orsino love triangle

my dear friend heather recently got us tickets (by waiting in line for 5 hours) to see Shakespeare in the Park: Twelfth Night.

this was probably one of the best things i have done in manhattan. we had a terrific girls date night which included lots of wine & st.andre cheese.

the acting was amazing and featured anne hathaway playing viola. stellar. the set was perfectly simplistic. the play was just delightful as directed by daniel sullivan. performed in the language of shakespeare, i was pleasantly surprise with how well i followed it and even found myself laughing out loud (at the humorous bits of course)

here's a little recap via love map:

on top of all the theatrical magic, the rainy weather stayed at bay for the duration of the play. miracle for nyc in the summer of 2009.

cherish my cherin. sushi.

mmm! sushi.

i recently discovered a fabulous sushi restaurant in the east village. cherin sushi. reasons it is so fabulous: aaahmazing & creative sushi rolls and BYOB.

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among the traditional rolls and sashimi, cherin gets creative with fish combo's. options with mangos and red caviar are all over the menu selections. the marriage of fish & fruit is done so well here, you leave craving their house specialty rolls; the john roll (sliced mango atop spicy, crunchy salmon) and trisha roll (tune & yellowtail on top of avocado & crunch) are my favorites.

everything is super fresh. the rice is not too overbearing and cooked to perfection. and cherin scores extra points for simple, appreciated presentation.

decor is simple, clean, understated, but classier than your typical sushi joint. slightly dim inside and always packed with east village locals who are in the know. the little twinkly lights outside on the door & railing make it easy to spot.

best of all...cherin is totally affordable. and with the BYOB, you can bring along your fav sauvingnon blanc. perfection.

*image courtesy of nymag.com

urban garden

on my fairly long commute to work every morning from the upper east side to chelsea there is a little strip of 28th street that is just gorgeous & awake. i feel like alice wondering through wonderland. 

                            

                                   

huge bouquets of peonies wrapped in brown paper may just be the prettiest thing i ever did see. 

pastie magic

pastie: a staple in the welsh diet. a basic creation of potatoes and canned (yes, canned) corned beef within a pastry shell.

my challenge was to make the best darn pastie a welsh-man has ever tasted.

the american (although haphazard and completely unhealthy) perfected version of a traditional welsh meal.

6 small potatoes - peeled if desired, cut and boiled until soft

1 small yellow onion - diced

2 cloves garlic - minced

5 TBSP olive oil/butter

2 tins corned beef (beware - looks v.gross)

1 cup milk (i used whole - more fattening ingredients usually make for a better meal)

salt & pepper to taste

2 packages sainsbury's pastry mix

1 egg - beaten

- saute garlic & onion in small amount olive oil/butter until soft. about 2-3 minutes on medium heat.

- add cooked potatoes. add milk as needed.

- add corned beef and remaining tablespoons of butter.

- mix ingredients well. you may need to add more milk here; mixture should be very creamy (which means inevitably fattening) thicker than a stew, not runny at all. reduce heat to low.

- add salt & pepper to taste.

- while mixture is simmering, follow instructions for pastry mix (very easy, just add water)and form 12 big, flat, round discs with pastry dough.

- place large spoonful of corned beef/potato mixture on one side of pastry disc. fold over other side. pinch around edge to create seam.

- brush pastry parcels with egg wash.

bake @ 350 for 25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown. makes 12 small pasties, or in my case 7 small ones and 1 mammoth pastie.

*this recipe was tasted, tested and approved by a certified welshman. mmm! mmm! good!

zac v. ann

A terrible, totally embarrassing NYC moment happened recently. Two silver linings: thank goodness I wasn't alone & thank goodness there were no surrounding fashion police as we would have for surely been arrested. 

Location: SoHo (out of all little pockets/neighborhoods in manhattan, SoHo is the WORST for this catastrophe)

Partner In Crime: Elizabeth - beautiful, bombshell-esqe blonde who is commonly found in a perfect little black dress 

Disaster: We had passed an Eileen Fisher; I commented that when I am in my 50's I think this brand would suit me. E had replied that she felt the same way when she was in her early 20's about Ann Taylor. The conversation continues on AT and we convince each other that we probably both have a cardigan or two in the back of our closet. In the midsts of my confession that my favorite pair of white pants are from AT who passes us but....Zac Posen. 

ZP - the aaaaahmazing designer who instantly increased my Gwyneth obsession with perfectly feminine, glamorous peach-cinnamon chiffon 2007.

Yes, it was Zac Posen passed us just past the corner of W.Broadway & Prince, with a gorgeous model I might add, as I am confessing to a pair of white AT pants as my go-to summer item. 

(Perhaps a third silver lining; I forbid the use of the word "slacks")

E & I are still recovering.