Oh New York, I love you . . .

... and even more when I met my love and best friend here! Yes I'm a married women ... but we'll save that for another day :) .

I happily moved to Manhattan in 2007, such a short while ago… but I frequented the city a few times before and every time I left, I left a piece of me there. I would go back to Michigan dreaming that one day I would move to New York and become the best person that I can be. New York gave me hope and the feeling that I can achieve all the things I wanted to in my life - career, family and lifestyle. It was all available in that vibrant city, and if I worked hard enough, one day I would live there.   

So I worked hard and thought even harder about what my life would be "when" I moved to New York. I would envision all these little moments of me living there - what my apartment would look like and where I would go for my coffee in the morning, I researched and bookmarked all the best restaurants to dine at, and I even picked my favorite street to live on. I envisioned myself walking through the city streets and my morning run through Central Park (so cheesy, I know), but all this kept me motivated.

One summer morning, while sipping on my favorite Java Hutt latte, I was sitting in front of my laptop checking my email and getting ready to do some work… I find an email from an unfamiliar woman named Catt. I was going to delete it, thinking it was junk but I was a bit curious so I read on…"Dear Mais, …. we have an immediate opening for a junior level designer position, and we were wondering if you would be available to relocate to Cincinnati, Ohio for training and after training work for our office in New York City." …. they were wondering WHAT?! Was this a scam or some kind of joke?! … I must of read the email 100 times before I responded, not knowing what kind of reply I would receive... To make a loonnng story short, I moved to Cincinnati for three months and after training I moved to Manhattan and never looked back!! It was a fabulous dream come true :)

And ever since then I have been frequenting all my favorite coffee shops, parks, and streets when ever I want :) and for fun here is a list of my 10 favorite places in New York City, in no particular order:

1. MoMA - My favorite museum to visit on a cold rainy day.

2. Bistro Bagatelle - The funniest Saturday brunch spot for those who like to drink champagne and dance away their Saturday afternoon!! 

3. ilili Restaurant - One of my favorite Lebanese restaurant and the first dinner date with my love.

4. Biking and picnicking - along the Hudson River, a quick and easy escape from the city traffic.

5. McNally Jackson Books - An indie bookstore where I spend all my money.

6. Chelsea Market - An indoor market with great food, coffee and a unique interior space. A good place to go on a rainy day. 

7. The High Line - A beautiful renovated railway turned into an elevated park.

8. Rockwood Music Hall - An intimate music hall, with no cover charge, a great place to catch all the up and coming singers and bands from around the world. Always a great place to go wind down and have a glass of wine on the weekdays.  

9. La Colombe - The best coffee in all of Manhattan. The space is not too shabby either

10. ABC Carpet & Home - A heaven for interior designers and people that love pretty things.. I can spend HOURS there.

Those are just to name a few, I will constantly be sharing with you my favorite places in the city. So please keep checking back! And if you are planning to visit New York City soon and wondering what are some great local spots to see, don't be shy to ask, I'm always happy to help :)


All pictures are found via pintrest


Have a fabulous day ya'll
xo Mais.

Caffe Medici

Click on images for more information on Caffe Medici

The temperature has finally dropped here in Austin, we are down into the 70’s (40 degrees cooler than Summer).  I just had a wonderful weekend with one of my best girlfriends from Detroit, who came for a short visit.  The first thing we did after picking her up from the airport was.. head straight to downtown.  We had a little time to spare to prepare before a business meeting, so I thought I would show her one of my favorite coffee shops in Austin…. Caffé Medici! Ohhhhh how I love this place! There are three locations in Austin (one on Congress at the bottom of the Austonian, one on campus at 22^nd and Guadalupe, and one on 12^th at West Lyn). All of the Caffé Medici’s are fabulous, but I’m a downtown girl, so of course I’m a regular at the Congress location. The interior space definitely doesn’t resemble your run of the mill coffee shop.  It’s appropriate lofty style, two level, “industrial meets rustic” in the heart of a downtown WOWS every visitor…Caffé Medici is a great example showing that no space is left un-designed in Austin.

Beautiful interior to compliment the beautiful Barista creations

From the beautiful design on the interior to the unique designs of the espressos, this place takes it to the next level. Housing employees like Lorenzo Perkins, the 2010 Champion of the South Central Regional Barista Competition, makes it one of a kind! I enjoy the passion for art, craft and definitely design in Austin, it makes me want to keep discovering great places like Caffé Medici.

