Brinkley's in Mom Jeans

We stopped by Brinkley's on Saturday night for a night cap.  The Martignetti brothers redid Bar Martignetti (above Southside) and rebranded the space Brinkley's Pub.  Q is still at the door and the clientele are still wearing herringbone and popped collared shirts.  Same old song and dance (but,admittedly a fun song and dance).  We dragged our friend out with us after she had locked herself out of her apartment wearing running sneakers and leggings.  One quick stop for some 20 dollar jeans and we were on our way.  This may have been the first mom jean/tennis sneaker appearance at Brinkley's gauging the reactions we received.  The cutting edge combination of a mom jean and Asics sneaks on the Brinkley's dance floor was bold and caught a few unsure glances (has someone lost their way?) and one doubled-over laughing attack that resulted in tears.  Apparently ladies, the days of a high-waisted jean and a tennis sneaker are no longer, which prompts the next question, are 6-inch Louboutins forever?  I sure hope not, because US Weekly showcasing celebs parading around in Louboutins and smiling (grocery shopping, pushing baby carriages) is like the emergency pamphlet in front of your seat in airplanes.  Everyone is wearing a content placid expression as they undergo a crash landing when really they should be in intense pain.  Apparently downtown New York after hours is not ready for mom jeans and tennies - I cant say I'm shocked about this revelation.  However, I would like to think we took one baby step in the right direction toward comfort and not being crippled old ladies with closets full of sky high shoes.

 

Notre Dame vs. Army

 

Notre Dame/Army game at Yankees stadium.  Check out the guys in the Army that jumped out of a plane and landed in the stadium to kick off the game.  Each officer landed on the X after plummeting thousands of feet.  How do they do that?!?  

Ofrenda

 

Ofrenda recently dethroned Mexicana Mama as my favorite Mexican restaurant, because lets be honest, Mexicana Mama is delicious, but no reservations and 10 tables is a recipe for disappointment.  Friends and I stumbled upon Ofrenda on a Saturday night after a rave new restaurant review, which apparently was dated, because Ofrenda has been open for a little under one year.  Ofrenda is unique and sets itself apart from the other ho-hum Mexican restaurants in Chelsea because it is light and tasty and dares to attempt Mexican fusion.  The chef is from Mexico but used to work at Bouley, and he surprises with unexpected menu options and a no-frills atmosphere.  After decadent cocktails like the Jalapeno Margarita and a lime and mint champagne-infused rum drink called the Old Cuban, the gals and I settled down for lots of plate sharing.  The enchiladas with corn truffle, cauliflower, black beans, and vegetable rice were the obvious winner of the night.  For sides, the asparagus and mashed potato dishes brought in the fusion and took simple staples and spiced them up with toppings like warm cotija cheese.  After a meal for kings we almost broke out in applause when the check came back as only $38 a person.  To top it all off, the proprietor gave us shots on the house for dessert (clearly he knew his audience).  20 infinity stars to Ofrenda!

Donkey of the Week

is Kanye West.  After a recent interview with Matt Lauer on The Today Show, Kanye West tweeted nonsensical comments over how the interview was handled and how he believed he had been mistreated:

"I feel very alone very used very tortured very forced very misunderstood very hollow very very misused...Everything sounds like noise!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EVERYTHING SOUNDS LIKE NOISE!!!!!!! I don't trust anyone!"

For those that missed the interview, this is how it went - Matt Lauer asked Kanye West a few questions, and Kanye West answered them.  Dear Kanye, this is the definition of an interview, you were not 'set up' by NBC.  Is anyone else alarmed by the above word salad also known as Kanye West's tweets?  His publicist should remove his twitter account STAT.  Clearly Kanye is suffering from a severe bout of clanging (second psychiatric term dropped in two sentences, sense a trend?) No one is out to get you Kanye, but I am concerned that you are on a one-way train to crazy town with Randy Quaid.  Next stop - squatting and seeking exile in Canada.

SL

Saturday night we decided to play it fast and loose and swing by SL for a ladies night.  Initially the doorman was skeptical and tried to ask us some hard-hitting questions like 'who are you here to see', to which we replied 'ourselves'.  Apparently this did the trick.  Note to self, getting into pretentious clubs in New York City is purely a self-selection process, if you think you deserve to be inside you will be.  Neither here nor there, we waltzed on in to find that there were approximately 7 other people inside.  Okayyy, time for cocktails.  After 20 dollar drinks and a prime time seat at a corner table we decided to make ourselves at home.   The music was great and I could have stayed all night, but the highschoolers who filed in and sat down next to us were a bit of a buzz kill.  Shortly after their arrival, they all lit up cigarettes and started sending smoke rings our way.  Oh, and also, a few tips for high school city dwellers looking to blend in at a NY club with mom and dad's credit card - don't wear your Varsity letter jacket. Yes, this actually happened and no it didn't come off all night even though it was 80 degrees inside.  Someone was proud to make Varsity!  I decided not to play mommy dearest and go over and tell the underage crew a thing or two about the adverse effects of smoking and excessive partying.  I tried this last year at Lily Pond at a 16 year old's birthday (parent sponsored, of course) and attempted to reason with a blacked-out sophomore in high school telling her she had years to grow up and take shots and pass out under the table - too soon, too soon!  Isn't that what college is for?  Anyway, she gave me the finger.  I bit my lip this time but consider this viable evidence that raising children in Manhattan is like sending your kids to dance with the devil.  To the owners of SL, Lily Pond, and Tenjune - catering to severely underage clientele already got you in the New York Post once this summer, what's next, trading silly bands on banquettes?

