Stuff & Things Thursday

The sun came back! Holy toledo, I was so thrilled this morning, I went to a local florist and picked up some of my favorites, Sunflowers and Tulips. This a simple way to keep flowers alive the longest possible. It's pretty easy, just have to cut them correctly, prep them and change the water daily.

Here is what you will need.

I know, bleach and a penny seems like an odd combination for floral arrangements but trust me, it's crucial. Start by choosing your vase or vessel. I am partial to high vases with a small opening for sunflowers and wide deep vases for tulips. I tend to pick sizes and shapes that mimic the natural shape or movement of the flower. Tulips look best as they flop or fall over the edge. Sunflowers will continue to stand straight up.

I used a beautiful glass ice bucket as I actually don't own a wide deep vase.

This is Crate and Barrels, ours is slightly different but very similar.

Flared Square Vase looks great with Sunflowers.

Then I cut my flowers to the appropriate length, cutting on a slight diagonal and stripping any additional leaves. I never fill the vase until I have cut the flowers to the right height. Always trim less, you can cut more but you can't make them longer.

After they are set in the vase correctly, I tend to nestle and place for a little bit till it looks right to me and then I add water and a penny! There is something about the penny which helps Tulips live longer. I have no idea about the science, but my mother learned this from her mother and now I do it as well. It's proven successful.

On to the sunlflowers! They are my favorite flower, so happy and vibrant. I use the same method to cut my sunflowers as I did with the tulips, measuring and double checking the height to the vase. After that is all settled, I take the flowers out and pour less than 1/2 teaspoon bleach in the bottom of the vase and fill with 1/2 cup of water. A farmer at the Union Square farmer's market explained to me, that the stalk on a Sunflower is very porous and really doesn't need a whole lot of water, the bleach acts as a combative so the stalks don't absorb as much. People have a tendency to fill any vase with flowers to the brim, it's not necessary, if anything its more harmful. Sunflowers in particular, tend to rot quickly when there is too much water. 

Finally, I change the water for both once daily. I lift the flowers out, dump the water, rinse the stems and then refill. I have found there is enough bleach in the glass, so it's unnecessary to add it back for the sunflowers. If they look a little less perky, I will trim the ends.

Enjoy this precious spring day!

Sun Tea Special

Maybe it's because Memorial Day is two weeks away or because New York City has become a large puddle as it has been raining here for over a week and half. I am about ready to call myself a duck and give up. So I started making a list of all my favorite summer specialties, things I only do or have from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The first that came to mind is Sun Tea.  

 

I grew up here in NYC and didn't (well still don't, let's be honest) have a normal relationship with the outdoors. Time in the grass, sun and trees was selective, special and rare.  When I was a kid, my mother would make sun tea, by setting a few black tea bags in a large pitcher of water in the sun.  To me, it was absolute magic watching the sun, warm the water and cause the tea bags to steep and slowly turn the water to a deep amber, then full brown.  I would go zooming by on my bike and check up on the progress or even just lay there half snoozing, half watching.  I am sure to the rest of the world this isn't a thing of novelty. But the rest of world didn't grow up with the subway as their yellow school bus or car alarms as a lullaby.

As soon as the sun comes back out, I plan on making this gorgeous favorite. I swear, the tea is just a little sweeter, brighter.

Directions for Sun Tea:

4-6 black tea bags

1 gallon pitcher with water

4 hours of sun 

This can be adapted with all sorts of alternatives, any herbal tea can substitute or add a couple fresh lemon pieces, or mint while the tea steeps.

Here is to summer!

Radish, skirted in butter

My lovely friend Mckinley invited me for a glass of wine at a new hotel called NoMad. For the past 10 years hotels with very swanky bars have become a revival trend here in NYC.  In the past 5, they are handling the some of the best parties, at The Dream hotel, Boom Boom Room at the Standard, Rose Bar, the list goes on. The tricky part is finding the right time to experience it. If you wait too long, it becomes an inevitable tourist trap of the worst kind, tourist's who think they know the hotspots, are pushy and reference things like "Wasn't so and so from Real Housewives of __ here last week, she slapped her boyfriend" or whatever the case maybe.  Anyway, back to the NoMad, I wold say run, don't walk to get here before the masses.

The NoMad Hotel is beautiful and discrete, tucked in this interesting pocket of New York, on Broadway between 28th and 27th street. This little section has been known as a grittier spot, infected with the former fashion district, bulk suppliers and knock off bag peddlers. It has been slowly evolving as Madison Square Park rehabed due mostly to Danny Meyer and his Shake Shack and recently the opening of Eataly.

