Retraction!

Well guys, Playbills & Pageantry, Inc. has been scurrying about our offices trying to fix the problem, but the truth cannot be denied, and we have erred. (Please don't sue, if there actually is a Playbills & Pageantry, Inc. out there - I just used that to sound official. This is just an un-incorporated blog. I meant no offense.) I gushed about a chili cheese hot dog I enjoyed in San Francisco but I referenced the wrong location. The worst part? I didn't think any of the pictures looked right, but I couldn't for the life of me remember where it was that I had been, and now that still holds true. Tsk. So until I get hold of my sister, I can't post an update highlighting the delight of the eatery we actually patronized. Talk about working without all your facts. I know, I don't deserve your trust as readers! But, to try to make it up to you while I suss out the actual facts, here are some beautiful shots of the flower sculptures on display on Park Avenue, that I first read about here. Enjoy this whimsically Alice In Wonderland-esque art, and check back for my eatery correction!

Feasting

My family and friends know I'm an eater. I love food, and I love all kinds of food, so you can imagine how wild I get when I go on vacation and just eat whatever I want whenever I want it. Suffice to say, my visit to San Francisco was precisely that and I ate accordingly. More specifically, I ate sausage. I blame the fact that I was watching a carnivore-themed food crawl show on Food Network on the flight across the sea. But, really, 3 sausages at 3 different eateries over 4 days? Even I know that to be a little excessive. Still, they were all delish, so I have to share with you where they all came from.

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A delicious hot dog with chili and cheese started off the sausage smorgasbord thanks to The Board Room (1609 Powell Street). Yes, yes, naysayers I know a hot dog is not a sausage - I am Italian [specifically:  Sicilian] - but for purposes of this discussion, we will consider it to be one. Mainly because 2 sausages over 4 days at 2 different eateries just sounds sort of standard. I like to be garish and over-the-top with this sort of thing.

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Next, an excursion with friends to a delicious German restaurant in Alameda called Speisekammer (2424 Lincoln Ave.) provided a delicious and authentic bratwurst with kraut and spicy mustard. Coupled with a fabulous beer, German chocolate cake for dessert, and some fabulous laughs-sprinkled conversation, and this little eater was quite content.

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Finally, another set of friends (old and new!) took me to an amazing beer bar called Toronado in the lower Haight (547 Haight St., between Fillmore St & Steiner St). With a tremendous amount of beer to choose from, not only was this bar cozy with delicious libations, it also let you bring food in! Yet another reason why San Francisco is so closely tied in my heart to my current New York City.

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Obviously, yours truly got herself a sausage at the Rosamunde Sausage Grill next door (545 Haight St.) Actually, it was gifted to me being as I did not pay for it. But I did indeed choose it, as could be evidenced by my eyes streaming tears from the Italian sausage (obvi) and the hot peppers, onions, and Dijon Wasabe mustard in which I had my sausage smothered.

Yes indeed, it was a delightful weekend filled with eating mass amounts of food, splendid time with friends, and a very happy me.

Glorious San Francisco

 As mentioned in yesterday's post, I returned home from San Francisco safely, and refreshed, revived and renewed, at that! There is something about that city I've loved ever since my first visit, and it's never been more true than this particular trip. Two dear friends drove up from San Diego to spend the weekend in their northern city, I reunited with them as well as two other of my closest friends. I got pure, unadulterated sister-time, had a delightful roommate reunion, and got to wander aimlessly through the steep hills and winding streets of the magical city that is San Francisco. I marveled at how big and blue the sky can be - it gets to easy to forget how incredible simple sky is when you rarely see more than a glimpse through the tops of buildings. I was grateful for how easy it still was to get around on foot and public transport, while being able to enjoy breezes off the water and sun peeking through clouds in a constantly changing - and ever visible! - sky. San Francisco is definitely a place I'd like to live one day. I hope it get out to live there before my sister and friends decide to change up their own lives and move on, but I've only just gotten to New York and I'm not done here yet. In the meantime I'm happy to continue popping in for visits while I have friends and family with which to explore.Thanks to my amazing sister (The Wise Bean) for such a great trip!

