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Grey's Anatomy: Romancey Things

2012-02-09T22:29:00.004-05:00

Tonight's episode of Grey's Anatomy was equal parts wonderful and devastating. Let's start with the heart breakers.

This hour Owen tries to patch things up with Teddy and Teddy replies with one of the nastiest, most vicious rants I've maybe ever seen on this show. Not only did she say she actively hates Owen and she wishes he was dead instead of Henry, but she says, "I ask myself how all those good men in Iraq died, but you got out alive." Wow.

Also horrifying was the discovery of the intended marriage proposal between the young woman who screamed, "It's been eight years!" and her boyfriend who didn't make it out of the operating room. When Lexie was going through the patient's belongings after he died, I said out loud, "Please don't find a ring." Sure enough, he had put "Will you marry me?" inside the locket he planned to give her. Crushing.

This hour Lexie tries to tell Mark how she really feels, but shows up to find Jackson in his apartment. Simultaneously the chief tries to spend Valentine's Day with Adele, but she can't remember ever meeting him.

Before moving onto the positive news, let's address the neutral news - it seems like Owen and Cristina may be reconciling. When watching tonight I couldn't remember who introduced who to the room with the vent. Was it Cristina who first brought Owen there or the other way around? I don't necessarily root for these two. I still think Cristina was best with Dr. Burke.

Ok, now onto the fun, cute, positive story lines! How adorable was 10 year old Nico? That note he wrote to Clementine? I'm 27 and am still waiting for a note that nice from a boy.

It was fun this episode to see Meredith and Derek back to their old selves. When they are "on" their chemistry has always been undeniable.

For me, the best story line of the night was Bailey and Ben. Just as Bailey is about to give Ben the out and let him break up with her, he reveals a surprise he has been planning for weeks. A private, romantic dinner in the hospital with candles, roses, a private waiter and extra, crunchy topping on Dr. Bailey's mac and cheese, just the way she likes it. After all the sad story lines this hour, I was so happy tonight ended on this warm and fuzzy note!

Apparently next week's episode is a two hour event that involves a cross over with Private Practice. Kate Walsh annoys me so I am not looking forward to this.

Do you have an romancey things planned for Valentine's Day?

*Image courtesy of TVFanatic.com.

Coming Soon: Chocolate Fest

2012-02-07T22:21:00.004-05:00

Do you like chocolate?

Do you like Whole Foods?

Would you like attend a chocolate festival at Whole Foods?

I thought so.

Whatever your plans are for this Friday, February 10th, change 'em. Whole Foods on River Street in Cambridge (between Memorial Drive and Central Square) is hosting their annual chocolate fest from 5:00pm - 7:00pm.

End the work week by sampling a variety of chocolate treats and maybe you'll even find the perfect sweet for your Valentine!

For updates on chocolate fest and upcoming events be sure to follow @WholeFoodsRVR on Twitter.

90210: Moving In And Moving On

2012-02-07T20:29:00.006-05:00

If you were looking for my Gossip Girl review this morning, you'll have to speak to the folks at Comcast about why I was unable to give that to you.

After attending the Improper Bostonian's launch party for the "City's 20 Most Desirable Singles" issue last night I came home, kicked off my heels, turned on the TV and to my shock and horror, Comcast did not record Gossip Girl as I had scheduled them to do. Needless to say, I was furious. Let's be honest, I'm still furious.

My sincere apologies for delay on the recap, I'll give you a double dose of Gossip Girl next Monday.

Now onto 9-0.

During tonight's episode Liam's new girlfriend Vanessa thinks she can help him become a TV and movie star. Liam's agent Sheila replies, "When the girlfriend steps in, I step out." Well put, Sheila.

Vanessa does manage to get Liam onto Your Day LA and his appearance is a total disaster and not in an endearing way.

For her next trick, Vanessa will turn Liam into a hero!

While at the "Save the Bay" event Liam dives easily 10 - 15 feet off a bridge and into what could be shallow water to save a flailing stranger. The local TV station interviews him and runs this caption, "Male model saves drowning woman at charity event." Turns out, this heroic act was brought to you by Vanessa's wallet. Disgusting.

Also this hour Ivy meets a new skater boy. Who doesn't love a bad boy? Dylan McKay, anyone?

Shortly after their first meeting, Ivy's gallery show is vandalized. Now I wonder who could have done that?

Clearly showing interest in him, Ivy shows up to the skater boy's studio. Is she going to fall in love with him and they'll run around LA tagging walls together?

This episode Naomi gets her party planning business off the ground with a sweet sixteen party for Mitchell's love child. Is it just me, or from far away does Mitchell look like Mr. Matthews? I think it's the long hair.

The writers try to give Naomi a teaching moment with Mitchell's daughter Carla, but did anyone really buy that sappy, soap box speech? I like Naomi best when she's vicious.

This hour Navid "decides" to go to Princeton. Children work their entire lives for a shred of a chance of getting into Princeton and Navid cavalierly says, "I've decided to go to Princeton." Yeah, ok, buddy.

Shortly after this declaration, Dixon asks Adriana to move in with him to make their relationship "more convenient" and of course, she's appalled.

Later on when Silver and Adriana are discussing their relationship statuses it is beyond awkward that Silver is giving Adriana advice about Dixon and Adriana is giving Silver advice about Navid, given that they each used to date the other one's boyfriend. In real life, one could never stomach that type of conversation.

And then the same conversation happens with Navid and Dixon! Again, would never happen.

At the end of the hour Annie goes on a hunt for the "Save the Bay" charity host, Preston Hillingsworth, to give him a piece of her mind and surprise! He was the bartender at the event. Hot damn, he is good looking.

In the final ten seconds of the episode Naomi's door bell rings and it's Jen! Why, writers, why? Don't you know we hate her? And not in that - love to hate her - kind of way.

Apparently the next new episode isn't until Tuesday, March 6th! I don't know how we can be expected to wait that long to find out why Jen is back and if Ivy and skater boy are doing to start tagging the town.

*Images courtesy of CW.com.

Dining Out: Max And Leo's Artisan Pizza

2012-02-05T10:21:00.025-05:00

Earlier this week an article popped up in my Facebook newsfeed that immediately piqued my interest. The article, written by the Boston Globe, was about a new pizza place that opened in Newton Corner run by twin brothers Max and Leo Candidus, who like me, grew up in Newton.

After reading the glowing review, I decided to check it out on Thursday night during my weekly dinner with my best friend from college. A new place, freshly made pizza, in my hometown and run by two handsome brothers? No brainer.

Thursday night my friend and I each got home from work and rushed into my car to head across the bridge to Newton Corner. Max and Leo's is located on Washington Street, right off the Newton/Watertown exit of the Mass Pike. Those of you that eat wings at Buff's Pub, it's just a few doors down. We parked in the lot behind Uno's and walked over.

As we approached Max and Leo's I noticed that you could see the blazing hot pizza oven from the street. Talk about advertising!

The Globe article warned that Max and Leo's was a small place with limited seating so when we opened the door, we were hoping for the best.

Lucky for us there were exactly two seats left for dinner and we snagged them right away.

Max and Leo's coal fired pizza oven and open kitchen occupies the back half of the space.

They have two tables in the front on the right side of the place (one in the window and one against the bar), a bar that seats about six, and then a counter on the opposite side that seats another five. That's where we wound up.

From our seats I noticed they were using pizza spatulas for chalkboards! How cute.

After we sat down Max and Leo's only got more crowded. For only being open two months, the brothers already have quite the following! People were more than willing to wait.

As the line grew, one of the brothers came out with one of their speciality pizzas, the Brooksy (a white pizza with grilled chicken, caramelized onions, wild mushrooms, mascarpone and mozzarella cheese), and offered these patient diners a slice while they waited. How nice is that? Since we hadn't yet seen any menus, my friend grabbed a piece too while we waited.

On this particular night Max and Leo's had one person working front of the house and she wore many hats - hostess, waitress, bartender and bus girl. She was working hard!

She delivered us menus and asked if we'd like something to drink. Since the wine list wasn't on the menu, we asked her what was available (both red and white) and she recited every wine offering with ease. I decided on the Montepulciano and my friend on the Pinot Grigio.

Our wine was delivered quickly and we were both thrilled with our selections.

Wine in hand we looked over the menu. I couldn't help but notice that line at the top of the menu that reads, "All our pizzas are cooked well done."

Reporter Sheryl Julian covered this in the Boston Globe article saying:

"You have to decide if this pizza is for you. The top of the menu reads: 'All Our Pizzas are cooked WELL DONE.' By that, identical twins Maximilian 'Max' Candidus and Pantaleon 'Leo' Candidus really mean blistered, with plenty of charred spots. The crust is thin and so incredibly crisp you can almost hear a crackle when you bite into it. If pizza can be described as exquisite, this is exquisite pizza."

Sheryl's review recommended the arugula salad to start, so we decided to trust her and give it a whirl.

When the salad arrived both of our eyes got wide. It looked so fresh, came in a huge portion and we couldn't wait to dig in.

The salad was a heaping portion of arugula, mixed with shaved parmesan cheese, roasted corn and a lemon dressing. You don't usually see corn on this type of salad and it was a nice, welcomed touch of sweetness.

For dinner we decided to sample two of the pizzas. Our first choice was the margarita and our second was the L'Umina which is a white pizza with sliced pears, caramelized onions, basil, ricotta cheese and prosciutto. Since I am a vegetarian, I asked the waitress if it would be possible to get the pizza with the prosciutto on just half (why should my friend have to suffer?). With zero hesitation she said, "Yes, of course! Absolutely no problem at all." Excellent!

While we were waiting for our pizza one of the people waiting in line to be seated noticed me taking pictures and we got to talking and he said he'd already been to Max and Leo's three times! He started telling us about all of the pizzas he had tried already and why he loved each one. He also sang the praises of the chicken wings, saying they make two delicious varieties and the wings taste extra hot right out of the coal oven. It seems Max and Leo have no problem converting people to their coal oven religion!

Our pizzas arrived and we were completely overwhelmed by how outstanding they looked and smelled!

We both started with a slice of the L'Umina pizza. The ricotta cheese was so fresh and creamy and the combination of the pears and caramelized onions gave the pie a sweetness that was heavenly. Not going to lie to you, one of the best slices of pizza I've ever had.

We were so in love with the L'Umina we didn't want to cheat on it with the margarita! We thought there was simply no way this other pie could taste as good, but . . . we were wrong! The margarita had a fresh tomato sauce that honestly tasted like they pureed the tomatoes, put them on the pizza and delivered it right to us all within one minute. I couldn't get over how fresh the sauce was! That bold tomato flavor was fantastic.

The sauce paired with the creamy mozzarella cheese and the chopped basil was out of this world.

Clearly we had big eyes. Half way through each of our pies we had to tap out.

We actually had a full five minute conversation about whether we should risk that overly full feeling to keep going because we didn't want to leave any behind!

We asked the waitress if we could have two boxes so we could divide up our riches. We each went home with four slices and I was already plotting how soon I could eat them.

Max and Leo's is a true gem. First, I love that these two Newton boys opened a shop in their (and my) hometown. Giving back to your own community is the greatest thing a business owner can do and these two really raised the bar. Second, their food is exceptional. From the wine list, to the beautiful salads to the insanely delicious coal fired pizza, the twins have found the secret sauce (pun intended).

Support the twins by following Max and Leo's on Facebook and Twitter and do yourself a favor and go and experience the food yourself. Max and Leo's is located at 325 Washington Street in Newton Corner.

Listen: Boyce Avenue Covers Rihanna

2012-02-05T09:52:00.004-05:00

A few years ago my college friend introduced me to Boyce Avenue, a band that does acoustic covers of pop songs. I have since become obsessed with them, downloading many of their covers from iTunes and creating an incredibly long playlist on my iPod.

Boyce Avenue has just released a new cover, their take on Rihanna's "We Found Love" and no surprise - I can't stop listening to it! Treat your ears:

If you like this, check out Boyce Avenue's YouTube channel for more songs.

Dining Out: The Brahmin

2012-02-04T08:44:00.026-05:00

Stanhope Street is one of those secret streets in Boston. Tucked away between Stuart Street and Columbus Ave, you might not even notice it if you weren't really looking. The street is situated in a part of Boston where Back Bay melds into the South End. This unexpected location is where you'll find the Brahmin.

Though the name Brahmin connotes elegance and class, I was skeptical about giving this place a whirl given the clientele of the bar that used to occupy this space - 33 Restaurant & Lounge. Like your mother always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say about someone, don't say anything at all," so I'll leave it at that.

When my friends and I approached the Brahmin I noticed the front door immediately. I really appreciate when restaurants have unique and different design elements. My skepticism was beginning to thaw.

When we opened the door and walked in, I could not believe how beautiful the restaurant was. From the hostess stand and you are looking straight down into a stairwell that leads to the coat check and the bathrooms, but on either side of the stairs are couches, booths and a bar that runs the entire length of the space.

The chandelier hanging over the stairs was stunning.

As the hostess walked us to our table, my skepticism returned. The type of people that were hanging out at the bar were exactly the type of people I was hoping to avoid. Thankfully we were going to be seated for our meal, so I was hoping we wouldn't be bothered.

Once seated I noticed more of the design details. The walls of the Brahmin are exposed brick, which I absolutely love.

The booths are black leather and the walls are accented with black shadow boxes (and TVs of course).

The very back, short wall of the restaurant has two person, high top tables which looked perfect for a date night.

The ceiling of the space was the most incredible. It's curved wood that looks like the inside of a boat. The Brahmin is worth a trip just to check out the design.

Our bubbly, blond waitress appeared to deliver us menus. We were in a drinking mood so we focused on cocktails.

We each ordered a different item from the list, starting with the blue cheese stuffed olive martini. I don't usually order martinis, but boy did this look good!

Next up was the cucumber and vanilla cosmo which looked like something you might sip in a hot tub at a spa.

The summer tea cocktail came in a mason jar! What an adorable presentation.

I decided on the strawberry patch which was vodka and riesling, mixed with muddled strawberries and lemon. Mmm mm mmm, was that good!

The Brahmin's food menu is mostly small plates meant for sharing, which was perfect for the four of us. We decided to order one round and then if we needed more, we'd get more.

The first item to arrive was the tomato, mozzarella and watermelon salad. This salad was mostly tomatoes, but if you got a bite with all three elements, it was very refreshing.

