last weekend sparked the arrival of two really good friends from my high school in japan. their visit was perfect timing as i returned from a job in texas and had the pleasure of accommodating one of them only a few days after coming back into the city. hence i was not alone for too long and was excited to have the company in my small, yet lonely apartment with my best friend:) brenda stayed with our other good friend Kana who goes to NYU, a quick 10 minute walk away. we met up that night, the four of us all from tokyo- naturally deciding on sushi. it was alright, nothing special so i won’t rave or recommend a visit, but the company of all of us together after being away for so long was enough to make the night absolutely perfect. afterwards, we split up and lara and i headed home, first stopping quickly at the nearby gramercy park hotel for some decaf caps (YUM!) and tiramisu. this was a great spot to hit up for a nice cozy catch up. the friendly staff were accommodating and the cappuccinos delicious, from what we experienced. we were seated near the front, but the restaurant expands through the back to a huge dining area that prides itself on its (what looks like delicious) authentic italian cuisine. maialino is rated 88% on urbanspoon and has great reviews by both the critically acclaimed as well as local passerby’s.
saturday I worked from 8:30-5 shooting a high fashion editorial test for brooke coffey. I had been used to shooting very commercial stuff where we are told to look friendly and use only minimal poses, so when Brooke told me to give her extreme poses, big shapes, and a sexy attitude, i was itching with excitement. the crew was absolutely amazing!! brooke, a native australian had the right amount of direction mixed with her fun personality to make the shoot both comfortable and exciting. the hair and makeup crew, a japanese and italian, as well as the stylist and her assistant contributed to making this early saturday morning shoot effortless and extremely fun. It’s important to remember as a model (and as anyone trying to climb the social ladder for that matter) that you have to appreciate everyone who helps you along the way. that is why I love talking with the crew; getting to know where the hair and makeup people are from, what the digi techs most memorable shoots have been, along with the stylists previous shoots they have directed. they are extremely talented people that help complete the shoot. It bothers me when I see people being overly friendly to the photographer or main client for example, while treating the rest of the crew like crap. if you are rude to the make up artist for example, he or she may be going out to dinner with the photographer after and believe me, in fashion- word of mouth can travel very quickly! so as a piece of advice, always remember those who you work with, treat everyone with respect and it will make things go along SO much smoother. and yes, it can make a call time as early as 4:30am seem like nothing if everyone works well together and comes to set with a positive attitude.
(preview taken by brooke)
for dinner that night, we all rounded up together to hit up the standard; a classic meat packing hotspot filled with models, important hot shots, and those pretending to be important hot shots (prime example me and my friends that night). i had previously been here before for a shoot but have never eaten at the restaurant. when walking through the lobby on my first visit, i witnessed an elderly lady draped head to toe in absolute fabulousness. she was accompanied by a young 20 something year old who as ilooked closer, noticed was holding the phone for this woman as she spoke. i mean i guess at that level you shouldn’t be expected to hold your own phone right?
anyways, we all ordered, i got a favourite of mine- the scallops. i told myself this was a nice healthy option and that I wouldn’t even think about the amount of butter used. What’s unknown when eating out and trying to be healthy is probably better unknown. priced at $34, the “sesame crusted diver scallops with spring onions, cherry tomatoes and avocado remoulade” melted in my mouth with every bite and i was more than happy with my choice that night. for me, if i’m going to go out and have something a little less healthy than my lightly pam-sprayed white fish and veggies, i want it to be damn good! my friends ordered the classic burger, a good choice which i of course had to try. it tasted like a home made, smokey yet juicy, backyard BBQ patty topped with bacon and melted cheese. recommended. a house made fettuccini was ordered as well but not as good as you couldn’t hide the fact that this sht was DRENCHED in butter. delicious-yes! healthy, not even close!
the standard grill is rated 91% on urbanspoon. there is also a beer garden next door that looks like a great place for after work, warm weather thirst quenching beers.
for our night out, we decided to take it easy, grab some wine and shisha at cloisters (a late night, hookah lounge with an outdoor patio and a few big screens to watch some march madness). it was a fun little place where we could chill out and enjoy each others conversation. we were feeling this much more than a stuffy loud club, especially for our full, digesting bellies.
that didn’t stop us of course from hitting up artichoke pizza on the way home though. i mean i was supposed to be on my diet and all, but my friends were in town and i had to have them taste what i argue is the BEST PIZZA IN NYC! We got the classic artichoke slice as well as a margarita and quickly devoured the salty, greasy, bread-y, calorie filled goodness. artichoke basille’s Pizza is rated 88% on urbanspoon. highly recommended!! unless you are health conscious and don’t want to experience it. because you will go back… again and again!
(photo found on yelp, taken by Leanne K.)
my friend then made a quick pit stop at baohaus for some late night baos; a chinese sandwich commonly known for their ooey chewy steamed buns smothered in roasted, fried, and sautéed goods. rated 85% on urbanspoon, this urban joint seemed like a great choice for a post drinking snack. also plays really great music. i mean of course i liked it, drake was playing when we walked in.. gotta represent!!
alas, for our final meal together, the four of us guzzled down our lattes and orange juices at the smith, an east village hot spot for easter sunday brunch. i ordered the egg white omelet that came with spinach and goats cheese. (trying to be healthy after my delicious, yet slightly regrettable pizza from the previous night) i asked for no goats cheese. i also asked to add some stuff to try and make my boring omelet come to life. maybe some fried onions and peppers would do the trick. we were then told that no substitutions or add ons could be done as brunch was too busy to change up the menu. (regrettably, i’m a huge special orderer…therefore-insert annoyed face here). it was alright though, the meal was good and once again i left feeling pleased. whether i would go back i’m not sure but i definitely enjoyed our time together and the home fries (from what i tried) were mouth watering. the smith is rated 92%. perhaps if my diet allowed otherwise, i would have enjoyed it more with some crunchy on the outside, fluffy on the inside belgian waffles with home fries on the side. yes, i think i would enjoy it more then.
oh before i forget we did have a quick light lunch at the antique garage in soho. now this is a place i’ll definitely be going back to! welcomed by friendly staff and the melodies of a live band jamming out, we sat in the middle of all the action and enjoyed some tasty salads and drinks. a cute place to go for a nice lunch, open to the outside by the sliding window/doors that would make for a lovely lunch on a warm sunny day. oh and there is exposed brick. and yummy scented candles in the dimly lit, cozy bathroom. boom done!
antique garage, located on mercer street in soho is rated 88%. check it out!
so as always, what was meant to be a quick blog post about a few eats i enjoyed this past weekend, was elaborated into a long story of foodie-filled adventures in the heart of a serious restaurant-loving city. i find this always happens to me…getting lost in describing the pleasures i get from mouth-watering food. perhaps culinary school is a possibility in the near future…
one thing to remember about living in manhattan. it’s expensive. i talked to my mom and told her about our fun weekend, a little worried however at how much i had indulged in and spent. she then gave me a nice reality check by saying “but it’s good to see friends. you go home every night by yourself (she was exaggerating a bit:P…) and be healthy! you have to live too!” thus went away the guilty feeling from aritchokes as well as my smaller balance in the bank account.
i was reminded that i could save money for the future… but it was much more exciting to live in the moment and happily spend on what makes memory-making, great blog-writing moments that i can reminisce about in the future.
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