DIY Bartender

I've always been a fan of the Do-It-Yourself concept. The part I'm not so fond of is the actual 'doing.' Send me a DIY project, and I'll make grand plans to complete it but never actually do (cue the lazy comments). That's why when I discovered The Vinatta Project had self serving wine vending machines, I knew I had finally found the DIY I might actually complete.

But once again my plans were foiled—and not by lack of ambition. The Vinatta Project's crown jewel is their enomatic (fancy word for vending) machines. When you get thirsty and the bar gets busy, you take a preloaded card, swipe, choose from the vast wine selection and wha-la—vino in hand. Unfortunately, the vending machines were out of commission during my visit. Luckily for this DIY challenged gal, The Vinatta Project also offers a DIY custom cocktail program from the same guys who run The Mulberry Project. Step 1: Pick a liquor. Step 2: pick a few mix-ins such as mango and lychee. Step 3: Sip, enjoy and repeat.

So far the score was a wash (broken vending machines -1, custom cocktail creations +1) until the food came out. The corn bread alone was reason enough to ditch those summer no carb diets. The brussel spouts and corn on the cob were roasted to perfection while the bacon cheddar burger juicy. The last pep in their food step was the chocolate cake with Cheyenne chili powder which made for a surprising but tasty combination. Inventive drink contraptions, creative cocktails and good food all in a sexy ambiance—well let's just say if all DIY projects resulted in this I'd start doing them more.

Places of Interest:

Vinatta Project, 69 Gansevoort St., 646-398-9125

http://vinattaproject.com/

Crumbs: It Takes Two ( x Two)

Welcome to the newest addition of Double Toasted: Crumbs, a toasty blurb about a delicious dish, interesting art exhibit, cool new boutique or whatever else excites me. The first installment is on a lunch date I went with my coworker and publicist extraordinaire Roxanne.

Feast For Your Eyes

Fine Dining

No Standard Paper Menus Here

4 apps = 1 meal

   

















The lunch deal is initially what drew us to Duo, a new restaurant in Gramercy Park. It was not your typical $9.99 entree but rather their version of a lunchbox—albeit a classy one. With four variations on their light up menus, we both went for the Flatiron box consisting of mini sirloin burgers, Parmesan truffle matchstick fries, tomato and mozzarella and a market salad. IF my lunchbox tasted like this in elementary school I would've never tossed, traded or accidentally "forgotten" it. The meal was scrumptious from section to section and definitely lives up to the term 'lunch special'.

Places of Interest:

Duo Restaurant, 72 Madison Ave (at 28th St.), 212-686-7272

http://duonewyork.com/

No Peeing in the Champagne Room

Beauty and No Beast

I know I'm late to the table on this review (better late than never right?). I knew I would love Beauty & Essex the minute I read about it back in December 2010. Shortly after it opened, I paid a visit to the pawn shop/hip lounge/restaurant for drinks. Barely five feet into the place, and I was already mesmerized.

Fast forward eight months and still no second visit. I kept raving about the restaurant, the decor, the vibe, and most of all the free champagne in the lady's restroom (yes, ladies you read that correctly) but had yet to taste a single morsel of food.  I was seriously putting my street cred at risk every time I made the recommendation.  So when my boss invited me to dinner and asked me to pick the place, the next destination in my NY food exploration had to be Beauty & Essex.

The Trendiest Pawn Shop South of Houston St.

How NY Does Garage Sales

Music to My Ears

Once again, I was intrigued by Beauty & Essex the minute I set foot in the first half of the restaurant-the pawn shop.  The whole idea of having a pawn shop act as the entrance with a bustling restaurant tucked behind its doors is fascinating to me.  I also learned that the pawn shop is an actual functioning business and not just for show. Nice touch.

Opening the door, we were immediately greeted by the 1950's with sensual decor, delicate mood lighting, stunning chandeliers, and a grand staircase. The upstairs is just as lavish with walls covered in display frames with antique jewels-a girl's dream jewelry box so to speak. Our table was in the large seating area on the first floor featuring a round skylight to let light into the dark and majestic dining room.

My Camera Started to Get Drunk Eyes

We'll Take The Entire Right Left Side

Deciding on a drink proved harder than solving the national debt crisis.  Luckily I'm not too picky when it comes to interesting cocktails. With our waiters recommendation and the fact that it was 100 degrees outside, I opted for a refreshing Ruby Mojito. Then the decision making only became harder when we paged through the menu.  The menu, taking a cue from the decor, is broken into kitschy categories like Jewels on Toast (crostinis) and Accessories (sides).  The concept is small plates to share with nothing-not even the entrees-being excluded.

