restaurant week 2010

Last night, some EEG friends and I spent three hours at Bluewater Grill dining on a scrumptious three-course meal as enthusiastic participants of New York Restaurant Week. It was fabulous (and possibly the longest dinner I've ever had in my life!). I managed to snap some pictures of the food before I pounced, so here's a look at what I ordered:

Appetizer
Baked Littleneck Clams “Casino”
House Cured Bacon, Cherry Pepper Aioli



Entree
Slow Roasted Gooseberry Cove Cod
Braised Short Rib Risotto, Baby Spinach, Pomegranate Reduction

Dessert
Citrus Cheesecake
Tangerine Sorbet, Pistachio Financier

Everything was absolutely ambrosial. Honestly, I couldn't tell you which part of the dinner I loved most. Not to mention my excellent company and Bluewater Grill's soothing environment. (We sat in the Jazz Dining room downstairs and listened to live jazz! I was thrilled, to put it mildly.) That's the thing about Restaurant Week that never surprises me -- it is always the most sensory, pleasurable experience. Bluewater Grill, thanks for having me.

blazer bonanza

For this business student, now is the hectic season of job interviews. I had three in the past week and a half. (And more to come!) But guess who left her nice "interview blazer" back home in Philly? Yes, this (scatterbrained, sheepish) business student. I've been making do with crisp collared shirts and the usual slacks and pencil skirts -- but a working girl just feels naked without a blazer!

I think I'm going to make a trip to Bloomingdale's pronto (lots of sales right now), but while we're on the subject of blazers, I just need to say: I am in love with these sassy jackets and coats from Smythe.

(click to view online)

Plaid blazer, equestrian coat, you both need to make friends with my closet right now. And introduce your sisters. K, thanks.

PS: Guys love it when we suit up.
PPS: Maybe because pencil skirts can be quite sexy.
PPPS: And pink.

for my friend

This necklace is so rad. I'm a sucker for friendship-celebration trinkets -- they're so sweet and refreshingly youthful. (Remember braiding hemp friendship bracelets in camp? Anyone?) Our friends have hearts of gold and wickedly funny personalities, so wouldn't this just be perfect? (Though wouldn't you tempted to keep both pieces!)

(via bleubird; purchase the necklace here)

I pledge allegiance to the burger

Yes, I may have massively gorged on sushi and pad thai since I've been back from Prague, but I will never, ever neglect my friendship with the best of American food -- the burger. I'm an American girl after all! It's usually my personality to stick to one burger joint and go all the time. If I love it, why bother with anything else? Hey, I'm a Taurus -- I don't like change.

For a long time, that special place was Shake Shack in Madison Square Park, with its perfect, juicy burgers, crispy fries, and sinfully sweet custards. Shake Shack is very popular in NYC, but since I lived only three blocks away last year, I quickly learned when to avoid the hour-long line waiting (lunchtime) and when to pounce (late night).

But then last week, I bumped into a new nook in the wall restaurant called Mark on St. Mark's Place. Everything on the menu is three dollars or less -- the little beef sliders, generously portioned fries, tall milkshakes, etc. My friends and I sampled almost everything, and they were all absolutely delicious. Too good to be true? I vowed to definitely visit again -- and soon.

I guess that's the thing about change. If we don't move forward and try new things, we won't ever know what we're missing! The hunt for the perfect burger never ends, not for me. My new motto is in with the old and the new!

(photos via Shake Shack)

let the beat build

This amazing music video by Nyle, a recent NYU grad, sums up my school pretty well. It's such a mix of spectacular talents. Performers, writers, entrepreneurs -- everyone is something fascinating. Or, like me, in the process of becoming someone fascinating! (Hopefully!)

When I was younger, I wasn't a huge fan of this process. I wanted to find my niche right away and know exactly what I'd contribute to the world. I demanded that life be unequivocally simple -- go to school, get a job, have a family, be happy. But pretty soon, I was telling myself to "relax, silly!" Because when were discovering and developing our goals ever simple? They always seem to line up, one after another, in the open door of our minds. Always with an extra plus-one called Learning, even though it never RSVPs.

