This CB2 white square dinnerware seems to be popular with NYC restaurants. I keep noticing it everywhere I eat. After test-driving it, I think I would like to add some pieces to my own cupboard. Like all three sizes of the bowls and all four sizes of the plates. Have you noticed the prices? $4.95 for a dinner plate, $1.95 for a dessert plate, $2.95 for a 6" bowl. Those are nice prices. The prospect of purchasing makes me want to have a party.

Yes you read that title correctly. A muffin equals freedom. Well it does. I don't think I have ever felt more free than when I eat a muffin for breakfast instead of something fortifying and healthy. I feel free from counting calories. Free from making proper choices. Free from taking the road less traveled by. All Americans eat muffins for breakfast. I feel American. It is hard to take the road less traveled by all the time, even if it does make all the difference.

For lunch I'll go back to healthy prudent choices. I'll eat a salad and feel oppressed.

I call it, Still life with Smoking Cell Phone Talker Somewhere in Midtown. This is as Zen as New York gets.

This is my 1000th post! I decided to go with Roman numerals for the graphic.

If you ask me, riding the subway at rush hour is a great time to go bag shopping. You can see a variety of handbags within a short span of time, and you can vicariously test-drive them before you purchase. As a sea of bags parade before you, rush past you and jam into you, you can see how various shapes 'wear' when they are stuffed and overstuffed, and how they look in action. In-store you can see a lot of theoretical trends emerge; on the subway you can see how these trends play out in actuality, with the customer.

On the V train last night, I counted over 15 bags that were soft and slouchy, yet structured and elegant, like the examples pictured above. Softer details included leather covered buttons, leather handles, leather zipper pulls, and plenty of pleats.


Clockwise from left [images from respective Websites]:

1. 'Angie' shopping tote by Linea Pelle, $414 on goldyn.com
2. 'Carly' slouchy hobo by Kooba, $595 on saks.com
3. Dr. Q Hillier Hobo by Marc by Marc Jacobs, $495 at eluxury.com
4. Village shoulder tote by Cole Haan, $395 on colehaan.com

***
Update, 3.28.08
Neat. This post was selected as featured content on Coutorture this week!

We found it this weekend: the best Bun this side of the Pecos. If you haven't tried it yet, bun is a Vietnamese noodle dish with grilled ingredients served with shredded lettuce, mint and bean sprouts over rice vermicelli. The accompanying sauce is vinegar-based to offset the fried spring rolls. Pictured above is #74. Grilled Vegetable & Vegetable Spring Roll, $8.95 at Viet Grill in Chelsea. For $2 extra we opted to add tofu, which was a sound idea. The portion is definitely large enough to share, although we didn't know it at the time, and each ordered our own.

Viet Grill has two separate menus, one Chinese and one Vietnamese, so there is something for the whole family. The host and owner will take good care of you and discuss at length your vegetable options, creating for you something that will suit your tastes perfectly.


Viet Grill
206 9th Avenue (23rd Street)
Chelsea
New York, NY
212.366.0558
212.366.4882

I am not one to gossip but...

Remember that Blogger Drama seminar presented by Coutorture I told you about the other day? After browsing a post on Racked yesterday, I think Domino magazine blogger Rita Konig might need the transcript... She has more than a few readers hopping mad. Read the original post and comments here. You didn't hear it from me. I don't engage in Blogger Drama.

Nanette Lepore 'Flirty Flower' topstitched wedges, $297 on bluefly.com
Spotted on Popgloss

These wedge sandals by Nanette Lepore are a little bit Prada a few seasons ago and a little bit geisha. Although I like looking at them, I believe I would fall right off of these running for the subway, and it wouldn't be pretty. My quest for the comfortable summer sandal continues. One viable option so far.

Jan & Aya, the latest addition to the Franklin Street boutique scene, is now open. For some background on the store, check out this previous post, and then join me for a shopping trip this Thursday. Store hours are Thursday-Friday 1-7pm, Saturday noon-7pm, and Sunday noon-5pm.


