Flower Power

Flowers are back and they are BIGGER and BOLDER than ever!

My favorite looks are from D&G's S/S/ 2011 show.

Mixing and matching different floral prints  and having fun with it add a youthful look to what otherwise may be a tired floral look that comes back every spring/summer.

Salsa done right by La Esquina Chef

Double Dipper
A Salsa Duo from La Esquina's Akhtar Nawab

 La Esquina chef Akhtar Nawab created a salsa and share it via Daily Candy New York . One is red, one is green, and both are easy to make and spicy enough to encourage healthy levels of hydration.
 Now all we need is the cerveza :)

Salsa Verde
Serves four
Ingredients
10 lg. tomatillos (about 1.5 lbs.), peeled and washed
1 jalapeno, destemmed and deseeded
1 Haas avocado
Juice of 3 limes, fresh
3 garlic cloves
½ red onion (about 4 oz.)
½ bunch fresh cilantro, minced
1. Wash and dry all ingredients well.
2. Puree in a blender until smooth (about 2 minutes).
3. Season with salt. Serve with chips or as a sauce with fresh grilled fish or shellfish.
Pasilla Chile and Raisin Salsa
Serves six
Ingredients
4 pasilla chiles (stemmed and seeded)
8 roma tomatoes
3 garlic cloves
¼ c. raisins
½ red onion (about 4 oz.)
2 tsp. oil
1 qt. water
1. Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add pasilla chiles and toast until aromatic and slightly bright in color. Remove from the pan and set aside.
2. On the grill or under a broiler, char the tomatoes, onion, and garlic until dark on one side (about 3 minutes). Turn and char opposite sides.
3. Add the charred tomatoes, onion, and garlic to a pot with the chiles, raisins, and water. Cook until soft (about 15 minutes).
4. Transfer all ingredients to a blender in batches and puree until smooth.
La Esquina, 114 Kenmare Street, at Lafayette Street (646-613-7100 or esquinanyc.com).

HEALTHY HAMPTONS Part 2

Hamptons Workout Guide

Here's your black book to summer fitness in the Hamptons. Take your workout on vacation with these beachy, body-beautiful hotspots:

Drink the coconut water.This cult spinning fave has two studios out in the Hamptons--so you never have to go without your SoulCycle fix. Bridgehampton and East Hampton

Unleash your workout b(east).B East's Amagansett studio has it all: TRX training, cycling on RealRyder bikes, boot camps, Zumba and Intensati workout classes. 199 Main St., (631) 267-0900, MAP

Hit the barre.Strengthen, lengthen and feel the barre burn at the Physique 57 Bridgehampton studio. 264 Butter Ln., (631) 537-5722, MAP

Leave it to him.The man behind the hottest bikini bods: Ari Weller. This integrative movement personal trainer combines the best of functional strength training, yoga, Pilates and Gyrotonic for a style that slims and tones. Lift Hampton, Wainscott Village Shopping Center, 354 Montauk Hwy., (917) 514-8459, MAP

Get to the core of it.Tone and tighten with Core Fusion classes led by founders Elisabeth Halfpapp and Fred DeVito. 2415 Main St. (Montauk Hwy.), Bridgehampton, 212-249-3000, MAP

Double up.Test your limits using Flywheel's TorqBoard, then hit the barre with a sculpting FlyBarre class. Sag Harbor (spin only) and East Hampton locations

Breathe easy.Find inner peace--or core strength--in a Restorative, Yoga for Athletes or even Surfer Yoga class at East Hampton's KamaDeva Yoga. See all the classes available this summer here. 66 Newtown Ln., (631) 604-1382, MAP

HEALTHY HAMPTONS

Dining

Here's your black book to summer food in the Hamptons. Take your taste buds on vacation at these hotspots for snacking and savoring:

Sip, juice, love.Treat yourself to a juice, smoothie, raw food or even vegan ice cream at Organic Avenue's Southampton boutique. 28 Jobs Ln., MAP

Go fish.Making its debut this summer, Nobu is opening at the Capri Hotel in Southampton. Expect Chef Nobu's signature dishes, made to perfection. 281 County Rd., 39A, (631) 488-4248, MAP

Be a softie.Our favorite healthy dessert shop has opened a shop out east. Soft Serve Fruit Co's low-calorie, fruity concoction is as close to guilt-free as it gets. 869 Montauk Hwy., (631) 726-6166, MAP

Rusch here.Montauk's latest dining hotspot comes from the guys behind The Fat Radish. The restaurant at Ruschmeyer's features fresh seafood with local ingredients and an extensive list of biodynamic, sustainable and organic wines. 161 Second House Rd., (631) 668-2877, MAP

Naam naam naam.We love The Juicy Naam's customized cleanse, made of organic, superfood-rich juices. And when we're not in the mood for a full cleanse, the daily fresh juices and raw food snacks are perfect for a day at the beach. Sag Harbor store, 51 Division St., (631) 725-3030, MAP; East Hampton farm stand, 27 Race Ln., (631) 604-5091, MAP

Do the local motion.You don't have to be vegan to enjoy East Hampton's Babette's: the organic eatery offers dishes for meat-free and meat eaters alike. Plus Babette's seasonal ingredients make it easy to be a locavore. 66 Newtown Ln., (631) 329-5377, MAP

Answer the Q.A Bridgehampton gem, Yama Q is known for its fresh fish dishes, high-quality sushi and oversized salads. Yum! 2393 Montauk Hwy., (631) 537-0225, MAP

Masculin Feminin

I like menswear inspired, minimalistic fashion...

