YES MEAT!

This weekend I attended the 2nd annual Meatopia in Brooklyn. As the name indicates, it was a celebration of all things meat, from snout to tail. Where as Smorgasburg is a little slice of foodie heaven in Brooklyn, this was were foodies go to eat.

20 well-known chefs from around the country including Micheal White from Marea, Osteria Morini in NYC, Jon Shook & Vinny Dotolo of Animal in LA, Adam Sappington from The Country Cat Dinnerhouse & Bar in Portland, OR and April Bloomfield from The Breslin in NYC among others, each partnered with a local farm to prepare a unique meat-inspired dish.

I tried everything from roasted sheep, pig and elk to more unusual chicken hearts and offal. A few of my favs included scrapple stuffed pig's head (see pic above), Grilled Chicken Hearts with Burnt Eggplant Puree, Roasted sheep with heirloom tomatoes, Crispy Pig’s Head Torchon with Green Beans and Horseradish and bacon ice cream. See the full menu here.

Despite the size, this event retained the feel of a fun, outdoor BBQ. The oppressive heat (which was in the upper 90s) did not seem to alter the fact that great things seem to happen when a group of chefs get together. As the night wore on I saw a lot of sampling at each others stations, laughter and wine being poured. Plus a few off-menu items including roasted goat brains and porchetta scrapings.

The NYC skyline became a beautiful backdrop as the sun went down...

 

BEACHES AND BIRTHDAYS

Somehow over the years, my birthday has extended from just one day to a "birthday week". I feel very grateful to have a wonderful group of friends and family to celebrate with. One of the last stops of my birthday last week was at the Surf Lodge in Montauk, NY. At the tip of the Long Island, this cool hotel has the laid back surfing feel of Southern California combined with the modern, chic of NYC.

The painted blue floors (my fav) and white washed walls in the main entrance feel fresh and inviting. I'd love to steal this color for my walls.

 The inside bar is both rustic and modern with bright colors and high back chairs.

Outside the colorful striped chairs and rattan lights feel modern and beachy all at the same time.

Top all of this off with live music on Saturdays and Sundays and you have my favorite place in the Hamptons. Next stop... Surf Lodge's sister hotel across the water, Ruschmeyers.

MOUSE COUNT: 2

Total count: 2 mice caught. The details: The smart mouse trap is the clear winner here. I set 4 traps before I went running on Friday night. By the time I was back, I already had one tiny mouse caught in the smart mouse trap. The trap was easy to release the mouse, clean and reset. I'm a fan. Now hopefully they won't come back...

I DECLARE WAR!

Living in the West Village, surrounded by restaurants, stores and people is great. Unfortunately living above a diner has brought some uninvited "house guests" who dig in my trash and binge on my favorite box of crackers.

Smart Mouse Trap

This weekend, I've decided to declare war on my visitors. I have a hard time killing a spider, let alone a mouse, so I purchased some humane mouse traps off the Internet. These mouse houses trap the mice and allow me to catch and release them down by the Hudson (where hopefully they won't find their way back).

Mice Cube

I bought two different kinds to test out. The Smart Mouse Trap ($13.49 each) has trap doors and levers to catch, but not touch the mouse at all, while the Mice Cube's simple design and cheap price ($9.99 for 4) seems like it might work too. Both companies recommend using peanut butter and a cracker to lure the mice. Who knew that the mice and I have similar tastes?

Wish me luck and I'll let you know how it all goes on Monday.

BIRTHDAY LIST ETSY STYLE

A few minute additions to my birthday list from one of my favorite sources: Etsy

Spaghetti Lamp by Sarah Foote

Tommy Toolbag in Canvas and Leather by Sidney and Sons

You Rock. Box of Notes by Red Star Ink

 

Vintage Industrial Hammered Metal Lamp w/ Neon Yellow Net Cord by Earth Sea Warrior

 

Walter Bosse Cast Metal Hedgehogs Stacking Ashtrays by Windesign

 Pacific Motel - Fine Art Print by Urban Pink Photography

BIRTHDAY WISHLIST

Hope you all had a great 4th of July weekend! Each year, as 4th of July comes and goes it reminds me that my birthday is just around the corner. Next Tuesday, I'm turning the big 3-1. Besides spending time with my family and friends, here are a few of things on my birthday wish list.

This rose gold-plated stainless steel watch from Micheal Kors would look perfect with a tan.

Creatures of Comfort, striped leather pouches for my make-up and jewelry.

A fun Sugar Paper print for my wall.

To bring out my inner Grace Kelly, a pair of these awesome tortoise shell Ray-Ban wayfarers

A pair of these perfect summertime earrings from Layla Grayce

A couch covered in this great salmon pink color. (found via Pinterest via Decor8)

A beautiful bouquet of flowers (found via Pinterest via Birch+Bird)

And... a fun 28-layer color bloc cake. Can anyone make this?

THREE B's

Just finishing up some work before heading out for the 4th of July weekend. While I won't be seeing this spectacular view on Monday night, I'll be sure to be soaking in some sun while enjoying three of my favorite things: BBQs, beer and beachtime.

Have a wonderful weekend and I'll see you back here on Monday.