But I suppose that's what "letting the beat build" is all about. (Right Nyle?) Embracing the fact that as we grow older, we expect more out of life because our passions either multiply or intensify. Last semester in Europe, just as I thought I was a real "adult," I learned even more things and took more risks to fulfill my interests than I'd ever dared to take before. (Backpacking? Couchsurfing? Um, how'd that happen?) Maybe I was dancing to the beat of life's drums all along.

we, the women

The career women in their feminine, tailored suits, the not-at-all struggling artists, the best-friends-for-10-years-that-they're-practically-sisters, the fashionable mothers strolling their impeccably dressed babies, the bright-eyed college students... aren't all women just so inspiring? I'm thankful to live in a city with such unique, strong, complex individuals. Women of all shapes and minds.

Every day, in Greenwich Village or Union Square, I see women who just have that undeniably special flair for life that I admire. It's infectious. Like their smiles and walks and very existence somehow magically motivate me to seize every day and make it mine. And they don't even know that they're imparting spirit and wisdom just by living their lives and being themselves! Just by being real women, "flaws" and all. That's the best part, 'cause I'm a woman too!

(photo by the Sartorialist)

on reunions and friendship

New York City, it’s been too long. So long, that for a minute, I almost felt like we were strangers. How could that be? Yesterday, I settled into my apartment in Union Square, put my things in their correct places, made myself a cup of tea, and caught up with my dear friend Danny over Thai dinner at Spice. And then I had a revelation.

Spice

Seeing Danny was so exhilarating – we dished on everything that happened during our time apart (and my time abroad), laughed, shared appetizers and entrees, and laughed some more. It’s amazing to think that we are just as close as we were three years ago, when we became fast friends on the very first day of freshman year. We may not have seen each other in over eight months, but things just never seem to change between us. As always, I insisted that he lost weight and his shirt was too big, and likewise, Danny took my sassy remarks in stride. “No, Helen, I’ve always been like this,” he said.

Danny and I on my birthday

After dinner, I walked back up Broadway to my empty apartment, feeling too full and a little stunned at exactly how much I had missed my friend. My roommate Anuja hadn’t moved back yet, and I was exhausted, so I decided to stay in and drink some more tea (decaf this time) before bed. In my PJ’s, I peered out the window at 14^th Street below, but it was dark and chaotic down there, so I stopped looking.

I don’t know why, but a terrible moment of panic seized me, and for some time, I felt truly alone -- like the tiniest little dot on the globe, all by myself in sprawling, busy Manhattan. Like I didn’t even have a place in this amazing city anymore, save for the few friends I loved here and wished were currently with me, wrapped around like a worn security blanket. I feared that my old memories of New York were irrelevant, and I’d have to relearn everything, establish new grounds. I was wiser and more worldly; I had thousands of new experiences – the highest of highs and lowest lows; I had changed. Didn’t that make a difference?

Then, a voice in my head told me “NO!” … and that I was a fool.

If Danny and I could continue to grow individually for three years and still be the dearest of friends, all the while moving in and out of different apartments all over downtown Manhattan and never taking a single class together – who’s to say that friendships don’t last? People are always changing, always living the lives we were meant to live, always being challenged. Friendships are challenged.

I’ve heard it said that real friends grow together, but this voice in my head is telling me that that true friends embrace each other even if they don’t. The I-will-really-always-love-you type friends. I got that reassurance from Danny last night, and I think that in time, New York will let me in on the hint too.

brilliant typography

F for Friday!

Last night, I stumbled upon Daily Drop Cap, an incredibly creative series of stylized letters, from A to Z, by typographer and illustrator Jessica Hische. So happy I found it. I felt like a little kid who just peeked into a kaleidoscope for the first time -- so many colors and shapes! Go check out the project, and prepare to be duly impressed!

(via English Muffin)

the thrifting game

Some people gamble, others skydive or bungee jump, but I get my thrills from thrift shopping. Passionately and often. Because thrifting is undeniably thrilling.

It's a sport, a hunt, in which you must find the best bargain before your equally stylish, sharp-eyed competitor. And it's a game that requires superb judgment, immense physical stamina, and true understanding of oneself. Like any skill, constant practice makes perfect. Soon enough, you may just find yourself in the big leagues, fighting over 1 euro scarves and tunics in the Paris vintage markets like the thrift princess you are. (PS: All the cool girls, AKA moi, go here.)

Like in every other game, thrifting has its rules: buy it if you love it and drop it if it stinks. Which means, keep what you absolutely cannot live without, and move away from the ratty, pit-stained, moth-ridden rag! (Even if it's Gucci! Just don't do it!)

