Home Sweet Harlem: Planning a Dinner Party

Hors D'oeuvres

So you want to throw a dinner party, huh?

No but I wrote this post because I did? Ok!

Throwing a dinner party is exciting! As someone with three notebooks dedicated purely to list making, the thought of writing out a guest list, playlist, and grocery list brings me to my happy place. On top of that, and (arguably) more importantly, a dinner party is the perfect opportunity to do something nice (read: slave over a hot stove) for your friends and have the perfect candle-lit evening of fun that you can't have with your non-existent boyfriend.

The Salad Selection

It takes a village to slice a tomato

So where do you start? There are the logistics - planning for a date that works with everyone's work schedule, finding a location with enough seating, noting everyone's diets - but the once the details are out of the way the real fun starts with your menu.

Equipped with minimal cooking skills, my co-hosts and I kept the menu simple. The hors d'oeuvres included prosciutto wrapped breadsticks, a cheese platter, dips, and assorted crackers (meaning the most complicated step in preparation was turning on the blender to make an artichoke dip). By starting with hors d'oeuvres served at the counter we could finish the entrees while conversing with our lovely guests.

Dessert

Once the pasta was in the pot, we started the sit-down dinner with appetizers like caprese salad and bruschetta. Our mains were penne alla vodka and chicken francese. The star of the show was supposed to be a coconut panna cotta with berry compote but when that went south the Thursday night before the party we rallied with a peach crisp served with bowls of berries.

My two pro-tips (i.e. lessons learned from 1.5 days of cooking experience) for the menu and food preparation? One, make your menu coherent, whether that means sticking to a cuisine like Italian or going for something thematic. Two, start prep the day before so that there's time to re-adjust when things don't go as planned.

Pants - Topshop, Shirt - Brandy Melville, Earrings - Urban Outfitters

Beyond the menu you're going to want a good playlist, something that sets the mood without distracting from conversation. And of course, the people make the party so make sure to plan out who you're going to invite. Include a mix of people, thinking about who will make the party fun and who will stay around afterwards to help you clean because they know it's the right thing to do (ideally most of your friends fit both categories of people).

And then there's always the question of what to wear. While the white dress perfect for late summer nights is my go-to, I ended up opting for new striped pants from Topshop. With patterned pants as the center of my look I kept the top simple with a gray tank.

Candle Lit Dinner and Friends 

A dinner party was the perfect start to the weekend and as I look back on it this Monday morning from my cubicle in my scary-silent office I can't help but dream of giving the coconut panna cotta another shot sometime soon...

Wishing wonderful weeks to all of you!

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman

A Day in Osaka

Life is so busy! I'm going to be traveling throughout Japan next week, notably in Hokkaido and Tokyo and I'm trying to motivate myself to finish my paper before I head out! Here is a video from last weekend in Osaka. Such a cool city, a smaller version of what I expect Tokyo to be like. Hope you enjoy and hopefully I can make a longer video in the future!

                      

Harlem Cafés: A Definitive Ranking

Yes 20-somethings love brunch but what's easier on the wallet and equally gram-able? Coffee.

You can find a Starbucks on every corner from Wall Street to the Upper West Side but once you hit 125th the Starbucks are few and far between (and by that I mean every 20 blocks instead of one... but it's all relative). Instead you are surrounded by a wealth of cozier stores housing baristas with man buns and regulars with stickered up MacBooks revealing their colleges, support of gay rights, and favorite brands.

Of course not all cafés are made equal so I bring to you my top three spots to camp out with your latte and laptop.

Chipped Cup - The Garden

My top spot is the Chipped Cup. You enter by walking down steps that surely once belonged to a fire escape and find an underground café decked out with bookshelves in three separate locations and bright blue coffee cups for your to-stay drinks. Its top quality, and the one puts it above all competitors, is the outdoor seating with mismatched chairs and plants where you can enjoy your coffee break in the sun. If it's not a break but rather a work from the café kind of day then the indoor seating will have to do. You have your choice of the bar, the couch, and the tables.

Chipped Cup - Interns at Work

Chipped Cup - Work and an Almond Latte

Of course the downside of the Chipped Cup once it gets too cold for outdoor seating is that the lighting inside is subpar for your aerial coffee shot so it's time to find a new place to get your caffeine fix. This is where Manhattanville comes in.