Two of the girls split the tuna two ways (tuna with melon and tuna tartare), which came in a delicate, Top Chef-like presentation. They felt the portion size was too small, but enjoyed each bite.

Next up - the fried pickles! Though we all agreed these weren't the greatest, the sweet red pepper dipping sauce that came with them was amazing, so we kept eating them just so we could keep dipping.

Our fourth choice was the arancini with truffle infused honey. I love arancini, it's one of my go-to items and these did not disappoint! Perfectly crispy on the outside, hot and cheesy on the inside and with exactly the right hint of truffle and honey.

For round two we switched to wine and decided to order a bit more substantial fare. First up - the truffle mac & cheese. Yup, we went there.

The mac & cheese had a breadcrumb topping, baked to an ideal level of browning and was garnished with freshly chopped scallions.

The pasta itself was swimming in piping hot cheese. Everyone gave this dish an enthusiastic thumbs up.

We also ordered the four cheese flatbread pizza which came on a great, crunchy crust and was garnished with juicy, oven roasted tomatoes. This is a pizza I will come back for.

Our last item was the tater tots. They tasted just like elementary school but came with suped up sauces - truffle ketchup, garlic aioli and a grainy mustard. We popped these like candy.

At this point we were beyond full. Our meal was so delicious and after two rounds of drinks, we were ready to float home. When our waitress brought the check it was in a sophisticated box. Again, a cool, different touch.

Our reservation was for 7:00pm and somewhere around the 9:00pm hour the Brahmin started to feel like a club. The bar got more crowded, the music got louder and even the people eating dinner seemed to be bobbing their heads. We all agreed as the night went on, we were digging the atmosphere more and more.

The Brahmin had fun drinks, surprisingly great food and a celebratory atmosphere. If you're looking for a spot for girls night out or a location to toast to a birthday or a new job, this is it.

Grey's Anatomy: What If

2012-02-02T23:04:00.011-05:00

When I first heard about the premise for this week's episode of Grey's Anatomy, I was intrigued. I think over the past nine seasons we've all had a lot of questions. I know my most burning question always was - what if Ellis and the Chief actually got together? Tonight we got the chance to see what that would look like in relation to Ellis, the Chief, Meredith and Lexie.

I have to admit, Ellis was a lot more likable when she was with the Chief. She was still a horrible mother to Meredith, but at least we got to see another side to her. The most shocking part of this particular "what if" story line was when Meredith was crying on the Chief's shoulder and then a few moments later, with the same posture, facial expression and whimper, Ellis was doing the same. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

In this "what if" universe Alex and Meredith are engaged and Alex seems to be . . . happy!

Watching him behave this way made me realize how much energy goes into Justin Chambers' job every single week to act annoyed, pissed off and brooding all the time. I am only now realizing how deep his frown lines are going to be. Also, can we all agree those black, wide rimmed glasses looked ridiculous on him?

Dr. Kepner is avoiding Charlie in the "what if" world which is creepy because he is dead. I also found it weird that Alex and Kepner hooked up, ruining his engagement to Meredith. No matter the universe, Kepner would never do that.

My favorite make over this hour was Cristina! When she walked in to the song "Ruby Blue" (which I love!) I was cheering. I loved her fierce, bang-centric, hair cut and how cut throat she was. That scene where she was eating lunch alone and mock stitching a banana was hilarious.

I was surprised to see Kate Walsh back as Addison. I never liked her character. In this hour she was fighting for Derek's attention and revealing to him her affair with Mark. Minus the pregnancy, this feels more like deja vu than "what if."

I must admit, at the end, I loved when Meredith said to Derek, "We call you McDreary." Ha! Nice tweak.

I was a bit confused how Callie and Hunt would ever be married. I didn't quite buy into that. I did however love the quick reference to Teddy. Well done, writers.

I thought Callie looked stunning this episode. I wish she was styled this way all the time!

It took the friend I was watching with gasping, "Is that Lexie?" for me to realize Lexie was the tattooed girl who came in from the ambulance. Given all the hardships in Lexie's life, this "what if" scenario was actually 100 percent believable.

Last we have Dr. Bailey. Watching Dr. Bailey behave like a mouse was shocking! Bailey is one of my favorite characters for her brassiness and when she doesn't have that, she doesn't have anything. It was so strange to see her with that hair do! It really transported her to nerdville. I was hoping Ben would make an appearance in this "what if" world, but he never did.

Though they each received a small mention, both Izzy and George were noticeably absent from this episode. In the case of George I was actually glad, as I don't think I could have handled that. I am still recovering from his death.

What did you think of the "what if" world? Did you like tonight's episode?

*All images courtesy of TVFanatic.com.

Listen: Mike Tompkins Covers Adele

2012-02-02T22:48:00.005-05:00

If you read this blog regularly than you already know I love Adele. I've been faithfully listening to her music for years, but I am particularly obsessed with her album "21" which I have been singing along to for over a year now.

Since I can never get enough Adele, it always thrills me when someone covers one of her songs in a new, unique and interesting way.

I first saw this video on Facebook when one of my friends shared it on her younger sister's wall. I saw the word "Adele" and just clicked not really knowing that to expect. This is what hit my eyes and ears:

In this video a capella wizard Mike Tompkins sings and plays all the instruments for Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" with just his voice! I love that he labeled each "instrument" so you could parcel it out. How fun is that video?

In more Adele news, the songbird herself tweeted on Tuesday January 31st that after a successful recovery from throat surgery (right here in Boston) she will return to the stage for this first time on Sunday February 12th at the Grammy awards.

The Grammy website confirmed her appearance with this post on their site:

I was already excited for the show, but now I am absolutely going to tune in and stay glued until my girl takes the stage. I am guessing she'll sing "Set Fire to the Rain" which is her current radio single here in the States.

I loved this Mike Tompkins cover so much that I am dying to know - who performs your favorite cover?

90210: Framed

2012-01-31T21:48:00.006-05:00

Tonight's episode of 90210 was a bit of a snooze. Dixon is panicked about the Kappa house fire and Austin reassures him, "No one got hurt, they lost a couple of Ryan Gosling posters!" Um, Austin, to some people, that is a major loss.

After taking shelter with Dixon and Austin, Bree calls the cops with a tip about Dixon and the fire. Annie is about to come clean and take the fall when Austin offers to turn himself in. I did not see that coming!

Last, Navid told Adriana about Silver and Maisy. Navid is becoming less and less likable with every episode.

Adriana decides to pretend to be Silver and picks up Maisy from daycare. Adriana, you are back aboard the crazy train! Now you will really never be in Maisy's life.

I have no idea why Silver decides to stick up for Adriana with Greg, but obviously he freaks out and dumps Silver on the spot.

This photo of Liam is circulating around the internet from next week's episode:

What the heck could this be? Is Liam's agent making him do appearances now?

See you next week to find out!

*Image courtesy of CW.com.

Gossip Girl: Love & Marriage

2012-01-30T21:32:00.013-05:00

Tonight's Gossip Girl was crazy! In the words of Nate Archibald, "You know the world is really a mess when the most honest person you know is Chuck Bass." In the interest of full disclosure, I had a very large glass of red wine before writing this, so forgive me if my thoughts are a bit jumbled.

The episode opened with Serena singing "Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend." Watching the men of the Upper East Side gang do traditional, Broadway-like choreography was hilarious!

In this musical sequence Serena and Blair fight over Dan. I found it so appropriate that in the dream Blair was dressed as Audrey Hepburn from "Breakfast at Tiffany's."

At the start of the hour Louis' family priest thinks he and Chuck are going to tag team and break up the wedding. In a wonderful turn of events, Chuck poisons the priest to stop him from destroying the wedding.

Then Georgina comes back. Why, writers, why?

Back at the church Blair is pressing Serena on her feelings for Dan. Blair has one of the best lines of the night, "Back in high school he always had the same look in his eyes whenever you would walk by, like he was starving and you were a tasting menu." Ha!

I want to take a quick moment to discuss the wedding fashions. Blair's dress was classic and elegant, but her hair looked messy and unfinished. I loved Serena's dress, but hated her headpiece. In fact, I hated all the headpieces and hats. Was this supposed to mimic William and Kate's royal wedding?

While Blair is primping, Eleanor escapes to the Empire to convince Chuck to come and fight for Blair. I love this! She says, "Are you coming to stop this thing or what?"

After pouring his heart out, Blair turns Chuck down! I could not believe it. I was tearing up! Naturally this touching moment was ruined by Georgina bursting in to let Chuck know she got their conversation on tape.

Blair insists on moving forward with the wedding, but needs both of her dads to walk her down the aisle. My heart warmed when Cyrus rushed to Blair and asked, "Blair, my little turtle dove, what's the emergency?"

As the ceremony continues, Chuck appears at the start of the aisle. That moment where he looks like he is going to object, stares right at Blair, looks at the floor, turns, takes a step, leans and then turns back to face Blair - now that is great acting! Without him saying a word you can feel every fiber of his conflicted being.

At the ceremony Serena declares her love for Dan and Nate hits on a cater waitress. Oh boy. Here we go. Again. Times two.

During their final dance, Louis informs Blair that Dan wrote his vows, their marriage is all for show, that she will put on a performance for the public and in private they will be strangers. I could feel my heart sinking right along with Blair's.

In that moment of panic, Blair makes a phone call and the writers want us to think she called Chuck, but she called Dan! I can't decide if she loves Dan or just trusts him as a best friend?

The very final scene of the hour shows Georgina typing up a Gossip Girl blast. Are we supposed to believe she is Gossip Girl? I don't know that I believe that. Did she swoop in and take over while the real Gossip Girl has been on hiatus? I'm on the fence on this one.

I want to hear from you! Do you think Georgina is Gossip Girl?

*Images courtesy of CW.com.

SAG Awards 2012: Best Dressed

2012-01-29T20:52:00.017-05:00

It's award season and tonight I could not wait to watch the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) awards! I like this particular event for two reasons: 1) It's actors voting to recognize other actors and 2) The ceremony is only two hours long!

Though the award show had tremendous highlights, let's be honest, it's mostly about the fashion. Below you will find my picks for the best dressed!

Giuliana Rancic - Ok, can we have a standing ovation for this woman? After a public struggle with infertility she is then diagnosed with breast cancer, undergoes a double mastectomy and returns to work perkier and more effervescent than ever. She looked stunning in this Basil Soda dress. Way to go, G.

Viola Davis - When Viola lost the Golden Globe to Meryl Streep I was devastated. I felt she truly deserved to win and on top of that, she looked killer! Tonight, she brought her A game again, this time in a white, Marchesa gown accented with gold designs and gold eyeshadow to match. A winning dress for the new, two time SAG winner!

Octavia Spencer - Plus size ladies, let Octavia be your fashion idol! I am so impressed by her choice of this sparkling, silver, Tadashi Shoji number. She shined twice as brightly accepting both of her awards tonight. Oscar, here she comes!

Sofia Vergara - V is for Vergara but also for va-va-voom! Sofia 100 percent nailed it in this fuchsia, Marchesa gown.

Ariel Winter - One of the younger cast members of "Modern Family", Ariel's Collette Dinnigan dress was beautiful, fun and age appropriate. I thought the silver shoe was a bit too matchy/matchy, I would have preferred say, a red shoe, but I still give her stylist major props.

Michelle Williams - I wasn't a fan of Michelle's Golden Globe dress, but I adore this lipstick red, Valentino number. It's classy and elegant, but still makes a bold statement.

Angelina Jolie - I am not an Angelina Jolie fan, but I can't deny that she looked incredible tonight. That fabric drapes perfectly and the gold and black earrings she's wearing are the ideal compliment to this Jenny Packham gown.

Kyra Sedgwick - When I first saw Kyra step into the frame on E!'s broadcast tonight I gasped. This may be the best dress she has ever worn! This fruit punch colored Pucci dress is feminine and fun, and the shape (with those cut outs) is undeniably sexy. Kevin Bacon is the luckiest man in L.A. tonight.

Jennifer Carpenter - The "Dexter" star is one of the tallest actresses on the carpet and I adore this red, cocktail length number paired with the wavy hair.

Ashlee Simpson - Ashlee was attending tonight's show as the plus one for her current beau, Vincent Piazza from "Boardwalk Empire." Though this Jenny Packham dress isn't my personal taste, I think she really rocked it.

Matthew Czuchry - Though he will always be Logan from the "Gilmore Girls" to me, Matthew was at the awards tonight for his role on "The Good Wife." Does he look an old Hollywood movie star or what?

John Krasinski - Who doesn't love Jim? John (who plays Jim on "The Office") looked incredibly handsome tonight in a Prada suit. Absolutely picture perfect.

Those are my picks, who were your favorites?

*Images courtesy of E! Online, Hollywood Reporter, Just Jared, Los Angeles Times and Washington Post.

Live: Kelly Clarkson And Matt Nathanson

2012-01-29T16:57:00.006-05:00

As soon as I got the email alert that Kelly Clarkson was coming to Boston I knew I had to go. After a crush left me crushed circa 2007, Kelly's girl power songs became my anthems and I have always wanted to see her perform live.

One of my college friends has become my go-to concert buddy. We saw Taylor Swift and Rihanna together so she was my first call when I got the alert about the tickets.

Thursday night we met at the Park Street T stop and walked to Rock Bottom where we planned to have dinner. After the hostess informed us it would be a two hour wait, we turned on our heels, walked out and ducked into Montien.

After a great meal of Thai food we walked across the street to the Wang Center for the show.

Thanks to my ferocious online ticket purchasing skills, we had seats in the orchestra, 20 rows from the stage!

When we made it to our seats (we had to see six ushers who all kept saying, "Keep going! See the next usher.") Kelly's opening act, Matt Nathanson, was already on the stage.

When that song finished, Matt started talking to the crowd and we learned that he and his guitar player Aaron are both from Lexington, MA! Who knew?

Matt played a few songs, one called "Modern Love" that he wrote for a friend who had lost faith in finding a good man, one inspired by the Little Mermaid called "Bottom of the Sea", his duet with Sugarland called "Run" and the song he's best known for, "Come on Get Higher."

Matt talked and joked with the crowd into between every song. He was very personable and he definitely has a great voice. I'm not rushing to buy any of his music, but he was a nice warm up before Kelly.

