The July/August issue of At Home in Fairfield County is now available and features a recent kitchen remodel we designed for a couple’s NYC apartment.
The July/August issue of At Home in Fairfield County is now available and features a recent kitchen remodel we designed for a couple’s NYC apartment. For this client, we opened up the kitchen to better take advantage of the building’s views and natural light while also creating a space that better suited their tastes and needs. They were thrilled with the result! I hope you’ll pick up a copy of the magazine to see the full article!
Located at 85 Tenth Avenue in NYC, Del Posto is the creation of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and Lidia Bastianich.
Located at 85 Tenth Avenue in NYC, Del Posto is the creation of Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, and Lidia Bastianich. The restaurant’s goal is to create an atmosphere of European luxury where guests enjoy refined Italian cuisine and a world class wine list. The menu is crafted from the highest quality ingredients and tailored to provide an unrivaled experience. Lunch consists of a 3 course prix fixe with antipasto, secondo, and dolce. Dinner guests can choose for their table the five course Il Menu Del Posto or the sumptuous eight course Captain’s Menu, each available with wine pairings by Del Posto’s sommelier. Each dish is executed to perfection and so beautifully presented with a truly memorable combination of flavors and textures. The food is pure art — as soon as you see it, you know it tastes amazing.
Of course, I always notice the interior of a restaurant. As soon as you walk into Del Posto, the restaurant’s design influences your expectations and sets the tone for the meal you’re about to enjoy. Del Posto’s dining room is opulent and lavish, but also inviting. The food is bright and colorful while the interior is a handsome and masculine contrast with dark woods and geometric floors. The yellow hue on the ceiling provides a light counter balance, and the overall effect is just a great backdrop to the food. Del Posto is definitely on my must-visit list!
To see a complete menu, visit the Del Posto website. You can also find them on Facebook.
Artist Nathan Sawaya builds incredible sculptures using Lego bricks.
Artist Nathan Sawaya builds incredible sculptures using Lego bricks. His art has been displayed all over the world, earning him a huge following and well-deserved praise. His current exhibit, called The Art of the Brick, is running at Discovery Times Square in New York City. The exhibit opened in June and will be on display until Jan. 5, 2014. If you have not experienced Sawaya’s art, you still have plenty of time to visit this amazing exhibit.
The Art of the Brick features various aspects of Sawaya’s work. The exhibit covers several rooms, each with a different style and theme. Visitors are first presented with Sawaya’s Lego interpretation of well-known works of art. I really feel that people tend to revert to what they’ve been shown and taught when creating, and this section of the exhibit is a great example of that. Sawaya seems to understand that you don’t need to reinvent the wheel, just tweak it and do it your own way. His Lego versions of masterpieces present these works of art in a new light while opening the viewers’ minds to new possibilities. Try looking at the mosaic style images from a distance rather than up close. It’s almost magical how much clearer the picture is if you take a step back.
Sawaya also recreates significant works from antiquity. It’s difficult to appreciate the scale of these life-sized sculptures unless you can view them in person. The design of the exhibit lets you walk around each sculpture, looking closely from all angles. It’s impossible to avoid wondering how long it took for Sawaya to build each piece or how he is able to recreate his vision with nothing other than the same small plastic bricks you can buy at any toy store. He does not use any custom pieces or colors for his artwork.
Some of Nathan Sawaya’s most well-known Lego sculptures are his original pieces that illustrate his thoughts on human life and feelings. These sculptures are so pure and lifelike. The engineering that goes into these sculptures is just unbelievable. I love how the lighting around the sculptures is part of the art as well. This area of the exhibit showcases a different aspect of Sawaya’s art.
I think it’s no surprise that an artist who works with Legos would have a playful side. Many of the pieces show this and make it clear that while Nathan Sawaya takes art seriously, he is also appreciative of the playful roots of his favorite medium. After being impressed, amazed, and made to think by Sawaya’s art, you are made to wonder and smile. Visitors of all ages can enjoy and appreciate this unique exhibit.
To learn more about Nathan Sawaya as well as see other examples of his Lego artwork, visit his website. You can also find him on Facebook. For tickets to The Art of the Brick at Discovery Times Square, click here.
One of the most iconic artists of all time, Andy Warhol’s work is easily recognizable to almost anyone.
One of the most iconic artists of all time, Andy Warhol’s work is easily recognizable to almost anyone. His dynamic images made statements that influence artists still today and demonstrate the genius of his art. On the surface, Warhol’s work conveys simple thoughts, one idea at a time, and yet still manages to speak volumes about American culture during the 60’s and 70’s.
