Bonding with Brizo Part 2

At our prep station: Cristi Holcombe, Laura Bielecki, myself, Donna Hall

photo credit: Jayme Thornton

The evening before we are supposed to look Park Avenue fashion show crowd worthy, we Brizo bloggers are forced to prepare our own dinner. And it is predominantly carbs. Paired with many glasses of wine. And it is delicious. Chef Joel of Sur La Table cooking school, brought out the culinary genius in each of us, serving up professional instructions on how to make fresh pasta and flavorful risotto. And even when our dough wasn’t sticking together despite multiple passes through the pasta machine, he still complimented us for our efforts, stating our pasta was “beautiful.” 

“Fresh pasta is sexy.”

– Chef Joel Gamoran, Sur La Table

Bloggers and Team Brizo about to break bread at Sur La Table

photo credit: Jayme Thornton

A few key ingredients: fresh herbs, pine nuts, garlic

Induction cook tops were at every station. As was wine.

photo credit: Jayme Thornton

Faith, Susan, and Barbara talk shop between risotto prepping and pasta making.

This is Chef Joel’s idea of a “pinch of salt.”

photo credit: Jayme Thornton

It is beautiful, isn’t it? Laura, Cristi, Donna, and “Dubai”

Trevor Williams, Marilyn Russell, Ellen Cheever, Gizem Imer, Jai Massela

Voila! Fresh fettuccine with roasted winter squash, arugula, and pine nuts.

Brizo’s Paula Warner, Katie Feltz and Sarah Sinetean looking as if they

didn't lift a finger, but everyone pitched in. That was half the fun!

The other half was sitting down to enjoy a meal that we all took part in making.

photo credit: Jayme Thornton

{After dinner drinks}

Top of the Standard aka the Boom Boom Room at The Standard Hotel

After our meal, a group of us headed to The Standard for drinks. When we walked out of the elevator into this uber-hip and extremely sparkly roof-top bar (the carpet actually had glitter fibers in it) I was reminded of a DIFFA Dining by Design table I had seen the last time I went to New York with friends to attend the Architectural Digest Home Design Show. I felt like I had just stepped into one of my own blog posts! The in-real-life bar offers a 360-degree view of Manhattan and the lounge is pretty swanky with its luxurious ’70s inspired glam.

DIFFA Dining by Design at the Architectural Digest Home Show 2012

Saying goodbye to Cristi who had to leave early to attend a wedding.

Cristi, Laura, Judd, Laura

By this point, we knew that the Brizo trip was going to be cut short for a few of the bloggers since an impending blizzard was bearing down on New England. As a result, three of them had to be re-scheduled to fly out first thing the next morning in order to make it home for other commitments. Unfortunately they would not be able to attend the Jason Wu fashion show and cocktail after party, but we made the best of it by staying out as late as a bunch of people who just ate multiple plates of pasta could keep their eyes open for.

Some of us are staying for the duration ... Nick, Donna, Adele, Trevor

Surrounded by designers: Todd (on the left), Judd (on the right) 

Todd also had to leave in order to make it home to the Bahamas.

At least he was heading home to sunny skies and warm weather!

{Day Three}

At 8:30am the next morning, at the end of this long hallway, we reconvened to look at a number of top secret Brizo prototypes. I’m not sure how we all made it there on time, although they did encourage us by serving a champagne breakfast! While in the meeting rooms, we weren’t allowed to take photos and we were sworn to secrecy regarding what they showed us. I am able to say, however, that I saw one proposed model in particular that I would’ve taken home that day if I could, and another that will surely stand out for its inventive design. Hopefully they will both make it through their rigorous rounds of Brizo testing and product development schedules. Each one of these focus group sessions helps the Brizo team to adjust their new models based on what the professionals who specify their products suggest. I know I am speaking for the #blogger19 group when I say we are really looking forward to seeing what’s next in the Brizo line up!

As a thank you (as if being a New York fashion week guest, staying at a boutique hotel, etc. wasn’t enough) we each received a signed lithograph from Jason Wu, a sweet key chain with his owl emblem on it, and as I hinted at before, our choice of a Brizo kitchen faucet (which is something I really needed!) We were also invited to attend the first Brizo Blogger19 Reunion which will be held in Memphis, Tennessee this summer. While there, among other sure to be fun activities, past bloggers will tour St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital which is Brizo’s charity of choice. As the first national sponsor back in 2010, Brizo has dedicated annual support to the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, providing faucets and accessories for each brand new, fully designed home that gets raffled off to one lucky winner. The money raised via raffle purchases and ticket sales to view the Dream Home is used to fund research and childhood cancer treatment efforts at St. Jude. The Brizo people hold this partnership very dear to their hearts. We were told to plan on packing extra tissues for this field trip.

– watch the St. Jude video via Brizo  –

After leaving our last official Brizo “meeting” we grabbed some lunch at the Eventi before heading to our rooms to change for the Jason Wu fashion show on Park Avenue. Next up in the queue will be pics from the runway and after party (I had a feeling I couldn’t edit this story into just a couple of posts!)

Brizo bloggers – and their bags – gather in the

lobby of the Eventi before heading to the show.

Another NY roadtrip

My last visit to New York with Roseanne and Katherine

Yes, summer vacation is just about coming to a close for us (the boys go back to school next week) but I find myself longing for a quick getaway to the city. Let me clarify ... an ADULT getaway. One where I get to “ooh” and “ahh” over design goodness.

Dining at Eataly: Don’t all bloggers photograph their meals before they eat?

And then go out to eat at renowned restaurants owned by people I went to college with ... Master Chef Joe Bastianich lived in my dorm senior year at BC, literally next door. While last in NY, my girlfriends and I dined at Bierreria (a cool spot a la rooftop) and I fell in love with Insalata di Mela. I think it is time to go back ...  

Lots of people just enjoyed – and have been blogging about – the New York International Gift Fair. I’ve been before, and it’s a lot of eye candy to be sure. Since I couldn’t make it this time around, I would settle for an invitation to the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NY in September. “Hello, Jason Wu? I am a big fan of your work as well as your collections designed for Brizo. I would do some great promoting of your brand if given the chance ... oh, wait a minute, I already do.”

Ad I put together for Designer Bath that ran in Design New England Magazine

We all know fashion and design are kissing cousins these days. We dress our homes by looking in our closets for inspiration ... what colors do we look good in? What fabrics do we like? What patterns  make us happy? What translates across the board: usually what feels good to the touch will end up being the most comfortable in the long run. 

I met Andrea at the Architectural Digest Home Design Show last winter.

Often times, an eye-catching piece of furniture can even inspire a new confidence to combine prints that we might not have considered wearing all at once. Andrea Mihalik of Wild Chairy is an expert at this type of pattern pairing. With a background in professional photography, she knows what reads well both on film (can we still call it that?) and up close in real life. I recently showcased samples of her work in a post I wrote as a guest blogger for New England Home Magazine (read it here). Below are some more of her stylish pieces that I consider best dressed.

Red Hot: confident, bold, cheerful {photo courtesy Andrea Mihalik}

Winter Forecast: bare tree branches paired with icy blue and warm tweed

{photo courtesy Andrea Mihalik}

Trend-worthy: who doesn't love zigs and zags?

{photo courtesy Andrea Mihalik}

Fall Fashion: burnt umber plus golden oak

{photo courtesy Andrea Mihalik}

Yellow with black always gets attention

{photo courtesy Andrea Mihalik}

Although orange and pink is also worth a second glance

{photo courtesy Andrea Mihalik}

Excuse me now while I visit Pinterest for awhile to daydream about suitcases, taxi cabs, and Jason Wu fashions.