There was about a half hour in between the two sets and then the lights went down and the entire Wang Center started screaming for Kelly. The screen on stage began to scroll through newspaper articles and in red phrases appeared that said things like, "Losing Sponsors", "Album Leaked" and "Fat." I knew after seeing this intro that her first song would be a girl power, F you type of song and sure enough, the screen lifted and out came Kelly belting "Since You've Been Gone."

After the first song Kelly walked to the edge of the stage to talk to the crowd. She said, "Did y'all like that? I hope so, because we have 25 songs on this set list!" She also pointed out her red, bedazzled mic and mic stand and said, "I feel like a mix of Steven Tyler and Gwen Stefani with this mic!"

Kelly was wearing a silver, sequin top, skin tight black pants and was rocking a sleek, super straight hair cut with blunt hangs that was perfect for her.

Kelly performed so many of my favorites! The list includes: "Walk Away", "My Life Would Suck Without You", "Breakaway", "Never Again", "Because of You", "The Trouble With Love Is" (the song from Love Actually) and her new single, which I love, "Stronger."

Now for the fun part, the videos!

Kicking it off with "Behind These Hazel Eyes":

Here is Kelly killing it with "Gone":

One of my all time favorites "Miss Independent":

During the show Kelly did a few covers including Florence + The Machine's "Heavy" and Heart's "What About Love." In fact, she said she asked fans for cover recommendations and "What About Love" was one of the fan suggestions! Here is the cover:

You can see from these videos how cool the set design and lighting was for this tour. Even though we were in a small theater, the set and lighting made it feel like we were rocking out in a stadium.

Throughout the show I was continually reminded how purely amazing Kelly's voice is. The girl can belt it! When she was talking to the audience she was rambling and was a bit of a ham, but it's clear she is very humble. During the three encore songs Kelly walked to the edge of the stage touching as many hands as she could and accepting gifts from fans. She even put on a hat that one of the fans handed to her and wore it for an entire song!

During one of her intros before a song, Kelly announced that she is singing the national anthem at the Super Bowl. She said she is rooting for the Patriots because when she sang the national anthem at Fenway she realized how passionate Boston fans are and she wants to support that. Pretty cool.

She also mentioned she'd like to dance on stage with Madonna during her half time show performance. Ha!

The only down side to the experience (which had nothing to do with Kelly) was that we were seated right behind two women who could have been from those YouTube videos "The Real Housewives of Southie." They were screaming in their thick Boston accents all night long, spilling their drinks everywhere and stopping to take pictures every two seconds. No thank you.

If you get the chance to see Kelly Clarkson live I would highly recommend getting your hands on those tickets. I was singing and dancing along the entire night and I left feeling happy, energized and empowered.

Who is your favorite live performer?

A Local Feast

2012-01-29T15:03:00.034-05:00

Several weeks ago I received an invitation from Stone Hearth in Allston to attend a food blogger dinner at the restaurant. I first visited Stone Hearth back in November and loved it (read my original review here). I've been back many times since.

After weeks of eager anticipation the night finally arrived! I pulled into the Stone Hearth parking lot a few minutes before the event start time and the Stone Hearth team had set up a long table for our dinner. I felt very regal sitting at this long, adorned table!

At each place setting there was a coaster and pint glass from the dinner's beer sponsor, Clown Shoes Beer of Ipswich, MA (more on that a bit later). I love their logo; it has that retro carnival feel, but also manages to look sharp.

Before I dive into the meal itself, I want to say that the best part for me of attending this event was finally getting to meet in person so many of the people whose blogs I read every single day! This event truly had an all star guest list which included:

Elizabeth of Free Food Boston
Bianca of Confessions of a Chocoholic
Meghan of Travel Wine and Dine
Megan of Delicious Dishings
Rachel of Fork It Over Boston and Boston Food Bloggers
Daisy of Indulge Inspire Imbibe
Fiona of A Boston Food Diary
Emily of A Cambridge Story
Jen of Tiny Urban Kitchen
Bridget of Yogurt & Berries
Dan of The Food in My Beard (the one lucky man at the table full of ladies!)

It was such a treat to get to know each of you and I hope to see you again very soon!

Now on to the food!

Stone Hearth was incredibly generous and provided us with a four course meal. Each course was paired with a beer from Clown Shoes.

The first course was appetizers which included parmesan flatbread with eggplant dip, spicy meatball poppers and cheddar covered olives.

The parmesan flatbread was super crispy and had just the right amount of cheese flavor. I wasn't such a huge fan of the eggplant dip, I preferred dunking the flatbread in tomato sauce.

Though I didn't personally try the meatballs they got a rave review from everyone at the table.

I love the cheddar covered olives! I have ordered these before and I pop them like candy.

The beer for this course was Clown Shoe's Clementine, a white ale. I am a fan of fruit flavored beers (Harpoon's Raspberry UFO is my all time favorite) so I was excited to sample this.

The beer struck a nice balance between the clementine flavor and the actual beer flavor. I would absolutely pick this up to drink at home.

Course two was salad. I didn't realize how many salad choices there were on this menu! We were delivered the Caesar salad, the avocado salad, a mushroom and parmesan salad and a celeriac salad.

I've had the avocado salad before and I still love it. The buttery taste of the avocado really can't be beat.

The celeriac salad defied gravity! I love this vertical presentation! The salad is mostly made of celeriac, green apples and walnuts. It had such a stupendous crunch, while also having a sweet flavor. This might be my new favorite!

I didn't sample the Caesar, but here's a photo for those who are curious:

The mushroom and parmesan salad was being quickly passed around the table so I didn't manage to stop it in transit for a photo.

The beer for the second course was called Tramp Stamp. No, I am not kidding. Check out the bottle:

This was a Belgian IPA with orange peel. I liked this one, but the Clementine was still my top choice.

After the first two courses we took a break for some foodie trivia! The winners of the trivia contest received gift cards to Stone Hearth and one lucky winner was going to be awarded two tickets to the Mohegan Sun Wine Festival. I will fully admit, I did not know a single answer to any of the questions. That aside, it was a nice interlude between courses.

Course three was the star of the show . . . drum roll please . . . the pizza! Stone Hearth was so generous and brought us six different types of pies.

There was the Prosciutto and Pineapple:

The Divine Goddess:

The Bacon and Blue:

The Farm Fresh:

The Bean:

There was also a special pizza of the month with kale, leeks, gouda cheese and sausage. I was too far down the table to get a photo - sorry, peeps!

I was so impressed that three of the six pizzas were vegetarian. I love the Divine Goddess for the combo of broccoli and spinach mixed with creamy cheese, the Farm Fresh for the flavorful, bold veggies and the bean for being such a delicious, unexpected surprise! Bean pizza - who knew?

The beer for the third course was called Brown Angel, a double brown ale. This beer was too dark for my taste and I gave up after two sips.

Then we arrived at my favorite course of any meal, dessert! We sampled two awesome treats for this final round.

The first was a purple sweet potato gelato made by Dan of The Food in My Beard! I never would have thought sweet potato could be a yummy flavor, but I was wrong. I really enjoyed this.

The second frozen treat was custard topped with maple walnut topping. The custard was brought to us by Custard for a Cause, a philanthropic effort to support Community Servings through the sale of these delicious desserts. I thought I didn't like custard, but this version was so much lighter than any custard I've tasted before. I might have to reconsider!

The beer for the dessert course was called Supa Hero (how Boston!), an India pale ale.

I was happy we returned to lighter beers. I was so full at this point I couldn't do this last beer justice, but it certainly was good.

A fun fact about Clown Shoes, they actually have their own hero comic strip on their blog! Check it out here.

At the end of the night, Ken from Pete & Gerry's Organic Eggs (who explained to us about Custard for a Cause) gave each of a us a six pack of heirloom blue eggs to take home!

How beautiful is the color of these eggs?

I used my box to make a veggie scramble for brunch today!

I cannot say thank you enough to Stone Hearth, Clown Shoes and Pete & Gerry's Orangic Eggs for such a wonderful evening. It was incredible to meet so many of my favorite writers in person, to enjoy Stone Hearth's craveable food, sample new, local beers and be treated to not one, but two desserts! Thank you to all three sponsors for your generosity.

As we were getting ready to leave, Jon, one of the owners of Stone Hearth said to us, "You know, this week during the President's State of the Union address we heard about a lot of things in this country that are broken and systems that need to be repaired. What all three of our businesses are trying to do is to put the emphasis on local and sustainable. To support other local businesses, green business practices and to ensure we're moving the needle as much as we can toward positive change."

A meal with a side of inspiration!

Dining Out: Shake Shack

2012-01-28T09:17:00.021-05:00

This is my 16th and final post from my New York City trip! I hope you have enjoyed reading these posts as much as I have enjoyed writing them.

When I first started visiting New York regularly (summer 2006) I always walked by Shake Shack in Madison Square Park. My cousin lived just three blocks away and we passed it constantly walking to and from other places. I would always say, "We have to try that sometime!" but we never did.

While I was in the city on this trip, I was attending a conference for work and one of the featured speakers was Danny Meyer, the founder and creator of Shake Shack (@dhmeyer on Twitter if you want to follow him). He was a fantastic presenter and I was hanging on his every word. Of all the stories and advice he shared there was one comment that really stuck with me. He said that each time he opens a new Shake Shack location, that exact location has to have "Shackness." In his words, "When I go scout a new place, I sit down, imagining myself as the diner with their burger, fries and shake and I ask myself - does location make me feel relaxed? When I look around am I taking in scenery that feels amazing, inspiring and like classic New York? Does this location help me escape from my life for just five minutes and have a genuine, uplifting experience? That's Shackness."

Wow. After that comment, I am a Danny Meyer believer! I left the conference that day determined to make it to Shake Shake on this trip. No excuses.

Lucky for me, on the second to last day of my trip I was staying with a friend who lives just a few streets away from a Shake Shack! Monday night (MLK Day) we zipped up our winter coats and headed over.

This particular location of Shake Shack is at 77th Street and Columbus Avenue, directly across the street from the Museum of Natural History (Shackness!).

When you first walk in there is a menu board right in the entry way so you can decide what you want before you get in line. I was impressed by how much of the menu is devoted to ice cream!

Shake Shack offers something called a "concrete" which is basically a thick milk shake. Each Shake Shack location has flavors based on their location. For example, in this location one of the choices is the "Natural History Crunch-stellation."

They also have a custard calendar! I am telling you, this is my kind of place! We were there on a Monday and the flavor was Cinnamon Cream Cheese.

We made a game plan and hopped in the line. The set up for ordering felt kind of like a mall food court, but hey, if it's efficient for them, I'll let it slide.

While in line I noticed the Shake Shack gear including two baby onesies that were just too adorable! One said "Small fry" and one said "I'm Crying, Insert Burger". I have a nine month old baby cousin, so I'm always on the look out!

After you order you are handed a buzzer so you can claim your order when it's ready. The buzzer says, "When I'm shakin' come on up to the shack!"

At this particular Shake Shack you can stand at a counter that overlooks the museum (notice the burger design on the counter).

Or you can sit in the atrium. When the weather is nice, all of these windows are open. I smile just thinking about that!

Our buzzer started to shake so we went up to the shack to claim our goodies. They give you your meal on a tray, cafeteria style.

My friend's boyfriend ordered the Shacky Road concrete (a cute play on Rocky Road), the french fries with cheese sauce and two Shackburgers. This food looks so good it almost looks fake, right?

The concrete was so delicious! It had chocolate truffles in it!

The cheese fries were an awesome, side dish creation. The combination of the crispy, crinkle cut french fries and the creamy cheese sauce made each bite taste like mashed potatoes!

My friend's boyfriend ordered two Shackburgers which are burger patty, American cheese, lettuce, tomato and Shacksauce on a fluffy bun.

I ordered the vegetarian option, the 'Shroom burger, which is a cheese stuffed, fried mushroom. Yeah.

I took one bite and here is what happened:

In a word, amazing. This was one of the best, most delicious vegetarian options I have ever had at a burger place!

To go with our meals, my friend ordered the Arnold Palmer which was the perfect ratio of lemonade to tea and came with a heathly heaping of ice to keep it chilled.

In the spirit of this fun outing, I ordered a root beer float! It came in tall cup and the ice cream was already beginning to melt into the root beer by the time I took my tray to our table.

Because I had a long straw the first half of the drink tasted like just root beer (which was perfect to go with my burger) and the second half tasted like a root beer milk shake! It was soda shop perfection.

Shake Shack is such a blast. The spirit of the place is just straight up fun and as Danny said, all of the locations are scouted and approved for their Shackness.

Though I can technically cross this off my New York City "to-do" list, I still want to experience the Madison Square Park location in the summer.

Have you ever been to Shake Shack? Could you feel the Shackness?

Explore: Zabar's

2012-01-25T21:00:00.019-05:00

Admittedly, I had never heard of Zabar's until the episode of "Sex and the City" where Charlotte prepares her first Shabbat dinner and goes to Zabar's to grocery shop. When my New York City hostess suggested we go on a culinary expedition to the store, I couldn't resist.

It was Monday night at the end of a long weekend and Zabar's was packed!

Right when we walked in we entered the olives section. There were so many kinds! The olives were in deep, construction zone-like buckets.

Next up was the cheese counter including this case of cheese spreads. I love spreads and dips. Had I not been an out of town guest, I would have stocked up!

I also noticed the mozzarella "salad" which is simply a giant ball of mozzarella cheese with two basil leaves for garnish.

Around the corner we found the candy and dried fruit section where I discovered dried kiwi! I'd never seen that in my life. Cranberries, apricot, pineapple, guava - sure. But kiwi? I felt I'd spotted an endangered species.

Around another corner, the desserts! I was tempted buy these chocolate rugelach, a Jewish grandmother staple.

I also found a more classic, American treat - rainbow sprinkle topped cupcakes. The best part? They come in individual packages.

Around another corner, I stumbled upon the prepared foods section including cheese blintzes and giant knishes! The knishes have their own wall.

Apparently Zabar's has their own coffee blend and people stand in line waiting for it. It was fun to watch the staff toss, weigh and bag the beans.

Near the coffee I discovered jam from New York City brunch spot Sarabeth's. Don't want to wait there for a table? Take this home for a taste of the restaurant at your own table.

