cherrypatter nyc

after this post by kathy yl chan, the sweets expert at serious eats, i really couldn’t not visit oro bakery and bar for their madelines.  well, i probably haven’t had as much madeline experience as kathy (though i do occasionally like to bake my own which are quite tasty) but from my limited perspective oro’s madelines were outstanding.   moist on the inside, with just a hint of crust on the outside, and enough density to feel like a decent snack but not a big dead weight either.  that was all i had there, but the great little blog lunch studio visits oro all the time, and given their recommendations for things like the oozing sweet sausage and fontina sandwich, the most delicate looking apricot danish, and the sticky brown sugar pecan bun, i really need to head to nolita more often.  oro bakery and bar, 375 broome street between mott and mulberry streets, manhattan, new york, .

this now “famous” turkey leg sandwich from henry public kept popping up all fall long as this most-favored sandwich so of course i had to go see for myself.  the setting at henry public, an old fashioned bar,  is quaint, and it does feel old school, like maybe you’re back in brooklyn at the turn of the century.  we visited henry public at this fall for lunch, and it wasn’t so busy which was great.  the sandwich was indeed excellent, and worth visiting just for that.  the turkey mixture was super moist, and the combination of ingredients was addictive with the crunch from the crispy onions balancing out the softness of the bread and the meat.   and even though i was quite full after half, i just couldn’t stop myself from eating the rest.

on the negative side, henry public’s service was insanely slow, and then even though it took forever or maybe because it did my fries were lukewarm. other dishes we had including an egg sandwich, a lettuce and watercress salad and a grilled chese sandwich with apple slices were fine but not worth the trip.  back on the plus side, the starting almonds and pickles were solid, and the henry public’s drinks were just as good if not better than that turkey sandwich.  we all got the spicy and tangy bloody henry with shallots.   it was expertly made, and for that and the turkey leg, i will definitely recommend a return visit.    henry public, 329 henry street between atlantic avenue and pacific street, brooklyn, new york, .

i am clearly not the only one, but i am quite obsessed with mad men (this was an amazing scene). i love the the fantastic design of course, and the story is fun too, but what i’m most obsessed about is the women’s clothes and look.  betty’s outfits are just really incredible, and i wish i could be styled that way for a few days and get to drive around in one of those cars.  so i was excited to see that the rubin museum of art was hosting a talk, for a very affordable price, in a few weeks with matthew weiner, the guy who created and produces the series. while i have never heard of these talks, given that mad men is just a wee bit popular, i thought it would be wise to post it a little early just in case you want to make plans.

i have never actually been to the rubin museum of art which specializes in art from the himalayas, this talk series might be enough to draw me in more regularly.   the “red book dialogues” (the name is a little much i must say) has profiled a lot of great people this year like sarah silverman, charlie kaufman, jack dorsey and adam gopnik.  since the museum is located in the heart of chelsea there are plenty of places to eat and shop, though you need to walk a few big blocks to get to some better spots that are in my mini guide below.  the red book of j.c. jung programs at the rubin museum of art, 150 west 17th street between 6th and 7th avenues, manhattan, new york, .  click here for the program with matthew weiner, saturday, february 6th at 4 p.m.

there are plenty of reasons to be hanging out in chelsea, but i definitely like the interview series at the rubin museum of art for starters.   and if you are here, it is not like there aren’t plenty of generic food and shopping options.  this area (mostly from 23rd to 17th, along 5th and 6th avenues)  is chock-a-block with all the major chains (banana republic, j. crew. abercrombie, the gap, container store….), with a few independent shops and if you hunt a little harder a few great ones pop up.  i also am a fan of some of those medium “new york chains” that i like to check out every now and then including sacco for shoes, searle (great coats and good sales) and intermix (though the latter is way too young for me!).  for food, you really do need to venture afield either east or west, and then there’s plenty of choice.   see below for my mini map of all these spots as well!

