I love the new ping pong set-up at Bryant Park. The design is so Japanese (to me). Compare and contrast with these Japanese Zen gardens. I am totally entering their Wednesday night tournaments this year.

If you ask me, these numbers are pretty fontastic. Graphic designer friends, can you name this font? ‪#‎fontastic‬ ‪#‎design‬

A little bit of fun at Black Rabbit last night. Their decor is gorgeous, cozy and classy. Don't you love saying "classy" every once in awhile? It's so New York/New Jersey. Do people in Texas say it? I doubt it.

Square ice is so much more refreshing than rounded rectangle ice.

To make a long story somewhat the same length, I saw this faux bois stackable teapot at The Plaza's "Foodhall" last Fall, and while I was still deciding if I wanted it for the last eight months, surprise, someone bought the one and only one they had. So cut to yesterday and finding it online from a florist in Houston, but then finding out the shipping will be more than the pot, I said no. Cut to today and Ebay and finding it for less + free shipping, I clicked "Buy It Now" with fervor (at last, a decisive act vis-à-vis this teapot), and it's already on it's way to me. Color me pleased with Ebay once again.

This sign is gorgeous. Obviously I like it. Look at my Twitter background. I love letters with individual light bulbs. Love! And I love the ghost old signage underneath. This gives me good ideas... [image via zimbio.com]

Look at how cool this bag is! Would it disintegrate in a rain storm? (It's crocheted out of paper twine.)

Both have their charms.

midtown lobby flower arrangement. nice.


brooklyn deli flower arrangement. less large.

Honeycomb Tumbler, $4 on sale, from West Elm

Technically this is for the bath. But I think it makes a cool vase. I am so tempted to get three of these. But why three? Well, because they're only 4 bucks. Yes, I'm passing along the savings to myself. And I think because they're small, they'd look good in a series, along the middle of the table. Or in a nice cluster. I definitely think three would come in handy. I don't know. I may buy none. But then again, I may buy three.

[images via yotel.com]

Today, I got invited to a lunch at Yotel, unfamiliar to me, yet somehow enticing. Or maybe we walked past it recently and I noticed the font. I wouldn't say it's fontastic, but it certainly catches your eye. So anyway, Yotel is a new hotel on 10th & 42nd (new as of mid-June, 2011). I checked out their Website, and I have to say, the place is right up my aesthetic alley. Futuristic, Japanese-ish, clean and modern.

Color me excited when I found out their restaurant, Dohyo, is designed after a sumo wrestling ring. Excellent. Seating is communal yet spacious. And color me even more excited when I found out the chef is Richard Sandoval of Zengo (my current absolute favorite restaurant in NYC)! Latin American-Asian fusion. Yes and yes.

Check out this quote:

DohYO is part of FOUR, YOTEL New York's 18,000 square foot series of dynamic, connective spaces, that fulfills YOTEL's vision of a flexible meeting and entertainment space where guests and locals can interact, lounge and dine.

The space is apparently modular too! I must pay a pre-visit with my camera. The lunch isn't until Thursday, September 22.

Attention quilters, and friends of quilters. You don't have much time left, but you must see Infinite Variety: Three Centuries of Red and White Quilts at the Park Avenue Armory. The installation is heady. The 650 red and white quilts are double-hung and dazzling. The show is free, and is presented by the American Folk Art Museum. Yes, this is what I would call a happening. Friday, March 25 – Wednesday, March 30, 2011.

Remaining Times:
Monday, March 28, 11 am–7 pm
Tuesday, March 29, 11 am–7 pm
Wednesday, March 30, 11 am–5 pm

hot chocolate by 'wichcraft is open in Bryant Park!

At last, this cute little hut in Bryant Park that they've been painting and repainting every shade of green for at least the past five months has opened! I was so excited to see it open on Wednesday after the snow storm that I started snapping pictures without even realizing what they sold. Hint: a very very very delicious item that is a perfect compliment to ice skating. Hot chocolate! And not just your average hot chocolate, because 'wichcraft is never average. Malt hot chocolate! Peanut butter hot chocolate! I can vouch for both flavors, because the kind sir who was running the booth gave me samples. And yes, it made my day. There's also classic and handmade marshmallows. I'm guessing they're square marshmallows, because that's pretty much the trend in New York.

This cute little 'wichcraft hot chocolate outpost in conveniently located right near the entrance to the ice skating at Bryant Park. Enter on the 40th Street side and you'll see it, nestled in the snow. And if you want to know a bit more about skating The Pond, read this previous post. I'm a big fan.


hot chocolate by 'wichcraft
Bryant Park
closest entrance: 40th Street or 6th Avenue

hot chocolate by 'wichcraft
3 kinds of hot chocolate: classic, malt and peanut butter (chocolate)
3 sizes: S $3.50, M $4.50, L $5.50 + marshmallows 25 cents


I watched them build these curious protrusions everyday on my way to work.
They kept adding more and more texture. I figured it was going to be a florist
because it resembled cacti or something. I think in total, there are 4 shades of green.


