SWEET SIP: Grilled Cheese Martini

Grilled cheese sandwiches.... tomato soup..... martinis.... sounds like 3 very delicious things..... but together? not so much. When I first read an article about this very interesting drink on Urban Daddy (one of my all-time favorite websites), I automatically put it on my bucket list as a "must-try". So one Friday evening before we went out, I dragged my apprehensive friend along with me to Bleechers and told him we were about to try one very intriguing cocktail. As we entered this small storefront known for it's hand-made cheeses, we made our way down to it's darkly-lit restaurant named "The Cellar". Our enthusiastic waitress sat us down promptly and before she could even hand us the menu, I already knew exactly what to order, "two grilled cheese martinis please," I said excitedly.

{Grilled Cheese Martini}

Only a few minutes later she arrived back with our drinks, not entirely sure what I was expecting them to look like, this definitely was not it. Rimmed with some sort of chunky chipotle-looking substance, I decided to ask her exactly how this unique drink was created. She went on to explain that they begin by making their famous grilled cheese sandwich allowing it to sit in a tub of vodka for 24 hours. Then after the liquor has been fully infused with the cheese flavor it is poured into a martini glass over a cube of iced tomato soup, topped with a full tomato. A splash of balsamic vinaigrette is then added with a touch of pepper and voilà, the drink is served!

In a hesitant toast, we each took a sip of this so-called savory drink and prepared for the best. Giving each other a "Hmmmm....... well this is interesting......" look, I set my glass down and quickly ordered a plate of cheese and crackers to wash down this indescribable taste I had in my mouth. Needless to say people must order this drink for its appeal and not its enjoyment... better luck next time!

SWEET SPOT: Max Brenner - Chocolate by the Bald Man

Chocolate, hence the name of my blog, is clearly one of my favorite things. Therefore when I stumbled up on Max Brenner's Chocolate by the Bald Man in Union Square, I knew that I had reached my paradise. Merely walking into the restaurant, I was engulfed by the smell of freshly baked chocolate treats. At the storefront is a little chocolate shop which sells everything ranging from s'mores kits and chocolate waffle cone gifts to T-shirts with quirky phrases such as "Chocolate is good for you" (which I actually purchased... maybe in hopes that it would be true).

{"Chocolate is good for you" T-shirt}

{Chocolate Shop goodies}

Max Brenner, known as the bald man is attempting to create his own "chocolate culture" in which chocolate is not only meant to be taste, it is supposed to be experienced, causing a flow of emotions and sensations. Steering away from some of the more traditional uses of chocolate on his menu, he incorporates a chocolate ranch to complement the onion rings. Onion rings and chocolate are my weaknesses so therefore quickly ordered this unique combo to test it out.

{Black & Tan Beer Battered Vidalia Rings w/ Dark Chocolate Ranch Dressing}

The inspiration behind this unusual pairing was that Max believed chocolate is too often sold in it's conventional way, he wanted to "free" it and let people experience the sweetness in an entirely new way.

For our main courses, we ordered the grilled asparagus crepe, as well as the rosen deli smoked turkey crepe. As for dessert, the most important part of this meal, I had an incredibly hard time choosing which of the chocolate specialities I wanted. After browsing the menu again for about 20 minutes I I finally concluded that I wanted to try the chocolate pizza because it looked so incredibly delicious when I passed by it walking in. I was definitely not let down when I tried "the works" pizza, buried under a mountain of toppings including Max's double chocolate melting chunks, crunchy hazelnut bits, bananas, peanut butter, and roasted marshmallows. Experimentation is one of his main guidelines, there are no rules when it come to cooking with chocolate, anything goes.

{"The Works" Chocolate Pizza}

Max Brenner wants to ensure that leaving the restaurant all 5 of your senses have been filled with by chocolate. Seeing, touching, tasting, smelling, and even hearing chocolate he feels is the only way embrace yourself in the full chocolate experience he is hoping to accomplish. Simply writing this blog takes me back into that "chocolate mood", craving for something sweet.

{Inside of Max Brenner's Chocolate Bar"}

Starting out as once a small chocolate shop in France that was said once looked "more like top fashion designer's boutique than a chocolate shop",  he has widely expanded over the years into the American market. Of course he couldn't have achieved this much success without the expose to leading fashion designers including Thierry Mugler and Jean Paul G. while in Paris.

Have you ever been to Max Brenner before? What did you order? Everything on the menu looks amazing!

PARKED. NYC's best food trucks come together

Do you like NYC's food trucks? Or do you prefer sitting down at restaurants? For a tasty, quick, and reasonably priced meal on the go food trucks are the perfect option. Originally when I used to hear the word "food truck"I would think of the grungy taco truck that used to hang out near the park by my high school. However, after moving to NY I have seen the most gourmet food coming out of those mobile vehicles cruising around the city streets. Hearing many great reviews about the fabulous finds you can eat on the street, I couldn't believe I still had yet to try a place until this past Saturday. Therefore, when I read online that over 30 of the best food trucks in NYC were all coming together at the South Seaport I jumped on the opportunity to try all these delicious treats.

{Crowd of people at "PARKED"}

Though when I first arrived I was overwhelmed by the increasingly large number of people and the lines that looped around to what seemed to be almost back uptown. After perusing around all the different trucks to see which ones were worth the wait, my family and I decided to all split up so we would be able to sample multiple different eats. My mom waited at the infamous Wafels & Dings for the BBQ chicken wafel while my dad waited at it's bumper truck, Rickshaw Dumping Bar that sold the most delicious vegetarian edamame dumplings. I went back up toward the front where I had seen many other great trucks that I wanted to try.

