Gotham Gal

the power of good

I rarely use this blog to write about events worth supporting.  Everyone has an organization that they support, in one way or another, and once a year there is always some type of function or fundraising effort.  I applaud everyone for supporting something they are passionate about in their lives that gives back in some way to the community. 

Today I am going to promote an event that not only is important but this particular organization was established because of a terrible tragedy.  I actually have a hard time putting typing these words without tears coming to my eyes.  Last December there was a tragic fire in North Stamford where a house went up quickly in flames.  It was a tragedy of significant errors and 3 young sisters including their Grandparents died.  Left standing, was their father, Matt Badger.  They were staying at his x-wifes home on Christmas Eve.  She survived the fire.

Matt has worked with my brother for more than a decade.  When we found out the news, we were all shell-shocked.  How can you even begin to process what had happened.  All of our hearts ached and still ache for Matt. 

In the aftermath, Matt put his energies into something good, something that allowed him to heal.  He did not want his daughters to be forgotten.  He set up a foundation called LilySarahGrace to support the thing his daughters loved most, the arts.  The money that this organization raises will go directly into supporting the arts in public elementaries across the country. 

Giving back always makes me feel good.  It is the power of that which will hopefully help Matt get up everyday and turn this heartbreaking tragedy into something good for other young girls around the country who have a passion for the art.

Riverpark Farm

I am on a farm roll this week.  Last year our friends came with me to a farm to table event at Sothebys to support the Sylvia Center.  Our friends bid and won a dinner for 10 at the Riverpark Farm.  They called in their chips for a dinner in late May and it was an absolutely amazing evening

Far over on east 29th street, on the river, is the restaurant Riverpark.  It happened to be a glorious night for our dinner.  We were seated in the farm, yes the farm.  The farmer, Zack Pickens, is overseeing one of the largest urban farms in NYC.  They grow everything in milk carts and the place is gorgeous.  During the height of the season, 80% of the vegetables on their menu come from the farm.  Tomatoes, herbs, lettuce, radishes, carrots, etc.  The picture above is of the lettuce.

I felt like we were somewhere so unique and special...and we were.  The chef, Sisha Ortuzar, who is also a partner in the restaurant is amazing, and so was the food.  We began drinking wines and champagne as we strolled around the farm.  We dined on incredible oysters from both the east and west coasts.

Scallop and tuna ceviche which is perfect for a warm summer night.

A variety of house made charcuterie including a few tiny radishes from the garden.  On this plate was also the slow cooked lamb ribs that fell off the bone.  I am a huge fan of lamb ribs.

We sat under a huge blue umbrella and ate family style.

Our first course was a mixture of four different items.  A large salad of farm greens, radishes, pickled beets and bronze fennel.  Light and delicious.

Sweet pea panzanella with white anchovies, fresno chiles tossed with a ramp vinaigrette.  This was such a winner.  Tiny peas that exploded in your mouth with small crispy flat croutons and thin slices of red chilis for a spot of heat and a zippy dressing.

Hamachi with farm flowers and lemon verbena.  The lemon verbena was probably picked 30 minutes before we ate it.  Simple delicious fish.

Grilled prawns with a salsa verde.  I could have eaten the entire plate of these.  Along side this course are a few wines.  Capture, "Les Pionniers," 2010, Sonoma and Fountain-Gagnard, "Les Vergers," 2007 Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru, Burgundy.  The wines were particularly amazing.

Our main course included two entrees, two vegetables and a grain salad.  Grilled asparagus with fresh lemons and parmesan.  Yum.  Had to start using the flash at this point.

Charred spring onions with a hazelnut romesco.  This was probably my least favorite dish but I do love how beautiful the onions were.

Freeka (which is like farro) salad with fava beans, english peas and fine herbs.  I love this kind of salad for the summer.  Light with simple crisp summer veggies.

Smoked pork back with ribs.  This was killer.  It has been smoked all day.  Juicy and flavorful.  The pork came from Glenmalure Farm and I can tell you that the difference in flavor when you get meat from a farm is huge.  I would have liked to bring these leftovers home.

Whole sea bass from Long Island with a mixture of artichokes, black olives and lemons over the top.  Perfectly cooked.  Wines here were Scarecrowd, "Monsieur Etain," 2009, Rutherford, Napa Valley and Heitz Cellar, "Trailside Vineyard," 1994, Rutherford, Napa Valley.

