cherrypatter nyc

if you must have the most gorgeous button available, or just want to jazz up something that maybe you have grown bored with, i cannot think of a better place to look around than tender buttons. this tiny little shop on the upper east side, named for a famous book by gertrude stein, has beautiful, beautiful pieces made of incredible materials in all shapes and sizes.  i’ve known about this place long before i did much shopping when i was right out of college, had zero money and was working part-time on evenings and weekends at the crazily luxurious andrew w. mellon foundation across the street.   my treat when i could not bear running another regression analysis, or read another volume on university research libraries (it was mighty dry stuff) would be to venture out for a snack and maybe a peak across the street at this store full of miniature treasures.

first open in 1964, this long and narrow shop has shelves full of buttons collected by the owners from around the world.   in addition to the practical (classic woven leather, gold, silver, mother of pearl), there are antique, rare and vintage buttons dating back to the 18th century.  the button selection includes art deco pieces, buttons made from porcelain, silver, carved ivory and regimental brass as well as those with tiny enamel paintings from france.  tender buttons also has a vast children’s selection of buttons with the cutest shapes as well as a good stock of cuff links and buckles as well as little collections or exhibits of the owners’ latest finds.  tender buttons, 143 east 62nd street between lexington and 3rd avenues, manhattan, new york, .

finding not too stylized men’s clothes at reasonable prices in brooklyn can be a little rough, but i think that smith + butler is a good place to start. although it has plenty of biker paraphernalia, smith + butler also has plenty of goods that the average guy could easily wear without feeling too fussed up.   i would start with the cute wool jackets in navy, grey and red wool by post o’alls, the fleece plaid jackers by woolrich, jack spade cardigans, saint james white and navy striped wool sweaters and and pointer brand jeans and jackets.  smith + butler also carries a smattering of vintage clothes from pendleton, woolrich and some old leather jackets.  i cannot vouch for how all these clothes fit, and the new york times critic seemed to think what he tried on was too loose and boxy, but the goods sure looked cute.

if you are into biking, well smith + butler has plenty of motorbikes (the deus is a relatively recent addition), and all the accessories including gold sparkly helmets from harley davidson, leather jackets by belstaff, biker like boots and even greasy kulture magazine.  smith + butler also carries some women’s goods like my favorite built by wendy, as well as plenty of girly accessories such as digby and iona jewelry, yayoi forest necklaces and designs from lewis henry nicholas. and if you like the look of the store — a bit urban and gritty, they’ll even offer some interior design services. 

in addition to a the clothing stock, smith + butler has been carrying some great accessories including the recent addition of makr wallets,  plaid wool totes, barbour gloves, leather filson caps, vera pelle belts and a recent addition of quoddy grizzly boots.   i’m now also craving one of these leashes from found my animal  that smith + butler are carrying because that new dog in our life certainly needs to be stylish while she’s turning our lives upside down.  smith + butler: 225 smith street at butler, brooklyn, new york, .

between december and april, j and i indulge ourselves a bit and get to some of the fancier, pricier restaurants in town all in the name of celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and things like that — it helps make these bleak few months a little more fun.  we kicked off our high end tour in december with marea, which fortunately did not take that full 4 weeks to get a booking (sometimes the poor economy can make things easier if you’re not a superstar).    i’d been reading the marea raves from everyone, so was pretty amped up over our visit. fortunately, the pastas did not disappoint.  

although the room was a bit of a drag — more corporate den than romatic hideout with plenty of business going on, some dishes were really out of this world so i cannot complain too much.  i also liked that marea offered a prix fixe for $89 — four ample courses which was the most cost effective way to go considering the high end nature of the place. now of course when we added up our drinks and other goodies our bill was a little out there, but it was still a nice touch.

although the menu is vast — it took us a good while to figure out what we wanted — two marea dishes are worth obsessing over.  the first was that polipo — grilled, super tender octopus served with mild couscous, some pine nuts for contrast with the chewiness of the fish with an apricot mostarda.  the other highlight was my pasta which was absolutely amazing — the rigatoni seppia (or cuttlefish) with a shrimp ragu and pecorino. the waiter got me to step out of my comfort zone and i’m glad i did. this dish had a light sauce full of shrimp layered over impeccably prepared pasta.  others have gone crazy over marea’s fusilli served with bone marrow and octopus.   

my other dishes included a creamy parsnip soup  and a more exciting crudo with  jack mackerel, duck prosciutto and pomegranates that was tasty, cool and tart.    j. had the veal ravioli sweetbreads with mushrooms (stick with the fish is my thought), and he also tried the the dover sole with salsa verde sauce which was surprisingly not as interesting as the other dishes – maybe it was just outdone by the others.  dessert was good but not a star maybe because we were stuffed and it wasn’t as otherworldly.  given the price tag,  we probably won’t be back, unless of course i have an important business meeting in midtown where i don’t have to pay, or if i could get some of that pasta to go.  marea, 240 central park south between 7th and 8th avenues, manhattan, new york, .