Anyway I digress.  Back to my evening, here is a photo of radishes dipped in butter with gorgeous french sea salt.  They were divine, and adaptation of an old French standard, radishes, crusty french bread eaten standing up with salt and butter at the local brassierie. Chef Daniel Humm has created a beautiful almost modern in presentation of this delicacy. 

If you don't particularly care for radishes, the design of this space is worth it alone. It blends the richness of a 19th century British Empire Hotel in the India with elegant touches of New York Art Deco.  The photo below is of the bartender who has a beautiful mahogany wood elephant behind him. This elephant also had a twin, which is much easier to make out in the photos below.

The cocktail list is gorgeous, I had a glass of white wine but a taste of something called Hot Lips which was delightful and true to it's name. Find a time to indulge in some Butter Skirted Radishes, it is well worth it.

Friday Favorite

Mint Green

When I was a child, I loved loved- love still-mint chocolate chip ice cream. But I was specific, well, I still am, but who is counting. I only enjoyed mint chocolate chip ice cream, if it was the lovely pale shade of green. I don't know what it is but some sort of color, taste, brain coordination that assured me, it is more delicious than probably the healthier white version.

Shoes by CJG

As of late, I have found a new love for mint green stuff and not just the ice cream. It can be a very calming neutral without going back to egg shell, ecru or white. It has a little more bones to it, meaning a fuller feel but not the typical appeal of light blue or yellow.  There is a surprising elegance to it when applied correctly, invoking images of Victorian Salons in Paris.  It can also be a beautiful accent furniture, appliances, fabric, in bedrooms, kitchens and baths.

Chairs~ Lyford Cay Club by Tom Scheerer

Vintage Singer! And check the handle on the desk

This color has so many applications and uses and can even be found in vintage glass wear or porcelain. It can introduce 50's kitch vibe or it can be a nod to summer beach homes.

Happy Friday!

Stuff & Things Thursday

There is something very hip about high water fancy pants, bare ankles with polished shoes and neon laces. Thanks Rocker for the inspiration for Stuff and Things Thursday.

Neon is everywhere as everyone has noticed. I personally tend to take a subtle approach to any trend and like to have just one accent. See below,

Nars came out with lip gloss line called Larger than Life Lip Gloss and it has the most intense wonderful pigments I have seen on the market.  This color, Place Vendome is a wonderful bright pink. It's creamy and rich and stays put which is a perfect blend for something this high impact.  I find it's a great accent to simple clean face with a little mascara. 

These two products are the best combination for a flawless face. My skin changes daily, depending on the amount of water, sleep, hormones, diet etc. I also run around all day long with clients in this jungle of a city. The combination of these two products has been a life saver and stays with me for 10 hours plus. Laura Mercier makes tinted moisturizers with or without oil, in all skin tones. I think the oil free works best for me but depending on your skin tone it could be different. I couple this with the MAC strobe lotion to create a glowy, clean fresh faced look even if I am not feeling so fresh faced. I use more or less of each product depending on my skin coloring for that day and apply with my finger tips and finish with a make up sponge.

Let's get this straight. This isn't a blog about booze specifically, it may come up but I thought I would explain that off the bat. This photo is of a delicious Stella I had yesterday at a bar the epitomizes what I love about NYC. I wandered into this place called Stand 4 which is a burger joint on 12th street between 5th and University to have a drink with my boyfriend, Dan. We had both had one of those days, maybe it's because New York has become Seattle or a rain cloud has set up residence for the past 10 days but all in all, it was tough. The last time I had been to this place about 5 years ago when it had first opened up and found it to be fine, nothing exceptional or terrible but fine. 

Yesterday, I had no expectation but was surprised by the pleasant atmosphere. They have lovely large windows which are under an awning allowing for them to be open even in less than sunny weather. It was like setting up shop in a sun room when a summer rain has just rolled through, that sort of cool, fresh breeze, fresh smell of rain and a lovely ice cold Stella to boot. I didn't indulge in any sort of food but I will say two beers, one well drink later our bill was $12.00 including tip. I am a big fan of any place that offers a pleasant surrounding at such a low overhead.

In short, New York never ceases to amaze me, a place I thought was nothing special, had the right balance of atmosphere, detail, service and provided a little respite from a tough day. That's what this blog is about, all the small details of life, the less than expected but always appreciated, the tried-but-true and things that make me happy, if only for a moment.