After perusing the entire downstairs, we headed upstairs to the housewares section. Zabar's has dishes, glassware, pots and pans, utensils in every color of the rainbow and fun kitchen gadgets and toys.

We walked up and down every aisle. I loved these rocket ship shaped popsicle molds. They reminded me of my favorite ice cream truck treat, the red, white and blue firecraker popsicle!

I also discovered this chart that helps you decide what frosting accessories to buy based on what type of cake decorations you want to make.

Walking around Zabar's felt like an anthropological expedition. If you're craving Jewish comfort food or need to buy something for a bridal shower, this is the place.

Sugar Fix: Levain Bakery

2012-01-25T20:44:00.013-05:00

My second to last day in New York City I headed up to the Upper West Side to stay with a friend who just relocated to New York in August. She was so excited to show me around her neighborhood.

It was a very chilly day so we bundled up and headed out to explore. The first stop on her neighborhood tour was Levain Bakery. She said, "How do you feel about paying $4 for a cookie?" I was intrigued.

We opened the door to Levain and walked down a flight of stairs into the basement. Levain has a counter and a very small seating area with two narrow counters and two stools at each.

The line was four people deep so I anxiously bopped from side to side trying to peer around people to get a peek at the goods.

When I got to the counter I saw rolls, scones and of course, Levain's four signature cookies!

The flavors are chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin and dark chocolate peanutbutter chip.

I decided on the chocolate chip walnut cookie. The man behind the counter turned around, took a cookie out of the oven and then put it into a bag for me.

I walked that bag right to the counter and opened it! Look at the size of this cookie!

I bent the cookie in half and the chocolate chips were melting all over my fingers!

The cookie is lightly crisped on the outside, but super warm and doughy on the inside. I love doughy, bendy cookies.

After my photography, I put the cookie back in the bag so we could walk and nosh.

If you're a cookie person, make time to stop at Levain. Worth every one of those 400 pennies.

Dining Out: Cafe Delectica

2012-01-25T20:13:00.013-05:00

My New York dining adventures continue! On Monday morning of my trip (MLK Day) my hostess wanted to take me to an Israeli cafe a few blocks up from her apartment. She raved about their traditional Israeli breakfast and the European cafe vibe.

We arrived at Cafe Delectica and as we walked down the steps toward the entry way, look who greeted us! Too cute!

Cafe Delectica has very Parisian looking tables and chairs and a large counter displaying basket after basket of drool worthy goods.

A sample of what's behind the glass counter:

We stood staring at the menus above the register for a at least five minutes before deciding to split two breakfast options.

Our first choice was a breakfast sandwich with egg whites, tomato, avocado and chipotle mayo on multigrain bread.

The tomato was fresh and juicy, the avocado was creamy and buttery, the egg whites were nice and hot and the chipotle added an awesome kick to every bite.

The multigrain bread was toasted, hearty and delicious. My friend said, "I love how seedy and nutty this is - great for bread, not for people." Ha!

Our second plate was the traditional Israeli breakfast which came with an omelette, slices of cheese, a ball of cream cheese, a whole avocado and Israeli salad.

The plate also came with a side of bread basket. Yes, an entire bread basket.

We spent the next half hour spreading egg, cheese, cream cheese, avocado and Israeli salad across pieces of this fantastic bread. My friend said, "This tastes just like Israel!"

The nice thing about Cafe Delectica is that they don't rush you. You can read the Sunday New York Times, respond to email on your laptop, browse the web on your iPad or just hang with family and friends and no matter how long you sit, they're cool with it. Just one caveat, they don't have a bathroom, so if you drink too much coffee or tea, you're out of luck!

On a side note, while dining we spotted one of the most beautiful twentysomething man I've ever seen in real life. He was fashionable dressed (well fitting, not trendy), drinking from a metal water bottle, eating yogurt and granola and reading the New York Times and TIME magazine, both of which he brought with him. Ladies, I have a feeling this could be a good watering hole!

If you can't hop a flight to Tel Aviv, enjoy a taste of Israel at 38th Street and 3rd Avenue.

90210: What Would Naomi Do?

2012-01-24T19:50:00.009-05:00

Ok readers, this is the last of my doubled up recaps! Also, as a heads up, Grey's Anatomy is a repeat this week, so there won't be a recap on Thursday, as there will be nothing new to report.

Off we go to the world's most glamorous zip code!

Last week:

So we're back from winter hiatus and Silver and the professor are now openly kissing in public and he's talking about Silver meeting his three year old? My how things change!

Liam is recovering from his accident and when Annie visits him in the hospital, he's over her. He says, "When you were in trouble, I rushed to be with you. When I was in trouble, you went shopping for paper weights." Touche, Liam.

I have to ask, who is this Vanessa character? We do not need you. Especially since you are acting like it wasn't you who hit Liam. At the end of the episode, when Annie discovers all of Vanessa's fake IDs, then I was slightly more intrigued. But only slightly.

Speaking of new characters, Ivy admits she had an affair with photographer Nick in New Guinea and now they are kissing in public! So much PDA this episode!

Adriana and Dixon are prepping for a gig and the manager hits on Adriana right in front of Dixon. "Wear something tight tonight." Gross.

Naomi spends the episode planning a party for Holly's mother and then ruining her triumph by being caught hooking up at the party. Rookie mistake. Naomi then tells Holly's mother she needed a fling to get over Austin. Holly's mom gives her a second chance.

On the topic of second chances, Navid's father returns! I did not see that coming.

The final shocker of the episode was that Silver's professor beau is the adopted father of Adriana's baby! Now that is an amazing plot twist!

In closing, I am obsessed with Annie's silver and black party dress. Can I have that shipped straight to my front door?

Tonight:

We open with Austin listening to break up music. I was so happy to learn that Navid, Dixon and Adriana share my distaste for country music.

In the first five minutes of the episode, the professor is asking Silver if she would move to New York City with him. Is it just me, or are all the relationships on this show on fast forward?

This hour Naomi is planning a party for Mitchell Nash and suggests that Holly assist her. What was she thinking? Ivy said it best when she asked, "Do you have a death wish or something?"

Of course Holly does screw it up and Naomi gets fired again! That's twice in two weeks! Surprisingly, Holly makes nice with Mitchell and recommends Naomi for all of his party planning needs. Truce?

Meanwhile, Dixon and Austin egg and toilet paper Holly's sorority house. The next day, Dixon finds an article online that the house burned down. Oh boy.

Toward the end of the hour Vanessa comes clean about hitting Liam the night of his accident. Somehow, Annie winds up sounding like crazy one because she shows up to watch over Liam. Lose-lose here for the girls.

Lastly, Navid figures out that the professor is the one who adopted Maisy. In the final moment of the episode it seems he is going to spill the beans to Adriana. I sincerely hope this doesn't happen. If the writers decide to have Adriana try to get the baby back, I will flip.

In previews for next week the professor dumps Silver, a new nerd hits on Naomi (Max, Part II?) and the All American Rejects perform.

In other 90210 news, in real life Jessica Lowndes (Adriana) has a new song and a music video! Watch here.

*Images courtesy of CW.com.

Sugar Fix: Insomnia Cookies

2012-01-24T19:24:00.010-05:00

Sunday night of my New York City trip, after a beautiful meal at Talent Thai, my friends I went in search of dessert. We wanted to pick up something sweet to share while watching the Golden Globes.

After wandering for a few blocks around Murray Hill, we decided on Insomnia Cookies. I'd never heard of Insomnia, but apparently the cookie shop is a chain.

As soon as you walk in your nostrils perk up at the immediate smell of butter and sugar and your mouth turns up into a smile.

Everyone stares at the menu board (a superb chalkboard) with a noticeable grin on their face.

While waiting in line I noticed the framed cookie art work! So simple, but so cute.

Behind the glass counter you can see a sample of every type of cookie which is so dangerous! They are so close you want to reach out and grab them!

Right off the bat we ordered a M&M cookie to eat while we selected our other flavors. The cookie was so buttery, crisp on the bottom and the M&Ms melt in your mouth as soon as they hit your tongue.

We got a box of cookies to go for the Globes. When we unpacked the box and gently laid each cookie on the plate, we could not wait to dig in!

We picked out three flavors: s'mores (the dark chocolate cookie), chocolate peanutbutter and chocolate chunk.

The s'mores cookie was incredible! It had marshmallow in the center which made the cookie even more doughy, chewy and bendy. The chocolate flavor was so pure and rich. I could have had five of these!

The chocolate peanutbutter cookie was not only a peanutbutter cookie base, but had Reeses peanutbutter cups mixed in.

Lastly, the chocolate chunk cookie was a traditional chocolate chip cookie, but instead of chocolate chips, the chocolate was large chunks, almost the size of a Hershey nugget. These Insomnia people really know how to appeal to a sweet tooth!

As if the cookies themselves weren't reason enough to embrace Insomnia, they deliver until 3:00am! You can order online and today, they have a deal of the day going on: three free cookies with your online order!

Is that you typing I hear? I thought so.

Dining Out: Talent Thai

2012-01-24T18:45:00.014-05:00

The New York City adventures continue! On Sunday night of my trip I went with two of best friends from summer camp (I've know them since I was 11 years old!) for an early dinner at Talent Thai in Murray Hill.

Talent is an incredibly beautiful restaurant. There are red and gold panels and red light fixtures that bring a true Asian flair to the design of the place.

I especially loved the gold leaves that were dancing along the wall of the restaurant.

Our waitress brought us menus and there were so many great choices We didn't know how to narrow it down!

So, we decided not to! We ordered three appetizers. The first to arrive was the curry puffs. I don't normally like the flavor of curry, but this curry was mild and the puff itself was nice and doughy, yet flaky on the outside.

Next we gobbled up the summer rolls which are served cold and packed with veggies. How stunning is this floral shaped presentation?

Our third choice was the vegetarian spring rolls which came in a vertical presentation. These were far and away my favorite! I loved the crunch of the egg roll shell.

For dinner, one of my friends ordered the pad see yew. It was a generous portion and the veggies were incredibly fresh.

My other friend ordered the tofu and vegetables in peanut sauce. She left me have a bite and the peanut sauce was fantastic! I wanted to eat her entire plate and then lick it!

She also ordered a side of sticky rice which literally came stuck together! It took a concentrated stroke of your fork to cut off a bite.

I decided on the pad thai with tofu. In my experience, pad thai is either incredible or really horrible. Talent's version is definitely on the incredible end of the spectrum. The noodles were hot and flavorful, the tofu was perfectly cooked and the veggies added a necessary crisp.

In addition to the wonderful food, gorgeous presentation and beautiful decor, Talent was playing music that could have come straight off my iPod! The playlist included: One Republic, John Mayer, Sara Bareilles and Maroon 5. I was singing along the entire meal.

You can visit Talent Thai for yourself at 34th Street and 3rd Avenue.

Do you have a favorite Thai place in Manhattan?

Gossip Girl: Divine Intervention

2012-01-23T21:20:00.009-05:00

I'm still catching up on TV from being away last week, so this week you're getting double the Upper East Side drama!

Last week:

The start of this episode of Gossip Girl feels like a dream - a dream that finds us very far in the future compared to where we left off (Chuck and Blair's accident). In this dream-like scene Chuck and Louis are friendly to each other and we learn Blair lost the baby. This is not a dream, however, this is where we currently stand.

Blair and Dan are sneaking around together and Chuck comes to Brooklyn to confront Dan about their tryst. Dan has a great line, "I live in Brooklyn. Without Gossip Girl, I know nothing." In this scene we also learn Dan has received a second book deal. As if!

When Blair is trying on her bridal gown Vera Wang herself makes a cameo! I gasped when I saw her on screen! Her petite frame and long, jet black hair was such a stark contrast to Blair's billowing, white gown.

When Chuck follows Blair and Dan from Vera Wang back to this strange apartment, I was mystified how Dan did not hear Chuck's voice when Chuck was right at the bottom of the stairs of the brownstone. Hm.

Later in the episode we learn Blair prayed for Chuck to wake up from the accident and said if he did, she would stay with Louis! What? That makes zero sense! We also learn that Blair has converted to Catholicism and has been going to church every day with Dan. Oy.

Blair doesn't want anyone to know the truth about her feelings for Chuck or Louis, so when she risks being exposed for having an affair with Dan, she goes yenta and says, "I'll endure the public humiliation of allegedly shtupping Humphrey."

Can I just say I hate that this whole episode was on New Years Eve when it aired a full two weeks after actual New Years Eve. Hello, stay relevant!

I find it cruel that Chuck had watch Blair and Louis kiss at midnight.

This episode Lily tries to track down Charlie and winds up finding her biological niece, the actual Charlie Rhodes. Do you think Lily will continue pursuing her in future episodes?

Toward the end of the episode Serena says she wants to become the positive, new and improved Gossip Girl. Um, Gossip Girl is so awesome because she is wicked, not because she is healing the world.

On a similar note, Nate and Gossip Girl are now texting about the events of the night of the accident. Nate has learned that the car that crashed was meant for him, not Chuck and Blair. Oh, here we go again!

In closing, thank you to the CW for highlighting musician Zee Avi and her haunting song "Ghostbird" that was featured in this episode. It was the perfect song choice for this melancholy hour.

Tonight:

This episode of Gossip Girl opens with Serena and Dan talking about their fake relationship. Serena says, "If you want the world to think you're doing something, you have to do it on Madison Avenue."

Next up, Blair goes to church to confession and says, "I fear the devil is on my shoulder." To which the father responds, "Which devil is that?" and she replies, "Chuck Bass." Ha!

It turns out the priest is not her priest, but the spiritual leader of Monaco, who is in cahoots with Louis' sister!

Over at the Spectator, Nate decides to pull Serena's column at the request of Gossip Girl. He later stages firing Serena and then sends a video of their fight to Gossip Girl. Just as I was staring to lose this story line and question who is on whose side, we discover that Nate and Serena set up Tripp! And now, Maureen is going to divorce Tripp. Excellent.

The last five minutes of the episode were packed! Chuck tries to visit Blair, Blair finds Louis' wedding vows (which we learn were written by Dan!), Beatrice gets shipped off to East Africa, the priest calls in re-inforcements in the form of Chuck, and Serena and Dan continue their faux romance.

The episode closes with a classic Chuck Bass moment. He agrees to help the priest break up Blair and Louis and says, "She already thinks I'm a villain, I may as well become one."

