Warm Interior of MiniLuxe on Newbury Street
After eight days of marathon quality walks around London, my feet needed a little love. Specifically, a nice, pampering pedicure ending with some fantastic new polish on my tootsies. Enter, MiniLuxe on Newbury Street and their Sugar Kiss Lalicious Pedicure.
View From The Top of Anthropologie's Living Wall
Though we’ve never met, I’m smitten with the folks on the visual merchandising/store interior team at Anthropologie. I’m amazed at how they cleverly and artistically work to create a unique experience for every customer who steps foot into their stores. Part DIY fantasy, part global bazaar, every store is different and spectacular in its own way.
A great example of this is Anthropologie’s Living Wall inside the Regent Street store in London. Discovered during my recent trip to London, the store has a vast, three story, 200 sq. meter wall that’s filled with living plants. Lush and green, the Living Wall is aligned with the store’s staircase, allowing guests like yours truly to admire new plants on each level. In addition to being beautiful, I was also impressed to learn that the wall is sustainable and is irrigated by rain water collected from the roof.
Anthropologie's Living Wall, Regent Street Store
Anthropologie is located at 158 Regent Street between Piccadilly Circus and Oxford Circus in London.
Now that Labor Day has passed and the chilly rain showers have moved in, I’m feeling nostalgic about summer. This summer has been a whirlwind of travel, patio drinks, fun events and long strolls through the city. And, nothing makes me happier than having a fun summer wardrobe to enjoy it all in. Even better? If that wardrobe doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. As a nod to some of my recent fabulously frugal finds, here are a few of my favorite purchases from summer 2011! Note: All were purchased for under $45!
Photo by Le Pain Quotidien
SavvyBostonian Note: I traveled to NYC the weekend before Hurricane Irene.
I cannot resist the thrill of a jam-packed weekend in New York City, so when my favorite dynamic duo invited me for a visit, I jumped at the opportunity. Before I knew it, I was hopping aboard the Acela with visions of wine bars, sightseeing adventures and lots of amazing food.
Photo Courtesy of Eastern Standard
I feel like a broken record because I constantly say that summer in the city of Boston is like no other. That’s because it’s true! Between long strolls or jogs along the Charles, the multitude of sidewalk cafes, patios and roofdecks, Boston truly comes alive during the summer.
Another reason Bostonians cherish summer in the city is the abundance of fresh cuisine, innovative cocktails and chilled vino. Lately, I’ve been looking at the city through rosé colored glasses courtesy of delicious rosé wines. One of my favorite Boston restaurants, Eastern Standard, introduced a great rosé by-the-glass menu back in June and I jumped at the chance to speak with Wine Director Colleen Hein.
I certainly don’t pretend to be a wine expert, but Colleen was great with explaining the differences in rosés to me. She’s very knowledgeable and a delight to speak with, so definitely ask for her the next time you’re in if she’s available!
As a frequent guest at Eastern Standard (one of my top 5 patio’s in Boston), I asked Colleen to share three of her favorite food and rosé pairings. Here are her recommendations:
1) 2010 Chateau Commanderie de Peyrassol ($11 per glass) is described as a quintessential Provencal rosé and pairs perfectly with lighter faire, including grilled seafood and freshly shucked oysters (note: ES has a great raw bar!). Colleen mentioned that this was one of the first rosé wines to come in and it’s absolutely delicious. So magical, apparently, that it could make you think that you’ve actually left Boston and arrived in Provence. Sounds good to me!
2) 2010 Domaine Magellan Cinseault Rosé “Le Fruit Défendu,” ($8 per glass) is a touch sweeter, Colleen said, with a lift of wild strawberry as well as an herbaceous note of garrigue — a term used for a variety of herbs that sprout wild along the roadsides of Southern France. For this reason, it is perfect to order with grilled jumbo prawns, or dishes that feature pesto, as the flavors compliment the herbaceousness of the wine. From the sounds of it, I’d imagine that ES’s Moules Provençale would be good with this rosé.
3) 2010 Margerum Rosé ($12 per glass) is the newest addition to Eastern Standard’s rosé list. Interestingly, this rosé is a more complex, deeply flavored wine and it pairs well with heartier dishes. Colleen recommends ordering this rosé with ES’s Steak Tartare, or Charcuterie board (which changes daily at the restaurant). I adore a great charcuterie board, so this rosé is very tempting to me!
Eastern Standard’s Rosé By-The-Glass menu is available through October 10, 2011. I highly recommend scoring a spot on their coveted patio while enjoying a leisurely meal with friends.