A Guide to Attainable Luxury

 

The Kensington Hotel

January 25, 2012 | posted by Molly
 
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It had been a few years since I visited my favorite city in the world, but there are certain places that tug at your heart strings, that always exist within you, that call you home. This for me is London. Whether I lived there in a former life or am meant to be there in this one, it’s a place I feel most content, and in a word, happy. Now, I’m not so naive as to realize that when I am there, I am not living a reality. I can afford a week in South Kensington, the best neighborhood in the world. And, living there, perhaps would prove quite different. But for now, dabble in the fantasy with me as I take you to my latest favorite hotel in London…The Kensington.

A Mr. & Mrs. Smith recommended property, this hotel has recently undergone a £20m renovation and offers a unique townhouse experience better than even the comforts of home (I was pleasantly surprised to find an American plug in our room). The decor is stunning—fashionable and elegant, a place you wish you could afford to live until the end of time. We experienced two different rooms (they were so kind as to upgrade us the last night) and I highly recommend the Deluxe. While both spoil you with fine linens, bathrobes, complimentary wireless and a modern bathroom, the Superior room was a bit small (my only gripe), while the Deluxe room was ironically, superior. The Afternoon Tea looked sophisticated, booming and was unfortunately booked (make advanced reservations), but we did partake in the “Great British Breakfast,” which, while a bit pricey (with the exchange rate), was the perfect way to begin our first morning. And while you never really need to leave, this is in fact, London. So, take a step out your door, you’re only moments from Hyde Park, Kensington Palace, Knightsbridge and my favorite Indian restaurant ever.

Oh wait, can you hear it? That old familiar sound of London calling. Glad I have a place to stay.

NOTE: I previously wrote about The Cranley hotel in South Kensington, and I still highly recommend it, especially if you need a more affordable option. To compare the two, The Cranley has a more bed & breakfast feel, while The Kensington offers a full hotel experience (i.e. restaurant, bar, concierge, masseuse).

DISCOUNT: Tablet Hotels is offering 20% off The Kensington through February. Click here for the offer.

 

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Hi, This is Barcelona

January 22, 2012 | posted by Molly
 
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Last August, my husband and I planned a dreamboat vacation to London, Barcelona and Marjorca. You know how when you buy a new car, suddenly everyone in the world is driving that car, everywhere you turn, it’s all you can see? Same with this vacation. As soon as I booked the flights,  everyone I know was going or had recently been to Barcelona. And, here I thought I was being original.

My friends were right—the jamón imbérico was “to die,” the tomato bread is an affair I will never get over and the people all looked like models minus the LA “tude.” Our hotel, the Murmuri, was everything I had hoped—boutique and luxurious and perfectly located. But, as we re-tell the story, the pièce de résistance, among all things was a tour. Shocking, as I hate tours. Not this one.

I found the private tour company Hi, This is Barcelona in the comments of the travel section of the New York Times online. I was concerned about my flagging relationship with the Spanish language and thought the only way to avoid the utter humiliation of a tour bus, was a one-on-one experience. Hi, This is Barcelona was started by a Californian who moved to Barcelona over a decade ago and offers a completely customizable experience for those looking for a hands-on, throw away the guide book intimacy with this city. I debated on a tapas tour, but confident in my ability to choose great restaurants (even abroad), I looked for something outside my area of expertise, and thus booked the “Undiscovered Corners of the Barrio Gotico” (the Gothic Quarter). If you happened to have an American friend who had lived in Barcelona for years, knew the history inside and out, happily answered all of your questions with patience and humor, then took you to tapas after (“where the locals go”) not because you paid for it, but because she likes you–THIS was that experience and our “friend” was named Nancy. We wondered down the cobblestone streets, inside the La Boqueria Market, feasting our eyes on the most incredible produce I’ve ever seen and stopping for a glass of wine in between history lessons and tapas. €209 got us four hours of the best time we spent in Barcelona.

And, though they couldn’t pull off the impossible—dinner reservations at Tickets, Ferran Adria’s latest and greatest, they did book us a table at a hidden and quaint “hole in the wall gem” called Montiel in the Born neighborhood. Salud!

 

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NEW York (Part 3): Wine & Dine

June 12, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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Keeping up with the New York food scene can be a challenge living all the way in Los Angeles. So, I try to keep a running list of those restaurants I’d like to try on each visit. Here are a few of new and/or noteworthy additions to add to yours:

CROSBY BAR: I’m in LOVE with Firmdale hotels. They represent everything I want to be—sophisticated, charming and fabulously British. Until two years ago, you had to travel to London to spend the night in such luxury, so when the Crosby Street Hotel opened in New York, I had to visit.  Sadly, it has continued to be about $250 more per night than many of the other upscale boutique hotels. Though I could not justify the price of their rooms, we stopped by for a nightcap at The Crosby Bar to see what all the fuss is about. We made fast friends with the mixologist, sipping our carefully crafted “Tigers Eye” and “Devils Advocate,” taking in the whimsical design by Kit Kemp. The perfect place for romance or a secret rendezvous, it was every bit as stylish as I had hoped.


