Visit Peterson’s at… June • 13 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in Books, Food & Drink.add a comment
Loyal readers! I’m now blogging over at Peterson’s Happy Hour. While I’ll be posting non-cocktail items here, chances are for the next couple of months (read: during heavy book promotion time), much will be cocktail related!
Mint Juleps at post time… May • 2 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in Cocktails, In the News..., Recipes.add a comment
Makes ice as light as snow...
At Suzanne’s annual Kentucky Derby party, the guests toasted the winners of the 136th “Run for the Roses”–horse Super Saver, jockey Calvin Borel, and trainer Todd Pletcher–with refreshing, minty-bourbon juleps. The cocktail dates back to the late 1790s (!), but hasn’t waned in popularity–and, of course, it’s the Official Cocktail at Churchill Downs on the first Saturday of May… Suzanne’s vintage ice shaver (purchased at Housing Works) helped create the slushee-like treats.
1 ounce simple syrup
mint sprig (5-6 leaves), plus two more for garnish
2 1/2 ounces Kentucky bourbon
Place simple syrup and mint sprig in the bottom of a highball glass; bruise mint lightly to release the oils, then remove the sprig. Add 1 1/2 ounces of the bourbon to glass; pack 3/4 full with crushed ice; stir carefully. Pack the glass full with more crushed ice; top the ice with the remaining 1 ounce of bourbon. Garnish with additional mint sprigs.
Jane Austen… we hardly knew ye? May • 2 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in Books, Jane Austen.Tags: Alec Trebek, Arnie Perlstein, Jane Austen, JASNA, Jeopardy!, NYTimes crossword puzzle
3 comments
Arnie with "friend"
NYTimes crossword puzzle solver, real estate lawyer, independent scholar and literary sleuth Arnie Perlstein spoke at the Jane Austen Society of North America’s New York Metropolitan Region’s May 1 meeting… His topic was “shadow stories” in J.A.’s works and his talk was as intriguing and stimulating as it was explosively controversial (hint: Jane “hid” an out-of-wedlock pregnancy in every novel and leaves clues to a real-life baby…) Even if partially true, his theories show our Ms. Austen to be smarter, defter with the pen, and exponentially more fascinating than previously imagined… which is, of course, completely believable.
Arnie's muse
Smells like 116th Street spirit… May • 2 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in Everyday Marvels, NYC life.Tags: 116th Street, Columbia Greenhouse Nursery School, cows, goats
add a comment
Urban Cow... boy?
En route to JASNA meeting, got on the #2 train by accident (it was running one the #1 train–who knew?), and had to trek westward on 116th Street, past “the usual”… cows, sheep and horses? The Columbia Greenhouse Nursery School was hosting it’s Spring Fair.
Goats chillin'
Bleecker Street views… April • 9 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in Everyday Marvels, NYC life.Tags: Bleecker Street, flowers, garden, NYU
add a comment
Spring (and NYU) flings color...
Mustang Vally March • 30 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in 1, In the News....Tags: car, convertible, Donald N. Frey, Ford Mustang
add a comment
Valerie's Mustang
RIP Donald N. Frey who, according to The New York Times “spearheaded the design and development of the Mustang, the spunky, stylish, affordably priced ‘pony car’ that the Ford Motor Company rolled out in the mid-1960s in one of the most successful car introductions in automotive history…”
The man on the street… and on the buildings March • 25 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in 1, Everyday Marvels, NYC life.Tags: Antony Gormley, Mitzvah Tanks, Rabbi Lubavitch
add a comment
The Mitzvah Tank Parade made a noisy lunchtime trip down 5th Avenue in honor of Rabbi Lubavitch’s birthday… And, just when it seemed the day couldn’t get more art-filled, I stumbled on the Antony Gormley installations. The pedestrian me couldn’t miss the statue on the sidewalk, but it took a kindly fellow New Yorker to point out they were on top of buildings, too.
Mitzvah Tank parades down 5th Avenue
One New Yorker not rushing...
Helpful arrow
Observing from the top of the Flatiron Building...
Overlooking 5th Avenue
What do you mean, “no cocktail shakers”? March • 10 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in 1, Cocktails, Film & TV, In the News....Tags: AMC, Barbie, Mad Men, television
add a comment
I was appalled that this breaking Barbie news did not make any of the New York Times’ “Most Popular” lists for articles e-mailed, blogged or searched, so I’m doing my part… ‘Mad Men’ Dolls in Barbie’s World, but Cocktails Stay Behind.
No cigarettes, no martini glasses... and Joan Holloway doesn't seem anatomically correct.
A sign of approaching Spring… March • 9 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in 1, Establishments, Everyday Marvels, NYC life.Tags: Danny Meyer, Madison Square Park, NYC Dining, Shake Shack
add a comment
… the line at the Shake Shack.
Snaking Shake Shack snackers
Low Brush with Fame #346 March • 2 • 2010
Posted by Valerie in Books, Film & TV, In the News..., NYC life.Tags: Books, movies, Robert Pattinson, The Twilight Saga: New Moon, Twilight movies
add a comment
Robert Pattinson owes it all to a book.
Almost bumped into Robert Pattinson* today at 22nd & Broadway…
I probably wouldn’t have seen him if the paparazzi hadn’t jumped out and nearly trampled me to get a shot at him…
He’s in town promoting his non-Twilight movie, Remember Me… I only know that because Jon Stewart announced last night RP will be tonight’s guest on The Daily Show. Really. I wouldn’t know otherwise.
*His fansite url is .org… Do fansites have non-profit tax status?