Jan & Aya
99 Franklin Street
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
718.609.1404

The Lindt bunny extends towards the heavens in Midtown.

Don't miss the larger-than-life chocolate Easter bunny on display in the courtyard of The New York Palace Hotel. The golden sculpture, composed of nearly 1000 actual-size Lindt chocolate bunnies arranged on a 12-foot wood structure, is on display through Easter. The Swiss chocolatier hosted a Lindt gold bunny hunt for kids on Saturday, March 22nd.

They certainly look delicious. But don't get any ideas about free-sampling. The sign on the display reads, "Bunnies Not Edible Please Do Not Touch."


The New York Palace Hotel
455 Madison Avenue (50th Street)
New York, NY
212.888.7000

Having recently had a nice time at Ribot in February, I was hoping the papered-over windows at this Midtown Mediterranean bistro on 3rd Avenue and 48th were due to a remodel. The decor didn't need revamping in my opinion. But alas, Ribot will not return. Their official closing date was March 12 after three years in business.

Ribot's Website suggests trying Lea, a wine bar, restaurant and lounge at 230 Park Avenue and 45th Street, under the east walkway of the Helmsley Building.

I couldn't believe my inbox or my luck yesterday morning. I had an e-mail that said, "Happy Birthday from Eduardo Sarabia." (!!) The I-20 Gallery on W23rd Street in Chelsea that represents Sarabia got a Google Alert about my blog post on March 19, and invited us to the invitation-only closing of Salon Aleman.

And so we sipped some of the best tequila I have ever tasted along with a very small crowd in the Field and Staff Room of the 7th Regiment Armory. Or correction, we sipped 2008 Whitney Biennial tequila. I still can't believe it. I had a very nice talk with the artist, which was the high point of the evening for me. Here are just a few pictures from the event.

Large paintings, moose heads and chandeliers loomed overhead in the dimly lit
Field and Staff Room at the 7th Regiment Armory.

Tequila Sarabia, a glimpse of the special brews. Three varieties to be exact.

The elephant leg stools were quite comfortable indeed.
This one was claimed in earnest by a woman who threw
her belongings on it from across the room. 9:10pm

The crowd at around 8:30 before it grew to around 100 at the apex of the evening.

'Shadow' paper plate by French Bull, $4 set of 8, available at Loft Party'Delight' paper plate by French Bull, $4 set of 8, available at Loft Party''Mulitidot' paper plate by French Bull, $4 set of 8, available at Loft Party

'Fantasia' paper plate by French Bull, $4 set of 8, available at Loft Party

Can you believe these beautiful plates by French Bull are paper? I think I would feel compelled to wash them and save them. Well perhaps I wouldn't go that far. But I am afraid that as lovely as they are, they would fall into the 'too nice to use' category in my house. The melamine plates by French Bull, however, I wholeheartedly support. Ooh la la. Reusable is sexy.

'Barcelona' melamine dinner plates by French Bull, $36 set of 4, available at Loft Party

Now doesn't this look yoguriffic!

Yolato's presentation is so enticing.
The creamy smooth undulating waves. The toppings. The flavors.
I can't contain myself any longer.
I must have birthday Yolato now!

Mint chocolate chip - my favorite.
I will probably combine it with hazelnut, my other favorite.
Or maybe I will keep my options open and explore what
other other favorites I discover when I get there.

I don't think I have to say much about Yolato to entice you, beyond the mouthwatering photos I took at the Park Avenue store. I could tell you that Yolato is a low-calorie healthy gelato that is offered in over 100 different flavors. I could tell you that there are four locations in New York, and one in New Jersey. I could tell you to bring $3.99 with you if you want a 'regular' or $4.99 if you want a 'grande.' But I don't need to tell you much more than the address. I have a feeling you will be paying Yolato a visit soon. I have a feeling I will too. Maybe tonight. They close at 9. The West Village location closes at 10.


Yolato
Grand Central
125 Park Ave (42nd Street)
New York, NY 10017
212.922.1169

The Yolato Store on Park Avenue is just below Grand Central.
This location opened in November 2007.