EATALY: It’s been rumored for a while now that Los Angeles is getting an Eataly, Mario Batali’s monstrosity of a marketplace that opened less than a year ago in New York (we’re waiting…). This is a one stop shop for all your Italian cooking needs and cravings that includes restaurants, groceries, gelateria, imported meats and cheeses, beer and wine and so much more.  We ate Neapolitan pizza at La Pizza, and while it was amazing, the surprising standout was the shaved asparagus with fava bean, pecorino and mint. And, just like everyone else in New York, yes, they deliver. How’s that for having the world at your fingertips?

 

DBGB KITCHEN: If you want to have the Daniel Boulud experience with a more relaxed vibe, head over to his downtown brasserie, where you can nosh on a variety of 14  house made sausages, but still be wowed by more refined dishes like the Asparagus and Fried Egg Salad with Duck Cracklins and Mustard Egg Dressing, Sauteed Burgundy Snails or Escalope of Chatham Cod. The place is packed on Friday night, only adding to the notion that you are out on the town. Use the waiting time to peruse the culinary quotes on the wall, while you sip a craft beer or Pear Sidecar.

 

DOUBLE CROWN: Though it opened in 2008, I have to give props to the restaurant where my food loving sister-in-law moonlights as a waitress. The fare is British Empire fused with Southeast Asian, which means you can expect to find Steamed Mussels in a Coconut Broth, Miso Glazed Bone Marrow with orange-olive marmalade, and an Apple, Lotus and Lily Bulb Salad. The Sunday Nonya dinner is a must—a progressive 7 course family style tasting menu that celebrates a sampling of all the menu flavors. Don’t have quite that big an appetite? Stop by for cocktails and appetizers—it’s equally as fabulous.

 

 

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NEW York (Part 2): Savage Beauty

June 8, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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I do like art (heck, I married an artist and represent them for a living), but I’ll admit I’m not an avid collector or someone who can even offer an intelligent reason why some works are considered museum worthy and others just wind up on the sidewalk. But, what I can tell you is that art is an emotional experience. You have to reason that every artist has the goal to make you feel something, whether positive or negative. When a friend told me that I had to check out the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Met, I had no idea that it would change my view of fashion, art and the blurred lines between fantasy and reality.

Alexander McQueen was known for many things in the fashion industry—among them, being unapologetic for his passion. I had not studied his collections nor had I read a single word about his life, but from the moment I stepped into the first room of “his house,” I was transported…sad, even, that I had not appreciated this young, brilliant talent before he took his own life.

As I moved from room to room, I started to realize that his inspiration wasn’t just some “out there” attempt at getting attention, but rather a much deeper, mad genius take on historical events, nature and above all, finding the beautiful in the ugly.  At one point, the score from Schindler’s List began against a video installation and the air became haunted and melancholy. Sure, his costumes were breathtaking, but bravo to the Met for a brilliant job of setting the perfect mood. Now, if only I could afford that Sarabande dress from spring/summer 2007 decked out in silk and fresh flowers…

“There is no way back for me now. I am going to take you on journeys you’ve never dreamed were possible.” -Alexander McQueen

NOTE: Alexander McQueen, Savage Beauty is now showing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City and was recently extended through August 7, 2011. If you can’t make the exhibit, you can still purchase the book.

TIP—if you go on a weekend, prepare to stand in line for tickets. You can avoid lines by becoming a member, which only cost $20 more than 2 tickets. Support the arts, avoid the lines-nuff said.

 

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NEW York (Part 1): Mondrian Soho

June 5, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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There’s no sign, so you know it must be cool. The entrance…an ivy covered arbor, romantic from strung lights and a side view of the front orchard-esqe patio, where guests of the booming restaurant/bar, Imperial No.Nine, might step out for some night air. The Lobby…shades of cornflower blue and chrome, evoking modern chic and urban glamour. This is the Mondrian, the newest hotel to hit Soho, and it’s the talk of the town.

Part work; part pleasure, I had one week in New York City, and plenty of time to experience some of the newer places I’d heard so much about. But, let’s start at the beginning. The hotel, the hotel!

Luxury boutique hotel living has become a lifestyle. So much so that there’s even a new home furnishing line out to help you create the same feel at home—see Hotel Maison. My point? Hotel decor is important. And the Mondrian Soho has done everything right.

