Fun, Fab Vegan Birthday Week

Who gets the flu in the midst of spring? Me, apparently. I am just recovering from the most miserable week ever- fever, chills, nasal congestion- you name it, I had it. The couch and I were inseparable. Bet you think I got sick because I was partying like a rock star for my birthday...not quite the case, but birthday week and requisite extended after-birthday week was pretty fun. Now to start the show-and-tell:

First off, a little bday pic of Miss Booboo- having birthday treats on the table.
Grandma and I took a quick trip to the Brooklyn Botanical Garden to catch the cherry blossoms. It was amazing- the sky was filled with gorgeous fluffy blooms.

I also planned a birthday dinner this year at long-awaited, eco-fabulous, mostly veg restaurant headed by Lee Gross (of my favorite place in LA, M Cafe)- Broadway East. The place opened two months ago and I was excited to check it out. The space is about as green as can be- lots of reclaimed wood & materials and a living wall of plants. What was ideal was the mostly veg menu with a token fish & chicken dish- perfect for a group dinner! I did have some doubts because the place was so new- wasn't sure if they had time to work out the kinks yet.

First off, location- pretty far off the beaten track on the edge of Chinatown on the Lower East Side, but exterior & interior looked cool.

This was hands down the most delicious beet salad ever.
Some of my friends decided that in honor of my birthday, they would order only vegan selections- that was so sweet! Here's the mushroom pate:
This was my actual entree- Peking Tofu. It was delicious.
All in all, the food was good & the room was nice, however, kitchen timing & service really needs to work out some major kinks (as with most new places). Unfortunately, my omni friends were not blown away even though the food was good because of the service distractions. Damn, should have waited a few more months before planning a group dinner...missed an opportunity to really wow the omnis with a new, hip, vegan-friendly place. Since, I am always open to giving a place a second chance- I might be back at some point to check out breakfast or brunch. It was a nice get-together with many of my friends and in lieu of gifts- if they were thus inclined, I asked instead for a donation to my two favorite charities: Farm Sanctuary & The Humane Society of the United States.

Broadway East
171 East Broadway
NYC
212.228.3100
www.broadwayeast.com

The most fun to be had was at the dive bar next door. There was some dancing done there after dinner...
The day after- called for some peace & quiet, so to lovely Franchia, I went.
I had some assorted dumplings & tea to make up for the alcohol from the previous evening.
Franchia
12 Park Avenue
NYC 10016

Later that week brought a client lunch at fancy, schmancy Cipriani Downtown, where people just come to be seen and have some yummy Italian food.
You have to have a Bellini here because these are the guys that invented it, well kind of- it was invented at Giuseppe Cipriani's place, Harry's Bar in Venice (I had one my first time in Venice!). Yum yum.
The menu is definitely not that vegan friendly, so I asked them to make me a pasta primevera- delicious!
And the jaded clientele are everywhere...
Cipriani Downtown
376 West Broadway
NYC 10012

I call it birthday week luck that I happened upon shoe store, Te Casan, right next door. They are the ones that carry Natalie Portman's vegan shoe line. Hurray!

Since it was my birthday week and since I have not been able to walk into a high-end store and buy anything because there are hardly any vegan options, I was so thrilled that I bought two pairs of shoes. I also reconciled the cost in my head that what I paid for two pairs would have only been one pair Stella McCartney's shoes- see, a bargain and helping the economy!

They are just so damn hot. Look at them.
And these, they are simply divine. I stopped by the studio to show off my goodies and even the stylist said that they could have been Givenchy or Lanvin- they are so damn cute.
Te Casan
382 West Broadway
NYC 10012
www.tecasan.com

Saturday brought the Revlon Run Walk. I do this walk every year in honor of my mother, who died from ovarian cancer. With the generous help of friends, family and a few strangers, I also raise a couple of thousand every year in donations. Thank you again to everyone who supported me in this event!!
Everyone participated in this great event!
At the end of the walk which began in Times Square and ended at the North end of Central Park on the East Side, I walked back home and stopped by Candle Cafe for a quick bite- some soup & seitan chimichurri.
Candle Cafe 1307 3rd Avenue NYC 10021

Fcat had joined me for the beginning of the walk, but had to leave early because he was off to the airport. He somehow squeezed in a way to pick out this gorgeous bouquet by himself of lilacs and peonies and had the flowers delivered. Peonies are my absolute favorite. This was the most amazing bouquet ever. I heart the bouquet & I heart Fcat.