Of course an option of cheese and pie or if you are so inclined, both.  Rhubarb pie with a really delicious crust and two ice creams, vanilla and orange.  I couldn't stop dipping my spoon back into the ice creams just for another little bite.

Cheese plate was delicious.  I am a sucker for thinly sliced toasted bread with nuts and cranberries.  One of my favorites.

An amazing night.  Great fun with really good friends, really good food and the perfect weather for an evening meal.  The flavors in every dish were powerful yet subtle at the same time.  It was like having dinner in Napa where there tends to be a bend towards more healthy light eating.  Wow.  Keep in mind you can book a table at the Farm.  I highly recommend it.  A really special thing to do.  Just loved it. 

Freshkills Park

Years ago I used to drive to Staten Island to visit the Macys store.  The smell getting out of the car was beyond terrible.  Life has changed out there and Freshkills Park is in the pinnacle of this change.

I took a drive out to Freshkills Park with Eloise Hirsh, the Freshkills Park Adminstrator who happened to be the first Deputy Commissioner of the New Year City Department of Parks and Recreation in the Koch Administration. She has always been passionate about parks and planning.  Eloise and her husband moved to Pittsburgh for almost two decades and when she returned to NYC, she wanted to do something part-time with the parks.  Adrian Benepe, who is the current Commissioner of the NYC Department of Parks and Recreation took Eloise to Freshkills and before you knew it, she was not exactly working part-time as she hoped but instead headed up the Freshkills Park because she became passionate about the park. 

Freshkills is located at the end of Staten Island.  468,000 people live in Staten Island (one of the largest growing counties in the state) and to give you perspective that there are 305,000 people living Pittsburgh (which is shrinking).  The park is 2200 acres which is three times the size of Central Park.  Methane is generated from the landfills at Freshkills which generates enough heat for 22000 homes in State Island.  All impressive statistics.  This is one of the many lines that are collecting the gas. 

The soil out there is cleaner than any other soil in the city, hands down as it is a state of the art landfill conversion generating energy. What is more impressive is how incredibly beautiful the park is.  Currently the park is undergoing development in small chunks that the city has funded to develop 50 acres. 

The birds are beautiful out there.  There is a kayak house that is always filled to capacity.  The biggest question is how do we get more people out to this park as it is like no other park in the boroughs of NYC.  Music festivals, art installations, educational experiences, small farms...we will see.

The vistas, the meadows, the sheer beauty of a park of this size in our own backyard is a park that is in need of lots of TLC to create another destination location that gives us all a break from the concrete jungle we live in everyday. 

 

Hudson River Park

If you have not been to the west side of Manhattan in awhile, you are missing out on a massive transformation.  $350 million has been pored into the Hudson River Park and it is gorgeous. 

You can drive your bike down the path, you can take a jog, kayak on the waterfront, hit golf balls, play basketball, play soccer, play tennis and of course take your dog to meet other dogs in the dog runs.  There are events over the course of the year that you can attend such as music concerts. 

There are certainly issues that still need to be hammered out such as the use of the piers.  For instance, pier 40 is slowly sinking and how is that fixed has been a conversation through out the community for years. 

We went to the annual fundraiser this past week on Pier 26 located at North Moore Street and the waterfront.  It was pretty great to see the excitement in the room around the park.  After all, it is the park where we all fine refuge from our day to day city life.  I love walking down the waterway at night and during the weekend to see the people and the beat of the park. 

Congratulations to Hudson River Park.  They have come a long way...

Back Forty West

Back Forty West is the latest addition to the space that Peter Hoffman and his wife Susan Rosenfeld have occupied for years.  Savoy was there for at least 20 years.  I remember when Savoy opened.  I still remember who we had dinner with when we went there back in the early 90's.  Fast forward, our daughter Emily happens to be in the same class with Peter and Susans son.  I bring this up because the food and restaurant industry has changed so much since those days.

