all things as

the Expat

This post is written in honor of our dear friend, Jessie, who just last week left her cushy NY life in order to start a new one in Hong Kong.  Brave you may ask?  Maybe.  But isn’t there a little ex-pat in all of us just itching to get out? 

We’ve all fantasized of spending a day in the life of Hemingway, Stein or Joyce.  Frolic in café culture, get lost in unknown territory and explore a world both foreign and familiar.  And at this point in time, the world can’t get much smaller with accessibility greater than it’s ever been before.  As jet-setting is slowly running it’s course, becoming an expat is back in again.  After all, we we’re put on this earth to live and explore, so why not actually explore?  Even Ladurée decided to give NY a try.

Per Gertrude Stein, “America is my country and Paris is my hometown.”

Bon Voyage Jessie!

to Rome with…’like’

So it may not be Woody Allen’s best, or even in his top 30…but let’s face the facts: even an okay Woody film is better than anything else out there.  His charm is always present.

les Amours Imaginaires

This is not a film review as I believe we are all critics in our own sense of the word.  Films aren’t made to like or dislike, instead they are there to make us think and feel in ways we normally wouldn’t.  Putting aside it’s quintessential perfect score and vibrant visuals, LES AMOURS IMAGINAIRES makes you envision the time when you’ve been played or, under different circumstances, played someone else.  Xavier Dolan strikes every chord - the game, the shock, the aftermath - from both points of view.  A true cinematic gem.

It’s not what you like, it’s why you like it

“It’s true that people we meet shape us. But the people we don’t meet shape us also, often more because we have imagined them so vividly. There are people we yearn for but never seem to meet.” - Simon Van Booy

up in the air

Long layover in Heathrow, getting lost in Frankfurt, or a 20 hour flight to Mumbai; what may be a nightmare to some is a blessing to others.  Since I was a little boy, I’ve always had a fascination with airports and flying in general.  The hustle and fast pace brings a sort of energy that can only be found in an urban metropolis.  A vacation commences the minute you set foot past security and begin your walk through the duty free shops as if you’re on a stroll down Madison Avenue.  You enter your respective lounge and observe the scene just as you would at any downtown bar.  You meet the stranger with whom you’d probably never have crossed paths in the first place.  Usually this stranger is far more interesting than one you’d meet elsewhere because bonding through travel is always deeper and certainly more fun.  You share a drink, several h’ors d’oeuvres and shortly continue together or part ways, depending on where you’re headed.  You then board your flight, cocktails flow and the real party begins; and no I don’t necessarily mean sexual.  Before you know it, you’ve landed in Helsinki ready to embark on your holiday…although it feels like it started hours ago.

the LA guide to eating

It’s been several months now that I’ve reassembled my former LA life, part of which meant revisiting old favorites and partly exploring the new.  Although many believe that food in Los Angeles is simply an oxymoron, over the course of the last three years, LA has proven to become one of the key foodie cities in America.  Here’s a list, in no particular order or price range, of some of the best restaurants/cafés LA has to offer.  Yes, after a quick glance, it may seem a bit French skewed, but let’s state the obvious for a second and come to the realization that all best food stems from France. Period.

-Giorgio Baldi - some go as far as calling it the best Italian restaurant in the country.  The polenta, dover sole & lobster ravioli are unrivaled.

-Sushi Park - divey and outrageously priced but hands down the best Japanese food in the city.  Close the menu and let the chef do the ordering.

-Little Next Door - you can’t go wrong with anything in this restaurant and it’s the perfect alternative to your Little Door craving, combined with the most mouth watering pastries and desserts.  Those who’ve only been here for brunch are missing out on one of the best dinner spots in the city

-Café Stella - a food gasm with a scene that only exists in New York.  Young, hip and late-night Silverlake crowd forms in this quaint and cozily decorated environment.  Be sure to notice the artwork on the walls.

-Hamasaku - rivals Sushi Parc but has a better and more fun selection of rolls.

-Mozza - some say overrated, I say so worth it.  After all, it’s not often that Mario Batali makes mistakes.

-Bastide - the hidden gem of Melrose Place best suited for a Romantic occasion.  Bastide has the most beautiful patio in the city along with a posh hand picked bookstore.  You’d be surprised how few people know about this place.  Just note, taking someone to Bastide screams commitment.

-Pace - situated up Laurel Canyon this is the perfect hideaway.

-Lily’s Café - quaint, reasonably priced, & one of the most beautiful gardens. If you happen to be in Venice and are looking for something more casual than Gjelina or Chinois, this is it.

-Church & State - the best downtown trek you’ll ever make

-Capo - considered among the best restaurants in California, although the prices are reflective of it’s reputation.

-Comme Ca - the food is delicious yet not the best for its price range.  The key here is the wine and cheese bar.

-Foundry - some of the best service in the city and another place where you can’t go wrong.  I dream of the Foundry grilled cheese daily and I don’t even eat grilled cheese.

-Monsier Marcel - situated in the farmer’s market, there’s something really homey about this place; a true escape to the Provence.  If you’re throwing a dinner party, Monsier Marcel has an adjacent store perfect for the nicest occasions.  Don’t leave without trying the Quiche.