 

For our Jewels, we ordered the Whipped Ricotta with nectarines, honey, basil and chile.  We. were. whipped. Continuing with our summer theme, we ordered the Watermelon and Feta Salad and the Roasted Tomato Pizzetta. The watermelon salad was refreshing but the pizzetta was another head over heels moment.

 

 

As an accessory, we ordered the Skillet Roasted Corn. Being in fashion I naturally get excited when I see that word and was excited when the Mexican style corn reached our table of colorful bites. As if all of this wasn't enough, we desperately wanted to try the burger.  Each word in the description made my mouth water and when the waiter told us it was juicy, like butter, we were sold. Out came this burger with beefsteak tomato, goat feat cheese, and spicy roasted garlic aioli with an accessory of herb dusted fries. I wanted to kiss the waiter for giving us a spot on recommendation.

Antique Perfume Bottles Jazz Up the Ladies Lounge

Bubbly in the Bathroom

Thoroughly pleased with our grand finale, we ordered one last thing-Champagne...in the women's restroom. One of the highlights, if not the cherry on top to this fine establishment, is serving champagne in the spacious, well decorated women's bathroom. It makes the restroom one of the best hangouts-and that's hard for a bathroom to do. So now I can stand behind my recommendation the next time someone asks me where to go out.  If it hadn't gone so well, I'd be toast.

Places of Interest:

Beauty & Essex, 146 Essex St., 212-614-0146

http://www.beautyandessex.com/

Go Prep or Go Home

A House in the Middle of the Road

The Duck's Nook

Fashionetc.com Covers the Launch

I need to preface this post with a side story first.  After hitting up my usual Sunday Funday spot The Standard Biergarten, my friends and I began to walk to Bill's Bar & Burger (this restaurant deserves its own entry solely on the fact that they have French's Yellow Mustard on the table alongside the other condiments).  As we walked down Little West 12th, I noticed a large, white structure in the shape of a house being built in the middle of the cobblestone plaza next to the Gansevoort Hotel.  I asked my friends if I was imagining it as my beer goggles were definitely secure on my face.  They noticed it too yet brushed it off as a potential movie set.

Now to present day.  My friend invited me to the Prep World Launch Party: a collaboration behind successful American designer Tommy Hilfiger and praised author of True Prep: It's a Whole New Old World Lisa Birnbach.  The location? You guessed it (at least I hope you did).  The large structure became a quaint, white house straight from Nantucket sticking out like a sore thumb amongst the posh hotels and the swank nightclubs of the Meatpacking District.

While 'sticking out' might be considered a bad thing to some, this was to Prep World's advantage as this house was their take on a pop-up shop.  Instead of converting an abandoned storefront into their temporary home to stock their polo shirts and board shorts, Prep World went big and built a structure true to the brand's concept.  The shop, which will remain up in NY for a handful of days before traveling the world, houses (no pun intended) clothing with stripes & anchors, accessories like scarves & wrist wraps, games, knickknacks like polo shirt shaped cookies & dog collars, and more.

As for the party aspect, immediately upon entering the press event I spotted Lisa Birnbach, Elle's EIC Robbie Myers and Creative Director Joe Zee.  Shortly after Tommy Hilfiger walked in with model Jessica Stam and Gossip Girl's Jessica Szohr.  Paper Magazine's Kim Hastreiter and Mickey Boardman also made appearances making it a full house.  Young, handsome models in navy blazers and pinstripe shorts served Arnold Palmers while guests pursued the merchandise and congratulated the collabing duo.  

Later guests made their way to the afterparty down the street (if you are really smart you maybe guessed it) at The Standard Biergarten. The space was completely transformed. I thought my beer goggles made a comeback without even having a drink!  All the wooden tables were gone and the ping pong tables placed in the middle of the room.  Along the side was a wall of faux green grass serving as the backdrop for the DJ booth anchored with large tennis balls and rackets.  The DJ spinning the tracks? None other than Alexa Richards, daughter of one Keith Richards from the Rolling Stones.  Tommy, Lisa, and crew made the rounds at the party that received a special visit from John Legend and his model gf Chrissy Teigen.  Party goers nibbled on sliders, truffle grilled cheese, and crab cakes.  Ice cream sandwiches, cookies, and other assorted goodies came next.  I looked around and thought this was the way to kick off a collaboration-True Prep through and through.  And this is just the beginning of another chapter in Tommy Hilfiger's and Lisa Birnbach's Prep World book.

Places of Interest: 

The Standard Biergarten 848 Washington St. at Little West 12th, (212) 645-4646

http://www.standardhotels.com/new-york-city/bars/ 

Bill's Bar & Burger 22 9th Avenue, (212) 414-3003

http://www.billsbarandburger.com/