I remember telling Susan that we had gone to Savoy when it first opened and I still recall when New York Magazine reviewed them.  She told me an interesting story which is worth telling.  When Savoy was reviewed, the long tail of that article was a surge in business that went on for almost a year.  That enabled them to expand the restaurant upstairs and create a sold foundation for the restaurant.  Many years later, like the early 2000's, Savoy was written up again in New York Magazine, and the long tail of that was quite short, the surge lasted about a week.  It says something about how the industry has changed.  Reviews are being written every day, new places are being scouted out so the minute the doors open the surge is fast and furious before many move to the next latest and greatest.  I always think about that even particularly now when new restaurants open their doors and they don't even have a second to breath before they are quickly reviewed in the blogosphere.  Just an interesting observation.

So I was excited about going to Back Forty West.  The original Back Forty is in the east village.  This restaurant is an extension of the brand and Peter brought over Shanna Pacifico from the original spot to be the chef at Back Forty West.  I had lunch there the other day.  The food was quite good.  I've always loved the location particulary the wrap around windows in the front room.  

We began with a chick pea puree with small warm pieces of pita breads on the side and some marinated beets.  The bread was crusty and soft.  The dip was addictive.  

This was clever.  Grilled peas in a pod covered with smoked pimentos, sea salt, lemon juice and herbs. A new version of edamame.

Super garlicky grilled kale and escarole salad.  Too garlicky for me but really well done with the shaved parm on top.

Sauteed brocolli rabe as a side.

Buttermilk fried chicken on a waffle with maple syrup on the side.  Very Southern.  The fried chicken was juicy, crispy and so damn good.

For lighter fair was a smoked chicken breast sliced over greens, pumpkin seeds and a nice lemon dressing. 

This dessert was killer.  The rhubarb slices had been poached to the point that the pieces literally fell apart when you cut in to it.  Set in a puffed pastry and just the right amount of sweetness with a scoop of intense vanilla ice cream.

Nice job.  Might have to go back for dinner. 

A Jeffersonian Dinner

I went to a  Jeffersonian dinner this past week for twelve women and the top was; how should women define success?  It was engaging, interesting and intellectually stimulating. 

The age of the women at the table ranged from 25 to probably early 60's.  Our host had introduced everyone already through email where we were able to read each others bios.  We did a little meet and greet at the start and then sat down to talk.  The first question was "when in your life did you feel that you had success"....then the conversation began to flow.

What is interesting is the themes among most of us.  Nobody in the crowd defined success by money but by family, relationships, achieved goals, freedom to make decisions.  I can't recall the many thoughts that took place but it certainly got me thinking about the definition for myself. 

One thing to think about is that if you achieve success, then what comes next.  In essence, the path of life is a series of successes as you evolve and grow older.  It is funny what came to my head when I thought about when did I first think of myself as having success.

I was working for a guy and basically running the company with him operationally as well as running all of sales.  He gave me a serious amount of rope which is probably why I found success there.  He owned his own biz and I was his number 2. There was a day when a group of VP's from Dillards came to our showroom.  These guys, yes guys in blue suits, were basically the number 2s in the company.  I was giving them the pitch and I was definitely nervous.  I was nervous because before being in the wholesale end of the schmata biz, I was at Macys where guys in blue suits were the hierarchy of the company.  So I am pitching these Dillards men and the owner of the company comes up to me and whispers in my ear, you make more money than these guys.  It totally gave me pause.  There was something about that information that shifted my entire attitude, as I felt, hey, I am equal to you guys and that made me feel successful.

So, continuing down the road of success...certainly raising our children has been the most rewarding.  Perhaps because my career has been a strange long ride not a straight shot up a ladder that I have found it hard to feel successful.  There are fleeting moments where I think that was a nice successful moment but those moments never make me feel like I am successful.  Crazy perhaps and more than likely because a big load of baggage I carry around but that is my own issue. 

It was really an engaging conversation particularly hearing from other women who I consider all successful to hear how they feel about their own successes and the choices they have made.  Would a group of men speak differently than a group of women...perhaps but perhaps not.

Do I feel successful when I bake a killer pie?  Do I feel successful when I complete a project on time and on budget?  Do I feel successful that I can juggle so many balls and get shit done?  Do I feel successful when I see my kids do well and achieve their goals?  Do I feel successful when something I planned is pulled off perfectly?  Do I feel success getting a deal done? 