Although there are plenty, the 3 most overrated are: Toast, Geoffrey’s and BLD, the later of which I find un-edible.  Then again we’re all entitled to our own opinion.

fashion’s night out

There are very few things in Fashion these days that Anna Wintour isn’t responsible for.  Fashion’s Night Out is probably the most prominent example of Anna’s reign in NY.  Sure, FNO takes places in every major city in the world, yet the transformation that ensues in NY is something that is truly magical.  There’s a party in every store in all of Manhattan (parts of surrounding Burroughs too) and everyone is invited!  The mandatory attire is looking your best of course…Having been at Vogue last year during the launch of FNO 2009, I was privileged to witness the chaos and behind the scenes planning of a night that has revolutionized the New York City fashion world.  Halloween for adults is the best way to put it.  Just substitute candy for Champagne & hor’s d’oeuvres with additional goody’s available for purchase.  There is truly nothing like it.

Today is the one year anniversary of FNO and just like trick-or-treating, it’s an event that you cannot miss.

http://www.fashionsnightout.com/

Get your costumes on!

city of the century

Whether it’s a romantic stroll along the river in Salzburg, a tapas crawl through Madrid or unwinding in Old Montreal, we all have a favorite city for various reasons.  Each century, however, there is only one official city at the forefront of culture, finance, modernity and of course, all things posh.  Just as Paris was the city for the 19th Century, New York the city of the 20th Century and London the reigning city of the 21st, Berlin is projected to be our next great epicenter of the 22nd Century.

If you haven’t been, it’s time to find out for yourself.  World renowned architecture, a booming economy and top of the line emerging designers are just a few elements that cause Berlin to tremendously grow by the year.  Don’t even get me started on the art scene!  Even if you’ve had the pleasure of visiting the city in the past, the rapid fluctuations will make you feel as if you haven’t.

Enjoy London for the time being, just be sure to save room for Berlin.

a little country called Japan

Having just returned from one of the most incredible cultural experiences of my life, I find it nearly impossible to explain what I felt throughout my Japanese journey (unless, I write a book of course), so I’ll simply list the most posh things that Japan has to offer to the Western World - minus the obvious tourist attractions.

Here’s a top 10 list in no particular order:

1.  If you’ve ever been to Le Bain in NYC, you know that it is one of the few rooftop or even elevated spots in the city.  Unlike New York, however, a high percentage of Tokyo’s restaurants, bars and lounges are situated on top of skycrappers as opposed to beneath them.  Think Boom Boom Room times infinity.  Why, may I ask, has New York not caught on?

2.  Service.  Take how you’re treated at Hotel Bel Air, multiply it by 100 and subtract the snooty attitude; in a nutshell, that’s Japan.

3.  Tatami style retreat.  Have you ever worn a Kimono, slept on wooden floors or bathed on a bucket?  In that case, its time! If you choose to only experience one thing in Japan, then this is it.  The experience speaks for itself.

4.  The best raw fish in the world is hands down served at the fish market in Tokyo.  Pick the busiest restaurant you see and sit, as that’s the one that has the catch of the day.

5.  Tofu.  I can’t speak for everyone but Tofu is something I rarely order.  After visiting Japan, I realized that we should start calling Tofu by a different name because the ‘Tofu’ eaten in Japan is just something out of this world.  If you’re looking for a foodgasm, visit Rakushokushu Maru in Tokyo’s Shibuya-Ku district.  Try the sesame tofu; I promise it will be your new drug of choice.

6.  Higashi-Yama Tokyo.  Traditional Japanese food with a modern twist situated in a brownstone in Meguru-ku.  The place looks like your very rich friend’s living room yet the crowd is decked and menu solely in Japanese.  I recommend the pre-set, otherwise just point and you’ll be more than satisfied.  The only catch is that you’ll probably leave the restaurant hungry.  Maybe stop somewhere after for dessert?

7.  Kobe Beef at Seryna Tokyo.  It simply melts in your mouth as the chef prepares it right at your table.

8.  Cleanliness - Not a trash can in sight, yet the streets remain flawless.  Each individual is required to carry their trash and only dispose of it in their own personal bins; other people’s trash cans are off limits!  Wet naps are handed out at every restaurant, train ride or coffee shop and often times on more than one occasion.  Shoes are to be removed upon entering any and ALL places of residence.  The upkeep is extraordinary.

9.  Punctuality - the Japanese are on time to the minute without any exceptions.  I was in Tokyo waiting for my train to depart to Narita airport.  The train was scheduled to arrive at 1:50 yet I boarded a train that arrived at 1:47 thinking that it had arrived 3 minutes early.  Silly me!  Of course, I boarded the wrong train heading to a completely opposite destination.

10.  Buddhist Karma.  Between climbing through Buddha’s to make wishes come true, drinking sacred water for health or walking straight lines for love, it is guaranteed that you will leave Japan a changed individual.  The material possessions, delicious cuisine, and sacred temples are all great, but the karma you bring home trumps all.