Basket Case

I spent a chunk of last Sunday afternoon laying on a blanket in the grass listening to iTunes radio and I forgot how delightful it is to lay under a tree and do absolutely nothing.  Proper picnicking is definitely a lost art and I think this is the perfect summer to bring it back.

Random factoid: picnics became popular after the French revolution in 1789 when royal parks were open to the public for the first time.  While I don't think you are planning on lounging around the lawn at Versailles anytime soon, you can take full advantage of the grass in Central Park, Prospect Park or on the High Line.  And if you are anything like me, when you do something, you do it big.  So enough with the sad ham sandwiches and warm bottles of water - below are some of my tips for ensuring your picnic is a success.



What you'll need:

• a hand-woven rattan picnic basket
• melamine plates and servers (for easy washing)
• a soft blanket that you can zip up and carry for easy transport
• portable iPod dock
• a great playlist
• chilled bottle of Veuve Clicquot
• big bottle of water
• delicious snacks

Now the snacks really are the most important part of your picnic basket. I mean, they might actually be more important then whomever you are picnicking with...  My ideal meal in the grass includes really good cheese (like manchego or spicy monterey jack), crispy crackers, salty almonds, thinly sliced soppresata and my world famous pasta salad.  To be fair, I actually make the Barefoot Contessa's pasta salad, and just tell people that it's my world famous recipe.  Whatever...by now I've probably made it more times than she has.

Word on the street is that this weekend is supposed to be gorgeous on the East Coast! Do yourself a favor and go have a picnic.

Image courtesy of Matchbook Mag.

It's Raining Men

I fell into a Pin-hole today and got a little crazy repinning everything from Interior Design inspirations to quirky fonts that I fell in love with. Anyway, somehow I happened upon a Pinterest board from some girl in Israel (God, I love the internet) and she had all of these really cool, candid images of various male celebrities.  I had to post some below because they are all really interesting and artistic in their own quirky way.  There is just nothing like a handsome man.

 Johnny Depp.

Prince William.

 Tom Ford.

Frank Sinatra.

Waris Ahluwalia.

 Andy Warhol.

Jay-Z.

Ryan Gosling.

Daydreaming with Dale Thomas Krupla

My friend Dale is about as original and authentic as a person can get.  He's a writer and actor from Cleveland, Ohio who is currently living in Los Angeles studying sketch comedy at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater.  He also writes, directs and produces ridiculously funny sketch videos (a few of them you can find on Funny or Die here) and if you remember the perfectly whimsical New Year's Eve video from a few years past - that was courtesy of The DTK.

Dale is a proud bohemian gypsy who loves meeting passionate people over drinks and meeting new people who are passionate about drinking.  If he could write his life away, make his friends laugh and spend a decent amount of time in a comfortable chair, he will have lived a fulfilled life.

Five places you want to visit in your lifetime:

 Seattle.

 Paris in 1930.  I'd like to drink and write with Hemingway and then have Gertrude Stein read and edit it.

 Gondor.  So I can hang out with Gandalf and high five - well, low five - a Hobbit.

Chicago.

Zihuatanejo aka the beach at the end of the Shawshank Redemption.

Four photos of how I envision my life in five years:

Current go-to drink:
Jack & Diet Coke

Something I've been daydreaming about lately:

Winning an Oscar....and sleeve tattoos.

Currently listening to:
A Girl Like You - Edwin Collins
Die, Die My Darling - The Misfits
Cannonball - The Breeders
No Face - The Suicide Machines
Stephanie Says - The Velvet Underground

Currently reading:

Run With the Hunted by Charles Bukowski

Current favorite quote:

Chelsea Girls

Now that I've had a few months to settle into my new apartment in Chelsea ("settle in" is a loose term - yes, there are still unpacked boxes and no, the cable guy has not come yet), I absolutely LOVE living in my neighborhood.  Not that I was a huge stranger before, considering four close friends all live within blocks of where I do now, it's just really fun taking it in as an official resident of 10011.  

Some of my favorite spots below (graphic courtesy of Court & Hudson) cannot be missed the next time you are in the city or the next time you're downtown.  

