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/

The Perks of Being a Blogger

 

I started this blog as a creative outlet for my writing (and to brag about all the cool things I do). I never thought it would lead to an invite to Lulu's Blogger Event during New York Fashion Week.

The WHO was Lulu's, an online boutique featuring emerging and indie designers. The WHAT was a shindig for fashion bloggers to mingle and preview their latest assortment. The WHERE was Open House Gallery in Soho, an event space that sponsors such creative events like Park in Here (an indoor faux park to cure those with seasonal affective disorder) and The Big Cheesy Grilled Cheese Championship (a "cheesy" contest) that occurred last weekend.

As for the entertainment, there was booze, sweet treats and games. Hpnotiq, one of the evening's sponsors, provided creative concoctions using their liquor and a table full of candy and cupcakes. As for the (drinking) game, each attendee got to spin the wheel for a prize. Since I've never been on "Wheel of Fortune," I gave it my all and spun the wheel. The result—a lovely suede jacket with shearling lining from B.B. Dakota. Score!

After my turn at the wheel, I wondered around and discovered a room full of racks with trendy, colorful clothing. I thought I had died and gone to closet heaven. I learned each attendee could take home one article of clothing from one of the four racks. To figure out where to start, a map was provided with a chart of questions leading to one of four styles: Peony Vintage, Rose Sweet Heart, Spider Mum Edgy and Hydrangea Uptown Prep. Of course, I felt I could be any of the four so I quickly surfed the racks making a mental list of my wannabe wardrobe. Luckily I was in the third round so I got to choose rather early and ended up with a mint green, pleated mini-skirt perfect for spring. I left with treats for my tummy and my closet. If these are the perks of writing down my words once in a while—well all I have to say is that I need to start writing more.

Places of Interest:

Open House Gallery, 201 Mulberry St. (between Spring St. & Kenmare St.)

http://www.openhousegallery.org/ 

Lulu's Website

http://www.lulus.com

Move Over Barneys, There is a New CO-OP in Town

Co-op, noun: a cooperative store, dwelling, etc.  

The etc. I am referring to is the new Japanese/American restaurant CO-OP in the Rivington Hotel on the Lower East Side—once again my hood breeds a hot spot. Another work dinner put me in charge of picking a fun, hip place and CO-OP immediately came to mind as a place I wanted to try. Since I have not reached the financial means to shop or live in a co-op, I settled for the next best thing.

The Cheat Sheet

Entering through the hotel, we made our way past the lounge and bar areas through the first dining room to the ultimate dinning mecca. I had especially requested to sit in the grander of the two rooms for one reason and one reason only—the portraits by famed photographer EJ Camp (the long dining room table and 30 ft high ceilings with a massive skylight came in second). On the wall hung 50 or so portraits of people of all genders, ethnicities, styles and looks. This decor lead to a game of "Guess Who," which turned into a drinking game for every person one guessed incorrectly. Little did we know that not everyone who was lucky enough to grace the wall was indeed famous. The owner had put pictures of friends, neighbors and loved ones (his girlfriend included) on the wall as well.

The Tray of Goodies

So enthralled in the game we almost forgot our whole purpose of visiting CO-OP—to eat! Small buckets of truffle popcorn a.k.a crack in a can (my words, not theirs) were passed around as appetizers as we studied the drink menu. Once again, I faced a tough decision and narrowed my choices down to the Pink Boozka, a Grey Goose, watermelon, hibiscus cocktail and the Light, a Belvedere, passion fruit, red peppercorn dust concoction. The Light came out victorious on the account of my love for passion fruit.

Gotta Think Pink

CO-OP's concept is small plates to share as their menu reads "Share. Your life depends on it." Putting our waiter to the test, we asked for recommendations as the menu was too much to stomach (pun intended). His long list of recommendations turned out to be our long list of orders. One by one our selections came and one by one they were gone. For starters, the whole table, minus me, took lobster shots (as if—I only do shots of liquor but apparently they are very popular) followed by Watermelon Salad and Papercut Salad. The latter was delicious with hearts of palm, asparagus, salsify (whatever that is) and jalapeno dressing (not wanting to be left out, the Watermelon Salad also included hints of jalapenos—olé!).

Tokyo Lobster Roll

Moving on to our taste of Japan, we ordered the raw Hamachi Crunch with—you guessed it—jalapeno, a Tokyo Lobster Roll and a CO-OP Roll which was comprised of spicy tuna topped with rock shrimp tempura. (How do you say delicious in Japanese?)

Lollipops & Buns

America's turn came next with chicken lollipops (surprisingly not bad despite the odd name), beef sliders (disappointing) and truffle mac & cheese. The m&c was one of the best dishes, and I don't even really like cheese. I suspect the truffle lured me in, but then again you can add truffle to almost anything and I'll eat it.