As your skills accumulate (o.2 seconds to discern crap from pure gold) and prizes amass (YSL wool skirt? Betsy Johnson silk vest? Check. Check.), sit back and bask in the glow of your very eccentric closet. And then go ahead and blog about it. (I would love to hear!) Tell all your friends. Because the best part about the thrifting game is showing off your loot!

*Some new thrifted goodies in my closet, from me to you. That's my third pair of cowboy boots -- I'm addicted!

flurt forever (and ever)

Dear Flurt (on 3rd Avenue and 22nd St, NYC):

I didn't think I could survive the 4 months in Prague without you just down the block, at my beck and call. And boy, did I beck and call. Every week, you served as the charming locale for study sessions, dates, post-work out indulgences, post-shopping celebrations, and the list continues. You were always there for me when I needed you.

Pretty soon, we became more than just-friends. I was demanding in the beginning, but that's only because I had been jaded and tricked for so long by a no-good company called Pinkberry, who had me consuming artificial additives. My rebound, Red Mango, treated me better (with real, all-natural yogurt), but the next morning, I still felt unsatisfied and empty.

When we met, I was clearly damaged goods, suspicious and unbelieving of the real deal. I was wary of your premium frozen yogurt, fresh fruit, and reliable service. I had been lied to and dragged along before, so I didn't trust my feelings. But you proved me wrong. And you left me speechless.

You were exactly what I was looking for, tangy and sweet, all-natural and fresh. And when I finally accepted it, I quickly became addicted to you like bargain shoppers to eBay, like athletes to steroids, and teenage girls to the Twilight series. Make that the general population to the Twilight Series. (Like Edward to Bella and Bella to Edward combined. Yes, it's true.)

Our long-distance relationship was difficult, but I was faithful. I didn't have a single bite of fro-yo in Europe, I promise. It just didn't feel right. Sometimes my friends say it's not healthy, my complete unwavering obsession with you. But what do they know, bouncing from one fro-yo place to another? (They have no shame.) You haven't disappointed me yet, you're so good to me. I'm so lucky to have met you. Flurt... I think I love you.

(photos via yelp)

modern love

In my spare time, I like to read the "Modern Love" columns under the NY Times' Style section. Love for one's children, parents, spouse, pets, exotic cities, finances, marriage, independence, education, lover, you name it, this column's got it. And the stories are so rich, so funny and heartfelt. Best of all, they are, every one of them, well written and real -- not some fantastical, happily-ever-after fiction. No, I like real life better.

So go ahead, if you haven't already, and read my favorites, one, two, and three. They are modern in every sense of the word. Modern and wise and lovely.

(photo via the NY Times)

feeling chatty

It's almost 2AM and my mind feels like a static ball, lingering on everything but rest. And sleep. Ack! (Come on brain, envision a dark night sky... or pretend you're in a coma, darn it!) I guess it's understandable as I have been in bed all day with stomach sickness, which I blame on last night's hot pot dinner. (Remind me, dear readers, to stop getting impatient and eating food before they're fully cooked*.)

I slept all day clutching my stomach and then woke up as the sun was setting for a cup of tea. Probably not the best idea to drink caffeine so late, but I bought a new kettle and it was lonely.

Now is the time that I am also in complete, life-consuming nesting mode for my upcoming move-back-to-NYC-after-8-months day. (Yes, it's been that long, I feel like I'm in city-withdrawal labor.) I hit up my dry cleaning lady and scoured TJ Maxx for delightful but unnecessary apartment trinkets (picture frames, a flowery blue mug, a cool glass mosaic vase, another pillow, etc. etc.).

I even wrapped up all of my hometown affairs: Catch-up with high school friends? Check. Watch lots of TV and gossip about said high school friends still in hometown affairs? Check.

Buy jeggings? Check... They were a bargain and actually looked good! Give a girl a break. (The trick is more jean, less legging. Think skinny jeans with even more stretch. Very slimming indeedy. Mine even have back pockets**.)

Go to the gym? Check. Sort of. I blame other people's fitness resolutions for making the gym unbearably packed with under 20's and over 40's. (The people my age don't need to go to the gym, go figure.) Zero aesthetic motivation!

So, basically, I am all ready to move back to school, start a new semester, land a new job, and dream about spring break (which I am dedicating a full post to later, since I am going somewhere exotic!). I will be living in Union Square (perilously close to the Forever 21) and it will be bustlin'. My apartment's no luxury suite in Gramercy from good old sophomore year, but it will be mine. Ohhh, all mine*** in my favorite city. Ultimate Check, indeed.

