A Last Batch of CK Bradley

When I was younger, my wardrobe consisted almost entirely of sundresses, chinos and other preppy staples. One of my favorite designer staples was CK Bradley, a small company that made classic, beautiful pieces. I stockpiled their tote bags, dresses and playful belts, and made special trips to Newport and New York to visit their boutiques.

Now that I live in NYC, my wardrobe has become a lot more diverse, although skewed toward the black / gray color palette. But I was nonetheless heartbroken to learn that the owner had decided to close up shop and move on to new things.

While the CK Bradley team is now making incredible, retro ski apparel (check it out here), I knew that I had to try to stock up on the last few items from the original line. I love my new pink, raw silk dress (it has pockets!) and fresh batch of whimsical ribbon belts.

They are perfect for summer and remind me that, just because I live in this gray, gray city, I don't always need to match my outfit to the concrete.

Thursday Wish List

Tocca Isabella Candle (here)

The recent heat in New York has been almost unbearable, so I've been craving my favorite summer food, watermelon. Of course, cutting a watermelon (even the small, city-appropriate melons) poses unique challenges. The Kuhn Rikon Watermelon knife supposedly makes the process much easier, and all with adorable (if kitschy) design. The watermelon scent of the Tocca Isabella candle is almost as refreshing as the real thing. And who can resist a good book (on my Kindle) and a little bubbly in the summer? Certainly not me.

Kuhn Rikon Watermelon Knife (here)

Kate Spade Kindle Cover (here)

Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame (here)

Lanvin Python Ballerina Flats (here)

Sparkling Fuji Cocktail

When I was growing up, I refused to drink orange juice. My mother always had to keep apple juice stocked to keep me happy. I loved the sweet, almost syrupy taste of the juice. These days, my palette has graduated a bit, but I still love apples and apple flavor. One of my favorite, more sophisticated apple "juices" is Fizzy Lizzy's Fuji Apple soda.

Fizzy Lizzy uses real apples (see the pulp in the bottle!) and no added sugar or preservatives, so even though it's technically soda, it's not even close to the run-of-the-mill sodas that you typically find.

And of course, while we're exploring adult beverages, why not add a little vodka? This drink is crisp and refreshing, and uses fresh apples, which is great because you can use any flavor of apple that you have laying around.

Sparking Fuji Cocktails

1-2 medium apple slices, preferably Fuji (though I used Granny Smith, since it's what I had)

1/2 c. Fizzy Lizzy Fuji Apple soda (about 1/2 of a bottle)

2 oz. high quality vodka (I prefer Zyr)

squeeze of fresh lemon

Slice the apple into small pieces. Place in a lowball glass and muddle, until apple is smashed and juice is extracted.

Add ice to glass; pour in Fizzy Lizzy, vodka and the squeeze of lemon.

Stir well and serve with a spoon, so you can eat out the apple bits!

Lobster Rolls

Is there anyone in the world who doesn't love lobster? I know that these people exist, but I still find it hard to believe.While lobster is largely considered a delicacy, when made into lobster salad and served with potato chips, it becomes a (relatively) humble dinner.

Of course, it seems like an awful amount of trouble to buy live lobsters, steam them and shell them, only to toss the meat with mayo and eat it in a hot dog bun. If I'm going through all of that effort, I want my lobster plain, unadorned but with a drizzle of lemon.

The great news is, there are many places that sell cooked, shelled lobster meat, almost always for less than the average NYC restaurant lobster roll.* Often the meat comes frozen, which is fine — just make sure to defrost it in the fridge overnight; do not try to defrost lobster meat in the microwave!

Once you have ready-to-go lobster meat, making the roll is a cinch. Serve with some salt and vinegar chips, enjoy with a ginger ale and pretend you're sitting on a dock in Maine.

*If you are in the NYC area, I recommend Pisacane Seafood for frozen, cooked meat (about $30 for 2 cups or so), or Stew Leonard's for fresh, cooked meat (about $20 for 2 cups or so).