That evening, my friend, EH who has been in NYC for 20yrs and is celebrating the fact by doing several monthly dinners of 20 restaurants that have been in NYC for 20yrs- brought us to The Odeon, one of the first hip spots that put Tribeca on the map- way before people even ventured to that wilderness...I had a lovely beet salad and as an entree- a wonderful plate of sauteed veggies.
Since this was a bday celebration continuation, we went on to the private club upstairs at Cipriani Downtown where we drank some champagne and did a bit of dancing.

The next morning, I felt the need to go across town to get me some Cafe Blossom.

I was going to have the delicious tofu salad but last night's champagne made me order the soy bacon burger instead, opting for salad in place of fries so that I had some semblance of not completely junking out and that was also the decision behind the juice too. Everything is so good there!
Had to get a peanut butter soy cream shake for the road though- how else was I going to be able to walk home through Central Park?
Cafe Blossom
466 Columbus Avenue
NY NY 10024
212.875.2600

There was one last birthday meal in store for me- my BFF, JK was back from her honeymoon in Mexico and we had lots to talk about. I hadn't seen her since her wedding- which was so hectic that I never got a chance to snap any pics. But trust me, it was a beautiful event and I was honored to be the maid of honor!

JK took me to Candle 79, which has become one of my favorite favorite places.We were served some guacamole tartare.
We then had the watercress salad.
And the yummy guacamole timbale with chipotle black beans- so good.
JK had the paella and I had smoked chipotle seitan- they were both mouth-watering and absolutely delicious!!
Of course, dessert had to be the brownie sundae- yummy yum yum.
Candle 79
154 East 79th Street
NY NY 10021
212.537.7179

I guess birthdays aren't so bad afterall...
Have a great week!

"April is the cruellest month,..."

"...breeding/Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing/Memory and desire, stirring/ Dull roots with spring rain."

As my birthday rapidly descends in a few days, putting me firmly in my mid-thirties (oh yes the horror, avert your eyes), T.S. Eliot's line resounds in my head. The month of April is a mixed blessing depending on one's opinion of birthdays which invariably depends on what age you are creeping towards... In this month of April, there are taxes & birthdays to deal with like my own & Booboo's but then there is fun stuff like my vegananniversary. So instead of dwelling on birthday blues, I give you a recap of the last few weeks which were mostly fun indeed.

Most fun visitor in April award goes to: SKO!!

SKO was in NYC for her spring break & to visit colleges. Nothing beats having my sister in town for the camraderie and also I can drag her to try new vegan joints, but first, an SKO/VKO favorite- Gobo which has two locations in the West Village and on the Upper Eastside. We split the roti canai & the sweet & sour protein. yum yum yum yum yum.



Gobo 1426 3rd Avenue (bet 80th & 81st sts) NYC 10028 212.288.5099

And reminding us all that spring is here are the gorgeous daffodils that SKO brought me-

SKO & I doing goofy things on an empty subway car on a Sunday morning. SKO jumps for joy as we head downtown to our favorite yummy veg dim sum at Vegetarian Dim Sum House in Chinatown which I post no pictures because I have a bizillion of the them in other posts.

Vegetarian Dim Sum House 24 Pell Street (at Doyers St) NYC 10013 212.577.7176

Here's a place that I've been wanting to try- Birdie's in the East Village. They serve chicken & veg chik'n. The place is quite small- about 8 can sit at a table and then a few stools at the counter. It's quite cozy and the owner whose grandmother's name was Birdie was super welcoming. My only issue was sitting so close to others that I was surrounded by people chomping into their chicken carcasses, made me a bit ill. I will opt to sit at the counter next time when it's that crowded. SKO's chicken was much undercooked and had to be sent back- it's been awhile since I've had any chicken but I know it shouldn't be that pink. They apologetically took it back & replaced it & took it off our bill & offered us dessert- which was super sweet. SKO has decided to have the veg chik'n next time anyway. I had the Veggie Smoked Jerk BBQ which was good with a side of collard greens. See the cute collage placemats- the owner made those from childhood pics & 70's tv show cutouts.

