Experiencing Parlor & The Joys Of Moving On

Last Saturday, my dear friend Sara and I visited Parlor, a private members-only club in SoHo.

Tucked away behind a private, unmarked door on Spring Street, the exclusive 5,000 square foot venue is – according to the invite I received to try it out — for people who enjoy “making connections, have a love of fine dining, exceptional wines and cultural events.”

Sara and I enjoyed a tasting menu of creations by Chef Hilary Ambrose, a protégé of David Bouley. After a round of scrumptious, creamy pumpkin martinis (in graham cracker-rimmed glasses—mmmm), we enjoyed a three-course meal: smoked avocado puff pastry, couscous salad and pike fish for me, deer chop for Sara and for dessert, espresso-flavored ice cream. Our overall verdict: the portions were small but that was our only complaint. Parlor offers the attentive, first class service you would expect from a club that charges $1500 for annual membership.

Parlor’s low-lit, upscale ambience is very conducive to conversation. Sara and I talked about family, upcoming girls nights out (including a black tie charity event next week) and the importance of being true to yourself — especially when it comes to saying goodbye to people and patterns that are no longer any good for you.

It is, of course, one of the great rewards of being older and wiser; having better instincts about when and how to move on. Some people are only meant to be in our lives briefly. As I shared with Sara, realizing this about someone recently reminded me that everything really does happen for a reason. And that there’s no feeling more exhilarating than taking the positive from an experience and leaving the negative where it belongs, in the past.

I can’t help thinking of one of my favorite sayings, by writer Mary Wollstonecraft: the beginning is always today. I’ve never felt that more or been happier or more excited to live in a city where fresh starts are always around the next bustling corner.