Go Rangers!

Rangers game with my little nugget cousins! The three-dimensional foam hand had a mind of its own. Whomever decided a large veiny foam hand was a necessity for small children at sporting events must have been listening to their focus groups. The hand was everywhere- clapping, slapping, pointing, cheering (knocking people over). My aunt missed one of the Ranger goals courtesy of the foam hand flying wildly in front of her. We ate chicken fingers and sliders in box seats and although we did not win, we did get to meet the team afterward. Go Rangers!

Mangia

In my very own version of 'Eat,Pray,Love' I took a tour of Italian restaurants in Manhattan this past week and have a few notable mentions.  My version of this story is really all about the Eat and less about the pray/love, and of course, sub in taxis for the gondolas on this journey:  

 

Da Umberto:  This is one of my all time favorite Italian restaurants in New York City.  Its old world authentic with a great mix of pastas, meats, and fish and an extensive (albeit expensive) wine list.  The ambiance is upscale elegant but its not trendy - its classic.  This is why you will only find true New Yorkers here - there is no hype and no scene.  The front of the restaurant could easily be missed, its an understated red door on 17th Street, but the simplistic entrance is a misnomer for the magnificent food inside.  The rigatoni with sweet sausage, peas, tomato, and ricotta is to die for and for the carb-cutters out there the veal scaloppini with artichokes fresh tomato, and basil is the best.  Unlike an Italian meal in the Meatpacking, no sneakers and t-shirts here and its a tad pricey - so save this spot for special occasions.
Best For:  Date night

Savore: This restaurant has been around since 1995 but until we needed a table for 15 on a Saturday night (the week of) I had never heard of it.  In fact, Savore is right on Spring Street and not off the beaten path so I was surprised at how many times I had walked by and not peaked in to take a look at the menu.  Quattro, the new happening restaurant in the Trump Soho Hotel, is just a stones throw away but worlds different than this unassuming neighborhood spot.  Savore has a family atmosphere, wine bottles stacked high to the ceilings,  and a large menu of Tuscan fare.  We all went in wary (who can seat a party that large three days in advance in Manhattan!), but we left more than pleasantly surprised.  All 15 of us loved our meal, the service, and the affordable prices.  It became clear that this restaurant has outlasted so many others over the years because of its homemade pastas.  The fettuccine and gnocchi tasted like they had been hand crafted just minutes before - and apparently they had!  Its always a must to have a low-key restaurant that does not break the bank in your back pocket - because you can't eat at Quattro every night and you wouldn't want to.

Best For: Last minute dinner plans or Sunday nights

SD26: I'm always a sucker for a father daughter team, which is why I loved the story of Marisa and Tony May opening SD26 together (they previously ran San Domenico on Central Park).  Its clear this pair wanted a modern space, menu, and interpretation for Italian dining.  I think they achieved it with the decor - think Morgan Hotel Group and apply it to a loft-like restaurant in bold reds and whites.  The look may not be for everyone, but it caught my attention and definitely provides an interesting backdrop to a night out on the town.  The space may be a little large for its own good, but the funky wine list on an iPad and options of small and large plates made up for the vast whiteness of the dining room.  I ate the classic pasta dish, the Chitarra SD26 with tomato and basil and it was perfect.  Goes to show that ladies that lunch are not the only Upper East Siders that can undergo a face lift.
Best For: Dinner before a big night out

The Holidays are Here!

 

A 74 foot Christmas tree was rolled into Rockefeller Center today, which means the holidays are HERE!@%#@!!

As you can tell this just tickles me red and green and I cannot wait to roast chestnuts on the open fire, deck the halls, and see little sugar plums dancing in my head.

I feel just like Jessica doing her daily affirmations.  I like Christmas!  I like Thanksgiving!  I like Hanukkah!  I also like my haircuts!  Check it out:

Jessica's Daily Affirmations

I think if I start doing my affirmations like little Jessica (and Charlotte from SATC) then I would be 50% less of a sourpuss on Monday mornings and 10% less of an angry aggressive New York pedestrian that always thinks I have the right of way.  No more, because, I like my LIFE (loud clap).  Happy Holidayssssss!