SKO & even stayed watching a movie for about 45 mins after our meal- the owner is a big fan of old movies, especially those from the 70's and yes, I am a child of the 70's so I loved me some Sinbad movies & Sigmund and The Sea Monsters...here's the genie scene that we had been waiting to see. My only wish for the genie would be that Birdie's had some vegan desserts & vegan versions of biscuits & mac &cheez- that would have made it complete.
Birdie's 149 1st Avenue (bet 9th & 10th sts) NYC 10003 212.529.2512

We were so close to Atlas, I had to bring SKO to see the dessert case of Vegan Treats goodies at Atlas. Yes darlings- all that yumminess is vegan!
I took home a chocolate glazed donut & a slice of peanut butter chocolate "cheesecake".

Atlas 73 2nd Avenue (bet 4th & 5th Sts) NYC 10003 212.539.0966

Another day brought us down to the Lower Eastside to finally check out Moby's cafe, Teany.
The place is absolutely adorable. SKO & I both loved it. She got to order clotted cream (not vegan) and scones. My sister loves scones with clotted cream & tea so much that it makes her smile- I kid you not. Teany has a giant tea selection evidenced in this metal binder...

Ah yes, SKO will do well down here with the Lower Eastside hipsters. She's the cutest.
Here's my chickenless-chicken salad sandwich, which was tasty.
And the yummiest was the rasberry chocolate cupcake courtesy of Vegan Treats- it was pure yum. The frosting was super light & airy and the chocolate cake part really chocolatey.
Teany 90 Rivington St (bet Orchard & Ludlow Sts) NYC 10002 212.475.9190

Then off to check out some vegan shoes & eco-friendly fashion at Moo Shoes & just acrosee the street, Kaight.
Moo Shoes has a few resident kitties- this sleepy one reminds me of Booboo with those giant paws.
And this little elegant one was admiring the sandals that I tried on.
Moo Shoes 78 Orchard Street (bet Broome & Grand Sts) NYC 10002 866.59.VEGAN

Kaight
83 Orchard Street
NYC 10006
212.680.5630

The weekend brought the Dean's brunch at the university that was seriously wooing SKO with a full scholarship. I was an awfully proud big sister to see a university pursuing my sister with such ardent financial promises. We were not that excited by the school at first, however our whole outlook changed when we went to visit. We were completely enamored by everything about the school. The small student/professor ratio, the commitment to integrating commuter students into the campus life and just the sincerity that really came across that the school really cared about it's students, not to mention having the advantages of a large university with the class size of a small college and of course having all the internship advantages of going to school in NYC.

While SKO met for individual student tours, Grandma & I headed to Whole Foods at Columbus Circle for lunch. We made a nice little sampler for ourselves & headed to Central Park. I had some dal, chickpea masala, broccoli, edamame salad, couscous just to name a few goodies.
SKO returned from the university tour with a giant shopping bag of goodies- a university mug, a bumper sticker for our dad's car and a stuffed ram, the university mascot. Of course, Booboo was subjected to a series of photos with the ram...I am so thrilled that SKO has found a great school that believes in her and that she is excited to go to. Yay SKO!!
Most fun way to celebrate my 2yr Vegananniversary: Candle 79

Was not that long ago that I went to Candle 79 with Veggie Girl and it was fine but nothing to rave about except the desserts, well it is my firm belief to always give a place that I don't love a second shot. So when Fcat asked me where I would like to go to celebrate, I decided to go to Candle 79 again and on my 2 yr vegan celebration, I am glad that I went with an open mind. I absolutely loved it this time!
Fcat started with a mimosa & I had a homemade ginger ale with crushed mint which was absolutely amazing- super gingery if you like ginger. It was so refreshing- I felt instantly revitalized!
We started with the special salad which was watercress with strawberries, lentils & pistachios and a vanilla infused dressing. Absolutely delectable.
Fcat had the falafel pita sandwich, which I enjoyed- it was surprisingly fresh & light for a deep-fried chickpea ball sandwich.
I had the breakfast burrito which was so tasty- the beans had a delicate smoky flavor and the seitan was so tender, really perfect.
And we had to have the brownie sundae for dessert- the ancho-chile chocolate sauce threw me off until I realized that it was ancho-chile versus some strange tasting chocolate, the brownie decadent and everything was delicious. Candle 79 was a perfect way to celebrate 2 yrs of true cruelty-free living!
Candle 79
154 East 79th St (bet Lex & 3rd Ave)
NYC 10021
212.537.7179

The whole week that SKO was here, I was also busy getting ready for a big big celebrity shoot. To quell the work anxiety, Fcat and I decided to splurge a bit and go for sushi at one of the best sushi places, Sushi Seki. I started with the seaweed salad which was so mouthwatering-ly tasty.