Lobster Rolls

2 cups cooked, shelled lobster meat (defrosted if frozen)

4 celery stalks, ends trimmed

4 tbsp. good mayonnaise, preferably Hellman's or Cain's

6 split-top hot dog buns (if you can't find split top, regular hot dog buns are fine)

butter, softened

Chop celery into small pieces, about 1/4" across. Using your hands, break large lobster into medium to large chunks. If you prefer, keep large chunks of lobster in tact.

In a medium bowl, stir together lobster and celery.

Add mayonnaise, 1 tbsp. at a time, and mix well until you reach the amount of mayonnaise you prefer. I think about 4 tbsp. is the right amount, but this is a matter of personal preference.

Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Spread a thin layer of butter on the sides of each hot dog roll. Grill, on buttered side, until golden brown, about 3 minutes for each side. Fill each bun with lobster salad and serve while bun is warm.

RIP CK Dexter Haven, 2010-2011

Last Friday morning, CK, my dear hamster, passed away. He had been ill for several weeks. Named after Cary Grant's character in The Philadelphia Story, I got CK in the spring semester of my senior year of college. CK stayed with me through graduation, my move to New York, many long drives between there and Massachusetts, and almost a full year of my first job.

CK was the best hamster in the world. He is loved dearly and will be missed.

RIP CK, 2010-2011

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Pie has never been a favorite of mine. At summer barbecues, I preferred cookies or popsicles. At Thanksgiving, I always brought whoopie pies or cake. Pie, in its many forms, was never the apple of my eye.

And then I went to Charlotte.

On a fateful evening, after my late flight landed, Zoe (who I was visiting for the weekend) took me to Dish restaurant, in Charlotte. Words do not even describe how good it was. Fried green tomatoes, pulled pork sliders, potato salad (another food that I had never been partial to, until trying Dish’s iteration). Just when I thought I would never be able to return to New York and its decidedly less southern cuisine, Zoe ordered the final touch: chocolate pecan pie.

I went along with it, thinking that she was my hostess, and it would be rude not to try this pie. And then I tried it, and it was like my dessert preferences had a seismic shift. All of a sudden, I had discovered the brilliance of pie. Pecans, chocolate, sugar, butter – this pie had it all. I could have licked the plate.

Of course, upon my return, I immediately set about to recreate my new favorite dessert. Many chocolate pecan pies resulted – one went to my office (it was gone by 1 pm); one was devoured, bite by bite, over the course of a girl’s weekend; one was extended to the wonderful doormen in my building. They are all delicious, for sure, but not the perfection that is Dish’s chocolate pecan pie.

Of course, I will never truly replicate their pie. It must be something in that Charlotte water. But the recipe that follows is a pretty close imitation, and will give you an idea of just how good the pie really is.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

(adapted from a combination of Emeril Lagasse and Paula Deen’s recipes)

1 unbaked, pre-made pie shell (or your own home made crust)

2 cups pecans

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

4 eggs

3 tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 c. dark corn syrup

2 tbsp. good bourbon, such as Maker's Mark

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Chop about 3/4 of the pecans (1 1/2 cups) into medium sized pieces, roughly 3-4 pieces per pecan. Spread pecans and 1/2 c. chocolate chips in the pie crust and even out the top.

In a medium bowl, melt the remaining chocolate chips. Do this in small bursts in the microwave, microwaving for 10 second intervals and stirring well in between, until chips are totally melted. Set melted chocolate aside to cool.

In a large bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add melted butter, sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, bourbon and salt, and mix well. Add cooled, melted chocolate and mix well. Pour mixture into pie crust, over pecans and chocolate chips.

Arrange the remaining, unchopped pecans on top of the chopped pecans. (This simply makes your pie more attractive — for a more rustic look, or if you don't feel like arranging, just chop all pecans and spread with 1/2 c. chocolate chips in pie crust.)

Place onto a heavy cookie sheet lined with tin foil. Bake for 10 minutes. Turn temperature down to 350 degrees F and bake for another 30 minutes or so, or until the pie filling is set. Remove from oven and let cool for at least 20 minutes or so before slicing. Serve a la mode or with whipped cream.