Tipsy Parson - 156 Ninth Avenue

When I was working with Abe, we used to frequent this cute little Southern spot anytime we were feeling indulgent.  Aside from having adorable ambiance, their food is delicious and the waiters are the these New Orleans hipsters that are too fun to flirt with.  The Mac & Cheese and Mushroom Toast (grilled potato bread, ricotta, wild mushrooms and scrambled eggs) are must haves but are also guaranteed to leave you wanting a nap immediately after.

The High Line - runs from Gansevoort to 34th Street on 10th and 11th Avenues

When I first moved to NYC, the High Line was just becoming a "thing" and I was so intrigued that people like Diane von Furstenberg and Edward Norton were so passionate about restoring an old elevated train track.  The first section opened in 2009 and it is quickly becoming one of the coolest things on the West side.  The landscaping is perfectly maintained, it's always bum-free and every now and then you get a voyeuristic eyeful when standing below The Standard Hotel.  

Chelsea Market - 75 Ninth Avenue

What was once the National Biscuit Company in 1890 is now the coolest marketplace in the city.  From a gigantic Anthropologie, to the best sushi from an actual Iron Chef to artisanal popsicles, this place is the jam.  To deepen their cool credibility a little, Chelsea Market recently hosted an Williamsburg's Artists & Fleas pop-up shop which features unique designer and vintage pieces from local artists and fashion designers.  

Chelsea Piers - 23rd Street and the Hudson River

Drink a cold beer and whack some golf balls.  This is a no-brainer.

The Frying Pan - Pier 66 (26th Street and 12th Avenue)

Oddly, after six years of living in the city, I just made it to the Frying Pan last week.  The Lightship Frying Pan, built in 1929 was used as a floating lighthouse to guard other ships from running aground or submerged rocks that were too far from land to be served by a lighthouse on shore.  Now it's docked at Pier 66, turns into a drunk dance party in the summer and really is one of the best places to have a  cocktail and watch the sunset.

Words to Live By

Packin' Heat

I am absolutely obsessed with these bags from Vlieger & Vandam.  Looks like something else just made it on my birthday wishlist, especially since their pricepoint ranges from $282-$450.  You know that means I'll just probably end up getting two...

Go Against the Grain

In my eternal quest for healthy, easy recipes that I can make for dinner and then bring to work for lunch the next day, here is another gem courtesy of Bri at DesignLoveFest.  While I'm trying really hard to be as carb-free as possible, sometimes you've gotta get crazy and munch on a little farro.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of farro
• 5 radishes (chopped)
• 1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes
• 5 oz. of feta (cubed)
• 8 large basil leaves
• 1 lemon
• olive oil
• salt and pepper

First of all, the packaging is going to tell you do soak the farro.  Come on now, who has time for that?  Add the farro into two cups of water and bring it to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cover until farro is tender and most (or all) of the water is gone.  This usually takes about 20 minutes.  Drain the farro, toss in a bowl and let it cool down in the fridge.

Next, chop up the feta and tomatoes then julienne (slice into skinny ribbons) the basil and add into the bowl of farro.  Zest the lemon over the mixture and then cut it in half and juice it.  Drizzle the mixture with olive oil and lemon juice and toss.  Finish with salt and pepper to taste. 

Date Night Done Right

It always struck me as odd that so many people break up with their significant others right before summertime.  It is SO FUN dating someone when it's warm outside  (well...all the time if you're lucky enough to snag a good one) because your options are limitless!  You can go to the beach, throw an impromtu BBQ, watch fireworks together, lay in the park and read the New York Times, etc, etc.  But on that same token, it is also very easy to fall into a date-night rut.  I was talking with some girls at work yesterday and they were lamenting the fact that after the initial three to four-month high of dating someone new wears off, it's very easy to end up on the sofa watching The Office, eating take-out as opposed to the passion-filled dates that seem to always start a relationship. 

I consider myself pretty awesome at coming up with date-night ideas and not that I'm in any way opposed to a good movie night, there are just lots of fun (and cheap) options that guarantee to always shake things up.

