We just were chosen one of the 2011 Best Stores in Texas! Please have a look at this very charming and savvy site. Our humble thanks and gratitude to all of you.
Cristiana & Betty
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Hot off the press!We just were chosen one of the 2011 Best Stores in Texas! Please have a look at this very charming and savvy site. Our humble thanks and gratitude to all of you. Cristiana & Betty August DiningWe were in Ne Dinner Saturday was at Colicchio & Sons (Top Chef Tom Colicchio’s newest.) We loved everything about it from the food to the wine to the service to the decor. The Yellowfin tuna appetizer was divine, as were both our main courses. You simply can’t go wrong with anything on this menu. After dinner, we strolled the Highline. (See our previous post for photos!) Lunch on Sunday was at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s new ABC Kitchen which is located in the basement of ABC Home Furnishings. This store has always been one of our favorites, and the restaurant is sure to become one too. They specialize in fresh organic and local ingredients, and it was quite evident from the menu – as well as the flavors of everything we ordered. Peekytoe crab toast, tuna sashimi, followed by a spinach and goat cheese pizza and the wild striped bass…for a minute, it felt like we’d been whisked off to the Hamptons! abc kitchen, 35 E. 18th St. (212) 598-3020 Check this out!Exciting news! Our dear friend, fashion and lifestyle guru, Roz Pactor is putting together three fabulous seminars at Tony’s. See the details from Roz below. Welcome to the first ever Chic Sheet Speaker Series, featuring nationally acclaimed speaker, Karen McCullough. This special series will be exclusive to Tony’s Restaurant, where the food is guaranteed to be scrumptious and the conversation lively!!! This not-to-be missed series of three dynamic speaking engagements promises to be not only informative, but chocked full of fun.
Looking forward to seeing you and your friends at this first ever exclusive Chic Sheet Happening! Click here to register. Loop ScoopWe just had the best visit with our friend and very creative journalist, Emily Kelly, who writes for The Loop Scoop. Check out the article about the shop that she’s just posted! Maialino
Here’s our tip for the day: don’t worry if you can’t make a reservation. We went at the last minute (plane delays…don’t talk to me about it) and were thrilled to settle in at the bar where no reservations are needed. We dined on wonderful cured meats, Italian cheeses, fresh bread and split an order of Spaghettini alle Vongole and my favorite, Carciofi Alla Romana. (Brings back fond memories of Roma!) The place is fabulous. Reminds us of some of Danny’s other fine establishments (Union Square Cafe, Grammercy Tavern) with its casual-yet-sophisticated tone. That was me in Irving & Fine, Jimmy Choos and an armload of gold chains. Reservations: 212-777-2410. Bar Maialino welcomes guests on a walk-in basis. Bar Maialino: M-F 7am-Midnight, Sat-Sun 10 am-Midnight Trattoria: Breakfast: M-F 7:30-10, Lunch: M-F 12-2, Brunch: Sat-Sun 10-2, Dinner: Sun-Th 5:30-10:30/Fri-Sat 5:30-11 Friday Greetings!We are busy at the shop today, with a wonderful Irving and Fine trunk show! Come by today, Friday, May 14th and tomorrow, Saturday, May 15th from 10:00 am until 5 pm to see their lovely tunics and caftans. See you at the shop! Betty and Cristiana New York, February 2010Greetings and Happy 2010! We were in New York last week for the Gift Show. We must have walked 20 miles a day, and we have the merchandise to prove it! (It should be in the shop by the end of the month, so come visit us soon!) We did almost as much eating as we did shopping.
Now, dinner was a different story. We both have family and old friends in New York, so we decided to “divide and conquer” the restaurant scene. We covered lots more ground this way, and we’re happy to report that we can recommend every place we went. We hope you are in New York soon to try some of these fantastic spots!
That same night, Cristiana dined at a the hot spot, Le Caprice (newly arrived from London) which is in the lobby of the Pierre Hotel. If you have never been to this classic NY hotel, this is an excellent reason to visit. In the midst of all that old world style, Le Caprice has a very fun atmosphere, with especially good people watching. The menu was rather straightforward and not too innovative but the food was excellent. C. notes the watercress and beet salad followed by tagliatelle with wild boar ragu. “Our table was not quite ready when we arrived, so they brought me a glass of champagne on the house…very nice touch!”
We loved Marea, which is the most talked about new fish restaurant on Central Park South in the space vacated by San Domenico (see below.) It is slick, sophisticated and perfect for an expense account! The Ventresca (bigeye toro tartare, ligurian olivada, fried capers) was excellent, as was the Passera (Long Island fluke, lemon thyme, ligurian olive oil). Also of note are the Branzino (seared wild striped bass, marinated salsify, roasted brussel sprouts, fresh pancetta, saba) and the Mezzaluna lobster ravioli, with chanterelles, asparagus. No room for dessert, but next time the panna cotta!
