Of all the Long Island Gold Coast mansions, The Vanderbilt Museum and Planetarium probably has the most to offer visitors. We began with what is unlikely to be their best planetarium show, but certainly a bizarre and funny one (my whole body was shaking with laughter when it began) “Larry Cat in Space“. A slideshow more than a planetarium show that features a fat tabby with a shockingly Jack Nicholson-like voice who tells his not very informative tale of becoming a stowaway to the moon or 'meeewn', as the cats call it.

It really actually goes beyond non-informative to misleading in its claim that there are underground space stations on the moon and that making a cat-sized space suit is the kind of thing a man can whip up in about ten minutes. See, Larry Cat is trying to get to his owner, Diana Sandberg (a lesbian, I would guess, based on the clothes he stows away among), whom he has an almost uncomfortable affection for. The planetarium also offers laser light shows (of course, the 10pm show features the music of Pink Floyd) and some other options that might be a tad more enthralling for people over the age of 3.

A short distance away is the mansion itself, a sprawling beauty with contradictorary but harmonious styles of architecture. A house tour is an extra $5 (a fee two pain in the ass women “were not prepared for!”) and a kindly old gentlemen does the honors of taking you through the gorgeous rooms that the Vanderbilts spent their summers in.?My favorites were the master walk-in closet, the wife's giant bathroom, the wild trophy room dedicated to the son who died young that includes a stuffed alligator, the elegant dining room with a hand carved wood ceiling, and the organ that boasts pipes all the way down to the basement hidden behind a medieval tapestry. There is still plenty of fabulous things to see, though even if you don't want to take the time or money for the nearly hour long tour.

There's an old timey car in the basement, a hall with taxidermy wild animals, a petrified mummy, an exquisite Moroccan garden room, a dream-worthy library, and the biggest specimen of a whale shark around. Two amazing rooms are full of marine and wildlife specimens too, including tons of birds, octopuses, and giant lobsters.

Our growling tummies didn't allow us to to visit the Marine Museum, so we'll have to go back for that.

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Posted on April 6, 2009

Thanks again to Astrid for helping me out this (and last) week!

Leaving Las Vegas we took the interstate west through the Nevada desert on our way to Santa Barbara.?Its a long dusty drive with scenic mountains in the background and random resorts and trailer parks sprouting up here and there.?Other then viewing the desert, when driving from Las Vegas to LA there are a few notable tourist trapish excursions.?Most of these are located in the town of Baker which is a famous pit stop for the Vegas-la travel set.?

First up was the Mad Greek which reminds me of a continuation on the whole My Big Fat Greek Wedding aesthetic.?There was literally hundreds and hundreds of pieces of Greek pride and flair.?The portions were huge and we decided to split a Greek salad with pita and that was plenty for the both of us.?Definitely a great hangover-over as you lurch your way back from Vegas to civilization.

Afterward we pulled into the famous Alien Jerky located nearby to pick up some flavored jerky.?They had the standard teryiaki/pepper varieties then things like salmon, buffalo, and whiskey jerky.

Stumbling around the first night, we stepped into this bustling but quaint local seafood restaurant, the Hungry Cat.?The kitchen is directly across from the bar where we sat so we got to see them prepare all this delicious looking fresh seafood.?The also had an impressive list of specialty cocktails and wines.?The food, drinks, coupled with the vibe (being California, you have to throw in the vibe) made it our favorite surprise of the city.?We'd highly recommend scouting it out if you're ever in town.

Almost as fun as tasting the wines in the Santa Ynez area is just driving around the rolling hills of vineyards.?Everything was so green and lush and the climate was warm and breezy.?As you're driving around you see that there are wineries everywhere, dozens and dozens.?We did a little research on different places and one that kept coming up was the Zoca Mesa winery.?It's a fairly secluded place that has a couple of hiking trails scenic picnic nooks and tables.?We did a tasting there and I was really impressed.?I had never considered myself much of a Shiraz person but theirs was just excellent.?Light and peppery and we ended up getting a whole magnum to share with friends we'd see later on our trip.

We spent some time researching what the best restaurant was in Santa Barbara and everything seemed to point to Bouchon.?So we went and were not disappointed.?The setting was reminiscent of a?quaint farmhouse and you felt relaxed and welcomed the minute you walked in.? The food was really great.?All fresh ingredients from local farms.?They even whipped up a special vegetarian entree for us with broccoli rabe and risotto that was creative and delicious.

One of the best things about the visit had to be the service.?The waiter treated us like old friends and not only gave us some free Humboldt fog (a delicious goat cheese made with vegetable ash) he also gave us a shortlist of the best wineries in the city.

Never to miss out on spectacle, we swung by what is believe to be the largest fig tree in the country, Santa Barbara's Moreton Bay Fig Tree.?Its massive!

One notable pit-stop was the Santa Barbara Brewhouse.?It was a true local joint, tucked away from the main strip of the town.?The place had a great neighborhood feel and brewed some really great beer.?Our favorite had to be the habanero infused pilsner.?It had a kick!?They served it in a small glass but the bartender said that people order it by the picture.?I wish I could have brought some home.

