Category Archives: Shops I Like

Marc Jacobs

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Marc Jacobs

Collection Accessories

385 Bleecker Street

Marc Jacobs window decorations.

There is a tangible object in the center framed by small photos posted on the window.

While most stores try their best to follow the holiday/winter theme, I can’t say that this store follows it the theme.

But there is a winter suggestion. The colors used are not the traditional red and green or even bright. They are black and dark purple and in addition, there is a huge polar bear that is framed by the pictures in one window and a space ship (I think) in the other.

It’s weird. So weird that everyone who walked by stopped to look. Everyone.

Grade 9. It draws your attention but something more festive seems to be missing.

Hanging out with Raja, Tonda, and Gentile Di Larino

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Il Cantuccio NYC

91 Christopher Street

Last night, at Il Cantuccio, Gustiamo hosted part I of their oil tasting series. Next Tuesday Gustiamo will host part II; and is expecting more people to attend because the New York Times listed the event in their Dining Calendar.

(I am looking forward to the tasting next Tuesday. The person who taste all three oils and then join our tasting guessing game will be able to win a full new bottle of Olive oil…which are worth almost $40!)

I am grateful that I attended the one last night. Mainly because Beatrice and Stefano were there to educate me on tasting oil. I thought oil tasting was something easy, just dip your tongue in the oil and say yay or nay.

Nevertheless, there is a way to taste oil like there is a way to taste wine.

Stefano brought three mini plastic cups to the table. And filled each one with three different types of oil. (Beatrice said that if we were at a food show, instead of using plastic cups we would be using “mid-night purple” shot glasses to hide the color of the olive oils, since it has no effect on its quality ). Next he brought Cru di Cures, Il Tratturello, and Pianogrillo, which are the three types of oils we were tasting, and gave everyone as small portion.

However, before we even could lift up the cup to our mouths, Stefano told us to cover the top of the cup while slightly swirling it in the palm of our hands, all the while holding the bottom. This, he said, makes the oil warm and helps the the aroma to arouse. While we did this, Beatrice gave us history about each oil and the place where it was made.

Each olive has its own identity; therefore, each oil has its own identity.

Cru di Cures is made in Lazio, Italy. It is made with several kinds of olives: Leccino, Frantoio, Carboncella and Raja, the latter olive can be spotted the area in Lazio, which is called Sabina. 

Il Tratturello is made in Molise, Italy in the Lario mountains. It is made with one kind olive called Gentile di Larino.

Pianogrillo is made in Sicilia, Italy. The olives from a region in Sicilia near Iblea Mountains. The olives themselves are called Tonda Iblea. Tonda refers to the shape of the olive. Tonda means round. In addition, the oil from there is not just made with one olive but two or three kind of olives are crushed together to make a rich flavor.

What each oil have in common is they all are made with freshly, squeezed olives that recently just been picked. When the olive is first picked and then made into oil, is when it produces the best oil.  And each of these oils are made with fresh picked olives and no added preservatives.

When we finally got to taste the olive oil (after we sniffed the oil- I guess to awaken our senses), we didn’t just put the entire bit in our mouths. We had to kind of sip it and suck it down. It’s hard to describe what we had to do.

I didn’t do it right until later.

As for my preference. I enjoyed all of them. I think each one comes with its unique quality and wouldn’t mind buying all three. I don’t have a favorite just yet.

Gustiamo

Another good oil site is: http://www.theolivemarket.com/tag/extra-virgin-olive-oil/

Gustiamo’s Warehouse

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Gustiamo Warehouse

1715 West Farms Road

Over the weekend, I was blessed enough to work in Gustiamo’s wearhouse for the first time.

It was an experience.

My favorite moment over all was lunch time when everyone sit around the wooden table and begin to eat.

Everyone in the office eat at the same time and they eat together. The table is usually set by one or two people.

The meals are usually prepared in advance by Anne, Martina, Stefano or Beatrice and (between talking with my sister who is an employee there and my own observations) are most of the time healthy.

On Saturday, when we sat down to eat, I tasted two products from Gustiamo and a salad made by Martina’s daughter that I plan to make for my family.

The salad was made up of spinach leaves, pears and walnuts. I loved the pears in the salad and tried the same approach when I made salad last night. I sliced up tomato’s, added lettuce, diced up apples.

The first Gustiamo product I tasted was the salted anchovies from Cetara by Nettuno. Anchovies are small fish that are very salty with a few bones. I wouldn’t suggest eating the fish by itself. However, it’s good, it’s not to salty to enjoy.

The anchovies can not top the salmon from Bethel, Alaska but it’s better then the whiteys from Price Choice.

After we finished our meals, Stefano suggested that we eat something sweet. And of course we all agreed.

We had Cioccolato La Molina.  Chocolate with hazelnuts. Scrumptious. It was so good that I saved a small piece for my sister. She almost didn’t get any. I kept nibbling it.

Another reason why I enjoyed lunch time is not only because of the food that is brought to the table but also becuase of the conversation. It amazes me that talking about food can be so interesting and lead to so many topics. It makes food exciting to me.

Lastly, I learned that Gustiamo is a ‘chic’ way of saying ‘come taste with me’ and mangiamo means ‘let’s eat’.

So, next time my family is waiting for me to say ‘time to eat!’ , I’m going to surprise them and say ‘mangiamo!’

Mangiamo

Gap Window

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Baby Gap 54th & 5th

680 5th Ave

To keep up with my project (taking pictures of store decor for this season) here is a picture of Baby Gap. I thought the cut out trees were great but the miniature manicans were much better with the colors.

(They also make you want to buy clothes for children, even if you don’t have any! It’s so cute!)

But if someone was to ask me if Gap was following the Christmas theme with it’s colors and decorations, I would give the window a six, a seven at best. It needs more that says ‘Holiday’. Even the tree doesn’t fully suggest this time of the year.

Maybe snow flakes on the window would work.

Grade: 5

Gap

Limelight Marketplace

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LimelightThe outside of the Church tuned Marketplace.

I guess people who normally don’t go to church will go now. The only word from God they probably would get out of this church is from the plaque that is in the entrance.

Everything else about the church is worldly. After all, it’s a shopping center inside.

Nothing on the outside of the building (beside the big sign that no one stops to read) would suggest to a visitor to New York that buying and selling on a large scale is going on inside.

 

 

Old Hollywood

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I think one of the most interesting shops in Limelight Market is Old Hollywood.

Everything that is on display seems to have a story behind it. There are so many knick knacks to look at.

Camera, Hats, jewelry, pins, dresses, bags, typewriters.

The sales lady told me about two cameras on display and actually knew a little bit about them.

It must be fun working at a vintage shop. It’s like leaning about history through products that you sell.

visit Old Hollywood at http://shop.oldhollywoodmoxie.com/

 

Old Hollywood