An Autumn Love Letter to New York

Walking up Sixth Avenue in Greenwich Village to meet Donna.

Here she is. We met when Donna became Lifstyle Director
at Good Housekeeping and I reported to her as a writer. She is a
magazine/publishing maven--
grew up in California, drove East with her love [now her husband], attended Brown.
Her career has spanned Women's Wear Daily,
Self, InStyle, The Wall Street Journal, more. She is kickass. Then she got her master’s in narrative medicine from Columbia University! 

Donna chose this great restaurant, Kubeh, and you read your future in the Turkish coffee grounds.

Well, I wanted to write last night but the evening turned ugly when Punch stalked off after soccer practice at the park, not wanting to go to Tuesday evening Open Tumbling [gymnastics]. I almost dialed 911 or phoned in an amber alert. I was worried; it was 6:15 and dark. Turns out she walked all the way home from Anderson Park, about 20 minutes. But I didn't know that, and I stopped in the poke noodle shop, peeked in the toy store, looked in Dunkin' Donuts and stopped in Kings supermarket. Once home, she walked down the block to her friend's. Good thing she left her blue jacket on her bed first, so I could detect that she had been home.

She knows how wrong this is. Dan and I talked to Punch sternly and seriously about it, and took away all access to our phones and laptops until Sunday. It was either that or lose play date today and/or Boogie Bash at school Friday evening.

Have to hop on my bike soon and pedal to a dr. appt. in Montclair, then get down to brass tacks and work on my deadlines.

But I have to blog about yesterday! A list:

• Energy and sun. It felt so good to be in the city. The zest, independence, purpose. The beautiful weather. Fall. The style sightings. A young woman in sheer black stockings and pretty boots. A man in a bespoke suit. People smiling, just because.
• Donna! Great to see my friend/editor again; it's been a couple years. We reminisced about good times and our colleagues and talked about the changing magazine business. Shrinking. We chatted about writing, about hunting down story sources--we covered common ground. Now, on top of writing and editing for creme de le creme publications, Donna edits theintima.org. I guess you can tell I admire her.
• The lunch. Oh, New York City is a food lover's playground, for sure. Kubeh had the most delectable soft, fresh, puffy pita bread.....and fabulous lamb balls with mint in savory broth....I didn't know when I ordered the tiny cup of dark Turkish coffee that it would come with a green card that says Your Future in a Cup of Coffee. It instructs you to sip, swirl, wait, flip the cup and look for images in the grounds. Our charming Albanian waiter, Zog [sp?], said his Mom is an ace at this. But all Donna and I could see in my grounds was, eventually, a monkey, which signifies curiosity.
• The best of everything. Including natural essential oils at a little treasure-trove shop Donna showed me [she uses the orange blossom water, so I bought a bottle to spray on my face]; a pink snowball* at Empire Cake, across from the Google offices; H&H Bagels, famous for being the finest [I brought 3 home for the family].

I have to pack up this laptop and go! Happy Wednesday to us all.

*My grandma Alice bought me a twin pack of pink Hostess Sno Ball cupcakes in Dumont once. It was a big treat. So when I saw Empire Cake's take on these, I allowed my inner child to get one. It was truly delicious.

Reese’s Cupcake

Edit

I did indulge in some Hershey Park treats--kettle-cooked potato slices made right before our eyes, mostly just the chocolate coat on a soft-serve vanilla cone--and an excellent cupcake w peaks of thick, rich peanut butter frosting and mini Reese’s cups on top. The hand-dipped, dark chocolate covered bacon strips looked good but I resisted--the big, warm s’mores ($9 each), with square marshmallows oven-toasting to a golden brown while you watch, ditto. The giant milkshakes in mason jars beckoned. And the idea of chocolate-dipped cheesecake? Yum. The treat world was hard to navigate but I did okay. It felt like a rare moment to be there and I decided by midday that I would get a treat. One led to two, the cone and the cupcake.

Good nite. School and work tomorrow. Punchy made her own big chocolate bar and designed the label. Xo

I Do Not See That Cheesecake

What cheesecake? Image from thecheesecakefactory.com.

Busy, sticky, humid morning. Drove Figgy to DMV [for driver's license renewal] and got car inspected while there. Yay, our 2002 Toyota Camry with 189,000 miles passed! Our telltale sticker said it all....was due for inspection March 2018.

Then I scooted over here to Barnes & Noble on Route 46. I'm working in the cafe. I do not see those wedges of rich, creamy cheesecake from The Cheesecake Factory. And...what Chocolate Blackout Cupcake, also from the Factory? Have blinders on, cannot see.

I got a big rectangle of the broccoli Cheddar quiche, which ranks with the best quiches I've ever had. It has flour in the crust, but I decided that's ok. I also had a large [free] cup of ice water, no coffee, since I already had coffee at home.

I'm going to make some good quiches at home soon! I can do a good whole-wheat crust.

I know some of my blog readers are Christian and might be offended, but it is hot as hell outside. The humidity is a heavy coat.

I have an article due today to Brain & Life Magazine. I would like to finish it by the time Dan and I leave early for dinner at Chez Josephine in NYC and then "Dear Evan Hansen." And my editor would very much like me to finish it. It was due August 1; I'm not proud to be late. Trying to balance family [Sis, Uncle Jackie, etc.] But more likely, I will just be getting into the meat of it by the time we have to drive into the city.