shops:

malin+goetz, excellent lotions, and shampoos and things though it is on the pricey side.  117 7th avenue between 20th and 21st streets, .

journelle: very very nice lingerie.  super accessible too so it’s easy to go in even if you have no idea what you want or need.  3 east 17th street between 5th avenue and broadway, .

books of wonder: a real standby for children’s books. while i wish the staff were a little better versed in their stock like at bank street books, it is still a great bookstore.  18 west 18th street between 5th and 6th avenues, .

food:

billy’s bakery: if you really must have a classic cupcake, this is totally the place to go (and stay far away from magnolia). same stuff, sooooo much better service and attitude.  184 9th avenue at 21st street, .

city bakery: i will always be a fan of this place even though i have probably eaten here hundreds of times.  great quality, and i must be addicted to those little peanut butter cookies.  3 west 18th street between 5th and 6th avenues, .

tia pol: i have been wanting to go back to this excellent, super crowded, still a little too trendy tapas bar, since i last went last summer.  really delicious and fresh though not cheap.  205 10th avenue between 22nd and 23rd streets, .

ennju: my standby japanese fast food snack shop, especially for the rice dishes.  satisfying, quick, healthy and cheapish.  20 east 17th street between 5th avenue and broadway, .

i feel like i should have known about michele varian for ages, but for some reason i had never even heard of it, or at least noticed that her wares had been popping up in domino until the last few months or so. when i finally went by, i was thrilled to find yet another great, little unusual gem of a shop with a slightly different focus than some of my other home store favorites like john derian, mxyplyzyk and auto.  the shop has a wide range of home goods in a number of different materials including ceramic (soda pop vases), pewter (moose salt and pepper shakers), glass (thermoses), platinum (rimmed tumblers) and wood (seahorses, vintage sewing spools, tape measures and staplers). 

michele varian has something for everyone i think and would be particularly good for that mother-in-law or aunt you don’t see all that often but need to bring just the right thing.  there is a wide range of pricepoints too.  some fun gift ideas include leather quill pens, porcelain geodome birdhouses as well as plenty of serving trays, salad bowls and saki sets. michele varian also has a small collection of very appealing jewelry. i fell for the seahorse necklaces.   michele varian also dips into furnishings a bit with a small selection of rugs and some embroidered quilts.   michele herself is the designer of many handmade pillows (with lots of luxurious silks and velvets with these great leather ties) as well as duvet covers and other bed coverings.

in addition to finding this great little store, i really love this neighborhood. it feels a lot like soho before it became a major mall.  the area is a bit east of broadway but not part of nolita, and just on the verge of chinatown. i’m sure there’s some hokey name for the neighborhood, but personally i just like exploring the few blocks nearby where you can find posteritati, built by wendy, papabubble and even a surfer shop; and for food oro is not too far away.   believe me, i will be roaming around here some more in the weeks to come.  michele varian, 35 crosby street between grand and broome streets, manhattan, new york, .  also at abc carpet & home, ground floor/level 1, 888 broadway at 19th street.

i discovered stem from thistle & clover, a fairly new shop in fort greene, and i’m sure glad i did.  stem might be my latest flower shop obsession.  the place is not too big, but what they have out is not your garden variety deli fare.  their flowers are usually stunning, and i’d be happy with just a couple of stems every once in a while.  currently in shop are mimosas, lilys of the valley, white french tulips, water lilys, pincushion proteas and tweedias. 

for my birthday this december, j branched out from his usual root stock & quade arrangement (which i have always loved but change is good), and got a spectacular little bundle from stem.  that sure made my birthday weekend nice and festive.  good choice!!!!  hmmm, we have an anniversary coming up so maybe i can persuade him to indulge me again (and he is my on again, off again spellchecker as if you didn’t know).