Manhattanville - Outside Looking In

Manhattanville - The Counter 

With its beautiful marble counters and huge windows, Manhattanville  is the perfect spot for bagels and coffee on a lazy morning and definitively the café with the nicest lighting. Another perk? As of this summer Manhattanville is liquor licensed (but yet to roll out its new drink menu).

Manhattanville - Getting the Perfect Aerial Part One

Manhattanville - Getting the Perfect Aerial Part Two

My final recommendation is Sugar Hill Café, the newest spot on my list. Out of my top three it's definitively the most innovative with its drinks - my favorite of these innovations being the matcha lemonade which is made with fresh pressed lemon juice, given its kick from matcha powder, and served up in a mason jar. On top of that, Sugar Hill keeps profits in the community with its art created by a west harlem resident, beans delivered from a local producer, and pastries baked only a few blocks away.

So for your next coffee date think outside of the box (read: the west village) and head uptown to for your summer cold brew

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman

Learning the Ways of Japan

I've been in Japan for about two weeks now and I think I am finally picking up on a lot of the differences between Japan and the US. I'm taking a sociology class on Japanese society and this has definitely helped me notice the customs engrained in society as well as how history has shaped modern society. Here are a few things that I've purchased so far that have helped me adapt to the Japanese ways.

A lot of Japanese public bathrooms don't have paper towels so it is essential to have your own hand towel with you at all times.

                

I got this hand towel next to Kiyomizudera Temple in Kyoto.


I take two different trains to get to school everyday. Each train has its own commuting pass which you have to use to get in and out of every train station. I don't want to be taking out my wallet at every moment so I got this little card case at Muji (my favorite store!!).

                   

It is really humid and also rainy here in Kyoto (compared to what I'm used to!), so it's always nice to just have a little bag to carry around that doesn't add too much weight. I got this bag in Sanjo (one of my favorite areas in Kyoto -- will definitely make a little post about this area). The store where I bought it claimed a "ONE DAY ONLY ALL BAGS 3000 YEN" although locals tell me this is just a ploy for tourists, I don't really mind a $30 bag is a still a $30 bag.

                    

This bag has so many different pockets, perfect for easy access to my train passes, my phone and my hand towel!

I rented a Japanese phone for my stay, a cute little Softbank flip phone, but the real magic happens with my airplane mode iPhone. Kyoto is in general pretty good with wifi, but I also rented a "pocket wifi" that connects me to the internet whenever I want.

It may not look like much, but this little thing has prevented me from getting lost and behind on my Instagram feed numerous times.


Japan is such a wonderfully different country than anything I've experienced before, I'm excited to be here for 6 more weeks! I'm traveling to Osaka tomorrow and Tokyo in two weeks, so I'm sure there will be plenty more to tell! Also here's the result from the Japanese photobooth that my friends and I experienced tonight! So much fun!

Until next time!


Post by Tallulah Axinn

Chelsea: How to Spend a Rainy Day

9th Avenue Side of Chelsea Market

The weather in New York has been significantly less than stellar for the past two weeks. And by that I mean today was almost 90 degrees, incredibly humid, and off-and-on stormy. Which means an ideal hang out spot should be air conditioned and dry. 

Chelsea Market fits that criteria. Between 15th and 16th you'll find an indoor market with a range of great food, pleasing every one of your friends without having to compromise, as well as beautiful art installations to perch by as you dig in. 

On a hot and humid day like today wearing anything feels unbearable. Still, nakedness is not an option so I went with a floral dress and strappy sandals. Feeling equal parts ballerina inspired and overheated I wore my hair in a messy bun.

Dress - Brandy Melville, Lace Bralette - Urban Outfitters

Sandals - Urban Outfitters

Pouch - Pamela Barksy

For food I opted for vegan sushi. Two stores down I met friends who found dessert at Doughnuttery, where you can watch chefs make adorable mini donuts as soon as you order. Searching for seating for four girls near the food stalls was a bust but we managed to snag a bench under one of the most instagrammed corners of Chelsea Market, a pathway where the ceiling is covered in beautiful string lights that fall into curtains in four corners.

Beyond Sushi - Spicy Shitake

On a nicer day we could've taken our food to the High Line, train tracks turned into a public park just outside of Chelsea Market. Unfortunately that trip will have to wait until the weather turns around.