My favorite is the Three Flowers veggie platter- expensive but so worth it. Love how they delicately slice the tomatoes to resemble sushi and the hijiki roll wrapped in cucumber is my absolute favorite.
Sushi Seki
1143 1st Avenue (bet 62nd & 63rd sts)
NYC 10021
212.371.0238

As for work, everything came together pretty well. I found a fabulous location in the Bronx, an old warehouse converted into a studio. There isn't anything like this in the city anymore.

I had great catering from Green - really clean & organic stuff. Here's what I ate- yummy lentil salad and broccoli with eggplant.
Here's what the final wardrobe edit came down to...
And here is Uma Thurman standing on the roof of a dilapidated warehouse in the Bronx- fabulous. I have worked with Uma on many an occasion and she is pretty easy to work with. She is out promoting her new movie and had the most hectic schedule ever- the night before a late movie premiere and then 5am hair/makeup for Good Morning America appearance, then off to the Bronx for our shoot, then off to Letterman. She was in amazing form for running around ragged. I would have been one super cranky you-know-what, but Uma was super professional and great as always. And somewhat interesting tidbit, though not really- Uma & I share the same birthday- okay that's all on that front.
The clients wanted to go to Nobu that evening for dinner. Nobu is still amazing after all these years and they were more than happy to accommodate me, the vegan and the photographer's girlfriend who was vegetarian. We felt like we had extra special service there! Here's a dim pic of the vegetable ceviche- baby corn, edamamde, cucumber & other veggies in a citrus ceviche- absolutely delectable.
Then we had smoked eggplant with miso sauce- yum!
The seared tofu was so delicate- it was so delicious!
There were a few other dishes that I didn't get pics of because I didn't really want to explain to my clients why I had to take pictures of all my food. I had an amazing time at Nobu- it really is great when top top restaurants find innovative ways to accommodate vegan visitors. Nobu is super pricey but oh so worth it...

Nobu
105 Hudson Street (at Franklin St)
NYC 10013
212.219.0500

And to round up the week, I had a client lunch at Balthazar which fabulous French bistros usually have little to offer a vegan, but again a top restaurant is happy to accommodate vegan lifestyles. Balthazar is another of those tried & true NYC restaurants which had withstood the test of time.
I had a yummy beet & leek salad with delicious french fries.
And refreshing sorbet for dessert. Ah, I love a client luncheon!
Balthazar
80 Spring St (bet Bway & Crosby St)
NYC 10012
212.965.1414

I know this post was super long as are most of my posts because I have to recap so much, but there's always so much to share. Next post- chock full of things like my being maid of honor at my BFF's wedding and my birthday dinner and belated Booboo bday pics to round out the month of April.

Have a great week- I hope to visit all my blog friends this week since I have so much catching up to do!

In The Name Of All Things Fun & Vegan

It's tedious to keep apologizing for not blogging sooner- so I won't. It's also tedious to keep saying how busy I am with work- so I won't say that either. Will just dive right into the business of blogging with limited commentary because of not quite stated but definitely implied busyness.

First off - my lovely meeting with uber-blogger, Veggie Girl from Veggie Girl Vegan and her parents at Candle 79. I love Candle Cafe but had never been to Candle 79 so was really looking forward to the place & the company. The teapot was super cute & green tea yummy. The restaurant is suppose to be the more upscale sister restaurant, well the service was definitely not in line with upscale restaurants- service was slow and our waitress, not at all rude but definitely inattentive.
They do placate you with some yummy vegan strawberry muffins though!
My savory crepe with mushrooms & asparagus was quite tasty.
Veggie Girl's burger looked good too & those polenta fries were also tasty- a little crunch on the outside and soft on the inside.
Veggie Girl's dad had pancakes which looked good despite blurry picture.
And Veggie Girl's mom had the seitan piccata, also deemed good.
This live dessert parfait had by VG & her mom was pretty amazing. This is definitely the way to go here at Candle 79.
And my Mango Napoleon was yummy also!
So, the food was good but not mind-blowing- but honestly the company was the best part! Veggie Girl & her parents were super sweet and I could have easily spent the entire day hanging out with them. I really enjoyed our meeting and can't wait to welcome them back to my part of town.
Next up- dinner at the mega-restaurant fabulousness that is Buddakan. This cavernous restaurant in Chelsea is surprisingly always packed. Fcat & I dined with our fancy friends, so of course, the maitre'd/manager made sure to come over and introduce themselves and the service & food was of course, impeccable- where as I had read mixed reviews about both, we only had the best experience. Starting with my beverage named, Fate. Fate was sweet and this delicious pineapple based drink was easy going down.

