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!
Jul 6
Looking Through A Different Lens
One of my favorite books is Amy Spencer’s inspiring Bright Side Up: 100 Ways To Be Happier Right Now. And one of my favorite pearls of wisdom in it is about refocusing your perspective.
“Like the camera lens of life,” Amy writes, “We can zoom out from the negative stuff and see the whole picture. Pull back and see what else is there–the good stuff.”
I found myself doing exactly that during a recent photo shoot with my cousin Alexandra and fabulous photographer Andrea Reese.
The afternoon began at my place, with Alexandra working her makeup artist magic to make me ready for my closeup.
Getting all glammed up
After an hour in her capable hands, I felt like a supermodel–especially when Andrea arrived brimming with excitement and effervescence. Her infectious energy put me at ease right away.
Once Alexandra put the finishing touches on my makeup, the three of us went into my room, where Andrea put on her stylist hat to help select wardrobe and accessories for the shoot. We then headed up to my building’s roof deck — a true urban oasis — for the first series of photos. In the background, a swimsuit-clad resident lounging around while a more clothed neighbor read the newspaper. Only in New York.
All smiles on the roof deck
For the next setup, Andrea led us to a series of nearby locations all within a five block radius.
One of my favorites from the shoot. My cousin rocks.
From a townhouse stoop and distressed wall to a nearby playground and the rich red doors of favorite dive bar O’Flanagan’s, Andrea made me appreciate my neighborhood in a completely new way. Seeing how she views everything through a creative, beauty seeking lens helped me reframe my own view–and reminded me it’s never too late to do that.
Two hours and plenty of smiles and sultry poses later, my supermodel moment drew to a close. As I told Alexandra, I really didn’t want to wash my face that night, particularly since the makeup was still completely intact.
You can check out more of the many great photos that Andrea took here. And there’s still one more week of my giveaway extravaganza, including two tickets to the new Off Broadway comedy Get Me A Guy (full review to come) and a one-night stay at The Westin New York Grand Central! Visit this page for info about how to enter.