Dine in: choose from a stool at the counter
or small lovely table in the window. Or take it To Go so you
can burn the calories as you eat. And then come back for more.
Often.

Eduardo Sarabia, Salon Aleman [detail], installed as part of the 2008 Whitney Biennial
in the Field and Staff Room at the 7th Regiment Armory.
The blue neon reads 'Tequila Sarabia'

Eduardo Sarabia, Salon Aleman [detail]
The red neon reads 'Salon Aleman'

Sure, it looks empty and peaceful now, but what will Salon Aleman by Eduardo Sarabia be like at 10pm tonight? The artist has constructed a working bar open only on March 9, 11, 14 and 19 from 10pm to 1am where "he will serve homemade tequila and other beverages as he celebrates collaborative dialogue and community." I thought, what better way to celebrate my birthday today than to participate in art? But perhaps my plans are being foiled? Why is the 19th no longer listed? Perhaps Sarabia had his fill of dialogue and community on the 14th. I must get to the bottom of this.


About the artist:

Sarabia invents scenarios that he participates in and creates documentation for, commemorating the event’s unfolding. Handcrafted ceramic objects, drawings, paintings, photographs, and sculptures transform the exhibition space into a site for storytelling where viewers must suspend disbelief to enter the artist’s fantastic, romanticized realm. These theatrical situations revolve around Sarabia’s Latino heritage, which he both honors and mocks through his investigation of Mexican cultural clichés about drug smuggling, banditry, and the import/export of tawdry contraband. ~Whitney Biennial notes

***
Update, 5:47 pm
Sadly there will be no Salon Aleman this evening. Representatives from both the Whitney and the Armory called me back to let me know that due to the unprecedented attendance on the 14th, the supply of Sarabia's homemade tequila was basically depleted. Ah well.

Coral Pillow by Inhabit, in moss, chocolate, tan and white.
Available on Velocity Art and Design, $60.

I like the way the coral pattern on this pillow 'morphs' into camouflage. A most inventive combination of two of my favorite patterns.

In other news, here's how I chose to mix down the camouflage. I must make a new coral necklace to go along with the ensemble. That gives me food for thought.

Friday's performance by The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black
at the 7th Regiment Armory was to include an onstage wedding ceremony.
Here was the cake, topped with wig.

I never thought of it before, but I guess the 7th Regiment Armory is an ideal venue for an all-out rock show. It certainly is spacious enough. If I had realized The Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, a special event scheduled for last Friday at 8pm as part of the 2008 Whitney Biennial, was going to be an all-out rock show that ran 2+ hours late, I might have skipped it. It seemed like a good idea. And then it didn't. My friend seconds this sentiment.

Hipsters everywhere at the 7th Regiment Armory.

It is one day before my birthday and I have had an epiphany. I will not use my birthday as an urgent deadline for achievement anymore. It kind of ruins the fun of it. I will just eat my cake, celebrate, and be happy to be me.

Kenneth Cole 'Walk on By' in black patent, $110 on kennethcole.com
Try this shoe on at the store on 5th Avenue & 17th Street. Ask for Wilson.
He knows his shoes, and he is Halle Berry's personal shopper. Neat.

Why are all sexy shoes so uncomfortable? Why are all comfy shoes so frumpy? The patent leather 'Walk on By' sandal by Kenneth Cole is a viable option and current front-runner in my quest for a comfortable summer sandal.

Here are the pluses as I see them:

• Stylish
• Shock-absorbing rubber sole
  
• Perfect color for everyday
  
• Flattering on the legs; ankle strap looks good with skirts
• The silver perforated leather inner, although hidden, will make me feel happy; it will match my silver toenail polish too

If you are conducting your own shopping research and have found sandals that will keep your feet happy and blister-free for miles this summer, please do not hesitate to comment below. Please provide any shopping links too.

Shamrock cookies in the lobby, courtesy of the W Hotel

All is festive inside the W Hotel for St. Patrick's Day. The place is filled with young families from Ireland who seem to be making New York's St. Patrick's Day their destination vacation.