I hope you have a good Friday in your corner of the world. xxoo

Raw Chocolate Cupcakes

I bought this hot pink cookbook as a valentine to myself, It contains recipes that are compliant with the Whole Life Challenge. Tonight I made the chocolate cupcakes, raw treats that contain pureed dates, ground hazelnuts and pecans, a ripe avocado, ground coffee, deep dark unsweetened cocoa powder and more. I was supposed to add a little carob powder but couldn't find at store. 

They are not too bad, pretty good, even. I think I would like them ice-cold from freezer with an ice-cold glass of milk. Punch sniffed one at bedtime and said it's a brownie! 

I'm proud of the healthy changes I'm making.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Made raw chocolate cupcakes.

2. Had kale salad.

Sitting by the Dock of the Bay

If you walk maybe 3 minutes down the block from my brother-in-law John's house, you reach this rocky beach. The Belfast Harbor is so beautiful. I sat on a log in the afternoon sun, pondering the rhythm of the ripples in the fresh clear water. I meditated.

Then I walked by the harbor and up the hilly street lined with great shops like The Good Table [for cooks and foodies]. I went to my beloved Belfast Co-op, and got a candy cane cupcake by Suecakes--to go--for Figgy [vegan, sticker shock, $6.07]. Then I decided I wanted to try one, so can attempt to make for Fig at home. It was a treat. Ever since girlhood, I've been enchanted with the stylish candy cane: its swirly, two-tone design; slender, curving shape; cool peppermint Christmas taste. So that mountain of minty pink and white icing peaks was like a fairy tale to plunge a fork in.

I also went to Camden briefly, that storybook town nestled in a sea cove. I love it there, as much for the destination as for the road you take to get there, rising and falling in the winter sunset. I went into Jo Ellen Designs on Main Street--it's a magical place, and the owner, Jo Ellen Stammen, designs incredible rugs and bedding--and found an enchanting book of Christmas stories on sale at 40 percent off. It includes "A Christmas Memory," by Truman Capote, my all-time favorite Noel story. Somehow, I misplaced my copy this year. When I read it later today, I intend to reclaim some old-time Christmas peace.

Good night to you.

TCOY

1. The walk and sitting by the water.

2. The Co-op.

Fairy-tale vegan cupcakes made with beet juice, local sea salt, dark cocoa...

I dashed into Suecakes on Beaver Street just as Sue was closing up.
I bought a box of vegan whoopie pies for family gathering Sunday.

Cake Talk

I'm not averse to brownies made from a mix. Some can be rubbery and taste fake, but others are fudgy and rich. [My favorite brands are Ghirardelli and newcomer Cissé.]

But most boxed mixes do contain artificial ingredients/preservatives, and none really compare to a brownie made well from scratch. Punchy loves my brownies stirred up from Baker's unsweetened chocolate, sugar, eggs, butter, a pinch of salt, a little flour and some vanilla extract.

Now I'm trying to bake less. My moods swing in an ugly way when I eat too much sugar. I never really noticed until the last year or so. Plus: Figgy, when home, is mostly vegan [no eggs or butter] and H. tries to avoid sweets. And too much sugar isn't good for Punchy, either.

Yet goodies and the fairy godmothers who bake them live on, like Santa Claus and Virginia. Last year, we happened upon Cakeaholic Obsession on Orange Road on the south end of Montclair, down near Punchy's school. I love looking in little bakeries, and am happy to suppport them, too.

The brownies! Punch loves the brownies, says they are just as good as the ones we make from scratch. And the adorable pink shop sells cupcakes in tempting flavors [like Lemon Drop and Obsession] that are wildly popular. They have kids' baking classes and camps, too; I thought I'd skip since I've already taught Punch a lot in the kitchen. But she and Miss Julie were talking yesterday and I think she would really enjoy it.

Julie Johnson, Punchy, a cup of strawberry lemonade and a brownie.
Note the hot pink KitchenAid mixer.

Julie hired an artist to paint the walls,
which display the names of all of the women who influenced her as a baker.

Somewhere on the wall is Mayme, Julie's name for her grandma, who lives in Georgia.

The Fresh Apple Cake I made for H.'s bday last night, using
his mom's favorite recipe and fallen apples from a Cape Cod trail.

Good night to you.

TCOY

1. Mass. A little quiet prayer.
2. We drove into NYC for lunch with Figgy & Florida Orange. It was good to see freckled, blue-haired Figgy and smiling F.O.
3. I was feeling like I needed support; texted a few friends from support group.
4. Took Sug for a walk and the night sky looked pretty.
5. I'm reading an old Nancy Drew mystery that I got when I took Punch to the Montclair Public Library yesterday.
6. When we go to Cakeaholic, we get one or two brownies. I save one in the freezer for Punch and try very, very hard not to chip away at it. Not always successful. 

A Lot Can Happen in a Day

Was up til after 2 a.m. watching "Men, Women & Children," rented On Demand. It stars Jennifer Garner and Adam Sandler in a story about the internet and its [constant] effects on teens and their parents. Follows five families in a small Texas town--though none of the characters have a Lone Star twang.

