There’s a new kiosk at Columbus Circle Times Warner Center in NYC: Canine Caviar of Manhattan. Yes, the name caught Moi attention too, so I had to stop and check it out: Mignette might need something.

Not only are there the typical tres cher (very expensive) gourmet doggie dinners, treats, California Rolls (yes, you read that correctly) and sweet potato chews, but Canine Caviar also will make and deliver Doggie Gift Baskets to your favorite petite chien.

Canine Caviar says they are “holistic” and “perfect pet food with naturally preserved allergen free food.” This is their first stand-alone store, their website lists other retailers where their pet foods can be purchases, they also sell online.

the details

Moi tip: they also sell products for cats.

We had a sunset cocktail on the terrace last week for 20 of TBG’s colleagues, and I was organizing a casual menu that would withstand the record-setting heat and humidity. As people would be arriving from work the food needed to be served in stages. Hmmm… what could I serve that would require me to buy Moi fave Stacey’s Simply Naked Pita Chips?

My sister L’s Mexicorn Dip!

I needed 2 bags of chips, which proclaimed 33% more chips free, and were priced 2 for $5. To be safe, I bought 3 bags.

I wasn’t safe enough. As guests were arriving I opened a bag of chips and poured them on the serving tray: most of the chips were crumbled bits of salty dust, no way would they scoop up dip. I quickly picked out the biggest pieces, and poured off the crumbled. 2nd bag: same. 3rd bag: ditto. Out of 3 8oz bags of Stacey’s Pita Chips I had enough large chips to fill one tray, not the 2 I had planned. And alot of left over Mexicorn Dip and pita chip crumbs.

Sister L’s Mexicorn Dip
2 cans Mexicorn
3 green onions chopped
1/2 bunch cilantro chopped
2 cups grated cheddar cheese
1 cup mayo
16 oz sour cream
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp lime juice

Drain mexicorn. Add green onions, cilantro and grated cheese. Mix mayo, sour cream, cumin, cayenne and lime juice in separate bowl. Add to other ingredients and chill for a few hours.

Serve with Stacey’s Simply Naked Pita Chips. If you’re lucky. I’ve heard rumours my sister-in-law C has a jello recipe using broken pretzels: would that work with pita chip crumbs?

Moi tip: I don’t like mayonnaise, especially in the heat. I replace the mayo with Fage Greek Yogurt.

One of the joys of summer is being able to go barefoot. I don’t run, but my son, my nephew and Omaha bff J are all runners. So usually I’m hearing about 5 mile runs, mini-marathons, blisters, shin splints and all the other daily runners’ chatter.

The latest runners’ chatter: last week my son little M bought a pair of rubber running socks by Vibram FiveFingers. Designed for all types of sports including running, watersports, yoga, and gym workouts these “barefoot” workout shoes are designed to protect and strengthen the foot while enhancing performance. They look strange: like tight rubber toe socks. But they have extra padding on the bottom. He’s run in them several times already and says his feet and shins feel great, but his calf muscles are sore from the different running position.

My nephew warns that barefoot shoes can be very problematic on concrete, and podiatrists aren’t recommending them. He tells me the barefoot running kick started by the book Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen. It documents a Mexican tribe of amazing runners that only run in their bare feet and sandals. The book’s author Christopher McDougall makes the case that we are all built to run barefoot, so we should all start doing it. My nephew also says that some experts say running shoes are unnatural and lead to more injuries than they help prevent.

Omaha bff J is checking into women’s styles and colors. What’s your verdict?

Vibram $85 – $110 at shoe and athletic stores, or online at www.vibramfivefingers.com. Assorted mens and womens styles and colors.

Moi comment: Why don’t they call them FiveToes??? fyi: He also bought a pair of 5-toe socks to go with the FiveFinger shoes, I guess to keep his feet warm in the colder months.

Grease is the word! In fact, all the words to all the songs in Grease will be sung out loud all over the US in a major Grease sing-a-along. Girls Night Out, Date Night, or your High School Reunion: do it!

Yes, get your calendars out and find a theatre near you! Starting July 8 theaters across the country will be playing the original 1978 Grease with the words dancing across the bottom of the screen, begging you to sing-a-long with Sandy and Danny and all the gang from Rydell High.

