The Premium Life

Mayahuel, located on 6^th street between 1^st ave and 2^nd ave, is a welcome edition to the lower east side.   If you are not aware of the exact location, you might walk right past its entrance with a low slung door  and casual wood facade.  Be warned that Mayahuel only allows customers to sit at tables and not stand.  The space fills up fast with limited tables and does not take reservations.  However, the very friendly doorman will take your name and mobile number….calling you when a table is free.  Owned by mixologist genius Phil Ward, partner in Death & Co., Mayahuel features some of the most innovative tequila and mezcal (a smoky flavored tequila.) inspired cocktails in the world.  Come hungry as Mayahuel serves amazing tapas and Mexican cuisine. Read more »

In my early twenties I was the queen bee of NYC’s latest and greatest hotspots. I knew about a bar, lounge or restaurant launch weeks before everyone else did because I followed commercial real estate websites and newsletters—nope, I didn’t have a life.

Once I began working at a fashion magazine I became lazy and gave up on the space stalking aspect—they wanted me there on opening night no matter what—they wanted me to cover the hangover-inducing bash. Well … then I stumbled onto something called responsibility *yawn* and rolling into the office reeking like a plastic bottle of Popov Vodka was no longer acceptable. What would I do if I got fired because I was out until 4 AM buying shots for random guys who used to be on The Bachelor? Needless to say, I feel like I’m slightly out of the hotspot loop, but—don’t you worry—this is all about to change.

I am embarrassed to say that I just discovered the sexiness that is Apothéke—a year late. You see, I tend to stay in on weekend nights and get my fix at random brunch spots on Saturdays and Sundays. Who feels like dealing with out-of-towners and day-long hangovers on Saturday and Sunday? My friends do. Read more »

New Yorkers have a love / hate relationship with Broadway.

The best shows quickly inspire frenzied ticket sales and endless opinions on their merits. Tickets that are in high demand seem impossible to find at times  — and can command a king’s ransom.

While some plays stick around for a while and some are quickly rejected by critical theatre-goers, the finest Broadway musicals have shown the ability to stand the test of time and seem like permanent fixtures in the heavily trafficked Theatre District…often justifiable.

Whether it’s the enchanting score of The Phantom of the Opera, the brilliant performances in Les Misérables or the sparkling stage arrangements of Wicked, these classics often deserve a second look, a re-initiation, if you will.

I recently decided to re-acquaint myself with The Phantom of The Opera, the longest running show in the history of Broadway.  (It has been fifteen years since my initial viewing.) Read more »

“I hope they have grilled chicken, vegetables and lots of wine.”

Being the “foodie” that I am, these thoughts immediately raced through my mind when I was invited to the August 11^th dinner at the James Beard House. I immediately logged onto their website and searched for the menu, hoping to find something that I’d actually eat. After scanning it and realizing I might be eating air, I responded to my invitee to let him know about my liquid dinner plans.

My coworker scorned my unrefined palate. “It’s James Beard! Be adventurous—it is just a tasting. You’re not being forced to eat liver for the next month of your life!”

After remembering James Beard Foundation’s trail-blazing stature in the culinary world, I tuned up my stomach of steel and headed over to the James Beard House at 167 West 12th Street for “Del Frisco’s Divine Wine Dinner” featuring a Creole-inspired menu that reflects the famed restaurant’s Southern Louisiana roots. I was transported to the 1940’s through the rustic entrance-way and checked in with the bubbly host who sent me to the spacious backyard garden for the cocktail reception; this walkway led me through the delectable kitchen where Del Frisco’s Executive Chef, Thomas Dritsas, and his crew were hard at work. My mouth began watering; that’s when I decided to be bold and daring—I’d sample everything (almost) on the menu! Read more »

I had to meet a new potential partner for lunch last week and he asked me to pick a good place near his office which is located on 52nd Street and 6th Avenue. He said he wanted something good and not too fancy. I suggested we go to Anthos, a great Greek place that has one of the best lamb burgers in all of Manhattan.

We met at Anthos the next day and as he perused the menu, he lamented the fact that there was no traditional middle eastern food listed. He was yearning for a yummy Gyro or a delicious Falafel. I apologized and told him that had I known that’s what he was looking for, I would have taken him to two of the least well kept secrets in Midtown Manhattan. The Gyro Halal cart on the corner of 53rd and 6th and Moshe’s Falafel cart on 46th and 6th.

