Jan 12
A Week of Dining and Redecorating Adventures
When it comes to dining in the Big Apple, my late, wise mom used to say–
“If you want good French food, go to France. If you want good Italian food, go to Italy. If you want good everything, come to New York.”
This week, I was reminded of just how true this is as I had the pleasure of eating out five times (a personal record, I think). Four of those meals were at three favorites: my beloved Beach Cafe, La Fonda Del Sol and Hill Country Barbecue.
The fifth brought me one of the great foodie joys of being a New Yorker — discovering a fantastic new restaurant right at your doorstep.
Jean Claude II is utterly delightful (photo courtesy: jeanclaudenyc.com)
Tuesday night, my friend Colin and I enjoyed dinner at Jean Claude II, a cozy, charming little French bistro on the UES that I’ve walked past many times. Perfect for quiet conversation, the restaurant also offers warm, attentive service and fabulous food. The escargot, sautéed skate and chocolate mousse are all magnifique.
An effervescent force of nature, Colin and I met through work a few years ago — the company he worked for was producing a photo shoot at The Westin New York Grand Central. But he was already acquainted with me–
“Are you the single gal?” he asked, a reference to my dating blog, SingleGalNYC.com.
We immediately hit it off, as he blew me away with his creativity and extraordinary talent for completely transforming a space.
I am having the great good fortune of tapping into Colin’s expertise as I continue my big home makeover project. After dinner, we spent hours going over every nook and cranny of my place. Thanks to Colin’s suggestions, I have moved some furniture around so my living room already feels like it has been infused with new energy and breathing space.
The buffet and table pictured here are showcased so much more in this new configuration!
The same could be said of my perspective on other areas of life. I’ve never felt readier or more excited for the fresh start afforded by a new year. Those feelings only grow with each change I make to my abode.
Green accent wall, here I come!
Aug 24
Two Girls Nights Out To Remember
This week, I enjoyed two delightful girls nights out.
Wednesday, I enjoyed a much-needed reunion with my beloved cousin Alexandra at Trattoria Bolognese in Midtown.
Trattoria Bolognese in Midtown (photo courtesy: Zagat.com)
Trattoria Bolognese is one of those rare and wonderful NYC restaurants that has been around for awhile. I remember eating there often in my twenties, as it was located right around the corner from my parents’ building. Serving delicious old school Italian fare in a casual, warm setting, Trattoria remains one of my favorites – and a perfect setting for lingering conversation.
Alexandra and I hadn’t seen each other since she glammed me up for my photo shoot back in June, so we had a lot to catch up on. We talked about summer getaways, the ebb and flow of professional contentment and coping when life throws you a curveball.
Alex has been my rock through so many trials and tribulations, a soul sister whom I have cherished since childhood. We already have our next bonding session scheduled and I can’t wait.
Speaking of wonderful women, I also had the pleasure of catching up with my dear friend Lauren. A fellow hospitality marketing pro, Lauren was the first person I connected with in the industry a decade ago. I remember thinking when we met that if everyone in the biz was as awesome as she is, I was going to love being part of it. I was right.
Lauren invited me to join her at a fantastic networking event hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association and Colombia Tourism. Held at Barraca in the West Village, the night offered great opportunities to mingle along with delicious Latin cuisine and beverages. Among the interesting folks we chatted with — a freelance writer who has ridden halfway across the country on a bicycle and a twentysomething finance rep by day/travel blogger by night.
The finance gal asked lots of questions about parlaying her passion for travel into a career change. Happy to share my experiences as a career changer, I found myself thinking how fortunate I am to love what I do. The varied work I did before couldn’t have been a better preamble for it had I planned it to be.
And I couldn’t be more blessed to have amazing women like Lauren and Alexandra to remind me of all I have to be grateful for.
Aug 11
New Connections Through An Old Friend
One of the best parts of living in NYC is the abundance of great restaurants. I recently caught up with dear friend Yong at one of my longtime favorites, Cara Mia in Hell’s Kitchen.
Cara Mia: One of NYC’s best Italian bistros
The cozy Italian bistro offers attentive service and delicious fare in a relaxed, low key setting. It provided the ideal venue for Yong and I to fill each other in on recent developments. We talked about summer travels, his firstborn heading off to college soon and my excitement over being quoted in The New York Times about a new package for women at The Westin New York Grand Central.
Yong invited me to join him later in the week at a social networking event being hosted by a college friend of his. Upon arriving at Latitude, my first thought was–too crowded and too loud. So I felt truly reassured when one of the attendees at the mixer said the same thing.
“This reminds me of where I used to go in my college days,” she said as I nodded in agreement.
Yong’s friend Marc, who hosted the gathering, shared that he organized it to offset the challenges of broadening your social circle in a fast paced city like NYC. Indeed, even in a metropolis of millions, you have to make an effort to meet new people.
The mixer introduced me to some fascinating locals–a photographer, lawyer and wardrobe stylist among them. It was a reminder that if you want to change something in your life, taking even a small step can make a difference. Especially when you have good friends to take those steps with.
Jul 14
Sakagura: Japanese Delight In Midtown
Some of NYC’s most delightful dining experiences are also hidden gems. I had the pleasure of being reminded of this earlier this week with my first visit to Sakagura.
Sakagura: a delightful slice of Japan in Midtown NYC (photo courtesy: nymag.com)
Tucked away in the basement of an office building in East Midtown, Sakagura is a restaurant that truly transports you. From the bonsai trees to bamboo infused decor and attentive service, it feels like an authentic taste of Japan.
Speaking of flavors, Sakagura is a flavorful treat for the palette, with a delicious selection of hot and cold Japanese tapas. Fellow foodie Stacy — thanks for the invite my dear friend! — and I savored every bite of our meal. I enjoyed eel vinaigrette with cucumber and Wakame seaweed, grilled Japanese Squid brushed with garlic soy sauce and this decadent confection…
Mashed potatoes in sweet, fried donut batter. Yum!
We had a lot to catch up on. I filled Stacy in on my glorious July 4th getaway to LA while she shared the itinerary for her upcoming European adventure (London-Berlin-Reykjavik). We also talked about how rapidly times goes by once you hit 40 — making it feel even more urgent to follow your bliss wherever it takes you. I’m excited to rededicate myself to doing just that.
By the way, today wraps up NYC Gal’s 14 days of giveaways. It’s not too late to enter to win a stay at The Westin New York Grand Central! Visit this page for more info and heartfelt thanks for supporting my second foray into the blogosphere!