I'd heard about this film when it came out in October but couldn't find it in theaters. It addresses crossing lines, boundaries--the omnipresent texting, sexting, etc. One of the teens is anorexic, with help from cyber tutorials. It is a sobering film. I liked it. It spoke to me and answered some questions.

Then we were up by 7 to drive H. to the airport for a flight to Austin. Then we went to Whole Foods in West Orange to recycle our #5s [the town only collects 1s and 2s], get a hot breakfast, stock up on groceries and bath salts and spring bulbs and cards.

Then off to Bartlett's in Clifton to drop off a thank-you card, some birthday cupcakes and special cat treats for Punchy's furry friends there.

Then horseback riding lesson for Punch, booking a horse birthday party at the barn, walking Sug in the rain, doing dishes and laundry and chasing Punch and her pal [they like me to be a silly monster] for an hour or so. Roasting chicken and potatoes, serving dinner, cleaning up, taking 30 minutes to rest when sitter, Elaine, arrived at 7:30. Getting dressed--tights and a skirt, tank top and long silver link necklace--and driving to 50th birthday party in town for my friend Helen. It was so lovely! A touching toast from her husband, Steven, and a song he sang when they first dated, fancy hot apps, mini twice-baked potatoes, Dorothy Parker cocktails [so green and delicious], the requisite sheet cake, but this one very good from Helen's favorite place, Stuffed Cupcakes in Nutley. [Martha Stewart grew up in Nutley--just sayin'.]

Near midnight, a fire was laid and lit. Several of us left from the original party of 70 settled into the comfortable couches. I hated to go, just chatting and feeling the warmth, but headed out 12:45 a.m. to scoot to the ATM for the $75 I owed Elaine for the night. Money well spent for peace of mind and connecting with friends.

And now, it's almost 2 a.m. again. Wake-up will soon be upon us.

Good night.

Rough & Tumble Day

About to curl up with the February issue of Vogue. I haven't watched "Girls" much, but Lena Dunham is intriguing--so unconventional.

Today was rough. And I didn't get through it without succumbing to a tuna melt with fries at the diner, plus a dark dipped cupcake and 1 1/2 scones from the Little Daisy Bake Shop on Valley Road in Montclair. It's pretty much the cutest bakery ever, with a retro feel and adorable wares for sale, such as brightly striped paper straws and cake pedestals.

But I did pull it together, with a family dinner of pasta with chicken sausage and green beans.

Good night.

TCOY

1. Salon blowout.
2. Ate some green beans.
3. Short nap.
4. Reached out for support, faced music, was calm and kind with Punch and she did well with her homework and bedtime.
5. Met Jane at Java Love; had green tea with jasmine, really good. Great to talk to Jane. Elaine was watching Punch for a bit.

Sweet Memories

My friend Elly scoped this out, and we went Sunday pre-Appalachian Trail.

With limited internet access near the Appalachian Trail, I'm late blogging about the Pocono Cupcake Challenge that Karen, Elly and I swooped in on before arriving @ the AMC LODGE. It was a fundraiser for the United Way of Monroe County, and it was packed, as packed as a dozen and a half cupcakes nestled in a Tupperware CAKE TAKER [which, btw, is $49 in Chickadee Yellow/Snow White]. 

Such a sweet and frenzied scene. They say you never forget your first kiss. Well, I won't forget my first cupcake there: Sweet Potato Casserole [with melty mini marshmallows on top] by baker known as Blondies. That little gem was perfectly moist and dense, autumn in a pleated paper skirt.

After that, omigosh, it was overwhelming. I had a Bacon Maple Syrup cupcake by Kelly Malis and a chocolate funnel cake cupcake with chipotle in the batter, a swirly cream cap and a hot red chili pepper draped across the top. My favorites visually were by Dana Cantillo--Peas & Carrots shaped from icing on carrot cake and Mashed Potatoes, a mound of creamy white frosting with mock butter pat and sweet "gravy" on butter cake.

My favorite by flavor happened to be vegan. It was simply rich and delicious, topped with almondy Biscoff frosting fashioned from BISCOFF SPREAD--the icing whipped up by Diana from Once a Upon a Cupcake in Pocono Mountains, PA. You can email her at onceuponacupcake@gmail.com. What did you use instead of eggs? my friend Karen asked Diana, a beautiful blonde mom. Oil and vinegar, Diana said. Brilliant.

Antidote to sugar rush: Yesterday, Elly and I took a long hike by waterfalls. It was a mighty incline on the way back up. But such a nice way to spend an afternoon, walking side by side with a friend in nature for more than two hours. I had Dad's fleece jacket tied around my waist and found an ebony acorn on the trail. I've never seen a black acorn before. Exotic. I put it in the pocket of Dad's jacket for safekeeping. Near dusk, we saw deer dining in the woods.

Good night, sweet dreams.

Retro metal sign from kennyssignstore.ecrater.com.

TCOY

1. Short walk by lake with Karen & Elly.
2. Went into Nature's Harvest health food store on Main Street in Blairstown...fun. 
3. Private Benjamin alone and family-style.

Pink Cupcake Press Party!!!

The story is really sweet--about how the sisters learned to bake from their Greek grandmother.