Check out my formulas below for sizzling chemistry:

• local driving range + cold beers + a dirty wager on whomever drives the farthest = a sporty version of foreplay.
• veggies, steak and shrimp + a Sur La Table grilling class = mastering something new together.
• a roomy backseat + a drive-in movie = an old-fashioned makeout session.  Search drive-ins.com for retro theaters around the country.
• a pair of sexy stilettos + a pitcher of sangria + salsa dancing lessons = sweaty friction.
• hot dogs + cheap Yankees seats = the perfect All-American evening
• binoculars + your local waterfront + a meteor shower = stargazing like you've never done before.  There are showers anticipated for July 28 and 29th as well as August 12th and 13th.
• July 14th + Kir Royales + a blanket in the park = a very sexy Bastille Day.

It doesn't take a private plane or an evening gown to plan an unbelievable date.  Just think outside of the box....and never forget to shave your legs.

Flower Girls

It's almost officially midsummer and you know that I love a good cultural celebration, especially when it involves wearing a crown of wildflowers, drinking vodka and dancing around a maypole.  Last year I went to Kanon Vodka's annual Swedish Midsummer Festival and it was sooo fun.  Honestly, if I had a backyard or even a big enough terrace, I would throw my own Midsummer party in one second.  

For those of you unfamiliar with Midsummer, it simply refers to the summer solstice (aka the longest day of summer) and is one of the most important holidays in Sweden.  Swedes decorate a large maypole (basically a very tall stick covered in flowers) and then dance and sing around it.  Apparently this has been happening since the Middle Ages - and silly me, I thought all they did was kill each other back then...  Midsummer is thought to be one of the times of year when magic is the strongest and is considered a good night to perform rituals that help you to look to the future.  If you put flowers under your pillow while having sex, it raised the chance of procreation.  Flowers and greenery placed over barns and houses were supposed to bring good health and good fortune to the people and the livestock. 

On that note, regardless of your midsummer plans or lack of Swedish-ness, it is almost June 22nd which means that, girls, you need a flower crown.  In addition to procreation and healthy livestock, young women wearing crowns of flowers on Midsummer have better luck of snagging their future spouse.   Lucklly, Honestly...WTF provided the absolutely foolproof tutorial below.

What you'll need:

• a variety of fresh flowers trimmed down to 3" stems
• 2 pieces of 16 gauge floral cloth wire
• green floral tape
• floral shears or scissors

To begin, you'll create the base of the flower crown out of two pieces of floral wire.  Mold and gently bend each piece into a half circle.  Face the half circles opposite of each other to create a circle and lay it over the top of your head to check the fit.  It should be quite snug as the addition of flowers will eventually weigh the crown down.  Wrap both overlapping sections tightly with floral tape.

Before adding flowers to the base, you'll create several small clusters of flowers.  This avoids having to attach each flower individually and overloading the crown with tape.  Pick a flower and continue adding 4-5 flowers, each one nestled right below the other.  Tightly wrap the base with floral tape and trim the tips when necessary.

Once you've made 10-15 clusters, start adding them to the base.  Position a cluster of flowers against the outside of the wire base and wrap tightly with floral tape.  Overlap the second cluster over the first and wrap tightly with tape.  Continue layering clusters in the same direction until the entire base is filled.  Spray the crown with water or keep it in a cool place until you are ready to wear it!

Your flower crown is finished!

All images courtesy of Honestly...WTF.

Daydreaming with Jaclene Paolucci

This week's Daydreaming feature is particularly special because it is on one of my very best friends.  Jaclene Paolucci and I met while working in a wine bar on 27th Street when I had first moved to Manhattan.  We were both young, solidly reckless and after our first night out immediately knew that we would be friends - best of friends even.  She is the kind of person who, after a particularly awful break-up, will feed you a lot of tequila, go into detail about how much she never liked your ex and then force you out of bed the next morning for an early yoga class.  

Jaclene is a philosophy and history major who somehow ended up designing jewelry in the Diamond District (check out Maya J - it's amazing) and now travels the country to sell it.  She was born, raised and will die a New Yorker.