Grease: You’re The One That I Want! ooo ooo ooo, honey!

Where Grease is playing in some of Moi favorite cities:

• NEW YORK
  AMC VILLAGE
  66 3rd Ave
  New York, NY 10003-5506
  (888) 262-4386

• CHICAGO
  AMC RIVER EAST
  322 East Illinois St
  Chicago, IL 60611
  (888) 262-4386

• MIAMI/FT LAUDERDALE
  SUNRISE GATEWAY
  1820 East Sunrise Blvd
  Fort Lauderdale, FL 33304-3040
  (954) 763-7994

If you’ve been reading along you know I often mention things that make Moi happy: Starbucks tall skim chai, extra water, extra hot svp? Mignette? It’s the little things that just for one moment or all day long, make me happy. And occasionally I’m going to share some of them with you, and hope they make you happy too.

The temp in NYC is 94 again today and tres humide: perfect for a sweating glass of iced tea. TBG likes a touch of sweetness to his tea, normally he adds a squirt of honey. Newsflash: honey does not dissolve in a glass of ice cold tea.

To the rescue: simple syrup! I just opened a package from POSH Chicago with my new vintage French mineral water bottle: mine is from Aix-les-Bains. I don’t need a lot of decorative stuff cluttering up my tiny NYC apt, so I immediately put the bottle to good use by making this batch of simple syrup, which sweetens up TBGs tea, coffee, fruit salad, or even a cocktail.

Simple Syrup

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

Boil sugar and water together in a heavy saucepan about 3 minutes, until sugar is completely dissolved. Allow to cool, then decant into a bottle for serving. Stores refrigerated for up to 3 months. I leave it on the counter: its gone in 2 weeks.

Moi tip: Infuse herbs or flavors into your simple syrup by adding mint, basil, lavender, rosemary, lemon or other flavors when boiling. Then strain before bottling. Try the basil syrup with vodka over ice: so refreshing!

Santé!

As I read the paper I tuned to the new Cooking Channel show Everyday Exotic. Today’s episode was Chinese Five-Spice and featured recipes for burgers, cucumber relish, aioli and fried onions.

I don’t think of five-spice as exotic. I’ve had it on my shelf for years. But what do I typically sprinkle it on: steamed edamame pods! I eat it like popcorn from a big bowl when I’m watching tv. Most recipes call for Five-Spice in meats and stews, but I think its great on vegetables as a spicy salt substitute. The Spice Hunter makes a nice blend and is available in most supermarkets, or online, for about $6.50 for 1.6 oz (Yes, I know its probably cheaper in Peoria, but I don’t live in Peoria)>

What are the five spices? Recipes differ, but Chinese five-spice encompasses the 5 tastes to balance the yin and yang:

• sweet
• sour
• spicy
• pungent
• salty

The most typical ingredients are cinnamon, fennel, cloves, star anise and Szechuan peppercorns. I always buy mine at the grocery, but I found this recipe on the popular chinesefood.about website:

1. In a dry skillet, roast 2 teaspoons of Szechuan peppercorns by shaking the pan over low to medium heat until the aroma of the peppercorns is released (about three minutes).
2. Grind the roasted peppercorns and 8 star anise in a blender or pepper mill.
3. Strain the blended seasonings.
4. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, and 1 tablespoon ground fennel seeds.
5. Grind the seasonings until very fine.
6. Store in an airtight container.

Tips:

1. Use five-spice powder sparingly, as it can be quite pungent.
2. If desired, you can substitute black peppercorns for the Szechuan peppercorn, and ground anise for the star anise (use 4 teaspoons of ground anise).

Moi tip: This got me thinking, next time I pop a batch of popcorn, I’m going to sprinkle it with Chinese Five-Spice instead of salt!

How come no one ever writes a song about returning home from a great trip? Along with the tedium of unpacking comes the fun of showing off your new finds! After my recent trip to Paris I lugged home these goodies. Why? Because they make me happy!

