Kingswood For Ginny's Babyshower

I was at Kingswood, an Australian owned (nothing much else Australian about it) restaurant in the West Village yesterday. It was so lovely and such a beautiful restaurant. I've attached a before and after picture. Before, is what it used to look like when it was a previous restaurant. Isn't it amazing what designers can do? The windows are obviously fake but just look so fantastic. And the peacock is stunning. Another cute feature is the ceiling. Looks like painted tin ceiling (fake) and they have stuck on some fake butterflies to it. I think we might add some to our new kitchen ceiling. What a cute idea.

I was there for Ginny's baby shower. Lots of fun. Everyone lovely, food delicious and her friend Allison decorated the table with beautiful flowers and also brought three decadent cakes. We had yummy passion-fruit belini's. I only had two but felt ever so tipsy. Someone said they had gin in them too. a-oh.

Hunter Bergh

This is Hunter at one day old. So Lovely!

Insane!

A basement storage room in the Dakota on the Upper West Side recently went up for sale, and eight residents bid on the space, including Yoko Ono. The winning bidder was John M. Angelo, a hedge fund manager and board member of Sotheby's, who paid $801,000 for the storage space, perhaps the most expensive sale of its kind in Manhattan history. Yes, a glorified locker sold for more than the average one-bedroom apartment. What slowdown?

FYI. The Dakota is on the Upper West Side, on Central Park West, and is famous in part as it's where John Lennon and Yoko Ono lived. She's still there.

Collapsible Bed

This is a fun, space saving idea that can turn the aero-mattress into something a little bit more special. Saw it on Apartment Therapy, just a prototype but fun, right?

Hunter Bergh

Arrived this morning! Waiting for photos.

Le Blog

Guys
This is the blog Caroline has started for Living Edge. It's just brand new but it's sure to have lots of great stuff. So, check regularly and leave lots of comments. It's always nice to get comments (hint hint!). Here's the link for Le Blog

Saint Germain Liqueur

This is a newish liqueur I am dying to try. Elderflower flavored. I just got a bottle for a client who is moving jobs and think I must get some for us. Pretty bottle too.
(daily candy just featured this today,but i swear i wrote this last week when i got the bottle. even more annoying, the client has moved to the new job and we haven't given it to him yet. he'll think we copied Daily Candy (a daily email of supposedly 'cool' things)

The Deadliest Catch

A new season just started here. We are hooked. Again. Anyone else watching it? It basically follows boats as they go crab fishing in the Bering sea off Alaska. Super dangerous job,horrendous conditions plus interesting crews all make for great television. Basically, they work non-stop for a few weeks, hardly any sleep, but at the end of the season crew members (ie deck hands etc) can make around $90,000k. NICE.

Look at the size of the crab in that shot. Huge.

More Cupcake Stuff

Yes, another cupcake post for Anna, but this is a little different. This is about the wrappers. I have never seen anything like these. They are from Estilo Weddings and are expensive, but I wonder if you could get them made in Bangkok? I would do something a little simpler. I think for me, I prefer the cake to be the star, but there is definitely something fun in the idea. Especially nice for a grand event like a wedding or something.

Crew Cuts

Crew Cuts is the name of the J.Crew kids line. The stuff is amazing. Very mini-me (ie almost adult styles) and crazy expensive. Actually more than I would spend on myself. I think that little pink dress with the jewelled neckline is $250! It's all a bit preppy but if you had lots of fancy stuff to go to, I think this would be a great place to get clothes for the little ones (assuming you have lotsa coin (as the kids say!) )
* P.s you probably can't tell, but all these styles are for toddlers!!

Dansk

I said in an earlier post that if I didn't have the Le Creuset, I would go for Martha. I guess we need a weekend house, because although I love the Martha (and would definitely get it), I love Dansk even more. I have one dansk fry pan. Just so pretty. And this, I think is the perfect cutlery - I will be searching for this on Ebay if my Nick agrees that it is lovely.

Margarita Ice Cream

Oh my, I think i want to make this right now!!! Naturally a fat pill but nice and easy for a dinner where everyone gets just a bit.

it's a Nigella Recipe found right here.

Big Belly

and that's all. Doesn't Simone look fantastic! All in the tummy area which is nice (not that it would matter if she was as round as a butterball!) . Not long now...

Ten Bells

We went to an old favorite of ours on Friday night for dinner - Le Pere Pinard. Just a great little French place on the Lower East Side. We were joined by Dirk and Marcy which made it very fun. After, we went to a new bar (by the same owners) called 10 Bells. The pictures are from there and don't really do it justice. It's the cutest place ever. We also ran into some other friends of ours there too Leigh and Allison. It's so weird to run into people in such a big city - especially as we haven't been out in the LES for ages.

