Munchin Monday | WhyDid.com

Why Did You Eat That: Musical Chairs

By Kirsten|January 3rd, 2011|New York, Why Did You Eat That?|

Once upon a time, I was gallivanting through the West Village when I stumbled upon a big wooden door. Being the ever curious girl that I am, I went ahead and entered said wooden door to see what kind of magic it held inside. Magic was right. I entered a room that looked like it didn’t even belong in New York City. It was old and quaint and had twinkling chandeliers dangling from its soaring ceilings.

I still didn’t know where I was until I asked the bartender. He informed me that I was at One If By Land Two If By Sea. I had heard of it, but had never gone. It was supposed to be one of the most romantic restaurants in the city and now I could see why. I bid the bartender adieu and vowed that some day I would return to this magical place with my very own Prince Charming.

Flash forward seven months, and I returned to One If By Land Two If By Sea this past weekend for their Sunday Jazz Brunch. I couldn’t imagine anything more “old” New York than listening to jazz over bellinis in such a beautiful place. They have several delightful options on their brunch menu (served from 11:30am-2:00pm). I ordered the brioche French toast (with carmelized bananas, toasted pistachios, and creme anglaise) and my handsome companion ordered the leek and bacon quiche. Both were delightful in two very different ways. While his was hearty and savory, mine was like eating dessert for breakfast. I must say that the combination of delicious food, great music, and overall ambience was exactly the way a Sunday should be spent.

One If By Land Two If By Sea

17 Barrow Street

New York, NY 10014

347-706-3072

How does a curious girl get dressed for a magical brunch with her very own Prince Charming? For a place like this, I would suggest elegantly casual with a touch of feminine romance.

Billabong October Beanie, $22

Madison Marcus Long Sleeve Lace Blouse, $238

J Brand 901 Low-Rise Skinny Velvet Jeans, $185

Black Rooster Vienne Bootie, $125

Juicy Couture Alice Plaid Coat, $448

Happily ever after…

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That: Meet the Parents

By Kirsten|December 27th, 2010|New York, Why Did You Eat That?|

During the holiday season, there is a lot of meet and greet with family members. For some this may be the first meeting. For others it is round two, three, or four with the in laws. In either case, it can be quite overwhelming.

Last week, my fiance met my mother for the first time. While the pressure wasn’t really on me, I did want to have an enjoyable experience. For a night out on the town, I chose to take my mom and fiance to Morandi. It’s a great place for your parents to get the “New York experience” without overwhelming them with bottle popping and rail thin model types. Not to mention, the food is pretty delicious.

The staff is very knowledgable about wine and helped us choose a bottle everyone would enjoy. We ordered the olive ascalone (fried green olives stuffed with sausage) and the carciofi alla giude (fried artichokes with lemon). My fiance ordered the guinea hen, I had the gnocchi special, and my mom noshed on pappardelle integrali con pancetta (whole wheat pasta with pancetta, broccoli rabe, and radicchi). Everything was delightful and we were happily stuffed. Seeing as everyone was getting along swimmingly and my mom was a few glasses of wine in, we headed over to Soho House to really get the party started.

So what should a young lady wear when going to meet her future in laws? There is no need for a turtleneck and pearls. No one believes you are that innocent, but covering up a bit and coming across more wholesome than your normal Saturday night tube top won’t hurt. Try a warm and cozy sweater and patterned pants. Looking pulled together and sophisticated will put your future mother in law at ease. No one will ever be good enough for her baby boy, but at least you’ll come close.

J. Crew Cashmere Cowlneck Sweater, $228

Fred Flare Black and Grey Sid Pants, $49.99

Ann Taylor Covered Platform Bootie, $228

Botkier Metallic Night Out Cross Body Bag, $195

Kenneth Jay Lane Black Diamond Chandelier Earrings, $100

Welcome to the family!

xx,

WhyDid

Munchin Monday: Stripped Down

By Kirsten|December 20th, 2010|Why Did You Eat That?|

As many of you know, I hate Vegas. I’ve now been there twice. The first time I fell asleep at the hot spot du jour both nights. Needless to say, I wasn’t impressed. The second time I went was actually last week for the grand opening of The Cosmopolitan.

To say this place is sexy would be an understatement. I may be completely and utterly biased due to the fact that the entire place is decked out in chandeliers. They even have a bar called Chandelier Bar.

As far as dining goes before hitting the slots or the nightlife, New Yorkers and Angelenos alike will feel right at home with Scarpetta, STK, Blue Ribbon Sushi and Comme Ca (to name a few) all under one roof. So, basically, whatever you’re craving, they’ve got it. Isn’t that what Vegas is all about?

So how does one get decked out for Sin City? Many would immediately suggest sequins, but there’s enough sparkles in Vegas. Why not pick a shocking saturated color to really stand out? Save the shimmer for your accessories.

Naven Heartthrob Dress, $285 (one of the colors is even called “Vegas Blue”)

Kenneth Jay Lane Gold Clustered Crystal Bracelet, $74.88

Diane von Furstenberg Envy Strappy Platform Sandal, $350

Deux Lux Large Studded Clutch, $60

Let it ride.

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That: Xino

By Kirsten|November 23rd, 2010|Los Angeles, Why Did You Eat That?|

So, last week our friends invited us to join them for dinner at Xino located inside of Santa Monica Place. I had yet to check out the newest shopping center in Santa Monica (I know… lame) so, I was pretty excited. Now, let’s just go ahead and be clear that the dining in this “mall” is not that of the typical suburban shopping center. Santa Monica went all out with their fine dining.

Xino is located on the top floor of the shopping center along with several other restaurants. It has both an indoor section which is decorated with modern furniture and art as well as a large outdoor section. We were seated outside in our own personal “cabana.” It was a bit chilly, so the heat lamps were cranking and we all huddled for some body heat.

Honestly, I don’t have a whole lot to say about this place. The portions are served family style and it is Asian fusion… aka it was a poor man’s Philippe. Not a bad choice for mall food though. Order the lettuce wraps and steer clear of the shrimp.

Xino

395 Santa Monica Place

Suite 308

Santa Monica, CA 90401

310-755-6220

xx,

WhyDid

Why Did You Eat That: Like a Ninja

By Kirsten|November 15th, 2010|New York, Why Did You Eat That?|

We had company who’d never been to Los Angeles in town this weekend and wanted to take him somewhere “sceney” without delving into the depths of hell that is Katsuya Hollywood. To get some great sushi while still catching a little bit of the LA glitz, we headed to West Hollywood’s Katana.

After taking the elevator upstairs to the restaurant, we were greeted by a beautiful hostess and taken through the crowded restaurant full of pretty people. It was a Friday night, so there were lots of single girls and guys as well as cozy couples out for date night. After being seated our waiter came by and suggested a great cold sake for the table. We perused the menu and cheers’ed to our friend’s first west coast visit.

We ordered an array of different things for the table and some of the stand outs were crab dynamite roll, aspara niu maki (filet mignon wrapped asparagus with soy mirlin sauce), tori gyuza (chicken pot stickers with cilantro ponzu, and, of course, the Katana roll.

We felt we did a job well done seeing as our visitor was happily stuffed, tipsy, and impressed with the Los Angeles scenery. So, the only thing left to do was roll out in our Bentley to Soho House.

Katana

8439 W Sunset Blvd

West Hollywood, CA 90069

323-650-8585

When heading out to the “scene” on Sunset, what should a dashing diva like yourself wear? Deflect from all the sparkles and sequins in something sexy yet understated:

Ella Moss Bardot Dress, $144