stem also has a few gifty things. i was particularly enamored with these amazing handmade quilts made by a local designer (deborah kellogg — not sure of her spelling). i have been wanting to move to the quilt route in the summers, and i think i have found the way to do that.  stem also carries a few other odds and ends for kids and other random gifts but really the main reason to come here is for the gorgeous flowers.  stem, 112 s. oxford street between lafayette and fulton streets, brooklyn, new york, or email at .

resto has become a bit of a standby for us.   we always get consistently high quality basics here, and it’s good to have a place like this in the mid 20s.   the hamburgers are excellent — juicy, charbroiled and cooked to order, they ooze some nice juice but the patty holds together.  delicious.  the fries are good too though maybe not my all time favorites (i tend to like the thinner ones) but i really cannot complain about crispness or freshness. they always come right out of the oven.  on our latest visit to resto, i got the moules in a green curry with lemongrass, coconut milk and saffir lime. those mussels were plump and juicy (it really is a drag when you get not so fresh ones, but that just doesn’t happen here) and that sauce was oozing flavor but still light.  the mayonnaise for the frites (always a must for me) was also freshly made and insanely addictive. i don’t want to admit how many tubs of that i went through.

since resto has a belgian pedigree, they have an extensive assortment of belgian beers.  i recently had their st. barnabus witbier which was nice and light.  service tends to be very good, though some waiters can be a bit too chatty if you know what i mean.  i’ve also taken colleagues here for lunch and it was perfect for that too. not terribly fancy, just high quality food with enough variety to deal with everyone’s preferences.   resto, 111 east 29th street between park and lexington avenues, manhattan, new york, .

it’s been a rough week, and only today do i actually feel like i’m clearing the fog. i had a chock-a-block schedule for work (2 separate day trips to baltimore), two mini birthday celebrations to plan for my little one (at school and home), puppy preparation (we’re collecting her tomorrow morning -yikes!), a 1st grader who really doesn’t like moving faster than molasses in the morning, an attempt to really gear up and launch a fun food-related but technically challenging website by feb. 1st (more about that later),  and to top it all off i got some kind of flu on monday on the train (not sure if it was the zaro’s black and white cookie or not, but really can’t there be better food options at penn station at 5:30 in the morning — or maybe it was my problem for choosing badly). 

needless to say, i didn’t get everything done and so here, finally, is my mini guide for williamsburg that i promised last week.   williamsburg really is a great neighborhood (not that i really need to say that).  there is so much to do, and so many places to hang out it is hard just selecting.  however, if you’re out there to bowl at the great brooklyn bowl, and want to venture out either before or after, here are some ideas a few blocks away. 

shops:

the future perfect:  cutting edge modern goodies at all price points.  service could definitely be better (forget having someone actually greet you when you come in the door, but the products are great.  115 n. 6th street near berry street, .

sweet william:  fantastic, children’s clothing store.  beautiful, beautiful goods in high quality wools, cottons and a few fun toys as well.   112 n. 6th street near berry street, .

catbird:  great little shop for jewelry and other knickknacks.  would be a perfect place to go for some valentine gifts.  219 bedford avenue between n. 4th and 5th streets, .

food:

egg:  i have not been here in a few years, but as usual it continues to get raves especially for the breakfast that really stretches into lunch.  eggs, and ham and even grits are the things to get.  135 n. 5th street between bedford and berry streets, .

bedford cheese shop:  best little fine food shop in williamsburg. excellent selection of cheeses and meats, and lots of sweets that are hard to find anywhere else.  229 bedford avenue between n. 4th and 5th streets, .

la superior:  this place has phenomenal mexican food for a pretty cheap price point.   can have some attitude but the gorditas and tacos are well worth it.  295 berry street at s. 2nd street, .

with a background as a pastry chef, allison robicelli and her husband launched an online cupcake business this fall called .  their shop offers treats in many flavors (they have nearly 50 options right now) available for order or for a catered party (you can contact them at allison at robicellis.com).  robicellis has also just started to place their treats in local shops around brooklyn including blue apron and ozzies in park slope,  in boerum hill and at hom in bay ridge.  prior the launch of this venture in the fall, she and her husband ran a high end food market out in bay ridge with lots of cheeses and prepared foods.   

