Sky-high cocktails, sneakers that bounce, and an earth-shaking wine
A lot of F&B-related content in this one.
1.
Dr. Bronner's has been creating socially and environmentally responsible products since 1948; Growing up, my mom always kept a bottle of the brand’s iconic castile soup in our supply closet, and now I do the same—if anything for the sake of ritual. In recent decades, products have expanded to include toothpastes and body lotions, yet I definitely didn’t see this latest arrival coming: chocolate bars! As if the thought of chocolate wasn’t enough to get you jazzed, the colorfully exuberant packaging is downright marvelous, too.
2.
Monster shoe rally: Now that my foot is slowly recovering from the knife fight it got into last month, I’ve been going out on runs again. Since the need to tread lightly is not a turn of phrase of here, I tried out On’s newly-released Cloudmonsters, and I definitely have some thoughts: PROS: a notably bouncier stride, some serious cushioning, and about two extra inches added to my height. CONS: Not ideal for packing small overnight or weekend bags, nor do I see these things winning any fashion contests…a marathon, though—yes!
3.
I loved seeing my friend Anna and her husband Fernando featured in T Magazine this week, as they welcomed friends over to their gorgeous Brooklyn home for a celebratory Easter dinner showcasing their two backgrounds and diverse holiday traditions (Anna is French, Fernando is Argentine). There were French deviled eggs, and cheese and Swiss chard empanadas, Andean flatbread and a braised lamb shoulder…and at the center of all the liveliness and bon vivance, two beautiful hosts who were days away from welcoming their first baby. What a remarkable moment to capture!
4.
Last night I had drinks and dinner at Manhatta, Danny Meyer’s soaring FiDi bar and restaurant offering up nearly 360-views of the town from sixty floors up. Between Manhatta, Overstory (also on my list!), and Panorama Room, where it feels like you could reach out and touch the Ed Koch bridge, I’ve been thinking a lot about the characteristics of certain social spaces that feel entirely particular to New York: skyscraper bars, for example. But also, the meeting spots and watering holes behind unmarked doors, or burrowed away in plain daylight that trade on discretion and savvy: Temple Bar, and Nothing Really Matters, for example (I have spent far too much time at both). Not that I need a bar or restaurant to know that I’m living in one of the most special and unparalleled cities in the world, but these places are great reminders—with drinks and snacks included.
5.
I tasted this local Azorean wine from the island of Terceira while I was away last weekend. Moments later, the table vibrated, a frisson of sorts coursed up my spine—earthquake! We deemed the wine delicious before the earth trembled, only now I’d add “powerful,” “tremendous,” and exciting to its tasting notes. ;)