5 places you want to visit in your lifetime:

Country Kerry in Ireland.  It's the homeland of my great-grandparents and I believe it's important to pay homage to the past and stay connected to your roots.

Macchu Picchu.

Pyramids of Giza.  For the history nerd in me.

I want to go on an African safari with a definite pit-stop at Mt. Kilmanjaro.

Before I die, I will stay in one of the tiki hotels in Bora Bora.

Four Photos of How I Envision My Life in 5 Years:

This isn't the exact way to respond to the this, but in my early twenties I was fearless, I lived every day like the next would never come, completely absorbed in the moment.  In my mid-twenties, I felt like I was stumbling around a dark room while trying desperately to find a light switch.  Decisions big and small would completely overwhelm me and if you asked me to do this little activity back then, I would have had a complete meltdown.  At almost 29, I don't have the arrogance or selfishness of my youth, but somewhere along the way I developed confidence in myself and also in the knowledge that things will fall into place if you stop obsessing over the "big picture."  At this juncture, I have no idea where I will end up in five years - or even where I want to end up - and I have made peace with that. 

Current Go-To Drink:

Nothing says summer like an ice cold Corona.  I have also been known to add a shot of Patron if the mood suits.

Something I've Been Daydreaming About Lately:

Owning my own house.  It doesn't matter how big or small, I just want it to be mine.  

Currently Listening To:

Anything classic rock or do-wop.  They just don't make music like they used to.

Currently Reading:  

About to re-read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn for the hundredth time.  It's a book that I return to at the start of just about every summer - the pages are earmarked, there are passages underlined and I always feel like I am returning to an old friend.

Real Estate Envy

The photos of Amanda Peet's house in Vogue have really reminded me that the one peice of my NYC puzzle not quite in place yet is a dream home/apartment/townhouse/condo.  Yes - I completely understand that a house of Hollywood Hills size in the New York area is pretty much impossible unless I really start bringing home the bacon.  But it's also safe to say that this is a perfect replica of my dream home and I do plan on incorporating various aspects of this into whichever living situation comes next. 

The white-washed walls, dark wood floors, Spanish-style exterior, the splashes of color and photos everywhere....it's perfect.  If you were to look at my Interior Design board on Pinterest (you are following me on Pinterest right?) - it almost mimics her house exactly.  This leads me to think that Amanda and I might be best friends if we ever were to cross paths...  I mean, at the very least, we could go house shopping together at funky estate sales and chat about our shared love of threadbare rugs and Diptyque candles.

All Along the Watchtower

I have a pretty great Saturday mapped out in front of me, but I think it just got better. I was scrolling around on Grandlife's Tumblr (and pretty much the gauge of every cool thing that's coming up in the city) and I saw a mention of the Tom Fruin Studio's Watertower, a new outdoor installation by Brooklyn artist Tom Fruin.

The kaleidoscope water tower is located on the roof of 20 Jay on the Pearl Street side of the building.  During the day head over to waterfront Dumbo to catch a glimpse and walk on the Manhattan Bridge for an optimum view at night.

Present Perfect

When you are little kid, your birthday automatically means presents.  Your parents shower you with a bike or Barbie's Malibu Dream House and the kids who come to your birthday party bring board games and hair accessories.  It's awesome.  Now the kids who come to my birthday parties buy me martinis.  While this is equally awesome (I would take dirty vodka on the rocks over a Barbie any day), I don't think I'm alone when I say that I miss a good gift or two.  But, since we're all adults here I've just started buying myself fun trinkets when my birthday rolls around.  You all do this too, right?  Plesae tell me I'm not the only 28-year-old person sitting at home in a party hat in front of ShopBop.... 

So here are some of my favorite things right now and what I think I'll be treating myself to over the next few weeks.  I mean, come on...I've been a very good girl this year.

Non Je Ne Regrette Rien print from Etsy.  I am absolutely in love with this print.

Hot Pink Superga Cotu Classics.  I need new sneaks and these are too loud to ignore.

J.Crew's Classic Pave Link Bracelet.  This will make the perfect addition to my arm parties.

A weekend in Cape Cod.  I've never been and I really need to get out of the tri-state area this summer.