Life Lately

{Josiah and his fedora are too cool for school}

Hey guys!  I have been MIA like never before!  Between DuchessDelights orders, party planning, STILL not having a fully functioning bathroom or closet life has been very hectic to say the least.  This past Saturday was my birthday and I can easily say that it was best birthday ever.  Chris and I spent the day in the city.  We went to the Met (seriously the best air conditioning ever), The Cloisters, The Jonathan Levine Gallery, and Hybird for some yummy drumsticks.  Later that night my family and I enjoyed delicious Lebanese cuisine and belly dancing at La’Mezza.  Their air conditioning was on the fritz so we were sweating bullets.  Other than that it was a pretty awesome night.  Here are some photos of what’s been going on lately around these parts.  I’ll be sharing more photos throughout the week.  Happy Monday!

 {French Onion Mac & Cheese Muffins at my sister-in-law's Parisian themed bridal shower}

 {Jada the artiste}

 {made an Independence Ice Box Cake for the 4th of July}

 {on the Met Rooftop}

 {the installation by Imran Qureshi on the Met Rooftop}

 {The Cloisters}

 {Hybird's tasty drumsticks, the biscuits with honey butter were to die for!}

 

{the sexy belly dancer at La'Mezza}

Doughnut Plant

The best place to grab a doughnut in NYC has got to be Doughnut Plant.  Founder, Mark Isreal has transformed the traditional doughnut into an art form.  The use of high quality ingredients and alluring flavors are what truly make Doughnut Plant doughnuts stand out.  Blessed with his grandfather’s doughnut recipe, Isreal began baking in the basement of a lower east side tenement in the mid 1990s.  He baked all night and during the day delivered his delicious doughnuts via bicycle to major retailers such as Dean & Deluca and Balducci's. Fast forward to the present and you have what is now a highly successful business.  His story is truly inspiring.  Without hesitation I can tell you that the crème brûlée doughnut is my absolute favorite with its burnt sugar glaze and delectable custard filling.  There are so many unique and delicious flavors to choose from.  You really can't go wrong.

Scenes From The Weekend

{enjoyed some black bean and puerco al pastor tacos at Fonda Nolita}

 Happy Monday! As always the weekend went by in a flash, but we tried to make the most of it. Here are some bits of my weekend...

 {strolled around Soho with my sisters.  I really liked this Top Shop window display}

 {savored some yummy Baked by Melissa cupcakes - Tie Dye is my favorite}

 {bought the cutest blue bear iPhone case - still contemplating a name for him}

{made some fresh mango salsa - The leftovers will top tonight's grilled chicken}

Scenes From Memorial Day Weekend

{picked some roses from our backyard to bring a little life into our apt}

 I had a great Memorial Day weekend - spent time in our backyard, went bike riding with my sister in Central Park, enjoyed some yummy food and drinks, had a picnic with Chris, and just relaxed. Wished it could have lasted a little longer, but luckily this work week will be a short one.

 {view from The Oak Bridge at Central Park}

 {Jill and I enjoyed some macarons after our bike ride}

 {Sunday morning breakfast}

 {a mason jar was perfect for transporting the white sangria for our picnic}

 {our picnic at Eagle Rock Reservation}

{made some refreshing mojitos to beat the heat}

{a sweet end to an awesome weekend}

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas

 {St. Patrick's Cathedral}
As mentioned here, last week Chris and I headed out to the city and took pictures of the amazing store fronts. It's kind of become a little tradition of our's. We even took a stroll inside of Gaga's Workshop at Barney's. There really is nothing like the magic of NYC during the holidays to get you in the spirit. Click here to check out our pics from last year.

 {Fendi}

 {Bergdorf's}

 {Van Cleef & Arpel's}

{Tiffany & Co.}

Fashion's Night Out - NYC

 Last night my sister Jill and I attended Fashion's Night Out in NYC. The city was packed, the streets were buzzing, and the champagne was flowing. This was the perfect way to start off Fashion Week. Have a great weekend everyone!

 {line for the Missoni for Target pop-up shop wrapped around the block, decided to wait until Tuesday to try & get my hands on some goodies}

 {toasting it up at Ann Taylor}

 {coolest preggo DJ ever at Fossil}

 {Henri Bendel's}

 {vendor's of the Hester Street Fair making crepes at Bendel's}

 {Lady Bunny spinning at Bergdorf Goodman}

 {Robert Verdi at Bergdorf's}

 {I fell in love at Miu Miu}

{don't let those smiles fool you, our feet were KILLING us as this point}

Did you attend FNO?  If so where did you go?

Summer Streets 2011

{tee shirt making at the Chipotle kiosks}

Saturday a few of us participated in our yearly tradition of NYC Summer Streets.  We rode our bikes from 58th and Park to the Brooklyn Bridge. Check out last year's photos here. 

{the guys after enjoying free Ciao Bella sorbet}

{fresh produce from the Chipotle stand.  complimentary guac and chips were to die for}

{Ellie and I on the BK bridge}

Foreva

This past weekend I paid a visit to the new Forever 21 flagship in Times Square.  I was avoiding going there for a while because I am not one for huge crowds and uncomfortable shopping experiences.  I was convinced that the four story, 90,000 square foot emporium o' goodies was going to give me an anxiety attack.  Luckily, it was not too crowded at all and the lines at the register were a breeze.   You could literally spend hours there because it's so huge.  It's almost a little overwhelming.  Here are a few shots I took before security came and rained on my parade.  Apparently you aren't allowed to take pictures.  Oopps! ; )