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.

Classic Mint Julep

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.

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

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'

Spring (and NYU) flings color...

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…”

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?