Wear Pink, End Bullying!

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I'm back from San Francisco! And more importantly, I don't know if everyone has heard but if you haven't gotten dressed yet (West Coast readers, anyone?) or if you have time to throw on something pink, do so today. For Wednesday, February 23, 2011 is a chance to show solidarity and wear pink to end bullying. Tell me that isn't a cause worth taking a stand on!

I've Gone Away to San Francisco!

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I'm in my other favorite U.S. city this weekend. (It's a consistent debate between New York and San Francisco, and San Diego will - of course - forever hold a piece of my heart. Please, don't get me started on international cities, I literally popped up and edited that first sentence just now.) I'm visiting my sister and some of my California compatriots, and won't be back until Wednesday. Wipe away your tears my children, the time without me will just fly by. Before you know it, I'll be right back here, stroking your hair and encouraging your dreams. Truly though, I hope everyone has a fabulous long weekend!

Wishing...

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...I was enough of a rebel to have taken this morning off from work to experience first-hand the madness of Day 1 of the twice-yearly New York Barney's Warehouse Sale! Guess I'll have to save my pennies (and some sick time, perhaps?) for next year...

Congrats, Congrats!

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My darling friend Alexa, of the ever-fabulous TheShortandtheSweetofIt - has welcomed, along with her hubby, the newest member of their family into the world! I just had to send a big Congratulations to the both of them over the interwebs! I can't wait to keep up with the goings-on of the Evans family via her and Kirby's blog, and am just so happy for the new parents!

Sugar Coma

 The Day After Valentine's Day tends to be disastrous for Yours Truly. If I'm lucky I'll only stumble into a sugar coma tonight, on Day After Valentine's Day Eve, from the discount chocolates in every corner store. However, today I woke up groggy and slow-paced, without having eaten anything close to a chocolate smorgasbord! Basically, all I have to say with this post is that I have no energy at all today and I think I'm coming down with a cold. I awoke with a sore throat and now the coughing has begun, and now that I've left my family and any default familial sympathies therein, you saps have to put up with some whining. Sorry. With luck I'll be made well by some discount chocolates purchased on the way home tonight, and be more energetic tomorrow.

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Happy Valentine's Day!

 I hope everyone has a fabulous plan for the night with friends, a lover, family or a fabulously decadent treat to enjoy with yourself. Or perhaps a combination of all four, you crazy lovey-dovey people! You can make it pop today, but remember to keep those you love aware of your feelings the other 364 days a year, too. Happy V-day, lovelies!

Love is in the air!

 In the midst of the swarms of bejeweled and well-heeled ladies and gentlemen gallivanting around the shows these beginning days of Fashion Week, it appears that the most Hallmark-y of holidays is upon us yet again. Valentine's Day is Monday folks! Personally, my favorite Valentine's Day tradition is the clearance chocolates  inevitably available on the cheap the day-after (please see Exhibit A). However, if I partook of more healthful pursuits I would definitely add a little pop with these adorable stickers from Twig & Thistle. The fabulous Joanna at CupofJo brought them to my attention, and I think they are such a fabulously cheesy idea!

Pretty Bits 'n' Bobs...

 I know, I know, I've already posted today, but the excitement for New York Fashion Week that is assaulting me from Twitter, the blogosphere and the cavorting going on all around Manhattan is downright addicting! Since I am stuck at work, I'm relegated to exploring the prettier things of the world online, but look at these fabulous necklaces I stumbled across from Seattle's Far 4 Store! LBD or jeans and a tee, I think these pieces would be a lovely addition, don't you agree?