Tried to get shots of how gorgeous the space is without disturbing all with the flash...


They are completely familiar with the term "vegan" and the restaurant sent over appetizers as a welcome. They were also nice enough to include a veganized fried rice with curry foam which was absolutely delectable. For my entree which I didn't take a picture of, they made a delicious tofu/veggie garlic sauce dish- they were even extra knowledgeable about avoiding oyster sauce.

Get thee to Buddakan for fabulosity and ask for vegan options! www.buddakannyc.com

As I've gotten older, my tolerance for any alcohol has really dropped. One fateful drink from the night before and I was ready for a reviving brunch at Counter in the East Village. Now, let's just say being an Upper East Side girl, I am loathe to travel downtown to the East Village which I still find a bit too grungy/potently scented for me, but there is Counter which I have been waiting to try forever. With Fcat in tow, I was ready for a big vegan brunch.

Much needed coffee...
North African spiced scrambled tofu with rice, peas and vegan merguez. I didn't really care for the merguez, but if I recall the vegan version is similar to the lamb merguez which is normally on the mushy side. I also didn't care for the tofu so much, it was over-salted. Was a bit disappointing.

The chocolate pie was pretty good, but I was a bit let down from the entree. However, I am willing to go back at some point and give the place another try, though not rushing back anytime soon.

Being a hop, skip and a stone's throw away, I wanted to head to the Lower East Side to buy some vegan chocolate lentils- I miss eating M&M's so off to Economy Candy on Rivington.
This is the best candy store, though unfortunately not so vegan friendly- like these gummy brains, definitely not vegan- hehehe. Actually, none of the gummy stuff is vegan not even swedish fish because even without gelatin as an ingredient, I look out for anything listed as natural flavors. Natural flavors can include castoreum, an anal gland secretion from beavers- yum! Castoreum is also used in most perfumes. Natural flavors can come from any plant or animal/insect, so most likely not vegan.
But just look at all this candy and Fcat next to a giant scale to weigh the goodies in...
Economy candy is a definite visit to oh & awe over wall to wall, floor to ceiling candy, but also for their vegan lentils & dried fruits & nuts. Fun fun fun. Smiling like a kid in a candy store with vegan options!
Fcat & I also had a lovely little dinner at Bar Pitti downtown with my cousin & her husband. I haven't seen them in years which is ridiculous because we all live in NYC. My cousin is super super busy though because she has a big big job at Hermes. Being vegan, I thought that I could no longer enjoy gifts that came in that gorgeous orange box, but my sweet cousin set me straight... I used to buy lots of exquisite Hermes silk scarves with their intricate handiwork, but alas, they are no longer a part of my vegan lifestyle. So I was somewhat filled with dread that this sweet gift would go unused- you can imagine my surprise when I saw that it was gorgeous cotton scarf! I will be sporting it in the summer for sure, though I just noticed that it is a scene of an Indian tiger hunt, hmm...
Asparagus in season and delicious with lemon at Bar Pitti.

Sauteed Tuscan Kale with garlic- yum yum.
Pasta arrabiata for me...
Attended an interesting Japan-US goodwill concert at Carnegie Hall one evening- these lovely ladies dancing are between the ages of 65- 85, yep, they still have the moves. Amazing.
What else was fun and a great thing to do? Earth Hour! Hope as many people as possible participated that Saturday in shutting off all their lights & tv for an hour starting at 8pm across the world. Could probably have cheated by using my charged up laptop but I am not a cheater- so I read Herodotus by candle light instead, the dimness gave me a headache. Next time, I will just play with Booboo and meditate.

Finally got to the Vcon and made some mini pound cake- aren't they cute out of the oven?

And even cuter with some vanilla soy ice cream...

Fcat made a great dinner one night...


And I was able to indulge in some delicious Lightlife Smart Chili that I heated up when grandma came over for lunch...

Also made a tasty "BLT" with Lightlife Smart Bacon, spinach, cherry tomatoes & Vegenaise- so like a BLT from days of yore...

I was able to indulge because I got a giant cooler of Lightlife products- I always buy their tempeh & tempeh bacon & Gimme Lean, but I was so excited to try all their other stuff! What's great about Lightlife is that not only do they have great vegan products- they also give back to charities. I find that their products are tasty enough to lure non-vegans like me sister & grandma to indulge. Very very exciting...