At a certain point during the afternoon you can partake in a three-tiered spread of shamrock cookies in the lobby. My free sample radar caught it immediately. Enjoy.

Falcoin in green, Nine West, 59.99 on sale!

I have not yet been engaged in a Blogger Drama. Perhaps I should tune in to the BlogTalkRadio seminar this Sunday sponsored by Coutorture and learn what I have been missing. The topic is below.


Fashion and beauty blogging is fun, frivolous and occasionally devious! Learn hope to cope with Blogger Mama Drama with Coutorture's Julie Fredrickson and Christine of Temptalia. We will tackle the tough topics including anonymous commenting, blog friendships, blogger gossip, blogger blacklisting, blogger etiquette, and keeping your cool in the middle of a blogger fight. We will explore the line between professional, personal, collegial and "I will scratch your back if you scratch mine" relationships in style blogging. Don't worry, its just us girls!

The cavernous expanse of the 7th Regiment Armory is quite breathtaking.
It is amazing that such a quiet and peaceful expanse exists on Park Avenue and 67th.
If you walk the entire length to the other end (Lexington Avenue), you will
be rewarded in more ways than one:
Mungo Thomson's Silent Film of a Tree Falling in the Forest,
2005-06, 16mm film, color, silent; 7 min
is playing in a little room.


There are quite a few time-specific events to go along with this site specific extension
of the Whitney Biennial which runs from March 6-23.
Admission is free.
Be sure to visit the Whitney Biennial Website and start planning
what you want to see.


My dad said that he used to watch the tennis matches here, around 40 years ago.
I would imagine that if you tried to play tennis here today,
you'd get a lot of bad bounces.

Read more about the Armory's Drill Hall here.
The Armory's notes say that it "is now the oldest extant 'balloon shed'
(a barrel vaulted roof supported on visible arch trusses) in America
and is considered one of the first non-railroad buildings
to employ this type of structural system."


In one of the darkened rooms (they were all dark and moody really),
an unexpected surprise:
Olaf Breuning, The Army, 2008, mixed media.
Company Room M.

The Whitney Biennial notes read: "Identical Chines teapot bodies
and different heads represent a dysfunctional army."


Olaf Breuning, The Army [detail]
This installation reminds me of the excavated Chinese army shown here.
Instead of terra cotta, the soldiers are composed of teapots which sit on top of
Chinese embroidered slippers. Quite whimsical indeed.
One of my favorite 'soldiers' sports a light-up Chinese Scholars Rock for a head.


The various types of lighting in the rooms are amazing in themselves, and worth
the price of admission, which by the way is FREE.
Have you ever come across a hanging candelabra-style chandelier such as this?


Or a chandelier made expressly for a column? I love this shape.


Or a chandelier like this one?
There are more than 6 of these unique chandeliers in the main hall.
The exposed filament bulbs give off a dim orange light
which does not come across in the photo.
You must see them in person.
Originally the fixtures were gas-powered, adapted for electrical current in 1897.


Ellen Harvey, 100 Biennial Visitors Immortalized, 2008.
Sunday, March 9, 2008, to be exact.
I could have been #27, but I didn't want to wait in line...
I probably should have waited in line.


Bozidar Brazda, Our Hour: Radioff [detail], 2008, Mixed-media installation.
I like the striking juxtaposition of this piece...


...installed in this room.

Company Room Ioriginally designed in the Renaissance Revival style in 1880
but "modernized a few years later in the Art Nouveau style.
Original mahogany and rosewood lockers feature carved rosters of the company
member’s names. The room has an Art Nouveau balcony of entwined wrought iron
vines and leaves with a newel torchiere." ~from the Armory notes


Armor at the Armory.


DJ Olive (Gregor Asch), Triage [detail], 2008, Mixed-media installation.
Company Room L.

We walked up to the 3rd floor to view this white tent furnished with army cots
from a balcony. Sitting in the tent you have no idea
there are 7 moose heads just above.