In previews for next week Blair and Louis' wedding ceremony is interrupted by Chuck and Georgina? What the hell is she doing back? And looking so possessed! I guess we'll find out next week. See you then!

*Images courtesy of CW.com.

Tea Time: Keko Cafe

2012-01-22T22:03:00.016-05:00

Sunday afternoon of my New York City trip I was walking around Murray Hill with two friends when we decided to warm up at Keko Cafe.

Keko Cafe is completely unassuming and it would be very easy to walk right by. Thankfully I had a local to show me this hidden gem!

As we approached the front door my friend said, "Moll, look! They have a chalkboard sign! You love chalkboard signs." True story.

When we walked in I felt like I'd been transported to Europe. Americans so do not understand leisurely coffee/tea drinking like Europeans do.

Keko Cafe has brightly colored yellow walls covered in knick knacks. It felt a bit like eating in a consignment shop, but without that strange smell.

I loved the way they displayed all their coffee beans!

On the counter were glass jars full of baked goods - perfect for dunking in your coffee or tea.

We sat at the table right in the front window. We were sitting beneath a beautiful bird cage hanging from the ceiling.

We decided to share a pot of tea. There were at least thirty flavor choices on the menu, but we finally came to a consensus and chose Jasmine.

Though we were just looking to sip on this trip, Keko offers "Keko Tea Time" which comes with a pot of tea, finger sandwiches, scones, jam and butter. I definitely want to come back and do that!

Our tea came in a royal blue tea pot with three saucers and three Lavazza mugs. The tea was a greenish/yellowish color and was piping hot. I didn't wind up loving it, but it warmed me right up!

At all the tables surrounding us customers were sharing tea, coffee, scones, cookies, sandwiches and salads. All of the food looked great. For those who are soccer fans, Keko also plays international soccer games on their TVs.

It's so easy to get your caffeine fix at Starbucks, but for a true coffee or tea experience, take the time to sit, sip and enjoy at Keko Cafe.

Relax like a European at the corner of 30th and Madison Avenue.

Sugar Fix: Magnolia Bakery

2012-01-22T18:02:00.020-05:00

I first learned of Magnolia Bakery on an episode of "Sex and the City." Carrie and Miranda were sitting outside the bakery, in the fall, talking about their current dating situations as they attempted to gracefully eat cupcakes piled high with an inch and a half of frosting.

Saturday night of my New York City trip, after a great Mexican feast at Gabriela's, my friends and I hopped in a cab to Magnolia to get our sugar fix in the last thirty minutes before they closed at midnight.

From the outside, Magnolia looks very quaint. The first thing you notice is their white, lace curtains tied to the side in every window.

When you open the door, the bakery is so charming! It actually reminds me of one of my other favorite New York City spots, Penelope, at 30th Street and Lexington in Murray Hill.

There was a group of people crowded around the cupcakes when we first walked in, confirming to me that they must be good.

When I got up close, I peered over the glass and inspected every offering. Should I go with chocolate cake/chocolate frosting? Coconut? Red velvet?

Then I moved further down the counter to check out the brownies, bars and cookies. There were so many great choices!

We made our selections and moved down the line to the cashier. I couldn't help but notice all the cute touches near the register including cupcake themed aprons and these old fashioned, decorative, paper straws. They also had colored birthday candles.

With our treats in tow, we took our seats at table in the front window.

The first item we tried was the red velvet cupcake. I love red velvet and I always order it at a new cupcake place. I find red velvet cakes tend to be more moist than other flavors.

Sadly, this red velvet cake was dry. Since we were eating it around 11:30pm, I wondered if it was dry simply because it had been out all day. The frosting was delicious, but not enough to carry the whole cupcake.

Next up was the chocolate cupcake with purple, butter cream frosting. Wow, this was delicious! The cake had a classic, chocolate taste and I could taste the sugar with every bite of frosting.

Our third treat was the white chocolate, heath brownie. The brownie itself was dry, but the white chocolate layer and the heath topping was a sweet tooth's dream.

I've saved the best for last. The best treat we had at Magnolia was not a cupcake, but a piece of caramel, nut cheesecake! This individually sized, round cheesecake was creamy, rich, dripping with caramel sauce and topped with freshly chopped nuts.

When you took a bite of all four layers (crust, cheesecake, caramel and nuts) it was pure nirvana. If you visit Magnolia, promise me you will order this!

We had very big eyes and couldn't finish two of the four treats, so we asked for a to-go box. Even the box was adorable!

Though two of our four treats were disappointing, I was really glad I got to experience Magnolia Bakery. The bakery itself is beautifully decorated and I am thrilled to have discovered their incredibly decadent and crave-able cheesecake!

Have you been to Magnolia Bakery? What did you think?

Dining Out: Gabriela's

2012-01-22T17:26:00.020-05:00

On Saturday night of my New York City trip I was staying with two of my best friends (who are married to each other). They wanted to take me to their favorite Mexican place in their neighborhood. From their apartment at 100th and Broadway we walked to Gabriela's at 93rd Street and Columbus Ave.

When we arrived, my friends informed me that during the summer Gabriela's has an incredible outdoor patio. They had white, twinkle lights up all along the patio and I could just imagine how bustling it is during the warm weather.

When we walked in I was surprised how big the restaurant is. You just don't tend to see really large restaurants in Manhattan.

We put our name in at the hostess stand and took seats at the bar while we waited. Right away I noticed the pyramid of tequila behind the bar. How awesome is this?

I also love the round, terra cotta colored light fixtures illuminating the tequila pyramid.

Before we even had a chance to decide on drinks the hostess called our names! What a delightful surprise!

We were seated at a roomy table for four on the back wall of the restaurant. Our table was right next to a private room, which was also shockingly big!

I love the decor in Gabriela's. They have decorative plates mounted on the walls, colored ceramic tiles in the columns and these cool, curved benches at their booths.

As soon as we sat down our waiter brought us a basket of yellow, corn tortilla chips and a side of both red and green salsa. The green salsa had an awesome kick to it. I couldn't get enough.

Gabriela's has one of the largest margarita and tequila menus I have ever seen! I was having a really tough time deciding what to order. I ultimately chose something called the rainbow margarita.

As you can see, the margarita has three flavors: strawberry, lime and mango, and it's served frozen. This reminded me of the firecracker popsicles (red, white and blue) that I love to order at the ice cream truck at Nantasket Beach. Plus, with this drink, I didn't have to settle on just one flavor of margarita!

My friend ordered the passion fruit margarita (also frozen) which was incredible! The passion fruit flavor was a bit tart, cutting the usual sweetness of a fruit flavored marg.

The token boy at our table ordered a glass of tequila on the rocks.

As we were looking at the food menu I saw guacamole get delivered to a neighboring table and it came in a tortilla chip bowl. Um, yes please!

We ordered the guac and it was so fresh. The flavor was delicious, not too heavy on the cilantro.

For dinner we tried a wide variety of things. One friend ordered the butternut squash soup, which may seem an odd choice at a Mexican restaurant, but it was actually awesome and had a bit of spice to it.

To go with his soup he ordered the fish taco appetizer, which was a good size and the tacos were topped with crisp, fresh veggies.

My other friend ordered the veggie burrito which comes with beans and rice. She said it was outstanding and she hasn't had a better burrito anywhere else. Well then!

I went with the chile relleno. The chile was breaded, fried, stuffed with cheese and then sent for a swim in a sea of spicy tomato sauce. This was so fantastic that I literally finished it in four minutes. If you like stuffed peppers, Gabriela's makes a mean one!

Gabriela's is the total package. The restaurant is spacious (a rarity in New York City), the servers are attentive, the drink menu is massive (and fun!), the food is authentic Mexican and I am positive it's a blast in the summer on the patio. In fact, I plan to go back and test my hypothesis.

Movie Musings: The Artist

2012-01-22T11:40:00.007-05:00

Yesterday I had a fantastic day in Cambridge. It started with brunch at the S&S, followed by wandering through the whimsy in Boutique Fabulous, followed by "The Artist" at the Kendall Square Cinema and topped off with an early and finger-licking-good dinner at the All Star Sandwich Bar.

I wasn't planning on seeing "The Artist." My parents and sister saw it a few weeks ago and in the words of my mother, "We hated it! It was so boring! And slow!" With that swift disapproval, I crossed it off my "to see" list.

That is until it won best actor and best film in the comedy or musical categories at the Golden Globes last Sunday. I was starting to feel like if I didn't see it, I'd regret that choice come Oscar night.

When we arrived at the theater yesterday at 4:10pm for the 4:20pm show we were shocked by how packed the theater was. We had to sit in the fourth row from the screen, wiggle down low into our seats and lean all the way back just to see. Not ideal.

For those who aren't familiar, "The Artitst" is a black and white, silent film that tells the story of a silent film star who becomes old news when "talkies" get introduced to American cinema in 1929.

Jean Dujardin plays George Valentin, the silent film actor who loses his way when his style of film goes out of style with main stream America.

Berenice Bejo plays an extra, Peppy Miller, who gets her start by physically bumping into George while he talks to the paparazzi. They take a photograph of George and Peppy together, a photo that essentially launches her career.

Peppy goes on to become a talkie star while George struggles to find his place in the world. He becomes depressed, loses all his money and eventually tries to hurt himself. Twice.

Ultimately, Peppy comes to the rescue and saves George from himself. Their initial chemistry that day with the paparazzi never dies and they become an onscreen duo once again.

In my opinion, the movie was too long. The portion where George spirals further and further into his depression felt like it took an hour. We get it, he's a has been. Move on!

I was also irritated that at no point in the movie do George and Peppy actually get together! They have such genuine chemistry and there isn't even one kiss! Not even to seal the happy ending! Throw us romantics a bone, will ya!

Durjardin was fantastic in this role. His classic, old Hollywood good looks are undeniable and his expressive face lights up the screen.

Bernice Bejo literally sparkles on camera. The scene where she puts her arm through George's jacket and acts like they are dancing together was my absolute favorite.

I also want to give props to Uggie, the dog who plays George's side kick. That was one talented dog! Dujardin brought him on stage at the Golden Globes for his acceptance speech, which was so nice for the dog's owners and trainer!

If you're into awards season, definitely see "The Artist" so you can feel informed during the ceremonies, but otherwise, skip it.

*Images courtesy of Collider.com, Filmofilia.com, HollywoodReporter.com and NYTimes.com.

Dining Out: The Breslin And Stumptown

2012-01-21T21:20:00.018-05:00

While in New York City I stayed at the Ace Hotel. Though the Ace has a restaurant and a coffee bar, I didn't check out either spot until my very last day.

Saturday at 11:30am my friend met me for brunch at the Ace's restaurant called the Breslin. The Breslin has a European pub vibe. It reminds me of the Irish bars around Boston - the Thirsty Scholar, the Druid, the Skellig.

The front of the restaurant is a bar with high top, communal tables and the back room is the dining room.

We were seated beneath a huge mirror that listed the specials in neon colored markers.

Our waiter brought over menus which were tacked to a cork board.

When it came time to order drinks, I asked for a hot chocolate. Our waiter said in a very dismissive tone, "We don't have hot chocolate." I was perplexed because the hotel's coffee place, Stumptown, has hot chocolate, so I just assumed the restaurant would too. Apparently not.

My friend ordered a cup of English Breakfast tea and when it arrived, she received a tea pot, a saucer, a cup and a spoon in a vertical presentation.

To add to the tea? Real sugar!

We spent a while looking over the menu, having a tough time deciding between the breakfast and the lunch offerings.

I went with the pumpkin pecan pancakes. I'm normally into omelettes, but this sounded too good to pass up.

The pancakes arrived and I couldn't believe how small the portion size was. The plate had three pancakes, each smaller than the palm of my hand.

Though the pancakes were tiny, they were super delicious! The pumpkin flavor was superb and the spiced pecans added an extra zing.

My friend ordered the full English breakfast which was two eggs, bacon, sausage, mushrooms and tomatoes. She asked if the plate came with any kind of toast and the waiter said, "Nope. You can add toast for $3." Three dollars for two pieces of white bread? Dear lord! That is ridiculous.

When the plate arrived, my friend was thrilled with every single item and cheerily spread her sunny side up eggs across her $3 toast.

We sat for nearly 90 minutes and not once did our waiter try to rush us, which I really appreciated.

Since my pancake plate was so small and since I didn't get the hot chocolate I was craving, after paying our bill at the Breslin, we walked ten feet across the hotel lobby to the hotel's coffee shop, Stumptown.

Stumptown is gorgeous.

I love the antiques that line the shelves on the wall.

I ordered a hot chocolate and while I was paying I noticed Stumptown has custom chocolate bars! They are so beautifully wrapped.

My hot chocolate arrived in a stunning presentation. How do they do this? I'm amazed every time.

The hot chocolate was very bitter, which was disappointing. I hate to admit it, but the best hot chocolate is at Dunkin Donuts.

Most of the Stumptown customers hang at the counter in the front window to sip their java.

Unless you're already at the Ace, I don't see any reason why you need to dine or drink at the Breslin or Stumptown. I was disappointed in both places. What can I say? You can't win 'em all.

Dining Out: Basta Pasta

2012-01-21T13:38:00.016-05:00

On Friday night of my New York City trip, after five days at a conference, I was ready for a night out with my girls! I met up with two of my best college friends for dinner at Basta Pasta.

I learned about Basta Pasta after one of said college friends went with her family. She described the house specialty (more on that in a minute) and I knew I had to experience it.

Basta Pasta is just a few streets away from Union Square. It's an Italian restaurant run by a Japanese family. Odd, I know.

We arrived after a freezing cold walk and couldn't wait to get inside.

The restaurant is mostly white - white walls, white table clothes - but they have incredible art work, which is apparently for sale. We saw one piece with a red sticker under it indicating "sold."

I love when restaurants support local artists.

The hostess showed us to our table and immediately our waiter was at our side handing us menus. My friend who had been before told us that they change their menus regularly, including the designs on the cover of the menu.

As we perused the offerings, our waiter brought us breadsticks, a basket of bread and toasts with gorgonzola cheese spread. They are so generous!

We had a difficult time deciding what to order because everything sounded delicious!

The friend who had been before ordered the house specialty, the spaghetti with parmesan and prosciutto. The way it works is, the chef prepares the pasta and then pours it into a giant wheel of parmesan cheese. The waiter brings the cheese wheel to your table and swirls and tosses the pasta inside the cheese wheel right before your eyes! This method coats the entire serving of pasta in hot, melted cheese! Are you drooling?

