The Premium Life

Premium Lifestyle Group, together with our co-hosts; The Prime, The Ritz Carlton Destination Club, The O Group, Creative Edge Parties and Rent the Runway held an amazing cocktail party and networking event on November 5^th at the Penthouse of The Prime Condominiums. The theme of the reception was “Satisfy Your Senses” and we had over 200 members, guest and friends in attendance

Our focus for this event was to bring together an exceptional group of people who share the same vision that we do. When it comes to conducting business and fostering meaningful interaction, the experience is the most important component.

We would like to extend our sense of gratitude to Belvedere Vodka, Quintessa Vineyards, Flowers Vineyards, John Allan’s and DJ Professor Specs for their contributions to this unique and memorable event.

Photos from this event can be found here

Personally I prefer dining at the bar area of a restaurant as opposed to a table. I believe the overall experience is more interactive: the bartender often has good recommendations, you end up socializing with other patrons, and usually you can linger as long as you desire. I often compare it to the experience at a blackjack table…

So for this entry I decided to share a few spots that I recently visited.

Scarpetta (355 west 14^th street) is a fabulous place to satisfy your Italian cravings with some pasta and wine while being tucked away in the borders of theWest Village. Living in Italy I experienced my fair share of pastas, polenta, and pancetta but  chef  Scott Conant’s focus on the ingredients and tribute to the native cooking is what makes his dishes stand out. The bar area occupies the entire front of the restaurant with an L shaped bar and seating options both at high top and two top tables. Your can order from the entire menu that is offered in the main dining room. Conant did a great job capturing the comfortable and rustic downtown style while maintaining the sophistication of  staff wearing tobacco colored uniforms and cover plated entres.

It is a terrific spot to meet a friend for a drink and a nibble. The Primi’s range from a raw yellowtail seasoned with spiced oil and flaked sea salt to creamy polenta with truffled mushrooms. The pastas are delicious; if you decide to share, the kitchen splits them and serves them in small white porcelain dishes. The statement “simple is best” is demonstrated with Conant’s spaghetti with tomato and basil which received the New York Magazine best pasta award in 2009. The bar area attracted many diners who sought after quality food “after hours” so the Scarpetta team created a Late Night Bites menu offered from 10am-1pm Tuesday through Friday.

I recently tried Resto (111 East 29^th street) for their authentic Belgian casual fare. Chef Ryan Skeen prides himself on the emphasis on seasonal local farm fresh ingredients to serve to his Gramercy Park neighborhood patrons. The bar is cozy and inviting with 10 bar seats to accommodate walk in guests.

Resto serves up classic dishes like short rib carbonnade, moules & frites and their pan fried burger… that can be of comfort in any season. I branched out and tried the chicory salad, served with dandelion, escarole, frisee pigs ears, spring beans, soft egg, and warm vinaigrette. The variety of textures, the runny egg yolk combined with the crispness of the ears blended marvelously.

With a menu like Resto’s that you don’t see everyday it is helpful to ask the bartender’s suggestions. The hanger steak was generously seasoned with a crisp char juicy center. I paired it with local sautéed snap peas…and of course the frites. The frites are served with a choice of dipping sauces that compliment the crispy outside and the starchy center- (mayo, sweet chili, lime pickle, cocktail, mayo & onion, gribiche, lemon & smoked paprika, sriracha, yogurt, cumin, roasted garlic.

Don’t under estimate eating brunch at the bar…how can you go wrong with a frosty cold  Duvel beer, Belgian frites and a classic grilled cheese served on a waffle with Vermont cheddar, gruyere, bacon, pork belly and greens. Save room for dessert with a variety of Belgian chocolates (dark, milk, and white) to chose from. I promise it will be a sweet end to the meal.

Five Points (31 Great Jones street) My last pick is a classic and one that I have been venturing to since its doors opened in 1999 and almost always opt for a seat at the bar. Five Points is a place that can become your local hangout…with a friendly approachable staff, a seasonal menu with Mediterranean accents and a wide range of spirits, it is just the place you want to hang your hat and stay a while.

The char grilled grass fed burger served with Vermont cheddar, smokehouse bacon & French fries and the wood oven pizzette (fontina cheese, sliced yukon gold potatoes & white truffle oil) are constants on the menu.