Pylones, the fun and funky French housewares chain, had these trés cool Eiffel Tower graters dangling in the front window of their Ile Saint-Louis shop, so of course a purchase was made! If you won’t be in Paris soon, Pylones has shops in NYC, as well as an online shopping site.

One of my other favorite houseware shops in the 6th on St André des Arts had these great silicon Eiffel Tower cake molds, sold in a set of 3 or individually. Of course I bought the set of 3, and will inaugurate them next week when I make individual Reine de Saba for a cocktail we’re hosting.

But not all souvenirs carry a price tag, some are found treasures! When I arrive in Paris, one of my first stops is always Monoprix. And one of my favorite aisles is la crèmerie to satisfy my craving for French yogurt. My favorite brand is La laitèrie, and my favorite flavor is citron: lemon. This yogurt is sold in charming little glass pots, and a stash of pots always accompany me home. I use them for individual servings of crème caramel, or pots de crème. (see Moi tip below) CoMo bff S uses hers as candle holders throughout the year: with a tea light inside, sometimes glittered and sparkled for the holidays, they make an easy chic table decoration.

Saint Marcellin is a yummy creamy cheese, traditionally sold in a small ceramic crock. And an empty crock traditionally makes it way into my suitcase, to be used chez Moi to serve olives, nuts, rice crackers or other little nibbles with an apéro.

Paris now boasts 35 Starbucks, and this trip I managed to visit most of them. Sadly no free wifi, but I was able to maintain my daily tradition of wandering the streets with my tall skim chai latte, extra hot (un tall chai latte, écrémé, trés chaud, svp!) and a straw. And because I can never have too much Starbucks or too many Eiffel Towers, this souvenir also smuggled itself into my suitcase:

Moi tip: I have many authentic recipes for crème caramel and pots de crème that I learned living in Paris, but I have to confess to loving this super simple recipe I discovered when Rachel Ray appeared on Oprah a few years ago, works every time. (note: I never add the mint or the whipped cream) Perfect for my little empty yogurt pots!

Rachel Ray’s Decadent Chocolate Cups with Whipped Cream

INGREDIENTS
2/3 cup whole milk
1 egg
2 Tbsp. sugar
Pinch salt
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. hazelnut liqueur or dark rum
4 demitasse cups
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbsp. sugar
Mint sprigs, for garnish, optional

When planning your menu, make this dessert first to allow these chocolate cups to set and chill.

Heat milk in a small pan over moderate heat until it comes to a boil. In blender or food processor or turn on blender to low setting. Pour in boiling milk in a slow stream. The hot milk will cook the egg and melt the chocolate. Process or blend 1 minute, until smooth. Spoon chocolate into 4 demitasse cups and chill. After dinner, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add a little sugar and beat to combine. Top the chocolate cups with a dollop of cream and garnish each cup with mint sprigs. Place cups on saucers and serve with demitasse spoons. If you use teacups, this recipe will yield 2 cups, rather than 4.

Fathers Day is less than 2 weeks away: June 20. These gifts have been personally field-tested by TBG and have earned the very hard to come by TBG smile of approval. One of these is bound to please a father on your list!

For the sports fan:

Cufflinks made by Tokens & Icons from authentic souvenirs of his favorite sports team or stadium: I bought TBG authentic football cufflinks from Roslyn,  276 Columbus in NYC; Spare Parts, 2947 Broadway in Chicago carries similar styles (attn Cubs fans!) But online shoppers can also find them at Uncommon Goods or Cufflinks.com. Expect to pay $130 to $150+. I’ve seen styles made from Notre Dame stadium seats, Cubs game balls, Tokens & Icons also carries pens made from Yankee stadium seats, Dodgers seat bottle openers, Boston Garden floor bottle openers, hockey arena pens and cufflinks (sorry, no Blackhawks: yet!) and lots more.

For the sharp dresser:

Living in rainy or snowy climates is not easy for the guy who always likes to look sharp. Check out Swims:  These classic, classy shoe rubbers easily pull-on over shoes and protect them from the weather. Traditional black is available, but why not step it up a notch with orange or yellow? He’ll love looking good and being practical at the same time. These stylish rubbers are made in Norway of a unique stretchy rubber (similar to diver’s suits) and slip on easily over shoes. We bought TBG’s at Allen Edmonds on Michigan Ave in Chicago, but you can also buy them at Bloomies or Nieman Marcus, or at amazon.com. Around $95 – $125.