Thursday Wish List

Prabal Gurung for J. Crew Exploding Bow Dress (here)

This week, I am all about simple pleasures. This Prabal Gurung design for J. Crew is simple, but so elegant and unique — I'm in love. I recently tried this Marvis toothpaste for the first time, when I got a sample on a flight from London, and was instantly enamored with the strong, minty flavor. And the Barefoot Contessa chocolate cake? To die for. Literally the best thing that has ever been made out of a box. Ever.

Kate Spade Know the Ropes Stud Earrings (here)

Marvis Classic Strong Mint Toothpaste (here)

Valentino Bow Pump (here)

Barefoot Contessa Ultimate Chocolate Cake Mix (here)

My New Favorite Site — Accompl.sh

I am a compulsive (compulsive!) list maker. I make to-do lists, grocery lists, wish lists (see every Thursday), reading lists, lists of lists. There are few things I find more satisfying than checking things off of a list. And if I don't put something on its appropriate list, I have a tendency to completely forget about it.

So that is why I am obsessed with accompl.sh — it allows you to make long-term to-do lists of all of the things you'd like to accomplish (get it?) in the next 365 days. Want to check out that farmer's market? Throw it on the list. Need an excuse to go on a vacation? Put it on the list! Need a motivator to increase your blogging / tweeting / writing / napping? Put it on your list.

My accompl.sh lists give me activity ideas for weekends, serve as a spot to remember recipes and restaurants I want to try, and give me excuses to indulge in stuff like shopping and pedicures (if it's on the list, I have to do it!).

Your list can have as many or as few items as you want, and it's even free for your first list! Once you start, though, it's hard to stop — I'm currently at 3 lists — but accompl.sh credits are so affordable, I can have as many lists as I want.

So go! Sign up! At worst it's a distraction at work for a bit; at best, your accompl.sh list will inspire you to be productive, try new things and have many adventures over the next year.

Massachusetts Weekend: Scituate Harbor

When I go home to Massachusetts, I like to spend as much time as possible on, in or near the ocean. One of my favorite places to do this is Scituate, a great town about halfway between Boston and the Cape.

While there are some seasonal tourists who head to Scituate for the summer, it is mostly locals, meaning that the harbor and beaches are relatively empty compared to some areas on the Cape or Islands.

The best part of Scituate, in my opinion, is the Old Scituate Lighthouse and its abutting jetty. When you're there, it feels like you are in a movie set in the quintessential New England town.

When I was young, I would cruise down to the end of the jetty in no time, skipping from rock to rock carelessly. Now that I am older (and more cautious) it took a while, but there were some great treasures along the way stuck in the rocks.

Next time you're in Massachusetts and in search of a charming town with small crowds and big scenery, I can't recommend going here enough.

Fried Green Tomatoes

Despite never really eating any Southern food or barbecue when I was growing up, it has very quickly become one of my favorite cuisines. One of the Southern treats that I enjoy most, to my initial surprise, are fried green tomatoes. Tomatoes are not one of my favorite foods, but these green tomatoes are sweet, crunchy and amazing when fried. So, when I saw green tomatoes at the Union Square farmer's market last weekend, I knew that I absolutely had to grab a few.

Green tomatoes are basically unripened tomatoes, which means that they are more solid and less juicy in the center. Ripe, red tomatoes can be fried also using this recipe, but they are more likely to fall apart as they are much less sturdy than the green tomatoes. In fact, I left my green tomatoes for a day before frying them and one of them ripened a bit — sure enough, a few of the fried slices of this tomato fell apart in the pan. It was still delicious, just a bit messier!

Fried Green Tomatoes

(adapted from the Dinosaur BBQ Cookbook)

3-4 green, unripened tomatoes

3 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I used Dinosaur BBQ Cajun Foreplay seasoning)

1/2 c. egg substitute or 2 eggs

1 c. panko breadcrumbs

vegetable oil, for frying

Pecorino Romano cheese

Slice tomatoes, about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle lightly with Cajun seasoning.

