Monthly Archives: May 2012

Restaurant Review: P.J. Clarke’s

Posted in Fun with Food, NYC by

If you take a look at my NYC Summer Bucket List, you’ll notice that one of the restaurants I’d been eyeing is crossed out…which means it’s time for a restaurant review!

A few nights ago I headed to the Upper West Side for dinner to check out P.J. Clarke’s, a restaurant with a view of Lincoln Center. First of all – great people watching! Our table was against the window (and by window, I mean open walls), which led to great people watching throughout dinner. On top of that, the restaurant had a great casual vibe.

The wait was short – less than 10 minutes – though it was Memorial Day weekend so that might have had something to do with it… The menu featured a lot of bar & grill classics, and I ended up choosing a hamburger with cheddar cheese and smothered onions (so delicious). For sides we got mashed potatoes (so creamy!), creamed spinach (good, not amazing), and onion strings (delicious).

Overall, I’d definitely recommend the restaurant for anyone on the Upper West Side who’s looking for a delicious dinner for a relatively inexpensive price.

Have you been to P.J. Clarke’s? What other Upper West Side restaurants would you recommend?

Summer in the City: How to Survive the Hot Hot Heat

Posted in Beauty, Fashion, How To, NYC, Personal Style by

Today was a whopping 90 degrees in NYC, but it felt like 100. I’m lucky that my internship doesn’t involve a lot of errands and running around, but the few times I was out and about in the sun, the heat was unbearable!

Here are some tips on surviving the summer city heat:

Easy, Breezy, Beautiful, Covergirl. What does this mean? Keep it airy! I like to survive the heat by wearing clothes with a lot of flow and movement, because this generally means I get to catch the breeze! Every time I passed someone on the street today in a pair of chic colored jeans, all I could think was “You’re wearing jeans in this heat!” The same goes for makeup. Don’t pack on the usual amounts of foundation, eye shadow, etc. Find a summer beauty routine that allows for light makeup!

Ice coffee. Or your iced/frozen drink of choice – whether it’s ice coffee, iced tea, or a smoothie. It’s hot out, and if you don’t stay hydrated, you risk feeling tired or even faint, and definitely can’t work that way. On a day like that, it’s worth the splurge.

Sandals. Whether they’re heels or flats, avoiding closed-toed shoes can actually make a huge difference in feeling cool and breezy!

My outfit of choice on a hot summer day!

What are your tips for staying cool on a hot summer day?

Summer 2012 Bucket List: NYC Edition

Posted in Fashion, NYC by

As you may or may not know about me, I am a huge list person. I make lists for everything, but one of my favorite types of lists is bucket lists. I’ve made not one, not two, but three bucket lists, for this summer alone.

The first is a list of all the things I’d like to do, learn, experience, and accomplish this summer. The second list is a shopping list of summer trends as well as staples – just everything that I need or want to buy this summer! A lot of those things have come out in my Currently Craving posts, but it involves everything from neon to high-low skirts to white jeans.

The third list is the one I’m most excited about: it’s my NYC Edition, organized by neighborhood. Last summer I interned in the city and I loved it, and had a lot of fun. But I didn’t take advantage of the city the way I intended to. So this summer, I made an NYC-specific bucket list to make sure I take full advantage of being in the greatest city on earth!

A huge thanks to one of my absolute favorite blogs, NYC PR Girls – I got a lot of great ideas from their District PRofiles, restaurant reviews, etc.

My Summer 2012 Bucket List: NYC Edition

Upper East Side:

- Eat at J.G. Melon

- See Schiaparelli and Prada: Impossible Conversations at the Met (I’m planning to go this weekend – blog post to come!)

- Drinks/or food at Dorrian’s

Flatiron:

- Shake Shack

- Mario Batali’s Eataly

- Hair blowout at drybar

- Vintage shopping

Chelsea/Meatpacking:

- Walk The Highline (one of my favorite places in the city!)

- Brunch at Pastis

- Chelsea Market (another one of my favorites)

- Visit Story

-Upright Citizens Brigade ASSSSCAT 3000 Improv Comedy Show

SoHo:

- Indie film at the Angelika

- Lunch at SoHo Park

- Dessert at Choco Bolo

- Brunch at Public

- Shopping, of course!

Upper West Side:

- The Loeb Boat House – Central Park

- Central Park picnic

- Shakespeare in the Park

- P.J. Clark’s at Lincoln Square (check out my restaurant review!)

Financial District:

- World Trade Center memorial

- Drinks/food on Stone Street (Adrienne’s Pizzabar, Beckett’s Bar & Grill, etc.)

- South Street Seaport

- Battery Park

- Live music at Ulysses’ Folk House

Murray Hill:

- Rare Bar & Grill rooftop

- Brunch at Penelope (restaurant review to come – it was dinner, not brunch, but still delicious!)

- El Rio Grande

What are your favorite spots in the city? What should I add to my NYC Summer Bucket List? Let me know in the comments or by tweeting @staceyalevine!

Pop of Color: Gigee Marie

Thanks to twitter, I recently came across a brand I fully intend to fall in love with: Gigee Marie. They sell clutches and tablet pouches in different sizes in colors, but what I really love are their neons (surprise, surprise).

Their clutches are simple and chic but look like they can really add so much to an outfit. So when I start making some money this summer, I forsee it going straight out of my pocket before my bank account balance even has time to change on my Chase app. The best part is, though, that they’re super affordable! I’m talking $20-$38 apiece. Beautiful!

Here are a few of my favorites from Gigee Marie:

I may not own one yet, but I would love to get my hands on one of those! Wouldn’t you?!

You can follow Gigee Marie on twitter @GigeeMarie.

High-Low, High-Low, It’s Off to Work We Go

Posted in Fashion by

Well, not work, but dinner. I wore my new high-low skirt for the first time tonight, to dinner on the Upper West Side (restaurant review to come!) The weather was perfect for this type of skirt – warm and breezy!

Here’s the whole outfit, snipped together by the wonderful Pose app!

Shirt: Diane Von Furstenberg, Skirt: Covet, Shoes: Steve Madden, Bag: Michael Kors