Well, there are press events and then there are press events. The one tonight in SoHo was completely awesome, a spun-sugar fairy tale with Moët champagne, chic pink dresses and a full house. The email invite said:

you are invited to a

champagne & cupcake dessert reception

celebrating the grand opening of

GEORGETOWN CUPCAKE

soho

111 mercer street

(between spring & prince)

thursday, feb. 9th

6 pm - 9 pm 

As a food & lifestyle writer, trend watcher and blogger, I RSVPed yes, yes! to the PR firm, New York-based TLCommunications. They kindly let me bring Figgy, too. [Turns out there were also other younger daughters there--in pretty little dresses and hairbands.]

Here's what I loved about this press event:

• A cupcake follower, I've read about Georgetown Cupcake for years, studied the website, wished they were closer. And now they are.
• The event, and the sweet shop, are in SoHo! Which means we passed hip boutiques like Marni, Marc Jacobs and Agent Provocateur on our short walk from the car to the shop--free spot after  6 P.M. right on Mercer! Fig and I love drinking in style, even if at this hour, it was only window-shopping. [After a long wait at Fig's doctor's office, we didn't arrive until 7:45.]
• The famous sisters, Katherine Kallinis and Sophie Kallinis LaMontagne [stars of TLC series "DC Cupcakes"], were there--even their Mom was! Each sister came up to me and Figgy and was warm and charming. Best of all, both were dressed in gorgeous hot pink frothy dresses [one with blocks of beige, one all pink] that were beyond the beyond, so right for this night. Somehow, Figgy too had chosen something cupcake-like--a floor-grazing pink chiffon skirt with rose-strewn sweater, black leather jacket and sparkly pink infinity scarf. On the drive home, we marveled at how much we loved those dresses, and agreed that the sisters were really nice. Katherine had on candy-colored pink pumps; Sophie had beige ones. Both sisters sported beautiful diamonds on their ring fingers. Everything was just so party-pink and happy. Can't lie, very welcome antidote to some dark times for our family [and VERY bad hair day for me].
• The cupcakes! Not just the opulent tiered platters [for looking/drooling] but also the baby cupcakes passed by waiters: Peanut Butter Fudge, Red Velvet, Cookies & Crème and Salted Caramel. They were lovely fairy-sized treats.
• The parting gift. Over the last 29 years, I've been to press events and openings of every stripe,  from a Stephen Sprouse fashion party at Area in the 1980s to a guided tour [for fragrance lovers] of Estée Lauder's beautiful office by her stylish granddaughter and company exec, Aerin Lauder. I've lunched at the Four Seasons and toured Ralph Lauren's showroom to see the new home furnishings collection, leaving with a petite cream velvet pillow. A parting gift is a memory you never forget, but tonight's was so generous. Figgy and I each received a beribboned pink box of six cupcakes, a special NY collection decked with toppers like a green 6 subway logo and a tiny red apple shape. I also received a bag brimming with the sisters' pink cookbook, The Cupcake Diaries, a travel coffee mug, a regular mug with an adorable cupcake theme, a pink gift card for a dozen cupcakes and a pink daily cupcake menu. It doesn't get any sweeter than this. And I mention all this not to gloat but also to illustrate, from a marketing perspective, how every pink detail dovetailed into the overall branding message.
• The excuse to drive into glittery NYC with my Figgy. On the way home, we saw Downing Street in the Village, where Dad's parents, Italian immigrants, had their three sons. I turned left and drove slowly down the narrow, quiet street until we saw the horse's head Dad never forgot, mounted up high on the building that was a stable when he, Aldo and Anthony were boys. There it is, I said to Figgy. Look at it. Your grandfather loved animals, and he grew up seeing that. He always talked about it and remembered it.

Drifting to sleep on a pillow of sweet dreams. Good night.

TCOY

1. Lunch and heart-to-heart talk with friend Elly.
2. Walked Sug around block once.

Racing through Ridgewood on a Style Mission

I did not partake here, though I have sampled
these wares @ Bergdorf's chic little Bar 5F.
The bakery was also selling icing shots for a true sugar rush.

The well-heeled village of Ridgewood, NJ is about 25 minutes north of here. It has excellent schools, restaurants and shops, and beautiful homes.

Between stressful appointments, health insurance calls and phone interviews today, I had a chance to walk around the town. Yes, it was the world's worst hair day--and I mean that sincerely, I checked in a dressing room--but I overcame it.

Fun stops:

• Leapin' Lizards. The Lilly Pulitzer store I've mentioned. Loved looking. Pink, green, lacy, bright, feminine, happy. Think blonde and beautiful, polar opposite of me on hell-hair day.
• Crumbs. Guilty as charged--peanut-butter-cup cupcake. Pricey, too: $3.75, I think? Does not help for fitting into XL at Leapin' [see above].
• Cupcakes by Carousel. Another outrageous cupcake place; saw a mom ordering a 12-pack. The kids have higher cupcake stakes here! Favorite fact: The worker at chic Bar 5F @ Bergdorf's told me their cupcakes come from here.
• Savvy Chic Consignment Boutique. Emilio Pucci, Tory Burch, Tiffany & Co., tons more--Figgy found a great dress for five bucks.
• Eileen's Consignment Boutique. Kind of amazing. Not nearly as organized as Savvy Chic, but I scored nearly brand-new Tahari pink and black pumps for $15 and a pair of Gap jeans for $5. [While there, a fashionable woman dropped off Tory shoes for consignment. Not my size.]
• Town & Country Pharmacy. Nice Deborah Lippmann nail polish in chic colors, plus Bond No. 9 fragrances!
  