Fact: I'm a Real Life Sugar Baby

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I love sugar. My sweet tooth knows no bounds, and I have been known on more than one occasion to eat sugar exclusively in lieu of any substantive meal. It's a definite problem, but one I'm rather content to continue indulging - so long as I try to keep myself in check the majority of the time. After all, there is nothing beneficial in sugar, and in fact, it has the annoying ability to convert itself directly into fat, so I am certainly not ignorant of the dangers I pose to my own health in continuing my habitual enjoyment of sweets. Taking these risks in stride, and in light of this sugar obsession, I finally made it to Crumbs bakery for the first time since moving to New York. (And yes, I know Crumbs is now in Los Angeles so I can't even claim any sort of uniqueness by my having finally partaken of the trend.) I can honestly tell you all that these cupcakes are worth the hype - Coconut Vanilla and Raspberry Swirl were both moist and incredibly flavorful, in both the cake and the frosting. Worth every single calorie, especially enjoyed with a glass of chilled white wine. Ugh, now I want another!

 And, no, I have no idea why all my rotations on this picture are not sticking. Sorry for making you dizzy on a Thursday morning.

Old Man Winter's still hanging around...

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My walk to work was nothing short of surprising today - after weeks of weather in the mid- to high-30's, today I was smacked in the face with 15 degree weather and a 5 degree windchill. We're not supposed to have snow the next week or so (knock wood!) but it's supposed to stay cold like this for the entirety. As New York Fashion Week draws ever-nearer, and the blogosphere explodes with sponsored trips for various fashionistas the world over, I hope those girls and boys can handle the chill in the air! It has taken me a good five months of gradually increasing cold to hit this point, where I only really notice a weather change that drops from the low-double digits into the singles.

Here's some inspiration for next little while, brought to you and to me by the ever-fashionable Gossip Girl franchise, one guilty pleasure I can't get enough of, in spite of my sporadic-at-best viewing habits.

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Back to the 70's...

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Of late, I've followed the myriad of fashion articles, and dedicated, fashionable bloggers, and fallen head over heels for the influx of high-waisted, wide-leg jeans that are hitting the markets. [It also didn't hurt that I caught an old episode of "Charlie's Angels" on the other night, and fell in love all over again with the fabulous wedges, bell-bottoms, and hair feathering that so defined an era.] I found a pair of BCBG Maxazria trousers the other day on sale and fell instantly in love with the way they made my waist look minuscule and my legs look long and lean. However, when I was honest with myself, they were just a size too big, and there was not a single pair in one size down to be found. I nearly bought them anyway, swearing that I would get them tailored to fit me. Until I admitted that was essentially the equivalent of having a pair made from scratch. I put them back. So, my hunt for my perfect pair of high-waisted, wide-legged trousers continues, with these images as my inspiration.

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Aureole

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Last week my coworkers and I took advantage of New York's restaurant week to visit an eatery close to our office for their lunch menu. Our chosen locale was Aureole, a part of the Charlie Palmer group of restaurants, and a delightful selection if I may say. I had the Frisee and Mache salad for my first course - a decadent combination of goat cheese cromesquis, poached quail eggs, and duck prosciutto, followed up by Pork Cheeks for my main entree. That's right, this daughter of a sometimes-vegan ate Pork Cheeks with a cronichon mustard sauce, ragout of lentil, and escarole, and enjoyed it! (Although, I must admit, I was more fond of the ragout of lentil than of the actual meat main course...) Finishing off the meal with an Apple Duo and some complimentary cookies for the table made for a wonderful bit of time away from the office.

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Aureole is located at One Bryant Park, 135 West 42nd Street, between 6th Avenue and Broadway. They can be reached at 212.319.1660

TGIF!

Thank goodness it's Friday! This week has been a doozy, but for no particular emotional or stressful reason, which makes the exhaustion I'm feeling today rather embarrassing. Suffice to say, I'm excited for a weekend with nothing scheduled, to take time to unwind and remind myself to stay in the "now" rather than always fretting about the future. Happy Friday all!