* Definite go to coffee shop when guest are in town

* Thank you CaffeMedici.com for some of the amazing photos

XO Patrice

Whole Foods Market: Birth Place Austin, TX - Patrice Nichole Rios

Organically grown in Austin, Texas

 Hey New Yorkers! Austin has Whole Foods Market, what do y’all have? Before I moved to Austin, I had no idea Whole Foods Market started here. The first store opened in 1980, (years before I was even born) fast forward 31 years and you can find over 300 stores across North America and the United Kingdom. The growth of Whole Foods Market has seen such great success because of their consistent high standards for organic and natural foods and their support for the sustainable agriculture community. John Mackey, founder of Whole Foods is a true inspiration and defines the meaning of “a risk taker”. At the young age of 25, John Mackey (college dropout) and his 21 year old girlfriend Rene Lawson borrowed $45,000 from family and friends to open a small natural foods store here in Austin. Soon after the store opening, John and Rene were kicked out of their apartment for keeping food products there, so they moved to the store. Not having a shower, the couple used the hose from their dishwasher to bathe. What a lovely start huh? So, after a few added business partners (Craig Weller and Mark Skiles), and a couple of company mergers (Saferway and Clarksville Natural Grocery), Whole Foods Market was created.

Top image: laist.com / bottom image: vegetarianorganicblog.com

Well…. on behalf of myself and probably every Austinite, we would like to personally thank all of these guys for creating the ultimate go to store for all of our organic desires! And of course thank you for the bragging rights! From the phenomenal salad bar & cafe, to the easy-to-follow recipe cards (God knows I need them), Whole Foods has everything I could possibly want in a grocery store. I usually try to find any reason to shop at Whole Foods; after a Saturday run at Lady Bird Lake, Whole Foods is where I go to get my double green smoothie, between meetings with clients, Whole Foods is where I stop to rejuvenate with an organic snack, and on Sunday afternoons, my sister and I head over to Whole Foods to do our weekly shopping. Also, as I mentioned in my last post about throwing a chic dinner party, Whole Foods is where I go to host that perfect soiree. Impress your friends and family with an elegant cheese and wine party (be like me and act as if you know how to pair the two, but really the employers from Whole Foods do it for me), everyone will think you really did your research and you will be known as the “ULTIMATE PARTY THROWER”. 

(photo on left) Sunkist Natural Juices

Anyway, I hope you were able to learn a little more about the history of Whole Foods Market and how a small business idea can make such a healthy impact.

Thanks to the following links for images and information that allowed us to create this post:

http://leberpr.blogs.com/lovepr/2008/07/another-juicy-d.html

www.wholefoods.com

http://vegetarianorganicblog.com

http://laist.com/2007/11/09/whole_foods.php

Xo, Patrice Nichole Rios

Austin can throw chic dinner parties too - Patrice Nichole Rios

http://thefive-senses.blogspot.com/2010/05/eating-out.html

Whether you’re hosting a dinner party in your 700 square foot apartment or the roof top of a building over looking the city skyline, one thing you want to remember…the absolute MOST important detail is the DECOR! Once you decide on the location for your dinner party, start making your guest list. Try to keep it short, I suggest a maximum of twelve close friends and family. Keeping your guest list at this size allows for great conversation, but not enough to get a noise complaint (trust me on this). Next on the checklist is creating your menu. To make it easy, pick a theme…for example French cuisine… if it’s a summer night dinner party with a French theme, start researching and get your google on. Maybe contact one of your favorite French restaurants. Such as Peche, a local French restaurant here in Austin. Their website shows several entrées you could attempt at home or always call to see if they provide catering (don’t believe anyone who says catering is cheating.. it can be our little secret). Make sure to pick fantastic appetizers, light salads, rich soups, and main courses that look beautiful on a plate. If you are a super hero and decide to cook everything on your own, make sure you buy quality ingredients, and there’s no better place in my opinion to go to than Austin’s very own Whole Foods Market. Whole Foods has everything you need to throw a chic dinner party.

Menu from Peche, one of Austin's best French restaurants

So, how do you truly impress your dinner guests? Well, if you’re anything like me (a huge planner) there’s time to mail out invitations. You want to make sure to highlight the theme of the party and maybe mention the dress attire (nothing is worse than going all out for a special event and having your guest arrive and not be camera ready). Inviting Affairs is a great local company for ordering invitations for any occasion.The great thing about hosting for a small group is that you can make the party as personal as you’d like. Place cards and small take home party favors are always a good idea. A party favor could consist of a bottle of French wine with a personal label created by you (check out Austin’s www.personalwine.com) or making personal take home desserts. Adding small touches such as these to the table will definitely make it memorable.