I’m a little biased to blue and white…it’s calm and orderly, the antithesis of my
life lately. Add to it crystal water glasses (so much chicer than a paper cup), the
inspirational quote on the bed, the Help Remedies, the iPad at your service, and it made leaving one of the more depressing days of my life. If that wasn’t enough, floor to ceiling windows covered the entire front wall, capturing a view that leaves you breathless and in love with one of the greatest cities in the world.

And that view expanded into the bathroom, where you can shower as you watch passersby stroll in and out of Derek Lam across the street. Can they see me? Oh, who cares! This is New York!

Mondrian Soho.  9 Crosby Street.  New York, NY 10013.  212-389-1000

 

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Cocktail Hour

April 25, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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And so it seems there are two words in my vocabulary lately–work and cocktails (exactly in that order). Oh, and vacation. But, unfortunately that’s a story for another day. I finally made a visit to Bar Keeper in Silver Lake and it ignited even further my recent obsession with bringing back the cocktail hour. Here’s what I’ve learned:

First things first. You must always have the right outfit, or in this case, be outfitted with
the right barware. Case in point— Cocktail Cups by Charles Schumann. I bought six.

If you are going to make me a [insert gin,vodka] tonic, please make it with Fever-Tree Tonic Water. Seriously, it really is the only tonic worth drinking.

Bitters makes everything better, and Bar Keeper has the biggest and best selection—which you will definitely need if you try to attempt any of these cocktail recipes .


I need a lesson from Marcos Tello, the mixologist behind some of LA’s finest bars i.e. The Edison, First & Hope. Pictured here, my special request at First & Hope for a drink similar to their former Blackberry Cobbler. This one was infused with rosemary—spectacular!

And finally, it’s five o’clock somewhere. Cheers, people!

 

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Chicks with Knives: Pickling

March 14, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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Ok, so I’ll admit it. My first attempt at pickles was a big ole fail. After a few days of refrigeration, it was apparent there was something very unappealing growing in the bottom of the brand new jars I had paid entirely too much for at Sur la Table. SO…I decided $125 to take a lesson from the experts was an investment in my education (and would probably end up costing way less than my current method of trial and lots of errors).

Suzanne Griswold and Rachael Narins have made quite a splash within the food circles of LA. They are Chicks with Knives. Not only are they the creative force behind some of the city’s best secret dinners and cooking classes, but they specialize in pickles, often popping up in off beaten locations to blanket our town with their perishable canned goods (see also bacon jam—sinful).

It was a Sunday morning at Surfas, and I was ready to soak up as much info as I could, with visions of my perfectly packaged jars of pickles (à la Martha Stewart) ready to hand out to neighbors next Christmas. Well, the first hour alone was worth any price hesitation. Rachael gave us a very thorough run down of methods, common misconceptions (you shouldn’t pickle with your own homemade vinegar, and to think that was next on my list), and her favorite resources (The Joy of Pickling by Linda Ziedrich).

We partnered off and each got to make at least two different recipes, though we got to take home some of everything. My partner and I tried Classic Garlic-Dill Pickles and Spicy Mexican-Style Pickled Carrots & Jalapeño. Not only did we leave with new-found skills and seven jars of pickles, we also got a goodie bag filled with a canning kit, pickling spice and all the recipes. For more info on Chicks with Knives and to find out about their next pickling class, sign up for their newsletter. Here is a little peak:

Always start any recipe with beautiful fresh produce-preferably when someone else has done the shopping!

Pickling spice can be purchased or you can make your own (my preferred method)–luckily we got to take some home in our goodie bag.

We made quick, refrigerator pickles, which is very different and way less complicated than fermented pickles. Who knew! *See below for recipe courtesy of Chicks with Knives

I’m fast friends with anybody who understands the joy of pretty packaging and labeling!

The gorgeous goods: Spicky Mexican-Style Pickled Carrots & Jalapeño—Traditionally served as a condiment with Mexican food, but try chopping and adding to a green salad with sliced zucchini and crumbled feta cheese.

Kimchi-all I can say is WOW. A-mazing. And…a very clever tip, add in cold chicken stock, carrots and bean sprouts and serve as a chilled soup. Yes, I think I will.

Classic Garlic-Dill Pickles (Courtesy of Chicks with Knives)
Yields: 6 cups

1 pounds Kirby cucumbers
1 pound onions, sliced thin
2 tbsp salt
2 cups white sugar
6 each garlic clove
2 tsp pickling spice
2 tsp dill seed
4 cups white vinegar (1 liter)
1 cup dill weed sprigs

Slice the cucumbers thin. Layer in to a colander with the onions and sprinkle each layer with salt. Let stand for one to three hours (Note-we only let them stand about 15 minutes in the class and they still turned out great).

