Lip Service

Although this winter has been particularly mild, I've still been feeling a bit stuck in the winter doldrums. So when I stumbled upon Jouer Cosmetic's lovely lip sheers named after island paradises like St.Tropez and Positano, I was like, Calgon take me away.



My package from Jouer arrived this week, and I'm pleased to say it rocks. Their packaging is pretty and feminine and all orders come with your choice of two samples. Best of all, the lip sheer I order (Capri) made my lips feel like they were on vacation. All that and SPF 15...damn Gina!



To send your lips on a getaway, check out Jouer.

scenes from the weekend...NYC

My weekend centered squarely around food. Things started with a lovely dinner at Red Cat for Restaurant Week on Friday night.





Saturday afternoon, we kicked off a marathon erranding session with craft beers and steamed pork buns at Ma Peche.







Then, after surviving the 7th circle of hell (aka Bloomingdales's on a Saturday afternoon during the 1 day only home sale...), we made our way to Grand Central Oyster Bar for some mollusks and a much needed martini.



Saturday night, we wandered to Gramercy Tavern, a neighborhood favorite for a low key meal in the tavern room. I started with some more oysters (don't judge) and promptly put away my camera to enjoy the rest of the meal.


Hope your weekend was just as delicious!

swizz miss

Hard to believe, but in a little over a week, I'll be back here. Crazy to think it's already been a year since I was there!! Bring on the chocolate, cheese and snow!

p.s. if you're interested, read about my trip to Megeve, France and my first ever trip to Switzerland.

food porn

Even chef's take crappy food pictures with their phones! These photos are from Mario Batali's phone. And, how yummy does that fried chicken look?? To see Eric Ripert and Tom Colicchio's photos, check out vanity fair.

p.s. these pics have me sooo ready for summer!!

Instagram Me!

Are you on Instagram? I am, and I'm obsessed. Follow me there - I'm @ladulcivida!

down with downton

Obsessed.

Scenes from the weekend...Deer Valley, UT

I spent the long weekend skiing in Deer Valley, Utah. We munched on bowls of famous Deer Valley turkey chili and played Backgammon by the fire. Hope you had a great holiday weekend!

Thanks Ruth...

I like Ruth Reichl. I like food. In a cosmic twist of fate (not really), Ruth Reichl has started a new weekly series on Gilt Taste called "How to Make a Better..." offering tips and tricks to take things to another level in the kitchen.

And, not like I (or my hips...) need this information, but Reichl's first post offers 6 tips on how to make a better grilled cheese. I especially like her tip on using grated cheese, as opposed to sliced.

So, just like that my new year's resolutions are completely derailed! Thanks, Ruth!

In the Closet...

Please do us both a favor and go check out "My Closet in Sketches". Not only is it a laugh, but the illustrations are amazing. Check it.

New Year with Linda & Harriet

One of my favorite ways to kick off the New Year is with a new calendar. This year, I ordered a beautiful letterpressed calendar from Linda & Harriet. You can order one here!

a year in NYC...

A Year in New York from Andrew Clancy on Vimeo.

This video makes me so happy and proud to live in New York City. Plus, I'm really digging this song. Enjoy!

2011 - Year in Review

Wow. Hard to believe it's over, but 2011 was a great year, here’s a recap of what went down:



January
Kicked off the New Year (while recovering from food poisoning – ugh!!) in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. (You can't tell from this photo, but for a time, I was completely miserable during this trip...)



February
Took an annual ski trip to Europe and visited Megeve, France, Verbier and Zermatt in Switzerland. Ate my fill of cheese and chocolate. Hung with some seriously cool pups.





March
Enjoyed time with friends and family at home in New York. (karaoke-ed like there was no tomorrow.)



April
Celebrated our 6 year anniversary (and my birthday!!) in Barcelona. An amazing trip filled with cava, futbol and as much jamon as we could get our hands on.



May
Traveled with the British Virgin Islands to celebrate a friends wedding, and ending up staying awhile for some R&R. Never wanted to leave Little Dix Bay.



June
Spent a lovely and restful weekend in Vermont.



July
Traveled to Carmel, California for another wedding (love it when friends get married in beautiful places!!) and road tripped to Pismo Beach along the Pacific Coast Highway.



August
Enjoyed the last bits of summer with weekends in Sag Harbor, Saratoga and at home in NYC.





September
Toasted at my best friend’s country garden wedding in Virginia.



October
Danced the night away at an elegant wedding for a dear friend in New York City.



November
Celebrated a birthday in San Francisco, noshed on BBQ oysters in Northern Cali and rested in Half Moon Bay.



December
Celebrated Christmas early in NYC with friends and then later in Charlotte with loved ones.

So, that was my 2011 in a nutshell. Hope you had an amazing year, too! Here's looking forward to an amazing 2012!