cherrypatter nyc

for winter fare, there’s not much more satisfying than one of those incredible pork sandwiches from porchetta, the great little single-minded sandwich shop in the east village.   the woman behind porchetta, and also behind one of my favorite new pizza places this year, veloce, is sara jenkins, and i’m pretty darn excited that she so graciously agreed to tell us where she likes to shop and cook.   i am a huge fan, because not only do i love her restaurants but i also am a huge fan of her olives and oranges cookbook.  as soon as there is the hint of spring, i start cooking the best ever ground lamb and pasta dish with yogurt and mint.  it is so easy and so good.   

as sara obviously has an incredible way with food,  i am particularly keen to try out all her food spots especially the ones in out of the way places (especially that thai restaurant in elmhurst) since i love little finds like that.   thanks so much sara for sharing your ideas!

shops:

go-to hostess gift?

i like to give porchetta salt, a tub of aromatic salt from my shop porchetta (and only $6 per tub).

for flowers?

the farmer’s market at union square.

kids’ gifts?

mini jake in williamsburg. click here for more: interview: sara jenkins from porcetta

i’m always in search of a few classic, stylish but still modern pieces that i can wear for work and can wear for going out somewhere fun.   since i often travel to middle america (where the clothing standards are a bit different than those in gowanus), so these outfits need to be need to be a bit more conservative than i would like to be.

cloak & dagger,the small shop in the east village for designer brooklynn starnes’ wares, seems to have a lot of great clothes that appear conservative enough but are still great fun.  i really loved this dress above, and a number of the shop’s blouses and skirts. i liked that the great materials, the beautiful designs and color mixes and how everything was cut.  now, cloak & dagger is definitely not inexpensive so this would be one of those more thought out, well considered purchases, although i have read that cloak & dagger has had some super sales so maybe one is coming up in january just in time for my wardrobe upgrade.   that would make for a nice winter welcome.

cloak & dagger also carries just a few vintage items, including some gorgeous boots by salvatore ferragamo, and these are well-priced.  the shop also has a few great italian bags. the shop itself is adorable, making it easy to want to try on every thing.

brookelynn starnes apparently lives in park slope, or at least did in may, so i’m hoping maybe she’ll open up a brooklyn outpost of cloak & dagger sometime in the future.   cloak & dagger, 441 east 9th street, manhattan, new york, .

 

this is it i promise for gift guides. i just have one last surprise for tomorrow but then it’s over.  so this last piece is really just some of my obsessing over all those wonderful ceramics out there, and there are so many beautiful things it’s hard to choose or easy to pick if you have very focused taste.  (1) an excellent seat for cake and other things on these pedestals; (2) these pantone mugs have been on the list all year but i might have to wait till, if, they go on sale; (3) measured measuring cup; (4) white and blue grid plates and bowls; (5) alada gold winged teacup; (6) beautiful milk bottles by alyssa ettinger; (7) my favorite cup obsession from circa ceramics; (8) i just treated myself to these porcelain nuts — yes i don’t “need” them but they are sure cute (and she’s currently out but will be restocking).   

if you are in desperate need to get a girl or a mom you know a present, you really must get yourself to catbird, the super cute, super affordable, super thrilling little shop on bedford avenue in williamsburg.  sure it’s a tiny space, but this place has plenty to please the pickiest of your closest friends and relatives.

first off, catbird has an excellent collection of all the hot, (mostly) local, and importantly affordable local designers.  there are these great lockets above, as well as plenty of earrings, rings, necklaces (including custom nameplates) and other bangles.  artists include digby & iona, yayoi forest, katrina lapenne, elisa solomon and max steiner.  the handmade rosettes by grindstaff were also pretty sweet.

catbird also carries a small selection of always useful and necessary women’s accessories like hats by tsuyumi and other knitted hats in shades blues, greys and brown plaids.  there were funky hard little coin purses that looked like they were made of wood but probably just leather in colors that popped. 

catbird also has plenty of other decorative items including john derian plates, water bottles by shinzi katoh and seda candles from france as well as those great pom pom garlands above.  catbird also had some spider webs in glass by emil fiore out of new jersey. maybe not what you came looking for but it might do the trick.  lastly, stationery which is always close to my heart. not a big selection but what was there was perfect — mr. boddington, sycamore street press, apak studio and even some calendars by the wild unknown.  if you’re out in williamsburg, i highly recommend stopping by though their website is pretty easy to use too (i like the shop by story feature).  catbird, 219 bedford avenue, brooklyn, new york, .

 

here’s my 2nd to last official gift guide.   i’ll be rolling out my manhattan food post later today but since this was ready too go thought i would start here.   these guides have been so much fun, and hopefully helpful.  next year, my goal will be to only have stuff from local shops on there but for now this is all good for the web inclined.   

here’s the list for today focused on all things in the kitchen: (1) lunch skins as recommended by swissmiss; (2) hand crafted wooden spoons; (3) i know how to cook – great illustrations and while i haven’t tried the recipes i have great faith in clotilde dusoulier who led the editing team; (4) corky pollen’s new york times guide included these cute green kitchen tools; (5) another idea for the woman with everything is with this celia birtwell kitchen drawer kit; (6) i would like this salt pot; (7) and lastly make your own face plates.