Now, I know what you are thinking…this blog is supposed to be focused on luxury and fine dining. In my opinion however, sometimes you don’t care about the ambiance and decor (or as is the case here, the complete lack of it) and just focus on really good and tasty food. Yes the food at both of these carts is what makes both lines at these carts so incredibly long.

The Gyro Halal cart on 53rd and 6th is known to anyone who works in midtown. You can see the line starting to form around noon and the lines remains long well into the night. Many of the city’s cab drivers make it their one and only stop during their shift. The New York Post named it the best cart in NYC.  The specialty of the house is either the lamb or chicken over rice.  Both the lamb and chicken are delicious on their own. Extremely flavorful and moist, this is not your run of the mill cart lamb or chicken. The rice is also moist and delicious . However, what makes this meal so amazing is the wonderful white and hot sauce. The white sauce is better than any other white sauce I have tried. It is full of flavor and provides a perfect compliment to the extremely spicy hot sauce. If you are a spice lover like me, you will simply adore it. You can get it with or without pita bread and they throw in a little salad to cool everything down. The price for this amazing meal? $6.00! Read more »

I’ll never forget the day when the fashion director at the magazine I was interning for chose me to accompany her to a photo shoot. I was so excited and made sure to deck myself out in what I assumed was fashionable, but now I know I looked like I got dressed in a dark closet. I followed my well-heeled boss downstairs to our Lincoln Town Car and we flew down the West Side Highway to Studio 450.

Tucked away on 31st Street between 9th and 10th Avenues (watch out for the Lincoln Tunnel traffic), this unassuming building in the soon-to-be-trendy Hudson Yards District of Manhattan is known for having one of the most breathtaking views in the city. As I entered into the large event space, aside from noticing the abundance of food, models who weren’t eating it, photographers in white tees, makeup artists and hairstylists, I also couldn’t miss the 360 degree views of the city. Curiosity killed this cat and I immediately wandered over to the stairs that led to the landscaped, rooftop terrace.

As I made my way out of the glass-enclosed penthouse, I stopped on a dime at the sights of the Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty, Financial District, Herald Square and the Hudson River before me. In true tourist fashion, I began snapping pictures until my boss came upstairs and practically dragged me by my hair back down to the shoot. Read more »

Like the summer wind, my ex-boyfriend made a cameo appearance last Tuesday via Blackberry Messenger.

“Interested in dinner and drinks this evening, darling?” He wondered. After waiting 25 minutes to respond — games — I agreed to a meeting and suggested Bemelmans Bar at The Carlyle Hotel.

I laced up my 4″ espadrilles and “gracefully” hobbled six blocks to The Carlyle, which is located on Madison Avenue at 76th Street. As I entered into my own personal Gossip Girl episode, I scanned the supremely sexy room looking for the boy, but the old Hollywood-style décor — and maybe a quick flashback of the bar in The Shining — commanded my attention. I had forgotten how absolutely stunning this bar is. The impeccable combination of the black granite bar, 24-carat gold leaf-covered ceiling, a grand piano, sumptuous, chocolate brown leather banquettes and nickel-trimmed black glass tabletops makes this a wannabe Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s dream come true! I made a bee-line for the bar because I needed a swig of my old standby, a Grey Goose martini, before his arrival. “Ali”, my couldn’t-be-friendlier, white-jacketed bartender could sense my uneasiness and began asking about my day at work. After a couple of minutes of chit-chat and a few sips of his delicious martini, my date arrived. Read more »

I was strolling down Broadway coming from a Jazz event at Lincoln Center and I stumbled upon Oak & Steel fine wines and spirits shop. The shop’s charming style; dark wood paneling, beaded dim lighting, and chic individual shelving, wooed me in for a peak.

Personally I hold wine stores in high regard, as they are the taste makers of your evening…the meal you prepare. They provide a piece of your entertainment.

As I was scanning the different regions I noticed that many of the bottles had very unique labeling and were wines from small distributors.  And most of the wines at Oak & Steel are organic.  I had a few inquiries and a very lovely and knowledgeable staff member immediately answered my questions and recommended some fabulous choices.

I was later told that many of the staff are past or present sommeliers in some of the city’s best restaurants. Well it showed. I bought 8 bottles of wine from different regions and they were all really special. The staff member was very knowledgeable about the wines and their history.

As I continued to explore I saw little accents of detail that made this wine and spirits shop stand out. Set in the middle of the room is a big rustic oak farm table with a variety of Italian and Greek wines. Read more »