Maison Ladurée SoHo

The famous French patisserie may have opened about 2 months ago in SoHo with their second flagship in New York, but recent visits reminded me of how much I love this iconic maison. The new SoHo location is a quintessential French tea salon. New York has been waiting to get its own Ladurée restaurant which can be found in other places around the world such as Paris and Switzerland. Upon entering, the the front is filled with a myriad of pastel colors pastries and a ceiling painted with a cloud motif.

The restaurant, a first for locations in New York, is calm and sophisticated. A fashionable crowd sips green tea with jasmine and indulges in an array of macaroons. Located in the heart of SoHo on West Broadway, the location is perfect for afternoon indulgences, a break from shopping, or a rendez-vous with friends.

In addition to the vast pastry list, this location features a full lunch and dinner menu and also does brunch on Saturdays and Sundays that sounds to die for. I highly recommend the millefeuille praliné or Saint Honoré Rose Frombroise...but then again you cannot go wrong with anything here!

Diesel Celebrates New Home Collection in SoHo

Diesel, the Italian brand we know for their denim and provoking ads, actually has a home line as well. On Wednesday night, Diesel celebrated the debut of its newest home collection at 3 high-end furniture stores in SoHo- Foscarini, Scavolini, and Moroso. We were invited to celebrate the launch at all 3 locations. In fact, if you made it to all three within a certain time, guests were entered into a drawing to win a prize from Diesel- pretty cool!

I was only able to make it to one stop, Moroso. This high-end Italian furniture store on Greene Street was filled with very stylish guests previewing the new collection. I was very impressed with the designs I saw on the floor. It was what one would expect from an Italian designer: sleek, modern, and sophisticated.

I imagine the pieces fitting perfectly into a trendy TriBeCa loft or Soho apartment. The pieces at Moroso were mainly chairs, sofas, and beds. The Diesel collection does include lamps and small accessories which were on display at other locations. 

Diesel's motto is "Successful Living" I would say that, this is pretty successful living!

Hannah Bronfman Host 7 For All Mankind x Malhia Kent Launch

Thursday night 7 For All Mankind in SoHo hosted a party to celebrate their newest collaboration with the Malhia Kent mill. The party was hosted by DJ and entrepreneur, Hannah Bronfman. Other guests in attendance included the CEO of 7FAM and industry experts. I was in attendance to experience the new collection first-hand

Malhia Kent is known for its luxury fabrics and has produced textiles for brands such as Chanel, YSL, and Proenza Schouler. This collaboration has resulted in some amazing "couture" denim for the fall season. The collection was filled with prints and textures in the fabric. One of my favorite pieces was a black blazer with a gold, intricate lace design. Bronfman was wearing the skinny jean in Egyptian gold jacquard at the event- they looked great!

The evening consisted of shopping and sipping on champagne. Guests enjoyed a live DJ and great gifts with purchases. You can view other pieces from the Malhia Kent collection online at 7FAM.

Images: 7 for All Mankind, my own

Luceplan Celebrates NYC Design Week

Luceplan is an award winning of lighting fixtures based in Milan, Italy. They have a US storefront located in the heart of SoHo here in New York. Last week, the celebrated New York Design Week with the debut of "Synapse", a new creation by acclaimed designer Francisco Gomez Paz.

The Synapse is a product mixed between an object and architecture as its intelligent module design allows for grouping in infinite configurations to create dividers, partitions, and suspended ceilings. Francisco Gomez Paz drew inspiration from nature in this light, and transformed the process that facilitates communication among neurons into a luminous creation. A single electrical wire powers a large number of the modules, and it is contains LEDs of variable colors. This light is truly a piece of art and has a great modern vibe!

The cocktail party at Luceplan was a great way to celebrate design week. While the Synapse was the focus, the store was filled with amazing Italian designed fixtures. 

This was made possible by a media invitation, photos courtesy of Luceplan

Bang & Olufsen Launch at Mondrian SoHo

Bang & Olufsen is renowned for their Danish design aesthetic and quality when it comes to their products. B&O Play, a brand of Bang & Olufsen, hosted an exclusive VIP launch party of their new H6 over the ear headphones as well as their new H3 in-ear headphones at the Mondrian in SoHo.

Let me just say straight away: these headphones are going to be amazing! The sound quality was amazing, and of course they look amazing as well. I got to experience the new headphones that will be released this summer in the US while sipping cocktails and enjoying hors d'oeuvres. 

The over the ear model comes it 2 colors- black and tan. In addition, they are made from very high quality cowhide leather. This means they only get better with wear, similar to the handles of a Louis Vuitton bag. They will become your new travel companion. Priced at around $399, they a reasonably positioned in the market place. 

Keep your eyes (and ears) on the look for these in summer 2013!

Cafe Select SoHo

It's no surprise that going out to eat is one of my favorite things to do in the city. I love trying the city's well known restaurants and trendy spots as well. I recently tried a restaurant that is new to me: Cafe Select in SoHo. 

The small, inviting spot is located on the east side of SoHo and exudes a slightly trendy vibe. The ceiling is covered in hundreds of white christmas lights, and a large rolex clock keeps the time, hanging near the middle of the restaurant. Most everyone was drinking wine, quite inviting. 

Cafe Select's menu changes seasonally which is great because everything is always fresh. They are currently utilizing their Winter 2013 menu. I did not get a full entrée, but instead opted for wine and the chef's selection charcuterie board. It was perfect for a little night meal. 

Cafe Select would make a great spot for a date with its warm, pleasant atmosphere. I will definitely be back to try more items on the menu and perhaps the brunch. Definitely recommended!

Artistic in SoHo

I have been having many moments recently where I stop, and think "I Love My City." I had one the other evening. I was strolling around SoHo during the late evening, waiting to meet a friend. I looked up while sitting at the Mercer and saw this:

photo: my own

Where else but in New York can one look up and find a vintage Porsche perfectly placed in front of a Balenciaga opening. It felt quite artistic to me. 

Fashion week may be over, but read my Exclusive Interview with Alexandre Birman at Skimbaco Lifestyle.

The Mercer Kitchen

The Mercer Kitchen, situated in the Mercer Hotel in the heart of SoHo, is a modern and chic take on one of Jean George's favorite places, the kitchen.

The Mercer Kitchen opened in 1998 and has been attracting crowds of sophisticated New Yorkers ever since. The space truly is a new take on the classic kitchen setting with a mix of industrial and modern design centered around the communal tables. Jean George is highly regarded in the restaurant world, and the Mercer Kitchen is no exception. 

I frequented the location this past weekend and was highly impressed by not only the food, but also the atmosphere and service. We indulged in a 3 course meal with a few bottles of wine. For starters I had the kale salad. Moving onto the entree I picked the chicken, and finished with a molten chocolate cake for dessert. Everything was delicious. George crafts his American menu at the Mercer Kitchen based on seasonal offerings and what is available at local markets.

I have found in my New York dining experiences that many trendy restaurants here are all about the atmosphere and scene instead of having good food as well. This is not the case here. The food was outstanding and it was coupled with a relaxing, chic environment at the same time. All in the heart of SoHo....what more could one want?