Children of the Corn VIII

While home on a lovely Saturday afternoon having a coffee in silence, I happened upon an article from the NY Daily News about the new phenomenon cropping up in suburbia called 'Mom Caves'.  The article tells the 'Man Cave' to move on over because the Mom Cave is the new trend in homemaking, finding a much needed refuge for tired mothers needing a little 'me' time.  Like other selfish twenty-somethings I am the queen of 'treat yourself' and 'you deserve it' so this article peaked my interest but left me slightly disturbed. 

To create a Mom Cave, NY based designer Elaine Griffin suggests, 'turning a stair landing into a mini-sanctuary using narrow console tables, a luxurious rug, and a couple of armchairs.'

I am all for a room to call your own, but is mom-hood so draining that your desperation for alone time is cowering on the landing of your stairwell?!  I sure hope there's more to motherhood than a bedraggled woman finding an oasis under the stairs because that's all she has left.  The unassuming expose on mom caves turned my quiet Saturday with a latte in my shoebox apartment into a five star hotel experience on a private island.  A fresh perspective is all you need to appreciate the every day.

Mondrian SoHo

I recently frequented the newest venture from Morgans Hotel Group, Mondrian Soho, for a best friend's birthday.  The hotel opened just in time for warm weather and is appropriately thematic for Spring.  The lobby ambles into a garden room reminiscent of A Midsummer Night's Dream, full of greenery and elaborate chandeliers with solar paneling for a ceiling.  The drinks are simple and expensive, but the ambiance is ethereal and romantic.  Apparently the hotel was inspired by the 1940s film La Belle et La Bete and it makes quite the statement on its quiet cobblestone street in Soho.  Sam Talbot is the chef of their restaurant, Imperial No. 9, which focuses mostly on seafood with a comfort food slant.  I much prefer The Surf Lodge in Montauk to Imperial No. 9, but one staple he kept on the menu are the melty cauliflower fritters, which are so so good.  Other than my obsession for the fritters, I wouldn't go back for the food,  but I can't wait to drink champagne under the ivy again.

'You Are What You Eataly'

Mario Batali is to the Italian fine dining community what Donald Trump is to crooked real estate.  This is not a warped nonsensical SAT question, it is me professing my love to Mario.  I love Lupa, Otto, Babbo, and Del Posto.  I have even traveled to Hells Kitchen to go to Esca because I leave no rock unturned when it comes to Mario Batali.  So when I heard about his latest venture, Eataly, I had to check it out. 

I went to Eataly for the first time a few months ago and it was not just a great lunch, it was an experience that could easily transport you to Italy, Spain, or any other European market of your choice.  The market place alone is a site to be scene.  The meat and fish are displayed raw, uncut, and in full.  I am not one for seafood, but just viewing the visible difference in shape, color, and texture of a Talapia displayed alongside a Monk fish was fascinating.  You can dine aside the fresh fish at the seafood restaurant inside the market, Il Pesce.  For those that would like a cheese sampling pared with wine, standing tables are set up at La Piazza.  For a quick bite you can stop by the Panini or Focaccia counters for lunch on the run.  I have eaten at La Pizza & Pasta restaurant for a delicious gnocchi lunch and Manzo for a all time best steak dinner.  Both meals were authentic and absolutely phenomenal.  

For dessert, I always swing by the Gelateria and pick up Gelato that is well worth it even on a cold day.  Each time I leave the market and hit the grounds of Madison Square Park its like I am re-entering New York City after being away on a foodie escape.  Next up, their rooftop beer garden, which is set to open this Spring.  Could this place be any cooler?

Big East Baby!

I have a fanatical sports family with a passion and slightly unhealthy emotional investment in college basketball, specifically for our home team - UConn.  The lowest profile games are watched with undivided attention in 'lucky' outfits while clapping and pacing at the TV six minutes into a 3 point game.  So it should come as no surprise that come March Madness calendars are cleared and the family pool takes center stage.  Once brackets are completed the smack talking on the message board is the real highlight, and my personal favorite part.  Although it can get out of hand, case in point when I was shit talking my dad over BBM the other day and he reminded me that every time he has won in previous years, he has given me his winnings (Oops, I'm a jerk).    So here's hoping I win this year, or my dad does, but either way I will have fun in between telling everyone 'they're goin' downnn'.

BONDST

I stopped through my fave sushi restaurant in NYC last night - BONDST.  We started the night with Lychee martinis, the best in town, and even the boys loved them (although they insisted on ordering them in tumblers instead of martini glasses - our little secret that there was a fruity drink inside).  The crowd is always attractive and the vibe is trendy here, but make no mistake, the best part about BONDST is the delicious food.

BONDST is always a treat because of their creative menu, they do it like nobody else, which sets them apart in a city full of sceney Japanese restaurants.  I always order their Sundried Tomato & Avocado roll, a unique take on the vegetable roll, and the Sake Braised Short Ribs that melt in your mouth.  The Chocolate Meltdown lava cake is just as special, and tastes like warm chocolatey heaven.  The food did not stop coming out until we were officially sedated, a state very difficult to reach when eating fluffy fish wrapped in seaweed, but we managed and left high on Lychee and fun. 

Donkey of the Week

Donkey of the Week is...Mike Tyson (you thought I'd  say Charlie Sheen but that'd be too easy).  While channel surfing, I was lucky enough to come across an exclusive interview with Mike T. discussing how he has turned his life around...racing pigeons.  He says:

"The first thing I ever loved in my life was a pigeon...its a constant with my sanity.'

I am racing pigeons every day of my New York City life, and I'm pretty sure this can also just be called 'any old Saturday in Central Park'.  I am in complete agreement that there is nowhere but up from making another man's ear your afternoon lunch, but is this all that's left for 'Iron Mike'?  Although he has veered off the standard career path it is evident he is still keeping his crazy.  The vision of a tatted up Mike Tyson surrounded by an incoming flock of 200 pigeons is a night terror even Alfred Hitchcock couldn't come up with. 

Barcelona

New York winters hit the depressing mark right around the end of February so we jumped ship and headed to the warmest part of Europe to fulfill our New Years Resolution for culture with a side of sunshine.  We spent the first two days in the countryside of Girona and biked around the Medieval villages eating the local speciality - tomato and garlic rubbed bread.  From there we drove down the Costa Brava, popping into picturesque beach front villages on the coast where houses tumbled down narrow roads right onto the pebble beaches. 

 

Once in Barcelona we stayed at the Hotel Arts per recommendations from close friends and not so close friends like Gwyneth Paltrow.  The hotel was beautiful and also a little confused because they mistook us for a businessman from Wayne, Pennsylvania and promptly upgraded us to a suite and asked us daily how they could improve our stay with hand written notes.  We rolled with the punches and had morning coffees on the wharf proceeded by intensive sight seeing where I dragged my man around the city for hours insisting on seeing every landmark so much as mentioned in my guide book.  This was a learning exercise - different travelers have different sight seeing styles.  Noted.

 

All in all Barcelona is a magical place because it combines so many enjoyable pastimes.  It is city for people that love to be outside, by the Mediterranean or walking through quintessential old world European districts like the Gothic Quarter.   The art is not showcased in large scale museums like the Louvre, it is mostly embedded in the city's architecture, like the Gaudi structures and estates.  Additionally, it boasts one of the best foodie cultures with more Michelin starred restaurants than I have ever seen so closely packed in one place (and don't even get me started on the tapas).  I love to hike, my guilty pleasure is admiring real estate, and I want nothing more than small portions so I can eat my way through an entire menu.  I think I've found my match.