Lovely Eats: Mercury Levels Rising

Donburiya

[Midtown East - NYC]

salmon sashimi

soba

Sasabune

[Upper East Side - NYC]

sasabune daiginjo sake; ahi sashimi

ahi; oyster, stuffed squid

fluke, amberjack; chilled toro, butterfish

hamachi; salmon, scallop, uni

white tuna, bass, salmon roe; mackerel

Happy Anniversushi to G & me!

Izakaya

[The Borgata Hotel - Atlantic City]

peking duck buns; oysters

hamachi roll, toro, hamachi, uni, ikura; kobe beef carpaccio

asparagus, lobster; butterfish & beets

Sea Blue

[The Borgata Hotel - Atlantic City]

velvet glove shiraz; table bread & assorted dips

raw tasting trio

grilled mahi; chocolate trio dessert

Lovely Obsessions: May Play

yellow dresses

french desserts & fancy drinks(1) avocado & cheddar cheese (2) melted peanut butter 
(3) butter, cinnamon, & sugarhappy birthday dear franciswoof social networking... & baby otters


{french frosting; katstyles; serious eats; nbc}

Lovely Finds: drybar

{dry bar}

I saw this on the Cupcakes and Cashmere blog today. What an awesome bridal shower/bachelorette party idea!  Is this gonna be the new mani/pedi?

Lovely Obsessions: My Statement Bracelet

For Christmas, B likes to trick me by only wrapping a smallish gift and giving it to me.  Then after I open the gift feeling what he hopes is disappointment, he runs into the bedroom to the secret hiding place to get the "real" gift.  As the gift opener, it is difficult to know what the right reaction should be.  While I am always appreciative of the small gift, which is usually very thoughtful, but yes, "small," in the back of my mind I am waiting for the "real" gift.  And there's always the chance that this is the real gift!!!  Hopefully we're in sync enough to where we both know what constitutes a real Christmas gift, and what can be considered the small gift.  It would be quite unfortunate for me to one day expect him to go running in the room for the real gift, and it not happen.  It's not my fault, B brought this upon himself by trying to trick me!  Now that I think about it, why would anyone want to trick someone into thinking they got a crappy Christmas gift?  Not that any of my small gifts have been crappy by any measure.  But now my standards have gotten pretty high as a result of this little game of his...

This past Christmas was no different.  My small gift was so great!  B got me this book that I didn't even know existed: You Know You Want It, by Gossip Girl Costume Designer Eric Daman.  B knows I love Blair Waldorf's style in Gossip Girl, so this was such a thoughtful gift.

Although it's not about Blair Waldorf, it's a beautiful book about finding your style, dressing for your body type, accentuating your features, and understanding the appropriate wardrobe for different occasions.  While most of the information in the book is probably common sense to most people, I find it motivating to read because sometimes you can get caught up in the trends and forget to focus on what you really like and what really works for you.  It is also a reminder of the wide array of styles and pieces a wardrobe can have, and how beautiful outfits can look even when they're not the latest trend.  I like the idea of having my own personal style that won't necessarily change with the seasons or fads. 

With that being said, it was a funny coincidence that right after Christmas, an article came out about Eric Daman's book party (see here).  In the article he claims that the next "It" accessory is "the statement bracelet."  Well thanks to my real Christmas gift from B, it looks like I've already got my "statement bracelet."  I think my bracelet is "statement" enough to make me feel current yet classic enough that I'll love it forever and ever.

 {Lily McNeal Sweater, Paige Jeans, Marc Jacobs Blake, Hermes Wide Enamel Bracelet}