Rinse well.

Place the sugar, garlic, spices and vinegar in to a large non-reactive pan (such as stainless steel). Do NOT add the fresh dill. Bring to a boil. Add the cucumbers. Return to a boil and turn off the heat.

Pack the vegetables and fresh dill in to sterilized jars. Top with vinegar. Cool and seal.

Will be ready to eat in one or two days, but best about a week later. Will keep for a month in the fridge.

 

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Spa Psyc at The Parker (An Update)

February 17, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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I’m not sure how you can improve on what I already felt was spa perfection, but some how, The Parker’s Psyc has managed. It had been two years since my last visit and I must say, they have reached Titanic status (minus the tragic ending). They still have all the amenities that lured me before, but the co-ed pool area has been given quite the face lift. Now featuring two jacuzzis, a meditation tent and gorgeous quiet room, where you can relax with an ice cold eye mask, life, if only for a moment, doesn’t get any better. That is until the oysters on the half shell and a Pimms Cup arrive pool side–”spa food” at its finest.

Pay special attention to the Manifesto on the wall. Number One: “We believe in the American Country Club Experience—mixed doubles, a long steam and a stiff cocktail.” Poo-pooers can kindly exit through the back door.  Once properly geared up for your main voyage (I chose an hour deep tissue massage), make sure to flip through their music selection. You’ll be forever spoiled by attention to detail.

As my husband and I smiled at Dustin Hoffman making his way into the steam room, I couldn’t help but wonder what song he chose during his treatment. Unfortunately “Mrs. Robinson” was not an option.

Spa Psyc at The Parker Hotel. 4200 East Palm Canyon Drive.  Palm Springs, CA.  760-321.4629

 

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Homemade Dill Pickles

February 6, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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I’ve been wanting to make pickles for quite some time. Especially since spending an afternoon at the Bloody Mary bar at The Nines Hotel in Portland. So, this past week, I gave it a go.

STEP 1: Buy pickling (Kirby) cucumbers at the Farmer’s Market (yes, there is a difference between these and regular cucumbers, specifically a thinner skin allowing the brine to penetrate).

STEP 2:  Wash, dry and slice said cucumbers.

STEP 3: Make a Pickling Spice and a Brine. Click here for the recipe I used

STEP 4: Add the cucumbers to canning jars, adding a little of the pickling spice and dill as you stack them. When your jar is full, cover completely with the brine.

STEP 5: Store jars with their lids loose in a cool, dark place for 3-6 days to ferment.

For complete instructions, try this recipe. My pickles were less crunchy than I would have liked and next time, I’ll use less clove.  Pick your Own has tons of information and ideas. While, I won’t be opening up a pickle stand anytime soon, it was a good first attempt. I can’t wait to pickle green beans when they are at their peak.

If you are in Los Angeles and need a hands on step-by-step lesson on making homemade pickles (I think I might!), check out Chicks with Knifes Workshop at Surfas on February 20th. I was a little stunned by the $125 price tag, but trial and error can add up, especially if grandma isn’t around to help you.

If you want to ease your way in, try this book “Jam It, Pickle It, Cure It”. Don’t miss the how-to video!

 

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Paper Hearts

January 19, 2011 | posted by Molly
 
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The most dreaded holiday is upon us. It doesn’t matter if you are in a relationship or not. The expectations! Oh, how they can ruin the best of intentions. I’ll admit, I like a bouquet of $200 roses as much as the next girl. But, in recent years, I’ve gotten a better head on my shoulders and realized that settling for a paper heart, is not settling after all. What we really want is to be acknowledged. Here are a few of my favorite valentines that are sure to put an arrow through the heart of the ones you love (and you won’t go into debt…how sexy is that?).

1. You’re the Love of My Life (But, I’m Young, A Lot Could Happen)-Nothing is more attractive than a sense of humor. Card by Hard Cards $3.50

2. Heart Doilies-An inexpensive way to add a little love to your romantic dinner decor. Paper Source $2.50/12 pack

3. Two Lovers at Sea-For the one you pine over. Card by Mr. Boddington $20/4 pack

4. Sweet Nothing-When whispering in their ear is simply not getting the message across.  Knock Knock $3.75

5. Your Mr. Darcy is Out There-At least keep telling your girlfriends that. Card by Borrowed and Blue on Etsy $5.00

6. You’re My Cup of Tea-When you haven’t gotten to the “I Love Yous” just yet. Card by Hello Lucky  $4.50

7. Funny Valentine Garland (background)-Paper garland is the new rose petals. Just don’t forget the candles. Mara May on Etsy $40

 

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