* Sushi is the only exception
** For maximum butt-minimizing effect
*** Plus my best friend/roommate Anuja's

sense & sensibility

I like these. I had the link bookmarked for a week. The rubber heel is so sensible for rough winter weather (no slipping--hopefully!), but the oxford style + suede give these booties a nonchalant, you-looking-at-me? kind of sexiness. Meow.

PS: I cannot wait to move back to NYC next Saturday and shop! (I mean the experience, not the actual buying - too broke!)

happy lists

This photo + book caught my eye while I was browsing a sweet little blog, Ducks Like Tea. So I looked up 14,000 Things To Be Happy About on Amazon, and found an excerpt, the beginnings of a long, stream of conscious style list.

And what a creative list it is! I'm astounded by the countless details and images. (Muses for poets + writers, no doubt!) I like the simplicity in each description, the tiny piece of joy every item brings with it. Maybe happy lists are the key to true contentment? I tend to focus a lot on the big picture + the future, so I'm glad I'm being reminded of the sweet things in the present. That's one thing I learned in hindsight about my time abroad: the best memories are not the grand ones, but rather the simple pleasures, like:

... hot apple strudel and spiced cappuccino in Berlin
... funny money and evening dessert in Budapest
... sunny weather, heavenly tapas, and sugary churros in Barcelona
... stumbling upon a green exhibit in Milan
... a colorful Thai restaurant's wall and dinner crepes in Paris
... mouthwatering salad and the Mediterrian Sea shore in Marseille

I have to admit, I had a hard day today. But that's what happy lists are for, recalling happy memories to cheer us up. Am I right? (Clearly, my memories involve lots of food. Ha.)

what a treasure

Two Yale students and an amazing Lady Gaga mashup. Okay, this video might be old news, or so says my friend Matt. But I can't stop listening to it! And I have a teeny crush on singer boy Sam. (He may look pre-pubescent, but he's in college like me! I'm not a pedophile... na uh.)

(via Mashable)

polaroids!

Eeps! I just found out about Poladroid, a free desktop application that turns normal photos into polaroids! Why haven't I heard of it before? Am I late on the bandwagon? Early? (The app is still in Beta.) Either way, it just made my day. It's genius. I have been poladroid-ing away on old travel pictures for the past hour. I love how authentically "polaroid" they look. Here are a few:

The Colosseum in Rome | Looking down from Gaudi's "Casa Mia" in Barcelona | Port Vell, Barcelona | Prague from a tram window | Friend & I posing in front of Prague Castle | Flowers at Vysehrad Cemetery in Prague | Drinking Irish coffee in Budapest!

(you've lost) that loving feeling

Quiet day. It's my Dad's 50th birthday, so we had a nice dinner at home to celebrate (in addition to sushi lunch last weekend at Minado, which was delicious). Cracked open some red wine for the adults + Martinelli's sparkling cider for the tween sister. Munched on yummy seafood -- fish, shrimp, etc. Sister and I presented Dad with a homemade gift. Then we went to the gym. (Have to prepare for resolution #1!)

I also thought about movies all day, specifically, what makes a good movie? (Question prompted after I saw Nine in theatres and was miserably disappointed. All that talent wasted on a flat plot. And don't get me started on The Lovely Bones -- which by the way was filmed in our neighborhood, across the street in the 'burbs of Philadelphia. Could an adaptation of a book be more poorly executed? Book's author went to my old high school. Maybe I'm biased? And, why, why is Avatar making so much money? Highest grossing opening weekend ever + 5th highest grossing movie in box office history, so far. I don't get it and will not be watching blue aliens on IMAX, I'm sorry.) I guess I'll understand more of the kinks in the movie business next semester. Did I mention I'm taking a class with the Tribeca Film Festival? Beyond excited.

Then, just earlier, I watched some Top Gun on TV. Tom Cruise + other pilot trainees sang "You've Lost That Loving Feeling" by the Righteous Brothers. I ate a grapefruit. Young Tom Cruise and friends in a sexy volleyball scene. Sweaty and shirtless. I ate some leftovers + another grapefruit. Leave it to Top Gun to help me get my "loving feeling" back for all movies, even the stinky ones. But I need to get into tip-top toned shape (tell you why later), so no more snacking in front of the TV!

Don't judge me, Iceman.