I have to go to bed now. Good night.

TCOY

1. Dressed for boot camp, schlepped ball, weights, water and mat in car, but got stymied by damn insurance authorizations and a zillion phone calls and wait times. So I walked around tony Ridgewood in my workout clothes. Got in at least 30 minutes of walking.
2. Stared down big sack of Fritos Scoops at supermarket. Yay!
3. Spinach salad with roasted, salted sunflower seeds @ dinner [seeds were Patsy's idea to add--yum].
4. Walked to soggy Iris Gardens this evening with H. and Sug.
5. Polished my nails [see Deborah Lippman, above]. Felt good to sit still and do this.

Palm (Beach) Sunday

H. and I loved Palm Beach today,
 with its towering palms, beautiful shoreline
and tall, carefully manicured hedges.

Had to work today for a few hours--first story deadline for a new magazine client, and I wanted to get it in on time [due tomorrow] and get it right. I hope I did. You never know for sure until you hear back. Very helpful that this Marriott Residence Inn has a good little workspace, with desk, comfy chair and internet connection.

Figgy's cousin Marissa zipped her over to the beach. Later, H. and I drove to Palm Beach. So beautiful. Clean, fresh, quiet. Worth Avenue, with a big Tory Burch store [closed Sundays, sadly, so could only press nose to window]. A Starbucks on "The Esplanade"--but much fancier than our Montclair coffee central. This one had a kind of flat waterfall built into one wall.

H. took a run and a swim, and I walked 40 minutes on the beach [free public access]. I loved it. The water was so pretty, the sand so soft. I could have walked forever. The trees swayed gently, and the calming breeze was just what the doctor ordered. There were pretty pink flowers, fancy cars and well-kept people.

Breathe in the Goodness
When I looked at the fuchsia flowers on the bougainvillea flanking the entrance to the Neiman Marcus Building, I stood still and stared, thinking, Study those. Take them in. See that color, that style, that vibrancy? That beauty and confidence, that positive thinking? Carry that back to your regular life.

Then we went to Delray Beach with the girls and others to hear newlywed Patrick Farinas's band play at Johnnie Brown's on Atlantic Avenue--young bride Lauren sang, too. Patrick's dad, Tony, is also in the band. They're really good. Someone made a sign about Patrick to go on the stage, since they play there often: SORRY GIRLS, HE'S MARRIED.

Icing on cake: Across from Johnnie Brown's, happened upon Cupcake Couture, a fun boutique with cupcakes named for fashion designers, from Jimmy Choo to Tory Burch. I got a full-size Jimmy [incredible chocolate on chocolate] and a mini Tory [stylish fluffy peak of vanilla buttercream frosting dipped in white chocolate]. OMG. Belly quite full, not so fashion-friendly that way. But I think these may be the best cupcakes I've ever had, and their chic names obviously help. Here's the link: http://www.cupcakecoutureusa.com/.

Tomorrow evening, we fly back home. But plan to fit in a dose of Miami first.

Sweet dreams in the land of milk and honey.

Back-to-the-Land Beauty

Let the sun shine and the gardens grow--
beauty companies are into feeding our skin
with fruit and veggie extracts now.
 [Please ignore the fact that this is a photo of a matchbook.
Smoking is bad for your skin.]  

Went into NYC today for an intimate little press lunch at TLCommunications on Broadway and 21st.  Elie Foster, marketing director for the "YES to" line of skin and hair products, was in town from San Francisco to announce the launch of five new products [targeting hands, body or face] that will be available on the company's website February 7. We got to sniff and touch and try them, and they smelled fresh and lovely.

We writers and editors had to sign a form on the way in saying that we would not report on these five products on the internet prior to their release. That was a first for me, but I'm glad the rules were clear, or else I would have blogged about them here. Two of them [in the Yes to Tomatoes line] seem like great innovations for teen girls, one of whom lives under my roof. In fact, she wanted it as soon as she saw it on the table. It is pretty cool.

Orange Extract

I loved the carrot-colored details--Elie's business card, the napkins, the bouquets of  fat orange roses in mason jars on the table. Most of all, my heart warmed at the sight of a towering, tiered platter of demure beauties from Georgetown Cupcake, which TLCommunications also represents. Based in DC, the bakery has a delightful website: http://www.georgetowncupcake.com/. The cupcake flavor was Carrot [with notes of cinnamon and apple], in slimming dark pleated paper wrap skirts--I mean wrappers--with nice caps of vanilla cream cheese frosting and dainty, fashionable fondant carrots on top. Oh, and also found it charming that the Yes to Carrots sample products we took home were in farmy mason jars with fake paper grass inside. Very homespun and clever.

Feeding the Masses

You've probably seen the "Yes to" line. In addition to http://www.yestocarrots.com/, the tubes, pumps and jars are in Target, Walgreens, Duane Reade, Ulta and on http://www.soap.com/, and are making their way into Whole Foods. They're priced affordably and contain organic fruit and vegetable ingredients such as fruit juice and flower/leaf/stem extracts. I like that the company makes Yes to Baby Carrots, gentle products for babies and toddlers.