On Saturday we ran into Emma, Nick's sister shopping in Soho. That's more likely but still crazy.

CB2

Seems I am doing a lot of posting of kitchen stuff of late. We just went to CB2 on the weekend and found great glasses (like the Martha ones but cheaper!) and also this cute milk carton vase thing. Might be cute in our new kitchen. Not the best pictures of either of them, but you get the idea.

Smart People

This is a new movie starring Dennis Quaid, Ellen Page (from Juno) and Sarah Jessica Parker. Dennis Quaid stars as an arrogant, self-obsessed professor and the movie is about him, his family and his relationship with SJP (his doctor and an ex-student).
Obviously there is more to it but I didn't think much of it so I can't be bothered going into it. We saw it as part of these events that tablethotels.com do (great source for hotels) and it was held at the Bryant Park hotel which is quite nice and has a lovely little theatre.

This is all a long way of saying that we got the Fred water with some popcorn before we went in (and a yummy vodka drink). I think the bottle is lovely but on the whole think water companies are the devil. Over-users of plastic, and they sell something for a ridiculous price that no-one in this country really needs. Shameful. Saying that, the shape is quite fab as it sits flat in a bag, and as I always like to take a bottle out with me (and glass is often too heavy and therefor a bit of a pain), this will be my new bottle. End of rant.

The Perfect Drinking Glass

Also from Martha. I love it. So plain. They look great in the flesh too. These will be our new water glasses.

Pen And Phoebe

The girls have just been to the beach over Easter, and here are some cute photos of them. Actually, i realise none of these are beach ones, but they are cute anyway. Phoebe looks like TROUBLE (in a cute way of course)

Martha Stewart

You know I think she is great. Love her mag, and her tv program (although she slightly overdoes it with her self promotion of her books and products etc).
Yesterday i was meeting a friend at an agency opposite Macy's, the home of Martha's stuff. He was late so i thought I would check it out for quality. Lots of great things, and there is just sooo much of it. If we didn't already have the Le Creuset pots, I would be tempted to get her cast iron ones. Gorgeous colour and half the price. Really lovely. I think I will also get - when work gets busier - this over the sink colander and the salad spinner. Go to Macys.com to see the full range. This is just my pick in my pretend shopping excursion.

It's really feeling like Spring at the moment - Love it

And, more cupcakes!

Aren't these gorgeous! Anna, find them at Bakerella

Cupcakes

The cupcake craze isn't slowing down anytime soon. Here is another source for you Anna, Whiskie Bits Bakeshop The site has a gallery which may be worth investigating. More stuff to follow (at some point). Cupcakes always look so pretty, but I have to say, they aren't my favourite treat.

258 Broadway

I found this very interesting article (interesting to me, anyway!) of our building. It dates back to the 1890's and it's amazing to see photo's of broadway - and the building - from way back then. If you have 5 minutes, take a read. It talks of the history of the building (then called 260 broadway), tells of how it was burnt down, talks of secret tunnels that were the start of the NY subway system and of the re-build. Love it. Read it here

Someone in the building has left an article in our lobby that also tells of the history, in particular, that it is the site of the very first Tiffany & Co before it moved to Wall Street. (Of course, now it's uptown and has just placed a second branch at Wall Street in the last few months). This article doesn't mention any of this Tiffany talk. Not sure if it's true or not.

Some suitably old-fashioned pictures accompany this post. On the first one, our building is in the far distance (look for the two figures crossing the street to see where our building is). the Second is an illustration of the building on fire, the third, just a pit and the last one is a current view from the roof. I should have found one of the building as it looks now - will have to add that later.

Coffee Cuff

I always feel guilty getting a coffee at a store. But the little place around the corner makes such good coffee. I used to be so good about bringing my own cup thing - now, not so much. So as well as spending $5 on a coffee, I also have the cup, lid and holder to throw away (the holder at least goes to recycling). This cuff is a great idea, it's a bangle that does double-duty as a coffee-cup cuff. Very cool. Not so cool is the price. At $68 it's way too much. Someone needs to do a 5 buck one. And then, maybe i'll consider it.

I found this on tastespotting.com which is a fun food site.

Smith & Mills

This is a tiny, tiny little bar/restaurant near us. It used to be a one car garage, so that gives you an idea of how small it is. It's so lovely, pictures don't do it justice. We've only had drinks there but they also do food. They cook on this little portable stove thing behind the bar, and the food looks really good. Nothing fancy, risotto's, cheese plates, sandwiches.

Arrested Development

Undoubtedly, the best tv show EVER. We got the first series out on Netflix and watched a few episodes last night over the tortilla pie (see below). So funny. I've seen these episodes at least 2 or 3 times already. Each time you watch it, there is always something you didn't notice before. Get it if you can.