POV: two of my favorite CEOs/entrepreneurs

I love having the privilege of reading about the amazing people behind my favorite companies and products. I'm a huge fan of vintage e-store ModCloth and can't get enough of Tarte beauty products (remember this?), so I was thrilled to find their respective CEOs + their New Years resolutions featured in this Inc Magazine article. Check 'em out:

Susan Gregg Koger, who founded ModCloth the summer before her freshman year at Carnegie Mellon, aims to find a mentor (Me too, Susan!). She also strives to make time for daily journal entries, travel to Asia, and improve her photography skills.

Maureen Kelly, who started Tarte in a teeny, one-bedroom apartment in New York in 1999 (Happy 10 year anniversary!), will launch a limited edition line of products developed in conjunction with celebrity makeup artist Tina Turnbow. Her other resolutions include making time for her two boys and hitting the gym "even if it’s getting up an hour earlier".

Bravo to young entrepreneurs! May we continue to be inspired by them, professionally and personally.

(Photos via Inc Magazine)

inside the journal*

springboard in november

though winter bares
its naked kiss I know
flowers will soon show
their shy jewels

in whiskey weather I’d still
welcome the sky shine
and luminous spring

we’re springboard

and the days stretch
like dogs waking up

lazy and slow

*First 2010 poem in my Celtic Green journal from B&N
(photo via flickr)

ain't no mountains high enough

Resolutions for 2010! Why do I have a feeling that this year is going to be our year? (A new decade sounds so fresh!) Personally, 2009 has taught me to grow thicker skin and inner strength. I've toughened up, so I need to have tougher expectations of myself. Am I alone with this? Let's not get complacent here, chickadees.

Christian and Heidi say, "Be fierce!"

Last year, I made wimpy resolutions (and thus kept them all, quite easily). But never again! Sometimes, the more intimidating the goals, the more inspiring and empowering they can be. Maybe I'm especially emboldened because this year I've crossed off five of my 12 life aspirations recorded from last January. (#'s 4, 5, 6, 8, and 11 if you're curious.) That means five more new aspirations to replace them! Here we go:

1. Run a half-marathon (or other athletic equivalent)
2. Become an expert sewer and tailor my own clothes
3. Make a short film
4. Find passion + volunteer for a great social cause
5. Become a mentor (and mentee)

And some daily resolutions:
*Stop forgetting to take vitamins!
*Weekly yoga (no more excuses)
*Read/write more poetry
*Put more thought into this blog!

Wish me luck! I'm rooting for all of your resolutions too. xo

happy 2010! (& my 2009 in review)

I'm still exhausted from the New Year's Eve dinner + party I threw last night (so fun!)... but even more so, I'm feeling nostalgic. This morning, I went through some old posts of this little blog from the past year (also my first full year of blogging). I realized 2009 was filled with adventure and growth. Here are some favorite memories from each month:

In January, I visited art museums, began a Mexican Monday tradition, thought about fashion in the economic crisis, and landed a spring internship at Women's Wear Daily.

February saw poetry experimentation and rejuvenation, delicate underthings, the Oscars, and a party at the DvF showroom!

March brought surprise snowstorms, a fierce resolution, a peek at my style file, a summer internship offer at Johnson & Johnson, and lots of red lipstick!

In April, I embraced life's problems and my personal "uniform", celebrated my birthday and the debut of my chapbook, and fell in love with entrepreneurship and love letters.

May made me wonder: Are men like shoes? Can we all be performers? Has the world changed identities completely? Is getting hit on at the gym very common?

June, I celebrated my best friend's birthday, worked out, reminisced of yard sales and creative designs...

July got me thinking about dress recycling, baking, my neighbors, and vacations.

In August, I bought a new camera, took some pictures of my family, got tagged!, and started my Fall semester in Prague!

In September, I lived, danced, dined, and dreamed in Prague. Fell in love with the little city.

October, I visited Berlin and Budapest, and had little art adventures.

November was all about travel. I went to 1o more cities in 4 countries! My favorites were Spain and Italy. (Also, Mexican Mondays continued in Prague!)

In December, I saw Swan Lake and finally wrote another poem. You helped me decide on a headshot (thanks again!), and best of all, I came home for Christmas.

2009 was pretty incredible... But I have a feeling that 2010 will be even better! Hope you have a wonderful, thrilling, refreshing start to your New Year. Kisses and hugs to you!