i had been hearing about the robicelli cupcakes for a while, and alison was kind enough to bring some by this past weekend, and they were delicious.  my favorite robicelli was the sticky toffee cupcake with brown sugar topping.   they’re also working on a gluten-free line which should be rolling out in a few weeks.  i was excited when allison agreed to provide a huge list of ideas for shopping and food, especially because she grew up and hangs out mostly in bay ridge, which is an area that i have clearly not even begun to explore.  i am also very excited to try out her old-time italian bakery source on staten island.  thanks so much allison!

food:

top clothing spots?

lol – being a chef isn’t a very sexy profession, so most of the time i’m in jeans and t-shirts. but when i do want to get something that makes me feel like a girl, i hit up lola’s boutique in bay ridge (85th and 3rd).  mariana, the owner, is a former celebrity stylist, and she knows what i like and what looks good on me. an afternoon with her is just like playing dress up when i was a kid.  also, i hit century 21a lot (86th street between 4th and 5th). i live around the corner and remember when it was a single storefront that sold shampoo and toilet seat covers. it’s massive and affordable, and always my go to if i need something i’m not sure a mom and pop would carry.  i get most of my shoes there..  as for a third place, can i say the salvation army? i really don’t live a glamorous life. sigh.

house warming gift?

i am a big believer of giving food gifts, since they don’t need to be dusted (let’s be honest, we all have too much crap in our house). i also don’t like giving wine, since matt and i don’t drink and have received countless bottles as gifts ourselves which are useless to us.  my favorite gift to give is a beautiful bottle of honey, since it’s the only food that never goes bad, and it’s as aesthetically pleasing as a bottle of wine.  look for shops that carry either bee raw or savannah bee company honey, which are my two favorites.  pair the honey with a nice tea and you’ll look like the most thoughtful guest at the party.

favorite place for stationery?

creations with inspiration on 3rd avenue between 83rd and 84th. they make the most amazing invitations, and their selection of journals, paper and photo albums is wonderful. it’s owned by two local moms who are the most wonderful and accommodating people on earth. i was there a few weeks ago, and my 2-year old had an epic, defcon-level meltdown.   they didn’t bat an eye, helped me get him in the stroller, and still helped me with my purchase. unbelievable.

kids’ gifts?

as a mom, i have plenty of toys, but am a firm believer that we can’t have enough books. the children’s section of the bookmark shoppe (85th and 3rd avenue) has such a great selection, and a nice selection of puzzles and toys as well. they’re also happy to order me any book i’m looking for that isn’t in stock, and usually get it for me in a few days.

click here for more: interview: allison robicelli of robicellis

for those of you into unique, somewhat quirky antique jewelry, erie basin out in red hook (as part of my favorite shopping row) is the place to go.  a small intimate shop with lots of glass containers filled with treasures.   i was enamored with these old safety pins — not sure what i would do with them but fun nonetheless. 

the owner of the shop, russell whitmore, has an eclectic collecting habit and travels all over the place hunting for his favorite things.  with a focus mostly on 19th and early 20th century jewelry, he has a wide range of brooches, pins, rings (a great selection of simple but beautiful engagement rings) and earrings.  there are cameo rings from the 1880s, masonic banded agate charms from the 1890s and art deco glass necklaces from the 1920s.

erie basin also has lots of other knicknacks like vintage bottles (a real obsession of mine these days), old keys, some furniture and apparently he just got a 1920s stuffed pet parrot as well as a stuffed tiger.  erie basin is an easy place to get lost for an hour. it’s somewhat dark and mysterious in there — it’s a place filled with glittery baubles from another age and other unexpected finds full of distractions from the every day.  erie basin, 388 van brunt street at dikeman street, brooklyn, new york, .