 

 

in terms of food, i often feel paralyzed as to what to choose. i am confident any of these items will work out well.  (1) a green felted wine rack; (2) great ideas from marian burros at the new york times including l.a. burdick’s macarons; (3) this is our day-to-day olive oil from one of our favorite restaurants; (4) i know i have been going on and on about liddabit, but their sweets really are terrific; (5) and this honey might be pricey but it sure looks fancy.

until i started compiling my list, i didn’t realize how obsessed i had become with paper and things.  but clearly i am. here are some of my favorite iteas.  such sweet bookplates from the paper princess; a stationery goodie bag from bluepoolroad; (3) a membership to the card society where they send a few new letterpress cards a month (4) this is the calendar i actually want for me from jhill design; (5) and if only i could take this letterpress class taught by sesame letterpress this january — something to look forward t0

 

(1) i still haven’t gotten their first beautiful book mornings, but evenings is a start; (2) an adorable tape measure via oh joy; (3) a brooklyn advent calendar (4) if only this were more affordable i would sign up now for this 500 pencil set and i think it might even inspire me to draw; (5) leather peace paperweights; (6) rifle paper co. has made it all over the blogosphere and i still want these prints; (7) and i’m lucky our office is getting our kids these stamp sets from little owl. 

just a quick post today after an exciting birthday weekend (complete with a car meltdown out in flushing after some excellent dim sum at jade asian) on this new what i am hoping is a promising restaurant in fort greene. so far, i haven’t had much luck in the eating department out that way.  my visit early this fall to umi nom was disappointing (though maybe i need to revisit given the raves recently), and food at the other local “stars” like the general greene and no. 7 have been uninspired.

i think roman’s might buck the trend though.  brought to us by the marlow & sons clan (which i have yet to visit), our very quick meal a few weeks ago was fantastic.  i loved the the burrata, which had been made in house served with a relish of green olives and greens and some toast.  that cheese was pure oozy goodness, and i even ate some of it later on cold and it was still good (i almost never do that).  we also had the skirt steak served with a saute of shitake mushrooms.  served medium rare, the meat was flavorful and tender.  lastly, roman’s specials that night included agnolotti with butternut squash that had been braised in amaretti with a sage butter sauce.  maybe not as phenomenol as pasta dishes at al di la (but really who is) but it really was very good.

given that it was just me and an almost 3-year old that night, service was perfect (professional, lots of detail on the menu, and quick — good for the toddler).   i think the only quibble others might have would be size of portions. i’m not really a big portion person but if you’re looking for a huge plate of steak roman’s will not be delivering.  if you’re in the camp of more kinds of things, then roman’s could be for you. i’m eager to return to roman’s for a more proper vetting.   roman’s, 243 dekalb avenue between clermont and vanderbilt avenues, brooklyn, new york, .

 

kids toys are a challenge. not only is it hard (at least for me) not to get them too much (i go a little crazy on the books every year but that’s educational right?), but also am i getting what they like or what i like. hmmm. well s is not quite 3 so maybe he’s easier to fool.   k on the other hand, who is 6, will be getting her first doll (the brand will remain unnamed) against my deep dark wishes.   but in the interest of her happiness/apparent obsession, i am relenting.

in the meantime, for those of you with children who are less focused, and you can purchase as you wish, here are my suggestions, and i may be able to sneak a few of these in for us too.   (1) measure me stick via swissmiss;  (2) this coloring book (i cannot believe i hadn’t heard of charley harper but this winter he has been popping up everywhere); (3)  super cute flannel baby blanket; (4) these cute mini suitcases (i am a storage hound); (5) love these pinocchio pencils; (and for more bang for your buck these less fancy but sure to please personalized pencils); (6) the eiffel tower pillow (a must have for our house, now if oeuf would only do tower bridge we’d be all set); and (7) world placemats for everyday excitement at the dinner table. 

i would be very remiss not to add our favorite creature gustafer yellowgold, the guy from the sun.  we’re particularly taken with his pet eel slim and the tunes are quite catchy.   gustafer now has 3 cds/dvds and we’re going to have the whole collection come christmas. 

if i had some time and i wanted to not spend too much, and even if i didn’t live in brooklyn, i would head to smith street in carroll gardens for my first round of holiday shopping.  in a relatively small area, definitely walkable, south brooklyn has a few good design spots plus women’s clothing and even a great toy store.    my route would start out on smith street, head toward atlantic avenue and then a tour down  atlantic avenue in boerum hill.  when you’re done with that (if you even make it that far) you should be pretty well done.  

if not, i also love a. cheng for women’s clothing in park slope (5th avenue between douglas and degraw), and the small strip on van brunt out in red hook which includes red lipstick, foxy & winston and erie basin (and some great snacks at baked).    in gowanus, there’s also the (makers) maket at the (oa) can factory (3rd street and 3rd avenue) which is small, but not busy at all so quite a pleasure to roam around for a few crafty things — they had some great hats and scarves last week.

smith street and carroll gardens:  i would start at environment 337 (right near the carroll street f train stop) and then walk north to atlantic avenue.  i love these shops:

environment 337:  best all around design gift shop (pictured up top) plus really great wrapping. you can also check out their new shop retrospect  (pictured above) a few doors down.  337 smith street at carroll street, .

stnky bklyn: great places for some cheese and other edible goodies (their coal treats are pictured below).  261 smith street at degraw,

smith +butler: although they have some women’s clothes (see picture below) and home goods, they are a really good choice for menswear — lots of flannel shirts, gloves hats and bags and even a motorcycle or two.  225 smith street at butler street, .

dear fieldbinder & bird:  these relatively high-end women’s clothing shops have a great selection of blouses, dresses and jeans as well as some really excellent accessories.  dear fieldbinder, 198 smith street near baltic street, ; bird: 220 smith street at butler street, .

click here for more: holiday shopping: south brooklyn

 

 

just a few things for the younger ones and the older ones.  (1) the lovely affordable jewels from anne kiel; (2) mrs. french’s polaroids — so soothing and beautiful; (3) the littlest coin purse from anthropologie; (4) a glass terrarium; (5) lovely felted laptop cover; (6) monogrammed soaps; and (7) great green belt buckle from kiwi studios.