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Ember Room

 On my way home from work last night, I got a call from a friend inviting me to join her for a restaurant opening. I'm embarrassed to admit that there was actually some convincing required; I'd had my mind set on a lazy evening in and the outfit I'd worn to work was not going to transition well to cocktail hour. Still, I accepted her generous invitation, and got to experience Ember Room. An Asian-inflected barbecue eatery, run by New York well-knowns Todd English and Ian Chalermkittichai, Ember Room boasts strong cocktails and delicious chicken, eggplant, and sea bass dishes, if the hors d'oeuvres served last night are any indication. The ambiance inside the restaurant is reason enough to pop in for a meal - the ceiling on the second floor is completely covered with what must be hundreds of gold bells. As you can imagine, this makes for a truly breathtaking space you would do well to check out.

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The Ember Room is located at 647 Ninth Ave., between 45th and 46th Streets, and can be reached at (212) 245-8880 or via emberroom.com.

Ice Storm!

Winter just keeps trying to best me. Give it a rest! I'm not leaving New York City! I just got here! Last night was an ice storm, continuing into delightful (yes, this is sarcasm) sleety-slushy-icy rain on the way to work, and plenty of icy patches all along my commute. I literally had to be forcibly assisted by one kind gentleman shoveling and scraping a street corner, as I slid around trying to gain footing. Thank heavens New York isn't completely full of people entirely too capable of pretending nothing is going on around them.

The noise was so loud last night, in fact, that I woke up around 3 am to the sound of literal pounding on my windows, until I realized it was the ice that had been warned of all day. I'm certainly getting a pretty hearty slice of winter for my first year in the city! At least it's not so bad as that beastly weather that seems to be ripping through the Midwest! Our colleagues towards the middle of the country have all been scrambling to get out of their offices and into their homes, while us in the Big Apple just continue plugging along, to and from work, grumbling and griping, to be sure, but surely secretly boastful that we have such a plow-on-through mentality. To some it's a cog in a wheel, but for the time being, it's rather a nice feeling, odd as that may sound.

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Words of Wisdom

I know, I'm gettin' crazy - 2 posts in 1 day! That hasn't happened since Halloween weekend. However, when I popped on over for my daily inspiration from Heart of Light, I simply had to reiterate something written in today's post, because I believe in it so completely.

Let me preface this by saying, I am a neurotic money saver. I get to the point that my immediate family takes it upon themselves to gently remind me that life has to be lived, even as future unknowns are saved for. One can't make one's life about saving, you still have to live it. This is a hard lesson for me to grasp, my natural impulse is to make sure I will be able to take care of myself should the unthinkable happen (I lose my job, lose a roommate, etc., the potential list is endless so you can see how one can get into trouble and commit to eating only beans for life), and I have to remind myself, daily sometimes, that it's okay to spend a bit.

Rachel of Heart of Light appears to share my natural tendency towards saving, and I think she stated very eloquently the facts behind the necessity of finding balance:

"[Purchasing some well-thought-out] things improve my life, tangibly. I'm careful not to take them for granted, to remember that I'm lucky. I don't deserve these things, in the sense that I'm somehow entitled to them as a right (indulgences are not rights even if it seems like everyone else can afford them - I think we tend to forget that sometimes). But I deserve them in the sense that I work hard for them and I budget for them and I appreciate them."

Well said! I firmly believe that all of us should do what we can to try and maintain a safety net for future unknowns. Even $20 a month is something, should you get a leaky pipe, have a car problem, or need to get a pair of snow boots resoled, you'll be happy to have an emergency stash-o-cash. I know it's not so easy for everyone, and that there are a lot of us who honestly do not have even an extra dollar at the end of every month. But if there are unnecessary things you can cut out of your spending stream, without severely lowering your quality of life, I fully encourage it.

Now, on with your days, and Happy First Day of a New Month, everyone!

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Cali Love

In spite of how awed I am by this season called Winter, and all the snow it entails, I am at heart a Cali girl. This makes for some disheartening moments as I realize Spring is still aways off, and I can't even head down to the beach to watch a sunset while I wait, or watch the white caps during a rainy winters day. No, I must instead wait out the winter in the city which bit by bit, is getting old. These images from the current J. Crew catalog - initially brought to my attention by the ever-gorgeous posts of  Dress, Design & Decor - have given me some respite as I dream of the Cali summers that I used to know. Here's to experiencing what New York warm weather is like!