Bon appetit! New York City’s High LineA few weeks ago, we visited New York’s recently refurbished High Line. If you’ve never been, we suggest you get there before it gets cold! In nice weather, it’s a lovely afternoon stroll and a great break from the hustle bustle of the city. ![]() Gansevoort Entrance This long-abandoned, elevated strip of railroad track has recently been brought back to life, in the form of a beautiful park. The tracks, built in the 1930s, were used until 1980. Elevated 30 feet in the air, they eliminated dangerous trains from the streets of Manhattan. The trains traveled through three busy, industrial neighborhoods: The Meatpacking District (once home to more than 250 slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants), West Chelsea (where large factories and warehouses still line its streets and avenues) and Hell’s Kitchen(recently renamed Clinton) which once figured prominently in New York City’s underworld. Nowadays, The Meatpacking District attracts those in-the-know and their insatiable appetites for cutting edge fashion and food, West Chelsea is the home of many of the city’s finest art galleries, and Hell’s Kitchen, with its proximity to the theatre district, is home to many actors, wannabe actors, and some of our favorite pre-theater restaurants. ![]() The Standard Hotel We started our High Line walk at the southen entrance, on Gansevoort Street. As soon as you get to the top of the staircase, you feel as if you’ve left Manhattan. Beautiful trees greet you, and with one look to the north, you know you’ve arrived someplace special. The Standard Hotel, jutting out over the park walkway, is anything but standard. Their website gives you a hint of just how cool this place is. Strolling high above Washington street, you have a view of some of the most innovative designer shops, with their storefronts facing the High Line. When you get to 14th Street, you’ll see the sign for one of the area’s earliest innovative, trail-blazing, eyebrow-raising fashion favorites, Jeffrey. Here’s a link to some shopping ideas for this area.
As we walked north, we were fascinated by the walkways, and how the park designers integrated the old railroad tracks (yes, they’re still there!) with new materials and lovely landscaping. Along the way, there are planted “woodlands” and “grasslands”, the walkway widens and thins, and at one wide spot in the park, there are chaise lounges set up for reading and relaxing. It was a lovely day, and we saw sunbathers, people eating lunch and visting. The High Line is a breath of fresh air in a city where few stop to smell the flowers. (Or the grasslands.) Art plays a huge role in and around The You can read a complete history of the area, and learn about the High Line’s renewed life here: A weekend in MarylandMy husband surprised me with a weekend getaway to the beautiful Victorian resort town of St. Michaels located on the Eastern shore of Maryland. I had no idea what to expect — what a beautiful and most relaxing spot it turned out to be! We drove from Baltimore in pouring rain to the Inn at Perry Cabin…a magnificent historic mansion dating back to the 1800’s and converted to a hotel in 1990. It is part of the Orient Express group and is situated on the Miles river, a tributary to the Chesapeake Bay. 308 Watkins Lane We arrived late and went straight to dinner at the lovely hotel restaurant. We feasted on crab bisque, their infamous crab cakes and so much more! There was so much to choose from and the service was impeccable. Our room was situated in the historic part of the hotel, which was charming and very comfortable. We had a private patio, as all of the ground level rooms do. This is a perfect place to stay with dogs — it’s a pet friendly hotel, so we saw many four-legged guests running around. I was most content! The next morning we explored the beautiful grounds and gardens of the hotel. They are extremely well-manicured with gorgeous views on the water. It is a perfect setting for a wedding and apparently the hotel does have a large wedding business. (In fact, several scenes from the movie, The Wedding Crashers, were filmed here.) After breakfast we strolled through the town of St. Michaels with its beautiful historic streets lined with homes and shops built in the 18th and 19th centuries. The shopping is limited to many touristy yet cute stores filled with all kinds of souvenirs. We lunched at the St. Michaels Crab & Steak House with all-you-can-eat blue crab brought to the table on paper-lined trays. I opted for a scrumptious BLT sandwich instead as I had had my fill of crab the night before! It is on the waterfront overlooking a myriad of boats in the marina and was truly delightful. St. Michaels Crab & Steak House at the St. Michaels Marina Just outside of the restaurant we saw a sign for a St. Michaels Harbor/Eco Tour and Water Taxi. A water taxi arrives at the dock right by the outside bar every 30 minutes. These water taxi tours are a fun and quick way to get the lay of the land. All kinds of other boat tours, cruises and fishing trips are available here. Go to www.stmichaelsmd.org and click on Boating for information and bookings.
A swim in the glorious infinity pool at the hotel followed by a Planters Punch on an Adirondack chair overlooking the water and sunset were a perfect way to end a very busy day and prepare for our next meal! At the recommendation of the hotel, we dined in town at Bistro St. Michaels, which is in a charming historic building that must have been somebody’s home once upon a time. We had a fabulous meal of crab cocktail and mahi mahi.
403 S. Talbot Street Our last day was very relaxed and included more swimming, walking and a bike ride to the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum next door to the hotel. It has an indoor/outdoor collection of items related to commerce and trade, navigation, fisheries and waterfowling. The museum is made up of 10 buildings that sit on 18 waterfront acres. It features the world’s largest collection of traditional bay boats along with many other changing exhibits. One of its historic building is the Hooper Straight Lighthouse.
213 N. Talbot St. If you have never been to St. Michaels, I recommend you see for yourself what a charming town it is. Book a room at the Inn at Perry Cabin. You will not want to leave! Labor Day Weekend in Chicago
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