I do feel small shots of success to all the questions above so my take away from that dinner is that success is constantly happening in our lives as we achieve the small things because it is important that we feel good about our own personal accomplishments as we grow and move forward down our own life path. 

Really interesting evening.  

Natalia Allen, Clothing Designer, Woman Entrepreneur

Natalia told me that she was always picky.  As a kid, her mother would take her shopping for clothes and she would walk around and find nothing that worked for her.  The fabrics were not right, she didn't love the cut, she wanted it longer, etc.  Her mother was a smart women, she gave Natalia a sewing machine and taught her the basics of sewing.  Soon Natalia was making her own clothes and she would literally sell them off her back to friends in high school.  It is not surprising that Natalia chose to go to Parsons after high school.

Natalia could be labeled as a serial intern.  It was through that where she learned the real trades of the garment center.  She worked at the Gap part-time in the visual merchandising area in college.  She also worked at Ralph Rucci, an underwear company and Christina Perrin.  The one company that really caught her attention was from a group of people who came out of the ITP department at NYU who were working on a wearable collaborative technology.  It made Natalia start to think about that merger.

In 2004, Natalia graduated from Parsons with the distinct honor of getting the designer of the year award.  She had presented a high tech fashion collection with an online site merging textiles and technology.  She was working with lasers to get rid of all the seams.  It was an honor to be put in the category with other graduated notables such as Alexander Wang, Donna Karan, Anna Sui, Thakoon and Marc Jacobs to name a few.

She was able to graduate and begin consulting.  There was a huge article that had come out in NY Magazine about all the designers that had graduated from Parsons so she leveraged that to get consulting gigs.  The creative director of Donna Karan contacted her when she saw the tech fabrics she was working on.  They literally set aside a budget for Natalia to think differently about new fabric concepts and designs.  They wanted someone to think deeper which is why they kept her as a consultant instead of bringing her into the company.  She did that for two years.

Her next gig was at Calvin Klein working in the mens division developing a new line of denim.  The denim has this very cool rusted feel that was very American and iconic.  It was 2008 when she completed the project and then entire world teetered.  It was an interesting time.  Natalia was also doing a project for British Tel-com reporting to the head of design.  Her value has always been that she is a disruptive thinker and taking those thoughts through a process and executing on them.  She cares about how the product is made, where does it come from and how can we do it better?

Natalia was elected into the World Economic Forum where she began to speak globally about the intersection of production and design with technology.  It is through interdisciplinary design where she started to talk and think about sustainability and changing the way products are being developed.

She loved speaking around the world and going to beautiful places but through a chance meeting in 2011, as she had been thinking about starting her own company because it would so much more gratifying if she could use the products she talks about and create them herself.  Someone asked her what that would look like and gave her the funding to start. 

The first 3 months in her own company, she spent going around to different factories and learning technique.  At Parsons you learn alot about design but not about production.  So she trained herself working backwards and taking internships at factories to learn the rudiments of manufacturing. 

Natalias products are seamless.  The fabric is super light.  The dresses weigh less than 4 ounces each.  The vision is not to have a fashion collection but a line of essential foundations for a woman's wardrobe.  Going back to sustainability she wants to make sure that the items she makes are architecturally sound and of great quality so you can continue to wear Natalia's clothes for years to come. 

Living on the fast track

I know a young woman who was zooming up the fast track, living life in the fast lane, working like a dog and found herself exhausted and in a life she wasn't so sure she wanted.  What did she do?  She jumped ship.  It took a shit load of courage and guts but she did it and the last time I saw her she was literally beaming as if the entire weight of the world had just come off her shoulders. 

She sent me this article that was in the WSJ this week, Single and Stepping off the Fast Track.  It isn't just women with children who are taking a step back but others as well.  This article is one of the many conversations I have been having over the past few weeks starting with what will the word career mean in the next 5 or 10 years.

I am looking at businesses such as 3rd Ward and Windowfarms where community as well as a return to our roots although with a 2012 urban twist is happening.  At 3rd Ward there are classes from jewelry making to sewing to photography to urban ecology.  These are classes that expand our creative genes and connect with a community.  At Windowfarms, there is a virtual community that discusses their own techniques and skills on how to grow your own garden. 