Add remainder of Cajun seasoning to panko breadcrumbs, mixing well, and pour into a wide bowl. Pour egg substitute into a wide bowl, or crack eggs and beat lightly. (When breading foods, I like to use egg substitute, because it has a more uniform texture and viscosity, making the breading process easier. For everything else, I always use real eggs.)

Dip tomato slices into egg, then into panko, coating in panko. Place on a lined baking sheet.

Refrigerate for 1/2 hour, until breading is set. The breaded slices can be refrigerated for up to a few hours before cooking.

Pour oil into a wide, nonstick skillet and heat on medium. When oil is hot, place breaded tomatoes into pan, being careful not to crowd the pan. Let cook for about 3 minutes, or until breading is golden, on each side.

Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels, layering paper towels so that excess oil is absorbed off of each slice. Grate Pecorino Romano cheese onto each slice, and serve immediately with ranch dressing or another dipping sauce of your choice.

All photos by the incredible Jenn Vargas.

Monopoly Party

Slightly nerdy fact: I love Monopoly. When I was growing up, occasionally my family would host epic Monopoly nights. Over dinner and lots of wine (for the adults), we would play for hours until one person prevailed (almost always my uncle Sterling).

So when I found out that my friends similarly loved the classic game, we immediately started planning a Monopoly night. It took us a few weeks (months?) to finally pin down a date, and due to True Blood one participant couldn't make it. Nonetheless, we chose our board (Lilly Pulitzer edition) and got down to business.

Throwing a Monopoly party turned out to be enormously simple. I suggest keeping invites to five people or fewer, so that nobody has to wait too long for a turn, and establishing firm house rules at the beginning to avoid conflict later. Also, make sure to have lots of snacks and drinks on hand — both alcoholic and non-alcoholic, in case anyone takes their game so seriously they don't want the impediment of booze.

As our epic, 5-hour game drew to a close, Cara was so far ahead that she literally had more cash than the bank (see her stack below). Monopoly was the perfect excuse to get together, enjoy dinner and play our favorite board game for hours.

All photos by the incomparable Jenn Vargas.

Thursday Wish List

CK, circa 2010

As many of you know, last week CK, my beloved hamster, had to spend several nights in the veterinarian ICU. He was sent home last Thursday with one eye stitched closed, and a strict regimen of liquid diet supplements, eye drops, and three different prescription medicines.

Thanks to the incredible staff at The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine, he has gained some weight and seems to be doing much better. Today, CK goes in for his follow-up appointment. The only thing on my wish list this week is for CK to be healthy and happy.

CK, with his cheeks stuffed full of food, circa 2010

Dinosaur BBQ Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Going to college in Ithaca, NY was wonderful — Ithaca is a perfect college town, with all of its advantages. That said, there was certainly a lot that I missed living in such a small town, not least of all shopping. While really good shopping was about 4 hours away in New York City, for more reasonable trips, we would often make the hour long drive to Syracuse.

Of course, driving to Syracuse also meant one other huge advantage — eating at Dinosaur BBQ. While many are familiar with the Dinosaur BBQ in Harlem, the original is up in Syracuse, and is amazing in all of its honky tonk, biker bar, upstate NY glory. The food at the Harlem location is amazing, but the best is undoubtedly at the original.

One of the best things that they serve is their BBQ chicken wings, served with a side of tangy Cayenne Buttermilk Ranch dressing. Needless to say, I was pretty psyched to see the recipe for the dressing in the Dinosaur BBQ cookbook. This stuff is super easy to whip up, and tastes great with chicken wings, french fries, you name it.

Cayenne Buttermilk Ranch Dressing, from the Dinosaur BBQ Cookbook

1 1/4 cups mayonnaise

1 cup buttermilk

1 tbsp. red wine vinegar

1 tsp. minced garlic

1/4 c. finely chopped fresh chives

1 tbsp. lemon pepper (found in the spice aisle)

1/4 c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

1 tsp. kosher salt

Freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp. Dinosaur BBQ Cajun Foreplay Spice Rub (or other Creole spice seasoning)

Add all ingredients together in a bowl, and mix well. Pour into a lidded container and let sit in the fridge for at least 1 hour to let the flavors meld. Store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Photos by the wonderful Jenn Vargas.