On a different note, I wanted to comment on the music. Not sure why I am compelled to mention it this time as I rarely comment on this matter (maybe it's the rock n' roll feeling this place gives off), but the roster of music was fantastic. Classic rock and oldies like Jim Morrison, The Beatles, & U2 blasted over the loud speakers with everyone feeling it. When Tom Petty's "Learning to Fly" came on it took all the common decency I possess not to jump on the table and start busting a move—please recall that I was with my boss and a major account. If I was with friends, said action above would have most likely occurred in a heartbeat.

So who needs a fancy store or fancy building to say they've been to a co-op? I have the best kind in town right in my backyard. After all, I'm gunning for a spot on the wall so I need to devote all my time to this co-op.

Places of Interest:

CO-OP, 107 Rivington St, 212-796-8040

http://co-oprestaurant.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/

No Pain, No Gain

Welcome to Paradise

On a scale of 1 to 10, how much pain are you in? Well paying a visit to Painkiller, a tiki bar by design yet a dive bar by nature, is far from your average cure.  Located deep in the LES, my friend and I noticed its baby blue doors amongst the nitty gritty storefronts downtown and decided this was the perfect little getaway for the remainder of the evening.

A Zoo of Animal Toppers

Sir Mix a Lot...well Lady Mix a Lot

A quick lap around the narrow island lead us back to where everyone was congregating.  The bar was overflowing with blenders, fruits, mixes, and the thing that stole most of our attention-the animal toppers.  The flamingos, crocodiles, and penguins were the bees knees and a must-have souvenir.  After the bartender brought us back to reality, we refocused our attention to the real reason we came to Painkiller.  Looking at the interesting menu caused a minor headache so we let the bartender work her magic and come up with a concoction to ease our pain. 

Put Me Under Arrest

Then the NYPD showed up.  No, not the cops but Painkiller's take on a Miami Vice, a yellow and blue sweet drink topped with coconut shavings. The drink was as big as the entire force and the perfect drink to share with my partner in crime.  Sweet yet strong the drink was one of the many culprits on their menu that might make you answer the original question with a 10.

Places of Interest:

Painkiller, 49 Essex St., 212-777-TIKI

http://www.pk-ny.com/

Walk the Line

The Way to Get A Natural High

DVF's Headquarters

The Path to Nowhere

One park I always tell visitors is a "must see" in NY is the High Line in the Meatpacking District.  The High Line isn't your typical open lawn park but rather old, elevated railroad tracks that were converted to a long walkable path overgrowing with wildflowers, tall grasses, and gardens everywhere.  The park is divided into three sections starting downtown at Gansevoort St. and eventually ending at West 34th St.  The first section came to life in 2009 and keeps blossoming into something better.  

Take a Seat on The Porch

Sunbathing High in the Sky

Oh Hey There Empire State Building, Fancy Seeing You There

A new addition to section 1 is the cafe called The Green Table.  Resting slightly underneath the main stretch on the porch, it has views of the Hudson River and fare from local NY farmers.  Wooden benches and beds line one stretch of the section where visitors can sunbathe and relax.  The path continues to twist and turn until it reaches a set of cascading bleachers with a glass window overlooking the bustling 10th Avenue traffic.  Further down, the High Line passes Chelsea Piers and captures glimpses of the Empire State Building.

Art in the Park

The Section 2 Welcoming Committee

Section 2, that opened earlier this month, is all the rage consisting of new features and a beer garden at the end.  Technically, The Standard Biergarten is a hop, skip, and a jump from the entrance at the 1st section but that is old news.  Section 2 begins right where section 1 leaves off with a metal sculpture welcoming visitors to this narrow stretch.  The eyes are taken care of with outstanding views, the nose gets whiffs of floral and grassy delights and now on to the taste buds.  Food vendor La Newyorkina, a Mexican ice cream cart, serves iced fruit popsicles known as paletas but with interesting flavors like mango-chili.  Turns out I'm not the only one you likes ice cream as all but 1 flavor was gone by the time I made it to the cart.  Another highlight of Part 2 is the wooden "people watching" bleachers and the High Line's version of the Great Lawn (really a small patch of grass but nonetheless great). 

Time for a Brew

Time for Recess

Caution! Fun Ahead

And your prize for walking the mile long stretch? A good ol' beer at The Lot on Tap, Colicchio & Sons new beer garden underneath the High Line.  A wide open space flanked on one side with three food trucks and a long bar on the other with numerous wooden tables in the center makes this space perfect for communal drinking.  More relaxed and carefree than its counterpart the Standard Biergarten, the brews were a refreshing pit stop on our cultural walk-a-thon.  Cherry on top? The interactive playground located next to the beer garden.  Rainbow City, an art installation comprised of colorful, striped balloons and moon bounces, is where your inner child comes out.  By that I mean, I let my inner child go wild by running from inflatable to inflatable pushing them back and forth trying not to crush the actual children.  If it weren't for a bbq we had to attend, I could've played all day.  With that said, Section 2 has now earned my seal of approval.  Can't wait to see what's in store when section 3 is soon completed.  I can only imagine that it will reinforce my opinion on the High Line as still being a "must see."

Places of Interest:

The High Line, Meatpacking District

http://www.thehighline.org/

The Lot on Tap, West 30th St. & 10th Avenue