And I admire that a portion of all product sales goes to the Yes To Carrots Seed Fund, a nonprofit that gives grants to schools nationwide to grow gardens and promote sustainable agriculture. In poorer L.A. areas, it's a way for kids to teach their parents about healthy eating, too, said Elie as we sat around a table.

Time to go wash my face with Yes to Blueberries Age Refresh Soothing Daily Cleanser. Maybe apply a dab of Overnight Hydrating Cream, too. The blueberry samples were in my bag. Would have been a perfect outing if I could only figure out the damn Muni Meters--this is the second time in a row that I got a parking ticket. Ouch. Those meter maids don't fool around. Good night.

P.S. Subliminal seduction? I bought a bag of organic baby carrots @ Stop & Shop tonight.

Photo by Figgy: One of the old matchbooks H. collected in the 1970s. Figgy really loved that one, and so did her friends. The flip side has a rainbow and the words 7up, STRIKE ON BACK COVER and UNCOLA LAND.

Seeing Red

Went into the city today for "Hot Housewares for the Holidays" preview at the New York Hilton--a peek at the merchandise, from slightly wacky to hip and PC--that marketers hope will be big this fall and holiday shopping season. [Will blog about it soon.] Along the way, saw another color trend popping: Red.

Maybe it was subliminal, since for two hours, I was absorbing lots of holiday housewares in cheery, cherry reds, from vegetable choppers to vacuum cleaners.

Ivy League Hair
Noticed two pretty, preppy young blondes--one walking on 57th Street, one waiting on the Columbus Avenue subway platform for the A train--both with red hairbands. Return to The Official Preppy Handbook from 1980? [Never read it, not sure what it said about hair accessories. Must catch up.]

These young women looked so fresh-scrubbed and lovely. Of course, you need smooth hair for that look, so I could try it after a blowout. I've plopped a chic hairband on my curly hair and ended up looking like Bozo on a bad day, with tufts of hair sticking out. And it helps if your hair is blonde, too. The red wouldn't look quite as Martha's Vineyard on dark hair.

Ruby-Red Slippers
Also saw trim crimson cardigans, and little red skimmers on the feet--cute, feminine slip-ons that looked like something my friend Ronnie's Skipper doll might have had. [I longed for a Skipper of my own but only got a Malibu Barbie. That's okay, I loved her--and my tiny little Dawn doll.]

And don't forget the cherry patterns on some fashions at Bergdorf Goodman, and the Red Velvet cupcakes [from Cupcakes by Carousel] that the esteemed store sells for $4 each at its fifth-floor Bar 5F, the one with the gorgeous signature lavender chairs.

Anyway, stop on red--it really stood out today as a chic choice in a city that could easily be dulled by khakis and blacks. I think I want some red for summer.

Negative Cancels Positive

Today I ventured into the Allwood Bakery in Clifton. Its reputation precedes it. My friend from Rutgers, Ruthie, who grew up here in Clifton, brought me some butter cookies from there when we first moved to Montclair [in 1994] and told me about the place.

Every year at Pumpkin Day, a big realtor in Montclair serves hot cider and huge platters of dainty butter cookies from the Allwood. They are unbelievably delicious, the quintessential bakery butter cookie.

But somehow, I had never been to the bakery until today. Now I live much closer to it. I waited five whole days to get there.

Goody Bag
I got 1/4 pound of the cookies and shared them. I also got four Red Velvet Cupcakes for $2.25 each. The young lady packed them in the classic white bakery box and tied it with the red and white twine.

"These are my favorites," she said. "He was making a big batch of the icing back there and I was like, 'Hold me back.'"

A Teen's Sweet Honesty
Figgy's friend A. was eating dinner over, and I knew the girls would like the Red Velvets [even though H., a health writer, said "You're poisoning us" when I brought the box into the condo]. The frosting was a perfect swirly mountain cap of what I assume was cream cheese, butter and sugar, with a little red decoration in the middle.

But they were big cupcakes. "Eating a whole one is like eating an elephant," said A. as I drove her back to Montclair. She took half of hers home, wrapped in foil.

Oh, to be young again, with that clear perspective on life. No holds barred, no vision clouded by a lifetime of wear and tear.

One Step Forward, Five Steps Back
About an hour before that, I panted and sweated on the treadmill for 20 minutes at the gym here. The machine said I burned 240 calories. A fraction of the calories in one of those cupcakes.

One day I will decide which is more important: the negative indulgences or the positive improvements. I hope I can find a healthy balance in my life.

Tonight I bought the book Food Rules by Michael Pollan. I am about to read it now. Just flipped the book open to Rule 16:

Buy your snacks at the farmers' market.
You'll find yourself snacking on fresh or dried fruits--real food--rather than chips and sweets.

Food for thought.

Going Underground

Rainy, windy Friday afternoon...perfect time for one of life's greatest pleasures, a stolen nap. I love to be sheltered in a warm, cozy house in foul weather. The louder the rain pounds on the windows, the better.

Before that, I took the R train from Times Square to 8th Street to meet my friend Celia, who grew up in New York City and still lives there with her husband and son. I love her stories about being a kid in Manhattan--so much more sophisticated than Dumont. [Full disclosure: Celia was H.'s editor--and friend--first, but then I happily stole her as a friend too.]