Lastly, I give you the funnest thing of my weeks & days- my kitty, Booboo. That coy sweet look belies a temperamental attack kitty, but she is still pure joy.

Plausible Excuses

Fear not faithful blog friends, I have not abandoned my posts...just got sidetracked with a bunch of things- whether or not these are good enough excuses to have not blogged is obviously a subjective matter. Now to proceed with the sharing of excuses!

Excuse #1:
I was throwing a bridal shower for my bff, JK.
This is a pretty good excuse because it took a bit of work to execute the party and all the minute details which I decided on at the last minute- triflings like making marzipan flowers at midnight for the green tea cupcakes that I had baked for the shower...also let me not forget to mention that it took three batches before my VCTOW green tea cupcakes came out properly (Isa does warn us about the amount of moisture that varies in soy yogurt brands- well Wildwood definitely made my cupcakes too moist- they ballooned & then sank. Really yummy, but super wrinkled upon deflation.) They turned out pretty damn cute...and I happened to have a matching pale green tray to house them.

The bride's wedding invites were pale green with pink ribbon, so I carried the them throughout- with the green tea cupcakes & also with the shower favors. I made a cd of fun songs and found a fab green scalloped label online. You customize the label with all your songs, etc and they mail them out to you. Then you stick them carefully onto the cd and then proceed to tie pink ribbons & hot glue gun them to the envelope- those turned out pretty damn cute too I'd say. I am grateful for the bride's sister-in-law's help. She threw the shower with me and was very helpful during the cd making! Here's a shot of the favors, cupcakes, a little purple book of polaroids of the guests & their well wishes for the bride and the collage of different pics of the bride over the years was a game where everyone had to guess the year of each pic....

I was able to find a really nice Chinese restaurant that served dim sum. Most places in Chinatown that serve dim sum are super crowded, service at a nil, noisy and the decor leaving much to be desired. I totally lucked out when I found Shanghai Pavilion on the Upper Eastside. The place was really nice, food was good and the service great. I had the menu planned in advance and was able to secure some mock duck, vegetable dumplings and fried veggie rice noodles in addition to the omni dim sum menu.
Here's one of the guests writing his heartfelt wishes (in neon bright crayola markers) for the bride, next to the polaroid that I took of each guest as they came in...

I am not one for cheesy bridal shower games, nor is the bride, but I understand that games break the ice especially when people do not know each other...so, I tried to come up with games that were fun and where people also got to learn more about the bride & groom. We played a game where I got answers from the groom beforehand and then we tested the bride to see if she knew the answers, but the game was in that the guests had to guess whether or not the bride would know the answer. That was fun!

I also put one of these little cute characters under each plate. As everyone finished eating, all had to lift up their plates and see which was underneath- angelic little Cinmaroll or mischievous little penguin. Depending on which character, each person had to turn to the person next to them and share either good story about the bride or a mischievous one. People were all angling to get the bad little penguin of course!

That big smile on my face means finally having some fun after all the planning, baking and marzipan flower making is done...


Excuse #2:
I agreed to produce a 2 day location shoot on an extremely limited budget. Not the most ideal way to work, but hopefully, we get the campaign and all our hard work for a seriously discounted rate will be worth it.

We started on what turned out to be the windiest Sunday of the year- the winds were no joke and of course we were down on Wall St, near the tip of the island where all the winds going at a million miles an hr in every direction converged. Every single trash receptacle had been blown over. As we shot at Bowling Green, we saw a food cart vendor's umbrella blow dangerously down the street, threateningly to seriously impale someone- thankfully, it was caught.

I'm glad I wasn't a cheapskate producer and did not skimp- I paid for a location van and we really needed it. The wind turned brisk weather into freezing conditions. We could climb back into that van fast enough...

Don't ever think that models don't work their behinds off. See this skinny little girl below- she has no bodyfat and her outfit was not warm, which means she was freezing her butt off while still holding her pose and looking pretty & natural while the wind whipped down the streets. See how everyone has a hat or hood on? It was ridiculously cold. Poor girl was a real trooper and a professional- not a peep out of her or maybe she was just so beyond cold she couldn't even complain.

This shot was a little better because she was in the sun at least. But this did take longer because we were right on Wall St. by the NY Stock Exchange which was swarming with tourists of all shapes and sizes and they were all very interested in our shoot- to the point where they were either totally in the shot and even right behind the photographer, trying to look through his lens...crazy.


