Skipping to Memorial Day

Lord it was cold (again) today and even though the weather report for New York promises that the temperatures will climb into the 40s and 50s later this week; I just don’t think I can rely on Mother Nature anymore. She has been such a tease – first promising spring with sweet nothings and sunshine, then whirling away in a flurry of snowflakes and stinging winds. Not cool. Not cool at all.

So, here’s my plan. Even though I know the calendar says it’s March 17th (aka St. Patrick’s Day) I’m going to fast forward a little to another excellent holiday: Memorial Day. That’s right, I’m going to mentally skip over crazy, on again off again Spring and go straight into Summer! (In my mind that was pronounced Oprah style as “Suuuummmeeer!” but I wasn’t sure how to spell it.)

How, you might be asking, do I intend to do this? Like so, with my handy make it to “Memorial Day” survival kit. Let’s engage the senses and pretend it’s late May, shall we?

Memorial Day Survival Kit | Design: Laura Messersmith

1. Smell: The scent of sunscreen always makes me think of long afternoons on the beach. The Body Shop has given us the coconut for the times we don’t need the SPF.

2. Sight: Mary Stewart’s descriptions of a young woman’s adventures in 1960s Greece in My Brother Michael are fantastic – mini vacation!

3. Taste: Dark & Stormys are the official drink of Bermuda. Spicy, summery, and super easy to make. Just mix Goslings dark rum, ginger beer, lime, and ice to your taste. Done and done.

4. Touch: It’s too cold for a long sleeved tee, but Memorial Day wouldn’t be complete without navy sailor stripes, so while it’s still chilly I’m thinking a nautical sweatshirt is in order.

5. Sound: When I need a warm weather soundtrack I turn to Vampire Weekend's eponymous first album. Road trip to the shore with the windows down and the volume up.

Image Credits: The Body Shop Body Butter | Mary Stewart Book | Dark & Stormy | Gap Sailor Stripe Sweatshirt | Vampire Weekend

Scouting: Chobani SoHo

For all my New York visitors Chobani SoHo is a required stop. Not only because of my affection for the company (Upstate NY pride!), but because the café is really a cool place and truly unique to the city.

Image: Laura Messersmith

Personal experience and a quick look at UrbanSpoon, Yelp, and FourSquare tell the tale: the café is awesome and super popular. So it’s good news that after closing briefly for construction Chobani SoHo re-opened last week with more space, new menu offerings, and a coffee bar brewing a special blend by La Colombe.

I had a chance to attend the opening and have a sneak peek of the new menu. I’m still dreaming of the Turkish Red Lentil Soup and the Simit Sandwich with Smoked Salmon and Herbed Labne was so, so good. I also love efficiency and now I can get a great latte with my delicious snack. Two birds, one stone.

If you haven’t been yet here’s the scoop: Chobani’s chef and the café staff have developed a menu of special creations using greek yogurt and carefully selected fresh toppings. The creations span the full spectrum of flavors from sweet to savory – my favorite sweet creation is the Toasted Coconut + Pineapple and my favorite savory creation is the Mango + Avocado.

Here are a few pics from the celebration to whet your appetite and a strong recommendation to check this place out!

All Images: Laura Messersmith

The Tradition Continues

Costume dramas – preferably British, preferably pre-1930s timeframe – are catnip to me. Pride & Prejudice mini-series? Check. Remains of the Day? Check. Gosford Park? Check.

Give me a montage of a carriage (or motorcar) traveling through a misty countryside to a stately home. Give me multiple ‘costume’ changes for one day’s activities – breakfast in bed, riding, tea, formal dinner, the hunt ball. Give me grand rooms layered with the patina and decorating contributions of 10 generations. And if you can, please give me a sprinkling of droll zingers delivered by Dame Maggie Smith.

In short, give me: Downton Abbey.

The Downton Abbey household staff ever attentive, Image via express.co.uk

Lady Mary Grantham as the picture of aristocratic glamour. Image via myluciouslife.com 

So many stories have been written about American viewers’ enthusiasm for this trans-Atlantic hit. But none of the theories about class curiosity, ‘highbrow’ melodrama, or romance novels come-to-life ring true for me. So, why do I love Downton?

The mental breadcrumbs lead me back to my favorite childhood books: The Secret Garden, Anne of Green Gables, A Little Princess; followed by Emma, Jane Eyre, A Room With A View, The House of Mirth, and all most recently things Mitford. (Side note: why are almost all the heroines orphans?) Each book fully absorbed my imagination and, perhaps not surprisingly, every one of these literary classics has at least one film adaptation to its credit, most of which I’ve seen. Like I said, catnip.

The Granthams on the hunt, Image via Here is the City 

The Grantham Sisters, image via Tinsel.tv 

Watching Downton offers that same experience – intertwined character story arcs, unforeseen personal challenges, period-specific boundaries of propriety – with the added element of cliffhangers. No reading until the early hours of the morning to find out how Lady Mary copes with Cousin Matthew’s car accident, or whether Lady Edith will ever find love, or what scheme Thomas and O’Brien will cook up next.

Luckily the wait is over another season has begun and Sunday nights will bring continuing adventures with the Granthams and lessons in witty repartee from the Dowager Countess. (!!!) Ahem, pardon me as I try to “ration my excitement.”

Excitement very much rationed, Image via Tinsel.tv