My Grandfather the Maestro

Last night I called my grandpa and he had just wrapped up a banjo lesson. He is 89 years old. He can’t wait to play a diddy or two for me when I’m home for the holidays. My great aunt Glo said he has been having a grand old time and has been strumming on his banjo with his instructor for days. My grandpa is a bit of an eccentric so his hopes and dreams of becoming a banjo-playing maestro shouldn’t really come as a surprise to me. Last time I was home his passion was model ships and a number of mysterious packages of old battleships were being delivered on the front stoop. No one acknowledged the new nautical decor but there was a constant fear of the three foot Titanic replica cropping up as a center piece in the living room on any given day.

These are not the follies of a man late in his life - nothing of the sort. If you were to ask my grandpa what age group he was in, he would say middle-aged (I casually confirmed this just a few years back). This sentiment is evidenced by the fact that he recently traded in his beige Lexus for an Escalade, no matter that he hasn’t been behind the wheel in years. So now my grandpa and Fifty Cent are both riding in style, although I reckon Fifty Cent’s Escalade is not carrying nostalgic battle ships and a small banjo as cargo.

And the Tony Goes to...

This past weekend I saw Memphis (the Broadway play, not the city) and loved every second of it.  I am a sucker for pure entertainment and this is a great show for dancing, music, and a slice of Southern life in the 1950s.  I only tear-ed up ONCE (there us an undercurrent of race relation struggles pre-Civil Rights movement that could pull anyone’s heart strings).  Otherwise it’s all laughs, crazy quick-steps, and rhythm and blues. 

Memphis won best musical at the Tony Awards this year, so if you dont trust me trust the critics!

Operation Boycott Halloween

Call me the Grinch who stole hallows eve, but this year I decided to keep my sexy ladybug costume in the bottom of my closet, and not dress up or pay any homage to this good for nothing holiday.  Going rogue on Halloween may seem like no fun, but please see case study one, called Last Year on Halloween, as to why this idea makes perfect sense:

Last Year on Halloween: I dressed up as a flapper, and similar to most female Halloween costumes, this means I was out on the town in a scrap of fabric and a string of pearls.  It was 35 degrees.  As for a destination point, all bars either had a cover charge of over 100 dollars or a line down the block and around the corner packed with out-of-towners looking for a last minute costume party.  After getting jostled around in my flapper costume and never actually being served at the bar (too many angle wings edging me out), I had to walk home from the west side highway in said scrappy dress and stilettos in aforementioned 35 degree weather.  Not to mention this walk was twice as long due to road blockage from the Halloween parade that paraded right down my street in all its glory.

I think this is ample evidence as to why Halloween should be circumvented at all costs.  Now I will tell you how my Halloween boycott ended in great fortune and a magical weekend for all you naysayers out there:

1.  Friday: Since the crowds were going to be out Saturday and Sunday, my friends and I hit the town Friday night.  Streets were clear and we all had on warm outfits to combat the cold weather.  We hopped to a few bars and then, feeling bold, sauntered up to Avenue with a group of 8 guys and girls.  No tables, no thank you.  They let us right on in and we danced it up until one of the boys fell asleep standing up on the dance floor.  This was our queue to head home and call a great night a night.

2.  Saturday: I furtively left my building as to avoid any and all Halloween traffic and snuck in a round of Soul Cycle.  I clicked into my bike, and who do I see three bikes down, looking like swan lake - Charlize Theron.  Wearing only a sports bra and spandex (my boyfriend is cursing the fact that he last minute opted out of this class), she looked better than ever.  I soul cycled like crazy just to keep up and impress this celeb whom I will never see again.  Got in a great work out, still sore from trying to be a swan on my bike like Charlize.

3. Sunday: For Halloween proper, we left the city all together and went upstate to Blue Hill at Stone Barns.  We toured the town of Sleepy Hollow nearby (had to sneak some tradition in), talked to ladies in bonnets who thought it was 1830 and were picking herbs at a nearby estate, and had spiked apple cider in a local pub.   Before dinner, we walked the farm and cooed at the turkeys and piglets on the premises (vegetarians beware: I'm fairly certain, although was too scared to confirm, that these animals do become dinner at some point).  After touring the property we sat down to a 5 course meal.  We learned that at Blue Hill there is no menu, the chef just cooks what he feels at the time.  Special requests are permitted so we let the chef work his magic with one caveat, 'no organs' (thanks to a tip from the waitress - we would not have considered organs in scope otherwise).  The vegetables from the farm were the show stoppers of the evening.  At one point we were served just a piece of lettuce on a plate and it was so flavorful it could have been the entire meal.  The beets were also the best I have ever had (think vegetable fireworks in you mouth).  By the time we finished the food, wine, and pulled our Zipcar back into the city the Halloween parade had just ended.  Perfect timing!

Operation Boycott Halloween - success!