But we do appreciate the money that tourism brings to our city, so I am ever thankful but firm when I ask them get out of the shot...

I thought the second day would be better because we would be down by Tribeca, but of course our location happened to have construction & a giant cement truck next to it. Our speedy photographer made due and got the shot done in record time before they started the cement making... that wheelbarrow was not out prop, nor the dirty muddy water...

Here our other intrepid model - we were all freezing up on the rooftop because the winds were still whipping, less so, but still damn cold, yet our guy still managed to climb up near the water tower and face the elements...water towers are so quintessentially NYC, you'd be surprised how much some of these buildings want to charge you for shooting on their unfinished roof...a few were $5000 - $8000, I guess that too is only in NY.


Excuse #3:
I was checking out Cafe Blossom on the Upper West Side with a friend.
And boy was it good!

We were in the neighborhood for a screening of The Other Boyleyn Girl (which was throughly entertaining, but I tiny bit distracted trying to figure out if Natalie Portman - my fav veg actress was actually wearing real fur or faux in the her costumes...). I have yet to go to Blossom in Chelsea but they recently opened Cafe Blossom and I checked it out with an omni friend.

She had the tofu salad which was one of the tastiest salads ever. My omni friend declared that she would definitely come across the park (from the Upper East Side to Upper West Side, one goes through Central Park) just for the salad alone! The tofu was tender & delicate with a nice smoky grilled flavor and the seaweed mixed into the salad was just delicious.

I had lentils wrapped in phyllo pastry with a red pepper coulis- I thought mine was really good, which it was, but the tofu salad was actually even better.

We had a lemon cake & a chocolate cake- chocolate was the way to go- it was moist & perfect.

Am ready to get back to Cafe Blossom sooner than later!

Cafe Blossom 466 Columbus Avenue (bet 82nd & 83rd Sts) NYC 10024

Excuse #4:
There's been a lot of eating going on.

Follow Your Heart Mozzarella (so good for melting!) on bread from Balthazar bakery with tempeh bacon & cherry tomatoes...
Trade Joe's Beefless Strips sauteed with mushrooms & onions on a tortilla...


Pasta with veggies & FYH mozzarella....
Grandma brought me smoked tofu (a Chinese restaurant in Flushing sells it as mock chicken) which I had with steamed kale, quinoa, corn & cashews.

Fcat made vegan Cuban black beans with rice.

And Fcat's yummy peppers with garlic crostini and argula salad with green apples.

Fcat's delicious lentil soup.

I had some left over vanilla cupcakes from the shower which goes well with vanilla soy cream & strawberries.


Excuse #5:
I took a Reiki 2 workshop one weekend and having learned now in Reiki 2 how to do long-distance absentee healing, have been doing long-distance healing for a ton of people from my sister, SKO in Florida to the a nice kid that works at the Apple store downtown that I got into a conversation with- most people experiencing heat or seeing color/visions, but some just feeling a sense of calm & peace afterwards. Reiki helps to unblock stagnant energy; I liken it to an energy massage.

I love to give reiki as much as people love to receive. It dawned on me the other day that I could do reiki for charity. So if anyone would like to try a long-distance reiki healing session (it requires 15-20 minutes of quiet time), please email me or leave me your email in a comment so that we can schedule a session and you will tell me what the intent of your healing request is (what you would like the reiki energy to support- anything from relief from stress or back pain, to specific goals etc) and I will ask that you make a $5-10 donation to the animal charity (The McKee Project that helps starving strays) that I am raising money for- the link button through FirstGiving is on the top right of my blog. Check it out and get some soothing reiki and give back to help strays at the same time!

So, those are my excuses and I'm sticking to them-

Well, until next time my friends which I hope to be sooner than later...

Have a great week!

Prodigal Blogger Returns (Part 2 Do I still heart L.A.?)

It's been several weeks since my shoot from hell ended. Twenty-five days is sufficient time to take a deep breath and look back without cringing too much...

So to continue where I left off sometime ago, armed with my newfound reiki healing energy techniques, I was packed and ready to get on the plane. Alas, nothing is that simple, a few hours before I was supposed to leave for airport, I was on the phone with the airline scrambling to change my ticket. My client had texted me that I should be flying business class- well yes, it would have been easier to just go to the airport and sit in coach, but I was not passing up a business class flight! So after spending however long it was being passed from operator to operator in Bangladesh or wherever my call was outsourced to- I finally got my ticket. Lots of kisses to Booboo and treats strewn about, I was off to the airport. Before running out, I grabbed my absentee ballot envelope and put it in the mail- couldn't forget that!

