Hester St Fair today, I've been looking forward to it since it opened early this summer but it has really been way too hot to go to such a thing before now.  It's partially outside and partially indoors in an un-air condition warehouse, it's part flea market part farmers market.  Now, I'm about to make a controversial statement but I've never shied away from that before so here goes: I hate farmer's markets.  Perhaps it's not that controversial but it definitely is not the prevailing wisdom but I like being a little different than everyone else. It's also not entirely true, my hating of farmers markets. I just hate buying from them-I adore looking through them. Even I, with no sense of smell can actually smell the fruits and vegetables, I love talking to the vendors and I love the colors and bins piled with monochromatic abundance.  But when I buy, I am shocked at the price and am disappointed by the taste.  2 weeks ago I bought 2 tomatoes from a market that were $7.50-to me that's a lot of money. They were gorgeous, one was yellow and green stripes one orange and green, one called Hawaiian pineapple and the other black pineapple.  When I cut one open that evening they were just ok.  I can buy gorgeous but delicious fruits and vegetables at Whole Foods or Dean and Deluca or even my local supermarket if I go at 6am.

 The real reason I wanted  to go to Hester St is for flea market and the prepared foods. People taking the best ingredients and making fabulous dishes representing every country in the world.  And if time allows I might want to try to go to the Essex St market which is full of cheese and other dairy vendors. YUM!!!!

 So, Hester St. was somewhat disappointing-very small, no vintage anything and no room to grow in it current location.  The spice vendor had a gorgeous array from around the world including some very modern choices such as ginger sesame salt but there was also a bacon something so I couldn't buy a thing. There were craft vendors which I'm not that interested in. The ice cream vendor was a charmer and I had chocolate which was 72 percent and mixed with port topped with a grilled banana-all pretty fabulous. The Stumptown pour over iced coffee was equally wonderful but the Swedish shrimp salad was just ok.  Maybe I made the wrong choice, and I should give it a second chance but I like Brooklyn Flea better all the way around.  We had plenty of time to go the Essex St Market, which I hated. It was dingy and the meat was so exposed, with flies all around it that I didn't trust it. And the cuts did not appeal-well do be honest they were positively gross. Have you ever seen a cow's foot-would you really want to cook that and put it into your mouth? Give me Whole Foods or Dean and Deluca any day!!!!!

From Long Ago... Savage Beauty

I can’t really explain why I haven’t posted in so long…I’m sorry, I just don’t know…  I had this mostly typed and now I’m editing it and posting it.

 

The minute I read about the Costume Institute's (at the Metropolitan Museum of Art) newest installation, Savage Beauty, Alexander McQueen, I knew I would see it (I've seen every exhibit since the Institute opened by Diana Vreeland in 1971, except 2-1) the lone men's exhibit, which my ex gay husband made me miss by insisting it closed a different day than it actually did and the super hero exhibit as I thought that was the stupidest idea ever and in some ways disrespectful as what real woman would walk around in some of those get ups. I was a conscientious objector to that one) so of course I would see it. 

My glam BF and I made plans to see it on a Friday night in June, as the museum is open late. Qu'elle tragique. So did every other tourist and New Yorker present in the City. Hundreds of people on the steps, a slow line getting into the Met, a line to pay, and then-an HOUR wait outside the actual gallery inside the museum. We took one look at that line, then each other and left.  But we did walk through a lovely exhibit, Pastel Portraits. Several artists, including Gainsborough, Copley, and even Vigee Le  Brun... (Marie Antoinette's portraitist) among others offered their beautiful 18th century society portraits. I love portraiture because you get to see the clothes and I am singular in my devotion!  Oh and so it shouldn't be a total loss we went to the gift shop. I bought a gorgeous book of Erté sketches 1912-1935 and all in black/white (perfect for Xeroxing or scanning to use for invitations). And I bought beautiful earrings that are copies of something the Met has in its Art Deco Collection. (I wasn't looking for earrings for my black gown, I've already shown you the earrings I'm going to wear to my black tie event. But these are better, n'est ce pas?  I like that they have black in them!! I thought I had a picture but alas I do not, I’ll take one tonight and post it).  We rearranged our schedules to come back at 9:30 the next morning, praying that when it first opened the museum would be less crowded. 