we’ve had quite a week with the puppy who was going bonkers inside when she finally got to walk outside on wednesday.  while we were thrilled with a way to burn her incredible energy, it  also meant rehousetraining her, and that has been exhausting and let’s just say messy.  happily, i think we can report that thanks to j. carrying her out every 30 minutes on friday night till 2 a.m. she seems, fingers crossed, to get the idea.  this has all made our lives much easier, especially because post walk she does all those things i hoped a dog would do at home like sleep calmly for hours, and stopped the incessant barking (neighbors are pleased).  this weekend i felt like we turned a corner, and maybe we’re getting our little family back on track again — yahoo!  

to start the week, i thought i would share our latest local bar spot.   if you are in brooklyn, are staying up late, want a drink and some tasty snacks, i’d send you right over to the vanderbilt, the relatively newish spot in prospect heights serving mostly tapas style dishes with a variety of influences.   the clear winner was the brussel spouts with sriracha sauce, lime and honey.  i do love my sprouts and these were exceptional — tender, crisp and spicy and incredibly addictive.   the glazed lamb ribs served with ultra creamy polenta were in the runner up category, maybe tied with the serrano ham croquets. other dishes were fine, but not outstanding like the blistered shishito peppers (no where near as fresh and puffed up as those at tia pol), and warm spiced doughnuts which were bland and too cakey instead of puffs of fried dough. 

as has been widely reported, the vanderbilt is the  latest venture from the folks behind saul– one of the few brooklyn restaurants with a michelin designation.  they’ve done an especially nice job with the design of the vanderbilt, modern and contemporary in a warm way with lots of woods and metals — the front room is especially attractive, and i recommend trying to sit there. the scene is also fun — lively, relaxed with some good basic drinks (don’t go for anything too fancy).   i tried to catch some of the  great ambiance in my photo, but i think i need a little more training in the photography department, and if only those girls would have cooperated for me!  the vanderbilt is the place to go if you’re in brooklyn, and hungry for a little something, but i wouldn’t venture far to get there, and it definitely helps if you’re under 30.  the vanderbilt, 570 vanderbilt avenue near bergen street, brooklyn, new york, .

i’m not a big department store person, and other than heading to bloomingdales once a year for a shoe splurge (i do like their selection though not the service, and it is easy to get a few pairs all at once), i try my best never to enter.  abc home is another story altogether.  this store is an amazing collection of some of the most gorgeous home goods anywhere all under one roof with incredible displays stuffed with all sorts of fantastic ceramics, glass, gifts, silver, drapes and fabrics as well as electronics, some clothing and stationery. the list really is endless.  

the selection include most anything you might want for your home including incredible chandeliers by canopy designs, random collections of rocks and gems, beaded dolls by monkeybiz in south africa, and these incredible thin deep blue coverlets made in malia.  the store also has plenty of smaller shops within the store such as cursives, matteo (with their incredibly cute organic baby dresses) and michele varian so you get a bit of the independent boutique peaking out now and then.

i also especially like that abc home has not adopted the pure modernist, pared down look and their bent it much more towards the plush and over the top luxury.  another plus is the fact that they really try to incorporate plenty of other cultures, with indian buddhist and ganesh themes especially prevalent on my last visit, reminding me that it’s good to mix things up a bit and add some culture now and then.  if you do want purely modern, this is not the place.

my favorite section might be the bedding.  so many gorgeous displays with incredible linens, velvet pillows, puffed up comforters and incredibel iron wrought headboards. our bed at home seems so plain in comparison — i really need to steal some ideas from this floor.  the collections include my current obsession john robshaw (out of my price range of course, even on sale), frette, fino lino, kevin o’brien studio and umrao cashmere.  i also liked a org, a quiet storm, an eco friendly line that i think my great canadian friend for whom i am way overdue for a wedding present might like.   so for gifts or for yourself, or really just for ideas, i’d head to abc home regularly.  with so much loveliness, it’s a great little destination though maybe more for looking than purchasing given the prices — this place is pricey!  abc home, 888 broadway at 19th street, manhattan, new york, .

as readers of this blog know, i am quite the bookstore fanatic, and love to buy new books whenever i can and hopefully read them though these days that has been a little tough. i’m still stuck on the good solidiers and that has been since christmas. yikes!  i would probably buy more books even though i’m not reading so much but in my neighborhood, there just aren’t any bookstores i love so i was very excited to find greenlight bookstore this fall out in fort greene. 

spacious and attractive with a great set of display books (that is my favorite thing when there are good displays filled with lots of appealing reading) and a cute children’s section too.  the space is not particularly cozy, but it is well designed and well lit, and it and means you won’t be bumping into all the many book lovers hanging out at the shop.  the night i visited, greenlight was buzzing with people which was great to see.  so i’ll be back the next time i feel like browsing in brooklyn and need a good read.  greenlight bookstore, 686 fulton street at south portland, brooklyn, new york, .

even though it’s only been around for six years, it already seems like the spotted pig is an institution, giving gastro-pubs everywhere a very very good name.  and while they still are incredibly busy (don’t come too late or you will wait and wait), the spotted pig does feel less trendy and that is always a good thing in my book.   a super cozy spot, the spotted pig is not at all fancy though the service is super professional — quick in the way it should be — and the food is high quality.

