Spring is upon us—or so they tell me; you certainly wouldn’t know it after the current spell of cold, damp weather we’ve had. For me, the return of warm weather and sunshine signals the perfect time for sandals, skirts, sun dresses and my two favorite things: margaritas and guacamole. Who am I am kidding, really? In my book, any time is the perfect time for margs and guac, but at least the change of season allows us to enjoy them outside (eventually).

I have traveled long and hard, far and wide on this isle of Manhattan in search of the perfect salty-rimmed marg and tangy, creamy glob of guac. In honor of this search, my next few posts will feature the tastiest Mexican restaurants in the city. Instead of saving the best for last, let’s bring it up first: El Rio Grande. After a long day at work, nothing beats heading to El Rio Grande, my favorite Tex-Mex restaurant on 38th Street in Murray Hill. The spot boasts amazing food and strong (comes with a warning from the bartender), flavorful margaritas—easily the best in Manhattan.
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How do you describe L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon? I’ve heard “exhilarating”… “precocious”… “deluxe”… even “sublime”. And they’re all true. As for me, I’d happily describe the new restaurant in the same way as Goldilocks: Just right.

The French gourmand chef, who launched same-named restaurants in Paris, Tokyo and Vegas, opened his much-fêted New York City location at the Four Seasons Hotel late this summer. I had the pleasure of taking in lunch this past Wednesday. From start to finish, it was a treat.
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Looking for a foolproof evening of intimacy with your new beau? May I suggest handcuffs and wine? This was the very theme of a party I attended on Saturday. The object of the night is to partner up with a fellow wino and finishing a bottle of your favorite varietal. The cuffs don’t come off until you’ve sipped the last drop. Kind of like Prison Break meets Blind Date.

As I walk down Law and Order Way (named for the television show filmed there) to the Lighthouse at Chelsea Piers, I think to myself exactly how many glasses of wine I will allow myself to imbibe at this event – an important event entitled “A Second Helping of Life” benefiting SHARE – an organization dedicated to self-help for women with Breast and Ovarian Cancer. I’m pretty sure my grandmother is a survivor of both breast and ovarian cancer, but she is very quiet about the ovarian cancer so I’m not 100% sure. I know she did survive breast cancer, however, and I know how serious an issue it is. Which is why, even though the event consisted of the Top Chefs and Top Wine Companies in New York City dedicating their time to tantalize our tastebuds, I knew I needed to keep it as simple and sober as possible – while still having fun.

I’ve found that my love for New York has quickly spread from Manhattan to Brooklyn. Yes, Brooklyn–that vacation over the bridge and across the river. Brooklyn Heights and DUMBO offer something that Manhattan cannot…space. As much as I love to eat directly next to tourists, pedestrians and dust-scattering cars, I find that my inspiration to be a better person is greater when I don’t have people constantly asking for money or telling others to f$&K off as I eat a $17 Cobb Salad.
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Tuesday night I went out to meet up with some friends at a low key bar in Union Square called Galaxy. When I got there it was the usual mischievous loud and annoying shenanigans that seem to surround me where ever I go (poor me) and considering there was only one other group of people at the bar, I didn’t feel too bad for being my usual loud and obnoxious self. After a holla at my friends, they laughingly informed me that they just met Usher - pointing towards the other group of people who were big black men in suits. Assuming my friends were kidding, I laughed out loud and yelled “UUSSHHUUURRR!!” and did a dance which could only be described as my best impression of Usher.