Friday, July 31, 2009

Rouge Tomate Restaurant

My husband and I recently visited Rouge Tomate, a fairly new restaurant serving Contemporary American cuisine, which opened in October 2008 on the Upper East Side (10 East 60th Street between 5th and Madison Ave) near Barney's. Rouge Tomate utilizes local purveyors and sustainable ingredients as well as adheres to the principles of SPE (Sanitas Per Escam).

SPE is a culinary and nutritional charter developed by chefs and nutritionists and is based on a genuine respect for ingredients and the crafting of balanced dishes that naturally marries thoughtful, well-executed cuisine with authentic nutrition. Executive chef Jeremy Bearman and executive pastry chef James Distefano collaborate with culinary nutritionist Natalia Rusin on sweet and savory dishes to ensure that each follows the principles of SPE.

From their decor, service and food, Rouge Tomate was quite impressive. It is clean and
modern with a sleek bar, a towering wall of fine wines and fresh apples in square glass bowls accentuating the freshness of the restaurant. Rouge Tomate is inviting, warm, non-pretentious and boasts an excellent, knowledgeable and attentive staff.

We were in the mood for a nice, cold non-alcoholic cocktail and the waitress suggested a drink from their hand-crafted cocktail menu called the strawberry blonde lemonade, which is made with strawberry basil syrup, lemon juice, fresh basil. It was the most refreshing drink I have had in a long time. The basil and strawberry concoction works very well together. I can't recommend this drink enough!!

After we had our delicious drinks, we moved onto our chickpea hummus, flatbread and marinated olives appetizer followed by the chilled vegetable gazpacho with mango, avocado, mint, and basil, compliments of the chef. The gazpacho reminded me of warm summer days when tomatoes actually had some taste of sweet tanginess.

For our entrees, my husband had the fresh maine lobster salad drizzled with a passion fruit vinaigrette and I chose the house-made spaghetti pomodoro with vine-ripe tomato, summer squash, garlic, capers, and basil. Now onto dessert, which is of course the most important part of a meal! We tried the nectarine with a honey roasted, buttermilk-lemon shortcake and toasted almond milk sherbet and the local strawberry with banana, orange and bourbon vanilla, anise-hyssop sherbet. Neither one disappointed! Not only did they taste amazing but you actually felt good eating these desserts because you knew they were made with a health factor in mind due to the use of locally grown ingredients and a nutritionist helping with the creation of the desserts to keep in part with the rules of SPE.

When you need a place to go for lunch whether it be from work or from all the great shopping on 5th and Madison Ave, I highly recommend a visit to Rouge Tomate. It is well worth the time and money. I know I'm looking forward to my next visit!!

Thursday, July 30, 2009

Bone Suckin' Sauce


Recently, I attended the Fancy Food Show at Jacob Javits in New York City. It was my first time attending this show and I have to say I was very impressed by the amount of booths and the yummy food and samples that each booth offered!!!!


As I'm walking around, I come upon a booth with a name that makes you want to stop and find out exactly what it is. It was the Bone Suckin' Sauces booth and it is an internationally acclaimed line of sauces and seasoning rubs for grilling and marinating. I was thrilled that I scored a sample of one of their newest rubs called Bone Suckin' HOT Seasoning & Rub. I used it that very evening to make my chicken and it was delicious!! The rub promises to be that perfect combination of sweet, spicy and salty and it definitely delivers. The best part about the Bone Suckin' products is that it contains NO MSG. They are all-natural and gluten free.


I strongly recommend trying one of the Bone Suckin' sauces and/or rubs. Other products in the Bone Suckin' line consists of: Sweet Mustard, Salsa, BBQ sauce (#1 rated by Newsweek), Habenero Sauce, and Teriyaki.

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Calling all Fashionistas, Shopaholics and Party Goers!


Get a first look at the new Quiksilver Women’s Fall 2009 collection as Quiksilver and American Rag host an evening of complimentary cocktails and shopping! With every $100 spent, customers will receive their very own Quiksilver Women’s eco-friendly t-shirt.

Friday, August 7th

4pm – 7pm

American Rag at Los Angeles

150 S La Brea Avenue

Los Angeles, CA 90036

Sunday, July 12, 2009

HollywoodIntuition Collection Exclusively at Target

Celebrity style is available at guilt-free prices with the HollywoodIntuition collection exclusively at Target!

Target has partnered with Jaye Hersh, known for her high-end Los Angeles trendsetting boutique, Intuition, to launch the latest accessories collaboration, HollywoodIntuition. Hitting stores on Sunday, July 12th, the collection offers up-to-the-minute celebrity styles at prices that won’t break the bank ($2.99- $29.99).

Hersh has built a distinct niche in the fast-paced, ever-changing fashion business and brings her phenomenal sense of style to create this chic collection for Target. The collection includes a range of on-trend accessories as well as clear double-stick fashion tape. Celebrities such as Paris Hilton, Amanda Bynes and Jenna Dewan are fans of this fashionable collection.



We all know that the designer styles for Target never stay on the racks too long so hurry in and pick up these hot accessories ASAP before it's too late!!!