Wishing you all a lovely week!

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman

Outfit Photos by Dale Li. Remaining Photos by Naima Drecker-Waxman.

Meet Yuki

I have been in Kyoto for almost a week now, studying at Doshisha University. There are around 10,000 students at Doshisha so I have been lucky enough to observe some of the students' fashion and styles. I have been keeping my eyes open for the latest Japanese trends and interesting styles. Yuki is in my Japanese History class. She is from Kyoto. I saw Yuki walk into class this morning and knew immediately that I wanted to share her outfit with you guys. Yuki was kind enough to let me photograph her after class.

Blouse and pants from her mom's closet.

Shoes by Kenzo.

I love everything about Yuki's outfit, especially her purple hair!

This evening Yuki was showing me and some other students around Kyoto. She took us to the Sanjo area were we ate a really nice dinner at traditional Japanese restaurant and went to sit by the river.

Excited to share more about Japan with you all!

Post by Tallulah Axinn 

Upper West Side: A Lazy Sunday Outfit

Crop Top - Topshop, Pants - Street Vendor in Rome, Sandals - BCBGeneration, Cardigan - Brandy Melville

In my head, my life in New York is all glamour and glitz. When I was struggling through finals my image of a summer at home was full of swanky brunches, shopping in SoHo, and decadent dinner parties. The reality? My summer has been a lot of Netflix on my bed and coffee runs for my boss at work. Which brings me to my favorite sort of look for my lifestyle - pajama chic. 

Sunday I wore my most comfortable pants, a blue patterned pair picked up on my way into Vatican City last summer, and a teeny tiny crop top from Topshop. The look has the comfort of leggings and a t-shirt while looking like you tried a lot harder. To elevate my outfit, literally, I added a pair of  brown sandals with a little height. The final touch was a loose gray cardigan that I could throw on when it got chilly at night.

I wore this pajama chic get-up to meet friends on the Upper West Side at Yoga to the People's Sunday evening candle lit session - 10/10 would recommend. We followed up the workout with (over-priced) tea at a new cafe in the 90s. The huge open windows and gorgeous map mural made the cafe a perfect setting to relax and catch up.

Even with a lack of glamour and glitz, my Sunday was the perfect way to get ready for the week. 

Hope your weeks are starting out right

Post by Naima Drecker-Waxman

Pre-Kyoto Purchases

Off to Kyoto tomorrow! I’ll be living there for two months, studying and exploring, and I’m so excited to keep you all updated on my life over there. I used to pack ahead for trips (when I was five I packed my suitcase two weeks before a trip, but then got chicken pox so we couldn’t even go), but now I’ve learned my lesson and successfully left all my packing for the day before. So right now I’m in the midst of all my preparations, learning a little Japanese (hello, excuse, do you speak english? is about as far as I’ve gotten) and trying to fit all the new things I’ve acquired in my two weeks at home into my suitcase!

Here are a few of my new favorite things that I’ll be taking with me to Japan.

From left to right. Waxed Bag by Ali Golden. Canvas Tote from book/shop.

I got both of these bags in a hip little alleyway in Oakland called Temescal Alley. The green bag (handmade in Oakland!) is from Ali Golden. The canvas tote is from the book/shop; I have been looking for a largely sized canvas tote with a zipper (!!!) and I just happened to discover it when I was walking through this store, perfect! I have always loved bags and these two are wonderful additions to my growing collection.

Bracelet by Marisa Mason

I also got this bracelet in Temescal Alley at jewelry store Marisa Mason, so cute I might even try to stop by to get another before I leave!

Here’s a picture of Temescal Alley! Tons of fun little stores, definitely check it out if you can.

I got this dress at American Apparel last week and can't wait to wear it.

Dress from American Apparel.

I just started reading My Struggle by Karl Ove Knausgaard, it’s a six book memoir that is super good (I know I’m late to the game) that should tie me over throughout my trip!

These are just a few things that I’m excited to bring to Kyoto with me. I can’t wait to see what I’ll find when I’m there. And I’m excited for my next post from Kyoto!

Sayonara!

Post by Tallulah Axinn

Get Ready for the Summer!

Are you as excited for the summer as we are?! 

Here are two of our summer looks to hold you over before we start our summer series: a tale of two cities. 

Tallulah will blog from Kyoto and Naima will blog from New York.