Smart separates: a white buttoned-down shirt, tailored pants, slim denim, a black sweater, boyfriend coats/blazers...

Jil Sander and Celine do the perfect masculin feminin in their designs.

Below are a few examples of "borrowed-from-the-boys looks" that are sure to fit the bill this summer.

Little White Lace Dress

Yes, lace can move beyond bridal associations...

I pair mine with unexpected shoes so it doesn't scream wedding chapel or little house on the prairie :)

Pick your Tribe!

Tribal print has made a come back and what a come back that is!

Let the print take center stage and have fun with it!

I will certainly be rocking my DvF number  I had picked up at Bergdorfs many many seasons ago ;-) 

(THANKS MOM! )

If I were in Miami right now...

I would spend my day lounging at The Raleigh’s famously gorgeous pool with my Kindle, white Wayfarers and iPod while slathering on SPF of course...

Then at night, head to Mr. Chow’s in the W hotel for a delicious dinner :-)

Wishful thinking and daydreaming go hand in hand on this 100F+ humid day in NYC cooped up in the office :P

Summer translates into ~ Little White Dress in NYC ~

Summer is FINALLY here!!!! There are two things I am looking forward to when good weather finally starts rolling into the city:  Dining al fresco and replacing the Little Black Dress with the Little White Dress.

People-watching, sipping a chilled drink with dinner, and enjoying a warm breeze in the ultimate summer wardrobe staple–nothing could sum up a better summer day or night!

I have picked my favorite Little White Dresses under $500 and paired each of them with the perfect al fresco dining restaurant in which to show them off in :)

Let's start off with a New York Classic, which also happens to be one of mom's favorite spots in the city :)

A NEW YORK CLASSIC
Restaurant: The Boathouse at Central Park, Fifth Avenue at East 72nd Street inside Central Park, 212-517-2233    

The Boathouse offers gorgeous floor-to-ceiling open lakeside views from the dining room, where you might see a flock of swans gliding across the water or a couple float by on a romantic gondola ride. The menu features refined American classics like golden jumbo lump crab cake with a creamy caper remoulade, sirloin steak Cobb salad, and huckleberry cheesecake.

What to wear:

Catherine Malandrino Deep V-Neck Silk Dress

$425
This floaty silk dress by Catherine Malandrino has an effortlessly graceful movement accented with an ornate, eye-catching cut-out detail along the hemline. Its timeless silhouette and breezy skirt is a winning match for this stunning venue.

WEST VILLAGE CHARM
Restaurant: Morandi, 211 Waverly Pl. (bet. 10th Street & Charles Street), 212-627-7575

Opened in 2007, this rustic Italian-style trattoria in is one of my favorite brunch and dinner spots. I love its wide sidewalk seating, which is dotted with a plethora of little wooden tables and chairs. The seafood is always fresh and I can spend hours there with a couple bottles of blush and good company. The bustling crowd comes for simple dishes like the hand-rolled spaghetti with lemon and Parmesan and the fritto misto di pesce, an assortment of delightfully fried seafood that feels like it arrived fresh from a fisherman’s daily catch.

What to wear:

DKNY – Stretch Cotton Poplin One Shoulder Eyelet Dress
$360.00
This flirty one-shouldered white cotton eyelet dress with the scalloped hem strikes the perfect balance between dressy and casual. You’ll be sure to turn heads in this tried-and-true summer classic.

DOWNTOWN DECADENCE
Restaurant: Imperial No. 9, 9 Crosby Street (near Grand Street), 212-389-0000

I am yet to pay Imperial No. 9 a visit but I have been hearing/reading good reviews about it so it's definitely on my short list. While technically not al fresco, dining in the glass-enclosed garden room of Sam Talbot’s latest restaurant in the new Mondrian Hotel makes you feel like you’re in an exclusive garden party tucked away in the backstreets of Soho. The lush flowerpots and glittering chandeliers, paired with the backdrop of the Manhattan night sky, is a magical formula. The inventive seafood-centric menu features dishes like fried oysters with sweet chow-chow relish, fluke crudo topped with a layer of frozen coconut milk, and king crab legs a la plancha.

What to wear:

Black Halo – Jagger Dress
$375.00
Look like a vision in white in this form-fitting cocktail dress by Black Halo. The strong shoulders bring out a downtown edge that is tempered by the sexy metallic gold lace panel on the back

BOWERY BOHO
Restaurant: Gemma, 335 Bowery at 3rd Street, 212-505-9100 First time I have visited Gemma was on my birthday thanks to my gourmet friend Ekin. This bustling, eclectic Italian brasserie at The Bowery Hotel is a casual but stylish spot located at the nexus that connects to Soho, Nolita, and the East Village. Expect standard Italian fare with crowd-pleasers like prosciutto and arugula pizza, strozzapreti with spicy sausage ragu, and meat-and-cheese boards. Parking is somewhat challenging on Sundays so I suggest you park on Spring and walk to Gemma if you are like me and drive everywhere :)

What to wear:

Ella Moss – Sequoia Embroidered Bib Dress
$158.00
This adorable little cotton gauze dress by Ella Moss has a peasant-inspired embroidered trim that would work with espadrille wedges or ballerina flats.