Wednesday, July 8, 2009

Snikiddy Snacks


At a recent event I was introduced to a great new snack called Snikiddy Snacks® Cheese Puffs and Whole Grain Cookies. The snacks are made with simple and pure ingredients including real cheese, butter, whole-wheat flour and unrefined cane sugar. Unlike many conventional
snacks, every single Snikiddy® product is absolutely free of trans fats, hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup and artificial flavors, colors and preservatives.

The cheese puffs are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, have 30% less fat than other leading brands, and are gluten and wheat free. They are available in Grilled Cheese, Pizza Pie, Mac n’ Cheese and Nacho Cheese.


The all-natural cookies are made with simple, wholesome and real ingredients, and each serving contains a good source of whole grains and fiber. They are available in the following varieties: Chocolate Chip Bites, Oatmeal Chocolate Bites and Chocolate Chocolate Bites.

I never tried a chocolate chip cookie made with whole grains before and I have to say it was quite delicious. It didn't taste that different from a regular cookie and I felt great knowing that I was eating something healthy and wholesome. So, if you're in the market to try a new, healthy snack I recommend a Snikiddy Snacks.

They are sold in Toys“R”Us stores, natural and conventional grocery stores including Whole Foods Market, and online through
Snikiddy.com and Amazon.com.

Saturday, July 4, 2009

SWING: A Concept Shop

I was out and about checking out some new stores and I had read about a new shop that sounded really cool called SWING: A Concept Shop, so I decided to check it out. I have to say it's a very refreshing, inviting, and beautifully decorated shop located in Harlem at 1960 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd (at 118th Street).

SWING is a lifestyle boutique featuring a full range of apparel, children’s wear, home decor, beauty products, art, music and lifestyle products. SWING is the vision of owner, Helena Greene, a New York native and fashion designer who has lived and traveled extensively around the world. Greene returned to New York in 2007 after living in Antwerp, Belgium and shortly after her return, she was able to make her dreams come true by opening a concept store that would allow her to share what she’d experienced in her travels.


SWING offers an eclectic mix of signature and one-of-a-kind specialty items from cashmere apparel, to glassware, leather handbags, beauty products and greeting cards. Upon entry, guests are encouraged to absorb the full SWING experience, to sit and converse at the store’s communal table, enjoy a cup of Kusmi Tea or N’espresso coffee (sold in house), discover a point of interest and explore its diverse products.

SWING houses an ever-evolving inventory and currently features an array of distinctive brands including: Cristina Bomba (Italian knitwear), The L’anverre Collective (Belgian glassware and ceramics), Nafi de Luca (Italian hats), Rick Owens (L.A./Paris-based tanks/apparel), Album di Famiglia (Italian children’s wear), Finger in the Nose (children’s wear), Ann Demeulemeester (Belgian knitwear), Lie Down I think I Love You (English handbags), furnishings from China and stationery from local designers. The store also features all natural beauty and skincare products from New York’s Sphatika and houses art by various local artists.

SWING is a wonderful and exciting shop to visit so plan a day with your girlfriends and take a trip to Harlem. It's a short subway ride from Times Square, about 27 minutes on express train 2 and/or 3. The website is currently under construction but keep checking it at
http://www.swing-nyc.com/.





Beauty remedy for your clothing!

Madame Paulette is the world's leading custom couture cleaner and they are now offering their very own DIY at home Madame Paulette Stain Kits.

Unlike conventional stain removers, Madame Paulette has taken into account the two most important factors for safe and effective stain removal.

Time: The most important! The sooner the stain can be treated properly, the safer and easier it is to remove.

Stain Identification: Every stain has a different composition. Before anything is applied, it is important to properly identify the stain.

There are three primary stain groups and each one requires a special formula:

* Special Formula 1 - Earth Based Stains: Fruit juices, teas, colas, liquors, etc.
* Special Formula 2 - Protein Based Stains: From the body and dairy products, such as blood, perspiration, milk, eggs, etc.
* Special Formula 3 - Oil Based Stains: From vegetable, mineral, or petroleum oils, such as baby oil, animal fat, salad dressing, mayonnaise, motor oil, grease, etc.

Each formula is conveniently packaged, easy to use and guarantees excellent results.


Here is what you’ll find in each foil-sealed packet:

A waffle-pattern absorbent cloth is saturated in the same special formulas that Madame Paulette uses daily in removing stains from the world’s most exclusive couture apparel. Each formula is biodegradable and rinses out with water.

A distilled water rinse, that follows the application of each special formula, flushes out any remaining stain particles. Distilled water, unlike tap water, permits the fabric to dry without a ring. Minerals and iron in tap water typically leave an unsightly yellow ring.

A fourth packet contains three individual super absorbent cloths. Using this cloth under the stained area will help transfer stain matter through the fabric into the absorbent cloth. This will make the stain removal process even more effective.


The stain kits sell for $12.50 MSRP each and are available at Madame Paulette NYC or visit
www.MadamePaulette.com for more information or to make a purchase.