Personalize your party favors to make it extra memorable

Decide on a color scheme to make it easier when selecting chinaware and linens (table cloths and napkins). Don’t forget the centerpieces! Tons of candles are necessary; I mean everyone looks good in candle lighting. Simply wow your guest with something original. Just make it your own, show everyone the small things you appreciate... and have a GREAT TIME!

Whatever your style is... make it memorable!

 Remember there is always help out there. If you feel overwhelmed, contact your local event planner immediately....and leave it all up to them. A great event planning company that I have worked with closely is from Austin, called Guest List Intimate Event Design... check them out!

I encourage everyone to have a formal dinner party, so if you do, send us photos! Mais and I would love to see how we have inspired you.

Xo, Patrice Nichole Rios

(Photos were gathered from the following sites: http://www.invitingaffairs.com/, www.blog.weddingwire.com, www.calorielab.com, http://www.lunchboxmagazine.com/, http://www.pecheaustin.com/, www.biancarodriguez.files.wordpress.com, http://www.beautifulpurposeevents.com/, http://www.marthastewartweddings.com/)

Oh my Olivia! - Patrice Nichole Rios

Image from www.Olivia-austin.com

Happy Friday everyone! Thanks for returning to read my quick review about a restaurant named after the chef’s daughter Olivia, how sweet! Last night my sister joined me along with my cousin at the Olivia to try a few new fall items on the menu. All I have to say is…. TRY THE SLIDERS! We sipped champagne, shared the oysters, sampled the cheese plate, tasted fries with the specialty ketchup, and loved the sliders… still leaving room for THREE different fall desserts. The service was phenomenal, the pastry chef himself brought out the desserts, which included a deconstructed caramel bread pudding, to us. You don’t get that kind of service just anywhere. I could go on and on about the food, the ambiance and the oh so good looking chefs, but just take my word for it. If you are new to the city, a tourist or simply have never been to the Olivia, trust me when I say, GO.

Xo, Patrice Nichole Rios

Food, Architecture or College Spirit? What really defines Austin? - Patrice Nichole Rios

From home cooking style to celebration cocktails, Austin has it all

 When I moved to Austin, I really didn’t know what the hype was about this city. I just thought the locals were big on music, dressed kinda funky and that Austin was simply a college town. Little did I know that real Austinites are actually hard to find (as 173 people move here everyday), and little did I know that the funky fashion reflects the super laid back attitude of the city. You can literally find yourself eating at a fine dining restaurant sitting next to a man in cargo shorts and flip-flops watching him pull out a Black American Express Card to pay the bill. I learned very vast that this is not West Hollywood, the saying “you are what you drive” doesn’t exist here…. It’s more on the line of “you are what you are”. So what really defines Austin? Ask around and most people will say THE FOOD! It’s all about the food. Whether it’s at some of the coolest designed restaurants like La Condesa or a backyard bar-b-q at Saltlick (located 20 minutes outside of the city), you will find yourself struggling to decide where to go for breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner.

La Condesa is a great get away from the suburbs to downtown

Hummmm…. So, I’m thinking tonight is an Olivia night! The Olivia (located on South Congress and Oltorf) along with La Condesa (located in the 2^nd street district) are both stunning restaurants… designed by Michael Hsu Office of Architecture, a local architecture firm that houses incredible designers who really know how to create magnificent dining experiences. The Olivia is a perfect example of how Austin gourmet food inspires architecture. A place as Cuatro’s (located near 24^th and Guadalupe) display a well designed restaurant with amazing Mexican food while catering to the University of Texas students. If you decide to go on a Saturday afternoon during a UT football game, get ready to be surrounded by screaming fans and uniquely constructed rustic-modern architecture.

Cuatro's is the place to be for great food and atmosphere during the game

 So, is it the food that defines Austin? Or, is it the architecture? Some would say it’s definitely the college spirit. However, it seams as though it’s all of the above. Without the food, you would not have satisfied Texans and tourists. Without the architecture, you would not have people talking about their memorable dining experiences. And without the college spirit, you would not have the high energy that fills Austin. Come back tomorrow for my reviews on Olivia’s Fall Menu… mmmmm!

xo, Patrice Nichole Rios