Pierogies and Stories
We met at the Ukrainian East Village Restaurant [140 Second Avenue; Celia's husband Greg Vimont, a really talented photographer, took the photo above]. I had the lunch portion of pan-fried pierogies [three potato, two cheese]; Celia had blintzes. Each came with a little plastic cup of sour cream. We shared a basket of dark bread and sweet challah. It was really cozy and comforting, and cost us only $9 each, counting tip.

Then we went to Moshe's Homemade Kosher Bake Shop on 115 2nd Avenue.

"This is my favorite bakery," said Celia, who stocked up on challah, rainbow cookies for her son, Ben [whose bar mitzvah was only the second I've ever been honored to attend]; and hamantaschen, the triangular, filled pastries that are a tradition during the Jewish holiday Purim.

The shelves were stocked with lofty sponge cakes in plain and marble, long black and white stacked layer cakes, and cookies of every kind. I felt compelled to try a cupcake, since I've been sampling them all over the city lately, from the tiny ones at the Lilly party to the luxurious ones at Sweet Revenge.

"They're not fresh," the nice woman working the counter said when I ordered two chocolate ones from the window. Instead, I got a smallish piece of the black and white cake [sold by the pound], one small filled chocolate cookie and one of the small hamantaschen, with raspberry filling [you can choose apricot, poppy seed, and other flavors too]. Haven't had many hamantaschen, but this one was far superior to the ones I have had. The crust was richer, more crumbly, more shortbreadlike.

Subway Culture
Then it was back underground. I have to say I love the subway culture when I'm not too cramped to appreciate it. Today I heard New Yorkers giving friendly directions to very trusting tourists with southern accents. Saw groups of men singing in harmony on my ride down and my ride back. Sat near a well-dressed blonde in a chic coat and perfect black suede boots and a young man in hip jeans and cool glasses.

Hats Off
Noticed when we stopped at 23rd Street that there are hats of every kind portrayed on the platform walls at the station. Wondered why. Just found out [thank you again, Wikipedia] that the glass mosaic hats are by artist Keith Godard. There were dark men's hats, women's hats with ribbon and trim, a wealth of hats.

"Memories of Twenty-Third Street, 2002" is Godard's take on the toppers that may have been worn from the 1880s through the 1920s, "when 23rd Street was a major vaudeville, entertainment, and cultural district, and 'Ladies Mile,' the fashion and department store haven of the time, was located nearby." How cool is that? "The celebrities he had in mind include Jim Brady, Oscar Wilde, Sara Bernhardt, Mark Twain, and Lillian Russell."

Good God. How could I have missed the train so long on this? A fashion and shopping district I haven't followed? And my own grandmother, Rosie, was employed in the 1920s and 30s making flowers for hats--she worked from home, in the Bronx. The well-dressed foreman would drop off the supplies, and pick up the flowers. My father remembers that as a little boy, he and his two older brothers would sit around the table and help. And Sis remembers getting some of the petals or blooms to play with as a girl.

And now, today's hat theme is magically expanding--according to my copy of Food Lover's Companion, hamantaschen are also called Haman's hats.

Copycat
One of my favorites today was the man in the warm-up suit sitting across from me.

His cell rang before the train pulled out.

"Jallo?" he said. He wasn't English; he had a New York accent. He listened.

"I'm on the R train," he said. A couple more words and he hung up. He seemed like a nice guy, you could just tell.

That's what I love--the people watching, the style-setting, the lingo. New Yorkers live together, travel together, stick together.

I think I will start saying "Jallo" sometimes when my phone rings, just for the fun of it.

Clink, Clink--Cheers, Darling!

I love Lilly--Pulitzer, that is.

The line is named for the fun- and fashion-loving icon [still around, pictured above in a photo from decades ago] who eloped with one of the famous Pulitzers in 1950 and opened a juice stand in Palm Beach, Florida while he was busy with the several citrus groves they owned.

Juicy Fruit
Legend has it that Lilly had her seamstress make some brightly patterned cotton shift dresses to wear so the juice splashes wouldn't show up. Soon, she was selling them from her stand. Then Jacqueline Kennedy made them famous in the early 60s--they were perfect for a young, glamorous mom on Cape Cod, at Hyannisport. The rest is fashion history.

Lilly's line is so bright, happy and feminine. It's upbeat, flowery, confident. I love the necklaces, totebags, polos, swimwear, cardigans, sandals, skirts and the whole stationery line [folders, desk calendar, notebook calendar, pencils and other pretty things to color the workday]. I even have Lilly's two books on entertaining and made her chicken potpie.

Bought Fig a pure white ribbed cotton Lilly sweater this past Christmas [she managed to get some blue paint on it in art class but it came out in the wash] and Punch a miniature navy and white striped, belted cardigan with fancy pink jewel buttons [size 3!]. Both on sale, I must add.

Lilly Watching
Drove into Soho this evening [took almost 1 1/2 hours with the inbound Lincoln Tunnel crowd] to the LeSportsac store on 118 Greene Street, for the unveiling of the new LeSportsac + Lilly partnership. I wasn't really expecting too much, but ended up falling in love with the line, especially the Hotty Pink She's a Piston pattern [I know, I know]. It looks so lovely in the Lilly dresses and all of the LeSportsac lightweight bags and totes, but they won't be available until April. Prices start at $20. Yes, $20.