Once the hot, parmesan coated pasta is in a bowl in front of you, the waiter tops it with prosciutto and fresh basil.

My friend was nice enough to let me have a bite of the pasta and that bite turned into five bites! If I go back, this is absolutely the dish I am ordering (without the prosciutto)! It is clearly a hit and people clearly come back for it over and over again, because that cheese wheel made the rounds to every single table! Literally, every table.

I chose the spaghetti with tomatoes, mushrooms and mozzarella cheese. It was nothing to write home about. It was certainly no cheese wheel.

Our other dinner date ordered pasta with mushrooms and ricotta cheese. I couldn't tell what type of pasta it was and she said it was like an open face ravioli.

Though Basta Pasta does have dessert, I asked the girls if they'd be willing to skip it here and go with me to Pinkberry. No surprise, they said yes.

The service at Basta Pasta is very attentive (and speedy!) and the cheese wheel alone is the reason to make the trip. That dish is absolutely incredible.

Experience the cheese wheel for yourself at 37 West 17th Street.

Dining Out: Regional

2012-01-21T12:53:00.020-05:00

On my third night in New York City, after drinks at Red58, I went with two of my best friends for dinner in their neighborhood - the Upper West Side.

They took me to their favorite Italian place called Regional.

Regional is located at 98th Street and Broadway. As soon as we set foot inside I fell in love with the decor. The bar has hundreds of bottles of wine along the back wall and to the right of the bar is a giant chalkboard with the night's specials.

We sat right next to the wine barrels, which I thought was a great design element for a place boasting Italian wine lists.

The entire restaurant has such a warm, welcoming feeling.

Our waitress, who had a very thick Italian accent, came to deliver us menus. Note the map of Italy on the menu.

I couldn't help but notice the special being advertised on our table, "50% off wine on Wednesdays." Ding, ding, ding, JACKPOT!

While we looked over the menu our waitress brought us a half of a loaf of Italian bread with a hummus-like spread. I have to say, I would have preferred Italian olive oil.

To start we ordered two appetizers, the first (my choice) was fried zucchini. The batter on these had an onion ring-like texture. I prefer the bread crumb/Panko texture on this type of dish, but it was still tasty.

My friends split the baked artichoke stuffed with mozzarella cheese, olives and capers. The dish was garnished with fresh cherry tomatoes. It went very quickly!

For dinner, one of my friends ordered the grilled eggplant with tomato sauce and mozzarella cheese. In her words, "Because the eggplant is grilled, not breaded, you don't feel as full as you would from an eggplant parm, which is really nice. You still get all those flavors, but without the food coma."

I tasted the eggplant and it was exceptional!

My other friend ordered the smoked mozzarella cheese which was topped with zucchini and sun dried tomatoes. I tasted the mozzarella and the smoky flavor was way too much for me. I like my cheese to taste creamy, not smoky. However, the person who ordered it loved it.

I ordered the traditional Italian pasta dish spaghetti cacio e pepe. This dish, which I first tasted at Eataly over the summer (read my review here), is simple in flavor but incredible in taste. Prepared authentically, the dish is nothing more than spaghetti, pecorino cheese and black pepper. Regional's version of this Italian classic was outstanding!

I was actually contemplating licking the plate.

If you visit Regional, the spaghetti cacio e pepe is the one thing you must order. The pasta is fresh, the cheese gives the dish a rich, creamy flavor and the black pepper adds a kick. In a word - amazing.

Overall, our experience at Regional was a wonderful one. The restaurant was beautiful, the food came out quickly and that pasta dish! I could eat that every night!

Do you have a favorite Italian restaurant in New York City? Leave the name in the comments section and I'll be sure to add it to my list!

Drink: Red58

2012-01-21T09:40:00.013-05:00

My third night in New York City I left work in Times Square and walked up to 58th Street to meet a friend for a drink. We agreed to meet on the corner of 58th Street and 8th Avenue, but had no idea where we wanted to go.

We walked east on 58th Street and found a place called Red58.

When we opened the door to the bar I loved it immediately. The decor is all red and black and it actually reminded me of Lolita in Back Bay.

In the front of the bar there are stools for perching beneath a beautiful light fixture. It's so cozy!

The bar is in the front of the restaurant, against an exposed brick wall.

We climbed into a high top booth. The booths have a red and black snake skin pattern and have red and black throw pillows for really settling in and getting comfy.

The cocktail menu was propped up on the table and our waiter also brought us a food menu (we had no plans to eat, but were curious what the offerings were for future reference).

I decided on the Citroen lemonade crush which is basically spiked lemonade. It was perfect! It was an excellent ratio of tart to sweet.

My friend ordered a drink called the Irish Buck, a gin drink. Notice the red straws and red napkins!

We both really enjoyed our cocktails and agreed that the decor and atmosphere was awesome. I think it would be fun to host a happy hour there.

If you live or work between Times Square and Central Park, make time to have a drink and get cozy at Red58.

Dining Out: Josie's

2012-01-21T08:55:00.020-05:00

While I was in New York City the last two weeks I had the opportunity to try several news bars, restaurants and bakeries. My first night in town I got in so late I just ordered delivery to my hotel room from my favorite pizza place (Vezzo, you can read my review here) but by night two I was ready for a dining adventure!

After work I headed back to my hotel and waited for my friend to drive into the city from New Jersey (what a trooper!). I know of many fun places near the Ace Hotel, but I hadn't really researched anywhere new to check out. My cousin, who lived in New York for five years just two blocks away from the Ace, was my first phone call for ideas. She suggested three places and after consulting with my New Jersey visitor, we decided on Josie's.

Josie's is in Murray Hill at the corner of 37th Street and 3rd Avenue. It was a nice, fifteen minute walk from my hotel. When we arrived, there was brown, butcher paper all over the windows and we got nervous it might be closed, but thankfully it was just the burger joint right next door that was out of business. Phew!

When we opened the door to the restaurant I was immediately struck by how warm and cozy it was. The ceiling was sprinkled with beautiful light fixtures that looked like they were made of sea glass. Along the left wall ran a large, beige, padded banquette which made all the tables feel like they were up against an IKEA couch.

We actually sat in the very front of the restaurant, right in the window. I forced my friend to sit facing the inside of the restaurant, so I could face the view of the city.

Our waiter arrived and had such a thick accent we had to ask him to repeat every single thing he said. It was a bit challenging.

While we looked over the menus the bus boy came around with a basket of bread offering us a each of piece, our choice of about six different varieties. With our choices came a sweet potato puree for spreading.

For drinks he decided on a Belgian beer and I ordered the white Sangria.

The sangria was one of the best I have ever had. It tasted like a sour apple jolly rancher. So yum!

The thing I liked most about Josie's menu was that it had an entire section called "Vegetarian Friendly" making it super easy for me to find the best items.

For an appetizer we decided to split the potato and broccoli dumplings. The plate arrived with four perfect pouches packed with veggies that rested a top a sea of roasted tomato sauce. We gobbled these up (and the sauce!) in seconds. This is a must have menu item!

For dinner my friend ordered the tuna burger which came with french fries. He said the tuna was seasoned well, but his was overcooked. I asked how the fries were because he seemed to be eating them slowly and he said, "Well, they aren't really fries since they are baked." Good to know.

I ordered the pumpkin ravioli which came with mushrooms, spinach, leeks, tomatoes and a white wine sauce.

The ravioli was generously stuffed with pumpkin and then topped with a heaping portion of veggies. I loved that the vegetables weren't just a garnish, they really were half of the dish. The sauce was so delicious I kept swirling each bite around in it to really soak it up.

Our entire dinner I kept thinking about how Josie's is the perfect place for a date. It has that intimate feeling, the drinks are fantastic, the food is exceptional and if you don't want to have the full meal, you can also sit at the bar.

Josie's has two locations, the one in Murray Hill and one on the Upper West Side at 74th Street and Amsterdam.

Have you been to either Josie's location? What did you think?

Grey's Anatomy: Baby Love

2012-01-19T22:47:00.005-05:00

Last week I was in New York City for work and was unable to watch Grey's Anatomy so this week you're getting a double dose of recaps!

Last week:

Bailey and Ben go from slowly reconciling to talking about moving in? Whoa there, buddy.

Why are the parents of these conjoined twins twelve years old?

How cute was the moment when the baby's father came back from the gift shop with a onesie for each baby and said, "I figure now they're each going to need their own clothes." So sweet.

At the end of the conjoined twins' separation surgery when Zola clapped along with all the doctors, I couldn't help but smile. She is so precious!

Teddy pages Cristina to make her re-tell the story of Henry's surgery? Is this Teddy's way of grieving?

Why is Dr. Webber stealing surgeries from Karev? He has always been a sincere mentor to our gang and this behavior feels . . . shady.

I realize he was ultimately trying to teach Karev to stand up for himself, but it still made me lose trust in the Chief.

Do you think the Lexie/Mark/blue tooth mix up is foreshadowing for a reunion?

Tonight:

In the opening scene, Teddy has the best line of the night, "More widow casserole. Your husband's dead, have some food. What is that?"

Can someone please explain to me how a mother manages to take her eleven year old son to nine doctors without telling him he has a tumor? Oy.

Nia Vardalos is guest starring?! "My Big Fat Greek Wedding" is one of my favorite movies!

I loved Cristina and Teddy conspiring to hijack the cardio surgery from Dr. McQueen and Karev.

Adele's arrival at the hospital and the subsequent scene where Dr. Webber sings to her was heartbreaking.

At the end of the episode, at the birthday party, how cute was Zola in her hot pink dress?

Whoa. Owen screaming at Cristina and bringing up her abortion - whoa.

Previews for next week show a "What if" episode with an appearance by Kate Walsh. I can already tell this is going to be great!

*All images courtesy of TVFanatic.com.

Stay: Ace Hotel

2012-01-18T23:40:00.027-05:00

When I first began my current job back in May 2011 I had no idea how much I'd be traveling for work. I must say, it has been one of the most pleasant surprises of my professional life.

Back in May I spent a week working in New York City and stayed at the Gramercy Park Hotel (read my review here). GPH was the one of the most beautiful places I had ever seen - hotel or otherwise. I felt like Belle living in the Beast's stunning castle.

A few weeks ago when I found out I'd be returning to New York, I don't know what possessed me, but I decided to look the gift horse in the mouth and try another hotel. This time I booked myself a room at the Ace Hotel, which I'd heard from friends was a popular hang out for young professionals, early adopters and had a "see and be scene" vibe. I though to myself, "I fit that description, why not!"

When I arrived in New York last Monday I exited Penn Station, walked out on to 7th Avenue and thought, "home again." God, I love New York.

From Penn Station I walked the few blocks to the Ace which is on the corner of 29th Street and Broadway. The hotel is just a few streets below Herald Square and Korea Town.

I spotted the hotel from a few feet away because it's sign was illuminated with old school, paparazzi-like light bulbs.

The doors to the hotel are stamped with its name:

After I passed through the first set of doors, I noticed the star shaped light fixture in the entry way. How cool!

When I entered the lobby it was 8:00pm and the place was hopping! Yes folks, the lobby was crazy! There was a live band and people were everywhere. In fact, I couldn't even find the check in desk, I had to ask a hipster to point me in the right direction.

The check in counter looks a ticket booth at a concert hall:

An uber hipster, hotel staff member checked me in and pointed me towards the elevators. Thank goodness she did, I never would have found them through the crowd.

When I got out of the elevator and stepped onto my floor (the 9th) the first thing I noticed was the giant sign pointing to the floor's amenities.

On my way to my room, I passed one of the hotels many computer labs. Above the computers it says "In a cloud" which I'd like to think is a play on words for cloud computing, but that may just be the digital media geek in me. Though it's nice the hotel has a computers, they don't have printers! You've been warned.

There was a light next to my door with the room number on it that reminded me of the lights you see in older train stations.

When I opened the door to my room I was stunned into silence. The room was tiny! I know this is New York City and real estate is a different game in the Big Apple, but my hotel room at GPH was literally four times the size of this. Had I just been staying for one night, or even a weekend, it might have been fine, but immediately I knew that after six days, I was going to feel cramped.

Speaking of cramped, the room didn't have a closet. It just had a poll sticking out of the wall that you hang your clothes on. It did however, have hangers with a cute message on them:

The ironing board also had a cheeky note on it:

There were two doors on the right side of the room that I thought lead to a closet, but no! Those were the bathroom doors!

Behind the doors:

The bathroom was actually quite beautiful. It felt very Parisian. The shower was enormous!

The mirror in the bathroom had a sweet message across it, "Love is meant to make us glad." What a nice thing to look into every day!

Back out in the bedroom/living room my bed had a black and gray flannel blanket. The bed was wedged in between three walls. There was literally no room to move near the bed. Had someone been staying with me in the room, I would have killed them from lack of personal space.

The room had a long desk covered in mini bar treats, an Ace Hotel survival guide and a Polaroid camera. The film for the camera was a mini bar item (translation = costs money), but what a cute idea!

On the same wall as the desk was a piece of art work that looked like carnival or swim meet streamers. In fact, the art work reminded me of the art work at the SoHo House (see photos here).

For the entire six days I stayed at the hotel I felt cramped in my room. It was simply too small.

Each morning and every night when I would come and go, the lobby would be packed. In the morning, young people with their laptops perched on every piece of furniture and in the evening those same young people with their laptops were still camped out, but by this time, they were all drinking and ordering french fries.

On my last day in the hotel, I noticed a giant letter A on the wall, looking down on the entire space. Though the people in the lobby rubbed me the wrong way, I really did love this A.

Should I be returning to New York for work, I will not be returning to the Ace Hotel. Though there were many amusing, small touches, nothing could overcome the room size. It was also difficult to stay in a place with a lobby that isn't really meant for guests, but instead for the office-less hipsters of New York City to squat in.

Have you ever hung out at the Ace? What did you think?

InstaCity: New York

2012-01-17T22:10:00.016-05:00

Hello loyal readers! I'm back! Thank you all so much for your patience in between posts. I received many emails, tweets, calls and texts asking, "Where are you and why are there no new posts on the blog?!" I've been in New York City for the last nine days which left very little time for writing. Fear not, I had many adventures and photo documented all of them. I can't wait to share them with you!