Perhaps people are looking around at the intensity of how we work and are constantly connected and are taking a step back wanting to simplify and enjoy their life through something that they are truly passionate about.  I am not so sure we are slowing down but we are shifting.  We are moving into the next generation post-2008 when the world imploded.  We might be slowly coming out of that time but the economy, the Internet, the world is a very different place.  The changes are subtle now but in a few years we will see them more intensely as the generation graduating from college now makes their mark on the world and the ones jumping off their career paths.

A bold move for someone to get off the fast track because they want a life style shift not because because they are having children or settling into family life.  The question is how they take that empowering shift and live their lives. 

 

 

Perla

In full transparency, we are investors in Perla which is why although it has been reviewed all over NYC, I have yet to write anything.  We went there again for dinner on Mothers Day and I took the pics and grabbed the menu.  What is wonderful is that this week not only did the Village Voice RAVE about Perla the NYTimes gave them 2 stars. The chef, Michael Toscano is hitting the high notes.

I am a huge fan of Gabe and his wife Gina who own Joseph Leonard, Jeffries, Fedora and now Perla.  Guaranted this will not be the last of their empire.  Here is a piece i wrote about Gabe's first place, Little Owl, years ago.  Kind of funny to read it now.  My assessment is at least consistent.  Here is what I wrote at the end of the blog post.  Gabriel is the perfect groovy host of the front room.  He still is. 

Perla is located on Minetta which is a tiny street off of Sixth Avenue.  The restaurant has been around for years and they have just made it better and cozier..and have taken full advantage of the wood burning fire place it came with.  We began the sugar snap and snow peas salad.  A mixture of peas and pea shoots with slices of pickled rhubarb and underneath a goats milk ricotta.  Mix it up and you have a hell of a taste combo.

Cured king salmon over asparagus and a chopped egg vinaigrette.  The salmon is delicious and asparagus is tis the season.

Crispy soft shell crap with a nice piccata aioli and pickled finger chiles.  I have also had a few other appetizers when we were there and highly recommend the vitello tonnato and braised octopus.

If you love pasta, this is the place.  Honestly could be the best pasta in the city right now.  Just perfect and beyond sublime.  Orechhiette with crumbled sweet italian sausage and ramp pesto. 

Gnocchi with a spicy tomato sauce and ricotta.  Wow.  I'd also recommend the cavatelli with duck ragu and foie gras.  How amazing does that sound?   It is. 

I am a big fan of a whole branzino particularly in a wood burning oven.  This is served with a broccoli rabe vinaigrette and caponata.  The fish falls off the bone.  They will filet it for you.

This is chicken for two, could be three after having the appetizers and pasta courses. Cut up pieces of chicken cooked in the wood burning oven with a spicy red sauce and the skin is almost barbequed.  It is a diavola sauce and it is finger licking good.

On the way out they always give short bread cookies with fennel sprinkled over the top.  A nice light touch.  We were too full to eat dessert.  The other thing that can either be endearing or over the top is everyone who works there goes over backwards to make you feel at home.  Sometimes it is too much but most of the time I feel like everyone there is the guest of honor and that doesn't feel so shabby. 

 

 

Women Who Tech

I was asked to take part in the Women Who Tech conference that takes place virtually.  My fellow panelists were Amanda Steinberg from Dailyworth, Amy Errett from Maveron and the moderator Pemo Theodore.  Our topic was Funding Your Own Startup.

It is a strange event in the fact that it takes place on line and I truly have no idea how many people are in the audience or listening.  Yet on the other hand, we had an interesting dialogue and hopefully shed some light for many women entrepreneurs on questions that they might not feel so comfortable about asking in a public forum.

The questions might seem simple but if you have never done it, how would you know.  How do I fund my startup?  What is the difference between a seed round, an angel round and a VC round?  Is a lean startup important? 

The timing was perfect after sitting down with Nancy Hechinger this morning and talking about what exactly is the next Womens Entrepreneur Festival going to look like?  How can we make it different?  How can we educate more women about the real start-up questions?  How can we connect women CEO's together so that they can create groups to rely on for advice such as how YPO does (Young Presidents Organization). 

The panel conversations should be live soon.  There are a bunch of different panels worth listening to that took place.  Also, if you have any thoughts on the next Womens Entrepreneur Festival...start a discussion here!