All of Lilly's Facebook friends must have been invited tonight, but I didn't care. Just to breathe in Lilly makes me happy. I love going to the Nantucket store when I can get there, to the Chatham store on the Cape, to the one near my Sis in Greenwich and to the one on Madison Avenue. I recently discovered the one 30 minutes from me, in Ridgewood, NJ. I just feel pampered and privileged and in the know when I am in Lilly Land.

When Figgy was three, I bought her a beautiful little patchwork Lilly shift with bows and slits on the side and a zipper in the back. It was so adorable on my rumpled redhead.

Swanning
Felt a bit like an ugly duckling among swans tonight, but that's okay. Saw many hipsters--after all, this was Soho--but also the people I had hoped to see, the Lilly execs and fans wearing hot pink and bright green, or wild patterns, set off with a sparkly silver jacket here, a navy blazer there, a diamond hair clip, a glass of champagne. Even the DJ looked Lilly-esque, in colors that popped.

The waiters wore white shirts with floral Lilly ties. [I once got H. a Lilly bowtie and he likes it.] They passed dainty trays of petite chicken curry tarts and little pork or vegetarian sandwiches. The signature drink was passion fruit juice with vodka [pretty good] but the invite had said "cocktails and sweets," so I was happy to spot big white boxes from Buttercup Bake Shop in the corner. I've never tried Buttercup before but it was on my list [the bakery still is].

Soon, the waiters were walking the tiniest cupcakes I've ever seen--about the size of a big button and maybe 3/4 inch high. I had two delicious chocolate peanut butter ones, and there were some Mardi Gras-looking ones in wild hues. So cute! They vanished quickly--even fashionistas love baby sweets, especially when they're styled chicly.

Left with a gift bag that included Lilly playing cards in a sleek pink case [perfect for the Cape], a pink lip gloss [which I promptly gave to Figgy] and a little hot-pink LeSportsac purse [which has Punch's, or her mom's, name all over it].

Dark Night
The MarieBelle Cacao Bar & Tea Salon was a five-minute walk away, on Broome Street. Couldn't resist. I love the colors--all Tiffany-style blue, gold and beautiful. I looked longingly at the toffee, the bark, the chocolate bars in their beckoning boxes. But I had promised H. I would not splurge, as we are paying down our debt. I called him from outside the store, to rein myself in. Spending $1.36 wasn't too bad--that was the price, counting tax, for one itty-bitty, featherlight meringue sandwich cookie dipped in MarieBelle 72 percent dark chocolate. I am so going back there to get some of that 72 percent one day, to use for my own desserts. Yum!

Sigh. What a fashionable night in a fashionable town. Sometimes I think you really can put a price on happiness.

Now, it's wash my face with Cetaphil and good night. Cinderella has turned back into a pumpkin.

Gone Cupcake Hunting

Went into NYC with Barbara, Anne, Terry, and Barbara's friend Ann on a mini cupcake/chocolate odyssey tonight. We had so much fun.

Barbara is a chef at Whole Foods; Terry is a successful businesswoman with a cake business on the side; Ann is Barbara's friend from culinary school; and Anne is a dessert lover and writer who flew to Paris and back a million times for her banking job but is home at the moment raising three children--and two cats, one dog and six chickens, in a coop in the backyard.

Through the Lincoln Tunnel and over the streets we went. First stop: Sweet Revenge, on Carmine Street [SweetRevengeNYC.com]. Nicole, fellow foodie on the St. Lucia press trip, told me about it and my mouth was watering.

The little bar/bakery--sweet baby of Marlo, a nice young woman from Indiana who calls everyone "Hon"--was crowded with twenty-somethings loving the cupcake-and-wine or cupcake-and-beer pairings.

I had the Dirty cupcake, a dark devil with Valrhona cocoa in the batter and Dark Chocolate Truffle frosting, paired with a deep red wine from South Africa. Terry had the Malaysian Coconut cupcake [with Coconut Buttercream, yum] and Il Vino dell'Amore Moscato Spumante from Italy. Price per pairing: $10. We rounded out our menu with one Pure cupcake [vanilla on vanilla]; one Almost Dirty [with milk chocolate frosting]; one Raspberry Red Velvet; and one Sweet Revenge [the one Nicole had raved about, peanut butter with a chocolate ganache filling].

On our walk to our next stop, we ducked into Insomnia Cookies on 8th Street [insomniacookies.com], which I had read about--delivers warm cookies to college students up studying, etc. It's a tiny shop but we really liked the Smore cookie, and Anne bought an Insomnia Cookie tee for her daughter.

Then, Spot Dessert Bar on St. Mark's Place [spotdessertbar.com], which Terry's brother clued her into via cell phone tonight. I was skeptical--these desserts were more architecturally arranged on the plates, and the place had the feeling of a sushi bar--but the Chocolate Banana Pudding was to die for. I also liked my big glass mug of jasmine tea.

Before we got back into Barbara's car, Anne and I did a double take at Sweet Revenge to get goodie bags for our families.

It was exhilirating, as always, to be in NYC. The only time I don't feel that way is when it's pouring rain and you have to juggle your umbrella and your totebag on the crowded streets without getting soaked or crashing the umbrella spikes into some poor unsuspecting person's head.

We were back home by 12:30, visions of cupcakes still dancing in our heads. We're planning another outing again soon.