{Wafels & Dings Truck}

{Rickshaw Dumpling Truck}

On my way back, I couldn't help but sample all the delicious desserts being passed out by the Treats Truck; the mexican brownies, almond & crandberry rice krispies, and the oatmeal raison cookies were among my favorite. Stopping at the Cinnamon Snail for a minute, I almost purchased a tempeh sandwich from this vegan truck, however just a few inches away I saw someone carrying a mouthwatering mountain of shaved ice with an assortment of yummy toppings. I immediately asked them to point me in the right direction and I found myself at a small booth. Although this event was primarily food trucks, 10 temporary booths joined the party to serve from their mini traveling shops. I ordered some very unconventional toppings (peanuts, wasabi peas, almonds, rosemary, granola, and strawberries) which actually complemented the shaved ice and the dollop of mango sorbet perfectly in an interesting way.

{Shaved Ice Menu}

Even though I was only able to try 3 different trucks this time, I am hoping to try some of the ones I missed in the near future: Gorilla Cheese, Frying Dutchman, Cool Haus Ice Cream, and Red Hook Lobster.

{The Frying Dutchmen}

{Red Hook Lobster Pound}

Following trucks on twitter is the best way to instantly know their locations! What are your favorite NYC food trucks?

Chanel "Graphite"

Right when I saw this glittery metallic silver color in one of my magazines and on the news, I knew this was going to be the next color I needed to add to my nail polish collection. The actual gold glitter specs really shimmer in the sunlight, I would almost refer to this polish as liquified glitter. Yesterday I brought Chanel "graphite" with me when I went to my all-time favorite nail salon, Dashing Diva. Decked out in all pink and sparkles, this highly recommended nail salon is the perfect place to bring your girls for a real great nail salon experience. I am extremely picky when it comes to nail salons but this place never fails. Their girly warm atmosphere, highly-trained friendly staff, and wonderful massages are worth the price. With locations all across the city, this is definitely my first choice. Chanel "graphite" is a limited edition shade so definitely get it before it's gone! Here is another one of my favorite Chanel limited edition nail polishes.

Rachel Zoe Event @ Saks

"Be honest, but be kind and loyal" - this was the advice given to me yesterday by the glamorous Rachel Zoe. At an event yesterday held at Saks, debuting Rachel Zoe's new clothing line, I had the opportunity to meet and take a picture with this legendary stylist. In a leather jacket with a complimentary blue scarf dress and rocking the beachy wavy hair look, she was definitely dressed to impress.

{Rachel Zoe & I}

After the event, I browsed around looking at her fall collection, falling in love with almost everything I saw. Some of her pieces are reflections of her favorite decade: the 70's and her love for vintage. Her outerwear is definitely a strong suit as well as her draping dresses and silk blouses. Her faux fur numbers were classy with an edge and could see myself wearing just about everything I touched. Without forgetting to mention her fantastic shoe collection, the studded black over the knee boots were just about to die for. Here are my "must haves":

1. Style A to Zoe Book 

2. RZ Pamela Tote, Pebbled Leather

3. RZ Wrap Collar Tie-Waist Coat

4. RZ Ruffle Maxi Gown

5. RZ Peggy Sequin Shift Dress

6. RZ All Cape

7. RZ Bridget Leather Fringe Satchel

6. RZ Bridget Suede Over the Knee Boot

7. RZ "Bella" Booties 

GET STYLED. GET SWAG. Allure Event!

Feather Me Up

Seen on A-list celebrities including Blake Lively, Vanessa Hudgens, Megan Fox, Jessica Biel, and many others, Hollywood just can't seem to get enough of this trend. Feathers are showing up in hair pieces and headbands, to accessories on dresses and shoes, they can definitely be a hit or miss look. There is the good, the bad, the ugly, and the just plain extreme. Not entirely sure how I first felt about this trend when it first originated, I finally gave in and went down to a local boutique and bought a feather extension to be installed in my hair. I chose a neutral brown color that blended nicely underneath the bottom layer of my brunette hair, only noticeable occasionally and peeking out when I put my hair up in a high ponytail. When I first looked in the mirror however, I had a serious case of buying remorse. To make matters worse, when I got home, I had a boy offer to get my so-called "rattail" out of my hair for me, clearly he was not up to date on this new trend. Over time it grew on me and it lasted almost 2 months; it could easily be brushes, blow-dried, straightened, and even curled just like natural hair. Moving on from feathers in my hair, my new favorite way to wear them is for earrings. There are a plentiful amount of different options in every color/length/style you can imagine at the street fairs here in NYC!

The GOOD - Bright colored earrings are a perfect way to counterbalance a simple ensemble. Pairing hot pink earring with a simple jumpsuit, similar to what Gwenyth Paltrow has done in the past, is a perfect way to sport this look. A simple one feather necklace is just the right extra touch to any outfit, over a plain tee during the day or with a cocktail dress for a night out. You need to be careful when wearing clothes with feathers however, because you don't want to become a repeat of Bjork's infamous swan suit.

The BAD - No one wants to look like a peacock flew straight into their hair so steer clear of long feathered hats and extravagant hairbands. Unless you want your necklace to look like a feather trophy from your last hunting trip, keep it simple. As for feather clutches, you have to be careful to make sure it doesn't look like your carrying a dead bird in your hand everywhere you go. Feathers on your face and around your eyes, lets keep that for masquerade balls. For the pictured orange jacket, well there's no need to even explain that one.

What's your take on the feather trend?