Now, in all my years, I have never been in business or first class. I have been on private jets & planes a few times, but those things are not at all within my realm of existence, so it's not something I even think about...business class on the other hand, is expensive but closer to my reach. Comfy chairs that you can stretch out & fully recline in, a civilized dining setup, mini dvd players with a library of movies...How will I ever fly coach again? It's so funny that they even have a little red carpet.

Planes are a hotbed of germs. Halfway through the flight, I started sneezing- oh no, there was no way that I could get sick right before the shoot...I searched my bag for vitamin c and realized it was packed in my luggage. Being the resourceful, panicked girl that I was, I immediately started doing reiki and whether it was a coincidence or not, I did not get sick though the photographer who was on the same flight came down with the worst cold ever during the shoot.

First day was lots of meetings and lots of people hovering about me with a million requests which of course was nonstop the entire trip...what to do when everyone constantly needs something from you on top of all the minutiae that you must make sure is in place for a smooth shoot? Eat something yummy of course! We were staying at The Viceroy and there happened to be a 2 hr break where clients went shopping and I had some details to wrap still. I decided to order from Real Food Daily for lunch- and yes, they do deliver. I did not love RFD the first time I went (really not good), but am always willing to try anything one more time and I had heard that the nachos were amazing. So I ordered the nachos with jalapeno cashew cheese and the works...also nori tempeh rolls and an energizing beet juice. Having some real time to breathe, I decided to do a full reiki session while I waited forever for the food to be delivered. Oh, but when it did finally arrive- it was really really good.

The Viceroy has my one of favorite lamps ever- a little pupster lamp. Some years ago, I experienced a strange condition, comparable to a kind of reverse seasickness- I had been on a fancy boat for sometime and when I returned home, on land, everything swayed. I was ill for days. Well, that wallpaper in my hotel room was starting to move but I realized that I was just simply exhausted.

After running around with the clients & doing a quick run-thru at the location, I was able to get back to my room in time to catch a gorgeous sunset. I've said it before- I could definitely live in Santa Monica...

There was so much drama during the shoot in Los Angeles, I don't even feel like rehashing it. So let's just look at some pics from the shoot instead- my amazing pa (production assistant) set up a small pharmacy because everyone felt like they were coming down with something.
We made a nasty garage into an elegant little dining setup. For the amount of money that we were paying to rent this house in Venice, one would think that the owner would have moved his crap out of the garage so we could setup dining (since we were also not allowed to bring food in the house, nor would he move his ridiculously expensive sportscar out of the 2 car garage- but then wanted to make sure that we didn't get too close to it?!?). So we made due by setting up the black cloth covers which worked beautifully!

Yes, the house was amazing, but the attitude of the owner was a whole other matter. Okay, oh and ahh over the pictures because it is a cool house, but the guy was such a jerk that I can no longer see the house objectively.





See, I can't even bear to put more pics up. Our pre-light day went fine and the shoot day with Maria Sharapova went really smoothly which I definitely did not expect. She was an absolute professional & super nice. It was the third day in the house where all hell broke loose, well, more like the toilet plumbing system. There was literally dirty, nasty toilet water seeping from the walls because of a clogged toilet- that was the most horrifying thing ever, germs everywhere- AAHHH! See, my photo shoots are never that glamorous- there is almost always some kind of incident involving solid waste. Roto-rooter to the rescue but let's just say that owner totally knew that he needed to have his pipes unclogged every once in awhile but was just waiting for some clients to pay for it. And then he accused my crew of throwing stuff down the toilet- because we really had time to stand around and throw stuff down his precious toilet....don't get me started. I pride myself on making sure my crew & clients are extra considerate when we are renting a house. Whatever, moving on. After shooting a full day, we wrapped , packed up & cleaned up and still had to drive that evening to Palm Springs and I am leaving out all the drama that came with that, but let me tell you- I was pooped (hehehe).


So fast-forward to Palm Springs- the hotel, The Colony Palms. It was cute and I picked it because I didn't think that we would want to also stay at The Viceroy in Palm Springs too- thought it would have been too much Viceroy trendiness for one trip. Well, I was wrong because despite the trendiness, the service at The Viceroy is great. The Colony Palms, not that they were not super nice, just not the quickest...

But, I did have an upgraded room with a hot tub & seating area - which we didn't even