But surprise, the interior is lavender! I love the front door, complete with
garage door hydraulics. I wonder what shade this wood will become?
Or will they leave it raw?

Calexico is new on Manhattan Avenue in Greenpoint!
The quilted metal facade gives a nod to their street cart beginnings.


Calexico Hours. Open plenty late. Closed Mondays.
Take note.


The sputnik chandliers. LOVE!
And the recessed tin ceiling is great too. Along with the original poles.
I am guessing turn of the (last) century. So great.


Lighting is always key for me. I love what they put together here.

Excitement in Greenpoint. A new restaurant opened last month (although we just saw it for the first time on Sunday). It's Mexican, has tofu aplenty, margaritas, good prices, and excellent decor. Yes, they had me at tofu, but the sputnik-style chandeliers totally drew me in. Calexico, named for a town near the California/Mexico border where the owners (3 brothers, Dave, Jesse and Brian Vendley) are from, is doing a great business. The tables and bar are packed, so come early if you want the seat of your choice. Take-out customers come in all night, have a drink at the bar, and go merrily on their way. The service is speedy, but not rushed.

This Greenpoint-based Calexico is Brooklyn restaurant #2 for the Vendley brothers (the first location is 122 Union Street in Carroll Gardens) who started their Cal-Mex business running street carts 3 years ago. Hence the speedy delivery of your food. Also hence the quilted metal exterior of the restaurant. Decor à la food carte. Very clever.

The food is great, the vibe is great, and Paulie, the bar manager who works every night except Sunday, is a very refreshing non-pretentious non-hipster, who will treat you like a person and treat you well. Some nearby establishments should take note, but they won't, so scratch this last line.

Calexico
645 Manhattan Avenue (@ Bedford Avenue)
Greenpoint, Brooklyn
347.763.2129

That's Paulie, bar manager. He gave excellent service to everyone who walked in.


Happy Hour special, $5


Where else can you get a mint jalapeno margarita? I'm hooked. $10


Very fresh chips, guacamole, hefty portion, $10


Tofu Torta (sandwich), very delicious, $10


Tacos, $4 each, black bean [L] and tofu [R]

Kate Spade Ski Goggle Hat, $75 on katespade.com

Jonathan Adler Sunglass Case, $38 on jonathanadler.com

Don't you think this Kate Spade ski hat is suspiciously similar to the eyeglass case by Jonathan Adler? Kate, while your reinterpretation of Jonathan's design is pretty cute, I'll give you that; I think in all fairness to Jonathan, you should give him a nod. Like call it the Jonathan Adler Ski Goggle Hat or something. Signed, the design police.

Boots by Maison Martin Margiela 22, $375 (reg. $580) on YOOX.com

While I am on the topic of shoe-lust, I must show you these by Martin Margiela. These boots are incredible. Don't they look like balsa wood? And yes, of course, they are available on YOOX, my new favorite fashion Website. These are the designers that speak to me.

Brooklyn Academy of Music


BAM, in downtown Brooklyn near the clock tower. Totally iconic.


They don't make signs like this anymore. Fontastic!


Now doesn't that look gorgeous? I love that this photo is time stamped.

I've been wanting to go to Junior's for five and a half years now, basically since we moved to Brooklyn. I'm not really a cheesecake fan, but really, Junior's is iconic. I was content with having a cup of coffee at the counter. Did they even have a counter? They must have a counter. (I looked it up online. They have a counter.)

So after we went to see a movie at BAM (another favorite iconic Brooklyn location of mine), we struck out for the Flatbush Avenue Extension (which I finally looked up on a map. All these years of hoping to happen upon Junior's on Flatbush Avenue did not prove fruitful. It never turned up.) And do you know what? It was my most favorite thing we have done lately!

The maitre d' was dressed in a suit. We sat at the horseshoe counter, and he immediately handed us menus. When does immediate acknowledgment happen in a New York restaurant? Our waiter was also dressed impeccably in a white shirt, black bow tie and vest. All of this proper service was straight out of another era. And it made our experience at Junior's so memorable. I cannot wait to go back.

We were just going to get coffee, but then we spied the mile-high lemon meringue pies in the window. So after three refills of coffee, we got a piece of pie to share. Look at this portion! Bottomless coffee was only $1.95 and this massive piece of pie (1/4 of a whole pie, in fact) dotted with the most delicious crumbs, was just $5.95. I think we tipped our waiter $10. He was great, and thanks to him, we had a great time.

Great logo, great orange stripes.


Yes, Junior's has a counter.


I love the milk pitcher. It's like a spaceship.


Would you look at this piece of lemon meringue pie!
Just look at it!