Whether you opt for one of their fresh salads made with local herbs and ingredients such as the marinated beet & mutsu apple salad with Greek style yogurt, watercress & spiced almonds or fish dish like the wood oven roasted dayboat merluzza served with white bean ragout, watercress, tangerines & gremolata you are sure it will be complimented by a perfectly made cocktail. The experienced bartenders know how to fix one of the best Martinis around and the white and red Sangria are popular choices. With the airy ambience and the wood tones the Five Points style sets an ideal ambience for all seasons.

I hope this helps next time you are looking for a spot to meet a friend, or even grab a bite for one…regardless of your circumstance– sitting at the bar offers a different perspective on your dining experience. You might even make a new friend.

For more information and reservations, and to plan your next experience be sure to check us out on www.premiumlg.com.

Eat well!

I have grown up my whole life in Manhattan and experienced some of the best restaurants and nightlife in the world within New York. Having recently moved out to Los Angeles from New York to open a new office, the hardest thing has been finding a restaurant with both a great scene and food…Until now. About the same time I moved out to LA (4 Months Ago), this amazing restaurant opened. As a member of The Soho House in New York I knew this restaurant would be up my alley and I was not mistaken. On any given day and night you will see a great looking crowd and A –List celebrities. Just the other week on a Friday night I spotted Ryan Seacrest, Gordon Ramsey, and Simon Cowell all dining together.

Cecconi’s was built at the old Morton’s space. It has become a new lunch hot spot, power scene dining, fun/networking bar scene, and unforgettable dinner spot. The restaurant offers seating outdoors, indoors, and a private room called The Butterfly Room. Cecconi’s is the perfect environment for a corporate dinner, which can seat up to 40 guests. The outside is impressive with beautiful hedges and foliage surrounding the tables. The marble floors are laid in glossy black-and-white tiles in a zigzag pattern amongst white paneled walls and ornate crystal chandeliers. The space is divided between a main dining room with powder-blue freestanding sofa, long white marble bar with banker barstools and outdoor terrace soon to give nearby.

Cecconi’s offers an eclectic menu with great lunch and dinner options. For lunch try the Cecconi’s Cobb, maine lobster spaghetti, foccaccia panini and wild mushroom pizza. Dinner options include delicious veal meatballs, eggplant parmigana, osso bucco, veal scallopine, lemon swordfish, and more. Later in the evening the menu takes a brasserie twist with lengthy crudo menu, selection of salmon or beef carpaccios and hmeade pastas topped with sausage or Maine lobster.

For reservations or corporate events visit www.premiumlg.com.

It seems like every week I get calls and emails from our clients and friends wanting to know what the new “hot spot” is and where they should grab drinks after a hard days work. I start going down the list of places and locations (mostly in the West Village, Meat Packing District or Lower East Side) and the reply is always the same. “Sounds like a great place but I don’t feel like going all the way downtown, are there any cool places in mid town?”

Well after my second excursion to the new Monkey Bar last week, I am happy to report there are. The revamped Monkey Bar is located in the Elysee Hotel on 54^th between Madison and Park. It was previously owned by The Glazier Group until Graydon Carter, the editor of Vanity Fair and an owner of the Waverly Inn in Greenwich Village, and two other partners, Jeff Klein, owner of the City Club Hotel, and Jeremy King of The Wolseley bought it and decided it to overhaul the cuisine and overall feel.

The Monkey Bar reopened in May and still has the same swanky feel of a 1930’s Supper Club – rich red-leather banquettes, brass trimmings, monkey lamps and a 65-foot mural of New Yorkers along the walls. Most of the servers wear white steward jackets with long tails and striped patches on the shoulders. The dining room has balcony and orchestra-level seating.

I did not sample the food the first time I was there, but there was plenty of eye candy to make your mouth water. It is a pretty looking crowd, mostly coming from their midtown  office right after work and many staying until very late in the night. I quickly became friends with one of the main waiters (Pete) who took care of me and my clients for the rest of the night. We sampled various cocktails and sat around chatting and enjoying the talent.

I decided to go back a second time and sample the food. After a few Martini’s we ordered the oysters of the day (with lime and Tabasco, of course) and also sampled the Peeky-toe crab cakes and the soft shell crab. All of the food was delicious but let be clear about one thing–the main attraction here is the scene.

It certainly helps to get there on the early side to secure one of the few tables near the bar. Or if you prefer, you can always make a restaurant reservations and take a table in the restaurant area. Whatever your choice maybe, just be happy to know that you no longer have to schlep to all four corners of the city to find a good after work hangout. As always, if you need help planning your next experience let us know at www.premiumlg.com. Bottoms up!