The Carr Winery is located in the city of Santa Barbara and we stopped by there at our Bouchon waiter's suggestion.?It was an old warehouse space converted into a tasting room and barrel storage facility.?We got a tasting and right away knew we'd be getting at least a bottle or two.?We tried a few super pinot noir's but one nice surprise was this Shiraz made by the assistant wine maker.?We also got a wine where there was only 800 cases made and not available anywhere else.?Would have to say it was probably the most consistent winery we visited there and will probably go back when we stop by Santa Barbara again.

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Posted on March 23, 2009

There are far edges of this large borough that most people I know have never traveled to. We just spent the afternoon in one of them: Sheepshead Bay, a tight community and coastal area that feels old fashioned and has a few special spots to visit.

First, we headed to the Imax at UA Sheepshead Bay Stadium, a place where we could see Watchmen (I'll tell you more about that next week) in loud, huge, high definition in a totally un-sold out theater. Sure, the place suffers from the same defects as any other, namely: the public can be annoying (and stupid – Note: do NOT bring your very young children to see Watchmen – they will see penises and arms being sawed off!) and the prices are mind numbing, but if you're willing to make the drive or the trek via subway, you're guaranteed a good seat even on opening weekend.

Other enticements include Jordan's Lobster Dock across the street, where we partook in some fresh steamers and butter after the show to discuss the movie. It's a shack of a place that smells like brine and is crowded with kids in basketball shorts. There's nothing fancy to it but I love the idea of ending a movie with a dozen clams. They also have a retail shop where you can pick up, among other things, live lobster to take home for dinner. Which we would have done if there weren't other stops to see before we left the area.

Brennan and Carr was next on my tour and I found it as classically old Brooklyn as I expected from this Hungry Cabbie entry that first informed me of the famous roast beef restaurant years ago. You can order from the concise menu outside or you can take a seat in the cozy, fire-placed back room where local boys serve you in black bow ties and white waiter jackets. Your fellow patrons will mostly be locals who know the value of a simple juicy roast beef on a bun.

The last stop on my list was unfortunately closed when we drove by it. Kiev Bakery is a local pastry shop, but even though i wasn't able to try their sweets, just a glance in the window was well worth it. They specialize in doll cakes and I don't just mean a measly 12 inch doll. The ones in the window were those three foot tall ones, that can open their eyes and toddlers take for walks. Next to them sat huge over the top wedding cakes and I can only apologize for not getting my camera out fast enough to snap a photo.

Also closed, though permanently is Lundy's – a huge (it was once the largest restaurant in the country) famous seafood restaurant that was housed in a great looking building that will become a gourmet market in the near future.

In warmer weather the foot bridges along the water would be a nice place to walk off all the clams and beef.

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Posted on March 9, 2009

Our main objective in London was to shop, and shop we did, starting with the famous Portobello Market in Notting Hill. It was a crowded stretch of road with vendors of all kinds, mot notably lots of cheap and trendy clothes (I finally found a plaid jacket inspired by Tokyo Drifter) and some good vintage once you cross under the bridge. Nearby children's clothing shops Stasi and Jigsaw were great for work. It's a lovely area to walk around with quaint buildings and antiques and fresh flowers peering out of windows.

Soho was much less quaint, a bustling center that reminded me of midtown and houses the colossal four story Topshop (soon to be causing mayhem in NYC). The place is a madhouse sea of intimidating head to toe trendy teens throwing hangers and grabbing sizes before you can reach for them. Not a spot for those prone to panic attacks, it is still worth a look for it's fun and exciting trends that are sold at comparatively reasonable prices.

For relative calm we headed to the exquisite concept store Dover Street Market, where even a pair of socks was out of my price range. Amazing designer clothing like Commes des Garcons and Manish Arora set among interesting displays of wax heads, neon tree branches, and giant plastic octopuses. It's more like a museum of avant garde design than a retail shop.

The next day got up early for the Brick Lane Market that reminded me of Brooklyn and bore great handmade t-shirts, spray painted shoes, beautiful people watching and excellent food (see restaurant picks). Nearby Beyond Retro, Shelf, Labour and Wait, Ella Doran and Mar Mar are worth visiting.

I really fell in love with London and hope to visit again when I can. Part of the magic was the comforts afforded by the great hotel No. 11 Cadogan Gardens in beautiful Chelsea and seeing my friend and her adorable baby again. It's the only city outside New York I could see myself living in.

Photos here.

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Posted on February 23, 2009

The Sunset Tower is an old Hollywood landmark that has housed Elizabeth Taylor, Bugsy Siegel, Marilyn Monroe and Howard Hughes. It's storied and romantic history made it a perfect spot for my sister to celebrate her engagement to her soon-to-be hubby. I drooled over her photos of balcony taken French press breakfasts under blue California skies.

The building itself, which was built in 1921 by Leland A Bryant, is an art deco marvel, once one of the most trendy and glamorous places in town. It fell into disrepair in the 70s and 80s until it was saved from destruction and turned into the St James Club; then it became the Argyle before reclaiming its original name and roots as Sunset Tower.

The spa looks heavenly and I'd do just about anything to be lounging in a cabana by their pool on Valentine's Day.

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Posted on February 9, 2009