Sadly, my glam best friend over-slept and missed our time together, I waited 1/2 an hour and went inside. The people watching outside was a lot of fun too, it being clear where all the fashionable dressed people were going! It was indeed less crowded, I went in quite dazzled.

 We made new plans for the following Friday which was the Friday before July4 so the office was closed. We thought, a weekday would be better. And it was. 9:30 again.  

It was one of the best exhibits I've seen, on par with Diana Vreeland’s 18th Century and the Saint Laurent exhibit. Every room had a different look and feel but each was very very Alexander Mcqueen.  There were distressed wooden platforms, metal walls, cubbies for each accessory and even videos of old shows playing on the ceiling!!! 

Clearly money was spent on this-how refreshing that is, since museums so seldom have any money to spend on exhibits. After the debacle that was Karl Lagerfeld and Chanel sponsoring that exhibit in 2006, I thought the company that owns the designer name should never sponsor its own history. But I have come to understand that it was just Karl who should not have sponsored Chanel's history. He was in a modern only mood-how can one present a history with only modern clothes??? Don't get me wrong, I loved seeing his work but he didn't show anything from Gabrielle herself!!??!?!  And what is the House of Chanel if not for Gabrielle????? 

I found out, months after the McQueen show, at an FIT lecture by Andrew Bolton, the curator, that not only did LVMH, McQueen, American Express, and Condé Nast sponsor this show but the museum had some of the same designers and producers that did the McQueen runway shows design the exhibit!!! They really were brilliant. The clothes were lent by friends but mostly by the McQueen archives and were so exactly representative of the too few years McQueen worked.

 

 

You get the idea, yes??? http://blog.metmuseum.org/alexandermcqueen/objects/

I have seen other magnificent fashion exhibits over the years I have sought them out... But this is the first one I know of that was a BLOCKBUSTER. Yes, fashion people know all about AM, but the pink t-shirt, khakis, sneaker wearing crowds from Iowa?????? Why would they flock to see it? 

I used to be able to travel around the world seeing fashion exhibits but they have become very popular in themselves. There are now too many and they are too far flung (Dior in Russia, a larger Balenciaga exhibit in SF, several in London and Paris) for me to see them all, which makes me so very sad. 

In the days of Diana Vreeland the Met's exhibit had its own floor!  Yes. Sigh…it was the basement, but there was plenty of room for the exquisite history presented to me and all the corners were used to their best advantage. She made money for the museum but it was a struggle, even for her. She did create the absolute fashion party of the year, the opening night party, which still goes on...As does my joy in seeing each exhibit.

Sale Time. It Conveniently Rolls Around Twice a Year

And my sickness rears its well dressed head...

I got to sneak into Barney's while dressed for work. Being on or near 57th St and Madison Ave in a suit and heels during the week always gives me much pleasure. And it's the beginning the important designer sales!! I picked out two pairs of shoes-one a Prada grey patent leather pointy pump and one a wacky glorious Miu Miu shoe that could not be described so I have helpfully supplies this photo for your viewing pleasure... Think severely cut narrow black sheath and these beauties!!

  

 

 

 

 

Getting Dressed for Dita (or DITA VON TEESE Part 2)

When I F-I-N-A-L-L-Y got home that Friday afternoon (it didn’t really take any longer, just felt like it did, I thought I could swim faster than the ferry but that would have ruined my newly blow-dried hair). I grabbed my silver sequined dress and slipped it over my head.  I was thinking head to toe silver. I tried on the first necklace but the rhinestones were the wrong shade for the sequins of the dress. The second necklace was the wrong shape for dress' neckline. I decided to go with just earrings so I put on these.

 
 

 Then I pulled out all my evening bags. We chose the ombre bugle beaded (silver to black).

 

I knew I would wear my silver YSL cage shoes so that was easy.

 

I twisted my hair into a loose chignon with lots of wispy ends hanging out. Then I tried one more accessory. My tiara. I sashayed into the bedroom where my husband was watching TV. He immediately said, "NO!" It was too much-all diamonds and pearls with the silver sequins. I argued but knew he was right. I just wanted to wear it.  I put it back in the armoire. Sigh...I was ready.

