Butter

Oh restaurant week.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm restaurant week.  You were fabulous when I had you in my dear District of Columbia.  You are simply unparalleled in the greatest city in the country.

Recognize this woman from the Food Network?

That's Alex Guarnaschelli - famed judge on "Chopped" and acclaimed owner and head chef at "Butter."

The restaurant can be difficult to find with a hidden doorway along a wide open street (a rarity in this city), but the decor with soft lighting and dark woods had an elegant homey feel with a edge.  I arrived early and enjoyed a glass of wine at the bar - sitting right next to Marg Helgenberger.  You might recognize her as the leading lady on the original CSI.

For the record, she looked exactly the same in real life, if not more beautiful.  It's so refreshing to see a woman these days unafraid to age gracefully.  Anyway, back to "Butter"...

For $35 (plus wine), I enjoyed a complete three course meal.  Mussels in a white wine and truffle oil broth to start, grilled halibut with a zucchini gratin for dinner, and a layered "Dobosch" cake with chocolate butter cream and salted caramel for dessert.  I have no idea what "Dobosch" means.  It doesn't matter; it was divine.  My favorite part of the meal?  Sopping up the roasted garlic broth with grilled Italian bread from my mussels.

Ms. Guarnaschelli, thank you for a delicious meal.  When I start making some real money in this city, I'll be sure to visit again.

Hello New York!

I HAVE ARRIVED.

After all of the apartment madness, I'm now nestled into a fantastic little nook of Gramercy Park paradise.  I have a lovely little shoebox studio (pictures to come when I get around to cleaning.. erm, cough, yea...); I live right across from a staple New York diner, and I'm a block away from Park Avenue - really, there's nothing I haven't come to love about my new digs.

My first day as an intern was everything and nothing that I expected.  I was literally thrown to the wolves, so to speak - no introductions or instructions, assignments left and right from various skinny girls in fantastic heels and short skirts, and relentless hours pouring over excel spreadsheets completed with a couple of quick trips with samples in hand from the showroom to production and back.  Exhaustion at the end of the day came only from a sense of being completely overwhelmed and getting lost for an hour finding my way back to Central Station to take the 6 train home - a skill I'm still struggling to learn.

The morning of Day 2 was no different than the first, but in the afternoon I found myself working the sample sale in the flagship store along with the other interns.  My hard work sorting, organizing, and tidying clothing racks paid off - I'm the proud owner of a new blazer courtesy of a+o.

  For a better view: http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/Shopbop/pcs/media/images/products/alice/alice2095912867/alice2095912867_p1_v1_m56577569831889446_254x500.jpg

On my 3rd Day I was back in the office editing spreadsheets for our buyers for the Fall installments.  It is going to be an incredible season.  I'm so looking forward to my first full week tomorrow.

Certainly, I worked much of the time in my first week here in the Big Apple, but my time has not been without a little bit of fun.  Tuesday, I was fortunate to meet up with a friend from my alma mater who took me on a grand tour of my area.  I'm completely indebted to her for showing me how close I am to Union Station (Whole Foods and people watching galore!) and the many delicious restaurants on the way (Olives, Sushi Samba, Japonais --- all right all you salaried friends, wine and dine me please?).  Friday evening I went to the Bryant Park Cafe for cocktails with a coworker and we ended our evening with dinner and margaritas at Benny's in the Village.  And Saturday my uncle came to visit.  I spent the day being a tourist and seeing Le Cage Aux Folles on Broadway.

Yes, that's many many hot men in drag plus Kelsey Grammer... need I say more?


It's been a whirlwind experience so far and I've only just begun.