j. and i recently visited with our three-year old in tow for brunch (we have been to dinner and lunch a few times too), and everything was excellent.  the juicy charbroiled burger was tasty, and the shoestring fries were crisp, fresh and piping hot (bad fries always bring down a meal for me).  our son plowed his way through more than 1/2 that burger before calling it quits and falling over in a coma.  j. indulged himself with the fried duck egg (not too soft, and not too hard) with wild trumpet mushrooms and trevise (a fancy kind of lettuce i found out, or at least it has a fancy name), while i went nuts over the dutch baby which was like a thin, floppy ultra rich crepe with house smoked bacon and maple syrup. 

favorite foods i remember from other spotted pig visits include the indulgently creamy deviled eggs, the roasted pumpkin salad with pecorino and pine nuts where that pumpkin is so deliciously sauteed and soft it is hard to stop eating it, and the incredibly indulgent sheep’s ricotta gnudi with brown butter and sage.  those gnudi are soft and light that they are worth returning for even if i have to fight the crowds.  the spotted pig also has quite the bar scene if you’re into that sort of thing (with plenty of great beer on tap) as well as some updated classics like a pimms cup or the old havana mojito.  and the founding chef, april bloomfield’s recent venture at the breslin hasn’t seemed to affect quality over here in the west village – lucky for us.   spotted pig, 314 west 11th street at greenwich street, manhattan, new york, . 

sometimes when i look at this dog, i don’t think i am entirely crazy for bringing her into our lives (especially when i get that all important eye contact) but most of the time i don’t know what i was thinking.  i grew up with dogs but i totally do not remember taking care of a puppy (my mother definitely did all the work on that one), and so i don’t remember the loud whining, the constant nipping, and the fun and games with the house training.  while i’m seeing glimmers of what will hopefully be a loving, mellow dog, she is far from that these days. 

once we can bring her outside (only 6 days to go), i think we will all be much happier as she can at least expend some energy on a walk rather than us trying to entice her to run up and down our hall.  this is where i do miss having that big old suburban house and private yard (we cannot bring her outside in new york until she has all her shots  — why didn’t anyone explain that to me i wonder?). 

if you are one of those people that likes dogs, and you don’t mind seeing them on display, the 134th westminster dog show is coming up next week.   not exactly the most relaxed atmosphere, but the event is fun and very very entertaining if you find poofed out pups amusing.   if you want to just enjoy from your computer, there are tons of videos  from last year’s event to keep you semi engaged for hours. 

i’m not really a fan of the fancy poodle look but i did have fun when i went to the show a number of years ago.  all the dog handlers definitely seem like they came from best in show, or maybe it’s the reverse.  for some ideas as to where to eat and maybe even do some random shopping near madison square garden, here’s a mini guide i did last fall for the neighborhood.   westminster dog show, february 15th and 16th, madison square garden, 8th avenue and 31st street, manhattan, new york.

i don’t usually gear up too much for valentine’s day. our anniversary is in february so that’s our big special thing, and really even before i was married or even dating anyone, i just wasn’t all that into the big day — except of course for the treats (i made a ton of these last night), the card giving (especially as a kid with those valentine boxes) and a few little presents. my mom was always great, and always got me something a little special, a little unusual and it was always the perfect thing.   now that i’m the mum, i’m trying my best to keep up with tradition, picking out just the right little something (s. is getting his favorite car in pink, and k will be getting the box of jokes she has her heart set on if i can just find it.

on a recent visit to grand central terminal, i checked out cursive which had gotten some good reviews to see what they might have. though i didn’t expect much (they are in a semi-mall after all), i was definitely impressed.  cursive really had a lot of very cute and interesting things, and plenty of great gift ideas especially for valentine’s day.   some of my favorites included the metallic journals above, as well as the elizabeth w. rose sachets (every woman i know can always use another sachet, especially one in such nice linen packaging).   cursive had some cute little bird call whistles as well as some useful and stylish acrylic boxes in bold colors like fuchsia and turquoise. 

cursive also had a small selection of great cards from some great graphic artists including night owl paper goods, dutch door press and letterspace.  they also had vintage style valentine cards,  little journals by albertine press, and travel journals by paper+cup.   in addition to the midtown location, cursive also has an outpost at abc home, another great emporium for super gifts in case you need more selection.  cursive,  grand central terminal, lexington passage, ; and abc home, 888 broadway between 18th and 19th streets, , manhattan, new york.

yesterday got away from me a bit.  while i was a little sleep deprived (this puppy thing will do that to you), i got some bad news in the middle of my morning which then threw me off for the rest of the day. fortunately, now a day later, it seems a little less daunting, and of course i am so happy to see all this snow. 

having grown up in salt lake, where two feet storms were the norm, living on the east coast has been a big disappointment.   and this year was even more of a tease when washington d.c. kept getting so much more snow than us — isn’t there supposed to be some advantage to living further north?

for a change of pace, i took a little walk around park slope and got a few pictures. i rarely do that, and it was kind of fun. of course, i would really like to do it when it is just dusk or before everyone had romped in the snow but sometimes life gets in the way of that perfect photography session.

for those of you in new york, hopefully you’ll get to enjoy the snow too.