Then I was faced with walking out my suburban front door into brilliant sunshine at 5:00 pm. Honestly, I could not deal with plaid shirted neighbors mowing the lawn asking me where I was going-it would have taken some of the joy out of it for me. I put on a coat. (I was glad too, it got cooler out later on).

 

 

I drove to my GBF's apartment he was positively marvelous in said tuxedo jacket, skinny skinny jeans, a vest (no shirt) and ropes of pearls mixed with chains and rhinestone lapel clips (we are Chanel addicted flapper twins after all).

 

We met another of his friends there who was in drag and looked spectacular. He wore a green sequined V-necked long sleeve cummerbund waisted pencil dress with gold shoes and gloves plus a tres charmant pillbox feathered confection of a hat that he made himself!!  He brought two friends with him.  We arrived at 6:30, when it was supposed to start and there was not a soul there! Not even the talent!  We hung around chatting up the door people for a little while. The boys wanted cocktails. We told the door ladies and went to the corner cafe. It was a suburban looking desert southwest kind of place, not one that would normally appeal to my GBF and me but was only steps away from our event. Our little group, full of sequins and feathers and diamonds and pearls made quite the impression as we descended upon it. I got a secret kick out of that. We chatted and went back. Now there was a line. And new door people. They were counting and had lists. After more disorganized confusion we talked ourselves into the line that was actually going in!

 

It was a gorgeous party-in their most dramatic finery.  But Dita was the best accessory of all.

 

 

DITA VON TEESE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Part 1

This is weeks overdue and I apologize-editing and work got in the way...

I have been in love with Dita Von Teese since I first saw her at an Academy Awards ceremony when she was married to Marilyn Manson. At that moment I had no idea who she was but my husband knew she shopped at Barney's. I asked my ex-gay husband too and  Googled her to find out she was burlesque star. I was intrigued. And in love.  She is exquisite and elegant and wears couture, she's often seen in the "front row". 

My glam BF has known of my love for some time and has been secretly (we don't keep secrets from each other but I've forgiven him this one) following her on Twitter for me, he wanted to surprise me with a performance date and tickets.  She has been beginning to perform in the US in the past few months so NY dates are coming (and when we asked her, she PROMISED). She will be performing in LA next week and my husband and I thought about it for a second but it wasn't enough notice for him to take off since he has Memorial Day weekend off. 

My GBF called on Friday. When he spoke, his voice was very serious, saying he had something serious to discuss, I was immediately concerned and asked what was wrong. He asked me what I was wearing and I was confused. How could it matter if there was something serious going on?  He "heard" my confusion and told me he felt certain that I looked gorgeous, though still confused, I began to describe my grey wool wide leg Donna Karan pants, grey charmeuse ruffled sleeveless crew neck top, and H & M double breasted bracelet sleeve shrunken jacket, ending with "it's a suit, basically". He then said, "Who have you been waiting to see forever"? And I knew instantly. Again, he could "hear" that I had guessed Dita and said, "do you think you could see Dita in that"?  When I remembered to breathe I said, "No!"  I wanted to put on Saint-Laurent or Chanel or something. And a hat and gloves. But no, my friend was saying something about 6:30-did that mean evening clothes? But at 6:30?  I just kept asking him over and over, "What are you wearing?" He was thinking a tuxedo jacket over ultra skinny jeans.  I ran around my office asking the opinion of the 30 year old fashionistas I'm friendly with and they confirmed for me-dramatic cocktail was the way to go. We both left our respective offices around 3 ran home and changed. 

The Theatre Bar, on Franklin St is beautiful.  Pink plaster walls with black framed mirrors, pink, cream, and red striped velvet banquets along all the walls. For this party they brought in tiny tables, covered with pale pink animal print tablecloths that sparkled with glitter upon which sat tiny glass lamps with pink shades. Pink feather boas circled the lamps finishing the ensemble.

As soon as we walked in, there were huge cameras filming our walk. Frankly, I am praying I am not on TV. But knowing I was about to meet Dita made it all worthwhile. It was actually a reality TV show taping and I do not like reality TV at all but for the perfectly beautiful Dita I made an exception. LOL. 

