Life, liberty, and the pursuit of themed drinks
Tales from a week of events, including an Oscars watch party, a Mardi Gras celebration and a Brooklyn Museum happy hour. Plus design inspiration from an Italian trattoria.
You never know what you’re going to get out of an event in New York. Some live in avoid-at-all-costs infamy, like the dreaded Valentine’s Day set menus or New Year’s Eve parties offering poor value and packed venues. But some can surprise you, with thoughtful touches and generous offerings that leave you wanting to come back for more, year after year.
It was a big week of events for me. First some hits, to celebrate Mardi Gras at The Dutch and watch the Oscars at Syndicated. Both I can wholeheartedly endorse, so keep an eye on their events calendars for future happenings. There was also a happy hour at the Brooklyn Museum that had such potential but left me busting with constructive feedback to leave on a comment card. You win some, you lose some, but you enjoy a themed drink at all of them, that’s for sure.
Dispatches from the Corner Booth
Tales from a week of dining.
A lively Mardi Gras celebration with Hurricanes, unlimited oysters and live jazz in Soho.
I often say I’ll never return to Mardi Gras in New Orleans after I went in college and experienced its surplus of jam-packed bodies and ruby red Pat O’Briens Hurricanes in too much excess (read between the lines: I nearly regurgitated my brunch standing next to a hot dog cart on Bourbon Street, and I’m traumatized by it). But if Fat Tuesday can look, taste and sound anything like the party thrown by The Dutch this past week, I’m putting my hat back in the purple, green, and gold ring.
This two-part space lends itself well for events. In the quieter back room, we beelined to a pork-carving and grits station and devoured plates of it in big, beautiful corner booths. In the livelier front room, we perched ourselves at the oyster bar for hours and listened to live jazz; I always say the limit does not exist on oysters, but the answer is 25. Astoundingly attentive service swept around the room in gold masks, ready to offer up another hand grenade cocktail or drop a warm beignet in my lap. Richard Kind, inexplicably, appeared beside me toward the end of the night. The carefree, indulgent fun radiating in that room was, I think, what this holiday is all about.
An annual Oscars watch party tradition at an Art Deco theater in Bushwick.
I’ve lost count of how many years we’ve been going to the Oscars watch party at Syndicated in Bushwick. Securing one of the VIP booths requires close attention and speedy fingers, but rewards you with a bottle of champagne, unlimited buttery popcorn and a beloved reserved nook in a crowded room filled with Brooklynites finalizing ballots and knocking back themed cocktails. We ordered rounds of “The Activator” (tequila, jalapeño, pickle juice) inspired by The Substance and “VIP Room” (vodka, Aperol, cherry) inspired by Anora.
As Cynthia and Ariana took the stage, the lights dimmed, the volume raised and the chills on my arms appeared (I mean, did you see that performance?). It was time for this treasured collective viewing experience where everyone around you is cheering on, gabbing about or debating the movies they loved, hated or, often, never even saw. I wouldn’t change a single thing.
A happy hour at the Brooklyn Museum followed by a cozy pasta meal.
When I first walked into the Brooklyn Museum after-hours to attend my first Art History Happy Hour event, I was amazed at some of the thoughtful touches, like dressing up the snacks and drinks in their finest gold accessories inspired by the exhibit Solid Gold. And we had the place practically all to ourselves, what a thrill. But a lack of communication on the schedule of events left us spending two unanticipated hours locked in to three long lectures, with only 15 minutes to spare to whip through the actual exhibit after. Cue the Spongebob time card.
Frazzled and on edge, we then ravenously stumbled into the charming Briscola Trattoria at 9:30pm, right before the kitchen closed. Our hunger-induced annoyances were swiftly put at ease at the sight of a bread basket, a carafe of house red wine, a citrus salad and two steaming bowls of pasta. The bolognese brought a sidekick of extra sauce with it, as it should. One quirk is that for some reason the acoustics in this place are whack, so we were shouting at each other the whole time. But that didn’t stop us from lingering there for so long that we were the last two diners standing.
A sunny Saturday morning stroll through Fort Greene and Park Slope filled with bagels, burgers and pints.
Days like these get me giddy for Spring. I started off perusing the pleasant Fort Greene Park Greenmarket before dipping down to Thea Bakery for a Jerusalem bagel with labneh. I sat next to a Pomeranian and a chic baby in a beanie while I was there. Following a tip from a friend (thank you, Katie), I then stooped a collection of early 2000s Gourmet magazines from the sidewalk. Then it was down 5th Ave I went into Park Slope, stopping to vintage shop at Beacon’s Closet, fuel up on 7th Street Burger for lunch and enjoy Culture original frozen yogurt for dessert. I started to walk home, but who could refuse a quick frosty pint in the window seats at High Dive first?
Bathroom Mirror Selfie
Design inspiration from restaurants.
Ah, the comforting embrace of a classic Italian neighborhood spot like Briscola Trattoria. For your next pasta and wine night, take a little inspiration from this lovable, nostalgia-inducing spot and transform your home into your own trattoria. Find everything rounded up here.
Splurge on the perfect red gingham tablecloth from Serena & Lilly, with matching placemats from Maison Flaneur.
For napkins, go for vintage-feeling embroidered cocktail napkins or gingham ruffled napkins.
Hang vintage Italian posters, such as the La Dolce Vita or Chianti ones they had up.
Their spaghetti neon sign influenced me to want my own illuminated forkful or Italian hand gesture on my wall.
Play rounds of the popular Italian game Briscola, using a 40-card Italian deck.
If you want to go all out and create your own Carrello dei Dolci in your home, I won’t judge you. I like this vintage Italian dessert cart.
Fill it with real desserts or load it up with Italian-made cake candles from Cereria Introna, such as a pineapple upside-down cake, crostatine, chocolate cake slice, pasticceria set or cherry cheesecake,
The Reservation Desk
Curated dining suggestions.
Every Monday, I host an open call on Instagram asking for your dining dilemmas, to then resolve right here before the weekend. Be sure to follow along and submit your own queries each week, for a chance to have your night curated by Corner Booth, too.
Dilemma #1: This Saturday party of 4 at 5pm before a 7pm show in general Flatiron area. Try the new coastal Italian/Mediterranean restaurant Barlume (I just checked and they have a 5pm res tomorrow!). I loved their duck ragù pasta. If you also want to do drinks before or after the show, stop in The Tusk Bar for martinis in a super chic Art Deco space.
Dilemma #2: 1 year since proposing to my fiancé! Any recommendations on nice places to celebrate? Congratulations! I’d personally use this as my excuse to try out some of the latest and greatest white tablecloth-clad buzzy spots, like the elegant Bridges in Chinatown or sleek Brass in Noho.
Dilemma #3: July Bachelorette in NYC (6-8 ppl)! Nothing crazy fancy or super clubby but delish and fun. The people have spoken: everyone has been asking me where to go out with the girls. I have a full comprehensive girls night out guide in the works, so watch this space. But in the meantime, teasing two mini itineraries below:
In Williamsburg, grab pre-dinner cocktails at Bar Madonna before heading over to the rooftop restaurant elNico for Mexican food and sunset views. Finish the night at the cool listening bar Mr. Melo.
In NoHo, sip caprese martinis at Jac’s on Bond then skip over to feast on delicious Thai food at Fish Cheeks. Go to The Nines for martinis and piano music after (or the nearby Jean’s if you’re in the mood to boogie).
Say hi and follow along in real-time on Instagram!