To kick off my New York City posts I wanted to borrow an idea from my favorite mobile app, Instagram for the iPhone. If you read the blog regularly, you know I've been sharing more and more photos that I've created via the app. On Instagram's blog they have a recurring feature called InstaCity where they share the best pictures from a particular city, all created with Instagram. I loved this idea so much, I'd like to show you my own InstaCity, New York!

While in New York City I worked for four days in Times Square. This was the view I saw each morning as I entered the square:

I knew I was getting to my block when I saw the signs for the Lion King on Broadway:

Though I rarely had time for lunch, I did manage to find time for Starbucks (go figure). I couldn't get over these cute shakers. Now these are my kind of condiments!

While at Starbucks I also expanded my mug collection. I collect the Starbucks mugs that look like architectural blue prints in every city I visit. I am thrilled to finally have New York!

After four days of work in Times Square I rewarded myself with a stop in my favorite New York City tourist attraction, M&M World. It seemed to be beckoning me:

For those who have never been, there is a wall of M&Ms, arranged by color and you can fill up plastic goodie bags and then pay by the pound. Yes, I said pound.

They also have specialty M&M mixes, my favorite of which is the NYC Taxi Mix, made of yellow, black, gray and white M&Ms.

Overlooking the wall of M&Ms, perhaps standing guard, is Miss Green as Lady Liberty! Love this:

Speaking of Lady Liberty, each day I passed this incredible piece of artwork on the side of the Rickshaw Dumpling Truck in Time Square. I wish I could have this for my apartment:

I also love this giant, illuminated American flag outside the "Good Morning America" studios:

While in town I had to have a classic, NYC, frozen treat: Pinkberry. I felt just like Jenny in Season 1 of "Gossip Girl" sitting and enjoying my fro yo while gossiping about the days events.

Today, my final day in the city, I spent at the Random House building which has a library in the lobby! How cool is that?

Now, I've saved the best for last. Admittedly, this is not an Instagram pic, but I couldn't leave it out. While at work last week I had the incredible pleasure of breathing the same air as Mauricio Umansky of "The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills" as he presented on a panel about selling luxury real estate (yes, he has a real job) and I just about died. If you can believe it, he is even more handsome in person. I hung on his every word from the third row of the auditorium.

I hope you enjoyed my InstaCity! You have many more New York City posts to look forward to including:

My stay in hipsterville, also known as the Ace Hotel
My decadent pumpkin ravioli at Josie's
My love affair with Red58
The best spaghetti cacio e pepe I've ever tasted at Regional
The parmesan cheese wheel of Basta Pasta
The rainbow frozen margarita at Gabriela's
My first Magnolia Bakery cupcake
My pot of jasmine tea at Keko Cafe
The most beautifully presented Thai food from Talent Thai
The ooey gooey s'mores cookie from Insomnia Cookies
My Israeli breakfast from Delectica
The reason I paid $4 for a cookie at Levain Bakery
My first trip to Zabar's
My first trip to Shake Shack

Can you stand the excitement?

Movie Musings: We Bought A Zoo

2012-01-08T22:19:00.012-05:00

Yesterday afternoon I planned to see a movie with a friend. I was in charge of looking up movies, theaters and show times. I narrowed it down to "Young Adult" and "Melancholia." I could sense my movie buddy wasn't really jazzed about either choice, so I started reading off others. When I mentioned "We Bought A Zoo" she lit up. I hadn't even considered this as the movie is rated PG and it felt to me like Matt Damon decided to do a movie so his kids could see it, not because it was an incredible script.

No matter, it was clear my movie date wanted to see it, so we headed to the Fenway theater and bought our tickets.

When we opened the door to our theater, we were the only people in there not accompanied by a child. Well, that's what you get for seeing a PG movie on a Saturday night! The previews were all for animated movies and all I could do was laugh.

The movie began and I have to admit, within the first thirty minutes, I was completely hooked. Matt Damon (my middle school crush) plays Benjamin Mee, a recent widower who wants a fresh start for him and his two children. He decides the best way to start over is to move. In searching for a new house, he discovers a special property - a home attached to a zoo.

Obviously you know from the title of the movie that Benjamin does in fact buy the zoo and move there with his children. The zoo is run by a single, twentysomething zoo keeper, Kelly. Kelly is played by Scarlett Johansson. Other than her performance in "Match Point" I am consistently underwhelmed by Scarlett Johansson and I was here.

For me, the star of the movie was child actress Maggie Elizabeth Jones who plays Benjamin's seven year old daughter, Rosie. Rosie is the light and effervescence in a family bogged down by tragedy. She is silver lining to this family's every cloud. Director Cameron Crowe has a knack for casting cute kids. Remember Jonathan Lipnicki in "Jerry Maguire"?

The movie has a 100 percent happy ending, which I was reminded by seeing this, is what happens in every PG movie! Ah, to be a kid again.

As the credits rolled I learned the movie is based on a true story. I had absolutely no idea. That made me like it even more. You can read Benjamin's book "We Bought A Zoo" and you can even visit the zoo yourself!

"We Bought A Zoo" is a feel good, family movie. There are several laugh out loud moments for both children and adults and the Matt Damon we all fell in love with in "Good Will Hunting" exhibits the same quiet charm and charisma he did back then.

If you've got a niece, nephew, cousin or child you babysit and you're looking for a fun break from the winter cold, take them to see this movie. Be warned, they may leave wanting a tiger. I know I did.

*Images courtesy of About.com, EW.com, HollywoodMomBlog.com, SheKnows.com andTVGuide.com.

Grey's Anatomy: Extraordinary Measures

2012-01-05T22:43:00.001-05:00

Tonight, after a seven week hiatus, Grey's Anatomy returned and we picked up right where we left off - Teddy operating, Owen hiding Henry's death and Alex and Meredith on the side of the road in the lightening storm.

Let's begin with Teddy. In the operating room, Teddy is having trouble repairing the heart of Callie's ortho patient. Owen has lied to her and told her Henry is fine so that she can continue working and save the patient. Then, in a horrible twist, Teddy asks for Cristina to help her, assuming Cristina will be riding high after saving Henry. I really loved how human Cristina was this episode. She rarely breaks down, but when she does, I find her so much more likable.

The scene where Cristina finally does tell Teddy the truth was much tamer than I thought it would be. I thought Teddy might lash out and say something like, "You're the best! How could you not handle this?" I was really surprised she was so calm.

The scene where Teddy peels back the sheet from Henry's face was incredibly hard to watch. I am really going to miss Scott Foley.

On the side of the road Alex and Meredith manage to keep the baby alive and transport an entire family to the ER. Then we have to watch a young, 18 year old woman lose her grandmother, her mother and her father and then tell her two younger siblings. This entire story line had my eyes welling with every scene. I cannot imagine watching my family fall apart like that. I literally cannot even go there in my mind.

On the positive side of things this episode, Bailey and Ben seem to be reconnecting. I always liked him and I hope this does happen!

Another wonderful development, Mark's girlfriend is beautiful, smart and apparently one hell of a surgeon! I loved when she asked Lexi afterward if she seemed nervous. It seems no matter how successful you are, impressing a new love interest makes everyone and anyone anxious. I loved when Lexi said, "Damn it, now I like her!"

And finally, in the very last moment of the episode, Meredith and Derek get Zola back! I must admit, I did not see that coming. Especially when Derek had just said, "We'll be ok, just the two of us."

I hope there is a humorous episode coming up about the trials of parenthood. I miss funny Grey's!

In the previews for next week's episode the entire hospital is a buzz as the team prepares to separate conjoined twins. Something tells me we'll be on pins and needles the entire hour.

*Images courtesy of GreysAnatomyInsider.com.

Dining Out: Citizen Public House

2012-01-04T23:16:00.029-05:00

The story of tonight's dinner exemplifies why I love the internet.

Four years ago I was working for a public relations agency in Waltham, MA. I had a co-worker at the time who I really liked, but she left the agency after about three months after I started working there. Though we were connected on Facebook, we didn't really stay in close touch.

About six months ago this same co-worker joined Twitter and starting following me. She began responding to my tweets, reading my blog posts and sending me ideas for restaurants she thought I might like.

A few weeks ago she recommended I try Citizen Public House near Fenway Park and I replied to say, "I have been wanting to go there! Do you want to come with me?" So after nearly four years without seeing each other, we reconnected and met up tonight for dinner! Oh, internet, how I love thee!

We agreed to meet at 6:30pm and at about 6:25pm I parked my car at the Fenway movie theater and walked over to Boylston Street. I wasn't sure exactly where the restaurant was and just as I was passing my junk food mecca, Tasty Burger, I realized Citizen Public House is right across the street! It is also literally steps form Fenway Park. That's a prime piece of real estate.

Even from the outside I could tell the restaurant was warm and cozy. It has an illuminated sign over the entrance and chalkboards with the whiskey flight and oysters specials in the entry way.

We were seated right away at a quiet table for two against the back wall. The tables are all lined up against a light brown, leather banquet.

In the front corner of the dining room there is a round booth with a view of Fenway. This is the star table.

There is also a working fireplace in the corner of the dining room that really gives it a retreat-like feel.

Though there are candles on each table, Citizen Public House definitely suffers from a severe case of mood lighting. In fact, if you are looking to take someone on a romantic date, I'd put this at the top of your list. Excellent date lighting.

We were greeted within seconds by a very friendly, young waiter. In addition to the regular menu, we asked to see their two speciality menus - the vegetarian and the gluten free. My dinner date eats gluten free, so I was very curious what her options would be. She informed me she had been to the restaurant a few times before and they were always very accommodating.

While we looked over the menus we were delivered a basket of bread. The bread was very crusty and came with herb butter. The crust was a bit too tough for my liking, but the center of the bread was doughy and quite good. I stopped after one piece.

When unrolling my napkin, I noticed the unique silverware pattern.

For drinks my friend ordered a glass of red wine and I ordered the St. Germain cocktail. The drink was refreshing and tasted like summer. Always nice on a freezing, cold night.

The drink menu had a section called "Ups and Downs" and labels which drinks are uppers and which are downers. Hilarious!

We each ordered an appetizer. I went with the tofu nuggets. Maybe I am spoiled by all the Morningstar Farm buffalo bites and faux chicken nuggets I eat, but these didn't have a crunchy enough batter and weren't firm enough on the inside. They felt a little undercooked. The best part of the dish was the red honey dipping sauce. It was super spicy and I loved it!

My friend ordered the sunchoke and arugula salad which was served with pink grapefruit. It was a beautifully presented dish and tasted quite good. She was kind enough to share with me and I felt it needed a bit more dressing or perhaps even a sprinkle of cheese.

For dinner I ordered the egg and cheese sandwich. Our waiter warned me it was small, but it turned out to be just a few bites worth! This sandwich was outstanding! The roll was buttery, the cheese was ooey gooey and the egg was cooked perfectly. When I bit into the sandwich the yoke began to drip, which is the best! If this had been served with a side of french fries, it would have been the ultimate plate.

My friend ordered the cod which came over a mushroom and cauliflower risotto and a celeriac puree. She said the fish was cooked and seasoned perfectly and it had just the right amount of crisp on the outside. She loved the flavor and texture of the risotto and she found the celeriac puree flavorful and creamy, even though it's not made with any cream.

She loved the dish so much she literally licked the plate clean. Photographic evidence:

We ordered the one house dessert available, the toffee bread pudding with whipped cream. I'm not normally a bread pudding fan, but as soon as this dish hit the table I could smell the warm toffee and I just wanted to gobble it up!

It tasted like banana bread with caramel sauce. While the whipped cream was nice, I would have preferred vanilla ice cream. Our waiter told us he is lobbying for the chef to add a cheesecake to the menu and that they are also discussing investing in an ice cream maker. Here's hoping!

Before leaving I used the ladies room which had a hilarious sign above it.

Inside, the bathroom had fun black and white wallpaper, a red framed mirror and a chic, silver light fixture. Giving Lolita's bathroom a run for the money!

I really enjoyed Citizen Public House for a number of reasons: proximity to Fenway Park, a warm and cozy atmosphere, friendly staff, the St. Germain cocktail (I could have had at least three of four!) and that incredible egg sandwich! I am going to dream about that egg sandwich.

I also learned that Citizen Public House is owned by the same people who own Tasty Burger and Franklin Cafe! Who knew?

Have you been to Citizen Public House? What was your favorite menu item?

The Magic Year

2012-01-04T07:30:00.001-05:00

Today, January 4, 2012, my baby turns three! Happy birthday Pop.Bop.Shop.!

The blog was born with this post. When the blog turned one year old I was mostly in shock and disbelief that I'd managed to stick with it! When the blog turned two, it had just been named the #2 blog on Boston.com's A List, an incredible honor and sense of validation. Today the blog turns three and I find myself wondering - what's so special about year three?

Well, according to HealthyChildren.org, "When your child turns three, the 'magic year' begins - a time when your child's world will be dominated by fantasy and vivid imagination. During the next two years, your child will mature in many areas." The website lists a few developmental milestones for three year olds:

Draws a person with two to four body parts
Uses scissors
Understands the concepts of “same” and “different”
Has mastered some basic rules of grammar
Speaks clearly enough for strangers to understand
Tells stories
Correctly names some colors
Interested in new experiences
Cooperates with other children
Dresses and undresses
Engages in fantasy play
Hops and stands on one foot up to five seconds

Pop.Bop.Shop.Hop? Ha!

In all seriousness, turning three is a major accomplishment. In the past year I've written 327 posts; this post is Pop.Bop.Shop.'s 818th since birth! Over the past three years you all, my incredibly loyal readers, have allowed me to share my rants and raves and best of all, you've really listened. You've left thoughtful comments, sent kind emails and text messages, and offered countless suggestions for things I might like. You're like my very own recommendation engine! From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

Cheers to three! Let the magic year begin!

Rental Review: The Help

2012-01-02T19:51:00.011-05:00

Whenever I see a movie that is based on a book I've read I go into it reminding myself, "It will never be as good as the book, treat it as a separate entity."

In the case of "The Help", the film version of the book by the same title, there is no need for excuses. This film is perfectly cast and captures the exact tone and sentiment of the novel. Sure, they had to cut some things out (they only have two hours), but despite those few plot lines that got trimmed down or skipped over, the film was practically a replica of the book.