For the camera or electronics buff:

These handy camera accessories are practical, inexpensive, and useful: a sure homerun. TBG is a huge camera buff, and has bags and cabinets of high-priced accessories. But accessories are usually heavy and bulky, so not always practical to carry on a long walk, a bike ride, or an outing to the park or zoo. Check these gadgets out. I bought TBG’s online at delight.com

Bottle cap tripod: this tiny tripod screws easily onto a pop or water bottle (better filled so it doesn’t tip over) to provide some distance and stability for your subject: no more stretching your arm as far as possible to try include yourself and that great spot in your shot! About $9.50

Powercup On-the-Go Power Supply Cup: Cameras don’t work well when the battery is dead. Same for mobile phones. Traveling buy car requires multiple adapters and accessories to charge the iPhone, Blackberry, camera, and baby bottle heater. What’s a guy to do? This clever latte-cup shaped adapter plugs into the car’s cigarette lighter and rests in the cup holder. Brilliant: it charges both 120 volt and USB ports. Around $32.50.

For the gourmand:

Wine or chocolates: decisions decisions. Why not combine both with these decadent chocolate covered wine grapes: grapes infused with wine and coated in dark rich chocolate from chocolateur Bissingers? Indulge him! $16 plus shipping.

And what is TBG getting the Fathers’ Day? Shhhh, I’ll never tell. But I will share a shopping tip: I’ve been shopping Mantiques from Treasures by the Antiques Diva!

– lyrics by John Denver

My bags are almost packed for my trip tomorrow to Paris, and they’re overflowing with all the goodies and necessities my Paris bffs have begged me to bring. When we were living in Paris our apartment overflowed with visitors: we once had to run out and buy sheets because we couldn’t wash them fast enough between guests! And bien sur, we charged rent: our house guests were obliged to bring us all the things that were hard if not impossible to get in Paris in the late 90s and early 2000s:

• peanut butter: extra chunky
• Crystal Light lemonade mix
• jello mix – sugar free
• taco seasoning and other tex-mex spices
• pants from Banana Republic (French women are just not built like American women!)
• chocolate covered raisins
• Swiss Miss 25 calorie hot cocoa mix (I know we lived in world chocolate capital Paris, but the 25 calories!!!)

My Paris bffs list of American products they neeeeed in 2010 include:

• PopTarts
• peppermint patties
• mint Oreos
• Oil of Olay spf moisturizer
• Goody hair barrettes
• Flintstones vitamins
• doggie treats
• Pam cooking spray

And I am happy to fill my bag with these American goodies…and many more I’m not listing… because when I unpack them, I leave lots of room in my luggage for all the French products I plan to bring back:

• Monoprix: a French grocery store chain
  • Vahiné amandes en poudre: almond flour, very difficult to find and expensive in the US
    
  • Le Petit Marseilais lavande liquid soap refills
  • Maggi spices and seasonings
  • Speculoos á tartiner (this is due to David Lebovitz’s latest blog)
  • Fleur de Sel de Camargue: French sea salt, available in the US but very expensive, and beautifully tinned for gift-giving
  • Petit Bateau t’s and tanks for Moi: prices are cheapest at Monoprix
  • baby bibs: they’re the size of handtowels and have the cutest expressions in French
  • little girl dresses: I’m shopping for sizes 12 mos, 18 mos, 4 years, 5 years and 6 years
  • Amora Moutarde de Dijon: Fine et Forte (hopefully in the blue-trimmed drinking glass)
  • cobalt blue washcloth mitts…so handy compared to regular washcloths!
  • Nestle dessert chocolat noir bars for baking (I use this and the amande en poudre to make bff S’s Chocolate Almond Cake)
• blue cafe au lait bowl from Le Comptoir de Famille to replace the one I broke

• postcards and note cards from stationary stores along my daily walks
• caramels du beurre salé: salted butter caramels
• les Anis de Flavigny: little anise flavored candies from the charming village of Flavigny, where the film Chocolat was filmed: these are for my father, who knows I bring them back from every visit

And of course I’ll faire du lèche-vitrines (be window shopping)…and perhaps buying???… shoes and bags and dresses. It’s too early for the les soldes: the semi-annual sales in Paris, but there are lots of promotions going on right now! Stay tuned….