From September 18 to December 31, New York City’s Metropolitan Museum of Art will explore Andy Warhol’s far-reaching influence on contemporary artists. According to the Met’s website, “Regarding Warhol: Sixty Artists, Fifty Years juxtaposes prime examples of Warhol’s paintings, sculpture, and films with those by other artists who in key ways reinterpret, respond, or react to his groundbreaking work. What emerges is a fascinating dialogue between works of art and artists across generations.” Presented in five thematic sections, the exhibition highlights themes from celebrity to human identity, from daily life to business.
The Jackie Kennedy portrait is one of my all-time favorites.
To learn more about the exhibit or plan a visit to the Met, go to their website or follow them on Facebook.
One of my favorite places to eat in NYC is Fig and Olive Restaurant.
One of my favorite places to eat in NYC is Fig and Olive Restaurant. With three locations around town (also in Westchester, NY and West Hollywood, CA) and delicious food and wine for lunch or dinner, I can always find a good reason to stop in for a meal!
Laurent Halasz, founder of Fig and Olive, expresses the restaurant’s philosophy best: “At FIG & OLIVE, I want to highlight our menu’s core ingredient of olive oil, which we use in place of butter in our dishes. From a sweet and delicate olive oil from the French Riviera that pairs well with a Steamed Lemon Sole Papillote to an assertive Spanish Picual or a Tuscan olive oil that holds its own with Seared Salmon with Fennel and Green Olives, and a green-fruit Provence olive oil that we serve with a Green Apple Sorbet. Our cuisine along with an elegant white, green and terra-cotta décor immerse our guests into the essence of the Mediterranean region in which I grew up.”
This philosophy serves Fig and Olive very well. Featuring a communal table and tasting bar backed by a beautiful display of olive oils, the entrance to the restaurant immediately stresses that treasured ingredient at the center of each dish. The warm and intimate main dining room provides a view of the open kitchen where more bottles of olive oil from around the world are on display.
Of course, the true star of the show at Fig and Olive is the food. For lunch, you absolutely can’t go wrong the the Prix Fixe menu. Served Monday through Friday, you choose three courses for one set price: crostini, soup or carpaccio, and a main dish. Following the meal, coffee or tea is served with biscotti. Choosing what to order from the prix fixe menu provides quite a challenge. Crostini choices include Prosciutto, Ricotta, Fig, Olive, Walnut or Manchego, Fig, Marcona Almond, among others. Follow that with a Cote d’Azure Fish Soup or Beef Carpaccio and a main course of Grilled Steak Skewers and Couscous or Pumpkin Sage Ravioli.
The regular lunch or dinner menu includes temptations such as the Fig and Olive Club Sandwich, the Riviera Shrimp and Salmon Salad, assorted cheeses, Rosemary Lamb Chops, Trio De La Mer Bouillabaisse, and Filet Mignon from grass fed beef. In other words, the menu boasts a range of dishes to appeal to any tastes, all expertly prepared and elegantly presented. Desserts range from Raspberry Sorbet to Chocolate Pot de Creme to Marzipan Cake with, of course, various coffees, teas, and dessert drinks.
If you’re looking for a pleasant lunch or sumptuous dinner, you really can’t go wrong at Fig and Olive for food, service, and atmosphere! They are also on Facebook if you’d like to keep up to date on events and menu changes.
New York City, overflowing with people and experiences, is also home to one of my favorite shopping and dining experiences: Eataly, located at 200 5th Ave.
New York City, overflowing with people and experiences, is also home to one of my favorite shopping and dining experiences: Eataly, located at 200 5th Ave. A collaboration between culinary icons Mario Batali, Joe Bastianich, Lidia Matticchio Bastianich, and Eataly founder Oscar Farinetti, the NYC location aims to bring artisanal Italian foods to its clientele.
This is not your average grocery store. It’s a market for true food lovers, those who want to know where their food came from and how it made the journey from field to shelf. The feast begins when you enter the market and take in the sight of high ceilings and marble, displays of exotic produce and crusty breads, tempting gelato and cheeses, Italian pastas, and other delights not typically found in American supermarkets.
If the idea of cooking up these culinary delights overwhelms you, Eataly offers a variety of cooking classes. Or, you can enjoy a meal in one of the restaurants located right inside the market. From the steakhouse to the vegan cafe, Eataly is sure to have something to tempt everyone.
Before leaving, be sure to check out the wine store. The staff are helpful and knowledgeable, an invaluable combination when it comes to assisting wine shoppers.
To learn more about Eataly’s philosophy, products, or classes, visit their website or look them up on Facebook.