We had the bees knees of an evening!  An attractive man took my arm and asked me to sit on the banquette telling me he would compliment me all night long (good plan, huh???!!!) a wilde and crazy lesbian told me she was in love with me and undressing me with her eyes (oh, and did I mind that she said that-of course I didn't, a compliment is always welcome!), we met sisters from Florida, and journalists from MTV and costumed flappers with perfect red lips covered in glitter... All quite wonderful. We had some terrific cocktails and some awful ones (though mostly I just hold mine for flapper effect). Our favorite was blueberry, plum, Cointreau and vodka-and looked beautiful too. (Dita is the spokeswoman for Cointreau). I want to try to figure out how to make that at home now!

 Eventually we tore ourselves away. But do not despair-it was only because we had another party to go to!  We drove to Brooklyn where we danced and took more pictures... Had deep conversations that we actually remembered...we met more new people and caroused as flappers do. 

Kimpton

My husband and I have enjoyed staying in Kimpton Hotels for years. They're high end boutique hotels but at moderate prices. And they have animal print carpeting in the rooms!!

For years however, they had not tried to enter the NY market. I was disappointed by their first NY property as it was all beige and the restaurant was just ok. Finally, last summer they opened 3 NY hotels that are true to form-full of turquoise bubbles or red spaceships but with the famous animal print carpet. I wanted to do an event in one of them desperately and last November I was asked to plan a dinner one evening then an all day meeting the following day-for 125 people. Exciting!!!! Well, Eventi let me down. They refused to sell me the ballroom unless I bought 60 sleeping room which, in my almost 10 year history planning for the company I do I have never needed that many rooms. I cajoled, argued and fought but they wouldn't budge. The hotel feels there's not enough profit in selling NY only meetings, with no sleeping rooms. "What if's" don't pay the rent. It's the company's choice of course, but I spent a lot of money on that meeting, which was fabulous but it was somewhere else. More important than the many thousands of dollars I spent was that they lost my good will. I haven't tried to give them another chance, nor would I recommend any of their hotels to any of the many people who ask me about event space (I work for a company that has about 15 sister companies around the world and somehow everyone from all the companies seems to find me when they need to plan a meeting or event-which makes it a lot of fun for me!). Kimpton in NY lost my goodwill.

Yesterday 3 charming ladies from Kimpton came to my office to talk about this &  that relating to our hotel needs and thoughts. We had a productive and fun meeting. 2 colleagues whose opinion I trust did an event at the hotel a few months ago and had such a wonderful experience that I was willing to give Kimpton another chance but after the meeting, I knew for a fact I would. I still don't agree that they should hold out for a meeting with rooms that they may or may not be asked to plan. Again, "what if's" don't pay the rent. Or, if I plan a meeting for a number of people they tell me no-what if they get a larger meeting-when would they ever sell the meeting room? Nor am I a fan of the restaurants that fall under the China Grill umbrella which theirs does.

We had also been invited to a cocktail party at Eventi to celebrate the hotel's birthday and to show it off. My glam BF and I arrived to a glorious terrace on a beautiful evening and knew almost immediately we would have a grand evening! We were then invited to the second party in FoodParc and we had an absolute BLAST!! (it's a stylish food court that I have wanted to go to since I 've been reading buzzy things about it.  And now I have!) The food and service were fabulous with many of the other guests gorgeously glad in high fashion sorts of things. We met some ultra fab people too!

3 hours of sleep after a black tie burlesque show and 4 hours of sleep after an AMAZING party! I have a flapper's life that is the bees knees and I'll definitely do a do at the Eventi sometime soon!!

Burlesque

The first sultry (and rain free) evening of the season and I had the incredible joy of walking through it in an evening gown and tiara. :)

My glam best friend knew of my need to wear my gown and last Thursday night came the call!! Be ready on Tuesday night-it's a black tie burlesque show at a gorgeous space, called Griffin, in the meatpacking district.

I slipped the heavy silk of my Ralph Lauren gown over my head, buckled my silver shoes, grabbed my vintage bag and off I went to indulge my flapper fantasies yet again.

My glam BF lived up his moniker in the tightest black pants he owns, a satin corset and an amazing long vest.

And, walking through the late streets of Manhattan in an evening gown and a tiara is an incredibly wonderful experience! People looked at us, clearly assuming we were coming or going from something fabulous! And we were!

The show was an extravaganza of drag, of burlesque and of siren songs. We met lovely people from an interesting mix and my heart and soul is bursting with the joy of the evening and having such a friend.