Moi tip: les soldes are the French government authorized semi-annual sales of 40-70% discounts on seasonal items, everything from clothes to shoes to bags to linens to ???  This year, the summer sale is from Wednesday June 30 – Tuesday August 3. The 2011 sale dates have not been set yet. During the rest of the year, promotions are held offering varying discounts on any items including clothing, food and wine, books and household items.

Friday I made a field trip to Chelsea to personally check-out the much hyped Limelight Marketplace: a former Episcopal church turned trendy and exclusive Gothic nightclub, now reincarnated as a bubble-gum bright and squeaky clean mini-mall whose doors are open to everyone. Calling themselves New York’s Festival of Shops, squeaky clean is definitely the image they’re trying to project.

All the PR is paying off: open just  a week, and Limelight was packed with trendy New Yorkers and tourists.

Limelight definitely has the cool factor: the developers kept many of the original architectural details: stained glass windows, swooping stone archways, dark and hidden stairways.

Glitzed and glammed up with chandeliers and glossy marble floors, there are still signs of newness: blue tape holding mirrors in place, workers crawling on the floor measuring and cutting, big smiles and greetings on all employees faces. Note to management: Needs more signage.

The shops are definitely fun and trendy and eclectic and small: I browsed outposts of Havianas (I was a little disappointed in Haviana’s booth: I’d heard they were there, and hoped they’d have the cool Haviana’s Bar like Galeries Lafayette in Paris, but no, same old flip flop display), Hunter Boots, Petrossian Caviar, Le Sportsac. The air was perfumed with scents from Soapology and Caswell Massey and The Avery Perfumes. And if you managed to avoid the many food booths, It’s Sugar will lure you in with their displays of retro candies and giant gummy bears and bins of brightly colored sweets.

Several jewelers represented local artists: Old Hollywood and Tina Tang. Baby gifts were well represented with Silly Souls and BookSmart. And Mignette and her doggie friends would find something to drool over at Sophie and Teddy’s Doggie Delight (they say they’re eco-friendly: no idea what they mean by that!). Zakka is a must-stop: unusual and retro Japanese gifts and artistan pieces including t-shirts and toys.

Even the famous J. Sisters is opening up a waxing salon! Brocade Home had 2 spots: a small booth on the ground floor (with no staff when we were there) and a hard to find larger store upstairs. They were open…but not really, we just took a brochure. They were too busy unpacking to talk. Maybe next time?

But are they buying or browsing? One vendor said the locals are gawking and the tourists are buying. We had one very excited middle-aged guy in grungy jeans and dark shades run up to us and tell us he used to stand outside the club trying to get past the bouncers and rope and gain admittance. Another story told to us in the food court was too yucky to retell: sex, drugs and rock ‘n roll!

There were several food specialty areas already opened, with more promised in the near future: everything from Baci Gelato to Miss Tea to MarieBelle Chocolates (3 shops: 1 on every level!) to Cupcake Stop to WannaHavaCookie (think whoopie pies in every flavor). More deliciousness awaited in the Gourmet Food Court: baguette sandwiches and cheeses and pastries and salads; Cana Winebar and Grimaldi pizza to open soon. Right now there are only take away food places: nowhere to sit and eat (other than the hot chocolate bar at the upper floor of MarieBelles 3 booths)  We were told a courtyard for eating is coming soon, but it’s not there yet. We actually walked over to nearby Chelsea Market afterward to grab a sitdown lunch at 202.

Is it worth a visit? Definitely: it’s a fun and bright shopping experience, and the perfect place to take visitors who are looking for something special to buy. And maybe a few things to buy just for Moi…

the details:

Moi Tip: From what we could see and were told by employees, Limelight is NOT handicap accessible; lots of metal staircases must be transversed to go above the main floor. We were told there is not an elevator.