Emma Stone stars as Skeeter Phelan, a young woman itching to make a change. Though in the book Skeeter is more driven, more argumentative with her mother, more inept at talking to suitors and has bigger, frizzier hair, Stone played the part convincingly. Her best moments in the film were the scenes where she recalled memories of her childhood maid, Constantine.

Skeeter's childhood best friend Hilly Holbrook is played by Bryce Dallas Howard. Hilly comes in a beautiful, prim and proper package, but is vile to the core. Howard's performance is one of my favorites in the movie.

Another stand out was Jessica Chastain as the ditzy, desperate to fit in Celia Foote. In some ways, Chastain's version of Celia was more fun than the description in the book.

Aibileen, the maid who the story centers around, is played by Viola Davis. I am telling you right now, this woman is an Oscar contender. Aibileen was my favorite character in the book and Davis brought her to life on the big screen in the most sincere, endearing performance.

I thought Davis' best scenes were the ones where she comforted Mae Mobley. That final scene when Aibileen is leaving the Leefolt house had me in tears.

Aibileen's best friend, Minny Jackson, is played by Octavia Spencer. Spencer's Minny has enough sass in her pinky toe to run circles around any diva. Minny certainly has the best lines of the film and Spencer deserves credit for her comedic timing and commitment to the role.

For me, the best and most authentic relationship is the movie was the one between Aibileen and Minny. No matter the circumstances, they stood by each other.

My only disappointment in the film was that they cut out the scene where Stuart proposes to Skeeter. I thought that was one of the most important scenes in the book because it really demonstrated Skeeter's character. In fact, I couldn't wait to see how they created it on screen.

You might be wondering, how did they manage to make the movie so much like the book? Well, the writer of the screenplay and the director, Tate Taylor, is a childhood friend of the author, Kathryn Stockett. I'd say that's a sure fire way to make sure your book survives the transition to film.

I was so incredibly impressed by this film adaptation. I can't think of another book that's movie version came this close to the original story.

Did you read "The Help"? How did you feel the film measured up?

*Images courtesy of CoolSpotters.com, Hollywood.com, HollywoodReporter.com, BET.com, USAToday.com, Acriticalreviewofthehelp.wordpress.com and Bandittalks.blogspot.com.

New Years Brunch

2012-01-01T19:57:00.017-05:00

It is well documented that Sunday brunch is my favorite meal of the week. Imagine my sheer delight and happiness when I realized New Years day was going to fall on a Sunday this year!

My New Years plans this year involved spending New Years Eve at the Porctopus and Timberfakes show at the Middle East in Central Square in Cambridge, but it was also going to involve hosting a friend at my apartment and preparing brunch on Sunday morning.

With that in mind, I wanted something special for the brunch. Just as I was scratching my head for what to serve, the good folks at Tropicana offered me the chance to check out their new juice beverage, Trop50. It's called that because it has 50% less sugar and calories. What is not to love about that?

Armed with my coupon, off I went to the grocery store to check out the situation. When I arrived at the orange juice aisle I scanned the shelves and then - jackpot! - I spotted it.

There were several flavors to choose from: orange, pineapple mango, lemonade, raspberry lemonade, but one in particular grabbed my attention, the pomegranate blueberry. I love both of those fruits on their own and though I'd never had them together, it sounded like a winning combination.

I picked up the rest of my Sunday brunch ingredients and confidently headed home.

Last night I went to bed after an amazing show at the Middle East smiling because I knew when I woke up, I was going to have an incredible meal to celebrate the first day of 2012!

In the morning my friend and I gathered in the kitchen to begin preparing our brunch. The first thing I did was take the Trop50 bottle out of the fridge and my friend said, "What is that? It's such a beautiful color!" I explained about all the benefits and flavor options of Trop50 and she demanded, "Open it!"

I took out my most glamorous glasses and got ready to pour!

When I opened the bottle and took off the lid I got an immediate whiff of blueberry that reminded of the mornings when my dad used to make blueberry pancakes for me as a kid.

After sampling the Trop50, we decided in honor of New Years there was only one thing to do, top it with champagne!

While sipping on our New Years cocktails, we started whipping up our omelettes. We diced white onions, green peppers and mushrooms.

We halved a bunch of grape tomatoes.

Then we grated a block of orange, cheddar cheese.

Then the creation began!

While omelettes were being stuffed, cheesed and flipped, we put our childhood favorite into the oven, tater tots.

The tots came out perfectly crispy and omelettes became more like scrambles since we over loaded them with goodies! Mmm mmm mmm!

Thank you to Trop50 for inspiring my New Years brunch! If you're interested in trying Trop50 for yourself, join their True Resolutions program on Facebook. Share your own tips for staying motivated and be entered to win coupons for Trop50!

What did you eat for your first meal of 2012?

*Disclosure: Though my bottle of Trop50 was complimentary, the views expressed in this post are 100% my own.

Live: Porctopus As Lady Ska-Ga And The Timberfakes

2012-01-01T15:24:00.005-05:00

I first discovered the Timberfakes on Twitter (@Timberfakes) about two years ago. A Boston based, Justin Timberlake cover band? Hell to the yes.

Though I'd been following the band for nearly two years, I'd never gotten the chance to see them perform.

About six months ago the band tweeted that they were looking for a piano player. It just so happens I know one of the most talented piano players in Boston, so I sent him the listing and encouraged him to check it out.

Within a few days, said piano prodigy, emailed me to say he auditioned, it was a good fit and he was going to start playing with the band! I was thrilled. Now I really had no excuse not to go see a show.

Fast forward to this Thanksgiving when I was out listening to live jazz with my family. The piano player in the trio was amazing so I texted my friend the piano prodigy to let him know I was thinking of him. He wrote back to say if I wanted to see him play with the Timberfakes, they would be performing on New Years Eve at the Middle East in Central Square in Cambridge. Um . . . done and done.

On the 31st I could not wait to get glamorous and head to the Middle East to ring in the New Year with the Timberfakes! Everything about this night was perfect: music I love, supporting a friend, a low key neighborhood, a fun bar and only $25 to get in.

The tickets said the doors opened at 8:00pm, but I have learned over the years, concerts never ever start on time. We arrived at 8:45pm and as we were walking to the back of the bar to get our wrist bands, the piano prodigy spotted me! He was sitting, having a pre-show drink with the founder and lead singer of the Timberfakes. We saddled right up to their booth and spent a good forty five minutes talking about the band and the set list. We were pumped.

At 9:30pm the opening act took the stage, a Ska band called Porctopus, who for the night was taking on a Lady GaGa theme and calling themselves Lady Ska-Ga.

Porctopus was absolutely amazing! The had five people in the band, an incredible lead vocalist and two back up singers and they were all in the most creative, rad costumes I have ever seen!

The lead singer, Kaylee Tilton, had the most high energy, infectious stage presence and she has one hell of a voice!

Watch them sing "You and I":

Their rendition of "Born This Way" (my personal favorite GaGa tune):

Who doesn't love "Bad Romance"?:

At one point they did a fifteen song GaGa medley! I was just completely, totally stunned by how phenomenal they were.

To close their set they sang Outkast's "Hey Ya" which they said is the song that got them the gig! The whole crowd ate it up and they had everyone shaking like a Polaroid picture.

After the show we got to meet the two back up singers who said they were last minute adds on for this show, that the lead singer really put everything together. At the end of the night, when we walked out to go home, we met the lead vocalist and she was so humble. When we asked how long they'd been rehearsing these GaGa tunes, she said, "We've only been doing it two months. We had to arrange the songs, learn all the lyrics and of course, make our own costumes." All I can say is, "Wow."

At 11:15pm the Timberfakes took the stage! The entire band came out in traditional JT garb: three pieces suits, skinny ties and of course, fedoras. They were also joined by a female vocalist in a skin tight, black, lace dress.

The lead singer clearly loves impersonating JT and got very into it. Here he is singing "What Goes Around":

I was thrilled they also did 'N SYNC tunes! There was "Tearin' Up My Heart" (my personal favorite), "Bye Bye Bye" (the crowd pleaser) and "It's Gonna Be Me." Check out the video:

In addition to the 'N SYNC and JT songs, the band also did some covers including Nexxt "Too Close", Maroon 5 "Harder to Breathe", Will Smith "Getting Jiggy With It", Michael Jackson "Rock With You" and one of my all time favorite songs, MGMT's "Electric Feel." Watch:

To close the show, the Timberfakes did one final cover, and this one sent the entire crowd jumping into the air and screaming at the top of their lungs, it could only be Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'."

The show was a blast, minus two asshole guys who kept pushing us and pinning us up against a wall as if we didn't exist. Porctopus slayed it with their Lady GaGa covers and my JT crush continued with every Timberfakes number.

If you want to get a taste of the Timberfakes for yourself, they are playing the Hard Rock Cafe in Faneuil Hall on Friday February 10th.

New Years State Of Mind

2011-12-31T09:08:00.005-05:00

Good morning! I cannot believe it's the last day of the year! Zooey Deschanel and Joseph Gordon-Levitt are wondering what you're doing tonight:

How cute is this video? First of all, any song is made better by a ukulele. Second, who knew Joseph Gordon-Levitt could sing? Major swoon factor. Third, if you read the description of the video on YouTube (written by Zooey) you can tell that they are actually great friends! The description reads:

"I have known Joe Gordon-Levitt for going on 12 years. We first met in the summer of 2000 while doing a tiny movie called Manic, where we bonded over a mutual appreciation for Harry Nilsson and Nina Simone and I have been lucky enough to call him one of my dearest friends ever since. When we did 500 Days of Summer 8 years later, we spent every lunch hour dancing to Marvin Gaye in the hair and make up trailer; we had loads of fun. I hope to do a thousand more movies with him because he's simply the best. But in the meantime, we made a little New Year's duet for all of you! The original by Nancy Wilson. ENJOY!"

While we're on the topic of New Years, I've been reading some great articles about New Years resolutions that I want to share with you.

"30 Things To Stop Doing To Yourself" - This post is like free therapy. The author encourages you to embrace your flaws, learn to put yourself first and stop being afraid to take chances. Once you reach the bottom of the post, you'll feel a wave of relief wash over you.
"Why Bucket Lists Are So Last Year" - This article, which appeared in Forbes, is about not just making resolutions and ticking things off the list, but about constantly working towards building your life legacy. It's a pretty powerful suggestion.
"Kiki T.'s Astro Guide 2012" - Judge if you must, but I check my horoscope daily. I also subscribe to a weekly horoscope from TheFrisky.com which I personally think is the most dead on, which is why I was thrilled when they posted an astrological forecast for 2012! Find your sign and let the positive predictions begin!

With that, I wish you a happy New Years Eve! Whatever you're doing tonight have a blast and be safe!

Dining Out: Wahlburgers

2011-12-30T18:29:00.028-05:00

A few months ago it seemed the whole Boston universe was a buzz with the news that Donnie and Marky Mark's brother, Paul, was going to open his second restaurant in the Hingham Shipyard, a burger joint called Wahlburgers.

I totally bought into the hype and could not wait to make the trip down 93 to experience Wahlburgers for myself. One week went by, then two, then three and eventually I found myself months out from the opening without an adventure planned.

Today ladies and gentleman was the day! I had the day off of work today (thank you!) and I planned to have lunch at Wahlburgers with two friends (and one of the girl's seven year old twins!). I was picked up at 12:00pm and the road trip began!

Forty five minutes later we arrived in the Hingham Shipyard. We hopped out of the car and I spotted that "W" sign and felt magnetized toward it. I felt I could hear that tune Ariel the mermaid sings, "Ahhhhhh ahhhhhh ahhhhh!" You know the one, when she gets her voice?

We opened the doors and there was a huge line! We learned there are actually two lines. One to be seated in an area where you are served by the wait staff and one where you order at the counter and fight for a table in the general seating area.

We opted for the counter/fight for seating option because it seemed to be moving faster. While in line I noticed the Wahlburgers Christmas tree, which was decorated with hamburger and hot dogs ornaments. But of course!

The menu at Wahlburgers is simple - four burger choices, a few hot dogs choices, a kids menu, four sides and a list of milkshakes. The four burgers on the menu are labeled as: Paul's choice (owner), Donnie's choice (NKOTB), Mark's choice (Marky Mark) and the vegetarian choice (we non-meat eater's don't get a Wahlberg brother).

There were so many fantastic choices for sides and milkshakes that we were having a tough time choosing! Between all five of us we strategized an order that maximized our ability to taste the most menu items.

After placing our order, the manager helped us find a booth in the general seating area.

Our booth had a very 50s diner feel, which I loved. From our booth we had a great view of the back wall, which tells the story of the Wahlberg family.

All over the restaurant there are photos of the brothers.

Hanging from the ceiling are incredibly cool, black and white pieces that have the names of all the brothers' albums, movies and TV shows. These were my favorite design element in the whole place. Chic looking, but very personal.

When our buzzer lit up we went up to the counter to pick up our trays.

One friend ordered the classic burger, also known as Paul's choice. She was really pleased with it. One of the twins also ordered that burger and gobbled it right up (even with a missing front tooth!).

Two of the ladies ordered the grilled cheese sandwich and they added tomato. One said the sandwich was a great comfort food staple, but the bread was overly buttered. The best part of the grilled cheese baskets were the french fries! They were a slightly thicker version of McDonald's fries, the ultimate compliment.

I ordered the vegetarian choice which was a portabello mushroom "burger" topped with caramelized onions, melted cheese and the Wahlburgers secret sauce. It was so unbelievably delicious! On most menus the veggie burger is a last minute addition (translation = obligation) and is usually underwhelming. This was a complete home run.

For sides we all split the tater tots, sweet potato tater tots and the onion rings.

I didn't even know one could make sweet potato tater tots! While the tots were quite good, the star of the entire meal was the onion rings. They were very thinly sliced red onions, breaded just right and fried to perfection. They were so light that they didn't leave you with that heavy, guilty, food coma feeling.

Of course we also had to try the milkshakes. Two of us decided to split the mocha milkshake and it was exceptional! I would drive all the way to Hingham again just for that shake! They also offer vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, coffee and chocolate mint. Mmm mmm mmm!

Wahlburgers deserves every single moment of attention it's been given. It really does feel like a family run place and the food is outstanding. I think I'll be putting quite a few more miles on my car in 2012.